Emergency will not affect our cricket: Pak team

Guwahati, Nov 4 (UNI) The Pakistan cricket team today made it clear that although they are concerned over the emergency imposed in their nation but that will not affect their game.

Addressing the media after a light practice session this evening at the Nehru Stadium here, Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said he would like to focus on cricket other than anything else.

In fact, media manager Ehsan Malik made it abundantly clear that the skipper would not touch any question on emergency.

Malik, however, is optimistic about the whole series and confident of doing well. ''We have just come out of a hard series with South Africa. Although we have lost it but we played well. Now Shoaib Akhtar has joined in and he has been playing well. This is a good sign and he played brilliantly in the last match.'' But he seemed very concerned over the morning dew. ''We have to adapt if we have to bowl,'' he said. He, however, admitted that Mohammad Asif would have been an asset, saying, ''Unfortunately he is still recovering. But both our pacers and spinners are doing well.'' He informed that the final eleven would be picked up after the team meeting tomorrow morning.

UNI