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Sharjah tourney likely to be a humdinger

The Coca-Cola cricket trophy gets underway here on Friday at the Sharjah cricket ground, one of the top venues of the game that has, in the last one-and-a-half decades, witnessed 132 matches, of which 131 came up with results.

It all began when Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, an expatriate, thought of India and Pakistan locking horns at a neutral cricket venue. Former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal took care of the organisation. Since then, the tournament has come a long way, with over 11 countries having participated in it at different times.

Pakistan has won the most number of the 71 matches played here, winning 47 and losing 24. India has played 53 matches, winning 25 and losing 26. This time, other than India, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe too are in the fray.

Sri Lanka has played 43 matches, winning 14, losing 28, and with one, with New Zealand, ending in a tie. Zimbabwe has played just six matches, winning one and losing five. The host country, the United Arab Emirates also played two matches, losing both.

Called the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series, the Sharjah tournament gives financial support to current and former players, most of them from India and Pakistan. One of the beneficiaries is the current coach of the Indian team, Anshuman Gaikwad, former Indian wicket keeper Narandra Tamane and all-rounder Roger Binny.

Of the teams in this competition, India has so far played 375 limited overs internationals, winning 167 and losing 189; Sri Lanka has played 277, winning 105, losing 158 and having 13 without results; Zimbabwe has played 103 matches, winning 22, losing 75, tying four and having two without results.

India has beaten Sri Lanka 28 times, lost 22 times to them, and had no result in five matches. India beat Zimbabwe 16 times, lost three times and tied two matches. Sri Lanka in its 13 matches against Zimbabwe has won 11 and lost two.

India's highest score at Sharjah is 305 for 5 against Pakistan in April 1996. Sri Lanka scored the highest score ever, 329, in 1995 but, in the end, failed to win the cup.

Sri Lanka has the lowest score, 55, against the West Indies, in 1986. India's lowest score of 135 against Pakistan in 1985 still saw the former winning. Zimbabwe's lowest score was 119, made last year against Pakistan.

The best bowling figures include S K Sharma of India against West Indies with 5 for 26 in 1988. For Sri Lanka, R J Ratnaike bagged 5 for 32 against Pakistan in 1990 and Zimbabwe's H S Streak scored 4 for 18 against Pakistan last year.

Sachin Tendulkar has scored four centuries here, including his highest score here, 143, against Australia, in 1988. Other Indians who have scored at Sharjah are K Srikanth, Mohammad Azharuddin, Navjot Sidhu, Saurav Ganguly and Mohinder Amarnath.

From Sri Lanka, Aravinda D'silva, Asanka Gurusinha, Roshan Mahanama and Hashan Tillakratne have scored centuries here.

On the outward flight, most of the Indian players were sunk in deep thought. India meets Sri Lanka in the opening league engagement on Friday.

Skipper Mohammed Azharuddin was accompanied by his actress-wife Sangeeta Bijlani, and opener Saurav Ganguly by his wife Donna.

Coach Anshuman Gaekwad had earlier said the team hoped to play well in the tournament and wipe out memories of the loss to the West Indies at Dhaka.

''We are capable of playing much better than our performance against the West Indies... It was just one of those days at Dhaka when things did not work,'' he said, adding, ''But I am sure we would not like to repeat that kind of performance, ever.''

The Sri Lankans are due to arrive in Sharjah tomorrow afternoon and Zimbabwe on Thursday morning. All three teams will be staying at a Dubai hotel, travelling for their matches to Sharjah, a 20-minute drive away.

The Indians will spend some time at the nets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium this evening. All the matches in the tournament will be day-night affairs.

The three teams will play each other twice in the preliminary league, before the top two sides clash in the final on November 13.

UNI