India go to SA Jan 29

The Indian World Cup squad will leave for South Africa on January 29 to give themselves a fortnight to acclimatise, a senior cricket official said on Friday.

The players will be based in Durban until they open their campaign against Netherlands at Paarl on February 12, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Karunakaran Nair said.

The Indian players are still awaiting a response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) after sending their signed but "altered" player contracts.

They have been involved in a long-standing dispute with the world body over image rights and personal advertising contracts that might clash with official World Cup sponsors.

A weary Indian squad made a quiet return home on Friday after a disastrous tour of New Zealand, where they lost both Tests inside three days and conceded a one-day series 5-2 after their strong batting line-up collapsed repeatedly.

Captain Saurav Ganguly declined to comment on the poor showing after the team landed in Bombay.

The 1983 winners are placed in pool A for the February 9 to March 23 tournament with world champions Australia, Pakistan, England, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Netherlands.