Pakistan Vs Australia 2010 in England - Fixtures and schedule

England is hosting Australia vs Pakistan series 2010 that starts from the 5th of July. Pakistan will be playing four warm-ups against MCC and three other English country before they start the 1st T20 on July 5. The series in England will host two T20s and two tests. After this series Pakistan will play against the host England.

Date	Match Details	Time		Venue
		GMT	IST
Jul 05 - Mon	Pakistan v Australia, 1st T20I	16:00	21:00	Edgbaston, Birmingham
Jul 06 - Tue	Pakistan v Australia, 2nd T20I	16:00	21:00	Edgbaston,Birmingham
Jul 13 Tue - Jul 17 Sat	Pakistan v Australia, 1st Test	09:30	14:30	Lord's, London
Jul 21 Wed - Jul 25 Sun	Pakistan v Australia, 2nd Test	09:30	14:30	Headingley, Leeds

England v Australia: Andy Flower demands improvement from England

"Without a doubt it is better to beat Australia 5-0 than 3-2 or 4-1," said Flower, whose England team go into Wednesday's NatWest Series match at the Oval with a 3-0 lead. "I think that the fact that we have won three games and that we can win another two, grows our self belief and can dent theirs."

The Germans managed 4-0 against the Aussies in the football World Cup but nobody beats them 5-0 at cricket, do they? Well, actually New Zealand did so at home in 2005. But Flower will not allow his team to entertain thoughts of emulating that until they have secured win number four.

"Australia are a fine side and have been a fine side for a long time and we pay them due respect," Flower said. "But it's important to play every game as well as you can when you are representing your country, so we're not looking at 5-0 just yet, we're looking at winning the next game."

So far England have looked like losing just once, during a crazy 20 minutes at Old Trafford where their middle-order collapsed. Otherwise, they have dominated with a swagger. Even so, while Flower reckons England would be ready if the World Cup began next week, he feels here is still room for improvement.

"The most obvious area to improve is on the batting front," he said. "We are putting Eoin Morgan under continual pressure in those middle overs and the top four must embrace the responsibility of staying in for longer and finding the balance between attacking and staying in. It's not an easy balancing act, but that's their challenge.

Morgan's rise as a finisher of zen-like calm has probably contributed to that pressure. With the Irishman ready to mop up behind them the early order have felt more confident to take more risks. You would think his presence might have liberated Kevin Pietersen from being England's main provider, but he has not looked any freer at the crease now his monopoly as top dog has been broken.

"It's a very healthy thing that the heat has been taken off KP," said Flower. "If it is the case that he thrives more on being the centre of attention then that is not a healthy thing. Cricket is a team game and while KP is a world-class player, he recognises the importance of his role within the team."

One other area attracting Flower's scrutiny is the new-ball bowling, so far the province of James Anderson and Tim Bresnan. To date, Australia's opening batsmen have posted opening stands in excess of fifty in every game. In the World Twenty20, Bresnan opened with Ryan Sidebottom, but as yet, the left-armer has been overlooked in this series in favour of Anderson.

"Part of our philosophy in 50-over cricket is to attack with the new ball, but we haven't been able to take the wickets upfront we'd have liked to yet," Flower said. "I wouldn't say it's an area of concern but it's an area of focus. You only really get one chance of the ball going sideways these days, and that's at the start, so we need to use it well."

In their three victories England have bowled first on every occasion, though without much evidence of swing. Today's match at the Oval, a floodlit game that starts at 1pm, is unlikely to buck that trend though Anderson does usually bowl well at the venue.

Save for their opening batsmen and bowlers, Australia need to improve in all departments if they are to stave off ignominy ahead of this autumn's Ashes. The addition of Shaun Tait has added telling pace to Doug Bollinger's nagging accuracy, but any pressure the pair create has not been sustained by the others.

"We definitely don't want a whitewash," said Shane Watson, Australia's most consistent batsmen in the series. "There's no doubt England are playing good cricket at the moment and that we need to step up as a group. We don't like to lose 5-0."

England’s Golden Generation - English Cricket Team provides Consolation

England’s footballers failed to live up to their ‘Golden Generation’ tag after their embarrassing exit from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But their cricket counterparts might still have a chance to live up to that label. While Capello’s men were getting knocked out after losing 4-1 to Germany.

The England cricket team was winning the third one-day international against Australia. Even though it was by one wicket, it gave England an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Success is now not only expected from the superstar footballers and anyway, it will now be another 4 years before England will have another shot at football glory at the world stage. In the meantime, however, the cricketers have made dramatic progress. After little more than a month of winning the ICC World Twenty20 in West Indies, they are now eyeing a 5-0 win over Australia.

Graeme Swann, England off-spinner, who was man of the match at Old Trafford with four wickets for 37 runs, has been central to England’s recent success. Swan was selected in England’s 15 man squad for the 2010 ICC World Cup Twenty20 in West Indies. Swann played all of England’s fixtures, including the final against Australia and was described as “the most improved cricketer in the world” by Shane Warne. Swann finished the tournament with 10 wickets at an average of 14.40, and his ability to adapt to different forms of the game and retain control over his bowling won widespread appreciation. His performance earned him the ECB’s Cricketer of the Year in May.

Swann was saddened by the football teams embarrassing failure, but was pleased at the possibility that the cricket team instead of the football team could be the golden generation. While in last year’s corresponding one-day series England were beaten 6-1 by the Australians, they are now looking to extend their run of ODI wins to 10 in a row, with victories at The Oval and Lord’s against Australia. England has resurged under the leadership of Captain Andrew Strauss and Coach Andy Flower. Swann credited former Zimbabwe batsman, Flower, with instilling confidence back into the England team and enabling them to perform on the big stage like they do in the county games. The team’s altered mindset was exemplified in the Twenty20, which they went on to win.

England very nearly lost the game, but in the end won by a single wicket. After Swann’s 4 for 37, England seemed on their way to a comfortable win, but a sensational collapse of six wickets for 18 in 38 balls made an Australian win a possibility. This could be blamed on the dismissal of Morgan, England’s star finisher from the first two games. Morgan teamed up with Captain Strauss to take England to victory with his fourth ODI century hanging in the balance. But Tim Bresnan kept his cool and got England over the line by one wicket and wrapped up the series at 3-0 with two matches still to be played. It was an important win and a consolation for the millions who had just seen their football team get destroyed at a score of 4-1 by the Germans.

A whitewash of Australia is within reach and on England’s agenda, but considering last year’s corresponding series which ended in a 6-1 defeat, anything is possible. Doug Bollinger admitted that it would be devastating to concede a one-day series whitewash to England, but was confident enough that Australia could regain some pride in the last two matches, after their late surge at Old Trafford to pull off an almost come-back. "Hopefully we can build on that. We've been very successful in the last few years and a couple of losses probably aren’t that bad even though nobody likes to lose.” said Bollinger. They start at the Oval tomorrow before the final game at Lord’s this Saturday.

India spoils Lanka's Asia Cup hat-trick dream

India swiftly erased a Sri Lankan dream at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium here on Thursday night. Pursuing a title hat-trick, defending champion Sri Lanka crumbled in the chase and India won the Asia Cup.

In a final that was headed just one-way after Sri Lanka was reduced to 51 for five while trailing India's 268 for six in 50 overs.

M.S. Dhoni's men scored steady runs and scythed through the host's top-order to make it a no-contest. India won by 81 runs to claim a title that it won last in 1995. Sri Lanka scored 187 in 44.4 overs.

Sri Lanka never recovered from a steady fall of wickets right from the moment, Tillakaratne Dilshan tamely popped up a catch off Praveen Kumar.

Worse was to follow when Upul Tharanga shouldered arms to Zaheer Khan while skipper Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, for once failed to brave a crisis.

Ashish Nehra (four for 40), a pale shadow in the earlier matches, sprung back to life and forced Jayawardene to fish outside off-stump. Nehra's night of joy continued as Mathews chased a wide delivery and Sangakkara pulled without punch. Thilina Kandamby and Chamara Kapugedera (55 n.o.) with a dogged 54-run sixth-wicket partnership and Nuwan Kulasekara's powerful blows, only managed to delay the inevitable defeat.

Earlier, every time the Indian batsmen threatened to cut loose, a wicket fell to stymie the steady run-flow. All the Indian batsmen got their starts, but only Dinesh Karthik, atop the order and Rohit Sharma, in the closing stages of the innings, planted their feet firmly.

Factoring in the pressure of chasing in a cup final on a ground with below-par lights, Indian skipper M.S. Dhoni opted to take first strike on winning the toss. India missed a solid opening partnership despite Gautam Gambhir and Karthik tiding past the first five overs.

A busy Karthik (66, 84b, 9x4) guided and cut the ball for fours against Kulasekara and Lasith Malinga. Not to be outdone and playing his 100th ODI, Gambhir unfurled a silken drive against Malinga and watched a chip-and-charge edge of Kulasekara pop out of a leaping Kandamby at first slip. Gambhir though failed to capitalise and was soon left stranded by Upul Tharanga's throw.

Karthik continued unhindered and the opener gritted through Angelo Mathews's tight first over and enjoyed his reprieve on 46 when Farveez Maharoof failed to latch on to the catch in his follow-through. Karthik had a brief ally in Virat Kohli, who like his earlier stints in the tournament, flickered and faded while adding 62 runs for the second wicket.

Malinga shines

Malinga, the pick among the Sri Lankan bowlers, nudged out Kohli with a short-pitched delivery. Dhoni then partnered Karthik and the Indian skipper loosened up against Maharoof and Muralitharan with clouts over mid-wicket. Another stumble was around the corner as Karthik, after bracing past Malinga's classic decoy – a bouncer followed by the yorker – miscued a slog sweep off Kandamby, who later prised out Dhoni to land a double blow on the Indians.

At 167 for four in 32.2 overs, the onus on shoring up the innings rested on Rohit (41, 52b, 3x4) and Suresh Raina and the two contributed a 50-run fifth-wicket partnership. Raina remained tentative against Malinga's bouncer while Rohit stood tall and hooked fine. Raina gained his breath against spin before losing his way against Malinga and the beefy strikes failed to materialise once Rohit perished in the slog overs.

India however managed a competitive total, which acquired an alarming proportion after the seamers struck in tandem under lights.

For Sri Lanka, the failure of its last match hero – Maharoof – was symbolic of a day on which its best laid plans were in tatters.

No bilateral cricket causes on-field spats

Former captain Moin Khan has said that emotional intensity witnessed during the India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash last night was the result of no bilateral cricket being played between the two countries since 2007.

“There is always a lot at stake in an Indo-Pak match no matter how much one tries to say it is just another cricket encounter. The high degree of emotion involved in the match was proof of that,” Moin said.

“When we regularly play bilateral matches the players get used to the tension and pressure situation. People on both sides also get used to accepting that in sports one team has to lose,” he noted.

The match, which India won by three wickets in the final over, saw verbal clashes between Kamran Akmal and Gautam Gambhir and Shoaib Akhtar and Harbhajan Singh.

The umpires, Billy Bowden and Doctrove had to intervene to separate the players. The Indian government has not allowed bilateral cricket ties.

with Pakistan since the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The Asia Cup match was only the second clash between the two arch-rivals since September last year when they played in the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

“But since we are now back again and playing against each other rarely, obviously emotions run high and we saw it last night,” Moin said.

The former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman, however, said that there was a responsibility on the players to control their emotional outbursts on the field.

“Personally I like these incidents because it shows how committed the players of both sides are to win. But at the end of the day we have to realise that there are millions watching the match and many youngsters who idolise the players. So the players need to be careful and don’t let things get out of their hands,” he said.

Moin felt that fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar should have shown more restraint in the final overs of the match.

“One should have remained calm and composed in the pressure cooker situation. Maybe the frustration of not getting the wicket got to him.”

Moin praised the Pakistan team’s overall effort and their fighting spirit and said, “though India won, the Pakistani players fought hard.”

Ind vs Pak Live: Watch the Most Awaiting Clash of Asia Cup

After a long a break of almost a year cricket lovers will see the two titans clashing once again. World famous enmity between India is loved by all when they come on cricket field. Whether it is ODI, test or T20 their collision is worth watching.

Coming towards the series today’s 4th ODI match of India and Pakistan at Dambulla will draw the route of Asia Cup for one of the teams playing.

Pakistan was impressive in the opening game against Sri Lanka but failed to carry it off. If they failed to win this match as well their innings will end here only.

Pakistan will suffer because of its batting. In the opening numbers out of form players have given the responsibility. Shahid Afridi is ignoring the inconsistency of Shahzaib Hasan and Umar Amin who can easily be tormented by quick seam bowling. He should encourage Kamran Akmal instead of these two rambling players. He himself has to look after his capabilities as he is also going out of form.

On the other hand India was not so convincing in its opening game but still managed to win easily because of poor performance of opponent Bangladesh. Its bowlers are not in mood to make any extra effort, fielding was also languid and top can be easily seen struggling for what it can easily get.

Virender Sehwag’s off-spin have saved the team unexpectedly many times therefore, Dhoni will crave more from his vanguard bowlers and will once again count upon Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to fight against Shoaib and his mates.

If India managed to win this match it can easily reach the finals or else have to face the host which will be a do or die situation for them.

India and Pakistan match doesn’t need any reason to watch. Their names placed together are enough of any reason to instigate the excitement among cricket lovers. To add up in the clash there is Virender Sehwag, watch him out to see whether he repeats himself to thrash Pakistan as he did in the test series.

He looked all set to explode after his faceoff with Bangladesh After enjoy himself with the ball against Bangladesh. He will be excited to make expiation against Pakistan’s seam bowlers, who will be equally glad to fight with him. Watch out for fireworks when Virender Sehwag meets Shoaib Akhtar.

Shoaib Malik must be apprehensive to be reckoned upon, given the peevish affiliation he has suffered with team management.

Shoaibs get a chance to make amends

“Is Sania accompanying you or will she be joining later?” Shoaib Malik merely smiles on encountering the query from a fan as he enters the team hotel. In between the one-year ban and the subsequent quick pardon, Shoaib got married to India’s tennis diva and that ensured he has been in news of late. But on Saturday, when Pakistan play Sri Lanka in their opening Asia Cup game, the former skipper will get a chance to hit headlines for his show on field.

Along with Malik, there was another man disembarking from the bus, who too was returning to international cricket after a long hiatus. Shoaib Akhtar in a tight T-shirt and jeans looks fitter than he ever was and, like Malik, isn’t keen to look back at past.

The two Shoaibs have had a roller coaster ride in international cricket and are hoping that the Asia Cup might see their career graph heading north. Both are without Pakistan Cricket Board’s central contract despite being the senior most members in the side and have paid heavy fines prior to their return.

Both have been called for chucking and have been branded as “negative influences on their team mates”. But in their new avatar, they want to start afresh. Akhtar is down a yard in pace but his reputation as one of the quickest bowlers in the world is still intact. He still runs in hard but it remains to be seen if he can run through a batting line-up. In the last one year, Akhtar has undergone liposuction and also had a knee surgery. He later spent time with long-time mentor Aaqib Javed and trainer David Dwyer.

Asia Cup 2010 - Schedule and Fixtures

Asia Cup 2010 starts from Jne 15 in the island of Sri Lanka. The tournament features four test playing nations of Asia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The finals is scheduled for June 24. All the matches are played in Dambulla.

Each team will play 3 matches and top two teams will fight in the finals. Here are schedule of Asia Cup 2010 Sri Lanka:

Date	Match Details	Time		Venue
		GMT	Pakistan
Jun 15 - Tue	Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 1st match	09:00	14:00	Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Jun 16 - Wed	India v Bangladesh, 2nd match	09:00	14:00	Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Jun 18 - Fri	Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, 3rd match	09:00	14:00	Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Jun 19 - Sat	Pakistan v India, 4th match	09:00	14:00	Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Jun 21 - Mon	Pakistan v Bangladesh, 5th match	09:00	14:00	Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Jun 22 - Tue	Sri Lanka v India, 6th match	09:00	14:00	Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Jun 24 - Thu	Final	09:00	14:00	Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium

Afridi for resumption of Indo-Pak bilateral cricket series

Following coach Waqar Younis' call for resumption of bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan, skipper Shahid Afridi also wants more encounters with the arch rivals. Afridi said India and Pakistan must play against each other more often, which would help in toning down the heightened tension between the two neighbouring nations.

"I have always enjoyed playing against India and I have been saying we should play more often against each other as it will only help improve relations," The Nation quoted Afridi, as saying. Pakistan and India last played in the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa in September 2009.

The newly appointed captain added that he was eagerly looking forward to the match against India in the Asia Cup, starting June 15 in Sri Lanka. Afridi, however, pointed out that Pakistan's opening match against Sri Lanka would also hold great importance.

"Certainly, the event will not be easy and the team would have to start it on a winning note to lift its morale. As a captain I would try my every bit to cash in on every opportunity to win," he said.

Earlier, Waqar had also lamented the lack of bilateral series between India and Pakistan.

"I want to see the two teams revive bilateral cricket ties and for now I am eagerly awaiting their clash in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka," Waqar had said.

"It should be a great match as any contest between the two teams produces top quality cricket. It is unfortunate we are not playing against each other more often as Indo-Pak matches are watched by people all over the world and they are great for the sport," he added. India and Pakistan are scheduled to fight it out on June 20 in Dambulla.

Pakistan Cricket Board waiting for Muhammad Yousuf to return

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has kept the door open for former skipper Muhammad Yousuf who has been asked to rethink about his decision to retire in order to become part of the national team.

The PCB has already given relief to five of his teammates it penalized heavily in the aftermath of a disastrous tour of Australia last year and is anxiously waiting for Yousuf’s comeback.

After retracting the indefinite ban on former skippers Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan, Irfan Qadir, an independent arbitrator hearing appeals of the banned players, has asked the board to review Yousuf's ban so that he is "treated at par with the other players in these appeals”.

In response, the PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt said that PCB has already informed Yousuf that he can play for the side if he comes out of retirement. "Yousuf has not appealed, he has retired. We have sent messages to him through others that if he takes back his retirement, he can play for Pakistan again. But he declined that offer," said Ijaz Butt.

Taylor, Masakadza flay lacklustre India

A listless India received their second mauling in a week at the hands of hosts Zimbabwe, who crushed them by seven wickets in the ongoing cricket tri-series here on Thursday. In a shock repeat of the tournament opener, India dished out yet another pathetic display in all three departments of the game to suffer a crushing defeat with 11.4 overs to spare that seriously jeopardised their chances of reaching the June 9 final.

Put into bat, India’s famed line-up came out with a shoddy display to crawl to a below-par 194 for nine in 50 overs. Things, in fact, could have been worse but for Ravindra Jadeja’s gritty 72-ball 51 down the order. India needed to bowl out of their skin to defend the paltry total but Zimbabwe cashed in on a steady start and cruised to 197 for three in 38.2 overs to humble their opponents. This was also India’s first back-to-back defeat against the minnows.

For Zimbabwe, Brendan Taylor (74) and Hamilton Masakadza (66) scored bulk of the runs with their 128-run opening partnership in 26.3 overs as the hosts bagged five points, including a bonus, from the match.

They now have nine points from three matches that brightened their chance for a place in the final.

India now must beat Sri Lanka on Saturday and then wait for the outcome of the islanders’ match against Zimbabwe on Monday for a place in the final.

Needing less than five runs an over, Zimababwe made a slow but steady start with Masakzada and Taylor shunning risk in the first half hour before stepping up the tempo once they settled down.

Taylor, who played some exquisite shots including a six off Umesh Yadav, reached his fifty in the 17th over off 59 balls with a single off Jadeja.

India could break the Zimbabwean opening stand in only the 27th over with Ojha removing Taylor who holed out to long-off fielder Murali Vijay but not before taking the home side to the threshold of victory.

After Taylor was out, Masakzada took upon himself the responsibility of maintaining the momentum. Once he reached to his fifty, Masakzada hoisted Amit Mishra for two successive sixes in the 30th over to raise the 150 of Zimbabwe innings.

Masakadza was out in the 32nd over of the bowling of Jadeja with Virat Kohli taking a stunning catch.

Jadeja (2/27) got his second wicket in the form of Charles Coventry (20) before captain Elton Chigumbura (16 not out) and Tatenda Taidu (13 not out) took Zimbabwe home comfortably.

Earlier, Jadeja’s 51 was the only face-saving performance in an otherwise spineless batting display as India managed a meagre 194 for nine.

India failed to recover from a slow start and lost wickets at regular intervals to end their innings below 200-run mark.

Jadeja scored his second half-century of the tournament to prop up the innings after a disciplined Zimbabwean attack reduced India to 127 for seven in the 37th over.

The left-hander stitched a crucial 48-run eighth-wicket stand with Ashok Dinda (16) and hit three fours and two sixes during his 72-ball knock.

Off-spinner Greg Lamb was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers with figures of three for 45 from his 10 overs, while Raymond Price, captain Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer and Andrew Blignaut chipped in with a wicket apiece.

The visiting openers Dinesh Karthik (33 off 47) and Murali Vijay (21 off 56) found the going tough and India could reach their fifty in the 15th over.

Finding it difficult to score runs with conventional shots against the Zimbabwean spinners, Karthik went for a reverse sweep off Lamb only to top-edge a dolly to wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu.

Vijay’s struggle also came to an end an over later with Lamb outwitting the right-hander with a drifter, which found the edge of his bat and went straight onto Taibu’s safe hands.

Back-to-back centurion Rohit Sharma (13) and skipper Suresh Raina (3) fell prey to Zimbabweans’ sharp fielding while Virat Kohli (18) fell to a soft dismissal and Yusuf Pathan (15) was caught plumb in front of the wicket by Price.

Jadeja and Dinda, however, batted sensibly and gave some respectability to the Indian innings with a 48-run partnership. The duo played cautiously and mixed one and twos with occasional boundaries to give the Indian bowlers something to bowl at.

Pakistan name Shoaib Akhtar in Asia Cup squad

The 34-year-old has not played for Pakistan since the limited-overs series against Australia last May, and his recall comes as a surprise after he had been overlooked for a central contract in March.

Former captain Shoaib Malik was also named in the 15-man squad after his successful appeal last Friday against a one-year ban imposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Both players were confirmed for the four-nation tournament after passing rigorous medical checks yesterday.

"Akhtar and Malik passed fitness tests and hence were included in the squad and it's a balanced squad," said PCB chairman Ijaz Butt.

"He (Akhtar) was bowling extremely well. I saw him bowling six overs and I am more than satisfied with his fitness."

Three uncapped players were also called up with Shahzaib Hasan, Umar Amin and Asad Shafiq yet to play a one-day international.

Pakistan will play Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh in the one-day international tournament in Dambullah from June 15-24.

The tournament will be the first time Shahid Afridi leads the team since being confirmed as skipper in all formats last month.

Pakistan squad: Shahid Afridi (captain), Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Shahzaib Hasan, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Amin, Asad Shafiq, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal.

Afridi for inducting youth in Asia Cup team

Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, has asked for the infusion of youth for the Asia Cup starting in Sri Lanka on June 15. "We should have three to four new players along with the seniors so that we can strike the right balance in the one-day side. I think the time is right to start grooming and giving exposure to some of our young lot because we also have to keep the 2011 World Cup in mind," Afridi said. Afridi was reacting to a query over the omission of 19-year old allrounder Hammad Azam from the 35-member long list of probables for the Asia Cup and the tour of England.

He said that neither he nor team coach Waqar Younis had a say in the selection of the probables. "The selectors had picked that squad but as a matter of policy myself and the coach want to give exposure to young players so that they can provide stable support and back up to the seniors in future," he said. Afridi refused to comment on the controversial inclusion of Shoaib Malik in the list, following the reversal of his ban after being accused of causing unrest within the side. "It is something that concerns the board. As far as I am concerned whoever is eligible for selection is an important player for me," Afridi said. Yawar Saeed, the manager of the squad, was confident that the team would not face any problems over Malik's return. Saeed was not with the team during the tours of Australia and NZ. after which Malik came in for harsh criticism from Afridi, former captain Mohammad Yousuf, Intikhab and Abdul Raquib, for his attitude. "All these players have played before when I was manager and I faced no problems at all from them.