Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Kamran denies Zulqarnains allegations

Wicket keeper of National Cricket Team Kamran Akmal denied the statement of Zulqarnain Haider about involvement of his father-in-law in gambling. Kamran said that statement of Zulqarnain is wrong and he has to provide the evidences otherwise; he would have to face court of law.

He said that any member from his family even could not think about this cheap activity. Talking to a private TV channel Kamran said that he requests the government to investigate the matter and should punish the responsible.

He said that statement of Zulqarnain is a big allegation, adding that after consultation with his adviser Saood Cheema he would think for his next strategy. Kamran said that he never had a quarrel with Zulqarnain in domestic and international cricket, adding that he do not know that why Zulqzrnain making these allegations.

He said that before the World Cup PCB conducted an inquiry and board allowed him to play cricket after clearing him from the charges of gambling

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Cricket-Back to school for Pakistan players, coaches in corruption fight

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has launched a program to educate cricketers and officials on how to avoid corruption and be on their best behaviour in the sport. "We have held lectures for all the regional teams including coaches who are part of the domestic structure and also for the national under-19 and A team players and support staff," former test captain Wasim Bari, who heads the program, told Reuters.

Participants are given lectures on the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption code and the PCB code of conduct. "We are also telling them how to behave in a dressing room, how to interact with strangers and outsiders. How to avoid getting lured into corrupt practices. We are preparing them for international cricket."Banned trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were not allowed to take part in the program.

"Since they have appealed against their bans the matter is technically subjudice," said Bari. "So we can't involve them in any program at the moment."

The trio are serving minimum five-year bans from the ICC's anti-corruption tribunal for their role in a spot-fixing scandal during last year's tour to England.

The controversy sparked a major debate in Pakistan on whether the PCB was doing enough to educate the players on anti-corruption and code of conduct measures. The PCB official said the lectures were delivered in the national Urdu language and players and officials were encouraged to take part in question and answer sessions.

"We have also distributed a manual based on the ICC anti-corruption code and our own code of conduct in Urdu in all the regions," he added. The PCB also plans to hire foreign experts in future to give lectures.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Talks to restore Pak-India cricket after IPL: PCB

Chief Operating Officer PCB Subhan Ahmed has said that the board is in contact with Indian cricket board and that official dialogue to restore Pak-India cricket series would resume after IPL.

Talking to media here, he said if both the teams bring minor changes to their schedule Pak-India series would be possible this year. To a question, chief operating officer said Zulqarnain Haider has yet to response PCB’s letter. He further said that PCB is in contact with ICC task team and soon there would be good news about restoration of international cricket in Pakistan.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Indo-Pak cricket? BCCI’s response is tepid

If the World Cup semi-final was any indication, cricket fans on both sides of the border are eager to see arch-rivals India and Pakistan play each other again. But while there are reports of a possible resumption of bilateral cricket ties, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is playing it straight, saying there is no window to squeeze in the proposed three-ODI series.

The BCCI officials expressed ignorance of such a proposal. “We have not received any instruction from the government,” vice-president Rajiv Shukla told DNA. “I don’t know. You people seem to know more than I do,” said BCCI secretary N Srinivasan.

Top board officials had a long teleconference on Thursday, but refused to comment. The BCCI is believed to have convened a meeting of the working committee on April 27 where a formal decision may be taken. But officials say the Indian team’s schedule is too tight to make time for the tour.

The IPL will be followed by a tour of the West Indies and then England. In September, there is the Champions League T20, followed by return tours by England and the West Indies between October and December. In January-February, India will undertake a tour of Australia.

As first reported, the BCCI might agree to the scheduled bilateral series next March-April. The board could also find a 10-day window in September, but security is an issue.

A BCCI official said it is not easy to conduct a series against Pakistan. “A lot of emotions are involved. We also have to see the player work load. But if the government thinks cricket is important to India-Pakistan relations, why so many government departments from the IB to ED and from Customs to Central Excise after us,” the official asked.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Past tussles forced me away: Miandad

Miandad was tipped to take up the role after getting a backing from limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi but decided against taking the position. While Miandad blamed the past for his refusal, it was learnt that the PCB’s reluctance to remove Waqar Younis as the head coach and Miandad’s role as the former fast-bowler subordinate was the reason behind his refusal.

“I’ve been offered the coaching role before and I had taken it up as well but there were certain things that happened due to which I will not coach again,” said Miandad after Pakistan’s training session in Lahore. “I was sacked on various occasions in the past. When the team was in the process of rebuilding in 2004, the board’s then-chairman Shahryar Khan sacked me.

“So it goes to show that Pakistan cricket basically is in trouble not just due to the players but also because of the management.”Past trouble

Miandad, whose batting average never dropped below 50 during the 20 years as a cricketer, has had three previous stints as coach, with the last term ending in 2004.

“In the past, the management never really cared about the future. They didn’t even think about where the sport was heading. They just didn’t want to think about it.”

The former batsman added that the team lacks quality batsmen and that the management should take steps to counter this problem.

“Today we have no quality batsmen in the squad and that’s why we’re choosing the same batsmen who keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. This practice has been adopted because we don’t have any backups in the first place.”

Call for the merit system

Miandad stressed that the players should realise their responsibility and fight for their spot in the side through performance rather than finding a way through nepotism. “The players should realise they need to make it to the squad on merit. Whoever performs remains in the team and if we follow that system, I assure you that everything will be on track.”

Too many coaches affect performance: Miandad said that he believed extensive coaching staff can only create confusion and not cause an improvement. Pakistan, in the past, have had a fielding and bowling coach apart from the head coach.

“I’ve always been against having numerous coaches as it just ends up creating a lot of confusion. Also, when you lose, the blame-game starts. Therefore, there should be a coach who is fully authorised and responsible. Also, what will a batting coach do? You have a fielding coach already and see how much that has helped.”

He insisted that a plan for the future should be made and the management should see why those players unable to deliver are being selected repeatedly. “You’re not here to learn, you’re here to deliver for the country and one must give his 200 per cent in order to reach the top level.”

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Afridi vows better show in Windies

Pakistan Captain Shahid Afridi has said that Pakistan cricket team would demonstrate better performance in the upcoming West Indies (WI) tour as the players are playing cricket with confidence. Afridi in a private news channel interview admitted mistakes that he and his team committed in semi-final of the World Cup, saying the mistakes done in the match let his team down.

Thanking the whole nation for encouraging and supporting cricket team on better performance in the World Cup said: “We will further improve our performance and will not let down the nation during the West Indies tour,” he added.

To a question he said, Junaid Khan would be a match winning bowler in future adding, Umar Gul, Umar Akmal, Wahab Riaz and Asad Shafiq are very good players. To another question he said, Imran Khan as a captain had the support of all the main players of team: “I also enjoy the support of the key players,” he added.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi insisted that he had no immediate plans to retire from international cricket.

“While the 2015 World Cup is still a long way away and I am presently looking at the Twenty20 World Cup that will be held next year,” he stated. The semi-final loss to India in the World Cup continues to rankle Pakistan’s ODI captain Shahid Afridi who said it was a mistake to position himself in the lower-half of the batting order in the high-voltage game.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Cricket merchandize sale hits top gear after victory

Seventy-two hours after the big night, the sale of India jerseys and cricket gear continues unabated in merchandise shops at prime locations across the city. Interestingly, India's glorious achievement at the ICC World Cup is expected to rub off on the upcoming IPL tournament. A new stock of IPL merchandise is expected to hit the market once the preliminary matches begin on Friday , benefiting all the teams that have hired India's playing 11.

The cost of ICC-approved World Cup merchandise runs into hundreds or thousands of rupees with jerseys, caps, bandanas, bats and balls costing anywhere from Rs 300-20 ,000. However, after having spent thousands of rupees on organizing private screenings, purchasing fireworks and splurging on beer, few are counting petty change spent on memorabilia.

The two-storeyed Total Sports at Dadar TT is sold out. "Not a single India jersey is available. We are turning customers away," says storeowner Tulsi Kataria. The craze has hardly dimmed 72 hours later. "In fact, it is only now that the country is soaking in the thrill. Apart from bats and balls, demand is picking up for complete cricket kits as well as accessories like caps and bandanas," Kataria says.

Here, a cricket kit costs between Rs 5,000-50 ,000,season balls and bandanas Rs 300 while cricket bats come for nothing less than Rs 15,000. Nike's blue India jerseys earlier came in one version costing Rs 2,500 but now that company has issued another range that comes for Rs 899.

The buzz is vibrant at Hill Road in Bandra. "The craze has not petered out," says V Maurya of Legend Sports. "The demand for India tees and cricket kits has peaked in recent days and even on Tuesday, fans arrived to purchase outfits, bats and balls." Legend also stocks jerseys worth Rs 400, bats for Rs 1,000 and helmets for Rs 700.

In Vile Parle (E), Akshay Badhe of GK Sports says, "Demand for sporting goods does rise in April once exams are over. Of course the World Cup victory has spurred sales, and once the IPL merchandise arrives , we could see another robust season," he says.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Cricket Australia backed minnow ban‎

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced four minnow nations won't contest the next World Cup, to be staged in Australia and New Zealand in 2015. Only the 10 Test playing nations - Australia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies and Zimbabwe - will feature.

The ICC move comes amid criticism of the most recent World Cups for protracted length and lopsided games between the traditional powers and weaker ICC associate nations. Ireland, which defeated England in the last tournament and Pakistan in the 2006 tournament, have slammed the decision by the ICC. Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said Australia's schedule for the World Cup was "unsatisfactory''.

"The Australian team had two seven-day breaks at one stage and in that period, the only cricket they were playing was against minnow countries,'' Sutherland told AAP on Tuesday. "So from our point of view, we went a bit stale there in the middle (of the tournament).

"I'm not making excuses, but it was difficult for the team to build any momentum into what proved to be a clutch match against Pakistan immediately before the quarter-finals. "The batsmen hadn't faced full member attack for nigh on a month.''Australia, whose pool match against a strong Sri Lankan side was washed out, ultimately were beaten in a quarter-final by eventual champions India.

Sutherland said having 10 nations compete in 2015 was ideal. "The decision to go to a 10 team competition is something we're very supportive of,'' he said. "In a format sense, we have seen that 14 teams doesn't work, we have seen 16 teams in the past doesn't work. "We believe 10 teams will be a really good format for the event, perhaps it might be a one round league where everyone plays each other once and then a semi-final and a final.

"The ICC needs to make those decisions, but when you think about that as a format, every match has great context ... and we will see some really good quality cricket.''The ICC action was blasted by Ireland, who scored an upset victory over England in the recent World Cup but have been punted from the 2015 tournament.

"I cannot think of a decision which is less cognisant of the principles of sport and fair play than the one that has been taken,'' Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom told the Irish Times. The ICC said the 2019 World Cup in England would also be contested by 10 nations but there would be a qualification process, yet to be detailed.
 

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