ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: President General Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday night called on the Pakistan cricketers to draw lessons from the country’s 1952 team that beat India at Lucknow to record their first-ever Test win.

“That great side had grit, confidence and resolve and did not accept defeat,” he said at a reception held to honour the touring Bangladesh squad and Pakistan’s golden oldies.

The President said he was overawed by the presence of the stars who did the country proud.

“I vividly remember their performances as a child,” he told a big gathering. “They were indeed the pioneers of our cricket.”

He urged Inzamam-ul-Haq’s class of 2003 not to be overawed by any team and be confident in every situation. “Be positive and just think of winning. I am sure if you do that your performances will improve further.”

The event to honour the 1952 Test team was in connection with Pakistan cricket’s golden jubilee celebrations that were originally to take place last year but had to be put off.

President Musharraf also praised the Bangladesh cricketers. “You have shown tremendous improvement and nearly achieved a win in the Multan Test. You gave Pakistan team a run for their money.”

While thanking the tourists for being in Pakistan, he offered them facilities to train here, both at the senior and junior levels for the mutual benefit of both countries.

He wished the Bangladesh team well and hoped that one day they would go on to win the World Cup.

The visiting side on their current tour lost the Test series 3-0 and are down 0-3 in the on- going five-match one-day contests.

The President, who earlier gave away medals to the oldies also announced Rs 500,000 for both the Pakistan and Bangladesh sides. He also gave away cash prizes, on Pakistan Cricket Board’s behalf to Yasir Hameed, who scored a century in each innings on debut in the Karachi Test and Rs 100,000 to Inzamam for guiding his side to an improbable victory in the Multan Test.

Mohammad Hafeez got as much for scoring his first Test hundred in Peshawar while pacer Umar Gul picked up a cheque for Rs 50,000 for being a consistent performer. Shabbir Ahmed took home a similar amount for taking 17 wickets in his debut Test series.

Awards were also given to Bangladesh’s Habibul Bashar for scoring the highest runs for his side, left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique the top wicket-taker, Rajin Saleh, the most consistent performer and Alok Kapali for recording his country’s first ever hat trick.

Pakistan’s 1952 squad comprised: A.H. Kardar (captain, late), Hanif Mohammad, Fazal Mahmood, Imtiaz Ahmed, Zulfiqar Ahmed, Waqar Hasan, Khan Mohammad, Wazir Mohammad, Khalid Ibadulla, Rusi Dinshaw, Khalid Qureshi, Khurshid Ahmed Sheikh, Maqsood Ahmed (late), Anwar Hussain (late), Amir Elahi (late), Nazar Mohammad (late), Mahmood Hussain (late), Meer Mohammad Hussain (manager, late).

Meanwhile, Lt Gen Tauqir, the chairman of the PCB, received a pat on the back from the President for “putting a system in place”.

“Tauqir has organised cricket by putting a system in place that I am sure will start throwing up talent,” he said.

“Irrespective of some detractors in the media, he is in the process of raising a new team and has been able to upgrade infrastructure.

“Tauqir has also concentrated on cricket at the grassroots level and today we have academies being run which we did not have before. Our stadiums now have floodlights and electronic scoreboards which were not there previously.”

The President also spoke about India’s reluctance to play Pakistan. “It is unfortunate that India has not played against us. Sports should not be mixed with politics.”

The two sides last met in 1999 when Pakistan toured India for three-Test series but the Indians have not played a Test series here since 1989-90.

He said that he was glad that Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had shown the world by touring Pakistan that this country was safe for cricket.