FIRST IT WAS SAID THAT CRICKET IS THE GAME OF ASHES BUT IT IS THE GAME OF GAMBLE AS WELL CRICKET PASSION "LOVE FOR CRICKET"
Friday, August 19, 2011
I have overcome my weaknesses’
Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal said that he has worked hard to overcome his weaknesses and has kept himself busy studying opponents’ techniques, in a bid to outfox them.
Speaking at the training camp for the Zimbabwe tour, Ajmal admitted that batsmen had now started reading his doosra. However, Ajmal, who is the Test squad’s leading wicket-taker, added that he has also been working on his game and is trying to come up with other deliveries to compensate for that.
The off-spinner has been struggling recently in the death overs in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) particularly against left-handers but he claimed that he had overcome his problems.
“That’s a thing of the past and I have now overcome my weaknesses,” he said. “I change my game plan according to the situation now and I won’t struggle. Playing county cricket has been a great learning experience for me and I hope to maintain the flow in Zimbabwe.”
Ajmal, who has come back after a stint with Worcestershire, said that he would like to maintain the good form that he had displayed at the county and during Pakistan’s tour of West Indies, where he was the leading bowler for the national team. With Shahid Afridi no longer part of the team and Abdur Rehman being rested, Ajmal said that he was relishing the challenge of being the senior pro in the side.Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal said that he has worked hard to overcome his weaknesses and has kept himself busy studying opponents’ techniques, in a bid to outfox them.
“I believe that as a senior member of the team it’s my responsibility to encourage the youngsters. There is no pressure on me now in the absence of Afridi and Rehman. I need to take the youngsters along and take responsibility as a senior member of the team.”
Ahmed appointed assistant coach
Meanwhile, former batsman Ijaz Ahmed has been appointed the national team’s assistant coach by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). A PCB statement said that Ahmed had been appointed ‘on the request of the team management’ and will travel with the side to Zimbabwe.
Ahmed was part of Waqar Younis’ coaching team during the Asia Cup and the tour of England last year. Pakistan are due to leave for Zimbabwe for a one-off Test match, two Twenty20s and five ODIs.
Published in The Express Tribune
Thursday, August 18, 2011
just watched on TV . . .after meeting with Nawaz Sharif , Amir Sohail announced his entrance in politics through PML-N . .
The former Pakistan skipper and left-handed opener called on PML-N President Nawaz Sharif in Raiwind and expressed confidence in the leadership of his party.
Talking to Express 24/7, Sohail said the country needs seasoned and experienced leadership which he believes the PML-N offers.
“I have joined with an open mind and open heart, and there’s a long way to go,” he added.
Sharif welcomed him in the PML-N and called it a good addition to the party.
Sohail told the PML-N chief that he wants to work for the better future of cricket in the country.
Younus declines captaincy
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had approached Younus Khan to captain Pakistan in limited-overs in order to reduce the workload on Misbahul Haq but the former captain declined the request, insisting on need to concentrate on his batting and his desire to stay away from controversies.
The move was part of PCB’s move to either groom a young captain or fill the void left by the retirement of all-rounder Shahid Afridi. The board, following Younus’ refusal, has decided to keep Misbah as captain for the next three series even if the middle-order batsman fails to maintain his performance.
Younus’ refusal did not come as a surprise as the batsman, who led Pakistan to the 2009 World Twenty20 title before retiring from the format altogether, stepped down as the One-Day International and Test captain later that year citing the lack of backing from teammates.
He was recalled to the side midway through the tour of Australia but, by the integrity committee formed after Pakistan’s winless tour, was fined and banned indefinitely for creating disharmony in the dressing room.
He was then overlooked for the tour of England but earnt yet another recall — the series against South Africa in the UAE and has been a regular since then.
“Younus was asked to become limited-overs captain but he refused the offer straightway,” a top PCB official told The Express Tribune. “He said he just wanted to focus on his batting and was not ready to take captaincy as his wish was to stay away from controversies.
“We respect his feelings and won’t be forcing him to take the job. The board has now decided to rely on Misbah with the hope that he will perform and stay fit for a longer period. At least, he will be captaining the series against Sri Lanka and England in all formats.”
Malik not a contender
Meanwhile, in a reply to reports surfacing speculating another former captain Shoaib Malik to not only make a quick comeback to the national squad but also be appointed limited-overs captain, the official said that the PCB had not planned any such action.
“There are no such plans as yet. The possibility of Malik being named captain has not been discussed by the PCB’s think tank.”
Malik yet to provide remaining documents
A PCB official also added that the former captain fell short of providing a couple of important documents related to his bank accounts which denied him instant clearance in a hearing earlier this week.
“Malik provided around 90 per cent of the sought documents. He failed to submit a couple which delayed the verdict. Although the documents were not that important, the integrity committee cannot pass judgment on basis of incomplete documents and that is why he wasn’t cleared.”
Is Malik clean enough to play for Pakistan again?
Soon after the 2007 World Cup, Shoaib Malik was touted by Pakistan’s cricket chiefs as a long-term answer to the country’s long-standing captaincy problem.
The gutsy allrounder, then only 25, was over the moon after being installed as the national captain just weeks after Pakistan crashed out of the World Cup in the Caribbean at the first hurdle. Last year, he made headlines after marrying Indian tennis starlet Sania Mirza. At that time, life was looking set for the Sialkot-born player.
But things have changed drastically for the player since last summer. Today, Malik is a match-fixing suspect and it is not sure whether he will be allowed to revive his international career.
Malik, who has scored 1606 runs from 32 Tests and 5188 runs from 192 One-day Internationals, has not played for Pakistan since featuring in the Birmingham Test against England last August.
Though no official reason has been given for his ouster, it is generally believed that he is on a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) blacklist because of corruption suspicions.
Malik has claimed that he is completely clean and has been making efforts to prove his innocence so that he can be cleared for national duty.
On Monday, he appeared before a PCB integrity committee in Lahore in a bid to get its green signal. However, the committee which was formed by the PCB in the aftermath of an embarrassing spot-fixing scandal involving three of Pakistan’s leading cricketers deferred its decision and will meet again later this week to carry on its deliberations on the issue that also involves Pakistan’s Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.
While many see Kaneria — Pakistan’s most successful spinner in Test history — as spent force, Malik is a different story.
A former Pakistan Test cricketer told ‘The News’ on Tuesday that he believes that the PCB will clear Malik for national duty soon and might even think about reappointing him as the country’s limited-overs captain within the next few months.
“I can tell you that Malik will make a comeback as Pakistan’s one-day and Twenty20 captain,” said the ex-Test player, who requested anonymity.
Some might agree that Malik can make a return as Pakistan’s limited-overs skipper following the retirement of senior allrounder Shahid Afridi earlier this summer.
Afridi’s exit following a bitter fall-out with PCB has left Pakistan with limited captaincy options. The Board has to find a young captain considering the fact that current skipper Misbah-ul-Haq is in the twilight of his international career.
According to sources, even Misbah also wants Malik back in the squad.
Malik, who has also taken 21 Test and 134 ODI wickets, is confident that he can make a successful return to international cricket.
“I have given to the committee whatever I was asked to submit and it’s up to them to clear me for national duty,” said Malik. “If I am included in the team, then I am sure I will give a good performance because I’m a hundred percent fit. I believe I have a lot to offer to Pakistan cricket,” he added.
But any move to bring back Malik is bound to attract strong criticism. According to sources, Malik has so far failed to justify a transaction of 90,000 pounds made to his offshore bank account. “There is a huge question mark over Malik’s integrity and unless he proves himself completely clean, it would be absurd to bring him back in the team. Reappointing him as Pakistan’s captain will be criminal,” said another former Test cricketer.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
‘Time for new players to stand up’
Lahore: Pakistan cricket captain Misbahul Haq urged his team’s new talent to take advantage of the tour of Zimbabwe to rebuild the crisis-hit national side.
A new-look Pakistan play a two-day practice match in Bulawayo from August 28, then a Test at the same venue from September 1. They also play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and two Twenty20s on the tour.
Misbah will lead Pakistan in all three formats of the game after Shahid Afridi retired when he was dumped as ODI captain two months ago. Misbah said the new players must take their chances.
‘Chance to shine’
“All the new players who have taken the place of the seniors have performed at domestic level and this tour of Zimbabwe will give the
m a chance to show their ability at an international level,” Misbah told a press conference.
Pakistan have surprisingly rested pacemen Wahab Riaz and Umar Gul, and dropped Tanvir Ahmed. The selectors recalled Sohail Tanvir and Sohail Khan, and included fast-bowlers Junaid Khan and uncapped Aizaz Cheema.
Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, Pakistan’s successful bowler in the West Indies on their last tour, is also rested in favour of uncapped leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
“After a long time a number of seniors have left together, so every team comes across such times and then replacements are found by trying out some new players who can play like those seniors,” said Misbah.
Senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf lost favour with the selectors, while wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal, former captain Shoaib Malik and seasoned leg-spinner Danish Kaneria were left out over fixing suspicions.
Showing respect to the opponents
Meanwhile, Misbah denied Pakistan were not taking Zimbabwe seriously.
“We are not taking any team lightly. If we relax then we are in trouble and by giving chances to youngsters we are not experimenting because all these young players have come into the team on merit.”
Pakistan fly out to Zimbabwe on August 25.
On their return to Test cricket after five years, Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh in the only Test and are 2-0 ahead in the ongoing five-match ODI series.
After the tour of Zimbabwe, Pakistan play Sri Lanka in three Tests, five ODIs and one Twenty20 match in the United Arab Emirates in October and November.
Umar Gul
“I’ve increased my training and giving my best to regain the rhythm. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance against Sri Lanka and England. I feel I can serve the country for many years. Temporary setbacks come but one has to overcome them by positive thinking.”
Ahmed Shahzad
“It’s always difficult to make a comeback because you have to work twice as hard. I’m hopeful that I’ll get my place back after a good do
mestic season. I didn’t breach discipline. If that’s the case, I want to ask the PCB to tell me where I was wrong
bowlers who did hatrick in test cricket..
cricket basically become the game of batsmen in these days & also peoples enjoy when batsmen score runs in rapid fire...
but bowlers also have a charm in them they not allow batsmen to score runs freely..when batsmen score 100 or 200 this always made good impact at their careers just like when bowlers take 5 wicket haul or 10 wkt haul.. peoples love to see their bowling highlights time by time...in all three formats of cricket many bowlers are there who has done hatrick in them...recently followers in hatrick list are struat broad who did it in second match against india at brimingham ...
that was the 12 hatrick from english side as well this was the 39 hatrick in history of test cricket..
for cricket lovers i am going to discuss all hatrick of test cricket
.in test cricket first hatrick did by aussie bowler fred spoforth he did it against england in 1879 at MCG..
second hatrick by english man billy battes in 1883 opponent australia.
overall in test cricket 39 hatricks has been done in that 12 by england 11 by aussies ..pakistan & westindies 4 times each india & newzealand 2 times each..srilankan & bangladeshi bowler did just one time..
jimmy matthews only bowler of australia who did hatcik at away at manchestar against south africa..
three bowlers hughe trembell , wasim akram , jimmy matthews did hatrick 2 times in test cricket..wasim akram only bowler in the world who did this job as captain...even wasim akram & m. sami are only bowlers who has done hatrick in test & in one days..
in first test english medium pacer mouse aaloum...1930 did ..hatrick kiwi off spinner peter patherick in 1976 aussie bowler damien fleming in 1994 only bowlers in the world who has done in devut match ..
m. sami & jeoff lawson hatricks was based on bowled & l.b.w
in test cricket no bowler got four wkts in four balls only malinga did this in one day ..
in test cricket alok kapali is the bowler who did this job in young age against pakistan...19 years & 240 days ..in peshawar he did that..english spinner tom goodard ..did it at the age of 38 is the oldest bowler to do it....against pakistan irfan pathan at karachi only bowler to do hatrick in first over of test match..
where as westindies bowler marrew hughes only bowler to do it in three different overs..aussie bowler peter siddle did hatrick on the day of his birthday..wasim akram . a. razzaq, m. sami has done their hatrcik against same opponent srilanka...in test cricket..
interesting fact is that 800 test match wkts holder muralitharan has not done hatrcik in his career ..
stuart broad is directly involve in two hatrikcs in last ashses he was the last victim of peter siddle where as he got harbhajan ...only five bowlers who are directly involve in it.. shane warne. , daren gough , nowan zoysa, stuart braod ,harbhajan singh..
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