Home > Cricket > India's tour of Pakistan >
PTI >
Report
Pakistan team in nets, Indians rest
February 08, 2006 18:21 IST
A few members of the Pakistan cricket team, including captain Inzamam-ul-Haq [Images], had an optional net practice at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi, venue of the second one-day international on Saturday, while the tourists preferred to take rest.
The main objective of the home team's practice session was to ask the three pacers -- Mohammed Asif, Rana Naved-ul Hasan and Umar Gul -- and all rounder Yasir Arafat to bowl at two stumps on the wicket adjacent to the match pitch which was under covers.
Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer [Images] was standing near the bowling crease and asking the four men to keep attacking the off-stump with leg cutters.
The batsmen had an informal session at the other end of the ground without nets.
The Indians, on the other hand, took it easy for the day, a holiday here because of Muharram, after having travelled from Peshawar by road on Tuesday and reached here in the evening in time to attend the High Tea hosted by Indian High Commissioner Shivshanker Menon at his residence.
Team Media Manager G S Walia said the team was given an off day as the members had travelled yesterday and were tired. Captain Rahul Dravid [Images], Sachin Tendulkar [Images] and coach Greg Chappell [Images] went to a nearby golf course to have a swing with the golf club.
Chappell hoped that Harbhajan Singh [Images] would recover in time for the second ODI as his finger injury did not look serious.
The team later attended a lunch hosted by former Pakistan captain Imran Khan [Images] at his residence.
"We have asked for Ramesh Powar [Images] as cover for Harbhajan but his injury is not serious. We are hoping Harbhajan will be fit for the next match," Chappell said.
Powar was a member of the one-day team on India's visit here in 2004.
India are desperate for the off-spinner to regain his fitness after Murali Kartik [Images] looked totally ineffective and was hit around by the Pakistani batsmen.
India's bowling also looked threadbare on another good batting track at Peshawar as they lost the match by the Duckworth-Lewis method after bad light stopped play.
The last three one-dayers are to be held at Lahore [Images] (February 13), Multan (February 16) and Karachi (February 19).