``I am worried as I fear that my players will have to run for their lives after the match,'' he said. His worry was shared by coach Anshuman Gaekwad who said,``we have already put in a word to the organisers and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Azhar was very clear in his reaction to the pitch invasions by the fans saying, ``it is not the Pakistan players we fear -- it is the fans.''

Gaekwad said he understood ``fans emotions, but then they should behave. One has every reason to be worried about these pitch invasions.''

He said in the last match against England, Venkatesh Prasad had a harrowing time while returning to pavilion. ``He was virtually caught by a huge jam and could have suffered injuries.''

He appealed to the fans to realise that by invading the pich they are not helping the cause of theirteam. ``They might be doing harm to the interests of the team.''

Azhar said the most troublesome aspect of the invasion is that ``even before the last wickets fall, players are thinking about the quickest way of getting back to pavilion.''

``We don't want it to reach a stage where some body could get killed,'' he again repeated this of repeated warning.

Gaekwad dismissed reports that there is tension among players of two teams. ``This is wrong. The Pakistan team has just concluded their tour of India where every thing went off well, I see no reason for any tension.''

However, Pakistan manager Zafar Altaf conceded that tensions were running high between the two nations but called for peace at Old Trafford ``in the spirit of the game.'' But then made a politically loaded statment saying, ``unfortunately there is unfinished business at home, but we must only concern ourselves with cricket's good image.''

Police and community leaders have spent the last 72 hours holding urgent talks with host Lancashireclub and massive security arrangments are expected. According to police sources, there will be as many uniformed officers on standbys as for some home games, one km down the road at Manchester United.

``Appropriate resources will be available to meet any eventuality. We are aware that this fixture is a sensitive one and it will be policed accordingly,'' they said.

Fans carrying banners with political slogans have already been banned from the ground but the biggest headache for the authorties will be segregation of partisan factions.

There is a huge demand for tickets and a ticket worth 30 pounds is being sold for as high as 500 pounds and still there is no end for the demand. The black market rates went up after the England team lost and English fans who had booked the tickets started selling in the black.

It is going to be the biggest test for the World Cup organisers and no body has a clue as to what is in store after the match is over on June eight.

``Though the Indians have been emphasising onthe spirit of the game their arch rivals are talking of the unfinished agenda back home and that is worrying,'' one Indian community leader confessed.

As the countdown to the Super Six stage began, the tabloids here are giving screaming headlines that warn that the India-Pakistan clash would prove to be ``explosive both on the pitch and off the field.''

``It may be the most explosive cricket match ever staged on English soil'', said the Daily Mirror. ``Be warned it is a high risk match", declared The Sun.

The tabloids said they were running warning stories after cautions sounded by rival captains, Wasim Akram and Azharuddin and other team officials.

Carrying banners with political slogans into the stadium has already been banned, but tournament officials denied earlier reports that spoke of plans to segregate the fans of both countries saying it was physically impossible as all 22,000 tickets have been sold out well in advance.

Lancashire officials, however, are concerned as threeyears ago, rival fans came to blows at Lord's as India defeated Pakistan in the under-15 World Cup final.