Waqar raring to take on India

By Rizwan Ehsan Ali

ISLAMABAD, AUG. 8. Pakistan captain Waqar Younis on Tuesday termed the forthcoming Asian Test Championship match against India as the ``game of the season''. ``It will be the most important game of Pakistan's forthcoming domestic season and I am looking forward to playing against them,'' Waqar said as the Pakistan camp began at Karachi's National Stadium.

Waqar and Indian master batsman Sachin Tendulkar made their Test debuts at the National Stadium in Karachi when India last visited Pakistan under the captaincy of Krishnamachari Srikkanth in 1989- 90. ``We have not played against them for a long long time in Pakistan and I am anxiously waiting to compete against them,'' Waqar said.

Pakistan takes on Bangladesh in the opening match of the Asian Test Championship at a newly built stadium in Multan from August 29 to September 2. This will be followed by the game against India at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from September 12 to 16.

However, as the camp began, Pakistan's two fast bowlers Mohammad Sami and Shabbir Ahmed were ruled out, due to injuries, for at least two weeks. Sami is suffering from multiple fractures on his shin, while Shabbir is down with hamstring trouble. ``It's sad that they are out for two weeks, but I think players who are 100 per cent fit should be selected for the forthcoming season,'' he said.

Waqar not consulted

Waqar, who was appointed captain till the home series against New Zealand, said that he was not consulted when the selectors picked the 27 probables for the camp. ``I was not in Pakistan when the selectors announced the probables, but it's the policy of the Pakistan Cricket Board to give youngsters a chance and prepare a competitive team for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa,'' he said.

However, the skipper made it clear that he would ``not lead the side'' if he's not consulted when the selectors announce the final 14 ahead of the Asian Test Championship game against Bangladesh.

The PCB has planned two trial games on August 14 and 20 which will provide an opportunity to former Test stars Wasim Akram and Moin Khan to show their form and fitness. Both players were ignored for the camp. ``I have no problems with Wasim but his return to the team depends on his form and fitness,'' Waqar said, adding: ``I have no idea why he has been dropped.''

Pakistan has a poor record at home and it lost the series against Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Australia and England in recent times. ``I admit that our home record is very poor, but I will try my best to turn things around this time,'' he said. Waqar stressed the need for preparing sporting tracks for the home season which includes two Asian Test Championship games and a three-Test series against New Zealand.

The Pakistan captain also said he wanted South African Richard Pybus back as coach. ``He developed a good understanding with us during our last Test series in England and I think PCB should try and bring him back.''

Gavaskar to chair ACF meeting

The technical committee of Asian Cricket Foundation (ACF) will formalise the playing conditions and points system in Kolkata next week for the second edition of the Asian Cricket Championship.

Sunil Gavaskar will chair the meeting with Asantha de Mel (Sri Lanka), Zaheer Abbas (Pakistan) and Ghazi Ashraf Hossain (Bangladesh) as members of the committee. The ex-officio members of the committee are chairman of ACF, Jagmohan Dalmiya, and secretary of ACC, Zakir Hussain Syed.

Under the constitution, ACF is the event manager of competitions held under the auspices of ACC. The committee was earlier scheduled to meet on August 11, but was postponed due to Gavaskar's prior commitments.

The previous points system had many loopholes which saw India out of the final in 1999 after Sri Lanka earned a first innings lead points against Pakistan in the last league match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Although the then Pakistan captain Wasim Akram performed a hat-trick against the islanders in that match, he did not bowl under favourable bowling conditions until Sri Lanka earned crucial first innings lead points.

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