Azharuddin's son critical, nephew dead in bike crash

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin's son is in a serious condition after crashing his motorcycle. Ayazuddin was riding with his cousin Ajmal who died after being admitted to a city hospital.

Ayazuddin (19) has been taken to the Apollo Hospital here and reports suggest that he has received head injuries and is in a critical state . The accident took place on the city's Outer Ring Road. Ayazuddin is believed to have been going at a high speed and while the police hint that he may have been racing, it is confirmed that the bike skidded and crashed into several pieces.

Ayazuddin is the second son of Azharuddin, after Ashaduddin.

PAKISTAN CRICKET AND CONTROVERSIES SINCE 2009

Pakistan cricket has been hit badly by different controversies after winning the Twenty20 World Cup in 2009. The worst of all the controversies was the spot-fixing scandal. The scandal did hurt the team badly, but things have moved in a better direction since then.

Pakistan had a troublesome time when the Sri Lankan team was attacked by terrorists in Lahore. The team was heading into the Twenty20 world cup with a new leader in Younis Khan.

Younis inspired his team to a historic win and things looked like heading into the right direction finally for the team. Lesser did everyone know that the worse hasn’t yet come for the team.

Pakistan lost the semi-final in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy and Younis was alleged into match-fixing. The news shattered the confidence of Younis, who stepped-down from the captaincy of the team and took some time-off from cricket.

Problems continued for the team as the newly appointed captain of the team, Mohammad Yousuf was unable to win a single match on the Australian tour in 2009-2010.

Several other players were questioned over match-fixing and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) handed over punishments to few of the key players of the team including life-bans to Yousuf and Younis.

A young team was sent to England with Shahid Afridi as the skipper of the side. However, Afridi retired from test cricket which gave an opportunity to Salman Butt to lead the team.

The start to Butt’s reign was exceptional as Pakistan overcame the mighty Australians in the second test match of the two-match series levelling the series 1-1.

However, several players were alleged of spot-fixing during the four-match Test series against England andMohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif along with their captain, Butt were suspended by ICC.

All the cricket lovers and former players were shocked by the controversy as the suspended players awaited their destiny. ICC found the players to be guilty and banned them for a long period of time along with heavy fines.

All these things led to a lot of trouble and shame for the country, but the Pakistan team gelled together to revive the lost glory of their country.

The consequences of the wrong-doing helped the Pakistan cricketers to completely focus on the game other than any other thing.

The players who were alleged of dividing the team were all out of the side and the team had only those players who wanted to play for their country and win for their team.

The team was led by Afridi in the ICC World Cup 2011 and made it to the Semi-Final stage of the tournament. This was an exceptional performance by the team which had gone through a very bad period recently.

However, Afridi quit international cricket after the Mega Event, following a dispute with team's coach Waqar Younis and Misbah-ul-Haq was given charge of the team since then.

Pakistan is considered to be one of the most dangerous teams in the limited form of cricket and with the players focused on the game; there are plenty of chances of winning the Twenty20 World Cup which will take place in Sri Lanka next year.

However, the players are currently focused on the ongoing series with Zimbabwe, which will be Waqar's last assignment with the side, as the former captain has resigned from the job following some health issues.

Wahab confident of winning ICC Emerging Player Award

Pakistan's promising Test pacer Wahab Riaz feels that he is a frontrunner for the International Cricket Council Emerging Player Award to be presented on September 12 on London.

Wahab, who left for London today to attend the ICC awards ceremony, told reporters that he felt honoured to be shortlisted for the award.

"I think I stand a good chance of getting the nod. It feels good to be nominated after my first full year of international cricket. I made my debut in 2008 but since last year I played regularly for the team and it allowed me to improve, learn and deliver good performances," Wahab said.

The left-armer, who hails from Lahore, had a satisfactory season with English county side Kent recently despite being rested by the national selectors for the tour of Zimbabwe.

"I think my five wickets on my Test debut at the Oval last year and then the fiver against India in the 2011 World Cup semi final at Mohali has got me shortlisted for the award and that really feels good," he said.

26-year-old Wahab, who has played seven Tests and 22 ODIs, made his ODI and T20 debuts in 2008 against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh but only became a regular member of Pakistan last year in England.

Wahab, however, admitted that the three other contenders for the emerging player award, including Pakistan teammate Azhar Ali and West Indians Darren Bravo and Devendra Bishoo also had good chances of winning.

"If I look at Azhar he has been very consistent in Tests at the one-down position which is not an easy task so I see him as a front runner but hopefully my five wicket hauls at the Oval and Mohali can tilt votes my way," he said.

Wahab said while he was disappointed at not being picked for Zimbabwe tour, he was working hard to get back into the national side for the forthcoming series against Sri Lanka.

Rashid Latif slams tour selection committee for ignoring Asad

Former Pakistan Captain Rashid Latif expressed his astonishment for dropping talented batsman Asad Shafiq from the team in the opening One-day International against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo. “This is pure injustice to drop Asad Shafiq, who had been performing consistently for last one year,” he told APP in an interview while recording his reaction on the injustice meted out to some players.

“What are criteria of selecting Shoaib Malik in place of Asad.
This is injustice with a quick emerging player,” he commented.
Misbah-ul-Haq’s Pakistan team survived a scare before cruising to a thrilling 5-run victory.
Misbah and Younis Khan scored superb half centuries and pacer Aizaz Cheema snapped three wickets to lead Pakistan to nail-biting win.
Shoaib Malik, who was making a comeback after nearly a year went after making two.
“Every player making a comeback needed some time before given an opportunity.
He credited Brenden Taylor’s Zimbabwean team for putting a great show on the first day.
“The way Zimbabwe played they will be offering Pakistan a stiff challenge in coming matches,” he predicted.
He expressed the hope that another talented batsman Rameez Raja, who rose to fame from T20 Cup in Faisalabad in July must be treated well and should get a place in Pakistan T20 squad.
Rashid Latif said selection committee headed by Mohsin Khan has been very inconsistent especially against Karachi players.
Giving the example, he said paceman Muhammad Sami is the fastest bowler in Pakistan and deserved a place in one-day squad.
He said selection committee had been very harsh on opener Khurram Manzoor, pace bowler Tanvir Ahmed, Khalid Latif and Sarfraz Ahmed.
Former skipper praised left handed opener Nasir Jamshed, who he said has improved and deserved a place in the national team.
He expressed the hope that selection committee will rectify its mistakes in the series against Sri Lanka and England.
“Injustice by selection committee will be very harmful in the long run,” he said.
He said like the players, great injustice was also done with KCCA Secretary Prof. Ejaz Faruqi for raising the voice for the right of Karachi players by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
“Prof. Faruqi is a respected gentleman and has been great supporter and promotor of Karachi cricketer,” he maintained.
“Action against Prof. Faruqi by PCB has tarnished the image of the PCB, he added.

Foreign team may visit Pakistan this year

With the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Pakistan Task Team failing to bring back international cricket to the country, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the government of Pakistan has taken the initiative and is planning to attract a team by the end of the year.

The move to bring an international cricket team to Pakistan is an attempt to revive cricketing activities in the country which has been shunned following the attack on the Sri Lanka team in March 2009.

It has been learnt that President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the chief patron of the PCB, has called his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa to send their cricket team. The move was planned at government level with the team being assured Presidential level security.

Accordingly to the information made available, the Sri Lankan team is willing to tour Pakistan subject to the players’ willingness as most of the players were part of the squad that was attacked in Lahore and are, understandably, reluctant to return to the country.

The itinerary for the visiting team has been proposed to have them play a very brief series of limited-over spread over a single week. The PCB, meanwhile, has refused to comment on the ongoing planning due to the sensitively of the matter as in past the information regarding a tour has been used against the board’s interests.

“It’s a very sensitive issue and there are things that need the government’s involvement,” a PCB official told The Express Tribune. “Obviously we want the team to come and play and government can play a vital part by helping us to give us the required level of security to make the series happen.”