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Windies, Pakistan could be a close encounter

Cricket: Two former World Champions - West Indies and Pakistan will signal the start of the cricket extravaganza - World Cup 2007 when they lock horns at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad, today.

Coloured clothing, white balls and black sightscreens will come into play in this near two-month tournament that should provide cricket lu'verly cricket and keep spectators watching, taking in the action on TV and those glued to the Radio at the edge of their seats.

One day cricket is a hit about, with technicalities thrown to the winds and the team performing the requirements of this 'cowboy game', on the given day emerging victors.

A close study of the teams will show that there is little to choose between the teams vying for the best purse ever in cricket and the team that is favoured by luck carrying away the trophy and the money.

Over $2 million is on offer to the winners of the final. The West Indies Pakistan clash will also give an indication as to how the newly relaid wickets at the venues would play.

Reports have it that the wickets would favour the spinners. If that is the case then teams from the sub-continent and especially their spinners would be licking their fingers wanting to show their capabilities.

If that happens to be the case the West-Indian batsmen will have a tough time negotiating the clever leg spin of Danesh Kaneria and the off spin of Sohaib Malik. The West Indies camp can't boast of top class spinners. Their answer to Kaneria and Malik is only the gentle off spin of Chris Gayle.

Most teams prefer to chase rather than to bat first. The team winning the toss must remember that when chasing a score, there is much more pressure than when batting first.

The Windies led by that dashing batsman Brian Lara would love to win this first game in front of their calypso and reggae singing supporters. The spectators would make one big din beating their drums and cheering their team.

The Windies would have their confidence shaken a bit with the defeat by India in a warm-up game. But the Windies must not be unduly perturbed by this loss but get their act together and do better in this game.

They have some of the finest exponents of this style of game and if lara, Gayle, Bravo, Chanderpaul, Samuels and Sarwan strike it rich with the bat, then the Pakistan bowlers would be in for a hiding and the fielders would be chasing a lot of leather.

But other than for Jerome Taylor and Ian Bradshaw who are pacies, the rest of the bowling does not look convincing and capable of bowling out or restricting opponents.

Pakistan's batting will revolve around the most successful run getter in recent times Mohammed Yousuf. Yousuf will have to strike and show the rest of the batsmen the way.

Skipper Inzamum too will have to find batting form quickly. Others who will need watching are Mohammed Hafeez, Younis Khan, Azhar Mohammed and Sahiad Afridi. Azhar especially who has been recalled will be wanting to show what he is capable of and hit back at his critics who kept him out of the team for long.

Afridi seems to have lost his big hitting prowess and would not be much of a threat. If the wicket takes spin, the leg spinner Danesh Kaneria will be more than a threat. In addition to his fastish leg breaks he has a well concealed googly and batsmen would not find him easy to play.

Sami and Hasan will use the new ball. It is a pity that Sohaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif are out due to drug charges. Akhtar would have not only been a threat to the batsmen, but would also have been one of the drawcards in the tournament. The side taking the half chances and excelling in the field should hold the advantage.

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