Live Cricket Updates

Pakistan Cricket fans celebrate victory

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 06:23:00 +0000

LAHORE – Cricket enthusiasts enjoyed the one of the Cricket World Cup 2011 match played between Pakistan and West Indies on a big screen in a Cricket Mania here at the SozoWorld Cinema organised jointly by Nawa-i-Waqt Group and SozoWorld Cinema.
There was a big crowd rushed to the SozoWorld Cinema and enjoyed the match a lot on a big screen. After the victory, they started dancing, chanting slogans “Pakistan Zindabad” and greeted each other.
The fans also appreciated the Nawa-i-Waqt Group and SozoWorld’s effort of showing World Cup matches on big screens and said that it was a big-margin win against West Indies. They are very happy that Pakistan is just two-match away to clinch the World Cup trophy. This win is a gift for nation on the eve of Pakistan Day.
When a local cricket fan Ammarah Zareen was asked about to express her views, she replied: “Yahoo… we won the match. It was the best winning game for Pakistan. Defeating West Indies appeared an easy task since in the last match in which the team make history by whacking Australia. This is motivational and has raised anticipations to win the World Cup, yet the spirit of other strong teams, like South Africa must not be underestimated. As for Boom Boom Afridi, he needs to calm down on the field and need to rush for six in the first few balls. He should focus on continuity of batting. Pakistan can definitely reach and win the final if the team maintained its winning attitude.”
M Ali Nasir Chishti commented: “Pakistan had crossed a major hurdle in its way to become a world champion by defeating West Indies with a big margin and also gave a message to other cricketing nations that Pakistan is not an easy team to be defeated. I wish Pakistani team all the best for semi-final and final.”

Pakistan cricket team has "no security concerns about going to India" for World Cup semis: Waqar

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 06:19:00 +0000

The Pakistan cricket team has no security concerns over going to India for their World Cup semi-final at Mohali on March 30, coach Waqar Younis has said, adding that he is in fact happy to visit the neighbouring country.
"We have to go wherever the tournament schedule takes us. We have no security concerns about going to India. It's good to go to a neighbouring country. I am happy to go to India," The Nation quoted Waqar, as telling reporters after his team thrashed the West Indies by 10 wickets in their quarterfinal match at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
He said that Pakistan had toured India in 1999 when the relations between both countries were not that good. "Now things are far better," he added.
Waqar felt that Pakistan would not get the same backing from the Indian crowd as they got in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, but expected the presence of Pakistani fans in the Mohali stadium.
"We won't get crowd support like here or Sri Lanka but some people might cross the border to see us play. We have to play wherever the tournament takes us. We are not concerned by security," he said.
Pakistan may encounter archrivals India in the semi-final stage, if the co-hosts beat Australia in Thursday's quarterfinal in Ahmedabad.

Statistical highlights of Pakistan vs West Indies World Cup match

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 06:16:00 +0000

# Pakistan's 10-wicket win is their first at the World Cup.
# Pakistan's triumph with 175 balls to spare against West Indies is their biggest in terms of balls remaining, outstripping their victory against Canada with 119 balls to spare at Leeds on June 9, 1979.
# West Indies recorded their largest defeat in the history of the World Cup.
# Mohammad Hafeez got his first Man of the Match award in the World Cup. It is his fourth in ODIs.
# Hafeez's eighth half-century in limited overs Internationals is his first at the World Cup. His previous best at the World Cup was 49 against Zimbabwe at Pallekele on March 14, 2011.
# Pakistan posted their third win in nine games against West Indies at the World Cup - their last victory was at Bristol on May 16, 1999.
# West Indies (112) posted their lowest total against Pakistan at the World Cup - their third lowest overall, behind 93 against Kenya at Pune on February 29, 1996 and 110 against Australia at Manchester on May 30, 1999.
# For the sixth time, Pakistan have reached semifinal, emulating the record held by Australia.
# Umar Gul took his wickets' tally in the World Cup to 18 at an average of 15.27 in 10 games.
# Umar's tally of 14 wickets at 14.50 in seven matches is the second highest for Pakistan in the present World Cup competition.
# Pakistan registered their third win by ten wickets in ODIs - one each against New Zealand, Bangladesh and West Indies.
# For West Indies, the ten-wicket defeat is the fourth suffered by them in ODIs - one each against England, Australia, Pakistan and India
# Kamran Akmal's unbeaten 47 off 61 balls is his second best innings at the World Cup - his best is 55 against Kenya at Hambantota.
# Devon Smith, playing in his seventh match, has become the first West Indian to aggregate 300 runs (ave.42.85) in the 2011 edition of the World Cup.
# Shahid Afridi became the first bowler to register the feat of producing four instances of four wickets or more in a single edition of the World Cup.
# Afridi, with his tally of 21 wickets at 10.71 runs apiece in seven matches in the present tounament, has set two records - most wickets by a Pakistani bowler in a World Cup competition apart from most wickets by a captain in a single edition at the World Cup.
# Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez, with their 113-run unbroken partnership, have set a World Cup record for Pakistan for the opening wicket against West Indies.
# Shahid Afridi has become the first bowler to record two instances each of five-wicket and four-wicket hauls at the World Cup overall. Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan have produced four instances of four wicket-hauls at the World Cup.
# Afridi (4/30) registered his best bowling figures against West Indies in ODIs, bettering the 4 for 38 at Gros Islet on May 21, 2005.
# Hafeez's economy rate of 1.60 (10-3-16-2) is the best by a bowler in the present competition (minimum 30 balls).

Zardari, Gilani congratulate Pakistan cricket team on reaching World Cup semifinal

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 06:14:00 +0000

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have congratulated the national cricket team on its big-margin win against West Indies in the 2011 World Cup quarterfinal match at Mirpur, Bangladesh.
Both Zardari and Gilani commended all members of the Pakistan team on their excellent performance, and expressed the hope that they would play with the same zeal in the remaining World Cup matches, The Nation reports.
Pakistan Muslim League (N) Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, PML (Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and senior leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi also felicitated the Pakistan team for their brilliant performance in the match.
Skipper Shahid Afridi spearheaded a spin assault on West Indies on Wednesday, taking four wickets for 30 runs, leading Pakistan to a 10-wicket victory to reach the World Cup semifinal for the first time since 1999.
It has been a remarkable comeback for Pakistan, which had been knocked out in the first round of the last World Cup four years ago, and had been engulfed by a number of controversies- including the spot-fixing scandal that surfaced last August- that resulted in a ban on three key Pakistani players last month.
Cricket lovers in the country celebrated their team's victory as many of them came out on roads to celebrate the triumph, which coincided with the Pakistan Day.
Some of them were seen distributing sweets among the fans as they congratulated and greeted the Pakistan team on their superb and fantastic win against West Indies, hoping that their team will bring the World Cup trophy home and make the nation proud.

Does the Pakistan Cricket Team have the Goods to Really Win the Cup?

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 06:13:00 +0000

A devastating blow seemed to hit the Pakistani cricket team early on in their match on March 19. When Umar Gul pulled up with a what looked like a painful knee injury during the second over against Australia, Pakistan’s chances of beating the Aussies and clinching the number one spot in their group seemed to suddenly drop like a ball through Kamran Akmal’s fingers. And in a way, it was happening in the worst way possible: not by Australia outclassing them, but a cruel twist of fate. It looked like Ricky Ponting’s boys were being handed a gift from the cricket Gods.
Of course, just as quickly as Gul stuttered and stopped and black clouds swept over Pakistan, the skies miraculously cleared. After a bit of on-field medical attention by the physiotherapist, Gul was back. He kept the Aussies to just two runs in his first over and nabbed the first wicket of the match in his next over. Fortune was not on the side of the Aussies after all.
By now there should be no doubt now about the depth and talent in Pakistan’s bowling line-up. Pakistan has been cruel and miserly in giving up runs to Australia and the West Indies. The timing for this superb display of bowling prowess and intelligent captaining has been perfect: it allowed Pakistan to grab top spot in their group and thus face off against the weak Windies in Mirpur, allowing the Green Shirts to comfortably move into the semis

Pakistan 'spot-fixers' bailed to appear at Southwark crown court in May

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:09:00 +0000

The three Pakistan cricketers accused of spot fixing, and the agent accused of accepting £150,000 to arrange for no-balls to be bowled at specific points in a Test match, have been bailed to appear at Southwark crown court in May.
The former captain Salman Butt, 26, and the fast bowlers Mohammad Asif, 28, and Mohammad Amir, 18, attended Westminster magistrates court on Thursday accused of cheating and conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments.
The players – who gave addresses in Pakistan, although Asif is staying with friends in England – were given unconditional bail. The agent Mazhar Majeed, 35, of Croydon, south London, was told to surrender his passport and not to apply for international travel documents. All four are due to appear on 20 May.
The district judge, Howard Riddle, dismissed the Crown's application for conditional bail for the three men, despite the fact that Britain has no extradition treaty with Pakistan. "Failing to attend these proceedings would destroy any possibility of playing a cricket international in the future," he said. "Their reputation is of the utmost importance. They have a very strong incentive to attend trial and defend the proceedings."
Amir's lawyer Gareth Peirce said her client had to deal with problems with British immigration in order to attend hearing, proving his determination to defend himself against the charges.
Majeed is accused of accepting £150,000 from an undercover reporter from the News of the World to conspire with the players to bowl no-balls at specific points during the fourth Test at Lord's last August.
The allegations precipitated a crisis in the world of international cricket, the shockwaves from which are still reverberating.
The three players, who appeared in court wearing dark suits and dark open-necked shirts, and Majeed face up to seven years in prison if found guilty.
The players have already appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, in Lausanne, against bans imposed by the International Cricket Council.

The World Cup in Cricket

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:05:00 +0000

The present World Cup scenario can be contrasted with that in 1987, when Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka sprang a surprising coup and snaffled the rights to hold the competition. Since then, India has risen to become a financial giant in the cricket world; therefore, the decision to hold the competition in this region was understandable.
This time around, due to security concerns Pakistan is no longer a part of the equation; Bangladesh now makes up the trio. Despite this and the loss of key players to the notorious spot-fixing betting scandal, the Pakistani squad displays significant talent. Their cricket so far has been as volatile as dangerous; their victory against Sri Lanka was highly accomplished, while their defeat against New Zealand was lamentable. They do have the advantage of playing all their first-round matches in Sri Lanka, and the grapevine indicates that they are pleased with these circumstances – presumably due to the considerable support from the substantial Muslim minority (eight percent of the population) in Lanka – even when pitted against the local team.
Politically, Pakistan and Lanka have a measured diplomatic relationship. On 3 March 2009, when the Sri Lankan cricketers were attacked inLahore, Pakistan was not whipped up to the degree that the other cricketing nations would have been. President Mahinda Rajapaksa was quick to send a Sri Lanka Airlines plane to evacuate the cricketers from Lahore. It is therefore possible that these cricketers received guidance from the highest office in the land, because Pakistan has been a staunch ally and supplier of military hardware to Sri Lanka during the recent Eelam wars.
Of course, India too has assisted Sri Lanka in specific ways on the military front.However, the question here is not about the trilateral relationship between India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan; but about whether cricket in general, and the World Cup in particular, can soften the long-standing Indo-Pakistani animosities and suspicions. The Pakistan tour by the Indian cricket team in March 2004 was a resounding success, both in the quality of cricket, the bonds forged and the political capital gained. Alas, the cricketing camaraderie has never been strong enough to circumvent the tensions associated with such knotty issues as Kashmir and the memories that sustain cancers of distrust among substantial and influential segments of both populations.
Whatever goodwill was generated by cricket in 2004was destroyed in one swoop by the high-profile extremist attacks on targets in Mumbai in November 2008. In return, the Indian authorities went so far as to debar Pakistani cricketers from gaining any spots in the last IPL series. Cricket can be a handshake at one moment and a slap at another.
Sports nationalism, as we know, cuts both ways. It can generate excess from both players and fans. During the present series, we could conceivably see the eruption of an incident similar to the one between Symonds and Harbhajan at Sydney a few years back, when the latter referred to the former as a ‘monkey’. The ripples arising from this contretemps went across the Indian Ocean.
But we can still hope, can we not? Maybe the razzamatazz of the World Cup will soften Indo-Pakistani relations, just as it might forge a variety of bonds among the cricketing fraternity. The thrill of regulated competition, the adrenaline of big hitting, the silkiness of elegant strokes, the gasps aroused by athletic fielding and the many thrills and spills on the field will produce joy. And joy is balm.
A series of nail-biting encounters during the first round in Group A has surely stirred fans all around the world. The England-India tie was enthralling, the Irish batting that stormed the walls of their old enemy quite fantastic, England’s success in defeating the Safs a tense affair, and the Bangladeshi victory over England as tense as it was marvellous. The high-scoring match on 14 March, which saw South Africa run down India’s solid total in the last over, was yet another mind-blowing affair. Who says 50-over ODI cricket is dead? This form of the game can serve up excitement.
On the back of such matches, then, the present World Cup can lessen the diverse prejudices about Southasia that continue to reside in the minds of the cricketers from the Caribbean and the West. The oversimplified perception this region as being mysterious, unpredictable, volatile and dangerous remains strong in Western societies. This World Cup could well encourage the dilution of such sentiments, among both the cricketers and their keen cricket fans.
A handful of Bangladeshis, though, have not assisted the prospects on this front. After the Bangladesh team disappointed them with a humiliating batting collapse against the West Indies, the Bangladesh team fans stoned the players’ buses. Nonetheless, the wide geographical spread of matches will expose cricketers and media teams to a range of fantastic landscape and personalities in the three host countries.
The franchise system of the IPL has already embedded friendships among players. As players from the West savour these lands, sexual liaisons will certainly be among the benefits they enjoy. A few strong ‘matches’ will emerge from cricket matches. Shaun Tait, that country lad from South Australia, now has a steady Indian girl friend, a model whose heart he secured during the IPL. The bonds are such that my effort to interview him has to wait till November, because cricket, mate and India will keep him away from our city of Adelaide. Ferocious to batsmen – ask Dilshan – he may be, but Tait is tall and handsome too. This friendship has all the makings of a handsome bond. So, this is as good a tale as one can get to place at the tail-end of a discursive spin on the Cricket World Cup, 2011.

Share your favourite Shoaib moment

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:04:00 +0000

Temperamental and injury-ravaged Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar announced his decision to retire from international cricket after the World Cup, bringing to end a tempestuous career marred by several controversies.
Shoaib Akhtar bids moving adieu
The 35-year-old speedster, regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in his prime, took 178 wickets in 46 Tests and 247 in 163 ODIs in a 13-year career which started against the West Indies in December 1997.
"I have decided to retire. Mentally I wanted to go on forever but I have decided to make way for the youngsters," an emotional Akhtar, nicknamed the 'Rawalpindi Express' because of the devastating pace he generated in his best days, told reporters in Colombo on Thursday.
For most part of his career, Shoaib was portrayed as the problem child of Pakistan cricket, beset with ball-tampering allegations, disciplinary issues, hitting team mate Mohammad Asif with a bat in 2007, doping accusations and several other controversies.
As he gets ready to hang his boots many memories of his best and worst days in the game come to mind. Sure you too have some. Share them.

Graeme Swann and Abdur Razzak: the match winners - ICC World Cup 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:24:00 +0000

When the fast bowlers fail to bring the required results, the partnerships have stabilised and the conditions look helpless, the Captain can utilise the spinners from their armoury to bring instant changes with positive results. The spinners serve as a key component to the formation of any team and have opened the bowling in the shorter version of the game, with relative success.
A brief look at two prominent spinners in the modern game, Graeme Swann of England and Abdur Razzak of Bangladesh is as follows.
Graeme Peter Swann is a right-arm off break bowler and a useful right-hand lower order batsman. He has played for England, Nottinghamshire and the famous Northamptonshire County.
Swann started his career by posting a large amount of runs in county cricket, but diverted his attention to spin bowling. Within a short time, he excelled in his bowling and became a very important part of the English team. Swann is a tall lanky bowler and is expected to take a wicket in his first over when asked to bowl.
He is an integral part of the English side in all three forms of the game, as he has led them to many victories in different matches and was instrumental in bringing the Ashes back home on their visit to Australia in 2010-11.
Swann made his debut in One Day Internationals against South Africa on 23 January, 2000 at Bloemfontein, which England won comprehensively by 9 wickets. He has played 47 matches and has taken 69 wickets at an average of 24.59 runs per wicket with the best of 5 for 28 runs. Swann has contributed 339 runs with the bat at an average of 13.56 runs with the best of 34 runs.
He is playing his first World Cup and has played 4 matches, taken 7 wickets at an average of 24.28 runs per wicket with the best of 3 for 47 runs and has scored 40 runs in the 3 innings he played.
The spinners are proving very successful on the Subcontinent pitches, as Shahid Afridi of Pakistan is the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 15. This fact gives a tremendous amount of encouragement to all the spinners in the tournament and Swann is looking forward to putting in a good performance for his team.
Abdur Razzak is a slow left-arm spinner and a left-hand batsman. He has played for Bangladesh, Khulna Division, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Asia XI.
He is a left arm attacking spinner with the capability of breaking partnerships and useful in blocking the score, as the batsmen are playing freely. He was the fifth best One Day International bowler in 2010 International cricket with 29 wickets at an average of 32.00 runs per wicket with the best of 5 for 30 runs.
Razzak made his ODI debut on 16 July, 2004 against Hong Kong at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, as Bangladesh won by 116 runs and he opened his account with 3 wickets. He has played 116 matches, grabbed 168 wickets at an average of 26.97 runs per wicket with the best of 5 for 29 runs. Razzak has scored 577 runs at an average of 13.41 runs with the best of 33 runs.
He has appeared in 12 World Cup matches and has taken 14 wickets at an average of 32.57 runs with the best of 3 for 20 runs.
Razzak will play an important role for Bangladesh as they try to make their mark in the tournament. The team will be counting on his ability to take early wickets and restrict the batsman.
The performance of both spinners is vital for their respective teams, as the Subcontinent pitches favour the batsmen. Their ability to turn the ball and contain the batsmen is crucial in keeping the score low. It will be interesting to see how the spinners take on the challenge and chase the ultimate trophy.

Netherland’s Peter Borren plays blame game – ICC World Cup 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:23:00 +0000

Peter Borren, the captain of the Netherlands cricket team, has blamed his batsmen for the poor show in their pool match of the ICC World Cup 2011 played against Bangladesh on 14th March at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong. The Dutch lost the match by a large margin of six wickets. Borren mentioned after the match that the Dutch batsmen did not perform up to their potential and in fact panicked when they went to the crease and could not establish a respectable score.
Borren was one of the four batsmen who were run out during the innings, which had a very negative impact on the outcome of the game for the Dutch. It’s always said that a Captain should lead from the front and should set an example for his team-mate. Borren was unable to do that during the match and was part of the batting line-up collapse that broke the Netherlands back.
On the other hand, the match was very important for the survival of the Bangladesh team in the tournament, losing the match meant they would have easily been kicked out of the event. This did not deter the Bengal Tigers and they played an excellent match and outclassed their opponents in all parts of the game.
The Netherland won the toss and elected to bat on a placid wicket, which was full of runs, they started off cautiously and the openers took the score to 28 runs before they lost Wesley Barresi at 9.1 overs. The next wicket contributed just nine runs, Tom Cooper joined Eric Szwarczynski at the crease and steadied the innings when the drama started. Szwarczynski was the first one who ran himself out after playing a patient knock of 28 runs scored in 87 balls followed by Cooper who was also out in the same manner for 29 runs.
Four of the top line batsmen were gone for 79 runs in 25.1 overs while Ryan ten Doeschate was keeping his end secure. He had a reasonable partnership of 34 runs with Alexei Kervezee for the fifth wicket before the later went left him at a score of 113 runs. ten Doeschate was the only one who gave the impression of a solid batsman as the wickets kept tumbling at the other end. He remained unbeaten on 53 runs while three out of five batsmen went for a duck, the other two could not get into the double digits and two of them were run out.
Abdur Razzak was the main wicket taker for Bangladesh with three scalps to his name while three other bowlers came out with a wicket each. Bangladesh chased the target easily in 41.2 overs with splendid batting from Imrul Kayes who remained unbeaten on 73 runs as Shahriar Nafees scored 37 runs and Junaid Siddique contributed 35 runs. Bangladesh won the match by six wickets and kept their chances alive for the quarter finals as they have yet to play a game against South Africa on 19th of March.
The Netherlands have appeared in five games in the tournament, losing all of them and they are currently at the bottom of the table in group B. They will play their last pool match on 18th March against the formidable Irish team who has shown class and courage by beating England.
Borren has appeared in all five matches played by the Duthch team and has scored 89 runs at an average of 22.25 runs with the best of 38 runs and has claimed two wickets. His performances have been mediocre so far, to say the least. He must lead his men from the front and should come out with his best against Ireland and win the one and only match for his nation to gain lost pride.

Pakistan capable of winning World Cup, says Aravinda de Silva

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:21:00 +0000

COLOMBO: Former Sri Lanka captain Aravinda de Silva believes that if Pakistan play consistently then the 1992 champions can go on to win World Cup-2011.
Legendary Test batsman de Silva said on Thursday that Pakistan has the firepower to go all the way in the 14-nation tournament.
"I think Pakistan are capable of winning the World Cup," said de Silva, who was one of the architects of Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup triumph.
"Their team has some good players but what Pakistan needs is to have more consistency in their game. I think if they can do that then they will have a very good chance of winning the title," he added.
De Silva, who scored 6,361 runs from 93 Tests and also amassed 9,284 runs from 308 One-day Internationals during an illustrious international career, stressed that there are no favourites in the World Cup.
"The results that we have seen so far in this tournament have made it clear that there are no favourites to win the World Cup.
"Any team that peaks at the right time and gives its best when it matters is going to win the title," said de Silva, who was Man of the Match of the 1996 World Cup final.
De Silva believes that a number of exciting matches in this tournament have proved that there is no danger to the one-day format.
"We have seen some really exciting matches in this World Cup and it's apparent that cricket fans are really enjoying this competition. It also shows that the one-day format is still very popular," he said

Shoaib Akhtar to retire after World Cup 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:19:00 +0000

Pakistan's fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is set to retire from international cricket after the ongoing ICC World Cup 2011.
The Rawalpindi Express, who is presently in Colombo, is expected to announce his decision on Thursday (today).
The 35-year-old right-arm bowler made his first international appearance in December 1997 against West Indies.
He was involved in a number of controversies pertaining to his action, injuries as well as discipline.
Akhtar, who was recalled for the World Cup after being out of action for a major part of the last three years due to a spate of injuries, had tested positive for a banned drug nandrolone in 2006.
He was also amongst the first players to be taken for random dope testing ahead of this World Cup, according to a source.
A few days before the start of the 2011 World Cup, Akhtar expressed his determination to make an impression during the tournament, which he said would be his last.
"I am still bowling 145-150 (kilometres per hour). I am touching it easily, so look, it's my last World Cup and I am going to try to do well whatever it's in my ability to do well," Akhtar said.
"I am going to go out there to push it and I will push it to the limit and that's how it is going to be,"

Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar reveals he'll retire from international cricket after World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:18:00 +0000

Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar will retire from international cricket after the World Cup, bringing an end to one of the most colorful careers in the sport.
'I have decided to say goodbye,' said Akhtar. 'This World cup is my last and the coming matches in the tournament will be last few of my international career.'
Akhtar, who made his international debut in 1997 in a test match against the West Indies, is regarded as one of the fastest bowlers ever to play the game. But his career has been plagued by injuries and, more recently, off-field issues with the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Akhtar's teammates hugged him in the dressing room before captain Shahid Afridi also embraced the paceman as they walked onto the field for a training session at R. Premadasa Stadium.
'I would have loved to continue, perhaps forever, but I must make way for the youngsters to take over,' Akhtar said, then added dramatically: 'With this announcement it feels like it's my first death.'
Pakistan play defending champion Australia at Colombo on Saturday in the last match in Group A. Both teams have already qualified for the quater finals.
Akhtar played in 46 test matches and took 178 wickets while in 163 one-day internationals he has captured 247 wickets.
Despite struggling with his fitness after knee surgery in Australia two years ago, Pakistan selectors picked Akhtar for the World Cup.
But his performance has been mixed in the tournament.
He has taken only three wickets in the three 2011 World Cup matches and was rested for the games against Canada and Zimbabwe.
His last over in the 110-run loss to New Zealand went for 28 runs when Ross Taylor hit the paceman for three sixes and two fours.
Pakistan team management fined Akhtar for breaking a team curfew when the team played two World warm-up matches in Bangladesh last month.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 SWOT analysis of Team West Indies

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:15:00 +0000

Every time we refer to the West Indian team in an international contest, all we have to lament about is the lost glory. The invincible of the past have been even given the underdog status this time at the WC. They are unpredictable and vulnerable as well. Since June 2009, they have managed authentic wins only against amateurs like Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Ireland etc.
After letting out Adrian Bharath and pitching in Sarwan at the last moment, the final squad is as follows: Chris Gayle (capt), Sulieman Benn, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Andre Fletcher, Wavell Hinds, Nikita Miller, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor.
Strengths:
1.Gayle, Gayle and Gayle "All eyes are on this man." West Indies batting has the capability to explode if they have it their way. This largely depends on the way their captain, Chris Gayle plays, and if he goes after the bowling successfully, the side usually ends up with a total to defend.
2.The 'IPL' force - Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo have proved their deadly skills in the recent IPL performances in India. Now this is another format of the game, but with their sheer talents they can unleash will be decisive for the team.
3.Final hook - The batting finally looks to be coming around with all holes being plugged and Sarwan & Chanderpaul's experience will be mightily useful in sub-continent conditions alias batting pitches.
Weakness:
1."Team" game - Their lack of taking it all the way with a collective effort is overshadowed. Whether they play as a united team or as individuals who impress is really bothersome for many.
2.Consistency - The only consistency this team has showed us recently is inconsistency. As things currently stand for the consistency level of bowling department, the West Indian bowling is rather fragile and easy to go after.

Opportunities:
1.Given the way the West Indian side has played in the last six months, it is difficult to predict how worse their performance level can go, which in turn, can surprise the opposition if they strike out unexpected blows.
2.Darren Bravo, who has impressed cricket followers all over will be keen to cement his place at no.3, despite the return of Sarwan and the rock solid Chanderpaul.
3.Benn and Miller will have a task up their sleeves to help the side win games and get the ball rolling or rather spinning.
Threats:
The West Indian squad looks the most unprepared of all teams, with no real openers to bat with Gayle and not too many quick bowlers coming through. Though spinners will play a role in the sub-continent, the quick bowlers will have a job too.

India vs Netherlands World Cup 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:23:00 +0000

India Won by 5 Wickets (with 81 balls remaining)

Pakistan vs New Zealand: Kiwis crush Pak by 110 runs

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:14:00 +0000

Pak vs NZ: Live scorecard
The Black Caps crushed Pakistan by 110 runs. Chasing a mammoth target of 303 runs, Pakistan was bowled out for 192 runs.
Pakistan, who was unbeaten in this World Cup, performed poorly with the bat, ball and fielding.
Abdul Razzaq was the top scorer with 62 runs. He made cruscial partnership with Umar Gul to reduce the defeat runs.
Birthday boy Ross Taylor smashed swashbuckling unbeaten hundred to guide New Zealand towards mammoth total of 302 runs against Pakistan.
Taylor scored unbeaten 131 off 124. His spectacular innings was studded with eight boundaries and seven massive sixes.
At one stage, New Zealand was struggling to reach the 240 total but it was Taylor, who was riding high on two drop opportunity.
Pak vs NZ: Live Commentary
Nathan McCullum (19) started the firework with Taylor after the dismissal of Scott Styris (28). After Nathan, Jacob Oram joined the party in middle. His 10 ball cameo also helped New Zealand to cross the 300 mark. Oram scored 25 runs.
Taylor was dropped by Kamran Akmal on duck and four. He whacked away Shoaib Akhtar and Abul Razzaq for 28 and 30 runs. New Zealand scored 92 runs in last four overs. Pakistan bowling attack shattered in the slog overs as New Zealand posted good target on the board.
Electing to bat first, New Zealand received first jolt in the very first over of the match when Shoaib Akhtar bowled out Brandom McCullum for six.
However, Martin Guptil was the architecture of Kiwis innings. He consolidated New Zealand with well composed 57 runs.
New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettorie won the crucial toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan here at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Kiwis have made two changes in the squad. Jamie How and Jacob Oram are back in the side. Hamish Bennett and Jesse Ryder are out. Vettori said Ryder is unfit.

Paksitan has also made couple of changes for today’s match. Veteran pacer Shoaib Akhtar and spinner Abdur Rehman are back in. Wahab Riaz and Saeed Ajmal will have to sit out.
Teams:
NZ: Brandon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Ross Taylor, James Franklin, Scott Styris, Nathan McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Jacob Oram
PAK: Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar

Cricket World Cup 2011: Pakistan Vs New Zealand

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:12:00 +0000

While many experts are criticizing Pakistan's death bowling and the bowling performance in general, I see the predicament that Pakistan is in to have generated from two basic components.
I feel that Pakistan had this coming in the wake of the constant absurdity displayed by their team selection and captaincy.
To top it all off, Kamran Akmal dropped the easiest catch he could ever made in his career off the bowling of an in form, steaming Shoaib Akhter, who now is ironically being blamed for the thrashing that Pakistan received. In terms of the selection and captaincy decisions made by Pakistan, there are a couple questions that remain.
One question has been bugging me since the start of this world cup. With the pitches turning as they are, why is a flat, quickish spinner like Abd-ur-Rehman getting selected constantly ahead of Saeed Ajmal? Ajmal is a match winner and one bad performance should never cause a team to lose trust in a match winner. Another issue that I have is Afridi's lack of assessment of a situation. He took the second slip out when Shoaib had the Kiwis in a fix and Guptil's catch went through that very region.
The worst and the most astonishing decision was to give the new ball to Rehman when one knew that Razzaq can only bowl with a new ball and is just a medium up and down bowler with an older ball. When Rehman opened the attack I instantly told an acquaintance that Razzaq would be murdered at some stage in the match.

I sympathize with Shoaib Akhtar who was absolutely unplayable in the beginning and was robbed off of Taylor's wicket by the incapable Kamran Akmal.

I fear that this performance would result in Akhtar being dropped, which is really not the right way to go. I hope that the management sees how Pakistan needs Saeed Ajmal as an integral part of the team. Kamran Akmal should be left out and Umar Akmal should keep for the rest of the cup.

Canada Defeats Kenya by Five Wickets in Cricket World Cup Group A Match

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:58:00 +0000

Jimmy Hansra’s 70 runs led Canada to a five-wicket win over Kenya in their Group A Cricket World Cup match today in New Delhi.
Canada reached 199-5 in response to Kenya’s innings of 198 in the 50-over match. The victors reached the total with 27 balls left. Hansra was caught off Nehemiah Odhiambo. Canadian captain Ashish Bagai finished on 64 not out.
Neither team had won in three previous matches before today. The result leaves Canada with 2 points, behind Zimbabwe and above Kenya in the seven-team group. The top four teams in each of the competition’s two groups move into the quarterfinals.
Tanmay Mishra and Thomas Odoyo were each out on 51 runs to lead Kenya, which recovered from losing opening batsman Maurice Ouma for a duck on his second ball.

CAN v KEN 2011 23rd Match Result – Canada won by 5 wickets, Ashish Bagai hit 64*

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:56:00 +0000

In a battle to avoid bottom spot in the points table in Group A, Canada beat Kenya by 5 wickets with 27 balls remaining in the 23rd match of 2011 Cricket World Cup, on Monday, 7th March, 2011 at Delhi.
Kenya started poorly, lost 3-27 and wickets at regular intervals unable to move the tempo but somehow manged 198 runs as Mishra and Odoyo 51 runs each. Canada also struggling at 48-3 but 132 runs partnership between Hansra 70 runs and captain Ashish Bagai 64 not out helps to register their first win in world cup.
Match Summary:
Kenya - 198 all out in 50 overs (Mishra 51, Odoyo 51, Osinde 4-26)
Canada - 199/5 in 45.3 overs (Hansra 70, Bagai 64*)
Toss - Kenya won the toss and elected to bat first.
Man of the Match - Henry Osinde (Canada)
Result - Canada won by 5 wickets (with 27 balls remaining)
Points - Canada 2, Kenya 0

Canada beat Kenya by 5 wickets

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:48:00 +0000

Canada are finally off the mark with their first win in the tournament. They would be happy with the victory and their performance. They next meet New Zealand in their next match. Kenya on the other side, would be disappointed with their overall performance. They would want to do well against the Australian team when they meet them in their next encounter. That's all from us for today. Join us tomorrow for the game between New Zealand and Pakistan at 0900 GMT (1430 IST).
Henry Osinde has been declared the Man of the Match. He says that there was some swing for him today. He was looking to bowl wicket to wicket but after seeing the ball swing, he decided to pitch it up. He also says that the way second new ball reversed was surprising..

Canadian skipper Ashish Bagai says that the performance was good. Restricting Kenya to that total and chasing it was good. There was no pressure of the run rate. Jimmy Hansra got the odd boundaries and took away the pressure off him which made it a bit easy to chase..
Kenyan captain Jimmy Kamande says that they started off very badly and wanted more than 200 but later on thought that their total was enough to defend. Says that the bowling was not upto the mark to defend the total..
Canada have beaten Kenya by 5 wickets. Their batting was good and chased the total comfortably. Jimmy Hansra was the star batsman for them hitting a well made 70 and their captain Ashish Bagai stayed 64 not out till the end to steer his side to victory. Kenya on the other side tried their level best to get wickets but they couldn't apply pressure on the Canadian team. The best bowler for Kenya was Nehemiah Odhiambo with 2/45 in his 10 overs..

Afridi wants ICC to use UDRS more

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:13:00 +0000

Pakistan's One-day captain Shahid Afridi wants the International Cricket Council ( ICC) to consider increasing the number of Umpire decision review system (UDRS) appeals allowed to a particular team.
Unlike his Indian counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is not happy with the UDRS, Afridi said the system had worked well for most teams in the World Cup.
"The use of the UDRS is a positive development and it would not be a bad idea if its use is increased in the remaining matches of the World Cup and even after that," said Afridi in his show 'Captain's corner' on a news channel.
Afridi pointed out that the system has ensured minimum errors on the field and most teams are satisfied with it.
Pakistan benefitted immensely from the use of the UDRS system during their tight game against Canada yesterday as many of the decisions taken by on field umpires, Darrel Harper and Nigel Long, were turned down on review.
The allrounder, who has taken 14 wickets in three matches in the tournament, said while he was happy to be playing a leading role as a bowler but added that he would like to see the other bowlers fire as well.
"They have bowled well but have been unlucky. I just think I am more lucky to have got the wickets. It feels good to be taking wickets for your team.
"I am pretty confident that as the others would also start taking wickets as the tournament progressed," he said.
Afridi admitted that Pakistan still needed to bring more consistency in its performances.
"I don't think the Canadian bowlers bowled any outstanding stuff we gave away our wickets and if we want to reach the final of this tournament we need to bring consistency in all three departments of our game," he said.
Pakistan's fielding was shoddy against Sri Lanka and against Canada they came up with dismal show with the bat.
Afridi said fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar had a slight groin problem and had decided to rest for the Canada game.
"We need to improve further to do well in the remaining matches, which are expected to be much tougher. I think the quarter-final will be the toughest test for the qualifying teams in this competition."
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said while he was happy that Afridi was taking wickets but he also wants others to chip in.
"I don't think we can keep on relying on one bowler to take wickets all the time. I hope in the next games the other bowlers will also step up," said Waqar.

Ricky Ponting describes Pakistan as a very dangerous side, similar to Australia

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:09:00 +0000

Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has described Pakistan as a very dangerous side, predicting that the team will get better by the day as the 2011 World Cup progresses.
Speaking at a press conference in Colombo, Ponting drew comparisons between Pakistan and his own team, which is looking for a record fourth consecutive World Cup crown.
“They have some good bowlers. Their fast bowers have done well here. They have Shahid Afridi who is in terrific form. Then they have (Mohammad) Hafeez, who can bowl. Rehman is there and also Saeed Akmal. So in a way they are similar to Australia,” The News quoted Ponting, as saying.
He said Pakistan are a well-balanced side, and have made their presence felt at the World Cup by beating co-hosts Sri Lanka, one of the favourites for the title.
After Australia’s Pool A match against Sri Lanka was washed out by rain at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Ponting hoped that his team would be fully prepared to face Pakistan in their last group game on March 19 at the same venue.
Speaking on his team’s abandoned match against Sri Lanka, Ponting said that he was ‘surprised’ by the slowness of the wicket at the R Premadasa Stadium, adding that more than the players, he was disappointed for the crowd after the match was rained out.

I have put the controversies behind me, says Kamran Akmal

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:04:00 +0000

Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal feels that an allegation of his involvement in the spot-fixing saga is a thing of the past and he is now just trying to give his best in the ongoing World Cup.
"Those things are behind me now and I don't want to talk about those things. The fact that the selectors considered me good enough to play for Pakistan again in itself answers a lot of questions," Kamran said.
Kamran like Shoaib Malik and Danish Kaneria was not considered for the series against South Africa in UAE and the Test tour to New Zealand last year but made a comeback in the World Cup squad after being cleared by the integrity committee of the PCB.
The glovesman who has been given the responsibility of batting at no. 3 in the tournament said he was enjoying the challenge of batting up the order.
"I know I can still contribute bigger innings to the team. As the tournament progresses, I will try to bat for longer period as batting at no. 3 gives me a that time to settle down in a 50-over encounter."
He also refuted the suggestion that because of his batting responsibility, his keeping was being affected after he missed two stumping chances against Sri Lanka leaving spinner Abdul Rehman distraught.
But Kamran said there is no additional pressure on him to perform as he has earlier batted up the order in three formats of the game.
When asked about his shoddy show behind the stumps, Kamran reasoned, "Every player commits a few mistakes and faces difficulties during his career. I'm trying to get through this phase and improve my performance."

Pakistan dismiss concerns about balance

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:02:00 +0000

Pakistan may have a 100% record halfway into the group stage of the World Cup but concerns about the balance of the side refuse to go away. On Thursday, they completed an ultimately comfortable, but mostly tense, 46-run win against Canada, but their batting flopped under grey skies as they were bowled out for 184 in just 43 overs. In the end, Pakistan were indebted to captain Shahid Afridi, who ripped through Canada's chase, ending with his second five-for in three games.
The opening pair of Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad were separated early for the third straight game, but it was the inability of the lower middle order to rally that will be of greater concern. Pakistan have selected a deep batting line-up, with Abdul Razzaq coming in as low as number eight, to guard against precisely the kind of top order stutter they suffered against Canada. They have persisted with selecting only three specialist bowlers, relying on allrounders such as Razzaq and Hafeez to complete the fifth bowler's ten overs: so potent has Afridi been that he is increasingly a specialist bowler.
"Everyone has the right to give his opinion but we have not closed our eyes and ears," Intikhab Alam, the team manager, said on Sunday after a practice session. "The team management is doing its homework and whatever is in the best interest of the team they do it. In a cricket match 7-8 players do not perform every day. It is two, three players who get the job done."
The side takes on New Zealand in Pallekele on Tuesday and a win would all but ensure a quarter-final spot. The teams recently played a six-match ODI series in New Zealand, which Pakistan won 3-2 (one game was washed out) but conditions here will be starkly different to those in New Zealand in January. For one, the venue is at considerable altitude. "This place is 2000 ft above the sea level and altitude affects the breathing so we're working hard on that," Alam said.
"It's a tough game against New Zealand. We won the series against them but here the conditions are different. We will try to keep our 100 per cent record intact."
As has been the case through the tournament, Pakistan underwent another focused practice session. On Monday, Alam said, the team will do batting and fielding practice only in order to give some players enough recovery time. Abdur Rehman, who missed the game against Canada with a leg injury, did train with the side and will bowl on Monday, though Alam said, "It's too early to say with which combination we will go into the game against New Zealand."

Cricket World Cup 2011:secret of Kevin O’Brien's success for Ireland? 'Stump Test'

noreply@blogger.com (Asim Shahzad) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 17:59:00 +0000

Stocky and red-headed, Ger O’Brien is so clearly drawn from the family gene-pool that if Ireland sent him out to bat against India on Sunday, no one would notice the difference.
O’Brien arrives at the Railway Union clubhouse clutching a pile of old photographs. The most poignant one shows his two younger brothers Kevin and Niall, aged seven and nine, as they watch Ian Botham walk out of the pavilion gate at Clontarf cricket club.
Ger still remembers how awestruck Kevin was at this moment, as he stood waiting to meet his idol. But you could hardly say that it represented a turning point in his childhood. The youngest O’Brien – who monstered England last Wednesday with one of the great World Cup innings – was already spending every day of his summer holidays at the Railway Union cricket ground in the upmarket Dublin suburb of Sandymount.
“We would be out of the house at nine,” says Ger, “and straight into a session of ‘Stump Test’ [a game they evolved with a tennis ball and a cricket stump]. The only break would be to dash home for lunch, because the ground is 500 yards from our house. There were six kids in the family, so we used to play three-a-side – at least until the arguments started.”
Cricket remains an anomaly within Irish sport, even if a second win against India on Sunday would continue its emergence from the shadows. There are only around 20,000 registered players, as compared to 150,000 for rugby. Its Gaelic name – Iomain Gallda, or “foreign hurling” – reveals its status as an interloper. And yet, the people who do follow the sport really follow it, with great intensity and devotion.
The O’Briens are perhaps the leading Irish cricket dynasty. But there are plenty of others: cricket-crazed families who spent the Seventies and Eighties throwing the kids into the back of the car, driving them to the local club, then turfing them out to run wild while the adults hit the pitch or the clubhouse bar. These were the days before Breathalyzers, after
For the purposes of Niall, Kevin and their three brothers, it helped that Sandymount is such a hot spot of the game. You can find four leading clubs within a couple of square miles, because it used to be a 19th-century garrison town with a high proportion of English gentry. And there are also English connections at the Bray Cricket Club, half an hour south of Dublin, where Ed Joyce and his eight siblings learned to play.
“Cricket was an absolute obsession in our family,” says Jemma Joyce, one of Ed’s four sisters. “I used to joke that I could come home and say ‘I’m pregnant,’ and my parents would reply ‘Did you hear that the fifths beat Clontarf by 127 runs?’
“It was just something that my dad took an interest in. We didn’t know anyone with any awareness of the game outside the club. When the boys got too good for Bray, they moved to Merrion CC, in the city. And on the journey into Dublin, on the DART train, they had to disguise their bats, because cricket was seen as snobby or ‘posho’. There were a couple of uncomfortable incidents when people rumbled them.”
This experience is familiar to Ger O’Brien, who remembers how “at school we certainly didn’t advertise the fact that we were into cricket, because most people thought it was all cucumber sandwiches and cream teas”.
It is true that the O’Briens grew up in a sought-after location. Sandymount counts as part of the D4 postcode, Dublin’s answer to Chelsea. But the family house was – and still is – a modest red-brick semi with a 30-foot back garden, and they are far from being gentry themselves.
Father Brendan (better known as “Ginger”) was a tax inspector, whose primary goal in life was to play as much sport as possible. Apart from his 52 appearances in the Ireland cricket team, he represented Leinster at hockey (as did all six of his children) and played semi-professional football for Shelbourne FC, once even travelling to the Stadium of Light for a European Cup tie against Sporting Lisbon.
Cricket, though, was always king. “One day in the late 1950s, my father went down the lane to Railway Union,” says Ger now. “You could say he never came back.” The family’s devotion to the sport matched that of the Joyces, to the point where the only daughter, Ciara, spent several years as the first-team scorer.
When Malcolm Gladwell writes of the 10,000 hours required to achieve true expertise in any field, he could have had the O’Briens in mind. While the four elder siblings all found respectable jobs in accountancy or real estate, the younger two have made a living from their favourite hobby.
Niall, always seen as the man most likely, won his first county contract at the age of 22. Meanwhile Kevin – who turned 27 on Friday – has spent the last 14 months as one of Ireland’s half-dozen full-time professionals. Even so, he still lodges with his parents.
Kevin’s financial independence may soon be guaranteed, if he picks up the Indian Premier League contract that many are predicting. The Indian media have already gone wild with excitement over his jet-powered innings, which cut fully 16 balls off Viv Richards’ record for the fastest World Cup hundred.
Back in Ireland, the sport is looking to benefit from this sudden surge in visibility, which found Brian O’Driscoll brandishing a bat and ball during a photo opportunity last week. More schools are taking up the game, such as Marian College. Warren Deutrom, chief executive of Cricket Ireland, says he wants to extend participation to 50,000 players by 2015.
Kevin O’Brien will make a terrific figurehead. His withering power and aggression have long been renowned at Railway Union. Judging by the 102-metre six he struck off James Anderson on Wednesday, it is hardly surprising that the club have erected a 30-foot fence between the cricket pitch and bowling green to prevent an unwary pensioner from being brained.
Now, though, the secret is out in the open. If Kevin can produce any more displays like the one that unseated England, he will be well on the way to becoming a sporting celebrity. All those games of “Stump Test” have proved to be time well spent.