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NEWS UPDATE : Asian Cricket Third Sri Lanka-Pakistan ODI abandoned due to rain COLOMBO: The third One-day International between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was abandoned due to rain here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday. The umpires made this decision after consulting ... Australia want to master all forms of game: Clarke SYDNEY: Australia's limited-overs tour of England and Ireland represents the start of a two-year campaign to make them the top nation in all three forms of the game, captain Michael Clarke said ... Bopara glad to be back for England SOUTHAMPTON, England: Ravi Bopara is eager to make up for lost times as he tries to revive his ... South Africa name unchanged squad for England series JOHANNESBURG: South Africa have kept faith with a winning formula by naming an unchanged squad for the three-Test series in England starting next month, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on ...


Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Pakistan to stick with winning combination

Updated at: 1731 PST,  Tuesday, March 22, 2011
DHAKA: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi indicated on Tuesday he would retain the side who defeated Australia in the World Cup group stages for Wednesday's quarter-final against West Indies.Pakistan took the field for the Australia match without fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and opened the bowling with left-armer Abdur Rehman as the defending champions were beaten for the first time at a World Cup since 1999."We want to go with the winning combination. We will see, but I think we are happy with this winning combination," Afridi told a news conference.Afridi said the victory over Australia had given the 1992 champions a welcome confidence boost before the knockout stages."We worked hard before this World Cup. We are taking the practice sessions very seriously," he said. "I think we are feeling more confident now, it's a good sign before the quarter-final."Afridi paid tribute to his bowlers, signalling out pace bowler Umar Gul for particular praise."He was struggling a little bit with his ankle before but I think he is 100 percent fit," Afridi said."He is doing a great job with the ball, especially with the new ball."