India to tour Pakistan in March

[Rangeela]

India's tour of Pakistan will start on March 1, and will include three Tests and five one-day internationals. Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the Indian board, confirmed this after a committee meeting in Kolkata. "The detailed itinerary is still on the drawing board," he said, according to a report by the Press Trust of India. "We are talking to Pakistan board officials on this."

Mapping out the Indian team's programme for the next few months, Dalmiya said that the Pakistan series will be followed by a tour of Bangladesh, for two Tests and three ODIs. Then, after resting for a couple of months, the players will be off for the Asia Cup in July, before taking part in a one-day triangular series involving Australia and Pakistan in August. "The exact venue of the tri-series is yet to be finalised," said Dalmiya. "It will either be in Scotland, Ireland or Holland."

India are also scheduled to play three one-dayers in England in September, just before the Champions Trophy, which starts on Sept 10.

 

[squiz]

i thought Indians and Pakistanis dont get on that well?

 

[killa_stiky2002]

Times are changing....slowly.....efforts seem to have been made to decrease the wars between these south asian countries

 

[jonah]

Yep, but there should still be some fireworks ... .

 

[killa_stiky2002]

Let's hope not

 

[Rangeela]

It will be one of the very heat up series between these two nations... cant wait to watch

 

[Auwais]

Yeah, me neither. The rivalry between the two nations is as strong as the rivalry between Manchester United and Arsenal. Forgetting the rivalry, you have two top cricket sides going head-to-head.

 

[killa_stiky2002]

Yeah...or HotP***sies and Arsenal

It'll be interesting to see how this young Pakistan side stands up against the veteran likes of Kumble, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and others

 

[ali noor]

yeah im also lukin forward to it.
will b a gud one!

 

[Rangeela]

We can beat Pakistan: Ganguly

With the Indian government having given the go-ahead for the tour of Pakistan, Sourav Ganguly insisted that it was one that he and his players would look forward to. Speaking to the Mid-Day newspaper in Mumbai, Ganguly said, "Most of the team members have not played any Test cricket in Pakistan. So we are kind of keen to go there." Apart from Sachin Tendulkar, who made his debut there in 1989, none of the Indians have played a Test match in Pakistan.

The go-ahead for the tour came last Saturday after intense media speculation that the home ministry would seek a postponement until after India's parliamentary elections were completed in May.

Ganguly had been quoted earlier as having concerns about the security, but he appeared to be satisfied following the visit of a three-member BCCI delegation last week, one of whom was a security expert from the home ministry.

There had also been much innuendo about several top players skipping the tour, but Ganguly suggested that wouldn't be the case. "I will not force anybody to come," he said. "If any cricketer is concerned about security in Pakistan, I think we should accept that." According to Mid-Day, All the senior players they spoke to, including Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, were prepared to make the trip.

Ganguly's biggest headache will be putting together a penetrative bowling attack, with several frontline bowlers nursing injuries. Harbhajan Singh will miss the tour, having had surgery on his bowling hand just over a month ago, while Ajit Agarkar and Anil Kumble are doubtful with shin and shoulder injuries respectively. And it remains to be seen whether Zaheer Khan will recover in time from the hamstring injury that cut short his Australian tour.

"I think if we go at full strength, we can beat Pakistan," said Ganguly. "Pakistan will be formidable rivals at home. We have to seriously think about the fitness of the bowlers. We should go with an off-spinner. In the absence of Harbhajan, we should find one off-spinner who can produce big turn."

The itinerary for the tour has yet to be finalised, and it's understood that the Indians aren't too thrilled with the prospect of having to play in Karachi and Peshawar. The Indian squad will be finalised later this month, and it's expected that the players will assemble for a short training camp before crossing the border.

? Wisden Cricinfo Ltd

 

[Rangeela]

Delegation wants stay at Karachi and Peshawar curtailed

The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shaharyar Khan, said on Sunday that the three-member Indian delegation wants the team's stay at Karachi and Peshawar curtailed. Shaharyar told reporters, "The wrap up meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and the Indian delegation has slight reservations over longer stays in Karachi and Peshawar ... we will consider the matter while finalising the itinerary."

He added, "The team is satisfied with law and order situation in the two cities, but it is concerned at [the players'] longer stay there."

The Indian delegation also held a meeting with four Pakistani cricketers ? Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Yousuf Youhana and Azhar Mahmood - who had been members of the team that had played in India in 1999.

The players said that it was a general meeting while Shaharyar termed it a social one. Shaharyar said that since Azad was security in-charge of the Pakistan team, that toured India in 1999, he wanted to meet some members of that team.

Earlier, in a brief appearance before media during the meeting's break, Shaharyar said that efforts were being made not only to make this series possible, but also to make it an annual feature on a reciprocal basis. Special visa arrangements would be made for Indian cricket-lovers to enable them to travel and see matches in Pakistan.

The proposed itinerary included a side match in Multan or Lahore, and a Test each in Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi. The first one-dayer was scheduled to be held in Karachi, two one-day internationals in Lahore, and the remaining in Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. The PCB had earlier planned to stage the three-day tour opener in Karachi, but shifted the match on the Interior Ministry's recommendations.

? Wisden Cricinfo Ltd

 

[madmattg]

Should be a good match.

India has lots to prove after the so so tour of Australia and Pakistans form has been on the improve.

Lets hope for a good series.