Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Inzamam calls for Indo-Pak series in Sharjah
Sharjah will host a Test match after nine years and also a one-day international during Pakistan’s series against Sri Lanka which begins next month.
Inzamam called for the regularisation of India-Pakistan series because fans of both countries are keen to see their cricketers playing against each other as evidenced during the turbo-charged World Cup semifinal.
“There will be strong competition and cricket will be played at a top level. It will generate interest among the youngsters and the passion will grow and the game will also improve among the teams,” he added.
“If it does not happen in the home country, they can have in a neutral venue and people will surely come where ever it is held,” he said endorsing Sharjah as the ideal neutral venue.
Talking of schedules, he blamed an overdose of cricket for the injuries to India’s players during their disastrous tour of England although acknowledging the hosts were the better team. “Earlier there were decent gaps between matches. Players were getting sufficient rest and in a year there were only six to eight Tests and 15 to 20 ODIs.
“So this gave players enough time to recover. But now the players don’t have so much of time. So when a player is injured he does not get the proper rest required and he plays and aggravates injuries,” said Inzamam.
He also felt that players found it difficult to switch gears from Tests, one-day and Twenty20 formats of the game though not finding fault with the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL). “India for the last six months have been playing only the shorter format and suddenly playing the longer version affected their temperament.
They were already under pressure and because of mounting injury list during the series it became difficult for them to win. It’s not because of IPL or anything but because of too much of cricket which increases the risk of injuries,” he said.
He also urged all-rounder Shahid Afridi to resolve his differences with the Pakistan Cricket Board and make a comeback to the sport. “He is a good player and if he comes back it’s good for the team but first the differences between him and the board have to be sorted out. It is not good when players and board fight through the media,” he said.
One-day skipper Afridi quit international cricket after being stripped of captaincy during the tour of West Indies. Coach Waqar Younis also subsequently resigned citing personal reasons.
However, Inzamam felt there was no need to appoint a foreign coach because there were so many experienced past players to choose from in Pakistan.
“I don’t think we need to search for a coach outside Pakistan. I think in Pakistan there are so many great players capable of being coach,” he said.
Inzamam said they should pick someone who has experience in all three formats of the game. “Saeed Anwar is there, Mushtaq Ahmed is coaching in England, Saqlain Mushtaq has coached in New Zealand. So we have players who have served as coaches in different countries. So the Pakistan board has to hire such players which will benefit the team,” he said.
Bright chances of Afridi’s return
Dar demands central contracts for top umpires
Talking to Waqt News exclusively, Dar said: “The third award in a row is a result of prayers of the nation who love me a lot and it is actually the award of the nation.”
“It is a great honour for me to get the award for my country and I shall try to maintain my performance to win more awards for my country. I try to carry out my job with utmost honesty and it is the only secret behind my success,” said Aleem, who has officiated in 67 Tests, 146 one-dayers and 18 Twenty20 matches.
Dar said that award’s hat-trick was a great honour for him and he really worked hard for it as the year of 2010 was very tough especially umpiring in World Cup was tough task but by the grace of Allah, he had done done his best and got rewarded for his hard work.
He also demanded central contract for top umpires of the country like the national team players had been having for their better livelihood. “Umpiring is never easy amongst technology paraphernalia and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should give attention to this field as well by giving central contracts to the top umpires of the country so that Pakistani umpires continue winning laurels for the country.”
He said that along with right decisions, the report of captains also mattered a lot. “The captains of most of the teams trust me a lot and report me positively which matters a lot along with right decisions.”
He further said that top ranking teams of the world always wish to have me as umpire in their matches. “The top ranking teams like Australia, England and South Africa want me to umpire their matches and they have good trust in me.” He said that it was unfortunate for Pakistan that no international team was coming here. He also underscored the need to give more heed to domestic cricket.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
England to start ICC World Twenty20 title defence against qualifier
Reigning champion England will start its title defence at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo exactly one year from today, on 21 September, against one of the two qualifiers for the tournament. Stuart Broad's side will complete its opening group commitments two days later against 2007 champion India at the same venue.
Australia, chasing the one global trophy to have eluded them, will go head-to-head with the other qualifier in Colombo on 19 September, part of a double-header that also features India and a qualifier.
Sri Lanka, which lost to England in the semi-final of last year's tournament in the West Indies, will open its campaign against Zimbabwe under lights in Hambantota on the first day of the tournament (18 September) before taking on South Africa at the same venue on 22 September.
If Sri Lanka reaches the Super Eight, it will then go on to play in Pallekele before moving to Colombo if it qualifies for the knock-out stage.
Pakistan, which won the 2009 tournament in England, has been grouped with New Zealand and Bangladesh, and will play its matches in Pallekele on 23 and 25 September respectively. Pallekele will also host the New Zealand-Bangladesh match on 21 September.
If everything goes according to pre-tournament seedings then Pakistan and India will lock horns in a Super Eight match in Colombo on Sunday 30 September.
The group stages of the women's tournament will take place in Galle where host Sri Lanka will take on one of the tournament qualifiers on 26 September, the first day of women's matches. On the same date, last year's losing finalist New Zealand will meet the West Indies.
Australia's women will start their push for back-to-back trophies against India on 27 September, the same day which will see 2009 winner England launch its campaign against the other qualifier.
A total of 42 matches, including 27 men's and 15 women's matches, will be played over 20 days at four venues - R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Pallekele, Hambantota and Galle, with R Premadasa Stadium hosting the finals on Sunday 7 October.
ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: "The ICC World Twenty20 is now a marquee event in Twenty20 cricket where nations challenge each other for the most coveted title in the shortest format of the game.
"The previous editions in South Africa, England and the West Indies have smartly established the ICC World Twenty20 as a major global event that is not only exciting and entertaining but embraces both men's and women's cricket.
"Nothing beats nation-versus-nation contests and when these battles take place in the newest, sharpest and quickest form of the game then you can feel the excitement in fans.
"We all know how passionate and loyal the Sri Lankan public is towards our Great Sport and we will ensure the tickets are affordable so that they can enjoy the event.
"Following the legacies and success of the recent ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, I am confident that the hosts, Sri Lanka, will deliver a world class event.
"I am happy that the men's and women's semi-finals and finals will once again be played on the same days at the same venues. Those match-days provide a great setting for both the men's and women's game and we remain committed to showcase women's cricket in this way, which is unique in the world of team sports."
The tournament will include two teams qualifying from the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012, which will be staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 13-24 March 2012.
Mr Lorgat added: "It will be exciting to see who eventually qualifies. In 2010, Afghanistan made history by qualifying to play on the global stage which was great reward for them and the development of the game."
"Modern Spin" - the event logo
The event logo - "Modern Spin" - was also unveiled by Mr Lorgat.
Designed by Australian creative firm Witekite, the logo incorporates and amalgamates the rounded look of the Sinhalese Script. The letter "T" forms a player which leads into the "2" while the "0" incorporates a cricket ball.
The colours of the logo, with strong reds and oranges, are seen in both nature and Sri Lankan culture and arts, with their presence in the logo giving them a cricket "spin". It has a natural sense of movement due to its fluid lines and forward angles.
Mr Lorgat said: "I am delighted to reveal this colourful logo that reflects the culture of Sri Lanka. The event now has a formal identity and we will use it to promote this exciting and entertaining event."
The logo will be used on an ongoing basis over the next 12 months and will feature on publicity and promotional material during the build-up to and throughout what will be the fourth ICC World Twenty20.
Sale of tickets and international tour and travel packages
Tickets are planned to go on sale to the public from 1 March 2012 and will be available via website and box office sales in Sri Lanka. The ICC and Sri Lanka Cricket will be appointing a company to manage the ticket sales process and will jointly determine a sales policy that will ensure equitable access to purchase tickets for local and overseas fans alike.
Entry to the women's group stage matches in Galle will be open to the public at no charge. Entry to the women's semi-finals and final, which will be played before the men's corresponding matches in Colombo, will be on the same match ticket as the men's.
The ICC tour and travel website www.icctravel.net which will go live on 1 October, will feature the details of all forthcoming ICC events and will be updated regularly with the contact details for all official travel agents. They will be the only outlets through which travel packages to ICC events will be legitimately available.
In territories where an OTA (official travel agent) has not yet been appointed, consumers will be able to register their interest on the website and they will then be contacted by ICC Travel and advised to purchase their desired package.
The ICC World Twenty20 2012 schedule of the matches and more information can be found by clicking here.
The ICC World Twenty20 2012 event logo can be found here and can be downloaded for editorial use only.
SHAHID AFRIDI’S RETURN TO PAKISTAN TEAM REMAINS BESIEGED
Shahid Afridi’s return to the Pakistan national squad still remains in shambles after a meeting, involving various sportspersons and officials such as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Chairman, Ijaz Butt, who called on President Asif Ali Zardari in Karachi, concluded without any discussion on the hard hitter’s return to the national roster.
Previously, the estranged Afridi had awaited the meeting with the nation’s Premier, who is also the Chief Patron of the PCB, hoping that the rendezvous may come out with some conclusion for the ‘Boom Boom’ Khan’s ongoing rift with PCB and its infamous Chairman Butt.
However, not just Afridi, another former Pakistani Captain, Javed Miandad, who is now a senior PCB official, and ironically shares a similar faith as Afridi, also had planned on discussing his rift with Butt and the Board since Miandad was slammed by PCB for not responding to a show cause notice that was issued to him for ‘violating his terms of employment’ after Miandad came out with loud criticism against PCB’s flawed working practices, citing that 90% of the Board’s decisions are erroneous.
Unfortunately, for both the former skippers, it was Butt, who as expected, outplayed Afridi and Miandad, as none of their issues were raised during the meeting.
In case of Afridi, though the player was present at the meeting, alongside other cricket veterans such asMohsin Khan, it was learnt that the President concluded the meeting without having a one-to-one word with Afridi.
On the other hand, Miandad was outplayed after his request to shift the upcoming national Twenty20 event from Lahore to Karachi due to threats of the dengue outbreak were turned down by Butt.
According to a source, rather than finding a notion to the conflict, it was learnt that the President’s main concern during the rendezvous revolved around how the cricket fraternity can help the government in raising funds for the flood victims in Sindh.
As for Afridi, the Pakistani heartthrob, who recently led his roster close to a World Cup final, left the Bilawal House without speaking to the media, after it was also found out that the Premier failed to heed on the star player’s issue.
Zardari directs Butt to organise cricket matches to raise funds for Pak flood relief efforts
The delegation that met with Zardari on Tuesday comprised of Test cricketers, hockey players and other sportsmen.
He also directed Butt to organise a national-level match, in which the members of the national team and some renowned former cricketers would take part.
Zardari, who is also patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), advised the board's chief, Ijaz Butt, to hold an international match at some neutral venue, most probably at Dubai, The Nation reports.
Karachi Dolphins, led by former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, will play against Danish Kaneria-led Karachi Zebras in the Sindh Rain Victims Relief Fund Twenty-20 match at RLCA Korangi on Wednesday (today). (ANI)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
PAKISTAN’S SAQLAIN MUSHTAQ WANTS INDO-PAK SERIES
Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq has asked the cricket authorities in India and Pakistan to resume a bilateral series between the neighbouring countries just like the Ashes between England and Australia.
Saqlain stated, “I personally feel that India and Pakistan should start a series on the lines of Ashes. But lets wait for the ties to resume first.”
The wily spinner also gave his views on India’s tour to England, stating that it was a team failure. He added, “It was the failure of the team and you cannot just blame the spinners. You didn’t have runs on the board and, in such scenario, the spinners can’t gamble. The conditions were pacer-friendly and, as one saw, it was the pacers who did the trick for the hosts. So, I don't think it would be right to blame the spinners alone.”
The Men in Blue failed to win even a single game on the British tour. They lost the Test series by 4-0 followed by defeats in the Twenty20 and the One Day International (ODI) series by 1-0 and 3-0 respectively.
This dropped the Indian team to number three in the ICC Test team rankings and five in the 50-over format.
However, the MS Dhoni led side will be looking forward to a home series against England next month, which will give them a chance to settle the scores.
According to the sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), there is also a possibility of India hosting a complete series against arch rivals Pakistan in March/April, 2012.
There has been no bilateral series between Pakistan and India since late 2007. However, fans worldwide will be expecting things to get better this time and see the Asian giants fighting for glory against each other once again.
The political ties between both countries have improved in the recent times and the fans might get some good news in the coming months.
Although both countries are willing to go head to head once more, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ijaz Butt has asked the BCCI to play in a Pakistan hosted series before the Men in Green tour their neighbouring country.
Miandad refuses to respond to PCB's show cause notice
Former captain Javed Miandad is yet to respond to a show cause notice that the Pakistan Cricket Board issued to him for violating his terms of employment, raising the prospects of yet another bitter showdown between the two.
Miandad, who is employed as the Director (cricket affairs) since 2008 on a lucrative package, said after closely watching the working of the board, he was convinced 90 percent decisions were erroneous.
His remarks upset the PCB which gave him a deadline of seven days to respond to the notice that expired last Thursday.
"So far we are yet to get a formal response from him to the notice but we will look at the issue on Monday," a senior official said.
Miandad, after getting the notice, made it clear that he had no intentions of responding to it as he was directly appointed in the Board by chief patron -- President Asif Zardari -- and was only answerable to him.
"I will give my explanation to the President when he gives me time for a meeting and I will apprise him of the issues in the board," Miandad had said.
A board official said since Miandad was also a member of the governing board, the PCB hierarchy will have to decide how to deal with his latest violation of his employment terms.
"Normally if someone does not respond to a show cause notice within the deadline than he faces severe punishment but obviously in Miandad's case the board has to tread carefully because of his standing and position," an official admitted.
A source close to Miandad said the former captain regarded the salary and perks given to him by the Board as due reward for having served Pakistan cricket for 35 years.
This is not the first time that Miandad, who has also coached Pakistan team in the past, has publicly lashed out at the PCB working under the Chairmanship of Ejaz Butt who has been in power since October, 2008.
'To stop corruption provide financial security to Pak players'
Shahid Afridi, Aamir Sohail and Sarfaraz Nawaz gave the advice to the PCB after the reported confession of banned pacer Muhammad Aamer to a crown prosecution court in London that he had indulged in spot-fixing during Pakistan's tour of England last year.
The trio was also unanimous in their opinion that had the authorities taken action when allegations of match fixing first surfaced in Pakistan cricket, the situation would have been different today.
"It is sad but it a fact that Pakistan cricket's image has been tainted by these fixing allegations and scandals. The Board needs to do something to prevent such things from happening in future," Sohail said.
The former Test captain suggested the PCB to improve the financial benefits of not only the national team cricketers but also of those playing on the domestic circuit.
"Unless players get security of job and money in our domestic cricket they will always be susceptible to corruption and bookmakers," Sohail said.
He said presently they were lot of financial incentives for players who made it to the national team.
"But even then most players are not certain about how long they will play for Pakistan and they are concerned that if out of the national side what will they earn from domestic cricket," he noted.
"What should have been done in the past is now history. We now must ensure that same mistakes are not reported again," Sohail added.
Afridi agreed with Sohail and said that in other countries domestic players earn good money compared to Pakistan.
Afridi was of the view that Aamer's confession would raise more fingers at Pakistan cricket but said it was good that he had spoken the truth.
"I think even if the two other players have something to say, they should say it now. No use of hiding the truth. Mistakes are made by everyone and you only can learn from them," he said.
The flamboyant all-rounder also felt that instead of sitting on the issue the PCB should have taken decisive action against those players who were allegedly involved in fixing in the past.
"I don't know if anyone was really involved but if the Board felt someone was involved they should have taken strict action against him and set a strong example to discourage others from indulging in corruption," Afridi said.
Nawaz, however, took a potshot at the PCB, saying the Board is to be blamed for the fixing scandals.
"Successive Boards have tried to sweep the issue under the carpet and let go guilty players. It is unfortunate that some players who were even fined by the Justice Qayyum Commission have been given jobs and positions by the PCB instead of censoring them," he said.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Amir ought to have come clean sooner: Afridi
Former Pakistan cricket captain, Shahid Khan Afridi says that Mohammad Amir ought to have come clean sooner about his involvement in a spot-fixing scandal which has embroiled the young fast bowler along with two other Pakistani cricketers for over a year.
Mohammad Amir, a young and upcoming prospect for Pakistani cricket had found himself in the midst of a spot-fixing scandal last year when he was on tour with the Pakistan national team. A sting by the now defunct News of the World news papers showed a bookie taking money from an undercover reporter for having certain bowlers in the Pakistan ranks deliberately bowling no-balls on pre-specified deliveries. Amir, along with other accuses, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt had for long pleaded innocence. However, Amir came clean during a court hearing on Wednesday, submitting a written statement confessing to the charges labelled against him.
Afridi, who himself has faced controversy in cricket after being found guilty of biting down on a ball in February 2010 with a swift two T20 match ban. Afridi had already been in strife for ball tampering, suspended for one Test and two one-dayers in 2005.
Afridi further said that it remains to be seen who had entrapped Amir into committing this act and who all were his accomplices.
Afridi went on to talk about his own career, saying that he could not continue playing under the coach (Waqar Younis) who had been giving the former skipper problems. Though, Afridi maintained that conditions had since (his departure from the team) improved and he wished to continue playing cricket.
He also congratulated the Pakistan cricket team on their success in Zimbabwe.
Razzaq agrees with Afridi
Pakistan cricket all-rounder Abdul Razzaq echoed the sentiments of Afridi saying that Amir ought to have confessed his involvement much earlier.
Razzaq said that it is now up to the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board to decide what punishment Amir would have to face for his actions.
Shahid Afridi: just a breed or a need?
Opinion: Shahid Afridi may announce his comeback very soon, but does he really deserve to be given a chance?
Shahid Khan Afridi, aka Afridi, is probably at the peak of his career. He was very recently toppled down by his team-mate Muhammad Hafeez, who grabbed the third spot in ICC all-rounder rankings, pulling Afridi on to the fifth spot. However, this might have not been as easy for Muhammad Hafeez as it was, had Afridi been playing international cricket.
The frisky all-rounder sidelined himself from the team after announcing his conditional retirement over the disagreements with the management. Now that the management is about to go through major changes (once again), Afridi intensely wants to play for his country, that too once again. Sources whisper that he will soon have a meeting with the patron of the board and chances are that he may announce his return to international cricket after the meeting but does he really deserve to be in the team?
A cricket fanatic, Afridi lover would impulsively shout out loud “hell yeah!”, on the other hand, a rational person would find himself stuck between the see-saw of right and wrong along with the web of pros and cons. But does he really deserve to be in the team?
The answer is yes, if only, considering his contribution to the Pakistan cricket. The energetic fellow played a key role in the victory of T20 World Cup 2009, got the team into the semi-finals of World Cup 2011, performed consistently well with his bowling, and yielded more than just satisfactory results through his leadership qualities. The mere numbers and figures associated with the player may not reveal all that Afridi has to offer but anyone would agree that Afridi is of a breed that is anything but common. People and experts would also agree that Afridi is the only man born with tailor-made qualities to be the T20 superstar who was born 27 years before the format achieved an official status.
A player with 315 ODI wickets and 53 T20i wickets is someone who has already earned his right to be given chances and take liberties. And if that player is Shahid Afridi, someone who is at his peak of his career, does need to be taken in and exploit for the good of a country that has not had the taste of happiness with abundance.
However, a rational mind will never be impulsive. A logical approach would take one asking questions like, we just won in Zimbabwe do we still need him? He may not play the next World Cup, shan’t we find a replacement and get over with him? What about his erratic behavior? Sudden retirement from the tests and then conditional retirement from cricket, should not he be told that his inclusion in the team is not implied? Shahid Afridi may have turned out to be an exceptional all-rounder (finally, after 15 years) but does that make him above the ethics and code of conduct? Was it fair to his fans and country to retire from the sport because of his personal disagreements with the coach?
The answers of such questions would lead one to oppose his return to the team at least if not sentencing him a death penalty. But one always knows that appropriate conduct, abiding rules and coherent thinking hasn’t really been virtues of the all-rounder. For all the mistakes that he made, he should be punished but an opportunity to swing his arms and bowl his bowls is due for a player that has delivered numerous times for his country and gained a lot of affection and love from all over the world, if not respect.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
We can plan better for SL series after Zimbabwe tour: Mohsin
Chief selector Mohsin Hasan Khan has praised the performance of the Pakistan team against Zimbabwe and has expressed hope that it will help in developing a solid combination against Sri Lanka in the upcoming series starting in the United Arab Emirates next month.
“As a whole, the team performance is very satisfactory and even though Zimbabwe was not a weak opposition our boys played well to win every game,” Mohsin told Dawn on Thursday. Pakistan not only won the one-off Test but also scored a clean sweep in the ODI series against Zimbabwe. They are now getting ready to face the hosts in the two T20 matches series starting Friday.
“This tour of Zimbabwe will help us a lot in putting together a solid combination for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, which is one of the best teams in the world,” said Mohsin. “Since the Sri Lankan series will be played in the UAE where the conditions are different, we will make the combination accordingly,” he added.
Mohsin further said that 80 per cent target set for the series against Zimbabwe had been achieved and the combination of the senior and new players earned the convincing success. “It was great to see captain Misbah-ul-Haq leading from the front throughout the series with his performance and the way the seniors and new players responded which is a good sign for Pakistan cricket,” he said.
He also lauded the role of team management on the tour.
The former opener has special praise for fast bowler Aizaz Cheema and said the bowler had given an outstanding performance on the tour. In the batting department, he was all praise for seasoned campaigner Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez besides Misbah and added they had played a tremendous role to set a guideline for the new players and for the whole team. About Shoaib Malik, who was included in the team after almost a year but failed to deliver, Mohsin said the all-rounder could not utilize the opportunity but still he had a lot of cricket left in him.
He said wicket-keeper Adnan Akmal had again proved himself as a fine performer behind the stumps. He expressed the hope the team management would give a chance to Ramiz Raja Junior in the upcoming two T20 series against Zimbabwe.
PCB top brass to meet over T20 event
For that purpose, a meeting is scheduled to take place between PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and other senior board officials, it was learnt by ‘The News’ here on Friday.
There is a growing concern among some PCB officials and they feel that there is a need to sit down and re-think over staging of the event in Lahore, a city that has been badly affected by the dengue virus.
“According to reports the dengue outbreak will only get worse which is why we have decided to hold a meeting to discuss our options,” a source said.
The Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) had earlier requested the board to either postpone or shift the event to Karachi for security reasons.
However, the official said that there is hardly any chance that the tournament will be moved to Karachi since dengue cases have also been reported here.
But he revealed that there is a chance that the event can be moved to Multan if the PCB decides to shift it.
“Multan remains in pole position to host the event if the board decides to move the tournament,” he revealed.
“It’s the board’s policy is to take cricket to smaller cities. We originally planned to stage the event in Rawalpindi but renovation work forced us to bring it to Lahore.”
Meanwhile, KCCA warned on Friday that the PCB will be responsible if any player or official is hit by dengue outbreak during the Faysal Bank T20 tournament in Lahore.
KCCA sent an email to ‘The News’ stating: “In view of the assurance by Punjab Government and insistence of PCB to have this tournament in Lahore we have agreed to go to Lahore. However if anything happens to our players or officials it will be the responsibility of PCB.”
A team from Afghanistan is scheduled to take part in the event but they too remain concerned about the prospects of playing in Lahore.
Wisal Durrani, president of Peshawar District Cricket Association (PDCA) said: “It would be good if the board postpones the event. But I am aware of the problem PCB faces as it will get in problem with sponsors and broadcasters.
“In addition, the domestic calendar is very tight and if the tournament is delayed then the top international players, who are the biggest attraction for the public, won’t be able to take part in the tournament.”
Atique Ahmed, secretary Hyderabad region, said that they have no reservations and are ready to play in Lahore.
Khalid Mehmood, secretary Sialkot region, said that they too have no problem in playing in Lahore but the board and the local administration should take all possible measures to ensure a safe and secure tournament. He also said that the biggest cause for concern would be from public point of view, as thousands of people would turn up to witness the event, which makes the risk of people getting attacked by dengue even higher.
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When asked during an interview about the first couple of things he would implement straight away, if he were given the role of the PCB Chairman, Akram said: “First of all I would just try to have one leader [of the cricket team] and at least announce him for a year, and then get a coach and obviously get a guy who the boys will get along with.”
“Either it`s a foreign coach, or it`s a Pakistani coach, whoever, you should ask the boys first because they are going to be working with him. Bring stability into the system and I think everything will eventually work,” he told PakPassion.net.
After implementing the above-mentioned steps, Akram said, he would concentrate on stuff like looking for the right talent and getting it to the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
“The PCB have such wonderful facilities in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, everywhere, have people getting their youngsters, especially in summer where nobody does anything for a couple of months, to come. Also, try to get the Pakistan "A "and emerging sides on tours to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, wherever it can be arranged – the more tours, the more the players will improve and learn,” he added.
Akram also said that while he was not against the hiring of a foreigner to succeed outgoing coach Waqar Younis, he would suggest finding someone from Pakistan.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Afridi will play in Lahore despite dengue fears
Despite concerns shown by Karachi’s regional association, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has confirmed his participation in the season-opening Twenty20 event in Lahore despite the spread of dengue in the city.
The all-rounder, who will lead Karachi Dolphins, is looking ahead to the event where some participating teams have expressed concerns over the deadly virus that has claimed over 25 lives in Lahore.
The Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA) called for a venue-shift, arguing that players were concerned about their safety. The Afghanistan Cricket Board, which will be sending a team from the country, also voiced their concern over the state of the city. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), however, rejected all concerns, saying precautionary measures have been taken and the event will go as planned from September 25.
Afridi, though, is keen to return to action.
“I will take part in the tournament,” the experienced all-rounder confirmed to The Express Tribune. “I am focusing on a good show for my team in order to achieve best results. I want to play cricket as much as I can to avoid rustiness. It will be a good tournament and I am not going to miss this opportunity.”
Fans can expect fireworks
The all-rounder has not played international cricket since the tour of West Indies where he developed differences with the coach and his subsequent outburst forced the board to strip him of captaincy.
Afridi retired from international cricket following that. He did represent Hampshire in the recently-concluded Friends Life T20 and hit an explosive knock of 80 off just 42 balls in his last innings at the event. Afridi said he was aiming for more such innings in the upcoming tournament.
“I am focusing on my batting also apart from bowling,” he said. “I will try to go fully prepared to shine as an all-rounder. My last innings has given me confidence and hopefully I will carry the form in the tournament.”
Return to international cricket?
However, Afridi refused an immediate return to international cricket.
“I just want to play cricket at the moment and will return when the time comes,” he said.
Afridi to play for All Stars in Hong Kong Sixes
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi will feature in the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes at the Kowloon Cricket Club from October 28.
Afridi, who announced a conditional retirement from international cricket, will play for the All Stars team which also includes Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, South African opener Herschelle Gibbs, Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, Australia fast-bowler Shaun Tait and Ryan ten Doeschate of the Netherlands.
“We are thrilled to have both Jayasuriya and Afridi playing on the same team,” Hong Kong Cricket Association President Shahazada Saleem told cricketworld.com. “They are outstanding cricketers who can demolish any bowling attack and are more than capable bowlers themselves. The fans are in for a treat.”
The All Stars have been drawn with Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Scotland in Group A while defending champions Australia are placed in Group B with England, Bangladesh and Ireland. The third group comprises last year’s losing finalists Pakistan, South Africa, India and Hong Kong.
“We have got a good blend of players from all around the world and I expect the All Stars to be one of the favourites to win the tournament,” said Saleem.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Afridi didn't join MQM
There were rumors that Shahid Afridi joined MQM, the photo that is use in that news is very old. People are trying to get popular with fake news like this, facebook pages owner wants to get more fans and bloggers owner want to earn money on increasing terrific on their blogs. Kindly, don't ruin someone life for your own benefits. Regards "TEAM AFRIDI".
Razzaq unsure about getting Indian visa for CL T20
Razzaq, a centrally contracted player of the Pakistan Cricket Board, starred for Leicestershire in their successful bid to become the English national Tewnty20 champions last month.
By virtue of his contract with Leicestershire, Razzaq is now qualified to represent them in the Champions Trophy as well.
But sources close to the allrounder said he was anxious about being able to make it to India on time and has sought the assistance of his county to secure the visa.
"The Indian High Commission has yet to issue him the visa to travel to India and he is worried he might miss a couple of early games which are so important for any team," one source said.
Razzaq played regularly in the rebel Indian Cricket League around the same time the official Indian Premier League was launched.
No Pakistan team has taken part in the Champions League tournament in its first two editions so far due to the strained relations between the two countries.
ALEEM DAR DESERVED TO BE HONOURED AT THE ICC ANNUAL AWARDS: AHSAN RAZA
Ahsan Raza, an umpire from Pakistan, has claimed that he had actually dreamt of compatriot Aleem Dar winning the ICC Annual Award for the best umpire of the year for the third consecutive year in a row.
Raza stated, “Believe it or not, I had a dream where Aleem was certain to win this trophy for the third year in a row. He (Aleem) rightly deserved this award. He is bound to get an amazing reception when he returns to Pakistan.”
Dar was officiating in the series between Australia and Sri Lanka, but was invited over to London by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in order to attend the award ceremony on Monday, September 12, 2011.
According to sources, “ICC had specifically asked India’s Shavir Tarapore to replace Dar as TV umpire for the 2nd Sri Lanka-Australia Test, so that he can be available for the function.”
The 43-year-old umpire from Pakistan first officiated in an international game back in 2000. He was very confident in decision making and got selected in the ICC umpire’s panel very soon.
Dar’s first major tournament as an umpire was the World Cup in 2003. He did a very good job in the Mega Event and earned in spot in the ICC’s elite panel along with some other brilliant umpires like Simon Taufel from Australia.
This was just the beginning of a successful journey from the proud Pakistani. He went onto officiate the World Cup Finals in 2007 and 2011 and has also been performing his duties in the Ashes series between England and Australia for the past many years.
Apart from Dar, there were a couple of players from Pakistan nominated in the awards. Fast bowler Wahab Riaz and batsman Azhar Ali were named in the category for the best emerging players, but the award went to West Indies’ rising star Devendra Bishoo.
However, Pakistan’s Umar Gul was selected in the ODI team of the year. He was the only player to get the honour even though there were some solid performances from players like Shahid Afridi, who was the highest wicket-taker of the World Cup this year.
The umpire versus technology… Aleem Dar wins
There was a time when the umpire’s decision was final. For good or bad, he wasn’t questioned. There was also a time when Pakistan’s umpires were said to be a fiercely patriotic bunch, who didn’t mind giving decisions in the home team’s favour — just ask Mike Gatting or any Indian who had the fortune/misfortune of touring Pakistan in the early 70s and 80s.
It was almost impossible to defeat Pakistan at home. Of course, they had a very good team but if the old wives tales are to be believed the umpires did their best to err. It wasn’t a reputation that did them any good.
But technology came along and forced the umpires to change. In the old era, some of the decisions were so atrocious that it only reinforced the feeling that some technology can surely help. Whatever shortcomings individual bits of equipment might have, that having some form of referral system, even if it consisted only of a third umpire with access to normal TV pictures, it was or at least seems to be a better way of conducting a game.
Aleem Dar was voted to the award by the 10 full member captains as well as the eight-man elite panel of match referees.. Getty Images.
And no one in the current cricket establishment showcases that change more than Aleem Dar. The umpire from Pakistan won the David Shepherd Trophy for the ICC Umpire of the Year for the third year running.
And he has won it by standing firm in the face of technology.
Technology, on it’s own, teaches us to mistrust umpires — makes them human and capable of error after error. As we see decisions getting over-turned, it’s hard not to feel for the umpire. He seems to shrink to nothingness. His mistakes shown on a giant screen, the crowd boos, the player’s smirk and the umpire can only shrug his shoulders and look away.
But this is why Dar is special. The more you watch him get things right, the more you realise that umpiring, in a strange way, is a sport too. Teams all around the world have learned to trust his eye and very rarely does he get any decision wrong. It’s his consistency that has won him accolades wherever he goes.
Other competitors were Steve Davis, Ian Gould and five-time winner Simon Taufel. Dar, 43, officiated in five Tests and 13 ODIs during the voting period, including the World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka. Dar was voted to the award by the 10 full member captains as well as the eight-man elite panel of match referees. He received the award from ICC Hall of Fame 2011 inductee Alan Davidson.
From a time when Pakistani umpires were said to be the worst in the business to a time when they consistently rank as the best in the world, Dar has sure changed things around. Of course, it also helps if you take up the job when you are pretty young.
Dar, who made his international debut as an umpire in 2000, joined the Emirates Elite Panel in 2004. In the voting period of these awards, Dar stood in five Tests and 13 ODIs. He stood in the ICC Cricket World Cup in the India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, where he was an on-field umpire in eight of the matches, including the final between India and Sri Lanka.
There is another reason why players like him — he treats everyone equally and is not likely to treat himself as a child of a higher god. He keeps it cool in the mind; so cool that at times his robot sidekick hardly ever has a chance to get involved. And in the eyes of many, that’s why he’s really good.
