Pakistan face South Africa in Sharjah Cup final today

Shoaib struggling for fitness: Sharjah, March 30: Pakistan have suddenly come alive. No one ever doubted their ability, but things were just not falling in place for some inexplicable reasons. They have now. And it's no wonder they are oozing with confidence.

Even in that inconsequential match against South Africa, they played with fire in their belly, raising their game from nowhere to pull the rug from the under the feet of a team, which had beaten them in the previous 14 games.

The victory, as their skipper Moin Khan said, handed the team a big psychological edge ahead of Friday's final. There is no denying the fact that South Africa were minus their five regulars, including skipper Hansie Cronje and Jacques Kallis, but it was the stunning manner in which Pakistan fought back from a hopeless position after South Africa, chasing a modest 169, were looked well placed at 74 for one, that has earned them the sobriquet of being the most dangerous team.

Fiery Shoaib Akhtar, despite troubled by a groin injury, inflicted three telling blows in one over to throw a spanner in the works of South Africa. Once Shoaib, who went flat out, recording the fastest delivery of the tournament at 156km per hour, did the initial damage, the rest of the bowlers quickly joined the bandwagon to leave the South Africans scratching their heads in disbelief.

Moin is confident that Shoaib, who limped to the pavilion after bowling that sensational over, will be okay before the final. But doubts still persists whether the fast bowler will be able to bowl his full quota with same fiery speed. One has to wait and see.

Well, it was Pakistan's victory over India on Monday that did wonders to the sagging morale of a team, beaten abjectly by Sri Lanka in the home series. "It was the turning point for us," Moin said pretty candidly.

The team is clicking now, and no one is complaining. That was, perhaps, one of the major reasons Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Lt. Gen Tauqir Zia didn't resort any major changes in the one-day team for the team's forthcoming tour of the West Indies.

Young guns, Imran Nazir and Younis Khan, have lessened the pressure on the middle-order with their excellent batting. Nazir, 18, scored 43 and 71 in the first two matches, while the 22-year-old Younis made 48 against South Africa and 44 against India.

But the biggest threat to South Africa will be the burly Inzamam-ul-Haq, who stroked an unbeaten 121 off 113 balls against India on Sunday.

"He usually comes good when we need him most," an appreciative Moin said. "That's why I am certain he will score in the final."

Pakistan, however, tend to get carried away and they have to guard against hubris if they aim to wind up the Sharjah trip with a victory. It's possible they may not have exhausted themselves during the back-to-back victories. Well, that's just a thought.

South Africa, without any doubt, are the most disciplined and professional side in the tournament. The defeat, against the run of play, will surely serve as a wake-up call.

But injury (back spasm) to their star player Gary Kirsten will definitely affect their batting, which is already handicapped by the absence of Darryl Cullinan and the ordinary form of Lance Klusener, the danger man of the World Cup.

Shaun Pollock, the stand-in captain during Tuesday's game, is not unduly bothered by the defeat. "There will be no psychological scare," he insisted. "Our all-rounders have done a good job in the past."

Regarding his own knee injury, he said: "It is pretty well now. I am conscious of it. Will he able to bowl flat-out in the final? One-day cricket is not just about flat-out bowling," said Pollock.

South Africa may be keenly studying video tapes of Pakistan's premier bowlers to work out some sort of a game plan. Every one knows South Africans are genius when it comes to the drawing board panning.

Pakistan are unlikely to make any changes and South Africa will be at full strength. Many feel that South Africa tend to "choke" when it comes to the big one. How they shape up against a side on a roll in this cerebral battle for the title will be the highpoint of the final, which starts at 3pm at the Sharjah Stadium.

Pakistan: Moin Khan (captain), Imran Nazir, Inzamam-ul Haq, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Waqar Younis, Abdur Razzaq, Arshad Khan

South Africa: Hansie Cronje (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Neil McKenzie, Nicky Boje, Steve Elworthy, Mornantau Hayward, Makhaya Ntini.