Cricket Twenty Twenty

India vs Australia T 20 - Oct 20, Mumbai - Highlights

2007-10-21T01:17:00.000-07:00

Part 1: Part 2 : Part 3: Part 4

Presentation

Gallery- Grand reception for the dhoni and indian cricket team in Mumbai- photos

2007-09-27T04:08:00.000-07:00

Last Over Pak Innings

2007-09-25T07:18:00.002-07:00

WorldCup Winning Catch -Sreesanth

2007-09-25T07:18:00.001-07:00

Dhoni Lifts the first Twenty20 WorldCup

2007-09-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

Dhoni named India ODI captain

2007-09-18T03:05:00.000-07:00

Indian cricket selectors named wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni as one-day captain on Tuesday after Rahul Dravid abruptly quit the job last week, television channels reported.

The 26-year-old, captain at the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa, will lead the team for the home one-day series against Australia starting in September.

Lee 'trick' sinks Bangladesh

2007-09-17T03:20:00.002-07:00

Brett Lee claimed the first hat-trick in the shortest version of international cricket as Australia thrashed Bangladesh by nine wickets in a Super Eight game of the Twenty20 World Cup at Newlands on Sunday.
After restricting Bangladesh to 123 for nine, the Aussies cruised to victory with 6.1 overs to spare.
Known for their big hitting skills, the opening pair of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist plundered the rival bowlers all over the park to put on a century partnership.

Hayden toyed with the Bangladesh attack to notch an unbeaten 48-ball 73, including nine fours and three sixes, while Gilchrist made a 28-ball 43, studded with a boundary and four sixes, before being run out in the 12th over.
Captain Ricky Ponting (6 not out) joined Hayden to see the world champions home without any further damage.
After being put in to bat, Bangladesh were all set for a challenging total after solid performances by opening bat Tamim Iqbal (32 off 40 balls) and Aftab Ahmed (31 off 43 balls).
At 108 for three, Bangladesh's progress was throttled by speed merchant Lee, who sent back Shakib al Hasan (16), Mashrafe Mortaza (0) and Alok Kapali (0) in back-to-back deliveries to return figures of three for 27 off four overs.
After Shakib was caught behind, Mortaza stepped away to try a slog hit but was castled by a slow yorker. Kapali was trapped in front to an in-swinging delivery.
Bangladesh failed to repeat their impressive showing against South Africa yesterday and were done in by the strategic bowling and inspired fielding performance by the Aussies.
After a slow start, the Asian minnows could not step up the scoring rate in the death as they lost five wickets for 15 runs in the last four overs.
There were only nine fours and one six in the Bangladesh innings in comparison to the 10 boundaries and seven sixes struck by the Australians.
They could not even make the most of the wides and no balls bowled by Aussie bowlers, who gave away 19 extras.
Australia meet Pakistan while Bangladesh take on Sri Lanka in their next outings on Tuesday.

Rajasthan hires Greg Chappell for its academy

2007-09-17T03:20:00.001-07:00

The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) has hired Greg Chappell and Ian Fraser to work at its Centre of Excellence. It is learnt that Chappell, who quit as India coach after the World Cup in the Caribbean and is currently with the Australian Centre of Excellence in Brisbane, will begin a six-month tenure from October 1.
Fraser, who was Chappell's assistant during the India stint, will be working on a near-fulltime basis.
The move does not come as a surprise, it had been in the works for a while. Chappell had been quoted by the IANS agency in July saying, "I am negotiating with Lalit [Modi, president of the RCA] but will not meet with him until next month regarding his academy."
Soon after he quit the India job, Chappell had given a presentation to the Indian board which emphasised the importance of fitness and the development of youth. Chappell was subsequently offered a position at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.
The RCA has spent Rs 20 crore (US$ 5 million) on its academy in Jaipur , where the Centre of Excellence is housed. The academy is reported to have 20 outdoor pitches and 25 indoor pitches, and it's completely floodlit enable cricket matches at any time of the day.

Vettori engineers 10-run win for New Zealand over India

2007-09-17T03:20:00.000-07:00

Daniel Vettori had India in a spin as they wasted a good start and crashed to a 10-run defeat to New Zealand in their Twenty20 World Cup Group E match on Sunday.
Scorecard
After opening batsman Virender Sehwag had thrashed 40 off 17 balls as India raced to 76 without loss in the sixth over, left-arm spinner Vettori asked too many questions of the remaining Indian batsmen, taking four for 20 as they finished on 180 for nine.
Vettori's testing variations of flight and pace first accounted for Robin Uthappa for a duck as he pushed back a return catch and then Gautam Gambhir ,who looped a catch on the leg side to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.
Gambhir had top-scored with 51 off 33 balls and shared in an opening stand of 76 off just 37 deliveries with Sehwag.
Irfan Pathan (11) and Dinesh Karthik (17) were victims of Vettori's third spell as the required run rate became insurmountable for India.
Earlier, Craig McMillan and Jacob Oram made merry in the last five overs to lift New Zealand to a challenging total.
The pair shared a partnership of 73 runs in 5.2 overs as New Zealand scored 190 all out in 20 overs. McMillan scored a scintillating 44 off 23 balls, with four sixes, and Oram slammed 35 off 15 balls, with three sixes.
They reversed a decline in the innings that saw New Zealand slide from 69 for one in the ninth over to 91 for five in the 13th over.
Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the bowler who halted the charge, taking two for 24 in his four overs, while left-arm seamer Rudra Pratap Singh finished with two for 29.
Neither McMillan nor Oram could bat through to the end of the innings, however, as New Zealand lost four wickets in the final over, wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni claiming the credit for three run outs.
McCullum top-scored for New Zealand at the top of the order with 45 off 31 balls, setting the side on their way to their highest total in Twenty20 internationals. Their previous best was 170 all out against Australia in Auckland in 2004/05.

Dravid in comparison with other recent Indian captains:

2007-09-15T01:48:00.002-07:00

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India win historic bowl-out

2007-09-15T01:48:00.001-07:00

A 'bowl-out', which India won (3-0) decided the winner after Pakistan chased 141 to tie the match with India at Durban on Friday.

The first of its kind method, decided the winner after Pakistan could not score that one single off the last delivery as Misbah-ul-Haq was run out for 53, though both teams have qualified for the Super Eights.

Bowl-Out rules

Each team nominates five players who bowl at a set of stumps over 22 yards. The bowlers hit the stumps alternately and the team with the most hits emerges victorious.

Mohammad Asif who finished with the match figures of 4-0-18-4 was named the Man of the Match.

Chasing 142, first to fall for Pakistan was Imran Nazir bowled by RP Singh for 7 in the second over. In the seventh over Salman Butt (16) nicked one to Dhoni off a Ajit Agarkar delivery.

Wicket-keeeper Kamran Akmal was then run out by 'bulls-eye' Yuvraj Singh for 15. Irfan Pathan's new spell bought instant success when he bowled out Younis Khan for a mere 2 runs. He also recorded a surprising maiden-wicket over for Twenty 20.

Skipper Shoaib Malik(20) lofted one towards cover in Pathan's next spell but was caught by Harbhajan Singh.

'Turbanator' Singh got big-hitter Shahid Afridi for 7 as he got him caught by Dinesh Karthik.

The last ball where the scores were tied, saw the dismissal of Misbah-ul-Haq getting run out at 53.

Indian collapse

Earlier, Pakistan bowled fabulously to restrict India to 141 for 9. Asif was the chief architect of the Indian collapse and he was well supported by all the other bowlers.

Robin Uthappa was the sole contributor from the top-order and MS Dhoni and Irfan Pathan chipped in to take India to 141.

Asif turned the tables on India after taking four wickets for eighteen runs in his four over spell.

Gautam Gambhir fell to Asif on the third ball of the match for a duck. Virender Sehwag also fell to him in his second over after being bowled for 5.

His third spell saw the downfall of Yuvraj Singh(1) by getting him caught by Malik. Dinesh Karthik was his last victim, bowled for 11 in his last over.

Robin Uthappa scored his half century in 39 balls to raise India's hope but new baller Sohail Tanvir bought him down when he was caught by Kamran Akmal.

Pathan hit two massive two sixes in Shahid Afridi's over but was bowled after the second six for 20 runs.

Following him was Harbhajan Singh in the same manner for just one run. Captain Dhoni(33) tried to stabilize India but was caught by Younis Khan on one of the big shots, the ball bowled by Yasir Arafat.

The last ball of Indian innings saw Ajit Agarkar being run out by Akmal for 14.

Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik elected to field in the high voltage clash against India.

Dravid's decision raises questions

2007-09-15T01:48:00.000-07:00

Rahul Dravid has been quoted as saying that the enjoyment has gone out of a tough captaining job.

So why was he not enjoying the captaincy, is it because of too much criticism about him being a defensive captain or too little support from his team.

Talking to NDTV before the World Cup Dravid had said: "I do enjoy the captaincy, I see it as a great honour and privilege and think I have enjoyed everything that comes with it. You got have to accept that there will be tough days as a captain."

"You turn from being a good boy to everyone's whipping boy. I don't take it personally though there will be a captain after me and he'll go through the same thing, the captain before me went through it as well. It's not about Rahul Dravid but the position that one inherits," Dravid added.

That was before the World Cup, Rahul Dravid offered to resign after the disastrous first round exit but was persuaded to stay on.

Greg Chappell however had great faith in Dravid's captaincy implying that it was the destructive influence of seniors that prevented him from doing his job.

While Dravid had test series wins in West Indies and England he was also criticized for being too defensive as a captain.

Rahul Dravid as captain:
Did not enforce the follow-on in the Oval Test
Toss error allowed England to win the Mumbai test in 2006
Toss error in the Lord's game
England won ODIs 4-3
However Dravid continuing as captain was never in doubt despite some of the mixed results but there was always speculation that he couldn't quite marshal the team and didn't always enjoy their support.

Dravid's problems:
Zaheer said 'bowlers were not tired' in the Oval test contradicting him
Dravid pulled up Ganguly for dressing room leaks
Dravid pulled up players for 'torn' jeans and using I-pods
.The speculation will continue unless Dravid sets the record straight himself.

However in the eyes of former cricketers and fans he was always the right man for the job given his ability to lead from the front.

He had no hesitation in declaring in the Multan Test when Tendulkar was on 194 not out and he had no hesitation in declaring in the Sydney Test when he was himself on 91 not out.

And it was this public stature that got Gillette to pick him as part of their campaign of global ambassadors for the game along with Roger Federer and Thierry Henry.

No doubt he's still the best a man can get, just that Dravid thinks he's the best at batting rather than at captaincy

New Zealand decimate Kenya by nine wickets

2007-09-12T06:21:00.003-07:00

After the run-fest at the Wanderers on Tuesday night, it was back to normalcy and worse for Kenya at Kingsmead. New Zealand may have enjoyed a lengthy off-season and gone through a change at the top, with Daniel Vettori taking over from Stephen Fleming, but out on the pitch, it was very much normal service as the World Cup semi-finalists romped to a nine-wicket win after bowling Kenya out for the lowest-ever score in Twenty20 internationals, 73.

Shane Bond, Mark Gillespie, Chris Martin and Vettori exploited the extra bounce on a well-grassed pitch to bowl the hapless Kenyans out with 19 balls remaining of the 20 overs, and it took New Zealand just 7.4 overs to announce their intent. But for a 36-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Thomas Odoyo and Collins Obuya, it might have been immeasurably worse. A late flourish from Rajesh Bhudia and Jimmy Kamande nudged the total further towards respectability, but it was never going to stretch a powerful New Zealand line-up.

Predictably, it was Bond's pace that started the slide, with a ball darting back into Maurice Ouma and crashing into the stumps via the elbow. When the promising Tanmay Mishra then slashed one to point, it brought the captain, Steve Tikolo, to the crease.

But worse was to follow as Gillespie took over. David Obuya went gingerly back to the first ball, and ended up treading on his stumps, and four balls later came the biggest blow as Tikolo was trapped plumb in front by a delivery that swung in at pace.

Odoyo and Obuya revived matters somewhat, taking Jacob Oram for two fours in an over when he came on, but New Zealand had too much in reserve. Chris Martin had Odoyo miscuing a pull to mid-off, and Nehemiah Odhiambo followed in identical fashion before Vettori decided to get in on the act.

Shane Bond started the top-order slide with the wicket of Maurice Ouma. He finished with figures of 2 for 12 © AFP

Obuya was smartly stumped off a leg-side wide, and Alex Obanda bowled off the pad, and after Budhia slammed a six to slightly tarnish Martin's figures, two full tosses from Gillespie finished things off.

Kenya needed early wickets, but after two vociferous appeals from Odoyo were turned down, Lou Vincent and Brendan McCullum made short work of a miniscule target. Vincent crashed four fours and a six in his 27 before smashing one low to mid-off, and after Peter Fulton survived an excellent shout from Peter Ongondo, two huge sixes off Bhudia put the seal on an emphatic display.

Bond's figures of 2 for 12 were the best for a completed spell in a Twenty20 game, but Gillespie's 4 for 7 fetched him man of the match honours. And the four zeroes at the top of the Kenyan order were an ominous sign as Vettori's team illustrated just why the All Blacks aren't the only team in with a chance of a world title in the not-too-distant future.

Fleming ousted as Test captain; retires from one-day cricket

2007-09-12T06:21:00.002-07:00

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Stephen Fleming's 10-year reign as one of world cricket's most admired Test captains ended Wednesday when he was replaced as New Zealand skipper by his former deputy Daniel Vettori.

At the same time, Fleming announced his retirement from limited-overs cricket after leading his country to 98 wins in 218 matches over the past decade. No player in cricket history has captained his national team more often in the one-day game.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan paid tribute to Fleming as New Zealand's "greatest captain," but said it was the organization's decision to switch the Test, one-day and Twenty20 captaincy to Vettori, who is six years Fleming's junior.

"The selectors are looking to the future and have recommended that Daniel assume captaincy of the Test team as well as the one-day team," Vaughan said from South Africa.

"Daniel has demonstrated real leadership during his time with the (New Zealand team) and through his occasional performances as one-day captain, has shown he is ready to take over captaincy...in all forms of the game.

"Stephen was an outstanding captain and his legacy in the role sets a high standard for Daniel. I am sure Daniel will rise to the challenge and will bring his own particular skills and style to the role."

Fleming, 34, led New Zealand to 28 wins and 25 draws during his term as captain. Elevated to the captaincy in 1997, three years after making his Test debut aged 20, he led the team in 80 of his 104 Tests.

While debate has raged over Fleming's standing as a batsman both in New Zealand and world terms - he has scored more Test runs than any other New Zealander but only nine centuries in 177 Test innings - his acumen as a captain has been widely praised.

Australian great Shane Warne rated Fleming more highly than Steve Waugh in a recent list of his top-50 cricketers and in 2002 called him the best captain in world cricket.

Fleming said while he had made the decision to retire immediately from the one-day game, after previously stepping down as New Zealand's one-day captain, he hoped to continue playing Tests in the near future. He added the coming New Zealand summer is likely to be his last at the top level.

"I am fully committed to the (New Zealand team) and New Zealand Cricket but feel that the time is right for me to retire from the one-day game," he said from England.

"While I would have wished to remain captain of the Test team, I can also understand why the selectors prefer to have a single captain for the Test, one-day and Twenty20 teams.

Fleming's announcement ends a career in which he has played 280 one-day games, scoring 8,037 runs at an average of 32.4.

"I shall continue playing Tests as long as I have the desire and skills required to contribute. However, it is likely that the coming New Zealand summer will be my last home series," Fleming said.

Fleming's demotion has been in part as the reflection of a desire by New Zealand's coaches and selectors to make a fresh start under Vettori, 26.

At the same time, however, it is likely to be linked to his perceived interest in a breakaway cricket league being planned in India. His refusal to distance himself from the rebel competition has reportedly angered New Zealand officials.

Vettori, who made his Test debut under Fleming as an 18-year-old in 1997, succeeds him as captain after playing 73 Tests over 10 years. He is also the veteran of 201 limited overs internationals.

Cricket: Twenty20 Worlds thrill the crowds

2007-09-12T06:21:00.001-07:00

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) — The inaugural Twenty20 world championships is taking South Africa by storm, thrilling fans who are drawn to the exhilirating speed of the high-octane game where anything can happen.

The dazzling opening of the 12-nation tournament here on Tuesday saw the 33,000 capacity Wanderers stadium overflowing as fans "rocked the house, T20 style" to a gripping batting display by South Africa and the West Indies.

While records and sixes were smashed around the park with equal aplomb, groups of scantily-dressed dancers on platforms around the stadium roused the crowd to the tunes of in-house DJ Lady Lea.

A convincing eight-wicket win for the hosts over the West Indies despite Chris Gayle scoring the first ever century in international T20 cricket, left the crowd roaring throughout the match.

The lulls in crowd excitement and slothful progression associated with Test cricket were absent as the short format introduced fireworks, loud music and screaming fans that have been dwindling in other forms of the game.

"Twenty20 cricket is a 21st century sport, and we are delighted to be the first hosts of the world tournament in this exciting new format," said South Africa's sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile when opening the event.

The International Cricket Council has placed huge stock on the championships leading cricket into the future by capturing the imagination of younger fans.

"It's exciting, it's something new. It brings a whole new audience," said 16-year-old cricket supporter Lance Bunt from Vereeniging, south of Johannesburg.

West Indies supporter Sameer Wadhwa said he loved the pure entertainment of the game.

"I love it, it is very exciting. This sport is purely for the spectators and the spectators are having a blast," he told AFP.

While many of those in the old-guard view cricket as the traditional gentlemen's game not to be messed with, it is clear the new format of party cricket is here to stay.

Former South African captain Kepler Wessels said Twenty20 cricket was "still finding its place in the pecking order"

"It's just going to gain in popularity, we are going to see more and more of these matches," Wessels told AFP.

Despite the criticism of the shorter format, Wessels feels "everything has a place" and that it definitely has a niche-market.

Twenty20 is anybody's game and the words of bowler Shaun Pollock that there would be no time to choke rang true as South Africa managed to redeem itself after losing to the West Indies in the opening match of the 2003 World Cup.

"Either whack or go home," said fan Neil Watkins of Durban, summing up the "the much better, more competitive and more exciting" game.

The 12 teams participating in the tournament will fight a swift battle over the next two weeks, in intensive 20-over, 75 minute innings' with the final to be staged on September 24 in Johannesburg.

South Africa Beats West Indies in Twenty20 Cricket Cup Opener

2007-09-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

Herschelle Gibbs hit an unbeaten 90 as South Africa beat the West Indies by eight wickets in the opening match of cricket's inaugural Twenty20 world cup.

Gibbs, who faced 55 balls, helped the host nation to 208-2 in Johannesburg after West Indies opener Chris Gayle lifted his team to 205-6 with the first century in an international match in the sport's newest form.

South Africa, which secured the win with 14 balls remaining, has now won three of its last four Twenty20 matches. The West Indies, which has lost its last two, allowed a record number of extras today.

Gibbs was supported by Justin Kemp, who made 46 not out from 23 balls, as the South Africans set their best Twenty20 total, beating their 201-4 against Australia in February 2006. Captain Graeme Smith hit 28 and A.B. de Villiers made 16.

Gayle made 117 from 57 balls, including 10 sixes, after South Africa won the toss and chose to field first. His score surpassed the previous best mark of 98 not out by Australia's Ricky Ponting against New Zealand in February 2005. He shared a 145-run opening partnership with Devon Smith, who scored 35.

ICC Twenty20 World Championship Groups

2007-09-10T02:03:00.001-07:00

Microsoft software to improve India's cricket umpires

2007-09-10T02:03:00.000-07:00

India's cricket chiefs are negotiating with Microsoft for new software aimed at raising umpiring standards in the country, an official said on Sunday.
The software giant will be entrusted with the task of developing a program to evaluate the performance of umpires in every domestic match, Indian cricket board vice-president Lalit Modi said.

"We zeroed in on Microsoft after looking at several technological solutions," said Modi. "The deal is not finalised yet, but we are in the final stages of negotiations."

Officials have been stung by criticism from the International Cricket Council (ICC) that Indian umpires were not up to international standards.

No Indian has figured in the ICC's elite panel of umpires that supervises Test cricket around the world since former captain Srinivas Venkataraghvan retired in 2003.

The Indian board will record all domestic matches with six cameras and the footage will be analysed by the software to be developed by Microsoft, Modi said.

Australia go down to South Africa

2007-09-09T08:50:00.001-07:00

South Africa versus Australia is always going to be a humdinger and there couldn't have been a better stage for it than a sunny Supersport Park in Centurion - even if it was just for a warm-up game. With the South African rugby team scheduled to start their campaign at the IRB World Cup in France at the same time on Sunday, the passion and interest in the SA-Aussie rivalry on the cricket field was evidenced by the sell-out crowd in Centurion, who chose to watch this warm-up match rather than staying at home in front of their TV screens.

And the two teams considered favourites in this tournament certainly didn't disappoint the home crowd who saw their team winning by eight wickets. Like in their warm-up game against New Zealand on Saturday, it was a bit of a shaky start for the Australians who are still missing captain Ricky Ponting and were sent into bat by his SA counterpart Graeme Smith who won the toss.

Shaun Pollock opened the bowling for the home side with an impressively tight over with only one run coming from it. But it was his second over that saw the former captain taking two wickets in as many balls to dismiss both Adam Gilchrist (for nine) and Brad Haddin. That brought talented all-rounder Andrew Symonds to the crease with the score on 18-2 but it wasn't long before batting partner Brad Hodge was sent packing.

This time it was Makhaya Ntini who was in on the action, scooping the ball up off his own bowling and diving for the stumps to run out Hodge for six with the Australians now in trouble on 21-3. Pollock opened the following over on a hat-trick ball but this was safely guided down to backward point by Symonds for a single.

The burly all-rounder continued to anchor the Aussie innings from then on and together with Michael Hussey ensured that the run-rate remained high. Just when it looked like a threatening partnership could be developing, however, Hussey scooped an easy catch to AB de Villiers and departed for 14 at the end of the ninth over. But Symonds continued to do the damage before falling victim to Johan van der Wath off his first delivery of the innings. It was another easy catch (this time to Ntini) that saw him go for 45 (off 26), bringing Brad Hogg in to bat.

Matthew Hayden was next to go, for 18, after having his stumps rearranged by rookie Vernon Philander in his first over and Brett Lee didn't last too long, scoring just 11 runs, but despite the regular fall of wickets the Australians kept the runs coming. Hogg made28 before being bowled by Morne Morkel and Mitchell Johnson's 30 off 12 balls and a quickfire 11 off six from Nathan Bracken, saw the Aussies finishing on 179-8.

Set with a target of nine runs an over for the win, the South African openers, Smith and Herschelle Gibbs, came out firing from the start and reached the end of the fifth over with 46 runs on the board. The following over saw Gibbs being clean bowled by Ben Hilfenhaus (in the Aussie lineup as a replacement for the injured Shaun Tait) for 20.

AB de Villiers picked up from where the big-hitting Gibbs left off, however, joining his captain in keeping the home crowd happy by passing the boundary with impressive regularity. De Villiers blitzed 65 off just 35 balls before hitting a Bracken delivery straight to extra cover where Hodge took the catch. JP Duminy then came with South Africa only requiring 10 runs for the victory. These were knocked off easily with Smith smashing a four to win the match by eight wickets.

Though unofficial, as this was a warm-up game, the captain's 89 not out (off just 61 balls) equals his highest total in Twenty20 Internationals which he scored against the same opposition, in a match which the Proteas won by just two runs back in February last year. Although the outcome of this match was relatively meaningless, any form of victory over the Australians will give the home side a massive confidence boost ahead of their opening game of the tournament against the West Indies in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Pakistan players told to keep quiet about Akhtar spat

2007-09-09T08:50:00.000-07:00

Pakistan's players should keep quiet about the spat between fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif in South Africa which led to Akhtar being sent home from the Twenty20 World Cup, officials said on Sunday.

"Shoaib and the others should keep their mouth shut on this issue. It is not helping either the team or the image of Pakistan cricket," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf told Reuters.

Pakistan's Twenty20 World Cup team management sent Akhtar home on Friday after he hit Asif on the thigh with a bat during a nets session.

On Saturday, Akhtar told a news conference he had hit Asif accidentally and blamed allrounder Shahid Afridi for sparking the incident by making an offensive remark.

Ashraf said Akhtar would get the opportunity to defend himself and give his version of events before a three-member inquiry committee.

"Until the inquiry begins he should remain quiet," he added.

"There is a code of conduct in place for the players and they are violating it by speaking on this issue which has already proved damaging for us.

"Comments by the players will only reduce the morale of the team and affect them in the World Cup.

PCB chief executive Shafqat Naghmi left for South Africa on Sunday to start the inquiry

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2007-09-07T02:03:00.001-07:00

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2007-09-07T02:03:00.000-07:00

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