Reservations expressed over 'Pindi stadium pitch

Islamabad, Feb 24: Coach Intikhab Alam said on Thursday that Pakistan would put up an improved performance in the Test series against Sri Lanka but added that no one should expect miracles from the new-look team.

On the Australian tour, Pakistan lost the Test series 3-0 while Sri Lanka sweeped the one-day series 3-0. The coach said that he was satisfied with the selectionof the 18-member squad. "The team is a blend of youth and experience. The youngsters are in the team because they have performed well during the season."

Intikhab said the cricketers were novice to international cricket. He added that they don't have much clue about the standard of game at the top level. Intikhab Alam, however, expressed strong reservations about the pitch being prepared for the first Test and the state of the outfield at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Under the supervision of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) technical official Shoaib Habib, two pitches have been prepared at the venue. One is a hard and bouncy with little green on top while the second is absolutely flat.

However, the PCB technical official on Thursday was himself not satisfied with state of the affairs. He said that the tasks given to the local administration for the outfield and pitches has not been done properly.

The Rawalpindi Division Cricket Association (RDCA) secretary Ashraf Qureshi said recent rain has effected the outfield. However, he said that there was still one day to go and the final conditions will be far better.

PCB's chief curator Mohammad Bashir was given the go ahead to work on the hard track. On the formation of the playing eleven for the first Test starting on Saturday, the team management was considering various options but the final squad will be announced on the morning of on Feb 26.

Pakistan Holds Net Practice: A total of eleven Pakistan squad players held net practice at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Skipper Saeed Anwar, who had complained of stiffness in the neck, took rest from the net session. The captain, it was learnt, will be fit for last net session scheduled for Friday morning. Meanwhile, speedster Wasim Akram also missed the net practice since his return from Peshawar by road was delayed.

Inzamam and Saqlain, however, joined the training session a bit late. All-rounder Abdur Razzaq arrived at Rawalpindi in the afternoon, missing the first session with the team. Those who attended the session include Moin Khan, Aamir Sohail, Waqar Younis, Younis Khan, Wajahatullah Wasti, Irfan Fazil, Bazid Khan, Faisal Iqbal, Naveed Qureshi, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Akram.

The Rawalpindi stadium, is bustling with hectic activities. Apart from the customary eleventh hour arrangements, the foreign channel network will be televising the pictures live to the whole of Asian region have also arrived.