My priority will be to improve Pakistan's cricket image: Zaka Ashraf

KARACHI : Zaka Ashraf, after being appointed the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said his priority was to improve Pakistan cricket's image abroad after a series of high-profile scandals.Ashraf, 59, a member of the executive committee of the ruling Pakistan People's Party, said: "I will work day and night to live up to president Zardari's confidence," Ashraf told Geo News. "My top priority will be to improve Pakistan's cricket image and stop bookies and match-fixers.Ashraf said that he will also try to improve relations with other cricket boards, including great rivals India, with whom sporting and diplomatic ties have stalled after a terrorist attack on Mumbai in 2008."People in both Pakistan and India love cricket so I will try to resume ties," said Ashraf.I believe in cricket diplomacy and hope that relations with all the countries improve," added Ashraf, who is the 32nd PCB chairman since its inception in 1948.The reign of former Test player Ijaz Butt, 73, ended last week after three turbulent years.Butt was criticised for his policies by former players and parliamentarians alike, but Zardari, who as president of the country is a patron of the PCB, resisted all calls and did not replace him until his tenure expired.Coinciding with Butt's reign was an attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March 2009 which led to the halting of international cricket in Pakistan that continues to this day with teams too worried about security to tour.An independent commission investigating the attack accused the PCB of negligence.Butt also infuriated the England and Wales Cricket Board by alleging English players were involved in match-fixing. He had to retract his statement and apologised after England threatened legal action.Butt sacked Shahid Afridi as captain in May this year, who in protest announced his retirement from international cricket, vowing not to play while Butt was chairman.Butt also got rid of Australian coach Geoff Lawson and was criticised for frequent changes to the captaincy and selection committee

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Spot fixing trial: Pakistanis wanted to lose to damage Afridi

LONDON : Pakistan cricketers were ready to throw one-day internationals and Twenty20s in a bid to undermine then captain Shahid Afridi and make "a lot of money", a London court heard on Tuesday.Mazhar Majeed, an agent for several Pakistan players, told an undercover reporter last year that the players wanted Afridi replaced by then Test captain Salman Butt and were prepared to fix matches to do it, Southwark Crown Court heard.The jury in the trial of Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif saw video of meetings between Majeed and the News of the World's investigation's editor Mazher Mahmood.Mahmood, a star reporter for Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct tabloid, was posing as an Indian frontman for a Far East gambling syndicate.Prosecutors allege Butt and Asif agreed for no-balls to be bowled as part of a spot-fixing betting scam.

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Pakistan to use DRS in Sri Lanka, England series

KARACHI : Pakistan on Tuesday announced it will employ the Decision Review System (DRS) during its one-day series against Sri Lanka later this month and against England early next year.A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) release said it has acquired sponsorship to use the DRS in both the series to be played at the neutral venues of the United Arab Emirates.

PCB announces that the DRS system (Hawk-eye Kit-core) is to be applied during both the Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka (Oct-Nov) and Pakistan Vs England (Jan/Feb 2012) one day International series to be held in the UAE," PCB release said The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday ended the mandatory use of DRS and reverted to its pre-June 2010 position.The use of DRS will now be up to the competing countries, subject to bilateral agreements between the participating boards PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmad said the DRS will be helpful."PCB is pleased to be taking a leading role in the use of ICC recommended technologies for international cricket. We hope that other partner boards will follow the example of the PCB and use the DRS in their respective future series," said Ahmad."The Use of the DRS system will bring added value to our forthcoming series," he said ICC general manager cricket David Richardson also praised the step."We believe that using the DRS will result in getting more umpire decisions correct and we accordingly welcome the PCB initiatives and that of its sponsors in securing its use in the upcoming series," said Richardson The powerful Indian Board has been the most vocal against the use of DRS, saying the system has flaws

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Bangladesh spinners restrict Windies to 132-8

DHAKA : Left-arm spinners Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak took two wickets apiece as Bangladesh restricted the West Indies to 132-8 in the one-off Twenty20 international on Tuesday.Marlon Samuels top-scored for the West Indies with a fighting 58, but received little support from the other end. He hit four sixes and two fours in his 42-ball knock before being dismissed in the last over.Razzak, who opened the attack, finished with 2-27 while Shakib bagged 2-25. Seamer Shafiul Islam took two wickets in the final over to finish with 2-19 off four overs.The West Indies, put in to bat, lost their way after being comfortably placed at 61-1 in the ninth over. Their slide began with the dismissal of opener Lendl Simmons (23), trapped leg-before by Razzak.Off-spinner Naeem Islam and seamer Rubel Hossain each took one wicket.

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Rahim leads Bangladesh to a win

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim led his team to a thrilling three-wicket win over West Indies in the one-off Twenty20 International at the Sher-E-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Tuesday.Bangladesh asked West Indies to bat first. West Indies posted 132 for eight in its 20 overs.The key contributor to the West Indies score was Marlon Samuels (58: 42b, 2x2, 4x6). But the rest of the batting line-up did not contribute much.On a slow track, Bangladesh's left-arm spinners Abdur Razzak (2-27) and Shakib Al Hasan (2-25). The other key wicket-taker was Shafiul Islam (2-19).Bangladesh lost wickets at regular intervals and the side slipped to 93 for six. It required Mushfiqur's (41 not out: 26b, 1x4, 2x6) calm approach to tide over the crisis.For West Indies, Ravi Rampaul (2-28) and Marlon Samuels (2-14) picked up the wickets.The two sides will lock horns in a three-match ODI series from 13 October.

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