After another memorable win against India at Edgbaston in the Champions Trophy knock-out rounds, the morale of Pakistani players and fans were extremely high for the Semi-Final. However these spirits were short lived, when first Pakistan found out Windies had beaten another favorite for the tournament South Africa by 5 wickets. That meant a highly rejuvenated Windies side was to play Pakistan in the second Semi-Final.

Later on Pakistani players must have started to feel comfortable that Aussies were edged out of the tournament by an amazing English team, which in the past four months have proved that by 2007, they would be one of the favorites to lift the World Cup in West Indies. Next year’s Ashes Series in England is now being much awaited.

As good feelings were reaching back to Pakistani camp, for some unknown reasons skipper Inzimam-ul-Haq threw a bomb-shell. In a Press Statement, he showed his edginess and apprehension about the wicket at Rose Bowl. I have heard captains and team officials complaining about pitches at the end of the match. But for the skipper to make a press statement before the game was kind of hard to believe. That mean the skipper's statement had put the team on the back-foot. Inzi should have kept the feelings within the team and should have tried to pep them up, rather than making public statement, as that put more pressure on the general psyche of these young players.

Pakistan’s performance at Rose Bowl was evidently jittery. From 65 for one and looking set for a winning score of around 230, they somehow got into a panic mode. They were all out for 131 in 38.2 overs meaning a minimum of 70 balls of the stipulated overs were still left to be bowled. According to Ritchie Beneud, the famous Aussie all-rounder and commentator once said it is a cardinal sin in one-day cricket to get out with still a few balls to spare. Here so many balls were left, so Pakistanis did an even bigger offense and got out for their lowest ever one-day score against Windies.

The panic started with inexplicable run out of Yasir Hameed for 39. He was all set for a century and started to look dangerous, when he got run-out by a yard trying to test the strong arms of Bravo. It is hoped that young Yasir will remember this mistake, as Pakistan takes on Windies in minimum four World Series games in Australia in January 2005. Then Shoaib Malik played a lazy shot off-side the off-stump only to make keeper Browne go wild with an easy catch.

Inzi and Youhana steadied the quick flow of wickets, but suddenly Youhana decided to go sluggishly fishing like Shoaib Malik and making wicketkeeper Browne even happier. At that stage, from 100 for three, Pakistan suddenly lost seven wickets for 31 runs in nine overs.

There was an ideal chance for most experienced Abdur Razzaq and Moin Khan to become batting heroes for Pakistan, but they went cheaply. Abdur Razzaq again like Yasir Hameed run-out by the throw of Bravo, although TV reply suggested it was a touch-&-go call; if there was any benefit of the doubt, it should have been given to Abdur Razzaq. However there was no need for cheeky singles anyway. Waseem Akram has been at this tournament as a commentator and had been showing a lot of concern about running between the wickets of Pakistani batsmen in earlier matches.

Inzi went for an unnecessary cut shot on this variable pitch, only to see jubilant wicketkeeper joyously taking the catch and rushing to spinner Hinds. Moin Khan was too tentative and was out second ball LBW for a duck of Hinds.

Chasing 132, Windies following the precedent of this tournament, where team batting second usually won, simply stormed into the final with an impressive seven wickets win. All the recent miseries faced by Lara’s team in 4-0 test match debacle during English Summer, must have been forgotten for the time being with this superb win. However winning Captain Lara himself must be in sweet discomfort having got hit in the throat by a Shoaib’s missile.

Pakistan fans of late were getting worried about the performance of Shoaib Akhtar. But the way he stormed in to bowl missiles against India and Windies and picking up crucial top order batsmen wickets, has proved that he still has a lot to offer. With Shoaib going great guns, there was need for someone to bowl calmly on the other end and block runs. But other bowlers tried the almost impossible task of matching Shoaib’s pace, resulting in waywardness and got hammered to all the parts of the park by man-of-the-match Sarwan and retired hurt captain Lara.

Most surprisingly Inzi did not bowl Shahid Afridi a single over. On this slightly unpredictable pitch, Shahid Afridi’s googlies and quicker ones would have brought the much needed variety in the attack and the game could have been much closer. Remember the recent past has shown that the last four wickets of Windies usually are able to muster not more than fifteen runs. After Sarwan and Powell pair that eventually took their side to win, Windies does not have any predictable confident batsmen left (although Lara could have returned).

I am not sure, if Afridi was injured or may be his two overs for twenty-plus runs against India was the reason he was not bowled, but the team, situation and pitch here was different and Inzi should have tried Afridi first instead of Abdur Razzaq.

Lara made 31 retired hurt in merely 30-balls with five fours, while Ramnaresh Sarwan for his 85 balls 56 not out with six fours and one six was deservedly given man-of-the-match award.

As Pakistan pack up to return home for a series against Sri Lanka, hopefully Windies will continue to play attacking cricket to make the Saturday’s I.C.C. Trophy Final 2004 against England at Brit Oval London a most unforgettable one.