STATS CORNER - With two victories in as many matches, Pakistan take on minnows Canada in their third match of the 10th World Cup at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, today. It will be the second one-day international match between the two teams and also the second in the World Cup.
Pakistan defeated Canada by eight wickets with 119 balls remaining when the two teams met only time in a limited overs international as well as World Cup match at Leeds on June 9,1979. Having won the toss, the Canadians at first showed little fear of meeting such redoubtable opponents.
They included seven players of West Indies birth in their eleven, and one of them, Glenroy Sealy, dispatched the first ball of the match sent down by Imran Khan to the on-side boundary. Indeed, Canada played the early pace of Imran Khan and Sarfraz Navaz with some assurance and passed the hundred with only two wickets down.
Then they collapsed against Majid Khan’s off-spin and Asif Iqbal’s accurate medium in-swing. Majid conceded only 11 runs for one wicket in 11 overs. Pakistan made light work of the target 140, although they lost Majid Khan early on to a yorker from the left-armer, John Valentine.
Sadiq Mohammed (57 not out) and Zaheer Abbas (36) produced some splendid strokes before Chris Chappell, from mid-off, surprised the latter by throwing down the wicket at the bowler’s end.
Then Haroon Rashid (37 not out) engaged with Sadiq Mohammed in an unbroken partnership of 79 to see Pakistan safely home. The Man of the Match award went to Sadiq Mohammed. Pakistan-Canada: the only match:
Played on June 9,1979 at Leeds Toss: Canada.
Canada: 139-9 in 60 overs (Glenroy Sealy 45, Sarfraz Nawaz three for 26, Asif Iqbal three for 28).
Pakistan: 140-2 in 40.1 overs (Sadiq Mohammed 57 not out, Haroon Rashid 37 not out).
Result: Pakistan won by eight wickets
Man of the Match: Sadiq Mohammed.
