Date:19/02/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/02/19/stories/2004021901851800.htm

Sport - Cricket

Warm welcome for Pakistan team

Veteran Pakistani cricketers Saeed Anwar (right) and Ijaz Ahmad talking to the media at India-Pakistan joint border check post. - PTI

WAGAH, FEB. 18. A 12-member Pakistani team crossed the Wagah border this afternoon on way to Patiala to participate in a cricket match on Thursday against the Punjab Chief Minister's XI as part of the Patiala Heritage festival.

Composed of players from Pakistan's side of Punjab under the leadership of Ijaz Ahmed, the squad was accorded a warm welcome by the Deputy Commissioner Raminder Singh, amidst a cultural show presented by the College girls. Both the foreign and home ministries have approved the match as one more confidence-building measure (CBM).

"The cricket tie at Patiala will also help in inculcating enthusiasm for ensuing matches between India and Pakistan," said Vijay Goel, Minister for Sports, in a statement.

Saeed Anwar, former Pakistan captain, said India and Pakistan should visit each other more frequently to help ease tension between the countries.

The teams:

Punjab Chief Minister's XI: Kapil Dev (Captain), Navjot Sidhu, Mohinder Amarnath, Ajay Jadeja, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Ajay Ratra, Sanjay Bangar, Akash Chopra, Ranveet Rikhi, Gagandeep Singh, Rajesh Sharma, Sandeep Sanwal and Hardevender Singh.

Pakistan: Ijaz Ahmed (Captain), Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saeed Anwar, Yousuf Youhana, Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal, Taufeeq Umar, Zahoor Ilahi, Saleem Elahi, and Wasim Khan.

Indian blind cricketers' team for Pakistan

Meanwhile, a 14-member Indian blind cricketers' team crossed over to Pakistan by bus to play in a limited-overs match series, starting on Friday. The 14 players along with seven officials crossed over to Pakistan by the Delhi-Lahore bus for the five-match series, officials at Wagah said.

India will start its campaign against the world champion with a match at Lahore on Friday. It will play the next two games in Karachi (February 22 and 24), a match at Sheikhupura on February 27 and the last one at Rawalpindi on February 29. The team is scheduled to return on March 1.