Sourav in Delhi, leaving for Pakistan

    New Delhi: Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly arrived in Delhi today and will leave for Pakistan this evening along with vice captain Virender Sehwag, Anil Kumble and second wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel. Saurav and the others will join the Indian team in Lahore to play three test matches and five one-day internationals against Pakistan during their 45-day tour. The other members of the Indian cricket team reached Pakistan on Thursday. Ganguly, Sehwag, Kumble and Patel were given special permission by the Indian cricket board to join the squad later as they wanted to participate in crucial Ranji Trophy matches.

Sourav Ganguly expresses confidence over his form
by Vikram Vishal

    New Delhi: Expressing confidence over his form, former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly said on Saturday that his batting had not improved after losing the captaincy because the responsibility had never really affected his form. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi before leaving for Pakistan, the 33-year-old southpaw also said his form had been good in recent months, adding that it was good to have pressure as it enhances one's performance. "Pressure is always going to be there at the international level for any sportsmen in any game as there will be expectations to perform. It is no different for anybody and it's good to be always there. When I played my first Test or anybody who plays his first match, expectations are there to perform. And more you keep on playing, more expectations will be there. So, I don't think there is a problem. And this time, the team is pretty much the same, so I am sure we will do well," he told reporters.

   Ganguly, who scored two half centuries in a Ranji Trophy match, has been the centre of controversy since losing the captaincy then being dropped from the India Test team for the third Test against Sri Lanka in the recently concluded home series. He was recalled for the Pakistan tour and he, along with vice captain Virender Sehwag, Anil Kumble and second wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, left on Saturday to join the rest of the Team India in Lahore. The national selectors asked Ganguly to play the domestic Ranji Trophy match for his home team West Bengal, to prove his form for the tour and the Bengal batsman responded by scoring 59 and 88 against Tamil Nadu. Ganguly, Sehwag, Kumble and Patel would join the Rahul Dravid-led Indian cricket team which left for Pakistan on Thursday on a 45- day long tour to play three Test matches and five one-day internationals there. The first Test match of the three match series will be played at Lahore's Qaddafi Stadium from January 13, second Test match from January 21 in Faisalabad and the third and final Test would be played in Karachi from January 29. The five-match one-day series will begin on February 6 in Peshawar. The second one-day international will be played in Rawalpindi on February 11, third one-day international in Lahore on February 13, fourth in Multan on February 16 and fifth and final one-day international in Karachi on February 19. In the last full-fledged series between the arch rivals in 2004, which had taken place after a gap of nearly 15 years, India had won both Test (2-1) and one-day series (3-2). However, with India ranked third and Pakistan fourth in the ICC Test rankings and both teams morale high after winning their last series, the contest this time is expected to be even more close. The Team: Rahul Dravid (Captain), Virender Sehwag (Vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, Rudra Pratap Singh, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh.

Lahore, Multan to stage day-night ODIs

    Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has scheduled only two of the five One-day Internationals (ODIs) against India under floodlights due to logistical and security reasons, said PCB officials. An official said that the only two day night matches of the series would be played in Lahore and Multan with the remaining games at Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Karachi, all remaining day fixtures. He said that work regarding installation of floodlights system at the Multan Cricket Stadium has been completed by 70 percent, adding that the towers would be installed before the ODI against India on February 16 at the venue, reports The News. "Our contractors have completed 70 percent of the work of installing a floodlights system at the Multan Cricket Stadium and we hope the towers would be installed before the ODI against India is held there on February 16," he said. On being why Rawalpindi and Karachi, which have facilities for hosting matches at night, not hosting any play under floodlights, he said: "They play in Rawalpindi on February 11 and fly to Lahore for the next game on the 13th. Since there is only a one- day gap between the two games it was felt it would be better if the players didn't have to play a day-night fixture in Rawalpindi and could reach Lahore the same day." "Similarly in Karachi they play the final ODI on the 19th and are scheduled to fly home the same night, which is why we've preferred a day match there," he added. Security reasons was also one of the factors behind Rawalpindi and Karachi hosting, only day matches, he said.

Imran wants Indo-Pak series on lines of Ashes

    Lahore: Former Pakistan cricket great Imran Khan has said that the India- Pakistan cricket series should be held regularly on the lines of the Australia-England Ashes series. He said that the Indo-Pak cricket series has always drawn a large number of people and should be held consistently on a regular basis. "The series has always been of great interest for us and it should be regularised in lines with the Ashes," Imran said. Imran also provided bowling tips to tearaway Muhammad Sami for improved performance in his bowling. He said that Muhammad Sami had the potential to evolve as a good fast bowler, but somehow did not know the art of taking wickets. "I have given him some tips of taking wickets. The problem is that there is no fast bowler in the team who could guide the fast bowlers. In my era I knew all about bowling when Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis had joined the team. I was there to guide them but in the current team there is no senior fast bowler who could come for their help," Imran said. Imran gave a pep-talk to the entire team, providing them with useful tips to sustain the pressure of such an important cricket series. He spent 20 minutes with the national team at its conditioning camp at the National Cricket Academy and praised Inzamam's leadership for reviving Pakistan cricket, reports The Nation. Inzamam, he said, had evolved as a capable leader willing to take on challenges. It was due to Inzamam's efforts that Pakistan cricket has not revived and gained consistency. "It's due to Inzamam that Pakistan cricket has been revived and gained consistency. He has learnt how to handle critical situations. He has handled Shoaib Akhtar quite intelligently," said Imran.

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