KARACHI: Famed paceman Wasim Akram was upbeat Tuesday about growing signs that India and Pakistan are to resume cricketing ties, nearly four years after they were suspended following the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf is in India negotiating a revival of matches after watching the Indian Premier League (IPL) final.

India has also allowed the Sialkot Stallions to take part in October’s Champions League, the first such participation by a Pakistani team since 2008.

Wasim, who as bowling coach helped Kolkata Knight Riders win their maiden IPL title on Sunday, said there were signs of a thaw.

“I acted as an ambassador for Pakistan as everyone knows me and during my stay I have seen that people want Indo-Pak cricket to start and for me the invitation for Sialkot is the first step,” Wasim said.

Pakistani players featured in the inaugural IPL in 2008 and Sialkot was due to participate in the first Champions League the same year, until the Mumbai attacks saw cricket ties suspended.

Wasim, 45, expressed his hope that the doors to the IPL will open for Pakistani cricketers next year.

“Pakistani players Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Umar Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez are popular in India and Indian fans have realised they can add to the charm of the league,” said Wasim, who played 104 Tests and 352 one-day internationals for Pakistan.

Wasim added that India not playing Pakistan was a great setback for the millions of spectators in both countries.

“I am a great advocate of Indo-Pak cricket and I hope all the issues between the two countries are solved so that millions of fans are not deprived of such entertaining cricket,” said Wasim, who led Pakistan on the tour of India in 1999.

Turning to Pakistan’s imminent tour to Sri Lanka, Wasim said: “Pakistan has done well in the past year and although it will be tough playing Sri Lanka on their home grounds I am sure this Pakistan team will do well.”

Pakistan play two Twenty20, five one-dayers and three Tests on the tour of Sri Lanka, with the first Twenty20 taking place in Hambantota on Friday.

Courtesy: TIMES OF INDIA

The Pakistan Cricket Team departed for a tour of Zimbabwe on the 25th August, 2011. The team is scheduled to play one Test Match, two Twenty-20 matches and three One Day Internationals. The team left for Zimbabwe from Lahore to Abu Dhabi from the Allama Iqbal International Airport and will take a connecting flight to Zimbabwe.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has replaced Intikhab Alam with Naveed Akram Cheema as manager for the tour of Zimbabwe, and Waqar Younus is accompanying the team as coach. The team is expected to perform well, despite a one-week training camp. Assistant Coach Aqib Javed and assistant manager Shahid Aslam have also been not included for this tour.

The omission of Intikhab Alam is not in any way to do with the team’s previous performances. Managers are appointed on a series by series basis, and Intikhab Alam wants to give more time to ongoing programs for the development of cricket in Pakistan. Cheema is a member of the governing board and has therefore been appointed for the tour of Zimbabwe.

All rounder Shoaib Malik, previously captain of the Pakistani Team is also going to Zimbabwe for this tour. He was in the list of standbys for this tour, but he had to be cleared from the Pakistan Cricket Board. Malik has been playing in domestic cricket since he last played for Pakistan during a controversial tour of England last summer. Malik had issues with the integrity committee of the Pakistan Cricket, and after clearing himself of all suspicions had been included in the team for this tour. Coach Waqar Younus seems to quite happy with Malik’s inclusion, saying that this will strengthen the team.

Wasim Akram cautions that exclusion of Wahab and Gul could hurt their bowling, and the new bowlers in the team lack the experience of the other two players.

Chief Selector for the Pakistan Team Mohsin Khan says that although the Zimbabwe team deserves respect and cannot be taken lightly, but he said the new players need international experience, and playing with senior players will provide them the experience to perform better later on against much stronger teams. Since international cricket is not being played in Pakistan, there are fewer opportunities to groom junior players. In fixture like the with Zimbabwe junior players will gain experience and confidence.

The tour schedule is: Zimbabwe Xl v Pakistan at Bulawayo on August 28-29. Test on September 1-5 also at Bulawayo, 1st One Day International at Bulawayo on September 8, 2nd and 3rd ODI’s at Harare on September 11 and 14 respectively.

Written by: Richard Thomas
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