India's tour of Pakistan, 2008-09, 3 Tests and 5 ODIs

[Insomniac]

SCHEDULE:

January 4: India's Arrival in Karachi
January 6-8: Three-day warm-up match in Hyderabad
January 9: Travel to Karachi
January 10-12: Practice and nets
January 13-17: First Test, Karachi
January 18: Rest day
January 19: Fly to Islamabad
January 20: Practice and nets
January 21-25: Second Test, Rawalpindi
January 26: Rest day
January 27: Travel to Lahore
January 28: Practice / nets
January 29-February 2: Third Test, Lahore
February 6: First ODI, Faisalabad
February 8: Second ODI, Lahore
February 11: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
February 14: Fourth ODI, Multan
February 17: Fifth ODI, Karachi
February 19: Only Twenty20 international

May the games begin, cricket finally returns to Pakistan in January.

And it shall be interesting, I think.

Schedule not announced yet by PCB, but we should get it next month. I expect Rawalpindi to get a test match, so expect a cracker of a game there (one that will finish in 4 days I think), while Lahore as usual will get one, and Faislabad getting the 3rd.

Here's how the line-ups look like they'll pan out for India and Pakistan:

Salman Butt - Virender Sehwag
Opener 2 (?) - Gautam Gambhir
Younus Khan - Rahul Dravid
Mohammad Yousuf - Sachin Tendulkar
Misbah-ul-Haq - Sourav Ganguly
Shoaib Malik - VVS Laxman
Kamran Akmal - MS Dhoni
Shoaib Akhtar - Harbhajahn Singh
Danish Kaneria - Anil Kumble
Umar Gul - Zaheer Khan
Sohail Khan / Some other paceman - Ishant Sharma

In my opinion, that will probably look like the 2 teams in this upcoming test series, with traditionally India having the stronger batting line-up, and Pakistan with the stronger bowling line-up.

May the games begin! (eventually )

 

[sohum]

Hopefully the pitches won't be as flat as they have been off late in the series' between these two countries.

 

[shravi]

Shoaib Akhtar - Irfan Pathan

Harbhajan, not Irfan.

 

[khalek]

I expect to see matches at Rawalpindi and Multan, I don't really like Karachi and Lahore tracks.

Hoping for a tough competition from both sides and some sixes from Boom Boom and Misbah as well!

 

[aditya123]

Oh no! not another one !

 

[SaiSrini]

I will not watch this series. Not even the ODI's. I am just not interested anymore in India-Pakistan series unless the hype and excitement on the series really gets to me. Will just follow scores on Cricinfo

Karachi is a good track with help for bowlers. They should have a test in Karachi. Thats where Irfan took that hat-trick and India lost. Its a track that helps for a result.

India are strong favorites to win both series (in ODI's, they can win comprehensively 5-0 or 4-1).

 

[SciD]

What waste of time and money..

 

[Master Khan]

Well I don't see Pakistan winning this series because they hardly ever played against a good team this year.
and they didn't even played a test match this year aswell

 

[SciD]

I would rather see India play Kenya than Pakistan. No matter what the result is.

 

[Leggie]

Hmm...Karachi brings back good memories for Irfan Khan Pathan. Is this the place where Irfan discovers his deadly swing again? Just is it?

 

[usy]

Harbhajan, not Irfan.

Shoaib > Harbhajan + Irfan + Zaheer

Sachin Tendulkar > Younus + Butt + Akmal

 

[Leggie]

Lol, Usy Shravi was just making a point, He wasn't comparing him to Shoaib in any way

 

[usy]

Lol, Usy Shravi was just making a point, He wasn't comparing him to Shoaib in any way

I know, I'm trying to make a point here.

usy added 0 Minutes and 34 Seconds later...

Ishant Sharma > Shoaib Akhtar

 

[Leggie]

Nah, At the Moment Ishant > Shoaib, But overall Shoaib > Ishant...

 

[Pak_cricketer]

Shoaib can go someplace where he's wanted. Court.