Zulqarnain leaves London, heads back to Pakistan

Updated at: 0404 PST,  Monday, April 25, 2011 LONDON:

Former wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has left London to return to Pakistan, Geo News reported. He would arrive in Islamabad on Monday morning.The wicketkeeper stunned the cricket world last November when he fled the team hotel in Dubai during series against South Africa. He spent nearly six months in England. On reaching London where he applied for asylum, Zulqarnain claimed that he fled the team hotel because of threats from unknown person to cooperate in fixing the matches or face dire consequences. He had also announced to quit cricket.Later, Zulqarnain withdrew his asylum application with the British home office and planned to return home

Read More

Mumbai beat Deccan by 37 runs

Updated at: 2105 PST,  Sunday, April 24, 2011

 HYDERABAD, India: Mumbai Indians gifted birthday boy and skipper Sachin Tendulkar a 37-run victory in an Indian Premier League match against Deccan Chargers on Sunday.Middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Lasith Malinga were the stars of Mumbai's fifth win in six matches of the Twenty20 tournament.Sharma smashed three sixes and five fours in his 34-ball 56 not out and Malinga took 3-9 off four tight overs as Mumbai restricted Deccan to 135-8 after scoring 172-4 in Hyderabad.Skipper Kumar Sangakkara top-scored with 34 for Deccan, who suffered their fourth defeat in six matches. The Sri Lankan had been batting well before being bowled by compatriot Malinga.Amit Mishra (25 not out) and opener Shikhar Dhawan (25) were the other main scorers for Deccan.Mumbai were earlier tottering at 70-4 before Sharma led the recovery with a 102-run stand off just 65 balls for the unfinished fifth wicket with Australian Andrew Symonds, who scored an unbeaten 44 off 33 balls.Sharma's three sixes came in the last over, bowled by Australian seamer Daniel Christian, as Mumbai plundered 40 runs in the last two overs. Symonds hit one six and four boundaries in his 33-ball innings. Mumbai were comfortably placed at 70-1 following brisk knocks from openers Davy Jacobs (32) and Tendulkar (28) before losing three wickets at the same score, with leg-spinner Amit Mishra taking two wickets in one over.Tendulkar, who turned 38 on Sunday, cracked four boundaries in his 24-ball knock before being caught at long-on by South African Dale Steyn while attempting a big shot off Mishra.But the master batsman, the world's leading scorer in both Test and one-day cricket, skipped his birthday celebrations following the death of his spiritual guru Sathya Sai Baba in the morning.Brief scores:Mumbai Indians 172-4 in 20 overs (R. Sharma 56 not out, A. Symonds 44 not out, D. Jacobs 32, S. Tendulkar 28; A. Mishra 2-14) beat Deccan Chargers 135-8 in 20 overs (Kumar Sangakkara 34, A. Mishra 25 not out, S. Dhawan 25, D. Christian 21; L. Malinga 3-9) by 37 runs.

Read More

Hafeez repaying Afridi's confidence in him

Updated at: 1748 PST,  Sunday, April 24, 2011

GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia: Mohammad Hafeez said he has drawn on the confidence placed in him by Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, particularly when he had been given a chance to bowl in recent matches.Hafeez was speaking after he earned the Man-of-the-Match award in the first One-day International against West Indies, which Pakistan won by eight wickets on Saturday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.He took one for 36 from his allotted 10 overs, and played his part, along with Afridi and Saeed Ajmal, in strangling the scoring of the West Indies batsmen, as the home team struggled to 220 for six from their 50 overs, after choosing to bat."I think Shahid has been using me well in matches," said Hafeez. "Whenever he thinks there is a chance for me to exploit the conditions, he gives me the ball."Whenever I get a chance to bowl I try to restrict the batsmen, and I am getting wickets with that. I am always happy for the team when I bowl."Hafeez then opening the batting pummelled seven fours and one six in 54 from 45 deliveries to give Pakistan a flying start in their run chase. "I have been batting more consistently because of the hard work I have been doing in practice sessions with the coaches," he said. "Right now, the advice that they have been giving is working out for me."All I want to do is continue this form for Pakistan, and I am very happy to contribute to the team's performance, which is required in the remaining matches for us to be able to win the series."His hard work has caught the eye of Afridi, who hailed the way he has been playing in recent times."I'm very confident with the way Hafeez is contributing in the team," said the Pakistan captain. "I think he is a real team man, and he's doing a great job with the ball and the bat."The third ODI will be played on Monday at the same ground.

Read More

IPL: Delhi post exciting win over Punjab

Updated at: 1709 PST,  Sunday, April 24, 2011

NEW DELHI: Kings XI Punjab's Shaun Marsh smashed 95 off just 46 balls, but failed to stop Delhi Daredevils from posting a 29-run win in an Indian Premier League match on Saturday.The Australian hit six sixes and nine fours as Delhi stopped Punjab at 202-6 after scoring 231-4 -- the highest total of this year's tournament -- for their second victory in five matches.Punjab's hopes of achieving a stiff target in the tall-scoring game receded after the dismissal of Marsh, caught by skipper Virender Sehwag off South African paceman Morne Morkel in the 18th over.Marsh added 72 for the second wicket with skipper Adam Gilchrist, who hit four successive fours off seamer Ajit Agarkar during his 33-ball 42. It was Punjab's second defeat in five games of the Twenty20 tournament. Delhi were earlier indebted to Australian David Warner and Sehwag for setting a challenging target, with each scoring 77.Sehwag, without a half-century in the previous four games, returned to form with a 35-ball knock which contained four sixes and eight fours while Warner hit seven boundaries and four sixes in his 48-ball knock. Hosts Delhi made a spectacular start as Sehwag and Warner plundered 146 off 11.4 overs, much to the delight of a sizeable crowd at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground. It was the highest opening-wicket stand of the ongoing tournament.Sehwag once punished Australian spinner David Hussey, hitting three successive sixes before being caught in the deep while attempting another big shot off the next delivery.Warner matched his partner shot for shot, reaching his half-century with a six over mid-wicket off seamer Paul Valthaty. Venugopal Rao then helped Delhi cross the 200-mark with a 15-ball 28 not out.Brief scores:Delhi Daredevils 231-4 in 20 overs (V. Sehwag 77, D. Warner 77. V. Rao 28 not out) beat Kings XI Punjab 202-6 in 20 overs (S. Marsh 95, A. Gilchrist 42, D. Hussey 20; A. Agarkar 2-48) by 29 runs.

Read More

Talha eyes comeback to Pak team after successful domestic season

Pakistani pacer Mohammad Talha has expressed hope that his successful season in domestic cricket will impress the selection committee and earn him a much awaited recall to the national team.Pakistan's limited-overs squad for the Caribbean tour includes five players yet to play for the senior team- wicketkeeper Mohammad Salman, batsman Usman Salahuddin, allrounder Hammad Azam and pacers Sadaf Hussain and Junaid Khan.Talha, who took 53 wickets in ten matches at an average of just over 22 in last season's Quaid E Azam Trophy, hopes that the selectors took note of his consistent domestic performances and would include him in Pakistan's Test team for the Windies tour.The selectors deserve credit for taking note of players who have performed well in domestic cricket. Junaid Khan and Sadaf Hussain are such examples of consistent form in domestic cricket and I too hope that my successful season in domestic cricket will have impressed the selection committee," PakPassion.net quoted Talha, as saying.Talha feels that confidence and rhythm are the key ingredients in his bowling, and that he can replicate his domestic form in international matches. "I've felt good rhythm to my bowling all season and my confidence is high. I firmly believe that I can provide Pakistan with a good attacking option against the West Indies," he added.Talha's solitary Test chance came against Sri Lanka in the ill-fated match at the Gaddaffi stadium in Lahore in March 2009, which was abandoned following a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team as they were on the way to the ground for the third day's play.He had the figures of 1 for 88 off 17 overs against the Sri Lankans before the series was dumped.

Read More

Afridi happy with all-round performance

Pakistan's limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi has said that it was "good cricket all around" for his team, which registered a comfortable eight-wicket win over the West Indies in the first one-day international (ODI) of the five-match series on Saturday."I was very happy when West Indies won the toss and chose to bat because I thought the pitch would help our spinners," the Dawn quoted Afridi, as saying."I think our spinners have been doing a great job for us in the last few months, and they again set things up for us," he added.Misbah-ul-Haq was the top-scorer with an unbeaten 73 off 90 deliveries, and Asad Shafiq supported him with 61 not out from 76 balls, after man-of-the-match Mohammad Hafeez gave Pakistan a flying start with 54 runs off 45 balls in their successful chase of 222 for victory.Shafiq ushered Pakistan over the finish line with 51 balls remaining, when he edged a slog at a delivery from Kemar Roach to the 'third man' for a single."The way the openers Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad played was also good to see, and then the partnership between Misbah and Asad brought us home. It was good cricket all around for us," said Afridi. West Indies captain Darren Sammy said: "We put ourselves in a hole when we were batting, and the spinners were bowling, so we really have to come better in the next game.""I was surprised to see the pitch offer so much turn and bounce, but I will back our guys. We will put in the hard work at practice and come back," he added.Sammy said that his team needs to 'show more intent' in its approach."We have a new batting coach, and he has been doing some good work, but we can't lose sight of us reaching 221 coming from our position in the middle of the innings, so hopefully we can improve on this next time," he added.The second game in the five-match ODI series is at the same venue on Monday. The third and fourth ODIs will be played on April 28 and May 2 at Kensington Oval in Barbados, with the final match of the series on May 5 at the Guyana National Stadium.

Read More

PAK WI PHOTO

Apr 23, 2011 Mohammad Salman celebrates the run-out of Darren Bravo © AFP		Apr 23, 2011 Mohammad Hafeez steers one through the off side during his fifty © AFP		Apr 23, 2011 West Indies seamers' had a tough day in the field against Pakistan © AFP		Apr 23, 2011 Misbah-ul-Haq top-scored in Pakistan's eight-wicket win © AFP
Apr 23, 2011 Asad Shafiq and Misbah-ul-Haq steered Pakistan to victory with a 134-run stand © AFP		Apr 23, 2011 Mohammad Hafeez pulls on his way to a rapid fifty against West Indies © AFP		Apr 23, 2011 Wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh appeals for the stumping of Ahmed Shehzad © AFP		Apr 23, 2011 Darren Bravo anchored West Indies' innings with 67 from 109 balls © Getty Images
Apr 23, 2011 Lendl Simmons was caught behind for 24 off the bowling of Saeed Ajmal © Getty Images		Apr 23, 2011 Lendl Simmons flicks through the leg side © Getty Images		Apr 23, 2011 Devon Smith is trapped lbw by Mohammad Hafeez for 17 © Getty Images		Apr 23, 2011 The debutant Pakistan seamer Junaid Khan runs in to bowl © Getty Images
Apr 21, 2011 Umar Akmal was the only Pakistan batsman who made more than 25 runs © Associated Press		Apr 21, 2011 Darren Sammy celebrates the fall of a wicket © AFP		Apr 21, 2011 West Indies' bowlers kept picking up wickets at regular intervals © Associated Press		Apr 21, 2011 Lendl Simmons was the only batsman to score a half-century in the match © AFP
Apr 21, 2011 The Pakistan team get into a huddle © Associated Press		Apr 21, 2011 Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo put on 99 runs for the second wicket © AFP		Apr 21, 2011 Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi celebrates the fall of a wicket with bowler Abdur Rehman © AFP		Apr 21, 2011 West Indies captain Darren Sammy hugs legspinner Devendra Bishoo who picked up four wickets © Associated Press

Apr 21, 2011 West Indies captain Darren Sammy and Man of the Match Devendra Bishoo pose with the silverware © AFP		Apr 21, 2011 Ravi Rampaul was expensive but took three wickets as West Indies won by seven runs © Getty Images		Apr 21, 2011 Umar Akmal played an impressive lone hand in Pakistan's chase © Getty Images		Apr 21, 2011 Darren Sammy helped get his team's defence off to a good start by removing Mohammad Hafeez © Getty Images
Apr 21, 2011 Darren Bravo made an impressive 42 from 33 deliveries © Getty Images		Apr 21, 2011 Lendl Simmons led a positive West Indies innings by rushing to a 31-ball fifty © Getty Images		Apr 21, 2011 Pakistan celebrated an early scalp as Andre Fletcher fell for 1 © Getty Images		Apr 20, 2011 Darren Sammy and Shahid Afridi pose with the Twenty20 trophy they will play for on April 21 © AFP
Apr 20, 2011 West Indies seamers Kemar Roach, Andre Russell and Ravi Rampaul at practice © Associated Press		Apr 20, 2011 The West Indies squad at a training session © Associated Press		Apr 20, 2011 Carlton Baugh practises his keeping ahead of the Twenty20 and one-day series against Pakistan © Associated Press		Apr 20, 2011 Shahid Afridi and Waqar Younis at a press conference © AFP
Apr 20, 2011 Mohammad Salman at a training session in Gros Islet © AFP		Apr 20, 2011 Darren Sammy and Shahid Afridi pose with the ODI trophy that they will play for © AFP		Apr 20, 2011 Shahid Afridi at a training session ahead of the Twenty20 international between Pakistan and West Indies © AFP		Apr 12, 2011 Misbah-ul-Haq bats in the nets at the Gaddafi Stadium © AFP
Apr 12, 2011 Taufeeq Umar bats in the nets © AFP		Apr 12, 2011 Shahid Afridi practises his batting before Pakistan's tour of the West Indies © AFP		Apr 12, 2011 Umar Akmal in Pakistan's training camp ahead of their tour to the West Indies © AFP		Apr 12, 2011 Shahid Afridi loosens up with team-mates during a preparatory camp © Associated Press

Read More

Pakistan beat West Indies by eight wickets

Updated at: 0153 PST,  Sunday, April 24, 2011

GROS ISLET: Pakistan beat West Indies by eight wickets in the first one-day international on Saturday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground here. Brief scores: West Indies: 221 for six in 50 overs (Darren Bravo 67) v Pakistan 222 for two in 41.3 overs (Misbah-ul-Haq 73 not out, Asad Shafiq 61 not out, Mohammad Hafeez 54)

Read More

West Indies win toss and bat against Pakistan

Updated at: 1836 PST,  Saturday, April 23, 2011

GROS-ISLET, Saint Lucia: West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan in the first One-day International at the Beausejour Cricket Ground here on Saturday: Teams West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Devon Smith, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Kirk Edwards, Dwayne Bravo, Carlton Baugh Jr, Andre Russell, Kemar Roach, Devendra Bishoo.Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Salman, Hammad Azam, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan.Umpires: Asoka De Silva (SL), Norman Malcolm (WI), TV umpire: Peter Nero (WI), Reserve umpire: Gregory Brathwaite (WI).Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZ)

Read More

Sri Lanka paceman Malinga quits Tests

Updated at: 1755 PST,  Friday, April 22, 2011

NEW DELHI: Injury-prone Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga on Friday quit Test cricket in a bid to prolong his career in one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches.Malinga is currently playing for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League and had made himself unavailable for Sri Lanka's tour of England, attracting criticism that he had chosen to play for club over country."In January this year I wrote a letter to Sri Lanka Cricket and released a statement to the media confirming that I planned to reassess my Test future after the World Cup," he said in a statement."I decided that I needed to make myself unavailable for Test cricket in an effort to prolong my career as a national cricketer for Sri Lanka."Although I am sufficiently fit to play both ODI and T20 cricket, I have a long-standing degenerative condition in my right knee that needs to be carefully managed." (AFP)

Read More

Gayle fires Bangalore to win with century

Updated at: 2024 PST,  Friday, April 22, 2011

KOLKATA: Chris Gayle hammered an unbeaten 102 off just 55 balls to power Royal Challengers Bangalore to a nine-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday.
The West Indies batsman cracked seven sixes and 10 fours in a superb display of power-hitting as Bangalore achieved a 172-run target with 11 balls to spare for their second win in six matches of the Twenty20 tournament.Gayle, playing his first IPL match after being dropped for the opening home games against Pakistan, put his team on course for victory with a 123-run stand for the opening wicket with Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan. Dilshan scored 38 off 31 balls with the help of six fours before being bowled by fast bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji.But there was no stopping Gayle, who completed the victory and his century when he hit left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan through the covers for a four. Virat Kohli was the other notable contributor with an unbeaten 30.Kolkata, who suffered their third defeat in six matches, earlier posted a competitive total, thanks to skipper Gautam Gambhir (48), Yusuf Pathan (46) and South African Jacques Kallis (40).Kallis put on 44 off just 4.5 overs for the opening wicket with Australian Brad Haddin (18) and 58 for the second wicket with Gambhir before Pathan stepped up the run-rate in the closing overs.Gambhir hit six fours in his 38-ball knock, while Pathan smashed three sixes and as many fours in his brisk 24-ball innings.Seamer Sreenath Aravind dismissed both Gambhir and Pathan to finish with 2-37 off three overs.

Read More