Pakistan to honour countrys inaugural tours cricketers

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Aug 29 (AFP) - President Pervez Musharraf will honour veteran cricketers who played during Pakistan's inaugural Test tour of India half a century ago, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Friday.

The event was originally planned for last year but was postponed after Pakistan's home series against Australia and West Indies were rescheduled to neutral venues because of security concerns in the country.

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PCB spokesman Samiul Hasan said the ceremony would be held in Islamabad on September 16.

Abdul Hafeez Kardar led Pakistan's first team to India, where it lost the five Test series 2-1 in October-December 1952.

Of the 16 who went on the inaugural tour, Kardar, Amir Elahi, Maqsood Ahmed, Mahmood Hussain, Anwar Hussain and Nazar Mohammad have died.

The invitees include Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Israr Ali, Khan Mohammad, Waqar Hasan, Wazir Mohammad, Rusi Dinshaw, Zulfiqar Ahmed, Khalid Ibadullah, Khursheed Ahmad and Khalid Qureshi.

They will each receive a commemorative medallion, a cash prize of 250,000 rupees (around 4,200 dollars) and a current green Pakistan blazer.

"The ceremony is meant to recognise the contribution of these cricketers and to honour their services for the country," the spokesman said.

Pakistan had planned a three-nation one-day tournament and a Test series to celebrate its Golden Jubilee of Test cricket last year but Australia refused to tour Pakistan over security fears triggered by two bomb attacks in Karachi.

Pakistan also invited India to play a 50-year commemorative Test but the offer was turned down as New Delhi continued to suspend bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan over political tensions.

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