Legend Walsh enjoying new role

West Indies legend Courtney Walsh is enjoying his newest role in West Indies cricket. The former Jamaica and West Indies captain is the Team Manager of the West Indies Under-19 team, presently in India for a four-nation 50 Over tournament.Walsh outlined that he is on tour to deal with the organisation and administration of the team but also on hand to share some of his vast knowledge of the game and experience to the young players."I am like a father figure to the boys in the team. I am here as Team Manager to handle the administration of the team but I am also here to impart whatever knowledge I can on these young men as we seek to develop West Indies cricket," Walsh said."For me, here is a good place to start as I try to give back to West Indies cricket. I have been doing coaching and assisting at the junior levels in Jamaica and being here with the West Indies Under 19 Team is a great joy for me. I am just happy to help and make a meaningful contribution to the development of the players in West Indies cricket," the former world record holder said.Walsh is one of the most outstanding fast bowlers in cricket's history and was last year inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame. He played at the international level from 1984 to 2001, and appeared in 132 Tests and 205 One-Day Internationals. He bowled over 30,000 balls in Test cricket and took a West Indies and then world record 519 wickets at 24.44 each. Since retiring from the game he has become a successful businessman and has also made a huge contribution to the development of several young sportsmen and sportswomen in Jamaica."I believe once the players get the help that is required we have some very good players in the making here. I always urge them to give their best. I told them to have strong self belief and maximise their good days. There will be some days in a cricketer's life when a batsman can?t get a run or a bowler just can?t get a wicket, so my advice to them is when you are in form and things are going your way, you must capitalise and go big with both bat and ball," Walsh added.

"The players have indicated they are happy to have me around and I enjoy working with them. They are a great bunch of young men. They have been picking my brain and trying to gain as much knowledge as they can about the game and the different conditions they will encounter. It has been a tremendous learning experience for me as well as I get a hang of the things."

Walsh is on his second tour as Team Manager. He made his debut in the job during the three-match series against the United States Under-19s in Florida in July. The ongoing quadrangular series in India is being used as part of the West Indies? preparations for the International Cricket Council's Under-19 World Cup, to be played in Australia in August 2012.The tour started on September 27 and runs until October 9 and also features India Under-19, Sri Lanka Under-19 and Australia Under-19. So far the Windies have had a tough trip, losing to the Aussies and the Sri Lankans. They will be looking to bounce back when they take on India on Saturday.FULL SQUAD: Kraigg Brathwaite (Barbados): right-hand bat/right-arm off-spinner (CAPTAIN) Anthony Alleyne (Barbados): left-hand bat/right-arm off-spinner
Sunil Ambris (Windward Islands): right-hand bat/wicket-keeper
Ronsford Beaton (Guyana): right-hand bat/right-arm fast bowler
John Campbell (Jamaica): left-hand bat/right-arm off-spinner
Derone Davis (Trinidad and Tobago): left-hand bat/left-arm spinner
Justin Greaves (Barbados): right-hand bat/right-arm fast-medium
Kavem Hodge (Windward Islands): right-hand bat/left-arm spinner
Akeal Hosein (Trinidad and Tobago): left-hand bat/left-arm spinner
Jerome Jones (Barbados): left-hand bat/left-arm fast bowler
Steven Katwaroo (Trinidad and Tobago): right-hand bat/wicket-keeper
Amir Khan (Guyana): right-hand bat/right-arm leg-spinner
Emmanuel Lett (Trinidad and Tobago): right-hand bat/right-arm off-spinner
Kyle Mayers (Barbados): left-hand bat/right-arm medium-fast
Donovan Nelson (Jamaica): left-hand bat/right-arm leg-spinner
Team Management Unit: Roddy Estwick (Head Coach), Courtney Walsh (Team Manager), Stuart Williams (Assistant Coach), Janel Springer (Physiotherapist), Neval Grazette (Trainer)
UPCOMING MATCHES
October 1 Sri Lanka v Australia at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam India v West Indies at Port Trust Diamond Jubilee Stadium, Visakhapatnam
October 3 West Indies v Sri Lanka at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam India v Australia at Port Trust Diamond Jubilee Stadium, Visakhapatnam October 5 India v Sri Lanka at Port Trust Diamond Jubilee Stadium, Visakhapatnam West Indies v Australia at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam October 7

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National T20 semis today

KARACHI : National Twenty20 Cricket Championship is entering its final stages as two semi final matches will be played Saturday,Geo Super will broadcast all the matches live. In the ongoing cricket battle at National Stadium, Lahore Eagles will face Shoaib Malik’s Sialkot Stallions while Peshawar Panthers will play Rawalpindi Rams in the second match.The first semi-final will be played at 4 pm while the second is scheduled at 8 pm tonight.

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Sachin was scared of Shoaib: Afridi

KARACHI : Former Pakistan Captain Shahid Afridi said that Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar would tremble when he was facing Shoaib Akhtar,Afridi added that during the ICC World Cup 2011 Sachin was also scared of Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal. In his recently released autobiography Shoaib Akhtar claimed that Sachin Tendulkar was scared of him and was not a match winner. Sachin refused to comment on these claims and they created a backlash for Akhtar in India.

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Lahore Eagles win toss, bat against Sialkot Stallions

KARACHI : The first semi-finals is being played between Lahore Eagles and Sialkot Stallions here at the National Stadium on Saturday. Lahore Eagles won the toss and elected to bat first.Both teams made one change as Waqas Ahmed replaced Waqas Aslam in the Eagles and Qaiser Abbas came in place of Faisal Naved in the Stallions.Lahore Eagles have reached the semis winning all their three league matches. They beat Karachi Zebras by two runs, Abbottabad Falcons by 15 runs and Quetta Bears by nine wickets. On the other hand Sialkot Stallions have won their both league matches – first against Hyderabad Hawks by nine wickets and then against Lahore Lions by six wickets. In the other semi-final, to be played later today, Rawalpindi Rams and Peshawar Panthers will face each other.GeoSuper will telecast both the semi-finals live from the National Stadium, Karachi.

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Peshawar Panthers stun Karachi Dolphins, reach semis

KARACHI : Peshawar Panthers shocked Karachi Dolphins to get a semi-final berth in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 here in a day-night match at the National Stadium on Friday.The Panthers, led by fast-medium bowler Umar Gul, won by 29 runs as the Dolphins captained by all-rounder Shahid Afridi could not chase the huge target of 178 runs despite a brave knock of 37 runs by wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed and were restricted to148-9.Earlier, Peshawar Panthers made 177 runs for seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs after they won the toss and decided to bat first.Zohaib Khan top scored with an unbeaten 43 made off only 23 balls. He smashed three fours and two sixes.He was followed by Rafatullah Mohmand (42) and Mohammad Fayyaz (39).For Karachi Dolphins, Faraz Ahmed, captain Shahid Afridi and Rumman Raees claimed two wickets each.

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Zohaib takes Panthers to 177-7 against Karachi Dolphins

KARACHI : Peshawar Panthers set a big target 178 runs against Karachi Dolphins in the last group match of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 here at the National Stadium on Friday night.Winning the toss, captain Umar Gul decided to bat first and made 178 runs for seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs.Zohaib Khan top scored with an unbeaten 43 made off only 23 balls. He smashed three fours and two sixes.He was followed by Rafatullah Mohmand (42) and Mohammad Fayyaz (39).For Karachi Dolphins, Faraz Ahmed, captain Shahid Afridi and Rumman Raees claimed two wickets each.The match will decide the fourth semi-finalist as Lahore Eagles, Sialkot Stallions and Rawalpindi Rams have also qualified for this knock-out stage.

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Rawalpindi Rams beat Faisalabad Wolves to reach T20 semis

KARACHI : Rawalpindi Rams have also qualified for the semi-finals of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 as they defeated Faisalabad Wolves by seven runs after an interesting contest here at the National Stadium on Friday.Set a modest target of 166, Faisalabad Wolves’ start was disastrous as both their openers fell for duck and soon they were reeling at 39 for five.However, captain Misbah-ul-Haq (43) and Imran Khalid (48) repaired the damage, adding 66 runs for the sixth wicket, and put their team on the path of victory. But latter batsmen failed to take advantage of it and were restricted to 158-8 in the 20 overs.Pacers Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Rameez claimed two wickets each for the Rams.Earlier, Rawalpindi Rams scored 165 runs for eight wickets after captain Sohail Tanvir won the toss and elected to bat.Umer Amin top scored 53 off 37 balls hitting seven fours while Jamal Anwar made 41. Both added 97 runs for the fifth wicket.For Faisalabad Wolves, off-break bowler Saeed Ajmal bagged three wickets for 32 runs.

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Kapil blasts Tendulkar's 100th ton hype

NEW DELHI : Former India great Kapil Dev has slammed the media's obsession with Sachin Tendulkar achieving 100 international centuries, saying the focus should be on the team's performances.During India's recent tour of England, speculation reached fever pitch about Tendulkar reaching the landmark figure.But the star failed to fulfil his fans' hopes and was left stranded on 99 hundreds 51 in Tests and 48 in one-day internationals.India were blanked 4-0 in the Test series, conceding their number-one ranking to the hosts, and also lost the one-dayers 3-0."You seem more keen about Sachin's 99 hundreds and not about how we are going to win the next series," Kapil said while delivering the Dilip Sardesai lecture in memory of the former Test batsman in Mumbai on Thursday."I am not saying don't give credit to individual performances, but the country should come first."Everyone knows Sachin has 99 centuries, but how many know which of those have ended in victories? Out of Sachin's 99 hundreds, 60 have ended in wins. If anyone reports that I'll be happy."We have to change our mindset. If we lose the match, what's the use of statistics? To hell with that!"Kapil, 52, regarded as one of the best all-rounders of his era, claimed a then-world record 434 Test wickets, besides taking 253 one-day wickets, before quitting the game in 1994. He also scored 5,248 runs in Tests and 3,783 in one-dayers.Kapil, who became India's first World Cup-winning captain in 1983, also blamed tight scheduling for the team's disastrous show in England.The Indian players figured in the lucrative Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL) a few days after winning the World Cup in April before leaving for the West Indies and England tours."The players did not get time to unwind and enjoy their World Cup victory. They had worked four years for it. But they just got four days before the IPL began," Kapil said."They should have got more time to enjoy the moment. If you don't give time to unwind, you lose the passion to play. That's what happened in England."Kapil also wanted players to be paid more for representing the country than their IPL franchises."How can you give more money to play for a club and not for playing for the country?" he said. Kapil, who played 131 Tests and 225 one-dayers over a 16-year career, wanted the burden on seamers to be reduced in order to avoid injuries, like the ones to current spearheads Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel."The cricket board should understand how much burden the fast bowlers can take," he said. "They can't bowl for 365 days.

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Rawalpindi Rams set 166-run target for Faisalabad Wolves

KARACHI : Rawalpindi Rams set a target of 166 runs for Faisalabad Wolves in the second match of the last day of league fixtures in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Friday.After captain Sohail Tanvir won the toss and elected to bat, Rawalpindi Rms scored 165 runs for eight wickets in the allotted 20 overs.Umer Amin top scored 53 off 37 balls hitting seven fours while Jamal Anwar made 41. Both added 97 runs for the fifth wicket.For Faisalabad Wolves, off-break bowler Saeed Ajmal bagged three wickets for 32 runs

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PCB stops banned Salim Malik from touring

KARACHI : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Friday stopped banned former captain Salim Malik from touring Sri Lanka with a veteran team, an official said.The Pakistan veterans cricket team, who will play four one-day matches on their September 30-October 7 tour, had included Malik in the squad but had to drop him on the advice of cricket authorities.Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) chairman Fawad Ijaz said Malik had been withdrawn on the instructions of the PCB director Intikhab Alam."We had the understanding that Malik has been cleared so we included him in the squad but Alam told us that he is not cleared by the International Cricket Council, so we have withdrawn him," Ijaz said.Malik was banned from the sport for life in 2000 over claims that he asked the Australian trio Shane Warne, Tim May and Mark Waugh to under perform during their tour of Pakistan in 1994.Malik's name was linked to an Indian match-fixing inquiry that led to a life ban later overturned for former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin in 2000.The late South Africa captain Hansie Cronje, also banned for life for involvement in match-fixing, named Malik as an offender.The PCB also had to overturn a decision to appoint Malik as national cricket academy coach in 2008 after ICC reportedly questioned the appointment.

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Afridi inspires Dolphins to easy win over Leopards

KARACHI : Captain Shahid Afridi led from the front with a commanding all round performance to inspire Karachi Dolphins to an easy eight-wicket victory over Islamabad Leopards in a day-night match in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Thursday.Chasing 132, Karachi Dolphins completed the victory in 13.3 overs for the loss of only two wickets in their first match in the tournament.Shahid Afridi, opening the innings with Sahhzaib Hasan (21), hammered 58 off 32 balls with six brilliant fours and two towering sixes.Karachi Dolphins were 26 runs away from victory when Afridi departed after adding 70 runs along with Rameez Raja (2) for the second wicket partnership.Then Raja and Asad Shafiq took 17 balls to reach the target and both remained not out on 36 and 10, respectively.Earlier, Shahid Afridi and his bowlers through their accurate bowling restricted Islamabad Leopards to 131-9 in the allotted 20 overs.Main scorers were Afaq Rahim (22), Moed Ahmed (21) and Nauman Masood (20).Winning the toss, Islamabad leopards captain Rao Iftikhar Anjum decided to bat first but his batsmen could not resist against Karachi Dolphins attack, particularly leg-breaks and googlies by skipper Shahid Afridi, who captured three wickets for 20 runs.

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Karachi Dolphins restrict Islamabad Leopards to 131-9

KARACHI : Captain Shahid Afridi and his bowlers through their accurate bowling restricted Islamabad Leopards to 131-9 in a day-night match in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Thursday.Winning the toss, Islamabad leopards captain Rao Iftikhar Anjum decided to bat first but his batsmen could not resist against Karachi Dolphins attack. particularly leg-breaks and googlies by skipper Shahid Afridi, who captured three wickets for 20 runs. For Islamabad leopards, main scorers were Afaq Rahim (22), Moed Ahmed (21) and Nauman Masood (20).Now, Karachi Dolphins who are playing their first match in the tournament require 132 runs to win.

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Faisalabad Wolves throw Afghan Cheetas out of T20 Cup

KARACHI : Surviving some anxious time, Faisalabad Wolves defeated Afghan Cheetas by 13 runs to grab their second win in group "B" in the National T20 Cup Cricket Tournament at National Stadium on Thursday evening. Afghan Cheetas were well placed after 15 overs with 35 required in the last five overs. But three superb run-outs and tight bowling by Faisalabad bowlers restricted the visitors to 132-9 in 20 overs.Chasing 146 for victory, Gulbodin Naib gave Afghan Cheetas a great start with whirlwind knock of 62 in 42 balls with ten delightful boundaries and two massive sixes. But with his departure Wolves gained the control.Wicketkeeper Muhammad Salman, who toured West Indies with the Pakistan team earlier, top-scored with 26-ball 32 with four boundaries after they won the toss and elected to bat first.Opener Asif Hussain belted four boundaries in his 23-ball 30 as Faisalabad Wolves made 145-8 in 20 overs. Skipper Misbah struggled for 16 in 17 with a solitary boundary. With their second successive defeat Afghan Cheetas were knocked out of the race.Afghan team will take on Multan Tigers on Friday noon.

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Hafeez to undergo minor surgery

KARACHI :  Sept. 29 (APP)- Pakistan opening batsman Muhammad Hafeez,who had a grand tour of Zimbabwe has been ruled out of National T20 Cup as he will be undergoing minor surgery.Hafeez' cyst on his chest requires surgery. "It's a minor surgery, nothing serious, but he (Hafeez) opted to skip the Twenty20 as precaution," a PCB spokesman said. "He has very less time ahead of the Sri Lanka series (the first Test begins on October 18 in Abu Dhabi), which is followed by Bangladesh and England series. So it's the ideal time for him to undergo surgery," he said. Hafeez was in prime form with bat and ball during Pakistan's recent tour of Zimbabwe, scoring 467 runs and taking 13 wickets, with four Man-of-the-Match awards and two centuries

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PCB shortlists five candidates for coaching position

KARACHI : The committee formed to hire a new coach for the national cricket team held its second meeting,37 individuals had applied for the position out of which 12 were international applicants. According to committee chairman Intikhab Alam five candidates were shortlisted however he refused to reveal their names to the media. Alam said that an interim coach will appointed for Pakistan’s series against Sri Lanka.

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Rawalpindi Rams defeat Multan Tigers in T20 cup

KARACHI : Fast-medium bowler Mohammad Rameez, capturing four wickets for 24 runs with a hat-trick  the first in the tournament – guided Rawalpindi Rams to a five- wicket victory over Multan tigers on the fifth day of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Thursday.Chasing 152, Rawalpindi Rams achieved the target with eight balls to spare. Their main contributors were Awais Zia (52) and Tahir Mughal (37).Earlier, Multan Tigers made 151 runs for nine wickets in the allotted 20 overs after their captain Shabbir Ahmed won the toss and decided to bat first in the first match of the day.Only four batsmen could get into double figures as other batsmen faced difficulty to play against the Rawalpindi Rams bowlers.Rameez, the hat-trick boy, was later adjudged the man-of-the-match. He was supported by Samiullah and Yasin Murtaza who claimed two wickets each.Ansar Javed (35 not out), Gulraiz Sadaf (35) and Kamran Hussain (32) were the main scorers for Multan Tigers

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Ajmal helps Wolves devour Tigers

KARACHI : Test off-spinner Saeed Ajmal bowled an outstanding spell to guide Faisalabad Wolves to an emphatic 54-run victory against Multan Tigers in their Faysal Bank T20 match at the National Stadium Karachi here on Wednesday.Ajmal was in full as he picked up three wickets for just five runs as the Tigers were restricted 107-7 in 20 overs while chasing 162.Wicketkeeper-batsman Gulraiz Sadaf scored 32, hitting a six and four boundaries, but failed to save his team from a big loss. Exciting left-hander Zain Abbas was also not at his blistering best and made a 27-ball 28. Imran Khalid bowled splendidly, picking up two wickets.Earlier, a 57-run opening stand between Asif Hussain (25) and Asif Ali (44) laid a solid platform for Wolves to post a big total. But Wolves failed to capatilise on it and could only managed 161-8 in their allotted overs and that too with the help of 30 extras. Khurram Shezad made 43. Allrounder Kamran Hussain bagged two wickets. In the first match of the day, Nauman Habib and Test fast bowler Umar Gul shared seven wickets between them to help Peshawar Panthers beat Islamabad Leopards in Group ‘D’ opener.Set a target of 151, Leopards were reduced to 4-18 in four overs before being finally bowled out for 122 in 19.3 overs. Naeem Anjum top-scored with a 41-ball 40 to save his side from a colossal defeat, while Afaq Raheem made a fluent 32. Nauman took four wickets with Umar Gul bagging three.Earlier, Panthers posted a total of 150 for nine in 20 overs. Aftab Alam played an anchor role making 36 off 33 balls with a six and two fours. Zohaib Ahmed claimed three wickets.On Tuesday night, Sialkot Stallions set a semifinal date with Lahore Eagles after they edged-out Lahore Lions with a six-wicket win in a low-scoring Group ‘C’ tie.Lions chose to bat first and were put on back-foot by left-arm medium pace Sarfraz Ahmed, as he removed the dangerous Kamran Akmal (5) and Ahmed Shehzad (22) early on.Lions had no answer against Stallions’ impressive bowling attack, which was bolstered by the return of Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Sarfraz Ahmed and Naved Arif (all were missing in the Super-Eight T20 event). In addition, Raza Hasan who played for Rawalpindi Rams’ was recalled to represent his native Sialkot side.Meanwhile, apart from Lions’ skipper Abdul Razzaq (42) no one was able to rise to the occasion. They were all out for 121 in 19.4 overs.Rana Naved bagged three wickets, while Raza Hasan, Sarfraz Ahmed and Abdur Rehman picked up two scalps each.In reply, Stallions chased down the target with six wickets in hand and five balls to spare. Shahid Yousuf (47) and wicketkeeper Shakeel Ansar (42) both played sensible knocks to guide their side to victory.

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Pakistan banker Ali Reza likely to succeed Ijaz Butt as PCB chairman

ISLAMABAD : Pakistan’s top banker Ali Reza reportedly emerged as a possible candidate to take over as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman following speculations that Ijaz Butt might not get a contract extension.“Yes there is some substance to these rumours, but nothing is decided as yet and the President has yet to take a decision on this issue. But Ali Reza’s name is being considered for the top cricket post,” a source told the Nation.“Everything will be clear by next week because by that time it will be known who will represent Pakistan at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Executive Board meeting on October 8 and 9th,” the source added.Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, patron of the PCB, had appointed Butt as the chairman in October 2008.He has been involved in several controversies during his tenure, presiding over Pakistan during a time when security concerns including a shooting incident involving the Sri Lankan tour bus—stripped the country of several international fixtures.

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Misbah eyes top four Test spot for Pakistan

KARACHI :  Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul Haq on Thursday said he has targeted a top four Test spot for his side with an eye on qualification for the inaugural World Test Championship in 2013.The four top teams in the ICC (International Cricket Council) standings in mid-January 2013 will progress to the first World Test Championships scheduled to be played in England later that year."We can come in the top four to feature in the Test championship and that's one of the aims in our next three important series," said Misbah, appointed captain for all three formats of the game last month.Misbah led Pakistan to a clean-sweep over Zimbabwe earlier this month, winning the one-off Test, all three one-days and both the Twenty20 internationals.His team now plays Sri Lanka over three Tests, five one-days and a Twenty20, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) next month because of security fears in Pakistan.Pakistan currently lie sixth in the ICC Test rankings and need to win against fifth-placed Sri Lanka and their next two series -- against world number one England and Bangladesh, who are ranked ninth.They tour Bangladesh in December for a two-Test series and play England in three Tests, four one-day and three Twenty20 in UAE in January-February next year Misbah said the confidence gained on the Zimbabwe tour will help his team."We have done well in our two tough series before the Zimbabwe tour and did well against South Africa and New Zealand, so the confidence level is high and this morale will help us in future series," said Misbah.Misbah said using new bowlers on the Zimbabwe tour had paid-off providing the team with greater attacking depth and back-up in case of injury.But he said outgoing coach Waqar Younis will be missed."As captain you develop an understanding with the coach and Waqar was very supportive to me and to the team, so we now have to rebuild that understanding with the new coach," Misbah added.Pakistan is searching for a new coach after Waqar left the post at the end of the Zimbabwe tour, citing health problems.A three-member committee will meet in Karachi later Thursday to discuss around 40 applicants for the post from around the world, and will also talk with other prominent foreign coaches.The process to agree a final candidate will take about a month and Pakistan is likely to play the Sri Lanka series under a temporary coach.(

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Three matches in National T20 today

KARACHI : Three matches will be played Thursday in Faysal Bank T20 tournament, Geo News reported. Geo Super will broadcast all matches live.Rawalpindi Rams and Multan Tigers are facing each other in the first match started at 12 pm. Second match is scheduled at 4pm where Faisalabad Wolves will play Afghan Cheeta while the third and last match will be played between Karachi Dolphins and Islamabad Leopards at 8 pm tonight.

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Amendments to playing conditions take effect from 1 October

LONDON : As has always been the practice, changes to the playing conditions for Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) take effect from Saturday 1 October, the ICC has confirmed.The amendments have been approved by the ICC Executive Board following proposals made by the ICC Cricket Committee at its meeting in London in May.It is important to note that the playing conditions are applicable to international cricket and must be read together with the Laws of Cricket. Whilst a playing condition may have the effect of amending the Laws of Cricket as they may apply to international cricket these changes are not amendments to the Laws of Cricket themselves.In particular it should be noted that the changes to the playing conditions in relation to runners and to the running out of the non-striker, as set out below, are only applicable to international cricket.The amendments to the playing conditions are:

Two new balls per innings (ODIs only)

"Each fielding team shall have two new balls for its innings, to be used in alternate overs, i.e. one from each end." (Clause 5.2)

Powerplays (ODIs only)

Whilst the total number of powerplay overs remain at 20 per innings with the first block of 10 being at the commencement of the innings (for an uninterrupted match), the remaining second and third block of powerplay overs (blocks of five overs for an uninterrupted match) may not be taken so as to commence earlier than the 16th over nor be completed later than the 40th over (Clause 41.2.5).This restriction will not apply for reduced innings of scheduled duration of less than 40 overs.

Obstructing the field (Tests, ODIs and T20Is)

A new playing condition has been introduced clarifying that on appeal from the fielding team, if the umpire feels that a batsman, whilst running between the wickets, has significantly changed his direction without probable cause thereby obstructing a fielder's attempt to run him out, the batsman should be given out obstructing the field. It shall not be relevant whether a run out would have been affected or not (Clause 37).It should be noted that this playing condition enhances Law 37 and does not replace it.The circumstances described in the new playing condition (i.e. a batsman significantly changing his direction of running without probable cause) are only one example of an action which will qualify as willfully obstructing the field. Accordingly, it is still possible for a batsman to be given out obstructing the field in circumstances where he has not significantly changed his direction of running provided that the umpire feels that by some other actions it is clear that the batsman had intended to obstruct the field. This will depend on the circumstances of each case.

In making a decision in this regard, the on-field umpires are entitled to consult the third umpire in deciding whether the obstruction was willful or not with the final decision being made and conveyed by the relevant on-field umpire (Clause 2.4 of the relevant appendices of the DRS or TV replay system).

Runners (Tests, ODIs and T20Is)

"A runner for a batsman shall not be permitted" (Clause 2.1).
Unless nine wickets are down, the injured or ill batsman has the option of retiring hurt and returning to bat at a later stage should the need and/or opportunity arise.

Calculation of the period for which an injured or ill player who has been absent from the field shall not be permitted to bowl or bat i.e. penalty time (Tests, ODIs and T20Is)

A playing condition has been introduced to clarify that if at the commencement of an interruption in play through ground, weather or light conditions or for other exceptional circumstances, a player is on the field but still has some unexpired penalty time remaining from a previous absence, he shall automatically be allowed to count any such stoppage time as playing time (Clause 2.2.2)

Bowler attempting to run-out non-striker before delivery (Tests, ODIs and T20Is)

Previously, the bowler could only run out a non-striker backing up if he did so before he had entered his delivery stride. This meant that as the bowler's back foot landed, the non-striker could move down the wicket before the bowler actually delivered the ball, gaining an unfair advantage.The following new playing condition 42.11 addresses this point and reads as follows:"The bowler is permitted, before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one of the over. If the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the non-striker, the umpire shall call and signal Dead ball as soon as possible."It should be noted that umpires shall deem the bowler to have completed his delivery swing once his bowling arm passes the normal point of ball release.

Extra time to complete a match (Tests only)

The standard Test match playing conditions (Clause 16.2.2) now provide that:"The umpires may decide to play 15 minutes (a minimum of four overs) extra time at the scheduled lunch or tea interval of any day if requested by either captain if, in the umpires' opinion, it would bring about a definite result in that session. If the umpires do not believe a result can be achieved no extra time shall be allowed. "If it is decided to play such extra time, the whole period shall be played out even though the possibility of finishing the match may have disappeared before the full period has expired. "Only the actual amount of playing time up to the maximum 15 minutes extra time by which play is extended on any day shall be deducted from the total number of hours of play remaining, and the following session of play shall be reduced by the amount of time by which play was previously extended under this clause."

Delay of lunch interval when nine wickets down (Tests only):

As is currently the case with tea interval, the playing conditions now provide that if nine wickets are down at the time of the scheduled lunch interval, the interval shall be delayed by a maximum of 30 minutes (Clause 15.2).

Duration of interval between innings (ODIs only)

The minimum interval for an uninterrupted ODI match has been increased from 20 minutes to 30 minutes (Clause 12.4.1 (b)).

The ICC Cricket Committee that met in May and made the recommendations that have been adopted was chaired by former West Indies captain and ICC Cricket World Cup winner Clive Lloyd and included former Australia captain Mark Taylor and Ravi Shastri, the ex-India captain, and New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive (NZC) Justin Vaughan.It also featured Keith Bradshaw, MCC Secretary and Chief Executive, Steve Davis of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, chief ICC match referee and former Sri Lanka captain Ranjan Madugalle, Trent Johnston, former Ireland captain, Gary Kirsten, the ex-South Africa opener who coached India to ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 victory and is currently South Africa coach, former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop, Tim May, former Australia off-spinner and the Chief Executive of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, former England women's team captain Clare Connor, and David Kendix, a statistician/scorer and the man responsible for the creation and development of the Reliance ICC Rankings who has been nominated by the ICC to sit on the committee.The ICC Cricket Committee meeting was administered by ICC General Manager - Cricket, David Richardson, and also included ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat as ex-officio.

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India names young squad for the first two ODIs

MUMBAI : The Indian cricket selectors announced the team for the first two ODIs against England in Chennai on Wednesday. It wasn't an easy task for the selectors with several key players still battling injuries.Despite the injury crisis, Harbhajan Singh was not picked in the squad.As expected Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag and Munaf Patel, injured during the tour of England, missed out after failing to recover in time. Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane, who opened the innings for India in England, retained their places after a decent outing there. Gautam Gambhir who is also participating in the ongoing Champions League T20 has though made a comeback after missing the ODI series in England due to injury.S Aravind, Rahul Sharma and Umesh Yadav are the three surprise selections.Squad: M S Dhoni (Captain), Gautam Gambhir, Parthiv Patel, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Praveen Kumar, Manoj Tiwary, Ravindra Jadeja, R Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, S Aravind, Rahul Sharma, Varun Aaron.

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Peshawar Panthers successful against Islamabad Leopards

KARACHI : Peshawar Panthers started the tournament successfully by beating Islamabad Leopards by 28 runs in a T20 match here on Wednesday.Islamabad Leopards won the toss and decided to field. In a 20-year game, Peshawar Panthers managed to score 150 runs for 9 wickets down.The main scorers were Aftab Alam 36 and Raffatullah Mohmand 24 while Zohaib Ahmed from Islamabad Leopards took 3 wickets.Islamabad Leopards lost their four quick wickets in first over of their innings after which batting lineup failed to sustain. They managed to score 122 for all out.Naem Anjum was the high scorer from Islamabad Leopards with 40 runs while Noman Habib in his debut match took four wickets from Peshawar Panthers side.

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Bangladesh women to Tour India and Sri Lanka

Bangladesh women's cricket team will tour India and Sri Lanka in October 2011. The tour will act as Bangladesh team's preparation for the upcoming ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier. Former India player Mamata Maben will be the coach of the side on the twin tours. Salma KhatunPanna Ghosh Ayesha Akter Suktara Jahanara Alam Shathira Jakir Farzana Hoque Pinky Lata Mondol

Rumana Ahmed

Sultana Yesmin Boishakhi

Chamely Khatun

Champa Chakma

Shohaly Akther

Tahin Tahera

Sharmin Akhter Supta

Sanjida Islam

Shamima Sultana

Khadiza Tul Kubra


TEAM MANAGEMENT

Abdullah Al Fuad - Head of Delegation

Dipu Rai Chowdhury - Manager & Technical Director

Mamata Maben - Coach

Suraya Akhtar - Physio


ITINERARY


04 Oct: Arrival in Saurashtra (Rajkot, India)

06 Oct: 1st one day match against Saurashtra women's team

08 Oct: 2nd one day match against Saurashtra women's team

10 Oct: Arrival in Colombo, Sri Lanka

11 Oct: 1st one day match against Sri Lanka

13 Oct: 2nd one day match against Sri Lanka

14 Oct: 3rd one day match against Sri Lanka

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England announce 2012 summer schedule of Tests and ODIs

England have announced their 2012 summer schedule, with West Indies, Australia and South Africa touring.The Windies arrive in May for three Tests, three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 game, before Australia play five one-dayers in June and July.South Africa then play three Tests, five ODIs and three T20 internationals between mid-July and mid-September.Cardiff hosts the domestic Twenty20 finals day on 25 August, with the CB40 final at Lord's on 15 September.Meanwhile, Australia play Ireland in a one-day international in Belfast on 23 June, while England travel to Scotland for an ODI on 12 August.The second Test against South Africa, which takes place at Headingley between 2-6 August, is the only Test to directly clash with the 2012 Olympics in London, which run from 25 July until 12 August.2012 SUMMER TOURISTS Continue reading the main story    West Indies: 3 Tests, 3 ODIs, 1 T20 (27 May-24 June)Australia: 5 ODIs plus ODI v Ireland (29 June-10 July)South Africa: 3 Tests, 5 ODIs, 3 T20s (19 July-12 Sept)The domestic international programme finishes on 12 September, a fortnight earlier than it did in 2011, to allow both England and South Africa to depart for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka, which begins on 18 September.The venues for each of the international matches had already been determined.West Indies will visit Lord's, Trent Bridge and Edgbaston for Tests, with ODIs at the Rose Bowl, The Oval and Headingley, and a Twenty20 international at Trent Bridge.The Caribbean side will also take on Sussex, the England Lions, Leicestershire and Middlesex.Meanwhile, after playing Leicestershire, Ireland and Essex, Australia's five ODIs are at Lord's, The Oval, Edgbaston, Chester-le-Street and Old Trafford.South Africa's tour features Tests at The Oval, Headingley and Lord's, with ODIs at Cardiff, the Rose Bowl, The Oval, Lord's and Trent Bridge, T20 internationals at Chester-le-Street, Old Trafford and Edgbaston, and warm-up games against Somerset, Kent, Worcestershire, Derbyshire and Gloucestershire.ECB chief executive David Collier said: "With England looking to maintain its position as the number one side in the ICC's World Test rankings and also preparing to defend the World Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka next autumn, interest in next summer's international programme will be intense."A record number of people attended this season's international fixtures and with an exciting summer in prospect again in 2012, we would urge spectators to buy tickets early in order to avoid disappointment

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Call for Pakistan to rename its "Gaddafi Stadium"

It seems doubtful though the Libyan leader was ever much of a cricket fan.However, his downfall has left cricket-mad Pakistan with a rather sensitive problem – what to do with the Muammar Gaddafi Stadium, amid a growing online campaign to rename the 60,000 seat ground.Gaddafi Stadium is the home of the Pakistan Cricket Board and the site of the final of the 1996 World Cup for a reason: it is simply the best that Pakistan cricket has to offer," wrote columnist Farooq Tirmizi, kick-starting the campaign with a blog on a newspaper website.So why is it named after a brutal Arab dictator?All over Africa, impoverished nations have Gaddafi Conference Centres and Gaddafi Stadiums all paid for with Libyan oil money – not to mention the roads renamed in his honour.  The Lahore stadium was given its name by President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1974 after Colonel Gaddafi's speech at a meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, where he spoke in favour of Pakistan's right to develop nuclear weapons.The two countries remained close allies and Pakistan has yet to recognise Libya's new rulers.That has not stopped a growing campaign by grass roots fans to rebrand the stadium, which is home to the Pakistan Cricket Board.Online polls have suggested naming the stadium after Imran Khan, a son of Lahore who became the country's greatest all-rounder. His new career as a populist politician would probably make him too controversial a choice.Other proposals include commemorating Bob Woolmer, who died in 2007 while coach of Pakistan, or Aleem Dar, who has thrice been named ICC umpire of the year.Some nations have already begun the process of cleansing Gaddafi's name from their landmarks. In Sudan, Khartoum's Burj Alfateh hotel – named after the date of the 1969 Libyan revolution and known locally "Gaddafi's egg" - has quietly reverted to the name of its parent company, becoming the Corinthia Hotel.But so far the Pakistan Cricket Board has refused to consider the issue.Tariq Azim, a senator and keen cricket fan, said changing the name would mean turning away from historical connections."He's become a baddy now but if you go down that path we would have to change a lot of road names," he said

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Marlon Samuels' bowling action found to be legal

The International Cricket Council today confirmed that following significant remedial work, an independent test has found the bowling action of the West Indies' off-spinner Marlon Samuels to be legal and, as such, the player can resume bowling in international cricket.A comprehensive analysis revealed that his mean elbow extension was now comfortably within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the relevant regulations. During the original test on 11 February 2008, his mean elbow extension had been calculated to be in excess of 15 degrees.In the wake of that test Samuels was suspended from bowling in international cricket and subsequently underwent significant remedial work to modify his action. The 30-year-old from Jamaica was originally reported by umpires Aleem Dar and Simon Taufel following the third Test between South Africa and the West Indies in Durban from 8 to 10 January 2008.This latest independent analysis was performed by Prof. Bruce Elliott, member of the ICC Panel of Human Movement Specialists, and his team at the School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth, on 14 September.The regulations for the review of bowlers reported with suspected illegal bowling actions can be found by clicking here.It is important to point out that under this process, as with all bowlers, Samuels' action will continue to be scrutinised by match officials to ensure it remains legal.

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Pakistan ready to host international cricket, PCB sends signal to ICC

ISLAMABAD Sept 27 (APP): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made strict security arrangements for Faysal Bank Twenty-20 currently underway at Karachi, in order to send a strong signal to International Cricket Council (ICC) that Pakistan is ready to host international cricket.We want to ensure that no lapse occurs which could send out a negative message,” pakwatan.com quoted a PCB official as saying. “We are trying to build a strong image once again for the international cricket fraternity. All the stakeholders should fulfill their responsibility so that international cricket can be revived in Pakistan.However, the PCB official said that he is optimistic that the security efforts that have been put in place will help achieve fruitful results in future.“For now we can only fulfill the job on offer, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) is closely monitoring the security condition in Pakistan whenever a tournament of this stature is going on,” he added.The event is being televised and the whole world is watching.  Let the ICC decide whether we have done enough to build some confidence from the security point of view,” he said.For now police and security guards of a private company are operating but the official said that they have Rangers on board as well. He added that the Rangers could be deployed for the semifinals and final.

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Chand, Vohra lead the way for India U19

India's under-19 captain Unmukt Chand (72 not out: 40b, 11x4, 3x6) and Manan Vohra (79 not out: 35b, 15x4, 2x6) shared an unbeaten opening partnership of 167 to lead the hosts to a win over Australia in the opening game of the under-19 Quadrangular series on Tuesday.Chand and Vohra overhauled the Australia target of 163 all out in just 12 overs to give the home team its first win at the Port Trust Diamond Jubilee Stadium.Earlier, Australia was bowled out for 163 in 41.1 overs. The only major contributor to the Australia score was wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson (51: 59b, 3x4). Skipper Cameron Bancroft (26) and William Bosisto (27) provided handy contributions.For India, left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh (2-26) and off-spinner Baba Aparajith (5-38) were the main wicket-takers.In the other game at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Sri Lanka beat West Indies by two wickets in a tight contest.West Indies batted first and was bowled out for 146 in 47.1 overs. The key contributors with the bat for West Indies were Kavem Hodge (50: 86b, 4x4) and Justin Greaves (33: 74b, 2x4). Hodge-Greaves stand for the sixth wicket fetched 79 runs.For Sri Lanka, Sanitha de Mel (4-14), Gaurav Deva (2-31) and Lahiru Madushanka (2-26) were the key wicket-takers.In its chase, Sri Lanka lost wickets in a heap and slipped to 71 for eight. It required Madushanka (42 not out: 78b, 2x4, 1x6) and Tharindu Kaushal (30 not out: 81b, 3x4) to take Sri Lanka home Madushanka-Kaushal stand was an unbeaten worth 76 runs for the ninth wicket.For West Indies, Geaves (4-26), Ronsford Beaton (2-39) and Kyle Mayers (2-24) were the key wicket-takers

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Three matches in National T20 today

KARACHI : Three matches will be played Wednesday in Faysal Bank T20 tournament, Geo Super will broadcast all matches live.Islamabad Leopards and Peshawar Panthers will face each other in the ongoing event at 12 noon. Both the teams will be playing for the first time in the event.Second match is scheduled at 4pm where Faisalabad Dolphins will play Multan Tigers while the third and last match will be played between Afghan Cheetas and Rawalpindi Rams at 8 pm tonight

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Australia names ODI, T20 teams for SAfrica tour

MELBOURNE : Australia named the following Twenty20 and one-day international squads for the tour to South Africa starting in October. Australia will play two T20 matches and three one-day matches ahead of a two-test series.Twenty20 squad: Cameron White (capt), Shane Watson (vice-capt), Doug Bollinger, Patrick Cummins, Aaron Finch, David Hussey, Brett Lee, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Stephen O'Keefe, James Pattinson, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade, David WarnerOne-day squad: Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson (vice-captn), Doug Bollinger, Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Brad Haddin, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, Ricky Ponting, Steven Smith, David Warner
(Reuters)

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'Tendulkar is a god for the Indian public, not for me'

NEW DELHI : Former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar answered Indian criticism over his autobiography and said he would not apologise to anyone adding that Sachin Tendulkar is a god for the Indian public and not him.During an interview to an Indian channel, Akhtar said his statements relating to Tendulkar concerned a specific series in which the Indian batsman did not perform well. He further added that if India is a democracy then the people of the country should have the courage to listen to the truth.

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Lions enter last-four as Zebras win last-ball thriller

KARACHI : Fast-rising Rameez Aziz and seasoned Hasan Raza struck delightful fifties on Tuesday to help Karachi Zebras’ clinch a six-wicket victory in a last-ball thriller against Abbottabad Falcons, while Lahore Eagles became the first team to qualify for the semifinals of Faysal Bank T20 tournament at the National Stadium here on Tuesday.Chasing a target of 159, Zebras were in trouble at 4-28 in 4.4 overs. However, Rameez and Hasan took centre-stage in their quest to achieve what seemed like a gigantic task at that stage. Both players were finding it hard to keep up with the required rate until 10 overs were completed.Experts wrote off Zebras’ at that stage and were questioning the competence of talented left-hander Rameez. Zebras needed 103 runs off the last 10 overs when they stepped up on the gas with some wonderful strokes, finding the gaps with perfection.The duo completed their fifties and Hasan raised the bat towards the dug-out apparently trying to make a point that he still has what it takes to be a match-winner. It has been learnt that Hasan and the team management have not be getting along well after Zebras lost to Eagles in their first group match.In the end it all came down to the last ball when three runs were needed and Rameez was on strike. Junaid Khan ran in but lost his run-up and went back to bowl again, which was a clear sign of nerves.He ran in again and Rameez adjusted himself for a scoop at the fine-leg region, however, when he saw the ball was on the off stump, he adjusted his bat to guide it to third-man boundary for a four.Hasan remained unbeaten on 74 with the help of 11 fours, while Rameez, who represented Pakistan in the last U19 World Cup was unbeaten on 67 that included 10 strikes to the rope. They shared an unbeaten 132-run stand for the fourth-wicket. Zebras ended up with two wins from their three group matches and will have to settle with qualification in the next Super-Eights T20 tourney.Earlier, Falcons posted a total of 158-7 in 20 overs. Test opener Yasir Hameed continued his excellent form with a fine 73, while Younis Khan made 42.Zebras’ skipper Danish Kaneria took three wickets to end up with another good outing in the event.In the first match of the day, Eagles thumped Quetta Bears with a nine-wicket win.Batting first, Bears were all out for 125 in 20 overs. Mir Wais made 30, while Saeed Khan played a 26-run cameo. Leg-spinner Saad Naseem and Junaid Zia bagged two scalps each.In reply, openers Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar struck fifties to guide them to an easy sailing.On Tuesday night, Eagles won a thriller against Falcons thanks to superb bowling and fielding as they registered a 15-run win.The two Lahore outfits could possibly collide, as Eagles will play the winner of Sialkot Stallions and Lahore Lions.

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Sialkot Stallions outclass Lahore Lions by 6 wkts

KARACHI : Sialkot Stallions defeated Lahore Lions by six wickets in the day-night match on third day of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 here at the National Stadium on Tuesday.Chasing an easy target of 122, the Stallions lost four wickets to complete their second consecutive victory in the tournament.Their main scorers were Shahid Yousuf (47) and Shakeel Ansar (42) who assed 72 runs for the third wicket after the Stallions lost both their openers at a mere score of 12.Captain Shoaib Malik, who played the winning stroke, was unbeaten on 15.Earlier, Lahore Lions captain Abdul Razzaq won the toss and batted first but his batsman could not resist against accurate bowling and excellent fielding by the Stallions.Only four batsmen could get into double figures as all-rounder Abdul Razzaq top scored with 42 runs from 33 balls. He hit four boundaries and a six.Other main scorers were opener Nasir Jamshed (24) and Ahmed Shehzad (20).For Sialkot Stallions, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan claimed three wickets for 30 runs while Raza Hasan, Abdul Rehman and Sarfraz Ahmed got two wickets each.

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Sialkot Stallions bowl out Lahore Lions for 121 runs

KARACHI : Lahore Lions were bundled out for 121 runs in 19.4 overs by Sialkot Stallions in the last match on third day of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 here at the National Stadium on Tuesday night.After Lahore Lions captain Abdul Razzaq won the toss and batted first, his batsman could not resist against accurate bowling and excellent fielding by the Stallions.Only four batsmen could get into double figures as all-rounder Abdul Razzaq top scored with 42 runs from 33 balls. He hit four boundaries and a six.Other main scorers were opener Nasir Jamshed (24) and Ahmed Shehzad (20).For Sialkot Stallions, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan claimed three wickets for 30 runs while Raza Hasan, Abdul Rehman and Sarfraz Ahmed got two wickets each.

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Lahore Lions win toss, bat against Sialkot Stallions

KARACHI : Lahore Lions captain Abdul Razzaq won the toss and elected to bat against Sialkot Stallions in the last match on third day of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 here at the National Stadium on Tuesday night.Teams:Lahore Lions: Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal (wk), Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq (captain), Nasir Jamshed, Wahab Riaz, Aizaz Cheema, Imran Ali, Adnan Rasool, Raza Ali Dar, Sohail Ahmed.Sialkot Stallions: Shoaib Malik (captain), Shahid Yousuf, Imran Nazir, Ali Khan, Shakeel Ansar (wk), Naved-ul-Hasan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Abdur Rehman, Raza Hasan, Naved Arif, Faisal Naved.

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Abbottabad Falcons set 159-run target for Karachi Zebras

KARACHI : Despite a fine batting display by earlier batsmen, Abbottabad Falcons could not make a big score and were restricted to 158-7 in the allotted 20 overs against Karachi Zebras in the second match of third day in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 here at the National Stadium on Tuesday.After captain Younis Khan won the toss and decided to bat first, his openers Yasir Hameed and Fawad Khan provided a solid start of 50 runs and then Younis along with Yasir, added 70 runs for the second wicket before the collapse began and the Falcons lost five wickets for 38 runs.Yasir, their most in-form batsman, was again the top scorer with 73 runs scored from 51 balls with the help of nine fours while Younis made 42 off 32 balls with four boundaries.For Karachi Zebras, captain Danis Kaneria grabbed three wickets for 30 and Atif Maqbool claimed two for 31.Now Karachi Zebras require 159 runs to beat Abbottabad Falcons

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Abbottabad Falcons win toss, bat against Karachi Zebras

KARACHI : Abbottabad Falcons won the toss and elected to bat against Karachi Zebras in the second match of third day in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup 2011 here at the National Stadium on Tuesday.Teams:Karachi Zebras: Khurram Manzoor, Rameez Aziz, Akbar-ur-Rehman, Faisal Iqbal, Hasan Raza, Farhan Iqbal (wk), Anwar Ali, Danish Kaneria (captain), Azam Hussain, Uzair-ul-Haq, Atif Maqbool Abbottabad Falcons: Yasir Hameed, Fawad Khan (wk), Younis Khan (captain), Junaid Khan, Mir Azam, Wajid Ali, Adnan Raees, Yasir Shah, Asif Afridi, Khalid Usman, Ahmed Jamal.

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Kaneria frustrated at court delays

KARACHI : Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria hit out Tuesday against another court-room delay putting back his bid to revive an international career embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal. A court on Tuesday again adjourned his appeal against the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) failure to clear him of fixing allegations. The new date set for the hearing in Sindh High Court in Karachi is October 20. Kaneria and fellow Essex bowler Mervyn Westfield were arrested last year on charges of spot-fixing during a Pro40 one-day match against Durham in 2009. Kaneria was later released without charge but Westfield faces criminal proceedings, prompting the PCB not to clear Kaneria for national selection. "I am frustrated at the delay which has kept me from playing," Kaneria said. "I don't know why the PCB is delaying the case.Kaneria said there was no proof against him."When there is no proof against me why is the PCB not clearing me? It's mental torture. Is it because I am from Karachi or because I have a different religion?" said Kaneria, only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan.PCB legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi said the board would now write to Britain's Crown Prosecution Service with Kaniera's consent to ask for details of the British investigation.Kaneria was arrested so there were allegations against him and the PCB wants the transcript or the tapes of the investigation," Rizvi said. Kaneria, who has chalked up 61 Tests and 18 one-days for Pakistan, has not played internationally since being dropped on tour in England last year. The court delay means Kaneria will not be able to feature in Pakistan's three-Test series against Sri Lanka next month to be played in the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan also play five one-day and a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka. Despite an international ban, Kaneria is allowed to play at home. He is leading a Karachi side in the ongoing Twenty20 tournament in Karachi.

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Lahore Eagles qualify for T20 cup semi-final

KARACHI : Lahore Eagles defeated Quetta bears to claim their third consecutive win of the National T20 cup,Quetta bears won the toss and elected to bat first. The batsmen however failed to make a substantial score and were all out for 125 runs. Junaid Zia, Mustafa Iqbal and Saad Naseem claimed two wickets each.In reply Lahore Eagles openers Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umer got their team off to a flying start. Farhat scored 51 runs while Taufiq Umer completed his century. With their third consecutive win, Lahore Eagles has become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 cup

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Scotland gets most out of draw

Scotland's ICC Intercontinental Cup match against Namibia ended in a draw at the end of the four days of the contest at the Wanderers Cricket Ground in Windhoek in Namibia on Monday.On the final day, Scotland began first at its overnight score of 260 for four, finally declared at 296 for five in 87 overs. Scotland had an overall lead of 383 runs.Set to chase 384 runs, Namibia lost early wickets to slip to 99 for three. But thereafter Pikki Ya France (63 not out: 225b, 7x4) and Gerrie Snyman (88: 97b, 14x4, 3x6) added 110 runs for the fourth wicket to put the innings back on track.When stumps were finally drawn, Namibia ended at 218 for four in 74 overs.For Scotland, Majid Haq (2-53) and Richie Berrington (2-38) were the key wicket-takers.In the end, Scotland took 13 points from the game and Namibia pocketed seven

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Guernsey snatches victory from the jaws of defeat to win Pepsi ICC WCL Division 6

Jeremy Frith named Player of the Tournament Channel Island goes 33rd in the world rankings while runners-up Malaysia go 34th ; Both travel to Singapore in February for Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 5 Kuwait beats Jersey in 3rd/4th play-off while Nigeria defeats Fiji in 5th/6th showdown Guernsey snatched victory from the jaws of defeat today to beat Malaysia and win Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 6 (WCL Div. 6) at Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur. By virtue of reaching the final both teams have been promoted to WCL Div. 5 and will travel to Singapore in February.By winning the tournament, Guernsey has now climbed two places in the ICC Global Rankings to now occupy 33rd position while Malaysia occupy 34th place in the rankings. Guernsey did not lose a match throughout the entire week-long event held in Malaysia.Guernsey's Jeremy Frith earned his third Player of the Tournament award at the conclusion of the game while team-mate Tom Kimber was named Man of the Match. Frith previously won the honour in Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 7 in Guernsey and then again in Singapore after Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 6 both in 2009.Elsewhere, Kuwait defeated Jersey to win the third/fourth play-off while Nigeria claimed its only victory of the tournament when it beat Fiji the sides' fifth/sixth play-off at Bayeumas Oval.Under another sunny sky at Kinrara Oval, Malaysia took on Guernsey in the finals of Pepsi ICC WCL Div. 6 in Kuala Lumpur. The hosts winning the toss and electing to bat on home turf.The hosts took its time to score runs and had just reached the 50-mark when Guernsey all-rounder dismissed opener Faris Almas by re-arranging the 21-year-old's stumps in the process. Rakesh Madhavan and Ahmed Faiz did their best to steady things for the locals but captain Suhan Alagaratnam failed to put in a repeat performance from yesterday's game, the 25-year-old making just four runs before smashing the ball in the air to be caught at deep point.All-rounder Hammad Ullah Khan decided to step up to the plate, scoring 53 before being stumped off the bowling of GH Smit, the latter having a good day with the ball taking three wickets. Malaysia took its time to score runs in front of an enthusiastic bunch of supporters and by the time its 50 overs was completed had managed to just clear the 200 mark.As the clouds rolled in and fear of rain began to surface, Guernsey took to the field and made an abysmal start to proceeding with both Smit and Adam Martel departing for ducks, leaving the side reeling two down going into the third over. The arrival of stalwart Frith alongside Tim Ravenscroft should have steadied the innings but Almas had other plans and proceeded to run out the latter for 21 much to the delight of the home support. The top order proved to be disappointing in the afternoon heat, Frith departing not long after Ravenscroft and the side were soon five down with just 40 runs on the board and not even in the 10th over.Malaysia's trio of bowlers kept the opposition under pressure, Hassan Ghulam, Khan and Aminuddin Ramply continued to terrorise Guernsey's batting line-up while the side's quick actions in the field proved tough for the Channel Island side. The side promptly slumped to 65-7 before the 20th over had even begunBut all was not lose for Guernsey, a fight back from Tom Kimber and David Hooper saw the side push on the hosts with Hooper contributing some 45 runs before he was run-out while Kimber valiantly continued the side's push for victory alongside the side's tail-enders. Kimber's starred with the bat for the men in green to snatch victory for the side when he smashed his way to an un-beaten 82 off 92 balls in a patient innings by the 21-year-old right-handed batsman. He guided the side to victory with three balls to spare and clinch an ecstatic Guernsey team the title of Pepsi ICC WCL Division 6 Champions.Le Prevost said: "It feels simply brilliant to win today and to have been six or seven down and then see young Tom Kimber come out and guide us to victory with a fantastic knock of 82 not out."We've had two extremely tough games of cricket against Malaysia and it's been a fantastic week to have won every game and walk away as champions. I'm extremely proud of how the team has performed as a whole and I hope we can keep that momentum going for Division 5 in Singapore."Player of the Tournament, Frith commented: "It's obviously great to win another player of the tournament award but this week was very much a group effort and it is great to have won every game along the way and then to come out the end as champions too. I work with development of cricket in Guernsey and to see the likes of Tom Kimber, Jamie Nussbaumer, Tim Ravenscroft and David Hooper along with Ben Ferbrache come through this tournament and perform so well is pleasing."Malaysia captain, Suhan said: " It's been a great week of cricket in Malaysia and it's obviously disappointing to have lost the final but Guernsey played some great cricket and Tom Kimber should be congratulated for great knock."We need to work on our batting ahead of going to Singapore in February and we'll take each game as it comes but I'd definitely like a chance to beat Guernsey next year in Division 5.Meanwhile, in the third/fourth play-offs at Selangor Turf Club - Jersey had Kuwait steadily on the back-foot with two of the top order departing for just two runs each while captain Hisham Mizra's disappointing tournament continued when he retired hurt after scoring just eight runs.The lower order then proved to be the run-makers of the innings, with Muhammed Amin, Saad Qamar and Azmatullah all contributing substantially to the Kuwaitis final total, Saad adding 50 to the 212 that the side managed to make. Jersey's Anthony Hawkins-Kay once again proved to be the most successful the Channel Island's bowlers claiming three wickets.In reply, Jersey fell just eight runs short of the total, to miss out on third place position in the event despite some valiant batting once again from Corey Bisson and Peter Gough. The duo actually concluded the tournament as the third and fourth highest run-getters overall, just behind team-mate Dean Morrison and Guernsey's Frith.Kuwait Mohammed Naseer proved to be the man on target today claiming four wickets taking his total wicket-haul for the tournament to nine by the conclusion of today's game. By beating Jersey, Kuwait are now 35th in the world with the Jersey side one place beneath them.In the final play-off, for fifth/sixth position between Fiji and Nigeria, the Nigerian side posted a respectable total of 235 in its 50 overs with Ramit Gill and Sean Philips proving to be the stand-out batsman. Meanwhile Mohammad Khan and Tasheed Tawheed of Fiji picked up a trio of wickets each at the venue that was used for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in 2008.In reply, Fiji managed just 133 runs despite a valiant effort by Josefa Dabea who made 46 not out for the side but the day belonged to Varun Behani who claimed three wickets for 30 runs and alongside the Nigerian bowling attacked secured the side its first and only victory of the tournament.Score in brief Final
1st/2nd play-off at Kinrara Oval
Malaysia 208-9, 50 overs (Ullah Khan 53, Shafiq 38, Smit 3-31)
Guernsey 211-8, 49.3 overs (Kimber 82 not out, Hooper 45; Ullah Khan 3-58)
Guernsey won by two wickets
3rd/4th play-off at Selangor Turf Club
Kuwait 212 all out, 44.5 overs (Bhatti 32, Amin 43, Saad 50, Azmattulah 44; Hawkins-Kay 3-52)
Jersey 204 all out, 49.5 overs (Bisson 59, Gough 54; Naseer 4-29)
Kuwait won by eight runs
5th/6th play-off at Bayeumas Oval
Nigeria 235-9, 50 overs (Gill 48, Philips 43; Tawheed 3-50, Khan 3-39)
Fiji 133 all out, 42.4 overs (Dabea 46; 3-30)
Nigeria won by 102 runs

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Lahore Eagles record second successive win in T20 Cup

KARACHI : Three wickets off first three balls in the final over of the match by fast bowler Junaid Zia sealed a 15-run victory for Lahore Eagles against Abbottabad Falcons in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Monday night.Chasing 151, Abbottabad Falcons were collapsed for 135 runs in 19.3 overs as six of their batsmen could not get into double figures and two of them including captain Younis Khan got out for a duck.Only opener Yasir Hameed, who had hit a century against Quetta Bears previous day, resisted to score 44 runs from as many balls while Yasir Shah contributed 28.For Lahore Eagles, Junaid, Taufiq Umar and Mustafa Iqbal claimed two wickets each for nine, 16 and 24 runs, respectively.Earlier, Abbottabad Falcons scored 150 runs for four wickets in the allotted 20 overs after captain Taufiq Umar won the toss and decided to bat first. Openers Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umar provided a fine start, making 87 runs in ten overs.Imran made 43 runs from 31 balls with four boundaries and a six while Taufiq scored 35 off 36 balls with three fours.Hamza Paracha was unbeaten on 28 while Azhar Ali hit 21 with a six.For Abbottabad Falcons, Wajid Ali claimed two wickets while Junaid Khan and Khalid Usman took a wicket each

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Lahore Eagles record second successive win in T20 Cup

KARACHI : Three wickets off first three balls in the final over of the match by fast bowler Junaid Zia sealed a 15-run victory for Lahore Eagles against Abbottabad Falcons in the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Monday night.Chasing 151, Abbottabad Falcons were collapsed for 135 runs in 19.3 overs as six of their batsmen could not get into double figures and two of them including captain Younis Khan got out for a duck.Only opener Yasir Hameed, who had hit a century against Quetta Bears previous day, resisted to score 44 runs from as many balls while Yasir Shah contributed 28.For Lahore Eagles, Junaid, Taufiq Umar and Mustafa Iqbal claimed two wickets each for nine, 16 and 24 runs, respectively.Earlier, Abbottabad Falcons scored 150 runs for four wickets in the allotted 20 overs after captain Taufiq Umar won the toss and decided to bat first. Openers Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umar provided a fine start, making 87 runs in ten overs.Imran made 43 runs from 31 balls with four boundaries and a six while Taufiq scored 35 off 36 balls with three fours.Hamza Paracha was unbeaten on 28 while Azhar Ali hit 21 with a six.For Abbottabad Falcons, Wajid Ali claimed two wickets while Junaid Khan and Khalid Usman took a wicket each

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Abbottabad Falcons restrict Lahore Eagles to 150-4

KARACHI : Lahore Eagles were restricted by Abbottabad Falcons to 150 runs for four wickets in the allotted 20 overs in the last match on second day of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium on Monday.Winning the toss, captain Taufiq Umar decided to bat first but Lahore Eagles could not make any big score despite losing only four wickets despite a fine opening stand of 87 runs in ten overs from Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umar himself. Imran made 43 runs from 31 balls with four boundaries and a six while Taufiq scored 35 off 36 balls with three fours.Hamza Paracha was unbeaten on 28 while Azhar Ali hit 21 with a six.For Abbottabad Falcons, Wajid Ali claimed two wickets while Junaid Khan and Khalid Usman took a wicket each

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Karachi Zebras defeat Quetta Bears by 44 runs

KARACHI : Karachi Zebras, after having a two-run shock defeat from Lahore Eagles last night, came back today with an easy 44-run victory against Quetta Bears on second day of the Faysal Bank National Twenty20 Cup here at the National Stadium Monday. They set a target of 173 runs for Quetta Bears who failed to chase and were all out for 128 in 18.3 overs.Karachi Zebras skipper and experienced spinner Danish Kaneria grabbed three wickets for 23 while Uzair-ul-Haq and Azam Hussain claimed two wickets each.Main scorers for Quetta Bears were Abid Ali (26), Fareed-ud-Din (24) and Mir Wais (21).Earlier, Karachi Zebras made 172 runs for five wickets in the allotted 20 overs after Danish Kaneria won the toss and elected to bat.Opener Khurram Manzoor was the top scorer with 62 from 52 balls, hitting six fours and a six. He was later declared man-of-the-match.Other main scorers were Anwar Ali (32), Rameez Aziz (24) and Akbar-ur-Rehman (23 not out).

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Lahore Eagles’ 2-run win shocks Karachi Zebras

KARACHI : Lahore Eagles shocked Karachi Zebras by two runs in a thrilling encounter.Batting first, Lahore Eagles scored 143 for the loss of six wickets. Ali Azmat top-scored an unbeaten 36 off 37 balls with one boundary and one six.Skipper Taufeeq Umer contributed 33 with three boundaries and test opener Imran Farhat made a quick 27 in 21 deliveries striking five boundaries.Taufeeq and Imran gave Lahore Eagler a rapid start of 43 in the first five overs. Captain Danish Kaneria grabbed two wickets for 26 runs.Karachi Zebras were set to win the match after a solid 96 runs third wicket stand etween Hasan Raza and Faisal Raza. However after their departure, Karachi lost the way.Man of the match Hasan hit four boundaries in his 49 in 54 balls and Faisal's 47 was laced five hits to the boundaries. Anwar Ali hoisted a six in his six ball cameo of 14.Karachi Zebras needed ten runs in the final over but they could manage just eight runs. Off-break bowler Saad Nasim took two wickets for 32 runs in fours

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Windies stun England with 25-run win

LONDON : Spinner Garey Mathurin enjoyed a memorable debut as he inspired the West Indies to a surprise 25-run win over England in the second Twenty20 international at the Oval on Sunday. The 28-year-old left-armer from St Lucia took 3-9 in his four overs as England crumbled in pursuit of the West Indies' total of 113-5 and were bowled out for 88, their lowest total in a Twenty20 international. On a turning pitch, Mathurin opened the attack and bowled Craig Kieswetter, Ravi Bopara and Jonny Bairstow in quick succession to give the tourists a stranglehold on the game.Ben Stokes hit some big shots in making 31 but was trapped in front by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and in a much-improved West Indies fielding performance Samit Patel was run out by a direct hit from Bishoo. Joss Buttler and Scott Borthwick were both run out and with them went England's last hopes of a successful run chase and when Jade Dernbach was last man out he was the fourth run out victim of the innings. This was England's first defeat in any form of the game since July 3, when they lost the third one-day international against Sri Lanka at Lord's.The win was also sweet revenge for the West Indies who were crushed by 10 wickets in Friday's first game as the two-match series ended 1-1 Samit Patel took 2-22 as the West Indies were kept to 113, a total that did look big enough until their spinners came into action.After their defeat on Friday the tourists were hoping to post a bigger total but their depleted batting line-up was kept in check by England's slower bowlers who were shrewdly rotated by Swann.The West Indies, who were put in by England, struggled to get the bowling away and Marlon Samuels was the only batsman to make more than 30, hitting 35 not out. The tourists struggled to get the English bowling away and by the end of the 14th over they had just 62 on the board and at one point went 43 balls without hitting a boundary. Chris Barnwell tried to accelerate but when he attempted to hit Patel over the top he fell to a stunning catch by Alex Hales.Patel opened the bowling and had Miles Bascombe plumb leg before whilst Johnson Charles and Dwayne Smith got themselves in but failed to go on and convert their starts into significant scores. Smith was caught in front by Dernbach and Charles was bowled by a googly from young leg spinner Borthwick. Borthwick then pulled off a smart catch in the deep off Ravi Bopara to get rid of skipper Darren Sammy as he was trying to increase the run rate. Samuels and Andre Russell managed a few big blows in the last two overs which were to prove significant in the end with Friday's bowling hero Bopara going for 36 in his four overs.

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Sialkot Stallions defeat Hyderabad Hawks

KARACHI : Sialkot Stallions defeated Hyderabad Hawks in the National T20 Cup, The batting line up of the Hawks collapsed and the team only managed to score 96-8. Sarfaraz Ahmed claimed four wickets while Raza Hassan bagged three for Sialkot.The Stallions chased down the target in 17 overs and former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik scored a half century.In other matches being played today, Karachi Zebras will face Quetta Bears and Lahore Eagles will face Abbottabad Falcons.All matches of the tournament are being telecast live on Geo Super.

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