KARACHI, Nov 7 (Reuters) The touring West Indies have the edge over Pakistan in this month's test series due to the absence of the hosts' banned Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, West Indies captain Brian Lara said today.
''I don't think there is any reason to hide the fact that we do have an advantage in their absence,'' Lara told a news conference in the eastern city of Lahore today.
A drugs inquiry tribunal last week banned Akhtar for two years and Asif for one year after they tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone and were recalled from the Champions Trophy in India.
The first test will be played in Lahore from November 11 followed by two more tests and five one-day internationals.
West Indies are touring Pakistan after their tour in 2002 was shifted to a neutral venue, Sharjah, for security concerns.
''No team likes to miss its key players and definitely Pakistan would be weakened by their absence,'' Lara said.
''But I am not thinking about this advantage. In the end we still have to play very good cricket to beat them and Pakistan has other good bowlers and Kaneria (Danish) is one of them,'' he said.
''He has recently been successful against us but we have the players to cope with him.
SORRY SITUATION Lara said the Shoaib and Asif episode was an unfortunate and sorry situation.
The West Indies skipper said his team were looking to improve and that playing in the sub-continent would give his players vital experience.
He pointed out that playing on Indian pitches in the Champions Trophy had been a help to his team before coming to Pakistan.
''But that was one-day cricket we will have to make the switch over to test cricket smoothly,'' he said.
''Test cricket is more challenging but I think our guys have the potential to do well in tests and we are looking forward to a close and well contested series,'' Lara said.
The world class left hander who made his test debut in Pakistan in 1989 said he was looking forward to leaving his mark on his last tour to Pakistan.
''It is a great country to play cricket and I would like to leave an imprint in the series,'' he added.
The West Indies who lost in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday to Australia have dropped Marlon Samuels, Wavell Hinds, Carlton Baugh, Ian Bradshaw and Dwayne Smith for the test series in Pakistan.
They have included two specialist spinners, Dave Mohammad and Omari Banks, besides recalling pacer Daren Powell to support Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, Corey Collymore and Dwayne Bravo.
REUTERS PDS ND1656
''I don't think there is any reason to hide the fact that we do have an advantage in their absence,'' Lara told a news conference in the eastern city of Lahore today.
A drugs inquiry tribunal last week banned Akhtar for two years and Asif for one year after they tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone and were recalled from the Champions Trophy in India.
The first test will be played in Lahore from November 11 followed by two more tests and five one-day internationals.
West Indies are touring Pakistan after their tour in 2002 was shifted to a neutral venue, Sharjah, for security concerns.
''No team likes to miss its key players and definitely Pakistan would be weakened by their absence,'' Lara said.
''But I am not thinking about this advantage. In the end we still have to play very good cricket to beat them and Pakistan has other good bowlers and Kaneria (Danish) is one of them,'' he said.
''He has recently been successful against us but we have the players to cope with him.
SORRY SITUATION Lara said the Shoaib and Asif episode was an unfortunate and sorry situation.
The West Indies skipper said his team were looking to improve and that playing in the sub-continent would give his players vital experience.
He pointed out that playing on Indian pitches in the Champions Trophy had been a help to his team before coming to Pakistan.
''But that was one-day cricket we will have to make the switch over to test cricket smoothly,'' he said.
''Test cricket is more challenging but I think our guys have the potential to do well in tests and we are looking forward to a close and well contested series,'' Lara said.
The world class left hander who made his test debut in Pakistan in 1989 said he was looking forward to leaving his mark on his last tour to Pakistan.
''It is a great country to play cricket and I would like to leave an imprint in the series,'' he added.
The West Indies who lost in the Champions Trophy final on Sunday to Australia have dropped Marlon Samuels, Wavell Hinds, Carlton Baugh, Ian Bradshaw and Dwayne Smith for the test series in Pakistan.
They have included two specialist spinners, Dave Mohammad and Omari Banks, besides recalling pacer Daren Powell to support Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, Corey Collymore and Dwayne Bravo.
REUTERS PDS ND1656
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