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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 ...


Monday, April 25, 2011

Hafeez repaying Afridi's confidence in him

Updated at: 1748 PST,  Sunday, April 24, 2011
GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia: Mohammad Hafeez said he has drawn on the confidence placed in him by Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, particularly when he had been given a chance to bowl in recent matches.Hafeez was speaking after he earned the Man-of-the-Match award in the first One-day International against West Indies, which Pakistan won by eight wickets on Saturday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.He took one for 36 from his allotted 10 overs, and played his part, along with Afridi and Saeed Ajmal, in strangling the scoring of the West Indies batsmen, as the home team struggled to 220 for six from their 50 overs, after choosing to bat."I think Shahid has been using me well in matches," said Hafeez. "Whenever he thinks there is a chance for me to exploit the conditions, he gives me the ball."Whenever I get a chance to bowl I try to restrict the batsmen, and I am getting wickets with that. I am always happy for the team when I bowl."Hafeez then opening the batting pummelled seven fours and one six in 54 from 45 deliveries to give Pakistan a flying start in their run chase. "I have been batting more consistently because of the hard work I have been doing in practice sessions with the coaches," he said. "Right now, the advice that they have been giving is working out for me."All I want to do is continue this form for Pakistan, and I am very happy to contribute to the team's performance, which is required in the remaining matches for us to be able to win the series."His hard work has caught the eye of Afridi, who hailed the way he has been playing in recent times."I'm very confident with the way Hafeez is contributing in the team," said the Pakistan captain. "I think he is a real team man, and he's doing a great job with the ball and the bat."The third ODI will be played on Monday at the same ground.

IPL: Delhi post exciting win over Punjab

Updated at: 1709 PST,  Sunday, April 24, 2011
NEW DELHI: Kings XI Punjab's Shaun Marsh smashed 95 off just 46 balls, but failed to stop Delhi Daredevils from posting a 29-run win in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.The Australian hit six sixes and nine fours as Delhi stopped Punjab at 202-6 after scoring 231-4 -- the highest total of this year's tournament -- for their second victory in five matches.Punjab's hopes of achieving a stiff target in the tall-scoring game receded after the dismissal of Marsh, caught by skipper Virender Sehwag off South African paceman Morne Morkel in the 18th over.Marsh added 72 for the second wicket with skipper Adam Gilchrist, who hit four successive fours off seamer Ajit Agarkar during his 33-ball 42. It was Punjab's second defeat in five games of the Twenty20 tournament. Delhi were earlier indebted to Australian David Warner and Sehwag for setting a challenging target, with each scoring 77.Sehwag, without a half-century in the previous four games, returned to form with a 35-ball knock which contained four sixes and eight fours while Warner hit seven boundaries and four sixes in his 48-ball knock. Hosts Delhi made a spectacular start as Sehwag and Warner plundered 146 off 11.4 overs, much to the delight of a sizeable crowd at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground. It was the highest opening-wicket stand of the ongoing tournament.Sehwag once punished Australian spinner David Hussey, hitting three successive sixes before being caught in the deep while attempting another big shot off the next delivery.Warner matched his partner shot for shot, reaching his half-century with a six over mid-wicket off seamer Paul Valthaty. Venugopal Rao then helped Delhi cross the 200-mark with a 15-ball 28 not out.Brief scores:Delhi Daredevils 231-4 in 20 overs (V. Sehwag 77, D. Warner 77. V. Rao 28 not out) beat Kings XI Punjab 202-6 in 20 overs (S. Marsh 95, A. Gilchrist 42, D. Hussey 20; A. Agarkar 2-48) by 29 runs.