Extra buses, Shoaib the matador and Miandad the diplomat

Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, expects his people to extend their hospitality to the visiting Indian side. According to a report on the Pakistan News Service, he said, "It is not the question of win or lose, the good performance should be appreciated." Musharraf added that he wanted the good folk of Pakistan to show India, and the rest of the world, that "we are a disciplined nation and we appreciate the good performance."

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Pakistan's Daily Times reports that India and Pakistan will run additional buses between Delhi and Lahore later this month, to cater to those who are expected to cross the border to watch the two one-day matches at the Gaddafi Stadium (March 21 and 24). Agreeing to the Indian proposal, the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) has sent a formal note to Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to start running two buses from March 19.

According to the decision, DTC will run two buses instead of one on March 19 and 23, while PTDC will have two buses on March 22 and 25 to cater to the demand of the fans.

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The Daily Times also quotes Dr Ishratul Ibad, the Governor of Sindh, who has urged the people of Karachi - those who flock to the stadium and those following it from elsewhere - to be on their best behaviour in order to make it clear to the world that the city was one of the world's great cricket venues.

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When India and Pakistan play, can the bookies and touts be far away? According to the India Express, the answer is no. They suggest that tickets will be changing hands for up to 20 times the marked price, with the racket mainly controlled by students. The story also quotes a Karachi bookmaker, who identified himself as "Afghani", as saying that he expected to handle bets worth $1m during the course of the first ODI. With 40 such bookmakers estimated to be part of the scene, there are likely to be some happy bank managers come Monday morning.

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The Calcutta Telegraph focuses on a story that has obsessed Indians like no other during the past few days - the question of live telecast. Ten Sports, who hold the rights for the series, have finally agreed to provide the signal to Doordarshan - India's national broadcaster - albeit only for the opening game. India's Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Madras High Court, forcing Ten to provide the feed from Karachi free of cost. But Ten and the cable operators have failed to come to any sort of agreement on the charges to be levied for the series.

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In the midst of all the mundane prose, you can rely on Omar Kureishi for the elegant turn of phrase. Writing in the Indian Express, he says, "In normal circumstances one would have written that all roads will lead to the National Stadium for the Karachi ODI. Precisely the opposite will be true. All roads will be closed. For ticket-holders it will be a sort of treasure hunt, for others an obstacle race.

"Newspapers have printed maps outlining the traffic arrangements. They resemble navigation charts that might have been used by Christopher Columbus. He had set out to discover India and found America instead, but cricket fans will find the National Stadium, come hell or high water."

Kureishi also suggests that Shoaib Akhtar could be a decisive factor, given the absence of a quality spinner on either side. "The moment of truth has arrived for him," he says with reference to Shoaib. "But he must understand that he is the matador, not the enraged bull. Never has a Pakistani bowler carried such a weight of expectation and the hopes of so many millions of people. His biceps are bulging. What about his nerves? Are they made of steel? If he is on song, it may decide the fate of the entire series. If India tames him, it may be an altogether different ball-game."

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And surely the last word should go to that most loquacious of cricketers. Javed Miandad turned diplomat on the eve of the Karachi game, waxing eloquent about cricket's potential to play a part in the big thaw between India and Pakistan. "Given the craze for cricket in the two countries, the game has the potential to play a significant role," he said. "We want the Indians to carry back pleasant memories."

The Daily Times also quotes Miandad as saying that it's the pressure from the fans that leads to unusually high tension-levels on the field. "The pressure on the players comes from the fans, we all know what happens during cricket encounters between the two countries," he said. "I've instructed my players on good behaviour in the field. We have to convey a good impression to millions of cricket-lovers watching this series. People in both countries don't want to lose these matches, but cricket will end up cooling frayed tempers."