Ganguly and Lara to Star for MCC Against Pakistan

London: Sourav Ganguly will captain Marylebone Cricket Club in a side featuring cricket great Brian Lara when they face the touring Pakistanis in a Twenty20 fixture at Lord's on June 27.

The match will be the first time that MCC, which owns Lord's, has played a Twenty20 fixture.

It will also be the first time Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has played at Lord's since his man-of-the-match winning display in last year's World Twenty20 final win against Sri Lanka.

Lara, the former West Indies captain and one of cricket's greatest batsmen, will be playing for MCC for the first time.

Former India captain Ganguly, also a left-handed batsman, is currently skippering the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.

Among those also confirmed to play for MCC are Sri Lanka left-arm pace bowler Chaminda Vaas and Australian one-day specialist Ian Harvey.

"MCC is delighted to welcome to Lord's a Pakistani side who have a proven track record in Twenty20 cricket," said John Stephenson, MCC's head of cricket and himself a former England batsman, in a statement.

"Shahid Afridi's men will face an exciting MCC team comprising world class performers and up-and-coming talent.

"Brian Lara is one of the finest batsmen to have ever played the game and Sourav Ganguly is a world-leading Twenty20 cricketer," added Stephenson, who helped select MCC's team.

"The match will provide spectators with a fantastic opportunity to see wonderful cricket and great cricketers."

The Twenty20 match forms part of the sponsorship agreement between MCC and the Pakistan Cricket Board which will see Pakistan play Australia in the MCC Spirit of Cricket Test and Twenty20 Series in England throughout July, with both Twenty20 matches at Birmingham's Edgbaston ground.

The two Tests between Pakistan and Australia, at Lord's and Headingley will be the first 'neutral' Tests to be played in England in nearly a century since the 1912 triangular tournament featuring England, Australia and South Africa.

Pakistan will also play four Tests and five one-day internationals against England starting in July.

England face Australia in five one-day internationals, with the first at Hampshire's Rose Bowl ground on June 22.

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