18 years of World Cup 1992 heroics

[reference]http://blogs.cricinfo.com/diffstrokes/archives/2010/03/_pakistan_moment_of_glory.php[/reference]

Yesterday, 25 March 2010 was the 18th celebration of Pakistan's emphatic 50over World Cup win in Melbourne Cricket Ground - Victoria, Australia in 1992. 

During those days like Cricinfo.com, I was also a infant but the way I heard from my elders and later thanks to YouTube.com and electronic media, it was literally an emphatic win and like the last year's T20 win in England, even those days Pakistan wasn't rated that much as this team was injury hit team as there were limitation in bowl;ing thanks to injury of Waqar Younis, limitation in opening with injury to Saeed Anwar and thats why there were 3 new faces or should I say rookies and even Imran Khan played the tournament with some shoulder injury and Intikhab Alam used to give him pain killers before the encounters.

Bowling was limited to Wasim Akram, Aqib Javed, Mushtaq Ahmed and than list of part timers like Amir Sohail, Salim Malik, Wasim Haider etc. So I think myself that it was the captaincy of great Imran Khan who led his side to the victory stand and kept them motivated, and that resulted in generating performances like Moin Khan and Inzi against the Kiwis in their own backyard, Aqib Javed's great new mystery slow ball that took the wicket of Greatbatch and how can we forgot the breath taking spell of great Wasim Akram which literally hit the last nail on the coffin for England.

If we compared that time to today, we still have alot of talent, its just that we lack in consistency and leadership, if we have a consistent leadership, we can rule the world- just like the anthem of world cup 1992 stated. We should also remember that no one even rated us in last year's T20 world cup, but we had it in our pocket and now after a month we would be defending the same title in the West Indies.

Lets keep our hopes alive and pray just like the Pakistanis all around the world on 25th March 1992 prayed for, although it was the month of Ramadan but still Allah listens to its people all year round, so we should not loose hope because Pakistan team has performed well under pressure, we should remember that.

Re: Rana, Malik get one-year bans, Younis and Yousuf axed from teams

Reference: http://www.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/451392.html

Rana, Malik get one-year bans, Younis and Yousuf axed from teams

Osman Samiuddin

March 10, 2010

 

	The PCB has sacked ex-captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan from all formats of the international game © AFP

The PCB has struck against its players with a venom unseen in recent memory, carrying out the deepest cull of a senior cricket team in many years and banning and fining seven of its top players after the side's disastrous, winless tour of Australia. It has banned Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, from playing for Pakistan in any format for an indefinite period, while handing out one-year bans to Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan. Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers were fined Rs2-3 million [$24,000-35,000] for various misdemeanours and put on six-month probations.

Action had been expected once details of the inquiry committee's report recommendations were leaked in the press on Monday and Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, had followed it up by saying "more than significant action" would be taken against players. While the punishments for Malik, Rana, Afridi and the Akmal brothers were expected, the action against Yousuf and Younis has caught most people off-guard.

"Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan, keeping in view their infighting which resulted in bringing down the whole team, their attitude has a trickledown effect which is a bad influence for the whole team should not be part of national team in any format," the board said in its statement issued on Wednesday.

The PCB has stopped short of calling the punishment a life ban. "They will not be part of any Pakistan team in any format from here on," Taffazul Rizvi, the board's legal advisor told Cricinfo. "A life ban means they cannot play domestic cricket or any other similar cricket, but we are not stopping them from that. They can play domestic cricket or county cricket here and abroad."

Typically there was confusion and the board later appeared to climb down by clarifying that this was not the end of their careers. In a statement released at least six hours after the original release, the board said, "that the recommendation of the Committee is not a life ban on these cricketers. There is no specified term in the recommendation for these two players. As and when the PCB deems appropriate, these players will be considered for selection for the national team."

Rizvi refused to elaborate on the nature of the pair's cases, but it is believed that the board had generally had enough with the two. Younis twice stepped down from the captaincy last year with player unrest against his leadership the underlying cause both times. Yousuf's sins are equally unclear, other than that he led a winless tour to Australia and engaged thereafter in a public battle with Malik.

The cases of indiscipline that have led to one-year bans on Malik and Rana, similarly, have not been expanded upon. "Rana Naved ul Hasan and Shoaib Malik be fined Rupees Two million. They should not be part of national team in any format for a period of one year."

Malik's name has figured persistently at the centre of speculation over the last year in inciting player unrest within the team, though nothing substantial has appeared in public to back that up. "We cannot discuss the specifics of the incident as we are under oath," Rizvi said. "But obviously we have taken action after much consideration and based on solid information."

In contrast, the cases of Akmal brothers and Shahid Afridi are straightforward. The brothers were fined for their behavior in the aftermath of the Sydney Test; Kamran was dropped by the board but insisted publicly he would be selected in the run-up to the third Test. Younger brother Umar was alleged to have feigned an injury to not play the Test in protest, though he did eventually play. Kamran has been fined Rs 3 million, Umar Rs 2 million and the pair are on probation.

Afridi was punished for the ball-biting incident in the Perth ODI, where he was captain. He has already been punished by the ICC, who immediately gave him a two-match ban. "For the shameful act of Shahid Khan Afridi, which has brought the game and country into disrepute, he be fined Rupees 3 million," the board said. "A warning be issued to him by the Chairman PCB and he be put on probation for 06 months, during which his conduct be strictly monitored."

The bans were handed down by an inquiry committee which comprised former players Wasim Bari, Zakir Khan and Yawar Saeed, besides Wazir Ali Khoja, a member of the PCB governing council, and Rizvi. The committee held hearings on February 12th, 13th and the 27th, and looked into reports from former coach Intikhab Alam, manager Abdul Raqeeb and newly appointed coach Waqar Younis, who was the bowling consultant during the Australia tour. Besides the players who were punished, the committee questioned Intikhab, Raqeeb, opener Salman Butt, assistant coach Aaqib Javed, the physio Faisal Hayat and the PCB's cricket analyst Mohammad Talha.

Attention will turn now to how the players will respond. Legal action or appeals will be a consideration though Rizvi insisted the board was on solid ground. "We are on good ground with this," he said. "The PCB has done it thinking it is the right thing to do. It sets an example for the future."

As a whole, the action is almost unparalleled in even Pakistan's troubled history. The 2000 Justice Qayyum report had similar repercussions but that was about the graver concerns of corruption. This cull has been carried out, ostensibly, in a bid to curb indiscipline and player power.

Osman Samiuddin is Pakistan editor of Cricinfo

Feeds: Osman Samiuddin

Atlast some serious action taken by the PCB, but why only on the two great Y's! Although I must admit I am not a great fan of Muhammad Yousuf, after what doing some faulter captaincy and politics in the team. On the other hand, Shoaib Malik should have been punished heavier as in my opinion he's the main culprit behind all this. And Akmals after what they had done was serious and they didn't deserved to be playing, whatever Kamran Akmal did in Sydney test, i.e. dropping Hussey couple of times in an inning, the same player later scored a hundred and let the Aussies to win that test match which was almost on the grip of Pakistan team, but what junior Akmal did was an eye opener for the weak management of Pakistani team, because he had shown fake injury in protest of senior Akmal being dropped from the dead rubber Hobart test, even though he played but the enthusiasm which had been his trademark was not shown and it clearly showed that the aggression and zeal which was needed from him wasn't shown.

God knows why both Y's were dropped in presence of such stinky fishes, which they would be returned by filing a case just like some players did in 2000 after match fixing allegations. Just keeping my fingers crossed and next 24 - 48 hours are crucial, on the other hand news channels in Pakistan are having a cashing time covering this story. Lets hope all things go better for Pakistani cricket as it has been under hell of a controversies.

Peace!

Pakistan's RBS T20D tournament!

In my personal opinion, this years RBS T20D tournament had an improvement compared to last year, there are couple of reasons behind it
1. The schedule was announced days before the tournament, so that the build-up for the tournament was good.
2. The arrangements compared to last year were better.
3. The crowd at NSK was exceptional as this was a T20D tournament, but still the stadium unlike expected were full and sections of stadium were crowded and it looked as if it were a carnival.
4. Even though it was a T20D tournament still, television ratings for the tournament was quite high compared to last years.

and the same reason that players knew they were being watched on the TV, they put on their best performances, apart from these performances, the tournament was into hell of a controversies, like ball tempering, umpiring mishaps and favouring a particular team. But we also got to see some of the mind-blowing innings in the tournament, like Muhammad Hafeez's 53-ball 100 sinking Lahore Lions in the semi-finals at the National Stadium, or Faisalabad Wolves eased to a seven-wicket win over Islamabad Leopards qualifying for the semi-finals thanks to brutal bowling by Saeed Ajmal who bagged 4 wickets or Khalid Latif's hurricane unbeaten 75 helped Karachi Dolphins crush Lahore Eagles at the National Stadium and ease into the semi-finals where Khalid Latif slammed 13 fours and two sixes in his innings to drive Karachi at more than 12 an over. These were some of the highlights from this years leg of RBS T20D tournament.

So on the whole I believe this was a much better tournament where there were crowd involvement too in the tournament, and this days play used to end late midnight but still crowds were seen in the backdrop during the post match presentation which usually took place after 12.30 am. So we can say that the environment for such tournaments are starting to get its roots in the stranded stadiums of Pakistan.

I personally was favouring Karachi Dolphins (keeping in mind there were two teams of Karachi and Lahore) as it was a best combination and plus it was more start studded than Karachi Zebras. Anyways Karachi Dolphins lost the semi final yesterday against the Stallions of Sialkot just by a mere margin, and right now when I am writing this blog, the final between the Stallions and Wolves are still undergoing with Wolves completed their quota of 20 overs with 109-9 on the board and which is making me feel, Stallions will again lift the trophy this time.

Peace!

FW: Kamran Akmal under investigation for match-fixing?

Kamran Akmal under investigation for match-fixing?

Friday, February 26, 2010
By Khalid Hussain

KARACHI: Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batsman Kamran could currently be under investigation for suspected match-fixing, well-placed sources told ‘The News’ on Thursday.

According to the sources, Kamran was axed from the Pakistan squad for the two Twenty20 Internationals against England in Dubai because there are suspicions that he might have deliberately dropped catches during the second Test in Sydney against Australia last month. If he fails to prove his innocence, Kamran may be overlooked for the ICC World Twenty20 Championship in the Caribbean where Pakistan will be looking to defend their title this May, said the source.

The 28-year-old was dropped from the third and final match of the series in Hobart for the first time in 42 Tests and five years but later returned for the limited-overs games against the Aussies. He smashed a 33-ball 64 in the tour-ending Twenty20 International at the Melbourne Cricket Ground but was still dropped from the touring party for the Dubai matches.

Officially, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that Kamran was overlooked for the brief Dubai visit because of his poor showing in Australia as well as his statements after the Sydney Test in which he insisted he will play in Hobart in spite of the fact the PCB had rushed young glovesman Sarfaraz Ahmed to Australia for the final Test.

However, according to the source, the main reason why Kamran was left out of the Dubai series was because he is under investigation for suspected match-fixing.

“Otherwise how can you leave out a player who had scored 64 from 33 balls against Australia in his last match,” said the source. “He (Kamran) is a suspect.”

Kamran, who was Pakistan’s vice-captain in the Test series against Australia, came under intense fire for his pathetic showing behind the stumps in the Sydney Test which Pakistan lost by 36 runs. He dropped Mike Hussey three times in that Test allowing the veteran batter to score a match-winning hundred. The fumbling keeper also floored Peter Siddle besides wasting a run-out opportunity against Shane Watson and was later singled out as the biggest villain behind Pakistan’s defeat from a seemingly-winning position.

The menace of match-fixing is nothing new for Pakistan cricket.

Last October, National Assembly’s sports committee chief Jamshed Dast accused the Pakistan team of deliberately losing to Australia to knock old rivals India out of the Champions Trophy in South Africa. However, the committee later cleared the team of any wrongdoings.

Back in 2000, former Pakistan captain Salim Malik and medium pacer Ata-ur Rehman were found guilty of match-fixing by Justice Malik Qayyum. They were both banned for life following a year long investigation into the allegations.

The inquiry was launched in response to charges of betting and match-fixing against several of Pakistan’s top cricketers, including former captains Wasim and Malik, spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed, Rehman and batsman Ijaz Ahmed.

The inquiry investigated several allegations of corruption dating back to 1994, including one made by Australian cricketers Shane Warne and Mark Waugh. The Australian players accused Malik of offering them bribes to perform poorly during an Australian tour of Pakistan.

In recent times, there have been calls from various quarters for the implementation of the recommendations made by Justice Qayyum to eradicate the menace of match-fixing from Pakistan cricket.

“Match-fixing is still the root cause of the problems faced by our cricket,” Senator Enver Baig told this correspondent. “It has to be tackled seriously otherwise there is no hope for Pakistan cricket,” added Baig, a former member of the Senate’s sports committee.