Mohali given the thumbs-up

The two-man delegation from Pakistan has inspected the stadium in Mohali - the venue for the forthcoming first Test against India - after being shown around the ground today.

According to Reuters, the Pakistanis - Zakir Khan, the general manager of the Pakistan Board, and Sohail Khan, the senior superintendent of the Lahore police - pronounced the ground and its facilities to be "excellent and very impressive".

Zakir told reporters that there was nothing sinister in his inspection, saying such visits were now commonplace and "a part of the cricket family system".

Sohail, meanwhile, claimed that reports that Pakistan were not keen on playing in Ahmedabad were only speculation. "It has all been generated by the press. We will talk to the local administration in Ahmedabad and the final decision will be taken by the two boards."