July 4, 2003	Friday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 3,1424

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LAHORE, July 3: All 10 teams, which will be participating in the Asia Youth Cup at Karachi, have expressed no apprehension over  the security aspect during the tournament.

Pakistan Cricket Board general manager Zakir Khan told reporters on Thursday that PCB was hosting the tournament between July 14-27 on behalf of Asian Cricket Council which would bear all the expenses of the competition. The contest was originally scheduled  for Singapore but was shifted after the outbreak SARS virus in the South East Asia.

“It is a good opportunity for Pakistan to once again establish itself as a safe venue to play cricket. We are also delighted to be hosting the 10 participating teams who have expressed no security concerns,” Zakir, who is also the incharge of the event, said.

The teams had been divided into two groups with top four in each qualyfying for the semifinals on July 25. League matches will be played at seven grounds in Karachi.

Pool ‘A’ contains United Arab Emirates (UAE), Maldives, Singapore, Nepal and Qatar while Malaysia, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Oman and Thailand make up Pool ‘B’.

This season Pakistan are scheduled to host senior teams of Bangladesh, South Africa and New Zealand while junior strings of India and England are also expected to tour.

“This tournament, though may not be of the same magnitude, yet it will serve as a dress rehearsal for the forthcoming home international matches, “ Zakir said.

Zakir informed that Athar Ali Khan of Bangladesh had been named as chairman and the tournamnet director while former Indian Test all-rounder Roger Binny and Rumesh Ratnayake of Sri Lanka would be the members. Three Pakistani officials — Taslim Arif, Munawwar Agha and Haris Khan — would assist them.

Dr Vace Paes from India heads the medical committee that also includes Dr Sohail Salim and Dr Qaiser Sajjad.

Schedule:

July 14: Nepal v Maldives (National Stadium); Qatar v Singapore (Karachi Gymkhana).

July 15: Kuwait v Malaysia (Quaid-i-Azam Park); Hong Kong v Oman (National Stadium).

July 16: Maldives v Singapore (Karachi Gymkhana); UAE v Qatar (UBL Sports Complex).

July 17: Hong Kong v Malaysia (PCB Academy Ground); Kuwait v Thailand  Aga Khan Gymkhana Ground).

July 18: Nepal v Qatar (Asghar Ali Shah Stadium); UAE v Singapore (National Stadium).

July 19: Oman v Thailand (Aga Khan Gymkhana Ground); Kuwait v Hong  Kong (Quaid-i-Azam Park).

July 20: Nepal v UAE (UBL Sports Complex); Maldives v Qatar (PCB Academy Ground).

July 21: Oman v Malaysia (Quaid-i-Azam Park); Hong Kong v Thailand (Aga Khan Gymkhana Ground).

July 22: Nepal v Singapore (Asghar Ali Shah Stadium); UAE v Maldives (PCB Academy Ground).

July 23: Malaysia v Thailand (Aga Khan Gymkhana Ground); Kuwait v Oman (Quaid-i-Azam Park).

July 24: Rest day.

July 25: First semifinal (National Stadium); Second semifinal (Quaid-i-Azam Park).

July 26: Rest day.

July 27: Final (National Stadium).