World Cup Trophy made of EGG-SHELLS!

With cricket mania gripping the nation, S. Durga Shankar, an eggshell sculptor in Vishakhapatnam city of India's southern Andhra Pradesh state prepared a miniature of the World Cup trophy.Shankar made...

Sri Lanka need Murali and Malinga to hit ground running

The co-hosts were one of the pre-tournament favourites to win the showpiece but Saturday's 11-run defeat by Pakistan exposed some glaring weaknesses in their bowling armoury. Muralitharan should have been trapping rival batsmen with his mystifying powers of flight and spin but has instead been leaking runs to rank outsiders such as Canada.In the first match he was the most expensive of the Sri Lankan attack. The off-spinner's figures of 2-38 at the cost of 4.22 against a bunch of part-timers in...

Cricket World Cup matches shown free to public on giant screens in Sri Lanka

Can’t find a ticket for Saturday’s Group-A ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 clash between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Colombo? No problem! Catch the action on a giant screen, with the papare playing in the...

Pakistan kick out Kenya (Highlights)

Pakistan opened their account in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 with a massive victory over Kenya by 205 runs.Younus Khan hits the bull's eye. A total of 17 wickets were fallen during the match, ten of Kenya and seven of Pakistan. Here is the highlights of the match. The package has been compiled by ESPN Star Spor...

Pakistan Cricket abandons 'tainted trio'

Banned by the ICC and facing criminal charges in England, the trio of Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Aamir have been dealt another blow with the Pakistan Cricket Board asking them to fight their legal battles independently.Butt, Asif and Aamir have been given clear indications by the board that it can't help them out in fighting their case in the magistrate's court in Westminster on March 17 – the date the three have been asked to appear to face the charges.The Scotland Yard has charged...

Pune fans give cricket World Cup opener a miss

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is just two days away, but Puneites do not seem interested to travel to Bangladesh to cheer Team India on February 19. Travel agencies said so far no one from the city has made any bookings for Bangladesh.“People do not want to go to Bangladesh, probably because it is not a tourist hot spot. Besides, tickets for the first match are not available online and have to be purchased from retail outlets in Bangladesh. This could be another reason why not many are interested...

India has a great opportunity to win World Cup: Mongia

Nayan Mongia was one of the best wicketkeeper-batsmen India produced. He figured in the 1996 and 1999 editions of the World Cup and endeared himself to many with a competent job behind the stumps.Since...

Time for Pakistan to fight like cornered Tigers

The social landscape in Pakistan is dotted with a myriad of cricket games, crammed in restricted space, throughout the land.Although the poorer regions -such as Balochistan, interior Sind and southern...

World Cup axe puzzles Tanvir

Tanvir, who was said to be suffering from a knee injury, was deemed unfit by the Pakistan Cricket Board's medical team and was replaced by fellow left-arm seamer Junaid Khan. "It is hugely disappointing...

ICC confirms Junaid as replacement for Tanvir in Pak squad

The International Cricket Council on Wednesday approved Junaid Khan as a replacement player for the injured Sohail Tanvir in the Pakistan squad for the World Cup starting later this month in the sub-continent. The ICC has conveyed the confirmation by Event Technical Committee of the Cricket World Cup 2011 to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), a statement said.Junaid will replace Tanvir, who is suffering from a knee injury. The injured player was declared unfit by PCB which has sought seek a replacement...

Cricket-New Zealand coach optimistic despite team's poor form

Recent results suggest coach John Wright is being overly optimistic about his New Zealand side's chances at the cricket World Cup when he talks about reaching the quarter-finals. "You just have to get through the group phase," Wright told Reuters."We are playing teams that we have to beat, then we have got Sri Lanka, Australia and Pakistan and we have to try and get (results in) some of those games and that gets you to the next stage, then she's a one-off situation and that's exciting."Some of those...

Cricket: One-day win offers hope for World Cup

The thick fog which had settled over New Zealand's one-day game has lifted, if just a shade. The 15-man squad is off to India tomorrow to prepare for the World Cup. In itself, the 57-run win over Pakistan...

A right decision, finally

After taking ages, the reasons best known to the PCB and its selection body, the PCB finally announced that Shahid Khan Afridi would lead Pakistan in the cricket's most coveted trophy - the World Cup. Although the selection body plays role of a dummy in almost all the decisions, yet every sports lover in Pakistan is fully aware that all affairs in the PCB are run by one man and that is its Chairman Ijaz Butt.All the nations who are taking part in this mega event, which is set to be played in India,...

Pakistan cricket trio brace for bombshell decision

Former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt has dismissed claims he will receive a life ban for his role in cricket's alleged spot-fixing scandal. Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Asif and teenage quick...

Imran Khan backs India to lift World Cup

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan feels India is the favourite to win the upcoming World Cup. Khan, who led Pakistan to a World Cup triumph in 1992, says “India stands the best chance” because of its...

Cricket: Pakistan eyeing series victory

Pakistan can wrap up their ODI series against New Zealand with victory in Hamilton tomorrow after a topsy-turvy, two-wicket win in game four last night. Needing 263, Pakistan got there after some...

PCB to name Pak captain for World Cup 2011 on February 4: Ijaz Butt

The Pakistan Cricket Board will announce the team captain for the forthcoming World Cup on February 4, a day before the final match of their ongoing one-day series against New Zealand. "We will announce the captain on February 4, that is decided now," the Daily Times quoted PCB chief Ijaz Butt, as telling Pakistani media persons in Napier.Some former cricket greats are backing Pakistan's Test captain Misbahul Haq to replace incumbent limited-overs skipper Shahid Afridi as Pakistan's captain for...