Pakistan Team - developments and news (merged)

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PCB spends £300,000 on foreign lawyer
http://www.dawn.com/2007/01/19/spt4.htm
By Mohammad Yaqoob

LAHORE, Jan 18: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shown a great liking for England-based lawyer Mark Gay, paying him a whopping 300,000 pounds sterling (Rs30 million) for two recent cases.

Gay was first hired by the former PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan to plead Inzamam-ul-Haq’s case before the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Inzamam was facing two charges — ball-tampering and bringing the game into disrepute in the fourth Test against England at the Oval.

Inzamam’s men were accused of ball-tampering by ground umpire Darrell Hair and were charged under Level-II. As a result, Hair imposed five-run penalty on Pakistan. Inzamam protested and staged a boycott but the ICC considered his act as a Level-III offence.

Though Gay failed to get Inzamam cleared of the Level-III offence, he charged around 250,000 pounds**.** It is worth mentioning that various prominent lawyers of the country offered their services free of cost to defend Inzaman but the PCB preferred Gay.

After Shaharyar’s resignation, PCB’s new boss Dr Nasim Ashraf surprised everyone by hiring Gay to assist PCB’s appointed appellate tribunal, headed by Justice Fakharuddin G. Ebrahim, hearing appeals of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif against their bans.

Some reliable sources told Dawn that the PCB hired Gay without consultation of** Justice Ebrahim. He was surprised when he found Gay in the first meeting of the appellate tribunal held at the National Cricket Academy in November.**

The judge informed the PCB that he did not need any foreign assistance in the case. Therefore, Gay stayed in Pakistan for only one night for which he charged around 43,000 pounds.

Interestingly, Shahid Hamid’s anti-doping commission, which banned the two fast bowlers, had also been offered the assistance of Gay, which it refused.

Moreover, Gay is set to receive more money as the PCB has hired him again to contest the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) challenge case against the exoneration of Shoaib and Asif. No one knows what the PCB will pay him now for the assignment.
------------------------------------------------------------------------Inzi was always going to be cleared of the ball-tampering charge. The disrepute charge was upheld by Mahanama so hiring Gay proved to be a wasteful and costly exercise. And I don’t understand why the PCB hired him subsequently to ‘assist’ the appellate tribunal since our own judge was hearing the appeals of Akhtar and Asif. Rs 3 crores is a lot of money in Pakistan. Could this money have been spent more wisely on other development projects?

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^ GA Can you edit your post and get rid of tags..
JAK

what are u doing right now
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Well Rashid Latif thinks Akmal should take a break…

Take a break: Rashid to Akmal

**KARACHI, Jan 23: **Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has advised wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal to take a break from international cricket and go back to basics to overcome his prolonged lean patch behind the stumps.

Akmal scored a vital half-century to script Pakistan’s Test victory against South Africa in Port Elizabeth on Monday but had a disappointing time behind the stumps, dropping several catches and missing an easy stumping chance.

Rashid, one of the top wicketkeepers produced by Pakistan, said playing continuously at international level has started to take its toll on Akmal.

"I have spoken to him on this. He had discussions with Moin, Adam Gilchrist and his coach but nothing has improved. It is impossible for Akmal to handle pressure of keeping wickets at the top level and rectifying technical flaws at the same time.

“When I and Moin had problems we used to take a break from international cricket. We preferred to play domestic cricket and worked on basics to overcome technical flaws. We tried to get back concentration and confidence to stage a comeback,” Latif said.

Rashid, who played in 37 Tests and 168 ODIs, disagreed with the concept that Akmal was just going through a rough patch and his batting abilities makes him an automatic choice in the team.

"No doubt he is an excellent cricketer and has a great future ahead. But in my opinion the wicketkeeper’s primary job is to be safe behind the stumps and not let his bowlers down consistently.

“He is there not for his batting but wicketkeeping. Ask the bowlers. It is good if he has the backing of the captain and the coach but if he does not improve he is going to be dropped sooner or later,” Latif said.

“I know there is a shortage of wicketkeeping talent in Pakistan but we should keep on trying new players. You can’t allow Akmal let down bowlers consistently. His batting is saving him but for how long,” he asked.

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^ bilkul sahee keh rahey hien Rashid bhai !

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Miandad, ‘Aaloo’ hail second Test win over South Africa

KARACHI: Former cricket greats Tuesday hailed Pakistan’s comeback win over South Africa, a victory described as the “best ever” by captain Inzamamul Haq. Led admirably by Inzamam, Pakistan achieved a comprehensive five-wicket win over Graeme Smith-led Proteas on the fourth day of the second Test at Port Elizabeth on Monday to level the three-match series at 1-1.

Vice captain Younis Khan and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal hit contrasting unbeaten half-centuries to take Pakistan to the challenging 191-run target. Pakistan lost the first Test at Centurion by seven wickets. “A win is a win and to have achieved that on foreign soil adds to the achievement,” said former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad. “The difference between Australia and other teams is that they learn lessons from their wins and try to improve with every match. Pakistan must also analyse how the win was achieved,” said Miandad, who has also coached Pakistan. This becomes Pakistan’s second only Test win in South Africa after they won at Durban in 1998. Miandad said Pakistan would have to lift their game to clinch the third Test starting at Cape Town from Friday to achieve their first-ever series win in South Africa.

Pakistan will be without their two frontline pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul who are returning home injured. Akhtar, who took 4-36 to knock down South Africa for a low score of 124 in the first innings, tore his hamstring muscle and needed two weeks’ rest. Akhtar did not bowl in the second innings and is also feared to have recurred an injury to his knee, operated last year. Gul twisted his ankle during the warm-up match leading up to the first Test and has not recovered since. Miandad described Inzamam’s unbeaten 92 which helped Pakistan gain an invaluable 141-run lead as “incredible.” “Inzamam played very well and he scored runs with tail-enders in company which shows a great character.” Another former captain and coach Intikhab Alam said Inzamam led the team from the front.

“Akhtar gave Pakistan a very good start and to me dismissing South Africa for 124 was the turning point and then Inzamam handled his attack minus Akhtar admirably,” said Alam, who also coached Punjab team in neighbouring India. Alam said the victory will be a great morale booster for Pakistan. “I rated Pakistan as the better team than South Africa and now Pakistan is in a good position to win the series, an achievement which they can take into the World Cup in two months,” said Alam, who was coach-cum-manager of Pakistan when they won their only title in Australia in 1992. Pakistan also play five one-day internationals against South Africa next month before heading to the West Indies for the World Cup in March-April. afp

Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\01\24\story_24-1-2007_pg2_2

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Inzamam’s request for Shabbir turned down by selectors
By Mohammad Yaqoob
LAHORE, Jan 23: Pakistan cricket selectors on Tuesday turned down captain Inzamam-ul-Haq’s request to send fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed as reinforcement for the third Test which begins at Cape Town from Friday.

According to PCB sources, the selectors are not confident about the match-fitness of the lanky pacer and feel that it would be difficult for him to switch on to international cricket so quickly after a one-year layoff due to ICC ban.

Earlier, it was learnt that following Inzamam’s request to fly out Shabbir to South Africa as replacement for injured pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul, the PCB chairman had asked the tall fast bowler to report to board’s specialist at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Monday to prove his physical fitness.

Shabbir, who was set to play for Multan against Abbottabad in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy Silver League match starting from Wednesday (today), was surprisingly asked to play a club cricket match at the Aligarh Ground on Tuesday to prove his fitness after reports that he dislocated his ankle a few days ago.

“I did bowl around 12 overs in the match at Aligarh Ground without any pain but I have no knowledge about my travelling to South Africa,” Shabbir told Dawn on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a Pakistan Cricket Board official said on Tuesday that all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Abdur Rehman, Shabbir Ahmed and Rao Iftikhar are all under consideration for next month’s five-match One-day Internationals series against South Africa.

“The chief selector is in constant contact with the team management in South Africa to give a final shape to the one-day squad and Shabbir is also being considered for the series,” PCB Director Communications, Dr Ahsan Malik told reporters.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/2007/01/24/spt1.htm

So it seems either Rana or Nazir would partner Asif, Sami and Kaneria in the third test.

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He is supposed to bowl 40-50 overs to prove his fitness… 12 overs is nothing, even Miandad can bowl 12 overs today :o

so after one year of lay-off he is not match-fit and good enough for Test matches, but he will become match-fit and good enough for ODIs within a week’s time???

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i think nazir might get a chance... and this might be his last chance to prove himself!

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Why can't the selector give chance to that guy who bowled and batted so well in 20/20 whats his name? Fawad Alam? Why can't they send him?

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^ Conservativeness

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What did Sami do that Rana or Shahid cannot?

I think Sami was a total failure as well as Shahid Nazir. But Nazir made 40 runs batting...Rana & Nazir should be back for the 3rd test and support Asif.

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i hope that this guy will make it to the team sooner or later ... he has been performing brilliantly in domestic cric and has already scorea a hundred and couple of 50s in domestic cricket.

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Great, just great. We will be treated to the same old ghissay pittay faces of the likes of Rao, Rana, Shahid Nazir. I would opt for either Afridi or Rehman instead.

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Thats the secret and he will let every one know once he retires, he can’t just tell now or else everyone will start copying him. :stuck_out_tongue:

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Pace legend Imran backs Akhtar despite injury
KARACHI: Former Pakistan bowling great Imran Khan on Wednesday backed fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, saying he should have been kept with the team despite his injury problems.

“You keep your match winners with the team and Akhtar’s only two bursts put Pakistan in the match winning position in the Port Elizabeth Test,” Khan told reporters, referring to the series in South Africa. Akhtar capped his return to Test cricket with a magnificent 4-36 in the second Test against South Africa last week before tearing his hamstring muscle.

The 31-year-old maverick fast bowler did not bowl in the second innings of the Test, which Pakistan won by five wickets on Monday. He was due to miss the third Test starting at Cape Town from Friday and was returning home on Thursday. Khan said injury is part and parcel of a fast bowler’s career. “Every fast bowler gets unfit and because of his action and speed Akhtar has more fitness problems but that doesn’t mean you don’t play him at all. He won Pakistan the most important series against England in 2005,” said Khan.

Khan was referring to Akhtar’s 17 wickets which guided Pakistan to a 2-0 Test series win over England, who had come to Pakistan on the back of regaining the Ashes from Australia after 18 years. Akhtar, however, had to undergo twin knee operations in February last year and missed Pakistan’s tours of Sri Lanka and England. His career was also hit by a failed doping test in October last year. Akhtar was banned for two years in November before an appellate committee lifted the ban on the grounds that he took the banned substances unknowingly.

To add further woes to his recent injury, Akhtar’s verbal spat with coach Bob Woolmer also hit the headlines and the team management fined him an undisclosed sum after a disciplinary hearing. Khan said not selecting Akhtar in the original 17-man squad was a great injustice. “I would blame the selectors for not selecting Akhtar in the original squad and it was the Pakistan cricket chief (Nasim Ashraf) who selected him and sent him as replacement. “When I was the captain I selected unfit leg-spinner Abdul Qadir for the tour of England in 1987 and paceman Wasim Akram for the West Indies tour a year later, simply because they remained with the team and got fit.”

Khan, who played 82 Tests for Pakistan before switching to politics, said Akhtar’s verbal spat with Woolmer was his reaction for not being selected. “He (Akhtar) would have been angry on not being selected in the first place, so he would have lost his temper.” The Pakistan Cricket Board announced Akhtar and another paceman Umar Gul, who on Wednesday returned home from South Africa after injuring his ankle, would start rehabilitation before the World Cup in the West Indies starting from March 13. afp
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\01\25\story_25-1-2007_pg2_3

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I think Bob Woolmer is getting too big for his boots. Everyone knows that he has his favourites in the team. It may not be entirely Akhtar's fault as most of us are so quick to conclude. What if the same thing (Akhtar's spat with Woolmer) happens during the World Cup with Shoaib refusing to play in an important game? I know Akhtar is no angel but the PCB officials need to sit down and discuss this with both Akhtar and Woolmer. No one's larger than the team's cause. That includes not just the players but the team officials (manager and in partcular coach) as well.

And as Imran says sometimes you have to play in important games despite carrying an injury/not being fully fit. Imran himself played the entire 1992 WC with a shoulder injury (he was taking steroid injections), something he would not have done if it had n't mattered that much to him.

Would it not have been worth the gamble to play Akhtar in the third test (and then give him complete rest after that until the WC, he could even be named in the squad and miss the early part of the entire WC because the format of this WC ( with every team playing 5 games at the super six stage) is such that barring a complete mishap, Pakistan should atleast make it to the semis) and bowl him in short spells off a shortened run-up. Afterall we are talking of a test series victory in SA which will be Pakistan's first ever. And let's not forget that a half-fit Akhtar is any day better than the likes of Sami, Nazir and Rana. I know he has a hamstring strain but it's not like he has a bony fracture.

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A Pakistan win proved both the sceptics and statisticians wrong
Turning a corner
Bob Woolmer
A thesis I have been reading recently reveals a statistic that says Pakistan had a 5% chance of winning a Test match in South Africa, while South Africa has a 56% chance of winning a Test in Pakistan. Statistics do tell a story though they sometimes don’t tell the whole story: as luck would have it, Pakistan has now increased the percentage of winning in South Africa.
Include India’s win at the Wanderers and there is definitely an effort from the subcontinent to improve their cricket on the harder, bouncier pitches of the Southern Hemisphere. One swallow doesn’t make a summer but two means getting there.
Pakistan’s terrific team effort was a truly special win, one that rewarded hard work and application, one that included some strong individual efforts and one that had a great team spirit about it, when it was really needed. Such results are built on key moments. Here are mine.
Flipside of the coin
The toss proved a good one to lose. The pitch looked good and both sides would have batted, but there was bounce in it. Some of the dismissals looked poor and some South African batsmen might have thought they were unlucky. Hashim Amla was caught behind down the leg side, AB de Villiers edged a wide bouncer and Graeme Smith was caught at slip off the keeper’s gloves. Still, it was difficult to see how people were getting out. Admittedly, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Sami bowled really well and Danish Kaneria had a strong breeze to help his leg-spinners curve and dip as well. Getting them out for only 124 was the key.
The strike back
As expected, South Africa fought back with the ball. Younis Khan and Kamran Akmal were both fighting hard at the end of the first day, but of the 16 wickets that fell, the two most crucial appeared to be that of Younis and Kamran both falling, within minutes, in the day’s last two overs. That was 1-1 for the day: I asked Jacques Kallis at the end of the day how he assessed the day and the pitch. He replied simply, “Bob, the game is going forward.” Go forward it did.
The Masterpiece: as scripted by Inzamam-ul-Haq
The second day witnessed an absolutely magnificent exhibition of batting with the tail, of farming the strike. With his unbeaten 92, Inzamam-ul-Haq created probably the defining moment of the game, an innings which proved that experience is something you cannot just buy off the shelf. Inzi calculated it beautifully and only with Mohammad Asif did he really begin protecting him. In most of the 20 overs they batted, Asif had to face a maximum of two balls, Inzi not only controlling the strike but also playing some fantastic shots. The lead he got eventually proved vital.
A long way from Faisalabad
When South Africa batted again they were buoyed by the fact that Shoaib was unfit to bowl. It was a defining moment for South Africa. It was also one for Pakistan for it meant someone had to stand up and be counted in what was a three-man attack. Sure enough, they all responded and Asif was exceptional, along with Kaneria and Sami as all went beyond the call of duty.
On a day of twists, their contributions were vital: South Africa played well, with Kallis and then Mark Boucher and Shaun Pollock taking the game away from Pakistan. But just after each session break, we struck, Asif getting Herschelle Gibbs and Kallis after lunch and then Kaneria dismissing Pollock just after tea. Even then Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel’s bravado meant Pakistan were faced with an interesting total. I saw Pollock at the bar that evening and he reminded me of Faisalabad in 1997-98, when South Africa bowled out Pakistan for 92, chasing only 146. I said there are two differences: one, I was South Africa coach at Faisalabad and two, we’re a long way from Faisalabad.
The Endgame
The final moment came when Inzi was undone by a ball that did not bounce and was adjudged leg before off Ntini while chasing the target. Immediately, visions of Faisalabad swirled in my head. But there was a nagging, positive thought at the back of my mind: Kamran Akmal, who had been criticised for a missed stumping (extremely tough) and for two dropped chances might make amends with the bat. He started fortuitously, but the secret of captaincy is always to put the fielders in the gaps. After it, he was fantastic, batting with the Pathan tiger, Younis, who fought like only a tribesman from the north of Pakistan can fight. Ironic that their 99-run partnership ended the game, as it was those two who had been involved at the end of the first day too.
It is of small consolation to the losing side, but it capped a very fine Test match, one that offered the connoisseur everything. It was tense on the last afternoon but in the end the difference was that cameo of pure genius by Inzi. Deservedly, he was presented with both “his best win” and the match award.
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/rsavpak/content/story/277453.html

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Where the h**** is I**y and the gang that said he is not compeltely fit b4 the tour started…big mouths …
Now, he is not fit again (courtesy:PCB), why??

Should Sarfraz and the gang ( :slight_smile: ) do something again about these f*****g PCB administrators and there front-men, who are keen to search for talent while resting their best options on mysterious reasons.

When PCB is spending a h**** of money on medical staff then how can our key players be injuired (or not-fit) before every competition. Either PCB should get rid of their so-called medical staff and spend that money on something useful or simply accept the responsibility of being guilty (i.e. mishandling players).

Kher PCB have enough money in the treasury to buy more tickets (and test SOME talent), anyways, so buy a pack of Slanty and support them.

  • They can spend enough money to take TESTS of selected players
  • Then they can spend enough money to send the samples to Malysia
  • Then they can spend enough money to hire people to punish players (based on blst)
  • Then they can remove ban from selected players
  • and Then they can spend some extra money to reverse those decissions.
  • Similarly, they can offer contracts to players who will not play a single match and then the treasury finds it hard to offer a contract to him.

Kher SA is also resting their key players for the final Test, so hope for the best.

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THIRDT TEST AT CAPE TOWN: SA might make 3 changes and Pakistan atleast 2 with may be a top order change as well…

South Africa will make three changes in the enforced absence of Herschelle Gibbs when they face Pakistan in the deciding third test starting on Friday.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected on Thursday an appeal by Gibbs against a two-test ban imposed on him for abusing Pakistani supporters in the first test in Centurion.
Gibbs will now sit out the Cape Town test as well as a Twenty20 game and the first one-dayer against Pakistan.
South African captain Graeme Smith said all rounder Shaun Pollock and fast bowler Andre Nel would be rested and replaced by all rounder Andrew Hall and fast bowler Dale Steyn.
The absence of Gibbs means a reprieve for out of form opener AB de Villiers, who will now bat at number six. Boeta Dippenaar has been recalled and will open the innings with Smith.
“Shaun’s already gone home (to Durban), and Andre is also going to miss out,” Smith told a news conference.
Smith hoped the younger batsmen would shape up in the absence of Gibbs.
"There are a lot of young guys in our top six, and losing Herschelle means losing 84 test matches worth of experience.
“It’s disappointing, but we’ve got to put our heads down and go. Some of the other guys need to take some responsibility.”
Pakistan will also be forced to make changes after injured fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul had to return home.
**Skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq said: “There will be at least two changes and maybe a change in the top order,” he told reporters. **

“Shahid Nazir is bowling better in the nets, and Naved-ul-Hasan is also doing well,” he added, referring to the fast bowlers. South Africa won the first test by seven wickets before Pakistan levelled the series by winning the second test in Port Elizabeth by five wickets.

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seems like either one of farhat or hafeez (if injured) is going to sit out! Allah karay kay nazir thori see achi bowling kur lay aab :(