Aamir refuses to become approver

Pakistan banned pace bowler Muhammad Aamir turned down the offer to become an approver in spot-fixing scandal against his team-mates, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif.
"Aamir was offered time and again to become an 'approver' to avoid punishment but he rejected the offers and stood by Salman and Asif," said the sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board here on Tuesday.
"At one stage he was assured that if he tends to be an approver he can be a part of Pak squad for the World Cup but he turned down such offers and suffered the punishment of a five years ban by an ICC tribunal probing into spot-fixing allegations arose during Lords test in England," said the sources. 
They said Aamir gave a sacrifice and refused to speak against his two colleagues as doing so could have brought much heavier punishment to them (Salman and Asif) and paved the way for Aamir not to suffer any penalty. 
Pakistan quick M Aamir has promised to come back from the "worst day of my life" after receiving a five-year ban from cricket for his part in a spot-fixing scandal. 
An International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption tribunal in Doha on Saturday also handed out longer bans to former Pakistan captain Salman Butt and seamer Asif for the roles they played in bowling deliberate no-balls during last year's Test against England at Lord's. 
Britain's News of the World tabloid alleged the three cricketers had colluded in a betting scam organised by UK-based agent Mazhar Majeed. Prior to the scandal, Aamir was regarded as one of the hottest properties in world cricket after the teenage left-arm quick had troubled both Australia and England with some superb displays of swing bowling. 
And the thought that at the age of 18 his career might be over was almost too much for Aamir to comprehend. "What can I say about my feelings?," Aamir said.

Pakistan hungry for success: Afridi

Pakistan world cup captain Shahid Afridi on his return home has described his teams performance in New Zealand as satisfactory adding the tour was good preparation for Pakistan's for more important world cup campaign.
Talking to the media at the airport, Afridi said the team was ready to confidently start its campaign in the world cup which would be an important and tougher assignment as the entire nation would be looking forward with huge expectations from their heroes.
He said the team would need prayers and good wishes of the nation for success in Sri Lanka where Pakistan would be playing all its group stage matches. The entire team had to perform as a unit to come up to the expectations of the fans back home, he said.
He gave credit for teams success in New Zealand to the entire team. The team staff and the players all contributed in the success, he added. He said for winning , the entire team had to perform.Matches could not be won on one or two performances though they were important, he added.
He hoped Pakistan's pace attack which had some problems in New Zealand would rise to the occasion in Sri Lanka. He said Shoaib Akhtar was fully fit and Sohail Tanveer who had come back to international cricket after some gap was slowly gaining form and would be in full form when he bowls in the world cup matches. Similarly Umar Gul would also make his contribution with the new ball.
He said he had been informed that the prime minister would receive the team in Islamabad on February 9 and after attending that reception, he said the team on February 10 would leave for Dhaka where the fourteen nation extravaganza begin on February 19.
Commenting on the ban imposed on Pakistani trio for their alleged involvement in 'spot fixing' he said it was a 'sad day' for Pakistan cricket.
Triumphant Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi said on Tuesday that the recent off-the-field events have made the national cricket team very tough and is now hungry for success.
Afridi said that the spot-fixing scandal cannot be ignored, but with just 10 days to the World Cup, the team had its focus on the game only. “The team has become mentally tougher and is hungry for success," said the captain on his return after a successful tour of New Zealand.

Misbah dismisses 'grouping' reports, says Pak cricket team is fully united

Dismissing reports about 'grouping' in the Pakistan cricket team, Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq has stressed that all players are united with an eye on the World Cup, which starts from February 19.
"The team is united and we all played as one unit in New Zealand series, which we eventually won. There was no grouping not the on the basis of captaincy or anything else," Geo TV quoted Misbah, as saying on his return from New Zealand.
The batsman has been in excellent form in New Zealand, where he has scored 178 runs in the three innings of the six-match one-day series, while he notched up 231 runs at an average of 115.50 in the Tests played there.
His good form began in the two-match Test series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates last November, when he scored three half-centuries and helped Pakistan draw the series.
"I am enjoying my good form. I would try my level best to perform well in the World Cup as well," said Misbah.
Talking about Pakistan's one-day series victory against New Zealand, he said it was badly needed to boost the team's morale ahead of the forthcoming World Cup.
"Winning against New Zealand in the Test series and then in the ODI series would has helped the team lift its confidence before the upcoming World Cup," Misbah said.
Meanwhile, former skipper Younis Khan said he was very hopeful of Pakistan's bid in the World Cup because the team was in high spirits after an impressive series triumph against the Kiwis.
"The team played well in the New Zealand and I feel that the spirit, the team displayed in the series against New Zealand, if the team manage to replicate in the World Cup then we have a high chance to perform well in the World Cup," said Younis.

LORGAT WANTS SPORTS BETTING CHANGES

international Cricket Council chief Haroon Lorgat wants the governing body to explore the option of legalising sports betting on the subcontinent in order to curb incidents of spot fixing in the game.
Lorgat called for an easier way to tackle corruption in countries like India and Pakistan where sports gambling is illegal.
He said: "If betting syndicates are legalised then it will be easy to regulate. Where it is not regulated it will go underground.
"If betting is legalised then it will be far easier to manage the issue of temptation towards corruption.
"In countries like Australia, England, there is a regulatory industry. So we would like to find a way in which the whole industry can be regulated and that's what we are exploring."
With the sport's flagship event, the World Cup, due to start in 10 days' time, Lorgat added: "We have prepared well and will deploy more people. Yesterday and today the whole staff of the ACSU (anti-corruption and security unit) assembled and prepared a strategy. We can handle any situation."
Pakistan trio Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir received lengthy bans at the weekend from an ICC anti-corruption tribunal in Doha.
Butt was banned for 10 years, half of which was suspended, Asif was banned for seven years, two suspended, and Amir banned for five years.
The players were accused of spot-fixing in the fourth Test between Pakistan and England at Lord's last August but have denied any wrongdoing and Butt and Amir have already indicated they intend to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt has praised the efforts of national team coach Waqar Younis in boosting the squad's confidence ahead of the World Cup.
Butt said Waqar had helped the team's recuperation and their result was evident in Pakistan's successful New Zealand tour.
Butt said: "I am very happy with what Waqar is doing. He has a plan to move forward and he has handled the team well despite the situation arising out of the spot-fixing controversies surrounding our players and other issues.
"He has kept the team united despite the off-the-field controversies we have had to face since last year."
Earlier, Waqar urged the team to focus on the World Cup, banking on the momentum gained from the victory in both the Test and ODI series against the Kiwis.
The former skipper said: "The World Cup provides us with a great opportunity to make a fresh start.
"The New Zealand tour has given us the right momentum for the World Cup at the perfect time."

Waqar has kept the team united: PCB chief

KARACHI: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has received strong support from PCB chief Ijaz Butt for his efforts to rebuild the national team following loss of some key players to controversies and scandals.

"I am very happy with what Waqar is doing. He has a plan to move forward and he has handled the team well despite the situation arising out of the spot-fixing controversies surrounding our players and other issues," Butt said in Lahore.

He said he had personally seen the good work done by Waqar.

"The biggest plus is that Waqar understands our cricket culture and has no problems communicating with the players," Butt said.

"He has kept the team united despite the off-the-field controversies we have had to face since last year," Butt said.

Butt said having seen the work put in by Waqar, he was confident of a good showing form the team in the World Cup.

Earlier, Waqar urged the team to put the spot-fixing controversy behind, move on and make a fresh start.

"The World Cup provides us with a great opportunity to make a fresh start. It has been difficult for the players since the controversies broke out last year in England but they have handled it well," he said after reaching home from New Zealand, where Pakistan drew the Test and won the one-day series.

Waqar said the World Cup was a big opportunity for Pakistan cricket to make a fresh start and allow people to focus back on cricket.

"Pakistan cricket is not about controversies, it is about some high class cricketers and performances. The New Zealand tour has given us the right momentum for the World Cup at the perfect time," he added.

The former captain and fast bowler said that the last few months have been difficult for everyone and he had tried his best to keep the players focused on cricket.

"I am happy this spot-fixing chapter is finally over and we can now move on to just cricket as the World Cup represents a big challenge for us. The former fast bowler was coach on the England tour last year when the spot-fixing allegations against Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer andMohammad Asif first surfaced.

Waqar also gave a statement to the ICC on the issue along with one-day captain, Shahid Afridi.

Team manager, Intikhab Alam also said that while he was sad and felt bad for the three players - been banned by the ICC anti-corruption tribunal - one had to move on.

"What happened is regrettable but now we must move on and make a fresh start and I think this team is capable of doing that in the World Cup
.