Pakistan win toss, put England into bat

Updated at: 1514 PST,  Friday, February 18, 2011
FATULLAH: Pakistan are playing their last warm-up match in the World Cup against England here at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium on Friday.Vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq, leading Pakistan team in place of captain Shahid Afridi, won the toss and put England into bat.
Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar made an early breakthrough bowling English captain Andrew Strauss out for five runs in the third over of the match.

Read More

WC opening ceremony kicks off

Updated at: 1732 PST,  Thursday, February 17, 2011
DHAKA: The biggest event of the cricket- the World Cup – kicked off with a gala opening ceremony here on Thursday evening.
All eyes glued on Bangabandhu National Stadium, as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 kicked off at 5:00 pm PST with a grand ceremony that is going to feature about 4,000 performers.The other host country Sri Lanka starts off its campaign against Canada in A Group 'A' encounter in Colombo on Sunday. For first time co-host Bangladesh, the honour has coincided with a historic occasion, as 2011 marks the silver jubilee of its first ever ODI game against Pakistan in 1986.Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, who have composed the official song for the World Cup, and Sonu Nigam will represent India while Runa Laila of the Dama dam mast kalandar fame and Mila, a local pop icon, will be the prominent Bangladeshis on display. Legendary Canadian singer Bryan Adams will add variety to what promises to be a spectacular show while the culture of Pakistan will not be seen at the over two-hour ceremony.

Read More

Thackeray threatens Pakistan for WC final

Updated at: 1633 PST,  Thursday, February 17, 2011
MUMBAI: The extremist Indian party, Shiv Sena, has once again threatened Pakistani cricketers few hours before the opening ceremony of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.Former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi while talking to reporters here on Thursday said, "Bal Thackeray will decide whether to allow Pakistan team to play or not".This is the latest expression of extremism by the Shiv Sena leaders as Joshi clearly put question mark on the staging of ICC World Cup final match if Pakistan would qualify for it."You all know Sena chief Bal Thackeray's views. If the Pakistan team reaches the final, whether to allow them to play, the Sena chief will decide," Joshi told reporters.Thankfully, Pakistan and India are placed in separate groups otherwise the controversy would have erupted the mega event at its very early stage.The renovated Wankhede Stadium of Mumbai will host the World Cup 2011 final on April 2, 2011.Shiv Sena have had objected Pakistan-India cricket ties in the past and in 1991, Shishir Shinde along with other extremist Hindus dug up the pitch in the Wankhede Stadium in a bid to stop India playing cricket with Pakistan.

Read More

Akhtar dope-tested ahead of World Cup

Updated at: 1158 PST,  Thursday, February 17, 2011
DHAKA: Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal were some of the first players to be taken for random dope testing ahead of the World Cup, a source said on Thursday.
Akhtar, 35, and Akmal, 29, were tested after a practice session on Wednesday by the International Cricket Council's drug inspectors, the source said."It's normal to test players before and during a tournament," he said. "Nothing fishy about it. Others will also be tested."Akhtar, recalled for the World Cup after being out of action for a major part of the last three years due to a spate of injuries, tested positive for a banned drug nandrolone in 2006.Pakistan face England in a practice match in the Bangladeshi town of Fatullah on Friday, a game the ageing Akhtar needs to perform in to make the team for their World Cup opener agaainst Kenya on February 23.Akhtar did not bowl against Bangladesh on Tuesday with coach Waqar Younis admitting the fast bowler had yet to regain full fitness.Akhtar, who last played a Test match in 2007, has claimed 244 one-day wickets in 160 matches at an average of 24.78.He was picked for the recent tour of New Zealand where he "improved in patches," according to Waqar.
"Shoaib is not in touch at the moment," the fast bowling great said. "It is important he gets into full throttle before we get him into the side." (AFP)

Read More

WC opening ceremony today

Updated at: 1016 PST,  Thursday, February 17, 2011
DHAKA: The biggest event of the cricket- the World Cup - would open today with a gala opening ceremony here on Thursday.This evening all eyes are going to be glued on Bangabandhu National Stadium, where the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will kick off at 5:00 pm PST with a grand ceremony that is going to feature about 4,000 performers.The other host country Sri Lanka starts off its campaign against Canada in a Group 'A' encounter in Colombo on Sunday. For first time co-host Bangladesh, the honour has coincided with a historic occasion, as 2011 marks the silver jubilee of its first ever ODI game against Pakistan in 1986.Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, who have composed the official song for the World Cup, and Sonu Nigam will represent India while Runa Laila of the Dama dam mast kalandar fame and Mila, a local pop icon, will be the prominent Bangladeshis on display. Legendary Canadian singer Bryan Adams will add variety to what promises to be a spectacular show.The culture of Pakistan will not be seen at the over two-hour ceremony. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will declare open the 45-day tournament.

Read More