Thursday 24 March 2011

Pakistan cricket team has "no security concerns about going to India" for World Cup semis: Waqar


The Pakistan cricket team has no security concerns over going to India for their World Cup semi-final at Mohali on March 30, coach Waqar Younis has said, adding that he is in fact happy to visit the neighbouring country.
"We have to go wherever the tournament schedule takes us. We have no security concerns about going to India. It's good to go to a neighbouring country. I am happy to go to India," The Nation quoted Waqar, as telling reporters after his team thrashed the West Indies by 10 wickets in their quarterfinal match at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
He said that Pakistan had toured India in 1999 when the relations between both countries were not that good. "Now things are far better," he added.
Waqar felt that Pakistan would not get the same backing from the Indian crowd as they got in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, but expected the presence of Pakistani fans in the Mohali stadium.
"We won't get crowd support like here or Sri Lanka but some people might cross the border to see us play. We have to play wherever the tournament takes us. We are not concerned by security," he said.
Pakistan may encounter archrivals India in the semi-final stage, if the co-hosts beat Australia in Thursday's quarterfinal in Ahmedabad.

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