LAHORE - Pakistan's domestic team Faisalabad Wolves will compete in the Champions League in India, with manager Haroon Rasheed calling it a "first step towards reviving Indo-Pak cricket". Uncertainty surrounded Faisalabad's participation after recent attacks killed 11 people in the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir, but India issued visas to the players on Friday.
Led by Pakistan's Test and one-day captain Misbah-ul Haq, the Wolves will feature in the four-team qualifying rounds starting in Mohali from Tuesday. Two teams will join eight other teams -- three from India, two from South Africa, two from Australia and one from the West Indies -- to compete in the Twenty20 event which ends October 6.
Rasheed welcomed the clearing of the team. "This is a positive sign," Rasheed told AFP. "I think it will be the first step towards reviving Indo-Pak cricket which is so cruelly suspended." New Delhi stalled all bilateral cricket with Pakistan after Islamist gunmen attacked Mumbai in November 2008, killing 166 people in an assault blamed on Pakistan-based militants.
Pakistanis featured in the inaugural Indian Premier League in 2008, before the attacks, but the Sialkot Stallions were the only Pakistanis to feature in the Champions League last year, as the event was held in South Africa. Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed is in India to attend the Asian Cricket Council meeting in Chennai on Saturday and is expected to talk to his Indian counterparts about reviving ties.
Rasheed said, however, that all players were excited. "All the players are very excited and we have no fears as the focus will only be on cricket," said Rasheed, who played 23 Tests and 12 one-days for Pakistan. On his team's chances, Rasheed said they are determined to reach the main rounds. "We have enough experience in Misbah, Saeed Ajmal, Asad Ali and Ehsan Adil and we will do our best to reach the main rounds," said Rasheed.