Allrounders Shahid Afridi and Jacques Kallis, batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor, and fast bowler Lasith Malinga were the highest-profile overseas players picked at the Caribbean Premier League 2015's players draft, in Jamaica. Afridi, in the top grade of the 11 payment brackets at the draft, was claimed by the league's new franchise from St Kitts and Nevis.
Kallis went to Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Jayawardene to Jamaica Tallawahs, Taylor to St Lucia Zouks and Malinga to Guyana Amazon Warriors. Marlon Samuels was among the biggest local names in the draft - several others were retained by their franchises before the draft - and he was claimed by St Kitts and Nevis. The St Kitts and Nevis franchise, which replaces Antigua Hawksbills in the competition and were allowed to retain four of the Antigua squad, have also announced that they will be coached by South African Eric Simons, who has worked with Delhi Daredevils and the Indian team in coaching roles.
The teams have 24 hours after the end of the draft to exchange a player with another franchise, but they can indulge in only one such switch.
Squads
St Kitts and Nevis: Shahid Afridi ($150,000), Marlon Samuels ($100,000), Sohail Tanvir ($80,000), Sheldon Cotterell ($70,000), Martin Guptill ($50,000), Carlos Brathwaite ($40,000, retained), Evin Lewis ($30,000), Devon Thomas ($20,000, retained), Raymon Reifer ($15,000), Tabraiz Shamsi ($10,000), Orlando Peters ($10,000, retained), Tonito Willett ($5,000), Nicholas Pooran ($5,000), Jacques Talyor ($5,000), Justin Athanaze ($5,000, retained)
Barbados Tridents: Kieron Pollard ($150,000, retained), Shoaib Malik ($100,000, retained), Dwayne Smith ($80,000, retained), Ravi Rampaul ($70,000, retained), Jason Holder ($50,000), Rayad Emrit ($40,000), Dilshan Munaweera ($30,000), Jonathan Carter ($20,000), Justin Ontong ($15,000), Ashley Nurse ($10,000), Robin Peterson ($10,000), Akeal Hosein ($5,000), Narvin Stewart ($5,000), Shai Hope ($5,000), Kyle Corbin ($5,000)
Jamaica Tallawahs: Chris Gayle ($150,000, retained), Mahela Jayawardene ($100,000), Andre Russell ($80,000, retained), Chris Lynn ($70,000), Daneil Vettori ($50,000), Jerome Taylor ($40,000, retained), Nikita Miller ($30,000), Chadwick Walton ($20,000, retained), Krishmar Santokie ($15,000), Rusty Theron ($10,000), Narsingh Deonarine ($10,000), David Bernard Jr ($5,000), Nkrumah Bonner ($5,000), Jermaine Blackwood ($5,000), Horace Miller ($5,000)
St Lucia Zouks: Darren Sammy ($150,000, retained), Ross Taylor ($100,000), Kevin Pietersen ($80,000, retained), Johnson Charles ($70,000, retained), Shakib Al Hasan ($50,000), Andre Fletcher ($40,000, retained), Shannon Gabriel ($30,000), Henry Davids ($20,000), Fidel Edwards ($15,000), Kemar Roach ($10,000), Shane Shillingford ($10,000), Kyle Mayers ($5,000), Keddy Lesporis ($5,000), Liam Sebastien ($5,000), Delorn Johnson ($5,000)
Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel: Dwayne Bravo ($150,000, retained), Jacques Kallis ($100,000, Darren Bravo ($80,000, retained), Samuel Badree ($70,000, retained), Johan Botha ($50,000), Kevon Cooper ($40,000, retained), Kamran Akmal ($30,000), Cameron Delport ($20,000), Suliemann Benn ($15,000), Jason Mohammed ($10,000), Marlon Richards ($10,000), Miguel Cummins ($5,000), Jevon Searles ($5,000), William Perkins ($5,000), Derone Davis ($5,000)
ویلنگٹن: شاہد آفریدی نے
چند گیندوں پر ہی ریکارڈ بک الٹ پلٹ دی۔ زیادہ تیزی کے ساتھ رنز بنانے والے
ٹاپ 5 بیٹسمینوں میں آل راؤنڈرکا نام دوسری مرتبہ درج ہوگیا۔
انھوں نے نیوزی لینڈ کے خلاف67 رنز 231.03 کے اسٹرائیک ریٹ سے بنائے، یہ
ون ڈے اننگز میں کسی بھی آٹھویں نمبر پر بیٹنگ کرنے والے پلیئرز میں
دوسرا بڑا اسٹرئیک ریٹ ہے۔ اس فہرست کے ٹاپ 5 بیٹسمینوں میں شاہد آفریدی
کا نام 3 مرتبہ شامل ہے۔ حالیہ اننگز میں آفریدی اور دیگر بیٹسمینوں کی
اننگز کے اسٹرائیک ریٹ میں 177.97 کا فرق نظر آیا جو کسی بھی ون ڈے اننگز
میں چوتھا بڑا فرق رہا۔ ابراہم ڈی ویلیئرز اس فہرست میں ٹاپ پر ہیں۔
جنھوں نے ویسٹ انڈیز کے خلاف 44 بالز پر 149 رنز اسکور کیے تھے۔ اس وقت
اسٹرائیک ریٹ میں فرق 229.29 تھا، یہ واحد موقع بنا جب کسی بیٹسمین نے اپنے
ساتھی کھلاڑیوں سے 200 فیصد زیادہ تیز رفتاری سے بیٹنگ کی تھی۔ مصباح الحق
نے اس میچ میں اپنی 38 ویں ایک روزہ ففٹی مکمل کی۔ وہ ابھی تک اس طرز میں
سنچری کا ذائقہ نہیں چکھ پائے، بغیر تھری فیگراننگز کے سب سے زیادہ ففٹیز
اسکور کرنے کا ریکارڈ ان کے ہی نام ہے۔ گذشتہ 6 ون ڈے میں پاکستان کے
اوپننگ اسٹینڈ کی اوسط 13.33 رہی، یہ سب میچز نیوزی لینڈ کیخلاف ہی کھیلے
گئے ہیں۔
یہ مسلسل دوسرا موقع ہے جب پاکستان نے اپنی پہلی وکٹ بغیر کسی اسکور کے
گنوائی۔ 39 ویں مرتبہ نیوزی لینڈ نے گرین شرٹس کو ایک روزہ میچز میں شکست
دی، جوکسی بھی ٹیسٹ کھیلنے والے ملک کے خلاف تیسری زیادہ فتوحات ہیں، کیویز
نے بھارت اور سری لنکا کیخلاف41، 41میچز جیتے ہیں۔ یہ دسواں موقع ہے جب
نیوزی لینڈ کے کسی آل راؤنڈر نے ففٹی کے ساتھ تین یا اس سے زائد وکٹیں
لیں۔ اس میچ میں گرانٹ ایلیوٹ نے یہ کارنامہ انجام دیا جبکہ آخری مرتبہ
جیکب اورم نے زمبابوے کیخلاف59رنز اسکور کرنے کے ساتھ29 رنزکے عوض 3 وکٹیں
بھی لی تھیں
Karachi: Batsmen Shoaib Malik and Azhar
Ali, and pace bowler Sohail Tanvir have been put on standby in the
Pakistan squad for the upcoming Cricket World Cup, to be held from
February 14 in Australia and New Zealand.
A source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that after
discussions with the chief selector Moin Khan and team management in New
Zealand, three players were told that their services might be required
by the team during the World Cup, if needed.
"Malik, Azhar and Tanvir have been told to be on standby so that
if some players have fitness issues in World Cup, the team management
wants to be sure they can get quick replacements if required," the
source told PTI.
He said either Malik or Azhar would accompany Tanvir if the need
arose. All three are presently performing well in the ongoing national
one-day cup.
"The tour selection committee has given its consent for these
players but will let the board know about the final two names when
required," he added.
There have been apprehensions that the tour selection committee
might call up some replacements as question marks hang over the fitness
of some players who are picked in the World Cup squad.
The source said Sohaib Maqsood, Ehsan Adil and Wahab Riaz were
facing some fitness niggles and were being tested in New Zealand before
the World Cup.
"Malik and Azhar are both on the standby list as they can also bowl," the source added.
Paceman Bilawal Bhatti has already joined the team in New Zealand
after left-arm pacer Junaid Khan, who was selected in the World Cup
squad, was left behind as he had suffered a hamstring injury while
bowling in the training camp in Lahore.
The source said the tour selection committee had made it clear
that Junaid should only be sent when he was 100 per cent fit and cleared
by the medical panel of the board.
"He is presently in a rehabilitation process and resting," he said.
Less than 3 weeks remain to the start of the 2015 Cricket World Cup
but for the fans of India and Pakistan the wait is exaggerated for one
more day as the two teams lock horns in their campaign openers on
February 15th. With each India-Pakistan game come a string of
far too many other things. It may look like that 22 players, 11 from
each side, fight for their respective country in a sports field but the
fact that with these 22 players the whole subcontinent has its hearts
come of their mouth, can never be forgotten. Days and months away from
the match date, the fans from the countries start to plan about the
match. Each and every fan turns into a chief selector and wants the best
XI to face their opponent. CricTracker too got its hand on the
opportunity to compare the possible eleven from both the cricketing
giants. Ahmed Shehzad vs Shikhar Dhawan
Both made their debuts around the same time frame. Both didn’t have a
good debut. Both have just recently completed their half-century of
ODIs. Both have exactly the same amount of ODI hundreds and nearly equal
ODI runs. The only thing that both players differ in is their recent
ODI form. Shikhar Dhawan has failed miserably in the ongoing Australian
tour while Ahmed Shehzad was Pakistan’s best batsman in 2014. Shikhar
Dhawan played really well in the Champions Trophy in England to earn the
Man of the Series Award but in the recent past he has had his problems
against the seaming ball but Shehzad looked at ease against the same in
his recent outings.
Mohammad Hafeez vs Rohit Sharma
Both made their comebacks after being dropped earlier in the career.
Both are the best openers for their country after the 2011 world cup.
Both somehow have earned the captain’s trust and never get dropped
anymore. The factor that played the most important part in Hafeez’s
success was his tight off-spins. To prove this fact, I may present that
Mohammad Hafeez was the most economical limited overs bowler in the
whole cricketing world since 2011 until he his action was declared
illegal by the ICC. Considering both now as full-time batsman, Rohit
Sharma is a better pick to survive in seaming and swinging conditions at
Australia/New Zealand.
Younis Khan vs Ajinkya Rahane
This is another well-balanced comparison. Both the batsmen have had
their share of success in the shorter format. Both will bat at no.3, a
position known to be the backbone of any batting line-up. Teams play
their best batsman at no. 3 and India did play their best Virat Kohli
until recently when Kohli wanted youngsters to take a feel of the
increased responsibility. In my opinion, the battle will be a balanced
one considering the recent forms from both sides, but Younis Khan may
take a slight advantage. Younis Khan returned to the ODI in Pakistan’s
previous series and made it to the WC squad with a 100 ODI while Ajinkya
Rahane has been an essential figure in the Indian batting line-up off
late. Another factor that could affect Rahane negatively is his batting
position; he started as an opener, then moved into the middle-order,
then back as an opener and now sits at no. 3.
haris sohail vs viat kohli
If someone had to name top 3 batsman of any format in cricket right now,
Virat Kohli will surely be the one from the three. There isn’t a single
record that this guy didn’t feast upon and his Pakistani opponent Haris
Sohail will be well aware of that. Both the batsman may be of same
age-group but Virat Kohli has a much greater experience going into this
world cup. 6200+ runs in just 140 innings with 21 centuries and 33
half-centuries compared to mere 280 runs in 8 innings with 2
half-centuries – even a dumb can pick the better of the two but
considering the talent the two guys possess, both appear to be the
backbone of their batting line-up and it will be an even and good
contest between the two youngsters to outshine his counterpart.
Misbah-ul-Haq vs Suresh Raina
One is a 40-year old captain of his country and one is a 29-year old
youngster. Though they bat at the same number but the role both play in
their teams is way opposite to each other. One is forced come out early
because of a batting collapse and act as an anchor for a respectable
total while the other has to usually bat in the middle overs and take
the game towards a high end finish. One is vulnerable to heaps and heaps
of criticism from his countrymen for batting slow while the other is an
established middle-order batsman. If the recent form and the role of
both in their teams is set as the criteria then Misbah-ul-Haq will have a
better hand on Suresh Raina. He has all the team revolving around him,
taking his time to settle and then unleash his wrath towards the latter
part of the innings. Umar Akmal vs MS Dhoni
Regarded as the best finishers, both Umar Akmal and MS Dhoni play a
key role in their team’s batting. Not to forget that MS Dhoni is the
captain, most successful, of India and keeps wickets too. The defending
world cup captain is more expected to not panic and keep his head calm
in pressure situations while Umar Akmal has been found guilty of playing
rash shots and thug every ball out of the park but this has seen a
decline in important games. Both the batsman will start this year’s
campaign as the batsmen with highest average in the mega event and will
surely look to build on their average and runs tally. In my opinion,
both are equally talented and hard working and deserve a 50-50 tie. Shahid Afridi vs Ravindra Jadeja
Shahid Afridi will be the highest wicket-taker in the world cup and
with Saeed Ajmal’s exclusion due to a ban; he will be the lone spearhead
of Pakistan’s bowling attack. Both the all-rounders are more bowlers
than batsmen but ride on a fan-hyped misconception of being better
batsmen. We all know what Shahid Afridi can do with the bat on his day
and with the ball, he tasted his best outing in the previous edition of
the world cup when he earned the title of ‘Leading wicket-taker in the
event’. Ravindra Jadeja has also earned Dhoni’s trust in yester years
and he redeemed the trust with great success with the ball and at time
with the bat. Experience, more likely to perform under-pressure, added
advantage to tear apart any bowling line-up on his day and being able to
contribute as an all-rounder more often than Jadeja – makes Shahid
Afridi a better pick between these two. Sarfraz Ahmed vs Ravichandran Ashwin
There is nothing much to compare between these two guys. Sarfraz is a
genuinely explosive wicket-keeper batsman while Ravichandran Ashwin is a
spin-bowling all-rounder who can bat longer when conditions are
favorable. Both has tasted luck in their respective departments and
appear to the country’s best man according to the tasks and
responsibility they get. 50-50 but Ravichandran Ashwin is more likely to
perform better and trouble his opponents. Junaid Khan/Bilawal Bhatti/Sohail Khan*, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan vs Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma * Junaid Khan was injured when the team left for New Zealand. Bilawal Bhatti is expected to replace him.
The pace attack will be the weaker link for both the teams going into
this world cup. India’s most experienced pacer Ishant Sharma has played
75 ODIs and Junaid Khan, Pakistan’s most experienced pacer, has played
48 matches. Based on the recent form on success, the two pace attacks
had in the near past, the two sides match equally to each other with one
of the three from each side outshining the remaining two on his day.
Pakistan’s pace attack will have a slight advantage over India because
of Mohammad Irfan. The tall, gangly fast bowler rests at 7 feet and 1
inch and on faster pitches in Australia and New Zealand is likely to
generate enough bounce to get the batsmen to their toes and face some
chin-music. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been found to move the ball both ways
in seaming conditions and has troubled Pakistan openers in the past.
Wahab Riaz, in his last meeting vs India in a mega event, became only
the 2nd bowler to take a 5-fer in a India-Pakistan world cup
game and he will surely look to repeat the same, if given a chance this
season.
10) Pakistan vs Ireland, Pakistan tour of Ireland 2013, 1st ODI
Pakistan toured Ireland in the early months of 2013 for much-needed
practice before the ICC Champions Trophy which was to be held in
England. But much to the surprise of many, Ireland proved to be a stiff
opposition for the Pakistan. Pakistan batted first and registered 266/5
in a 47 over rain reduced match, thanks to an impressive century from
Hafeez. But Ireland were in no mood to let go of the match as they
marched to 227/4 with 49 needed of last 6 overs. But the script wasn’t
meant to have a normal ending. With 15 needed of last over and Ajmal to
bowl, all was lost for Ireland. But Kevin O’Brien wasn’t going to give
up easily even after scoring just 2 runs in first 3 balls. The 4th ball
was hit for a six and the next one for a two. With 5 required of the
final ball, he flicked the ball to backward square boundary and tied the
match.
The India vs Pakistan rivalry is the biggest rivalry in any form of
cricket. It is due to the history between the two countries and the
relationship of love and hate between the fans of the two countries.
The
matches are nothing short of battles with players at each other’s
throats and the fans supporting their nation to the full. This is
visible from the fact that the tickets for the 2015 World Cup encounter
was sold in less than 12 minutes and more than 20,000 Indian fans would
be there at the Adelaide Oval to support the tricolour. ICC World Cup 2015: INDIA VS PAKISTAN – Review and Preview of the clash of Titans. (Photo Source: AFP)
The rivalry has even surpassed the Ashes and now has become the big
ticket event at the biggest stage of them all, the World Cup.
Interestingly, India and Pakistan never met in the World cup until 1992
edition. There could have been a mega final in 1987, but both India and
Pakistan lost to England and Australia respectively in the semis.
Many players get to make a name for themselves in these clashes.
Moments are created that live until eternity. People remember you for
that one thing you did during the India-Pakistan clash. And if the stage
is the cricket World cup, the intensity multiplies ten folds.
Players are extra motivated in these clashes. And that has led to
some brilliant innings, breath taking shots, great displays of bowling
and overall, pure high voltage entertainment for the viewers. Since
meeting for the first time in 1992 World cup held in Australia and New
Zealand, India has never been defeated by Pakistan in World cup
encounter and currently India is 5-0 up.
Let’s have a view at those encounters in the World cup. 1992 World cup : Sydney Cricket Ground.
The very first meeting between the Asian giants and rivals in the
World cup was not short of any drama. India won the toss and batted
first. India went on to score 216 runs in 49 overs permitted in the
allotted time. The highest scorer for India was the little master Sachin
Tendulkar with 54 runs and Ajay Jadeja with 45 runs to their names.
Mushtaq Ahmed took 3 for 59 in his 10 overs.
The Pakistani innings was not off to a great start, but opener Aamir
Sohail made a brilliant 62 runs and along with veteran Javed Miandad who
scored 40, was taking Pakistan closer to victory. But Tendulkar removed
Sohail and Javagal Srinath’s yorker shattered the stumps of Javed
Miandad and Pakistan meekly folded up for 173 runs to lose the match by
43 runs.
Sachin Tendulkar was named the man of the match for his 54 runs and 1 wicket.
Fact: During the match, incensed with Indian stumper Kiran More’s
appealing, Javed Miandad out of nowhere started mocking More by jumping
up and down in the air. This made the highlight of every news channel in
those days and the image is one the most iconic images from the 1992
World cup. Here is the Video:
1996 World Cup: Bangalore (Quarter-final)
India and Pakistan met in the 1996 World cup in the knockout stage of
the tournament. The quarterfinal was held in the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium
in Banglalore. The stadium was packed to its capacity and it erupted as
Indian captain Mohd. Azharuddin won the toss and elected to bat first.
India got off to a brisk start with Navjot Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar
scoring freely against a capable Pakistani attack.
Sidhu made a brilliant 93 off 115 balls before being dismissed by
Mushtaq Ahmed. But the encore came in the Waqar Younis over in the
death, where Ajay Jadeja hit 2 sixes and 2 fours to take 22 runs off the
fast bowler. India made 57 runs in their last 4 overs thanks to Jadeja
(45 off 25 balls) and made 287 runs after 50 overs.
Pakistan started off brilliantly with Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar
scoring 84 runs in the first 10 overs. But a momentary loss of
concentration cost Sohail his wicket and from then on, India kept
chipping at the Pakistani team with regular wickets. The last effort
came from veteran Javed Miandad who was playing his 6th World Cup and he scored 38 runs before being run out by Ajay Jadeja. This was his last international match.
India won the match by 39 runs and advanced to the Semi-finals.
Navjot Singh Sidhu was named the man of the match for his 93 runs.
Fact: Aamir Sohail hit a boundary to point and then poked Venkatesh
Prasad saying that he will hit the next ball towards the same area.
Prasad uprooted his off stump the very next ball and gave him a rather
colourful send off. A memorable 1996 World cup moment of all time. Here is the Video:
1999 World Cup: Manchester
India and Pakistan had ceased any cricket ties due to the Kargil war
in 1999. This meant that this encounter was truly an emotional one for
both sides.
India batted first after winning the toss and limped their way to 227
runs in their 50 overs. Pakistan never let any batsman settle down apart
from Rahul Dravid who scored 60 and Captain Mohammad Azharuddin who
scored 59 runs.
Pakistan’s chase was started with Saeed Anwar attacking the Indian
bowlers. But Indians dismissed Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmed, Saleem Malik
cheaply before some resistance from Inzaman-ul-haq (41) and Moin Khan
(34). Venkatesh Prasad took a World Cup best 5 for 27 to dismiss
Pakistan for a meagre 182 runs and India won the match by 47 runs.
Venkatesh Prasad was chosen Man of the match for his 5 wicket haul. 2003 World Cup: Centurion
Tempers were high because of some statements given by the Pakistani
team members before the match started. Pakistan batted first and scored a
good 273 runs for loss of 7 wickets thanks to a brilliant 101 by Saeed
Anwar and able support from Younis Khan (32) and Rashid Latif (31).
Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan took 2 wickets each.
Indian reply began with a bang with Virender Sehwag cutting Waqar
Younis for a six and then Sachin Tendulkar hit what is perhaps the most
famous shot of all World cups. He hit a 96mph ball from Shoaib Akhtar
straight into the crowds over the point region. Sehwag and Tendulkar
attacked Akhtar and he was taken off the attack after just one over
conceding 22 runs.
Though Sehwag, Ganguly fell early, Sachin and Kaif kept the runs
going until Kaif was dismissed for 35 and Shoaib returned to dismiss an
injured Sahin Tendulkar 2 short of his hundred. Now India needed around
120 runs and Dravid and Yuvraj were at the crease. Pakistan built up the
pressure, but both the batsmen kept scoring runs and eventually India
registered their 4rd straight win over Pakistan in World cups by 6 wickets.
Sachin Tendulkar was named the Man of the match for his brilliant 98 runs. 2011 World Cup: Mohali (Semi-final)
This clash between India and Pakistan was not only high voltage, but
also high pressure as it was the second semi-final of the 2011 World
Cup. The winner would go on to meet Sri Lanka in the final at Mumbai.
MS Dhoni won the toss and chose to bat first on the fast Mohali
pitch. India got off to a quick start thanks to Sehwag who scored 38
runs out of 48 scored in first 5 overs. After that Sachin Tendulkar
tried to stitch partnerships with Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni, before
getting out to Saeed Ajmal for 85 runs. Indian innings folded for 260
runs. Wahab Riaz took 5 wickets for 46 runs in a brilliant piece of
swing bowling. He also dismissed the 2011 World Cup man of the
tournament Yuvraj Singh for a first ball duck.
Pakistan’s chase never got any momentum despite Mohammad Hafeez’s 43
runs at the top as the Indian bowlers continued to chip away at the
wickets. Dhoni’s tight field settings didn’t allow easy singles and the
Pakistani batsmen got out trying to hit the big shots. Even a late surge
from Misbha-ul-Haq (56) could not help Pakistan and he was the last
wicket to fall. Pakistan fell short by 29 runs and India advanced to the
finals of 2011 World cup and the rest as you know is history.
Sachin Tendulkar got the Man of the match for his 85 runs. 2015 World Cup: Adelaide
This match is supposed to be the most watched match in the World Cup
history. The tickets for this match sold out in under 12 minutes and
more than 20,000 Indian fans will be present in the ground to support
their team.
The match is a huge one not only because it is an India Pakistan
encounter, but it will also set the momentum for the rest of the World
cup for both the teams. Captain MS Dhoni and Misbah-ul-Haq have enough
on their plate already with India’s poor performance in the on-going
triseries and Saeed Ajmal’s suspension due to a suspect action have
dented their plans for the World cup.
Both teams went in for some surprises in Stuart Binny for India and
Sohail Khan for Pakistan. Both teams have their shares of in-form
players. Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina for India and Misbah, Shezad and
Younis for Pakistan.
Here are the World Cup squads of both the teams: INDIA: Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni
(capt & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar,
Akshar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohammed
Shami, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav. PAKISTAN: Ahmed Shehzad, Ehsan Adil, Haris Sohail, Junaid Khan,
Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan, Sarfraz Ahmed
(wk), Shahid Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Khan, Umar Akmal, Wahab
Riaz, Yasir Shah, Younus Khan.
So, we saw a recap of the 5 matches that India and Pakistan have
played in the World cup against each other. Each and every encounter has
been nothing less than a battle for not only the fans but the players
as well.
If you do well in a India-Pakistan encounter, you become a hero for
life. No one has forgotten the Javagal Srinath Yorker to Miandad in
1992, Jadeja’s assault on Waqar and Aamir Sohail- Venkatesh Prasad dual
in 1996 match. Anwar and Tendulkar’s innings and Sachin-Sehwag’s 2 sixes
towards point region in 2003 World cup. All these are moments etched in
every fan’s memory and will be a part of World Cup history. Now is the time for some stats: Highest Total:
India : 276/4 World cup 2003
Pakistan: 273/7 World cup 2003 Highest score:
98 – Sachin Tendulkar 2003
101- Saeed Anwar 2003 Best Bowling:
5-27 Venkatesh Prasad 1999
5-46 Wahab Riaz 2011
Interestingly no Indian batsman has scored a 100 against Pakistan in
any World cup matches, with Sachin Tendulkar’s 98 being the highest.
Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar scored a beautiful 101 in the 2003 encounter.
Whereas, Venkatesh Prasad and Wahab Riaz took a 5 wicket haul each in 1999 and 2011 respectively.
Saeed Ajmal reiterated on Thursday (January 22) that he was sure of clearing the official test of his bowling action, scheduled for Saturday in Chennai, but ruled out any possibility of making the Pakistan World Cup squad.
Ajmal, 37, reached Chennai on Thursday for the reassessment of his action, to be held at Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy and Sports Sciences Centre.
He was reported during the Galle Test against Sri Lanka in August last year and, a month later, was suspended from bowling after analyses found his action to be illegal.
“I have worked really hard to overcome the flaws and I am hopeful that I will be cleared,” said Ajmal before leaving for Chennai. “I am going to give the test on five various deliveries and I am quite hopeful that I will return as spearhead of the team after getting clearance.”
After his suspension, Ajmal did remedial work under Saqlain Mushtaq and claimed to have cleared unofficial tests in Birmingham earlier this month.
Ajmal, however, ruled out any chance of taking part in the World Cup, even though teams can replace players till February 7, a week before the World Cup starts. That, however, is only in case of injuries to existing players.
“I withdrew from the World Cup after I felt that I am not ready for it and if any player of the team gets injured even then I will not play,” said Ajmal.
Ajmal also claimed to have developed some new deliveries while away from serious action: “I have developed some new deliveries, like a carrom ball and seam-up delivery, which I have mastered and will bowl them at international level.”
Mohammad Hafeez, meanwhile, is scheduled to undergo his reassessment test in Brisbane on February 5.
Hafeez, part of Pakistan’s 15-man squad for the World Cup, was suspended because of an illegal action in November last year. Pakistan selected him as a specialist batsman for the World Cup, and are hoping he clears his test so as to be able to bowl in the tournament.
Fast bowler Junaid Khan
has been ruled out of Pakistan's two ODIs in New Zealand because of a
thigh injury sustained while training last week. He will be replaced by Bilawal Bhatti and will be assessed again ahead of the World Cup.
"If Junaid recovers fitness, he will join the World Cup squad,"
Pakistan's chief selector Moin Khan said. Junaid had a fall while
bowling in the nets during training at the National Cricket Academy in
Lahore on January 15 and was sent to Pakistan's medical staff with pain
in his right thigh and elbow.
"On re-examining Junaid's condition, Pakistan's physiotherapist Brad
Robinson and PCB's head of medical & sports sciences Dr. Sohail
Saleem concurred that he had not recovered sufficiently from the
traction injury of the nerve in the posterior right thigh and
recommended recuperation at the NCA," the PCB said. "Subsequently the
left-arm fast bowler was withdrawn from the New Zealand tour."
Moin said Bhatti was set to play the ODIs in New Zealand, should he be
needed to replace Junaid in the World Cup squad. "The chairman
[Shaharyar Khan] has considered and approved the request of the skipper
Misbah-ul-Haq to include Bilawal Bhatti in the team under the condition
that Bilawal Bhatti will play all scheduled matches in New Zealand,"
Moin said. "The decision for his selection will be considered in
accordance with his performance as to whether he may continue or be
replaced. It is, however, clarified that if Junaid Khan regains fitness,
he will join the World Cup squad as announced on January 7, 2015."
Pakistan play two ODIs in New Zealand on January 31 and February 3. They
have two World Cup warm-up games on February 9 and 11, before their
tournament opener against India on February 15.
LAHROE: last chance for banned
Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez to
clear the bowling action test, as International Cricket Council (ICC)
has announced the schedule for action review.
According to reports, ICC announced to
take action review of banned off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez
on 8th January 2015.
This is the last opportunity for Hafeez and Ajmal to clear the test before World Cup 2015.
However the unofficial bowling action test of Mohammad Hafeez will be held on January 3rd.
Saeed Ajmal who was banned in August
this year will have the last chance to clear the teat. If he couldn’t
then he will be banned for one year.
Saqlain Mushtaq said that Hafeez bowling
action has the minor bend which will be corrected in a few days unlike
Ajmal’s elbow bend which is taking time to correct.
Mohammad Hafeez was reported during the
recent test series against New Zealand. His action was tested in London
during the series and was banned from bowling in international cricket
before 2nd Twenty 20.
Saqlain said that Ajmal has a minor defect of three to four degrees which will be corrected soon.
Earlier, Saeed Ajmal had been banned from bowling in the International Cricket during the Pakistan Tour of Sri Lanka this year.
He had given an unofficial test in London but unable to clear. His weapon Doosra was reported out of limit.
LAHORE: The International
Kabaddi Federation (IKF) on Tuesday declared India’s win in the Kabaddi
World Cup 2014 against Pakistan illegal.
Devraj Chaturvedi, IKF Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) dissolved the victory of India, saying that the tournament
could not be called a World Cup as international rules were not
implemented in the tournament.
He added that a World Cup would be
conducted in the coming year. Chaturvedi said that unbiased referees
adjudicate big events whereas there were Indian referees in the final.
Earlier, the final match of the Kabaddi
World Cup 2014 became controversial when Indian referees gave biased
judgement in favour of their homeland upon which Pakistan referred the
matter to the IKF after refusing to accept India’s win in the match
Shahid Afridi
has said that he will retire from ODIs after the 2015 World Cup. The
allrounder will continue to play T20 cricket, the format in which he
leads Pakistan, and wants to win the 2016 World T20 in India before
quitting international cricket.
Afridi had stepped in as ODI captain in the recent series against New
Zealand in the UAE in place of the injured Misbah-ul-Haq. He put in a
strong all-round performance, with 205 runs at a strike-rate of 164 and
eight wickets at an economy-rate of 4.03. Afridi told reporters in
Karachi that he wanted to go out on a high rather than being asked to
leave.
"I am the first Pakistan player to be able to announce his retirement properly," Afridi was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"I always wanted to do this having seen the problems faced by other
bigger players in the past. It was not an easy decision to take and I
think many of my seniors also found it difficult to go out at the right
time.
"I want to go out of ODIs with self-respect and with my fans wanting
more from me. But no one is indispensable in cricket and I am sure
sooner or later someone will take my place in ODIs as well.
"I have informed the Pakistan team management about my decision but not
the cricket board as yet. Having taken a decision it is a big burden off
my mind and I am confident I will be able to focus on giving my best in
the World Cup."
Afridi, who will turn 35 during the World Cup, has played 389 ODIs since
hitting the fastest century in his debut innings in October 1996
against Sri Lanka in Nairobi. The record stood for more than 17 years
before New Zealand's Corey Anderson broke it in January this year. "I am
happy about my achievements and records but the only regret I have is
losing fastest ODI century record," Afridi tweeted.
He has scored 7870 ODI runs at an average of 23.49 and a strike-rate of
116.29. He has also taken 391 wickets, the sixth-most in ODIs, at 33.89
and an economy-rate of 4.62. Afridi had quit Tests in 2010 before
leading Pakistan to the semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup.
Afridi's fitness has been a matter of some concern in recent times and he was among some Pakistan players fined by the PCB
in September for failing to maintain the prescribed level of fitness.
The PCB had attached greater importance to fitness in its new contracts
and the players will be reassessed this month.
KARACHI:
Pakistan’s men team cruised to the final of the 2014 Kabaddi World Cup
when they demolished Iran 56-28 in the semi-final in India on Thursday. In
the one-sided battle at Dirba, Sangrur, Pakistan played with great
maturity against Iran, who have improved a lot in the game. In the
final to be played at the Sports Stadium Village Badal Sri Mukatsar in
Bhatinda on Saturday, Pakistan will face India who routed England 54-33
in the second semi-final. Pakistan showed their prowess both in attack and defence against Iran, who made several mistakes in both the areas. At interval, Pakistan were leading 29-15. In the second half, Pakistan kept tight control and sealed a comfortable victory. Muhammad
Khan was the most successful raider for Pakistan who secured seven
points. Captain Shafiq Chishti and Akmal Shahzad Dogar scored six points
each. They were smartly backed by Lala Obaid Ullah, Rehman Ishtiaq
and Mohammad Irfan with five points each. Rana Naeem scored four, while
Khalil got three points. Musharraf Javed Janjua did a fine job in the
defence by scoring five points. Ali Shan got four, and Sajjad Gujjar and
Mohsin Wahla secured three each while defending. In the second
half, Hamid, Ahmed and Mahmood of Iran put some pressure on Pakistan but
failed to prevent them from achieving success. Shafiq dedicated his
team’s huge triumph to victims of Peshawar tragedy. “We were all in
immense grief but even then we demonstrated great patience and managed
to control our sentiments during the match,” skipper Chishti said. Pakistan’s
head coach Ghulam Abbas Butt said the title clash between Pakistan and
India would be a tough one. “I think it will be a treat to watch,” Butt
said. “Our players are in top spirit and I hope we will beat India,” he
said. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s women team were beaten by India 47-19 in the semi-final. In
the play-off for the third place, Pakistan will face Denmark on Friday
(today) at Barnala. Denmark lost to New Zealand 20-41 in the second
semi-final. India, who have been playing competitive kabaddi for the last 12 years, downed Pakistan with enviable ease. Sukhwinder
Kaur, Annu Rani, captain Priyanka Rani, Mandeep Kaur and Premika put up
a fine display to trouble Pakistan who were playing their second World
Cup. Raider Neelum Riaz remained the top scorer for Pakistan with
seven points. Agasta Ajmal, Ammara Razzaq and skipper Madiha Lateef also
made their presence felt with solid performances. Madiha said that her squad was in shock due to Peshawar tragedy. “The
tragic incident in Peshawar also affected our performance. India is an
experienced team and we had to struggle against them,” she said.
The players from both teams will also observe a minute’s silence before the start of the ODI.
On Tuesday morning, terrorists stormed an army-run school in the
provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwan, Pakistan. The gunmen took
the school children and teaching staff hostage for almost eight hours
until the country’s armed forces killed all the attackers in firefight.
The attack left 125 children, 9 teachers, and the school principal dead.
The Pakistan cricket team sorrowfully reacted to the grieve
development. Within two hours’ time the team manager and chief selector
Moin Khan issued a statement condoling the victims.
The stand-in Captain Shahid Afridi talking to PakPassion.net said,
“It’s sad what’s happened in Peshawar. Our prayers are with the families
who lost their kids. I hope the situation will get better in Pakistan.”
He further added, “Anything that happens in our country deeply saddens
us, whether we are in Pakistan or away. Ever since we heard this news,
we were saying that it should not have happened. We hope the situation
gets better but also hope that all those who have the responsibility
will improve the situation.”
The cricket commentators and the cricketers all around the world
sympathized with the victims of the Peshawar school attack and urged the
citizens of Peshawar to donate blood.
Bhubaneswar hasn't seen anything as big as this - India vs Pakistan
in one of the elite international hockey tournaments - FIH Men's
Champions Trophy.
PREVIEW: India have never been in a Champions Trophy
final, and a win on Saturday will not only assure them a second medal in
the tournament's 36-year history but also a shot at their maiden title.
India won bronze in 1982, beating Pakistan 5-4, but lost the
third-match playoff to their archrivals four times after that.
"This team can create history," Oltmans said on the eve of the
match. "We want to show the world that we are right up there with the
very best," the Dutchman added. "We hope to execute our strategies and
keep emotions in check."
Qadir
scored his second goal in the dying minutes of the match to give
Pakistan a 4-3 win over hosts India in the semi-final of the champions
trophy 2014.
Dubai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) today released the
provisional squads of 12 teams for the next year‘s World Cup
in Australia and New Zealand.
However co-hosts Australia and minnows Ireland have decided
against releasing the names of the players in the provisional list
although they have submitted the list of 30-members to the
parent body within the stipulated deadline. Since its inception in 1975
with the Prudential Cup, it will be the first edition which
won‘t feature either among Javed Miandad (‘75,
‘79, ‘83, ‘87, ‘92,
‘96) or Sachin Tendulkar (‘92, ‘96,
‘99, ‘03, ‘07, ‘11), who have
played six editions each.
Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene and Pakistan‘s flamboyant
all-rounder Shahid Afridi are the two most experienced players
going into the 2015 World Cup, which will be their fifth appearance in
the global edition. Both Jayawardene and Afridi, first played in World
Cup during the 1999 edition in England and since then have appeared in
all editions. While Jayawardene featured in the final of the ICC Cricket
World Cup 2007 and 2011, as well as the semi-final of the ICC
Cricket World Cup 2003, Shahid Afridi was a member of the Pakistan side
that played the final at Lord‘s in 1999.
He captained Pakistan at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 where Pakistan
reached the semi-final. If the two players are named in the
final line-ups, likely to be announced around 8 January 2015,
then they will join the exclusive company of Wasim Akram, Shivnarine
Chanderpaul, Aravinda de Silva, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sanath
Jayasuriya, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Brian Lara, Muttiah Muralidaran,
Thomas Odoyo, Ricky Ponting, Arjuna Ranatunga and Steve Tikolo, who
have each played in five ICC Cricket World Cups to date.
Pakistan‘s Javed Miandad and India‘s Sachin
Tendulkar, with six ICC Cricket World Cups each, share the record for
the most appearances at ICC‘s pinnacle event. Besides
Jayawardene and Shahid Afridi, seven other players are in line to appear
in their fourth World Cup: James Anderson, Chris Gayle, Brendon
McCullum, Younis Khan, Robin Peterson, Kumar Sangakkara and Daniel
Vettori.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is returning the ICC Cricket World
Cup for the first time since 1996, has named the oldest and youngest
players of the tournament in its 30-player provisional squad.
Khurram Khan at 43 is the oldest players (born 21 June 1971) while
Yodhin Punja, who turned 15 on 24 April 2014, is the youngest player.
Top
