Hazlewood poised to become Australia’s youngest ODI player

June 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sydney, June 11(ANI): New South Wales fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is poised to become the youngest debutant in Australia’s one-day international history after he was named in the national team to play Ireland and England.

Hazlewood was called in place of fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, who has been ruled out of the first leg of the England tour this month due to an elbow injury suffered during the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.

The towering NSW player will be 19 years and 160 days old when Australia plays its first game of the tour, against Ireland in Dublin next Thursday.

He boasts an impressive junior resume, which includes a starring role in Australia’s under-19 World Youth Cup final win over Pakistan in January.

Talking about his selection, Hazlewood said: “It’s all pretty exciting it’s all happening pretty quickly.”

A right-arm fast bowler, Hazlewood’s idol was Oz fast bowling legend, Glenn McGrath.

“I’m probably about the same height (as McGrath), but hopefully not the pigeon legs like him,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Hazlewood, as saying.

“I’m just hoping to learn a lot from the (Australian) fast bowlers over there and maybe get a little time with the ball,” he added.

Meanwhile, Australian selectors Chairman Andrew Hilditch said that losing Johnson was disappointing, but it created an opportunity for Hazlewood to earn some valuable experience.

“It’s a very exciting time for Australian cricket as we continue to take opportunities to expose our talented cricketers to international cricket. Josh has been identified as one of a crop of young fast bowlers who NSP (National Selection Panel) consider can impact for Australia at international level,” Hilditch said. (ANI)

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PREVIEW – Tamim gives Bangladesh glimpse of hope

May 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Tamim Iqbal gave Bangladesh a glimmer of hope for the first test against England starting at Lord’s on Thursday by promising to take his place at the top of the order despite a painful wrist injury.

The dashing left-hand opener has been told he can play with his left wrist taped, although he may eventually need surgery.

“I don’t want to take any chances but I’m batting okay in the nets and the pain is getting better day by day,” he told reporters.

Tamim, who scored three fluent half-centuries during the two-test home series against England this year, is one of Bangladesh’s two world-class players.

The other is captain and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who expects to play despite contracting chicken pox.

Cooler weather and showers predicted for the weekend after a brief burst of searingly hot weather in south-east England will also create the usual problems for visiting teams at the start of the English summer with assistance for the home bowlers.

England have rested their Twenty20 captain Paul Collingwood and all-rounder Stuart Broad at the start of a hectic season, giving an opportunity to Eoin Morgan to show he can take his one-day form into the test arena.

Morgan does not have a great first-class record but the England management are impressed with his temperament under pressure and the Bangladesh attack provides as gentle an introduction to test cricket as anyone could wish.

England begin the home season buoyed by their win in the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean and with an Ashes defence against losing finalists Australia to look forward to at the end of the year.

TURBULENT PAKISTAN

After the two-test Bangladesh series they play four tests against Pakistan, who are condemned to play their international cricket abroad because of the uncertain security situation at home.

Pakistan also play two tests against Australia and for the first time since the rain-drenched 1912 Triangular series between England, Australia and South Africa, Lord’s will stage three tests.

Even by their own turbulent standards, Pakistan have endured a spectacularly troubled year.

The International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit is investigating their woeful performances in Australia and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned former captains Younus Khan and Shoaib Malik after an internal inquiry.

The pair were still included in a preliminary tour party on Tuesday pending their appeals against the bans along with fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar who has had more than his share of brushes with the Pakistan authorities.

They will be captained by the flamboyant wrist-spinning all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who ended a four-year self-imposed exile from test cricket at the weekend and who is, himself, appealing against a fine for ball-tampering.

The clear indication is that the PCB is determined to field the best side it can muster regardless of its own sanctions, a team who at their mercurial best can fully test both England and Australia and give useful hints to the course of the subsequent Ashes series.

(Editing by Ed Osmond; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Lanka defeat NZ in second US T20 clash

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the second of two Twenty20 matches, part of international cricket’s historic attempt to break into the US market.

Sri Lanka triumphed in the low-scoring affair with more than four overs to spare to earn a 1-1 draw in the series on Sunday.

Nuwan Kulasekara tore through New Zealand’s top order, taking three wickets in the second over as he removed openers Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redmond along with Rob Nicol.

New Zealand were an embarrassing 13-5 at one stage.

Daniel Vettori and Nathan McCullum were the only New Zealanders to reach double figures, but the 81 runs amassed by New Zealand was no challenge for Sri Lanka even on the slow, lifeless pitch.

Vettori’s 27 gave New Zealand a glimmer of hope, and Nathan McCullum’s 36 took their total to 81 before they were bowled out in the 18th over.

Mahela Jayawardene got Sri Lanka going with a 12-ball 17.

Thissara Parera added 24 and Tillakaratne Dilshan overcame his struggles to find his timing for an unbeaten 33.

Sri Lanka had lost Saturday’s opening game of the series, which marked the first cricket games on US soil between two ICC full members.

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Former Pak captain Mohammed Yousuf’s family members embrace Islam

May 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, May 20 (ANI): Family members of former Pakistan cricket captain Mohammed Yousuf have embraced Islam, almost five years after he turned to the religion from Christianity.

The Nation quoted a private television channel as reporting that Yousuf’s three brothers along with their family members have embraced Islam.

Yousuf, who was known as Yousuf Youhana prior to his change of religion, had accepted Islam in 2005 much to the discomfort of his family members, particularly his mother.

“I don”t want to give Yousuf my name after what he has done. We came to know about his decision when he offered Friday Prayers at a local mosque. It was a shock,” Yousuf’s mother had said when the news about his son changing his religion was first made public.

Yousuf was effectively banned from playing international cricket for an indefinite period by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in March following an inquiry into the team”s defeat during the tour of Australia, which held him responsible for the team’s shoddy performance during the tour.

He later announced his retirement from all formats of the game in protest against the PCB’s decision. (ANI)

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Suspended IPL chief replies to corruption charges, CRI

May 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

MUMBAI, India (AP) Suspended Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi’s official response to the corruption allegations against him was delivered in six large boxes to the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Modi’s lawyer delivered the thousands of pages of documents late Saturday, meeting a deadline which had been extended by five days.

Modi followed it up with a confident posting on Twitter. “It’s best to allow my colleagues time to go thru my reply,” Modi said in a tweet late Saturday.

“We spent weeks putting it,” together. The BCCI is investigating Modi over his involvement in the initial bids for the Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab at the inaugural IPL auctions in 2008, in a broadcast deal and in the awarding of two new IPL franchises last month.

Modi was the powerbroker in establishing the lucrative IPL and then turning it into a multi-billion dollar enterprise, which has led to an explosion of interest in the shortest form of international cricket. Modi’s lawyer Mehmood S. Abdi declined to elaborate on the contents of the six cartons delivered to BCCI Chief Administrator Ratnakar Shetty, but told reporters he was confident that the charges against Modi would be dropped.

“The charges were based on allegations and gossip. BCCI can never prove it.

We are confident that all the charges against Modi will be dropped,” Abdi said. He added: “The reply has been written in simple prose and BCCI president Shashank Manohar, who himself is a lawyer, will need only a few hours to go through it.

” Shetty did not comment on the documents or what the next step in the proceedings was likely to be, saying only that “there is a procedure in the BCCI and the president will follow that.” Modi was initially supposed to answer the corruption allegations by May 10, but was given additional time to reply after he asked the board for additional documents.

Modi has been barred from participating in the operation of the IPL, the BCCI or any of its committees. A vice president of the BCCI, Modi has said his running of the IPL was completely transparent and denied any corruption.

An investigation led by Shetty into IPL records had already shown “a lot of documents missing,” BCCI president Manohar said last month.

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New Zealand-Sri Lanka Florida match abandoned, 1st Ld-Writethru, CRI

May 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) One of three Twenty20 cricket internationals between New Zealand and Sri Lanka to be played in Florida next week has been canceled because of concerns over inadequate floodlighting. New Zealand Cricket said Sunday the scheduled first match of a three-match series at Central Broward Regional Park in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, and a match between the United States and Jamaica, have been scrapped because lighting at the stadium was not of sufficient quality for international cricket.

New Zealand and Sri Lanka will meet in day matches at the Broward County stadium on Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23, while the United States and Jamaica will likely play a 50-overs international, NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said. “Ideally the inaugural game would have been a night game on Thursday,” Vaughan said.

“The lights at the stadium are fine for most levels of cricket, but they need to be of a higher standard for the playing and broadcast of international cricket. “Added to this, there is a high probability of rain and thunderstorms in the region on Thursday which added weight to our decision.

Because of these factors, we have decided, along with our partner USA Cricket, to focus all of the attention on the weekend.” The Jamaica-U.S. match is expected to be played Friday.

The New Zealand players were “tremendously excited” to be involved in helping promote international cricket in the United States, he said.

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Younis’ appeal against indefinite ban deferred, CRI

May 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistan batsman Younis Khan’s appeal against indefinite suspension from the national team has been deferred until May 29. Younis’ lawyer Mohammad Ahmed Qayyum said Saturday that arbitrator Irfan Qadir has adjourned his client’s appeal.

Younis is among six Pakistan cricketers appealing against punishments imposed for indiscipline or poor performance during a tour to Australia earlier this year. Only former captain Mohammad Yousuf, who has retired from international cricket, has not filed an appeal.

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Kiwi pacer Bond retires from all forms of cricket

May 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Christchurch, May 14 (ANI): One of New Zealand best fast bowlers in recent times, Shane Bond, 34, announced his retirement from all cricket today after competing in the Twenty20 world championship in the Caribbean.

“I know the time is right for me to step down. I have given it everything when playing for the Black Caps. I will miss the camaraderie because it has been a privilege to play along such a great bunch of guys who are so committed to do their best for New Zealand,” the New Zealand Herald quoted Bond, as saying in a statement.

“I want to thank my wife Tracey, my family, my manager Leanne McGoldrick and all those at New Zealand Cricket, Canterbury, my club Old Boys Collegians and the Players Association”s Heath Mills for all their help and support over the years,” he added.

“Playing with pride for the Black Caps over the years has meant so much to me. I dreamed of playing for New Zealand when I was six. The reality of what has unfolded was more than I could ever hope for and I have been extremely proud to represent New Zealand,” Bond said.

I am going to miss a lot of this, but I know now is the time to bow out. I am very keen at some stage to put something back into the game in New Zealand,” he said.

In nearly nine years of international cricket, Bond played just 18 tests, 80 one-day internationals and 20 Twenty20 internationals. He took 87 test wickets at an excellent average of 22.09, and 147 ODI wickets at 20.88.

His individual highlight was his haul of six for 19 against Australia at the 2003 World Cup when he destroyed the eventual champions” powerful batting lineup.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said: “We are lucky to have had a player of his stature donning the Black Cap. For me personally, it is a big loss, I think he could still be a really good player for us for some time to come. But I know how much effort he puts in to stay on the park.”

Vettori hoped Bond would return as a coach to help out future New Zealand fast bowlers.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Justin Vaughan said: “We shall all miss Shane in the international arena. His speed and ability struck fear into batsmen from every team in world cricket. He has been a real match winner. Shane has had an inspirational presence about him and has been a great role model for younger team mates.” (ANI)

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No intention of playing for Pakistan: Yousuf

May 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, May 12 (ANI): Angry over his ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board, former captain Mohammad Yousuf has turned his back on international cricket, saying he has no intention of playing for the country again.

Yousuf has represented Pakistan on 371 occasions and amassed 17,075 runs during a career spanning 12 years.

“Yousuf is still very disappointed about his treatment by the PCB and has not changed his mind about coming out of retirement,” Pakpassion.net quoted sources close to Yousuf, as saying.

The former skipper was one of seven players banned or fined by the board following the whitewash in Australia.

The PCB took the severe action on the advice of a report submitted by a six-member inquiry committee set up to investigate the reasons behind the Australia debacle.

The Pakistan Cricket Board barred former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf from the national team for life as part of a major crackdown on player indiscipline.

The experienced duo was effectively banned from representing their country at international level as a result of alleged infighting.

While Shoaib Malik, Rana Naved ul Hasan, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Younus Khan and Shahid Afridi have appealed against their respective punishments, Yousuf decided not to appeal against his ban.

The source added: “Yousuf feels that there is too much dirt in the team. There has been so much going on behind the scenes. He (Yousuf) has had to take so much and he realised he could only take so much. The sad thing is that the whole truth is nowhere near being revealed.”

Yousuf is practising hard as he is keen to play county cricket in England. (ANI)

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Afghan test for wary India in T20 WC

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Up against an unheralded Afghanistan in their tournament-opener, India will have to guard against complacency to ensure a flying start to their campaign in the T20 cricket World Cup here tomorrow.

Considering there is very little room for errors in the slam-bang format of the game, India would have to be at their best to avoid the ignominy of being destroyed by the minnows of international cricket.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has already warned his star-studded legion not to underestimate Afghanistan and teammate Yuvraj was also worried about the X-factor of their opponents, who have caught the imagination of the world over the last two years.

“It can be dangerous when you don’t know what the opposition is like. After ten overs you will end up in a situation when you don’t know what you are going to do.

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World Cup returns to the Caribbean as Twenty20

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Grost Islet (St.Lucia), April 29 (IANS) After recent tremors that rocked their cricketers, Pakistan are confident of defending the World Twenty20 title they won nine months ago as their war-torn neighbours Afghanistan make their debut in a major international cricket tournament, starting in Guyana Wednesday.

The 12-nation tournament, supposed to be a biennial event, was played thrice in successive years owing to an anomaly in the world organisation’s Future Tour’s Programme.

Cricket is back in the Caribbeans, still smarting under a disappointing and yet an eventful 50-over World Cup three years ago. It will be played in the islands of Guyana, Barbados and St. Lucia as the exciting shortest version is fast catching the imagination of cricket fans world over. With two World Cups and three editions of the Indian Premier League, there is a surfeit of the Twenty20 stuff.

The image of the sport is somewhat sullied as it grapples with allegations of match-fixing and corruption in the IPL, but it hardly seemed to affect the fan following as the stadiums are packed and there are more eyes riveted on it with TRPs zooming.

Pakistan, Bangladesh and Australia are in Group A while Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Zimbabwe are in Group B. The 2007 champions India, South Africa have been clubbed with Afghanistan in Group C while hosts the West Indies, England and Ireland are in Group D.

There are no clear favourites — and there cannot be in a sport where the fortunes of a team take twists and turns in no time.

Since winning the title last year in England, Pakistan have seen worst of the controversies with indefinite bans on World Cup winning captain Younis Khan and top batsman Mohammad Yousuf, who in a pique announced his retirement from international cricket.

Another former captain Shoaib Malik and all-rounder Rana Naved are serving 12-month suspensions as a Pakistan Cricket Board probe panel found them guilty of causing conflicts in the team during their disastrous tour to Australia last year.

Even new captain Shahid Afridi, and the Akmal brothers Umar and Kamran, are on probation. Pakistan are living down the controversies and hope to redeem themselves with a good showing here.

They have enough fire-power to defend their title. Umar, who was the star performer during the team’s tour Down Under, Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq and Kamran will be Pakistan’s mainstay in batting while lanky fast bowler Mohammad Aamer, spotted by the legendary Wasim Akram, will surely be the player to watch out for.

The expectations are high as well from their neighbours India since the players are in the Twenty20 mode following their IPL stint. After a second round exit last year, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Co. have set their eyes on regaining the trophy they won in the inaugural year in South Africa, beating Pakistan.

One of the biggest stars in world cricket, Virender Sehwag will be missing from action due to an injury, but India boast the best batting line-up in the tournament. Their bowling, however, is a matter of concern for Dhoni.

Fast bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh have been among wickets for Mumbai Indians, runners-up in the IPL. Dhoni will also rely on a host of part-timers Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, and Yuvraj Singh, who have shown the knack of breaking threatening partnerships.

The spotlight will also be on Australia, who tasted the ignominy of a first round exit last year. They will have new captain in Michael Clarke, who has Shaun Tait and Dirk Nannes to rattle the batsmen. Nannes was part of the Netherlands side that defeated England at Lord’s in last year’s tournament.

The Australians are in good shape, having lost only one of their last five Twenty20 internationals. Cameron White, David Warner, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson are some of the big hitters who can make a big difference.

The West Indies at home can be favourites and their showing this format has been pretty exciting. Semi-finalists last year, West Indies start their campaign against Ireland Friday before taking on England, who they defeated last June to reach the semi-finals.

West Indies skipper Chris Gayle, a Jamaican, admitted that home advantage also brings in some pressure. But he said his side was focussed on delivering.

Last year’s runners-up Sri Lanka have a sprinkling of match-winners, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya telling the cricket world that age is no bar in any form of the game.

The world will be watching Afghanistan with keen anticipation, if nothing for their fairytale rise. They are not expected to gobble up teams like India and South Africa, but they can create an impression with their spirited approach that brought them this far from the bottom of the heap.

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Pakistan’s Younus wants ban evidence made public

April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Former Pakistan captain Younus Khan has told an appeals judge he wants the country’s cricket board to make public the evidence that led to them to impose an indefinite ban on him last month.

“Younus not only wants an early resolution to his appeal against the ban but also asked the appeals judge, Irfan Qadir, to direct the PCB to make public all evidence on the basis of which they banned him,” his lawyer Ahmed Qayyum told Reuters on Friday.

“Younus is adamant that he is innocent and he told the appeals judge he had played diligently and with 100 percent commitment for Pakistan all his life and he didn’t deserve the ban,” Qayyum said.

“Younus also asked the judge to hold his hearing on camera so that everyone knows on what grounds the board has banned him,” he added.

Irfan Qadir, nominated by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s governing council to hear the appeals of six cricketers who were either banned or fined for indiscipline and misconduct on the tour of Australia, held his first hearing on Friday.

The PCB banned Younus and Muhammad Yousuf indefinitely and imposed 12-month suspensions and fines of two million rupees each on Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved. Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi and brothers Kamran and Umar Akmal were fined three million rupees each.

Yousuf retired from international cricket last month in protest at the ban.

The next hearing of Younus’s appeal is scheduled for May 8 and the appeals of Malik and Rana take place on May 22.

(Editing by Alison Wildey

To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Akram backs India, Pakistan as joint favourites for ICC T20 title

April 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Karachi, Apr.29 (ANI): Former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has backed both India and defending champions Pakistan as favourites to lift the ICC World T20 Championship, starting April 30 in the West Indies.

Akram said both the sub-continental giants have the talent and passion to take home the coveted silverware.

“Australia and South Africa are also capable of winning but the nature of the West Indies pitches make Pakistan and India favourites, because they will help sub-continent spinners,” The Daily Times quoted Akram, as saying.

He said that since the Pakistani team has not played much international cricket in the recent past, it has the hunger to do well.

“Pakistan have been starved of cricket, so they have the thirst to win the title again,” Akram said.

He pointed that Pakistan has got a fighter in skipper Shahid Afridi, who possess the aggression needed at the international stage.

“You need someone like Afridi as captain in Twenty20 cricket. He has aggression needed in a leader and in a short Twenty20 match he will always sparkle,” Akram said.

He said the Pakistan squad has a number of talented players who can rise to the occasion and create trouble for even the best teams in the world.

“Look at the available talent, Afridi can single-handedly win a Twenty20 match as he is equally lethal with bat and ball, and then the depth in bowling makes Pakistan favourites,” said the former pacer, who is regarded as one of greatest swing bowlers of all time.

Speaking about India’s chances, Akram said: “What I have seen is a remarkable passion in the Indian players as well as in the public to win this title, and they too have a very good team.”

Akram said that a final between the 2007 champions India and the defending champions Pakistan is what he is looking forward for.

“You cannot rule out an Indo-Pak final, which will do a world of good for international cricket,” he said. (ANI)

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Banned, fined Pak players to appear before PCB appellate tribunal on Friday

April 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Lahore, Apr.28 (ANI): Pakistani cricketers, who were banned and fined by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), have been summoned to appear before a one-man appellate tribunal on Friday for a hearing into the appeal filed by them against their respective punishments.

Last week, the PCB had appointed retired high court judge Irfan Qadir to hear the appeals of players who were punished for different accounts of violation of the board’s code of conduct.

“I have issued notices to the players to appear on Friday for a preliminary proceeding on their appeals and they will be given all basic rights under the law,” The Daily Times quoted Qadir, as saying.

“If some of the players demand specific reasons for their punishment, we will provide them with that as well, as this is their right,” he added.

Last month, the PCB had imposed an indefinite ban on former captains Younis Khan and Mohammed Yousuf after an enquiry commission found them responsible for infighting, which led the team down during the disastrous Australia tour.

All-rounders Shoaib Malik, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan were fined two million rupees each and banned for a year. Incumbent T20 skipper Shahid Afridi was also fined three million rupees for his shocking ball-chomping act during the last one-day international against the Kangaroos.

Brothers Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal were fined Rs 3 and 2 million respectively for discipline breaches and were given six months’ probation.

Following the ban Yousuf retired from international cricket in protest. (ANI)

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Clarke hopes IPL survives Modi’s dramatic suspension

April 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sydney, Apr 27 (ANI): Australia Twenty20 skipper Michael Clarke hopes that the Indian Premier League can survive Monday’s dramatic suspension of Lalit Modi by the BCCI, after allegations of corruption and match-fixing surfaced.

Clarke said the IPL has been a great benefit to the next generation of Australian players.

“The IPL is a wonderful tournament. It has given guys a great opportunity on a major stage to state their case for international cricket,” Clarke said in St Lucia as Australia prepared for the T20 World Cup.

“Guys have gone over there and done really well at the IPL level and they’ve got their chance for their country,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

“It’s a tournament that I would love to take part in at the right time. I just haven’t found the right time so far in my career,” Clarke said.

“I hope I will in the future. Speaking to the guys who played a part this year, they said the tournament was fantastic. They had a great time and the cricket was very competitive.

“I really hope that it does continue and I hope one day I get an opportunity to take part,” he said.

Modi was suspended hours after the IPL final on Sunday night. (ANI)

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Shoaib Akhtar impresses chief selector at Pentagular Cup

April 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Karachi, April 22 (IANS) Discarded Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has catapulted himself in a perfect position to make yet another international comeback with a lethal spell in a leading domestic cricket tournament here Wednesday night.

Shoaib, 34, bowled at a fiery pace and finished with six for 52 to guide Federal Areas Leopards to devour Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Panthers by 77 runs in the Pentangular Cup at the National Stadium.

His brilliant showing forced Pakistan chief selector Mohsin Hasan Khan to say the selection committee will seriously consider Shoaib for a twin series against Australia and England in England this summer if he continued to bowl like this at the domestic level.

The enigmatic pacer is himself very pleased with his return to form and has declared that he would continue pushing for a recall in the national team.

Shoaib, who hasn’t played in international cricket for quite a while, said that he has regained full fitness and is looking to prove his mettle by continuing doing well on the domestic circuit.

‘I’m hoping to make a comeback during the tour of England,’ he said. ‘There is plenty of domestic cricket left before our teams goes to England which is why I’m confident of proving my form and fitness,’ he stressed.

Shoaib said that playing in the 1999 World Cup final in England remains the most cherished moment of his international career, adding that he wants to help Pakistan win the World Cup next year.

‘I want to play in next year’s World Cup and hope that Pakistan will win it,’ he said.

Shoaib was rejected as a spent force by national selectors after failing to impress much on his last international comeback almost a year ago in a one-dayer against Australia in Abu Dhabi.

Since then, the pacer has shed a lot of weight and has looked pretty sharp in the two Pentangular matches he has played so far. ‘I just want to play for Pakistan and am working hard for it,’ he said.

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Reliance Communications to distribute official ICC World Twenty20 mobile content

April 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Dubai, Apr. 19 (ANI): With two weeks to go before the West Indian party begins at the ICC World Twenty20 2010, ICC global partner Reliance Communications is set to bring the unique atmosphere of world-class cricket from the Caribbean directly to your mobile handset.

The official ICC World Twenty20 West Indies 2010 mobile services will include live audio commentary, match action video clips, wallpapers, ring tone, caller ring-back tune, score updates and other features. It will be available for a wide range of mobile devices including the iPhone and BlackBerry.

To extend the reach of the official services, Reliance Communications is keen to tie up with established mobile operators in key cricket territories so that fans located in the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Pakistan, Ireland, Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand and the West Indies can enjoy the action and excitement of international Twenty20 cricket.

Qualified and interested third parties seeking further information regarding this commercial opportunity are invited to contact Sujai.Srivastava@relianceada.com. (ANI)

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MCC to sponsor Pakistan-Australia Tests

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Marylebone Cricket Club has announced it will be sponsoring the Test and one-day series between Pakistan and Australia in England in July.

This will be the first time MCC, the owners of London Lord’s Cricket Ground where the first of two Tests between Pakistan and Australia is due to start on July 13, has sponsored an international series in its 223-year history.

The series comes at a time when Pakistan, who will also be playing a Test and one-day series against England this English season, has become a no-go area for international cricket following a terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore last year.

MCC’s Australian secretary, Keith Bradshaw, told a news conference in the Long Room of the Lord’s Pavilion: “MCC is committed to the health of Test cricket, and by sponsoring the series and hosting the first Test, the club is supporting Pakistani cricket at a time when the country’s Test calendar has been decimated.

“We often speak about Tests being the pinnacle of the game – now we are acting to back up those words,” the former Tasmania batsman said.

Bradshaw refused to divulge how much money MCC was putting into the series, which also features a Test at Yorkshire’s Headingley ground in Leeds, citing “commercial confidentiality”, but insisted it was a “not for profit exercise” as far as his club was concerned.

“We feel we are independent and to some extent the conscience of the game,” Bradshaw said of MCC, which is still responsible for overseeing the game’s Laws or rules.

“We are very thrilled Pakistan are coming here to play at the ‘home of cricket’.”

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director of cricket operations Zakir Khan said: “We thank the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) and Cricket Australia for helping us out and making this Test and T20 series in England happen.

“We are also very thankful to MCC. When you are not playing your home series at home, it’s very difficult.

“Cricket is still very much at the same level, we have youngsters coming through. The passion is there, that will never die down.”

It is nearly a century since Lord’s staged a neutral Test, during the 1912 triangular series involving England, Australia and South Africa.

Two Australian batsman, Warren Bardsley and Charlie Kelleway, scored Test centuries against South Africa at Lord’s that year but their achievements were not marked on the ground’s dressing room honours board.

That was rectified on Monday with the unveiling of a new honours board specially created for neutral Tests.

MCC is keen to stage more such matches at Lord’s, at a time when Test cricket outside of England is struggling to attract crowds, and Bradshaw said: “The last neutral Test was played here in 1912 and I hope we don’t have to wait the best part of a century to play another one.”

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Dharamshala cricket stadium all set to host two IPL matches

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, April 1 (ANI): Preparations for the two Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches to be held at the Dharamshala cricket stadium on April 16 and 18 have been completed.

According to President Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, Anurag Thakur, this is for the first time that international level cricket tournaments are being held in newly constructed Dharmshala cricket stadium that has been constructed with 50 crore rupees cost this year.

Thakur said the cricket stadium set up at height of 4000 ft above mean sea level has been constructed in accordance with international standards and is highest international cricket ground to host IPL matches.

The Dharamshala cricket stadium has a magnificent view in backdrop of mighty Dhauladhar snow peaks which register average temperature of around 25 degree to 30 degrees Celsius during the peak hours in summer while morning and evening temperature is registered around 20 degree Celsius when the entire India experiences the spell of intense heat waves, he stated.

He told that the pleasant weather will add to the glory and popularity of the game and will be
added attraction for cricket lovers who are coming from plain areas to witness the match.

Dharamshala cricket stadium has 20,000 spectators’ seating capacity and state of the art facilities, separate practice session, most modern rehabilitation centre, club lounge, restaurant, bar, banquet hall with 500 capacity and modern media centre with all the facilities.

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama will be the chief guest during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match to played between Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab on April 18 in Dharamshala.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal will be the chief guest on the opening day of the matches between Kings XI Punjab vs Deccan Chargers on April 16 and His Holiness Dalai Lama will be the chief guest on April 18 during the match between Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab, he informed.

Thakur informed that the capacity has been created to entertain and accommodate around 700 guests in the stadium.

Sales of ticket have been started and almost half of the tickets have already been sold, he informed.
(ANI)

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Retirement Yousuf’s personal decision: PCB

March 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Mar.31 (ANI): Describing former captain Mohammed Yousuf’s decision to retire from international cricket as his ‘personal’ choice, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said that it is now up to the selection committee to decide to whether pick him up for future assignments or not.

“Retirement is Yousuf ‘s personal decision, it now depends on the selection committee whether they select him for future assignments or not,” PCB Chief Operating Officer (COO) Wasim Bari said.

Bari declined to comment on whether the PCB would ask Yousuf to reconsider his decision.

Meanwhile, several former Pakistani cricketers have denounced the PCB for forcing Yousuf to hang his boots.

Former captain and Yousuf’s teammate Inzamam-ul-Haq criticised the PCB for ill-treating a player like Yousuf.

“You don’t treat senior players like this, there is total confusion and contradiction in the charges made against Yousuf by the inquiry committee. I think Yousuf is hurt and will not change his decision,” Inzamam said.

Another former skipper Rameez Raja described Yousuf’s decision to call it a day as a ‘bitter end to a glorious career.’

“For the last six months controversies have followed him and forced him to take this decision,” Raja said. (ANI)

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