Pakistan will miss services of five players in World Cup

Pakistan will miss the services of its top five players, including the suspended trio of Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Aamer, in the upcoming cricket World Cup, sources said on Tuesday.

The sources said International Cricket Council (ICC) has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to not include players under suspicion in its preliminary 30-member squad, which has to be finalised by December 19.

The other two players, who are to likely to miss the bus are stumper Kamran Akmal and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

“The advice is not to select these two while the suspended trio of Salman Butt, Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Aamer are also out of contention for the World Cup,” one source told PTI.

The source said the PCB had tried to get clearance for selecting Akmal but did not get a favorable response from the sport’s world governing body.

“There is fear in the cricket hierarchy that with doubts still existing over the conduct of Akmal, Kaneria and the suspended trio also under a spot-fixing cloud, these five should not be selected in the World Cup preliminary squad,” the source said.

Sources also said that there was also some doubt over former captain Shoaib Malik, who has scored three successive hundreds in the ongoing domestic season.

“There is 50-50 chance of Malik making the preliminary squad but 95 per chance that Akmal and Kaneria are out of contention,” the source said.

The Boards have to submit their preliminary squads of 30 to the ICC by December 19 and the final-15 after a month.

Salman Butt, Aamer and Asif were provisionally suspended by the ICC after allegations surfaced that they took money to bowl deliberate no balls during the Lord’s Test against England.

“The PCB and its selectors are in the process of finalising the squad for the New Zealand tour and the World Cup preliminary squad and several meetings have been held in this regard involving chief selector Mohsin Khan, coach Waqar Younis and manager Intikhab Alam with PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt,” the source said.

He said without ICC clearance and approval the PCB, faced with spot—fixing controversy, was not in a position to induct players still under a cloud of suspicion.

A former Test player said if the selectors were not able to pick the suspended trio and Akmal and Kaneria it would be a big blow to Pakistan cricket team.

“They are all senior players and the absence of Akmal and Kaneria would be a big setback for the team, it will hard finding their replacements,” he said.

Akmal and Kaneria had also missed out on just concluded series against South Africa in the UAE. The board had not explained their ouster.

Pakistan T20, test teams for New Zealand tour

LAHORE, Nov 30 (APP): Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, experienced batsmen Mohammad Yousaf, Shoaib Malik and leg spinner Danish Kaneria were omitted from Pakistan test squad announced here on Tuesday for the tour of New Zealand.

Pakistan Cricket Board here on Tuesday announced its test and T20 team for the tour of New Zealand to play 3 T20 matches, 2 test matches and 6 One Day Internationals from December 26.
But the surprise omission was of regular keeper Kamran who was not considered for both the teams.
Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-haq have been retained as captains for T20 and Test squads respectively. The team for one day internationals will be announced later. 
Kamran’s place will be filled by his brother Adnan, who made his Test debut against South Africa in the UAE. 
Yousuf who was ruled out of the tests against South Africa due to groin injury failed to get the nod of the selectors.
Opener Imran Farhat and seamer Mohammad Sami, who were part of the team in against South Africa in UAE were shown exit. Ahmed Shehzad returns to the limited-overs fold at the top of the order. 
In the absence of Danish, off spinner Saeed Ajmal and left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman will boost the spin attack and Umar Gul, Tanvir Ahmed and Sohail Tanvir will add fire to pace battery. Wahab Riaz will also accompany, subject to fitness. He sustained muscle injury against South Africa. Shoaib Akhtar will lead from front in the Twenty20 matches.
Test team, Misbah-ul-Haq (Captain), Mohammad Hafiz Taufiq Umer, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Umer Akmal Adnan Akmal (W/k), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umer Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir and Wahab Riaz.
T20-squad, Shahid Afridi (Captain), Mohammad Hafiz, Ahmed Shahzad, Younis Khan, Umer Akmal, Fawad Alam, Adnan Akmal (w/k), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Abdul Razzaq, Umer Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Tanvir Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz (subject to fitness).
In his comments on the announcement of the team Chief Selector Mohsin Hasan Khan said,” The upcoming tour of New Zealand is extremely important for us as it will help in the preparation of World Cup. After the clearance by PCB, the Selection Committee has selected the best available combination of seniors and youngsters”, he said. 
“At the moment we (Selection Committee) are announcing the teams for T20 and the Test matches. 15th player for the test matches will be announced later if required”, he asserted.

Miandad game to be batting consultant of Pak cricket team

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad today said he cannot take up the job of a full-time batting coach with the national cricket team but is ready to work as a batting consultant. Miandad, who returned from China after witnessing the cricket tournament as cricket ambassador of the pakistan government, said he was always ready to help the team. "I have never refused in the past to do anything that can prove beneficial to Pakistan team.

The same is the situation now if the board wants me to work as batting consultant I am available for this assignment," Miandad said.

The former captain who is director-general of cricket in the Pakistan Board done the coach duty thrice in the past, the last time being in 2003-2004. "At the moment due to my other commitments I am not in a position to work in any fulltime capacity with the team but I am there to help the players as batting consultant," Miandad said. He said that in the past also he had worked for a short time with the players in the national camp.

"This time also I will do my best to help them out and fine-tune the batsmen keeping in mind the conditions they will most likely encounter in the tour to New Zealand," he said. Miandad felt that there was plenty of batting experience and talent in the national team but it just needed to work in the right direction and more consistently. "I think I can help them out with my experience and I know where the fine tuning is required," he said.

Miandad said that keeping in mind that the World Cup was few months away it was necessary for the batsmen to start hitting form consistently.

The former skipper made it clear he had no intention of interfering in the domain of the chief coach or management and would focus on his work as batting consultant. He also lauded the organisation of the first cricket event in the Asian Games. "I remain confident China will soon come up as a strong cricketing nation because the interest in the sport is there and one could see that everyone in China was happy to see their team playing for the first time in such a major cricket event."

He said with time and more technical and coaching expertise, Chinese players would improve and they had the backing of their government to go far ahead.

Yusuf may be ignored from Pakistan's World Cup probables

Karachi, Nov 30 (IANS) Pakistan's cricket selectors are mulling the option of ignoring senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf for the World Cup 2011 because of his poor form and fitness.

Yousuf, 36, is one of the most prolific Pakistan batsmen of all time and is keen to feature in the country's World Cup campaign.

However, the former captain has failed to impress with his form and fitness and is likely to be snubbed when Pakistan name their 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup to be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Pakistan too were the co-hosts of the World Cup 2011, but the International Cricket Council controlling the game and international engagements dropped Pakistan after terrorists attacked the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore and later Australia called off Pakistan tour for security reasons.

Quoting sources, a report in the daily News revealed Tuesday that Pakistan's chief selector Mohsin Khan has discussed the best possible pool of players for the World Cup with captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis.

Both the coach and the captain are convinced that Yousuf doesn't deserve a spot in the World Cup squad.

The national selection committee headed by Mohsin Khan is also reluctant to push for Yousuf's case especially after the batsman was forced to pull out of the Test series against South Africa in the UAE earlier this month.

Yousuf suffered a recurrence of an old groin injury prior to the toss on day one of the first Test in Dubai and was sidelined for at least two weeks.

'There is still a question mark on Yousuf's fitness,' said a source. 'World Cup is a long and exhaustive tournament and the selectors want to make it sure that only fully fit players are picked to feature in it,' he added.

Yousuf has often been criticised for his below-average fielding, which is another reason why Pakistan are mulling over the option of picking him for only Tests in the future.

Another factor that could play a significant role in Yousuf's axing from Pakistan's one-day and Twenty20 squads is that younger batsmen like Asad Shafiq have really made their presence felt in the last few months.

'While Yousuf seems to be on his way down, younger batsmen like Asad Shafiq are making it increasingly difficult for selectors to ignore them,' said the source.

Yousuf has amassed 7,530 runs from 90 Tests at an average of 52.29 with 24 centuries. His ODI record is equally impressive with a tally of 9720 runs from 288 outings at an average of 41.71.

Yousuf, however, hasn't scored a fifty in his last eight ODI outings. The last of his 15 ODI tons came more than 30 months ago against Bangladesh in Lahore in April 2008.

National selectors are expected to announce Pakistan's team for the tour of New Zealand as well as the preliminary squad for the World Cup soon.

Pakistan will play three Twenty20 Internationals, two Tests and six One-day Internationals against New Zealand in December-January

Fact-finding committee submits report on Haider controversy

The PCB's three-member fact-finding committee has submitted its final report on investigations intoZulqarnain Haider's controversial flight from Dubai to London during the series against South Africa. The PCB declined to make further comments after the committee - comprising team manager Intikhab Alam, the board's security manager Major Najam Javed and senior official Subhan Ahmed - finalised its report.

Haider, who had played a match-winning hand in the fourth one-dayer on November 5, disappeared from Dubai ahead of the final match and surfaced in London. He later confirmed later that he received threats from unidentified people following the fourth match and was told to get in line for the decider. As a result of the threats Haider announced his retirement from cricket. The ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit got in touch with Haider, but the world body will wait for the PCB to finish its probe before launching its own investigation into the issue.

Haider has, meanwhile, updated his Facebook page with a message saying he plans to expose "those who have taken money", following which his family has reported receiving phone calls threatening of dire consequences

Pakistan's Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif to be charged under 104-year-old corruption law

The Telegraph can disclose there is a “strong appetite” to prosecute Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, according to legal and police sources.

It comes after another cricketer accused of similar claims has been charged under the rarely-used corruption law, and for cheating under the new Gambling Act.

The Attorney General rubber-stamped the decision to prosecute former Essex seamer Mervyn Westfield for deliberately bowling badly during a one-day game against Durham. Sources said that it paved the way for charges against the Pakistan cricketers.Scotland Yard detectives interviewed them in September on suspicion of defrauding bookmakers after a newspaper sting alleged they received orders from businessman Mazhar Majeed to deliberately bowl no-balls in the Lord’s Test against England.

Police are now pursuing a charge of “accepting or obtaining corrupt payments” contrary to their “employer’s affairs or considerations” under the 1906 Corruption Act. It was originally framed for those working in public office and carries a maximum penalty of seven years in jail.

In the News of the World sting, Majeed, an agent, received £150,000 from an undercover reporter. It is understood that detectives have recovered just £4,000 of the money.

Two files of evidence have been passed by police to the Crown Prosecution Service, whose lawyers are under pressure to make a decision on any charges ahead of the February’s World Cup, which is being held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

They will now be able to refer to the precedent set by Dominic Grieve, the Attorney General, in the Westfield case - making charges more likely.

Westfield was originally charged with conspiracy to defraud after an investigation into a match against Durham in September 2009.

His lawyers argued that the case was not legitimate because the accusations did not fit the law.

It was also difficult to establish a potential “victim” in the case because no legal bookmaker in Britain actually takes bets on the timing of specific no-balls or wides, At an Old Bailey hearing last month, David Durose, prosecuting, said that the matter had been referred to the Attorney General to approve “more suitable” charges.

The first charge is under the corruption law and the second count is cheating under the Gambling Act 2005.

The Telegraph has learnt that the chief legal adviser agreed to an indictment with two new charges.

A CPS spokesperson said: “The CPS has decided that Mervyn Westfield should be charged with corruptly accepting or obtaining a payment for himself and with assisting another to cheat at gambling. Both charges relate to bowling in a manner calculated and intended to allow the scoring of runs in a NatWest Pro40 cricket match.

“We will not proceed with the charge of conspiracy to defraud as we have decided that the two new charges better fit the facts of the case. There was no substantial legal argument on the previous charge and the decision to replace it with the new charges was taken by the CPS.”

'Miandad return a big boost'

Never a great fan of Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram welcomes the return of the controversial former national coach as a batting adviser.

Wasim Akram has welcomed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to include Javed Miandad as batting consultant of the senior national team. Miandad has been the chief coach on two occasions before. 

Akram, who was Pakistan captain during Miandad's coaching stint (1998-99), feels the team will surely benefit from his vast experience.

"Javed Miandad is a hard-working man. Then he knows the ins and outs of batting technique. He is one of the greats of his times. So it's nice to have a big name like him in the side. He is street fighter and players should learn from him," said Akram.

Never known for great man management, Akram wonders if Miandad will be the perfect team man Pakistan need at these times. “Waqar Younis (now chief coach), bowling advisor Aaquib Javed and Miandad will have to work together to build the future of Pakistan cricket,” Akram told Mobile ESPN in an exclusive chat from Karachi on Monday. 

"If Waqar, Aaquib and Miandad could combine well then Pakistan will immensely benefit from their experience. They can do wonders for Pakistan cricket as long as they stick together," Akram added.

The Misbah-ul-Haq-led Pakistan side played well against South Africa in the recently concluded two-Test series in the UAE. Misbah scored an unbeaten 76 in the first Test, while the 36-year-old batsman managed 77 and a dogged 58 not out to rescue Pakistan in the second Test as well. Akram feels that Misbah has shown good temperament as a leader.

"It was a good omen for Pakistan cricket that they drew the series against one of the top sides of the world. Misbah played good cricket and displayed some exemplary leadership qualities. I believed that he was a stop-gap arrangement for Pakistan, but if he is given more time, he will surely do well in the job," said Akram.

Akram is also very happy with the inclusion of former captain Younis Khan. Younis, who hit an unbeaten 131 in the first Test against Proteas was instrumental in Pakistan putting up a good fight in UAE.

"Younis returning to the side is a big plus for Pakistan. He is a senior player, who played well in the Test matches as well. He will be a good No.3 or No.4 in the batting order. Younis' presence will be of great help when chasing big scores," said Akram.

Akram though cautioned the team management to take care of their senior players for Pakistan cricket to prosper. 

"The team should use the services of Younis to their advantage. He is a senior member and should be given due respect. He should be treated like a senior and get the best out of him. Younis is not only a good batsman and fielder but is also a team-man," Akram said.

Kamran Akmal ready to play as specialist batsman

Kamran Akmal the Pakistan wicketkeeper, has said he has ironed out technical flaws in his glovework and is determined to make a comeback behind the stumps, but is ready to play even as a specialist batsman if required. Kamran made several wicket-keeping errors on Pakistan's tour of England in August and was dropped for the second Test against the hosts. He played the last two Tests and the one-dayers but was left out of the squad for the series against South Africa.

"I've addressed some of the basics, especially those things that went wrong for me in England," Kamran told PakPassion.net. "I've watched a lot of the videos and we've analysed some of the errors. I've been working hard with the National Bank coaches and have received sound advice from ex-cricketers like Ijaz Ahmed and Waqar Younis [the national coach]."

Kamran, who was replaced by Zulqarnain Haider for the ODIs and younger brother Adnan Akmal for the Tests against South Africa, has scored 530 runs at an average of 75.71 for National Bank in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy this season, including his maiden first-class double-century against Fasialabad. Pakistan's selection committee are due to meet soon to choose the squads for the tour of New Zealand, which starts with the first of three Twenty20 internationals on December 23, as well as the preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup, and Kamran is hopeful that his domestic performances will earn him a recall.

"When I wasn't chosen for the series versus South Africa, I decided that I would look to regain my form and confidence in domestic cricket," he said. "I've managed to score plenty of runs and I have been happy with my form behind the stumps.

"My dropping was up to the PCB and the selectors, and was out of my control. They choose who they think deserves a chance and I have no problem with that. I am more determined than ever to reclaim my place in the Pakistan side and I am comfortable if the selectors and management want me to play as a keeper or purely as a batsman."

Kamran underwent a minor appendix operation before the UAE tour but was fit when Adnan was picked for the Tests following Haider's controversial exit from the side. There was some speculation that his exclusion from the squad may have been linked to the spot-fixing scandal. He was sent a notice by the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACSU) after the Nottingham Test seeking information about events related to the 2010 World Twenty20 held in the Caribbean in May. Kamran was subsequently cleared for Pakistan selection after he sent an enquiry to the ICC asking if he was under investigation.

Akmal admitted it had been a hard few months for him but said he has the mental strength to bounce back. "Being dropped is not an easy thing to take," he said, "but I took it on the chin and decided that I would use my dropping from the team as a motivational tool. At this level, it's the mental side of the game that quite often causes mistakes or a loss of form. I needed to be mentally tougher and I've worked on that."

Haider's family reports threats to police

The family of Zulqarnain Haider, the Pakistan wicketkeeper, has reported receiving threatening phone calls to the police after Haider, who is still in England, said he would expose those involved in corrupt practices in Pakistan cricket.

"Zulqarnain's wife got three calls today, two from an unknown number and one from a number in Greece, in which the caller, speaking in Urdu, threatened her of dire consequences if Zulqarnain said anything about anyone," Aqeel Haider, one of Haider's brother, told Reuters.

Aqeel said the calls were received after Haider had updated his Facebook page with a message saying he would blow the whistle on " those who have taken money". "All these people who are saying negative things about me, they should wait for five more days, then I will show them my background and status," Haider wrote. "After five days I will show them their background and place, and also those who don't take money and those who have taken money."

Haider had gone missing from the team hotel on the morning of Pakistan's fifth ODI against South Africa in Dubai and resurfaced in London later the same day. He was said to be seeking protection in the UK after he was threatened by unidentified people following his team's one-wicket win in the fourth ODI against South Africa. As a result of the threats Haider announced his retirement from cricket.

Mohammad Yousuf Gets A Wicket In Very First Over

Zulqarnain to expose match fixing players

LONDON: LONDON: Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has said that he would reveal secrets regarding match-fixing and spot-fixing allegations within five or six days, Geo News reported.
He said that he would expose those talking against him in the next five or six days and reveal who has taken money and from whom.
According to sources, he wrote this on his facebook account.

Zulqarnain's wife now threatened

"Zulqarnain's wife got three calls today, two from an unknown number and one from a number in Greece in which the caller speaking in Urdu threatened her of dire consequences if Zulqarnain said anything about anyone," Aqeel Haider, the player's brother, said.

He said the calls came after Zulqarnain said on his Facebook page on Sunday that he would soon expose people who had taken bribes.

"All these people who are saying negative things about me...they should wait for five more days then I will show them my background and status. After five days I will show them their background and place and also those who don't take money and those who have taken money," Haider wrote on his page.

The wicketkeeper left the national team earlier this month and fled Dubai for London where he has applied for asylum, saying he was under threat from people who wanted him to cooperate in fixing matches.

Zulqarnain was a member of the Pakistan squad whose tour of England this year degenerated into chaos when test captain Salman Butt and opening bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were suspended following spot-fixing allegations.

Tanvir BOWLS Dravid + Priceless Geoff Lawson reaction

"Yousuf should concentrate only on Test cricket": Moin Khan

Former Pakistan cricket captain Mohammad Yousuf should focus only on the Test format of the game, his compatriot and former wicketkeeper Moin Khan has said. "Yousuf should concentrate only on Test cricket," PakPassion.net quoted Moin, as saying. He felt that Yousuf does not warrant selection in the Pakistan World Cup Squad due to being dogged by injuries of late, and although he was selected for the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa in UAE, he was only able to play the final game before being ruled out of the Test series against the Proteas after picking up a recurrence of his old groin injury. "How can you select a player (for the final ODI) who has fitness issues and he has just recovered, and arrived in the UAE ahead of a young guy who has been playing well." Moin was of the view that the rigours of One-day Internationals and Twenty20 cricket were no longer for the Pakistani batting stalwart, and that his spot should be filled by the young and impressive right-hand top order batsman, Asad Shafiq. "Yousuf has a lot of fitness issues and a young player like Asad should get a chance. Asad was playing well in the ODI against South Africa but for some reason he was dropped for Yousuf." As the cricket world prepares for the World Cup event to be held in the subcontinent next year, Moin was circumspect on Pakistan's chances. "PCB have made a lot of mess. The team should have been finalised 6 months ago, but unfortunately we are still not sure who will be in the squad." He also mirrored the views of ex-Pakistani coach Geoff Lawson in claiming, "There is lot of instability in the team like the board and if Pakistan does well, it has to be due to individual brilliance." (ANI)

PCB seeks report on loss to Afghanistan

LAHORE – The Pakistan Cricket Board has asked the team management of the Asian Games cricket team to submit a detailed report on their loss to Afghanistan in the Asian Games. Pakistan won bronze after losing to Afghanistan in the semi-final.
A source in the PCB said that there were rumours that some players of the team may have under-performed against Afghanistan as many team members had got training from Rashid Latif, now coach of Afghanistan team, in his academy.
However, a PCB official rejected the rumours and cited the stunning performance of Afghanistan team in the last one year. He said the report was a routine affair and their rumours were baseless.

Grass roots is the right place to spot talent

The Pakistan cricket is un dergoing a rebuilding process and the Pakistan Cricket Board has yet to find quality players who could become permanent members of the national team.
The dearth of the quality players in the country is a result of poor planning at the grass root level. The PCB has been running regional cricket coaching academies for four years, indeed a good effort, but the right place to concentrate is school and college level.
In order to improve the standards of the game in the country, we should emphasize on the nursery of the game and it is a universal truth that schools and colleges are the best nurseries of sports in the world.
The technical failure in senior players exists because they were not properly coached at the primary level. To put the game on the right track, we must look into the cricket affairs at the grass roots level.
At the moment, we don’t have proper system at the school level. Although cricket tournaments are announced and played every year at this level but are being run without seriousness and direction. It seems that these matches are played only as a formality to spend the sports funds albeit the way these funds are spent is anybody’s guess.
The organisers must realise that until and unless this class of players is groomed, we would not be able to produce cricketers of high quality. There are no proper coaching arrangements at this level and this is the stage where the basics of the game need to be taught. In this age, whatever a player learns, remains with him for years to come. If a correct technique is taught at this stage, what one needs is only practice that would produce perfection with the passage of time.

Can Pakistan Do Without Salman Butt, Aamir & Asif

They were the most reliable players in the Pakistan line up before the News of the World named them in the alleged spot-fixing scam. Salman Butt was the captain of the side who was also the backbone of the brittle batting side, an excellent fielder and a decent captain who knew what to expect from his mates. With free-flowing hair, Mohammad Aamir was the poster-boy of the Pakistan side who could do no wrong while Mohammad Asif literally came back from the dead, after being banned, suspended and banned again for different reasons.

Pakistan had an opening combination - Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar - who gave them partnerships of over 50 runs per innings consistently. That didn’t happen when Salman Butt was in the side mostly because he wasn’t consistent at all. With Taufeeq Umar strengthening his claim on the opening slot for Pakistan, there seems to be no room for Salman Butt who still averages in the early 30s in tests. 
As for the other two players, manager Intikhab Alam’s comments are enough to make one feel sorry for them. On return to Pakistan from United Arab Emirates where Pakistan drew the series against South Africa, in the absence of these three allegedly-tainted cricketers, the manager told media that they were not missed. “Wahab Riaz and Tanvir Ahmed did an excellent job in the test series and would prove to be ideal replacements of Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif.” Intikhab said.
Supposedly he knows something the press or the fans don’t know. Whatever the case, the players might be optimistic of their future but the board has declined to support them financially, legally and morally. The questions that boggles the minds of cricket fans all over the world is that whether Pakistan can sustain without these three or not.
The current Pakistan lacks the fire power - agreed - yet the former players believe that Pakistan can do without these three. Former left-arm spinner and chief selector Iqbal Qasim feels no player is indispensable in the Pakistan side. Talking to a local television channel, the former test cricketer said that every team in the world needs good players, but not every team needs players who have been alleged to have thrown matches. “These players may or may not have been involved in spot-fixing but they should go all out to defend themselves.” Iqbal said.
Iqbal also hopes that justice would be served to the players if they are not involved in anything illegal. But if they are found guilty, they should be dealt with according to the law. “I personally feel that Mohammad Aamir’s absence would matter the most to Pakistan since he is not only young but is also intelligent. He should not have been named in this saga but since he has been, he needs to plead his case and try to come out as clean as possible.” Iqbal said.
He added that if the charges are proved false, the Pakistan Cricket Board should take action against the British newspapers and tabloids. "The PCB must take legal action against the newspapers who made such accusations against the players so that they don't make the same mistake again in the future.” he said.
Former Pakistan coach and Australian cricketer Geoff Lawson claims that there is more than meets the eye. He believes the players were forced to fix the matches - if that is proved - by crime syndicates in the country. “The culture in Pakistan is too far removed from the rest of the world. I will not be surprised if one finds out that the players were threatened or their families were put to risk in order to make them do the unthinkable.” Lawson said.
Pakistan is a cricket playing nation that has many talented cricketers waiting for a chance. If these players are found innocent, they should be welcomed back with open arms. In case the verdict is guilty, they should be punished in such a manner that no player ever would try to look at a bookie, let alone talk to him. 

Penalise Ijaz Butt not Pakistan Cricket

The ICC has put forward an order for Pakistan Cricket to put the house in order. Reform or be expelled is the request. For any fervent ICC observers, this is an appalling statement. This is because the organisation is a serial crowd when it comes to confronting its own members.

For the fans of cricket in Pakistan, the atrocious news is that their cricket could be barred from international circle. Amidst this catalogue of revelations, the least abysmal is that Pakistan Cricket Board is in a proficient mess. This is only cricket board, because the domestic cricket in Pakistan has shown that the sport is pretty much alive.
It is the first time that the statement from the ICC is lucid. It will take stern action to trudge out corruption, and PCB is the one singled out. Seems like the Pakistan cricket board is the number one basket case. The stance from the ICC is a good gesture, although coming through a bit late. This is also convivial that the organisation is censuring a dysfunctional cricket board even though it happens to be the PCB. Yet major issues are present and need to be addressed by the ICC on urgent basis.
The PCB seems to be an easy objective, secluded and friendless the international arena. Would the ICC have taken a rather central member to task on the same echelon? Precedent has been established and one can just hope the answer to be positive of the above question. But how will ICC act if India, for example, brought the game into disrepute?
The fans of Pakistan cricket might argue that the ICC has not gone far enough. There is no explanation on what is Ijaz Butt is allowed at the board table following his outrageous behaviour? Here lies the complexity of the whole issue, should one man’s ineptness licensed to obliterate a country’s cricket?
In actual terms, who does Mr. Ijaz Butt signify? Does he really represent Pakistan cricket? The chairman of the board was not elected, nor promoted through merit. He does not come following a process, but is imposed on the seat by the head of the state.
On a realistic standing, Mr. Butt runs the affairs at the board in a dictatorial manner. Many of the former players consider his tenure to be full of mistakes and the worst in history. Pakistan cricket is run by a person who only speaks for himself according to the majority.
It is not just the denting strategies of the chairman affecting the board, but also his blatant overrules in case of appointments. The selection panel does not select anyone, he does. Many at the board have resigned due to his interference. The recent resignation by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports is an example of that. Mr Butt refused to appear before the committee and the chairman at last decided to quit.
So what does Ijaz Butt stand for? He certainly seems to be a representative of the politicised cricket administration. That being the case, ICC should take a strict action against the chairman rather than penalising Pakistan cricket. Why should millions of fans suffer at the hands of one man’s ego and maladministration?
Yes Pakistan cricket requires root and branch reforms. But it is Pakistan cricket that requires all the help too and not Ijaz Butt. On the contrary punishment should not fall in line for Pakistan cricket; it is the chairman that who needs to be penalised.

Drawing Tests against SA to be morale booster vs Kiwis: Misbah

 

KARACHI, Nov 27 (APP): Pakistan’s Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq Khan believed that drawing a 2-test match series against the formidable South Africa was a creditable show which gave a great deal of confidence to the team for next month’s tour to New Zealand.“The team put up a fighting show and holding powerful South Africans to a draw in both the test matches was a great sign,” he told Sports Correspondent Ehsan Qureshi in an exclusive interview on Saturday.“I feel proud and satisfied that I contributed something in saving both the games for Pakistan. I want to serve the country with best of my abilities,” he commented.

“I don’t want to prove any of my critics wrong with my batting but only want to serve the country,” he said modestly.
“The credit goes to the whole team not only to me or Younis Khan. It was a team effort all the way,” Misbah, who scored 212 runs at an average of 53.00, said.
“The upcoming series against New Zealand will be tough. But the confidence the guys gained against South Africa will be a booster,” 36-year-old veteran batsman, who had scored 1128 runs in 21 test matches at an average of 38.37 with two centuries and seven fifties, said.
“I know the ball will be moving around in New Zealand. But our team really did well in the tour against Kiwis last year,” he remarked. Absence of pacers like Muhammad Aamir and Muhammad Asif may be felt.
“But I think there are some good pace bowlers around in Umer Gul, Tanvir Ahmed, hopefully Wahab Riaz will also get fit. We have to rely on the available resources and the team provided by the selectors,” he maintained.
“I will give my feed back to selectors to finalise the test team,” pointed out.          
Commenting on the wild-stroke Umer Akmal, he said Umer is talented batsman but test matches need patience which is the core issue.
“Umer is aggressive by nature and went after the bowling and paid the penalty. I hope he learns from his mistakes,” he observed.  
Responding to another question about the availability of leg-spinner Danish Kaneria for tour to Down Under, he said it was upto the Pakistan Cricket Board and selectors to decide about it.
Similarly, on the selection of former Pakistan Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal, he said it was again the domain of the Board, however, as far as his personal opinion was concern, he would like them in the team.
Talking about the showing of newcomer Adnan Akmal, he said Adnan was also talented but it would take him time to learn the trick of the sport with the passage of time.
When asked to compare Sarfraz Ahmed with Adnan, Misbah said he was optimistic about them but rest is with the Selection Committee.

Yousuf, Shabbir resign from Wapda

Pakistan cricket is never short of controversies. You just want it, they come up with the one. In the latest such infamous affair, two senior players of the national cricket team showed their unwillingness to accept each other’s existence in the same time during Pakistan’s biggest domestic tournamnet.

Former Pakistan skipper, Mohammad Yousuf and fast bowler Mohammad Shabbir have resigned from Wapda’s team after developing severe differences with captain of the team, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, sources told The Sports Encounter on Saturday.

Wapda are due to take on Karachi Blues at the National Stadium in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy’s fifth round match starting from November 28 (tomorrow).

Mohammad Yousuf recently came back from Dubai after struggling from an injury and couldn’t represent Pakistan in the two-test match series against South Africa.

According to sources, after returning to Pakistan, Yousuf contacted Rana Naved to let him play in the Wapda team in a bid to regain his fitness ahead of the national team’s New Zealand tour.

Rana Naved categorically refused to let Yousuf be part of his side after which both Mohammad Yousuf and Shabbir Ahmed resigned from the team as protest.

It is important to mention here that both Mohammad Yousuf and Shabbir Ahmed were part of the notorious rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) which came under the shadow of match fixing.

Rana Naved has recently got his ban overturned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and now is taking part in the domestic competition.

After parting ways with Wapda, Mohammad Yousuf will now represent Lahore Shalimar in the remaining matches of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy while Mohammad Shabbir would play for Lahore Ravi.

Talking exclusively to The Sports Encounter on phone, Mohammad Yousuf said that he would take part in the 6th round match of country’s premier domestic tournament from Lahore Shalimar against Karachi Whites at South End Club and he would reach Karachi tonight.

However, he refrained from commenting on his feud with Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and team management of Wapda

Kamran, Malik in running for Pak WC squad

Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik and wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal are expected to return to the national side for the forthcoming New Zealand tour and are also tipped to feature in the preliminary squad for next year's ODI World Cup in the subcontinent.

According to sources close to the national selectors, both the players have impressed with their recent commitment to domestic cricket and also with their form.

Both the players were dropped for the ongoing series against South Africa with fingers also pointed on Kamran's alleged involvement in spot-fixing.

"But now the International Cricket Council has given the Pakistan Cricket Board clearance to consider Kamran for the coming events," one source said.

Malik has been in prolific form in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he scored a fifty, a double hundred and a hundred while Kamran also notched up a century in the ongoing round of matches.

The national selectors are also said to have got clearance from PCB chairman Ijaz Butt.

"The selectors will announce squad for the tour to New Zealand later this week while they have to announce the preliminary World Cup squad by December 19," the source said.

The source said that the selectors had also been told by Butt that Shahid Afridi will continue to lead the Twenty20 and ODI teams while Misbah-ul-Haq will be retained as captain for the Test matches in New Zealand.

"The selectors have now asked the Board for clearance on leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and all-rounder Rana Naved," the source said.

He said both players will be required to be given a green signal by the integrity committee of PCB for selection.

Kaneria was due to join the national team for the ongoing Test series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi and Dubai but was held back at the last moment by the Board.

Sources said the decision to hold him back came after ICC indicated that Kaneria was still part of an ongoing spot-fixing investigation in England.

Kaneria and his fellow Essex player Mervyn Westfield are presently under investigation for trying to defraud bookmakers during a pro-40 overs match involving Essex and Durham.

However, the police did not charge Kaneria for lack of evidence but Westfield is now under trial.

England’s Coach Andy Flower Undergoes Cancer Treatment

The English team was without their head coach Andy Flower on the second day of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, because he had to undergo a surgery to remove an outgrowth in his right cheek, which is believed to be cancerous.

According to the English Cricket Board, Andy Flower is fine and there is nothing to worry about. The ECB spokesperson said, “As far as he is concerned, it is business as usual. He was not at the game today, because he had a melanoma taken out - which was successful. At this stage, he is expected to be fine.”

The spokesman went on to say, “He went off for a routine check, and they said they felt it prudent to take it out. He may well be back on deck tomorrow, or most definitely the following day."

According to details, it was this week, when Flower noticed the growth and decided to get it checked. Luckily, for him, the doctors detected his carcinoma just in time before it could spread. He was advised to get it removed, to avoid any future complications. The 42-year-old decided not to take any chances and opted for the surgery.

According to details, the growth was not big enough to be dangerous and only a minor operation was required to remove it completely. Flower is expected to recover before the end of the Test.

Australia has the most qualified cancer doctors in the world and the English Coach picked the right place to get his cancer removed. Early diagnose of Andy’s cancer means an almost complete eradication of the disease from his system. He is now recuperating from the surgery in the team hotel. Although, Flower was not in the ground to watch his bowlers rattle the Australian batting line up, but he was given a pleasant surprise by the news that his bowlers had given the Aussies a tough time on his return to the hotel.

In the absence of the head coach, the fielding coach Richard Halsall has been given charge of the national squad.

Flower has played 63 Tests scoring 4794 runs and 213 ODIs scoring 6786 runs for his national side Zimbabwe, where he played most games as a wicketkeeper.

The former Zimbabwean batsman has been a phenomenal coach ever since he joined the English squad in 2007 as an Assistant Coach. However, his real skills became prominent when he was finally made the head coach of England. Ever since, England have been gradually improving in their game and today Andy is coaching an English side which is being considered as the strongest English outfit in nearly twenty years. It was under Flower’s impressive coaching that England, for the first time in their history, managed to grab an ICC trophy by becoming the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Champions.

Flower has managed to bind all the English players as a tight unit and now every player is giving his best to perform for the team. It is because of the coach’s attitude that there exists complete harmony among the members of the squad and this is the reason why every player is backing his teammate. Andy Flower has done a great job with this English outfit and the boys are out there to make him proud.

The story of Pakistan Cricket

Pakistan cricket it seems has always been a hub of controversies. The superstars of the country have been nothing less than mischievous. Be it for smuggling drugs into the UK on the England tour in their shoes, back in the glorious Imran Khan days or for being seen in night clubs in South Africa with women. It seemed like Pakistan cricket had it all.

But I guess God had different plans for our cricket. Plans those were grander in nature for any of us to comprehend. Just when we thought that our cricket could not get any more controversial than Bob Woolmer’s, lets just say it, ‘unanticipated’ death, a new bullet of notoriety hit us when our Test captain, along with two of his pacers got suspended after a leaked tape, alleging their involvement in a spot-fixing case.

Just when the world and team Pakistan were busy in assessing the loss in terms of spot-fixing, a lot more happened. Who could have imagined that a player with only a single Test match to his credit will suddenly go ‘missing’? Without a trace, Zulqarnain just vanished off the face of the earth. He left trails on Facebook and sent text messages to a journalist. Only to re-emerge in London, the man soon applied to seek asylum, claiming there were ‘grave’ dangers to his life.

Thinking over the facts of Pakistani cricket and all the controversies that it has been surrounded with, one just wonders how all makes sense. How could anyone possibly connect the dots? But the more is tried, the further it depicts a spider web. Reasons, it seems, are required merely to justify things or events. Pakistanis need not justify any of it.

So what if Pakistan players get caught smuggling narcotics into a foreign territory? So what if our superstars hang out with women in night clubs? So what if the only team in the history of cricket has forfeited a test match? So what if the coach is nothing less than murdered? So what if they reached the semi-finals of the Twenty20 world cup by just winning two matches? So what if the players are charged and suspended in a spot-fixing case? The answers are uncertain and the management attitude wants to keep the things that way.

If an analysis of Pakistan cricket is conducted, one can realise that everything is a mess. No matter how bad things are, they are still ignored. Nothing seems unfair. Nothing seems too notorious. Nothing seems too out of order. Blinded by passion for the sport, people would do just about anything to keep this one thing going on when everything else seems to fail in the country.

Cricket has been that one ray of hope that has kept many alive. So yes, all of it is justified when it comes to Pakistani cricket because when everything else has turned its back, the sport has been there to provide something to cherish, something to live for. For a nation where cricket is just about next to religion, there is no need for a ‘reason’ or ‘justification’ for anything – perhaps this is what one calls blind faith.

However the mismanagement over the last few years has exposed the so called coordination between the team and the officials. This has dented the sport badly. But it seems that neither the Pakistan Cricket Board is interested, nor the Patron in chief. If this attitude carries on, then it is likely that Pakistan Cricket will have to face tough days ahead. For a nation which follows the game religiously, this will be mere humiliation for them.