Umar, fast bowlers seal tight win

Umar Akmal's aggressive half century, combined with disciplined bowling efforts from Shoaib Akhtar and Saeed Ajmal, helped the Pakistanis to start their English summer with a six-run victory over MCC at Lord's on Sunday. Chasing a challenging target Aiden Blizzard kept MCC's hopes alive till the final over of the match. He put on 94 with Brian Lara - who managed a 32-ball 37 on his return to competitive cricket - but his sparkling 73 went in vain in the absence of any able support after Lara departed.

On a sun-drenched afternoon, when the whole of England watched in horror as the national football team fell apart against Germany in Bloemfontein, the Pakistanis started on a bright note with their opening pair of Shahzaib Hasan and Salman Butt rushing off the blocks against the odd new ball pair of Chaminda Vaas and Hamid Hassan of Afghanistan. Shahzaib was quick to pounce on the inexperience of his namesake as he repeatedly charged the Afghanistan quick to pick up easy runs.

The signs looked ominous for the hosts when the Pakistanis passed fifty in just the fifth over. Just then Shahzaib, in a rush-of-the-blood moment went to clear the leg-side boundary, but instead mistimed a pull which landed safely in the hands of Vaas behind square.

When Kamran Akmal and Butt fell in quick succession, the Pakistanis appeared to be in a spot of bother. But Umar has been one of Pakistan's best - if not the best - batsman in the last year and he unleashed his range of strokes while displaying a knack for smartly finding the gaps. Though the trio of Mohammad Nabi, Glenn Querl and Chris Harris managed to keep a tight leash on the Pakistanis, Umar remained patient and picked off any bad balls that came his way.

With the old warhorses Brian Lara and Sourav Ganguly in the batting ranks the target, though stiff, was not out of reach. Though Lara was playing his first match in nearly three years, he never showed any rust as his feet moved in line of the delivery with minimal fuss, and he played his strokes in his inimitable fashion. The raging cuts, the caressed late-cuts and steers, and the strong pull-shots all came stumbling out of the storeroom, as Lara overtook Blizzard, who couldn't have asked for a better birthday gift than standing and admiring the brilliance of the genius.

Lara had started off with a fluent cut against a wide delivery from Umar Gul, who was still warming up in his first over. He followed it with another boundary, as he walked across and pulled over midwicket. At the other end Blizzard was stealing singles and twos and charging the likes of Afridi, who he hit for a handsome six over widish long-on (his second).

Their alliance was steadily loosening the visitors' grip and to the delight of the 4000-strong crowd Gul bounced back with an inswinging yorker that beat Lara's high backlift before going on to splay the stumps. A year ago Gul was the best Twenty20 bowler in the world and he showed why he is rated so highly when he repeated the same delivery against Ganguly off the first ball off his next over.

The former Indian captain had already survived a close lbw appeal against Ajmal in the previous over. Shahid Afridi, like a predator, jumped on the nervous Ganguly, ribbing him with some sly remarks.

Ganguly was annoyed and shot back at his counterpart, asking him to stay away. Never shy to engage in mid-pitch banter, Afridi started walking towards Ganguly as the crowd started screaming excitedly. But Ganguly was not interested in any further conversation.

Blizzard maintained his calm and when 18 were needed in the final over it looked possible as he hit Mohammad Aamer over long-off for a six. But Aamer improved his length, pitching the ball much fuller to beat Blizzard's swing and end MCC's hopes.

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Umar Akmal lights up Pakistan batting

It was more gloom and doom than 'Boom Boom' for star one-day batsman Shahid Afridi after Pakistan's enigmatic captain suffered a six-ball duck on the opening day of their second tour game against Kent in Canterbury.

Instead of watching Afridi dispatch the ball to all parts, Kent and Pakistan supporters had to contend themselves with a workmanlike 153 from Umar Akmal as Pakistan recovered from a sticky start of 53 for 3 to rack up 360 all out in temperatures more akin to Gujranwala than the Garden of England.

Having elected to rest the majority of their first choice side for this first-class fixture, Kent gave a county debut to former Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Middlesex leg-spinner Mark Lawson and welcomed back seamers Dewald Nel and Robbie Joseph after long-term injuries. The hosts also included their former Academy all-rounders Matt Coles and Alex Blake in a side led by former Pakistan allrounder Azhar Mahmood.

Though understandably batting first in sublime conditions and against a makeshift county attack, Pakistan made a miserable start by losing four wickets for 112 in the opening session of this three-day friendly. Looking ill at ease against a seaming ball, the tourists lost their first three batsmen all to leg-before decisions. Umar Amin (2) played horribly across the line of a Coles off-cutter then Fawad Alam (20) went in the same manner despite the hint of an inside edge against Nel, who was bowling his first over for the county first team since April.

Then, in the next over Mahmood snared Salman Butt (26) to one that darted back in to the left-hander hitting him flush in front and leaden footed at the crease. In the last over before lunch Shoaib Malik (27) was enticed into a rash, wide drive against Lawson to meekly give up his wicket to a comfortable catch at backward point.

After lunch the sprightly Blake, bowling again after a host of back problems, took two wickets in consecutive overs, including the prized scalp of Afridi. The 21-year-old had Kamran Akmal (28) spectacularly caught at gully, one-handed by Coles diving away to his right off an edged drive then, without addition to the score, Afridi disappointed his local following once more.

In his four one-day starts when playing for Kent back in 2004 Afridi averaged a dismal 13 and faced only 24 deliveries, this time around he lasted barely seven minutes before an impulsive drive over cover sliced off an open face to deep backward point, where Nel took a good catch on the run.

While Afridi sloped off to spend half-an-hour in the St Lawrence practice nets, so Pakistan's seventh-wicket partners Umar Akmal and Abdul Rashid set about posting a sensible partnership worth 111 in 30.1 overs. Akmal moved to a 73-ball half-century with a six over mid-wicket against Lawson, but generally played well within himself until he had reached three figures. At the other end, Abdul Rehman was content to play second fiddle, batting a shade over two hours for his 30 runs and two boundaries.

His stay came to an end after the right-hander over-balanced when attempting a leg-glance against James Goodman only to be stumped by a good piece of work by Kent's understudy keeper Paul Dixey, who was deputising for the resting Geraint Jones.

Once safely to his 150-ball century with 15 fours and a six, the diminutive Umar Akmal opened up his locker of shots with four more sixes, three of which came from lofted-straight drives against debutant Lawson. Lawson finally got his revenge and brought an end to the right-hander's 268-minute stay to another Dixey stumping, this time after Akmal had advanced down the pitch only to miss with a wild swish to one he had hoped to deposit somewhere over the ropes at long-on.

Lawson, assisted by three stumpings by Dixey, duly ran through the tail to finish with 4 for 93 leaving Kent to survive the final over of the day and post two without loss by the close. Night watchman Coles scored their only runs.

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Zulqarnain aims to replace Akmal

LAHORE: Pakistan’s England-bound Test squad includes the surprise selection of Zulqarnain Haider as first-choice wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal’s backup with the rookie determined to replace his senior compatriot in the playing-eleven through good performances.

Haider, whose only outing for Pakistan was a Twenty20 against South Africa in 2007, was preferred over Sarfraz Ahmed for the series against Australia and England starting from next month.

“I had the faith to win back my place in the side and I am proud that I have been selected on merit,” Haider told The Express Tribune. “I am aware that Kamran Akmal is a senior player and a handy batsman but nobody is there to stay forever.”

Haider remains confident of performing in England given his experience in the local league.

“I’ve improved my batting and have been performing at the domestic level but more importantly I’m used to the English conditions.”

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Waqar hails Khawaja's selection

Waqar Younis, the Pakistan coach, has hailed the selection of Islamabad-born batsman Usman Khawaja to the Australian Test squad, calling him a role model for immigrants. Khawaja could make his debut against the country of his birth when Australia play Pakistan in a two-Test series in England in July.

"Now Khawaja has broken into the Australian team, I am sure if he performs well it will encourage other Pakistanis living and playing in Australia, because the system there is good for players," Waqar told AFP from Colombo.

Waqar, who lives in Sydney, said he had watched Khawaja play and was impressed with his talent. "He plays like the Australians do and it is great to see someone from Pakistan breaking into world's best team," he said. "He is an impressive talent and is in the Australian squad only because he has done well at the domestic level." Khawaja, who plays for New South Wales, scored three centuries and 698 runs at 63.45 in seven games last summer.

Waqar, however, warned Khawaja not to expect any preferential treatment from the Pakistan squad should he be in the XI in the two-Test series. "I hope he doesn't score much against us and my bowlers come hard at him."

Pakistan last played Australia in Australia in 2009 and lost all three Tests, five one-day games and a Twenty20 match. Waqar, who took over as coach after that disastrous tour, said facing Australia again would not be easy. "This is not going to be an easy series. As long as we remain positive, play to our potential and show mental strength we can surprise Australia. If at the back of your mind, you think you are playing Australia, which is a great side, you must also have a belief that you can play well and show mental strength. This is an area we are working on."

The first Test starts at Lord's on July 13 and the second at Leeds on July 21. Pakistan also play four Tests, two Twenty20s and five one-day matches against England on the tour which ends on September 22.

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Khawaja picked to face country of birth

Pakistan's players may wonder about the one that got away when they peer into the Australian dressing room during the series in England next month. Sitting there will be Usman Khawaja, a 23-year-old batsman, who was born in Islamabad.

Since Khawaja's family moved to Sydney when he was three, he has developed into one of the most impressive young batsmen in the country, sworn his allegiance to the quest for a baggy green, and become a qualified pilot. If he plays at Lord's or Leeds in July he will become Australia's first Muslim Test cricketer by appearing against his country of birth.

"When I first got told that I was going over to England that didn't even cross my mind," he said in Brisbane. "It [being a Muslim] doesn't cross my mind until someone brings it up. I am around the boys all the time and I never once feel like I am different."

Khawaja is currently on tour in Queensland with Australia A and he tried to remain cool when told of his selection in the 14-man squad. "I was a bit shocked, I had a feeling I was close," he said. Khawaja quickly told his excited father Tariq, who has increased his love of the Australian team as his boy became more accomplished.

Usman last visited Pakistan four years ago and is unsure where the loyalties of his extended family, including his maternal grandmother, will lie. He hopes they will cheer for him if he gets a game.

"I haven't thought about it like that," he said. "I am just very happy being in the squad." In England he will be on standby for the top four batsmen, but will mostly be there to gain experience for what could be a barrier-breaking career.

One of those left-handers who seem to see the ball in slow motion, Khawaja is rarely rushed at the crease and is treasured for his composed performances in the four-day format. (He has played only four domestic one-day games.) There has been a feeling around the state scene for the past two years that Khawaja's rise to Australian colours was inevitable and the elevation has arrived despite him not completing a full Sheffield Shield campaign.

New South Wales' strong line-up of internationals has contributed to him appearing in only 18 first-class fixtures for his state but, despite a mid-season broken thumb, he still managed three centuries and 698 runs at 63.45 in seven games last summer. Two of the hundreds came in back-to-back matches, with 132 against Queensland on a testing pitch at the Gabba and 107 in more comfortable conditions in Newcastle.

Like Michael Clarke, Khawaja went to Westfields Sport High School in Sydney and he has a similar build to Australia's Test vice-captain, weighing in at around 77kg and standing 1.77m tall. He plays for Randwick Petersham, the club Nathan Hauritz captains and Simon Katich turns out for when time allows, and has been in the same state sides as Brad Haddin and Clarke a couple of times.

He is as fresh as his young New South Wales team-mates Phillip Hughes and Steven Smith were on their first senior trips. "When I was a kid I dreamed of going on tour but I am not looking too far ahead," he said. "If I just carry the drinks the whole time, it doesn't really bother me. It's just exciting to be around Punter [Ricky Ponting] - I have never met him."

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Faisal Iqbal accuses PCB of victimisation

Javed Miandad's nephew Faisal Iqbal has accused the PCB of unfairly targeting him after being left out of the team that will play six tests in England this summer. "I'm really disheartened," Faisal told the News. "They have given me the shock of my life by discarding me without any due reason. It's pure victimisation and nothing else."

Faisal last played for Pakistan on the disastrous tour of Australia, where he averaged 24.25 in the first two Tests before being replaced for the third Test. His exclusion from the England tour has left him disheartened and he claimed his shabby treatment would serve as a deterrent to young players coming through the system.

"I've played as a replacement player for the last nine years," he said. "I've scored even in difficult conditions though the chances I was given were few and far between. I'm young and fit and have matured now but they have just discarded me without any fault of mine. Such treatment of players like me, who are loyal to their country, will dishearten the next generation of cricketers."

He also argued that he turned down lucrative contract offers from the ICL because of his love for his country, unlike some of the players named in the squad. "I just wanted to play for my country and give my best for it." Faisal has played 26 Tests for Pakistan since making his debut in 2001 against New Zealand, averaging a tad under 27 with one century and eight half-centuries

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Umar Amin's run-out 'unfortunate', says Waqar

The controversial run-out of Pakistan batsman Umar Amin against Bangladesh has again brought into focus the much-debated spirit of cricket.

Amin had punched a delivery to long-off and completed an easy single in the 22nd over with Pakistan coasting at 135 for 1. After grounding his bat, Amin started to walk across the stumps to take up his position at the non-striker's end because the bowler, Mahmudullah, was bowling from round the wicket. While doing so, Amin was out of the crease with his bat was in the air, and the bowler - not facing the batsman, and unaware of Amin's position - perfunctorily whipped off the bails. Shakib Al Hasan, fielding at extra cover, noticed Amin was out of his crease and appealed for a run-out. The third umpire declared the batsman out. Pakistan coach Waqar Younis, speaking to reporters after the game, termed the dismissal "unfortunate".

Younis said that though Amin was out according to the rules, it was sad his innings had ended in that manner. "I mean he was out, if you open the law book, he's out, but the way whole thing happened, it feels sometimes it was sad," Younis said. "He's a youngster, he's talented, he needed time out there, which I think he took. He looked very good, but it's just unfortunate."

Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, did not wish to comment on the incident. "I wasn't even watching, so I don't have a clue," he said.

The spirit of cricket had also taken centre stage during last year's ICC Champions Trophy when Angelo Mathews was recalled by England captain Andrew Strauss after he was run out following a collision with bowler Graham Onions while turning for the second run.

There have been several incidents similar to the Amin run-out in the past, the most recent being Muttiah Muralitharan being declared run-out during the Christchurch Test in 2006 after the stumps were broken once he rushed to congratulate his batting partner Kumar Sangakkara for completing a hundred. The man who dismissed Murali on that occasion was Brendon McCullum, who had been involved in another such run-out, of Chris Mpofu, in a Test against Zimbabwe in 2005.

Perhaps the most famous of this sort of dismissal is former England captain Tony Greig running out Alvin Kallicharran during the first Test against West Indies at Port-of-Spain in February 1974. Unbeaten on 142, Kallicharan watched Bernard Julien defend the final delivery of the day. He had backed up a few steps, but seeing the wicketkeeper flick off the bails to indicate the end of the day he continued to walk towards the pavilion. Greig then threw down the stumps at the bowler's end and Kallicharan was ruled out. The decision, however, was overruled after a two-and-a-half hour meeting at the ground.

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Wins will come soon - Waqar

Pakistan may have gone through turmoil in recent months, and suffered a league-stage exit in the Asia Cup, but coach Waqar Younis has said it will only be a matter of time before they start winning matches. Pakistan ended their campaign in Sri Lanka with a 139-run win against Bangladesh in Dambulla, after losing to the hosts and India.

"We are very close to being winners," Waqar said. "We didn't do badly in the T20 World Cup and even in this tournament. It's just that one extra step you need to take and start winning the games. I think it will come very soon. We got heaps of cricket after this. I think by the time we finish the England tour, or start the South African tour, we will start winning and we will look good. We still look a good side at the moment and these youngsters need a bit more time.

"In the subcontinent and Asia, I know it gets very frustrating very quickly when you are not winning. But now I feel like they look like one team. They look to win but it's not coming as we have seen in the recent past. But soon it will come."

Waqar said that he was happy with Pakistan's performance against Bangladesh and with their performance in the Asia Cup. "We are in a rebuilding process, with a couple of youngsters in our side. It's a great learning curve for them. We didn't qualify [for the final] but I know the boys performed extremely well. They batted well, bowled well and what they are missing on the field will come with experience."

He also praised the captaincy of Shahid Afridi and his contribution to the team. Afridi scored two centuries in three matches - against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - and signed off with a scorching 124 off 60 balls. "You always need your captain to be performing and the captain to be in form. Afridi played a superb knock. It's superb that he has scored runs and taken wickets that will really help the future of Pakistan cricket."

"Once we start winning it will be a different story. The wins are not coming but Afridi has got it in him. If the captain can go and play this sort of knock that shows that he's got the leadership qualities. It's just that a little bit more experience will do him a world of good."

Waqar was also pleased with the way Shoaib Akhtar was shaping up after returning to the national side following a lengthy absence. "Shoaib is still a little rusty and he needs more bowling. We are ready to give it to him in the mode of one-dayers and T20s," he said. "We'll go about him gradually and slowly. He bowled well in this tournament, quite fast and he's become a very intelligent bowler. I think he will come good in the near future."

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Siddons blames bowlers for drubbing

In a tournament that has witnessed two high-intensity one-dayers, all three matches featuring Bangladesh have been frustratingly one-sided. After going down by six wickets to India (116 balls remaining), to Sri Lanka by 126 runs, they were blown away by Shahid Afridi's hurricane century and lost by 139 runs.

The Bangladesh bowling has been toothless all tournament, managing only 15 wickets in three matches. Mashrafe Mortaza, their most successful fast bowler, has been a shadow of himself, and the supporting quicks have also been unable to check the runs. That has meant that when Bangladesh's spinners, the strongest suit of their bowling, come into the attack, the opposition is already away to a cracking start.

"Our bowling stocks are pretty depleted at the moment, with Mashrafe coming back from injury," Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, said. "[Chasing] 385, 315 and India would have made 350 probably in the first game. I'm pointing my finger straight at the bowling attack for putting too much pressure on our batting."

After being caned for 385 by Afridi and Co, Bangladesh's batsmen shut shop almost as soon as their top batsman Tamim Iqbal was dismissed in the eighth over. "It was an impossible target for us at the moment, we still lost five-six wickets getting to 245," Siddons said. "I'm not going to let anyone criticize the team for our approach. If Tamim had made 150, we could have chased 350-380, that was our plan, he went out there to be aggressive, if he had his day like Afridi, anything's possible but Imrul [Kayes] and Junaid [Siddique] had no chance of making 385 off their bat, no chance."

Siddons was largely satisfied with the batting effort though the side finished a long way short of the target. "We probably should have got 270 today, that should win most games for teams with a decent bowling attack," he said. "It is ridiculous to say 'why didn't you go out slogging', we couldn't have done that without getting all out for another score of 140."

The trouble for Bangladesh is the players that they have invested in, and given plenty of opportunities to, were off-colour all tournament. "Shakib [Al Hasan]'s definitely way out of form, Mahmudullah faced seven deliveries, didn't see the ball he reckons, didn't score off seven balls," Siddons said. "Mushfiqur [Rahim] failed three times in a row, so it was left to Tamim and Imrul for the whole tournament, it's disappointing, I hope they click pretty soon, we have done a lot of work on them."

The shallow talent pool in Bangladesh is also a cause for concern. "The 15 guys that we have carried for most of the year are the pool for the World Cup," he said. "Trust me there are no Sachin Tendulkars, no Virender Sehwag, no Dilshans we are leaving behind."

The team now has a week off before they head to England for the one-day leg of their tour. Unless the middle-order revives itself and the fast bowling proves more potent in the more helpful conditions in England, another drubbing awaits.

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Former players lambast non-consultative selection

The manner and nature of Pakistan's squad selection for this summer's tour to England has come under fire from members of the selection committee itself, who are unhappy with the Twenty20 and Test squad, claiming they weren't consulted over the composition.

The squads were announced on Sunday by the board after a meeting between chairman of selectors Mohsin Khan, coach Waqar Younis, manager Yawar Saeed and captain Shahid Afridi in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, where the Asia Cup is underway. Cricinfo understands that the remaining selectors in Pakistan were not involved or consulted at all in the choices.

A couple of key inclusions in particular - the recall of Yasir Hameed and Wahab Riaz and the overlooking of Younis Khan and Mohammad Sami - seem to have irked the selectors who are thought to have been against the decisions had they been consulted. The snub from the chief selector has led at least one of the selectors to ponder handing in his resignation.

One of the selectors claims he wasn't contacted until just before the announcement was made and that too only to be asked about the statistics of a player under consideration. The chief selector, it is claimed, wasn't prepared enough in the first place to make the selections. Mohsin, still in Sri Lanka, has not spoken to the media yet about the squad.

The squads' composition has also been criticised for lacking experience, particularly in the batting; the overlooking of Younis is a case in point. Banned indefinitely in the aftermath of the Australia tour, Younis was one of several players whose punishments were subsequently overturned on appeal.

But over the last couple of weeks the sense has emerged that the board will not let him back in unless he apologises for what they deem to be his mistakes, as the other returnees have done. Ijaz Butt, chairman of the board, said last week that Younis's return would require clearance from the board, an issue that wasn't deemed to be an issue at all with Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers.

"I feel Younis has been victimised," Iqbal Qasim, the former chief selector who resigned from the post in February after the Australia tour, said. "He fought his case and was outspoken against the treatment and was dropped."

The absence of Younis and Mohammad Yousuf - who retired from international cricket in protest at his indefinite ban - from the 17-man Test squad robs an already fragile batting side of their two most experienced and successful Test batsman. The pair have scored nearly 30% of Pakistan's Test runs since October 2004 and almost half their Test hundreds.

Even with the pair Pakistan have crossed 300 in a Test innings only 11 times in their last 30 attempts. Now the most experienced batsman in the middle order in their absence is Malik, who has played 29 Tests without fully cementing his spot in the side and is not a certain Test starter in any case. Imran Farhat, with 33 Tests, is the most experienced specialist batsman in the squad.

Javed Miandad, director general and regular critic of the board, was also left asking questions about the selection and the manner of it. "An England tour is always a difficult one and we're playing good teams," he told Geo News. "The conditions are such that you need experience because even they will be troubled, so new, inexperienced players also struggle. In the middle order there is no one to play a Test match innings. One or two experienced guys were necessary for the balance of the side, but apparently even the selectors here didn't know about the team."

Miandad said he would brief the patron of the PCB, President Asif Ali Zardari, on the matter. "The president is a cricket lover, he encouraged me to take up the job in the PCB for the betterment of the game," he said. "He must know what's wrong in the PCB."

Former captain Rashid Latif said that, along with Younis, Sami, Faisal Iqbal and Khurram Manzoor also deserved a place in the squad. "I respect the selection but four players - Younis, Sami, Iqbal and Manzoor - deserved places in the team," said Latif.

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Riaz, Hameed eager to make call-ups count

Left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz, who received his maiden call-up to Pakistan's Test squad for tour of England, and opening batsman Yasir Hameed, who was given a recall, are eager to translate their domestic form into success at the international level.

Riaz was at home watching television when the news of his selection came through and he was overjoyed. "I just couldn't believe my eyes when my name came up," Riaz told the website Cricistan. "I see this selection as a show of faith from the PCB and the selectors in my ability as a bowler. I'm in good form with the ball and I can only hope that I will carry this form onto the international stage with me."

Riaz made his ODI debut for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in 2008 and played five one-dayers and a Twenty20. He picked up two wickets on debut but, after a promising start, struggled in the Kitply Cup in Bangladesh in 2008, where he was taken out of the attack for bowling two beamers against India. Riaz last played an ODI for Pakistan in June 2008 but strong performances for the A team against England Lions in Abu Dhabi, and against Australia A and Sri Lanka A, brought him back into the reckoning. In six games during last season's Qaid-e-Azam Trophy, Riaz picked up 14 wickets.

Opening batsman Yasir Hameed was returning to the Test squad after a gap of nearly three years. Hameed's last Test appearance was against India at Bangalore in 2007 where he made 19 and 39. Hameed made 513 runs at an average of 42.75 in the Qaid-e-Azam Trophy and he said he had ironed out the technical deficiencies in his batting.

"You have to understand that the hardest part for a professional sportsman is to admit that he does have weaknesses and that there are flaws in his technique which need to be addressed," Hameed told Cricistan. "I've worked really hard on the problems I had against spin and I've done a lot of homework on this specific problem. As for my off-stump weakness, I've been using a tape ball to learn when to leave the ball and when to go for it. It's all about patience and application and I've been working hard on both those things."

Pakistan play their first T20 game against Australia in Birmingham on July 5, and the first Test against Australia at Lord's begins on July 13.

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Umar Gul returns for England tour

Umar Gul, the Pakistan fast bowler, has recovered from his shoulder injury and is part of both the Twenty20 and Test squads for the tour of England between June and September. Gul had picked up the injury shortly before the World Twent20, forcing him out of the tournament and the ongoing Asia Cup as well.

Twenty20 squad: Salman Butt, Shahzaib Hasan, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Umar Amin, Kamran Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Wahab Riaz, Fawad Alam.

Test squad: Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Azhar Ali, Umar Akmal, Umar Amin, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Zulqarnain Haider, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif, Wahab Riaz, Tanvir Ahmed.

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Pakistan eliminated in cliffhanger

The Asia Cup's marquee clash was a cliffhanger. The contest between India and Pakistan simmered tantalisingly, with one team edging ahead at several junctures only to be pulled back by timely strikes from the other. The ebb and flow went on until the match reached flashpoint during India's chase. Tempers flared, nerves frayed, batsmen resorted to the desperate, bowlers lost their radar and fielders fumbled as margins for error became non-existent. And Pakistan, fighting to stay alive in the Asia Cup, watched Harbhajan Singh, fuelled by adrenalin and his love for a scrap, heave the penultimate ball of the match from Mohammad Aamer over the midwicket boundary to trigger explosive celebrations in the Indian dressing room.

Pakistan, after the emotion subsides, will identify a period during their batting, when they let a critical advantage slip, as a factor that contributed significantly to their exit. Their top three - Salman Butt, Imran Farhat and Shoaib Malik - had built a platform from where a total of 300 was probable, but a collapse eroded their position from 144 for 1 to 159 for 4. A regular fall of wickets thereafter, and especially the loss of Shahid Afridi and Adbul Razzaq before the batting Powerplay was underway, gave rise to the possibility of a total less than 250. It needed a counterattack from Kamran Akmal to lift Pakistan to 267, a score well short of what they were on course for. It was the ninth consecutive ODI in which Pakistan had failed to last 50 overs.

This tensest of finishes - India needing three off two balls with tailenders batting - seemed improbable when Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni put on an exhibition of clinical accumulation during their partnership of 98, which left only 89 to get off the last 15 overs with eight wickets in hand. They ran hard, pierced gaps, and muscled pressure-relieving boundaries whenever the asking-rate crept over six an over. India were in control even after Gambhir's dismissal - bowled trying to cut a straighter one from Saeed Ajmal - with Dhoni, who had clouted a Shoaib Akhtar free-hit over midwicket for six to reach a half-century, taking charge.

India's advantage began to shrink between overs 38 and 41. Pakistan had 76 runs to defend at the start of this period and conceded only 15 in four overs. Rohit Sharma was then trapped by a Shahid Afridi flipper, but it was Dhoni's freak dismissal, in the 43rd over bowled by Malik, that made Pakistan the latest favourites. Malik drifted a friendly full toss down leg side, Dhoni reached away from his body and tried to paddle it fine. He was early on the shot and the ball ricocheted on to the stumps off the back of the bat. India now needed 58 off 46 with two brand new batsmen in the middle.

Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja nudged and pushed until 50 were needed off the last six overs and decided it was time to take the batting Powerplay. Afridi brought back Shoaib Akhtar, who was economical in his first spell but expensive in his second, for the fielding restrictions and he bowled an exemplary over, troubling both batsmen with quick short-of-a-length deliveries. Raina and Jadeja managed only one off him.

Jadeja was castled by Ajmal off the first ball off the 46th over and Raina was then joined by Harbhajan. Raina had struggled to make contact with Shoaib's bouncers and so he targeted Ajmal, cutting the ball to the boundary before heaving it over midwicket. That 13-run over narrowed the gap between runs required and balls remaining significantly and Ajmal hobbled off the field shortly after.

Pakistan had held the edge since Dhoni's dismissal but their grasp on the contest weakened when Harbhajan lofted Shoaib over long-on with impeccable timing, reducing the equation to 30 off 22. Shoaib, however, mixed slower balls with sharp bouncers to concede only three of the next four balls. In the 48th over, Aamer's direction failed him and he delivered two wides, but the batsmen managed only singles off the first four legal deliveries. Then Raina went deep into his crease to convert a yorker into a full ball and swung it powerfully through midwicket, finding the gap between two boundary riders.

Raina took on Shoaib in the 49th, pulling a short ball - this one didn't rise as much - for six to slash the equation to 10 off 11 balls. Shoaib, however, once again finished strongly, beating Harbhajan with consecutive bouncers off the final two deliveries. He followed up those fiery deliveries with an equally fiery verbal volley. It riled Harbhajan who responded before Billy Doctrove intervened.

With India needing seven runs off the final over, Raina took a single off the first ball, giving Harbhajan the strike. Raina tried to get it back immediately by stealing a bye but his desperate dive was beaten by Kamran Akmal's throw. Kamran was pumped: he had dropped Sharma earlier, and had a confrontational tête-à-tête with Gambhir over an appeal for a catch.

Praveen Kumar, India's No. 9, scored three off his first two balls and gave Harbhajan the strike for the penultimate delivery. Aamer ran in and pitched on a length, Harbhajan wound up, swung hard, and began to raise his hands in triumph as the ball cleared the ropes. And then he roared, and roared, and looked for Shoaib.

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Emotions hit fever pitch in iconic rivalry

There were vast swathes of empty seats in Dambulla, but even without a capacity crowd to incite the players, India and Pakistan played out a bare-knuckle brawl that had all the intensity of the more famous matches of the illustrious rivalry. It had been nearly three years since the teams were involved in a last-over finish, and the tightness of the contest brought out the sparks.

Most of all, you could feel the intensity towards the death. You could see it when Suresh Raina was standing with hands on hips staring at the dressing-room with the entire Pakistan team in a celebratory huddle a few metres behind. India's last remaining specialist batsman was waiting for a third-umpire's decision after a desperate dive to sneak a bye and get on strike in the final over.

It was in the previous edition of the Asia Cup that his international career got going, and here he was dragging India to the brink of the finish line in the headline-match of the tournament. A topsy-turvy match seemed headed Pakistan's way after the dismissal of MS Dhoni in the 43rd over, but a flurry of boundaries had brought it down to six off five deliveries. Raina was out by a whisker, and he swung the bat furiously at the ground before trudging off.

India still had a man who thrives in a scrap, and has several meetings with match referees to prove it. Harbhajan Singh's most famous moment with a bat in hand is when he squirted Glenn McGrath past point for two to clinch a riveting Test series in 2001. Today's display is likely to slot in at No. 2. He was already involved in a verbal volley with another man with a long disciplinary record, Shoaib Akhtar, after failing to connect with the final two deliveries of the penultimate over.

A charged-up Harbhajan was back on strike only on the fifth ball of the final over, with three runs to get. A big swipe sent the ball rocketing over midwicket. Arms outstretched, he let out a victory cry, making sure to turn to Shoaib at third man and give him the message. Raina, a picture of despair moments earlier, was the first man to embrace Harbhajan.

Such scenes hardly looked likely when the contest got underway. It had started out like any other run-of-the-mill one-dayer, with the first half of the match being incident-free. But once Pakistan had been pulled back from a potential 300 to a more manageable but still taxing 267, it was time for the strongest suits of the two teams to face off - Pakistan's bowling against India's batting.

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are among the most accomplished opening pairs in the world but they had a rough time in the face of a high-quality opening spell from Shoaib, frequently topping the 90mph mark, and Mohammad Aamer, cleverly utilising the left-armer's natural angle. Sehwag, a man who started the tour of New Zealand by whacking his first three deliveries for six, took an unusual 12 balls to get off the mark. Gambhir had trouble even with his go-to shot on the off side - the dab in the arc between point and third man - being beaten early and once bottom-edging past the keeper for four.

India lost a couple of wickets and the match switched to slow-burn mode with the side's two most versatile batsmen at the crease- Dhoni and Gambhir. They set about accumulating runs mostly in singles but it was a hard grind.

Gambhir is widely regarded as one of the finest batsmen against spin in India, but he was routinely found out by Saeed Ajmal, whose doosra he struggled to pick under the Dambulla floodlights. He outside-edged an offbreak past the keeper for four in the 19th over, and the very next ball was a doosra which cramped him as he went for the big cut. There was a let-off on 69 when Aamer dropped a dolly at long-off, and in the 34th over another Ajmal doosra baffled him to the extent that he was hit on the arm as he tried to glide it.

Gambhir had unfinished business with Pakistan: he had glided his way to 57 the last time these sides met, in the Champions Trophy in South Africa last year, when he was dismissed through a lazy bit of running. He set about correcting that by grafting his way to his second substantial score of the tournament despite not looking his fluent best.

As he soldiered on, things came to a head when a loud caught-behind appeal from Kamran Akmal led to an exchange of words. Dhoni quickly separated the two, but on more chirping from Akmal, Gambhir walked up to him and the pair stared each other down before the umpires ended the incident. Gambhir was bristling about it right through the drinks break. He was eventually dismissed by his tormentor of the day, Ajmal, for 83, but spared the heartburn of another defeat at the hands of Pakistan by the heroics of Harbhajan.

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Afridi praises team unity

For the second time in this Asia Cup, Pakistan went down after running the opposition close. Defeat against India eliminated them from the competition and stretched their losing streak to nine, just one short of their worst run, which came in 1987-88.

Their captain, Shahid Afridi, remained optimistic that the team would soon turn the corner. Pakistan came into the competition after a fresh round of churning in their set-up, with recalls for hard-to-manage players like Shoaib Malik and Shoaib Akhtar. Afridi felt the big plus from the matches so far was the united dressing room, unlike on some of Pakistan's recent tours.

"The state from which we are emerging, a new captain, some new players, keeping that in mind, this is a good improvement," Afridi said after the match, praising his players for their effort. "Hopefully the results will also start to improve. Consistency is not there in our performance, we showed a fighting spirit as a team, there was a unity on display, these are good signs."

Another bonus for Pakistan was the fitness of Shoaib, who looked less haggard than in the tournament opener, and delivered a testing spell to the Indian openers. Afridi felt Shoaib's workload needed to be carefully monitored to extend his career. "Shoaib bowled well in the first spell with the new ball," he said. "I think he can prolong his career till the 2011 World Cup, because we are playing a lot of Test cricket before that and I'm not giving him a chance against every team; like the game against Bangladesh day after tomorrow, he is resting."

Pakistan's tried out yet another opening combination against India, bringing in Imran Farhat for youngster Shahzaib Hasan, to partner vice-captain Salman Butt. The pair saw off the new ball, adding 71 in the process, and with No. 3 Shoaib Malik picking off the singles with ease, Pakistan looked set for a bigger score than the 267 they ended up with.

"The sort of start we got, we should have scored somewhere between 280 and 290,"Afridi said. "But they bowled well, especially their fast bowlers."

Afridi explained the rationale for bringing back Farhat after giving Shahzaib only one chance. "Early on it's not easy to attack on this wicket, Shahzaib is an aggressive player and has to change his game a lot here. I thought Farhat is more of a straight-bat player who takes his time, so we went with him."

After the dead rubber against Bangladesh on Monday, Pakistan embark on a taxing assignment in England, where they have full series against the hosts and Australia. "There is some tough cricket coming up, we will be playing Test cricket after a while, the problems of the past are not there anymore, and we are playing as a unit, let's see how it goes."

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Wasim Akram vs Rahul Dravid Ball of Century CRICKET

Wasim Akram Angry - Plumb LBW not given

Waqar Younis Breaks a Stump into Half!!!

Waqar Younis Hatrick - Clean Bowled Hat trick

Waqar Younis & Shoaib Akhtar

waqar younis wickets

Wasim Akram And Waqar Younis

Shoaib Akhtar recalled for Asia Cup

The two Shoaibs, Akhtar and Malik, made comebacks which would rightly be considered remarkable anywhere else but in Pakistan, as the PCB announced a 15-man squad for the Asia Cup, due to begin in Sri Lanka from June 15. There are a few new faces in the squad as well, but much of the attention will fall on the returning pair.

The fast-bowling Shoaib, nearing 35, last played for Pakistan over a year ago and had been off the selection radar since. But a sudden, impressive comeback in the domestic Pentangular limited-overs tournament and some weight-loss put him back in the frame. Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, was keen to have him in the squad and he underwent a rigorous fitness test yesterday, bowling as many as 12 overs. Though some management officials weren't entirely convinced of his general fitness initially, he seems to have passed approval.

"We got an okay from the medical team and Shoaib [Akhtar] was given a good report so he has been picked," Mohsin Khan, chief selector, told Cricinfo. "We took the both of them to nets yesterday and gave them an extensive playing and fitness test, for nearly five hours and I'm happy to say both of them passed it."

Fitness, of course, was never an issue with Malik. Only a few months ago he had been banned by this very board for a year from playing for Pakistan for being, vaguely, a poor disciplinary influence on the side. But after a frankly farcical judgment, in which the board said they monitored him over three months of no cricket and found him to be rehabilitated, he is also back in the squad.

Ijaz Butt, PCB chairman, had said last week that Malik was free to return for Pakistan though the board of governors had to ratify the decision first; whether or not that is the case could not be confirmed by the board. Mohsin did say, however, that all the selected players had been granted approval by Butt. There was speculation prior to the announcement that Afridi wasn't keen on selecting Malik because of their fairly-publicised differences; the issue will no doubt rear its head in coming weeks.

There is a first call-up to the ODI format for Shahzaib Hasan, the no-nonsense opener, who played a quiet yet key role in Pakistan's 2009 World Twenty20 triumph. Space has also been found for some new faces in the middle order. Both Umar Amin and Asad Shafiq have impressed domestically for some time and have hovered on the fringes of national selection. Both are rewarded with call-ups to bolster an order that will be missing Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf. "The pair has been on the selectors' radars for some time now," Mohsin said. "We've been very impressed by them and we all thought this is a good time to give them a go."

The arrival of this pair and the return of Malik means there is no place for Fawad Alam in the squad; given that he was one of the very few bright lights in Pakistan's last ODI assignment, the 5-0 whitewash in Australia where he averaged nearly 40 in three ODIs, it seems strange to reward him with a place among the stand-bys. "Fawad has a very bright future ahead of him we all know that," Mohsin said. "There is a lot of cricket coming up, in England, against South Africa, so there will be more opportunities later."

With the return of the two Shoaibs, the touring party is a potentially volatile one, threatening to keep Yawar Saeed, the team manager, busy. Kamran Akmal is the first-choice and only wicketkeeper in the squad and travelling with him will be Aaqib Javed, the assistant coach who made allegations against Akmal of deliberately underperforming in a PCB inquiry.

After various selectorial run-ins in his short stint, Mohsin was keen to stress that the composition of the squad left no stakeholder unhappy. "This is a balanced side and it has been selected with the approval of everyone - the captain, coach and selection committee - so there is no question of any disagreement."

Squad: Shahid Afridi (capt), Salman Butt (vice-capt), Imran Farhat, Shahzaib Hasan, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq, Umar Amin, Kamran Akmal (wk), Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer, Shoaib Akhtar, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman.

Reserves: Fawad Alam, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Zulfiqar Babar.

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Waqar calls for more youngsters in squad

Waqar Younis, the Pakistan coach, echoed captain Shahid Afridi's call for the inclusion of young talent for the upcoming Asia Cup and the tour of England. The squad for the Asia Cup is expected to be announced on Thursday, and Waqar said a rotation policy had to be put in place to try out the new players in a packed schedule for Pakistan in the next few months.

"We are starting a hectic period with the Asia Cup but I think the England tour is very important for the team, where we need to adopt a rotation policy and I think some new players will come into the fray," Waqar told reporters in Lahore. "I think the objective behind naming a number of youngsters is to encourage them and it is important that players be rotated because we have a series against South Africa in October-November this year as well."

Waqar backed Afridi as captain for the Tests, even though he hasn't led Pakistan in the format. "Afridi has not led Pakistan in Tests before," Waqar said. "But he conducted himself well in the World Twenty20 and unity and fighting spirit would be the key to success and he can achieve both from the team."

Waqar added Pakistan needed the services of Mohammad Yousuf, but admitted he couldn't be forced out of retirement. Yousuf quit international cricket following an indefinite ban imposed on him by the PCB. "Yousuf seems to be adamant on his retirement and although we need him for Tests, we cannot force him out of retirement," Waqar said.

Pakistan have also included Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik, two players penalised by the PCB in the aftermath of a winless tour of Australia, as well as Shoaib Akhtar in a preliminary squad of 35 for Asia Cup and the tour of England.

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