CHENNAI, MAY 21: An elated Pakistan captain Rameez Raja attributed his team's superb 35-run win over India in the Pepsi Independence Cup to opener Saeed Anwar's world record knock of 194 here today.

``It was Anwar's knock that helped us make 327 after losing Shahid Afridi early,'' Raja said after clinching a place in the three-match finals with the win at the m a Chidambaram Stadium tonight.

But the Pakistan captain paid rich tributes to the fightback by India even while expressing his happiness on beating ``India in India.''

Man of the match, Saeed Anwar, who overcame acute cramps in his brilliant knock thanked Afridi - who came on as his runner when the batsman was on 40's - for encouraging him to go on despite the discomfort.

The Pakistan team now travel to Mohali where the take on Sri Lanka in the first of the finals to be played on May 24. Pakistan had beaten Sri Lanka in their league outing at Gwalior on May 12.

Jubiliation back home

KARACHI: Jubiliant fans distributed sweets and cricketers and family members paid rich tributes to Pakistani opener Saeed Anwar who hammered a record 194 against India in the Independence Cup match in Chennai today.``I am proud of my son who smashed the world record. He has fulfilled my dreams,'' his father Mohammed Anwar, himself is a first-class cricketer, said.

``Today my son has made me the richest man on the earth,'' he said.The 28-year-old star batsman broke the 13-year-old record of West Indies batsman Viv Richards who had made 189 against England at Old Trafford.

His brother Javed Anwar said hundreds of fans phoned the family residence in Lahore while groups of youths thronged the streets distributing sweets. Cricketing legend Hanif Mohammed termed the occasion as ``historic'' and said Anwar's innings was ``the best in the history of one-day internationals.

``It was his day and it was a great demonstration of stroke play. He is a great player. People of Pakistan feel great as emotions run high in a match between India and Pakistan,'' he added.

``It was a treat to watch and was a great performance. He he has proved himself No 1 and left behind Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar and Mark Wagh. All of them are stroke players but Saeed Anwar is simply great,'' former top spinner Iqbal Qasim said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.