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Pakistan win toss, opt to bat first
By Harish Kotian in Delhi
November 22, 2007 09:35 IST

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik won the toss and elected to bat in the first Test against India at the Ferozshah Kotla stadium in Delhi on Thursday.

As expected, India opted for VVS Laxman's experience over the in-form Yuvraj Singh.

India, who lost pacers R P Singh and S Sreesanth due to injury in the run-up to the match, went in with Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel.

Anil Kumble, leading India for the first time in Tests, will lead the bowling attack. Harbhajan Singh is the other spinner in the team.

Pakistan have a strong three-man pace attack in Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Sami, while Danish Kaneria is the lone spinner in the squad.

Sami replaces Umar Gul, who was ruled out with a back injury.

India won the ODI series 3-2 and is hoping they can finish on the winning side in the Tests too.

India and Pakistan last played at this venue in 1999, the hosts winning by 212 runs. The match is most famously remembered for Kumble's feat of 10 wickets in an innings.

Teams:

India: Anil Kumble (captain), W Jaffer, D Karthik, MS Dhoni (w/k), R Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, S Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel.

Pakistan: Shoaib Malik (captain), Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Kamran Akmal (w/k), Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Danish Kaneria.

Harish Kotian in Delhi
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