36% Pakistanis support Misbahul Haque as test captain

Almost 36% Pakistanis support Misbahul Haq as the test cricket team captain while 22% oppose it, said the result of a survey conducted by Gilani Research-Gallup Pakistan.
Among those who are against this decision believe Mohammed Yousuf (27%), Younus Khan (26%) and Shahid Afridi (19%) to be better choices.
In the survey, a nationally representative sample of men and women from across the country were asked the following question:

Recently Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed Misbah ul Haq as the captain for Pakistan Test Series. Do you believe that Pakistan Cricket Board has made the right decision or not?

Thirty six percent (36%) favoured this decision as opposed to 20% who were against it while 44% were unsure and said they didn’t know.

NOTW sting not reliable - Salman Butt

Salman Butt, the former Pakistan captain, has questioned the reliability of the News of the World sting, claiming Mazhar Majeed, an agent who handled his marketing and promotions, and features in the video, could have made exaggerated claims "to show his authority".

Butt, along with fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, has been provisionally suspended by the ICC for his alleged involvement in the spot-fixing controversy. His appeal will be heard in Dubai on October 30 and 31.

"I do not want to comment on The News of the World because everybody knows what kind of paper it is," Butt told Associated Press. "Everybody knows about its reputation across the world."Butt said that Majeed "must have made lots of claims ... clearly exaggerating things to show his authority."

"I think he might have said a lot of things in that video because it was edited. So nobody knows what has gone wrong in that video."

Butt defended, however, the association he shared with Majeed before the allegations surfaced. "He (Majeed) is not somebody who is an agent for me because he has been there even before I was (playing international cricket). These are the people who deal with the marketing side of players and the promotional stuff and they also make money out of it. This is what is being done in the sporting arena around the world and this is not something that came up with Salman Butt."

At the time, Butt said, there was no relevant PCB code regarding player agents. "It is not part of PCB code (of conduct) that you have to tell them about the agents who work for the players' marketing and the promotion stuff." But in the aftermath of the controversy, the PCB issued instructions to players, stipulating that all their agents will have to approved by the board, failing which the player will be ineligible for selection.

Butt led Pakistan in the four-Test series against England and, as he has said several times now, remains confident that he will be cleared and might even return to lead the national team. "I hope the captaincy will come again some day. I cannot grab it. God gave me one chance and I hope I will get the other chance as well. I want to be remembered as a player who won games for Pakistan."

Afridi laments poor batting

Shahid Afridi has criticised his batsmen, himself included, following Pakistan's 0-2 defeat in the Twenty20 series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan only managed 119 and 120 in their two innings, scores that were overhauled with little difficulty by South Africa.

Afridi made 25 and 3 while the others, with the exception of Misbah-ul-Haq who is making a comeback in international cricket, struggled.

"Our batting was a major let down.

None of them did well," Afridi said after the second game, which South Africa won by six wickets.

"My performance was crucial for the team and I also failed to deliver.

"But I am sure we can do far better in the ODIs, since I believe that we have players who have good temperament and can play the 50 overs comfortably." There were encouraging signs in the bowling department, with the spinners proving economical.

Mohammad Hafeez and Afridi conceded just 32 runs between them in eight overs in the second game while offspinner Saeed Ajmal conceded 18 in his four-over spell in the first.

"Our bowlers really bowled well.
The conditions suited the batsmen, but despite that, our bowlers stuck to a good line and bowled brilliantly," Afridi said.
Pakistan cricket, in the aftermath of the spot-fixing controversy, is going through troubled times and Afridi admitted there was pressure on players.
"Yes the players are under pressure, but we have to put that aside and concentrate and keep ourselves focused," he said.
Johan Botha, the South Africa captain, was confident of success in the ODI series that begins on Friday.
"Pakistan is a very good team and they can bounce back in the ODIs.
We will keep the momentum going and ensure that we keep working hard and try to win as many as matches possible."

Ex-test players say Pakistan board lacks vision

Former test cricketers have accused the Pakistan Cricket Board of lacking vision after South Africa recorded a comfortable 2-0 sweep of the Twenty20 internationals at Abu Dhabi. Ex-test leg-spinner Abdul Qadir said on Thursday selectors picked the wrong combination for the shortest format of the game and players such as Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat and Misbah-ul-Haq did not deserve a place in the lineup.

Qadir said Pakistan's performance reflects that "PCB's think tank is visionless and has no planning at all."
Former test fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz said the team needed young talent but the PCB preferred veterans and accused some of the older players of playing for themselves, not the team

Alam says 'strict steps' will lift Pakistan's game

ABU DHABI — Team manager Intikhab Alam Wednesday insisted that "strict steps" taken to improve discipline would improve Pakistan's cricket and did not disturb the players.

Pakistan last week introduced a new code of conduct with stricter punishments for disciplinary breaches, which Alam said were needed in the wake of England tour rocked by spot-fixing allegations against the team.

"All the strict steps taken are for the betterment of Pakistan cricket and all the players are feeling comfortable with them," Alam told AFP.
Three Pakistani players -- Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer -- were suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) following allegations of spot-fixing on the tour of England last month.
The suspensions came following reports in British tabloid News of the World which claimed several Pakistani players took money to obey orders from an alleged bookmaker during August's Lord's Test against England.
Salman and Aamer will attend a hearing on their appeal against the suspension in Dubai on October 30 and 31. Asif withdrew his appeal after initially deciding to challenge the sanction.
Alam said Pakistan cricket will show signs of improvement -- on and off the field.
"With players reminded of their responsibilities we hope that Pakistan cricket will show signs of improvement both on and off the field and the focus should be to do the best for the country," said Alam, also a former captain.
Alam said players have been told to take care in meeting people who they don't know.
"There is no curb on players' movement as dispelled in certain quarters. They have been asked not to go anywhere on match days and they are not allowed to bring any guest to their team hotel.
"But on off days they can go and meet their relatives but we have told them not to meet any strangers. Players are told to live within the rules of the new code of conduct," said Alam.
The alleged bookmaker Mazhar Majeed, initially arrested by Scotland Yard police before being released on bail, was described as players' agent and was seen in team hotels on the England tour.
"We have told the players to be aware of such strangers and we have given lectures to players how to avoid any attempt to corrupt them. I am hopeful things will improve," said Alam.
Except for captain, coach and manager no other member of the team is allowed to speak to the media, said Alam.
Alam was coach on the tour of Australia earlier this year when seven players -- including current one-day captain Shahid Afridi and former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf -- were fined and banned for discipline violation.
However, the bans were overturned and fines halved on appeals by Pakistan Cricket Board -- a step criticised by former national and international players.

Batting let Pakistan down: Waqar

As Pakistan batting put up yet another miserable show, this time in Abu Dhabi, coach Waqar Younis said the team fell short by at least 25 runs in setting up a challenging total.

Pakistan, who were well-placed at 75 for three in the 10th over, lost six for 24 before Misbahul Haq and Shoaib Akhtar added 20 for the last wicket to help Pakistan reach respectability.
“We scored 25 to 30 runs less than we expected,” said Younis. “We need to bat with strategy in the next game.”
Misbah remained Pakistan’s top-scorer with an unbeaten 27 despite taking 32 deliveries as Pakistan struggled for runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium – first match to be played by Full Member nations of the International Cricket Council (ICC) at the venue. While Shahid Afridi hit a brief cameo, a seven-ball 25, none of the other batsmen moved past the 14-run mark.
In contrast, JP Duminy hit an elegant 41 while Colin Ingram remained unbeaten on 46 as South Africa reached the target after losing three early wickets for 26.
The two left-handers shared a 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket after fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar gave Pakistan some hope with the quick wickets of Loots Bosman and AB de Villiers in the third over. Graeme Smith was bowled by spinner Mohammad Hafeez five runs later but Duminy and Ingram ensured that there were no further hiccups as they batted Pakistan out of the game.
“It was a clinical performance and I am happy at the way the young guns stepped in after we lost three early wickets especially Ingram and Duminy,” said South Africa captain Botha.
‘Strict steps for Pakistan’s betterment’
Team manager Intikhab Alam insisted that “strict steps” are needed to improve Pakistan’s cricket.
Pakistan introduced a new code of conduct last week with stricter punishments for disciplinary breaches, which Alam said were needed in the wake of the England tour being rocked by spot-fixing allegations against the team.
“All the strict steps taken are for the betterment of Pakistan cricket and all the players are feeling comfortable with them,” said Alam who replaced Yawar Saeed as manager after the England tour, before adding that Pakistan cricket will show signs of improvement – on and off the field.
“With players reminded of their responsibilities we hope that Pakistan cricket will show signs of improvement both on and off the field and the focus should be to do the best for the country.
“There is no curb on players’ movement as dispelled in certain quarters. They have been asked not to go anywhere on match days and they are not allowed to bring any guest to their team hotel. But on off days, they can go and meet their relatives but we have told them not to meet any strangers. Players are told to live within the rules of the new code of conduct,” said Alam.(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AFP)

Pakistan's Salman Butt says suspension over alleged spot-fixing will be lifted soon

On Saturday, Butt and 18-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Amir are due to attend an International Cricket Council appeal hearing in Dubai.

The purpose of the hearing is not to decide whether or not the players are guilty, but whether or not they should be allowed to play on while cricket's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit investigates the charges against them.
Mohammad Asif, the third player implicated in the News Of The World's investigation into deliberate no-balls, will not be present as he has already withdrawn his appeal.
"I am pretty sure to be cleared," Butt said on Wednesday. "It has been annoying for me because these kind of allegations have not only brought defamation, but as well it is career-threatening. Such things do come in your life but you have to stand up and face them." The original story, which broke during the final stages of the Lord's Test in August, gained credence from the video footage of Mazhar Majeed – a businessman and agent who was photographed with the Pakistani players – counting out stacks of money.
Majeed was later arrested, along with his wife and brother, on charges of financial irregularities. Yesterday, Butt admitted that he had worked with Majeed, but claimed that the video evidence was unreliable because of selective editing.
"Majeed is not somebody who is an agent for me because he has been there even before I was there [playing international cricket]," Butt said. "These are the people who deal with the marketing side of players and the promotional stuff and they also make money out of it.
"This is what is being done in the sporting arena around the world and this is not something that came up with Salman Butt.
"I do not want to comment on the News of the World," he added, "because everybody knows what kind of paper it is. Everybody knows about its reputation across the world."
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding the Indian Premier League deepened yesterday when Kochi – one of two new franchises due to join the league next year – was told to sort out the arguments over its ownership within the next 30 days, or be expelled from the competition.
If Kochi cannot resolve the disputes between its owners, who include at least five different companies, it will end up in the same position as the Rajasthan Royals and the Kings XI Punjab.
These two teams have already been ejected, leaving the number of teams in the IPL at eight rather than the intended 10. However, the Royals were reported to have filed a petition of protest to the Mumbai High Court last night.
The murky ructions within the IPL have caused huge damage to the tournament's reputation since April, when its former commissioner, Lalit Modi, posted a message on his Twitter page questioning the probity of Kochi's ownership structure.
Since then, Modi has been stripped of his title, and now finds himself under investigation by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Pakistan Aim For Gold In Asian Games Cricket

KARACHI: Pakistan is aiming to clinch the cricket title at next month's Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, where the sport makes its debut in the Asiad.
With India not sending its cricket team, Pakistan believes its second string team can win the Asian Games gold. Khalid Latif, Pakistan's young captain, stressed that his team will do their best for a medal finish.
"We (cricketers) have never featured in events like the Olympics or the Asian Games, but we can sense the feeling athletes experience when their country's flag is on top after winning a gold medal," Latif told the Express Tribune. "It's an important assignment for us and we won't take it lightly."
"Playing for the senior side is a big honour but representing the country in an event like this is nothing less. I'm proud to be named captain."
Pakistan is among the seeded teams in the event that also features Test nations like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh besides Afghanistan, who were impressive in the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean this year.
Hosts China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore and Nepal are the other teams taking part. Latif said India's absence has made Pakistan one of the favourites.
"It would have been good to have India in the event because it would have added to the excitement. They are tough competitors but their absence has made us one of the favourites."
But the right-handed batsman, who has played five One-Day Internationals and equal number of Twenty20s for Pakistan, added that the event would be competitive given the nature of the format.
"Our former greats are serving as coaches in China and Afghanistan so we can expect tough competition from them."