World Twenty20 starts in Sri Lanka HAMBANTOTA (Sri Lanka)— temples, and turn the page on which has revolutionised the Hosts Sri Lanka open cricket’s World Twenty20 against Zimbabwe Tuesday, kicking off the country’s biggest ever sports event—and just three years after the end of a bloody civil war. Mahela Jayawardene’s men will take the field in Hambantota, the southeastern home town of President Mahinda Rajapakse, with hopes high they can end a 16-year wait for their second global title in front of their cricket-obsessed fans. The match, at 7:30 pm (1400 GMT), starts a threeweek cricket fiesta involving 12 teams in coastal Hambantota, hill town Pallekele and the capital Colombo, where the fourth World Twenty20 champions will be crowned on October 7. The tournament offers the “Teardrop Island” the chance to showcase its lush landscapes, beaches and
HAMBANTOTA: Sri Lanka team assembles for the national anthem during Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, Group C, World T20 2012.
Grand Peace Sports Festival 2012 begins P ESHAWAR—A grand Peace Sports Festival carrying 24 different Games including three for special people got under way in a colourful opening ceremony held at Gen Ihsan Sports Complex Mardan under the aegis Directorate of Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. MNA and former Nazim District Mardan Himatullah Mayar was the chief guest on this occasion who formally inaugurated the festival. Director Development Sports Mir Bashar, District Sports Officer, Syed Saqlain Shah, Assistant Director Jamshed Baloch, Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Baseball Association Wisal Khan, President and Secretaries of various District Association, officials and players were also present. Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti will be the chief guest at the concluding ceremony wherein the festival will continue till September 23, 2012.—APP
Team India’s World Cup motivator backs ‘superstitious blues’ BIPIN DANI OBSERVER CORRESPONDENT M UMBAI —Mike Horn, the South-African born Swiss explorer and adventurer has backed BCCI’s decision to ask the players to wear old jersy. Speaking exclusively from Durban on the day when the “superstitious blues” lost their ICC World Twenty20 Warm-up Match against Pakistan, he said, “Change is not always good. It is their belief and they are professionals. I support their decision”. “Team India wants to create a familiar environment, the environment of success. It might sound like superstition but it is one less thing
to blame when things go wrong. In this way the players approach the game with an advantage for them the other teams remember losing agains those jersey”, he further added. The Indian cricket board has asked the team members to stick to the jerseys they wore during their 50-over World Cup triumph last year as a good-luck charm. Interestingly, Mike Horn was a member of the support staff that won the title. During 2010 and 2011, he conducted motivational sessions for the Indian Team at the request of its mental coach and friend, Paddy Upton. (Both studied together in South Africa). Dhoni’s team went on to win the 2011 Cricket World Cup after 28 years and the
significance of Mike Horn’s presence in the victory was acknowledged by all players of Indian Team. “All the teams have potential to win. The difference can be made how the teams prepare themselves psychologically”, he said before preparing to sail to Abu Dhabi. “I will be sailing on the Indian ocean during the 20/20 and have to finish my Pangaea project”, he signed off. The Guest Motivational Speaker will be missed in the ICC World Twenty20 both terams, India and South Africa. Recently, he joined South African team in England where his team went on and won the series 2 - 0 with one Test drawn, and gained top ICC ranking.
5-member body formed to look after cricketing affairs P E S H AWA R —A 5-member committee formed to look after the cricketing affairs of the Peshawar Region Cricket Association with one member each from five different districts took part. This was stated by President Peshawar District Cricket Association Syed Fayyaz Ali Shah while talking to APP here on Tuesday. He said to promote the cricketing affairs, representatives from all five districts comprising Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Tank, Kohat and Peshawar held a meeting in which it was decided unanimously to take all decisions with consensus. “We will take any of the decision before holding meeting including members of all five districts. No decision would be taken on individual basis,” he said.—APP
Kamran Akmal’s was a fairy-tale story Comments Salahuddin Haider EVEN terminologies like flabbergasting, astounding, etc will fall short as inappropriate descriptions. Kamran Akmal’s knock at Colombo in the warm up match against India Monday, was out of this world, seldom seen, and in fact looked like a fairy-tale story. His unbeaten 92 in 50 deliveries, glittering with 5 fours and 6 sixes, refreshed memories of Saleem Malik’s unforgettable inning at Calcutta ODI against India in early 80s, or the Kapil Dev heroics at the 1983 World Cup against Zimbabwe. He turned tables on his rivals with a lavish 175 when chips were down for India, and ultimately led India to a memorable title win. Kapil’s aggression, proved the turning point for his country in that Third World Cup.In fact Kapil had such a huge contribution in that tournament’s final that will remain fresh in memory for a long, long time to come. Saleem Malik too, with his lusty hitting, and all of them were glorious shorts, snatched an the victory from under India’s nose. He secured 77 run s in 7 overs, and did for Pakistan which looked nothing short of a miracle. Kamran’s cutting loose at the 4th edition of the T-20 World Cup preparatory con-
test, was equally formidable, if not greater than the two examples cited above. From 91 for 5 the wicker-keeper batsman, in company with veteran Shoaib Malik, collected the remaining 95 in just 46 deliveries to leave Dhoni and his team mates stunned, shell shocked, and virtually in tears. Victory was in India’s pocket, but then the sixth wicket partnership chased a target, which looked elusive from the beginning. They proved the proverb that “hoping against hope” is also achievable. Only the will was needed. Kamran knew he was playing perhaps a life time innings, and achieved what seemed almost impossible. Credit, equally great and worthy of praise, goes to Shoaib Malik, who gave a remarkable support to Akmal, and in the process showed his welcome return to form. Malik was almost on the verge of being sidelined. But in this match, he seems to have regained his place in the team. Hafiz’s confidence in Malik, often drew criticism, but yesterday he proved that experience has no alternative. Malik was out of touch, both with bat and ball for a considerable length of time, but yesterday, he proved the proverbial saying that class in permanent. His 37 at crucial time, looked like a towering strength to the side. His six off the last ball of the penultimate over, came at the most oppor-
tune moment.It reduced the target to mere 6 more in the last over of the game. On the successive delivery, Akmal, effortlessly sent the full toss to over the fence in the covers, and Pakistan recorded the victory with 5 balls to spare. The warm up match had many messages, and lessons for the Pakistani coach and captain, and for the rest of participants in the competition, which began on Tuesday. The competing teams now know that on a given day, Pakistan can be the most dangerous side in the world. Its bowling had always been delivering. Batting abilities were a big question mark. But in this match, openers, Hafiz and Imran Nazir gave a flying start at an average of almost 10 an hover. But the fall of Imran Nazir, and then the unnecessary run out of in-form Nasir Jamshed, were the point, providing food for thought for tournament selectors, especially Hafiz, whose confidence in Imran Nazir, now seems overrated. The batsman has been in the Pakistan side for almost ten years, in and out, in and out, tried several times, and yet is to make his place permanent. The way he got out, will have make Hafiz think, whether he had to change the opening paid. Haifz himself needs to come at one down.
And Kamran Akmal could be tried at number 3 or 4. He was elevated in the batting order in the match, rose to the trust reposed in him.Nasir Jamshed was just wasted. At a run rate of almost ten an over, there was hardly any need for Hafiz to call for a run, and sacrifice his one of the finest stroke players. The second big question is about Umar Akmal, and Shahid Afridi. The latter is over the hill, seems to have developed back problem, which was evident from his body language. He should concentrate on bowling and try to regain his line and length. Afridi has been a match winner for Pakistan with his leg breaks but on a flat wicket, he could have maintained his lent and length to contain Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, the two playing great knocks to pile up a mountain of runs with their 127 run partnership for the third wicket. The Pakistan bowling too needs to be looked at. Many an experts would concur that Mohammad Sami, is now more of a liability that asset. His conceded far too many run in two overs, in the opening one specially when he was thrashed all over. Good luck for Pakistan, Sehwag was out early, and so was Guatam Gambhir. In the tournament, where Pakistan is to play its first match on Sept 23, Razzak needed to be preferred. Sami has to be sidelined now permanently.
the 37-year ethnic conflict that claimed up to 100,000 lives. In 2009, Rajapakse’s government declared victory over the Tamil Tiger rebels, a group notorious for suicide bombings. The brutal final offensive prompted a UN Human Rights Council resolution against Sri Lanka earlier this year. “The T20 World Cup programme will provide an excellent platform to endorse the new Sri Lanka brand during the next three weeks,” said Nivard Cabraal, the central bank governor. “I am confident that this trend will continue in the future, and those so-called international calls for (war crimes) investigation will fade away,” he told AFP. Sri Lanka start the tournament as marginal favourites, although predictions are notoriously difficult in cricket’s shortest format,
sport and divided opinion since its introduction in 2003. Home advantage will help the hosts, who have a wellbalanced side including the newly crowned cricketer of the year, wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara. Sri Lanka won the 50over World Cup in 1996 and have reached the tournament’s two most recent finals, along with the 2009 World Twenty20 title match which they lost to Pakistan. “Lots of people have asked us why we have choked in the finals,” skipper Jayawardene said. “I’d rather be in that situation than being knocked out in earlier rounds.” Defending champions England arrive with a youthful squad shorn of star batsman Kevin Pietersen, who is in international exile after a sequence of bust-ups with team management.—AFP
England leave out Pietersen for India tour L ONDON —Kevin Pietersen has been left out of England’s Test squad for the tour of India as the controversial batsman pays the price for the text message scandal that has left his international career in tatters. Pietersen was dropped for the final Test against South Africa after sending texts to opposition players that contained criticism of then England captain Andrew Strauss. The South Africa-born star has since met England coach Andy Flower for clearthe-air talks, but there are still issues to be resolved and that meant there was no place for Pietersen on the plane to India. While Pietersen remains in exile at present, England cricket managing director Hugh Morris left the door open for the 32-year-old to return to the fold in the future. “Both ECB and England team management have had meetings with Kevin Pietersen to address the issues which led to his omission from the final Test match against South Africa,” Morris said on Tuesday. These discussions remain private and confidential and as there are issues still to be resolved Kevin has not been considered for selection for the India tour.” Strauss retired from all cricket in the immediate aftermath of the Pietersen row and the fall-out from a stormy few months for English cricket continues to be felt. Distracted by the controversy over Pietersen, England lost their place on top of the Test rankings to South Africa after being beaten by the Proteas in the recent series. There were also reports that Pietersen’s relationship with the rest of his England team-mates had deteriorated over recent months and it has proved impossible to resolve
so much conflict in just a few weeks. Pietersen’s omission and the selectors’ decision to drop Essex batsman Ravi Bopara after poor run of form this year paved the way for two uncapped batsmen to be included in Alastair Cook’s 16man squad for the four-match Test series. Somerset’s Nick Compton and Yorkshire’s Joe Root have been called up after both enjoyed impressive seasons in English county cricket. Compton, the 29-year-old grandson of England great Denis Compton, was the top English batsman in the county championship with an average of 99. Root opened the batting for Yorkshire, averaging 43.41 and winning the Cricket Writers Club Young Cricketer of the Year award on Monday. The 21-year-old is being
lined up to fill the gap left by Strauss’s shock retirement. The squad includes three spin bowlers, Samit Patel, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann, as England adapt to the demands of playing on the slow pitches in India. Speaking about the two uncapped batsmen, national selector Geoff Miller said: “Nick Compton has performed well consistently for Somerset in County cricket this season, made big hundreds and shown that he has the temperament and the technique to play at a higher level. “Joe Root is a player who has been successful at every level from county cricket through to EPP and England Lions, and he deserves this opportunity to step up to the next level and press his case for a place in the Test side.”—Agencies
Razzak is still a utility players, perhaps more than that. He bats and bowls and is an ideal player for the shorter versions of the game. IF he replaces Sami, Pakistan can get a genuine all rounder and the team would look not only more balanced, but gain in strength immensely, Pakistan spin attack perhaps is the best in the world today. The Indians, too, having produced some of the classic spinners to enrich the game of cricket, almost neutralized Ajmal and Afridi, as well as Hafiz, but it was the wily Saeed Ajmal who never lost heart, and had the last laugh, bowling out Rohit to break the partnership, and then claiming another skull. Kohli and Rohit showed how he has to be tackeld. They went down the line, and Indians, traditionally, being specialist players of the spin, went down the line to smother the likely turn or twists from Ajmal and Afridi, or even Hafiz, and credited themselves with tremendous success. However, for the English, the Australians, or the Newzealanders, Ajmal will be a problem. Pakistan begins the tournament as one of the likely champions, having the tournament in England, and playing yet another final, but they would have to be on their toes all the time. They need to concentrate on their fielding, which still has a ques- MULTAN: Students performing PT Show during First Tape Ball Challenge Gold Cup tion mark against it. Cricket Tournament at Government Degree College Kachehry Road.