Nazir eyes Pakistan return

Nazir eyes Pakistan return

Pakistan opener Imran Nazir has resigned from the unauthorised Indian Cricket League and is keen on returning to the national team.

Nazir met with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials including chairman Ijaz Butt to confirm his resignation, although he in unsure whether he would be immediately available for selection.

Earlier this week, middle-order batsman Mohammad Yousuf and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq also terminated their services with the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and were cleared for selection by the PCB after their decision to join the ICL saw them banned from international as well as domestic cricket.

In line with many other boards, the PCB had offered players with links to the ICL amnesty if they quit the unauthorised league by May 31.

The PCB, however, have maintained they would deal with players returning from the ICL on a case-by-case basis.

"I have resigned from the ICL and informed the league I can't play for them any longer," Nazir said.

"I met with PCB officials and they were very cordial and have accepted my resignation.

"I haven't been told of any cooling period or any fine being imposed by the PCB.

"I'm keen on resuming my international career and hope to be in contention for the Sri Lanka series next month."

Pakistan favourites for World Twenty20 - Wasim Akram

World Twenty20 2009

Pakistan favourites for World Twenty20 - Wasim Akram

May 21, 2009

	Umar Gul leads a formidable Pakistan attack

Wasim Akram has tipped Pakistan to win next month's World Twenty20 in England. Pakistan have lost just three of their 17 Twenty20 internationals and convincingly beat Australia by seven wickets in Dubai earlier this month.

"Pakistan has the best winning ratio of all the teams in the Twenty20 cricket, so if they continue to keep that consistency it won't be difficult to win," Akram told AFP. "I thought Australia would thrash them in the one-off T20 match in Dubai but it was the other way round and now, if Pakistan play to their potential, they can win the title."

In the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 Pakistan had finished as runners-up, going down by five runs to India in the final. For next month's tournament, they are grouped with hosts England and the Netherlands in the initial league phase.

Akram rated Pakistan's bowling as their strongest suit, and said the batting was the only thing that could let them down. "With Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir and Shoaib Akhtar, if he is fit and going with the team, Pakistan has the best bowling attack backed by quality spin of Shahid Afridi," he said. "I am also impressed with the talent of Mohammad Aamer who is nippy and can swing the ball both ways. He could be a revelation in the event."

Pakistan's government had barred its country's players from participating in the IPL, a factor that Akram thinks will work in Pakistan's favour. "I think Pakistan has played less cricket and will be fresh, while Indian players could be fatigued after playing in the IPL."

World Twenty20 2009

World Twenty20 2009

Shoaib pulled from World Twenty20 squad

May 21, 2009

	Shoaib Akhtar will be re-assessed after 10 days © AFP

The PCB has withdrawn Shoaib Akhtar from the 15-man squad for next month's World Twenty20, saying - in an unusually revealing statement - that he had been diagnosed with genital viral warts. Rao Iftikhar Anjum's name has been sent to the ICC's technical committee by the PCB as a replacement.

Shoaib's participation had been in doubt after Intikhab Alam, Pakistan's coach, said yesterday he hadn't recovered sufficiently from a skin infection to play the three practice games the Pakistan squad is playing in Lahore.

"Shoaib Akhtar has been withdrawn from the World Twenty20 squad and Rao's name has been sent to the ICC as a replacement," a board spokesman said on Thursday.

The PCB's unusually graphic press release said that a three-member medical panel appointed by the PCB had found that Shoaib was suffering from "genital viral warts and electrofulgration [a surgical procedure] was done on May 12, 2009."

The panel added that "his wound though healing needs further care and treatment for another minimum ten days for the purpose of healing and to achieve skin cover. The Medical Board further recommended his re-assessment after 10 days.

"In accordance with the above program his re-assessment will be carried out on 1st week of June, 2009.In view of the above, PCB has requested ICC Technical Committee for the replacement."

The condition had initially ruled Shoaib out of the training camp the team attended in Bhurban, a mountainous hill resort near Islamabad. At the time, Shoaib expressed confidence that he would recover in time.

Shoaib has not trained since coming back from the series against Australia in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Questions were asked of his fitness levels during the five-ODI and one Twenty20 series; he failed to fulfill his quota of ten overs in any of the four ODIs he played and bowled only two overs in the Twenty20.

The latest episode is yet another blow to an injury and scandal ravaged career that has seen Shoaib play only 46 Tests out of the 96 Pakistan have played and 144 out of the 305 ODIs Pakistan have played since his debut in 1997-98. Shoaib missed the last World Twenty20 in South Africa when he was sent home after hitting teammate Mohammad Asif in a dressing room altercation.

World Cup 2011

World Cup 2011

PCB to meet board chiefs over WC dispute

May 21, 2009

The PCB will sit down with the ICC and World Cup hosts India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, in Dubai on June 3 to try and reach an out-of-court settlement over the 2011 World Cup dispute that saw Pakistan's share of matches taken away over security concerns. Since the decision in April - taken after the terrorist attacks on Sri Lanka in Lahore in March - Pakistan and the ICC have been locked in a legal wrangle; the PCB filed a notice over the decision, calling it discriminatory and illegal and arguing that the correct procedures had not been followed. The meeting is the first indication of any kind that the impasse may be resolved outside of a courtroom.

The meeting will be attended by ICC president David Morgan, Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, and top officials from the BCCI, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Sharad Pawar, the former BCCI president and Morgan's chosen successor, will also be part of the meeting.

It appears to be the result of Butt's recent trips to Sri Lanka and India, where he met DS de Silva, the SLC chairman, and Pawar to drum up support and discuss Pakistan's case. After the spate of legal action - which included filing a case in a Lahore civil court against the removal of the World Cup secretariat from Lahore to Mumbai and also referring the entire matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne - relations between the PCB and the ICC, as well as other members, had worsened considerably. Butt's visits were seen also as diplomatic missions to improve communications between PCB and the remaining hosts of the world cup.

"I had very detailed discussions with Mr Pawar and the meeting went well," Butt told Cricinfo. "We decided some solution has to be worked out and we will have a discussion in Dubai on June 3. David Morgan, Mr Pawar and the heads of SLC and BCB will all be there as we discuss the situation and work towards a solution."

Skin problem puts Shoaib in doubt for World Twenty20

World Twenty20 2009

Skin problem puts Shoaib in doubt for World Twenty20

May 20, 2009

	Shoaib Akhtar has not trained since coming back from the series against Australia in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Shoaib Akhtar's participation in the World Twenty20 has come into doubt after a skin condition he developed last week failed to improve as was expected.

The skin infection ruled Shoaib out of the training camp the team attended in Bhurban, a mountainous hill resort near Islamabad. At the time, Shoaib expressed confidence that he would recover in time but a failure to do so has cast doubt over his place in the squad. Now, it will keep him out of the three practice matches planned between sides led by Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

"Shoaib will miss all three practice matches because of the condition," Intikhab Alam, Pakistan's coach, told Cricinfo. "At this juncture I will not say anything more about his status in Pakistan's [15-man] squad for the World Cup but we will make an announcement on it tomorrow."

Shoaib has not trained since coming back from the series against Australia in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Questions were asked of his fitness levels during the five-ODI and one Twenty20 series; he failed to fulfill his quota of ten overs in any of the four ODIs he played and bowled only two overs in the Twenty20. He managed to pick up three wickets in the series and looked to be visibly suffering in the field and when bowling his second spells.

He was, however, still selected for the World Twenty20, Pakistan's team management expressing confidence in his ability to get fully fit for the tournament in England.

Shoaib's career, particularly of late, has been littered with fitness troubles. During the ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier in the year, then captain Shoaib Malik, openly questioned whether Shoaib was capable of lasting 50 overs in the field as a bowler and fielder.

The latest episode has also reportedly upset the board, who were less than pleased that Shoaib chose to get his treatment done by a doctor of his own choice and not, as policy states, a PCB-appointed one.

Australia v Pakistan 2009

Australia v Pakistan 2009

Saeed Ajmal reported for suspect action

April 26, 2009
Umpires have taken notice of Saeed Ajmal's bowling action © AFP
Saeed Ajmal, the Pakistan offspinner, has expressed surprise at being reported for a suspect action, and believes Shane Watson might have played a role in drawing the umpires' attention to his doosra. Ajmal suspected Watson spoke with Asad Rauf and Billy Bowden about his bowling action during the second one-day international at the Dubai Sports City Stadium; two days after he had befuddled Australia's batsmen with a series of doosras in a spell of 2-19.
Whether prompted or not by the Australian allrounder, the umpires found enough cause for concern to report Ajmal's action, making him the second off-spinner to be cited for a doosra in a fortnight. Johan Botha, the South African limited overs vice-captain, was reported after the fourth ODI against Australia in Port Elizabeth, and will have his action tested at the University of Western Australia this week.
"They told me in the first game some of my doosras had [a] little elbow bend," Ajmal told Cricinfo. "I was very surprised. My first-class debut was in 1996 and this has not happened before. I think Watson was talking [with] umpires about this. He was speaking with them and when the match finished the umpires said there is a problem. [But] I am not disappointed. I am playing tomorrow [in the third ODI]. It is not a problem."
Pakistan's coach, Intikhab Alam, was more critical of the process that resulted in Ajmal being reported after the second ODI against Australia. Describing the spinner as a "gutsy young man", Alam questioned the handling of the matter by the umpires.
"Ajmal has played against four countries and nobody raised any finger on his action and suddenly this decision comes," he told AFP. "I think they [ICC] are lacking consistency in this process. He bowled exceptionally well and suddenly they decided that he has a problem with his action."
Rauf and Bowden, along with off-field officials Zameer Haider and Nadeem Ghauri, submitted a report to the ICC in which it was stated that, having monitored Ajmal's action over the two ODIs in Dubai, there was sufficient concern for it to be scrutinised further. Ajmal, the ICC and the PCB will be sent footage of the bowler's action, and Ajmal is required to present himself for testing by an ICC-approved biomechanist within 21 days.
The latest report comes as Botha prepares to fly to Perth for re-examination on his contentious doosra. The citing of two off-spinners in a fortnight has prompted speculation of an ICC crackdown on doosras, but Alam was confident Ajmal would be cleared and free to bowl the delivery in future matches.
"Murali bowls such a delivery and he was cleared, Harbhajan was cleared, and there is no difference between these two and Ajmal," Alam said. "I don't agree that Ajmal bowls a different doosra, there is only one kind of doosra. Ajmal has hyper-mobility in his arm and I hope everything goes well for him."
Ajmal can continue to play for cricket until the tests on his action are conducted. If, during the examination, he bowls a single delivery with an elbow flexion in excess of 15 degrees, he will be suspended and ordered to undertake remedial work on his delivery motion.
Meanwhile, Nathan Hauritz, the Australian off-spinner, said he was experimenting with his own version of the doosra in the nets. "I just think it takes a lot of time, a lot of practice, just trying to get all the body parts right and in the right place," Hauritz told AAP. "I try to practice it two or three times a week, about 10 balls, because it gets very painful, my body's not used to it."

Pakistan cricket

Pakistan cricket

Pakistan ponder options for change of address

April 23, 2009
The PCB is considering putting forth a proposal to host its share of the World Cup matches in Dubai, with Pakistan as 'host' © AFP
Nearly a week after the ICC's decision to move away the 2011 World Cup from Pakistan and effectively rule out international cricket in the country due to security concerns, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is weighing up options of how to move on. Though officially there has been silence from the board - apart from filing an official protest to the decision with the ICC - contact has been maintained with the ICC hierarchy on how best to proceed and two options on where Pakistan will play its designated 'home' cricket from now have become clear.
One is playing cricket at a designated neutral venue, such as Dubai. As an indication of the viability of this option, it is learnt that the PCB is considering putting forth a proposal to host its share of the World Cup matches in Dubai, with Pakistan as 'host.' It seems, however, that the proposal has been ruled out already by the ICC. "No, that is not an option," Haroon Lorgat, chief executive, ICC, told Cricinfo. "The board has made a decision. But I think this is a proposal (the PCB) is considering making. That is flowing from discussions I had today [Thursday] and yesterday with various people, including Pakistan ministry of sport."
Even as a longer-term option, the PCB concedes there are concerns. Logistically, in terms of distance at least, it is workable but board officials currently in the UAE are wary of the financial difficulties involved. "Dubai is a very expensive option," a senior board official told Cricinfo. "Security costs, hotel costs and just hosting a cricket match here is very expensive so that aspect has to be looked at."
The other option that has come up in discussions is for the PCB to work out individual arrangements with other countries to host its matches. New Zealand, for example, were due to tour later in the year: that series could now be held in New Zealand with Pakistan as the designated hosts. In such a case, Pakistan gets the hosting fee while NZC will charge the PCB a nominal amount for expenses.
But this bilateral, case-by-case arrangement could run into complications with TV rights. Ten Sports owns the right to broadcast Pakistan's home matches for the next five years. In New Zealand's case, Sky New Zealand owns rights to home matches and clearly some agreement will have to be worked out in such a scenario: the PCB says it will go ahead with this arrangement only if it is guaranteed TV rights money. A neutral venue such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi - where Ten Sports owns the rights - makes that option more attractive.
There is still a belief in Pakistan's cricket circles that countries can be convinced to visit. But one official said you would have to be "senile" to expect countries to come now. "After the attacks of March 3, it is impossible to expect anyone to come here. We fought at the meeting to retain the tournament but the simple truth is that players are just not willing to travel here right now," he said.


Let's allow the situation to cool down, and make sure Pakistan continues to play international cricket in the interim. It is impossible to put a timeframe on this. It could be next month, it could be six months, it could be the end of this year Haroon Lorgat, ICC chief executive

The board "protested vigorously and fought to retain Pakistan's host status, but there was no support," an official present at the meeting told Cricinfo. The BCCI, it is learnt, didn't support Pakistan openly because there was a chance of the World Cup being lost altogether to Australia and New Zealand. Indeed, Pakistan is said to have preferred this option, asking instead to be inked in for the 2015 World Cup.
The financial fallout from the loss of the World Cup may not be as hefty as was originally predicted. World Cup hosts receive US$750,000 per game from the ICC but this mostly covers the expenses of organizing the match. All 10 full members share 75% of the total profit: thus each country will get a 7.5% share, and Pakistan will not miss out on that. What they will lose, however, is the gate money and that raised through hospitality.
The ICC insists it will stand by and help Pakistan through this, rejecting the notion that the country is being isolated. "I am worried that there was any message suggesting we were looking to distance ourselves from Pakistan," Lorgat said. "That is not true. In fact, it is quite the opposite. We are very keen for Pakistan to continue playing international cricket.
"There is a great reluctance from all players to go to Pakistan right now. Let's allow the situation to cool down, and make sure Pakistan continues to play international cricket in the interim. It is impossible to put a timeframe on this. It could be next month, it could be six months, it could be the end of this year."
Lorgat added that the PCB had been offered a taskforce to work with them and monitor the situation. "We hope the offer will be accepted. The offer is on the table."