Zaheer Khan expects Harbhajan Singh to comeback strongly

India’s ace fast bowler, Zaheer Khan, has come up in support of Harbhajan Singh, and said that the off-spinner holds the potential to make a strong comeback into the national setup.
Despite his availability, Harbhajan was dropped out of the Indian squad for the upcoming five-match One Day International (ODI) series against England, starting from October 14, 2011.
The off-spinner’s exclusion from the national crew came as a result of his ordinary recital on the recent tour to England. After displaying a lacklustre show in opening two Tests, the Jalandhar-born spinner failed to maintain his fitness and missed the rest of the four-match series.
The right-arm off-spinner is currently leading his Indian Premier League (IPL) outfit, Mumbai Indians, in the in-progress Champions League Twenty20.
Although, he has proved his fitness by performing reasonably well so far in the ongoing tournament, the Indian selectors overlooked him and gave opportunity to young spinner, Rahul Sharma.
However, Zaheer is not worried about Harbhajan’s omission, saying that he has been undergoing a lean patch and will be back in action very soon.
"We all know that Harbhajan has done great things for the country and me as a fellow cricketer played alongside him, I am sure that he is going to be back. He is too good a bowler to be left out and I am sure the talent he has, he is going to be back. Personally (I have) gone through up's and downs in my career and I am sure that Harbhajan has also got that character, that fire in him to come back stronger than ever," said Zaheer, who along with the offie, was a key part of India’s World Cup winning team.
The left-arm pacer further dismissed all concerns over the bowling skills of Harbhajan, saying that the 31-year-old is a world-class bowler who has all the experience and quality to rejuvenate his form.
"Harbhajan was a champion bowler and he would definitely fight back for his place in the team," added the 32-year-old seamer who is currently recovering from a hamstring injury.

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Saeed Ajmal is our main weapon on slow tracks, says Misbah-ul-Haq

The skipper of Pakistan’s cricket team, Misbah-ul-Haq, was full of praise for his bowling brigade after they held their nerves to secure a narrow win over Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the five-match series, played at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.

Batting first, Pakistan posted 247 runs for the loss of seven wickets, while the young bowling department was able to restrict a resurging Zimbabwe side to 242.

The Men in Green opted to give youngsters a chance as their frontline bowlers, Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz, were not included in the squad. In their absence, Saeed Ajmal is at the centre of the Pakistani attack.

Ajmal exhibited a superb spell of spin bowling in which he hampered the flow of runs and also grabbed the wicket of Malcolm Waller. Muhammad Hafeez laid complete support to him by conceding 38 runs from his allotted overs. However, the pick of the bowlers was the right-arm pacer Aizaz Cheema, who notched three wickets for 36.

Speaking fondly about his bowlers, Misbah said, “Ajmal is our main weapon, especially on the slow tracks, but the pacers did a great job. Tanvir with the new ball, Cheema in the middle overs, and Junaid, who was disappointing at start, came back well in the final over.”

Zimbabweans bowled with great enthusiasm themselves. The African side pulled things back drastically as the Men in Green were cruising along nicely with 188 runs on board for the loss of four wickets at the end of 39^th over.

Misbah is assured that his side could have won the match comfortably had they scored 20-30 more runs. The skipper said that losing wickets at crucial stages restricted them to a modest total.

Younis Khan from Pakistan was declared Man of the Match for an innings that yielded 78 runs and lasted 72 deliveries.

Khan said, “At the time I was at the wicket, we had lost a quick wicket, suddenly me and Hafeez said we needed to bat till 20 overs at least. I was lucky I got early boundaries. It was a misjudgement to get out. The pitch was quite good, it slowed down later.”

The second ODI of the series will be played at Harare Sports Club on Sunday, September 11.

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Will Younis Khan’s absence hurt Pakistan?

Pakistan will be eying a strong show in the two-match Test series against West Indies, starting from Thursday, May 12, 2011.

However, no member in the current team has toured the Caribbean before. Veteran batsman, Younis Khan, who was all set to represent his side in the longest version of the format had to miss the series due to his brothers’ demise. His experience will certainly be missed by the Men in Green and will make their batting more vulnerable.

Younis has played 67 Tests until now and averages 50.60. He is one of the only three players in the Pakistan team to have an average of more than 50. The other two players are Mohammad Yousuf (52.29) and Javed Miandad (52.57). The latter had retired from cricket long ago, but both Yousuf and Younis are still available for selection.

With 17 centuries and 23 half-centuries, Younis has scored more 5617 runs in Test cricket. His record is better than the entire batting line-up of Pakistan, which will take part in the upcoming series.

The stylish right-hander has been terrific over the years for his team, as he batted most of his career as a first-drop. He had to see through the new ball every second match, as Pakistan didn’t produce a consistent opening pair.

Apart from that, Younis plays spinners with complete command, which is the reason behind his strong showings in Test cricket.

The 33-year-old has the highest score of 313 against Sri Lanka and has scored over 130 ten times out of his 17 tons. He also has two centuries against the Windies with a best of 153.

Apart from his brilliant batting skills and cool temperament, Younis is one of the best fielders in Pakistan team. He has taken 74 catches in his Test career until now and often fields in the slip cordon. He is also known to be a team player, a rare breed in Pakistan cricket.

The team will be depending on their skipper, Misbah-ul-Haq, who is the only other batsman with more experience compared to the others. He has featured in 23 Test matches so far and has been able to score runs with consistency. However, the situation will be entirely different compared to the past, as there won’t be any experience in the batting order this time around.

Misbah did a decent job in the One Day International (ODI) series against West Indies, but he will have the added pressure of captaincy on his shoulders. He has a good record until now, not losing a single match in his leadership.

The 36-year-old will have to rely on his youngsters to share the pressure. There are some very promising batsmen in the line-up. Azhar Ali, Umar Akmal and Asad Shafiq have impressed one and all with their performances recently. They will have to be much more mature in the upcoming series in order to do well.

Although it’s a matter of just one player missing from the batting line-up, his significance can’t be ignored. Had Younis been with the team for the Test matches, the Men in Green would have been favourites.

However, things are pretty much even at the moment, with the hosts having the slight advantage of having more experienced batsmen compared to their opponents.

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Zaheer Abbas interested in coaching the Pakistan cricket team

Former Pakistani Test captain, Zaheer Abbas, has shown interest in coaching the national team’s batsmen.

However, the former player said that the decision was up to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and he wasn’t approached by anyone until now.

The board had earlier asked, Javed Miandad, to join as the batting coach of the side, but the former player denied the offer.

Abbas claimed that bowling has not been an issue for the Pakistan. The Asian Bradman questioned, “They only need bowlers to coach them? What about the fielding coach? What about the batting coach? What about the departments which we are [not good] in? We have been producing good fast bowlers, but if you take the example of batsmen, they haven't produced any.”

The legendary player further analysed, “I've been watching them (Pakistan batsmen), but so far they haven't scored and stayed at the wicket for a long time. You can see their potential while playing Test matches and so on. Nowadays, these guys have been playing T20.”

According to Zaheer, the players are required to score centuries in order to justify their selection. He claimed that the team been playing too many limited-over games and should also be featuring in Test matches.

Pakistan is currently touring West Indies for a complete series. They have already played one Twenty20 and five One Day Internationals (ODIs). The team managed to win the ODI series by 3-2.

Former players lashed out at the team for inconsistency against a relatively weaker side. The Caribbean Kings were without some of their key players but still managed to win the last two games, avoiding a whitewash.

This didn’t please former leg-spinner, Abdul Qadir, who asked for some changes in the team. He blamed Pakistan’s captain, Shahid Afridi, for the team’s lackluster show in the Caribbean, saying that the skipper was unable to lead from the front. The veteran all-rounder only managed to score 28 runs and took two wickets in the ODI series.

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Afridi to meet Ijaz Butt over fued with Waqar Younis

Pakistan’s captain, Shahid Afridi, will meet the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ijaz Butt, on his return from the West Indian tour. The two will meet in order to discuss the ongoing dispute between the skipper and the head coach, Waqar Younis.

Both, Waqar and Shahid, had differences over the playing XI against the Windies and the Pakistani skipper refused to take part in the final two One Day Internationals (ODIs).

According to a source close to the team, “Afridi on the West Indies wanted to give the new players ample chances in the series and insisted they were not on tour for a joyride but Waqar kept on resisting and playing the tried and tested players.”

The source also revealed that Afridi wanted the in-form, Asad Shafiq, to be a part of the team in the final match of the series, but Waqar wanted to give chance to another batsman.

“Afridi wanted to try out new pacer, Sadaf Hussain. Even during the World Cup he was not happy that pace bowler Junaid Khan didn’t get to play a single match in the tournament,” the source added.

Afridi had requested the board to give him rest for the West Indian tour, as he was stressed out by the hectic World Cup schedule. He guided the team to the semi-final of the ICC World Cup 2011, but lost against arch rivals, India.

The veteran all-rounder also wanted to give time to his family, especially his ailing father. However, Afridi was advised by his father to continue representing the team, after which he confirmed his availability to the board.

There were some changes made to the Pakistan team, as some senior players were rested and others were dropped due to bad performance in the World Cup. The team started the series on a low note, losing the only Twenty20 match.

However, the Men in Green bounced back strongly in the 50-over series, winning the first three convincingly. They were comfortably headed for a whitewash but the Caribbean Kings turned things around in the final two ODIs.

Although Pakistan won the series 3-2, the players weren’t pleased with the overall outcome. Both teams will now play a two-match Test series, starting Thursday, May 12, 2011 and Misbah-ul-Haq will take charge of captaincy from Afridi.

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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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MOHSIN HASAN KHAN COMPLIMENTS CURRENT SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR INTRODUCING YOUNGSTERS

Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB’s) chief selector, Mohsin Hasan Khan, has claimed of being the first one to give plenty of chances to youngsters in the national side. He said that selectors in the past only talked about introducing fresh blood to the team, but the reality was totally opposite.

Talking to the media in Pakistan, stated, “We have already taken this bold step of resting some senior players and sending some new players to the West Indies with the consultation of the captain (Shahid Afridi) and coach (Waqar Younis).”

However, Mohsin wanted the youngsters to make the most of the opportunity and play with responsibility. He said, “I have played Test cricket and I know that if one wants to play cricket for a long time, 30s and 40s are not enough to keep you going. These new players need to learn to convert good starts into big scores.”

The chief selector suggested the new players to follow the foot-steps of legendary cricketers produced by the country. He gave an example of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Javed Miandad and Mohammad Yousuf, who constructed their innings according to the situation of the match, scoring big runs for the team.

Mohsin denied the reports of being a dummy selector, saying that he has always considered merit ahead of anything. The final team has to be approved by the Chairman of the Board (Ijaz Butt) though, due to which the selection committee is widely criticised.

Pakistan cricket team is currently in the Caribbean and have done a good job there. Although the team lost the lone T20 match, they bounced back strongly in the One Day Internationals (ODIs), winning the series.

The Men in Green have gained a lead of 3-0 in the series and will play two more games before a two-match Test series in May. The team has opted for several new players like Hammad Azam, Mohammad Salman and Junaid Khan. However, there are some senior members to assist the youngsters as well like captain Afridi and his deputy Misbah-ul-Haq.

The board has not announced the test-match squad yet and might consider a couple of more senior players for the longest version of the game.

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PAKISTAN POLICE ARRESTS BOOKIES BEHIND THREATS TO ZULQARNAIN HAIDER

Pakistan police has arrested eight bookies, who were believed to be behind death threats to wicketkeeper-batsman Zulqarnain Haider. The bookmakers were taken in custody from Sialkot and four of them have also been presented before a local judge for initial investigations.

A police official, Nasir Qureshi, stated, “We have arrested eight bookies and some of them have revealed they were behind threats to Haider. We have confiscated their data which has a number of international contacts and the investigation is still on.”

Qureshi further added, “We have found a number of satellite telephones and diaries which have international contacts and we hope to get further details in the next 24 hours.”

Haider had fled to London during Pakistan’s series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The keeper-batsman had claimed that his life was in danger and had to leave the team immediately. He was due to represent his team in the final One Day International (ODI) of the five-match series, but escaped without informing any teammates or officials.

There was a lot of uncertainty in the Pakistan dressing room, as no one was aware of Haider’s whereabouts. However, the 25-year-old appeared before the media after landing in London, where he claimed asylum. He revealed the situation to the press and said that his family was also in danger in Pakistan.

The Pakistan government took notice of the situation and assured complete security to Haider and his family. This was satisfactory for the troubled keeper, as he decided to return to his country on Monday, April 25, 2011. He had announced retirement from international cricket, but claimed to resume talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over his future.

After his return to Pakistan, Haider revealed that he received fresh life threats. He also accused fellow teammate, Kamran Akmal’s father-in-law of being involved in the entire situation, which sparked more controversy.

This allegation was a shock for Akmal and his family and the veteran keeper demanded thorough investigation into the matter. He expressed his displeasure over the scenario and threatened to take legal action against Haider, who apparently had no proof of what he said

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ZULQARNAIN HAIDER EAGER TO GET BACK IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET

Former Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman, Zulqarnain Haider, has admitted missing international cricket. He announced retirement from the sport after receiving life threats from unknown people in Pakistan. However, he has shown intentions of making a comeback to the national side after Pakistan police arrested eight bookies from Sialkot, allegedly behind the threat calls to Haider.

The troubled keeper stated, “My cricket has already suffered a lot and I miss playing. I had worked very hard to get into the national side and I don’t know why I was targeted by the bookmakers. But I think the stance I took against corruption is equally important as playing for Pakistan.”

Commenting on his hardships, Haider added, “I started playing cricket in a shadow of crisis. Aged 13, I lost my mother but still managed to continue playing cricket. I never knew that things would turn out this way. I hope that with serious steps, a time will come when our cricket will become clean”

Haider was ready to clear things with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He was well aware about his bad image in the board and country, but wanted to speak to everyone for normalising things.

Although the keeper batsman made his intentions clear to everyone, Chief Selector of PCB, Mohsin Hasan Khan revealed that Haider would only be considered for selection once cleared by the board.

The Pakistan cricket team has suffered a lot in the recent past and 2010 was a year of controversies for the Men in Green. Three top players, Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were suspended from any form of cricket following spot-fixing allegations. The trio was later found guilty and banned from playing.

Just when things looked to be heading towards a right direction, Haider fled to London, claiming his life was under threat. Pakistan were left without any wicket-keeper for the final game of the five-match One Day International (ODI) series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The youngster then claimed asylum in UK, as he didn’t feel safe back home. He also wanted his family to be with him, as they were also receiving threat calls. However, the government of Pakistan guaranteed security to Haider and brought him back to Pakistan.

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Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi baffled by ICC ODI ranking system

Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi is baffled by the International Cricket Council’s One Day International ranking system after learning that their series win over West Indies will not have any effect on their position in the table.
If Pakistan manage to beat hosts West Indies in the third match of the series, it will be for the 6^th time the Men in Green defeat the Windies in a series between the two countries. However, a series win will not earn Pakistan a single point which is said to have irked the Pakistan captain.
Speaking to reporters, Afridi said, “I can’t understand this system, there should be some advantage for the visiting sides as winning a series is never easy for them no matter who they’re playing against.”
Pakistan are currently in sixth place in the world rankings and even a whitewash against West Indies will not move them a place higher in the ranking. On the other hand, a 3-2 or even a 4-1 win in the series against the 9^th placed West Indies will cause Pakistan to drop points. Afridi considers this as an unfair system because it does not offer any points after a win against a lower ranked team.
Speaking further on the awkward format of the ranking system, the flamboyant Afridi said, “It’s really difficult to prosper under the current ranking system. I have little clue what it’s based on.”
Afridi is not the only skipper to have come out against the system as previously Sri Lanka’s former captain Kumar Sangakkara also termed it as unfair.
Afridi, who wants to improve Pakistan’s ODI rankings by winning the series, said that a series win remains his top priority. According to him, beating West Indies in their own backyard is extremely difficult.
According to ICC’s modified rating system, points are awarded on the number of series between the two teams and their results. In addition, bonus points are also awarded on a series win. The points earned after a series are then multiplied by a pre-determined factor of the previous ratings of both the sides to finalise the rating points the team earns. Then a side’s net rating points are divided by the total games played for the evaluation of the ratings.
Afridi admitted that even though his side will not be gaining an incentive of improving their position in the rankings, winning a series against West Indies will be a morale booster for his young and inexperienced side.
Pakistan are set to take on West Indies on Thursday in the third match to be played at the Bridgetown Barbados Ground.

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South Africa batsman Jacques Rudolph eyeing a comeback to international cricket

South African batsman Jacques Rudolph has claimed to be ready for an International comeback, after showing some strong performances in the domestic season. He last played for the national-side back in 2006, but has been unable to impress the selectors since then. The stylish left-hander has represented his team in 35 Test matches, 45 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and just one T20 game.
The 29-year-old stated, “Looking back over the last nine or 10 years, I've learnt a lot. There were a lot of character building things that happened in my career and I'm in a good space at the moment. My first priority is to try and get back into the team and to establish myself in all three forms of the game.”
Rudolph doesn’t have good memories of the last matches he played for his team in any format of the game. The last international game he played for his country was a Test match against Sri Lanka, in August 2006. However, he was unable to make an impression back then, scoring a total of 28 runs in both his innings. The Proteas lost that match by just one wicket in the end.
South Africa were also on the losing side in the last ODI and T20, which featured Rudolph. The promising left-hander would want to change this history and contribute to his team’s success in the future, especially in difficult circumstances. He performed well under pressure situations in the domestic events, both as a player and a leader of the Titans.
Commenting on his team’s inability to perform in pressure situations, Rudolph stated, “We do carry this tag of chokers. Some people think it's fair, others think it's unfair. I think, to a degree, that it's unfair. But, in pressure situations, we just haven't been able to go through.”
Like many other South Africans, Rudolph was also disappointed over his team’s failure to live up to the expectations in the ICC World Cup 2011. The Proteas had a very strong start to the tournament, ending up at the top of their pool. However, they were unable to go through the knockout stages, losing their quarter-final match against a weaker New Zealand side.

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Malinga grateful to IPL for his cricket comeback

The charismatic Sri Lankan fast bowler, Lasith Malinga, felt disappointed by his country’ s board when he was not looked after well and did not get treatment after his knee injury, which could have finished his career.

Malinga claims that it was only because of the Indian Premier League (IPL) he was able to come back to the cricket fields again.

He sustained an injury in early 2008, which kept him out of the game, and, he was unable to play for Sri Lanka until August, 2009 and he pretended that could have been the end of his career.

He appeared in the IPL in 2009, got back his confidence by gaining rhythm and was able to grab 18 wickets representing Mumbai Indians. His performance brought him back in the limelight and he was selected to represent his country again.

"Because of the IPL I got a chance to come back to the national team", he said at a media conference in Colombo. "After the injury nobody looked after me and I was not offered a contract. The 2008 interim committee did not care for my well-being. But thanks to the IPL I didn't lose anything but I improved my cricket a lot. I'm saddened the way I was treated but not disappointed".

Malinga has announced his retirement from Test cricket and will be concentrating on the shorter versions of the game for IPL and his country. Earlier, Sri Lanka’s cricket board had asked all their players participating in the IPL to report back in preparation with the forthcoming tour of England.

Quite a few players left back as Malinga continued playing in IPL and informed the Board that he will be available for One Day Internationals (ODI) and T20 matches.

He reiterated that he was fit enough to play Test cricket but it will take a long time to recover if he suffers an injury again, while it is easy to recover if he gets an injury in an ODI or T20 match.

"My doctors in Australia had said that mine was a rare type of injury and that I would not be able to play again. But thanks to President Mahinda Rajapaksa's private physician, Dr Eliyantha White, who treated me, I was able to play for the national team again.

Malinga responded to undue criticism going on in the news that he was declining to play for Sri Lanka, as there was more money involved in IPL. He stressed that the retirement from Test has nothing to do with money, as he wants to concentrate on shorter phases of cricket and don’t want to grab an injury again, which can put him away from the game forever.

He has taken 101 wickets in Test cricket, 127 in ODIs and 35 in T20 cricket, while representing his country and he is only the third player to pocket 100 wickets for Sri Lanka in Test cricket after Muttiah Muralitharan (800) wickets and Chaminda Vaas, who has grabbed 355 wickets.

Malinga commented that it was a matter of great honour to play for his country and he anticipates a dedicated performance in the 2012 T20 World Cup and the ICC World Cup 2015.

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ICC laments senior Indian players decision to skip West Indies tour

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has lamented rumours that star Indian players, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virendar Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, and, Zaheer Khan would miss their upcoming series against West Indies, as a means to give themselves a rest before their series against Australia and England.

According to reports, many senior players of the Indian cricket team have requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to grant them permission to skip the West Indies tournament starting on June 4, 2011. This tour includes three Tests and five One Day Internationals (ODIs) and one Twenty20 game

The players added that they have been playing two months consecutively. First it was the ICC World Cup 2011, which concluded with the victory of Men in Blue. Currently it is the Indian Premier League (IPL).

There was only a six day gap between the World Cup and the IPL, which has exhausted the players. Hence they need a break from such a hectic schedule because they cannot afford to play another series after the end of IPL Twenty20 league on May 28, 2011.

Although Indian players have submitted their request to the BCCI, the ICC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Haroon Lorgat has said that it would be harmful for Indian cricketers to skip the Windies tour.

Lorgat stated, “I think it affects the brand of cricket. Everybody wants to see a full strength side. Same applies to the IPL and any of the FTP (Future Tour Program) commitments. Because of the volume of cricket, every individual player has to be managed”.

While talking to the media, Lorgat said that the permission can be granted to a couple of players who need rest. However, all the crucial cricketers appealing for a skip from the tour would not be appropriate, he added.

Lorgat said, “One or two stars, asking for a rest is okay. If five or six stars do not want to go to West Indies, then I think, it's not an appropriate fulfilment of what has been committed to the FTP".

The ICC boss Haroon Lorgat said that the ICC Future Tours Programme does not take into account the domestic events of any country and the Indian Premier League is no exception.

He said that it is possible that in future, other boards ask for similar favours if the ICC grants a designated space to the IPL. He said that although the BCCI had not requested such a window, the cricket's governing body was not going to accommodate it if it asked.

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SRI LANKA’S MAHELA JAYAWARDENE SUPPORTS LASITH MALINGA’S DECISION TO QUIT TEST CRICKET

Sri Lanka’s middle-order batsman Mehela Jayawardene has come out in support of fellow teammate Lasith Malinga's decision to quit Test cricket.

Earlier this week the pacer Malinga announced that he will not be playing in the longest version of the game.

Jayawardene while talking on the matter, stated that the phenomenal pacer took the right decision and it will help him prolong his cricket career.

“In order to extend his career he has to quit test cricket. In fact his target is the next world cup in 2015 and by bidding adieu to tests he has prolonged his career in shorter version of the game.” Jayawardene said.

According to insiders, Malinga has been carrying a knee injury and in order to save himself from doing more damage to his knee, the slingy pacer decided to bid farewell to five-day cricket.

Jayawardene reiterated that in today’s cricket the pacers have to face the brunt of hectic schedules which shortens their cricket career.

Malinga is currently the number one strike bowler for Sri Lanka and the Lankans will want him to play for as long as he can, for which it is imperative for Malinga to cut down his workload.

Earlier there were rumours in the media that Malinga had taken the decision to retire from Test cricket after he was criticized by certain sections in Sri Lanka Cricket, alleging that the player had opted to play the IPL (Indian Premier League) instead of representing the country.

However, Jayawardene brushed aside such rumours and insisted that the bowler had only taken the decision keeping his future in front of him.

The former vice-captain said that Malinga was prone to injury and during his time of captaincy he always had to calculate the amount of workload on the bowler to make sure that he would remain fit nonetheless, even after such a cautious approach he suffered prolonged injuries in the past.

“He had worked hard and made a fine comeback and is performing brilliantly. He has realised that he can't sustain that huge work load and perhaps has prolonged his career. I am very happy for him," said the Kochi Tuskers Kerala skipper, Jayawardene.

Slinga Malinga as he is knick-named sometimes made his test debut for Sri Lanka in July 1, 2004 against Australia, while in the same month he played his first ever One Day International for his home side against the United Arab Emirates.

So far in 30 Test games he has taken 101 wickets while in one-days he has played 77 games and taken 114 wickets.

Malinga has been equally devastating in the shortest version of the game, the Twenty20, where he has played in 29 games taking 35 wickets.

Considering his current form, he will surely be an asset for Sri Lanka in the next world cup which is scheduled to be played in New Zealand and Australia in 2015. 

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