Afridi should apologize to nation: Sarfraz ISLAMABAD—Former Test cricketer Sarfraz Nawaz feels Twenty20 skipper Shahid Afridi should apologize to the Pakistani nation for his recent comments regardi n g having more love in India than in Pakistan. Afridi had said that the love he had got in India was something that he would always remember and he had not got this much love even in Pakistan. Talking to APP, he said what Afridi is today is just because of the love of Pakistani nation. “A performer like Afridi whose performance has always been inconsistent is still getting all the fame and respect just because of the love of the Pakistani nation for him,” he said. He said in order for Pakistan team to do better in the World Twenty20 it is very important that Afridi performs well in the mega event. “Afridi’s performance will matter a lot for Pakistan in the World T20,” he said.—APP
Failure in World T20 will legitimise selection of new side: Qadir I SLAMABAD—Former leg spinner Abdul Qadir on Tuesday urged Pakistan team to turn from an unpredictable to a consistent outfit, advising PCB to make wholesale chan-ges in the current side should they fail to perform in t h e Wo r l d Twenty 20 in India. He reminded the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the players like Twenty20 skipper Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Muhammad Sami, Muhammad Hafeez etc. have been tested time and again. “Therefore after the World T20 they should be discarded if they failed yet again”.he said. The deceptive leg-spinner of the 1980s analysed that a lot of talented cricketers were playing the first-class domestic cricket. “PCB must give them chance in the Pakistan team,” he said, adding the PCB and selectors should stop favouritism.— APP
UN suspends Sharapova as goodwill ambassador LONDON—Maria Sharapova has been suspended as a goodwill ambassador by the United Nations after the former world number one admitted she h a d tested positive for the banned substance meldonium at t h i s year’s Australian Open. The U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), for which the five-times grand slam winner became a goodwill ambassador in February 2007, suspended the Russian until the outcome of the investigation into her case is known. “In light of Ms Sharapova’s recent announcement, we last week suspended her role as a Goodwill Ambassador and any planned activities while the investigation continues. We wish Ms Sharapova the best,” the UNDP told Reuters in an emailed statement.—AFP
Spin gamble pays off, N Zealand spank India by 47 runs NAGPUR—A dramatic Indian target of 127, India went off to a off 20 balls) was the highest of three batsmen to even reach
batting collapse saw New nightmare start as left-handed their much-vaunted batting at- double figures, with only four Zealand claim a 47-run win as opener Shikhar Dhawan was tack. Dhoni, Ashwin and Kohli batsmen outscoring the four exthe hosts and favourites were trapped in front of the stumps by (27 off 27 balls) were the only tras conceded by New Zealand. By the time Adam Milne castled Ashish Nehra to dismiss India on 79 and claim the only wicket by a New Zealand fast-bowler in the match, the result was all but academic. Earlier in the day, it had been a similarly catastrophic start for New Zealand as Martin Guptill kicked off the World T20 with a six off the first ball before being given leg-before on the second. Replays though showed the ball would have missed the stumps. The dangerous Colin Munro was dismissed by Nehra in the next to make it 13-2. The usually reliable Williamson was the next to go as New Zealand slumped to 35-3. Some consolidation in the middle overs by Corey Anderson (34 off 42 balls) and Santner (18 off 17), and some fireworks by Luke Ronchi (an unbeaten 21 not out off 11 balls) helped New Ish Sodhi got the big wicket of Virat Kohli, India v New Zealand, World T20 2016, Zealand to 126-7.—AFP Group 2, Nagpur. dismissed for just 79 at a shell- McCullum in the first over, shocked Vidarbha Cricket Asso- missing a sweep. Rohit Sharma ciation Stadium in Jamtha, was the next to go, stumped off India innings: Nagpur in the opening 2016 man-of-the-match Santner in New Zealand innings: lbw b Ashwin ................ 6 Sharma b Santner ..................... 5 World T20 match on Tuesday. the third over, as the Indian bats- Guptill Williamson b Raina ................... 8 Dhawan lbw b McCullum ......... 1 What made India’s failure men had no answer to the spin C Munro b Nehra ....................... 7 V Kohli b Sodhi ...................... 23 of New Zealand. with the bat all the more remarkAnderson b Bumrah ................ 34 Raina b Santner ......................... 1 The wickets continued to Taylor run out .......................... 10 Yuvraj c & b McCullum ........... 4 able was the way it was brought tumble as the Indian batsmen MJ Santner b Jadeja ................ 18 Dhoni b Santner ....................... 30 about primarily by spin. lbw b Santner ................ 1 Indian-born leg-spinner Ish struggled to find the middle of Elliott run out ............................ 9 Pandya not out ......................... 21 RA Jadeja c & b Sodhi ............. 0 Sodhi claimed 3-18 in his four the bat. Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Ronchi McCullum not out ..................... 0 R Ashwin b Sodhi .................... 10 overs, while left-arm spinner Singh, Virat Kohli, Hardik Extras: (b 4, lb 3, w 6) ............. 13 A Nehra b Milne ........................ 0 Mitchell Santner claimed 4-11 Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja all Total: (7 wickets; JJ Bumrah not out ..................... 0 in his full quota. Nathan followed in quick succession to 20 overs) ................................. 126 Extras: (w 3, nb 1) ..................... 4 (all out; 18.1 overs) ....... 79 McCullum, the third spinner in leave India 43-7 after just 10.2. Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-13, 3-35, 4- Total: Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-10, 3-12, 4-26, 5The chase was all but over 61, 5-89, 6-98, 7-114 the New Zealand team, claimed 39, 6-42, 7-43, 8-73, 9-79, 10-79 Bowling: ..................... O-M-R-W 2-15 in three overs to fully jus- by then but skipper MS Dhoni R Ashwin ....................... 4-0-32-1 Bowling: ..................... O-M-R-W tify skipper Kane Williamson’s gave it a little bit of respectabil- A Nehra .......................... 3-1-20-1 McCullum ..................... 3-0-15-2 Anderson ....................... 3-0-18-0 decision to bat first and play with ity as he made 30 off 30 balls. Bumrah .......................... 4-0-15-1 Santner ........................... 4-0-11-4 Such was the state of India’s only one genuine quick in the SK Raina ........................ 4-0-16-1 Elliott ............................... 2-0-9-0 innings that Dhoni’s 30-run stand Jadeja ............................. 4-0-26-1 AF Milne ...................... 2.1-0-8-1 side in Adam Milne. Chasing a seemingly simple with Ravichandran Ashwin (10 Pandya ........................... 1-0-10-0 IS Sodhi ......................... 4-0-18-3
Afridi recovers from ‘light-fever’ to play WT20 opener against BD Not barred from practice session or media: PCB ISLAMABAD—Pakistan’s T20 captain Shahid Afridi, who missed the team’s training session on Tuesday, will be available for Pakistan’s World T20 opener against Bangladesh on
Wednesday. Afridi missed Pakistan’s net-session due to illness, which according to team management was “light-fever”. Pakistan’s team management confirmed from Kolkata that Afridi has recovered well and shall be available for the match against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens tomorrow. “Shahid Afridi feeling much better after resting up and a spell in sauna/Jacuzzi, he shall play tomorrow in Pakistan’s first game in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup against Bangladesh,” informed an official of Pakistan cricket team. However, fast bowler Muhammad Sami has yet to fully recover from the toe injury. “Sami is on the recovery curve, but had still not recovered enough to take part in the training today, and is also unlikely to feature in the match against Bangladesh tomorrow,” the official added. Muhammad Sami was hit on toe during Pakistan’s net sessions on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday denied that it had barred Shahid Afridi from practice sessions or press talks while the T20 skipper appealed to fans to see his recent comments about “being loved more in India” in the right perspective. According to reports reaching here from India, the PCB asked Afridi to miss the practice session on Tuesday and even instructed him to avoid the press before the match against Bangladesh on Wednesday. Afridi touched off some kind of controversy with his remark in Kolkata “We don’t get such love even from Pakistan”. Talking to APP, a PCB official said the board had not asked Afridi to miss the practice session on Tuesday or to avoid the press in Kolkata. “How can the board do such a thing when the captain is the center of attraction in such a main International Cricket Council (ICC) event,” he said. He said though Afridi’s statement had broken many hearts in Pakistan, the board cannot bar him from interacting to media or from participating in the practice session. Meanwhile, on a social networking website, Afridi clarified that he was not trying to belittle Pakistani fans. “I am not just captain of the Pakistan cricket team but I am representing all the Pakistani people here (in India). I think if one looks at my comment in a positive way then it is obvious that I did not mean to say that anybody else would matter more to me than Pakistani fans. My whole identity comes from Pakistan,” Afridi said. “I merely gave a diplomatic statement so that the message that goes to the world is that cricket brings people together and Indo-Pak relations have always got a boost because of cricket,” Afridi clarified. “I think I made a positive statement on behalf of my country but if somebody looks at it negatively, he would get a negative message. But my intention was positive,” he added.—APP
Wawrinka advances, Murray bows out in Indian Wells INDIAN WELLS (United States)—French Open tennis calendar outside of the four Grand Slams.
Pakistan hope to turn it around against emerging Bangladesh
champ Stan Wawrinka reached the Indian Wells fourth round while world No. 2 Andy Murray suffered a shock third-round exit at the hands of
KOLKATA—Bangladesh will look to com- nal of the Asia Cup which they lost to India. reporters in Kolkata. pound the misery of beleaguered Pakistan today (Wednesday) in their opening group match of the World Twenty20, fresh from humbling their arch-rivals in the Asia Cup. Despite their recent improvements in 50over cricket, Bangladesh have a rotten record in the World T20 and have never beaten Pakistan in the premier tournament of cricket’s shortest format. But they will fancy their chances like never before at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens against a team who are on a miserable run and whose preparations have been hit by their late arrival in India in a row over security. Bangaladesh cruised through last week’s preliminary round and know that a victory over Pakistan will set them up nicely if they are to make the semi-finals for the first time. Star batsman Tamim Iqbal is in the form of his life, scoring Bangladesh’s first ever international T20 century in Sunday’s victory over Oman after scores of 83 and 47 in the first two games. Fans in the cricket-mad nation held impromptu street parties earlier this month when Bangladesh clinched a five-wicket win over Pakistan in Dhaka, sealing a place in the fi-
Mashrafe Mortaza’s side can expect strong support from their fellow Bengalis in what is the capital of the Indian state of West
Bengal. But Afridi said Pakistan had a good record at Eden Gardens, including a convincing victory over India in an ODI in January 2013. “We have very good memories over here and we are pretty much confident,” he told
Afridi landed himself in hot water at the weekend when he said he had received more “love” from fans in India than back home, comments that incensed former Pakistan skipper Javed Mianded. Bangladesh’s build-up has been serene in comparison. But after seeing off Oman, the Netherlands and Ireland in the preliminaries, Mortaza knows the hard work now begins in a group that includes India, Australia and New Zealand. “In that group you can’t make any mistakes, you have to be up to the mark everywhere,” said the veteran bowler. Teams: Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Abu Hider, AlAmin Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), Anwar Ali, Imad Wasim, Khalid Latif, Ahmad Shahzad, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Sami, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Sharjeel Khan, Umar Akmal, Wahab Riaz—AFP
claycourt specialist Federico Delbonis on Monday. Wawrinka toppled Andrey Kuznetsov 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) in the third round of the ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament and two-time Grand Slam winner Murray lost 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3) to 53rd ranked Argentinian Delbonis. Wawrinka, who turns 31 later this month, has won two titles this year in Chennai and Dubai but has never made it past the quarter-finals in Indian Wells, one of the biggest events on the
Wawrinka next faces 15th seeded David Goffin of Belgium, who beat Guido Pella 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Murray’s exit left things wide open in the bottom half of the men’s draw, where Wawrinka, Richard Gasquet, Marin Cilic, Milos Raonic and Tomas Berdych all advanced. Wawrinka is on a nine-match win streak in finals after beating Marcos Baghdatis in Dubai. He captured his third consecutive Chennai crown in January. Last year he won four titles, including his stunning 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 upset win over world No. 1 Novak Djokovic to claim his first French Open crown. Murray, 28, was playing in his first ATP Tour tournament since losing to Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open in January. “It was a tough one to lose,” Murray said of the loss to Delbonis. “I fought hard to get into a winning position. “I couldn’t go for my shots and when I did I made mistakes.” Murray, who became a father on February 7 with the birth of his daughter Sophia Oliva, looked rusty after his layoff. Murray’s forehand on match point sailed well wide and long, ending the two hour, 46 minute contest on Stadium Court.—AFP
Waqar backs Afridi on ‘India love’ row
Skipper tried to pacify Indian crowd: Gavaskar KOLKATA: Coach Waqar Younis stood by his build-up to the tournament has been embroiled
skipper Shahid Afridi Tuesday over his declaration that Pakistan’s cricketers receive more love in India than back home, saying critics should stop stirring up trouble. Former Pakistani captain Javed Miandad has been at the forefront of the outrage over Afridi’s comments at the weekend shortly after the team’s delayed arrival for the World Twenty20 being played in India. But Younis said Afridi’s critics were making something out of nothing and he should not be criticised for wearing his heart on his sleeve. “This is something he felt. It’s his emotions,” the former fast bowler told reporters in Kolkata on the eve of Pakistan’s opening match in the World Twenty20 against Bangladesh. “I believe we should leave it at that rather than creating a controversy out of nothing. We are here to play cricket, to beat teams,” he said ahead of Pakistan’s opening rubber against Bangladesh. “My message to the boys is just leave everything behind. This is about playing some quality cricket and playing for the nation.” In a press conference in Kolkata on Sunday, Afridi said that Pakistan had always enjoyed playing in India and “have been loved by Indians crowds more than crowds back home Japan’s FC Tokyo forward Burns Nathan (L) and China’s Jiangsu FC defender Zhou Yun (R) fight for the ball during in Pakistan.” their AFC champions league group E football match in Tokyo. The comments raised eyebrows as Pakistan’s
in controversy over whether they would be allowed to travel to arch-rivals India. They agreed
to take the trip only after negotiations with India over security arrangements and the shifting of their match against the hosts to Kolkata from Dharamsala. Diplomatic tensions between the two countries have meant that the two teams have not played any bilateral series for more than three years, and their rivalry is restricted to multi-national tournaments such as the World T20. India’s batting great Sunil Gavaskar on Tuesday said Afridi’s comments would help dull the hostility of the usually raucous home crowd at Eden Gardens, the venue for the much-awaited India-Pakistan tie on March 19. “Emotions run high whenever India play Pakistan,” Gavaskar told the NDTV news network.—AFP