April 26, 2002	Friday	Safar 12, 1423

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KARACHI, April 25: Pakistan all-rounders Wasim Akram and Shahid Afridi will defend their title at the International Double Wicket Cricket Championship in Houston (Texas) in late July.

Wasim and Shahid clinched the inaugural tournament in New Jersey last year.

This year’s event is scheduled to be played from July 19 to 21 with eight countries taking part. Pakistan and India will field two teams with one each from Sri Lanka, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Canada and the United States.

Pakistan will also be represented at the tournament by all-rounders Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood.

Rashid Latif will also appear in the Houston championship as a wicket-keeper in all the 19 matches.

Other pairs who have confirmed their availability are Russel Arnold and Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka), Nayan Mongia and Robin Singh (India), Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ricardo Powell (West Indies) and the Bangladesh pairing of Aminul Islam Bulbul and Mohammad Akram Khan.

In all 16 league matches will be played with the teams divided into the following groups:

Group I: Pakistan Blues, India Reds, West Indies, England and Canada.

Group II: Pakistan Greens, India Blues, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and United States.

According to the format of the tournament, each team will face eight overs in the preliminary round, the semifinalists 10 overs and the finalists 12 overs.

The winners will receive US$25,000, the runners-up $10,000 and the losing semifinalists $3,000 each.