WASIM AKRAM capped a wonderful Australian summer for Pakistan by leading his young tea a 62 run victory over West Indies in Melbourne last night to clinch Series 2-0.
Wasim thus emulated Imran Khan yet again by lifting a trophy a the MCG, and even went one better than his mentor although Imran, took Pakistan to the World Cup in 1992, they had not won the annual triangular one day series in Australia in five previous appearances. Wasim led from the front, as he has done throughout the campaign.
After Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Cameron Cuffy, in his first appearance of the series, had exploited a bouncy pitch to leave their batsmen with a modest target of 166, the Pakistan captain fired out Sherwin Campbell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Carl Hooper in a masterly opening spell which reduced West Indies to 31 for four.
After seven overs Wasim limped off with a hamstring injury but Shahid Nazir, the young seamer he had recalled in place of Mushtaq Ahmed then sent back Jimmy Adams and Phil Simmons, for his second duck in three days since arriving from England.
That left Brian Lara as the only obstacle between Pakistan and victory but after struggling 58 balls for 19 he also went caught behind to Nazir to leave West Indies at 42 for seven. Ambrose joined Roland Holder in a stubborn eighth wicket stand despite being forced to use Adams as a runner by hamstring and groin injuries, a huge worry for West Indies only four days before the fourth Test against Australia in Adelaide.
They had doubled the total when the MCG floodlights went out, part of a power cut across the city caused by stifling temperatures which also interrupted the tennis over the bridge at Flinders Park. The 20 minute delay worked in Pakistan's favour, as in the second over after the resumption Shahid Afridi bowled Holder with a top spinner, and Saqlain Mushtaq and Waqar Younis polished off the last two wickets to leave Ambrose unbeaten on his best ever international limited overs score.
Pakistan's success has come despite the absence of their most experienced batsman, virus stricken Saeed Anwar and injured Salim Malik. Aamir Sohail and especially Ijaz Ahmed have stepped manfully into the breach while Moin Khan, now re established as wicketkeeper, ahead of Rashid Latif, has contributed handy runs and has been an invaluable on field ally for Akram.
But it has been the performance of their youngsters, inspired by Akram's charismatic leadership, which has captured the imagination of the Australian public. Saqlain picked up 17 wickets, second only to Shane Warne, with his offspin.
Lara was selected player of the series after hitting form with, successive centuries in Brisbane and Perth.
. Former Hampshire and England opener Chris Smith has been linked with the vacant post as chief executive of the Australian Cricket Board after the surprise dismissal of Graham Halbish at the weekend. Smith is currently working in a similar position for the Western Australian Cricket Association in Perth.
