Malik urges foreign teams to visit Pakistan

Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Friday said the security situation had improved in Pakistan and urged foreign countries to send there teams to the country.
The minister while talking to the media at the Islamabad Airport Complex, said the nation had high hopes from the cricket team and that the team should not disappoint them.
Malik also cautioned the team not to take any steps that would cause humiliation for the country.

Pakistan IT clinches Offical video game of Cricket World Cup 2011

 A Pakistani IT company has achieved the rare honour of designing the “Official Game” for the ICC 2011 Cricket World that gets underway tomorrow (Saturday).

The ‘Official Game’ that was unveiled at a local hotel has been developed by the Mindstorm Studios, a local IT firm that specialises in games development. The company has managed to indigenously design, develop, and deliver an officially licensed title over all leading global game development companies.

Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Software Export Board Managing Director Mr. Zia Imran termed the selection of the Pakistani IT firm for the ‘Official Game’ of the ICC World Cup as a unique honour for the country. “The selection of a Pakistani IT firm for designing the ‘Official Game’ of the World Cup is a huge honour for the country besides being a pointer towards the strength of the IT industry in Pakistan.

Earlier, Mr. Babar Ahmed, CEO of Mindstorm, highlighted the salient features of the game. In his address, he said the selection of his company for designing the Official Game for the ICC World Cup was a rare honour and provided not just them but the entire nation a moment of pride.

He said his company was also proud and excited to be the architect of the official title for ICC’s Cricket World Cup. “Cricket has long been a subject closely linked to our organisation and the company is thrilled to take it to the next level and be a source of pride for the nation on the digital front,” he added.

Zia Imran said the Pakistani IT industry had a huge potential in IT applications and the industry was sure to go places because of the broad support provided by the PSEB through its programs successfully catering to needs of human capital, office space, marketing, company capability development, telecoms bandwidth, industry finance, public policy, strategy & research, and facilitation.

He further said the Pakistan IT companies had penetrated the international market at the back of high-quality services and competitive products and the selection of the Pakistani industry for designing the Official Game of the ICC World Cup was a reflection on the immense talent and potential for innovation possessed by our IT professionals.

Commenting on Mindstorm’s ICC game “Cricket Power”, Jehan Ara, President of the Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES (P@SHA) said that the fact that a young technology startup which was self-funded and had 100% Pakistani management and professionals, was able to achieve this landmark achievement, proved yet again that the Pakistani IT sector is vibrant, dynamic and able to conquer all hurdles to emerge as champions in cutting edge areas of technology. We are proud of Babar Ahmed and his team and others like them for continuing to keep us in the tech headlines. Award-winning products and companies from Pakistan have surprised and impressed the world with their talent and innovation and their ability to break all barriers of growth as was recently seen in AllWorldNetwork’s Fast Growth Pakistan 25 report. Ten out of the 25 were tech companies.

According to PSEB officials, global gaming industry has seen a meteoric rise over the past several years. The world market for gaming software is expected to be worth approximately $91.96 billion by 2015 as per various credible estimates. The video game industry in the U.S/Canada alone will reach $21.6 billion in sales by 2013. U.S Gaming Industry is expected to be over three times the size of recorded music industry. In the gaming market, mobile/online gaming segments are expected to grow significantly. In view of the stellar growth statistics of the Gaming Industry, it is pertinent to take steps to bolster the local Gaming Industry.

The Animation/Gaming Industry in Pakistan is characterized by young, energetic entrepreneurial individuals and continues to win laurels abroad due to their high quality, high impact work. In Malaysia, Pakistani information technology companies won seven awards at the 10th International Asia Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA) thereby securing the highest number of awards thus raising the profile of the country and bringing attention to the quality work being done in Pakistan. Applications developed by Pakistani gaming industry are consistently ranked among the top ten applications on Apple Apps Store. These homegrown achievements are laudable in view of the challenges faced by IT companies while operating in difficult local environment.

Bangladesh is like being at home: Afridi

DHAKA: Whoever says the age-defying Shahid Afridi is a headstrong character ought to meet the Pakistan captain again. The ruggedly handsome Pathan not only displayed amazing diplomacy during the 2011 World Cup's first official press conference at the team hotel on Thursday, but also touched hearts with his candid replies.

Asked whether Pakistan would miss playing at home, Afridi just uttered, "Yes, we will." The deafening silence that followed was broken by Afridi himself. Having successfully conveyed Pakistan's pain of being deprived of 'co-hosts' status because of the security concerns back home, Afridi, retorted: "But being here in Bangladesh is like being at home." Pakistan have been camping here for the past week, and play their final warm-up game against England on Friday before moving to Sri Lanka to launch their campaign.

It was Ricky Ponting, Australian skipper, who made an introductory statement on behalf of all the 14 captains, but the true significance of the 2011 World Cup was put into perspective by the three captains of the 'host' nations - Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kumar Sangakkara and Shakib Al Hasan.

Dhoni, who landed with his team here only an hour before the official function, agreed that it would be the most open World Cup ever. "All teams are in good touch, the schedule is nicely spread out with enough days between two games for players to recover from niggles. This will enable all teams to field their best. However, a team which performs consistently," observed Dhoni.

Asked whether his team was worried about extreme reaction from fans, who tend to hero-worship cricketers when they do well and run them down when they fail, Dhoni said, "It is part and parcel of Indian cricket. We are used to getting praised as well as criticized." Bangladesh captain Shakib refused to dwell much over his team's chances in the opening match against India. "That is not the only match, we are focused on doing well in the World Cup," Shakib said, deflecting media pressure.

Sangakkara played down the fact that Sri Lanka would be playing all their group matches at home. "Even in 1996, we had enjoyed playing at home. It will be no exception this time. I think the primary objective of all teams would be to get into the quarterfinals. After that it is a matter of winning two games, and you are in the final.
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This India team is better than 2003: Kumble

NEW DELHI: Former India captain Anil Kumble feels that the current crop is better than the team which made the final of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

The legendary leg-spinner, who featured in just two group matches against Australia and Pakistan in South Africa, feels the team captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni is more balanced than the 2003 team, which was led by Sourav Ganguly.

"Overall, in terms of balance and conditions here, this is the better side (than 2003). If you look at the track record of this team, in the last one-and-half year or so they have done exceptionally well, especially at home. They have all the elements that a great one-day side needs," Kumble was quoted as saying by a TV channel.

Kumble, who is now the president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), also pointed out that two seamers Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan, who were part of the team in 2003, have cut down on their pace.

"It is a better team overall than 2003, but if you go back to 2003 then Ashish and Zaheer and all these bowlers were younger and were bowling at the speed of 140 which does not happen now. But what has impressed me most is how they have won in losing situations. In South Africa, Munaf Patel won one match, Yusuf Pathan won a game, so it's not a one-man team at all," Kumble said.

"Whenever you embark on a World Cup tour the same 15 never play the next edition. It has never happened. So all the 15 members think this is their best chance and as a team you have an opportunity to create history."

India play Bangladesh in the tournament opener in the latter's backyard in Dhaka on Saturday. Kumble is excited about India's neighbours co-hosting their first ever World Cup.

"It is brilliant for Bangladesh. The first major event they hosted was ICC knockout in 1999. This is a great moment for Bangladesh to host the Cup and have the opening ceremony there," he said.

Pakistan's Akhtar, Riaz fined for breach of discipline

The Pakistan cricket team management has fined fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar  and Wahab Riaz for breach of discipline ahead of the ICC  World Cup 2011, which starts from February 19.Pacers Akhtar and Riaz were fined 5,000 rupees each for violating discipline, The Nation quoted sources, as saying.This is not for the first time that 35-year-old Akhtar has been penalised for indiscipline, in fact his career has been full of such controversies.

However, the Rawalpindi Express had expressed his resolve the other day to make this World Cup the most memorable one for him, as this would be his last appearance in the mega event. But this incident would not help his cause a great deal.

On the other hand, Riaz has been fined for the first time for any indiscipline, and this may be a warning for him to become a disciplined and professional cricketer.

Pakistan face England in a practice match in the Bangladeshi town of Fatullah on Friday, where the ageing Akhtar needs to perform to show his fitness level, before Pakistan's World Cup opener against Kenya on February 23.