Cricket: Asif's master stroke forces tie
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Your support makes all the difference.Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228-7
Pakistan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228-9
Match tied
A BOLD six by Asif Mujtaba off the last ball earned Pakistan a tie against Australia in a thrilling World Series one-day match in Hobart, Tasmania, yesterday.
Asif, the 25-year-old left-hander from Karachi, clubbed a Steve Waugh full-toss over the midwicket fence for a share of the points. His man of the match innings of 56 seized the initiative from Australia, who had looked poised for victory after scoring 228 for 7 and tying down the Pakistani top order.
In an extraordinary final over, Pakistan, with two wickets left, required 17 runs for victory after Asif and the wicketkeeper, Rashid Latif, had struck a dashing 68-run seventh-wicket partnerhip.
Mushtaq Ahmed was caught off Waugh's first delivery, bringing the last batsman Aqib Javed to the crease - five balls left, 17 still needed. Asif, who crossed as Mushtaq was being dismissed, struck the second ball for four and when Aqib refused to complete a comfortable- looking second run on the third ball, Pakistan required 12 off the remaining three.
Aqib then hoisted the next ball over Waugh into the sightscreen for four, and a single left Asif with one ball and a target of seven runs to win. He made six of them. . .
Javed Miandad's side had looked beyond redemption for most of the afternoon after the early loss of the openers Aamir Sohail, for six, and Ramiz Raja for four. At that point they were 10 for 2. Javed Miandad and Salim Malik were restricted to a partnership of just 31 runs off 102 balls before a subdued Javed was out for 14 off 50 balls.
Salim was the top scorer with a patient 64 off 98 deliveries, but it was a bright 22 off 34 balls from Inzamam-ul-Haq that brought Pakistan back in to the game. Craig McDermott was Australia's best bowler with 4 for 42 off 10 overs.
Earlier, an imperious 53 from Dean Jones, who had a 92-run second wicket partnership with the stand-in skipper, Mark Taylor, and a lusty seventh-wicket partnership of 38 between Ian Healy (24) and Paul Reiffel (23 not out) hoisted Australia to a respectable 4.56 per over run-rate.
(Australia won toss)
AUSTRALIA
* M A Taylor c Rashid Latif b Aqib Javed. . . . . . .46
D C Boon lbw b Aqib Javed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
D M Jones run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
S R Waugh run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
M E Waugh b Mushtaq Ahmed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
D R Martyn run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
I A Healy c Javed Miandad b Wasim Akram . . . . . . .24
P R Reiffel not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
C J McDermott not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Extras (3b 15lb 1w 3nb). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Total (for 7, 50 overs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228
Fall: 1-32 2-124 3-138 4-164 5-172 6-179 7-217.
Bowling: Wasim Akram 10-3-34-0; Waqar Younis 9-1-43-1; Aqib Javed 10-0-35-2; Aamir Sohail 10-0-37-0; Mushtaq Ahmed 10-0-52-1; Asif Mujtaba 1-0-9-0.
PAKISTAN
Aamir Sohail c Martyn b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . .6
Ramiz Raja c S R Waugh b Whitney . . . . . . . . . . .4
Salim Malik c Healy b McDermott . . . . . . . . . . .64
* Javed Miandad lbw b Reiffel . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Inzamam-ul-Haq c Martyn b M E Waugh . . . . . . . . .22
Asif Mutjaba not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Wasim Akram c Healy b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . .3
Rashid Latif run out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Waqar Younis b McDermott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Mushtaq Ahmed c Reiffel b S R Waugh. . . . . . . . . .0
Aqib Javed not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Extras (lb6 w1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Total (for 9, 50 overs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228
Fall: 1-6 2-10 3-41 4-91 5-123 6-129 7-197 8-207 9-212.
Bowling: McDermott 10-2-42-4; Whitney 10-3- 29-1; Reiffel 8-2-29-1; S R Waugh 10-0-56-1; May 5-0-29-0; M E Waugh 7-0-37-1.
MATCH TIED
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