Pakistan's tour of India: T20 squad takes off today

Hafeez-led batch to depart for India for two-match series; ODI players to join on December 26,

KARACHI:

After months of wait and weeks of preparations, Pakistan will finally embark on their much-anticipated tour of India for the first bilateral series in five years.

The first batch, led by Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez, will leave this afternoon for the two-match series that starts in Bangalore on December 25. The team will land in New Delhi and will take a chartered flight to Bangalore where it is expected to reach tonight. The second game will be played in Ahmadabad on December 28. Pakistan’s 50-over squad is expected to leave on December 26 for the three-match series.

Pakistan’s preparation started with the National Twenty20 Cup with final preparations taking place in the training camp that finished on Thursday. Team manager Naveed Akram Cheema said the players were ready and geared up for the challenge.



“The players are very well prepared,” Cheema told The Express Tribune on the eve of the Twenty20 squad’s departure. “We’ve given them the best possible preparation. The National Twenty20 Cup as well as the practice matches at the training camp gave final touches to our preparation. Now it’s time for execution and the team is ready for it.”

Cricket, not Shiv Sena, the focus: Manager

India-Pakistan fixtures bring with them a lot of off-field activities but Cheema said the players were just focusing on the cricket.

“All of them are determined to do well. It’s a big occasion and we are looking forward to a positive cricket.”

The manager, when queried about the latest Shiv Sena threat of holding protest at the venues, was not concerned.

“We are just focused on cricket and such threats are not worrying.”

Cheema, meanwhile predicted a tough series ahead.

“India have regained their confidence with a win in the first Twenty20 against England. They are a good side and will be very tough in the upcoming series. On the other hand, we also have a good team. Our strengths are hunger for success and team spirit.”

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf hosted a luncheon to bid farewell to the team.

The chairman wished it luck and hoped for the team’s success while asking players to remain positive and give their best on the tour which he termed a crucial one.

PCB asked for only 25 tickets: BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday sought to clarify reports which stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not received the 3,000 tickets promised to them for the upcoming limited-overs matches, and said that the board from across the border now wants fewer tickets.

According to a BCCI release, the PCB had initially asked for 500 tickets each for their fans at Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kolkata, and 1,000 tickets for New Delhi. The release further added that the PCB had subsequently informed the BCCI that they did not require any tickets for Bangalore and Ahmedabad and had asked for only 25 tickets each for Chennai and Kolkata respectively, which have been sent to them on December 18. “We are awaiting the delivery of tickets by the Delhi and District Cricket Association, and they will be sent to the PCB as soon as they are received from the DDCA,” added the release.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2012.