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LAHORE: With perceptible vistas for a durable peace in South Asia via the end of all types of banter games and instead, focus on the solution of all the real disputes, which have been the root cause of irritants, infecting cordial ties between the two nuclear-neighbors, India and Pakistan, the cricket team from a realm, till recent indexed as antagonistic, received a welcome with such a warmth — which was nothing except a fiction — by its munificent host as it stepped onto the soils of an amiable Pakistan Wednesday to play a series of matches after a pause of almost 14 years.

Captained by Sourav Ganguly, the 15-member Indian Cricket Team touched the tarmac of Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore at 1:47 pm [08:47 GMT] on-broad a chartered flight of the Indian Airlines which took off from New Delhi amid typical emotions by its’ fans in hefty numbers, a course which was a follow-up of a personal send-off from the Indian Prime Minister, AB Vajpayee.

India is to play a much-awaited full fledge cricket series of five one days and three Tests after almost fourteen years.

Arrival

They arrived to a modest welcome by Pakistan Cricket Board officials, before being whisked out through the departure terminal and on to a coaster, camouflaged by requisite security arrangements, felt as a necessity in the wake of pre-thaw ties between the two nations. The coaster too the team to the magnificent 5-star hotel of the Punjab metropolis after trekking the set route on the elated, the Mall with a few whimsical blocked-off streets, along-side.

The edifice and avenues of Lahore, an ancient city with fabulous symbols of the great Mughal-empire still intact with fascination, which is populated by almost 7.5 million natives and is only 25 kilometers (16 miles) off the Indian border, was bedecked with a flora of multicolor natural flowers to greet the team.

Program

After having a sweet night-sleep marked by a marvelous respite, the squad of Captain Sourav Ganguly will play a warm-up match in Lahore today, Thursday ahead of five one-days ventures onto the pitch of diverse vicinities in Pakistan amid three Tests, which have zestfully been planned for the 40-day trip.

It is India's first tour of Pakistan since December 1989, and the first home series between the rivals since their forces came to the edge of war in 2002.

People all over the country have already begun to discuss the series with assessments of its possible bets and predictions vis-à-vis the results.

Excitement

The enthusiasm is even higher among the teenagers who are always supposed to have craze for this sports in this part of the world. They often become bit emotional while reaching at the point that which side and which player will come out with flying colors in the series.

The cricket has been the main focus of the daily discussion of the people immediately after India last month announced to send its team to Pakistan.
The heated discussion which sometimes leads to the noisy verbal conflicts among the supporters of various players is the hall mark of each and every public spot including hotels, restaurants, parks and even the government offices where people are always supposed to have very little to do.

'Win Hearts'

The Indian cricket team will be visiting Pakistan in the second week of current month after a long gap of over 14 years for a full fledge cricket series comprising of five one days and three Test matches.

Before the team left New Delhi, Vajpayee presented Ganguly with a bat inscribed with the message: "Win games as well as hearts."

"Whenever we travel, we travel as ambassadors of the country," Indian captain Saurav Ganguly told a news conference before the team met Vajpayee. "But we all know India and Pakistan is always different from the rest of the world."

Before leaving New Delhi, Ganguly expressed continuing security fears for the six-week tour, saying: “Our concerns will always be there, for all the 40 days.”

The tour, which will feature five one-day matches, and then three five-day matches, was nearly cancelled because of Indian security concerns, but went ahead at the insistence of Vajpayee.

“The prime minister wished us good luck,” Ganguly said in Lahore. “He expected us to play well and was very happy that we are going to Pakistan after 14 years. He said he would follow the cricket matches on television.”

Backdrop

The decision to restart the Indo-Pak Cricket link was taken after the ice breaking meeting between President General Pervez Musharraf and Indian Premier Atal Vajpayee in the sidelines of 12th summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) held in Islamabad in January early this year.

The sole factor which often troubles the emotional supporters of the Pakistani cricket is the strong Indian batting line whine has all capabilities to lead them towards a tremendous victory in Test as well as the one day series.

Indian Master Blasters

The situation becomes even more worsening for them when they thought of the master blaster Sachin Tedulkar, Middle Order Pillar Rahul Dravid and in supreme-touch VVS Laxman.

They fear that these Indian who have been simply outstanding in recently concluded Test series against Aussies in Australia can create a lot of trouble for comparatively young and inexperience Pakistani bowling line.

Pakistan's Fire

But, on the contrast, they are equally hopeful for miracles from the strong shoulders of World’s fastest bowler Shoaib Akhtar who is gradually converting himself from furious young guy to a mature fast bowler.

Beside, they also have undoubted confidence in younger Pakistani batsmen who have proved themselves compatible against any side of the world and hopefully once again can deliver against India.

These guys, Imran Nazir, Tufeeq Umar, Yasir Hamid and Kamran Akmal who have been simply outstanding during the home one day series against New Zealand in December last, can continue their performance in the more important series, many people believe. And they also want to see senior players of side Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousaf Yohana to be at the top in this series.

But the special focus would be on wicket keeper batsman Moin Khan who has been in lime light after playing a game saving 137 runs cameo against NZ in the first Test last year.

Among all these hopes and doubts, the players from the two sides are expected to throw themselves with full power and commitment in the series. And one thing that’s the sure is that who ever perform for his country in this series will become the real of his nation.

Ganguly: "Not Afraid"

The Indian cricket captain said in Lahore Wednesday his side was not scared to face the pace of world's most fearsome pacer, Shoaib Akhtar during their tour of Pakistan.

He played down the fears to cope with the pace of Shoaib, known as "Rawalpindi Express" and said players are not afraid of facing him and rather the bowler himself would be under pressure as he is leading attack against India for the first time.

In a lighter tone Ganguly when pressed on occasions that how would he be making efforts to derail the Rawalpindi Express said "Just pull the chain and stop it midway".

India's Optimism

Regarding the fitness of master batsman Sachin Tendulkar who has a long history of back injury, Ganguly said it was not a worry for the Indian side and the batsman is ok and recovered from a minor strain.

Indian coach John Wright said the series in Pakistan would be a great opportunity for the touring side to register a victory. "If we do so, my team will become the first Indian side to win a series in Pakistan", he added.

He said the progress graph of his side was going up as it has shown encouraging results during the tour of Australia. "We have nothing to lose and everything to gain", he said adding "we have started to win tests overseas and we are on the right track and hopeful we will keep it up".

Ready for 'The Tough Tour'

The Indian coach said the entire squad is fully ready in all aspects to open up a tough tour which demands quality cricket and the team which avails most of the opportunities deserves to win.

"But it would be not an easy go for both the sides because the series is eagerly awaited by the millions of people of the sub-continent and exciting cricket will be seen during the one-day and test matches", he said. "We are going to enjoy the tour and relish challenges", he added.

Extra Pressure

The Indian captain admitted that there would be an extra pressure on both the sides as they would be playing each other after 14 years. "But my side is well equipped to cope with the pressure and we have to feel relax and enjoy playing cricket", he said.

He said international cricket is always full of pressure and seeing the India-Pakistan scenario, obviously additional pressure is expected.

Schedule

India last played a test series in Pakistan in 1989 but toured in 1997 for a three one day international will open their 40 day long tour with the one day game on March 13 at Karachi.

The other matches will be played in Rawalpindi March 16, Peshawar March 19 and two night matches at Lahore on March 21 and 23. The one day games will be followed by a three test series starting at Multan on March 28 followed by five day matches at Lahore and Rawalpindi, sited close to the charismatic Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.