Asia Cup: India record 50-run win over Sri Lanka

DHAKA: India defeated Sri Lanka by 50 runs in the second day-night match of the Asia Cup one-day tournament here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday.

Chasing a huge target of 305 runs, Sri Lanka took the challenge in a brave manner as their two main batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara posed threat for India.

Jayawardene hit a brilliant 78 from 59 balls with ten fours and two sixes while Sangakkara played a patient innings of 65 from 87 balls with only two fours and a six.

At one stage, Sri Lanka needed 109 runs in 15 overs with eight wickets remaining but then the collapse began as Indian bowlers dominated the scene.

Irfan Pathan was the most successful bowler with four for 32 while Vinay Kumar and Ravichandran Ashwin claimed three wickets each.

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No British visa for Salman Butt’s baby boy

ISLAMABAD: The British High Commission has denied the visa application for the baby boy of former Pakistani captain Salman Butt.

According to family sources, Butt’s wife along with their two children wanted to visit her husband in Britain. The elder son already has a British visa, but the baby’s application was denied.

The visa application was rejected twice.

Salman Butt is imprisoned in a British prison for his role in the spot-fixing scandal and is yet to see his younger son who was born after his sentence was announced.

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Cricket: Baugh replaces Ramdin for Aussies clash

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: Carlton Baugh was called up by the West Indies on Sunday to replace the injured Denesh Ramdin for the first three matches of their one-day series against Australia.

Ramdin suffered a fractured right thumb while batting on Saturday in the second West Indies warm-up match at the 3Ws Oval and will now return to Trinidad to start rehabilitation.

augh made 140 while playing for Jamaica against Trinidad and Tobago in the regional four-day tournament.

The five-match one-day series gets underway in St Vincent on Friday.

West Indies squad:
Darren Sammy (captain), Carlton Baugh, Tino Best, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels

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Afghanistan eye World Twenty20 after Asia Cup snub

DUBAI: Afghanistan are determined to use their resentment over being snubbed for the Asia Cup to fire them to a second appearance at the World Twenty20.

The Afghans are among the favourites to land one of the two places up for grabs at the 2012 finals in Sri Lanka in September and October when the 16-nation qualifying tournament starts on Tuesday.

But such has been the team's remarkable progress in recent years - from a ramshackle unit developing a love of the sport in refugee camps on Pakistan's wild frontier to attaining one-day status - that they believe they deserve more respect.

The team are angry that they were overlooked for the Asia Cup in Dhaka this week, where they could have faced regional powers India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

"We are not featuring in the Asia Cup, that is really disappointing," said hard-hitting batsman and off-spinner Mohammad Nabi, who was the leading wicket-taker when Afghanistan qualified for the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

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Asia Cup: India amass 304-3 after Tendulkar’s cheap dismissal

DHAKA: Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli smashed centuries as India set a huge target of 305 runs for Sri Lanka in the second match of the Asia Cup one-day tournament here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday.

After Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and put India into bat in the day-night match, India lost their star batsman Sachin Tendulkar when they were 19 runs.

Tendulkar, chasing an elusive 100th international century, could make only six runs before pushing a Suranga Lakmal full-toss straight to Jayawardene in the covers.

Then Kohli joined Gambhir and both batted steadily to take India to a formidable position as India piled up a huge 304 for three in 50 overs.

Kohli scored a solid 120-ball 108 and left-handed opener Gambhir a 118-ball 100, each hitting seven boundaries.

Interestingly, each of them completed his tenth hundred in one-day international cricket.

It was Kohli's second successive hundred against Sri Lanka, having made an unbeaten 133 at Hobart in a recent triangular one-day series in Australia.

The pair added 205 runs which was a new Asia Cup record for the second wicket partnership. The previous record was 198, set by Virender Sehwag and Suraish Raina, also from India, against Pakistan at Karachi in 2008.

Both reached their centuries in the 42nd over before both falling in the next over off seamer Farveez Maharoof as they bid to step up the run-rate.

Gambhir, dropped on 36 by Dinesh Chandimal at long-on off, made the most of the chance and hit seven fours, while Kohli also struck the same number of boundaries.

Later, captain Mahinder Singh Dhoni and Suraish Raina plundered 78 runs off the last 7.1 overs, with Dhoni smashing a 26-ball 46 not out and Suresh Raina an unbeaten 30 off just 17 balls.

Pacemen Maharoof and Suranga Lakmal were the only wicket-takers for Bangladesh, with two for 57 and one for 67.

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Cricket: Gambhir, Kohli set new Asia Cup record

DHAKA: India batsmen Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli set a new partnership record for the second wicket in the Asia Cup while playing against Sri Lanka in the second match of the tournament here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday.

Both hit centuries during their 37-over second wicket stand of 205 runs eclipsing the previous record of 198, set by Virender Sehwag and Suraish Raina, also from India, against Pakistan at Karachi in 2008.

Gambhir made 100 from 118 balls while Kohli hit 108 off 120 balls. Both struck seven fours each.

Interestingly, each of them completed his tenth hundred in one-day international cricket.

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Asia Cup: Sri Lanka win toss, put India into bat

DHAKA: Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and put India into bat in their first match in the Asia Cup 2012 one-day tournament here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday.

India's Sachin Tendulkar needs just one more hundred to complete an unprecedented 100 international centuries.

Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 21 runs in the opening match of the tournament on Sunday.

Each side will play the other once in the round-robin league, with the top two advancing to the final on March 22.

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain & wk), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Dinesh Chandimal, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Seekkuge Prasanna.

Umpires: Steve Davis (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG), TV umpire: Shozab Raza (PAK)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS)

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Spot-fixing: 'Indian Police had information about bookie'

NEW DELHI: Indian Police said they have had information about bookie Vicky Seth's involvement in match fixing for quite some time now.

According to a report published in India's 'The Times of India' quoting police sources: "Seth is a well-known bookie attached to a very big betting syndicate. He started operating out of Delhi and was on the police's radar for his alleged involvement in match-fixing but he has never been arrested".

"Seth's syndicate is operated very professionally. They are always one step ahead of the administration and they are equipped with latest gadgets and software too," the report added.

"If Seth and his group would have been targeting to fix that particular World Cup match, they would have struck the deal when the Indian team was in South Africa or the Pakistan team was touring New Zealand before the World Cup," the paper said.

"You will be surprised to know that these bookies mainly operate from countries where there is very little cricket or no cricket at all. Seth is known for his luxurious life style."

Britain's Sunday Times had reported that Indian bookmakers fixed the World Cup semifinal between Indian and Pakistan in Mohali on March 30 last year.

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Cricket: Nupur Mehta denies any role in match fixing

MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Nupur Mehta on Monday rubbished allegations that she was involved in match-fixing in last year's World Cup Cricket semi-final between India and Pakistan at Mohali and threatened to sue a London daily.

The Sunday Times carried out a sting operation on a Delhi-based bookie who claimed that the 2011 semi-final was rigged. The paper said that a Bollywood starlet was used to lure Pakistani players to under perform, but did not name her.

An image with a blurred face was published in the newspaper with a report claiming that match-fixing is rampant in international cricket and UK's domestic county as well. The image seems to be of Nupur.

Nupur, who has worked in Sunny Deol starrer Jo Bole So Nihal (2005), told PTI, "I have been accused of something that I have not done. All I would say is I am not guilty of any such thing."

"The picture that they have used was taken during my film, 'Jo Bole So Nihal'," she said.

She has threatened to take legal action against the British daily. "I intend to take action against them."

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England's Patel eyes Test spot in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: Samit Patel said Monday he was hopeful his all-round talents would help him win a Test cap for England during the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.

The 27-year-old Nottinghamshire player will vie with Ravi Bopara for the batting spot left vacant after the exclusion of Eoin Morgan for the two-Test series starting on March 26.

Patel, a left-arm spinner and right-hand batsman who has played 25 one-dayers and eight Twenty20 internationals for England, hoped to prove his Test credentials in the two warm-up matches in Colombo.

"I am looking forward to getting a spot on the Test team," Patel told reporters in Colombo. "Its a massive opportunity and I will push my case in the warm-up games.

"One of my goals is to play Test cricket. I've always wanted to do that. I want to play all formats for England.

"It's easy to get here, the toughest bit is staying in the squad and staying in the team.

"I'm ready to come in and bat where I'm asked to bat, and do the job with the ball. I'm comfortable with the role I've been set."

Patel conceded beating Sri Lanka in their own backyard was a challenge for England, the number one Test side in the world, who were stunned 3-0 by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates recently.

"Beating Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka is a massive challenge," he said. "Having said that, staying on top of the Test ranking and hanging onto it for another year is also challenging."

Patel, who had been dropped earlier from the England one-day squad for being overweight, said he had worked hard on his fitness regime.

"Fitness is a key factor and everyone has to work hard on their fitness -- some more than others," he said. "It's probably an issue that will stay with me, but I'm not frustrated.

"The more work you do, the better you feel. Hopefully I am doing the right things now."

England will take on the President's XI in a three-day match at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo from Thursday.

The tourists will play another three-day fixture at the Sinhalese sports club in Colombo from March 20, before the two back-to-back Tests in Galle and Colombo.

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Asia Cup: Pakistan beat Bangladesh in thrilling opener

DHAKA: Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal bowled Pakistan to an exciting 21-run victory with eleven balls to spare in the sensational opening match of the Asia Cup one-day tournament here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Sunday.

Bangladesh, chasing a target of 263, were well set after Shakib Al Hasan (64) and Nasir Hossain (47) added 89 runs for the sixth wicket before Gul and Ajmal derailed their chase and the hosts lost their last five wickets for 17 runs.

The hosts were 224 for five when Gul bowled Nasir to end the partnership and in the next over Ajmal dismissed tailenders Abdur Razzak and Mashrafe Mortaza.

In Gul's next over, he trapped Shafiul Islam leg before and delivered the final blow when he bowled Shakib to finish with 3-58.

Spinners Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal took two wickets apiece.

Opener Tamim Iqbal laid the foundation for Bangladesh's run chase with 64 off 89 balls before he dragged a low ball off Mohammad Hafeez on to his stumps.

Hafeez earlier made 89 and shared an opening stand of 135 with Nasir Jamshed (54) as Pakistan made 262-8 from their 50 overs after being put into bat by Bangladesh.

Shahadat Hossain triggered a mid-innings collapse by taking three wickets before Gul thumped a career-best unbeaten 39 with some lusty late blows.

He added 53 vital runs for the eighth wicket with Sarfraz Ahmed (19 not out) to help Pakistan cross the 250-mark in the day-night match.

India face Sri Lanka in the next game on Tuesday. The final will be held on March 22.

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