Drought facing Pak cricketers eagerly waiting for T20 tournament

In the wake of drought of international cricket in Pakistan after the cancellation of home series against the Aussies in March and then the postponement of ICC Champions Trophy earlier this month, Pakistani cricketers are eagerly waiting for the four-nation T20 tournament in Canada next month.

Karachi, Sept 18 : In the wake of drought of international cricket in Pakistan after the cancellation of home series against the Aussies in March and then the postponement of ICC Champions Trophy earlier this month, Pakistani cricketers are eagerly waiting for the four-nation T20 tournament in Canada next month.

"We haven't played any competitive cricket in the last several weeks and are itching to get back into action," said Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik.

Pakistan's last international outing was in the Asia Cup at home held earlier this summer.

Malik said that he and teammates will be able to warm up for the Canadian assignment by competing in the National Twenty20 Cup in Lahore to be played from October 4-8. "The Twenty20 Cup will provide us an excellent opportunity to regain our form and rhythm before the four-nation event," The News quoted him as saying.

The all-rounder rejected the impression that the Toronto quadrangular will be a second-grade event because of the participation of cricketing minnows Zimbabwe and Canada.

"Twenty20 is a very unpredictable format and you can't take any opposition for granted," said Malik, who led Pakistan to the final of the inaugural World Twenty20 championship in South Africa last September.

ANI