PESHAWAR, Feb 2: Police lathi-charged angry fans who had tried to block Saddar Road protesting against non-availability of tickets of the first ODI cricket match between Pakistan and India slated to be played here on Feb 6.

When the tickets sales began at Bank Alfalah branches in the morning, fans remained in long queues, but lost their temper and discipline when told only tickets of general enclosure against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) set rate of Rs100 were available at Rs500 while the tickets of VIP and VVIP enclosures were not available for open sale.

Consequently the angry ticket-seekers chanted slogans against PCB and local administration for depriving them to witness the match.

Soon most of them, already surrounded by police, came to Saddar Road and attempted to block the road. In a bid to restore order, the heavily armed policemen lathi-charged the crowd forcing the agitators to disperse.

Meanwhile, Pakistan and Indian cricket teams will be reaching here on Friday.

Players of both teams will have nets on Saturday at the Arbab Niaz cricket stadium.

Indian team will have practice at the stadium from 10am to 12midday on Saturday that would be followed by press conference at 12.30pm by captain and coach of the team. Pakistan team will have nets for two hours starting at 2pm.

Captain and coach of the team would hold a press conference the same evening.

Strict security arrangements have been made to ensure safety of both the teams.

A large number of security personnel would be deployed on the way from airport to hotel and from hotel to the cricket ground to avoid the chances of any untoward incident.

Security officials said that they were trying their level best to provide top security to the visiting teams.

They said that it was the second year that both the countries had resumed their cricketing ties.

Officials said that they the cricket fans were anxiously waiting to watch the match between the two traditional rivals.