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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday March 6, 2015
Let us play at home to improve our game: Waqar Pakistan coach Waqar Younis By Greg Stutchbury NAPIER, (Reuters) - Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) and other cricketing countries to return to playing matches in the strife-torn nation. Pakistan have not played a series at home since February 2009 when the Sri Lanka team bus was attacked in Lahore and six policemen and a van driver were killed. Several members of the Sri Lanka team were also in-
jured in the attack. Since then Pakistan have played all of their ‘home’ series in UAE, whom they beat by 129 runs at McLean Park on Wednesday. “Pakistan need teams to come to Pakistan,” the 43-year-old former fast bowler told reporters. “That’s what the ICC and world cricket can do to help us out by restarting cricket in Pakistan. “It is a huge loss that cricket is not being played in Pakistan and of course
you can see the symptoms. “That’s the help we can ask for from the cricketing world.” Pakistan have struggled at the World Cup, with their only victories coming against Zimbabwe, which was only by 20 runs, and then UAE on Wednesday. Their batsmen have all struggled, though on Wednesday, four of the top five all scored above 40 with Ahmed Shehzad top-scoring with 93 before he was run-out. The only concern was Nasir Jamshed, who scored just four runs, taking his World Cup total to five runs in three innings, and his performance was heavily criticised by Pakistani media on Wednesday. Waqar, however, refused to vilify Jamshed, whose
BCCI warns Kohli against repeat of misbehaviour NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) - India’s batting mainstay Virat Kohli has been censured for his ugly outburst against a travelling Indian journalist in Perth and has been advised to maintain dignity, the country’s cricket board said yesterday. Known equally for his silken touch with the bat and a penchant for run-ins with opposition players, Test captain Kohli swore at the journalist over a story about his personal life after Tuesday’s net session at the Murdoch Oval. The 26-year-old subsequently realised it was a case of mistaken identity and apologised through another journalist. Team media manager R.N. Baba initially issued a statement terming it a “misunderstanding” and denying abusive languages were used. But Board of Control for Cricket in In-
dia (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur said the team management in Australia has been warned against any such incident in future. “The player in question has been told to maintain the dignity of the Indian team at all times, and avoid any such behaviour in the future,” Thakur said in statement. “The BCCI would like to request the concerned parties to move on, and focus on the Indian cricket team’s campaign.” Kohli, who struck a century in India’s 76-run win against Pakistan in their tournament opener, was fined half of his match fee in 2012 for responding to barracking from the crowd by gesturing at them with his middle finger during a Sydney Test. Holders India take on West Indies in their next Pool B match at Perth tomorrow.
Brooklyn X2 Linden Inter-ward double-header kicks off at MSC tonight BROOKLYN X2 Promotions headed by Marlon Washington will stage their Linden Inter-ward football championship with $1M in cash prizes at stake from today at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground. The first game of the championship will start at 19:00hrs when Block 22 tackle Canvas City and the second game of the double-header feature is at 21:00hrs between Silvercity Valley and Trainline. This tournament, the first in a number of years, will continue on Sunday with another double-header - Blueberry Hill and Wisrock at 19:00hrs and Canvas City and Christianburg at 21:00hrs.
A number of sponsors have given support to this tournament which has at stake $400 000 for the winner, secondplacers will receive $200 000, third-placers $125 000 and fourth-placers $75 000. Among the sponsors are Ansa McAl Trading Limited, through its Stag Beer brand, Anita Bissoon, McRae’s Supermarket, Babaloo Car Rental, Snooks Variety Store, Foreign Links, Jermain and Sons, Dave and Celina, Rubigees, Pharmacy, Mark’s Shoe World, Chris Paul, Elain Benjamin. There will be half-time shows and football giveaways throughout the tournament.
fielding was also atrocious, and said he hoped the confidence his batsmen got on Wednesday would help pick the team up for their remaining matches against South Africa and Ireland. “I still feel that Pakistan
need an extra batsmen in the lineup but our batsmen are out-of-form and we are not getting what we are looking for from them,” he said. “If you look around the different teams, they are picking up. You can see
India picking up very late. “Teams like South Africa lost badly and are picking up. “That’s what we are hoping, that all these boys who got runs today can carry on with it.”