SPORTS Thursday, 17 July, 2014
A TEAM OF OFFICIALS WITH A TEAM OF PLAYERS! AKHTAR LASHES OUT AT PAKISTAN CRICKET BOARD FOR SENDING 10 OFFICIALS TO SRI LANKA
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HOAIB Akhtar said that the culture of appointing so many officials for foreign tours was mainly to reward one's favorites. Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has lashed out at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for deciding to send 10 officials with the national team in its upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. "I don't
A KICK-OFF THAT AWAITED NINE YEARS
PAKISTAN FOOTBALL TEAM TO VISIT INDIA FROM AUG 16 TO 21
know what they are trying to do but this board is full of ignorant people and it is useless tying to talk sense into them," Akhtar said. (Pakistan invited to play in Champions League T20: Report) The fast bowler said he didn't understand the purpose of appointing so many officials with the team. "This board is spending 150 million rupees just on salaries and it has more than 700 employees and what is the net result...nothing," he told Geo News. (Also read: BCCI not sitting on pots of money, says N Srinivasan) "When I was playing there were lesser employees in the board and the money was well spent on cricket and we were doing well in international cricket." (Pakistan teen female cricketer dies under mysterious circumstances) The former pacer said that
Lahore Lions to roar in Champions League
Islamabad AGENCIES
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) – like the Pakistan Cricket Board which is making its all-out efforts for the revival of cricketing ties with India – has struggled a lot and succeeded as a two-match bilateral series is scheduled to be held in August after a gap of nine years. The Pakistan team will visit India from August 16 to 21 and play matches on August 17 and 20. Federation’s Secretary Ahmed Yar Lodhi said that the series would prove to be a landmark in the sports relations of the two countries. “Pakistan and India last played a three-match series here in June 2005 which was won by us on goal-average,” he said, adding the upcoming series was a return series. In 2011, an English company planned a football series between Pakistan and India in England but it was cancelled at the eleventh hour due to failure in getting sponsorship. In 2013, a triangular series in England, involving India, Pakistan and Bangladesh was cancelled because of the same problem. Lodhi said the series was being held after nine years, which showed that India too was eager to play against Pakistan for the betterment of game.
Islamabad AGENCIES
Pakistan will send its domestic Twenty20 champions Lahore Lions to play in the Champions League to be held in India in September, an official said on Wednesday. The Lions, led by former Pakistan Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez, beat Misbah-ul Haq's Faisalabad Wolves in the final of the event held in February. The Twenty20 champions of Australia, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the West Indies will also take part in the event. "We have received an invitation to send our Twenty20 champion team so Lahore Lions will be participating in the event in September,"
a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman said. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) earlier this month announced the event will take place on its grounds, ruling out a possible neutral venue in the United Arab Emirates. The event is likely to start on September 7 although no final dates have yet been announced. The Lions also include international stars Ahmed Shahzad, Nasir Jamshed, Umar Akmal and Wahab Riaz. No Pakistan team featured in the first three editions of the Champions League, which started in 2009. The Sialkot Stallions, led by Shoaib Malik, played in the qualifying stages of the event held in South Africa in 2012 but failed to progress to the main rounds.
the culture of appointing so many officials for foreign tours was mainly to reward one's favorites. "I don't see any reason for sending a assistant coach or a spin bowling coach. In the past only a manager, physio and trainer travelled with the team. So many officials is a waste of money in my mind because we are getting no positive results at all," Akhtar stated. Akhtar said if he had his way he would appoint just a manager to look after all administrative affairs and one coach or mentor. "There is also no need for a chief selector. The captain should be so strong like Imran Khan was that he can himself guide the players and lead the way. In the recent years the board has sent so many officials with the team and I have seen as a member of the team their contribution is zero," he
PCB Plans not to over-Burden Irfan KaRachI
AGENCIES
Pakistan team management has decided to restrict tall paceman Mohammed Irfan to only ODIs and T20s, keeping in mind team's interest in the next year's World Cup. Injuryprone Irfan was stopped from participating in any Ramazan tournament as coach Waqar Younis called him back to the national cricket academy to concentrate on fitness. "Waqar, who himself has been a fast bowler, has made it clear to Irfan that he should just work on his fitness and training at the NCA till the next domestic season starts in September," a source close to Irfan revealed. Irfan said that he had been told that the Pakistan management had prepared a proper schedule for him and he would only be playing in the one-dayers and T20 matches in future. "I have been informed that I will make my return to the Pakistan team for the home series against Australia in October and before that I should just train and work on my fitness," he said.
Porto sign Barca striker Tello on loan sPORTs dEsK Barcelona forward Cristian Tello has joined Porto on a two-year-loan deal, the La Liga club said on Wednesday. The 22-year-old made only a handful of first team appearances last season and following the arrival of Luis Suarez from Liverpool, those chances were expected to dry up further and hence prompted the move. “Barcelona and Porto have reached an agreement for the loan of Cristian Tello for the next two seasons with the option to buy for the Portuguese club,” the Catalan club said in a statement. “FC Barcelona can cancel the buy option in the agreement after the first season.” Barca missed out on the major trophies last season and the side are undergoing extensive restructuring under Luis Enrique. So far Ivan Rakitic and keepers Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Claudio Bravo have signed, along with Suarez. While Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez are two of those leaving in big money moves to Chelsea and Arsenal respectively.
THREE NEW NAMES IN PAKISTAN WOMEN SQUAD The PCB have announced their women squads for the tour of Australia and Asian Games. Three new players have been included in the 14-member team for Australia. Sidra Nawaz, Aliya Riaz and Maham Rafiq have replaced wicketkeeper Batool Fatima, Nahida Khan, Sidra Ameen and Anam Amin from the squad of 15 that played the World T20s in Bangladesh in March. Pakistan Women are scheduled to play four ODIs and four T20Is in Australia from August 21 till September 5. For the Asian Games, the PCB named a 15-member contingent. While the only change in the squad compared to the one touring Australia was Anam Amin coming in to replace Maham Rafiq, one additional player - Kainat Imtiaz - was also included. Pakistan squad for Australia tour: Sana Mir (capt), Bismah Maroof (vc), Nain Abidi, Nida Dar, Javeria Khan, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Asmavia Iqbal, Qanita Jalil, Sumaiya Siddiqi, Sadia Yousuf, Aliya Riaz, Sania Khan, Maham Rafiq, Marina Iqbal Pakistan squad for Asian Games: Sana Mir (capt), Bismah Maroof (vc), Nain Abidi, Nida Dar, Javeria Khan, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Asmavia Iqbal, Qanita Jalil, Sumaiya Siddiqi, Sadia Yousuf, Aliya Riaz, Sania Khan, Anam Amin, Marina Iqbal, Kainat Imtiaz. SPORTS DESK Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 79, Sector 24, Korangi Industrial Area Karachi.
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said. Akhtar lamented that Pakistan cricket was just going from bad to worse despite so many high profile appointments in recent days. "There is no improvement at all. Already as a nation we are criticised daily and the same thing is now happening with our cricket because ignorant people are running cricket affairs." Asked about the Sri Lanka tour, the former pacer said that the selectors had done the right thing by not picking left-arm pacer Muhammad Irfan for the series. "The conditions in Sri Lanka at this time of the year are very humid and the grounds are soft. Bowling in the final two sessions takes a toll on the leg muscles and back and I just hope the fast bowlers, who have been picked are used properly. There should be more dependence on the spinners to bowl long spells," he said.
A PCB source said the team management had decided that Irfan could play a key role for Pakistan in the World Cup and should be nursed through accordingly. "He is injury prone and has had fitness issues and the feeling is it is best if he is kept for the shorter format of the game," he added. Irfan and Umar Gul were not picked for the Test or one-dayers in Sri Lanka last week because of fitness issues. Irfan has not played for Pakistan since last October when he suffered a hairline fracture in his hip bone while playing against South Africa in the UAE.