Sri Lanka announces new IPL-style league

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will host a Twenty20 tournament in August in an attempt to emulate the success of the highly popular Indian Premier League (IPL), the island's cricket authorities announced on Thursday.
The Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) will be played in Colombo and Pallekele from August 10 to 31 and will feature yet-to-be named world players, the board said in a statement.
"Twenty20's massive popularity and status as the most exciting and entertaining format of cricket will be further enhanced by this newest tournament to the world of cricket," Sri Lanka Cricket said.
"International players will be playing in the SLPL alongside Sri Lankan national cricketers and young Sri Lankan hopefuls."
The 24-match tournament will take place a few weeks before the World Twenty20 opens in Sri Lanka on September 18.
The SLPC was scheduled to be held in July last year but was put off due to what the organisers said was the unavailability of India's top players who were on a tour of England in that period.
The tournament will feature seven provincial teams, each having six overseas players in their squad but with a provision that only four can be fielded in a playing XI.
All matches will be telecast live, the SLC said, adding the names of the participating cricketers and how they will be allotted to the seven teams will be announced later.
The teams have been named Basnahira Bears, Kandurata Kites, Nagenahira Nagas, Ruhuna Rhinos, Uthura Oryxes, Uva Unicorns and the Wayamba Wolves, the SLC said.

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Mohammad Hafeez appointed T20 captain

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed Mohammad Hafeez as the captain for the Twenty 20 (T20) format of the game during the tour of Sri Lanka.
Speaking to the media, PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf announced that the Pakistani all rounder would be leading the team in the shortest format of the game, however Misbah ul Haq would remain captain for the One day International and Test formats. Hafeez would serve as the vice captain in these formats.
Ashraf said that Misbah was consulted in all decisions made by the board.
“We are proud of you and will always be proud of you,” Ashraf said in praise of Misbah.
Speaking to the media Hafeez thanked the board and Misbah for giving him the opportunity to lead the T20 team.
“I will try my best to enhance the moral and image of the team.” Hafeez also praised former captains he had played under and said he would implement what he had learnt from them.
“His leadership qualities, calmness and honesty are exemplarily” Hafeez said while describing Misbah.
T20 Team: Khalid Latif, Ahmed Shahzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Umer Akmal, Shakil Ansar, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Arfat, Sohail Tanveer, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan, Umer Gul, Haris Sohaib, Mohammad Sami, Hamad Azam, Nasir Jamshed.
ODI: Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umer Akmal, Sarfaza Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Umer Gul, Rahat Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Sami, Asad Shafiq, Ijaz Cheema, Azhar Ali, Imran Farhat.
Test: Mohammad Hafeez, Taufiq Umer, Azhar Ali, Misbah ul Haq, Younis Khan, Asad Shafique, Adnan Akmal, Umer Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Sami, Faisal Iqbal, Junaid Khan, Afaq Rahim, Mohammad Dogar, Aizaz Cheema.

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Australia squad for England, Ireland ODIs

SYDNEY: The Australian one-day squad named on Thursday for the limited overs tour of England and Ireland in June-July:
ODI squad - Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson (vice-capt), George Bailey, Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mike Hussey, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Clint McKay, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, David Warner.
Australia A squad (to tour England in July-August) - Ed Cowan (capt), Peter Forrest (vice-capt), George Bailey, Jackson Bird, Joe Burns, Tom Cooper, Patrick Cummins, Ben Cutting, Liam Davis, Jon Holland, Mitchell Johnson, Michael Klinger, Nathan Lyon, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc. (AFP)

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Gayle’s sixes galore in Bangalore win against Mumbai

MUMBAI: West Indian star batsman Chris Gayle smashed an unbeaten 82 as Royal Challengers Bangalore crushed Mumbai by a big margin of nine wickets with 12 balls to spare in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing 142, Bangalore reached the target in 18 overs losing just one wicket – thanks to an unbeaten 94-run second wicket partnership between Gayle and Virat Kohli.
Kohli, who joined Gayle after the exit of opener Tillekaratne Dilshan (19), hit two sixes and a four in his 25-ball 36 not out.
Gayle struck six sixes and five boundaries in his 59-ball innings.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians were sent into bat by Bangalore captain Kohli and were restricted to 141 for six in the allotted 20 overs.
Their main contributors were Dinesh karthik (44), star batsman Sachin Tenndulkar (24) and Ambati Rayudu (22) while Kieron Pollard (21) and captain Harbhajan Singh (20) remained not out.
For Bangalore, Muttiah Muralitharan, Hrshal Patel and Vinay Kumar claimed two wickets each.

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