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Saeed Ajmal revenge doosra to Sachin Tendulker

2013-09-05T02:39:00.001-07:00

Saeed Ajmal revenge doosra to Sachin Tendulker

Latif to prove claims on Indian bookie

2013-09-03T03:06:00.000-07:00

Former captain Rashid Latif will meet Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials today to prove his claims regarding Indian bookmaker Anu Bhatt.
An official close to the board’s legal advisory confirmed the meeting was fixed for today in Lahore. “The board has sought its legal counsels to assess the evidence that will prove his statements in the media,” said the official
Latif claims that the India bookmaker, named as a key figure by the England and Wales Cricket Board in Danish Kaneria’s spot-fixing case, was the PCB’s guest in 2005-06 when England and India toured Pakistan. The PCB rejected his claims and issued a notice after Latif remained adamant on his stance.
“We are expecting solid evidence, like hotel bills and an air ticket. The PCB adopts a zero tolerance policy towards corruption and will reach to the bottom of the matter.”

Rahul Dravid set to lead Rajasthan Royals in CLT20

2013-08-15T03:46:00.001-07:00

Rahul Dravid looks all set for a final hurrah. The former India skipper, who led Rajasthan Royals to a third-place finish in the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League, is all set to don the captain's cap once again, this time in the Champions League T20.

A Royals source confirmed to TOI that the legendary batsman will indeed lead the team in the Champions League next month, perhaps for the last time. "He will be playing for us," the source said. Although Dravid had confirmed during IPL that if the Royals made it to the Champions League, he would be available for the team, doubts had been raised following the spot-fixing scandals. Sources said that Dravid was quite hurt by the scandals. He had also been called by Delhi police for his version.

Royals sources, meanwhile, said that they might not be asking for replacements for the three suspended players in the fixing scam — S Sreesanth, Ajith Chandila and Ankeet Chavan. "We are allowed to have only 15 players for the Champions League, which we have," he said. Their position regarding Siddharth Trivedi and Harmeet Singh is unclear. While Trivedi had voluntarily shared with police all details of approach from bookies, young Harmeet had been called following revelations that he too was on match-fixers' radar. "The team will take a decision on these players later," the source said.

Royals will attend a training camp in Jaipur in early September. They will play the tournament opener against Mumbai Indians at Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on September 21.

Apologetic Asif confesses spot-fixing

2013-08-15T03:43:00.002-07:00

Disgraced Pakistan fast-bowler Mohammad Asif apologised for his role in the notorious 2010 spot-fixing scandal yesterday, admitting his guilt for the first time and accepting a five-year ban.
The 30-year-old is the last of three players to come out with a confession, after teammates Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir admitted their part and presented themselves for rehabilitation.
Asif, pace partner Amir and then-captain Butt were banned for contriving deliberate no-balls in return for money during the Lord’s Test against England in 2010.

A year later an anti-corruption tribunal of the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned Butt for 10 years, with five suspended, Asif for seven years with two suspended and Amir for five years.
The tribunal had made confession, apology and rehabilitation mandatory to avoid the suspended portion of the ban.
“I accept the punishment from the ICC tribunal in 2011,” said Asif at a news conference. “I apologise for my actions that have brought disrespect to my beloved country, to the millions of fans in Pakistan and around the world.”
The trio and their agent Mazhar Majeed were also jailed by an English court over the affair in 2011. The players were released last year.
Touted as the best new-ball bowler in the world by legendary Pakistan paceman Imran Khan, Asif’s career was first derailed in 2006 when he and fellow paceman Shoaib Akhtar tested positive for banned steroids.
They were let off by a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) tribunal but another failed dope test in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008 resulted in a one-year ban for Asif.
He was also detained at the Dubai airport on return from the 2008 IPL after a banned drug was found in his possession.
Asif said he felt sorry for his repeated mistakes.
“When I look back at the events of my career, I feel very sorry,” he said.
Asif warned future players to avoid the pitfalls of fixing. “I request to all the players who want to represent their countries that they must keep away from all sorts of corruption.
“I am ready to help any player who wants to avoid such pitfalls. I will duly cooperate with the ICC, its anti-corruption unit and with the PCB in fighting corruption in the game.”
Asif said he was ready to go through the PCB rehabilitation programme. “I have suffered a lot because of my wrongdoings. Now on the Independence Day of my country, I promise that once my ban finishes I will try to repair the damage I have done.”
Before the ban, Asif had taken 106 wickets in 23 Tests and was widely regarded as one of the most skillful new-ball bowlers in the game.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2013.

Pakistan U23 team eyes Emerging Teams Cup title

2013-08-15T03:42:00.001-07:00

The Pakistan U23 team, led by all-rounder Hammad Azam, departed today for Singapore to take part in the inaugural Emerging Teams Cup, with the title in their sights.
The event, which will be held from August 17-25, was initiated by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to help develop young and promising cricketers in the region.
Eight teams divided into two groups are taking part in the tournament, with the top two teams from each group to get a slot in the semi-finals.
Pakistan U23 is placed with India U23 in Group A, a pool that also includes senior teams from Afghanistan and Nepal. The UAE and Singapore are the other two sides to send their senior squads and have been placed in Group B along with Sri Lanka U23 and Bangladesh U23.
Majority of the selected players have played for the Pakistan U19 team, while a few cricketers including Azam, Raza Hasan and Ehsan Adil have already represented the senior team.
Before their departure, an upbeat Azam stated that his side was aiming to clinch the title.
“We have a balanced side and all the players are determined to do well,” said the Pakistan U23 captain, who has featured in eight One-Day Internationals and five Twenty20 games.
However, the young all-rounder said the upcoming challenge would not be an easy task for his team.
“India will be a very tough side to play against while Afghanistan is also a very good team. But we are looking forward to a positive display and targeting to return home with the trophy.”
Team well prepared, says coach
Mansoor Rana, who is serving as coach of the team, said the squad had prepared well for the tournament.
“Even though we didn’t have lengthy training sessions before the campaign, the players are in rhythm due to their participation in the various Ramazan events. That will help.
“They gave a good show in the two practice matches in the last couple of days.”
Mansoor appreciated the ACC’s effort to initiate the tournament.
“It is an important event, especially for us since our youngsters are not getting a taste of international cricket at home.
“This competition is a good opportunity for players to get valuable international experience and prove their mettle.”
The coach further added that he expected interesting challenges during the course of the event.
“We are hoping for exciting matches in the presence of teams like India and Afghanistan.”
Pakistan U23 are scheduled to clash with traditional rivals India U23 in their opening match on August 18, followed by games against Afghanistan and Nepal on August 19 and August 21 respectively. The opening match will be played between Singapore and Bangladesh U23.
Rain forces Pakistan players to train indoors
The national team, preparing for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe, was confined to indoor training sessions due to heavy rains in Lahore yesterday.
However, the team management hoped to resume normal training today in two sessions including physical training and on field practice.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2013.
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Dhoni to lead Kapil's greatest all-time Indian ODI team

2013-08-15T03:40:00.001-07:00

He can walk into any Indian team on a given day but former captain Kapil Dev decided to keep himself "out" of the best-ever Indian ODI line-up which he feels should be led by another limited overs legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The World Cup winning captain's team of 12 has young Saurashtra all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja while Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble are the other two spinners.

Apart from Dhoni, the team has legendary Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli and Mohammed Azharuddin while Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath are the two fast bowlers.

Interestingly, Kapil didn't select a single member of the victorious 1983 squad.

Asked about the reason behind leaving out members of 1983 side, Kapil said: "I feel this is India's best ODI team. People can disagree with me but that's my personal view."

"Furthermore, I am selecting the side so how can I include myself in it," he said when asked to hand pick India's best ODI team on the sidelines of promotional event on Thursday.

"We won the 1983 World Cup but the fact remains that West Indies were by far the better side. We were just confident of doing well on that given day."

Kapil reiterated that the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team which won the Champions Trophy in England this year is the best-ever team in the history of Indian cricket.

"The team did not have key players like Sehwag, (Gautam) Gambhir, Zaheer but the way they played nobody missed them. West Indies is still missing the likes of Viv Richards, Desmond Haynes," he said.

"I have never seen such outstanding fielding side in the history of Indian cricket. The Champions Trophy title is the ultimate tribute to this team."

Kapil had words of appreciation for India's new batting sensation Shikhar Dhawan and compared the hard-hitting left-hander to Sehwag.

"Shikhar has been outstanding from his very first match. I had never thought there would be someone who can hit the ball better than Sehwag," he said.

With the present Indian team sporting a settled look, Kapil feels it would be tough for seniors like Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj and Zaheer to make a comeback.

"Nothing is impossible but they need to have patience. The competition would be tough because and the age is also not in their favour," he said.

Kapil All-time XII: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Mohammed Azharuddin, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan. 12th Man: Ravindra Jadeja.

ICC suspends seven in BPL fixing scandal

2013-08-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

Cracking down on corruption in the Bangladesh Premier League, the ICC on Tuesday provisionally suspended seven unnamed individuals for match-fixing-related offences while two others were charged for failing to report "corrupt approaches" that were made to them.

Refusing to divulge the names of the nine individuals, the ICC said disciplinary proceedings have been instituted against them and their identities would be revealed only after the conclusion of the entire process.

"The International Cricket Council and the Bangladesh Cricket Board today announced that following a comprehensive investigation carried out by the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, nine individuals have been charged with various offences that are alleged to have been committed under the BCB's Anti-Corruption Code during the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League," the ICC said in a statement.

"The charges relate to an alleged conspiracy within the Dhaka Gladiators franchise to engage in match-fixing and spot-fixing activity during matches in the BPL 2013, as well as failures by individuals to report approaches made to them to be involved in the conspiracy."

Charge letters detailing the allegations have been issued to the relevant individuals. But the ICC and BCB emphasised the importance of recognising that all those charged remain innocent until proved guilty.

"Those facing the more serious fixing-related charges have been provisionally suspended and are immediately barred from participating in all cricket activities organised or recognised by the BCB, the ICC or of the ICC's Member associations, pending resolution of the disciplinary proceedings against them," the ICC said.

All those charged have 14 days to indicate whether they would plead guilty or defend themselves from the charges brought against them in a full hearing, which would take place before an Anti-Corruption Tribunal.

Those who plead guilty, or who deny the charges but are later found guilty by an Anti-Corruption Tribunal, would be subject to the sanctions mandated in Article 6 of the BCB's Anti-Corruption Code, which include the impositions of a suspension of upto a lifetime for the fixing offences and between one to five years for any failure to report a corrupt approach.

The corruption scandal was unearthed by the ICC's ACSU, which was engaged by the BCB to provide anti-corruption cover during the BPL 2013.

ICC chief executive David Richardson, lauded the work of the ACSU.

"During its investigation, the ACSU interviewed a large number of people who were involved in BPL 2013 and collected significant evidence from a number of sources that has culminated in the charges that have been brought today," he said.

"Considering the limited resources available to the ACSU and the limitations that apply to its ability to uncover sufficient evidence to disrupt conspiracies of this kind, I am pleased that this investigation has led us to this outcome," he added.

"Whilst we have charged some individuals with failing to report corrupt approaches that were made to them, it is important to stress that this investigation has also been built upon, among other things, evidence gathered from other individuals who not only rejected corrupt approaches made to them, but then did what they were supposed to do, and reported them to the ACSU."

The BCB president Nazmul Hassan reiterated his commitment to protect the reputation of the sport in Bangladesh.

"As the custodians of the sport in Bangladesh, it is the responsibility of the BCB to protect its integrity for all those who engage in any way with the sport of cricket, whether players, spectators, broadcasters, sponsors or otherwise," he said.

"The BCB is committed to doing everything possible to defend it from the very small group of people who are willing to compromise the values of the overwhelming majority for personal greed and, in so doing, bring disgrace upon themselves and their associates, as well as tarnishing the image of the game," he added.

Pakistan could beat India in 2015 Cricket World Cup: Wasim Akram

2013-08-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

Former Pakistan pace bowler Wasim Akram has said that although it was still a long way for the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Pakistan could beat India this time.

According to pakpassion.net, Akram said that the Indians had moved ahead of Pakistan as far as cricket was concerned and they were organising more tours around the world for all of their teams at all levels, adding that everyone wanted to play against India at home or in India.

The former player said that the Indian Premier League has been a major boost for the country's cricket and their players.

Akram said that from the Pakistani perspective, the planning had to start right now and the selectors needed to think about who was going to be playing at the 2015 World Cup, adding that his concern was whether Pakistani batsmen would be able to perform well in Australia and New Zealand as the wickets would not be flat, with extra bounce available

Banned Amir backs calls to make match-fixing a crime

2013-08-10T22:02:00.002-07:00

Pakistan’s banned pace bowler Mohammad Amir has backed former India captain Rahul Dravid’s call to make match fixing a criminal offence.
Amir, who was jailed in England for corruption and is also serving a five-year ban for spot fixing during a test at Lord’s in 2010, urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to review and change its current system of anti-corruption enforcement and laws.
“Fixing of cricket matches must be made an criminal offence where the punishment should be hard jail,” Amir, who was released after three months of his six-month prison sentence in England, told the Geo Super sports channel on Thursday.
“Only then will players be willing to report any approach or offer or unusual activity to the ICC anti-corruption and security unit officers or their management without fear.”
Earlier this week Dravid, who has been named as a witness in a major spot-fixing scandal that tainted this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 competition, said merely educating players of the perils of match-fixing was not enough.
“I have been through a lot at a young age and I have learnt a lot. I made costly mistakes. But in order to prevent others from being lured into corruption tougher laws are required by the ICC,” said the 21-year-old, who was banned in 2011 by an ICC anti-corruption tribunal with team mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif.
“Main thing is that the ICC needs to keep track of all phone calls made by players and officials during a tour or tournament even if they need help of local police to make this legally possible.”

Lara is a cut above Tendulkar, Ponting: Afridi

2013-08-10T22:01:00.002-07:00

Joining the debate on who among Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar is a greater batsman, Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi said he considers the West Indian a cut above the best of his era.

"Lara was the best batsman I have seen in my entire career spanning 16 years better. Personally I found him to be a class above the two other greats of this era, Tendulkar and (Ricky) Pointing," Afridi said.

He was the most difficult batsmen I have bowled too in every format of the game. He could play and hit boundaries at will. Especially against the spinners he produced boundaries out of the hat a superb player and I enjoyed watching him bat," Afridi said while talking about the greatest players of his era.

Afridi said there were times when he felt that Lara could play blindfolded.

"At times I felt he was so good at playing spin he could even bat well against them blindfolded. Tendulkar and Pointing are also greats but I thought Lara was a cut above them," he said.

Talking about the greatest bowlers of his time, Afridi praised Australian, Glenn McGrath and compatriot Mohammad Asif who could swing the new ball both ways at will.

"They were the only bowlers who I felt knew when they were going to bowl inswing or outswing and that is a big quality in any bowler," he explained.

Afridi also talked about his comeback and a resurgence in his career.

"Now whenever I get out, I talk to myself and I curse myself for not finishing off a match if I am batting. It has helped me a lot this self assessment therapy," he said.

Afridi admitted he didn't think much about his batting after getting out or didn't do enough post-examination.

"But now when I am batting I am eager to finish off matches myself. I keep on talking to myself and even if I get out, I keep on analysing myself."

The flamboyant all-rounder said he was keen to keep on playing for Pakistan but with self-respect.

"I have seen the fate of some of our former greats and how they went out. I don't want to go through that phase. I can say this safely I will know when the time is right for me to go. Right now the time is good for me and I can carry on performing in Twenty20 and ODI cricket," he said.

Afridi conceded that in the past he had made mistakes in his career but insisted he never compromised on self-respect.

"I am that sort of a person if I feel I am not wanted or I don't get along with someone I will not play. I couldn't get along with Waqar Younis when he was captain so I decided not to play and stepped aside."

He also described Misbah-ul-Haq as a good captain who was a good planner.

"He is an excellent planner but unfortunately not everything you plan is executed all the time. And one can't expect him to treat other players like schoolchildren," he said.

How significant is Sachin Tendulkar vs Brian Lara debate now?

2013-08-10T21:59:00.003-07:00

Days after former Australian captain Ricky Ponting made headlines by calling West Indies great Brian Lara better than Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi jumped into the debate by comparing the two legends once again. In fact Afridi went a step ahead and said that he feels Lara is cut above both Tendulkar and Ponting.

Well both Ponting and Afridi got the much expected eyeballs for expressing their personal views on public domain. But the bigger question is how significant is this comparison between the two batting giants, that too at a time when one has already bid adieu to the game and one is on the verge of retirement.

In an era when players like Alastair Cook, Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and other youngsters are making and breaking records and new technologies and popular league tournaments are redefining the game of cricket, doesn't this Lara vs Tendulkar debate appear out of place?

Surprisingly the comparison came from Ponting and Afridi at a time when their own national teams are struggling badly on the international front. After being drubbed by India, Australia have already lost the Ashes. Pakistan, on the other hand, lost both Test and ODI series in South Africa and failed to impress in the Champions Trophy.

While Australia rank fourth in Tests behind South Africa, India and England, Pakistan are placed fifth. In ODIs, Pakistan are ranked at dismal sixth. Barring Misbah-ul-Haq no other Pakistani batsman features in top ten ODI rankings, where Australia have zero presence. Almost similar is the case in players' rankings in Tests.

So instead of sparking meaningless debates and getting into useless comparisons, why aren't Afridi and Ponting concentrating on nurturing their respective national teams?

It's sometimes insulting for the two legends to be compared on the basis of statistics. Going by the numbers, Tendulkar stands far ahead of Lara. Be it total runs, total centuries, half-centuries on man of the match trophies in any format of the game. It's only the numbers of triple centuries that Lara had scored in Test career that places him above Tendulkar. While Tendulkar has none, Lara has two, and ofcourse he also has incredible score of an unbeaten 400 to his name. But Tendulkar is the first batsman to hit a double century in ODIs.

But these are things of past. It's time to celebrate new achievements and groom other stars in making. Rather than deciding who is better between Lara and Tendulkar, it's time to see who becomes the new Lara and the new Tendulkar.

Pakistan still unsafe for touring teams: Ex-PCB chairman

2013-08-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

It is still very unsafe for international cricket teams to tour Pakistan, former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shahryar Mohammad Khan said on Friday.

Khan who was appointed as chief of the PCB from 2003-2006 by former president Pervez Musharraf told TOI that he "can't see any international cricket team coming to Pakistan in the foreseeable future."

He added: "It is of prime importance that cricket is revived in Pakistan. Nothing unites people as much as cricket, not even father of the nation Jinnah. From a banker to a camel cart rider, Pakistanis, like Indians, are obsessed with the game. However, security threat to international teams is a reality. If the Sri Lankan cricket team can be attacked, every other team is vulnerable."

Security fears have kept international teams away from Pakistan. Khan said: "The huge hurdle of better security climate within Pakistan has to be dealt it."

No major international cricket has been played in Pakistan since an attack on the Sri Lanka team bus by armed militants in Lahore in March 2009 left eight people dead and seven visiting players wounded.

Since the Lahore attack, Pakistan have played home matches abroad at neutral venues, mainly in the United Arab Emirates cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. "To bring the confidence back, the PCB could start with hosting U-19 or U-21 tournaments," Khan said.

Misbah didn’t want Farhat in squad

2013-08-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

Pakistan’s cricket selection committee, working without a chief selector on a ‘day-to-day basis’, is reportedly experiencing differences with the team management.
According to an official close to the selection committee, Test and One-Day International (ODI) captain Misbahul Haq was at odds with the selection committee over the choice of Imran Farhat for the two Test matches in the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe.

The official elaborated that the captain was not happy with the performance of the left-handed opener, who failed miserably in the Champions Trophy, scoring only two runs each against the West Indies and South Africa before being dropped for the last match.
“Misbah strongly opposed Farhat’s inclusion,” the official told The Express Tribune. “He wanted to retain Taufeeq Umar in the Test squad because he was disappointed with Farhat’s performance.
“The skipper stressed that Taufeeq was more reliable as an opener in Tests on the basis of his performance in the previous season [2011].”
Taufeeq was the first choice for the Test series against South Africa earlier this year. However, he returned without playing a match after suffering an injury and was replaced by Farhat who scored 73 (30 and 43) in Centurion in his only Test opportunity against Proteas on that tour. Taufeeq, on the other hand, managed just a half-century in the three-match Test series against Sri Lanka last year.
“Taufeeq has been struggling for a while in Tests as well as at domestic level.
“Meanwhile, Farhat has shown a better performance than Taufeeq in domestic cricket. He also scored a triple century in the last domestic season. That is why the selectors have given him a chance in Tests. He may have failed in the ODIs but the selectors felt they have no grounds to drop the opener in Tests.”
Farhat’s selection has often been branded a case of nepotism because of his close relationship with former Test cricketer and chief selector Mohammad Ilyas. But the opening batsman has dismissed the notion, saying he always made his place the national team on merit.
The left-hander started his career in 2001 but never cemented his place in the team; he has played in just 53 ODIs and 40 Tests.
Team to train in post-eid camp
After celebrating Eidul Fitr, the national players will assemble on August 12 in Lahore for a short conditioning camp from the following day for the tour of Zimbabwe.
According to a team official, no extensive training sessions were planned for the five-day camp that will be missed by Misbah, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shahzad, who will join the team directly in Zimbabwe due to their ongoing commitment with the Caribbean league.
“There will be normal training sessions,” said the official. “Most of the players are already in rhythm due to their participation in Ramazan events.”
The Pakistan team is scheduled to depart for Zimbabwe on August 19 for three ODIs, two Tests and as many Twenty20 games.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 9th, 2013.

Sethi sends Hanif best wishes

2013-08-10T21:53:00.003-07:00

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Caretaker Chairman Najam Sethi has assured ailing Hanif Mohammad that the board is ready to help him if need arises.
Hanif successfully underwent an operation for liver cancer in the UK which was diagnosed at an early stage.
Sethi sent a ‘get well soon’ message to the legendary batsman and in his letter, wrote, “I am delighted to know you are on the road to recovery and are coping bravely with your ordeal.
“I remain concerned about your well-being and wish you a speedy recovery so that you can return to your fans back home as quickly as possible,” stated the letter.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 9th, 2013.

Pakistan to play series with Sri Lanka in UAE

2013-08-02T10:59:00.002-07:00

Pakistan announced Friday it will play a full series of three Tests, five one-dayers and two Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates starting in December.

Since an attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009, Pakistan has been forced to play all top-level home international matches at neutral venues with insecurity too great for foreign teams to tour.

Sri Lanka will open the tour with two Twenty20s in Dubai on December 11 and 13 before playing five one-dayers between December 18 and 27, two in Sharjah on December 18 and 22; two in Abu Dhabi on December 25 and 27; and one in Dubai on December 20.

The three Tests will be played in Dubai from December 31-January 4, in Abu Dhabi from January 8-12 and Sharjah from January 16-20.

Pakistan is also likely to play a Twenty20 against Afghanistan on December 8, which would be the first between the two teams. Final confirmation of the match is due in a few days.

Pakistan will also play a two-Test, five one-day and two Twenty20 series against South Africa in the UAE in October-November.

Programme:

Dec 7- Sri Lankan team arrive in Dubai

Dec 8 – Pakistan vs Afghanistan Twenty20 internationals (to be confirmed)

Dec 11 – 1st T20 Pakistan vs Sri Lanka – Dubai

Dec 13 – 2nd T20 – Dubai

Dec 18 – 1st one-day international – Sharjah

Dec 20 – 2nd one-day international – Dubai

Dec 22 – 3rd one-day international – Sharjah

Dec 25 – 4th one-day international – Abu Dhabi

Dec 27 – 5th one-day international – Abu Dhabi

Dec 31-Jan 4 – 1st Test – Dubai

Jan 8-12 – 2nd Test – Abu Dhabi

Jan 16-20 -3rd Test – Sharjah

Virat Kohli needs to calm down his enthusiasm a bit: Waugh

2013-08-02T10:58:00.003-07:00

Virat Kohli is a potential captaincy material but the talented right-handed batsman needs to calm down his enthusiasm to become a good leader in future, feels former Australia skipper Steve Waugh.

"Virat Kohli is a talented player and a potential captain for sure. He is very exciting and has got passion for sure, which is good, but he sometimes needs to pull that enthusiasm inside a bit. He will make a good leader one day," Waugh said here on Friday.

Recently, miffed at being given out to a controversial catch during the second ODI against Zimbabwe, Kohli, who is captaining the side in African nation tour, ended up arguing aggressively with on-field officials even after the third umpire ruled the decision against him.

Waugh also praised India`s regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, saying he has achieved everything as a captain.

"Dhoni has won every trophy you can possibly win. That is what he can do as a captain. He has done a brilliant job. Very aggressive, very positive and he has been a fine captain for India," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

On senior India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who will be playing his 200th Test match later this year, Waugh said the champion batsman will achieve something that nobody could have ever thought of.

"It`s a great achievement. To play 198 Tests it is amazing. He has broken every record. He will probably hold every record besides the highest average which Don Bradman has. An amazing player and 200 Test matches that is like the holy grail. I don`t think anyone thought they would get to 200," he said about Tendulkar.

With the Indian Cricket Board finding itself in a soup in the recent time, Waugh today asked the BCCI to look at the larger interest of the game.

"They (BCCI) are obviously a very powerful group. They have a big influence on world cricket. They have got to take on board the best interests of the game, obviously Indian cricket is in a good state, the side is going on well, the cricket board makes a lot of money.”

"But at the end of the day, for the good of the sport, the longevity of the sport, the BCCI have got to see the bigger picture," he said.

Australia have found themselves on the wrong side with the use of DRS in the ongoing Ashes Test series but Waugh supported the use of technology in the sport, however, he felt it needed to be complemented by good umpiring.

"I think DRS is pretty good for the game. DRS is good system in conjecture with good umpiring. If the umpire is not of top quality standards then it is going to put more pressure on DRS. And we have seen that in the three Tests so far, which has been the real issue.

"With DRS we have more decisions right than wrong. They have go to definitely improve the technology. It is not a perfect system. But we are getting more right than wrong. Maybe they need to fine tune it," the former Australian great said.

Waugh praised the Australian team for showing some resilience in the ongoing third Test match but said a comeback from 0-2 down looks unlikely.

"I think they are doing okay. We are fighting back in this Test match. Obviously we lost the first two but that is sport. England is playing well, they are a very good team. We are a developing side. The odds are unlikely that we are going to win the series but I am glad we are fighting back at Old Trafford. It`s a good sign," he said.

He also felt that it would take at least a year for this Australian side to make it top again.

"England are enjoying the fact that they are beating Australia. I know we beat them in eight Ashes series in a row. They have turned it around now, so good luck to them. It doesn`t embarrass me that we have lost six Tests in a row. It happens in sports. You go through different cycles. We have got enough talent. I am confident that Australia will get towards the top, over the next 12 to 18 months," he added.

Towering Irfan dreams to stand taller than anyother bowler

2013-08-02T10:57:00.001-07:00

When Mohammad Irfan first broke into international cricket, the seven foot tall fast bowler was greeted by a range of expectations. But despite a rocky start, the pacer has made a strong comeback and is eyeing to become the top ranked bowler in the world.
While initial excitement gave way to a number of analysis, ranging from experts dismissing him as too fragile to last, some though held onto the belief in the promise he presented, despite being a late entrant to international cricket.

His debut in England three years ago now seems a life time ago. But despite the turbulent initial spell, Irfan has made a strong comeback and proved himself in high pressure games against India.
Since then, the 31 year-old bowler has progressed in leaps and bounds, becoming one of the most successful pacers in a Pakistan’s cricketing arsenal.
In the recently concluded Caribbean tour, where Pakistan won the ODI series 3-1 win and swept the two Twenty20 matches, Irfan was the second best bowler with nine scalps to his name. He was upstaged by compatriot Shahid Afridi, who snapped ten wickets.
Returning home, Irfan has shunned rest, and dived headfirst into the ongoing Ramazan Twenty20 in Karachi.
Irfan attributed his success to hard work, saying he was enjoying his current form to the full.
“I am enjoying a lot for the past few months,” the fast bowler said in his first public speech after returning from the West Indies tour.
“The tour of West Indies was a tough challenge for me and I am satisfied with my overall performance.”
Explaining the reason behind his success, Irfan said that being dropped from the team only made him work harder to make a comeback.
“I struggled a lot after being dropped from team following my debut. I was determined to make a comeback and after succeeding in it I am giving my heart out to perform for my team.”
Irfan, currently ranked at 30 in the Reliance ODI bowler rankings, said he was targeting the top spot.
“I am targeting step by step. My initial aim is to reach the top ten bowlers after which I will vie for top two slots.”
But the 7′ 1″ bowler knows success cannot come without hard work.
“However, rankings depend on performance and to perform well for my team is my greatest wish.”

Hold Cronje type enquiry into IPL fixing scam: Kirmani

2013-08-02T10:55:00.002-07:00

Bangalore: Former India wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani on Friday called on the BCCI to hold a thorough enquiry into the IPL spot-fixing scandal as was done in the case of Hansie Cronje match-fixing scam.

"The entire camera was on Hansie. He was asked you tell us whether you have taken it or not and he accepted it. Those who accept their follies and repent are great gentlemen. You see, that`s how the enquiry should be (and only) then the public will (realise the truth)," he told reporters here.
Kirmani, who was awarded the best wicket-keeper in the 1983 World Cup, said a transparent enquiry was not conducted into the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

"Has anyone, who has been accused of the crime (betting or spot-fixing), questioned on camera? Has anybody involved been interviewed? No not yet. So where is the transparency?" he questioned.

Nevertheless, Kirmani was all praise for N Srinivasan, who was on Friday forced to drop his desperate bid to reinstate himself as BCCI President, after the under-fire Board called off its Working Committee meeting here, fearing legal trouble in the wake of an adverse Bombay High Court order.

"I don`t take it as a controversy. He is a great administrator and has done yeomen service to cricket and cricketers," he said.

"Players are least bothered about messy affairs in BCCI. We are only interested in cricket`s progress and players welfare," he added.

Underworld link to IPL fixing probe

2013-07-26T03:24:00.000-07:00

Audio intercepts of telephone calls was on Tuesday (July 16) played by the Delhi police in a court in New Delhi to buttress its claim about the nexus between underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and bookies in the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

Objecting to the bail pleas of suspended Rajasthan Royal's player Ajit Chandila and seven others, Delhi police special cell played out a conversation between Dawood and Javed Chutani, allegedly the key link with Indian bookies.

The police also informed Additional Sessions Judge Renu Bhatnagar that bookie Ashwani Agarwal was in constant touch with Javed, a close associate of Dawood and Chhota Shakeel. However, during the proceedings, Ashwani's counsel refuted the allegations of special cell, claiming he had no links with the underworld people.

The audio played out in the court, was purported to be of Dawood, who was heard discussing a deal worth Rs eight million with Javed.

Dawood was also purportedly heard saying that the deal should not be less than Rs eight million.

The telephonic conversation was played during the hearing of the bail pleas of Chandila, bookies Ashwani, Ramesh Vyas, Deepak Kumar, Sunil Bhatia, Firoz Farid Ansari, Jitender Kumar Jain and ex-Ranji player Baburao Yadav. Meanwhile, the court has extended judicial custody of the accused till July 30.

The Delhi Police on May 16 had arrested three cricketers -- S Sreesanth, Chandila and Ankeet Chavan of Rajasthan Royal's -- on charges of spot-fixing.

The Delhi Police had slapped provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on Sreesanth, Chandila, Chavan and on 25 others in the case, alleging that they were acting under the command of Dawood and Chhota Shakeel. In the same case, the court had on June 10 granted bail to Sreesanth, Chavan and 19 others on the ground of lack of evidence against them to be charged under MCOCA. At present, eight accused are in jail.

In another conversation played on being asked by senior public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan, two bookies were discussing the flow of hawala money from Pakistan to India and vice versa. In the call intercept purportedly of Ashwani and Sunil, signs were discussed by bookies for accused players, specifically Chandila, to indicate that they were fixing an over during a match.

Police also said that the accused should not be granted relief as they were following the command of Dawood and Chhota Shakeel and were running the syndicate at their behest in south and north India.

The police had opposed Chandila's bail plea, saying he was a "key conspirator" in the entire IPL spot-fixing case and was acting at the behest of a syndicate run by Dawood. Referring to phone calls played out in court, Mohan said that Sunil was in touch with Chandila, who helped rope in other cricketers.

Mohammad Asif admits to spot-fixing

2013-07-26T03:17:00.000-07:00

Following the footsteps of his fellow banned teammates, disgraced Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Asif has also admitted to spot fixing during a meeting with Subhan Ahmad, the Chief Operating Officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board in Lahore. A top source in the PCB told PTI that Asif met Ahmad and confessed that he had indulged in spot fixing during the fourth Test against England at Lords in 2010.

India vs Zimbabwe Highlights 1st ODI – 2013

2013-07-24T22:40:00.001-07:00

India vs Zimbabwe Highlights 1st ODI 2013. India vs Zimbabwe 1st ODI Highlights 24th July 2013. IND vs ZIMBABWE Cricket Highlights 2013. Watch India Tour of Zimbabwe Highlights 2013.

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Pakistan vs West Indies 5th ODI Video HIghlights

2013-07-24T22:26:00.000-07:00

Pakistan vs West Indies Video Highlights of PAK tour WI 2013, 5th ODI Match on July 24th played at Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia. West Indies on Wednesday sets 239 runs target on loss of 6 wickets against Pakistan in the 5th and final One Day International (ODI) against West Indies played at Bearusejour Cricket Ground.Bravo, who made his way out to the crease when the West Indies were six wickets down for a score of 170 with less than six overs remaining, hit 48 from 27 balls to help his side to a total of 242 for seven.

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'MAIN HOON SHAHID AFRIDI' HD Trailer

2013-07-23T05:15:00.001-07:00

'MAIN HOON SHAHID AFRIDI' HD Trailer (1) (The... by Zaman_Punjabi

Main Shahid Afridi Hoon _ 1st Trailer of ’MAIN HOON SHAHID AFRIDI’ HD .
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The Second Trailer of ’MAIN HOON SHAHID AFRIDI’ HD
Upcoming Pakistani Movie ’Main Hoon Shahid Afridi’
"ARY FILMS & MANDVIWALLA ENTERTAINMENT"
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MAIN HOON SHAHID AFRIDI
Releasing on Eid-ul-Fitr 2013 in Cinemas across PAKISTAN.

Rozlyn Khan turns sexy bhabhi for IPL!

2013-07-23T04:56:00.001-07:00

Sexy model Rozlyn Khan is keeping the headlines hot again as she has tweeted her erotic pic with the caption 'Roz IPL ki bajao bhabhi style'

Missed bowling in the Test: Watto

2013-02-28T10:04:00.001-08:00

Shane Watson has realised he can never give up bowling completely in his career after watching his team mates getting butchered by the Indian batsmen during the first Test, which left the Australian all-rounder with a temptation to start rolling his arms over again.

Ravaged by injuries, Watson had commitment to playing only as a batsman on his comeback during the four-Test series, but with the Aussies struggling to contain the hosts, he is pitching to bowl again.

"That was a time that reaffirmed to me that I do want to bowl," Watson was quoted as saying by ESPN cricinfo.

"That was a time where if I hadn't have made the decision not to bowl for this tour that I could have had some input on the game at a crucial time in the match. That to me was the first time over the last month since I came back that I missed bowling.

"The decision I made is more a longer-term decision to get some running and conditioning into my legs, so when I start bowling again, my body has more chance of handling it. I do appreciate the decision but it certainly reaffirmed to me that I'm never going to give up bowling. It excites me having some input on the game, especially when what I do could have an influence on a certain part of the game," he added.

However, Watson said he will stick to his plan of resuming bowling during the second half of the IPL.