KARACHI: Former captain Rashid Latif Saturday tagged India “favorites” for World Cup semifinal against archrival Pakistan but said an attacking team stood more chance of victory at Mohali. Latif said India on their home ground will be favorites. “India in India are favorites, there is no doubt. But as a unit the Pakistan team has been very composed in this World Cup, so the team which attacks more will win.” Latif, a member of Pakistan team which lost to India in the 1996 World Cup quarterfinals, said losing to India is always painful. “I was part of that game and I still feel the pain,” said Latif of Pakistan's 39-run defeat at Bangalore. “People have not forgotten that match even after 15 years. Every player wants to be remembered in history and an Indo-Pak encounter is an ideal opportunity to reach stardom in a flash.” Latif hoped current Pakistan coach Waqar Younis gets a chance of revenge against India. “No one can understand the agony better than Waqar, and he is lucky to have another chance to erase the bitter memories”, said Latif of the former paceman who went for 67 in his 10 overs in that game. Latif urged the managmenet to include Shoaib Akhtar in the semifinal line-up. “Akthar has always been a team man, and his aggression and zeal, while playing against our archrivals, could be beneficial, and I feel the management is aware of this,” said Latif. “With the unity amongst the players this team stands a good chance against India. The Akmal brothers, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Younus Khan will the players to watch.” Security ramped up Around 3,000 police will patrol Wednesday's high-profile India-Pakistan World Cup semifinal. Some 2,000 security personnel are expected to be deployed in and around the 30,000-capacity PCA (Punjab Cricket Association) Stadium on matchday. An estimated 1,000 police have already descended on the luxury Hotel Taj in nearby Chandigarh where both teams are staying, a force which includes Indian army commandos. Fans continued to queue at the ground Saturday even though the PCA had insisted as early as Tuesday that the 14,000 available tickets at the 30,000 capacity stadium had been sold, with the rest in the hands of the ICC. But some supporters simply refused to believe tickets were no longer available. There have been numerous reports of a thriving black market in tickets for the showpiece encounter with prices rocketing 10-fold. “The tickets for 250 rupees ($5.60) are available at 2,200 rupees ($49) while a 1,000-rupee ($22.30) ticket can only be bought for 8,000 rupees ($179),” said Mohali student Sahil Kapoor. India team arrives The India cricket team has arrived in Mohali amid tight security. Security staff lined the roads and traffic was diverted as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's squad made its way to the hotel, where the Pakistan squad has also been staying since arriving Friday. An exclusion zone set up around the hotel prevented fans and media from getting close to the players. Players fined for burst-up New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori and paceman Kyle Mills along with South Africa's Faf du Plessis were Saturday slapped with heavy fines for their ugly bust-up during the World Cup quarterfinals. The fines followed a stormy clash at the end of the 28th over of the South Africa innings Friday when du Plessis and the Kiwis exchanged angry words following the fall of AB de Villiers. Mills, who was not part of the playing eleven, was on the field at the time, carrying drinks for his teammates. The charges were laid by the on-field umpires and the sanctions were imposed by match referee Roshan Mahanama. Mills, meanwhile, was Saturday ruled out of the World Cup with a leg injury and has been replaced by Andy McKay.
