Pak cricket team arrives in New Delhi

Pak will play the 1st full series in 6 yrs.

The Pakistani cricket team landed on Monday for its first full-fledged tour of India in six years, marking yet another path-breaking moment in Indo-Pak sporting relations.

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Inzamam-ul Haq and his team touched down at the Indira Gandhi Airport by a PIA flight at 1430 hours amidst tight security arrangements.

Top BCCI officials including vice-president Rajiv Shukla and C K Khanna were among those who received the Pakistan team which was accorded a warm welcome, complete with traditional garlanding.

The cricketers, sporting green blazers, appeared relaxed as they acknowledged cheers from airport staff and few others who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the sporting heroes from across the border.

After the brief ceremonial welcome, the team was whisked off into a luxury coach and driven to a five-star hotel in South Delhi.

The Pakistan team, who had last played a three-match series in 1999 in India, is scheduled to play three Tests and six one-dayers during the 50-day tour, its seventh visit to India since 1952-53.

Pakistan squad:

Inzamam-ul Haq (captain), Younis Khan (vice-captain), Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Taufeeq Umar, Yousuf Youhana, Asim Kamal, Kamran Akmal (wicket-keeper), Abdul Razzaq, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Arshad Khan, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Sami, Rana Naved-ul Hasan, Mohammad Khalil.

Manager: Salim Altaf

Coach: Bob Woolmer

Trainer: Murray John Stevenson

Physiotherapist: Darryn Lifson