Keen to prove his match fitness, left-arm bowler Irfan Pathan, who arrived
here this evening along with the rest of the West Zone team to play against Central
Zone in a Deodhar Trophy tie, hit the nets under the watchful eyes of selection
panel chief Dilip Vengsarkar. 
Irfan who was sternly told by Vengsarkar to prove his match-fitness
at the Deodhar Trophy game in Motera stadium on Sunday to be included in the
World Cup team, appeared to have taken the warning quite seriously as
he arrived in advance for the practice under the lights.
Vengsarkar who watched his practice commented that "playing
at the nets and playing at the match were two different things".
Talking to reporters, Vengsarkar said he had received a report
from the Indian team physician John Glocester that Pathan was 100 per cent fit
and expressed the hope that he would be able to prove this in the match.
He said Pathan was an excellent player and a proven cricketer
and is expected to do well in the Deodhar trophy match.
The left arm bowler initially began by doing warm up and stretching exercises
along with team mates and he initially bowled 15 to 20 deliveries with a short
run up.
After a brief handshake with Vengsarkar who had arrived near the nets, Irfan
switched to his regular run up and bowled for 15 minutes. Later on Pathan rested
for 10 minutes before padding up to bat.
Earlier, Chandrakant Pandit, coach of West Zone told
media persons that Pathan will be playing the Sunday's game and that he was
an important player in team composition. He, however, refused to make any comments
on Pathan's fitness.
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