Pakistan’s sad and yet deserved early exit from the World Cup 2003 was no surprise for me personally.

Pakistan for the past six months had not put up any credible performance in the international arena. Heavy losses to Australia and South Africa were clear indicators of the impending doom. There have been widespread speculations that poor team spirit and lack of resolve were the main contributors to Pakistan’s loss. My views are listed below:

ENGLAND PULL OFF STUNNING VICTORY
Three balls after he had reduced Pakistan to 78 for eight, White sent Pakistan spiralling further towards defeat whenWaqar Younis was turned and the ball looped up to Knight in the gully.

Shoaib Akhtar enjoyed himself with some wild swinging and authentic strokes to take two sixes off White. That 30th over of the innings cost 21 runs and lifted Shoaib to become top scorer. He only faced 16 balls, but he smote five fours and three sixes before Flintoff, who had perhaps been guilty of bowling too short, found a full length delivery to shatter Shoaib’s stumps and England had claimed a stunning victory.

KIMBERLEY - Having been beaten by Australia in the opening game, and to add insult to injury, being considered ‘a topsy turvy team, which is quite beatable on its off-day’ by Namibian coach Douglas Brown, Pakistan enter the De Beers Oval Sunday to put some points on the table and improve their net run rate.

In a press conference here, skipper Waqar Younis acknowledged that motivating the boys against the minnows was important. “This is a World Cup game; so there is no question of any complacency”.

To another question, he said that he would not ask his fast bowlers to relent simply because of the inexperience of the Namibians.