Pakistan is in turmoil and the man in the muddle is Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. His economy is in tatters, and he has faced censure for his subservience to the Americans. Pakistani soldiers assisted the Taliban in their freedom struggle, yet Sharif turned a blind eye as American missiles flew over Pakistani airspace into Afghanistan. As a domestic backlash rocked his Government, Sharif struck back. By proposing to make the Shariat the basis of the rule of law, Sharif, say his critics, will turn from a democratic leader into a religious dictator. What repercussions this may have on his nation is the focus of our cover story. It is alarming for India since a moderate, stable neighbour is better than a shaky, fundamentalist regime.

Oddly enough, it is only cricket, a common religion in the subcontinent, that manages to bridge this divide. Men in white flannels seem to achieve what diplomats in suits cannot. As both teams prepare for the Sahara Cup, it could be India, despite half the team being sent to the Commonwealth Games, that is the better prepared. At a novel two-week camp in Chennai, former Australian coach Bob Simpson, the first outsider to act as consultant to an Indian team, used innovative methods to iron out the team's weaknesses. Special Correspondent Javed Ansari, who toured Pakistan with the Indian team last year and is a mean cricketer himself, was impressed by Simpson's training. "The mental block in re-learning fundamentals like running between wickets seem to have finally disappeared." The ultimate proof will come on the playing field.

(Aroon Purie)