Miandad, vice captain on the 1987 tour under Imran Khan when Pakistan beat India 1-0 in their last full tour across the border, said he was confident that his team was capable of beating India, a Khaleej Times report quoting the agency said.

Pak team selection tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Even as a senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is assessing the security arrangements in India, authorities said here today that the Indian tour is very much on at the moment and they are going ahead with necessary preparations.

The PCB secretary, Waqqar Ahmed, in a telephonic talk from Lahore was quoted to have said that the first full-fledged Indian tour in 12 years will be selected in Karachi tomorrow.

The coaching camp for preparing the Pakistan team is going on in full swing at Karachi with 22 players participating.

BCCI intimates home ministry of schedule change

NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket board today formally conveyed to the Union Home ministry its decision to inter-change the venues for the coming two Tests between India and Pakistan.

The schedule change now means Chennai will host the first Test from January 28 with Delhi-- originally slated to host the first match-- holding the second Test from February 4.

The Delhi police had felt that swapping of the matches would enable them to provide better security backup as they would be busy with the Republic Day and functions connected with it and the 51st anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's martyrdom on January 30.

Smith is match referee

MUMBAI: Cammie Smith of the West Indies has been appointed as the match-referee by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the Indo-Pak two-Test series, commencing later this month, as well as inaugural Asian Test Championship to follow.

Steve Dunne of New Zealand is the ICC-nominated umpire for the first Test between India and Pakistan to be held at the M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from January 28 to February one, it was announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

BMP guard pitch

JAMSHEDPUR: Bihar Military Police (BMP) has been deployed by the authorities to guard the pitch at Keenan Stadium, where the Pakistan-Sri Lanka One Dayer of the International triangular series is scheduled to be played on March 19, official sources said.

Secretary of Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) Ramesh Saxena however said it has not received any threat from Shiv Sena nor has it asked the authorities for any steps to guard the pitch.