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Squad for One Day International - PAK vs AUS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:11:00 +0000

Here's the list of the Pakistan-17 which would participate in the coming ODI series :-
Mohammad Yousuf

captain

Age: 35 years 140 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm offbreak

Shahid Afridi

vice-captain

Age: 29 years 319 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Bowling: Legbreak googly

Fawad Alam

Age: 24 years 98 days

Batting: Left-hand bat

Bowling: Slow left-arm orthodox

Iftikhar Anjum

Age: 29 years 44 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm medium

Imran Farhat

Age: 27 years 239 days

Batting: Left-hand bat

Bowling: Legbreak

Kamran Akmal

wicketkeeper

Age: 28 years 1 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Khalid Latif

Age: 24 years 71 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm offbreak

Mohammad Aamer

Age: 17 years 276 days

Batting: Left-hand bat

Bowling: Left-arm fast-medium

Mohammad Asif

Age: 27 years 25 days

Playing role: Bowler

Batting: Left-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm fast-medium

Naved-ul-Hasan

Age: 31 years 320 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm medium-fast

Saeed Ajmal

Age: 32 years 92 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm offbreak

Salman Butt

Age: 25 years 99 days

Playing role: Batsman

Batting: Left-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm offbreak

Sarfraz Ahmed

wicketkeeper

Age: 22 years 237 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Shoaib Malik

Age: 27 years 347 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm offbreak

Umar Akmal

Age: 19 years 233 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Umar Gul

Age: 25 years 275 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm fast-medium

Younis Khan

Age: 32 years 46 days

Batting: Right-hand bat

Bowling: Right-arm medium

Match Fixtures L;ive - Austalia vs Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:56:00 +0000

Hello everyone, I m really sorry that I could not upload proper content at appropriate time, might be due to the shocking performance by pakistani super-stars. But the undersigned is quite hopeful that the Paksitan would not let down our felings and will make the australians learn that "never underestimate the opponents". With the some context the fixtures of the ODI series that is gonna commence from 22nd can be viewed as :

Fri Jan 22
03:25 GMT | 13:25 local
08:25 PKT 1st ODI - Australia v Pakistan
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane Partly Cloudy 21 - 30° C
Forecast
Partly Cloudy

Lets hope for the best. Cheers Pakistani Team

Sun Jan 24
03:25 GMT | 14:25 local
08:25 PKT 2nd ODI - Australia v Pakistan
Sydney Cricket Ground Cloudy 20 - 23° C
Forecast
Cloudy

Tue Jan 26
03:25 GMT | 13:55 local
08:25 PKT 3rd ODI - Australia v Pakistan
Adelaide Oval
N/A

Fri Jan 29
04:30 GMT | 12:30 local
09:30 PKT 4th ODI - Australia v Pakistan
Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth
N/A

Sun Jan 31
04:30 GMT | 12:30 local
09:30 PKT 5th ODI - Australia v Pakistan
Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth
N/A

Fri Feb 5
08:35 GMT | 19:35 local
13:35 PKT Only T20I - Australia v Pakistan
Melbourne Cricket Ground

Lack of Cricket wont harm Twenty20 world-Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 May 2009 06:39:00 +0000

Shahid Afridi believes Pakistan's recent lack of international cricket will not hamper their chances at the World Twenty20 in England next month. Since January 2007, no team has played as little as Pakistan's ten Tests and 50 ODIs. Even Bangladesh, the weakest Test-playing nation, have played 15 Tests and 55 ODIs and teams such as Australia and India have played nearly three times as much cricket in that time.

The lack of Pakistani participation in the IPL has also not helped, but Afridi, fresh from a successful battle with the Australians, believes Pakistan are strong enough to overcome the dearth. "I don't feel our lack of cricket will make much of a difference because we are still a strong Twenty20 side," Afridi told Cricinfo. "We have a pretty similar team to last time with only a few changes and we have Younis [Khan] as captain now. He has done well and taken the team along with him so far and he will be vital come England."

Afridi himself will be a vital plank in Pakistan's challenge, especially given his fine recent form. He was the leading wicket-taker against Australia, a consistent, nagging threat on slow, low surfaces and pole-axed their batting in Pakistan's crushing Twenty20 win in Dubai. Few will forget either that he was player of the tournament in South Africa two years ago.

England, where he has been effective with the ball in ODIs, offers a different proposition, however. "Wickets in England might be slower, a little less bounce so I'll make slight adjustments to my bowling," he said. "Maybe a bit more flight, but generally, as an ODI leggie, you have to be straight and tight and that works in most conditions."

Until the series against Australia, Afridi's form had been uncertain, especially poor with the bat, over the last year. In 18 matches before the series, his highest score was 28. His bowling, though considerably improved, lacked wicket-taking penetration; in 11 ODIs against established teams last year, he picked up nine wickets.

Pressure was building for his place in the side to be scrutinized. "I don't take or give pressure, no matter what anyone is saying about me. I knew I was backed by the coach, the captain and the team and that is all I needed."

But the form dip did spur him on to a more concentrated fitness and training regime. "It's come about through a lot of individual effort. I've worked really hard on my fitness levels. I used to be tired after bowling six to seven overs previously and then struggle. I've also concentrated in the nets on my lines and lengths because for a legspinner this is vital, especially in ODIs. Abdul Qadir [the chief selector] has helped with tips, though it is easy to listen and harder to actually execute."

Significantly, there were indicators of a revival in his batting fortunes. Though there was still no fifty, a couple of unusually responsible, properly constructed 40s stood out. The fight to curb his instincts, Afridi said, goes on. "I have really fought with myself in the ground, talked to myself a lot during my batting. I've had to control myself because I need to score runs for the team - that is the priority. I want to continue it in England, where I've had some success batting in county games. You need to counter the initial overs there but after that, conditions for lower-order guys like myself, are pretty good."

T-20 : MATCH BULLET-IN

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:53:00 +0000

GUL AND AFRIDI DEMOLISH AUSTRALIA

20 overs Pakistan 109-3 (Akmal 59*) beat Australia 108 (Watson 33, Gul 4-8, Afridi 3-14) by seven wickets

Umar Gul took a wicket first ball, Shahid Afridi took two in his first two balls, and Australia imploded bizarrely after a flying start from Shane Watson. From 42 for 0 in four overs Australia went to 73 for 5 and 108 all out, a target Pakistan chased down easily after an early wobble. Australia had fielded almost a second XI, and played like that.

The first innings of the match was as frenetically eventful as the second was assured and sedate. Gul's 4-0-8-4 was just one run off the best-ever figures in Twenty20 internationals. Afridi followed his double-wicket maiden with another wicket and nine more runs in the next two overs, as the Australian batsmen kept playing for the non-existent spin. The collapse was just as spectacular as Watson's onslaught on Shoaib Akhtar and Sohail Tanvir. It was ironically a missed inside edge by Aleem Dar that started the slide.

No less a bizarre innings would have been fit for a day when the match started one-and-a-half hours after the toss while waiting for Dubai's Sheikh, an esteemed guest for the match. A day when Younis Khan pulled out at the 11th hour because of fever. A day when Misbah-ul-Haq, the stand-in captain, said at the toss that Younis stepped down to give Fawad Alam an opportunity.

The delayed start didn't affect Watson, who seemed to be carrying on from his century in the final one-dayer. He started the match with an outside-edged boundary off Shoaib, didn't get much strike for the next three overs, and exploded in the fourth. He carted Tanvir for back-to-back boundaries through midwicket, and pulled the next to deep backward square leg. In four overs, Watson had reached 33 off 13 deliveries, with Misbah seeming out of sorts.

He was in complete control, though, hurrying the introduction of perhaps the best Twenty20 bowler in international cricket. With his first ball Gul went level with Daniel Vettori, with most wickets in Twenty20 internationals. The ball swung in late, hitting Watson in front, but for the inside edge that Dar missed. Gul would soon go past Vettori.

The breakthrough achieved, Misbah took Gul off and turned to his spinners, who have troubled Australia all series. James Hopes went for a slog sweep off Afridi first ball, and missed. Andrew Symonds saw Afridi running in to him as soon as he lifted his head after taking guard. This one was a straighter one too, and Symonds was clearly late in a half-hearted prod.

In Afirdi's next over, Hussey went on to cut a fullish topspinner and played it on. When Australia's new captain, Brad Haddin, chipped Shoaib Malik straight to long-on, Australia were in absolute tatters. The lower half had the small matter of Saeed Ajmal and Malik's doosras and Gul's reverse-swing to negotiate, but there was always going to be one winner.

Gul took three wickets in his second spell, bowling Brett Lee and Marcus North with perfect late inswingers. Between them Gul and Afridi took 7 for 22, and the last 16 overs yielded just 66.

The only hope then for Australia was that the pitch was a touch double-paced, and they raised hopes of a close match by removing the Pakistan openers for 23 in four overs. But without a target to build pressure, the spinners were always going to find it tough. Kamran Akmal, just like Watson, carried forward the good form from his match-winning century in the last ODI, and Misbah finished a perfect night as captain with a responsible 24.

Nothing about Kamran suggested there was any panic in the air. The third ball he faced he square-drove Brett Lee powerfully for four, and his stability thereon ended the contest. His occasional square-cut boundaries kept Pakistan ahead of the modest run-rate required, and it was not until the 14th over - with just 32 required - that he had some fun. Hopes was the unfortunate bowler pulled over long-on and scooped over fine leg for consecutive sixes. When he reached his half-century, Kamran - a new father - celebrated with a baby-rocking gesture; he had played with the responsibility that befits a father.

Hauritz finished the match with a wide down the leg side, and Australia were yet to beat Pakistan in Twenty20 internationals: they lost their first meeting too, during the World Twenty20 in 2007.

Source: Cricinfo

Match Bulletin : Pakistan v Australia, 5th ODI, Abu Dhabi

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:46:00 +0000

Kamran helps Paki for a book-ending victory

Pakistan 254 for 3 (Akmal 116*, Misbah 76*) beat Australia 250 for 4 (Watson 116*, Ferguson 41*) by seven wickets

A scintillating century from Kamran Akmal helped guide Pakistan to book-ending victories in the five-match ODI series against Australia. Akmal's knock off 115 balls, his fifth ODI century, meant he top scored in both of Pakistan's successful run-chases this series and begged the question as to why he had not batted in the top four throughout.

Akmal combined superbly with Misbah-ul-Haq to reel in Australia's total, the highest run-chase of this tough series, after being thrust together with Pakistan in trouble at 56 for 3. Their unbroken stand of 198 was an ODI record for the fourth wicket against Australia.

Misbah was the ideal foil for Akmal, who was ignited by Misbah's energetic running, and the pair complimented each other perfectly to frustrate the Australian bowlers. While Akmal pounced on any width from either the fast bowlers or spinners, flaying the majority of his 13 boundaries through the off side, Misbah walked across his crease frequently, working the bowlers into the vast expanses on the on-side. Their running between the wickets was outstanding but it was the constant flow of boundaries that kept the scoring rate high.

Pakistan began their pursuit horrendously with another terrible mix-up between Ahmed Shehzad and Salman Butt, resulting in Butt's run-out in the first over without facing a ball. The problems compounded when Younis Khan, after his most fluent innings of the series, holed out to deep long-on and Shehzad made a horrible error in judgement to gift Nathan Hauritz two wickets and leave Pakistan struggling at 56 for 3.

But the promotion of Akmal proved a master-stroke from Younis while the experience of Misbah was invaluable.

Australia had one chance to break the pair. Michael Clarke could have ended a cramping Akmal's day on 97 as he strained for a single. The usually deadly Clarke missed from backward point and from there it was a fait accompli with Akmal cutting loose after Pakistan took the batting Powerplay in the 46th over.

It was a disappointing result for the Australians after they produced their best batting display of the series on the back of Shane Watson's second one-day international century

Watson's unbeaten 146-ball stay was a superb mixture of power and patience as Australia controlled the opening half of the dead rubber and pushed for a 4-1 result.

The Queenslander continued a rich vein of form following his 85 not out on Friday, but today he was far more fluent. He punished the bad balls that were presented. He was particularly vicious on anything fractionally short - the highlights being two massive straight sixes complimenting six boundaries. But a real feature was his composure against the spinners that have so frustrated him throughout this series.

Watson was the anchor to three partnerships of more than 50 - the highest was an unconquered 84 with Callum Ferguson. Ferguson, starved for opportunities through most of this series, overcame a nervous start to provide sound support for Watson finishing with 41 not out. Neither player panicked despite an unproductive batting Powerplay. However they did have a near-calamitous mix-up, with Ferguson fortunate to escape thanks to an awkward throw that was not collected by Saeed Ajmal. But for the most part the running was sound whilst Ferguson's placement and timing was superb.

Earlier, Watson and Brad Haddin (36) produced the brightest opening stand of the campaign by racing to 51 in just eight overs with some glorious strokeplay on a very good batting surface.

After conceding 71 from the first ten overs, Younis Khan applied the brakes in the form of Ajmal and Shahid Afridi. The spinners operated through the bowling Powerplay, with Ajmal claiming Marcus North with a crafty piece of work from around the wicket. He delivered a doosra first before flighting an offbreak that lured a tentative North down the track and Akmal completed the simple stumping.

Ajmal and Afridi were the pick of the bowlers but could not wreak the havoc they did in the first match in Dubai.

Clarke and Watson picked up where they left off last Friday combining for 57, before Umar Gul found some reverse-swing in an impressive second spell to find Clarke's prized outside edge.

Australia took their batting Powerplay in the 36th over but could not capitalize as Younis again held his nerve turning to his two most experienced spinners in Afridi and Shoaib Malik.

Source: Cricinfo

4rth ODI Match Bulletin

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:44:00 +0000

Clarke and Bollinger seal series

Australia 200 for 2 (Clarke 100*, Watson 85*) beat Pakistan 197 (Ahmed Shehzad 43, Shahid Afridi 40, Bollinger 5-35) by eight wickets

Stand-in Australian captain Michael Clarke produced a superb century to seal the five-match series with a game to spare after an eight-wicket win in Abu Dhabi. An unbeaten hundred, his fourth in one-day cricket and first as captain, was arguably his finest and was the key to Australia's comfortable pursuit of Pakistan's 197.

Clarke and Shane Watson combined for a record-breaking 197-run partnership to lift Australia from its knees after Shoaib Akhtar wound back the clock with two early wickets in a blistering opening spell. Shoaib, on return after being left out of game three, claimed Brad Haddin and debutant Marcus North to leave Australia reeling at 3 for 2. But Clarke and Watson negotiated the rest of Shoaib's sharp four-over opening spell before flourishing under the floodlights.

The captain's innings was easily the best and most fluent of the series and featured sublime footwork and timing against both pace and spin. The ease with which he found the boundary was breath-taking as he produced nearly every shot in the book, punctuated by a crushing cover drive to bring up three figures.

Watson's innings was at times the total antithesis of his captain's but certainly no less valuable. For long periods he fought the Pakistan attack, the Sheik Zayed Stadium surface and even his own mind. Saeed Ajmal, whose ten overs cost just 20, mesmerised him but could not claim his wicket. Watson provided resolute support for his captain while exorcising his own demons with his best performance since returning from injury.

The chase was never really threatened after the initial Shoaib burst. The spinners proved a handful but could not break Watson's resolve and never looked like breaking Clarke's.

Doug Bollinger produced an exceptional bowling performance in just his second one-day international to help bowl out Pakistan for 197. Returning in place of Ben Hilfenhaus, Bollinger claimed his first wicket with the third ball of the day and came back in the 35th over to claim four more victims.

He finished with a fine 5 for 35 from 7.4 overs on another very slow pitch. It was the Australians who were expected to wilt in the oppressive conditions but they produced a disciplined effort to stifle Pakistan.

Shahid Afridi led a late rescue mission with a run-a-ball 40 to guide Pakistan to their total after they lost regular wickets in the blazing heat. They stumbled early after winning the toss, slumping to 12 for 2, and it could have been 12 for 3 after Misbah-ul-Haq survived a huge appeal for caught behind first ball off Nathan Bracken. Bracken was unfortunate to claim just 2 for 31 from his 10 overs.

Misbah (34) and the 17-year-old Ahmed Shehzad (43) set about rebuilding the innings during a steady stand. They wrestled with the impeccable lengths of the four Australian fast bowlers who were very effective with their changes of pace. Bracken and Stuart Clark were particularly difficult to get away on a wicket which became lower and slower as the innings wore on.

The two Pakistani batsmen were far more comfortable against the finger spinners. Nathan Hauritz and Clarke orchestrated Pakistan's collapse on Monday, but there had been a clear rethink in strategy by the batsmen. Hauritz was tidy in claiming 1 for 34 but the other three finger spinners all conceded more than five runs per over.

The big shots were shelved, barring a poorly executed slog sweep from Shehzad, as the batsmen worked the spinners into the gaps and ran neatly between the wickets. Afridi and Shoaib Malik accelerated during the middle period and a total of 240 looked a distinct possibility, but the reintroduction of Bollinger and Clark changed things dramatically.

Afridi's innings defied expectation. His strike-rate was typically brisk, he farmed the strike well to protect the lower order, was inventive but calculated with his stroke-play and placement, while his running was atypically intelligent.

But his departure in the batting Powerplay signalled the beginning of the end for Pakistan as Bollinger and Bracken cleaned up by cleverly mixing their lengths and pace. Australia have sealed the series 3-1 with a match to play and might have the opportunity to use Brett Lee in the dead rubber.

SOURCE: CRICINFO

3rd ODI MATCH BULLETIN

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 05:19:00 +0000

Australia on the lead

Pakistan's propensity to self-destruct cost them the lead in this series in dramatic manner, a batting collapse against spin handing Australia an improbable win. Michael Clarke, the Australian captain, turned in a superb all-round performance with a gritty 66 in the face of some penetrative spin bowling before picking up 3 for 15 amid Pakistan's middle-order chaos. His spin partners, Nathan Hauritz and Andrew Symonds, helped defend a below-par score of 198 as Pakistan fell short by 27 runs.

Spinners have been making headlines in the IPL in South Africa and the story today wasn't any different in the northern hemisphere. Pakistan's own spin trio strangled the runs and picked up three wickets and, by the time their openers Salman Butt and Ahmed Shehzad added 95, the hosts looked set for a series lead. That's when spin worked its magic again.

The cycle-stand collapse - in which shoddy shot selection played no small part - had strong statistical parallels with Australia's in Dubai during the first ODI. Back then, Australia slipped from 95 for 1 to 122 for 9. Today, Pakistan's collapse started at 95 and ended 76 runs later.

The game had drifted from Australia during the first 22 overs of the chase with Pakistan comfortably placed in terms of the required rate and wickets in hand. Only a lapse in concentration from the batsmen could have resulted in a breakthrough and exactly that caused Butt's downfall when he poked Hauritz to Clarke at first slip. The bowler had caused a few flutters in his previous over when he beat the left-hander and the fielders may have sensed that something was about to give. The next ball stopped on Younis Khan, who chipped it to a diving Andrew Symonds at midwicket and Australia had two in two. Misbah-ul-Haq negotiated the hat-trick ball and, in the next over, hit Symonds for a straight six. That prompted the captain to bring himself on and his move paid immediate dividends, Misbah holing out to long-on off the very first ball. The next delivery was an arm ball that Shehzad failed to read and was bowled. Once again, two off two.

That brought together Malik and Afridi, and there was a period of relative calm for Pakistan, though not without the odd scare - including an appeal for a stumping when the third umpire pressed the button for the red light by mistake. One sensed, though, that Afridi wouldn't last too long - and sure enough, determined to break the shackles with a big hit, he advanced down the track and edged to slip. Pakistan had lost half their side in the space of 28 runs and the Australians, having smelt blood, didn't need a second invitation to move in for the kill.

The rest of the wickets were a blur. A miscommunication between Kamran Akmal and Malik, over a single that was there for the taking, summed up the utter confusion. Two balls later, Akmal chipped Bracken to mid-on and he too was history. Yasir Arafat went for a slog and was bowled, Tanvir pulled and top-edged before Umar Gul threw his bat and was bowled Stuart Clark, bringing the match to an end

The drama overshadowed Australia's own struggles with the bat, and Clarke's return to form couldn't have come at a better moment. He was the spinners' bunny in South Africa and in the first ODI but today the fluency returned. He walked in after James Hopes' run-out - off a direct hit by Younis - and eased off the blocks with some crisply timed shots and soft punches down the ground off the seamers. He added 46 for the third wicket with Haddin to help Australia after the loss of two quick wickets.

His effort against the spinners was more impressive given that the ball was gripping and turning and Afridi was varying his pace and slipping in the odd googly. While he attacked the batsmen and looked to pick up wickets, the others - Malik and Saeed Ajmal - teased with flight and cramped the batsmen for room and in general kept it simple.

Clarke wasn't afraid to use his feet but Afridi cleverly dropped the ball short and forced him to defend. He hit the odd wide delivery to the boundary and began to push the singles with a lot more ease in the company of Callum Ferguson, who managed to rotate the strike with Clarke in a 54-run stand, though it included a 10-over spell without a boundary.

Clarke broke the spell with a cover-driven boundary off Ajmal and, in the 38th over, Australia took the batting Powerplay. Clarke pulled Afridi to square leg but the bowler had his revenge when he fired one short, quick and forced the batsman to check his shot. He ended up chipping it tamely to Afridi and was gone - but not before a match-winning 66.

PAK VS AUSTRALIA , 2ND ODI MATCH SUMMARY

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 05:02:00 +0000

AUS won by 6 wickets

Andrew Symonds may have cut his Rastafarian beads, but he showed tonight there had been no cutback on his competitive spirit or his aptitude as Australia levelled the series 1-1. His two-wicket over, in the face of a marauding Shoaib Akhtar, had kept Pakistan down to a par total, but his bigger contribution came with the bat when Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal threatened to run through Australia for the second time in a row.

Afridi and Ajmal had undone James Hopes' good work at the top, bringing the game right back into the balance, when Symonds came in to bat. Hopes, filling in for the injured Shaun Marsh at the top of the order, had put Australia on their way to a chase of a tricky 207, before Ajmal and Afridi struck in back-to-back overs.

The contest was always going to come to life when the spinners came on. Before that Hopes had weathered the storm from hostile and accurate Shoaib and Umar Gul. That initial spell resulted in the early wicket of Brad Haddin, but Hopes counter-attacked and brought the run-rate within manageable proportions.

From 19 for 1 in six overs, Hopes cut and drove Gul and Shoaib for three boundaries and a six in the next three overs. Australia reached 70 for 1 in 14 overs, when spin was first introduced.

Australia tried to play the mind game, going for the batting Powerplay immediately, and trying to delay the introduction of the dangerous spinners. Pakistan played ball, and went on with Afridi and Ajmal anyway. From 70 in 14 they moved to 91 in 20 in a tense period of play.

In the 21st, Ajmal got Watson with a doosra, the batsman looking to pull without reading the spin. In the end Watson tried unsuccessfully to pull out of the pull, and top-edged. In the next over, Afridi beat a Hopes sweep with a straight and full delivery.

Batting was not easy then, what with Test fields in place and the ball turning big, and Australia coming off a monumental collapse in the previous game. Ajmal and Afridi attacked, but Symonds tackled them superbly. Even early on in the innings, he picked Ajmal's doosra. For good measure he let Ajmal know every time he saw the away-spinner. His 58 comprised only four boundaries and a six, the first of which was the team's first boundary in 17 overs.

The value of Symonds' knock grew when put in comparison with his partner Michael Clarke's effort. Clarke struggled to pick the spin, and was patchy all the way through. At one point, out of a 58-run stand Clarke had scored only eight.

Symonds' sensible batting also coincided with Pakistan gradually running out of the spinners' quota, and with a small total to defend they had to bring back the pace bowlers on. Once that happened it was a cruise for Australia, with close to four an over required.

Even that small target was thanks to Symonds' effective over at the death. Shoaib's 14-ball 25 had lifted Pakistan from 176 for 7, but just when it looked he would take Pakistan to a more competitive total, Symonds struck with two in the 46th over to not even allow them a full quota of 50 overs.

That was not the last twist of a slow yet dramatic first innings of the game. A disciplined Australia had done well to pull Pakistan back after they had threatened twice to move out of their grasp.

First it was Younis Khan who recovered from a sluggish start to get into fluent mode only to be dismissed for 28. Then Shahid Afridi played an uncharacteristically responsible innings, but when he looked set to launch Pakistan into the safe zone, Hopes got him with seven overs to go.

Following the early run-out of 17-year-old debutant Ahmed Shehzad, Pakistan made an edgy start. Salman Butt and Younis were literally edgy against Nathan Bracken and ODI debutant Doug Bollinger, both left-arm seamers. They troubled both the batsmen with their angle and movement both ways. By the end of the ninth over Pakistan had crawled to 28 for 1, having faced a maiden each from both the bowlers.

With Hopes came the change of angle, and Younis helped himself to three boundaries in his first two overs. In the next seven overs Pakistan doubled their score, mainly via Younis who scored 20 off 14 during that period. The sight of Ben Laughlin lit his eyes up, a short loosener first up widened them further, and an edge resulted as he went to cut the leather off the ball.

Two more wickets, punctuated by an especially asphyxiating spell by Bollinger, meant Pakistan were struggling in the middle overs, five down for 122. Bollinger went for 26 in his 10 overs, including a middle spell of four overs for five runs.

But then Afridi lifted them, not looking to hit the ball out of the ground every time he faced up. The main feature of his innings was his late-cuts, and placement for quick runs. He actually faced 40 balls, the most he has since his 52-ball 85 against Zimbabwe last January. Afridi also read the game well, picking a slower ball early during the Powerplay, when Australia had both third man and fine leg up in the circle. That was his only six. Afridi, along with Ajmal, provided Australia with a tough examination, but he was not the best allrounder on the night.

AUS - PAK IST ODI MATCH SUUMARY

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:51:00 +0000

A welcome win for Pakistan

A team desperate to erase painful recent memories immediately settled in at their new, adopted venue, with a four-wicket win against a struggling Australian side in Dubai. The devastation caused by Shahid Afridi's career-best 6 for 38 had all but shut Australia out of the match before the halfway stage of their innings. A late recovery pushed them to 168 but it wasn't enough to seriously challenge an unpredictable Pakistan outfit. Pakistan stuttered, rebuilt, stumbled again and a late push by Afridi, contributing an adrenalin-filled yet brief 24, pushed them towards a win.

The ultimate difference between the two sides was spin. While Pakistan's pair of Afridi and Ajmal shared eight wickets, Australia's Nathan Hauritz bowled four overs and failed to pick up a wicket. It wouldn't be fair to blame Australia's lone specialist spinner for the defeat. It was a collective failure of their middle order to read the spinners who mercilessly ran through the batting and effected a top and middle-order crumbling to the tune of 8 for 27.

Australia's rapid demise was a reflection of their ordinary recent one-day form. A collapse of this magnitude exposed a weakness against spin which was also on show in South Africa, even with a number of familiar returning faces in the ranks. With the ball gripping and turning, Afridi's mixture of googlies and topspinners caused most of the problems, but the relatively inexperienced Ajmal offered little respite with his doosras.

At 95 for 1 in the 19th over, Younis Khan's pre-match prediction of chasing a target of 260-270 seemed a reality. That was until Afridi got the ball and the crowd to dance to his tunes. He began by getting rid of the most well-set batsman, Brad Haddin, for a brisk 40, tamely chipping a flighted delivery to short cover. Michael Clarke's struggles against the spin trio of Paul Harris, Roelof van der Merwe and Johan Botha in South Africa were well documented and the nightmare didn't end with the move to another country. He was flummoxed by an Ajmal doosra and edged behind before Afridi worked his magic.

A rusty Andrew Symonds nicked one to a refreshingly sharp Kamran Akmal, before Shane Watson, who had played neatly on his return to the side after injury by adding 54 with Haddin, was beaten by one which turned through the gate. Safe catching helped Pakistan and Misbah-ul-Haq showed his sharp reflexes to cling onto Callum Ferguson's edge to remove one of Australia's few in-form batsmen. Hauritz completely misjudged Ajmal's line, shouldered arms and lost his stumps.

The score suddenly read a shocking 110 for 7 and it brought back bad memories of their collapse at Centurion very recently. It wasn't the kind you would expect of the second best team in the world even in the worst of days. The spinners sensed a weak link and exploited it with clinical efficiency. Afridi's googlies proved too much for the tailenders Stuart Clark and Nathan Bracken as he collected his best ODI figures and Pakistan's best figures against Australia.

James Hopes enjoyed a free swing of the arms in the third Powerplay with an unbeaten 48 to push the score to 168, a big improvement from a hopeless 122 for 9, but the momentum was still with Pakistan.

The Australian seamers failed to get enough early breakthroughs to cause a serious flutter in the Pakistan camp. The dangerous Salman Butt was trapped lbw for 5 in the seven-over period before the dinner break before a fidgety Younis Khan holed out to midwicket.

Spin was introduced in the 13th over but Hauritz couldn't extract the same turn and bite that Afridi and Ajmal managed against his batsmen. He overpitched too often and that allowed Akmal to get forward and drive through the line. He used his feet well and chipped down the track to bisect the gaps in the infield.

Shoaib Malik contributed only 12 in a stand of 48 with Akmal, content to let his partner hog the strike. However, as Akmal motored along, a flashy drive outside off cost him his wicket and Clark had his revenge after being slashed for a four past slip two balls earlier. A loose dab by Malik brought Afridi to the crease, who began by clipping his first ball - a low full toss - past square leg and then pulling the next past midwicket.

He took Pakistan within 31 of the target before mishitting one to mid-on. The chase thereafter was scratchy, with Misbah holding fort as Pakistan got home with 35 balls to spare. It wasn't the most convincing of chases but good enough to prove a point. Moreover, they played with a hunger to win against a team dogged by injuries and knackered after a back-breaking summer.

Players have golden chance against Australia - Younis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:56:00 +0000

Just days after another sad chapter pushed them further onto the margins of the cricket world, Pakistan glimpse a rare opportunity to make a significant on-field statement. They take on Australia in a five-match ODI series followed by a Twenty20 international in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from Wednesday, a contest Younis Khan believes offers Pakistan the chance to begin another era on a brighter note.

As an indication of just how much Pakistan have faded away off the field in recent years - and Australia's reluctance to tour Pakistan - Wednesday's game will be the first ODI between the two sides since February 2005. In fact, the two sides have only met once in any format since then: at the World Twenty20 in September 2007, when Pakistan trumped them on the way to the final.

Much has changed since then - four players from each side remain - not least the fortunes of both sides, but Younis believed that good performances here may well lead to a repeat of Pakistan's last successful era, which began around the time the two sides last met.

"This is a very big series for several reasons," Younis told Cricinfo. "If we play well - not necessarily win - but play well then we can become like Inzi and Bob Woolmer's sides in 2005 and 2006," he said. "If we perform well - and win - then people will have to take notice because it is Australia. I want to see good moments…after the series I want to be able to look back and pinpoint 7-10 moments where we did really well, with a bowling spell, a bit of fielding, some batting. That will be an achievement."

Pakistan's squad is neither inexperienced nor raw, but undercooked and rusty: since April 2007, Australia have played 45 ODIs against top-flight nations and Pakistan just over half, with 24. But for the players, says Younis, the series is a golden opportunity. "Any guy who takes the opportunity here and does well, it'll be a massive break for them internationally. This is how I am looking at it personally and trying to instill in the team. I am fairly sure they are aware of it. If as a player you take off in this series, nobody will be able to bring you down."

The time to do that, some might argue, is ripe. This remains a transitional period for Australia as ODI losses to South Africa and a shared home series with New Zealand indicates. The absence of Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee will be felt but this is, according to Younis, still Australia.

"They are still very balanced and the style of play and their motivation doesn't ever change," he said. "They are the only team in the world where players come in and go out and it makes very little difference. They are still a top side. If we do well, play to our potential and win a few matches, then I really think we can start getting out of this phase and move on."

Australia v Pakistan ODI Series, 2009- Match Fixtures

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:40:00 +0000

APR-2009

Wed 22 Floodlit Match
14:30 local, 10:30 GMT 1st ODI - Pakistan v Australia
Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium
Fri 24 Floodlit Match
14:30 local, 10:30 GMT 2nd ODI - Pakistan v Australia
Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium
Mon 27 Floodlit Match
14:30 local, 10:30 GMT 3rd ODI - Pakistan v Australia
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

MAY-2009

Fri 1 Floodlit Match
14:30 local, 10:30 GMT 4th ODI - Pakistan v Australia
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Sun 3 Floodlit Match
14:30 local, 10:30 GMT 5th ODI - Pakistan v Australia
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Thu 7 Only T20I - Pakistan v Australia
Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium

Mendis released from hospital

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:19:00 +0000

Ajantha Mendis, the Siri Lankan spinner who was injured among with some of his team-mates in the terrorist attack on their team bus in Lahore earlier this month, has been discharged from hospital after shrapnel was extracted from his head and back.

Tharanga Paranavitana and assistant coach Paul Fabrace were discharged over the weekend while Thilan Samaraweera, who had a bullet removed from his thigh, remained under observation.

Mendis thanked all those involved in getting the team out of Pakistan and treating the players. "That is the medical staff both in Pakistan and Siri Lanka as well as the officials from Siri Lanka Cricket and the sports ministry and, the president and the cabinet of ministers for the way they helped us to overcome a difficult situation," Mendis was quoted as saying by PA.

The players have been undergoing post-trauma counselling and doctor Geethanjana Mendis said the medical team had reported that the players were "shaken up". "But those not injured can resume training next week," he said.

Siri Lankan players attacked by terrorist

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:33:00 +0000

Terror struck at the heart of cricket when masked gunmen attacked the bus carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Five cricketers, including Mahela Jayawardene, the Siri Lankan captain, and his deputy Kumar Sangakkara, received minor injuries. The attack also left six security men and two civilians dead.

Ijaz Butt, the PCB chief, said the Test has been called off. Salman Tasheer, the Punjab governor, said a helicopter will soon evacuate the Sri Lankan players from Gaddafi Stadium and take them to a nearby airbase from where the team will fly back to Sri Lanka. Duleep Mendis, the Sri Lanka Cricket chief, said that they were "getting the team back [to SIri Lanka] today".

There have been terror strikes on the peripheries of cricket, but this is the first time players have been directly targeted. The Sri Lankans were on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium when their bus was attacked by five armed terrorists near Liberty market. Habibur Rehman, chief commissioner of police, said 12 masked terrorists fired at the Sri Lankan team bus. The gunmen shot at the wheels of the bus and also injured the driver. A grenade was also thrown at the bus but it missed.

Jayawardene received a cut to the ankle while Sangakkara was injured in the shoulder. Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paravitarana were the ones most seriously injured; Samaraweera received shrapnel in the leg and Paravitarana in the chest. Ajantha Mendis received shrapnel in the neck and scalp.

"The bus came under attack as we were driving to the stadium, the gunmen targeted the wheels of the bus first and then the bus," Mahela Jayawardene told Cricinfo. "We all dived to the floor to take cover. About five players have been injured and also Paul Farbrace [a member of the support staff], but most of the injuries appear to be minor at this stage and caused by debris."

Sangakkara told CNN-IBN that "all the players are out of danger". "We are shocked, but apart from that everyone is okay. Thilan [Samaraweera] has a shrapnel wound in his leg, but he is fine. [Tharanga] Paranavitana had shrapnel in his chest, but thank God it wasn't very deep and just on the surface.

"I had shrapnel injuries in my shoulder, but they have all been removed and I'm okay now. Ajantha [Mendis] had shrapnel in his neck and scalp, but he too has had medical attention and is fine. Everyone else is perfectly all right.

"It's very unfortunate that this has happened... I don't regret coming here to play cricket because that's what we have been doing all our lives. That is our profession. But... all we want to do now is to go back home to our families, get back home and be safe," he said.

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, confirmed that the remainder of the tour had been cancelled. "We note with dismay and regret the events of this morning in Lahore and we condemn this attack without reservation.

"It is a source of great sadness that there have been a number of fatalities in this attack and it is also very upsetting for the wider cricket family that some of the Sri Lanka players and one match official have been injured in this attack. At this time our thoughts and prayers are with the injured people and also the families of those who have died."

Television footage of several gunmen creeping through the trees, crouching to aim their kalashnikovs then running onto the next target were aired by Pakistan's private channel Geo.

Chamra Ranavira, third secretary and press secretary at the Sri Lankan High Commission in Islamabad, said Samaraweera and Paranavitana had been admitted to hospital, but were out of danger now. "We are communicating with the Pakistan Cricket Board and the high commission has taken action to send the cricket team back home as soon as possible," he said.

The reserve umpire Ahsan Raza was also injured in the attack. Nadeem Ghauri, the TV umpire, who was traveling in a bus behind the Sri Lanka team bus said the firing continued for some time. Umpire Steve Davis, who was on the team bus, called the terrorist attack "terrible". "I'm lost for words," he said.

Speaking from Sri Lanka, Sanath Jayasuriya said that it was an "extremely unfortunate incident. "We've never had this kind of problem," Jayasuriya told CNN-IBN. "They are all safe, that's the good news I got when I spoke to Kumar. I don't think they'll stay back and play. I think they will come back as soon as possible. Depends on the injuries."

Speaking on Geo TV, Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former Pakistan captain, said: "This is the first time that a cricket team has been seriously targeted... Pakistan's image will be hit and only time will tell how much damage has been done to Pakistan cricket. The World Cup too might be affected... no country would want to come now to Pakistan... I am worried where Pakistan will get a chance to play, not only in Pakistan but outside as well. This is all so sad."

The Indian cricket board, which called off a scheduled tour of Pakistan last December, expressed its sorrow over the attack. "We pray for the speedy recovery of the injured cricketers, and sympathise with their families and compatriots," BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan said in New Delhi. "The BCCI stands alongside Sri Lanka Cricket in this hour of crisis."

The Sri Lankan team had stepped in after the Indian government had barred the Indian team from touring Pakistan after the terror attack in Mumbai.

More to follow ...

JAN-09-PAKISTAN VS SIRI LANKA 3rd ODI - MATCH SUMMARY

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 09:33:00 +0000

What a great victory?...really unforgettable!

Result:Siri Lanka 309 for 5 (Dilshan 137*, Sangakkara 50, Jayasuriya 45) beat Pakistan 75 (Kulasekara 3-17, Thushara 3-33) 75 by 234 runs

It was over before the thousands of fans at the Gaddafi Stadium could blink. Siri Lanka inflicted one of the biggest annihilations in one-day internationals and trampled over Pakistan to post a 234-run win and take the series 2-1. It was the hosts' largest margin of defeat in ODIs: they were dismissed for 75 in reply to Sri Lanka's 309.

Siri Lanka's struggles against weak sides in recent months seemed a distant memory after the rout. The victory brought back memories of the time their bowlers dismantled India for 54 at Sharjah in 2000, after the batsmen had posted 299. They were not favourites to win this series, primarily due to an out-of-form top order, but the batsmen collectively shrugged off their poor form. Tillakaratne Dilshan set it up with a mature 137, Jayasuriya contributed 45, and Sangakkara made 50.

However, it was the speed at which the new-ball attack scythed through Pakistan that startled. Nuwan Kulasekara and Thilan Thushara used swing and seam movement to make up for the lack of express-pace and proved too difficult to handle for Pakistan's batsmen. Six Pakistan wickets fell before the tenth over, putting an end to the contest.

The conditions were predicted to favour the fast bowlers at the start of play but they got deadlier when Sri Lanka began bowling under lights. Thushara struck in the second over, trapping make-shift opener Younis Khan lbw, before Kulasekara found Salman Butt's edge to hand him a first-ball duck. It got worse for Pakistan when Kamran Akmal was caught in front by a Thushara delivery which cut in, skidded, and hit him low on the pads. The inspired bowling was backed up by superb fielding: Farveez Maharoof pulled off a blinder at short wicket, intercepting a full-blooded pull from Khurram Manzoor.

Even Misbah-ul-Haq had no answers to a delivery from Thushara and he edged to the wicketkeeper. Shahid Afridi fell four balls later, shouldering arms to a delivery that jagged back and had his off-stump flattened. Sections of the crowd that had cheered his entrance moments before began to leave.

Umar Gul walked in and began to time the ball through the gaps on the off side like a genuine batsman while Shoaib Malik stood helpless at the other end. Pakistan were 22 for 6 with no hope of recovery. The spinners wrapped up the tail and Muttiah Muralitharan picked up the final wicket, bowling Sohail Khan, to become the second bowler after Wasim Akram to take 500 ODI wickets. Pakistan's total of 75 was their lowest at home.

Siri Lanka's series win was their fourth consecutive win in an ODI tournament in Pakistan. They've won five of the ten tournaments they have played in Pakistan.
Pakistan's 75 is their fourth-lowest in a completed innings, and their worstat home. They were last bowled out for a score under 100 against South Africa in Mohali in 2006.
Pakistan's 234-run defeat is their heaviest in terms of runs, and the seventh-biggest overall.
Muttiah Muralitharan became the second bowler to take 500 wickets in ODIs. He's the only spinner in the top six and is three wickets away from overtaking Wasim Akram as the leading ODI wicket-taker.
Sri Lanka scored in excess of 300 for the first time in 17 ODIs. Their last 300-plus score came against India in Karachi during the Asia Cup in July 2008.

The spectacular nature of Pakistan's collapse, however, should not overshadow Dilshan's outstanding contribution earlier in the day. Sri Lanka continued their experiment of opening with him and Dilshan battled through overcast conditions to compile his career-best score. He was circumspect initially against the fast bowlers and was dropped on 1 by Salman Butt at backward point before realizing that a grafting approach was the need of the day.

He paddled and nudged, occasionally playing the fierce cut, and only after his hundred - his second in ODIs - did he open up. He slammed length deliveries and made room to carve the fuller ones over the off side. Pakistan's spinners gave him width and they paid for it.

Sri Lanka's innings was built on partnerships and each one took the game further away from Pakistan. Malik pushed the field back, opening up gaps in the outfield, and allowed the batsmen to progress. Steadily, Sri Lanka built towards the target Mahela Jayawardene had aimed for before the start of the game.

The contributions from Sangakkara and Thilina Kandamby were significant as well. Sangakkara swept the spinners and tapped the ball into gaps on the off side to take singles. His approach brought back memories of Arjuna Ranatunga and his 104-run partnership with Dilshan came at a run-a-ball. Sangakkara and Dilshan ran swiftly between the wickets but a moment of confusion over a risky single resulted in Sangakkara's wicket.

Dilshan, however, did not let the setback affect him and he added 57 more with Kandamby. His century was his second important contribution of the series, after the 76 in the second ODI in Karachi, and he was adjudged Man of the Series for scoring 255 runs in the three matches.

JAN-09-PAKISTAN VS SIRI LANKA 2ND ODI - MATCH SUMMARY

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 09:29:00 +0000

Siri Lanka beat Pakistan by 129

Siri Lanka levelled the series 1-1 with a crushing win, thanks to a convincing all-round performance in Karachi. Tillakaratne Dilshan hit a sparkling half-century to take Sri Lanka to a strong total, before Nuwan Kulasekara and Muttiah Muralitharan shot out the hosts cheaply. Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik resisted with a 108-run partnership, but Muralitharan removed Malik to trigger a stunning collapse.

Siri Lanka were much more disciplined today. Though they contrived to let slip dominant positions more than once, they had the players to retrieve the situation and help them tide over the various mini-crises. The attacking Dilshan made good for Sanath Jayasuriya's hit-wicket dismissal and Kumar Sangakkara's suicidal run-out. And after Dilshan's exit, Thilina Kandamby - who replaced Jehan Mubarak from the XI in the first ODI - took charge of the run-making, allowing out-of-form captain Mahela Jayawardene to find his bearings. The strong point for the visitors was that even after the soft dismissals of Kandamby, Jayawardene and Chamara Kapugedera, they didn't disintegrate in the final overs.

During the chase, Muralitharan got into the act after Butt and Malik threatened a matchwinning partnership. Muralitharan, brought into the attack in the 22nd over, struck the vital blow in his second over, removing Malik with a doosra that spun and bounced to get the edge. Butt fell tamely to Jayasuriya, chipping a leading edge to Jayawardene at cover in the next over, giving the Sri Lankan captain the record for most number of catches in ODIs. Thereafter, Sri Lanka ran amok - the lower half surrendered limply against Muralitharan and Mendis, just as the top order had floundered against Kulasekara.

Kulasekara, Sri Lanka's Ifthikhar Anjum, looks steady and unglamorous but he knows his role in the team and is aware of his limited craft. Unlike Anjum, whose main delivery is the away-going one, Kulasekara's chief wicket-taking ball is the incutter, with which he picked up two quick wickets.

Khurram Manzoor was trapped leg before in front of the off stump and Younis Khan dragged one on to middle. And when Thilan Thushara had Misbah-ul-Haq caught behind, it appeared that the chase was going to finish even before it began.

Siri Lanka's much-improved batting performance was largely due to Dilshan, who kickstarted the team's charge with a signature innings, attempting and pulling off some audacious strokes early. The third ball of the day, from Shoaib Akhtar, was a legcutter that moved away from off stump but Dilshan tried a flamboyant flick over midwicket and was comprehensively beaten. On another day, he might have got an edge and his shot selection would have come under the scanner. Not today, though.

When the strokes came off, they looked spectacular. He swung Shoaib over midwicket off a free-hit, survived a close shout for lbw before unfurling a couple of pulls and a cut against the same bowler. Shoaib leaked four fours in his second over and was taken out of the attack. Dilshan, however, continued stylishly against the other bowlers. He cheekily lapped a short-of-a-length delivery on middle and leg from Iftikhar Anjum over the short fine-leg fielder and lashed a full delivery over point with panache.

However, Siri Lanka's season of self-created agony continued to haunt them. Jayasuriya was out hit wicket for the first time in his 426-ODI career and Sangakkara ran himself out. It would have been worse for Sri Lanka had Kamran Akmal not given more ammunition to his critics. Kandamby stabbed a Shahid Afridi slider on 16 but Akmal dropped it, following which he went on to pick his singles and twos calmly to keep the score moving. Akmal later sought redemption with a sharp, low catch to his right to get rid of Jayawardene.

Kapugedara controlled the death overs, giving Sri Lanka enough runs to coast to a comfortable win and ensuring that the last match of the series, in Lahore on Saturday, is the series decider.

Pakistan were also fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match. Chris Broad, the match referee, imposed the fines after the hosts were ruled to be two overs short of the target when time allowances were taken into consideration. In accordance with the ICC Code of Conduct regulations, Shoaib Malik was fined 20% of his match fee while the other players earned 10% fines.

JAN-09-PAKISTAN VS SIRI LANKA IST ODI - MATCH RESULT

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:04:00 +0000

Pakistan 220 for 2 (Butt 100*, Manzoor 83) beat Sri Lanka 219 (Sangakkara 49, Anjum 4-42, Gul 3-30) by eight wickets

A country starved of international cricket for over six months celebrated with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka to take a 1-0 lead in the series, thanks to the efforts of Salman Butt and Khurram Manzoor, who made light work of the 220-run target. Pakistan took full advantage of a jaded Sri Lankan side still circumspect with their form after struggling against weak sides in the recent months.

Sri Lanka were outclassed particularly in the batting and the wounds are taking way too long to heal. Their relatively potent bowling attack struggled to script a turnaround for the team's fortunes as a whole and with the first breakthrough coming as late as the 38th over, it was curtains for Sri Lanka.

Pakistan's discipline, impressive for a team denied of opportunities to play as a unit in the last year, carried them through. Save for a poor start with the ball, there were no other signs of rustiness and the positive body language showed they were happy to be back and performing against stronger opposition.

The start to the chase wasn't electric but watchful. It was a contrasting approach to Sri Lanka's earlier in the day, as the batsmen saw off the opening bowlers, who kept things fairly tight. That the Powerplays cost only 32 and 23 runs respectively, didn't cause too many worries in the Pakistan camp as they chased a below-par score.

The question was whether Pakistan would hold their own against the spinners, and their preparations against Ajantha Mendis seemed to pay off as they played him effectively off the hand. The plan was to get forward and smother the spin as most of Mendis' deliveries appeared to skid through.

Mendis was duly punished for ten runs in his first over, which included two forceful shots by Manzoor square of the wicket on either side. Mahela Jayawardene placed a slip to induce a mistake but Manzoor frequently glided deliveries past that fielder, even bringing up his fifty off one such deft touch.

The consistent Butt carried on his solid touch from the previous year - which he scored 861 runs - with some neat flicks past midwicket off Nuwan Kulasekara. He used his feet well against the spinners, playing down the line and with the turn. When Sanath Jayasuriya was brought on to effect a breakthrough, Butt slogged him for boundaries over midwicket.

His partner wasn't quite so assured at the start though and often made the mistake of shuffling across too far and cramping himself for room to cut. He gained in confidence as the innings progressed but perished at the stroke of the third Powerplay, caught and bowled by Muralitharan, after giving the bowler the charge but failing to get the elevation.

Butt pushed Mendis to deep cover to bring up his tenth ODI fifty. His ability to convert his fifties into bigger scores showed why he was among the top run scorers last year. He was surprisingly out of touch in the Abu Dhabi ODIs against West Indies in November, but today he shrugged off his recent indifferent form when he pushed a single to long-on to bring up his eighth ODI ton and fourth in the last 12 months.

It was a lesson on how to bat on this wicket, which played true to its prediction as a batting track. Sri Lanka's batsmen had the advantage at the toss but floundered after a strong start. The insecurities of the middle-order slowly surfaced as Pakistan clawed back, applied the pressure and restricted Sri Lanka to a total much lower than projected after the early blitz.

The experiment of asking Dilshan to open clicked and his heaves and slashes, effective but not necessarily attractive, showed why Sri Lanka missed him during the Bangladesh ODIs. Umar Gul, fresh from a stint in Australia, found success as early as his first over, getting Dilshan caught and then trapping Jayasuriya in front.

At the end of the 14th over, Sri Lanka had raced ahead with 89 on the board but the dismissals pegged the scoring back to the point from which they never recovered. Kumar Sangakkara swept the spinners, grafted away and was happy pushing the singles - he took 26 in all.

Kapugedera and Jehan Mubarak threw away their wickets, while Sangakkara perished off an upper cut, taken athletically by Butt at point just short of his fifty. In the end, it was Pakistan's first and second change bowlers who did most of the damage, after the hype surrounding Shoaib Akhtar's inclusion.

Sri Lanka don't have any time to regroup, with the second game scheduled for tomorrow. Pakistan will look for a series win and bring more smiles back to the faces of their fans who were given a second chance after India's pull-out.

PCB hopeful to host India - Pakistan series

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:40:00 +0000

Chairman PCB Ejaz Butt is quite confident after meeting Indian high commissioner at Islamabad this week. He is hopeful that international matches in Pakistan will again start after this series.Ejaz Butt will visit India on 3rd of December to ensure them proper security arrangements.He further added that no modification shall be made in the said plan.

In case the series is not held in Pakistan, UAE will be hosting thy series.

You may also be interested in:
INDIA PAKISTAN MATCH FIXTURES
PRIMEMINISTER ENSURES PROPER SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS

Prime Minister ensures proper security arrangements

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:12:00 +0000

"The game of cricket is loved by the people of both India and Pakistan and the government [of Pakistan] will ensure proper security arrangements for organising the forthcoming Pak-India cricket series."Gilani said in a statement.
"This is a very high-profile tour and Indian government would be provided assurance regarding their security concerns."

Hope so the series will go ahead as desired.

FIXTURES=INDIA VS PAKISTAN IN JAN 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:48:00 +0000

Tue 6 - Thu 8 TBC v Indians
Niaz Stadium, Hyderabad, Sind

Tue 13 - Sat 17
10:00 local, 05:00 GMT 1st Test - Pakistan v India
National Stadium, Karachi

Wed 21 - Sun 25
10:00 local, 05:00 GMT 2nd Test - Pakistan v India
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

Thu 29 - Mon 2
10:00 local, 05:00 GMT 3rd Test - Pakistan v India
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

February 2009
Fri 6 1st ODI - Pakistan v India
Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad

Sun 8 2nd ODI - Pakistan v India
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Wed 11 3rd ODI - Pakistan v India
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

Sat 14 4th ODI - Pakistan v India
Multan Cricket Stadium

Tue 17 5th ODI - Pakistan v India
National Stadium, Karachi

Thu 19 Only Twenty20 International - Pakistan v India
National Stadium, Karachi

PAKISTAN JUMP TO 4RTH POSITION IN ICC ODI RANKING

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:36:00 +0000

PAKISTAN after clean sweeping Westindians,Pakistan made a jump from 6th to 4rth position recently.It is worthmentioning here that Pakistan succesfully won the ODI series with 3-0 against WestIndies held in ABu DhABI.
You may be interested in:
MATCH RESULTS
PAK VS WI MATCH HOME

PAKISTAN SWEEP WEST INDIES 3-0

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:39:00 +0000

MATCH RESULTS

1st ODI:

Pakistan v West Indies at Abu Dhabi - Nov 12, 2008
Pakistan won by 4 wickets (with 1 ball remaining).

2nd ODI:

Pakistan v West Indies at Abu Dhabi - Nov 14, 2008
Pakistan won by 24 runs.

3rd ODI:

Pakistan v West Indies at Abu Dhabi - Nov 16, 2008
Pakistan won by 31 runs.

T-20 2008/09 FINAL

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:12:00 +0000

PAKISTAN VS SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka 133 for 5 (Jayasuriya 40, Malik 2-17) beat Pakistan 132 for 7 (Butt 44, Mendis 3-23) by five wickets

The match was played at king City,Canada on october 13th.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka in final

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:25:00 +0000

Sri Lanka and Pakistan eases into final after winning thier easy matches with Zimbabwe and Canada.The final will be played today and ball by ball coverage will be transmitted through this site.

T-20 MATCH RESULTS/12 OCT 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:20:00 +0000

5th Match: Pakistan v Zimbabwe at King City (NW) - Oct 12, 2008
Pakistan won by 7 wickets (with 6 balls remaining)
Zimbabwe 107/8 (20/20 ov); Pakistan 110/3 (19/20 ov)

6th Match: Canada v Sri Lanka at King City (NW) - Oct 12, 2008
Sri Lanka won by 15 runs
Sri Lanka 153/7 (20/20 ov); Canada 138 (20/20 ov)

MATCH RESULTS-11 OCT 2008-T-20 CANADA

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:20:00 +0000

3rd Match: Canada v Zimbabwe at King City (NW) - Oct 11, 2008
Match tied
Canada 135/7 (20/20 ov); Zimbabwe 135/9 (20/20 ov)

4th Match: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at King City (NW) - Oct 11, 2008
Pakistan won by 3 wickets (with 1 ball remaining)
Sri Lanka 137/9 (20/20 ov); Pakistan 141/7 (19.5/20 ov)