Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq: Ready for questions in Urdu

The players will speak only in Urdu, said former player Pervez Mir, the team's press liaison officer.

The decision was also taken "because 2007 is our national tourist year and we are promoting Pakistan as well," said Mir in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

"This is the perfect platform to promote and expose our language."

He added that a Pakistan player had been misquoted in Trinidad following the gas leak that led to the team being evacuated from their hotel earlier in the week.

"A journalist spoke to Danish Kaneria and asked him what he thought about the gas leak and he tried to play the incident down and said 'It happens'.

"But when the report came out the journalist quoted him saying 'It happens at home as well'.

"So we would rather avoid these kinds of incidents and speak in Urdu at official times."

The team's coach, Englishman Bob Woolmer, is not a recognised Urdu speaker, and will presumably not be bound by the rules.

Pakistan play West Indies in the World Cup opener at Sabina Park, Jamaica on Tuesday in Group D.

Ireland and Zimbabwe complete the group.