Mumbai, Jan 2 : Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has said he would be attending the third ODI between India and Pakistan at delhi's Feroze Shah Kotla ground on January 6.
“My visa and tickets are ready and I shall be in Delhi for the third ODI match scheduled for Jan 6,” he said.
Speaking from Lahore, Miandad said: “I faced absolutely no problem in getting the Indian visa and am quite excited about travelling to Delhi for the big game.”
However, Miandad could not exactly recall the last time he went to India.
“I came to India for a TV programme. I also had my visa ready for the World Cup semi-final in Mohali, but owing to some last-minute changes, I had to cancel my India trip,” he added.
Miandad currently holds the second most powerful position in the PCB, that of director general, and is directly reporting to the chairman, Zaka Ashraf.
“In the line of duty for the PCB, I have a number of assignments at hand and do not get time to come to India often,” he stressed.
In 2005, it was reported in the press that any requests for a visa by the former captain could be turned down due to his son Junaid's marriage to Mahrukh, the daughter of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim who is still wanted in India in connection with the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case.
The PCB has made arrangements to send a few former cricketing greats to India to witness the ODI matches.
Three out of five Mohammad brothers will be in India for the remaining two ODIs.
“I am granted the visa for Kolkata and Delhi,” Mushtaq Mohammad said from London. “I am leaving for Kolkata tonight,” he added.
“Sadiq Mohammad is already there in Kolkata and Hanif Mohammad will join me in Delhi,” he added.
All Mohammad brothers — Hanif, Wazir, Raees, Mushtaq and Sadiq Mohammad — were born in India before partition.
The World Cup winning captain Imran Khan has declined invitation citing political commitments. His cousin and former CEO, Majid Khan too has declined to come to India.
