Players in upbeat mood: Miandad

Karachi, Aug 18: Pakistan coach Javed Miandad's only worry ahead of the triangular series competition starting in Singapore from Sunday, Aug 20 was the weather.

"The boys are fit and keen to take the field. But weather has hampered our preparations as it has been raining heavily for the last two days," Miandad told Dawn on telephone from Singapore.

Pakistan face New Zealand in the opener of the tournament being played on single-league basis. South Africa is the third team in the event. The final will be played on Aug 27.

Miandad said his players were confined to indoor training session on Friday evening. "There was absolutely no chance of training in the morning but we had brief work-outs in the gymnasium in the evening.

"But I think the boys require some taste of bat and ball besides getting oriented with the ground and the atmosphere," the former captain said.

While refusing to answer controversial questions, Miandad said the ground was a new one and not the one on which Pakistan beat India and Sri Lanka on way to title in 1996.

"This ground has square boundaries of about 70 yards. It looks good," he said. The Padang, where the event was staged in 1996, the square boundaries were less than 60 yards.

He said he had a very brief look at the wicket and didn't hide his displeasure about the condition of the strip. "It has a grasstop and also looks pretty damn. I am not sure if there would be a timely start because I feel that the wicket requires some more touches."

He said the players were in an upbeat mood and were determined to extend their winning ways. He said this was the season's opener and the boys were keen to get off to a start which could serve as confidence booster ahead of the international commitments which were more gruelling and demanding.