Pakistan thrash Kenya

BY : WILFRED PEREIRA
Gaining momentum wit hever game, Pakistan trounced Kenya by 143 runs to confirm their status as the hot favourites to lift the Cherry Blossom Sharjah Cup 2003.

Pakistan, who play Zimbabwe in Thursday's final, piled up 286, the highest score in the tournament, surpassing their 278 in the opening match against Zimbabwe on April 3. The World Cup semi-finalists were bowled out for 143 in 31.4 overs.

Pakistan's victory on Tuesday was carved out by Muhammed Sami who grabbed four wickets and by the man of the match Shoaib Malik who hit a hurricane 76 from 58 balls.

Misbah ul Haq (42), captain Rashid Latif (38), Muhammed Hafeez (36), Faisal Iqbal (23) and Yousuf Youhana (18) were the other scorers.

Only Maurice Odumbe (54) and Thomas Odoyo (22) stood tall in the Kenyan ruins.

Malik won three awards for his brilliant knock, sharing the highest number of boundaries prize with Maurice Odumbe. The Pakistani all-rounder won the highest scorer prize and the man of the match award.

The Kenyan disaster began when four wickets fell for only 31 runs and their misery ended when they lost the last five wickets in the space of 22 balls and six runs.

Sami conceded 25 runs in his 6.4 overs and also ran out Odoyo with a direct hit. Rana Naved, Umar Gul and Hafeez claimed one wicket each.

Kenya, playing their 63rd One-Dayer, lost opener David Obuya in a mix-up. Kennedy Obuya tried to hit Rana but the ball just landed to his left. David darted in from the other end without even looking at his partner.

Naved threw the ball for Youhana to do the needful.

After the first wicket fell at 17 in the fourth over the Kenyans thereafter fell like nine pins, with three batsmen back in the pavilion for the addition of only 14.

The beeline began when Brijjal Patel was bowled by Sami for no score. Captain Steve Tikolo was caught by his counterpart also for a duck and K Obuya departed, again caught behind by Latif. Sami got Tikolo's wicket while K Obuya fell to Rana Naved.

Thomas Odoyo and Maurice Odumbe then not only stemmed the rot but played some excellent shots to take the score to 84, adding 53 runs for the fifth wicket.

Odoyo was run out by a direct throw from Sami whilst attempting a second run after making 22. Odumbe, who took 18 runs of Umar Gul's first over, reached his 50 from 57 balls but departed on 54 caught by Latif off Sami.

Zimbabwe's last five wickets fell in the space of 22 balls and just six runs added.

Earlier two hurricane knocks by captain Latif and Malik helped Pakistan pile up 286 for eight -- 106 coming in the last 10 overs. Malik made 76 from just 58 balls, Latif hit two sixes for his 38 off 31 balls, and Haq scored 42 with two fours and one six.

Hafeez and Taufiq gave Pakistan a sedate start putting on 45 runs for the first wicket before Umar was bowled by Joseph Angara for 17.

Hafeez continued with his aggressive shots but departed 18 runs later caught behind by K Obuya after making 36. Peter Ongondo was the bowler.

Faisal and Haq made steady progress and brought on Pakistan's 100 when Faisal hit a boundary in the 25th over. Faisal departed in the following over when he was tempted by Collins Obuya and Odumbe took a simple catch.

With the third wicket falling at 102, Pakistan vice-captain Yousuf Youhana walked in and tried to speed up the run rate. He hit a breezy 18 from 17 balls, including a four, but misjudged a ball from Kenya captain Steve Tikolo which dislodged his bails.

Tikolo got his second wicket when he had Misbah caught on the long-on boundary by Brijal Patel. The fielder appeared to have touched the ball whilst taking the catch, but umpire A Jayaprakash ruled Misbah out, without even referring to the third umpire. Misbah fell short by eight runs for his half century after facing 55 balls.

Pakistani captain Rashid Latif joined Shoaib Malik. Both delighted the crowd with some excellent shots. They put on 50 runs in just 51 balls to bring the 200 on the board. Latif made a whirlwind 38 off 31 balls, which included two fours and two sixes. He departed at 222, bowled by Tikolo for his third wicket of the day.

Malik continued the good work and got his 50 from 46 balls, and found a good ally in Rana Naveed ul Hassan who played an anchor role as the all rounder sent the bowlers to all the corners of the ground. Malik, who was dropped by Jimmy Kamande when on 54, was finally caught on the long-on boundary by Collins Obuya. He hit 76 off just 58 balls, including six fours and one six.

Rana made 13 from equal number of balls and Muhammed Sami remained not out on 12 from four balls including a six from the last ball of the innings. Danish Kaneria was the not out batsman.

There were seven sixes in the Pakistan innings coming from the bats of Latif (2), opener Hafeez, Misbah, Malik, Rana and Sami.

Kenyan captain was the most successful bowler with three wickets for 42 runs. Peter Ongondo claimed two for 56 while Thomas Odoyo, Joseph Angara and Collins Obuya got one each.

SHARJAH CUP STANDINGS

Sharjah Cup cricket standings after Tuesday's final group match (tabulated under - played, won, lost, bonus points, total points, run rate):

P W L BP Pts RR

Pakistan 3 3 0 2 17 +1.515

Zimbabwe 3 2 1 0 10 -0.347

Sri Lanka 3 1 2 1 8 +0.740

Kenya 3 0 3 0 1 -1.881

Final: April 10 - Pakistan v Zimbabwe.

Scoreboard on Tuesday:

Pakistan:

M Hafeez c Otieno b Ongondo 36

Taufiq Umar b Angara 17

Faisal Iqbal c Odumbe b C. Obuya 23

Misbah-ul Haq c Patel b Tikolo 42

Yousuf Youhana b Tikolo 18

Shoaib Malik c C. Obuya b Ongondo 76

Rashid Latif b Tikolo 38

Rana Hasan c D. Obuya b Odoyo 13

Mohammad Sami not out 12

Danish Kaneria not out 0

Extras: (lb2, w7, nb2) 11

Total (for 8 wickets off 50 overs) 286

Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-63, 3-102, 4-129, 5-150, 6-222, 7-265, 8-280.

Bowling: Odoyo 10-1-42-1, Ongondo 9-0-57-2, Angara 8-0-52-1, C. Obuya 9-0-56-1, Odumbe 6-0-35-0, Tikolo 8-0-42-3.

Kenya:

K Otieno c Latif b Rana 9

D Obuya run out 10

B Patel b Sami 0

S Tikolo c Latif b Sami 7

T Odoyo run out 22

M Odumbe c Latif b Malik 54

H Modi c Latif b Sami 27

C Obuya lbw b Hafeez 0

J Kamande lbw b Gul 3

P Ongondo not out 0

J Angara lbw b Sami 0

Extras: (lb1, w5, nb5) 11

Total 143

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-18, 3-31, 4-31, 5-84, 6-137, 7-138, 8-143, 9-143

Bowling: Sami 6.4-0-25-4, Rana 6-1-32-1, Gul 2-0-23-1, Kaneria 6-2-16-0, Malik 8-1-42-1, Hafeez 3-1-4-1

Overs: 31.4

Pakistan won by 143 runs

Toss: Pakistan

Umpires: Kevan Barbour (ZIM) and Avi Jayaprakash (IND)

TV umpire: Billy Doctrove (WIS)

Match referee: Ahmed Ebrahim (ZIM)

Wednesday, April 09, 2003.
source : © UAEcricket.com.