India's tour of Pakistan, 2008-09, 3 Tests and 5 ODIs

SCHEDULE:

January 4: India's Arrival in Karachi
January 6-8: Three-day warm-up match in Hyderabad
January 9: Travel to Karachi
January 10-12: Practice and nets
January 13-17: First Test, Karachi
January 18: Rest day
January 19: Fly to Islamabad
January 20: Practice and nets
January 21-25: Second Test, Rawalpindi
January 26: Rest day
January 27: Travel to Lahore
January 28: Practice / nets
January 29-February 2: Third Test, Lahore
February 6: First ODI, Faisalabad
February 8: Second ODI, Lahore
February 11: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
February 14: Fourth ODI, Multan
February 17: Fifth ODI, Karachi
February 19: Only Twenty20 international

May the games begin, cricket finally returns to Pakistan in January.

And it shall be interesting, I think.

Schedule not announced yet by PCB, but we should get it next month. I expect Rawalpindi to get a test match, so expect a cracker of a game there (one that will finish in 4 days I think), while Lahore as usual will get one, and Faislabad getting the 3rd.

Here's how the line-ups look like they'll pan out for India and Pakistan:

Salman Butt - Virender Sehwag
Opener 2 (?) - Gautam Gambhir
Younus Khan - Rahul Dravid
Mohammad Yousuf - Sachin Tendulkar
Misbah-ul-Haq - Sourav Ganguly
Shoaib Malik - VVS Laxman
Kamran Akmal - MS Dhoni
Shoaib Akhtar - Harbhajahn Singh
Danish Kaneria - Anil Kumble
Umar Gul - Zaheer Khan
Sohail Khan / Some other paceman - Ishant Sharma

In my opinion, that will probably look like the 2 teams in this upcoming test series, with traditionally India having the stronger batting line-up, and Pakistan with the stronger bowling line-up.

May the games begin! (eventually )

Hopefully the pitches won't be as flat as they have been off late in the series' between these two countries.

zMario said:

Shoaib Akhtar - Irfan Pathan

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Harbhajan, not Irfan.

I expect to see matches at Rawalpindi and Multan, I don't really like Karachi and Lahore tracks.

Hoping for a tough competition from both sides and some sixes from Boom Boom and Misbah as well!

Oh no! not another one !

I will not watch this series. Not even the ODI's. I am just not interested anymore in India-Pakistan series unless the hype and excitement on the series really gets to me. Will just follow scores on Cricinfo

Karachi is a good track with help for bowlers. They should have a test in Karachi. Thats where Irfan took that hat-trick and India lost. Its a track that helps for a result.

India are strong favorites to win both series (in ODI's, they can win comprehensively 5-0 or 4-1).

What waste of time and money..

Well I don't see Pakistan winning this series because they hardly ever played against a good team this year.
and they didn't even played a test match this year aswell

I would rather see India play Kenya than Pakistan. No matter what the result is.

Hmm...Karachi brings back good memories for Irfan Khan Pathan. Is this the place where Irfan discovers his deadly swing again? Just is it?

shravi said:

Harbhajan, not Irfan.

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Shoaib > Harbhajan + Irfan + Zaheer

Sachin Tendulkar > Younus + Butt + Akmal

Lol, Usy Shravi was just making a point, He wasn't comparing him to Shoaib in any way

Leggie said:

Lol, Usy Shravi was just making a point, He wasn't comparing him to Shoaib in any way

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I know, I'm trying to make a point here.

usy added 0 Minutes and 34 Seconds later...

Ishant Sharma > Shoaib Akhtar

Nah, At the Moment Ishant > Shoaib, But overall Shoaib > Ishant...

Shoaib can go someplace where he's wanted. Court.