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Wasim and Waqar to power Pakistan against Zimbabwe
By Shahid A Hashmi
26 November 1998
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Nov 26 (AFP) - Speed merchants Wasim Akram and
Waqar Younis are set to power Pakistan against minnows Zimbabwe in the
first cricket Test which begins here Friday.
Pakistan won the three match one-day series 2-1 against Zimbabwe
earlier in the week after having lost a three-match Test series 1-0 to
Australia last month.
Younis, 27, was out of action for six months after injuring his
bowling arm elbow during the 1998 English county season. But he came
back to bowl with venom in the final one-day match against the
tourists in Rawalpindi.
``Its nice to have Waqar back with me and you feel like pumped up when
you have such a good bowler at the other end,'' Akram said.
Akram struggled in the series against Australia when Pakistan failed
to find a suitable partner for him.
Pakistan are likely to play three seamers and one spinner. Aaqib Javed
was recalled after fast bowler Shoaib Akhter was forced out by a high
fever.
``The wicket will definitely help the seamers and why not, our strength
is our fast bowlers,'' said former Pakistan batsman Hanif Mohammad,
adviser on pitches for the series.
However, a clearly upset Pakistan captain Aamir Sohail was clueless
about the pitch.
``I can't say anything about the wicket because once the ground
authorities will give us the pitch, only then we will know which pitch
we are going to play on,'' Sohail said.
The skipper is reportedly upset over the choice of wickets during the
series against Australia and recent abrupt changes in selection. ``I
don't even know about the team. For that you ask the selectors,'' he
said.
The Zimbabweans are in high spirits.
``We have been playing decent cricket and I hope that we will keep the
upward curve,'' captain Alistair Campbell said.
Zimbabwe won their last Test against India by 61 runs at Harara last
month but are not expecting too much here.
``The wicket looks a bit under-prepared and it will be a low-scoring
match but with a lot of action,'' said Campbell. ``Pakistan are one of
the best sides in the world and in their backyard they are too
difficult.''
The visitors are still awaiting replacements for Eddo Brandes and
Craig Evans, who left after playing the one-day series.
Of the 10 Tests between the two countries, Pakistan have won six and
Zimbabwe one.
Teams:
Pakistan (from): Aamir Sohail (captain), Saeed Anwar, Salim
Elahi, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Ejaz Ahmed, Yousuf Yohanna, Hasan Raza, Moin
Khan, Wasim Akram, Azhar Mahmood, Aaqib Javed, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqlan
Mushtaq and Waqar Younis.
Zimbabwe (from): Alistair Campbell (captain), Craig Wishart,
Grant Flower, Neil Johnson, Andy Flower, Murray Goodwin, Gavin Rennie,
Paul Strang, Heath Streak, Henry Olonga, Mpumelelo Mbangwa, Adam
Huckle and Andrew Whittal.
Umpires: George Sharp (England) and Athar Zaidi (Pakistan)
ICC Match Referee: Cammie Smith (West Indies)
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