Cricinfo - Inspired Moin guides Pakistan to first Asia Cup triumph

The day began with two minutes of respectful silence commemorating Sri Lanka's War Heroes. It ended with the deafening cheers celebrating the first time Pakistan has lifted the Asia Cup. A pumped up, driven Pakistan won an exciting match by 39 runs.

A packed crowd Bangabandhu National Stadium yelled themselves sore as Moin Khan's Pakistan dazzled under the lights. The ovation could have been louder only at Lahore. In a replay of the innings he played in the semifinals of the 1992 World Cup, Moin Khan snatched 56 in 31 balls and powered Pakistan to a potentially match winning total of 277 for 4. In 1992, at Auckland, Moin Khan swatted, chipped, swept and hoicked New Zealand out of the World Cup. On the 7th of June 2000, eight years later, Moin Khan dished out the same treatment to the hapless Lankans.

If Moin Khan delivered the punch that knocked out Sri Lanka, it was Saeed Anwar and Inzamam ul Haq who fattened them up for the kill. When he was batting with just 18 runs to his credit, Anwar was the beneficiary of the first of seven bits of generosity that the Lankans extended to the Pakistanis. If Dav Whatmore was an unhappy man when Sri Lanka gave away five wickets to run outs in their previous game, Trevor Chappell, the fielding coach, would have gone through various phases today. First mild irritation, then anger, followed by exasperation. When an international team grasses seven catches in the course of 50 overs in the final of a tournament there is certainly something wrong.

Anwar has always been a bad man to drop early in his innings. As soon as he was dropped, Anwar made the Lankans pay, pulling Zoysa viciously for six. You give the man an inch and he'll take every mile possible. Driving home the point, Anwar made 82 majestic runs before he swept a ball from Jayasuriya into the waiting hands of Muralitharan at short fine leg.

After Anwar had departed, the big man from Multan, Inzamam ul Haq, took charge of the Pakistani batting. Although he began shakily, not timing the ball in his lazy manner, Inzamam grew in stature as the innings progressed. When he developed cramps and was allowed a runner, Inzamam licked his lips in anticipation. All he had to do from then on was stand around and strike the ball. On his behalf, the athletic Imran Nazir sprinted between the wickets. Drawing inspiration from each other, Moin Khan and Nazir ran possessed between the wickets.

In a fourth wicket stand that yielded 104 runs in a 10 overs and a ball, Pakistan had come good in this big final. The last five overs saw Moin at his innovative best. Whether he was walking across the stumps and whipping the ball over short fine leg or charging down the wicket and swatting the ball over mid on, the result was the same. Three times it was boundaries and four times maximum.

All the while when Moin went berserk, Inzamam was chuckling away at the other end and quietly piling up the runs. When Moin did a Youhana and hit the last ball of the innings for six over long on, Inzamam had an unbeaten 66 ball 72 in the bag.

The Pakistani innings was hardly evenly paced. Having restricted the Lankans to 205 off 45 overs, they gave away a staggering 72 runs in the last five overs. The two spinners, Upul Chandana and Muthiah Muralitharan gave away just 85 runs in the 20 overs they bowled. The rest however compensated for all the good work by going for almost six and a half runs an over.

In response, the Lankans predictably kept Aravinda de Silva back and reverted to opening with Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana. The little stumper's cup of woe was filled to the brim as he attempted a non existent third run taking on the arm of Anwar in the deep. A flat throw found its way to Moin Khan's gloves right above the stumps and Kalu was well short of his ground. Sri Lanka's pinch hitting experiment with Vaas was a thumping failure as the south paw barely made it to double figures before his stumps were destroyed by an express yorker from Mohammed Akram.

Marvan Attapattu joined his captain out in the middle and provided the stability that Lanka so badly needed chasing a large total. Jayasuriya struck the ball as well as he has in a long time and looked like he might deliver when it counted most. Against the grain of play Jayasuriya tapped a ball from Mohammed Akram back down the wicket. The Pakistani fast bowler pouched the catch and celebrated wildly as the Lankan captain walked out dejectedly.

Aravinda de Silva flattered. And deceived. Playing excessively cautiously, De Silva made 20 off more than twice as many balls before pulling spinner Arshad Khan straight to Youhana on the fence. The Pakistani celebrations gave away the fact that they believed that the match was all but over.

Not quite. Atapattu played the kind of innings that rarely leaves you stranded in the losing team. He showed why he is considered one of the finer exponents of playing the ball with a straight bat in the game today. In the company of the energetic Russell Arnold, Atapattu brought the required rate close to manageable levels. Arnold timed the ball impeccably, swinging effortlessly through the line. Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, Arnold's innings ended just when things were looking up for Lanka. His 44 ball essay included 4 boundaries and 2 clean strikes that sailed over the ropes and yielded 41 runs.

Mahela Jayawardane, who has thus far failed to live up to his position as vice captain failed once more. Attempting a single against the lethal arm of Afridi was found well short of his ground. With just one stump to aim at, the youngster let rip a violently powerful throw that pegged the stumps back.

When Atapattu was well set and began to look like he might change Pakistan's well written script, Wasim Akram was brought back into the attack. Bowling with good pace, Akram slipped Atapattu an eminently drivable ball outside the off stump. Flashing hard, Atapattu could only manage a fine nick as the ball zipped through to Moin Khan. On some days even a hundred off 124 balls isn't enough to seal victory.

Upul Chandana kept the defending champions in the running with a brisk 24, but found a Wasim Akram yorker too hot to handle. The sound of the stumps rattling signaled the end of the Lankan chase.

Inspired Moin guides Pakistan to first Asia Cup triumph

The day began with two minutes of respectful silence commemorating Sri Lanka's War Heroes