PAKISTAN V SRI LANKA - ICC WORLD CUP 2011- PREVIEW

Pakistan v Sri Lanka - ICC World Cup 2011- preview The unpredictable Pakistan side is gearing up to take on strong Asian rivals and World Cup hot favourites, Sri Lanka, in their second World Cup clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday, 26 February.The two former World Champions have so far played minnows, Canada and Kenya, in their World Cup openers sealing resounding 200-run margin victories in the southern town of Hambantota.Sri Lanka crushed low-ranked, Canada, with a 210-run defeat after setting an astounding target of 321 runs to win while Pakistan thrashed tournament outsiders, Kenya, by 205 runs...

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Fans say Pakistan’s campaign unlikely to go beyond quarters

KARACHI: Pakistan’s campaign in the on-going 2011 Cricket World Cup is most likely to end at the quarter-final stage or even before that according to a majority of the fans interviewed recently during a survey conducted by Dawn.  Nearly one thousand cricket fans from all walks of life were asked to give their respective opinions on ‘where will Pakistan finish in the 2011 World Cup’ and to the dismay of the national team, as many as 52 per cent of them said the chances of survival for Shahid Afridi’s men beyond the quarter-final stage appeared quite grim due to lack of depth in the team’s bowling and fielding resources. “Our batting has...

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Afridi’s tactics: Attack all the way

HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka: Ricky Ponting says his Australian batsmen will take their time before accelerating during their innings at this World Cup but Pakistan counterpart Shahid Afridi on Tuesday indicated that it would be foot on the gas all the way for his team. “We have planned well,” Afridi assured reporters in a news conference here ahead of their first Group A match against Kenya. The captain said he had more than enough talent to make an impact here. That meant a constant emphasis on attack through the order. “Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez will open the innings and if we lose the first wicket early, then we have Kamran Akmal, who...

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Not playing at home on our minds : AFRIDI

HAMBANTOTA: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi vowed Tuesday to win the World Cup for millions of weary fans back home who lost out on the showpiece when their country became a no-go zone. International cricket has been suspended in Pakistan ever since the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore two years ago which left eight people dead and injured seven visiting players and their assistant coach. Pakistan was among the four co-hosts of the 2011 World Cup but the International Cricket Council was forced to move the matches in the wake of attacks. “Not playing in our country is on our minds,” Afridi said, ahead of his team’s first...

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EVEN A HALF FIT AKHTAR CAN LIFT PAKISTAN TO GLORY – INTIKHAB ALAM

Pakistan team manager, Intikhab Alam feels the 'half-fit' express pacer, Shoaib Akhtar still has the potential to lead the Men in Green to its second World Cup victory.  Adding that a lot would depend upon how the injury prone speedster is used in the ICC show piece event."Shoaib's not fully fit, but even a half fit Akhtar can lift Pakistan to glory”, said the team manager. “He needs to be utilised carefully during the World Cup to get the best out of him. A lot could depend on the weather, the heat, the humidity as to how Shoaib is utilised by the skipper", he added further.Pakistan’s team is currently in Bangladesh to play...

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Win over Bangaldesh launches Pakistan’s WC mission in style

DHAKA: Pakistan completed a well-rounded win over Bangladesh in their first warm-up match of the World Cup when they beat the hosts by 88 runs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday. Centuries from opener Ahmed Shehzad and vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq ensured a formidable total for Pakistan, who ended their innings at 286-9. The bowlers, led by all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, then completed the job for the visitors by bowling Bangladesh out for 196 inside 42 overs. Shehzad and Misbah began Pakistan’s recovery in the 15th over, after the Bangladesh bowlers reduced the visitors to 58-3. Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan were the main tormentors...

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Shoaib Akhtar looks forward to his last World Cup

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Waqar Younis wants to break his World Cup jinx

COLOMBO: As a player, Waqar Younis had nothing but bad memories of the World Cup. Now as a coach, he has the challenge of turning around Pakistan’s talented yet unpredictable team. “Well, it’s true that the World Cup hasn’t been too kind to me, but that is motivation and challenge enough to fight on and take another chance as coach of a talented team which can win the tournament,” Waqar told AFP. Waqar, now 39, was regarded as one of the most potent fast bowlers in his prime, producing wicket-taking deliveries on any surface, the most notable being his toe-crushing yorker. Together with compatriot Wasim Akram, one of the best left-arm pacemen...

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World Cup defining moment for Pakistan - Shoaib

Shoaib Akhter has called the upcoming world cup his last, claiming it to be the "defining moment" of Pakistan cricket and perhaps of his own career. In a characteristically free-wheeling chat, Shoaib reaffirmed that he wanted to stay fit throughout, and end the tournament with the trophy in hand."Is this the twilight of my career? Yes. It is very special, playing in the sub-continent's World Cup," Shoaib said in Dhaka. "I am not sure about how long I'm going to be playing, but I will try to make sure it is full of memories"."My personal target is to play every match and to leave 45-50 days after winning the World Cup," Shoaib...

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PCB DENIES REPORTS OF FILING APPEAL FOR MOHAMMAD AMIR

The Pakistan Cricket Board has dismissed reports of filing an appeal against the 5-year ban imposed on Mohammad Amir by the International Cricket Council.Recently, some reports emerged which stated that the PCB was not happy with the ban on Amir and had decided to support the youngster in the higher courts.A PCB official clarified, “We have filed no formal appeal as such. Yes we have written to the ICC about the case in light of the observations made by the ICC anti-corruption tribunal regarding the existing anti-corruption code of conduct laws under which Butt, Asif and Amir have been penalized.”On the other hand, the ICC has also stated that...

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PAKISTAN CRICKET IMPLODES AND RE-BUILDS IN 2010

The year that went by was a very eventful one, even by Pakistan’s standards. For most parts the cricket team’s performance took a back seat to its off-pitch antics. It was a period when the state of affairs went from bad to worse and it seemed as if the drama would never end. It was a time when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) failed to fulfill its duties and players made senseless decisions. 2010 was a year where controversies made headlines and got the better of Pakistan cricket.Pakistan started the year with all rounder Shoib Malik as the captain of the one day side. It was clear that he would not last in his role because he wasn’t able...

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WCup win could return cricket to Pakistan: Younis

 Pakistan winning the World Cup would help convince other teams to again play cricket in the country following a deadly attack in 2008, according to coach Waqar Younis. Pakistan has had to play all of its home series at neutral venues after gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus and a vehicle carrying match officials at Lahore almost three years ago, killing several policemen and a driver. The incident also led to Pakistan being stripped of co-hosting the World Cup, which starts Feb. 19 and will be staged in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. ”It’s very important for us because our people want to see international matches,” Younis said. ”I’m...

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We will manage without Amir and Asif: Shoaib Akhtar

DHAKA: Pakistan’s experienced Shoaib Akthar on Sunday brushed aside the suspension of two of his partners in the Pakistan pace attack, predicting they still had more than enough variety to succeed in the World Cup. Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, were banned for at least five years along with batsman Salman Butt earlier this month after they were found guilty of corruption by an International Cricket Council (ICC) tribunal in Doha. “Obviously, we are unfortunate that they are not there. But still whatever the pace attack we have is good enough to win matches,” Shoaib told a news conference in Dhaka ahead of next Saturday’s World Cup opening...

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I will crank it up for the World Cup: Akhtar

Pakistan’s superstar fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said he was confident of rattling up a good pace at this year’s World Cup despite conditions not being ideal for fast bowlers. “I still bowl 150 kph (93 mph). Obviously when you are 26 and 36, it’s a bit different. I will try to do as well as I can with whatever ability I have. I am going to push my limits and give it all to the team.” Akhtar, who missed the last World Cup in the wake of a doping ban and fitness problems, also said he was looking forward to a likely duel with India’s Sachin Tendulkar. “We all know he is a great player. Every bowler gets hit. Even Brett Lee gets hit a long way,...

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