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The Pakistan cricket team will be featuring in two warm-up matches against Ireland and South Africa in the run-up for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup to be staged in the West Indies, according to information received here from the ICC World Cup organizing committee on Saturday.

The ninth edition of premier global competition held after every four years, will be held at different islands of the West Indies from March 13 to April 28 with the final to be played at Kensington Oval Bridgetown, Barbados.

Pakistan take on Ireland in the first warm-up match at Trinidad on March 6 and face South Africa on March 9 at same ground.

The 1992 World Cup champions, Pakistan, are drawn in pool “D” with the three-time champion West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland. Pakistan will clash against the host West Indies in the showpiece opening match of the World Cup at Sabina Park Kingston, Jamaica.

The Australians vying for their third successive crown after having won back-to-back titles at England 1999 and South Africa 2003 are placed in pool “A” with South Africa, Scotland and Holland. Pool “B” comprises of Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Bermuda.

Group stage matches for pool “A” will be held at St.Kitts & Nevis, for pool “B” at Trinidad & Tobago, for pool “C” at St.Lucia and pool “D” at Kingston, Jamaica.

The 1999 World Cup runners-up, Pakistan, in astonishing display, were eliminated from the first stage of the competition in 2003 in South Africa where current Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq could muster only 19 runs in the entire World Cup.
Source:The News