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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WE GAVE 20 RUNS IN EXCESS AND COULD NOT SCORE RAPIDLY – YUVRAJ SINGH

The Pune Warriors captain Yuvraj Singh, rued that his bowlers conceded 20 odd extra runs during Royal Challenger Bangalore’s innings. Pune suffered a 26-run defeat against Daniel Vettori and his men at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore last night, 29 April, 2011.

The Pune skipper said that they leaked some extra runs to the opposition while fielding and then failed to score runs quickly while batting, leading to their fifth consecutive defeat in the tournament.

The struggling Warriors’ skipper reckoned that the 26-run defeat at the hands of Bangalore has made it quite tough for them to earn a berth in the IPL playoffs since a single defeat in the ensuing six games would mean an ouster from the lucrative league.

"It is really tough from now on,” said the beleaguered Yuvraj. “We have to win six out of six to have a chance. We will give our best,” he vowed.

When asked about the advantage of winning a toss, the stylish middle-order batsman said that it is quite difficult to comment as he has won five tosses so far and lost all those games. Yuvraj wished he had lost the toss against RCB.

The 29-year old all-rounder from Chadigarh also conceded that his side’s batting was not up to the mark against the Bangalore attack.

"It was a gettable target because it was a good batting wicket,” said the former Punjab batsman.

“In the first six overs, we didn''t lose many wickets but Manish and Jesse partnership didn''t yield many runs. If the runs had come at that time, me and Robin could have finished off things. We will look at ourselves on where to improve on," he added.

When asked did if he made a mistake by not batting up in the order, Yuvraj said that batting at number four or five is the core of the team. He however agreed that he should have come up the order at least in this game.

Jesse Ryder was the top scorer from Pune with 51 runs from 34 deliveries followed by skipper Yuvraj Singh who consumed 23 balls to score 41 including two boundaries and three lofty sixes.

With two wins from seven games, the Pune Warriors stand second last at the points table just above DelhiDaredevils and that too because of a better run rate.

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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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VIRENDER SEHWAG BLAMES BATSMEN FOR THE DEFEAT AGAINST KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS

The dejected Delhi Daredevils skipper, Virender Sehwag slammed his batting line-up for his team’s 17-run defeat to the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in Delhi last night.

Chasing a gettable target of 149 to win, the Daredevils could amass only 131 runs from their allotted quota of 20 overs, to suffer fifth defeat in the tournament.

"We had enough batsmen, but no one took the responsibility to finish the job for the team. I said 150-160 is easily chasable, but KKR bowled well," said the disappointed Sehwag after the match.

The Delhi batting line-up collapsed dismally against Umesh Yadav-led Kolkata attack as none of the batsmen from the home side could cross the 25-run individual score line – except for the skipper Sehwag himself who top scored with 23-ball 34. Seven of the Daredevils batsmen fell for single digit scores.

Sehwag’s Kolkata counterpart, Gautam Gambhir, on the other hand, was happy to get the side back to winning track breaking a losing streak of three games. He said they were desperate for a victory to keep their chances of making the top-four alive.

"The guys showed a lot of desperation, we all wanted to win desperately...I never expected so much spin on such a grassy wicket," said Gambhir.

Gambhir praised the bowlers for their outstanding efforts and said that defending a modest 148-run total has boosted their morale.

"Everyone contributed in his own way, and if you manage to defend a score of 148 it gives the team a lot of confidence," said Gambhir. "Our bowlers showed what they are made of. My heart and soul is with KKR, I am not a Delhi boy anymore," he added further.

Manoj Tiwary was adjudged man of the match for his belligerent 61 not out off just 47 deliveries to steer the hosts to 148 for 7. While talking to the media after the match, Tiwary said that he went out to bat with an intention of keeping the wicket for the whole 20 over. He further added that things worked out for him and hoped to continue his contributions in the upcoming games.

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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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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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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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So far so good for Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League

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The ICC World Cup 2011 may be over, but it seems that cricket has just started in India. The fourth edition of the cash-rich Indian Premier League kicked off soon after the Men in Blue were crowned the world champions and since then, the fans have witnessed some entertaining T20 cricket. The shortest version of the game is always fun to watch and it has been a treat for the Indian fans until now.

One of the better performing teams in this year’s IPL has been the Kings XI Punjab. The team didn’t get off to an ideal start to the season, losing the first match against the Pune Warriors (PWI). However, they bounced back strongly in their next couple of matches, winning against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Deccan Chargers (DC). They will next face the Rajasthan Royals (RR), at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali on Thursday 21 April.

The best result for KXIP in IPL has been a semi-final finish in the inaugural season of the cash-rich tournament. However, the team was unable to live up to the expectations of their fans in the next two editions.

The leadership of the team has been handed over to former Australian wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist this time around. The veteran cricketer was the skipper of DC in the previous editions of the tournament and led his team to a title victory in the second season of IPL.

Gilchrist was expected to repeat the same performance, but this time for a different outfit. His team was defeated in the first match, as the batting failed miserably. The South African all-rounder, Ryan McLaren, was the only player to make an impression in the match, scoring an unbeaten 51 off 43 balls. His effort went in vain though, as the team was unable to defend 112 against the Yuvraj Singh led squad.

KXIP was under immense pressure, as their next match was against the defending champions CSK. The MS Dhoni led side scored a massive total of 188 runs after they were put into bat by Gilchrist.

Things looked grim for Punjab, but a special effort from opening batsman Paul Valthaty guided the team to an easy victory in the end. The flamboyant batsman scored an unbeaten 120 runs off just 63 balls with the help of 19 fours and two sixes. His effort stunned the strong opposition, as the target was chased with five more balls to spare.

Valthaty’s innings gave a lot of confidence to the team and they carried that into the next game against DC. Gilchrist and his men were yet again given a big target of 166 to chase, but the team reached it with effortless ease.

The opening partnership between KXIP’s captain and Valthaty was worth 136 runs in just 14 overs, which took the game away from Kumar Sangakkara and his men. The pair scored 61 and 75 runs in the innings, making things easier for their middle-order batsmen.

Although things have looked quite good for the Punjab's team, they need to sort out a few things before their next game. The middle-order of the team has appeared to be vulnerable and if a couple of early wickets fall in the innings, there will be immense pressure on the team.

Apart from the batting, the team will need to emphasis on their bowling department as well. KXIP has allowed their oppositions in all three matches to score runs quickly and if the trend continues, things will become difficult for them.

However, the winning momentum would have brought a lot of confidence in the team, which will make things easier for them in the upcoming matches.

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Anjum Chopra raises demand for women’s IPL

Former captain of the Indian women cricket team, Anjum Chopra reckons that an Indian Premier League should be launched for the women’s side also, considering the promising potential they possess.

She suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should look into the matter in order to further promote and recognize women’s contribution to the sport.

"There should be an IPL for the women's team also because we have the potential and BCCI should think about it. They have taken lots of effort in promoting women's cricket across the globe, so this step can add value to women's cricket," she said.

Anjum celebrated the fact that the female are quickly catching up with their male counterparts in the world of cricket, especially with the advent of women’s World Cup and Twenty20 tournaments.

"Women's cricket has witnessed improvement with the World Cup, especially T20 tournaments, taking place at the same ground. So I feel that women's cricket is improving by leaps and bounds," Ms. Chopra maintained.

Regarding the launch of her book last month, Chopra said the piece of writing was her way of promoting women’s cricket. She has used the print medium to describe the journey of the Indian women’s squad, and has adopted a subjective narration style, while including the historic perspective in her writings. This work is the first of its kind in India to document the progress of women’s cricket.

Her documentary film ‘Poor cousins of million dollar babies’ was the only Indian entry that was nominated for the Arnold Sports Film Festival in Canada. All the movies in the competition were chosen by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The idea behind the conception of the 30-minute flick was to show that Indian women cricket is flourishing in the face of social disparities and inconsistencies.

Chopra has also done a television curtain raiser for Indian women’s cricket.

Anjum Chopra made her One Day Internationals debut on February 12, 1995 when her team contested New Zealand at Christchurch. She played her first Test Cricket match the same year on November 17, 1995 against England at Eden Gardens, in Kolkata. She has performed in 12 test matches and 121 One Day Internationals to date.

Former captain of the Indian women cricket team, Anjum Chopra reckons that an Indian Premier League should be launched for the women’s side also, considering the promising potential they possess.

She suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should look into the matter in order to further promote and recognize women’s contribution to the sport.

"There should be an IPL for the women's team also because we have the potential and BCCI should think about it. They have taken lots of effort in promoting women's cricket across the globe, so this step can add value to women's cricket," she said.

Anjum celebrated the fact that the female are quickly catching up with their male counterparts in the world of cricket, especially with the advent of women’s World Cup and Twenty20 tournaments.

"Women's cricket has witnessed improvement with the World Cup, especially T20 tournaments, taking place at the same ground. So I feel that women's cricket is improving by leaps and bounds," Ms. Chopra maintained.

Regarding the launch of her book last month, Chopra said the piece of writing was her way of promoting women’s cricket. She has used the print medium to describe the journey of the Indian women’s squad, and has adopted a subjective narration style, while including the historic perspective in her writings. This work is the first of its kind in India to document the progress of women’s cricket.

Her documentary film ‘Poor cousins of million dollar babies’ was the only Indian entry that was nominated for the Arnold Sports Film Festival in Canada. All the movies in the competition were chosen by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The idea behind the conception of the 30-minute flick was to show that Indian women cricket is flourishing in the face of social disparities and inconsistencies.

Chopra has also done a television curtain raiser for Indian women’s cricket.

Anjum Chopra made her One Day Internationals debut on February 12, 1995 when her team contested New Zealand at Christchurch. She played her first Test Cricket match the same year on November 17, 1995 against England at Eden Gardens, in Kolkata. She has performed in 12 test matches and 121 One Day Internationals to date.

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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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YUVRAJ SINGH WANTS TO LEAD PUNE WARRIORS INDIA WITH A RELAXED MIND

Stylish Punjab batsman and Pune Warriors India captain Yuvraj Singh wants to lead the debutant Indian Premier League franchise from Pune with a relaxed mind.

Yuvraj conceded that he had been under immense pressure while leading Kings XI Punjab in the last two IPL seasons and that affected his individual performance adversely.

He said that this time the easy approach has worked for him as his newly built Pune side won its maiden IPL game against Kings XI Punjab by 7 wickets.

“The first two years that I captained Kings XI Punjab, I took a lot of pressure on myself and was getting distracted a lot on the field,” said Yuvraj. “This time I just thought I'll be calm and relaxed and that worked for me. It was a good toss to lose; we bowled wicket to wicket, back of a length, and got the results.”

Kings XI Punjab, Yuvraj’s previous IPL team, seemed completely out of flair and its captain Adam Gilchristdescribed the seven-wicket defeat as “poor all-round performance.”

He was also unhappy with the butterfingered show of fielding as the side failed to capitalise on the chances offered by Yuvraj Singh and a belligerent Robin Uthappa.

“It was a poor all-round performance,” said the former Australia wicketkeeper. “It started with me in the first over and that set the tone for the innings. A couple of catches could have been taken and that would have left them at five for 70 odd. We just weren't good enough.”

Most of the players Kings XI Punjab bought this time are new and Gilchrist said that the team needs more time to settle down.

He further added that they were quite comfortable coming into the game but now they would go back and make a plan for the upcoming games as it is a lengthy tournament and they still have long way to go.

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