Indian tour of Pak

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I did not want the tour to happen, but I am not disappointed in the Indian Govt's decision. They had put themselves into a corner after waffling for so long. I guess they could not find any justification for cancelling the tour now at the last minute.

However, this tour might still be put in cold storage, should (God forbid) any untoward incident were to happen in Pak (lets say a suicide bomb blast) between now and the start of the series.

But for now, I am looking forward to an interesting duel. The teams are evenly matched in the Test Series but I will put my money on Pak to win the one day series(Pak has strong bowling and bat till No. 9).

As for Indian team selection, kick Nehra, Gavaskar, Parthiv Patel, Deep Dasgupta, Karthik and Agarkar OUT. I would have included Kumble too but there aren't too many options in the spin department. Bring in Nayan Mongia OR try someone else as a wicketkeeper. Hopefully Zaheer, Kaif and Harbhajan would be fit for the series.

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Some1 good comments. Hopefully nothing untowards will happen between now and the end of the series.

Come on you can't be serious about kicking out Agarkar, he performed very well in Australia.

I think the duel most people will want to see will be Sachin against Akhtar. It is a mouth watering prospect.

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Agarkar's bowling is too friendly for my taste. He did get some wickets in Australia but he was way too expensive.

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Tour with a special significance](BBC SPORT | Cricket | Tour with a special significance)

The prospect of India’s first Test tour to Pakistan for 14 years has resulted in a state of fevered anticipation among cricket fans in both countries.

For India, it offers them a chance to underline their credentials as the team who may ultimately be capable of toppling Australia from the top of the Test rankings.

For Pakistan, it provides an opportunity to put one over on their biggest rivals and accelerate the development of a side which has been given a new-look since the disappointment of the 2003 World Cup.

But the series also has a wider, symbolic importance after years of enmity between the two nations.

PROVISIONAL TEST DATES
11-15 March, Lahore
19-23 March, Peshawar
27-31 March, Karachi

“Seeing Indian and Pakistani players together on the field would be a great lesson to the people of both countries, and a lesson to the governments concerned,” former Indian Test player Farokh Engineer told BBC Sport.

A security team sent to Pakistan by the Indian cricket board is yet to report back, but on Saturday India’s government, to the relief of millions, approved the tour.

“Security will be very tight, and should be very tight, and I don’t think the players have anything to worry about. If I was an Indian player, I’d be delighted to go to Pakistan,” said Engineer.

"I was in Bombay three or four months ago and [Pakistan fast bowler] Shoaib Akhtar was there.

“He had never been to Bombay before, didn’t know what to expect and he was overwhelmed with the hospitality. The Indian players would be received the same way in Pakistan.”

Engineer believes the series is so important, that even if India had been unwilling to travel to Pakistan, a neutral venue could have been found - perhaps Sharjah - but the series would have lost much of its appeal.

Former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal said security was bound to play on the fears of players and administrators.

He said: "The way things are in the world, wherever you play, if there are elements who want to disrupt something, they can do it anywhere.

"I totally go along with the view that the players’ security is paramount - there’s no two ways about it.

"If the Indian players or board feels there is any particular venue they are not comfortable with, the Pakistan Cricket Board should say ‘Fine, wherever you are happy, the matches should be played there.’

India’s blind cricketers will play five one-day matches in Pakistan later this month as scheduled.

And after some nervous moments in the last few days when it looked like the national team might cancel or postpone their own tour, supporters of both nations have finally had their fears quelled.

Venues and dates are not yet announced, but the tour, thank goodness, is on.

[thumb=E]shoaib1326_2984948.JPG[/thumb]

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I'll believe it only when i see our team in Pakistan. The gaurment could still be cooking some kichri.

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thanks god and then Vajpaee uncle.. that they are comming.... and i really really pray for indian team.. ke wo khair say aaye aur khair say jain........May ALlah keep em safe....... :)

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In Team India, sound of silence

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 14: The tour’s on but there’s a strange silence in the Indian camp. Little of the elation one would expect from a team that’s returned head held high from one tour and is now playing the series of a lifetime: instead, the team appeared very much on the defensive, uncertain of what exactly was going on.

Indeed, if the tour was to be decided by current mood, it would be a whitewash by Pakistan, whose players are licking their lips in anticipation of a keen contest.

When news broke this morning that the tour was on, The Sunday Express sports team got down to the business of calling players for their reactions. The responses were mixed; some refused to come on the line; others did, but refused to say anything. One young fast bowler said he’d be happy to talk in the evening — by which time he’d left instructions that he wasn’t at home.

Here, as a sample, are two quotes we managed:

Ashish Nehra: That is none of my business. About playing in Pakistan, I think you should ask the captain, coach and the BCCI president.

Murali Kartik: I am not the right person to talk on this. This was for the Government and cricket board to decide.

Only Virender Sehwag, typically carefree, said playing in Pakistan ‘‘will be a challenge’’.

There was no public statement from any player that he is looking forward to what is, effectively, the biggest thing in Indian cricket after the World Cup. Not one batsman saying he’s relishing the prospect of taming Shoaib in his den, not one fast bowler speculating on the exciting, though raw, talent that is Pakistan’s opening pair.

Only old pros who’ve been there, done that and lived to tell the tale — Kapil Dev, Madan Lal leading the way — were bullish on the tour.

Adding to the sense of uncertainty was Jagmohan Dalmiya’s rider to the news that the tour was on: No player will be forced to go. The subtext for all to see was that, as suspected, several in the team are under pressure from family, friends and other parties to pull out of the team.

It should not come as a surprise if members of the Indian team develop injuries or other problems that force them to miss the tour. Stranger things have happened in Indian cricket.

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=41127

Looks like, if Pakistan beats India… they should thank the Aussies for causing a big dent in the morale of the Indian team with those big wins in the one dayers. Or it may well be that the concern for safety (during the Pak tour) is playing in the mind of the Indians. If the latter is true, some players may actually be happy if they are not selected.

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^ lolzzz

i wonder what our players are thinking rite now :p

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by proudpakistani007: *
^ lolzzz

i wonder what our players are thinking rite now :p
[/QUOTE]

they r thinking abt their selection in the national team :D

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Nancy Drew: *

they r thinking abt their selection in the national team :D
[/QUOTE]

:D

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that means they are all very confident… which is good :dhimpak:

dun they have fear of losing from teams like India :rolleyes:

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Why is the mood in the indian camp so mellow? :hoonh: is safety such a big concern for them still. With all the information that flows due to the media boom, should the real safety picture not come to the fore to them?

Beats me!

looking forward to the contest though :slight_smile:

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Cant wait for them to land in Pakistan....

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Indian players (and some guppies) are showing reluctance and coming up with excuses for their crushing defeat in Pak. I really think India can beat Pakistan - but not with this weak and coward attitude. But then again, you never know. It could be Ganguly's "mental-disintegration" ploy.

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India aim for full strength](BBC SPORT | Cricket | India aim for full strength)

Captain Sourav Ganguly says he expects to lead a first-choice Indian team for their first Test tour of Pakistan for 14 years, despite individual worries.
He said: “There are serious security concerns among players, but now that the tour is on officially, I expect to lead a full-strength team.”

India’s ground-breaking March tour of Pakistan has been formally approved by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

It came after rumours it would be postponed at the last minute.

The board will finalize the tour itinerary for the series after receiving a report from its delegation sent to assess security arrangements in Pakistan.

Ganguly had voiced the cricketers’ concerns during India’s recently concluded tour of Australia.

But board president Jagmohan Dalmiya said he had not received any representation from the players or advice from the government to postpone the tour.

And now it is clear that no players have directly told Ganguly they do not wish to tour.

But the Indian captain was keen to sound a note of caution.

“No one has told me that he’s not going, but some players may still have problems.” said Ganguly.

“If some of them choose to make themselves unavailable because of security concerns, we will have to respect that.”

Ganguly will start planning for the tour next week after attending the wedding of the team’s batting star VVS Laxman in the southern city of Hyderabad.

“It’s just four days since we’ve come back, I’m yet to get over the fatigue,” he said.

On Saturday, Dalmiya made it clear individuals should make up their own mind about touring.

He said: “They are going to play cricket, not going to war. Those who are available will be picked but we can’t force anyone.”

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Jihadi militants are more anxious than you.. :hehe:

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Baba jee :nono1:

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even if they have, they wont show :jhanda:

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Indian players might not be scared but their media is terrified… :rolleyes: hosla rakho kush nahi ho ga…agar Allah nay chaha to… :slight_smile:
:jhanda:

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Newsflash: The black cats will travel with the Indians to Pakistan. food tasters and air sniffers will be employed. The Indians will take off their gas masks only when it's deemed safe to breathe on the ground. Bazooka training will be given to sachin and saurav, who will sleep with one under the pillow. Pakistan army's presence at Siachen will be greatly reduced due to the 50 tier cordon around the team. :D:

Indian securitymen may go with team
Kadambari Murali
New Delhi, February 15

Islamabad has agreed to the proposal that Indian security officials should accompany the Indian team on its tour of Pakistan. It has, however, made it clear that the safety of the Indian team will be Pakistan's responsibility.

A PCB official said the strength of the security team would be decided by India, in co-ordination with Pakistan.

Pakistan has also agreed to share intelligence with Indian agencies.

Islamabad will depute an officer not below DSP rank to co-ordinate security. A three-tier security ring will be thrown round the team, with security personnel on the team bus. Practice sessions may out-of-bounds for the public. Paramilitary will be deployed in Karachi.

Entire hotels won't be cordoned off, though floors will be sanitised and dedicated lifts provided.

Pakistan has suggested an itinerary beginning March 4 and ending April 15. India has made no request for banning any venue yet. The PCB is agreeable to moving a Test out of Peshawar, but will insist on India playing in Karachi, since the issue has serious political implications. It may, however, agree to split the stay there for a Test and one-dayer.

after all this drama we'd better win!!!!!