Arch-rivals India and Pakistan will get an early chance to size up each
other ahead of the World Twenty20 when they clash in a high-profile
practice match in Colombo next Monday.
The
party, which is part of programming produced by heating the
International Cricket Council, is the only one of the 12 practice games
that will air live from the radio host.Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez welcomed the chance to play against India before the tournament starts on Tuesday."Usually a high pressure game and experience it good for us early," said Hafeez told reporters in Colombo on Wednesday night.India
coach Duncan Fletcher said his team two-up games - the other is against
hosts Sri Lanka on Saturday - will be important preparations for the
main event."We
came here with the belief that we can win the World Twenty20 and is
crucial to be in tune with the conditions," said Fletcher. "We obviously have a good build."We hope the two warm-up games that will give us the preparation we need for the tournament."India
and Pakistan have been drawn in separate groups for the preliminary
league, but will meet in the Super Eights round in Colombo on September
30 if the seedings go to plan.The
two nations have played only two official international Twenty20
matches against each other, both during the inaugural world event in
South Africa in 2007.The
league match in Durban ended in a draw with Spain winning the cup exit,
before the two sides met again in the final in Johannesburg, the Indian
Mahendra Singh Dhoni won by five runs.Bilateral
relations of cricket between the two nations, which had been suspended
since the Mumbai attacks in 2008, will resume later this year in India
tour Pakistan for three one-dayers and two Twenty20 matches.
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