The Hindu : Akhtar, the batsman's distinction

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 24, 2003

Sport

Sport - World Cup

Akhtar, the batsman's distinction

By Mohandas Menon

** Andrew Flintoff became the 25th Englishman to appear in 50 or more matches in LOIs.

** Shoaib Akhtar's 43 is now the highest score made by a No. 11 batsman in LOIs, beating the 37 by West Indian Joel Garner against India at Manchester during the 1983 World Cup (WC) on 9-6-1983.

** The previous best score by a Pakistani number 11 was the unbeaten 34 by Mushtaq Ahmed against South Africa at SSC, Colombo on 12-7-2000. The highest score by a number 11 against England is the 24 by India's Ashish Nehra at Chester-le-Street on 4-7-2002 and the highest by any number 11 in South Africa was the 33 by Waqar Younis against the home team at Durban on 3-4-1998.

** The 54-run stand between Saqlain Mushtaq and Shoaib Akhtar eclipses Pakistan's previous best for the 10th wicket in the WC, the 28 between Abdul Qadir and Rashid Khan against New Zealand at Birmingham on 11-6-1983. This was also the highest for the 10th wicket against England in the WC bettering the 33 by Rumesh Ratnayake and Vinothan John at Leeds on 20-6-1983.

** In fact, there has been only one bigger partnership for the 10th wicket against England in LOIs. The best still remains as the record 106 (unbeaten) between West Indians Viv Richards and Michael Holding at Manchester on 31-5-1984.

** The 4-29 by James Anderson was the second best figures by an English bowler against Pakistan in the WC after the 4-15 by Mike Hendrick at Leeds on 16-6-1979. Anderson's figures were also the second best by an England bowler against Pakistan at a neutral venue. Left-arm spinner Norman Gifford's 4-23 at Sharjah on 26-3-1985 still remains the best.

** This win was England's first at this ground in four matches, while this was Pakistan's fifth loss in five matches.

** This was England's first win over Pakistan in the last six matches, after losing five in a row.

** This was Pakistan's biggest defeat in the WC in terms of runs. The team had lost to Australia by 82 runs at Johannesburg on 11-2-2003. It was England's biggest win in the WC in a 50-over match. The team had beaten Sri Lanka by 106 runs at Ballarat on 9-3-1992.

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