Haider waiting for decision on asylum

Zulqarnain Haider, who has sought asylum in the United Kingdom after fleeing the national team during a series against South Africa in Dubai early last month, is still waiting for a decision on his application for asylum.

After threatening to exposure people who are corrupt in Pakistan cricket on his Facebook page recently, Haider has surprisingly gone quiet and underground, leading to speculations that perhaps his asylum request has been granted.

But his brother Aqeel Hiader said on Thursday that the application was still under process in the British Home Office. “His stay has been extended in the United Kingdom by the authorities and he is living peacefully in London, waiting for a decision on his asylum. “Right now he does not want to say anything on cricket until his asylum application is decided,” Aqeel said.

Aqeel also said that Zulqarnain as per schedule had appeared before the Home Department officials in London on December 7 but a final decision on his application was yet to be taken.

“He has also hired a new lawyer to represent him in the case and he is waiting for things to settle down before he can make a comeback to cricket,” he added.

Aqeel said that so far no one from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had contacted the family in Lahore regarding the threatening calls that Zulqarnain’s wife was getting a few days back.

Pakistan's WC preparation not up to the mark: Akram

KARACHI: Pakistan's preparation for 2011 World Cup is not going on the right track and it's high time the selectors should handpick the preliminary squad to give enough time to the players to gel as a unit, feels former captain Wasim Akram. 

Akram statement came close on the heels of skipper Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis' observation during the national camp in Lahore that Pakistan needed to step up its preparation for the World Cup, starting February 19. 

"It is good they (Afridi and Younis) have spoken the reality because it is a fact. Even, I feel our preparations are not up to the mark," Akram told reporters. 

"It is better not to give false hopes to people. I think the cricket board (PCB) has already delayed long enough the announcement of players for the World Cup," the former Test pacer said. 

"I don't see the purpose of wasting anymore time. The players who are going to play in the World Cup should know where they stand and what are the expectations from them," he added. 

He was of the view that the quadrennial event in the sub-continent will provide Pakistan a great opportunity to make up for all the disappointment this year. 

"In the last two tournaments we didn't do well at all and it was a huge disappointment for everyone. This time we have the opportunity to make amends. But time is of great essence now because the quicker the probables are selected, it will allow the players to prepare properly," Akram explained. 

He, however, declined to comment on the fate of the players, who are under investigation for spot-fixing allegations, but made it clear that no player was irreplaceable. 

"We have a lot of talent in Pakistan cricket. We have players who are good enough to stand up and be counted at the top level. So, we shouldn't be too worried about availability of players," Akram added. 

Pakistan is scheduled to tour New Zealand later this month for three T20 Internationals, two Tests and six ODIs, and Akram said the national team should be wary of a backlash from the Kiwis after their recent drubbing at the hands of Bangladesh and India. 

"They have lost badly to Bangladesh and India but I believe New Zealand is always a difficult team in their own backyard. Pakistan should not take them lightly at all," he cautioned. 

"New Zealand has been hammered but they would be a different side at home and it will be tough for Pakistan," the former captain said. 

Akram, however, said that Pakistan was capable of beating New Zealand in their own backyard. 

"Pakistan have the ability, their performance against South Africa was satisfactory. The players just need support," he said, adding that presence of Younis Khan and captain Misbah-ul Haq is a big boost for the team.

Shahid 'Boom Boom' Afridi

Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi or in short Shahid Afridi is a Pakistani cricket player who is known for his explosive batting and his leg break bowling.

He is the current Captain of the Pakistani cricket team in the One Day and Twenty20 format. Shahid Afridi is known as Boom Boom Afridi and whenever he plays a match, the ground is filled with banners and hording which say Boom Boom Afridi.

Afridi had what we can say a dream start to a career. He was selected to play for the Pakistani cricket team at a very early age and his debut innings made him a legend in the cricket fraternity. Selected as a spinner for his side, he ended up scoring the fastest One Day International century, a record that he still holds under his belt.

Shahid Afridi or Boom Boom was born on 1 March 1980 and is a Pathan. He played his debut match on 2 October 1996 in Nairobi against Sri Lanka. At that time, he was unknown figure in Pakistan and in International circuit. The world was still praising Sanath Jayasuriya for his performances in the 1996 World Cup and no one knew that a rival is about to emerge in world cricket. As a change in strategy, he was promoted up the order and he produced one of the most destroying innings ever played by a batsmen. He scored a century from just 37 balls and it is still a record for the fastest century in ODI history.

Afridi is a very dangerous spinner as well. He has a huge variety in his bowling. He can bowl googly, a doosra and his flipper is one of his most lethal deliveries. He has so far bagged 288 ODI wickets. His best bowling performance is 6 for 38 against Australia. He is still one of the very best fielders in the Pakistani side and only the third player in world cricket to accomplish over 6000 runs, 250 wickets and 100 catches. He is also the most inconsistent batsmen in the world career due to his aggressive nature of batting and the only batsmen to score more than 6000 runs with an average of less than 25.

In his Test career, he showed a lot of promise but decided a few years ago to retire from the longest format to focus more on the shorter format of the game. Afridi scored 1,716 runs in his Test career at an average of 35.60. He also took 48 wickets in his Test career. He rates his performance in the home series against India in 2006 as his best in a Test series and his innings of 156 runs as his best ever. 

Shahid Afridi has proven his worth in Twenty20 format of the game as well. His batting style and his bowling has made him a very dangerous player. He won the player of the tournament in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup and played a leading role in the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup when he helped his side to raise the cup. He has scored 630 runs and collected 48 wickets in this format of the game.

Nine Pak players to register for WADA

Karachi: Nine leading Pakistan players including ODI skipper Shahid Afridi have been shortlisted by the PCB to register for the whereabouts clause of WADA's anti-doping regulations.

Besides Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Muhammad Asif are among those chosen by the PCB.

A PCB official said that the ICC and WADA had shortlisted the players for the new anti-doping clauses, including the controversial whereabouts clause, which was strongly challenged by the Indian board and its players.

"Under the whereabouts clause the selected players have to keep the ICC anti-doping officials informed about their movements throughout the year," the official said.

The official added that under the clause even if a player is not playing cricket he has to keep the ICC informed about his movements and expected schedules.

"It is mandatory for these players to keep the ICC informed about their movements and activities inside and outside the country," he said.

"If a player is playing a domestic match or if he is on holidays visiting his hometown he has to tell the PCB about it who will in turn inform the ICC."

He said the whereabouts clause was part of a stricter WADA anti-doping regulations to which the ICC and members boards have already complied.

"Under the new regulations WADA officials can carry out random dope tests during a bilateral series or multi-nation tournament," the official stated.

Warne: I am not coming back

Shane Warne said he is flattered by the attention but it won't be possible for him to actually return in this Ashes series.

"There will be no comeback in this Ashes series," said Australian spin legend Shane Warne, putting to rest the frenzied speculation about his possible return to Test cricket due to the team's continuing slump.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there will be no comeback in this Ashes series," the 41-year-old wrote in his column for 'The Herald Sun'.

"I must say I was very flattered and surprised that a lot of you out there wanted me to make a comeback and play in the series," he said.

Warne said although he would have wanted to be in the thick of things but it would require quite an effort to be match fit.

"...if there was to be a comeback I'd need time to get match-fit. My general fitness is as good as it's ever been - I have worked hard on that lately - but toiling away for long spells and backing up the next day takes time, practice, lots of physiotherapy and even more dedication.

"I must admit it did cross my mind, but then I woke up in London, where it was snowing, and realised I was only dreaming," he said.

"I will continue to help the Aussie boys any way I can in their quest to reclaim the Ashes."

Warne predicted that the Aussies, who are down 0-1 in the series, would win the third match in Perth to draw level and keep the contest alive.

"I think they will win this match because they know the conditions better. They also know the length to bowl, which will help them take 20 wickets.

"It's about giving the English something to think about, start them doubting themselves and worrying about Australia," he said.

Warne, however, conceded that a loss in Perth could trigger wholesale changes in the team.

"The way the Australian team plays this week will give us an indication of where it is really at. If the team fails here, then there will be some big changes at the end of the series, but a win could change everything.

Warne lavished praise on rookie spinner Michael Beer, who could not get into the final XI for the ongoing third Test.

"I'm sure the dressing room was daunting when he walked in because he did not know many teammates, but by now they will have realised he is a feisty player who doesn't get overawed and gives as good as he gets.

"He is an in-your-face player and, as I said earlier, this is what the Australian team needs. He could surprise many with his ability to spin the ball. With his change of pace, he reminds me a lot of New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori," he said.

Kaneria confident of a comeback

Danish Kaneria said he is confident of being cleared to play for the national team again.

Kaneria, only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan in Test matches, was summoned for a lengthy meeting by the Pakistan Cricket Board's integrity committee on Wednesday regarding the decision to give him clearance to play for the national team again.

"It was a very fruitful and positive meeting and whatever the board has asked of them I am providing them those details.

Now it is just a case of waiting for the board decision," Kaneria said.

The spinner, who with his 261 wickets in 61 Tests is the most successful Test spinner for Pakistan ahead of greats like Abdul Qadir, Iqbal Qasim, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed, was stopped from joining the national team in Dubai last month for the Test series against South Africa.

Although he was named in the Test squad but on the eve of his departure he was told to remain here as the integrity committee had not given him clearance to play for the national team.

Kaneria confirmed that the board had asked him to submit details of his bank accounts and other assets and he had already provided them some on Wednesday.

"I am cooperating in every way and whatever they are asking I am and will provide them that. Obviously I am keen to get this stigma of clearance off my name and play for Pakistan again," he said.

Kaneria said he was content that the board had placed no limitations on him on playing domestic cricket.

"Playing in domestic cricket means I am fit and in form and ready to play for Pakistan anytime," he said.

The leg-spinner is also likely to play for Surrey in the coming English county season but his contract is yet to be signed.

For the last seven years, Kaneria has successfully represented Essex in the county championship but came under investigation by the police after allegations that he and another Essex player Mervyn Westfield were involved in spot fixing in a pro-40 match against Durham in the 2009 season.

Essex police eventually cleared Kaneria of any wrongdoing and on his insistence the International Cricket Council has also informed his lawyer in writing that there is no bar on him playing international or national cricket.

Cricket stars could face lie detector tests after Pakistan match-fixing scandal

Cricketers could be made to face lie-detector tests as part of an effort to stamp out corruption in sport.

The radical suggestion would be the first attempt to use such technology in sport.

This summer’s Test series between England and Pakistan was tainted by allegations of match-fixing against the Pakistan team.

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, who suggested the idea, said: ‘I was thinking that if you have done nothing wrong, why wouldn’t you have a lie detector test to show it?

The influential body the MCC has agreed to consider the proposal at its next meeting.

A spokesman said: ‘The committee is concerned at the scale of the problem, and the detrimental effect it has placed on the integrity of the game. More resources – and increased powers – are required to attempt to eradicate this issue from the game.’

It comes amid increasing concerns about corruption and bad sportsmanship across sport. Similar ideas have been suggested for other sports.

But England captain Andrew Strauss gave only a cautious endorsement, saying: ‘I don’t know about the accuracy of lie-detector tests.’

Pakistan likely to host B'desh next year

Karachi: Pakistan is confident of hosting Bangladesh in what will be a ground-breaking home series next year after its cricket chief had a fruitful meeting with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials in Dhaka.

Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, met top Bangladesh cricket officials in Dhaka on the sidelines of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting and discussed the possibility of Bangladesh visiting Pakistan in 2011.

Butt said on Wednesday that the BCB has shown its willingness on sending a Bangladesh team to Pakistan for a full series.

"Bangladesh has agreed to tour Pakistan and we hope that the series will rake place here soon," said Butt.

Pakistan has become a no-go zone for international sports-persons after Sri Lanka's cricket team was ambushed by terrorists in Lahore in March 2009. The attack left several people, mostly policemen, dead while a number of Sri Lankan cricketers and team officials were injured.

PCB officials have since then been making futile efforts to resume international cricket in Pakistan.

Butt is hopeful that Bangladesh will help break the ice by visiting Pakistan soon.

The PCB chief rejected the impression that relations between the PCB and the BCB were strained after Pakistan refused to send its team to Bangladesh on security grounds.

"There have been a few issues between us, but our relations are fine," he said.

Relations between the two boards touched rock bottom in early 2009 when Bangladesh refused to host Pakistan for a series of five One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 matches in March.

Despite requests from the PCB, the tour was eventually called off by the BCB on government advice a day after the terrorist attack in Lahore.

At that time the BCB said that its government refused to give it clearance for the series. However, the general impression in Pakistan was that the BCB was influenced by the Indian cricket board in its decision to cancel the series.

Malik and Kamran Less Likely To Make Into World Cup

Mohsin Khan, the chief selector Pakistan cricket board, has said in a statement that players like Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal were less likely to be considered for the World Cup squad. Mohsin went on claiming that there was enough talent in the team to perform well in the biggest sporting event of the world cricket.

While talking to the reporters, the chief selector said, “No player is irreplaceable and life goes on and similar is the case with Pakistan cricket. Even if we lose some of our leading players it would be a setback but not something that would mean we cannot do well in our coming series and tournaments.”

Mohsin was of the view that he was not in a position to announce the final team without having clearance from the PCB. He claimed that every selection for every tour or series had been made after the approval of the board, and no one was in a position to include or exclude any player at its own.

According to the reports, besides the suspended trio of Salman Butt, Muhammad Asif, and Muhammad Aamir, who has been waiting for a final hearing which will determine the players’ futures, Pakistan could step into the world cup matches while missing other senior players as well, which had not been given clearance by the ICC and PCB.

In order to make their status clear, both Danish Kaneria and Kamran Akmal had met the PCB officials last week, the primary motive behind the meeting was to know the reasons amid which they were not being given a chance to play for the country. after the meeting, when reporters asked about the reasons which had been keeping both of the players from playing for the national team, Kaneria said that the chairman had shared with them the real reasons, but they could not talk about them at the that time.

The national selectors are going to announce the preliminary squad for the world cup on Tuesday after the final consultation with Ejaz Butt, the chairman of the board.

Hinting about the criteria the board had given to the selectors for finalizing the selection, Mohsin said that they were not to make any compromises upon fitness and discipline. “We will not pick unfit players in the team. Players have to be passed by the medical panel to be in the team” Concluded the chief selector.

Pak pacer Sami in 'drunken' brawl

Pakistan cricket's woes seem never to end. This time fiery pacer Mohammad Sami finds himself in the middle of a controversy.

The Karachi Blues captain Mohammad Sami for years the mainstay of Pakistan's pace attack, is under investigation after being accused of brawling and damaging hotel furniture while drunk, Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) President Siraj Bukhari has said.

The incident took place on Tuesday at the Grace Hotel in Rawalpindi, where the Karachi Blues were set to play its Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match.

“We have been told that Sami fought with a team-mate and damaged hotel property while allegedly under the influence of alcohol,” the Daily Times quoted Bukhari, as saying.

He further said that a detailed report on the incident has been summoned from the Karachi Blues team management.

“We don’t know the proper details of the incident and we will only decide on action after getting both sides of the story,” Bukhari said.

Mohammad Asif hires Barrister Cameron to plead his case

LONDON: Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif has hired the services of Barrister Allan AlexanderCameron, who is the elder brother of Prime Minister of UK David Cameron, to plead for him in Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Mohammad Asif along with two other Pakistani players Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir was suspended by International Cricket Council (ICC) on allegations of spot fixing scandal highlighted by British tabloid News of the World in Pakistan’s tour of England this August.

These players will attend the hearing in ICC independent tribunal in January next year at Doha but they will also face criminal charges investigated by Scotland Yard Police in London. Scotland Yard expected to submit its report to CPS in December which will set the direction of ICC tribunal hearing.

Mohammad Asif initially hired Elizabeth Robertson but as she will be on maternity leave from December 22, so she advised Asif to hire Barrister Allan Alexander Cameron to plead for him at CPS on Scotland Yard report.

Salman Butt has already hired the services of Indian lawyer Barrister Yasin Patel in UK to plead for him at CPS on Scotland Yard report while he has now taken the services of renowned Pakistani lawyer Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan in place of Khalid Ranjha and Shahid Gul to represent him at Doha in ICC tribunal as ICC restricted the players to appear with only one lawyer in the tribunal