Pakistan maintain fifth spot in ICC T20 ranking after drawn series

DUBAI : Pakistan finished fifth in the ICC ranking for Twenty20 cricket after leveling the 2-match series with Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Former T20 champion Pakistan slipped to Number 6 behind India after losing to Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 international on Friday. However, win in the second T20 brought it back to the fifth position.

T20 Champions England remains on top of the table with 129 points followed by South Africa, which has 122 points. Sri Lanka is at Number 3 with 115 points while New Zealand holds the fourth position

Pakistan is at Number 5 with 108 rating points ahead of India, Ireland and West Indies.

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‘Sarfraz the best option for all three formats’

From being Pakistan’s ‘man for a crisis’ behind the stumps to running a multi-purpose sports academy, former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper Moin Khan has silently travelled a long way in his career as a cricket player, expert and now, coach. Here, Pakistan’s World Cup-winning ‘keeper writes his first column for Dawn.com.

Ever since Pakistan decided to name three different wicketkeepers for the different versions of the game, there has been a lot of discussion on this new ploy. Personally, I don’t think this move was necessary. The selectors have picked Shakeel Ansar, who undoubtedly performed well on the domestic circuit recently, but, he has been playing for a long time and there have been no real ‘outstanding’ performances from him in first-class cricket. To give someone a place in the national team based on a year’s performance is not justified. Sarfraz Ahmed, who was already in the team, is a very good wicketkeeper and batsman and they could have utilised him in the Twenty20 squad, as changing up the players so often can disturb the composition of the team, making it difficult for them to find good rhythm. I am all for the inclusion of players who do well domestically. It shows that the selectors are keeping an eye on the youth for the future but Ansar does not even have age on his side. It is unfair to the rest who have been performing well consistently to bring in a player based on just one season’s performance. I have respect for his talent and ability but Sarfraz and Adnan have been performing well and could have been used in the Twenty20 format as well. Now that he has been given this chance, he should be able to show that he has the potential to play T20 cricket. However, to stay in the team, he will have to perform, otherwise it will be very difficult for him to cement his place.

I am a big admirer of Adnan Akmal’s game. He has been playing well in the Test side, but needs to improve his batting if he is to be considered for limited-overs cricket. The problem with his batting is his inability to play big strokes, perhaps because he is physically not very strong. Players like Sarfraz and Kamran Akmal have shown their stroke-making prowess. Kamran, especially, has produced several innings in times of need which have helped the team. It may sound harsh, but it seems like he (Adnan) doesn’t have the batting skills for ODIs and T20s. He is a composed batsman but his array of strokes is very limited. As a wicketkeeper, he can play in all the three formats but his batting skills restrict him to Tests.

Adnan is doing very well in the Test team but if he unable to perform consistently, it could cost him his place and it may open the door for Sarfraz, who is one wicketkeeper-batsman for all three formats. For his domestic side, PIA, Sarfraz has done well over a period of time, across the three formats. Another ability that sets him apart is his experience as the captain of Pakistan’s Under-19 side. He is a team man, who understands the workings of a side and not just as a captain. As a player, too, he is always looking to help the captain. Because of the recent shuffling of wicketkeepers (ever since Kamran’s ‘departure’), both Adnan and Sarfraz have been unsettled. If given a chance, Sarfraz can also fit into the opener’s role in the limited-overs game. If he is utilised in the top order, he can be a great asset for Pakistan.

These boys have only been playing for Pakistan consistently for nearly a year, so to pick one out is very difficult. While Adnan’s technique is very sound, Sarfraz is breathing down his neck and could take away the Test spot from him. In my opinion, Sarfraz is the best glove-man for Pakistan. Each player has his or her own flaws and technical problems but they must work hard to overcome those flaws. If your technique isn’t correct, you need to work on it. No two ways about it. If, for instance, the way you gather the ball is not right, it is imperative that you improve your technique. At the end of the day, being a ‘keeper, it is the most important part of your game. In this respect, all Pakistani ‘keepers are hard-working boys, which is heartening to see. There is so much competition amongst them that they have to make themselves stand out.

During my playing days, there was an on-going competition between me and Rashid (Latif). It was a healthy competition, mind you. Whenever Rashid was picked, it was obviously very difficult for me to take in. However, I would always tell myself that I should concentrate on improving my performance to make a comeback. I would go back to the drawing board, try to find areas I could improve and then work on them. Eventually, selectors would take notice and I would be able to make a comeback. Hard work pays. It was one of the main reasons behind my 14-year career as a Pakistan international.

Moin Khan played 69 Test matches and over 200 one-day internationals for Pakistan from 1990 to 2004.

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Opportunity for Pakistan to move ahead of Srilanka

Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan will be aiming for improvements in their rankings on the Reliance ICC ODI Championship table when they go head to head in a five-match series which starts in Pallekele on Thursday.

Fifth-ranked Sri Lanka leads sixth-ranked Pakistan by five ratings points. This reflects that there is very little separating the two Asian sides while the players' comparison indicates that the series can potentially be a battle between Sri Lanka batsmen and Pakistan spinners.

In the Reliance ICC ODI Championship table, if Sri Lanka wins all five matches of the series then it will move ahead of England into fourth position on 114 ratings points, irrespective of the outcome of the three-match ODI series between England and the West Indies which starts at The Rose Bowl on 16 June.

If Sri Lanka wins 4-1 and England beats the West Indies 3-0, then both the sides will be on 113 ratings points but England will be ranked above Sri Lanka by a fraction of a point.

In sharp contrast, if Pakistan wins the series 4-1 or better, then it will move ahead of Sri Lanka into fifth position. In case of Pakistan's 4-1 series win, both sides will be on 108 ratings points but Pakistan will be ranked above Sri Lanka when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

Pakistan can even move to fourth if it wins all five matches of the series against Sri Lanka and the West Indies wins its series against England.

To find out exactly how the forthcoming ODI series will affect the Championship table, please click here. The ODI Championship table, unlike the Test Championship table, is updated after every match.

In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen, Sri Lanka has three batsmen inside the top 20 with Kumar Sangakkara (fifth), Tillekeratne Dilshan (12th) and Mahela Jayawardena (18th) while batsmen sitting outside the top 20 and aiming for upward movements include Dinesh Chandimal (26th), Upul Tharanga (38th) and Angelo Mathews (44th).

On the other side of the coin, Pakistan has only one batsman in Umar Akmal inside the top 20, in 10th position, while batsmen sitting outside the top 20 and inside the top 50 include Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq (30th), Mohammad Hafeez (40th), Shahid Afridi (41st) and Younus Khan (48th).

In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, Pakistan boasts three bowlers inside the top 15 - Saeed Ajmal in second, Mohammad Hafeez in fourth and Shahid Afridi in 15th - while Lasith Malinga is the home side's highest-ranked bowler in 22nd position.

Malinga is followed by Nuwan Kulasekara (30th), Angelo Mathews (48th), Rangana Herath (50th), Thisara Perera (57th) and Dilhara Fernando (85th).

The Championship table and player rankings will next be updated on 23 June, a day after the conclusion of the three-match ODI series between England and the West Indies.

Series schedule:

Sri Lanka v Pakistan

7 June -1st ODI, Palleke (d/n)

9 June - 2nd ODI, Pallekele (d/n)

13 June - 3rd ODI, R.Premadasa, Colombo (d/n)

16 June - 4th ODI, R.Premadasa, Colombo (d/n)

18 June - 5th ODI, R.Premadasa, Colombo (d/n)

England v West Indies

16 June - 1st ODI, The Rose Bowl

19 June - 2nd ODI, The Oval

22 June - 3rd ODI, Headingley

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Samuels sure his 'time to shine' would come if he managed 'inner fire' well

West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has said he is managing his inner fire well nowadays after facing various controversies in past, and is confident his time to shine would come soon.

Samuels, who has provided hope for West Indies with his world-class batting in two Tests that have again ended in defeat, believes he is using every disappointment of the past to motivate himself these days.

The eccentric all rounder's past has been marred by a two-year ban for passing on information to bookmakers and doubts over the legitimacy of his bowling action.

His critics have also slammed him time and again for not caring enough about his contribution, a record of just two Test centuries in 37 matches stretching back to 2000, reflecting that.

"Over the years I've been plagued with all sorts of issues and problems with people I regard as evil but I always knew that my time to shine would come," The Daily Mail quotes Samuels, as saying.

"I have always had a lot of fire burning inside but I'm managing that fire well at the moment. I'm going out there and transferring that fire on to the field and I'm very happy to be showing what I can do," he added.

"I use every disappointment to build me as a person and not let anybody get me down. I use all of them to motivate me, and I know, that if I can overcome all the obstacles put in front of me, I can get to where I want to go," he said.

Samuels further added: "I see myself going up a hill. It will take time to reach the top, but I am willing to put in the time to get there."

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New dates and venue announced for Kenya-Namibia fixtures

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the new dates for the fourth round fixtures of the ICC Intercontinental Cup and Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship matches between Kenya and Namibia today.

The matches were originally scheduled for June but due to delays related to the ongoing and changing security assessment for Kenya in general-and Nairobi in particular-and the subsequent logistics of successfully staging the match at an alternative venue, the ICC agreed with both the participating Members that these matches be postponed to later in the year.

The matches will now all take place at Mombasa Sports Club Ground, Mombasa on the following dates:

27 - 30 Sept - ICC Intercontinental Cup

2 Oct - 50-over match, Pepsi ICC WCL Championship

4 Oct - 50-over match, Pepsi ICC WCL Championship

ICC Intercontinental Cup

The ICC Intercontinental Cup has quickly grown in stature and profile since its inception seven years ago. The ICC's premier first-class tournament is an integral part of the Associate Members' cricket schedule.

There will be a total of US$254,000 in prize money for the Associate and Affiliate teams taking part in the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2011-13, with US$100,000 for the winners and US$40,000 for the runners-up.

Teams finishing in third and fourth place with receive US$20,000 and US$10,000 respectively while an outright win by any team during the course of the round-robin stage will see it walk away with US$3,000 per match.

Having previously been designed around a two-group, three-day format, the event then evolved into an eight-team, round-robin and truly global tournament featuring four-day cricket which gives those teams who do not play Test cricket the chance to experience the longer form of the game.

This year's format will include eight teams - Afghanistan, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands, Scotland, Namibia and United Arab Emirates.

Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland has been victorious in three events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider, Canada in the 2006-07 event, Namibia in 2007-08. In 2009-10 Afghanistan won the competition.

Pepsi ICC WCL Championship

The Pepsi ICC WCL Championship, together with the ongoing global divisions of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League (WCL), is an extremely important event on the calendar of ICC Development Programme as it provides a dual pathway for all Associate and Affiliate Members to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to be staged in Australia and New Zealand.

The top two teams from the WCL Championship will automatically join ICC's 10 Full Members in the ICC CWC 2015, while the bottom six teams in the WCL Championship will receive a second qualifying opportunity when they will lock horns for the remaining two places in the ICC CWC 2015 by competing in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier (CWCQ) in early 2014.

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Adrian Griffith takes up new role at ICC

ICC CRICKET : Former West Indies Test opener Adrian Griffith has taken over the charge as ICC Umpires & Referees Administration Manager. He has joined the ICC Cricket Operations Department which is currently headed by former South Africa Test wicketkeeper David Richardson and also includes Vince van der Bijl, a former Natal and Middlesex fast bowler who was declared as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1981.

Adrian has a wide experience in cricket, both as a player and as an administrator. As a left-handed opener, Griffith represented the West Indies in 14 Tests and nine ODIs while as an administrator, he worked as Cricket Operations Manager in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.

He has also been on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) match referees' panel. As an ICC regional referee, he has refereed in various development events, including the Pepsi ICC WCL division 1 and ICC World T20 Qualifier tournaments .

Commenting on his new role, Griffith said: "It is indeed a great honour for me to be working with the International Cricket Council in the role of Umpires and Referees Administration Manager. I am hoping that my experience both as a player and match official will come in handy during my stint."

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Shahid Afridi barred from speaking to the media

PALLEKELE : Pakistani all rounder Shahid Afridi has been barred from speaking to the media.
According to the Pakistan cricket team’s management in Sri Lanka, Afridi makes statements without thinking.
Team Manager Naveed Akram Cheema informed reporters that they could speak to anyone from the cricket but Shahid Afridi.

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Too early to call for Windies line up: Gibson

LEICESTER, United Kingdom: Ottis Gibson says it is too early to make decisions about the composition of the West Indies side for the third and final Test against England, starting on Thursday at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
The Windies coach was speaking overnight Sunday after rain severely scuppered his team's plans for vital match practice and a chance to assess a few reserve players.
Not a ball was bowled on the final day of the two-day tour match against Leicestershire at Grace Road, where the visitors were to resume on 150 for three in their first innings.
Despite the setback, Gibson said West Indies would continue to hard work to be ready to challenge England again in the final Test.
"When you look at how much good stuff we've done in the Test matches, one session, or sometimes one-and-a-half sessions of poor decision-making by batsmen, or sometimes by the bowlers, have cost us at crucial times," he said.
"You look at the amount of people that haven't played in these conditions before, and the challenge we posted to England in the first Test [at Lord's] especially.
"You look at the way we bowled on the third day [in the second Test] at Trent Bridge, getting eight wickets for 169 runs was excellent - but to challenge the No.1 team in the World you have to deliver that excellence more consistently - and that's where we've been falling down."
Gibson also played down England's decision to rest James Anderson for the Test.
Gibson warned his players that they should not rejoice that Anderson has been sidelined for the Test.
"We haven't made any substantial runs as a batting side for people to be resting on their laurels," he said.
"We still have batsmen that have to prove they can play cricket in these conditions, so they still need to work very hard to ensure they are in the right frame of mind."
Gibson concluded: "Steven Finn has had a very good stint in Test cricket since he's come on board, Graham Onions made his debut against West Indies in 2009 and got five wickets at Lord's, so England are fortunate to have such a good array of fast bowlers to choose from at the moment.
"Whoever they bring in it will still be tough, but we're trying to salvage some pride, and 2-1 would sound far better than 3-0.

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Pak-India to play series soon: PCB Chief

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Zaka Ashraf said Tuesday that there would be some good news very soon regarding the resumption of cricketing ties between India and Pakistan.
Ashraf said that he would be meeting with the head of the BCCI during the upcoming ICC meeting in Kuala Lumpur. The PCB chief added that MOUs would be signed for the Pak-India series during the meeting.
The Indian people and former cricketers want both countries to play a series, Ashraf said.    

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Muhammad Asif rebuts political asylum claims

LONDON: Former Pakistani paceman Muhammad Asif has revealed that he is training regularly to keep himself fit. He has also been helping his legal team to finalise his appeal against his two convictions at the Southwark Crown Court that relate to spot-fixing allegations.
Muhammad Asif, who after having served just half of his 12 months prison sentence walked to freedom from a UK prison a month ago. He was speaking to Geo News in an exclusive along with Ravi Sukul of Balham Chambers, who has taken Asif’s case to the Court of Appeal.
Asif remains determined to clear his name and play again for Pakistan. “I am training regularly these days. I spend a lot of time speaking to my family on the phone and over the internet. I am hopeful that I will play for Pakistan as I played before.”
Asif laughed off at the rumours in some Pakistani media that he had applied for political asylum in Britain. “There is no question of applying for political asylum in Britain. Those who run away from Pakistan apply for asylum. I want to return to Pakistan as soon as possible. I intend to return to Pakistan and play for my country,” he stressed.
The former ace player revealed that he was able to spend the last few weeks assisting his lawyer Ravi Sukul of Balham Chambers with the preparation of the final grounds for appeal the two convictions.
Speaking about the help provided by his legal team at the SJS Solicitors, Asif remarked: “I am very happy with the way my legal team has dealt with my case. They have done a good job on my appeal papers.”
Asif has been granted permission by the Home Office to remain in the UK to assist in the progression of both his appeal against conviction and his appeal against the ICC ban.
Speaking to Geo News, Ravi Sukul and Savita Sukul of SJS Solicitors both confirmed that Asif’s application to appeal against his convictions is being considered by the Court of Appeal and his appeal against the ICC ban is to follow.
Asif has always maintained his original defence that he did not bowl the no ball deliberately nor accepted any money unlawfully. The pace bowler was convicted last November on two conspiracy charges.
Ravi Sukul suggested that Asif’s appeal against those two convictions is based upon mistakes made by the judge during the trial. The mistakes, according to Ravi Sukul, are related to some of the Judge’s decisions and the explanation he gave to the jury about the evidence the prosecution brought against Asif. This correspondent understands that the judge did not explain the conspiracy offence accurately to the jury which consisted of 12 members of public.
The appeal papers focus on the fact that the marked “corrupt” money was found in the hotel rooms occupied by Salman Butt and Mohammed Amir but none was found in Asif’s room. The bowler’s side contends that why would the spot-fixer pay off Butt and Amir and not pay Asif when they were all staying at the same hotel and were all in that hotel supposedly at the time of the pay-off.
That ground leads to another question which is that if Asif did not bowl the no ball for money why did he bowl it in the first place? Asif has been persistent that the fact he bowled the predicted no ball is unrelated to any agreement he had with anyone and that he had no knowledge of what was going on.
Asif’s legal team is anxious to point out at the Court of Appeal that Asif’s margin of no ball was measured at close to two inches over the bowler’s line but no fast bowler was called to answer about the ability of a skilled fast bowler to deliberately bowl a specified no ball to such a tight margin. If that delivery was so crucial, says the defence, where is the logic in bowling it at such a slim margin and run the risk that the umpire may not see it, as they do so often.

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Pakistan retains Tanvir for Sri Lanka ODIs

KARACHI : Pakistan on Monday added Sohail Tanvir to the one-day squad against Sri Lanka after the left-arm paceman excelled in the Twenty20 series draw.
The 27-year-old fast bowler failed to make the original one-day squad but was included at the request of team managers. Tanvir replaced opener Nasir Jamshed who suffered a finger injury before the tour began.
Tanvir was declared man of the two-match Twenty20 series which Pakistan levelled on Sunday with a thumping 23-run win in Hambantota. Sri Lanka won the first match, also in Hambantota, on Friday by 37 runs.
Chief selector Iqbal Qasim confirmed Tanvir's inclusion.
"In view of the request from the team management and keeping in consideration the current form of Tanvir, the selection committee has decided that he may be retained for the one-day series in Sri Lanka," Qasim said in a Pakistan Cricket Board statement.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka play the first of five one-day matches at Pallekele on Thursday. The one-days will be followed by three Tests.
Tanvir has 55 wickets in 43 one-day games.

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Sachin takes oath as Rajya Sabha MP

NEW DELHI: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar took oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha on Monday. He took the oath in the chamber of the Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari.
He became the first active sportsperson of the country to be nominated as the Rajya Sabha member.
Earlier, Sachin reached the parliament along with his wife Anjali Tendulkar and BCCI vice-president and parliamentary affairs minister Rajiv Shukla.
In a surprising move, Government had recommended Sachin’s name along with Bollywood actress Rekha and businesswoman Anu Aga as the nominated member of the Rajya Sabha. Though Rekha and Aga took oath in May, Sachin could not do so due to his IPL commitments.
Meanwhile, Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday said that his senior team-mate Sachin Tendulkar will make a contribution as a Rajya Sabha member also.
"This (Rajya Sabha) is a new avenue for him and I am sure he will do well and contribute there also," Dhoni had told reporters.
World chess champion Viswanathan Anand also said that Sachin Tendulkar serving as Rajya Sabha member would be a big step in his life and wished the cricket legend to enjoy his new role.
"I hope he (Tendulkar) enjoys his role and he is able to do it very well. It`s a big step for him and I think he will enjoy it," Anand said.

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Sachin Tendulkar to take oath as MP

NEW DELHI : Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was to be sworn in as a member of the upper house of parliament on Monday after being nominated in a surprise move criticised by some government opponents.
Tendulkar, who is worshipped by millions of cricket fans in India, is due to take his oath in the Rajya Sabha for a seat theoretically reserved for people who distinguish themselves in the fields of arts, sciences or social service.
He will be the first active sportsman to serve in the house, though he has previously vowed to steer clear of politics and is expected to hold the seat only as an honorary position.
Tendulkar, 39, is the world's highest run-scorer in both Test and one-day cricket and in March became the first batsman to complete 100 international centuries -- 51 in Tests and 49 in one-dayers. He shows no sign of retiring in the near future.
"I believe the president has chosen me after recognising what I have done for over 22 years," he said after he was nominated. "Cricket is my expertise. I would like to contribute to that field. I am a sportsman and I will always be a sportsman."
He will be sworn in by Hamid Ansari, India's vice president and the chairman of the upper house.  

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Pakistan square T20 series against Sri Lanka

HAMBANTOTA : Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by 23 runs in the second Twenty20 International here at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing an easy target of 123, Sri Lanka were bundled out for a mere 99 runs in 19.2 overs as no none of their batsmen could resist against an accurate bowling from Pakistan side.
Fast bowlers Mohammad Sami and Yasir Arafat captured three wickets for 16 and 18, respectively while leg-spinner Shahid Afridi took two wickets for 17 runs.
Afridi was later adjudged the Man-of-the-Match for his impressive allround performance as he smashed an unbeaten 52 from 33 balls with five fours and a six. after his captain Mohammad Hafeez won the toss
He and Shoaib Malik (27) added 68 runs –Pakistan’s highest fifth wicket partnership against Sri Lanka in this format of cricket.
Hafeez also scored a useful 24 whereas other batsmen could not make any significant contribution.
For Sri Lanka, paceman Nuwan Kulasekara and leg-spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi claimed two wickets each for 13 and 31, respectively.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene is not playing today and his deputy Angelo Mathews is leading the side.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga has also been rested Thus, Chamara Kapudegedara and Isuru Udana replaced them
Pakistan made one change, replacing Umar Gul with Yasir Arafat.
Sri Lanka lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first game by 37 runs on Friday.

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Pakistan restricted to 122-6 despite Afridi’s fifty

HAMBANTOTA : Pakistan failed again to make a sufficient score despite Shahid Afridi’s brilliant unbeaten half-century against Sri Lanka in the second Twenty20 International here at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Winning the toss, captain Mohammad Hafeez decided to bat first but his batsmen could not succeed to reach a respectable total and were restricted to 122 for six in the allotted 20 overs.
Allrounder Shahid Afridi remained not out on 52, made off 33 balls with the help of five fours and a six.
He and Shoaib Malik (27) added 68 runs –Pakistan’s highest fifth wicket partnership against Sri Lanka in this format of cricket.
Hafeez also scored a useful 24 whereas other batsmen could not make any significant contribution.
For Sri Lanka, paceman Nuwan Kulasekara and leg-spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi claimed two wickets each for 13 and 31, respectively.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene is not playing today and his deputy Angelo Mathews is leading the side.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga has also been rested Thus, Chamara Kapudegedara and Isuru Udana replaced them
Pakistan made one change, replacing Umar Gul with Yasir Arafat.
Sri Lanka lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first game by 37 runs on Friday.

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Anderson out of third Test against the West Indies

LONDON : England left spearhead fast bowler James Anderson out of their 12-man squad announced Sunday for the third and final Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston starting on Thursday.
But the England selectors insisted the 29-year-old Lancashire star was being omitted to "overcome several minor injury niggles" rather than being rested on grounds of squad rotation.
Seam bowlers Steven Finn and Graham Onions, yet to feature in the series but included in 13-man squads ahead of five-wicket and nine-wicket wins at Lord's and Trent Bridge respectively that have given England an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the series, will compete to fill the place left vacant by Anderson's absence.
England 3rd Test squad
Andrew Strauss (captain), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonathan Bairstow, Matt Prior (wkt), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, Graham Onions

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2nd T20I: Pakistan win toss, bat against Sri Lanka

HAMBANTOTA : Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka in the second Twenty20 International here at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene is not playing today and his deputy Angelo Mathews is leading the side.
Fast bowler Lasith Malinga has also been rested Thus Chamara Kapudegedara and Isuru Udana replaced them
Pakistan made one change, replacing Umar Gul with Yasir Arafat.
Sri Lanka lead the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first game by 37 runs on Friday.
Teams:
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Khalid Latif, Shakeel Ansar, Yasir Arafat, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Sami.
Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Thisara Perera, Chamara Kapugedera, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Nuwan Kulasekera, Sachithra Senanayake, Isuru Udana.
Umpires: Ranmore Martinesz (SL) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SL), TV umpire: Asoka de Silva (SL)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

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Gavaskar slams ICC over Indian rain-rule snub

NEW DELHI : Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has hit out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) for retaining the Duckworth/Lewis rule for rain-affected games despite an alternative suggested by an Indian engineer.
The game's world governing body on Friday said it would stick with the rule devised by Englishmen Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis, as it did not feel that any improvements could be offered in the method put forward by V. Jayadevan.
Gavaskar, writing in his column for the Times of India newspaper on Sunday, said the ICC should have at least given a trial to Jayadevan's system of calculating revised targets in limited-over matches.
"In all fairness ICC should have tried the Jayadevan method for a year, like they do with trial laws, and then decided," the former India captain said.
Jayadevan, an engineer from the south Indian state of Kerala, has spent a decade working on his so-called VJD system which has been used in Indian domestic matches since 2007 following a recommendation from Gavaskar himself.
The ICC's cricket committee, meeting in London, said it had considered Jayadevan's method in detail but found no evidence of any significant flaws in the D/L method, which was first introduced internationally in 1996.
Gavaskar also castigated the Indian media for failing to get behind Jayadevan. "Unfortunately the Indian media was busy with the IPL (Indian Premier League)," the former opener wrote.
In England, Jayadevan's challenge has been seen by some as another attempt by India, the game's superpower, to chip away at the influence of the former colonial power and inventor of the game.

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Five national players leave for Colombo today

LAHORE : Players of national cricket team will leave for Colombo from Lahore airport on Sunday for playing Test and One Day International series.
Captain Misbah ul Haq among five players will leave from Lahore to Colombo via Dubai. The players included Azhar Ali, Muhammad Sarfaraz, Umer Cheema and Abdur Razzaq.
One Day International series is scheduled to be started from June 7. All the national team players are hopeful to show their best performance.

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Ireland face Bangladesh in World Twenty20 warm-ups

LONDON: Ireland will begin their preparation for this year's ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka with a three-game series against Bangladesh in Belfast next month, it was announced Saturday.
"It's great news that we're taking on Bangladesh and the games will give us valuable preparation as we build towards the World Cup in Sri Lanka," Ireland coach Phil Simmons said in a Cricket Ireland statement.
"We played an exciting brand of cricket in winning the recent qualifying tournament in Dubai and we're now eighth in the world rankings in this format of the game," the former West Indies batsman added.
"In Paul Stirling we have one of the most exciting players in international cricket at present and I'm sure the Belfast public will relish the opportunity to watch him on home soil."
The matches, which form part of a nine-day Bangladesh tour, will be staged at Stormont on July 18, 20 and 21.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan said: "We are always looking for tough challenges as professional cricketers and I am sure the tour of Ireland would test our skills and resolve. This will be wonderful preparation for both teams heading into the ICC World T20.
"Ireland are a very competitive side and in their conditions they will be formidable. However, we have a team that is brimming with confidence.
"We have proven match winners and some fresh faces who are tailor-made for the demands of T20 cricket. This promises to be an exciting contest."
Ireland have met Bangladesh just once before in the shortest format, when they were six-wicket winners during the 2009 World Twenty20.
Ireland have been drawn against Australia and West Indies at this year's World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, which starts in September

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Australia in strike threat: reports

SYDNEY: Australia's cricketers may go on strike ahead of next month's one-day tour of England over performance-related pay issues, reports said on Saturday.
Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) head Paul Marsh said there were contingency plans should a resolution not be agreed with Cricket Australia before July 1.
The Australian newspaper said players have examined a boycott of next month's one-day tour of England or the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in September-October. "Relationships between players and management are heated and threatening to become as ugly as the stand-off surrounding the first player contract negotiations during Mark Taylor's captaincy (1994-1999)," the newspaper said.
"Cricket Australia is playing hardball in negotiations and has frozen all state and Big Bash (domestic T20) contract talks under the threat of Aus$50,000 ($48,400) fine until the new agreement is in place." The newspaper said players and state administrators have both raised the possibility of a boycott of next month's tour to England.
Marsh told the newspaper his members were preparing for the possibility of an industrial stand-off if there was no contract in place before the current one ends. "There's only 29 days of negotiations left to run, so of course we are preparing for the eventuality of not having a deal in place before the end of July," Marsh told The Australian.
"We are looking at all of our different options." The players and Cricket Australia were progressing towards an agreement on a controversial shift to performance-based pay when CA tabled a demand to change the definition of cricket revenue, it said. "The association considers that Aus$30 million cash grab and there is frustration that the bid was tabled late in negotiations," The Australian said.
"The players argue they are not asking for more money, but want to ensure they do not receive less at a time when the game is in reasonable financial health." The main sticking point in the negotiations has been the move to adjust the players' revenue share according to performance, it said.
"At the moment the players receive 26 percent of all cricket income but that would move to a sliding scale under a new deal," the newspaper said. "The pot from which the percentage is taken would shrink under the proposals."
Australia are scheduled to play England in five ODIs from June 29-July 10.

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Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in first T20

HAMBANTOTA : Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 37 runs in the opening Twenty20 international in Hambantota on Friday.
Pakistan were bowled out for 95 after restricting Sri Lanka to 132-7, with pacemen Nuwan Kulasekera, Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga and debutant off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake each taking two wickets.
Opener Ahmed Shehzad top-scored for Pakistan with 36.
The second and final Twenty20 match will be played on Sunday.

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Sri Lanka 132-7 against Pakistan in opening T20

HAMBANTOTA : Sri Lanka scored 132-7 after electing to bat against Pakistan in the opening Twenty20 international in Hambantota on Friday.
Thisara Perera top-scored for Sri Lanka with a 16-ball 32 not out, while paceman Sohail Tanvir bagged three wickets for Pakistan

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Sri Lanka elect to bat against Pakistan in first T20

HAMBANTOTA: Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene elected to bat after winning the toss against Pakistan in the opening Twenty20 international in Hambantota on Friday.
Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Nuwan Kulasekera, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Khalid Latif, Shakeel Ansar, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Sami.
The second and final Twenty20 match will be played on Sunday.

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Bangladesh name squad for Zimbabwe T20 series

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Thursday named a 15-man squad for an unofficial Twenty20 series against South Africa and Zimbabwe to be played in Harare in June.
The series is part of the teams' preparation for the World Twenty20 tournament to be held in Sri Lanka in September-October.
Bangladesh Twenty20 squad:
Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Mohammad Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Anamul Haque, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Elias Sunny, Mashrafe Mortaza, Farhad Reza, Nazmul Hossain, Ziaur Rahman, Abul Hasan.

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Sri Lanka and Pakistan clash ahead of world T20

HAMBANTOTA : Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka and Pakistan will test each other's strengths ahead of the World Twenty20 tournament later this year when they clash in a two-match series starting on Friday.
The Twenty20 games in southern Hambantota on Friday and Sunday are a prelude to the fourth edition of the world event that will be played in Sri Lanka in September-October.
"With the World T20 coming up in a few months, this series against Pakistan is very important for us," Sri Lanka's veteran captain Mahela Jayawardene said on Thursday.
"We're using these two games to find the right combination so we will mix and match. We need to make a statement in this series."
The absence of Pakistani players from the Indian Premier League (IPL) could give Sri Lanka the initial advantage at the start of the tour that also includes five one-day internationals and three Test matches.
Several Sri Lankan stars like Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga played in the cash-rich Twenty20 event in India that ended last Sunday.
But the Pakistanis, who won the World Twenty20 title in England in 2009, have been kept out of the IPL after the inaugural edition in 2008 reportedly over security fears.
Pakistan played their last Twenty20 international in February when they lost a three-match series 2-1 to England in the United Arab Emirates, and they then played in the one-day Asia Cup in Bangladesh in March.
All-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, who replaced Misbah-ul-Haq as Twenty20 captain, said his team was prepared to face the challenge of tackling Sri Lanka in their own backyard.
"Sri Lanka are always a tough opponent, especially at home, but we are well-prepared despite not having played international cricket recently," said Hafeez.
"The boys have worked really hard on their game in the last few weeks and are confident of doing well."
The rivals have played seven Twenty20 internationals so far, with Pakistan winning five and Sri Lanka two.
Sri Lanka (from): Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekera, Sachithra Senanayake, Lasith Malinga, Chamara Kapugedera, Upul Tharanga, Isuru Udana.
Pakistan (from): Mohammad Hafeez (captain), Khalid Latif, Ahmed Shehzad, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Shakeel Ansar, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanveer, Saeed Ajmal, Raza Hasan, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Sami, Hammad Azam.

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Kevin Pietersen retires from ODI, T20 cricket

LONDON: English cricketer Kevin Pietersen is retiring from limited-overs cricket with immediate effect.
The announcement was made by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Thursday. The England and Surrey batsmen will still be available for Test matches.
The 31 year old has played 127 ODIs and 36 international T20s for England, making his international debut in 2004 against Zimbabwe in Harare. Pietersen has scored 4184 runs at an average of 42 in one-day internationals and averages 38 in international T20 cricket.

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Mazhar Majeed, Mervyn Westfield lose appeals

LONDON : A sports agent and a cricketer lost their Court of Appeal challenges against match-fixing convictions on Thursday.
Mazhar Majeed, 36, from Croydon, south London, and former Essex player Mervyn Westfield - the first county cricketer in England to be prosecuted for spot-fixing - were jailed in separate cases.
Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge and two other judges in London, who had been urged to overturn their convictions, rejected their appeals.
Dismissing the challenges, Lord Judge stressed that for the health and survival of cricket as a truly competitive sport, corruption "must be eradicated".
Both appeals were heard together on May 24 as they raised the same point of law.
The men pleaded guilty following pre-trial argument and rulings, but their conviction challenges centred on the correct interpretation of gambling and betting legislation.
Majeed was sentenced in November to two years and eight months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to make corrupt payments.
Westfield, now 24, from Chelmsford, Essex, was sentenced to four months in prison at the Old Bailey in February and has since been released.
He pleaded guilty to one count of accepting or obtaining a corrupt payment to bowl in a way that would allow the scoring of runs.
He was accused of being paid GBP6,000 to bowl so that a specific number of runs would be chalked up in the first over of a match between Durham and Essex in September 2009.
As well as the jail sentence, Westfield was the subject of a confiscation order for GBP6,000.
In the case involving Majeed, three Pakistan cricketers also received custodial sentences at London's Southwark Crown Court over a scandal that rocked world sport.
Ex-Test captain Salman Butt was jailed for two-and--half years for his role as the "orchestrator" of a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in the 2010 Lord's Test against England.
Mohammad Asif, the former world number two Test bowler, was sentenced to 12 months. Mohammad Amir, who had been tipped to become one of the all-time great fast bowlers, was sentenced to six months.

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Windies' Roach returns home

LEICESTER : Fast bowler Kemar Roach has been ruled out of the remainder of the West Indies' tour of the United Kingdom team West Indies Cricket Board sources said Wednesday.
Roach has been sidelined with shin muscle soreness and will return home to Barbados to allow this to heal before starting a bowling programme again.
West Indies team physiotherapist C.J. Clark said Roach's workload has led to muscle soreness due to the repeated strain of bowling at high velocities.
"Kemar has been carrying this soreness for the last two matches, and in view of our upcoming schedule, we would like him to have the time to recover and prevent the onset of more serious injury," said Clark.
"It is always important to balance workload with the body's ability to repair, and I think it judicious to protect Kemar at this time."
West Indies later announced they have drafted in spinner Sunil Narine, to date uncapped at Test level.
The 24-year-old Narine has bagged 14 wickets in eight one-dayers and also tasted Indian Premier League success with Kolkata Knight Riders.
Roach has been West Indies' most effective bowler in the two Tests played in England, taking eight wickets at 34.25 apiece.
But he did not travel with the rest of the squad on Wednesday to Leicester, where West Indies face Leicestershire in a two-day, tour match at Grace Road, starting on Saturday. Instead, he returned to the UK capital of London and departed for home.
West Indies coach Ottis Gibson said Roach was a major loss, but the decision was taken in the best interest of the fast bowler.
"We still have an awful lot of cricket to play this year and we did not want to risk losing as valuable a player as Kemar for a long period," said Gibson.
"He has been outstanding with the ball for us so far this year and we are all gutted by his departure."
"Kemar made a lot of improvements, after enduring a tough time last year, and gave us some World-class performances during the Digicel 2012 Series against Australia and here in England."
West Indies trail 0-2 against England in the Test series, but Gibson indicated Tino Best and Fidel Edwards were chomping at the bit to play, and felt the two fast bowlers were more than enough firepower on the ground to replace Roach.
"We believe that a very excited Tino and a fit-again Fidel will be able to provide us with the spark that we will miss from Roach's absence," said Gibson.
"We still have an awful lot for which to play in the final Test, and Tino and Fidel can give us the cutting edge to our bowling if they play."
Best is yet to play a match on tour. He arrived as an injury replacement for Shannon Gabriel, who made his debut in the first Test at Lord's, but subsequently returned home with a back injury.
Edwards played in the first Test, but was sidelined for the second Test, which ended on Monday at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.

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No N Zealand contract for troubled Ryder

WELLINGTON : Troubled New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder's international career is in doubt after cricket organisers said he would not receive a central contract for the coming season.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said no contract for the 2012-13 season was offered to Ryder, who has been involved in a string of alcohol-fuelled incidents, after discussion with his management and the players' association.
Ryder announced he was taking a break from cricket in March, when he was dropped from the Black Caps after becoming involved in a row in a Napier pub, with his manager saying he needed time to sort out personal issues.
The 27-year-old was not selected for New Zealand's tour of the West Indies in March but did travel to India to play with the Pune Warriors in the IPL.
NZC chief executive David White said Ryder wanted to work on personal goals without the pressure that accompanied being a contracted player.
"All of the evidence shows that Jesse is on the right track, both on and off the field, but we're aware that there are still steps to be made," he said in a statement late Wednesday.
"While cricket remains an important part of his life, it is his health and well-being that need to be the primary focus."
An NZC spokesman said Ryder was still available for selection even without a central contract.
Black Caps vice-captain Brendon McCullum said he believed the big-hitting batsman would eventually return to international cricket as a better player.
"He's got a tremendous amount of talent and everyone wants him back on the park," he told RadioSport.
"He's just got a couple of blemishes he's got to iron out. I'm sure if he can do that then New Zealand Cricket and Jesse are both going to benefit from it."

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