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We are here to win friends, says Pak skipper

The most interesting name in the team of 14 cricketers named by the selection committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board to take part in the upcoming Independence Cup tournament in India is, of course, that of Saeed Anwar.

The dashing left-hander, who along with the rest of the contingent, landed in India on Monday looked positively anaemic - an outward indication, perhaps, that the bout of typhoid and assorted other ailments that saw him miss the Sharjah Cup and the tour of Sri Lanka have dealt a blow to his fitness from which he is yet to fully recover.

Even as Anwar makes a comeback to the side, he will miss opening partner Aamir Sohail, busy battling a two-year ban imposed on him by the PCB for levelling allegations of bribery and corruption against senior members of the national side. In place of Sohail, it will be skipper Rameez Raja who will open with Anwar.

Another name to look out for is that of dashing middle-order batsman Hasan Raza, who recently eclipsed Mushtaq Muhammad as the youngest Test debutant in history, and experienced fast-medium bowler Aaqib Jaaved who, after having formed the third corner of a pace triangle with Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, has in recent years found himself out in the cold thanks to the vagaries of selection processes.

Indian spectators will also thrill to Shahid Afridi, the man who did the impossible when he broke Sanath Jayasuriya's record for the fastest hundred in one day cricket late last year. Interestingly, Afridi and Aaqib Javed, paired together, put up a superb display late last month to win the first International Floodlit Double Wicket Cricket Championship at the Gaddafi Stadium against elite international competition.

Good though the team looks, it is still without three key elements - Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed. While Akram and Ahmed are in England fulfilling county contracts, Younis is laid out with a foot fracture sustained early on in the recent tour of Sri Lanka. And the loss of that troika is a big blow, both to Pakistan and to cricket fans in India, for they, along with off spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, form a bowling quartet that has propelled Pakistan to the pole position in international cricket.

Pakistan will thus need to rely on its strong batting lineup to combat World Cup champions Sri Lanka, hosts India and New Zealand. Besides the skipper and his opening partner Saeed Anwar, Pakistan has the services of brothers-in-law Salim Malik and Ejaz Ahmed, the experienced Inzamam, the talented young duo of Mohammad Wasim and Hasan Raza, and the explosive skills of Afridi and keeper Moin Khan.

The bowling, however, will rely heavily on Aaqib Javed and Saqlain Mushtaq. Medium pacer Abdul Razzaq has proved himself for Pakistan A against his English counterparts, but is yet to make the transition to the senior level, and the same is the case with Azhar Mahmood.

Interestingly, the visit comes amid signs of a thaw in the strained relations between the neighbouring countries. And in keeping with the spirit of the time, the Indian High Commission has indicated that it will expedite visas to Pak nationals wishing to cross the border to watch their national team in action.

Skipper Rameez Raja underlined the feeling of optimism when he said, on landing in India, "We are here with open hearts to participate in India's Independence celebrations, and we hope that this is the first step in the revival of cricketing ties between the two nations."

Of course, cricketing ties between the two countries were in fact officially revived in September 1996, when India and Pakistan met in a five game ODI series in Toronto, Canada. However, that qualifies as a neutral venue. Again, India did play Pakistan in Bangalore during the World Cup last year, but that again was part of a global tournament, and not part of any exercise to revive sporting links between the neighbours.

Ramiz, who has toured India in 1987, 1989 and 1996, agreed that the hostility of the crowds could be a factor to contend with. "In our last meeting at Bangalore in the World Cup, the crowd was hostile, they wanted their team to win and this is natural. We are not worried, as this will only bring out the best in us. We are here to enjoy our cricket, and hope to play in a positive frame of mind."

Asked to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of his side, Raja said that he had a strong lineup of batsmen to put in the field against all comers and, despite the absence of Akram, Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed, a more than competent bowling attack as well. "We have what it takes to assure the crowds of competitive performances," the Pak skipper said. "We hope to use our cricket to win friends in India."

The full squad is: Rameez Raja (captain), Saeed Anwar (vice captain), Ejaz Ahmed Senior, Salim Malik, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim, Hasan Raza, Azhar Mahmood, Shahid Afridi, Moin Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mohammad Hussain, Aaqib Javed and Abdul Razzaq. Nasim-ul-Ghani is administrative manager, Mushtaq Mohammed remains the cricket manager and the team is accompanied by physiotherapist Dr Dan Kiesel.