Pakistani captain Inzamam-ul Haq has vowed to salve his country’s earthquake wounds with an exciting Test series against a resurgent England, who arrive on Wednesday on a high from their Ashes triumph.
”Cricket has been a great healer and we hope that both teams put on their best show to heal some of the wounds caused by the earthquake,” Inzamam said from Lahore where the team is warming up in a training camp.
”The loss of lives is irreparable but what I appreciate is England’s resolve to bring smiles back on our people’s faces and my boys would not be left behind in the cause.”
Pakistan suffered its worst natural disaster on October 8 when a massive 7,6-magnitude earthquake struck the north of the country, killing more than 53 000 people and leaving millions homeless.
England captain Michael Vaughan, who last month led England to its first Ashes win over Australia in 16 years, had vowed his side will do its best to bring smiles back to Pakistani faces.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has donated $860 000 for quake victims and will also hand over the gate money from the first one-day international in Lahore on December 10.
A trouble-free tour will also help to dispel concerns about security in Pakistan following a bombing outside the touring New Zealand team’s hotel in 2002 which killed 14 people including 11 French engineers.
The security arrangements for the England tour extend to emergency evacuation plans in case of another earthquake.
Pakistani special forces troops will keep watch over the visitors’ 14-man squad from the moment they arrive here on Wednesday, and their hotel will be cordoned off by police.
Star allrounder Andrew Flintoff and pace bowler Steve Harmison will arrive later in the week, after completing a fund-raising programme for quake victims in Dubai.
England open their tour with a three-day fixture against the PCB Patron’s XI at Rawalpindi from October 31.
They play another side game in Lahore from November 6 before the first of three Tests starts in Multan from November 12.
The Tests will be followed by a five-match one-day series. – AFP
