Afghanistan Win ICC Intercontinental Cup

Afghanistan 171 & 124-3 (Mohd. Shehzad 56no) beat
Scotland 212 (McCallum 104no) & 82

 by 7 wickets
ICC Intercontinental Cup final, Dubai

Afghanistan overturned a first-innings deficit of 41, going on to bowl Scotland out for 82 in their second innings on their way to a seven-wicket victory in the final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup in Dubai.

Mohammad Shahzad's unbeaten 56 steered them past their victory target in the final innings of the match as Afghanistan added another title to their growing honours list.

Batting first in the match, Scotland were bundled out for 212 but the score would have been far lower were it not for an unbeaten 104 in 221 balls from Neil McCallum, one of only three players to reach double figures as Hamid Hassan returned five for 45, Mirwais Ashraf three for 53 and Shapoor Zadran two for 46.

Scotland hit back strongly as Matthew Parker and Majid Haq both claimed three wickets to dismiss Afghanistan for 171 after Nawroz Mangal had made 56.

However, their batting then failed dramatically as they were rolled for 82 in 47.3 overs as Hassan (3-39), Samiullah Shenwari (3-15) and Ashraf (3-8) tore through the line-up.

Scotland put up a brave fight having set Afghanistan a target of 124, which was duly reached for the loss of three wickets with Shahzad making 56 in 62 balls and Shabir Noori 35 in 54.

Salman Butt's lawyer hits out at Logart

the lawyer for suspended former Pakistan captain Salman Butt on Saturday lashed out at a top cricket official who said he would be "disappointed" if players in a spot-fixing case were acquitted.

Butt is facing an International Cricket Council (ICC) tribunal along with pace bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer over allegations of spot-fixing in the series against England earlier this year.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat told the BBC he was confident of the case against the players.

"We need to send out a strong message and that is part of what we want to achieve," Lorgat said.

"We've worked hard at collecting all the evidence that we would require to make the charges stand. I am confident that our guys have worked very hard in ensuring they have got a case they can present which should stand the test of scrutiny."

The ICC provisionally suspended the three players in September following reports in British tabloid News of the World which claimed Pakistani players, including the suspended trio, took money to carry out orders from a bookmaker at specific stages in the Lord's Test in August.

Butt and Aamer lost their appeals against the suspension last month, while Asif withdrew after initially deciding to challenge the sanction.

The ICC tribunal, led by code of conduct commissioner Michael Beloff, will hear the case in Doha, Qatar from January 6 to 11. The two other members are Sharad Rao and Albie Sachs.

Butt's lawyer Khalid Ranjha said Lorgat's comments were a "threat to the tribunal."

"What Lorgat has said is tantamount to threatening the prospective tribunal," Ranjha, a former Pakistani law minister, told AFP from Lahore.

"The ICC wants the judges to give a decision on dotted lines and this is not a good example set by the ICC official."

Ranjha, who also represented Butt in his unsuccessful appeal hearing, said he believed ICC was trying to pressure the players into boycotting the tribunal.

The fixing scandal deepened on Wednesday when Pakistani television station Geo broadcast footage apparently showing bookmaker Mazhar Majeed implicating another four Pakistan players during the England tour.

Aamir denies match fixing

ISLAMABAD, Dec 4 (APP): Fast bowler of Pakistan cricket team, Muhammad Aamir Saturday said that he never got himself involved in the practice of match fixing and all the allegations against him are baseless.In a brief interview to a private television channel the young cricketer said he cannot think about deceiving his country and people for personal gains.Aamir admitted that he was familiar to Mazhar Majeed  but he never met him in isolation. He said that Mazhar Majeed remained the agent of senior cricket players and almost all the team players had good relations with him and his family members. Aamir said that Majeed used to get tickets of cricket matches for his family and friends from the players and in this way he was familiar to all. The young cricket player said that he was concentrating on his case so that this matter could be settled before the world cup. “I want to use my abilities for may nation in the world cup competition and hopefully I will have an opportunity”, he concluded.

Pakistan cricket fans and critics, do they really understand the dilemma?

For all cricket fanatics, and fans alike, Pakistan cricket has always found its way into the trivial discussions and arguments mostly serving as conversation fillers for the gossip starved beings in a random social gathering.

Anyone who has even so much as seen a television forms his view about the matter and like veteran cricket commentators voice their arguments about it as if they have found the missing piece of the puzzle. Unfortunately, while they might argue passionately stating their opinions with excitement, in most cases the listener too has limited knowledge and hence they accept their opinion as facts, which in effect forms their own opinion, about a particular issue.

Especially, when it comes to the PCB and Pakistan cricket, almost everyone has their own theories of what is in fact wrong with the institution. Some of course, take the more philosophical view to reinforce their line of argument about the global political situation by relating it to the national cricket team of the country.

If Pakistan’s players are accused of spot fixing then, it would not be unreasonable to expect some commentator or critic coming up and saying, “See I told you so, Paki’s are rotten. They are all thieves”.

At the same time there are those, who take great pains to analyze the situation, “You see, the creation of the bourgeois in a feudalistic society of Pakistan greatly increased the disparity between the rich and the poor, in contrast with the perfect example of an egalitarian society. The corruption of an individual on a greater level is reflective of a society that patronizes, nay accepts such immoral vices. The social fabric of the nation has been undermined, as news of yet more incidences of corrupt practices have infiltrated media regarding the Pakistan cricket team…”.

Then there are those fans, who insist that their team is completely innocent. These fans normally follow up with clichés such as, “Penalize Ijaz Butt and not Pakistan Cricket”, “This is all a conspiracy to defraud Pakistan Cricket”, “It is all due to that incompetent Butt”, “It is said that the enemies of the state are construing a plan to infiltrate Pakistan Cricket by controlling the minds of our cricketers”.

Such banter has been heard quite often and sometimes it just feels like the writer attempting to squash your brain with a Jack Hammer. Lately it has been becoming just that. Meaningless, pointless ramblings attempting to solve a major mystery, written with the seriousness of a detective trying to construe some sense out of a string and a nail, that could possibly be the key to finding out about the killer of John F Kennedy.

 Some people just do not make the effort to go through the pain of trying to make a point and I respect their honesty. If someone has to make a point, they could do the same less painfully. In fact of the examples mentioned above, I prefer the critics who go, “See I told you they’re all thieves these Paki’s” rather than some guy trying to link a cricketer’s corrupt ways to world peace”.

Pakistan Cricket Board is an institution and the cricketers are the result of what the institution has sown over the years. If there was in fact one single problem with the cricket board, I would have gladly wanted to point it out and just get it over with.

However, unfortunately that is not the case. There are details that many writers fail to acknowledge, there are aspects many fail to understand, there are circumstances that many fail to take into consideration.

Pak selector takes u-turn from resignation

Karachi: Pakistan Cricket on Friday witnessed another drama when Mohammad Illyas resigned from the national selection committee and then withdrew it on the insistence of PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt.

"Mohammad Illyas has agreed to withdraw his resignation and continue as national selector," a Board official said.Sources said that the resignation of Illyas was linked to the recent decision by the national selection committee to drop his son-in-law Imran Farhat from the national team for the New Zealand tour.

"Apparently Illyas was not happy with the decision taken by chief selector Mohsin Khan and decided to resign as he felt Imran deserved a place in the side," one source said.

But another source said that Illyas decided to resign as he felt his presence on the selection committee was hurting the career of Imran.

Pacer Wahab Riaz to also sue bookie Majeed

LAHORE: After Imran Farhat and Umar Akmal, Pakistani pace bowler Wahab Riaz has become the third player to threaten a legal action against bookmaker Mazhar Majeed for claiming that he was also on his payroll and was involved in fixing matches.

“Definitely, I am consulting my lawyers and will also seek advice from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as the allegations made by Mazhar Majeed are a slur on me,” Wahab said.

Left-arm pacer Wahab, who made his Test debut on the England tour, was also questioned by the Scotland Yard in connection with investigations into the spot-fixing scandal after he was seen exchanging a jacket with Mazhar in a video released by British tabloid News of the World last August.

However, Wahab on Friday said that he was not amused by Majeed’s claim as the bookmaker was not his agent at any stage. “He is neither my agent nor a close friend, he is just slandering us for personal gain that is all. And I have every intention to send him a legal notice to expose him,” he added.

ICC chief Haroon Lorgat wants spot-fixing decision

International Cricket Council chief Haroon Lorgat will be "disappointed" if a tribunal finds the Pakistan players accused of spot-fixing not guilty.

Batsman Salman Butt, as well as bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, are under investigation for allegations made during Pakistan's tour of England.

An independent tribunal will decide the fate of the trio in 6-11 January 2011.

"We need to send out a strong message and that is part of what we want to achieve," Lorgat told the BBC.

Butt, who was Test captain during the summer tour of England, Amir and Asif were questioned by British police following allegations published in the News of the World newspaper about the final Test against England at Lord's.

It was claimed Asif and Amir deliberately bowled no-balls at pre-arranged times during the Test, with Butt also said to be involved, in return for money from a bookmaker's "middle man".

They were provisionally suspended and charged by the ICC, and were also questioned by Scotland Yard detectives over the allegations.

The Metropolitan Police has provided a further file of evidence to the crown prosecution service to help them decide whether or not to lay criminal charges against the trio.

Butt and Amir later lost their appeals to the ICC over the provisional bans, while Asif withdrew his appeal.

Michael Beloff QC, the man who chaired the Code of Conduct Commission that rejected those appeals, will chair January's full hearing against the trio along with fellow code of conduct commissioners Justice Albie Sachs of South Africa and Kenya's Sharad Rao.

"I am quite satisfied with the three judges' we have managed to secure," said Lorgat.

"We've worked hard at collecting all the evidence that we would require to make the charges stand.

"I'm confident that our guys have worked very hard in ensuring they have got a case they can present which should stand the test of scrutiny."

Lorgat added that if found guilty the trio will be dealt with firmly but fairly and revealed they were more than entitled to appeal any ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"We would want to be proportional but at the same time we do not want to show any leniency," Lorgat told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"These are severe issues and integrity of the game is absolutely fundamental and we would not want to tolerate any of that in the sport.

"My understanding is that any matter that we decide on in a disciplinary process is always open to contest in the Court of Arbitration for Sport."

Lorgat also admitted to being pleased at the measures being put in place by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and ICC members to rid the game of corruption.

"I am confident the [anti-corruption] steps that have been taken in recent months and weeks and the task team we have in place is working exceptionally well," said Lorgat.

"The PCB are now determined to put in place all of the procedures and processes necessary to ensure from the bottom up they have a system in place that will educate their players that will prevent the sort of issues we do not want within the game.

"Also there was an important step that we decided as a board on 21 November that every single member will domestically install an anti-corruption code that will mirror that of the ICC."

Dhoni is the most exciting cricketer in the world: Musharaff

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharaff is in awe of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and rates the current India skipper as the most exciting and entertaining cricketer in world cricket. 

"Though Sachin Tendulkar is the world's most consistent cricketer, Dhoni is the most entertaining and exciting" Musharaff said in an interview. 

"Once I praised his hair style. Now he has gone for a shorter haircut, but he is still exciting to watch," Musharaff added. 

The former Pakistan president also praised the Indian cricket team for its consistent showings over the past few years. 

"Though I am pained to see the state of Pakistan cricket, I am really impressed with the way Indian cricket is progressing. I must say you do have great players at your disposal," he said. 

Musharaff, while voicing his concerns about the state of affairs in Pakistan cricket, said, "the team is down and it is unfortunate that on an everyday basis, some new controversy crops up involving the team."

Zulqarnain to disclose secrets in two days

LONDON: Former Pakistani wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, in a new facebook message, has said that he would disclose all the secrets pertaining to spot-fixing within two days, Geo News reported on Saturday.
In his message, Zulqarnain Haider said his family had received threat calls and letters from abroad as a result he was quiet, adding that he had several time requested the government to provide protection to his family.
He hates corruption, Haider said, and added he would make public all the secrets within two days.

Manzoor gets New Zealand ticket

 Pakistani opener Khurram Manzoor has been rewarded for his outstanding performance against West Indies A as chief selector Mohsin Khan selected him for the upcoming tour of national team to the New Zealand.

Khurram Manzoor is currently in West Indies with Pakistan A team where he scored back to back centuries in two un-official test matches against West Indies A.

Khurram Manzoor is included into Pakistan test team as the 15th member. Pakistan team will play three T20s, two test matches and six one day internationals against New Zealand.

Earlier, PCB chief selector Mohsin Khan had announced 14-man squad for the New Zealand tour and people were speculating that either Shoaib Malik or Mohammad Yousuf will be included later in the squad but selection of Khurram Manzoor has put an end to all the rumours

Misbah ul Haq will lead Pakistan in test matches while Shahid Afridi in T20 series. The PCB hasn’t announced the ODI squad and is yet to make its call on who will lead Pakistan in the ODIs against Kiwis.

Sources have disclosed to The Sports Encounter that Misbah is likely to take captaincy role in ODIs as well after his inspirational performance in the two-match test series against South Africa in UAE last month.

Following is the schedule of Pakistan cricket team’s tour of New Zealand:

T20
Dec 26: Eden Park.
Dec 28: Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Dec 30: Christchurch.

TESTS
Jan 7-11: Seddon Park.

Jan 15-19: Basin Reserve, Wellington.

ODIs
Jan 22: Westpac Stadium, Wellington.

Jan 26: Queenstown.
Jan 29: Christchurch.
Feb 1: McLean Park, Napier.
Feb 3: Seddon Park.
Feb 5: Eden Park.

Razzaq unlikely to be selected for World Cup

LAHORE - Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq is unlikely to be selected for the New Zealand series and World Cup, it was learnt on Friday.
Pakistan have yet to announce their one-day squad for the New Zealand series and Abdul Razzaq is not likely to feature in it. Sources close to the selection committee told TheNation that Razzaq was having fitness issues and he may be dropped from the squad. It was also learnt that some officials want younger players in the World Cup squad and senior players are being sidelined. Muhammad Yousuf was dropped from the squad for New Zealand series one-day captain Shahid Afridi has also said that Yousuf was not a Twenty20 player. With Pakistan top fast bowlers out of the squad, the pace department needs experienced players like Razzaq. The argument that only young players are to be included in the one-day squad for sake of it makes no sense. Razzaq was key player in one-day series against South Africa.