August 26, 2003	Tuesday	Jumadi-us-Sani 27, 1424

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PESHAWAR, Aug 25: Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket teams arrived here on Monday amid warm welcome by cricket fans at the Peshawar International Airport.

“Our players are committed to repeat Karachi’s performance. Most of the players are youngsters and will provide entertaining cricket,” Pakistan team manager Haroon Rashid told newsmen.

Fans main attraction local boy, Yasir Hameed, who wrote his name into record books on Sunday by scoring centuries in both innings of the first Test against Bangladesh, told Dawn that he would try his level best to repeat it in front of his home crowd in the second Test.

Yasir scored 170 in first innings and 105 in the second innings thereby becoming the second batsman in Test cricket after West Indian Lawrence Rowe who performed the same feat way back in 1970-72 against New Zealand at Kingston.

The 25-year-old who graduated from Islamia College, Peshawar, said that he was overwhelmed by his performance and was thankful to God Almighty who granted him the strength to achieve the task.

Yasir was full of praise of senior players players for their guidance and encouragement during both the innings at Karachi. 

Pakistan Cricke Board (PCB) chief curator Agha Zahid claimed that the a sporting wicket result oriented pitch had been prepared and he expected it to help stroke play as well as assist bowlers.

Later in the evening the visitors had a practice session for over an hour and expressed satisfaction with the ground and other facilities.

Pakistan team is expected to have nets on Tuesday morning.