Bringing back Afridi and Waqar will be worst thing for Pakistani Team. They are good sitting outside.
Saqlain can add some value to team though.
Hey! how about starting a pool for the tour? One for ODI and one for Test? If people running this place will allow, may be we can use Paypal for the payment! (or is it illegal to do so? If not legal, ofcourse we cannot do this)
abt waqar
well i will only comment abt waqar comeback. first of all, he was selected to lead paki team for the world cup because he was the highest wicket taker in ODI format in last one year ( yeah that is true) plus he had super fitness and he never missed any important match because of fitness problem. Yes, he has lost his fearsome pace but he has shown a lot more control with a much better line and length and he mixes his balls quite well. However, waqar should only be selected if he had played in some first class matches this year and has performed well.
I am not impressed with sami. i was in pakistan for almost a month and i saw him bowling in NZ so many times. he is very very inconsistent plus his physcial shape is horrible. He is fast, no doubt, but he needs a lot more experience.For most of the time, kiwi players were able to use his pace againt him by scoring a lot of boundaries. Plus he is not in good shape. it is important to be in a good shape from physical standpoint if you want to stay at the top these days.
Shabir is not impressive either. I guess after seeing wasim a nd waqar for so many years, we are not fair with new bowlers. They are not bad but we always compare them waqar and wasim.....Umar gul and shabir are ok but they are not even better than agarkar ( agarkar is better in swing). I have seen pathan bowling too and i was impressed. so dont think indian bowling is too weak. we need waqr experience if he is fit and can show some form in side matches. waqar, sami and shoaib wud be a good attack.
i think shahid afridi, Waqar younis n Saqlain Mushtaq will be back........but as far as moin khan is in form there no chance for rashid latif to be in.....
Sharyar hints for Pak-India fixture at Sheikhupura
SHEIKHUPURA, January 28 (Online): Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Sharyar Khan has highly rated Sheikhupura cricket stadium up to par with international standards hinting that Pakistan would play a one day international here against arch rivals India.
While talking to Online, Sharyar Khan said that Sheikhupura has produced players ike right arm swing bowler Aqib Javed, stroke players like Imran Nazir, Qaiser Abbas, Rana Naveed, Jaffer Nazir, Shahid Sadiq, Muhammad Gujar and other blendof talented players.
He added that PCB is deciding to hold matches at this venue as it includes all facilities for players and media. Itinerary of India’s tour of Pakistan ‘in a day or two’ The itinerary of India’s cricket tour of Pakistan will be announced “in a day or two” after which an “8-10-meber inspection team” will visit that country to put its seal on the venues chosen.
“Once the itinerary has been announced, our inspection team will visit Pakistan to inspect the venues chosen by the PCB as there is the security aspect to look at,” a senior BCCI official told IANS.
“If there is anything lacking, we would suggest to the PCB to make changes or alternative arrangements.”
India is scheduled to play three Tests and five one-day internationals besides a three-day warm up match on their first Test tour of Pakistan in over 14 years. As the host, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has the right to announce the itinerary – which has reportedly been sent to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) – in a couple of days.
At a top-level BCCI meeting a few days ago, it was decided that an inspection team comprising some 10 members would visit Pakistan to check various aspects of the tour, with security aspects being the top priority. “It has been decided that the inspection team would have people from the police and intelligence background,” said the BCCI official. The PCB has assured the BCCI that the Indian team would be given the same security cover that is reserved for heads of state visiting Pakistan.
India last played a cricket match on Pakistani soil over six years ago, a
one-day international at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on October 2, 1997.
And the last time India played a Test series was 14 years ago, when a team led by Krishnamachari Srikkanth drew all four Tests in late 1989.
The last time Pakistan played a match in India was in February 1999 when Wasim Akram’s side beat Mohammed Azharuddin’s by 46 runs in Kolkata.
Intrigue, indecision mar run-up to India-Pakistan cricket series](Yahoo is part of the Yahoo family of brands.)
NEW DELHI (AFP) - Bizarre off-field events are ruining the build-up to the upcoming cricket Test series between India and Pakistan even as officials from both sides struggle to finalise the schedule.
The ice-breaking series, India’s first in Pakistan in almost 15 years, was announced with much fanfare in October following a thaw in political tensions between the South Asian arch-rivals.
But three months later, neither the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have been able to draw up an itinerary for the tour scheduled to be held in March-April.
Worse, confusion reigns over television and sponsorship rights for what is potentially a money-spinning series and conflicting reports on the reluctance of the Indian players to undertake the tour.
Media reports on Wednesday said a Pakistani marketing man Zahid Bashir was in India negotiating with television companies, including the government-run Doordarshan, to cover the series.
But it appears Bashir has no locus standi to deal on behalf of the PCB, since he was sacked as its marketing manager on January 2 soon after former diplomat Shahrayar Khan took over as PCB chief.
“The Pakistan board is not obliged to fulfill any obligations or deals Bashir may have made in India,” PCB spokesman Samiul Hasan said.
The PCB insists it is not even seeking to sell TV rights for the series since there is already an agreement in place with the Dubai-based TEN Sports channel, which holds the rights for all international cricket being played in Pakistan.
The itinerary for three Tests and five one-day internationals has not been finalised due to reported differences over playing in Karachi and Peshawar, two centres that were boycotted by South Africa last year due to security concerns.
Indian and Pakistani officials are tight-lipped over the reasons for the delay in announcing the itinerary, resulting in frenzied speculation in the media in both countries.
It is said that Pakistan wanted the tour to start in Karachi, but the Indians preferred Lahore.
And while there was agreement in playing Test matches at these two major centres, the Indians reportedly wanted the remaining Test to be played in Faisalabad or Rawalpindi instead of the north-western city of Peshawar.
The Indian team, meanwhile, is said to be unhappy that more time was being spent on trying to generate revenues for the tour than on its security aspects.
“We get a feeling they are happy to just have the tour and send us off,” an unnamed senior player currently on tour in Australia, was quoted as saying recently.
“There seems to be more talk of television revenues rather than security which is disturbing. We don’t mind going at all but feel everything is being rushed.”
The BCCI, in response to the players’ reported concerns, decided to send a fact-finding team to Pakistan to study the security being planned for the tour.
But that visit has yet to take place because BCCI secretary Karunakaran Nair is busy elsewhere – touring the Netherlands to find a suitable venue for a one-day series between India, Pakistan and Australia being planned in Amstelveen in August.
“All in good time,” a BCCI official said, but could not explain why it was more important to plan for August when more urgent matters were pending.
India last played a Test match in Pakistan in 1989, while Pakistan crossed the borders in 1999 for three Tests.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
The Indian team, meanwhile, is said to be unhappy that more time was being spent on trying to generate revenues for the tour than on its security aspects.
Ay ta phir hay na ! Whenever there is some thing special 2 happen Changes start 2 happen and they are so panic that they often take bad decisions.
But still i pray that even they loss, loss with respect! Ameen
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
Like PC says a good bowling attack can finish the opposition off quickly. Your batting is awesome but when you score 705 runs your bowlers do not have enough firepower to finish the opposition off. If your bowling attack was very good than your captain would have enforced the follow on. The same goes for our batting we do not have a good enough batting line up to put up a good score. Probably saying that India does not have a bowling attack is not correct, however it is true to say that you do not have a strong enough attack.
[/QUOTE]
Are you implying the Pakistan batting is at level with the Aussies? Hayden, Ponting, Gilchrist...!
This series is supposed to start on 1st of March, around 35 days from today. and still no itinerary! They better not cancel this series at the end, or delay it. 
We’ve been waiting for the itinerary forever now… Announce it already!
Where did I say that? 
PCB issues clarification on TV rights
India in Pakistan, 2003-04
PCB issues clarification on TV rights
Wisden Cricinfo staff
January 30, 2004
There has been no shortage of rumour-mongering regarding the TV rights for the forthcoming India-Pakistan series. In this light, Shahryar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has issued a lengthy clarification in the form of a media release. The first step he has taken is the constituting of a two-man team to look into the marketing contracts from a legal and commercial point of view.
“An independent marketing consultant, Mr Riaz Mahmood, who is assisted by a legal consultant, Mr Ahmed Hossain, has been appointed to review PCB’s marketing contracts from a legal and commercial standpoint. Both the independent consultants enjoy impeccable reputations in their respective fields,” began the release. Perhaps more importantly, it went on to say, “After a meticulous review of the contract for television rights between PCB and Ten Sports the independent marketing and legal consultants have confirmed PCB’s initial view that the contract is commercially valid and legally binding on PCB. Accordingly, potential applicants for television rights for Pakistan-India series have been informed that PCB would abide by its contract with Ten Sports. In turn Ten Sports have undertaken in writing that Pakistan TV would be given terrestrial rights to telecast the matches in Pakistan,” thus quashing all speculation about who would telecast the series.
Further, the release adds that Pepsi has agreed to forego title sponsorship of the series in exchange for compensation of US$375,000. This allows the PCB to invite tenders from various companies in the international market and secure the best possible deal.
The PCB has also announced the dissolution of provincial cricket associations that were formed on an experimental basis in 2003. According to the release, “The basic reasons for the dissolution are that adding an additional tier to cricket’s hierarchy was considered to be counter productive. Moreover, the Chairman is of the view that the existing constitution, though temporarily suspended, should be respected as far as possible.”
i m surprised to c that many ppl here are supporting the return of afridi and waqar 
well im in favor of afridi and waqar. they’ve a gud record against india
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by BrokenSky: *
well im in favor of afridi and waqar. they've a gud record against india
[/QUOTE]
i m in their favour too, but after th WC ppl said their career is over so now...........
Waqar maybe, Afridi definitely not. Afridi has not done anything to justify his call back to the team. waqar only on the basis that an experienced hand like him will be able to guide the new bowlers better against a team like India.
no it wont 
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
Waqar maybe, Afridi definitely not. Afridi has not done anything to justify his call back to the team. waqar only on the basis that an experienced hand like him will be able to guide the new bowlers better against a team like India.
[/QUOTE]
Who will you drop if you want to bring in Waqar? I personally think it'll have to be Shabir. If that is the case, then we might as well say good bye to him as his self-confidence will hit rock bottom after first having his bowling action questioned and then getting dropped from the team in favor of Waqar. How long we are going to rely on the old hands is another question. these news guys have been playing well. I say let them have a go at India. It might well be their only chance at playing such a high pressure series and after the series we'll atleast be able to seperate men from boys. so yeah, totally against brining old cricketers back.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ChthonicPowers: *
Who will you drop if you want to bring in Waqar? I personally think it'll have to be Shabir. If that is the case, then we might as well say good bye to him as his self-confidence will hit rock bottom after first having his bowling action questioned and then getting dropped from the team in favor of Waqar. How long we are going to rely on the old hands is another question. these news guys have been playing well. I say let them have a go at India. It might well be their only chance at playing such a high pressure series and after the series we'll atleast be able to seperate men from boys. so yeah, totally against brining old cricketers back.
[/QUOTE]
Arey bhai I said maybe, not definitely. Itna Ghusa. :)
i hope paki wins
Pakistan back Karachi date](BBC SPORT | Cricket | Pakistan back Karachi date)
Pakistan want to play matches in the contentious venues of Karachi and Peshawar in the series against India.
South Africa and New Zealand refused to play there last year because of security fears but the Pakistan Cricket Board says it is safe.
“We should not deprive millions of cricket-starved people of these two big cities from watching exciting cricket,” said PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan.
The respective boards have yet to finalise a schedule for the series.
It is due to take place in March and April and will be India’s first Test tour to Pakistan for 14 years.
Khan met Indian ambassador Shiv Shankar Menon for talks on Friday.
“It is a positive sign that cricket is being revived and both the boards are working to sort out the details,” the Press Trust of India quoted Menon as saying.
“Cricket can add to the peace process both countries have initiated, and as a keen follower of the game I keep my fingers crossed for exciting cricket.”
Karachi was the scene of an explosion in 2002 which prompted New Zealand to cancel a Test match and abandon their tour and there have been further bombings in recent weeks.
Peshawar, meanwhile, has seen a number of arrests of suspected members of Al-Qaeda in the past two years.
But the Bangladesh cricket team visited both cities during their 2003 and the matches passed off without incident.
“Karachi and Peshawar are perfectly safe for matches,” said PCB media spokesman Samiul Hasan.
“We will brief a three-member Indian security team about it when they come to Pakistan next month to discuss security arrangements.”