'Keeping early wickets key to success'

Preserving early wickets will be vital if Pakistan are to continue their recent run of form into the tri-series finals against Australia, Inzamam said.

Preserving early wickets will be vital if Pakistan are to continue their recent run of form into the tri-series limited-overs cricket finals against Australia, skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq said.

HT Image

Pakistan completed back-to-back wins over Australia and West Indies on Tuesday to grab a finals berth and help erase memories of their 3-0 Test whitewash by the hosts.

Their massive 307 innings against West Indies — highlighted by a knock of 105 from Yousuf Youhana while Inzamam himself scored 74 — was the second highest in a One-Day International at the Western Australian Cricket Association ground.

Just as importantly, strike bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan grabbed 4-29 off 9.1 overs to end the Windies' hopes of overhauling the total.

Inzamam, who has been under pressure to keep the captain's job, said Pakistan had been working on keeping wickets intact early in the innings, setting the scene for big-hitters such as Shahid Afridi later on.

"If you look at the last couple of games... if you save wickets then in the last 20 or 30 overs you can score anything," he said.

The win over the Windies prompted captain Brian Lara to declare them a big threat to world champions Australia in the best-of-three finals, starting on Friday, and Inzamam said Pakistan was optimistic of playing well.

"I know it is tough opposition but if we really work hard then well, hopefully we will perform well in the finals," Inzamam said.

He said his own form had improved at the right time as had that of Yousuf and allrounders Afridi and Abdul Razzaq and strike bowler Rana.

"My form is good, that is why I am looking good," he said.

"The last two games he (Rana) has really done well — they (the bowlers) really feel hunger and I think he has set the example," he said.