April 7, 2006	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 8, 1427

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MUMBAI, (India), April 6 : Pakistan tennis team’s non-playing captain Rashid Malik feels that Pakistan can put India under pressure should they win even one of the two opening day singles in the historic Davis Cup tennis tie between the two countries at Brabourne Stadium on Friday.

“We will give India a run for their money, should we win one of the two opening day singles on Friday,” said Rashid on the eve of the five-match, three-day tie.

The winners of this playoff tie will retain a place in the

Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Zone Group-1.

Rashid conceded that India will be favourites for Saturday's doubles but emphasized that it will not be a dead tie should Pakistan win one singles on Friday if not both of these matches outright.

“Even if India lead 2-1 after the doubles, Pakistan is capable of d putting them under tremendous pressure in the reverse singles on Sunday,” Rashid declared after the draws were announced for the tie which will be the first in 33 years between the two countries.

India, with the likes of great Vijay Amritraj in their team then, had blanked out Pakistan in the 1973 Davis Cup tie played at neutral venue at Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).

Vijay's son Prakash Amritraj is ranked No.1 in the current Indian Davis Cup team and will take on Pakistan No.2 Aqeel Khan in the second reverse singles match on Friday afternoon.

The tie will get off at 10.30 a.m. in the morning when Pakistan No. 1 and the country's best-known international player at present Aisamul Haq clashes against Indian No.2 Rohan Bopanna.

“Though Prakash is their No.1 in ranking right now but game-wise I think, Bopanna is doing better,” said Rashid.

“If Aisam can account for him at the very outset, and I am sure Aisam can do it, then we will really put them on the wrong foot for the entire duration of the tie.”

Rashid gave India a 40-60 ratio of success, given their doubles strength, “but if we manage to keep the tie alive till the third day, we have a real chance.”

India's Leander Paes and Bhupathi had attained a world No.1 doublesranking at one stage. “Now they play in separate pairs but still Paes is in top five-six of the world while Bhupathi is in top seven-eight,” he added.

About the grass courts, hurriendly prepared at a corner of Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium, Rashid said the organizers had been heavily watering and rolling them.

“I have asked them to stop watering the courts because it was resulting in the ball getting low enough,” Rashid said, adding that there was uneven bounce on practice courts but match courts will be alright.

Pakistan's main hope Aisamul Haq recalled he had recently had beaten Rohan Bopanna at Chandigarh.

“But that will count for nothing as Friday’s match will be a totally different ball game.”

“I will have to readjust my game in hot and humid conditions as both me and Bopanna will be looking to get winners off serves on grass courts,” Aisam said.

“I am confident I can get better of him.”

In Sunday's reverse singles, Pakistan will field Aisam and Aqeel though there is a possibility that Rashid might ask reserve players Jalil Khan and Asim Shafik to walk into the court for the doubles match.

The Karachi-born Aqeel is a baseline player as against Aisamul Haq whose service-and-volley game is more suited to grass courts.

“Aqeel has won us Davis Cup ties at grass in Lahore and I am sure he will bring out the best in him in this crucial tie,” Rashid said.

Aisam and Aqeel have been the mainstay of Pakistans Davis Cup campaigns in recent years.

The pair guided Pakistan to World Group last year for the first in the country’s history besides winning a berth in Asia-Oceania Group-1 consecutively for at least three years.—Agencies