Pakistan Cricket Team Leave For England

Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 4:00 pm

LAHORE: A 15-member Pakistan cricket team captained by Younis Khan left for England on Saturday to contest Twenty20 World Cup tournament, which will begin from June 5.

The national team coach Intikhab Alam has said Pakistan players are in high spirits and will return back with good results.

He said it is unfortunate that Shoaib Akhter was ruled out of the tournament. The championship will be maiden Twenty20 World Cup for Ahmad Shahzad, Rao Iftikhar, Shahzeb Hasan, Muhammad Aamir and Saeed Ajmal.

Pakistan, who was runner up in the first Twenty20 World Cup, would play first warm up match against South Africa on June 1st and second warm up against archrivals India on June 3.

Pakistan will meet England in its World Cup opener on June 7 and will play second match against Holland on June 9.