SPORTS Monday, 8 February, 2016
Gladiators beat Zalmi by 3 wickets P
DUBAI AGENCIES
AkISTAN Super League’s (PSL) most underrated side Quetta Gladiators defeated the high-flying Peshawar Zalmi by three wickets on Sunday to remain unbeaten in the tournament. Chasing 136 for victory, Quetta needed 7 off the last over when Zimababwe’s Elton Chigumbura smashed Peshawar’s Wahab Riaz for a boundary to bring Sarfraz Ahmed’s side home with three wickets to spare. Earlier, the Gladiators’ skipper Sarfraz won the toss and put Zalmi in on a relatively easy wicket. In their allotted 20 overs, Zalmi stuttered but Darren Sammy’s blistering 31-ball 48 propelled them to 135. Left-arm spin sensation Mohammad Nawaz was the pick of the bowlers for Quetta with figures of 4-29-3 and was ably supported by Umar Gul who chipped in with two wickets. In the chase, Quetta’s successful opening pair of Ahmed Shehzad and Luke Wright put 35 inside 4 overs before both were dismissed. Zalmi captain Shahid Afridi accounted for Wright while Aussie paceman Shaun Tait snapped up Shehzad. England discard and T20 superstar kevin Pietersen then smashed 35 off 29 balls to add impetus to the Quetta chase of which the finishing touches were added by Anwar Ali and Chigumbura. Nawaz was once again awarded the man of the match for his brilliant spell.
Yasir suspended for three months for doping SportS DeSk Pakistan legspinner Yasir Shah has been handed a three-month suspension by the ICC after he pleaded guilty to breaching the ICC’s AntiDoping Code that relates to the presence of a banned substance in a player’s sample. The bowler will be available to play again from March 27, once the retrospective penalty ends. The three-month penalty was backdated to December 27, when Yasir was provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance, an ICC release said. The ban rules Yasir out of the ongoing Pakistan Super League, the upcoming Asia Cup and the World T20. The earliest he could return is for the tour of England in June. A sample taken from Yasir on November 13, when Pakistan played an ODI against England in Abu Dhabi, was found to contain chlortalidone, which is on WADA’s prohibited list of diuretics and masking agents and is prohibited both in-competition and out-ofcompetition. Chlortalidone is also used to treat high blood pressure. According to the release, during disciplinary proceedings, Yasir clar-
ified that he had inadvertently taken his wife’s blood pressure medication and had no intention of enhancing his performance or masking the use of another performance-enhancing substance. Yasir pleaded guilty to breaching Article 2.1 of the ICC’s anti-doping code, which deals with “the presence of a Prohibited Substance or its Metabolites or Markers in a Player’s Sample.” “While making the decision, the ICC accepted that Mr Shah had inadvertently ingested the ‘Specified Substance’ for therapeutic reasons, specifically to treat his blood pressure,” the ICC said. “He was able to satisfy the ICC through evidence and submissions prepared on his behalf by the Pakistan Cricket Board that he had no intention to enhance his sporting performance or to mask the use of another performance enhancing substance and had, instead, mistakenly taken his wife’s blood pressure medication that was identical in appearance to his own but which contained the prohibited substance chlortalidone. “However, Mr Shah has accepted that he had failed to satisfy the high levels of personal responsibility incumbent upon him as an international cricketer subject to anti-doping rules.”
While stating that it had independent evidence corroborating Yasir’s account, the ICC cited that the player had informed Pakistan physiotherapist Bradley Robinson and the Doping Control Officer in attendance at the time that he had taken the medicine. In its detailed report on the matter, the ICC said: “It has confirmed that during the doping control process YS [Yasir Shah] informed Pakistan team physiotherapist Bradley Robinson that he had taken a single blood pressure tablet some 4 days previously, which had
been given to him by his wife with both (1) the Doping Control Officer who was in attendance at the time; and (2) with the ICC’s AntiDoping and Medical Officer, to whom Mr Robinson relayed his conversation with YS regarding the blood pressure medication whilst YS and the Doping Control Officer were completing the Doping Control Form.” While he is suspended, Yasir cannot play - or be involved in any capacity in - international matches, and games organised by any national cricket board or its affiliated members.
Published by Arif Nizami at Plot No 79, Sector 24, Korangi Industrial Area Karachi.
CMYK
Psl a launching pad for Pakistani youngsters, says andy Flower DUBAI: Former Zimbabwe captain and ex England coach Andy Flower Sunday says the Pakistan Twenty20 league can benefit the country’s budding players in the same way Indians have benefited from their league. The 47-year-old, who is now looking after England’s youth side and is serving as Peshawar team coach in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), said: “I think this tournament will be very good for Pakistan’s youngsters in the way the IPL (Indian Premier League) is being very good for Indian cricket. “I think there are five excellent sides and we should have brilliant cricket over the next couple of weeks and we have seen skilful performance and there is a lot of talent.” The PSL have 69 local and 29 foreign players, with high profile names in West Indian Chris Gayle and Darren Sammy, former England batsman kevin Pieteresen and Australia’s Shane Watson. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) aims to boost the national team currently eighth in one-day and seventh in Twenty20 rankings and to groom some young players. “I think it’s an interesting initiative by PCB and its important for Pakistan cricket and that it is a success. It has started successfully,” said Flower, who played 63 Tests and 213 one-day for Zimbabwe during an illustrious career. “The PSL is absolutely a launching pad for Pakistan youngsters, some of the benefits they get by mixing with overseas players and gain from their experience and they also get confidence by sharing the same nets and dressing room,” said Flower. He singled out Peshawar’s leftarm spinner Mohammad Asgher as a player for the future. “The very good example is Asgher and his performance will do him a world of good,” said Flower of the spinner who has taken five wickets for just 31 runs in eight overs in his team’s two wins. “The other factor is that the league might take away some of the myths of some of the international cricketers and allow the youngsters to understand that they are also human beings like them who are good at playing cricket and that can grow their confidence,” said Flower. AGENCIES