The Indians have landed, and as expected there were no hiccups. The massive but efficient security system whisked them away as soon as they landed.
The Lahore newspapers were full of pictures of the Indians on Thursday morning with most cameras trained on Sachin Tendulkar. Players like V V S Laxman and Rahul Dravid have plenty of admirers among cricket pundits in Pakistan, but for the general public it is still Tendulkar who arouses the maximum curiosity.
The Pakistani team prepared itself at a camp in Lahore, and while it was like any other pre-series camp, the difference was the presence of former stalwarts like Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and the great Fazal Mahmood who dropped in to speak to the players.
Imran Khan spoke at length about the importance of being aggressive during a crucial series. This, he said, keeps both the body and the mind completely focussed on achieving a win. Hearing him speak with such passion about the importance of winning took me back in time to the World Cup in 1992 when he would make us sit around him after our defeats at the start of the tournament and inspire us with his thoughts on aggression.
During his session with the team, Imran spent most of his time with Inzamam-ul-Haq and impressed upon the skipper the importance of being positive at all times.
Wasim Akram interacted more with the pace bowlers and gave some important tips about bowling to the Indians. He has watched the Indian batsmen right through their tour of Australia, and had some acute observations to make. For example, he pointed out that they prefer to practise with bowling machines, and generally try to get their technique against the yorker right.
He spent a lot of time with Shoaib Akhtar and also told the younger bowlers to try and remain focussed even through periods when the batsmen have the upper hand.
It was great to have Fazal Mahmood, the original handsome fast bowler from Pakistan, come and chat with the players. He spoke about his experiences of playing in India and of playing India in Pakistan, and the importance of remembering that this is at all times a gentleman's game.
The Indians have been through similar exercises with the likes of Kapil Dev, so it is obvious that both sides are aware that besides the physical preparation for this series, mental toughening is also vital. The result of all this preparation will be on view from tomorrow morning. I think this will be the most crucial game, because it will set the tone and tempo for the series.
The wicket will have some juice at the start, but it will still be hard work for the bowlers as it is already pretty hot in Karachi. The wicket is bound to flatten out after a few overs and then it will be a run feast.
If I have to choose three players whose performances will be closely followed in this series, they will be Tendulkar, Shoaib and Shahid Afridi. All three are very popular in Pakistan, and there is a buzz around whatever they say or do. They are all potential match-winners, so if these three get going, we will have some great cricket.
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