HONG KONG, October 23, 2001 - In a stunning coup for the tournament, Mike Walsh, Chairman of the Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA), today revealed that Pakistan will send a stellar squad of current Test and one-day stars to the 2001 Cathay Pacific/ Standard Chartered Hong Kong Cricket Sixes to be held from November 10-11 at the Kowloon Cricket Club (KCC).

The Pakistan Cricket Board has informed organisers that their Sixes squad will include current international team members Wasim Akram (LHB, LH fast), Abdur Razzaq (RHB, RH fast medium), Rashid Latif (RHB, wicketkeeper), Shahid Afridi (RHB, RH leg-spinner), Azhar Mahmood (RHB, RH fast medium) and Imran Nazir (RHB, RH leg-spinner). Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan and Shoaib Malik complete the Pakistanis' eight-man squad.

"With this announcement, Pakistan must now be the team to beat at the 2001 Cathay Pacific/ Standard Chartered Hong Kong Cricket Sixes," said Walsh. "Six of this team will be playing in the Sharjah one-day tournament before arriving in Hong Kong. As the 'defending champions', they will not only be deep with talent but also match hardened. That should be a tough combination to defeat."

Akram captained his nation to victory the last time the Sixes were contested in Hong Kong in 1997.

Akram is widely revered as one of the game's all-time greats, and undoubtedly one of the very best left-handers to have played the game. With a slew of international records to his name, the 35-year-old has played 103 Tests and 319 one-day internationals (ODI). He is the only player to have claimed 400 international wickets in both forms of the game and boasts a highest Test score of 257 not out.

Afridi (21) will also be one of the players to watch during the Sixes. As the current record holder for the fastest century in ODI history, when he pounded 11 sixes as he brought up his hundred against Sri Lanka off just 37 balls, the small boundaries at the KCC are sure to be to his liking.

Latif (31) is another established member in Pakistan's national team with his dependable middle-order batting combining with his emergence as one of the best wicketkeepers in international cricket. Razzaq (21), considered an international all-rounder in the making, possesses enough natural talent that his fast medium pace bowling offsets his ability to bat at number three when required.

Mahmood (26), who impressed with innings of 128 not out and 50 not out in his 1997 Test debut against South Africa is a genuine international all-rounder while 19-year-old Nazir, considered one of the most exciting talents in world cricket, has already notched Test and ODI hundreds.

Players such as Dean Jones, Tom Moody, Craig McDermott, Jonty Rhodes, Robin Singh, Agit Agarkar, Matthew Maynard, Ben Hollioake and Steve Elworthy have all committed to the Cathay Pacific/ Standard Chartered Hong Kong Cricket Sixes.

Australia, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and the UAE will join Hong Kong at the 2001 tournament. The teams will be drawn into two pools for the tournament with the top two sides in each pool entering the Cup semi-finals and the remaining two sides contesting the Plate semi-finals.

Tickets for the Cathay Pacific/ Standard Chartered Hong Kong Cricket Sixes are now on sale from Hong Kong Cricket Club, the Kowloon Cricket Club and Dot Cod Seafood Restaurant and Oyster Bar in the Princes Building, Central.

Passes for the two days of the tournament are priced at HK$450 for adults with children's tickets (15 years and under) costing $HK250. Corporate hospitality is also available.

For further information please contact David Deller at WSG - Asia on (852) 2891-2000 or Mark Burns at the Hong Kong Cricket Association on (852) 2504-8101.

© Cricinfo