Afridi rejects criticism, wants support ahead of World Cup

 Pakistan Twenty20 and One-Day International (ODI) captain Shahid Afridi has asked for support ahead of the World Cup and said that criticism before the global event will discourage the young team. Following the recent Twenty20 series loss to New Zealand – the third consecutive series defeat after England and South Africa won 2-0 – former players lashed out at Afridi and questioned his leadership skills.

“I don’t want to react to the criticism,” Afridi told The Express Tribune. “All I expect is support for my team which is going through a tough phase with the World Cup not very far away.

“The former cricketers are well aware of the current crisis in the team and should avoid comments that would leave a negative impact before the tournament.”

Afridi said that times had changed and with the team facing various issues, the attack was uncalled for.

“It is not the same time as it was when Imran Khan and Javed Miandad were playing. The situation now is totally different.

“Some [ex-cricketers] just wait for a bad performance to launch an attack on the team or on certain players. It happens. The same people praise you when the team does well.”

Afridi optimistic on best squad for World Cup

The captain, however, was confident of forming the best line-up for the World Cup in which Pakistan may miss the experienced trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir. The three players will appear in the International Cricket Council (ICC) hearing on the spot-fixing case later this week.

“There is no doubt we are missing the three players but we still have good players who will form the team for the World Cup.”

Afridi, who was also criticised for team selection in the Twenty20s against New Zealand, said he tried different combinations keeping the World Cup in mind.

“Many of our World Cup probables were tested in the T20s because we want to give them maximum appearances.

“The clear picture for our World Cup line-up will come after the ODI series against New Zealand which is very important for us.”

Pakistan, following the two Test matches against New Zealand, will play a six-match ODI series that would be the team’s last assignment before the World Cup starts on February 19.

Afridi to give input

Shahid Afridi will meet the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt in Lahore today where his input on the World Cup squad will be taken into account.

According to a PCB official, Butt will discuss team selection with the captain before giving a go-ahead for the 30-man squad finalised by the selection committee.

“The PCB chairman wants input from Afridi on team selection while performance in the T20 series will also be discussed in the meeting,” said the official.

The World Cup preliminary squad is expected to be announced tomorrow, a day before the deadline which the ICC extended following a request by the PCB.

Afridi meets Butt to select 30 players for World Cup

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Captain Shahid Afridi met chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ijaz Butt here today.

The sources told that the meeting discussed the probable 30 names of the players participating in the mega event, World Cup 2011, starting next month.

Apart from this, Afridi’s statement for hearing in spot fixing case was also under discussion. The hearing will be held on 6th January.

The names of 30 players, selected for World Cup, will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday). 

Afridi to testify in 'spot-fixing' case: report

 Pakistan's limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi will testify at a hearing of players suspended for alleged spot-fixing despite believing he has nothing to add to his earlier testimony, a report said Monday.

Afridi has been summoned to appear before the International Cricket Council's (ICC) anti-corruption tribunal for a hearing of charges against Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, in Doha from January 6-11.

Salman, Asif and Aamer were suspended over claims of spot-fixing during Pakistan's Lord's Test against England in August and face severe punishment, including lengthy bans.

Both Afridi, along with team coach Waqar Younis and security manager Khawaja Najam, who will also attend the Doha hearing -- made statements to the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit last month.

According to Pakistani media, these statements link the suspended players to alleged bookmaker Mazhar Majeed and allege that large sums of money were confiscated from the players' hotel rooms.

Afridi reportedly said he had not lied to the ICC, and had given a full account of what he had witnessed during the team's tour of England.

"I have already said what I had to say and what I saw," Afridi was quoted as saying by Pakistani daily Jang on Monday. "I could not have lied before the ICC because they already had enough information about the case."

Afridi said he would participate in the hearing by teleconference and not attend in person because of family problems. Waqar is expected to participate by telephone as he is on tour with the Pakistan team in New Zealand.

The ICC tribunal, headed by Michael Beloff QC, is likely to use Afridi, Waqar and Najam as witnesses in the light of their statements last month.

Afridi said he had no animosity towards any player.

"I have a clean conscience... I was asked about Majeed (the alleged bookmaker) and his brother Azhar (Majeed) so whatever I knew I told the ICC," said Afridi.

Pakistan's tour of England last June to September was hit by a sting operation arranged by British tabloid News of the World, which claimed that several players took money from a bookmaker to perform specific acts during the Lord's Test, such as bowling a no-ball.

Scotland Yard then raided the Pakistani team's hotel and reportedly confiscated money from players' rooms and later interrogated Salman, Asif, Aamer and a fourth player, Wahab Riaz, who was not suspended.

The ICC provisionally suspended the three players on September 3.

Malik, Akmal doubtful for Pakistani World Cup squad

Karachi, Jan 2 (IANS) Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal have so far been unable to obtain a clean chit from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and remain doubtful to feature in the World Cup squad.

The duo has failed to provide convincing answers to queries by PCB's integrity committee, well-placed sources were quoted as saying in The News Sunday.

'There is information available to the integrity committee that Malik received 90,000 British pounds in one of his bank accounts,' said a source. 'When questioned by the integrity committee, Malik expressed complete ignorance about the amount which was transferred to his bank account in the UK,' he added, stressing that the committee told the all-rounder that he will have to explain from where and why such a big amount was transferred to his account.

Kamran, too, has been unable to explain certain transactions made to his bank account in Dubai.

Early next week, Pakistan's cricket chiefs will decide whether to clear the duo for national duty. Also awaiting a decision on the issue by the PCB is legspinner Danish Kaneria. But unlike Malik and Kamran, Kaneria won't really be able to make the cut the squad even if he is cleared to play for the country.

There are no formal charges against the three players but unofficially it's confirmed that all of them are match-fixing suspects and need to prove their innocence to obtain clearance for national duty.

The three players were summoned by the integrity committee at the PCB headquarters in Lahore Thursday and Friday but in spite of marathon meetings, the Board was unable to decide their case. A decision, however, is expected Tuesday when the national selectors will meet to decide Pakistan's preliminary World Cup squad and the One-day team for the series against New Zealand.

Pakistan better suited for ODI cricket - Afridi

Pakistan's one-day captain Shahid Afridi has said Pakistan will be a surprise package in the World Cup later this year, despite the problems plaguing the team's recent campaigns, due to them being better suited to the 50-over format.

"No matter what people say and believe, I'm confident that Pakistan will do really well in the World Cup," Afridi told the News after returning from New Zealand following the three-match Twenty20 series there which his side lost 1-2.

"I won't make any predictions but would make it clear that Pakistan will take their best shot for the World Cup title." With under 50 days left for the event, Pakistan are yet to finalise their 30-man preliminary squad.

Three of their key players -- Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir -- have been provisionally suspended following the spot-fixing controversy and their fates will be decided in Doha, later this week.

There are doubts over the futures of two other players - Shoiab Malik and Kamran Akmal - who will appear before the board's integrity committee prior to the announcement of the preliminary list.

"It's certainly not an ideal situation," Afridi said of the side's controversy-ridden build-up to the World Cup.

"But it's our history that we give our best under pressure." Pakistan have performed reasonably well in their recent one-day campaigns, taking five-match series against England and South Africa to the final games.

Afridi said Pakistan's one-day side was more likely to succeed than their outfits for the other formats.

"I would agree that a lot of work has to be done before we start doing well in Tests consistently," he said.

"Even our Twenty20 team needs a world of improvement.

But when it comes to one-day cricket, we are close to achieving an ideal combination.

Most of the players in our Twenty20 team are better suited to the one-day format." Afridi hinted he had given up on the option of opening the innings following his failures at the top in the New Zealand Twenty20s.

"The idea behind my decision to open was to help give the team some fast and useful starts," he said.

"But it didn't work out.

Now I've decided to stick to No.6 spot both for Twenty20s and ODIs in the future."

Announcement of WC preliminary squad an uphill task for PCB

ISLAMABAD, Jan 3 (APP): With Pakistan’s six key players not cleared for selection Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is faced with an uphill task of finalizing the preliminary squad of 30 members by Wednesday for the World Cup, starting from 19th of next month.Pakistan’s bowling stars Muhammad Amir and Muhammad Asif along with Salman Butt are currently under International Cricket Council’s (ICC) suspension from participating in any form of the game due to their suspected role in the spot-fixing fiasco. The case of their alleged involvement will be heard from January 6-11 by an ICC tribunal, which will decide their future.

Apart from the suspended trio, three other mainstream players middle-order batsman Shoaib Malik, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria are also waiting for PCB’s clearance. It is widely believed that the delay in announcing the squad is mainly because these three players have also not yet been cleared by the ICC.

In such a scenario former Pakistan players are doubtful of national side’s prospects in the quadrennial spectacle. While talking to APP former Chief Selector and leg-spin wizard Abdul Qadir said that it did not suit Pakistan to enter into World Cup extravaganza without Karman Akmal and some other main players. “I think that these players must be part of Pakistan squad for the World Cup if they want to finish at some respectable place,” he said.
About Pakistan team’s preparations for the World Cup, he said that they were not fully prepared for the mega event, while other teams’ had done a proper planning for the purpose.  
Criticizing Shahid Afridi’s decision to open in the first two T20s against New Zealand during the ongoing tour, he said the Pakistan captain was doing experiments, which the team could not afford at this time. The board must take notice of Shahid Afridi’s such decisions, he added. 
Former skipper Wasim Akram said: “One saw lack of leadership in the team and the players also did not play to their ability and if they continue playing this way then they will also lose the Test and ODI series in New Zealand.”
Akram said that it looked as if the team was not playing with unity. Because they are not playing as a team, they are facing problems and their performance is suffering, he added.
About the bowling woes of Pakistan he said, “the bowlers face problems against stronger teams as we are missing Aamir and Asif who were developing into a world class new ball opening pair.”