BCCI gets new software to keep track of players' injuries

VADODARA: India may have lifted the ICC World Cup and become world champions, but the injury problems in team's pace bowling department hasn't missed the eyes of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) management. Worried over the recurrent injury problems, the BCCI has bought special software 'Injury Profiler' to keep track of the players' injuries at both international and first-class level.

"We play cricket round the year and so the players are bound to suffer from injuries. But, we hadn't recorded the types of injuries suffered by players and which are the most common injuries. This software will help us collect such data," said BCCI chief administrative officer (CAO) Prof Ratnakar Shetty.

"The software will be provided to all the associations wherein the coaches will give feedback about the nature of injuries faced by the players. The data will be compiled and then we will study it. Once we know the kind of injuries and it's frequency we will be able to find out correct solution and give proper rehab," Shetty told TOI during his visit to the city on Sunday.

"The cricket board will finalise the project by next month and data collection of injuries will begin after that. Team India physio Nitin Patel and NCA physio Ashwin Kaushik will handle the project. The idea is to monitor injuries of first-class players. The BCCI usually takes care of contracted players but there are hundreds of first-class players across the country who have potential of getting in Indian team. This project will help them get right kind of rehabilitation advice," Shetty added.

"Fast bowlers are more prone to injuries. Earlier, there were little facilities for the players but now all the modern facilities are available. Such software can help players in understanding their injuries better," said Baroda pacer Rakesh Patel.

"The cricket board can understand the players' injuries better and give proper treatment on time," Patel added. 

Misbah admits delay in batting powerplay was mistake

The vice captain of Pakistan cricket team Misbah-ul-Haq has finally admitted that the decision to delay the batting powerplay was a big mistake in the semi final of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 against India at Mohali which cost us the match

Misbah was talking exclusively to The Sports Encounter scribe here at Karachi and said, “We planned to take batting powerplay after building partnership and some momentum but we lost wickets on regular intervals which halted our progress and I had left with tail-enders to finish the match. If we took the batting powerplay at right time, the result could have been in our favour.”

“Afridi and I were planning to take the batting powerplay after Harbhajan’s over but unfortunately Afridi lost his wicket in that over which forced us to change our plan. There is always pressure in big matches and wickets are vital in the run chase but we failed to build partnerships which cost us the world cup. Wahab Riaz bowled exceptionally well and it was a great spell to watch but its hard luck for him that his performance went in vain,” Misbah added.

Misbah praised the selection committee decision’s to induct new talent in the team for the tour of West Indies and termed it is a great opportunity for the players to prove their talent at highest level. “This is the great opportunity for the players like Hammad Azam, Salman, Usman and others to cement their place in the national team. I will try my level best to win the test series against West Indies and resurrect the cricket fans confidence on the team,” he added.

Lack of game plan rocked Pak boat in WC

The captaincy of Shahid Afridi in the recently-concluded World Cup has raised several queries needed to be answered, as when he was assigned the task as the captain of Pakistan cricket team, it was hoped that he would take the team to new heights.
He produced mixed results. His batting went from bad to worse. Whenever a team needed him to score, he not only let himself down by playing childish strokes but also cost the team dearly. The real test of his leadership qualities was up to test at the World Cup where his performance as a captain was not more than average. He was not able to make decisions, which were required at that time, especially his team selection and batting order was not up to the mark. He was not able at any stage to utilise his bowlers appropriately. He used different bowling combinations throughout the tournament, which showed he had no game plan and lacked any proper strategy for the opposition. He seemed confused during the entire World Cup, and had no grip on the game and also on the team, it is true Pakistan had reached the semi-final of the World Cup but this happened purely because of the prayers of the entire nation rather than the team efforts.
Pakistan cricket team did not play a single match according to its potential. Had the lady luck not favoured the team, they could have easily been crashed out of the mega event at the first round stage. The Pakistan team had only managed to win a single match against Kenya with some kind of satisfaction; otherwise all of their matches almost went to the wire. They were hardly able to beat Sri Lanka, Canada and Australia, as every one had seen how close all these matches went away. 
Had they lose to Australia in the last group stage match they were not able to beat the opposition in the quarterfinal, which could have been different. It was Pakistan's sheer good luck they have to face a relatively weaker opposition in team like West Indies, to whom they were able to dispatch easily and book their places in the semi-final against India.
The Indian's were not the winners of that particular match, it was Pakistan who just gifted the match to their arch rivals. The 261 runs target is by no means was a difficult one for the Pakistan batting. But the batsmen gifted their wickets to the Indian bowlers by playing careless and unjustified shots. From M Hafeez to Younus Khan and Shahid Afridi all were in a hurry to finish the match.

ZULQARNAIN HAIDER WANTS TO RETURN TO PAKISTAN

Pakistan’s runaway wicketkeeper, Zulqarnain Haider, has once again expressed desire to return to Pakistan and resume his cricketing career.

In the latest development regarding the former cricketer, who is seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, it has been learnt that he met Pakistan’s interior minister Rehman Malik in London.

According to details, Zulqarnain has requested the minister to provide him security once he returns back to Pakistan. The 24 year old Haider informed the minister that he wanted to resume playing cricket for his country but that would not be possible if he was not provided security by the government of Pakistan as he believes that there exist serious threats to his life by the people, who want to hurt him for not cooperating with them.

No official response has been recorded by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) or the Government of Pakistan regarding Haider’s request.

Two months back, Haider’s family was taken off a London bound flight by Pakistani security, as they were requested by the PCB not to let Haider’s family leave the country. However, later their passports were handed back to them.

Last year, Haider toured with the national team in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a series against South Africa as a replacement for regular wicketkeeper, Kamran Akmal.

However, he abandoned his team after the fourth One Day International (ODI) and fled to England without informing anyone. He later revealed upon reaching England, that he had been receiving life threats from an unknown individual, who he believed was a bookmaker.

According to the runaway wicketkeeper the bookie wanted him to lose the fourth and fifth ODI against the Proteas but Haider refused and instead fled to another country.

This caused an international embarrassment for Pakistan and the PCB because the country was already entangled in a spot-fixing fiasco and another controversy was the last thing the country wanted at that time.

After his desertion, Haider announced retirement from international cricket and pledged to live a peaceful life in the UK. But later he announced that he would be disclosing the names of the people in the PCB having links with match-fixers.

However, after posting this statement on his facebook page, he never mentioned the names of the culprits. Later he clarified that as long as his family was living in Pakistan, he was not in a position to unmask the black sheep within Pakistani cricket.

His family also complained of receiving threatening calls from an unknown number. The family requested the government to provide them security.

The PCB formulated a committee to look into the Haider saga, which concluded that the player carried a complicated personality and was easily made to believe things.

According to interviews with other teammates, who were close to him, it was revealed that the player was looking to settle in UK when he was with the team during Pakistan’s tour of England.

Haider then threatened to sue the PCB for leaking a false report regarding his personality. However, he did not start a legal battle with the country’s cricket board.

It is not clear what made him change his mind now, but it will be difficult for him to make a comeback in the national side after he accused many fellow players of being involved in match/spot-fixing. 

Shahzad would perform well in the Caribbean:Afridi

Captain Pakistan Cricket team, Shahid Afridi parsing Ahmed Shehzad said that he had a good series before the World Cup,and he is still young and would hopefully perform well in the Caribbean.Afridi said that after the West Indian tour more youngsters would be given opportunities on the tour to Zimbabwe. 

“All the seniors cannot be replaced at once but a blend of youth and experience would be taken along. Young crickets performed very well in the World Cup and after West Indies more youngsters will be included in the team for the Zimbabwe tour”, Afridi said in a statement issued by Sports Journalists Association of Sindh (SJAS).
“When I took over the captaincy my priority was to improve the image of the Pakistan cricket and with the support of the Chairman Ijaz Butt efforts are afoot to make the team a world class unit again”, added Afridi.
On a question regarding Abdul Razzaq’s claim of not being utilised properly during the mega event, the captain said that all the players were used accordingly, Razzaq should show patience. 
Afridi categorically turned down the possibility of returning to test cricket admitting that he does not posses the temperament for the longest version of the game. 
“I don’t have the temperament to play test cricket. There are quite a few good youngsters in the domestic circuit who can acquire a place in the test side”, said Afridi.

Shahid Afridi's Exclusive Interview April 2011 |Geo tv

RASHID LATIF BACKS SALMAN TO SHINE

Former Test captain Rashid Latif on Thursday backed under-fire wicketkeeper Mohammad Salman, who was included in the national team for the tour of West Indies.
Salman has been selected to keep wickets in the One-day International and Twenty20 matches to be played in Caribbean.
Talking to `Our Sources` from Sialkot, Latif said that Salman will not let down the nation.
“He is good prospect for the country and will not let down the team,” he said.
“His inclusion has been widely criticised but I think he should be given a chance to prove himself.”
A few years ago, Latif had conducted a special camp of the emerging wicketkeepers in which he tipped Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Salman as the two most-promising glovemen in the country.
“I recommended the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to groom both Salman and Sarfraz for the future because both of them were technically strong than the rest,” he added.
Meanwhile, Latif encouraged Sarfraz Ahmed to keep up the good work and said that his time will come soon.
“Sarfraz should not lose hope because he is a very bright talent and will get his opportunity,” he stressed. “Salman can serve the Pakistan for good two or three years.”
Latif, who is also looking after the Afghanistan team said the void of not having a good wicketkeeper will be filled with the inclusion of Salman, who has moved to Faisalabad.
The 29-year-old wicket was resident of Karachi`s Model Colony but made his move couple of years back.
He has scored 3569 runs in 103 first-class matches at an average of 26.63 with four centuries and 20 half-centuries. He has also claimed 304 victims behind the stumps.
Both Salman and Sarfraz were fighting to replace Kamran Akmal until Zulqarnain Haider was inducted out of the blue into the team.
“Salman deserves his chance because he has been performing well for last couple of years and has a healthy experience of first-class cricket,” he said. “Zulqarnain Haider was brought in because the competition was between Sarfraz and Salman.”