Asif consults lawyer ahead of ICC code of conduct commission

Pakistan's suspended pace bowler, Muhammad Asif has reached London to hold consultations with his lawyer ahead of the full hearing of the International Cricket Council code of conduct commission in January. Asif was provisionally suspended by the ICC alongwith teammates, Salman Butt and MuhammadAamir on September 2 for violations of the ICC anti-corruption code of conduct and bringing the game into disrepute while Scotland Yard is investigating allegations about the trio's involvement in spot-fixing during fourth Test against England at the Lord's in late August.Sources said that Asif had been summoned to London by his lawyer, Elizabeth Robertson in connection with the full hearing.

"Since he didn't appeal against the provisional suspension, his lawyer is concentrating fully on the upcoming hearing which will deal with the players violations of the ICC ACSU code of conduct," the source said.He said Asif would remain in London for a week where if required Scotland Yard might also further question him in connection with their ongoing investigations into the spot-fixing allegations.Butt and Aamir had lodged appeals against their suspensions which were rejected by the ICC appeals tribunal last month in Dubai.Rumours have been strong that the ICC ACSU may succeed in getting inside information from amongst the trio on the whole issue which could have a big impact on the full hearing scheduled from January 6 to 11."The hearing is significant since it will decide the future of the players," the source noted.

Pakistan Cricket Team Returns home from UAE

The Pakistan cricket team reached back home late night, after a long tour against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan played two T20s, Five ODIs and two Test matches during their stay in UAE.

The Pakistan team manager, Intikhab Alam expressed satisfaction over the team’s efforts, saying that it did well in its nerve wrecking tour.

The tour started horribly for the Green shirts as they first lost the two T20s and then also went on to lose the One-day International series 3-2. But, it can be said that the ODI series was a far more exciting event than the T20s. The ODI match series started poorly for Pakistan as they lost miserably in the opening game. But, the series came to life in the second match when Abdul Razzaq singlehandedly won the match for Pakistan through his remarkable innings.

The one-man-army Razzaq pulverized the Proteas by denying them a sure shot victory. This win injected adrenalin in the Pakistan squad as well as the Pakistan supporters. The third match was again a nail biter but, South Africa came out as victors.

In the fourth ODI, Pakistan showed some exceptional talent with the bat yet again while chasing last. This time, the hero for the team was Wahab Riaz, who played a hard hitting innings to help steer his team over the finish line.

After Pakistan's victory in the fourth ODI, the series was tied and this made the fifth and final ODI even more interesting. But South Africa proved too good for the Green bats and edged a win in the series. Even though Pakistan lost, their performance in the last ODI was commendable. 

Pakistan’s fortunes changed in the Test series with the change of leadership. Misbah-ul-Haq was announced the captain of the Test side before the team left for the Arabian Desert. Although, this decision was severely criticised but nevertheless, the selection committee stuck to it and kept Misbah as the Test captain of the national squad.

Misbah has been reckoned by many to have the best tactical mind in Pakistan cricket. The middle order batsman kept his cool as he was facing raised eyebrows from every corner over his selection in the squad as skipper.

Misbah’s ability to lead the team came to light in the first Test match where the captain played exceptionally well in the second innings and saved the match for Pakistan. Other Pakistan batsmen also batted impressively and ended the game in a draw. This was an achievement considering the fact that South Africa had dominated the match for four consecutive days.

The Pakistan squad went into the second Test with a bit of confidence. However, they failed to put pressure on the South Africans who were batting first. The Afrikaans managed to put a huge total on the board. And yet again it seemed that Pakistan were going to be buried in this five day clash. But Misbah was not going to let that happen and stood as a wall in front of the S. African bowlers on the last day of the match.

In the ODIs and Tests, Pakistan gave a tough time to the formidable South Africans. This is a good sign for the controversy ridden Pakistan team and they now need to get their minds off the controversies and back on the game.

MIANDAD APPOINTED AS BATTING CONSULTANT

Lahore, Pakistan: In a refreshing development which will be beneficial to Pakistan’s chances during their upcoming tour to New Zealand, former Pakistan captain and legendary batsman Javed Miandad was appointed at a batting consultant to the Pakistan cricket team.   

The move comes after various attempts by the PCB to play down the need for a batting coach for the national team amidst numerous batting failures on the tour of England during the summer.

The media and former players criticized the PCB for having Waqar Younis & Aaqib Javed as a part of the coaching staff when the real need for the team was for a batting coach.  

Miandad has served the PCB in various capacities after his retirement and was currently holding the position of Director Operations. He has held the head coaching position on the famous tour to India in 1999 and was keen to replace Intikhab Alam earlier this year after he was relieved of his head coaching duties.

It will be curious to see whether Waqar Younis & Javed will establish a healthy working relationship or will there be another clash of egos between the two men. One thing is for sure though that our young and upcoming batsmen will definitely learn a few tricks from the finest batsmen the country has ever produced.

PCB to let Zulqarnain tell his side of the story

The Pakistan Cricket Board has said that it would give a fair chance to runaway wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider to explain his position before taking any disciplinary action against him for deserting the team midway through a series against South Africa in UAE earlier this month.

"The board will decide on how to deal with the Zulqarnain issue on basis of the findings of the fact finding committee that has investigated the entire episode. But in any case the player will be given a fair chance to give his side of the story," PCB legal adviser Tafazzuil Rizvi said.

Rizvi said lot of would depend on what the fact finding committee provided to the board.

"We will act on basis of the committee's report. In legal terms there is no doubt that he (Zulqarnain) has committed a breach of his contract by leaving the team hotel without informing anyone," Rizvi said.

"But even if we decide that there is enough ground to take disciplinary action against him we will not do it before sending him a notice and giving him a chance to respond to us," he said.

"If he doesn't respond then the board is legally in a position as his employer to take ex-parte action against him," Rizvi added.

The fact finding committee is due to submit its report to the board in two or three days time according to its head and Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam.

"Whatever information we have managed to collect on the incident we will give it to the board in two or three days time. We have tried to get maximum information on this episode which was not good for Pakistan cricket," Alam said.

Zulqarnain left the cricket community stunned when he fled from the team hotel in Dubai hours before the fifth and final one-day international against South Africa.

Later that day, he showed up in London where he has claimed temporary asylum and said that he took the decision after getting death threats from alleged bookmakers after refusing to fix matches in the ODI series. 

Misbah has proved his doubters wrong: Intikhab

Pakistan cricket team manager Intikhab Alam said that Misbah-ul-Haq has responded back strongly to the criticism directed at him and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) when he was appointed the captain for the Test series against South Africa.

"I think he has shown with his own performances and the way he has led the team that he is a strong character. He has responded to the criticism with his performances," Alam told reporters at the Lahore airport on the national team's arrival from Abu Dhabi after the Test series against South Africa ended in a draw.Pakistan lost the T20 and One-day series but managed to draw the Test series with Misbah scoring three half-centuries in the two Tests.

"There was lot of pressure on the team before the series because of the criticism over recalling Misbah and appointing him as captain. But I am really happy that he proved the critics wrong by improving his performance and leading the team ably," said Alam.

Misbah was recalled after a six-month period on the sidelines, to lead the team.

The former Test captain also expressed his satisfaction over the behaviour of the players on the tour and the atmosphere in the dressing room.

"This series and tour was very significant for Pakistan cricket because it came after the England tour and after the spot-fixing controversy. I think the players responded very well to the new dressing room culture," he said.

Alam said that while the team's performance in the series could be termed as satisfactory but they would face a tough test during the upcoming tour to New Zealand. .

"The conditions in New Zealand are very different and pose a lot of challenge for the batsmen. But I think this team now has a nice blend of youth and experience and it is working well for us," Alam said.

Pakistan is scheduled to tour New Zealand from December 17 to play three T20 matches, two Tests and six ODIs -- their last international outing before the 2011 World Cup.

The Pakistan manager had no doubt that the boys have gained confidence by drawing the Tests against South Africa and playing a close one-day series.

"There is no doubt that the team has missed the services of Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif but it is a good thing that we have ample back up in the pace department and I think Umar Gul, Tanveer Ahmed, Wahab Riaz and Sami handled the pressure well and delivered.

He said the fitness situation of senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf would be known soon but the training camp for the New Zealand would start from December 7.

Yousuf returned home with a groin injury after playing just one ODI and missed the Test series.

He conceded that the Zulqarnain Haider issue had soured the series and also upset the boys but they recovered well to remain focussed on cricket.

Afghanistan pipped to cricket gold by Bangladesh

Bangladesh dashed Afghanistan's hopes of a fairytale finish in the men's cricket final at the Asian Games on Friday to win their first gold at the multi-sport event.

After an edgy start, the Afghans compiled a respectable 118, helped by an enterprising 38 by Asghar Stanikzai, who stroked three boundaries in the final over.
With the match evenly poised late in the Bangladesh chase, Shabbir Rahman Roman smashed two sixes in the second last over to propel his team to victory with just three balls to spare, sparking wild celebrations as players and officials rushed onto the ground and embraced.
In the bronze medal match, Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets to restore some pride after they were beaten in the semi-final by Afghanistan on Thursday.

Pakistan manager Intikhab Alam expresses confidence in team

Pakistan’s manager Intikhab Alam has expressed confidence that Pakistan’s cricket is heading in the right direction as the team managed to draw the two Test series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Alam believes that the draw will help in increasing the players’ confidence which in turn would establish a strong platform for the team to work upon after some very turbulent months for its cricket.

Pakistan’s cricket has been in the news for the past five months for all the wrong reasons. The summer tour of England was not highlighted for their play but for the allegations on the captain and its fast bowlers as they were exposed by a British tabloid.

The International Cricket Council issued suspension notices to former Test captain Salman Butt and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer for spot-fixing allegations.
The ICC also gave an ultimatum to Pakistan Cricket Board to straighten up their act and review their management policies. PCB was directed to include anti-corruption codes and regulate the players in order to curb out disciplinary problems and corruption.
The ICC had threatened to impose sanctions if the PCB failed to carry out measures that would regulate the game. However, Pakistani cricket’s problems did not end here as the recently concluded tour against South Africa was also rocked by controversy.
Young Pakistani wicketkeeper, Zulqarnain Haider decided to run away from Dubai in the deciding One Day match as he claimed that he received threatening messages from a “potential bookie” against himself and his family back home. It is still a mystery as to why he did not inform the team players or the management. He announced his retirement from international cricket upon arriving at London.
Alam pointed out Haider’s episode, saying that the morale of the team hit rock bottom when they discovered that the wicketkeeper was missing. But now, the team is working towards progression and has been exuding positive attitude.
The manager said that PCB is happy with the fact that the players are showing good behaviour on and off the field and are now performing with responsibility.
He also praised current Test captain; Misbah-ul-Haq saying that many people questioned his ability to lead the side but the way he has been interacting with the players and performing on the field has finally silenced all his critics.
Alam also told the media that the squad will be participating in a training camp in Lahore to prepare for the tour of New Zealand which begins from 26 December.

Positives for Pakistan from the drawn Test series against South Africa

Pakistan cricket team might have drawn the Test series against South Africa, but they surely can take away many positives from it. Consider the sensational discoveries that they have made, with players such as Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Tanvir Ahmed and Abdul Rehman giving truly inspirational performances in the most trying of times. Consider also, the truly remarkable captaincy of Misbah-ul-Haq, where he showed the Pakistani nation what the euphemism “leading from the front” actually means. Another highlight of the Test series for Pakistan was the return of Younis Khan. He came back, struck a hundred and probably gave Ijaz Butt, the much maligned and slandered Chairman of PCB, an in-your-face feeling for having outlawed the magnanimous Khan in the first place.
The famous Rahul Dravid was nicknamed “The Wall”; Pakistan has now found its own “Wall” in Younis Khan. But these are just the tangible factors that Pakistan has noticed, and possibly been proud of. The intangible assets, such as the camaraderie, sportsmanship, team effort and discipline that one saw on the field were also remarkable.
Of late Pakistan has been in the news for all the wrong reasons; with the troika of Muhammad Aamir, Muhammad Asif and Salman Butt being accused of spot-fixing to Zulqarnain Haider’s much talked about desertion of the team, the Pakistan cricket team wasn’t in what one would normally call a happy place. But in the captaincy of Misbah-ul-Haq, they have found solace and rekindled the spirit that makes Pakistan such an endearing team despite its despicable image that is currently being portrayed in the international media.
Against a fine-tuned opposition such as South Africa, it was never easy to hold fort but Pakistan did it and did it in style. Therefore, both the team and team management of Pakistan deserve a pat on the back for bringing back the spark that seemed to have been snuffed out from their performances. For Pakistan, it was particularly difficult firstly because of the non-responsive pitches and secondly because of their weak bowling attack. However, as the audiences around the world later found out, this weak bowling attack was nothing short of breathtaking as Tanvir Ahmed was a complete revelation, and Umar Gul was simply incredible.
Responsibility brings out the best in some and it was heart warming to see Misbah-ul-Haq end the series with exemplary perfection as captain of a team which hasn’t been known much by way of their captains. Misbah will relish the three successive scores of over fifty that he got, and on two occasions where he used them to stall the South Africans in their tracks. Azhar Ali has been the other startling attention grabber on this tour as he has shown more grit, character, fortitude and patience than many other veteran Pakistani batsmen. He too made three half centuries and batted like a seasoned campaigner. If he is not messed around with, like so many talented Pakistani batsmen before him, he could go onto become one of the finest batsman Pakistan has ever produced.
Fear of failure and the taste of success come side by side. While fear is what motivates one to propel oneself towards success, the Pakistan cricket team tasted both in this drawn Test series and that is perhaps why they were so magnificent in their performance. What Pakistan needs now is a proper, balanced and well attuned approach to the game. They also need to have a plan to maintain a back up of the kind of discipline and character that they have shown in this recently concluded Test series. Despite being under the microscope for all the wrong reasons, the Pakistan team and players will now have to ensure that they wipe their slates clean with such astounding performances, and do not get into trouble again.