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| Thursday, 15 July 2004 |
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India, Pakistan renew cricket rivalry in Sri Lanka COLOMBO, Wednesday (AFP) India and Pakistan will look beyond their traditional rivalry to enhance their reputation when the Asia Cup limited-overs cricket tournament starts here on Friday. The arch-rivals need to beat not only each other in the six-nation tournament but also Sri Lanka, who are capable of spoiling their party. Defending champions Pakistan get a chance to retrieve some prestige after losing both the Test and one-day series against India at home in March-April. The defeat left Pakistan's cricket in shambles with coach Javed Miandad being replaced by Englishman Bob Woolmer and premier fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar facing a disciplinary probe for "feigning" injury against India. Pakistani captain Inzamam-ul-Haq put things in perspective when he said his team had come to win the tournament, not to avenge defeat against India. "We don't use words like revenge and we are not seeking one here. We are here to play competitive cricket and win the tournament," the middle-order batsman said. Woolmer, Inzamam and Akhtar are all under pressure to deliver as only the title will satisfy fans back at home. Pakistan are placed in Group A of the preliminary league with Bangladesh and debutants Hong Kong. Four-time champions India, two-time winners Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates are in Group B. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the super league where each side will play three matches to decide the August 1 finalists. The tournament opens on Friday with matches between Hong Kong and Bangladesh in the Sri Lankan capital and between India and the UAE in the central Buddhist town of Dambulla. Indian coach John Wright said the matches against Pakistan were "always special" but winning the tournament was more important. "Both the teams want to win badly," he said. "We probably have an edge over Pakistan but that can change very quickly." India will field a full-strength side as both off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and fast bowler Zaheer Khan have recovered from injuries. India and Pakistan will clash at the super-league stage, but will have to beat Sri Lanka before setting up a dream final. Sri Lanka are tough to beat at home, having stunned even world champions Australia in the semi-final of the 2002 Champions Trophy before sharing the title with India following the rain-hit final. The hosts' attack has been strengthened with the return of Muttiah Muralitharan, who opted out of the Test series in Australia due to personal reasons. Bangladesh face a stiff task of qualifying for the final despite an improved performance in the recent two-Test series in the West Indies where they drew the opening match. Coach Dav Whatmore has succeeded in transforming Bangladesh into a fighting unit, but the team still lack the resources to pose a serious threat to the 'big three'. Non-Test-playing nations Hong Kong and the UAE have nothing to lose and everything to gain by competing against stronger opponents. |
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