MEDIA
RELEASE
MOIN'S MEN AIM 'TO HAVE FUN' AT
2003 CATHAY PACIFIC/STANDARD CHARTERED HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL
CRICKET SIXES
Papu Butani with the
Butani Cup
Image © CCIL |
HONG KONG, October 21: Moin Khan will instruct
his team to go out and enjoy themselves when Pakistan defend
their
title in the Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong
International Cricket Sixes next weekend (November 1-2).
Moin, a stalwart of Pakistan cricket for more
than a decade, had the honour of raising aloft the magnificent
Butani Cup
at the Kowloon Cricket Club (KCC) last year.
"It was a wonderful experience for me and
a great achievement for the team. I hope that we will be able
to repeat our success
this time," said the 32-year-old, who made his Test
debut in the 1990/91 series against West Indies.
"Last year was my first time playing Sixes
in Hong Kong. It's a totally different form of cricket to anything
we are used to,
but it's tremendously exciting and fun.
"The team spirit last year was fantastic and
I'm sure it will be the same this year. Once again we have a
very strong
team and we're all looking forward to the challenge.
"As a batsman in the Sixes you have to go
out to the middle with the intention of hitting every ball for
four or six. There aren't
really too many tactics involved, but it's important
to enjoy yourself," added the Pakistan skipper.
Winners of the inaugural Sixes in 1992, the
Pakistanis were triumphant again in 1997, when the tournament
was staged
at the Hong Kong
Stadium.
When the tournament was revived at the KCC
in 2001 after disappearing from the calendar for three years,
it was a
Wasim Akram-inspired
Pakistan team that swept all before them.
Moin's class
of 2002 continued the Pakistan domination and, not surprisingly,
the Pakistanis have been seeded number
one in 2003 and are overwhelming favourites to capture first
place prize money of US$80,000 once more.
Moin's first
task will be to guide his squad to top place in Pool 1, which
pits Pakistan against New Zealand, India and
hosts Hong Kong.
Said Moin: "We know it won't be easy. New Zealand
will be tough and it's always a good game when we play
against India."
Students of the Hong Kong Sixes will also recall that twice
in the event's history Pakistan have suffered shock defeats
to Hong Kong, in 1992 and 1994.
Assuming there are no such slip-ups this time, Pakistan will
expect to be drawn against Pool 2 favourites England or South
Africa in the Cup semi-finals.
And Moin is expecting that the Kowloon Cricket Club will
be filled to capacity to watch the drama unfold. "There were big
crowds last year and my message to Pakistan fans in Hong Kong
is to come to the ground and back us. We will certainly be trying
our best to win the tournament again," he said.
Tickets for the 2003 Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong
Kong International Cricket Sixes are selling fast. Two-day
ticket
prices have been set at HK$380 for adults and HK$200 for
children under the age of 15.
Games are played in five-over innings, with each team member,
other than the wicket-keeper, bowling one over.
Pakistan squad: Azhar Mahmood, Bilal Asad, Imran Farhat,
Imran Nazir, Moin Khan (captain), Naved Latif, Shahid
Afridi.
The 2003 Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered
Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes will take place at Kowloon
Cricket Club, 10 Cox’s Road, Kowloon on November 1-2. Two-day
passes cost HK$380 for adults and HK$200 for children under 15,
and are on sale through Cityline
(www.cityline.com.hk)
as well as at the following outlets:
- Hong Kong Cricket Club
(137 Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Happy Valley, 2574 6266);
- Kowloon Cricket Club (10
Cox's Road, Jordan,
2367 4141);
- Dot Cod Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar
(Prince's Building, Central 2810 6988);
- Hong Kong Cricket Association (Room 1019 Sports House, 1
Stadium Path, So Kon Po,
2504 8102).
Provided by CCIL/Hong Kong Cricket Association. For further
information, please contact Danny Lai at (852) 2504-8102.
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