The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Lt Gen Tauqir Zia had a pep talk with the Africa-bound cricketers who leave in the wee hours of Friday on a nine-week tour. The Pakistan team will play two Tests and five One-Day internationals each in Zimbabwe and in South Africa before returning home on January 7.

The three specialist one-day cricketers - Wasim Akram, Azhar Mahmood and Misbah-ul-Haq - who are expected to fly out either on November 16 or 18 also attended the meeting.

The Chairman reminded the cricketers of their responsibilities and the expectations 140 million people had in their abilities and potential. "You are best of the best but for certain reasons, the performance graph has gone down in the last three months. I want you boys to put the past behind you and take the new challenges with fresh determination, commitment and courage. I have full confidence in you and I am also aware of the fact that it is just a matter of one good victory and you will be back on victory road. I am hoping that you will make us proud and return from this gruelling tour triumphant," Lt Gen Tauqir Zia told the cricketers.

The cricketers admitted that they have let the nation down with some sloppy and poor performance but promised to give their best on this tour.

"It's our commitment and promise to the nation that the team would work together for glory. We know that this is a crucial period with World Cup just round the corner. We are aware that if we have to lift ourselves, this is the time. We owe a lot to the nation and hopefully we will succeed in restoring the confidence of our fan club," the team said in a statement.

Squads:
Tests - Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Taufeeq Umer, Saleem Elahi, Shahid Afridi, Yousuf Youhana, Hasan Raza, Faisal Iqbal, Younis Khan, Rashid Latif (wicketkeeper), Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Zahid, Mohammad Sami and Saqlain Mushtaq.

One-Dayers - Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Taufeeq Umer, Shahid Afridi, Saleem Elahi, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Rashid Latif (wicketkeeper), Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Zahid, Azhar Mahmood and Saqlain Mushtaq Officials: Brig (rtd) Khawaja Mohammad Nasir (manager), Richard Pybus (coach), Sikander Bakht (analyst), Dennis Waight (physio/trainer), Dr Riaz Ahmad (team doctor)

Itinerary:

Zimbabwe:
- Nov 4-6: Three-dayer at Harare against Zimbabwe A
- Nov 9-13: 1st Test at Harare
- Nov 16-20: 2nd Test at Bulawayo
- Nov 23: 1st ODI at Bulawayo
- Nov 24: 2nd ODI at Bulawayo
- Nov 27: 3rd ODI at Harare
- Nov 30: 4th ODI at Harare
- Dec 1: 5th ODI at Harare

South Africa:
- Dec 2: Arrival in Johannesburg
- Dec 3: One-Day tour match vs NFO XI (NF Openheimer XI)
- Dec 5: One-Day tour match vs South Africa A (D/N)
- Dec 8: 1st ODI at Durban
- Dec 11: 2nd ODI at Port Elizabeth (D/N)
- Dec 13: 3rd ODI at East London (D/N)
- Dec 14: One-Day tour match vs Border Invitation XI at Alice
- Dec 16: 4th ODI at Paarl
- Dec 18: 5th ODI at Cape Town (D/N)
- Dec 21-23: Three-dayer vs South Africa A at Pietermaritzburg
- Dec 26-30: 1st Test at Durban
- Jan 2-6: 2nd Test at Cape Town
- Jan 7: Depart for Pakistan

Samiul Hasan
GM Media
October 31, 2002

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