NEW DELHI, 21 February 2005 — Pakistan will begin their first full series in India for six years three days behind the original schedule, the Indian cricket board announced yesterday.
The tourists will play the first Test in Mohali, in the northern Punjab state bordering Pakistan, from March 8 to 12. Calcutta (March 16-20) and Bangalore (March 24-28) will host the final two Tests.
Pakistan will begin their tour with a three-day game against an Indian Board President’s XI in the hill town of Dharamsala, according to the revised schedule announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The series, originally scheduled from Feb. 25, was delayed after Pakistan, citing security concerns, refused to play a Test in Ahmedabad, main city of the Gujarat state which was rocked by one of India’s worst Hindu-Muslim riots in 2002. The issue was eventually resolved after the BCCI moved the Test to Calcutta on Thursday and persuaded Pakistan to play a one-dayer in Ahmedabad.Uncertainty, however, prevails over the fate of the telecast of the series owing to a court dispute over TV broadcast rights.
Pakistan Coach Says
India Beatable at Home
In Lahore, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer yesterday said India are beatable at home and his young team can take inspiration from Australia and South Africa who won a series in India.
“It would be a challenging tour to a country which is regarded as one of the second best teams in the world but in recent years Australia, Pakistan and South Africa have beaten them and that would be an inspiration,” Woolmer told AFP as Pakistan prepare for their tour of India.
“A home team always starts as a favorite but this Pakistan team is maturing and is ready for the India challenge.”
Australia won their first series in India since 1965 last year while Hansie Cronje led South Africa to a 1-0 win in their series in India in 2000. Pakistan under former captain Wasim Akram beat India in two of the three Test matches in their last tour of India in 1999.
“They (India) are an all-round team now than in 1999 and 2000 and it would be a challenge to confront the likes of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh,” said Woolmer, who played 19 Tests for England and coached South Africa between 1994-1999.
Woolmer took over as coach in June 2004, replacing Javed Miandad after Pakistan lost the home series against India.
Pakistan announced a 16-member squad on Friday, recalling off-spinner Arshad Khan after express pacer Shoaib Akhtar pulled out due to injury.
Woolmer agreed Akhtar’s absence would be felt but hoped other bowlers would come and fill the gap. He disagreed Pakistan’s pace attack was depleted with fit-again Mohammad Sami under more pressure. Woolmer agreed with former Pakistan great Imran Khan that India were vulnerable on pace.
I Have Not Run Away From
India Tour, Says Akhtar
Fiery Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar yesterday denied suggestions that he pulled out of the tour of India due to fear of failure, saying he was genuinely injured and still wants to play in the one-dayers. “I have not run away from the tour, why would I?” Akhtar told AFP.
“I am disappointed to be missing the tour but people saying I have run away is more disheartening. If I get fit and the team needs me I will play the one-day series.”
The 29-year-old, dubbed the Rawalpindi Express for his pace, withdrew from the tour on Friday. He said it would take him at least a month to recover from a hamstring injury.
“I like to run toward the field and not away from it but what people don’t understand is that a fast bowler can’t play every game because it’s too hard to do that,” said Akhtar.
“It (the tour) would have given me a chance to make up for my not so good performance in the series we lost to India,” said Akhtar. He took a meager seven wickets in Pakistan’s 2-1 Test series loss to their archrivals last year.
Final Itinerary:
Feb 28: Team arrival; Mar 3-5: vs. Indian Board President’s XI at Dharamsala; March 8-12: First Test at Mohali; March 16-20: Second Test at Calcutta; March 24-28: Third Test at Bangalore; March 30: One-Day warm-up at Hyderabad; April 2: First ODI at Cochin; April 5: Second ODI at Visakhapatnam; April 9: Third ODI at Jamshedpur; April 12: Fourth ODI at Ahmedabad; April 15: Fifth ODI at Kanpur; April 16: Sixth ODI at New Delhi; April 18: Team departure.
