LAHORE, April 12: Pakistan and Indian golfers will start their campaign for the Kirloskar Trophy in the three-day event starting at Islamabad Golf Course from Friday. The Indian team arrived a day earlier and comprises four players namely Jasjeet Singh, Anirban Lahiri, Joseph Chakola and Simarjeet Singh. Another Indian veterans team comprising Amit Luthra, Vinay Kumar Goyal, Rajendra Dutta, Vikramjit Singh, Vijay Kumar, Sanjeev Talwar, Ishwar Pratab Singh Mann will also be competing in the event.

The format of the championship is the same as the Ryder Cup and on the first day golfer will contest four-ball matchplay, the greensome matchplay on the second day and individual matchplay on the final day on Sunday.

The last Kirloskar Trophy was held in Banglaore in 2006 and Indians are the defending champions. From the historical angle, it may be remembered that Kirloskar was introduced way back in 1989 to foster friendship through the medium of golf but after 1992 it remained suspended only to be revived in 2004.

The Pakistan team for the Trophy boasts Tariq Mehmood, M. Safdar, Waseem Rana and Daniyaal Jehangir while among veterans there are Fakhar Imam, Maj. Shoaibuddin, Mehmood Aziz and Shakeel Ahmed, Taimur Hassan, Lt. Col. Syed Safi, Air Vice Marshal Abbas Mirza and Gulraiz Shahid.

Rai Azizullah MNA, is the non playing captain of Pakistan team while Dilip Thomas is leading the Indian team.