By Qaiser Mohammad Ali Jul 30, 2006, 13:06 GMT
New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has conveyed his wish to watch the cricket World Cup semi-finals and final in West Indies in April next year, an organiser has revealed.
A 'representative' of Musharraf has conveyed a message to this effect to the World Cup organisers, said a top West Indies official who was here in connection with the India launch of the World Cup.
'President Musharraf has already evinced keen interest in watching the two semi-finals in Jamaica and St. Lucia and the final in Barbados,' the official told IANS.
'One of his representatives has told us that Musharraf would like to watch these matches,' he revealed.
The World Cup, to be played between March 11 and April 28 next year in eight island countries across the Caribbean, will have 16 nations, including Pakistan.
While the semi-finals will be played in Jamaica and St. Lucia April 24 and 25, the final will be staged in Barbados April 28.
'So far Musharraf is the only head of a state who has shown interest in the World Cup, though more dignitaries are expected to contact us for the matches, especially the semi-finals and final,' said the official.
Musharraf is a keen cricket follower and he watches Tests and one-day internationals from the stands whenever he gets time.
He watched an India-Pakistan one-day international in Abu Dhbai in April. Before that when the Indian team had toured Pakistan in January-February, he not only watched two matches, but also distributed prizes after the Lahore one-dayer - an unusual sight of a head of state who is also a military general.
Musharraf also hosted receptions for the touring Indian and Pakistani teams on both the 2004 and 2006 tours.
© 2006 Indo-Asian News Service
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