In the West Indian hey day of the 1980’s, the supremely gifted Pakistan side forged under the leadership of Imran Khan was the only one that could compete with the champions from the Caribbean. In Abdul Qadir, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan, Pakistan had an all round bowling attack in the class of todays Warne, McGrath and Gillespie. Vivian Richards average 30 in Test cricket against Pakistan, and Pakistan achieved 3 successive drawn series against the West Indies – achieving 1-1 draws in 1986-87, 1987-88 and 1990-91, playing both in Pakistan and in the West Indies. Viv Richards never lost a test series as captain, but he came closest to doing so against Pakistan. In the 1980’s, West Indies v Pakistan was to World Cricket what Australia v South Africa has been in this decade – the highest quality contest, for the proverbial tag of ‘World Champions’. The One Day contests were also competitive, but the West Indies generally had the better of them.
World Cup contests between West Indies and Pakistan have always been storeyed contests. Their first clash was in the 1975 World Cup, a game won by the West Indies through an astonishing 10th wicket stand of 64 between Derrick Murray (61*) and Andy Roberts (24*), after Pakistan had raced to 266 in their 60 overs thanks to a half century by the dashing Wasim Raja at better than a run a ball. The 1979 World Cup semi final saw West Indies winning again, this time by 43 runs. The imposing West Indies line up of Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, Lloyd, King and Kallicharan put up 293, to which Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas replied in earnest with a stand of 166. Then came the collapse and Pakistan were all out for 250. In 1983, they met again in the semi finals. This time, the relentless quality presented by Marshall, Holding, Garner and Andy Roberts proved too much for Pakistan, and they could only limp 184/8, a score which the West Indies chased down easily against a Pakistan line up sans Imran (he was captain, but couldn’t bowl). Almost too easily for their own good, for a few days later, India were to limp to 183 and the West Indies would go on to lose by 43 runs! The 1987 edition in the subcontinent saw these two giants clash twice – each side winning once. A gutsy half century by Saleem Yousuf (a feisty wicket keeper batsman in a long tradition of Pakistan wicket keepers) helped Pakistan to a 1 wicket win at Lahore, while Richie Richardson’s hundred proved too good for Pakistan at Karachi. In 1992, Brian Lara fired the West Indies to a 10 wicket win against Pakistan. The last time they met in a World Cup, the West Indies lost a low scoring game by 27 runs, after their fifth bowling option comprising of Adams, Arthurton and Ricardo Powell went for 83 in their 10 overs in a Pakistan score of 229.
Times have changed, and in 2007, West Indies v Pakistan is not the top contest. In this edition, it is one of a number of interesting match ups, between teams which are essentially evenly matched. These two sides, once possessing the mightiest bowling line ups will take field at Sabina Park with two of the weaker attacks in the World Cup. Inzamam Ul Haq and Brian Lara, now captains, played in that game in 1992. Then they were the rising stars of World Cricket – along with Tendulkar, touted as the batsmen of the 1990’s. Now they have nothing left to prove with the bat. However, they have unlike Tendulkar had to take on captaincy in the later stages of their careers, mainly because they were the only options for the job. They have both done very well, holding their squads together.
The World Cup format ensures that this will be an important game in the context of the tournament. The winner will take the inside track to a semi-final slot into the Super 8s. It should be a close game.
The game starts at 7.30 am on the west coast of the united states, 10.30 on the east coast, 8 pm in India and 2.30 pm in London.
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