Cricket-Pakistan's Misbah supports England comeback in Sri Lanka

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who engineered a 3-0 test whitewash of England earlier this year, has backed the world's top-ranked side to bounce back in Sri Lanka because of the strength of their bowlers. After losing all three tests to Pakistan in the UAE, Andrew Strauss and his men were also humbled by Sri Lanka in their opening test last week and need a quick reaction for the second test starting in Colombo on Tuesday. "England...

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Difficult to improve ranking without home series: Misbah

KARACHI: “For a country like Pakistan, it becomes difficult to improve our ranking because we haven’t played at home since 2009,” said Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, while expressing his support to the current ranking system employed by the International Cricket Council.  “I think the system is fair and objective. It takes into consideration home and away matches.” The Pakistan captain, who engineered a 3-0 test whitewash...

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The day we won the world

 Twenty years on, the joy of winning the World Cup remains undimmed. Mushtaq Ahmed licked his fingertips and gripped the ball tightly, sensing that a long-awaited wicket was close at hand. This might be the chance to put the tigers among the pigeons, he thought as he hopped in to deliver a perfect leg-spinner to Graham Gooch, the England captain. The plan was to entice Gooch into a drive, to force the ball to spin more than usual and...

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Super Eight T20 Cup: Shahzaib blasts Dolphins into final

KARACHI:  A blistering half-century by opener Shahzaib Hasan allowed Karachi Dolphins easy entry into the final of the Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 Cup after they beat Lahore Lions by seven wickets in the first semi-final yesterday. While the Lions would have been content with the 167 for seven they amassed off their quota, Shahzaib’s 28-ball 57 in a 78-run opening stand with Khalid Latif meant the Dolphins reached 170 for three with...

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Why we hate Misbah

First of all, let me apologize for the misleading headline. This is not a hate article about Misbahul Haq, nor is it one which supports him. When Pakistan lost to England, almost all of us decided to blame him for the defeat. Like all of our country’s misfortunes and losses, we decided to make our captain the scapegoat. Let us recall the events that culminated in Pakistan’s defeat. We had an opener (Hafeez) who didn’t score...

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Mohammad Hafeez: The real Boom Boom

When Pakistan cricket was hit by the spot-fixing scandal two years ago, many thought it was going to be the cause of demise of cricket in the region. We felt humiliated when two of our best bowlers and the captain were found guilty of deliberately bowling two no-balls against England at Lord’s. However, soon after that Pakistan not only managed to reach the semi-finals of 2011 World Cup but also managed to destroy the number one...

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Pakistan showcase security and passion for cricket

The three schoolboys jumped a barrier and walked nearly a mile to buy tickets to a Twenty20 game at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Truth be told, 14-year-old classmates Azizullah Khan, Zubair Khan and Noman Khalid would have been happy to walk almost any distance to see their heroes up close; Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul taking wickets and Umar Akmal whacking boundaries. The boys had only ever seen them on television for the last three years, ever...

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Aamer should be allowed to make international comeback: Former Pak cricketers

Former Pakistan captains Wasim Akram and Rashid Latif feel that Mohammad Aamer should be given another chance to play international cricket but only after serving his five-year ban for spot fixing. "I have no doubt that he should be forgiven and allowed back into international cricket once he serves his ban," Akram told reporters here. "Pakistan is a cricket loving nation and we all love the game. Aaamer has served his time in jail...

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The start is going to be crucial, says Gayle

 To call Chris Gayle Royal Challengers Bangalore's best player in the IPL last year would be like calling Che Guevara a man with a wispy beard. Arriving five games in as replacement for Dirk Nannes, Gayle carried a hitherto flagging outfit to the brink of the title in sensational fashion, his contribution incapable of being overstated enough. The imposing Jamaican spoke to the press at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday after...

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Whatmore keenly watching young talents in Pakistan

LAHORE: The new Pakistan cricket team coach Dav Whatmore has shown he meant business as he spent most of his time this week at the Rawalpindi cricket stadium where the National Super Eights T20 championship is underway. Whatmore along with fielding coach, Julian Fountain have been present at the Pindi stadium for all the matches since Monday. "They come to the stadium before the start of the first match and leave late night all the while...

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Rashid Latif shocked by MCC's 'double standard'

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif on Thursday lashed out at cricket's oldest club, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), for contemplating a tour of war-torn Afghanistan at the expense of Pakistan. "I am shocked at MCC's double standard," Latif told AFP. "Even Afghanistan's team don't practise in their country because of the war and yet MCC is planning to tour Kabul and ruling out Pakistan." MCC president Phillip Hodson told BBC radio's...

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Dhoni and boys will take the legacy forward: Rahul Dravid

MUMBAI: Retired cricketer Rahul Dravid on Tuesday said he will miss being part of the Indian dressing room but exuded confidence that skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys will take the legacy forward. Dravid, who retired from International cricket earlier this month, said watching India win the World Cup last year was a "special moment" for him and hoped that Dhoni and his boys will make Indian cricket a strong force in future. ...

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Cricket: Jayawardene thwarts England in first Test

Sri Lanka: Skipper Mahela Jayawardene crafted a classy century to steer Sri Lanka out of trouble on the opening day of the first Test against England in Galle on Monday. Jayawardene hit an unbeaten 168 as the hosts recovered from a disastrous 15-3 by the fourth over to move to 289-8 by stumps at a Galle International Stadium packed with some 8,000 English supporters. Fast bowler James Anderson claimed two wickets off successive...

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Sialkot Stallions register win in a low-scoring match

 Lahore Eagles v Sialkot Stallions at Rawalpindi, 3rd Match, Mar 26, 2012 Sialkot Stallions won the toss and put Eagles to bat first on beautiful sunny evening at Rawalpindi. Eagles had four star international players in their lineup namely Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Adnan Akmal and the rising star Azhar Ali. Sialkot on the other hand had the exciting Imran Nazir in their lineup alongwith the former captain of Pakistan, Shoaib Malik. Imran ...

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IPL teammate makes quick work of Taylor's forearm

 South African quick Morne Morkel is unlikely to have brought a smile to his IPL franchise yesterday. Morkel and New Zealand captain Ross Taylor were due to be teammates at the Delhi Daredevils, when the IPL starts on April 4. However, a nasty lifting delivery from Morkel shortly after lunch at the Basin Reserve broke a bone in Taylor's left forearm. Taylor, on 18, tried to bat on wearing an arm guard, but walked off one ball later...

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Lahore Lions, Faisalabad Wolves score victories

Lahore Lions defeated Karachi Zebras by 6 wickets in the second match of the Faysal Bank Super Eight Twenty20 Cricket Cup here at the Pindi Stadium on Sunday. Ahmad Shahzad with his superb knock of unbeaten 60 with six boundaries and Umar Akmal 43 of 26 balls including seven boundaries helped their side to record six wickets victory in the 18th over of the game. Earlier Karachi Zebras made 135/4 in the allotted 20 overs. Rameez Aziz (37)...

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Ex-cricketer Chris Cairns wins £90,000 libel damages

The former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns has been awarded £90,000 in damages after allegations on Twitter that he was involved in match-fixing. Mr Cairns, 41, sued Lalit Modi, the former chairman of the IPL, the Twenty20 franchise in India. Mr Modi has so far refused to apologise for the allegation he made in a tweet. Mr Cairns's lawyer said the comments had tainted the career of his client, who played for Nottinghamshire...

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South Africa in control of third Test

Centuries from Alviro Petersen and JP Duminy gave South Africa an iron grip on the weather-affected third Test against New Zealand in Wellington. South Africa declared their first-innings at 474 for nine in the final session at Basin Reserve before New Zealand reached 65 without loss at stumps with Daniel Flynn on 35 and Martin Guptill on 28. It was a sound start by New Zealand, who face an uphill battle to win the Test and level the three-match...

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Whatmore satisfied with Pakistan cricket progress

 Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore Sunday expressed satisfaction over his team's performance during their winning Asia Cup campaign, saying it would have been the icing on the cake to beat arch-rivals India. Pakistan beat Bangladesh in a thrilling final by two runs in Dhaka on Thursday, lifting the Asia Cup for the second time. It was Whatmore's first assignment since taking over earlier this month. The former Australian batsman -- who guided...

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Tendulkar does not rule out playing in 2015 World Cup

 Sachin Tendulkar, who will turn 39 next month, is in no hurry to retire and the prolific Indian batsman has refused to rule himself out of the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. "Whatever lies ahead is in God's hands. I can only try. I just want to enjoy the game and I don't want to set targets," Tendulkar told reporters on Sunday at a function to celebrate his 100th international century. Since his 1989 debut against Pakistan,...

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Bangladesh are too late to appeal result - Pakistan

 Bangladesh have reacted too late in trying to have the result of the Asia Cup final overturned, the Pakistan Cricket Board's chief operating officer said on Sunday. A senior official from the Bangladesh Cricket Board said on Saturday that it will ask the Asian Cricket Council to review an incident in the last over of Thursday's final against Pakistan which they believe cost them the game. Pakistan won the final by two runs but Bangladesh...

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Pakistan Cricket Board disappointed at Bangladesh claims against Cheema

 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Cricket Board said Sunday it was disappointed with Bangladeshi claims that fast bowler Aizaz Cheema deliberately blocked batsman Mahmudullah during the Asia Cup final on Thursday. Intikhab Alam, head of a PCB committee, said neither the match referee nor the umpires raised the issue with Pakistan team management after the match. "It is sad and disappointing...

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BCB wants review of last-over collision in Asia Cup final

 DHAKA: Bangladesh have not yet given up on the Asia Cup despite losing the final by two runs to Pakistan as the country's Board plans to complain to the Asian Cricket Council that pacer Aizaz Cheema deliberately blocked host batsman Mahmudullah Riyad when he tried to come back for a run during the tense chase. Chasing 237 for a win, Bangladesh fell short by two runs as they needed four from the final delivery. The incident in question...

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Nation to miss Afridi as T20 action begins

 Cricket fans will deeply miss the country’s top allrounder Shahid Afridi when the Faysal Bank Super Eight National Twenty20 Cup 2011-12 tees off at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday (today). Afridi, who earned man of the match award in the final of the Asia Cup in Bangladesh, has shown his unavailability for the eight-team competition which will conclude on April 1. “Afridi is not playing in the T20 Cup because...

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Bangladesh’s Pakistan tour rests on ICC meeting outcome

 LAHORE: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has deferred its decision regarding the tour to Pakistan until the next ICC Executive Board meeting, which will take place in Dubai on April 14. The BCB communicated this to International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on March 20 in reply to the game governing body’s request to PCB and BCB on March 16 to provide it with the tour schedule and the security plan so that...

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Cricket-Ireland eye top table after reaching T20 World Cup

 Ireland captain William Porterfield said his side's qualification for September's ICC World Twenty20 tournament proved they merited a place at cricket's top table. Ireland romped to a nine-wicket victory over Namibia on Saturday to join Afghanistan as one of two teams from cricket's second and third tiers to reach the Sri Lanka event. It is the third successive time Ireland has qualified for the World Twenty20 and the team has also...

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