Shahid Afridi inspires Melbourne Renegades to their first victory of Big Bash Twenty20

Melbourne Renegades, the Australian Domestic team, registered their first win of the Big Bash Twenty20 League courtesy some splendid bowling from leg-spinner, Shahid Afridi. The match that was played at Stadium Australia, Sydney saw the visiting team post a decent total of 140 runs for the loss of eight wickets. In reply, the hosts could only muster 134 runs. The leg-spinner from Pakistan, who went wicket less in the previous two games, ended this drought as he notched three wickets while conceding 21 runs. Afridi was also pretty handy with the bat, as he made 16 runs. The all-rounder won the Man of the Match award for his excellent all-round performance.

Andrew McDonald, Melbourne's skipper, won the toss and decided to bat first. Melbourne Vanguards, Aaron Finch and Brad Hodge, provided a blistering start for the tourists. The two were fearless in their approach and played lofted shots over the 30-yard circle. Finch and Hodge’s on-field romance came to an end in the 11th over when the 20-year-old spinner Luke Doran showed the door to both batters. Renegades were left high and dry after losing both their openers. Afridi, along with Glenn Maxwell, tried his best to rebuild the innings; however, Thunders maintained pressure as Renegades lost the plot and fell like a house of cards. Luckily for them, some mighty blows from Abdul Razzaq in the death overs propelled the side to 140. Sydney Thunders, who were invincible until the six run defeat against Renegades, had a reasonable start to their innings with openers Chris Gayle and Tim Cruickshank scoring 59 runs for the first wicket. Cruickshank was the first man to be dismissed; “BOOM BOOM” Afridi celebrated in his typical fashion with hands held high towards the heavens. Usman Khawaja gave good support to Gayle, who was determined to finish the match early. It seemed easy sailing for the Thunders while the duo batted. However, after the demise of Khawaja, courtesy of Afridi, none of the batsmen showed any resistance to the opposition bowlers and Sydney Thunders fell six runs short of the total. Renegades will be hoping to build on this win when they go up against Sydney Sixers on January 2, 2012.

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Shahid Afridi: Pakistan Cricket's only superstar

There are certain names that fill stadiums, grab all the headlines and have fans and neutrals alike the world over, who stop what they’re doing and switch on their televisions. Those names belong to players, who have worked their way, to superstar status. In the past people would rush to catch a glimpse of Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Vivian Richards, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan and Wasim Akram, even if they were on the opposing team. Fans of the game remember them even to this very day. In the modern game there are plenty of superstars as well. The explosive rebel, Chris Gayle, the Australian pair of, Brett Lee, and, Shane Watson, Hashim Amla, and, Dale Steyn of South Africa, half the Indian team from Yuvraj Singh to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar to Virender Sehwag. Yet Pakistan, once renowned for having an abundance of superstars, seems to have fallen behind. Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Inzamam-ul-Haq – the list of past superstars goes on and on, but how many can one name in the present Pakistan squad? Would people go or even bother changing the channel to watch Mohammad Hafeez? Or maybe watch Asad Shafiq? Even the more well known names fail to raise excitement levels. Saeed Ajmal, who although is a consistent wicket taker, does not carry with him the flair and flamboyance that can pull the masses in, and one can only groan in agony anytime the painfully slow, Misbah-ul-Haq, makes his way to the crease. Yes, there is Pakistan’s wicket keeper, Kamran Akmal, though the player is famous for the wrong reasons. Dropped catches and missed chances do not bring the type of attention one wishes. Contrast that with West Indies batsman, Chris Gayle, and his recent demolition of opposition bowlers in the Indian Premier League. Whether one was a fan or not, the cricketing world would stop and proceed to watch the batsman. Why? Because he was exciting, because he was special and most importantly because he gave the fans what they wanted to see. Long gone are the days Shoaib Akhtar would storm in to bowl deliveries that flew at the batsmen at over 140 kilometres per hour, or when Wasim Akram would create unreal swing. The only name that still gets fans interested in Pakistan cricket is their talismanic One Day International captain, Shahid Khan Afridi. His exploits in the recently concluded ICC World Cup was the pinnacle in his, how to put this, exhilarating professional career. Scoring the fastest century in cricketing history on his debut, Afridi never compromised on his attacking batting, be it for better or for worse. It made him a household name not only in Pakistan but anywhere the game of cricket was played. Afridi’s aggression, ability to turn games on its head earlier with the bat and more recently with the ball, have not only propelled him to international stardom but also has fans pause just for a second to check if Afridi is on the crease or not. In Pakistan, when Afridi gets dismissed so does 25% of the crowd. It is not all doom and gloom though, as the Cornered Tigers are producing two more potential superstars, Wahab Riaz, and, Umar Akmal. Akmal unlike his brother is an exciting prospect, while the verdict on Wahab is still out after limited performances for the side. Yet if anyone was asked to make a fantasy team consisting of the best players in the world, one can safely say that Shahid Afridi would be the only Pakistan player on the roster and that is why he is Pakistan’s only superstar.

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West Indies cricket struggling because of internal politics not lack of talent

West Indies cricket is currently going through its worst period and a team which used to rule the cricketing world in 70s and 80s, now find it difficult to beat even the second grade teams of the international sport.
Since the retirement of the great Caribbean captain Clive Lloyd, West Indian cricket has gone through a continuous decline and now the situation is such that they have reached the rock bottom, and hopefully things can only start to move in the right direction from here on.
There is an opinion that youngsters in West Indies are more inclined towards other sports, especially Basketball, because of all the money and sponsorships involved in it. However, the matter of fact is that West Indies is not struggling at international level because of lack of good cricketers, it is the internal politics which has damaged the ‘gentlemen’s game’ in the beautiful Islands.
The most painful thing in the whole scenario is the fact that Caribbean Islands are not short of talent, and even in this dark age, they are able to produce quality cricketers. Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Devendra Bishoo and Kemar Roach are a few examples to strengthen the claim that there is still a lot of talent in the Caribbean which just needs to be streamlined.
Chris Gayle is without doubt the best batsman produced by West Indies in the last one-and-a-half decade and it is a pity he wasn't used to the best of his abilities by West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). The left hander lost the captaincy last year when he, along with another senior player Dwayne Bravo, refused to sign the central contract with the WICB.
It led to another controversy as Darren Sammy was made the captain of the Caribbean team which was quite astonishing because the all-rounder from the Northern Windward Islands had never held his position in the West Indian playing eleven consistently.
After a dismal performance in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, West Indian coach Ottis Gibson blamed the senior players for their lack of application and that’s how he was able to retain his job with the team, and also saved Sammy’s captaincy. As a result, the senior players like Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul were axed from the limited overs squad against Pakistan.
On top of that, the worst and the most ironic thing in the current circumstances is that the best Caribbean cricketers like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Jerome Taylor are busy playing the Indian Premier League when West Indies is being thrashed at the hands of Pakistan back home.
West Indies have brilliant players in all the departments of the game; batting, bowling and fielding. The likes of Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard can form a formidable batting unit. Whereas, a bowling lineup which includes Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, Kemar Roach, Ravi Rampaul, Sulieman Benn and Devendra Bishoo can dismantle any batting lineup of the world.
A captain is supposed to lead his team from the front and no team, even at domestic level, can compete if it is led by a player who does not hold a permanent position in the team, because of his lack of skill and consistency.
The need of the hour for WICB is to get their act together and get rid of the politics within their system. The selection of players and captain should be purely on merit rather than the quota system of different Islands.
If the Caribbean cricket is managed properly, there is no reason why West Indies cannot become a huge force in international cricket once again with the sort of talent they possess.

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CARL HOOPER SLAMS WEST INDIES CRICKET BOARD FOR IGNORING CHRIS GAYLE

Former West Indian captain, Carl Hooper, has criticised the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for axing explosive batsman Chris Gayle from the series against Pakistan. He also opposed the decision to sack senior players, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan from the team.

Hooper told reporters, “The last series that Chris played in he made a triple hundred (333) against Sri Lankaat Galle. We continue to do the same thing in the Caribbean. We go to a major competition or series, are disappointing, we change the coach or players and expect things to change but it doesn’t.”

The former player further added, “Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul are not playing in the one-day team; you hope replacements are up to it.”

Hooper also said that the board had a history of disrespecting players in this manner and that he was also one of the victims in the past.

The West Indies were unable to make an impression in the ICC World Cup 2011 and were knocked out in the quarter-final match against Pakistan. The team only managed to win matches against weaker opponents, but were below par against tough sides.

The team’s coach Ottis Gibson blamed the senior members for failing to lead from the front, as they failed to make any significant impression. The board also agreed with this, dropping the senior players from the home series against the Men-in-Green.

The new look team got off to a good start in the series, winning the only Twenty20 match against the visitors. However, they were unable to cope with the pressure of the One Day Internationals (ODIs), losing the first three out of the total five.

In the meantime, Gayle flew to India to take part in the cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL). He was hired by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and made a blistering start for the franchise, smashing a brilliant ton. The flamboyant batsman missed playing for his country though, saying that national duty would have been his priority.

However, the board disagreed with the comments of the veteran player, saying that they tried their best to draft Gayle into the home series. The board also stated that Gayle refused to play against Pakistan.

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Chris Gayle and West Indies Cricket Board row rages on

West Indies Cricket Board chief, Ernest Hilaire, has said that the Board made every possible attempt to talk to opener Chris Gayle and convince him to play for the side in the series against Pakistan.

Hilaire made the remarks after Gayle recently said that the WICB did not talk to him before making their decision.

Currently Gayle is playing for the Indian Premier (IPL) League’s franchise Royal Challenger Bangalore (RCB), owned by one of the most renowned Indian businessman in the world, Vijay Mallya.

Gayle has been playing well in the team and has proved a match-winner for the team. However, the West Indies cricket team has lost the first two matches of their five-match series against Pakistan. This is the reason Hilaire wants Gayle to perform in the Pakistan tour, to give success to the Windies.

Hilaire stated, “We can dispel all that Chris Gayle said by releasing the letters and emails”. He also said, “You communicate with a player, you ask for his opinions, you ask for him to account on certain statements he made, you ask him what’s his position on certain things and you expect to be treated with a certain degree of confidence.”

Gayle has been under scrutiny for a long time, as he has a history of tiffs and disputes with the West Indies Cricket Board. However, the behaviour of the board towards its players is also very inconsiderate.

Nevertheless, Gayle had to speak up, not only \on his own behalf but also for other players.

Chris Gayle is an outstanding batsmen on the West Indies cricket team. He started his One Day International (ODI) career in 1999 against India in Toronto. He has been playing exceptionally well in the team but was unable to lift his teams fortunes in the ICC World Cup 2011. Gayle has played a total of 228 One Dayers, in which he has scored 8087 runs at an average of 39.06. The Windies’ player has so far scored 19 centuries and 43 half centuries. Gayle has struck 946 fours and 169 sixes in his 228 ODIs. This batting all-rounder is also known for his balling style and is known off-spin. The Jamaican player has taken 156 wickets at an average of 35.08.

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DELHI DAREDEVILS CAPTAIN VIRENDER SEHWAG ADMITS HIS TEAM IS UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE

The dejected Delhi Daredevils’ captain, Virender Sehwag, has admitted that an embarrassing three-wicket defeat to the Royal Challengers Bangalore last night has put his team under immense pressure.

Extremely disappointed over the team’s performance, Sehwag felt that the total of 160 was a par score, which should have been defended by the Daredevils. Put in to bat first, Sehwag and company put up a reasonable total of 160 on the board against the Bangalore XI. However, the Royal Challengers, with the help of a classy 82-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle, overwhelmed the target comprehensively with three balls to spare.

Considering giving too many runs in the initial overs as the key cause of his team’s humiliating defeat at the hands of Bangalore outfit, Sehwag said that the players were not able to capitalise on the situation after picking up quick wickets of Gayle, Kohli and AB de Villiers in the middle of the innings.

"We went for too many runs in the first six overs. One hundred and sixty was a par score on this wicket and if we had bowled well at the end, it would have been possible. It was a good match but I am on the losing side and I am not happy," Sehwag said.

Sehwag further explained that the defeat has put the Daredevils into a do or die situation and the team has to win their next games to stay alive in the competition. Rejecting the idea that the Delhi team lacks firepower in the bowling department, the aggressive opening batsman put it in simple words that the side has the capability to roar back into the competition.

"We are playing well and gelling well as a team. It is a matter of putting on a couple of wins. We have to bat, field and bowl well. A couple of dropped catches and bad fielding can undo the good work," the blistering Indian opener added.

With four defeats in the six Indian Premier League matches, the Daredevils have now slipped down to the bottom of the IPL standings.

Delhi Daredevils are scheduled to play the Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday April 28, 2011. Sehwag has realised that it will be tough for him to face his International team-mate, Gautam Gambhir as an opponent on the field

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ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE EDGE OUT DELHI DAREDEVILS IN A PULSATING ENCOUNTER

DD 160/6 20 overs RCB 161/7 19.3 overs

Bangalore edged out hosts Delhi in a pulsating finish to score an important win, which has improved their chances of finishing amongst the top four teams after the group stage of the cash rich league.

The hosts opted to bat first in the match played at Kotla in Delhi. The star of the show was James Hopes, who scored a breezy half century to help his team get a sizeable total.

The mainstays, Virender Sehwag, and his opening partner, David Warner, had an ordinary game, as both were dismissed cheaply in the game.

Hopes scored 54 runs off 43 balls, his innings was studded with 7 fours and was the cornerstone of the Delhieffort on what was set to be a good batting track, besides Hopes, the Daredevils were well served byVenugopal Rao, who scored 24 runs.

For the visitors Abhimanyu Mithun claimed 2 wickets conceding 37 runs in his allocation of 4 overs.

The Bangalore team lost Dilshan without score. However, the pair of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli brought them back in the hunt. The two took the total to 83, as Gayle took the back seat for a change to support the assault by Kohli.

Gayle was dismissed for 26 off 14 balls, while Kohli motored along to a score 56 off 38 balls, his innings was studded with 8 fours.

Kohli fell in the 10^th over of the innings, the score was 96 at this stage and the game was in the balance, as the Indian top order batsman was the 4^th one to fall.

The chase was carried forward by the late order batsmen. Daniel Vettori, the captain of the Challengers, came good with the bat after a long time. His crucial unbeaten knock of 18 runs took his team home. He was ably supported by Syed Mohammad, who scored an unbeaten 13 off 10 balls.

The Delhi attack that was taken apart by Kohli and Gayle early on came back strongly. However, they failed to run through the Challengers. Morne Morkel with 3 wickets was the pick of the bowlers.

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Chris Gayle concentrating on the Indian Premier League after West Indies snub

Former West Indies captain, Chris Gayle, has stated that he was keen on representing his nation and that is what he had hoped for at the start of the season. However, circumstances have forced him to fly out to India and take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he is representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Gayle was dropped from the Windies team that was announced for the first part of the limited overs series against the touring Pakistanis. The series started off well for the hosts who won the one-off Twenty20 game, but it has all gone pear shaped since then and the home side has received a drubbing in each of the first two One Day Internationals at St. Lucia.

Gayle told media in India that in an ideal world he would have been representing the West Indies at the moment and making an effort to tackle the Pakistan spinners, who have tightened the screws around his batsmen. He added that he had no intentions of playing in the IPL this season.

"It was to be international cricket for me. Had I been picked, that would have been what I would have done," Gayle said. "I didn't have any thoughts about IPL4. I had written off IPL4, rather I was looking forward to its next year. I should have been there (in the West Indies) playing with the national team, but I am here. It is unfortunate but that is how it is."

Gayle added that he was not expecting a call from IPL franchises either and it only happened after a party late in the night in Jamaica.

The flamboyant left hander made a real impact in his very first outing for his new team as he played a mesmerizing unbeaten century that set up Bangalore's win against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Gayle’s knock was a typically belligerent 102 in 55 balls against his former IPL team, the Kolkata Knight Riders. At the end of the match he brushed aside concerns about an injury which was the official explanation for his axing by the West Indian Cricket Board.

"An opportunity presented itself, so I am here now to actually do what I can. I have got a good welcome from each and everyone, the players, the owners, and management staff. When asked about his abdominal strain, Gayle replied to the question with another one, "What did it look like during the match? That's what it is like now."

Meanwhile Gayle reiterated that he had little interest in the league after he was left unsold at the auction for players held last year, he stated that he was surprised that none of the franchises bid for him in the auction but was told later that the reason for the snub was that the West Indies international commitments against Pakistan during the major part of the IPL season.

On the other hand the cricket fans in the West Indies region are crying for the inclusion of the big hitter after the consistent failures of the batting line-up against the formidable Pakistan bowling attack.

The spin trio of Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez seem to have cast a spell on the Calypso batsmen who are struggling to keep stock of their sharp spinning and bouncing deliveries.

Gayle has the ability to turn a match on its head and given the sheer talent and boundary hitting capabilities at his disposal, the West Indian selectors should consider bringing him back in the national fold, however for that to happen immediately, Gayle would have to sever his IPL contract which looks a distinct possibility at the moment.

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WIPA condemns dropping experienced trio for Pakistan serie

The dismissal of West Indies former skippers Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been condemned by the West Indies Players Association (WIPA).
The three players were not selected for the first T20 International against Pakistan as well as the first two One Day Internationals (ODI) against the Men in Green.
West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Chief Executive Officer, Ernest Hilaire said that they selectors had not told them why they had dropped the trio.
Ottis Gibson, coach of the West Indies side, criticised the performance of the trio at the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2011. The new inductions include Anthony Martins, Krishmar Santokie, Danza Hyatt, Ashley Nurse and Christopher Barnwell.
West Indies Players Association says that they want to see young players in the side but this should not hamper the overall performance of the side. WIPA stated, “While WIPA wants to see that young players with potential are incorporated into the team and blooded, this should not be at the expense of the overall team performance or of the obligation owed to the players to deal with them fairly and justly.”
The statement by WIPA added, “While WIPA is clear that teams should be picked on performance, potential, playing conditions and preparedness, it is concerned that there may be an appearance that there were other unknown factors being taken into account.”
The association also criticised the replacement of the Windies captain, Chris Gayle, by Darren Sammy, as the WICB Chief had initially stated in 2009 that Gayle’s leadership from the team should be dissolved as it was not at all guaranteed.
However, this made Gayle infuriated and he refused to accept the year-long contract issued by WICB, and consequently Sammy was given the captaincy of the Windies cricket team.
West Indies will host Pakistan for a T20, 5 ODIs and 2 Test matches. The tour begins with the only T20 in the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia on Thursday, 21 April. The 5-match ODI series will begin on 23 April while the first Test match would be held from 12 May - 16 May at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.

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The PCB has been in contact with the Indian board over restarting bilateral contests

The Pakistan board has said they have initiated talks with the BCCI over resuming cricketing relations between India and Pakistan, though no decision has yet been taken on when and where to play or the number of matches. "There has been contact with the BCCI with regards to restarting bilateral contests," Subhan Ahmed, chief operating officer of the PCB, told ESPNcricinfo. "We sent them an email and they replied but as they are busy with the IPL currently, talks will begin after the IPL is over." There are no details yet of when and what form the contests will take but they are likely to be a short, bilateral ODI series. "There will be three stages to these talks," Subhan said. "Firstly, the boards will decide when we can actually play. Both sides are very busy with FTP requirements in the near future so finding a window will be the first thing. Then we'll talk about the matches themselves and what kind they will be, a three match ODI series or whatever. Finally we will discuss the venue for the series." The IPL runs till the end of May and India have three overseas tours in the eight months that follow, including high-profile series in England and Australia. India also have a full series home-and-away against West Indies, the Champions League Twenty20 and a home one-day series against England. India has suspended sporting ties with Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Since then, India and Pakistan have faced each other only three times, in ODIs at multi-lateral tournaments. The last of those meetings was the World Cup semi-final last month in Mohali, which was attended by the prime ministers of both countries. After the Mohali match, and the resumption of talks between India and Pakistan's politicians, India's foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said the government welcomed more sporting contact between the two countries. The BCCI has maintained that it has not received any communication from the government over resuming cricketing ties with Pakistan. While the PCB would like to hold the bilateral cricket series at home, security concerns are likely to rule that out, with the matches likely to be held in India or a neutral country.

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Wasim Akram happy with selector’s decision.

Former fast bowler Wasim Akram is happy with the selectors' decision to allow the key Pakistan bowler Umar Gul some much needed rest.

Akram said; "I think Gul has been playing non-stop cricket for a while now and needed this rest. It is not a bad idea to have a rotation policy in the bowling department because top pacers carry the risk of getting injured."

Gul has been main bowler of the team since Akram and Waqar Younis left cricket. Cricket analysts rate him as one of the finest bowlers at the depth of an innings, given his ability to bowl yorkers with deadly accuracy.

Having played an instrumental role for the team leading up to the semi-final, Gul had an off day in the game against India. Indian batsmen hammered him all around the ground. He ended up giving 69 runs in eight overs with an economy rate of 8.62. In all he took 14 wickets in eight matches during the World Cup making him the eighth highest wicket-taker of the tournament.

Gul has taken 133 wickets in 88 ODIs, 125 wickets in 34 test matches and 47 wickets in 34 T20s.

Gul wanted to take break from cricket after the World Cup. Pakistani selectors have picked young fast bowlers for the squad.

Akram hopes that head coach Waqar and his assistant Aaqib Javed can polish these bowlers during the Caribbean tour.

He added; "It is good they are trying out new pace bowlers because we have lots of talent in this area."

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