PCB reluctant to send Younis to Australia

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not too keen on sending senior batsman Younis Khan to Australia despite the desperate plea for his inclusion by the touring team management.

PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt said on Thursday it would be hard to justify sending Younis as he has played just one domestic match in the last two months and scored only 11 runs in that game. “How does one justify that? But I will be meeting with the national selection committee in Lahore to discuss this request from the team management in Australia,” he said.

“He didn’t play any matches and neither was he available to us. Despite our attempts we could not locate him neither did he bother to call us back,” Ijaz added.

One of the selectors, commenting on the situation, said: “It is not like the team is losing just because he (Younis) isn’t there. The Pentangular is happening, and that would be a good way for him to play and get some practice. For him to make the Sydney Test is very unlikely now. And who will he replace there? Various batsmen have scored some runs in Melbourne, so it might be unfair to drop any of them.’’—Agencies
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Rauf, Fawad to return from Australia

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has called back lanky fast bowler Abdur Rauf and middle-order batsman Fawad Alam from the on-going tour of Australia.
While Rauf failed to impress in the first Test against Australia at Melbourne, Fawad appeared in the three-day warm-up against Tasmania Down Under but was ignored for the Tests.
Both were also part part of the national team during the recent tour of New Zealand where Pakistan drew the three-match series 1-1.
While the PCB has asked Rauf and Fawad to return, no replacements have been announced for the series.
“The PCB has instructed the team management in Australia to send Fawad Alam and Abdur Rauf back immediately in order to reduce the size of squad to 15 players. The decision about any replacement will be made during the second Test by the selection committee after analysing the performances of the players,” said a press release on Thursday.
Meanwhile, sources said that the PCB has partially by-passed the selection committee before taking the decision of asking Rauf and Fawad to return home.
Though the PCB got the consent of chief selector Iqbal Qasim, he (Qasim) was not given enough time to consult with his fellow selectors over the issue.
Sources disclosed that some members of the selection committee had recommended to call back all-rounder Shoaib Malik and opener Khurram Manzoor from the tour after their mediocre show in the Tests in New Zealand.

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Mohammad Aamer goes from strength to strength

Mohammad Aamer doesn't seem to lack much, not smarts, not pace and certainly not confidence. He fairly bounced into the press box after the fourth day's play, his first five-wicket haul in the kitty, and immediately engaged in some lively, witty banter with journalists. And why not?

He's been Pakistan's most dangerous bowler in this Test. He's bowled quicker than he has bowled before; in particular on the third afternoon when he unleashed a spell of such visceral intensity, it lit up the entire day.

This morning he carried on, though in making an old ball talk from round the wicket, he provided another dimension altogether. The dismissals of Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin, had the stamp of Wasim Akram on them: old ball coming in with the angle, straightening and leaving the batsmen. Haddin had barely kept out the previous ball, which had homed in on his pads. The MCG has seen such deliveries before, on more august occasions.

How many left-armers have been as adept and dangerous at this angle of attack so early in their careers? Some go through entire careers without being able to do so. Shane Watson is as well-placed as any to speak about Aamer, having taken him on in the game's most riveting battle, and he is convinced that little is missing from Aamer's game. "He's an extremely good bowler," Watson said. "It's amazing that he's only 17 because the pace that he bowls, the skill that he has, he's able to get the ball to move both ways. He's got a slower ball, a good bouncer and he keeps charging in too. He bowled a lot of overs and especially yesterday evening he bowled a very good spell of fast bowling and this morning. I'm glad he pulled up stumps when he did."

Watson should have been Aamer's sixth wicket, but he was grassed at point on 99. Not that Aamer was unhappy with a five-wicket haul, for the impression he has made has been greater than the number of wickets he has taken so far. "It's a great feeling," he said. "I've bowled good spells and been a bit unlucky a few times so it was good to get the wickets this time. I've felt in good rhythm through this Test and really enjoyed my spells. Australia is a big team and to make a mark here is always important. If it can help my team in any way then it will obviously feel much better."

And though he was particularly happy with the way he dismissed Clarke today, the prize scalp was that of Ricky Ponting the day before. He had spoken of wanting Sachin Tendulkar's wicket before the Champions Trophy and went on to get it. He had spoken of Ponting's wicket before they arrived here. The plan had been to use the Chris Gayle method, to bowl short, and its success pleased Aamer no end. "It's a great feeling because he is such a big player, the best batsman in the world," he said.

"I was happier that I got him out according to a plan. I got a lot of confidence from that, because in cricket it shows me there is no batsman too big or bowler too big. You only need to use your brain and have some confidence. Seniors tell you how to go about it and if you follow that, you shouldn't be in trouble. Obviously I was really happy because he is a big player but also happy because a captain is depending on you, setting a field for you to bowl to and succeeding in that and whether it is Ponting or any other batsman, it is a great feeling."

Gradually, since his international debut at the World Twenty20, Aamer has also bulked up; Akram and a number of others have advised him to put on some weight to protect a naturally frail body. Work with David Dwyer, Pakistan's Australian trainer, has helped put on the muscle and the pace has since increased. He has crossed 150kmph a few times at the MCG, on what is still thought to be a sluggish surface.

"Maybe my pace has increased," he said. "It happens sometimes when the more you play, the more your arm gets used to the load and the looser it gets. Maybe it also has to do with the fact that it is a big series and I am striving harder. I don't really feel it that I am bowling faster but the speeds are there.

"I have built up my body a little. I've worked hard with DD (David Dwyer) on it and have increased my weight from 72kg to 75kg. I've added a bit of muscle to it. If we have rest days between matches, maybe four to five days, then I spend time in the gym, but in back-to-back Tests that is difficult to do. On any day off, we work to whatever plan DD gives us."

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Warne rules out Australia comeback

Melbourne: Spin legend Shane Warne has ruled out coming out of retirement to play for Australia despite Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's personal plea to the cricketer to don the national colours again.

Warne wrote in his blog for the Herald Sun he was "very flattered" by Rudd's request yesterday while sharing the commentary box with him during the second day of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan, but returning to top class cricket is "highly doubtful".

"I am very flattered but it is highly doubtful. I am sticking in the commentary box," Warne wrote in his brief response.

The 40-year-old Victorian also ruled the option of playing domestic Twenty20 cricket in England.

"I've had offers from a few different counties to play in the Twenty20 competitions, but I have also been offered to commentate for Sky, so I will probably elect the commentary box, unless, it's an offer I can't refuse," Warne said.

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A great embarrassment: Sports Minister

Sports Minister MS Gill termed the Feroze Shah Kotla pitch fiasco as a "great embarrassment" and said the Cricket Board and the DDCA owe an explanation to the country for the abandonment of the fifth and final India-Sri Lanka ODI due to a dangerous track.

"It is very unfortunate and a great embarrassment for the country. It should not have happened. I watched the match a bit on TV and it was terrible to see such an incident taking place," Gill said.

"What can I say, all those who are in-charge of cricket nationally and state-wise can only answer on the issue," he added.

To the embarrassment of the Delhi and District Cricket Association and the entire nation, the game at the Feroze Shah Kotla was called off when the Sri Lankan innings was into its 24th over after Thilina Kandamby complained to the on-field umpires about the dangerous bounce.

The incident also triggered off crowd trouble as incensed spectators hurled water bottles and ripped the stadium's chairs.

The episode has put a question mark over Kotla's prospect as a 2011 World Cup venue as the Delhi ground faces the risk of being banned by the International Cricket Council for a minimum of 12 months.
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Pak blames India for Asia Cup delay

The Pakistan Cricket Board has held its Indian counterpart responsible for the delay in finalizing the venue for the next year's Asian Cup.

PCB chief Ejaz But, who is also the Asian Cricket Council chairman, was not happy with the attitude of the BCCI as far as the ACC matters were concerned, sources said.

"Apparently the Indians take little interest in ACC issues and that is why the venue for the Asia Cup has not been finalised as yet, although China and Malaysia were shortlisted for the event," the source said.

Butt returned home from Singapore after chairing the ACC meeting and told the media that a committee, headed by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan had been formed to finalize the venue for Asia Cup.

"The committee will look into all the modalities of holding the Asia Cup in either of these associate member countries," Butt added.

The same committee would also look into the possibility of how soon bilateral cricket ties between Pakistan and India can be revived, Butt said.

Pakistan hosted the last Asia Cup in 2008.

"One of the primary beneficiaries of the Asia Cup are the associate members who get funds and a chance to play alongside the full members. But ever since Butt took over as the ACC chairman, the Indians have not bothered to even attend all the meetings," one PCB source said.

The source also said Butt had also tried to raise the issue of Indo-Pak bilateral ties at the ACC meeting but there was no positive response from the Indians.

Butt also described 2009 as a better year for Pakistan cricket, which surprised many who wondered how the year gone by could be described as a better one considering that a terrorist attack on Sri Lanka team in March had virtually ended all international cricket in the strife-torn country.

"This year we also lost the World Cup hosting rights and the only bright spot has been our Twenty20 World Cup win," one former player noted.
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Sehwag urges youngsters to step up

Kolkata: The absence of key players like M S Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh will give an opportunity to test youngsters ahead of the 2010 World Cup, according to India's stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag who said it was necessary to work towards improving the bench strength.

India will miss two key players -- banned captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and injured Yuvraj Singh -- in the crucial fourth one-dayer against Sri Lanka, where a win would seal the series for the hosts.

"When the series is going on the team has to play the matches, irrespective of who is in or out. Definitely, we will miss their services but we have to look at our other options.

"The youngsters are getting an opportunity to play for their country and if they do well and make a mark it's good for the team as well. The bench strength will get stronger and stronger", Sehwag said.

"With 2011 World Cup coming up, if players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma get opportunity to play and get runs, our bench strength improves," he said.

He picked Kohli for some special praise and said, "He is truly a talented player. He had played very well in the Champions Trophy. Hopefully he will become a star of the future. We are all looking forward to him."

India are leading the series 2-1 but they have a record of squandering advantageous positions. However, Sehwag said this time they are determined to not let the lead slip out of their hands.

"We will try our best. It's not always easy for bowlers to restrict a side under 240. But we will try to do that again," Sehwag said, adding that they were yet to finalise the playing XI", he said.

The destructive form of Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan is still a cause of concern for Sehwag.

"It's difficult to stop him. If we get him out early, it will be an advantage as their middle order has not fired yet."

With Eden being the home ground of Sourav Ganguly, whom Sehwag always pays gratitude for making him an opener the Delhi dasher said, "I would like to win here to give a gift to

Ganguly."

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Shane Bond retires from Test cricket

Wellington: Dynamic but injury-prone New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond announced his retirement from Test cricket on Wednesday, saying his body was no longer up to the rigours of the five-day game.

"It's been a tough call, because Test cricket remains the ultimate form of the game, but I'm comfortable I've made the right choice," the 34-year-old said.

Bond's latest comeback in the Test series against Pakistan ended after the first Test -- in which he took eight wickets -- when an abdominal muscle tear ruled him out of the remaining two matches.

"I've worked really hard to get back to Test match fitness -- it's what I've been working towards for the past two years -- and I feel I gave as much as I could," Bond said.

"But looking back, so many of my injuries have come during Test cricket."Unfortunately my body just won't let me continue to play at that level, given the workload and demands of Test cricket."

Bond played only 18 Tests after his debut in 2001 because of a series of injuries and his involvement last year in the rebel Indian Cricket League.

But his pace and swing brought him 87 Test wickets at the impressive average of 22.09. He took five wickets in an innings on five occasions, the most recent against Pakistan in Dunedin last month after his two-year Test absence.

Bond said he remained committed to playing one-day internationals for New Zealand.

"This way I hope I've got a better chance of continuing to play. I hope I'll be able to continue to contribute to the team and to New Zealand cricket fans for a while yet."

He is aiming to rejoin New Zealand for the limited-overs matches against Australia, which start with two Twenty20 internationals in late February.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said he understood Bond's decision.

"Of course we're disappointed that he won't be part of the Test line-up, but New Zealand Cricket supports his decision to focus on limited-overs cricket and hopes that this decision will prolong his international career," he said.

"He remains one of the best fast bowlers in the international game and we're delighted that he's doing all he can to keep playing."

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Pakistan need strong leadership to tame Aussies: Hughes

MELBOURNE: Former Australia skipper Kim Hughes warned Pakistan will be no pushovers in upcoming Test cricket series, while hoping opener Phillip Hughes has fixed his technical flaws against the short ball.

Hughes says Pakistan will be formidable foes in the series, starting in Melbourne from Dec 26, if skipper Mohammad Yousuf can gel his men as legendary Imran Khan once did.

‘I think we will see some wonderful cricket from them but their consistency is a worry,’ said Hughes, who suffered a 0-3 away Test series loss as skipper to Imran Khan’s side in 1982.

‘You need good, strong leadership. They have had more captains than pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, with the comings and goings. They need an Imran Khan, someone who is strong at the top.’

Hughes was impressed by emerging stars of Pakistan side, particularly middle-order batsman Umar Akmal.

The 19-year-old made 129 on debut against New Zealand at Dunedin last month and 379 runs at 63.1 for the series.

‘Umar looks a tremendously exciting player,’ said Hughes of Lahore prodigy, who is a younger brother of wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal.

‘New Zealand are difficult at home and there is no doubt that two Akmal brothers –– Kamran and Umar –– are good.’

He suspects a Pakistan attack featuring pace pair of Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir could trouble Australia, who may recall left-hander Phillip Hughes if skipper Ricky Ponting does not recover from an elbow injury.

‘Phil Hughes is a promising but with a severe technical deficiency he needs to overcome,’ the 70-Test Hughes said.

Pakistan might be cricket’s touring nomads but re-emergence of leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and promising rookies mean Australia would be challenged in three Test series, Hughes said.

‘They have useful bowlers and produce wonderful cricketers. As far as producing sheer talent, Pakistan has some wonderful young talent and will test our blokes,’ he said.

‘If Australia has an edge it will be that they are more physically and mentally hardened.’
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Yousuf asks Younus to join ODI team in Aus

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Yousuf said he called up Younus Khan and asked him to join the national team as soon as possible for the one-day series in Australia.

"Yes, I did call up Younus because we have always been good friends and we have played a lot of cricket together," Yousuf said.

"I would definitely like to see Younus back in the team as soon as possible because he is a very experienced batsman and the team is missing him," he added.

Yousuf replaced Younus as captain for the tour to New Zealand in November after the latter pulled out of the series pleading to the cricket board that he wanted to take a break from international cricket.

Younus who returned to competitive cricket this week by playing in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy in Karachi has said he is available to play for Pakistan whenever the players and selectors need him.

Yousuf also made it clear that it was never easy to replace someone of the calibre and experience of Younus.

"He has been to Australia before and scored runs there so I want to see him in the team," Yousuf added.

Chief selector Iqbal Qasim made it clear that he didn't see chances of Younus going to Australia for the Test series.

"But he can definitely make the one-day squad. We have no doubt about his class and fitness but we need to give him some time to get over his poor form and start scoring runs again," Qasim added.

Younus failed in both innings of the Quaid Trophy final but picked up four wickets with his medium pace swing bowling.

After Younus returned home from Abu Dhabi without going to New Zealand there was plenty of speculation that he decided to sit out because of problems with some players in the team who were not happy with his captaincy.

But Yousuf who is also captain for the Test and one-day series in Australia made it clear that he had never had any communication problems with Younus.

"We always got along well together and that is why I called him up to inquire about his plans. I am happy that he was very positive about resuming playing international cricket again," Yousuf stated.

Sources in the cricket board said that the chief selector had conveyed to the board that the selection committee wanted to see Younus play one or two more domestic matches before sending him to Australia.

Younus will play for Habib Bank in the Pentangular Cup starting from January 1 in Karachi and Pakistan does not play its one-day series against Australia before end of January
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We are ready to handle sledging: Yousuf

Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf said his players are fully prepared to handle any sledgings during the upcoming three-match Test series against Australia commencing from December 26 in Melbourne.

"Australia always play tough cricket on the field and at times they try to pressurise their opponents with their banter and sledging habits. But we are prepared for this treatment and I have told the boys to be prepared to face this pressure," Yousuf told reporters.

Yousuf said that his players had followed the recently concluded series between Australia and the West Indies.

West Indies spinner Suleman Benn had an ugly confrontation with Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin during the third Test and Shane Watson was also fined by match referee for behaving badly after dismissing Chris Gayle in the second innings of the third Test in Perth.

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting, however, has said that he expects his players not to repeat the same behaviour in the Pakistan series.

Yousuf said that he had advised his players to respond to any Australian sledging by performing well on the field.

"That is the best answer you can give to anyone. The Pakistani players were mentally strong and would not be bothered by any sledging tactics. We are also in Australia to play hard and we have a definitively strong bowling line up so we are not worried," Yousuf said.

Mindful of the fact that Pakistan had never won a Test series in Australia, Yousuf said the team had been carrying out special trainings to improve their fielding and batting standards in Australia.

"The fact that we played a close Test series in New Zealand is good for us and I am sure our experienced batsmen like Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq will strike their best form soon. They just one need one long innings to get back their confidence," Yousuf said.

"I know my boys can handle such pressure. We are looking forward to some close matches in Australia," he added.
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Dilshan, Mathews star as Lanka level serie

Nagpur: Tillakaratne Dilshan struck a blistering 123 as Sri Lanka held their nerves in the tense dying moments to snatch a three-wicket victory in a high scoring second one-day international against India to level the five-match series 1-1 here on Friday.

Chasing India's 301 for 7 built around a captain's knock of 107 by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the visitors made up for their narrow defeat at Rajkot by overhauling the target with five balls to spare in a pulsating floodlit contest.

The explosive Dilshan notched up his second consecutive and fourth one-day hundred to lay the platform for the run chase for Sri Lanka.

India did well to recover from a rather sluggish start to post 301 mainly relying on Dhoni's fireworks in the end but a few fielding lapses in the very fag end in the Sri Lankan innings tilted the scale in the visitors' favour in a match which went down the wire.

The capacity crowd at VCA Statium in Jamtha were treated to another run feast with both teams scoring over 300 runs but unlike the Rajkot feast the bowlers did get some assistance from the track.

The Indians, whose fielding has left a lot to be desired in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, were patchy in their bowling and the early dismissals of Virender Sehwag (4) and Gautam Gambhir (2) when they batted did have a bearing in the final outcome.

The two sides travel to Cuttack for the third one-dayer on December 21.

Pacer Zaheer Khan struck thrice in quick succession after Ashish Nehra got the prized wicket of Dilshan to raise visions of a second successive a second successive come-from-behind win for the hosts before Angelo Mathews, who remained unbeaten on 37, guided the visitors home.

Dilshan, who struck 12 fours and two sixes, and fellow opener Upul Tharanga (37) gave the Lankan innings a flying start scoring 102 in 14 overs to ease the job for the lower order batsmen.

Dilshan fell in the 36th over, yorked by Ashish Nehra bowling his second spell, and then Zaheer sent back Mahela Jayawardene (39), Thilina Kandamby (27) and Chamara Kapugedara (2), the latter two in the space of three balls.

But Mathews, who used a runner in the later part of his crucial knock, kept his cool and gathered runs after having lost Kandamby in the first over of the batting power play, taken after the 44th over when the visitors were 262 for four, and Lanka coasted home at 302 for seven in 49.1 overs.

Earlier, Dhoni cracked his sixth hundred and strung together a breezy century stand with Suresh Raina to lift his side to an imposing 301 for seven after electing to bat first.

Dhoni, who faced 111 balls and struck eight fours and two sixes, had the proverbial cat's luck as he was let off on four occasions by the butter-fingered Lanka fielders, thrice by his counterpart Kumar Sangakkara before he reached 50.

The India captain punished the Sri Lankans with his second successive hundred in ODIs at this venue, following his match-winning 124 against Australia on October 28.

Dhoni, who fell to impressive debutant Suraj Randiv for 107 in 111 balls that included eight fours and two sixes, and Raina (68) stitched a stand of 126 in only 119 balls for the fifth wicket to lift India to the 300-plus score after the hosts were struggling just past the halfway stage.

Coming together when their side were 132 for four in the 27th over, they helped their side with a run-a-ball partnership on a wicket that offered a lot of turn to the slow bowlers and not a bowler's graveyard as was the case in the first ODI at Rajkot.

Dhoni was lucky to escape getting out three times before he crossed 50 with Sangakkara being the culprit on all three occasions.

Dhoni rode on these reprieves and surged his way with lofted hits and upper cuts while Raina slammed 68 in only 55 balls with three sixes and four fours.

The home team innings was built around their partnership after the steadying half-century stand (62) between Sachin Tendulkar (43) and Virat Kohli (54) followed by another 51-run partnership between Kohli and the Indian captain for the fourth wicket.

The partnership between Tendulkar, who hit only four fours in his 52-ball knock, and Kohli resurrected the innings after India were left at a difficult 19 for two following the cheap dismissals of in-form Sehwag (4) and Gambhir (2).

Thanks to the big partnership between Dhoni and Raina, who departed in the 47th over caught at mid-wicket, and a quick-fire 42 between the former and Ravindra Jadeja (12 not out) in only 19 balls India reached a total that looked good enough to win them the match.

The expected fireworks from Indian openers, especially Sehwag who slammed a career-high 146 with 17 fours and six sixes in the first ODI at Rajkot, did not happen.

Sehwag started with a bang, square driving left arm pacer Chanaka Welegedara to the point fence but fell three balls later in trying to repeat the shot. The extra bounce did in the Delhi dasher and the resultant edge was caught by a leaping Sangakkara behind the stumps.

Tendulkar started in a cautious manner and hit his first four in only the fourth over with a typically wristy turn off his pads off Angelo Mathews.

India were in some bother at 19 for two in the fifth over and were rallied by Tendulkar, who played some stunning pulls and clips off his pads, and the young Virat Kohli who put on a half century stand at just over run a ball.

Kohli played some lovely flicks to fine leg and drives to the cover region but saw his senior partner Tendulkar depart stumped by Sangakkara off Ajantha Mendis.

Kolhi reached his third half century in a quick 57 balls but fell top debutant spinner Suraj Randiv.

Dhoni and Raina then went berserk to helped India cross the 300-mark.

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Younus prepared to return for Pakistan

LAHORE — Former Pakistan captain Younus Khan Friday raised hopes of an international comeback soon, saying he would be available for the team whenever needed.

The 32-year-old, who was not considered for the tour of Australia after he did not make himself available and could not be contacted by selectors, made a surprise appearance at a coaching course in Lahore.

Younus, who also pulled out of the Test tour to New Zealand last month citing lack of form, skipped most the questions, but promised he will return when the team needed him.

"I will be in action soon and will also return to play for Pakistan whenever the team needed me," Younus told reporters.

He managed just 22 runs in the three one-day matches against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi last month, but said he was not running away from cricket.

"I needed rest, which I have taken, and I will be playing domestic cricket very soon. I have never run from domestic matches and even after coming from the tours I played a domestic match the very next day," said Younus.

Asked if he wanted to lead the team again, Younus praised Mohammad Yousuf, who replaced him as captain.

"I am impressed with Yousuf's leadership qualities. He is leading from the front and if the seniors perform well, Pakistan can become world champions," said Younus.

Australian coach Tim Nielsen said Pakistan would miss Younus.

"It's always hard to replace experienced players who've been to Australia or played all over the world, that's what makes them excellent players," Nielsen told an Australian news agency.

"When you lose someone who's also had the experience of being the captain and also a leader in their group, it will be challenging for them if we can put them under pressure, for their younger players to have to cope with those things," said Nielsen.

Pakistan play the first of three Tests in Melbourne from December 26.

Chief selector Iqbal Qasim confirmed Younus is expected to be in action in domestic matches, which could bring him back into contention for a place in the one-day series against Australia, which will be played after the Tests.

Younus has played 63 Tests, scoring 5260 runs with 16 hundreds. He also has 5698 runs in 197 one-day internationals.

He took over as Pakistan captain in January this year and led Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title in England in June, but there were reports that he had fallen out with other senior players.

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Tanvir clueless about his IPL status

Adjudged the best bowler in the inaugural Indian Premier League, Sohail Tanvir is clueless about his status in next year's IPL and does not know if he would have to appear in the next players' auction in January.

Talking to PTI, Tanvir said he had a valid three-year contract with Rajasthan Royals and he had obtained an Indian visa for the IPL as well. All he was awaiting was a clearance from his franchise, Tanvir said.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board has already given me the clearance to go and play in the IPL. But to be honest, I don't know my status in the IPL or with the Royals as of now. They have to now take a decision on my participation in the IPL," said the left-arm seamer.

Tanvir said if the IPL and his franchisee felt so, he would have no problems appearing in next month's players' auction.

IPL Chairman Lalit Modi has said that since Pakistani players, including Tanvir, had missed the December 7 deadline to submit all their documents and obtain an Indian visa for the next edition of the IPL, their franchises had contracted replacement players and the Pakistani cricketers would now have to appear in the players auction to get a chance to play in the lucrative event.

Besides Tanvir, the IPL had asked the PCB to provide NOC's and obtain visas for Misbah-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq.

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Sami gets NOC from ICL, prepares for Aus

Recalled Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Sami has received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) and is set to fly to Australia after the completion of travel formalities in next few days.

Sami confirmed that he had got the NOC from the ICL and had already dispatched it to the Pakistan Cricket Board.

"I have sent the required NOC. Now as soon as the board tells me I will leave for Australia," he said.

A PCB official said that this might take a few days as the board had started the process for getting a visa for Sami.

The PCB called Sami out of the wilderness to join the team in Australia at the request of the touring team management.

The fast bowler has not played any matches for Pakistan since 2007 when he joined the ICL.

Asked about his outstanding dues from the ICL, Sami said the matter was being sorted out and would be resolved soon.

"Right now my priority is to start playing for Pakistan again and I have got a golden opportunity to do so now in Australia," he said.

Sources said the team management had asked for Sami to be sent as a reinforcement to Australia as there were some fitness issues with young Mohammad Aamer.

Sami would be the sixth ICL player to be recalled to the Pakistan team this year after Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq, Imran Farhat, Imran Nazir and Rana Naved.
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Pakistan can beat Australia: Rameez

With Australia no longer the awe-inspiring side they used to be, former captain Rameez Raja feels Pakistan have a golden opportunity to beat the world champions in their own backyard in an upcoming Test and ODI series later his month.

"In the past our players went to Australia knowing they were playing against the best team in the world but now this mental block is not there in their minds and they have the potential to beat the Australians if they play consistent and positive cricket," Rameez said about the three Test and five-ODI series scheduled to start in the last week of this month.

"The conditions in New Zealand and Australia are not that different and our players will now be in touch and in practice which is a big plus point for them," he said.

Talking on the captaincy of Muhammad Yousuf, Rameez said it was too early to judge him.

"The only thing I hope is that he will move away from this draw mentality. It is a fact that when you have a temporary captain his main priority is to ensure he does not lose matches," he said.

"But I think we need to have a winning mentality and we should also soon have a youngster leading the team if Younus Khan is not available," he added.
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Sehwag is ahead of Richards: Rameez Raja

Former Pakistan captain Rameez Raja has described Indian opener Virender Sehwag as the most destructive and entertaining batsman in modern cricket.

Lavishing praise on the right-hander, Rameez said Sehwag is the only batsman in the world he would pay to watch.

"He is the Shah Rukh Khan of cricket. He is the world's number one batsman when it comes to entertaining the crowd. It won't be an exaggeration to describe him as modern cricket's most destructive batsman. He is the only batsman I would pay to watch," Rameez told 'PTI-Bhasha'.

Often compared to Vivian Richards for his aggressive batting, Rameez said Sehwag is actually ahead of the West Indian great when it comes to strike rate.

"They can't be compared but as far as strike rate is concerned, Sehwag is actually ahead of Richards," he said.

"Richards redefined batting against fast bowlers. He showed that pacers can be played on the front foot. Sehwag has a similar but more evolved style of batting. Both of them can bring the world's best bowlers to their knees," Rameez said.

Sehwag was adjudged Man of the Series in the just-concluded Test series against Sri Lanka, during which he scored a whopping 491 runs in three matches.

He came close to becoming the first batsman in cricket's history to score three triple hundreds but missed the milestone when he was dismissed for 293 in the third Test in Mumbai.

Sehwag has been criticised for being too extravagant with his shot selection, which has cost him his wicket at crucial junctures, but Rameez felt the opener can be excused for his recklessness given the impact he makes when on song.

"He is in a league of his own. At times, he plays bad shots and gets out but a batsman like him can be forgiven for that. I don't think it's fair to criticise him if he commits a mistake once in a while," he said.
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Mohammad Sami recalled for tour of Australia

Mohammad Sami's once-dead international career has been revived after he was added to Pakistan's 16-man Test squad against Australia following the team management's request for an extra fast bowler. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board, Sami was recalled after the need for additional support to a fast-bowling contingent comprising Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer and Abdur Rauf was raised.

Gul, Asif and Aamer played in all three matches of the tied Test series and have little time off ahead of the series in Australia, which begins with a three-day tour match against Hobart from December 19. The first Test starts on Boxing Day at the MCG.

"I am very happy and am confident of making the most of this chance to resurrect my career," said Sami, who returned to Pakistan's domestic fold after cutting ties with the now defunct ICL.

Sami, 28, played the last of his 33, largely unfulfilling Tests in December 2007 against India after he had drifted to the sidelines of Pakistan's Test attack. Those three Tests in India yielded just four wickets and he was again discarded to return to the domestic circuit. But he has picked up 30 wickets so far this season while captaining Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Group B toppers Karachi Whites, with three five-wicket bags.

There are other fast bowlers with better returns for the current first-class season, such as young Mohammad Talha, and those who have played limited-overs cricket for Pakistan this year, like Sohail Khan, but Sami's experience of playing international cricket, and two Tests in Australia, appeared to have worked in his favour.

Apart from three Tests, Pakistan will play five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 on the tour.

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Disappointed, but not batters fault: Bayliss

Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss was disappointed to end up on the losing side after coming so agonizingly close to victory but said he would not blame his batsmen for their defeat in the first ODI against India here today.

"It was disappointing to lose at the end, but it was a great effort from our batsmen," said Bayliss after Sri Lanka lost by three runs.

"We made some mistakes. With 85 runs needed and six wickets in hand nine out of 10 times it could have been accomplished. But it was not our batters' fault. They did a fantastic job," said the Lanka coach after his team was stopped at 411 for eight.

Chasing India's 414, Sri Lanka were cruising at 316 for one in the 37th over before they lost the plot, and Bayliss complimented the Indian bowlers for doing a great job.

"The Indian bowlers bowled very well in the end. They showed it's not always necessary to take wickets to stop a team from winning. It can also be done by making it difficult to hit," he said.

When the run-chase began, the Lankans were concentrating only on enjoying batting, as otherwise the huge asking rate would have tripped them, Bayliss said.

"We were not focusing on getting to the target but to go out there and enjoy batting. It was a good wicket with a small ground and a fast outfield and we knew if we did that we can do the job," he said.

Bayliss also praised Tillakaratne Dilshan's splendid knock of 160 in 124 balls and said though he did not start the way India's Virender Sehwag did, both innings were on par.

"Dilshan batted superbly and his innings was equal to that of Sehwag's. We got to 100, two overs before India did," he pointed out.

The Sri Lanka coach hoped Sehwag's ominous form would come to an end soon as they were helpless against his daredevilry.

"Sehwag is in an amazing form. We hope it does not continue and some catch goes to hand. Not a lot can be done when he is in such a form," he said.

Sehwag has been in great touch against the Lankans right from the start of the three-Test series. The Delhi dasher came close to creating a unique record of making three triple tons in the longest and most coveted form of the game in Mumbai when he made 293 in the final Test there.

Bayliss also defended opening the innings with Upul Tharanga who put on 188 for the first wicket with Dilshan to lay a fine platform for the run-chase.

"In the last three one-day innings he played, Upul has not been dismissed for less than 50," he pointed out.
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Indian team needs bowling coach: Prabhakar

Former India all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar said that bowling was India's weakest link and a bowling coach was a must for the team.

Prabhakar was banned from the game for a period after his name surfaced in the match-fixing inquiry, but since his ban has been served out, the former player looks like he nurtured hopes of landing a coaching assignment with the Indian team.

"If the Indian team cannot make many runs, we cannot win. Bowling is our weakest link. Batsman in India are termed world-class but not bowlers. We need to make our pacers our strength," Prabhakar said.

"That's why we need a bowling coach. If there is a bowling coach the bowlers can constantly improve. Otherwise they will come to the team 'A' class, but their level will keep on dropping," he said.

"For batsman, we have the likes of Sachin (Tendulkar) and (Rahul) Dravid to give advice but for bowling we need a professional bowling coach," he added.

Since Venkatesh Prasad was sacked from the job, India are without a bowling coach.

Asked about the poor form of pacer Ishant Sharma, whom he had guided during his stint as the bowling coach of the Delhi team, Prabhakar said the bowler needed to mend his action to be back to his best.

"Too much cricket is one reason (for Ishant's poor form). There are few flaws in his action. When your wrist is not behind the seam you are gone. But it is a minor flaw and he (Ishant) is still the best," he said.

Prabhakar, who was here to announce the next edition of pace bowling talent hunt 'Gatorade Pacers 2010', felt the Indian team didn't have the basics to produce a tearaway fast bowler.

"If you see the background, we were more of medium pacers and relied more on swing. Javagal Srinath changed the scenario a little bit but still the basics are missing," Prabhakar said.

"If we want, we can be good pacers. But the basics need to be strengthened. May be in the next one or two years we will have a couple of fast bowlers," he added.

Commenting on Prasad's stint with the Indian team, Prabhakar said,"If he was complete, our bowling level would not have dropped. I started at 124km/hr and ended at 140km/hr. But here they (bowlers) are starting well only to get slower."

Prabhakar also batted for the cause of former Indians to be considered for coaching the Indian team.

"Those who have done wonders for the country should also be given a chance to coach the team. If there is someone who is working hard on the field, producing results why not? An Indian can coach too.

"If you don't give your own players a chance, then who else will? May be two years later (or whenever he retires) they (BCCI) can ask players like Sachin Tendulkar to contribute their expertise," he said.

Prabhakar said given a chance, he too was willing to be the bowling coach of the team.
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Waqar could become Pakistan chief coach

The Pakistan Cricket Board could be working on promoting bowling and fielding coach Waqar Younis as the new chief mentor of the national side in place of Intikhab Alam, given his popularity among the present bunch of players.

A well informed source in the PCB told PTI that the move to bring in the former captain and pace legend for the tough tour of Australia on an attractive package, is part of a bigger picture and long-term thinking is involved in the process.

"Normally, it makes no sense to bring in Waqar at this point of time for the Australian tour unless some long term thinking was not involved. Chief coach Intikhab Alam and assistant coach, Aaqib Javed are already working with the side," the source said.

"Apparently, PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt is looking at Waqar as a long term candidate for the post of chief coach and the days of Intikhab Alam might be numbered as chief coach," the source added.

The source also said that Waqar is very popular among the present bunch of players who have a lot of respect and regard for him. He had also helped the bowlers improve significantly during his previous tenure with the team as bowling coach in 2006 before he walked out owing to differences with the board and officials.

He also said that Waqar could end up drawing fatter perks and bonuses than Intikhab, if the team and bowlers do well during his coaching tenure.

Intikhab is presently drawing a salary of around five lakhs, while Waqar would get a retainer of three lakhs and other bonuses. "If the team and bowlers do well during his coaching period, he could end up earning more than the chief coach."

Meanwhile, on former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq playing an influential role in the recent decision-making of the board, the source said, "the decision to not appoint Shahid Afridi as captain for the ODI series against Australia despite his recent good form and to make Mohammad Yousuf captain for both Tests and one-dayers, is a clear indication that something is cooking in the mind of Ejaz Butt and behind the scenes."

He pointed out that the decision to name wicketkeeper, Kamran Akmal as vice-captain to Yousuf indicates that the board might look at the possibility of making Akmal the next captain for Tests and ODIs for a longer term.

"There is no doubt that Ejaz Butt and the selectors were pretty disappointed when Younus Khan didn't make himself available for the Australian tour and neither did he get in touch with them despite repeated attempts," the source disclosed.

He said all the indications are that with Younus Khan's future as captain uncertain and with the 2011 World Cup round the corner, the board might go for Akmal in the long-term as he remains one of the essential parts of the team and one of the few senior players on the blocks.

The Pakistan team will travel straight from New Zealand to Australia for a series of three tests, five ODIs and a twenty20 international starting from December 26.

In another development in New Zealand, Waqar has had a detailed discussion with captain Mohammad Yousuf regarding the preparation of the side for the upcoming tour of Australia.

In an interview in Napier, where he is commentating for the ongoing series against New Zealand, Waqar said he had conveyed his ideas and plans to Yousuf during their meeting.

"I personally feel that Pakistan need to play with five bowlers in Test matches and they need to have all-rounders like Abdul Razzaq or Azhar Mehmood in the team, batting at the number six position," Waqar said.

Waqar pointed out that in Australia, it is necessary to have five proper bowlers and he had mentioned the names of Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood as the allrounders who could be considered for selection.

Razzaq and Azhar have not played a single Test for Pakistan for the last three years.

The pace legend also pointed out that Pakistan's strength lies in its bowling with all the bowlers like Muhammad Asif, Umar Gul, Muhammad Aamer and Danish Kaneria doing well.

"They are doing well and they just require some fine tuning to adjust to Australian conditions, which are going to be different from other cricket playing nations. One could be carried away with the bounce and pace of the Australia pitches," he added.
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Tanvir becomes a Twenty20 Bushranger

Victoria have secured the services of Pakistani allrounder Sohail Tanvir for this summer's Twenty20 domestic tournament. Tanvir, who last year turned out for South Australia in the event, has recently recovered from a back injury that has severely disrupted his 2009 season.

Tanvir's unorthodox, wrong-footed bowling action has proven successful in Twenty20 tournaments the world over. Tanvir, a left-armer, was among Pakistan's leading players at the inaugural World Twenty20 tournament in South Africa, and topped the wicket-taking list in the first Indian Premier League while representing the Rajasthan Royals.

Victoria have been searching for a second overseas player since Muttiah Muralitharan's withdrawal to play for Sri Lanka in matches against Bangladesh. Tanvir will join the West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo on the Bushrangers' books this season.

Tanvir has endured a difficult 2009 season, not least on account of the back injury that led to him losing his regular place in Pakistan's limited-overs line-up. He was turned away at London's Heathrow airport for not obtaining the appropriate visa after being offered a contract by Surrey, and will be unable to play in the 2010 IPL, after Lalit Modi announced Pakistan players would not be invited to participate.

Meanwhile, New South Wales are in talks with at least one member of the current West Indian touring squad for the Twenty20 tournament. The reigning Champions League victors last year recruited New Zealand's Brendon McCullum for the final in controversial circumstances, and are understood to have set their sights on an allrounder.

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Yuvraj sacked as Kings XI Punjab captain?

New Delhi: Unconfirmed reports suggest that Yuvraj Singh has been sacked as captain of Kings XI Punjab ahead of the third season of the IPL.

No replacement has been named yet, according to reports.

Yuvraj, who was the icon player of the franchise, led them to the semi-final in the first edition. But with a 7-7 win-loss record, the team failed to make the last four in the second edition played in South Africa earlier this year.

Yuvraj himself had a decent season with the bat and took two hat-tricks with his left-arm spin.

It isn't clear what has led to Yuvraj's exit. There are ready replacements available for the franchise, with Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara and former skipper Mahela Jayawardene among those in the squad.

When asked, Sangakkara denied the rumours. "I haven't heard anything about it. I'm still waiting to hear. I think Yuvraj is a good captain and he's done a good job for Punjab and it's the final year before everyone goes back into auction. So, I'm sure he's looking forward to doing well for Punjab. But I haven't heard anything about the captaincy."

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Pakistan name Waqar Younis as bowling, fielding coach

KARACHI: Pakistan have appointed former captain and renowned paceman Waqar Younis as bowling and fielding coach for their tour of Australia starting later this month, an official said on Wednesday.

"Waqar has agreed to serve as fielding and bowling coach for the tour of Australia after we requested his services for the job," Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman Nadeem Sarwar said.

Pakistan dropped about half a dozen catches in their first Test defeat against New Zealand at Dunedin last month. They also grassed three crucial catches in their series-levelling win at Wellington last week.

Pakistan play three Tests, five One-Day Internationals and a Twenty20 international on the tour of Australia, starting December 26 in Melbourne.

Waqar, who has settled in Australia and works as a television commentator, left the bowling coach job in 2007 after a dispute with the former PCB leadership. He also blamed then-captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for his ouster.

During an illustrious career, Waqar took 373 wickets in 87 Tests and 416 in 262 One-Day Internationals. He also led Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup before retiring the next year.

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IPL blow for Pakistan stars

Pakistan players will not be involved in the third edition of the Indian Premier League next year due to an ongoing delay in obtaining visas for the event.

The Pakistan government barred its players from travelling to India for the second edition of the IPL this year, and they stayed at home even after the Twenty20 tournament was moved to South Africa.

The Pakistan Cricket Board was keen on its players participating in the third edition in India and, although the government has this time cleared the team to participate, the players have not yet been furnished with visas.

IPL chairman Lalit Modi said: "We have been informed by the PCB that they have not been able to obtain the visas as of now.

"December 7 was the absolute deadline for confirmation of Pakistan players. We will not extend the deadline because we are handicapped because of the exchange window.

"Unfortunately, Pakistan's players are out and will not be allowed to take part in the next IPL. We are informing the teams that they can now go for replacement of Pakistan players."

Five Pakistan players - Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Abdul Razzaq, Misbah-ul Haq and Kamran Akmal - have contracts in place with IPL teams.

Contracts for seven others, including Younus Khan and Shoaib Akhtar, were terminated prior to the second edition of the League this year after the Pakistan government refused to sanction permission for players to participate due to security concerns arising from the terrorist attack in Mumbai.

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Younis out as Yousuf named captain for Oz tour

KARACHI: As expected, Younis Khan was overlooked for the tour of Australia on Tuesday when Pakistan were forced to continue with senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf as captain of a 16-man Test squad.

Younis, who opted out of the Test tour of New Zealand after leading his team to a disappointing 1-2 ODI series defeat against the Kiwis last month, has been completely unreachable in recent days.

Chief selector Iqbal Qasim said that Younis was not considered for the tough series against the Aussies after the seasoned middle-order batsman decided against featuring in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and did not give his availability for national duty.

“Younis did not confirm his availability for the tour of Australia and also didn’t play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to prove his form and fitness,” said Iqbal.

The selectors dropped all-rounder Yasir Arafat and reserved wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed from the tour of Australia which will begin with the first Test in Melbourne from December 26.

With Younis opting to stay away, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to carry on with Yousuf as captain after the batsman led the tourists to a series-equalling 141-run win in the second Test against New Zealand last week.

“Mohammad Yousuf has been appointed to continue as captain of the team for Tests and ODI series in Australia whereas Kamran Akmal would be his deputy for the Test matches. Shahid Afridi will be the captain for T20 and would also be the vice captain for ODI matches on the Australia series,” a PCB media release said on Tuesday.

Younis, 32, had indicated last month that he would want to make his comeback on the tour of Australia. However, the selectors wanted Younis to appear in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to prove his form and fitness. Younis, who is said to have injured his foot while on a fishing trip in Karachi last week, did not take part in the tournament.

Just six months back, Younis was on the top of the world after leading Pakistan to a memorable World Twenty20 triumph in England. But after a series of upheavals in the past few months, he finally decided to take a break from international cricket after scoring only 22 runs as Pakistan lost their one-day series against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi last month.

Pakistan have missed the prolific Younis in New Zealand where they lost the opening Test in Dunedin because of poor batting.

Younis, who averages over 53.73 from 63 Tests, is one of their most successful No. 3 batsmen. Batting on that position, he averages a healthy 60 from 35 Tests since 2004.

In his absence, Pakistan have experimented with youngsters Fawad Alam and Umar Akmal at the No. 3 spot in New Zealand but without much success.

Meanwhile, at a marathon meeting of the selection committee that lasted for almost four hours in Lahore on Tuesday, former captain Shoaib Malik was almost axed from the squad because of his poor form.

According to sources, the selectors were convinced that Malik doesn’t deserve a place in the team but had to change their mind after captain Yousuf and his deputy Kamran Akmal fully backed the under-fire all-rounder.

There was also this idea of dropping Fawad Alam but it was finally decided to have an extended 16-man squad for the tour of Australia.

Khurram Manzoor, who was unable to impress much in the first Test against New Zealand, was lucky to retain his place in the side for the tour of Australia.

Iqbal, a former Pakistan Test spinner, said that the squad for the five-match one-day series against Australia will be named after the second Test in Sydney next month.

Test squad: Salman Butt, Khurram Manzoor, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Yousuf (captain), Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal (vice-captain), Danish Kaneria, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer, Abdul Rauf.
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ICC World XI could play Pakistan to raise funds

The financial crunch currently engulfing the PCB, a fallout of the Lahore terror attacks on the Sri Lankan team in March and the subsequent banishment of Pakistan as an international cricket venue, dominated proceedings at the first meeting between an ICC task force and the board in Dubai. As a result, there has emerged the possibility of a series between Pakistan and an ICC World XI to help raise funds to sustain cricket in the terror-struck country.

The PCB gave a detailed presentation to the five-man task force about how it has been hit by the terror attacks, and particularly how revenue from a broadcasting deal with Ten Sports will take a big hit not only because teams will not play in Pakistan in the near future, but also because ties with India are currently on hold. Losses of up to US$125 million have been claimed by the PCB as a series of tours have been relocated, postponed and cancelled. In just over a year, Pakistan has also lost hosting rights of the 2008 Champions Trophy and the 2011 World Cup because of security concerns.

Ijaz Butt, chairman PCB, said that during the meeting with the ICC ways to soften the impact on development work in Pakistan were discussed. "We made a detailed presentation to the ICC task force of our own views on the situation," Butt told reporters at Gaddafi Stadium. "So far we have suffered a lot of losses because of postponements, relocations and cancellations and that is having an impact on domestic and junior cricket. We have losses of nearly 71% of our total revenues, amounting to US$125 million. Task force members were informed of the measures taken by PCB to combat these challenges."

The board was in any case in a bad way financially when Butt took over but a five-year TV deal with Ten Sports, worth approximately US$140 million was meant to have eased the situation somewhat. The terror attacks have put paid to that for now. As an example of how bad the situation is, it is believed that the board is not using Kookaburra balls in domestic cricket because they are too expensive

The meeting was more for brainstorming ideas rather than producing concrete proposals. One such idea, Cricinfo understands, is a series of limited over matches - ODI or T20s - between an ICC World XI and Pakistan in the UK or the Middle East next year. Two possible windows have been also been discussed, either in the UK immediately after the World Twenty20 next year in April, or in November-December, in the UAE. As well as raising revenue for the PCB, the series is intended to highlight the cricket fraternity's support for Pakistan.

Much of the meeting revolved around the issue of the board's depleted funds and little substantial discussion was held on ways to get international cricket back to Pakistan; that, it seems to have been acknowledged, was something outside the control of cricket boards for now.

Unsurprisingly, ways to revive ties between India and Pakistan were also examined; India and Pakistan have entered another phase of not playing each other, after the Mumbai terror attacks last year resulted in a cooling of political ties between the countries. It is an important rivalry for Pakistan. Butt said that the PCB lost US$40 million as a result of India cancelling a tour to Pakistan in January 2009. A large chunk of the Ten Sports deal, it is believed, was based on India playing Pakistan. There was, however, a general consensus at the meetings that India needs Pakistan as well, for it remains a financially lucrative contest. Butt said there were "no developments" on the possibility of playing India at neutral venues, only that all aspects of Pakistan's current and future FTP were discussed.

The task force, which comprises Ranjan Madugalle, Ramiz Raja, Mike Brearley, Dave Richardson and Giles Clarke, will now take the ideas further and make a list of recommendations to the ICC. "Our presentation and discussion has happened," Butt said. "They asked us for information on our FTP and domestic cricket. Now future meetings can happen or they can discuss among themselves and make recommendations. The option of playing at a neutral venue is there, so I think we will be given due space in the FTP."

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Team India is No. 1 in avoiding Tests too!

MUMBAI: The Board of Cricket in India (BCCI) may have announced Rs 25 lakh as reward for each player for having helped the Test team reach the pinnacle in the ICC world rankings, but the board surely has not done enough to help India sustain its position.

MS Dhoni and his men will not be playing enough Tests to earn points for staying ahead of the pack. In fact, India will not be playing more than two Test matches till November next year. In December 2010, they are scheduled to tour South Africa, followed by a tour of West Indies in April, post the World Cup.

During this time, South Africa will play three Test series and Australia four.

Other than India, Sri Lanka are the only other team thoroughly deprived of Tests until they host West Indies in November next year. No wonder then, captain Kumar Sangakkara expresses his disappointment. "Two-tier Test matches were being discussed when we were the No.2 team in rankings. We were not even being discussed. Those kind of things are still going on.

"It is about money and how different countries can earn out of playing each other. It is always going to be a major factor for the ICC to deal with as well, unless of course only four countries play Test cricket," he says.

If the captains’ representative in ICC has this to say, the future is bleak: "It doesn’t matter what the (captains’ representative’s) contribution is. He has to be listened to. If the concerned authorities don’t do anything, you can talk as much as you want but there will be no point," Sangakkara says.

It is clear that certain cricket-playing nations have an advantage over others as far as preparing their touring charts in the FTP is concerned. Unfortunately, according to ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, even the world body seems to be helpless. "We establish a set of principles which we would like each member to follow. The principle may well be that you must play every Test playing nation, home or away," he says. He added that ICC is looking to emphasise that none of the members should be worse off in the commercial sense.

That should explain India’s predicament, given the bulk of T20 and One-day matches they play as compared to Tests. Given the kind of crowd capacity that Indian stadiums draw for the shorter formats, it’s obvious why India aren’t playing Tests. For example, the T20 match scheduled to be held in Nagpur’s 45,000 capacity stadium on Wednesday was sold out completely a week ago. In comparison, the Test match at the same ground last year was played in front of near empty stands.

No wonder, the current world No.1 status is something the BCCI cannot sustain.
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Confident Pakistan eye series win in Napier

KARACHI: Buoyed up by a comprehensive 141-run triumph in their second Test against New Zealand, Pakistan will reach Napier from Wellington on Tuesday (today) full of confidence ahead of the series decider that will get underway from December 11.

A senior Pakistan team official told ‘The News’ from Wellington on Monday that his boys were over the moon after claiming their first Test win in almost three years and are now aiming to better that showing in Napier for a series-winning triumph.

“The boys are in high spirits,” said Abdul Raqib, the team manager. “It is natural to feel elated because we’ve not been winning any Tests for quite some time and badly needed a good result here,” he added.

Raqib said that the players’ body language has changed overnight following Pakistan’s first Test victory since January 2007 and now the tourists look set for a win in the final Test in Napier.

“We will certainly have a psychological edge (over New Zealand) after having won the second Test so comprehensively,” he said. “Our team has received a huge boost and I’m confident that we will go on to win this series.”

Pakistan are hoping to wrap up their tour of New Zealand with a victory in the Napier Test — a result that would give them a much-needed shot in the arm ahead of the more challenging assignment against Australia.

The Pakistanis will be touring Australia for three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International. The series will begin with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne from December 26.

“Obviously we would love to head for Australia after ending this series on a winning note,” said the team manager. “Our players are aware of it and I’m sure that they would carry on the momentum in Napier.”

Pakistan will be pinning much of their hope in comeback pacer Mohammad Asif, who has so far picked up 17 wickets in the series at a fabulous average of 15.17.

Asif, who spent almost two years on the sidelines because of injury and suspension, bagged nine wickets in the Wellington victory, including 5-67 in the second innings. Raqib said that Asif has shown no signs of fatigue or injury after making a successful comeback, adding that the fast bowler is now looking to do even better in Napier.

“Asif is super fit these days and is hungrier for wickets than ever before,” he said. “His teammates share that hunger because after a series of losses and close shaves, they’ve finally won a Test,” he said.

Pakistan lost both the Test and ODI series on the tour of Sri Lanka last summer, after succumbing in a few matches from seemingly-winning positions. Against New Zealand in Dunedin, Pakistan once again finished on the losing side despite bowling themselves in a strong position. They eventually lost by 32 runs.

Team officials are hoping that the players will improve their performance in the batting and fielding departments.Pakistan’s catching has so far been awful on this tour but Raqib was hopeful that things will be better in Napier.

“It was quite disappointing to see so many dropped catches but the boys were complaining of visibility problems and a strong breeze (in Wellington). But there can’t be any excuses and the boys will certainly be working hard in that area.”

Batting, too, has proved to be Pakistan’s Achilles heals though youngster Umar Akmal has been a shining star in the series.

The 19-year-old hit a stunning 129 on his debut in Dunedin and has since piled up 302 runs from four innings at a healthy 75.5 with the help of one ton and two fifties.

Umar’s elder brother Kamran has also done well with knocks of 82, 27 and 70. Skipper Mohammad Yousuf finally overcame his lean patch with an impressive 83 in the second Test.

But other batters including former captain Shoaib Malik, openers Salman Butt, Imran Farhat and Misbah-ul-Haq have so far been quite unimpressive.

There are indications that for the Napier Test the team management might opt to axe Malik and replace him with Faisal Iqbal, the middle-order batsman who is yet to get any opportunity in the series.

However, a final decision will only be taken once Yousuf and team coach Intikhab Alam take a long, hard look at the playing conditions in Napier.
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PCB, Younis need to show maturity

Pakistan finally won a Test after a yawning gap of nearly three years and 12 Test matches. On the face of it, the Wellington win appeared a convincing one because the Kiwis were crushed by 141 runs.

However, with our shoddy performance at Dunedin earlier, where Mohammad Yousuf and his brigade lost a battle they could have won with little more application and skill, predicting the outcome of the Test series would be foolhardy.

And while the grim battle goes on between bat and ball in the Test series, the off-field saga of Aussie tour captaincy is getting more complexed by the day.

As if Younis Khan’s ‘request for rest’ from international cricket was startling enough, we are now experiencing an agonising wait on who would be leading the Pakistan squad to a country where we have never won a Test series.

One wonders whether Younis’ astonishing absence and the subsequent reaction to it by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) can be rated as acts of professionalism by any standard.

A recent media report suggested that makeshift skipper Yousuf, assuming himself to be the captain-designate for Australia, has already proposed changes in the team for the challenging assignment following the mysterious silence of Younis who also missed the recent Quaid-i-Azam Trophy games despite chief selector Iqbal Qasim’s insistence on featuring in the same.

Needless to say, if the hastily-made leadership arrangement for the New Zealand Tests is persevered with, the move will certainly have its ramifications given the complexity of the present national cricket set-up.

Due to this captaincy crisis, Pakistan cricket seems to be in a shambles. Sometimes one major change at the top alters many things.

The change at the helm has two major dimensions — Younis’ approach towards captaincy and the PCB’s handling of the issue.

The PCB, being the decision-making body, has always been expected to give top priority to safeguarding Pakistan cricket in any crisis.

Unfortunately, on many occasions the authorities shattered all hopes of tens of millions of Pakistani fans. The present management is no exception.

The glaring proof is the casual manner with which the board coped with Younis’ break from the game, accepting his plea without any queries or concern. Rather than backing the captain fully at this crucial juncture of his career, the Ijaz Butt-led PCB gave the senior batsman the impression that they were too eager to see him go off the scene.

Amid reports of differences with some of the players, a tough competitor like Younis was left out in the cold by the authorities who perhaps didn’t realise the gravity of the situation that had been developing quietly for several months.

The readiness with which Yousuf was appointed skipper also signifies a very frail understanding between Younis and the board’s high-ups over his role as captain.

The most bizarre thing is the PCB’s no-questions-asked acceptance of Younis’ request for a break citing rest.

How can Younis, who amassed a match-saving triple century in his first Test as captain earlier this year, feel ‘tiredness’ after leading his side in just four and a half Tests (including the abandoned Lahore Test against Sri Lanka), 17 ODIs and seven Twenty20s this year?

Younis’ declining batting form, his other excuse for the break, has also come under media spotlight.

Indeed, since taking charge in February this year at home against Sri Lanka, Younis’ individual performance has taken a dip but it is quite illogical to put his own slump as a reason for the team’s pathetic results or for his abrupt break.

Captains around the world face bad patch of different degrees. However, they do not look for untimely breaks like Younis did, in spite of enduring crammed playing schedules.

That said, Younis’s case should be seen in totality and not in fractions. The World Twenty20 triumph in June this year is huge on his credit.

Furthermore, a near-impeccable record as an amiable human being and his undeniable worth as an experienced rock-solid middle-order batsman make Younis the best possible candidate to pilot Pakistan in the prevailing times.

Sports authorities around the world generally take decisions based on a positive, forward-looking mindset. Whereas the PCB has gone in the reverse, installing 35-year-old Yousuf as captain for the New Zealand Tests in place of Younis, 32.

Without taking anything away from the 82-Test Yousuf, the stunning decision also shows the very limited choice the authorities have at the moment.

The option also augments the notion that if a younger player had replaced Younis as skipper, some members of the team would not have exactly felt comfortable.

Therefore, one strongly feels that above poor form or tiredness, something more serious and sinister led to Younis’ mysterious ‘break’.

The ever-present and growing player-power, undoubtedly, is a factor about which one can safely comment beyond mere scepticism. This long-standing, ugly feature has to be rooted out once and for all for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.

The awful way in which Pakistan capitulated in several games in Sri Lanka and their loss in the one-day series decider against New Zealand in the UAE last month is more than enough to substantiate reports of rifts in the team.

Through their experience, several former Test cricketers have also underlined it as the main cause for team’s poor show. It is only the current PCB administration which seems quite clueless, tentative in taking Pakistan cricket out of the present crisis.

The least it can do as damage control measure is clear up the issues that might be haunting captain-player relationship and work seriously to bring Younis back as captain while giving him appropriate authority.

As for Younis, it’s a now or never thing. Whatever grievances he may have against anyone, he should come out with a swift, direct response to all the rumours taking round.

If there are ‘troublemakers’ within the team, the onus is on Younis to discuss them with Ijaz Butt with a crystal-clear target, to lead Pakistan till the 2011 World Cup. It will certainly be a big service from him to Pakistan cricket.

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