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PCB chief salutes team
Shaharyar Khan said the Pak team showed great fighting spirit to draw the Test series and script a come from behind 4-2 ODI series win.
The chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board Shaharyar Khan on Tuesday congratulated the national team for their highly successful tour of India.
Khan said the team showed remarkable fighting spirit and commitment to draw the Test series 1-1 and script a come from behind 4-2 win in the One-Day International series.
"To draw the Test series with a magnificent victory at Bangalore and to win the ODI series after losing the first two matches is testimony to their fighting spirit, commitment and pride of performance.
"President Musharraf has personally congratulated the team for their outstanding performance in Delhi on April 17. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will be receiving the team in Islamabad on April 24," Khan said in a PCB press release.
"I would like to add my profound congratulations to captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, Bob Woolmer and to the Pakistan team for their outstanding performance in India," he said.
Khan said the turnaround in the Pakistani team's fortunes began with the dogged resistance to draw the first Test in Mohali.
"The self-belief in the young and relatively inexperienced team began at Mohali where the team fought a remarkable rearguard to draw the Test. Then one bad day lost us the Kolkata match but the highlight of the tour was Pakistan's remarkable victory to square the series at Bangalore," he said.
"Test Matches are the real measure of strength in cricket and to make a come-back after losing the second Test spoke volumes for the courage and single-minded dedication that the captain and coach have inculcated in the young team. The Test series provided riveting cricket in all three Tests played before capacity crowds at every venue," Khan added.
The PCB chairman also expressed happiness that Pakistani team's conduct was exemplary during the entire duration of the high profile tour.
"I am particularly gratified that, apart from the overwhelming joy of winning the ODIs, the team's conduct throughout an arduous tour was exemplary. All players demonstrated a high sense of sportsmanship and acted as Ambassadors on and off the field.
"For me, the abiding memory of the tour was Inzamam's dignity and modesty on winning the match on the last ball of the match at Ahmedabad. We now need to build on the solid platform of performance that has been achieved in India," he said.
Khan, also a former diplomat, said: "I am specially gratified that the Pakistan-India Joint Communique issued after President Musharraf's visit to Delhi has recognised the role of the cricket in opening doors of goodwill between the people of both countries."
