Saturday, August 11, 2007
No Space For Razzaq And Yousuf
Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif have been named in Pakistan's Twenty20 World Championship squad, less than a year after failing drug tests.
The duo were sent home in disgrace after testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug nandrolone at the ICC Champions Trophy last year.
But the Pakistan Cricket Board controversially overturned the respective two-year and one-year bans meted out on appeal.
And after passing World Anti-Doping Agency approved drug tests at the start of August, the selectors have recalled the pair for the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa.
Senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq have been omitted though, with batsman Misbah-ul-Haq back after a three years in the international wilderness.
Young all-rounder Fawad Alam also makes the 15-man party, as Pakistan seek to redeem themselves following the World cup debacle earlier this year.
New coach Geoff Lawson will hope to avoid another giant-killing for the nation, against Scotland on September 12, before a mouth-watering tie against arch-rivals India two days later.
Pakistan Twenty20 squad: Shoaib Malik (captain), Younis Khan, Imran Nazir, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif, Shoaib Akthar, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Gul, Shahid Afridi, Iftikhar Anjum, Fawad Alam, Abdur Rehman, Yasir Arafat, Misbah-ul-Haq.
Inzi Wants To Play In India
Media company Zee Telefilms are bankrolling a new league Twenty20 competition to the sum of around £500,000 in India and are hoping to lure some of the world's biggest names.The reluctance, however, of the Board of Control for Cricket in India - and consequently the International Cricket Council - to recognise the competition has meant other national boards have been unwilling to release players.
So far Brian Lara, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, is the only world star to have signed up. Shane Warne and Chris Cairns have also been linked but it is unlikely any current internationals will play.
Pakistan batsman Inzamam believes that should change as he feels he needs to play more domestic cricket to prepare for internationals.
The 37-year-old is not currently under any contract to the Pakistan Cricket Board and feels he should be free to take up an offer in the India Cricket League without punishment.
"It is understandable the board saying this about their players under a central contract but they have not given me any contract, and it's an open market," Inzamam wrote in his diary on Bigstarcricket.com.
"If they are not selecting me I have a right to play cricket anywhere, whether in county cricket, Bangladesh, or India.
"I'm not only interested in money, I'm interested in playing cricket. The ICL is offering me good money and cricket.
"I have not played any cricket for four months since the World Cup.
"Although I am still desperate to play for Pakistan it is not good for me if I get picked for Test cricket with no match practice behind me.
"There is no cricket in Pakistan before the South Africa series so I need to play.
"I would like to go and play in India and then as soon as my country needs me I would come back for national duty."
Inzamam, Pakistan's second-highest Test runscorer and closing on 10,000, is considering the offer from the ICL and says he will make a decision in the next three days.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
TheCricketLive.com
Join My Orkut Community
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So Good Of You, Shahid
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Pakistan Cricket News delivered to your Cell: For some days I have been
fascinated by the easy and utility of , this is without doubt a step closer to
interconnecting the entire world via the mobile phone. The best portion of
twitter which I have grown to love is the ability to deliver instant news right
to my cell phone. I have configured a few twitter accounts and attached them to
some RSS feeds and whenever the feed updates I get pinged immediately with an
SMS containing a short description and a tinyurl to browse through using GPRS. I have for the past few weeks created a number of Twitter accounts which is
customized to update you with Pakistan specific news from some leading news
sources in Pakistan. With a strong passion for cricket I have just recently
configured the Pakistan Cricinfo RSS feed with a twitter account aptly calling
it and now whenever there is a story update on Cricinfo about anything related
to the Pakistan Cricket scene I get the news sent to me instantaneously. To get
these news delivered to your cell phone all you have to do is Signup for an
account into your friends list and rest assured you will get the next
update sent right to your cell phone I am still trying to configure the
account to be able to provide you with live score updates, and if that becomes
possible I shall attach the feed right to the same twitter page
DawnNews -
http://twitter.com/DawnNews
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So Good Of You, Shahid
Afridi - investing in the youngsters.
Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi is to organise a camp for his country's
youngsters in late June. Afridi, who received very little formal coaching
himself, plans to run the camp for under-19 and under-14 players in Karachi, the
city he has lived most of his life in. He told Karachi-based, Dawn: "Sadly,
nowadays we are not producing such cricketers from our city. I think, as
national heroes, it is our foremost duty to make some sort of contribution to
ensure we don't lag behind." Danish Kaneria and Mohammad Sami are other
internationals from Karachi, a city who's representation in the national team
has decreased over the years. Afridi added: "There was a time in the past when
there was stiff competition for places at the Karachi level and a number of
those players went on to represent Pakistan. But now there are hardly a couple
of players representing Karachi in our national teams." Afridi also plans to
invite some of his team-mates to the camp, dates for which have not been
decided, to add their input and build into they young talent, commenting: "I
intend to invite a good number of former and current Pakistan players during the
camp for giving tips as well as do some coaching.
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Akhtar In Line For Recall
Controversial Pakistan fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar is on the verge of receiving
a recall to the national squad. Akhtar was included in a list of 20 to attend a
conditioning camp in preparation for the two-match ODI series against Scotland
and India next month. The Rawalpindi Express has enjoyed a topsy-turvey
international career of late and has been hampered by injury and off-field
problems. He has played a single Test and four one-dayers since February 2006.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) pulled Akhtar out of the Afro-Asia Cup in
India. The reason behind his absence was that he was deemed unfit. Akhtar tested
positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone during the 2006 Champions Trophy in
India. He was sent home a day before Pakistan were due to play their opening
game of the tournament.
He was banned for two years after a three-man tribunal set up by the board
found him guilty. A new tribunal appointed to review the appeal against the ban
then acquitted Akhtar. The downward spiral continued when he was selected for
the tour to South Africa in late 2006/07. He took four for 36 in the second Test
but injured his hamstring during the clash. "He has been working hard to get
back into top shape and he remains one of our main strike bowlers, so we have
decided to bring him back into the reckoning for selection," chief selector
Salahuddin Ahmed told Reuters. "At the camp, Shoaib has to prove he has made a
complete recovery from his knee and ankle injuries," Ahmed added. Akhtar has
played 43 Tests and 133 one-dayers and will want to add to his tally sooner
rather than later as age is not on his side this time around.
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Inzy Calls For Clarity
Bob and Inzy
before the untimely death of the former.
Former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq has called for the Jamaican police to
reveal the cause of Bob Woolmer's death and bring an end to the confusion. Recent reports have suggested that the police will announce that Woolmer was
not murdered - as they claimed in the week after Woolmer's death - and in fact
died of natural causes. There was speculation that Inzamam and the Pakistan
squad were involved in the death, and Inzy is hoping that the record will be set
straight sooner rather than later. "Time will prove our innocence in the case
and we want it to be over sooner rather than later," he told Pakistan's Express
newspaper. "Besides all the trauma, I was alleged to be, God forbid, involved in
Bob's murder. "Now the true facts are coming out and I am thankful to the
Almighty and pray that Pakistani cricket never sees such days again." Inzamam,
who retired from one-day cricket after the
World Cup, admitted that the time between their loss to Ireland and the day
they left Jamaica was incredibly tough. "Those were the most traumatic days of
our lives. We were thrown out of the World Cup, Bob died and no one contacted us
from Pakistan to give us any consolation," he said. "I pray no Pakistani ever
has to go through such circumstances."
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Mohammad Asif vs Mahela Jayawardene
CLICK Watch Live Cricket Asia IX vs Africa IXAsia Post Formidable Total
The Asia XI won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening ODI against the Africa XI on Wednesday.
The Asian XI was at full strength with a formidable battling line-up boasting Sanath Jayasuriya, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Mahela Jayawardene and Mohammad Yousuf - and they did not disappoint.
Sehwag found the form he had been lacking for India in recent months. He hit seven boundaries and a six in his impressive 42-ball 45. Veteran middle order maestro, Sourav Ganguly then chipped in with a masterful 32 off just 29 balls.
So two Indians got the ball rolling only for the rolling to turn into a thumping, through the efforts of Sri Lankan and Asian captain Mahela Jayawardene (65) and Pakistan ace Mohammad Yousuf (66).
Yuvraj Singh then came in and played a cameo innings down the order. He scored at just over a run a ball, and frustrated the African bowling attack with his streaky shot making and lack of foot movement. Singh fell for 31, chipping the ball to Justin Kemp on the edge of the inner ring.
Harbhajan Singh played another handy innings down the order. He scored 20 off just 22 balls and picked up a slight leg niggle in the process.
Morne Morkel, playing in his first One-day international was by far the pick of the bowlers. He finished with figures of three for 68 in his allotted 10 overs. His older brother, Albie Morkel showed why he is always a threat with the ball. He took with two for 64.
Elton Chigumbura was another player to produce a standout performance with the ball. The Zimbabwean took two for 56 and showed true grit and determination in an attack minus premier paceman Shaun Pollock.
AB de Villiers must be commended for a fine fielding display. He worked tirelessly in the field and gets a special mention alongside Thomas Odoyo. The pair engineered the run-out of the dangerous wicket-keeper/batsman Mahandra Singh Dhoni.
The big-hitters in the Africa XI will have to bring their A-game if they are to chase down the formidable total under the lights in Bangalore.
Asia set Africa a mammoth 318 runs for victory in the opening ODI of the three-match ODI series.
Shahid Afridi makes 32 runs
TheCricketLive.com
Akram Ready To Pay It Forward Wasim Akram, recently ousted by Glenn McGrath from his postion as leading wicket-taker in World Cups, is a man interested in investing in the future of Pakistan's pacemen. So much so that he wants to set up a fast-bowling fund. Akram is currently part of the oversight at a camp for opening batsmen and fast bowlers in Lahore, organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The former speedster has many business and media commitments but seems pretty intent on doing more for the next Wasim Akrams of Pakistan. Akram told Cricinfo: "It's too early to say right now about a permanent role as it depends on my timings. "I have media commitments and I'm away from Pakistan a lot. But I think whenever I have time, a week or two off, I could come back and help out. Read More 
 |
Jamaican police may be unwilling to comment at present, but it seems that they are about to be ridiculed by confirmation that Bob Woolmer was not murdered. Several news agencies are reporting that Scotland Yard detectives have told Jamaican authorities that Woolmer died of natural causes, while a report in the Jamaica Gleaner has quoted an unnamed senior local police officer as saying: "Certainly, in my view it was not murder." Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room on 18 March and four days later it was announced by Jamaica's deputy police commissioner Mark Shields that the former England Test cricketer had been murdered.However a report in the Daily Mail has quoted a source close to Scotland Yard's inquiry as saying: "Mr Woolmer was not a well man. It is now accepted that he died of natural causes."Woolmer's widow Gill says she has heard nothing new from the Jamaican police, but it is believed that Shields warned her of the growing uncertainty over the circumstances of her husband's death on a trip to Cape Town last month. Several UK newspapers have now reported that Jamaican police are set to announce that Woolmer died of natural causes, brought on by chronic ill-health and possibly diabetes.Read More
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