Get out of T20 mould, Wadekar advises Indians

Bangalore: Former coach and captain Ajit Wadekar said on Tuesday that Gary Kirsten should step in to boost the confidence of his young batsmen who have been caught napping by the West Indies fast bowlers in the ongoing One-Day series.

"If you see the way the Indians batted in the second one-dayer, which they lost by eight wickets, the Indians, particularly the younger lot seems to be still in the Twenty20 mould. This is when the coach and the other members of the think-tank should step in and guide them to stay at the wicket and build their innings," Wadekar told Cricketenxt.com.

"After the West Indies quickies exposed the Indian batsmen's lack of technique against the short rising deliveries the coach, who himself was a very good hooker and puller during his playing days, should take the youngsters like Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir, Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan under his wings and make them work on the short pitched deliveries in the nets till they learn to either leave the bouncers alone or hook or pull them correctly

Pakistan vs Srilanka cricket series 2009 schedule

Yesterday Pakistani Cricket Squad left for Srilanka from Lahore International Airport for upcoming Cricket series between the two cricket loving nations. Earlier Pakistan defeated Srilanka in ICC T20 World cup final in England. Here is the complete schedule of the upcoming series.

Mon Jun 29 – Wed Jul 1
10:00 local | 04:30 GMT Sri Lanka Cricket XI v Pakistanis
Colts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo

Sat Jul 4 – Wed Jul 8
10:00 local | 04:30 GMT 1st Test – Sri Lanka v Pakistan
Galle International Stadium

Sun Jul 12 – Thu Jul 16
10:00 local | 04:30 GMT 2nd Test – Sri Lanka v Pakistan
P Sara Oval, Colombo

Mon Jul 20 – Fri Jul 24
10:00 local | 04:30 GMT 3rd Test – Sri Lanka v Pakistan
Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo

Mon Jul 27
10:00 local | 04:30 GMT TBC v Pakistanis
Welagedara Stadium, Kurunegala

Thu Jul 30
10:00 local | 04:30 GMT 1st ODI – Sri Lanka v Pakistan
Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium

Sat Aug 1
10:00 local | 04:30 GMT 2nd ODI – Sri Lanka v Pakistan
Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium

Mon Aug 3
10:00 local | 04:30 GMT 3rd ODI – Sri Lanka v Pakistan
Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium

Fri Aug 7 Day and Night
14:30 local | 09:00 GMT 4th ODI – Sri Lanka v Pakistan
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Sun Aug 9 Day and Night
14:30 local | 09:00 GMT 5th ODI – Sri Lanka v Pakistan
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Wed Aug 12 Day and Night
19:00 local | 13:30 GMT Only T20I – Sri Lanka v Pakistan
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

West Indies bounce back to level series

Kingston: Mahendra Singh Dhoni's defiant 95 went in vain as India suffered a humiliating eight-wicket defeat at the hands of an inspired West Indies in a lop-sided second one-day international at Sabina Park on Sunday.

After dismissing the visitors for a modest 188 in 48.2 overs, the Caribbean team rode on openers Chris Gayle (64) and Runako Morton (85) to overhaul the target in 34.1 overs and level the four match series 1-1.

Earlier, electing to bat first, Dhoni waged a lonely battle as India succumbed to a batting collapse against a ferocious pace attack lead by West Indies pacer Ravi Rampaul.

We got complacent after taking seven wickets: Dhoni

Kingston: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted that his teammates got complacent after polishing the top-order of the West Indies, who nearly toppled India in the high scoring first one-dayer here on Friday.

India set a massive 340-run target before the hosts but had to toil hard to defend it before managing a 20-run win at Sabina Park.

"Most of the guys thought that we have won the game when they were seven wicket down but it was a mistake and hopefully we won't repeat that. It was more close than thought," he said after the match.

Younis demands pay hike from IPL for his champions

Karachi: Pakistan captain Younis Khan has advised his fellow players to revise their contracts with the Indian Premier League following the team's Twenty20 World Cup victory.

"After all, these players are now World champions and highly marketable. There is more value on their performances. Why should they keep on having contracts with the IPL franchises on same old contracts," Younis said.

He pointed out that top players like Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul and Misbah-ul Haq had signed contracts for USD 100,000 or less with the IPL when it was launched in 2008.

Grade A contracts for Razzaq, Yousuf

Karachi: The Pakistan cricket Board has decided to award category A central contracts to senior players Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq, who have made a return to the national team after resigning from the rebel Indian Cricket League.

Sources in the Board said PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt had approved the contracts for the two players, who leave with the national team for the Test tour of Sri Lanka today.

"Both of them have been included in the A category while no final decision has been taken on the two other players who have resigned from the ICL, Imran Nazir and Rana Naved," one source said.

Pakistan Australia Cricket Series 2010

The upcoming Cricket series between Pakistan and Australia will be held in England. That consists of Two Test matches and two T20 Internationals. Due to terrorist Attack on Srilanka’s Team at Lahore and ongoing war in the Tribal region Pakistan cricket board is unable to host any International events in the country despite their victory in T20 World Cup.

Additionally England Cricket Team will also be playing Four Test Match, Five One-day Internationals and Two T20 Internationals next year in August and September.

While this is sad that Pakistan can not host any International event in the country, however we can not deny the fact the current law and order situation is not ideal either. We don’t want to have another strike by terrorists to any of the Cricket Team which could result even more defamation for the country. We just need to hope and pray things get better here and Inshallah it will.

New South Wales to approach Afridi

Melbourne: Shahid Afridi, who guided Pakistan to glory in the Twenty20 World Cup, may soon receive an offer to play in Sheffield Shield for the Australian domestic side New South Wales.

The 29-year-old cricketer helped Pakistan win their first major title in 17 years by beating their sub-continental rival Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the final at Lord's on Sunday.

"He is clearly one of the world's best Twenty20 players, but also he would be a valuable addition to our dressing room, our young players would learn a lot from him.

PAK coach tells team to focus on Lanka tour

Karachi: Celebrations for the Twenty20 World Cup victory are in full swing in Pakistan, but national team coach Intikhab Alam on Monday advised his cricketers to switch their focus onto the Sri Lanka tour commencing on June 27.

Alam, who was also the manager when Pakistan clinched the 1992 World Cup under the leadership of Imran Khan, said this is the high time that cricketers turn their focus onto the upcoming series in Sri Lanka as now they have to live up to the expectation of the country.

He said."I am confident they will manage to switch to the Test mode quickly and comfortably because more responsibilities and pressures are now on us to do well in Sri Lanka,"

Pakistan have won the Final.

Pakistan have won the match by 8 wickets. And become the ICC T20 World Cup Champion. Congratulation to All Pakistanis.

Minadad tips Pak to win if top order fires

Karachi: Pakistan's former Test captain Javed Miandad believes Younis Khan's player can win the Twenty20 World Cup final if the top order batsmen fire against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

"I still say T20 cricket is very unpredictable and it is difficult to predict a winner. But from what I have seen those teams do well whose top three or four batsmen score big runs," said Miandad, a veteran of 124 Tests said.

Miandad, who is not a big fan of T20 cricket, said Pakistan had done well to promote Shahid Afridi up the order to give him a chance to have a proper bat.

Cricket News

Pakistan And Sri Lanka has qualify for the T20 World cup 2009.Final of T20 World cup will play at Lord's on 21/06/2009

Afridi Lifts Pakistan into World T20 Final

Friday, June 19, 2009 at 10:07 am under Sports News Afridi Lifts Pakistan into World T20 Final NOTTINGHAM: Shahid Afridi shone with bat and ball as Pakistan dumped South Africa by seven runs to storm into the World Twenty20 final here on Thursday.