SPORTS Thursday, 14 May, 2015
Pakistan blame game in full flow after bangladesh debacle
KaRachi
P
AGENCIES
AKISTAN’S cricket chiefs face a battle to address the reasons behind their disastrous tour to Bangladesh as they gear up for their first home series against Test opposition in six years. Pakistan slumped to ninth in the ICC one-day international table — their lowest since rankings were introduced in 2002 — after losing the ODI series to minnows Bangladesh 3-0, threatening their participation in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England where only top eight teams will feature. The tourists also suffered their first ever Twenty20 defeat against Bangladesh. Although they managed to win the two-Test series 1-0 with victory in the second Test last week, the national pastime of inquisition and blame game is back in full flow. Legendary paceman and 1992 World Cup-winning
captain Imran Khan termed the Bangladesh one-day series defeat as “unimaginable” while former captain Ramiz Raja described it as “the lowest point in country’s cricket history”. As a bewildering number of former players and captains line up to have their say, those who currently govern the game are pointing their fingers towards the system over which they preside. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan promised a “serious review” and labelled the firstclass system as “completely flawed” and fitness of the players as “worst in the world.” A procession of players withdrew with injuries from the Bangladesh tour, highlighting the lack of a fitness regime and the mistakes made in allowing players to come back to the rigours of international cricket without proper match practice. The post-mortem comes as Pakistan prepare to face Zimbabwe in a mini-series of Twenty20s and three one-day in-
ternationals — the formats where the team has fared worst of late — with the African side keen to upset the hosts. No Test-playing team has toured Pakistan since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009, leaving eight people dead and seven visiting players injured. Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who retired from one-day cricket after World Cup in March, called for a united effort to arrest the decline. For decades Imran has blamed a flawed first-class system as being detrimental to the national side, but analysts counter that it produced players in the past of the calibre of Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Inzamam-ul-Haq. That argument doesn’t wash with former Test captain Inzamam. “Look, with the passage of time our first-class system didn’t get better,” he told AFP. “The lack of ‘A’ team tours hurt us badly, because that is the stage where
we can mature our fringe players.” The absence of any international cricket on Pakistan soil since a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009 has also been detrimental. PCB officials say countries refuse even to send ‘A’ teams because of security fears. Such tours are normally arranged on a reciprocal basis meaning no Pakistan ‘A’ team has played outside the nation’s adopted ‘home’ grounds in the United Arab Emirates for five years. Fast bowler Wahab Riaz and batsman Umar Akmal rose to senior level after the last Pakistan ‘A’ tour to Australia in 2009 and Inzamam said until fringe players tour abroad they cannot make the step up to Test and ODI level. “We need to send our players to countries like England, Australia and South Africa. If we don’t then we will not be able to groom them for higher levels,” said Inzamam. Other critics are demanding changes in the coaching staff, with head coach Waqar Younis, under whom Pakistan have lost five oneday series since he took over in June last year, the prime target. “I think it is best if Waqar steps down himself after the appalling performance in the one-day series,” said former captain Rashid Latif. “Bangladesh have improved their cricket but still to lose in such a manner to them is not tolerable and for this the management is responsible,” said Latif. Zimbabwe’s tour, which takes place from May 22 to May 31 is expected to be a tough contest, particularly after the retirement of key all-rounder Shahid Afridi and the loss of Misbah from oneday international duty. But Pakistan can also take heart by the way their bowlers — especially pacemen Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan and Yasir Shah dismantled Bangladesh’s batting in the final Test.
aamer focuSed on World tWenty20 return for pakiStan FAISALABAD: Fast bowler Mohammad Aamer said on Tuesday he was focused on joining Pakistan s national side for next year s World Twenty20 tournament after impressive bowling in a key domestic event. The 23-year-old, who was banned with then Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and pace partner Mohammad Asif in a spot-fixing case in England in 2010, has been allowed to play in domestic matches before his fiveyear ban ends on September 2. On Monday, the left-armer picked up a wicket for the Rawalpindi Rams in a Twenty20 match, on his first legitimate ball after earlier delivering a wide. “I enjoyed bowling in the match and picking up a wicket so early was exciting,” Aamer told a foreign news agency on Tuesday. “My focus is on returning for Pakistan in the World Twenty20 in India next year.” Aamer took 22 wickets in last month s Patron s Trophy, which is one level below domestic first-class cricket. It marked an impressive return since the International Cricket Council (ICC) relaxed his five-year ban in January this year. The decision came after the Pakistan Cricket Board requested the ICC allow him to play domestic cricket a few months before his ban officially expires in September. At that point, the PCB will decide on his comeback to the national team. At the time of his ban, Aamer was one of the best bowlers in international cricket, having taken 51 wickets in Tests, 25 in one-day internationals and 23 in Twenty20 matches. AGENCIES
James rodriguez urges real madrid fans to back under-fire iker casillas
Umar Akmal joins Leicestershire for T20 Blast Steven Gerrard had loSt ‘buzz’ playinG for liverpool SPORTS DESK Steven Gerrard revealed that a lack of “buzz” led to his decision to quit Liverpool. The outgoing Anfield captain has been limited to 23 starts for Liverpool in the Premier League. He will join LA during the close season after signing an 18-month deal. “I think the signs this year were that I’m going to become a squad player, play less,” said Gerrard in an interview with ESPN. “I’m going to come on as a sub and the buzz changes. It’s not a selfish thing; coming on as a sub is just not the same buzz so things have changed this year. “When a manager gets you into the office and says that’s going to change and it’s going to become more limited — that’s when you make your decision. “For me, I go to work on a Monday morning and I look forward to Saturday, to prepare to go to battle with some wonderful people - with good mates - and that’s my buzz.” Gerrard has urged club owner John Henry to fund the club this summer. “Hopefully the owners will dig deep so the squad can be strengthened with the quality needed to bring more good times in the future,” said Gerrard.
SPORTS DESK Leicestershire have announced the signing of Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal to play in the NatWest T20 Blast as cover for Grant Elliott. Akmal will be available to play in four games in June, while Elliott is with New Zealand for their ODI series against England. “This will be my first time playing T20 for a county and I am very excited to be handed this opportunity,” Akmal said. “The club have put their trust in me so I will give my 100 percent efforts to repay their faith.”
Akmal was a member of Pakistan’s World Cup squad and has played 170 limited-overs internationals for his country. Elliott and Akmal will share the second overseas slot during the Blast, with former Australia international Clint McKay available across all formats. Leicestershire’s head coach, Andrew McDonald, said: “It is brilliant that we are signing a player of Umar’s quality for when Grant is on international duty with New Zealand. Our fans should get the chance to see Umar at Grace Road on Friday, June 12, and
we are all looking forward to him showcasing his skills over the course of the four games.” Leicestershire, who won the last of their three T20 titles in 2011, begin their Blast campaign on Friday against Lancashire. Akmal is expected to play in fixtures against Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Warwickshire and Yorkshire. “It is fantastic to have Umar with us when Grant goes to play for New Zealand,” Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove said. “Along with Clint, we have highclass overseas players to supplement the young talent we have here.”
Published by Arif Nizami at Qandeel Printing Press, 4 Queens Road, Lahore.
CMYK
James Rodriguez has reacted to the jeers directed at Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend. A section of the Santiago Bernabeu crowd blamed Casillas for both Los Che goals and he was subjected to whistles for over an hour of the game. However, James defended the Spain international ahead of his side’s Champions League semi-final second leg clash with Juventus on Wednesday. “When you are on the pitch you are totally focused and don’t hear the whistles,” the Colombian told gathered media. “When one person is whistled then I believe we are all whistled. We should be united and supporting one another. Our fans should be our 12th man. “Casillas is our captain. He has won a lot of trophies here and you have to respect him for that.” Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon also lent his support to opposite number Casillas ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid. Casillas was again whistled by a section of the crowd during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, but Buffon feels it is unfair to single out a player who has won so much in his time with Los Blancos. “I don’t want to give Iker any advice because it’s a personal situation,” he told a press conference. “But I find the protest against him to be an ungrateful gesture. This guy has been wearing a Real Madrid shirt for 20 years. “He’s certainly received a lot from this club but he’s also given them a great deal too. Certain icons do not deserve this kind of treatment.” SPORTS DESK