where is Zulqarnain Haider?

Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has reportedly gone missing and did not arrive with the team at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the deciding ODI against South Africa.

PCB officials refused to comment on the matter or talk about the reasons for his non-arrival. But a cryptic message left as a status update on the player's Facebook page said: "leaving pakistan cricket because get bad msg fr 1 man fr lose the match in last game." A TV reporter for Geo, a leading Pakistani news channel, said that he had received a similar text message from Zulqarnain earlier on Monday.

Zulqarnain had hit the winning runs for Pakistan in the fourth ODI, which levelled the series against South Africa 2-2.

http://www.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/486103.html

Tigers take 2-0 lead

Bangladesh won two successive ODIs against a major opposition for the first time in history as they thrashed New Zealand by seven wickets on Monday.

Shahriar Nafees put on 127 runs for the opening stand with Imrul Kayes after the hosts' spinners had dismissed lackluster New Zealand for 173 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.

Nafees hammered a swashbuckling run-a-ball 73 including 13 fours while Kayes stroked a fine 50 off 83 balls, inclusive of four boundaries. The hosts' spinners had earlier dismissed New Zealand for 173 at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur.

Nafees hammered a swashbuckling run-a-ball 73 including 13 fours while Kayes stroked a fine 50 off 83 balls, inclusive of four boundaries, as the Tigers made 177 for 3 in 42.5 overs.


Nafees got himself out trying to up the tempo as he came down the track to drive Nathan McCullum inside out, only to hole out to his brother Brendan in the 25th over. One over later, Kayes gave Nathan his second wicket in a similar fashion, scooping to Grant Elliott.

Raqibul Hasan was unbeaten on 18 and Shakib Al Hasan on 13. Junaid Siddique made 14.

The second game of the five-match series was washed out on Oct 8 while Shakib Al Hasan's match-winning performance on Oct 5 drove the hosts to take a 1-0 lead.

Earlier, Bangladesh's slow bowlers took eight wickets between them to take the match in their grip. The Kiwis were reduced to 101 for 7, before Kyle Mills and Ross Taylor raised the total to give their bowlers something to bowl at.

Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and chose to field, and brought the spinners into the game early, having let the two seamers bowl eight overs between them. Shafiul Islam had removed the dangerous Brendon McCullum in the first over of the match, but Jesse Ryder and BJ Watling built a good foundation.

The introduction of the trio of left-arm spinners put brakes on the New Zealand run-rate. Watling soon fell attempting to hit over mid-on in the 14th over. Ryder also departed soon after, holing out to deep midwicket for 33, to give Suhrawadi Shuvo his first wicket of the match. Grant Elliott was then bowled by a superb Shakib delivery that broke sharply.

Taylor, who eventually remained unbeaten on 62, attempted to rebuild, first with Daniel Vettori (9), and then with Shanan Stewart, both oof whom perished cheaply. But he combined with tailender Mills in an explosive 72-run partnership. He slammed three sixes and two fours to bring up his fifty in 66 deliveries.

After the fielding restrictions came into play in the 37th over, a Rubel Hossain over leaked 17, one from Abdur Razzaq cost 13. Kyle Mills hit two huge straight sixes off Shakib.

Suhrawardy Shuvo was the pick of the bowlers with his incisive, economic spell of 3 for 14 in 10 overs. He was backed up by Shakib with two for 45 and Mahmudullah, 2 for six.

India crashed by Kiwis

India crashed to a humiliating 200-run defeat in the first match of the triangular ODI series against New Zealand with a pathetic bowling and batting display on Tuesday.

After the Kiwis put up a competitive 288 on the board, riding on skipper Ross Taylor (95) and Scott Styris (89), India suffered an inexplicable batting collapse to bundle out for a paltry 88 in just 29.3 overs, reports PTI.

In what turned out to be a totally lop-sided contest, only three Indian batsmen could score double figures as the Kiwis ripped through the young batting line-up to launch their campaign on a high.

It was a commanding show by the New Zealanders who relied on a 190-run stand for the fourth wicket between Taylor and Styris before Daryl Tuffey (3-34) and Kyle Mills (2-26) and Jacob Oram (2-15) shot out India to complete a convincing win.

Chasing 289 to win, openers Dinesh Karthik (14) and Virender Sehwag (19) made a watchful start but New Zealand struck twice in as many deliveries to get rid of the openers and reduce India to 39 for two in 7.1 overs.

Sehwag was the first to go when he failed to negotiate a short ball aimed at his body by Mills as the ball kissed his glove and landed safely at wicketkeeper Gerath Hopkins' hands.

Karthik then followed suit when he played Tuffey's delivery down the wrong line and missed the ball, which struck on his pads in front of the wicket.

Rohit Sharma (4) then joined Yuvraj Singh (5) but the former was sent packing in the 10th over by Tuffey and two overs later New Zealand dealt India another blow, removing Suresh Raina to leave India tottering at 50-4 in 11.2 overs.

Sharma, brought in to bolster the middle order, ended up giving catching practice to first slip of Tuffey's outside off-stump delivery.

Raina also followed his partner and edged one straight to second slip to award Tuffey his third wicket of the day.

The 32-year-old seamer came to haunt India again in the 14th over when his direct throw found skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni short of wicket as India looked down the barrel at 53-5.

Yuvraj and Ravindra Jadeja tried to stem the rot but Andy Mckay removed the former in the 17th over and eight balls later Praveen Kumar was also sent packing by Jacob Oram as India stared at an impending defeat.

Earlier, New Zealand had a disastrous start, collapsing to 28 for three in 6.5 overs but Taylor (95) and Styris (89) rescued the innings and helped New Zealand to reach 288 in 48.5 overs.

New-ball bowlers Praveen Kumar (3-43) and Ashish Nehra (4-47) shared seven wickets between them to strangle the New Zealand top and lower order and helped India bowl out their rivals inside 300.

The triangular series continues on Aug 13 when New Zealand take on hosts Sri Lanka at the same venue.

Waterboy Yuvraj Singh

Three youngsters, aged between 24 and 25, were detained by the police for allegedly heckling Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh here on Tuesday.

Yuvraj, who did not figure in the Indian XI, was carrying drinks to the cricketers during a break on the first day of the third Test when the youngsters, seated close to the pavilion, allegedly taunted the player by calling him "Waterboy."

Yuvraj subsequently complained to the Indian team management. Indian team manager Ranjib Biswal said the team would take up the issue with the local authorities.

He said "The crowd was trying to misbehave with the player in question. The police was asked to intervene and the situation was brought under control. Yuvraj was not at fault, he did not try to provoke the crowd at all. I was sitting next to Yuvraj when this happened and I can tell you they were trying to provoke the player."

Mr. Biswal added, "It’s a basic human tendency to react to situations when you are being repeatedly provoked but Yuvraj was quite restrained. The police have taken the spectators out and we will definitely lodge a complaint with the police."

There have also been allegations that Yuvraj pointed a finger at the youngsters in question.

http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/article550005.ece

Pakistan make Yousuf U-turn

Four months after being banned for damaging team morale, Mohammad Yousuf was recalled to a Pakistan side simply desperate for his experience and batting prowess.

Without Yousuf or Younis Khan in their line-up, the Pakistanis were bowled out for 80 by England to slump to a crushing 354-run defeat on Sunday in the first Test of a four-match series.

It exposed the inability of Pakistan's raw batting line-up to cope with the swinging ball in overcast English conditions and hours after the match ended Yousuf was recalled from the international wilderness.

Yousuf and Younis, Pakistan's two most experienced batsmen, were each given indefinite bans this year for their part in alleged infighting within the team.

Younis had his ban overturned on appeal and made himself available for the tour but was overlooked.

Yousuf, who has scored 7,431 runs in 88 Tests including 24 centuries, did not challenge his ban and retired, but he has since changed his mind.

CHASTENING DEFEAT

New Pakistan captain Salman Butt could do little more than reiterate his faith in the young players after the chastening defeat by England but he must be delighted by the recall of Yousuf.

"Under my captaincy we have won one, lost one," Butt said.

"I can't be that impatient. What do you expect from (the youngsters) - win every game? That will not happen.

"This is the time when you back your players. It is just a matter of putting up a performance, whether it is bowling, fielding, batting. I know they can make a comeback."

Coach Waqar Younis offered a similar upbeat assessment.

"What I have seen over the last two or three months is a big improvement (in the team) Waqar told reporters.

"I want to make a good unit out of them. It might take a few more losses, though."

Matches against South Africa later this year on the featherbed pitches of Abu Dhabi would be better venues for the development of the youngsters.

For now, Pakistan are crying out for Yousuf, who showed on the 2006 England tour that the swinging ball was not to be feared but could be countered through hard work and application.

Butt pointed out that in 2006 Pakistan did not win a Test when Yousuf and Younis were in the team along with the great Inzamam-ul-Haq but they did not then possess such a strong bowling attack.

Mohammad Asif, 18-year-old Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul form a formidable seam unit and with Yousuf back to provide backbone for the batting order, England should face a much sterner test in the next match in Birmingham starting on Friday.

England unchanged for second Pakistan Test

England named an unchanged 12-man squad on Monday for the second Test against Pakistan following their emphatic 354-run victory in the series opener that concluded on Sunday.

Seamer Tim Bresnan is again included having been called up for the first Test to replace Yorkshire team mate Ajmal Shahzad after he suffered an ankle injury but the same 11 are likely to play at Edgbaston in the match starting on Friday.

Both men bowled eight overs for their County in Sunday's 40-over match against Netherlands but Bresnan retained his place.

"Clearly we were delighted with the performance in the first Test but the key to consistency is building on that success throughout the rest of the series," national selector Geoff Miller said in a statement.

"We saw a number of outstanding performances at Trent Bridge not only with bat and ball but also in the field and the challenge is to maintain those standards over the next three Test matches."

Most capped players in Test cricket

Sachin Tendulkar - 169
Steve Waugh - 168
Allan Border - 156
Ricky Ponting - 146
Shane Warne - 145

Stumpy' name of 2011 WC mascot ‎

With 200 days to go before the first ball is bowled in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the event mascot's name was unveiled in a simple but impressive ceremony at P Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo on Monday ahead of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India.

The mascot, an elephant, has been named 'Stumpy' after an online selection process that drew proposals from thousands of cricket fans around the world, according to media reports.

The lucky winner will receive a cricket bat signed by the all-star quartet of India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, all of whom attended the launch to express their excitement about the flagship event.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: "This is another milestone in the build-up to our flagship event and it's great to see the game's best players like Mahendra, Kumar, Sachin and Mahela looking forward to the ICC Cricket World Cup with such enthusiasm.

"As the excitement builds over the coming 200 days, we will see Stumpy throughout the cricket world, promoting the event and generating enthusiasm. I'm grateful to the thousands of cricket fans who showed their passion for our great sport and took part in the naming competition. I encourage all fans to start making plans to attend a spectacular event."

Who love IPL?(2)

BCB select Mashrafe as captain and Sourav Ganguli as batting advisor for england series

Mashrafe is going to replace Shakib as a captain in England.
Sourav Ganguly will be the batting advisor for the series

please do not be such a drama queen!

http://www.cricinfo.com/asia2010/content/current/story/464245.html

There is no denying the fact that Bangladesh cricket team lost the match very badly against Pakistan cricket team. But I am totally disagree with you on this point "In affectionate remembrance of ODI cricket, which was killed by Bangladesh at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium".

I am really shocked that you totally blame on Bangladesh cricket team on a large scale. They lost one match in utter humiliation and you only want to blame them for the large flaw inside the ODI system and cricket administration.

Bangladesh cricket team come here from middle of the England tour and has to go back England for the rest of the tour. It is quite challenging for any subcontinent team to go England and play descent cricket because of the weather and lively pitch. Consider the temperature now in England 20C but in SriLanka the temperature is 35C. It is very difficult for any team to adjust quickly.

Now, why this is happening? Because of the busyness of the schedule. There is a fixed time slot for the 'wretched' IPL but there is no time slot available for ASIA cup. Because the top ranking Asian countries do not earn much money from ASIA cup. Cricket schedule is so full now because of the twenty20 cricket. The ICC has no guts to stop this nonsense because of the pressure from corrupted cricket administrators. Even we (audience) also forget what is good or bad. IPL match clearly has no excitement because there is not enough quality players and no nationality involved but we have to accept it as a excitement fiesta because of the thousand line written every day by the journalists. They create a virtual reality that this is best of the best which is actually below par. This fiasco creates a negative impact on the audience and they no longer want to see cricket. But unfortunately this fact is always under the veil.

The main dangerous thing is that the cricket administrators do not want to decrease the total number of matches. On the other hand they are not afraid of changing the game rules. Experiment is not bad but over experiment is not appreciable. Consider the 3rd power play rule. This rule is only created for only team strong batting line up. This rule never gives any advantage to the weak teams which is against the spirit of the game. Excitement is part of the game and we all want some excitement from the game because probably we are dissatisfied of our own life. But we must also accept that not every match will be nail biting finish. If this becomes a common routine then where is the excitement.

So, Mr. Sidharth Monga please do not be such a drama queen! Observe the picture in bigger scale.

Who love IPL?

Tamim praises coach for encouraging play

Bangladesh batsman Tamim Iqbal believes team coach Jamie Siddons' commitment to flair play has allowed him to flourish against England.

Tamim was unsure whether his attacking style might need to be modified when he began his Test career, but the left-handed opener has been in fine form over the last few months after being told by Siddons to go with his natural instincts.

The 21-year-old has responded to the Australian's advice with five half-centuries in six Test innings against England, culminating in a rapid second-innings hundred at Lord's last weekend.

"When I started playing Test cricket I was in two minds whether to go slow or go fast -- and originally I decided to go slow," Tamim said on Wednesday.

"It was not working for me. The first 10 Tests were not good -- I think I only got two fifties. The coaches said to play like I do in the ODIs and enjoy my batting -- 'We will not say anything to you'.

"I know the way I bat sometimes looks fantastic, sometimes looks ugly, especially if I try to smash the first ball and get caught in the slips, but I am happy with the way I play my natural game.

"If I don't score, that's fine with me because I want to play like this."

Bangladesh eventually lost the first Test but will have been encouraged by their gutsy display heading into the second Test, which starts at Old Trafford on Friday.

Although they have won just three of 67 Tests, Tamim remains optimistic they can spring a surprise in Manchester.

"Our main strength in bowling is spin, and there was nothing in the wicket at Lord's," he said.

"So we hope Old Trafford will be better for us. We have (captain) Shakib (Al Hasan) -- who is one of the best in the world -- and if he bowls well we can do better."

If Tamim frustrates the opposition along the way, it is unlikely to bother him and neither will he be put off if he encounters any sledging.

"There was some chat (at Lord's)," he said.

"But that was just part of the game -- and anyway I like to talk when I am batting. It happens in every match, and I was loving it."

England cruise against Bangladesh bowling

England eased to 105 for one at lunch against some undemanding Bangladesh bowling after being asked to bat first on the opening day of the first test at Lord's on Thursday.

Andrew Strauss, returning as captain after taking a break from the game during the away series against the same opponents this year, took 14 balls to get off the mark.

His second scoring stroke was a six over mid-wicket off debutant medium-pacer Robiul Islam and, although his timing was sometimes awry after his slow start to the county season, he was still at the crease at the interval with 40.

Jonathan Trott, whose place is under pressure after he first struggled in his native South Africa and was then tied down by the spinners in Bangladesh, played with authority from the start.

He steered his third delivery for four behind point and moved confidently on to the front foot to drive two further boundaries through the off-side. At lunch he had scored an even half-century with five boundaries.

Alastair Cook, who captained England in Bangladesh in Strauss's absence, struck the first boundary of the day, a confident off-drive to the Pavilion boundary. But he had made only three more when he was lbw to Shahadat Hossain pushing half-forward.

That was to prove Bangladesh's only success of the morning session and, bearing in mind their average of nearly 67 for each test wicket taken abroad, Shakib Al Hasan's decision to field first was clearly defensive and designed to protect his frail batting lineup.

Bangladesh were, at least. boosted by Shakib's presence after his recovery from chicken pox while their leading batsman Tamim Iqbal will bat with taping on his injured left wrist.

Eoin Morgan was given his first test cap for England in recognition of his outstanding one-day form.

http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-48849120100527

Modi premier league

We see that in IPL many cricket term changes. How about this changes:

6= Modi maximum

4 = Modi medium

3 = Modi triple

2 = Modi double

1 = Modi minimum

Wide ball = Twitter wide

No ball = Lalit penalty

OUT = Modi Suspended

The Real twenty20 Cricket

ICICC promises not to repeat 2007 mistakes in T20 WC

International Cricket Council has learnt from the mistakes it made in the 2007 World Cup and would lower the ticket prices to ensure that the Twenty20 World Championship doesn't prove to be another flop show in the West Indies, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said, reports PTI.

"We have learnt from the 2007 World Cup. Perhaps pricing of the tickets was the fundamental reason (behind low turnout) there. It was not really affordable for them. The Caribbeans are small communities and it was not affordable for them to buy tickets of all matches," Lorgat said.

Spelling out plans to woo the locals for the April 30-May 16 ICC World Twenty20, Lorgat said, "While pricing of the ticket is key, we are also retaining the Caribbean flavour this time."

"Every territory has its own style and culture and we will encourage them to get involved in their own way. I'm hoping they would come out in full swing and there will be a party atmosphere all around," said Lorgat who was in New Delhi on Monday to display the ICC World Twenty20 trophy.

The Twenty20 World Cup begins just five days after the completion of the Indian Premier League III but Lorgat didn't see any harm in that.

"Last year too, IPL preceded the Twenty20 World Cup in England, which was reported as a successful event. I see IPL as great forerunner to Twenty20 World Cup," he said.

Lorgat also took the occasion to reiterate that there would be no separate window for IPL.

"As I have said in the past, I don't envisage a window for IPL, which is a domestic event. It's difficult to incorporate all domestic tournaments. The Future Tours Programme schedules only international cricket. In addition to that, IPL (governing council) has not sought any window," Lorgat explained.

The South African said he expects Twenty20 would open up new market for cricket but not at the cost of the game's two other formats.

"There is no question about Twenty20's popularity. It has taken off beyond expectation but I don't think other formats are not popular.

"Most would acknowledge that in the last 12-18 months, we have seen some fascinating one day matches. When Sachin Tendulkar scored 200, most people were of the view that 50-overs cricket would definitely survive. It's important how we manage the formats," Lorgat said.

Shahid Afridi Pakistan captain named

The Pakistan Cricket Board ended weeks of uncertainty, by appointing Shahid Afridi to lead the country's campaign to defend the World Twenty20 title in the Caribbean from the end of next month. Afridi will once again take up the role he was given last year, after Younis Khan stepped away from the format, though he has for now only been handed the role for the duration of the tournament.

"It's a challenge for me and I accept it," Afridi said. "We are going to the West Indies with only one aim and that is to defend our title."

The limit on the tenure appears to be a result of the disciplinary action Afridi has faced since he was found guilty of ball-tampering - biting the ball repeatedly - in an ODI in Perth where he was captain. Until then, Pakistan had settled on Afridi as the Twenty20 captain till the World Cup and potentially as an ODI leader as well. But after that incident Afridi's stock fell considerably.

He was banned by the ICC for two T20Is, which led to Shoaib Malik taking over, albeit reluctantly. Then, the board slapped him with a Rs 3 million ($35,000) fine for the same incident, as well as placing him under probation for six months. Any further breaches, the message is clear, and punishment could be harsher.

The board took the unusual step of announcing a 15-man squad for the tournament without naming a captain earlier this month. Since then, and despite his punishments, Afridi was the clear frontrunner among a limited pool of alternatives. He met the chairman Ijaz Butt once in that period. He is flying in to Lahore today, having collected a presidential award during the day in Karachi.

Misbah-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq and Salman Butt were thought to be in the running as well, but Afridi's record in the format - he is among the most influential all-round players in the world - and a naturally aggressive streak has made the choice an easier one.

Afridi has already led his country in three T20Is and won all of them, with little outward detriment to his own individual impact. The decision to announce the captain so late does leave open the charge, however, that neither captain nor coach - the recently-appointed Waqar Younis - had any say in the team they will be in charge of in the Caribbean.

Pakistan will be without the services of Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, both banned by the PCB, as well as the injured Sohail Tanvir. Afridi said their absences from the Caribbean campaign were unfortunate. "Rana, Malik and Tanvir could have been in my playing eleven because they had performed well in the past," he said.

http://www.cricinfo.com/wt202010/content/current/story/453170.html

for Pune, Kochi $ 703m

The financial might of the IPL was on display again on Sunday when Pune and Kochi became the league's two new franchises, being sold for a value in excess of the original eight franchises combined.

The Sahara Group, the biggest patron of sports in the country, became owners of the Pune franchise after offering a staggering US$370m. The other new franchisee is a consortium of five companies called Rendezvous Sports World, which bid US$333.33m for Kochi. There were three other qualified bidders, including Adani Enterprises and VC digital solutions Pvt Ltd (Videocon), who were in the fray to become part of the IPL, which will be heartening for any existing franchise owners looking to offload their stake.

"It only shows there is no recession for the IPL and it is on the upswing," Lalit Modi, the league's commissioner, said after announcing the new franchises in Chennai.

Sahara, who have been sponsoring Indian cricket for the past 15 years, had bid for the same amount for three cities, but ultimately chose Pune over Ahmedabad and Nagpur. "When we considered the cities, in terms of infrastructure and logistics, Pune came first," Abhijit Sarkar, the head of Sahara's corporate communications, said. "Ït is also close to Mumbai - the commercial capital of India - and Aamby Valley (an upmarket township owned by the Sahara group)."

Ajay Shirke, president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) and a prominent businessmen from Pune, said he was obviously happy about Pune being rated as the most popular venue at the auction with three out of the five bidders preferring Pune as their home base over the rest of the 11 cities.

"MCA has always maintained that we will support all bids that are made for Pune," Shirke, who was present at the auction venue in Chennai, told Cricinfo. "That only increases Pune's association with cricket manifold.

"What they [the bidders] would have kept in mind was the market of Mumbai and Pune are nearby. Then there are private cities like Lavasa and Aamby Valley, which are about 20 kilometres from the ground."

According to Shirke, the Sahara franchise would have its home ground situated on the outskirts of Pune city, in Gahunje, which is on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. The ground construction is already underway with Shapoorji Pallonji being the main contractors.

He was confident that the ground would be ready in time for the IPL's fourth season when Sahara would unveil its team. "The construction work has already started and it should be ready by March 2011," Shirke said.

While Sahara have a long history of sports sponsorship and are a high-profile corporate group, little is known about the winners of the Kochi franchise. It is a consortium with five partners - the Rendezvous group, Parini developers, Anand Shah Estate, Anchor Earth Private Limited and Film Waves. Minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor was involved in bringing together the group, but has no stake in the franchise.

In fact, Tharoor clarified to Cricinfo that he had no stake in the Kochi franchise and that his role was limited to encouraging the consortium that bagged the team. "My role consisted only of encouraging and blessing the venture, and steering it to Kerala," he told Cricinfo.

"Tharoor was involved in facilitating and trying to get a team for the state," Modi confirmed. "He is an ardent fan of cricket and he has been trying to get people from Kochi to bid for it. I think his involvement ends there."

Modi said the tournament's organsiers would provide the Kochi franchise a home ground till the Kerala Cricket Association completes construction of its new stadium. "Kerala Cricket Association is in the process of building the infrastructure and as when the stadium is ready teams will play there," he said. "But till the structures are ready, the IPL will provide them with an alternate venue."

Speaking to reporters, Shailendra Gaikwad of Rendezvous World Sport said, "We have closely been following every development within the IPL, right from the inaugural year. Today, I am very happy for our consortium of Rendezvous World Sport and the people of Kochi as we finally have a team to call our own in this amazing city-based sports franchise"

While the huge money offered by the new franchisees shows the health of the IPL, Modi said there were no plans in the near future to further increase the number of teams involved. "We also have no plans to expand further immediately. In fact I don't foresee an expansion in many, many years to come but then you never know."

The IPL will now feature 10 teams and - if the current format is retained - a total of 94 games, from the existing 60. After the first season in 2008, the league has already expanded its reach to other centres such as Cuttack, Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Dharamsala.

The franchise auction process was to have been completed on March 7 but was postponed by two weeks after the bidders and the BCCI objected to stiff financial clauses.

Tail-up Tigers Test Series 2010 England Vs Bangladesh

Strong tail-end batting got Bangladesh to 419 eventually but the second Test match is far from over as England ended the second day solidly despite a few blows. The visitors were 170 for three at stumps yesterday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

After Nayeem Islam and Shafiul Islam batted purposefully to score maiden half-centuries in the first session, England made sure they were still in the reckoning but struggled to score at a faster rate.

However the heroes on this scorching hot day of few runs and wickets were Nayeem and Shafiul as the Test match progressed to what could be some thrilling three days of cricket.

The two overnight batsmen, who came in late on the first day with the Tigers hoping for a score that would be 350 at best, frustrated the England fieldsmen and then dominated for almost two hours in the morning.

Nayeem farmed the strike for most of the first hour but as England started leaking runs, particularly through gaps in the slip cordon, Shafiul felt confident enough to take on the pacemen. Soon he struck boundaries through the tight off-side field, hitting the likes of Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann and James Tredwell. He got on a roll and reached his half-century off 47 balls with a carved boundary over the covers.

Nayeem at the other end was contented with squirting boundaries through the slip cordon off Tim Bresnan and three overs later, he also reached a first half-century. The two added 74 for the ninth wicket, a record in Bangladesh-England Tests, before Shafiul edged one to Matt Prior who dove in front of the first slip to take the catch off Bresnan.

If England thought they could wrap it up quickly, the Tigers No 11 Rubel Hossain came out and slammed four boundaries in his 22-ball 17 to make sure a healthy first innings.

Shakib brought himself and Abdur Razzak into the attack within an over into the England innings and soon after lunch, Razzak had England captain Alistair Cook caught at mid-wicket for 21.

It would have been a far even worse day for tourists had the Tigers held the only chance they got from opener Jonathan Trott, who ended the day on an unbeaten 64.

He had Ian Bell for company when the day ended but Trott, who took 33 balls to get off the mark, had a reprieve when debutant Jahirul Islam dropped a simple chance at short leg off captain Shakib Al Hasan with England on 41-1.

Thereafter, Trott and Kevin Pietersen, who also had a strong lbw appeal against him turned down, took the visitors to tea safely in a 76-run stand but within minutes, the Tigers were back with two key wickets.

First, Kevin Pietersen was beaten in length by Shakib and toed it to short cover where Imrul Kayes took a simple catch. Seven balls later, Paul Collingwood fell leg-before to Rubel Hossain who used an otherwise futile old ball to good effect.

England soon restored parity with Bell, hitting three confident boundaries in his 25, and Trott reached his second Test fifty. The two have added 64 for the fourth wicket so far, confirming a long hard day for Tigers bowlers on a non-responsive wicket.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=131052

BCB cancels Raqibul's contract

The Bangladesh Cricket Board in a meeting on Friday decided to terminate cricketer Raqibul Hassan's current contract, following his letter to quit the game on Mar 10 and subsequent letter on Mar 17 revoking the decision.

The BCB in a statement said: "The Board considers Raqibul's conduct in the whole affair as disruptive to the preparation of the Bangladesh Team ahead of a highly important Test match. It was a serious breach of discipline on part of a contracted player and unbecoming of an international cricketer."

"As such the Board has terminated his contract with immediate effect and he will not be considered for selection in the National Team for three months effective from March 19 to June 19, 2010. However he will be allowed to participate in domestic cricket competitions."

The Board believes that timely punitive measures would discourage other players from taking similar path in future and has decided that very strict actions will be taken against cricketers who break discipline and BCB's Code of Conduct.

Sourav fined $20,000 for slow over rate

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Sourav Ganguly has been fined
$20,000 for slow over rate during the team’s opening match win against defending champions Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

The Knight Riders were assessed to be three overs behind the required rate at the end of the match. Under the IPL’s code of conduct, match referee Andy Pycroft fined Ganguly.

Knight Riders, who were placed at the bottom last year, stunned Chargers by 11 runs here Friday.

More at : Sourav fined $20,000 for slow over rate http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sports/sourav-fined-20000-for-slow-over-rate_100334275.html#ixzz0ieesG8SD

IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders

Having worked with him at Middlesex, I recognise this as typical Buchanan: he is always looking to challenge received wisdom and shake things up. Sometimes his thinking can be insightful; at other times it just causes problems. In this case, I think it might have been unwise to challenge Ganguly, the Knight Riders’ captain and leading run-scorer last season. He is not known as the “Prince of Kolkata” for nothing.

In 2008, the Knight Riders started spectacularly, when New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum teed off in the opening match in Mumbai. But after that they suffered four consecutive defeats as their batting struggled to reproduce the same level of quality. As for their bowling, it was too reliant on the excellent Umar Gul, who averaged fewer than 16 runs per wicket. Without Gul and Shoaib Akhtar — both ruled out by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s tough stance on the IPL — the Knight Riders must find new ways of getting people out.

Fortunately, two lesser performers of the 2008 season have matured greatly in the past 12 months. Despite attracting a huge $950,000 bid, Ishant Sharma was a disappointment last year, but he has since turned himself into one of the world’s most respected young bowlers. His inswing, delivered from a high action and with canny variations in pace, will present batsmen with an unusual challenge.

Ajantha Mendis, the Sri Lankan mystery spinner, had played just three one-day internationals when he was brought on board last year, which may explain why he was selected for only a single IPL match. Yet since then, he has been a revelation, averaging 23 runs per wicket in Tests and a scarcely credible 13 in one-dayers. Not bad for a bloke whom the Knight Riders signed originally as a replacement.

With McCullum available for the whole season, and Chris Gayle, of the West Indies, hoping to play in the IPL for the first time, Kolkata will have extra, top-order artillery. With openers like these, they are bound to unleash further pyrotechnics from time to time. But their biggest challenge will be to maintain form over the long haul. Their owner, the Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, will expect nothing less.

Key man: Brendon McCullum

Likely starting XI: Brendon McCullum (wk), Chris Gayle, Sourav Ganguly (capt), Cheteshwar Pujara, Debabrata Das, Moises Henriques, Laxmi Shukla, Murali Kartik, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Dinda, Ajantha Mendis.

Indian Punters League cashes in on IPL-3

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) frenzy catches up with cricket fanatics, action elsewhere (behind closed doors) is churning out big money as well — with some estimates pegging the amount at around Rs 5,000 crore per match.

According to sources, the bookies have changed the way they operate. Given the large number of games being played, the operators are opting for weekly settlement with punters, instead of the daily system preferred earlier.

The settlement cycle also depends on a punter’s credit worthiness. But bookies say that on days when two games are being played it becomes very difficult to find time. So, they opted for a longer settlement cycle.

Betting being illegal in India, most of the bookies are using the confines of their cars, instead of operating from hideouts in buildings, as they are mobile and can evade the police easily. Giving them company are mobile phones, with some meant for outgoing calls only, and laptops to keep track of scores and other developments on the field.

There is more to it. Traditionally, punters used to organise bets on who would win. Now, there are several options: If you go for a ‘session’, you have to put your money on number of runs scored in a session (innings). For example, if a team scores between, say, 150 and 180 runs, the punter will make money. If a team falls short of the 150-run mark, or manages to go past 180, the bookie takes the cash.

The other option is ‘gala’ in bookie-speak. This form of betting typically starts from the 12th over and requires people to predict how many runs would be scored over the next few overs. If, say, someone bets on a team scoring 19 runs in three overs and the batting team manages to score up to 19 runs, the punter makes the money. In case the team scores 20 or more runs, the bookie walks away with the cash.

There is a third variation — ‘khadda’ — where no one is willing to take a bet since the outcome is hard to predict. Here, it is the bookies who are involved and it’s the “insiders” who decide. “This is more of an exception and not the rule as no one wants to lose money,” said a bookie.

The betting odds are decided by a ring of leading bookies who decide the rates, which is then communicated to the others over the phone.

For those looking to play straight, there is the traditional form of betting as well. Bookies said Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders are seen as the hot favourites in IPL-3. As a result, someone betting one rupee on these four teams will get less in return. In contrast, the odds on a Rajasthan Royals win are 1:2.

Similarly, betting on Sachin Tendulkar, Virendra Sehwag and Adam Gilchrist is considered to be less rewarding as these players are seen to be match winners.

Modi planning overseas IPL tournament

With the IPL’s return to India being heralded as a huge success IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi is already planning to stage another overseas IPL tournament.

Although the idea is still in the planning stages England, America and the Middle East have already been pin pointed as possible locations.

"This is just a proposal at the moment. The idea is to begin with exhibition matches overseas. It all depends on how the British, North American and Middle Eastern TV viewers react to this year's IPL,” Modi told the Times of India.

”Based on that, there could be a short IPL played outside India in the future," he added.

Last years IPL was held in South Africa after Modi decided to move the tournament because it clashed with local elections in India.

Deccan Chargers survived a late assault from Irfan Pathan

Deccan were cruising at one stage when Punjab had been reduced to 68-6, but Irfan Pathan raised his team's hopes with a stunning onslaught of 60 from 29 balls. The left-hander, however, fell on the first ball of the final over in which the team needed 19 runs.

Pathan cracked five sixes and three fours in his knock but it didn't prove enough as his team slumped to its third straight defeat in the competition.

Chasing 171, Punjab were set back early in their innings when Manvinder Bisla was run out for a duck, before captain Kumar Sangakkara was sent back by fellow Sri Lankan Chaminda Vaas for no score.

Opener Ravi Bopara kept Punjab in the hunt but kept losing wickets at the other end, with Yuvraj Singh falling for four before Mahela Jayawardene and Adrian Barath were sent back cheaply as well.

Vaas' opening spell broke the back of the Punjab batting in which he took two wickets while every other Deccan bowler picked up a wicket each. Andrew Symonds starred for the Chargers with both bat and ball. It was also the first instance that Deccan had beaten Punjab in the IPL in five meetings.

Earlier, the Chargers threw away a cracking start to post 170-7 as the IPL staged its first game at at the Barabati stadium.

Andrew Symonds was the top-scorer with 53 but Deccan failed to build on a perfect launch pad set up by captain Adam Gilchrist, who scored 33 from just 12 balls after Punjab captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and decided to bowl.

Gilchrist's wicket was followed by an unfortunate incident for the Chargers, who lost opener VVS Laxman to injury. The batsman got his by a wayward throw while trying to make his ground while taking a run.

Herschelle Gibbs and Symonds, however, kept the Chargers on track for a big total as they cruised to 100-1 at the halfway stage. But Yuvraj Singh's introduction undid their good work as Gibbs fell for 23, before Rohit Sharma was run out in the same over.

Deccan kept losing wickets in the second half as they only managed 70 runs in their next 10 overs.

IPL may get 6 bidders for 2 new teams

The base price of $225 million is still a dampener for prospective bidders who have picked up the tender document for bidding for the franchises of two new teams for the fourth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL)“Not more than six investors are expected to place their bids for the new teams,” a BCCI source told Business Standard.

The minimum bid price ($225 million) is almost double the figure of the most expensive IPL team — the Mumbai Indians — owned by Mukesh Ambani, who had paid $111.9 million in 2008. There were 16 bidders for the 8 franchises in the first season.

According to sources, Videocon, Jaypee Associates, Sahara, Adani Group and a conglomerate in the construction business from Pune will be placing bids. IPL will be accepting the bids for the two new teams on March 21 at 10 am. The bids will be opened and the winner will be declared at 11 am on the same day.

IPL had invited bids for the franchises for two new teams in February and was supposed to declare the winners on March 7, however, it had to modify its tender norms after it suffered a setback receiving only two bids for the two teams on offer. Most of the prospective bidders who had bought the ITT had raised concerns on the stiff financial terms of the earlier tender.

IPL later made three major changes in the new tender: the $100 million (Rs 460 crore) performance guarantee as stipulated in the first ITT was brought down to $10 million (Rs 46 crore). The amount should be submitted 24 hours before the bid. The winning bidder will have to submit a bank guarantee, which will be 10 per cent of the bid amount, within 48 hours of winning a franchise. In the earlier tender it was 100 per cent of the bid amount.

The most important change was the withdrawal of the networth clause. In the earlier tender it was $1 billion (Rs 4,600 crore). “Essentially, we have gone back to 2008 when bidding for the existing franchises was held. But, since the values have gone up, the performance guarantee has also gone up from $5 million to $10 million,” IPL commissioner Lalit Modi had said.

Test status

Sachin Tendulkar breaks ODI world record

Tendulkar passed the mark of 194 not out set by Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry in August last year and 194 by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar in 1997.

The 36-year-old is already the leading run-scorer in Test and ODI cricket.

Tendulkar's previous best was 186 not out against New Zealand at Hyderabad in November 1999.

India closed on 401-3, with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hammering 68 off just 35 balls as South Africa's bowlers toiled for no reward.

Highest individual scores in one-day international cricket:

1. 200 not out - Sachin Tendulkar, India vs. South Africa, Gwalior, February 2010

2. 194 not out - Charles Coventry, Zimbabwe vs. Bangladesh, Bulawayo, August 2009

3. 194 - Saeed Anwar, Pakistan vs. India, Chennai, May 1997

4. 189 not out - Viv Richards, West Indies vs. England, Manchester, May 1984

5. 189 - Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka vs. India, Sharjah, October 2000

6. 188 not out - Gary Kirsten, South Africa vs. United Arab Emirates, Rawalpindi, February 1996

7. 186 not out - Sachin Tendulkar, India vs. New Zealand, Hyderabad, November 1999

8. 183 not out - Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India vs. Sri Lanka, Jaipur, October 2005

9. 183 - Sourav Ganguly, India vs. Sri Lanka, Taunton, May 1999

10. 181 not out - Matthew Hayden, Australia vs. New Zealand, Hamilton, February 2007

11. 181 - Viv Richards, West Indies vs. Sri Lanka, Karachi, October 1987.

Tendulkar to attend Ashraful's wedding

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar will top the list of invitees when former Bangladeshi skipper Mohammad Ashraful gets married next year, his father has revealed.

“Sachin will be on top of our invitee list when my son decides to marry. Sachin asked my son what should be brought as a family gift but his visit to our home itself will be the biggest gift for us,” The Nation quoted Abdul Matil, as saying.

Although several other players have visited Ashraful’s house, including former Pakistani player Saeed Anwar and Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, but Tendulkar’s visit stands out in Matil’s memory.

Speaking over his mobile from Dhaka on Sunday morning, he said, “Former Pakistani player Saeed Anwar visited our house last year when he came to attend some religious function in Bangladesh.”

“Sachin is my son’s favourite cricketer and since childhood he is his idealhero. We are very happy to receive him. Sachin is a very simple, sober and down to earth person,” Ashraful’s father said.

“Some 1000 people flocked him to see Sachin at my house. The people came to know about Sachin’s visit through media and mouth to mouth publicity,” he added.

Matil recounts how Tendulkar relished on Bangladeshi dishes served to him.

“He liked jumbo prawns and Hilsha fish (Ilish) very much. The sweets and fruits of his choice were also served,” he said.
http://thatscricket.oneindia.in/news/2010/01/25/india-bangladesh-test-sachin-in-ashraful-wedding.html

India meet SA to prove ODI superiority

After the Test stalemate, a depleted India and a scarred South Africa will begin their battle of ODI supremacy today when the three-match series gets underway at a fortified Sawai Mansingh Stadium here. The Indian team arrived here yesterday high on morale and low on resource and it would require more than a nip and a tuck to fill the void created by the absence of some of their key players. The hosts’s bowling unit will lack the firepower of Zaheer Khan after the pace spearhead strained a leg muscle during the Kolkata Test against the Proteas. Zaheer’s absence would sorely be felt not just because he leads the attack but also because he has been virtually India’s bowling captain, mentoring fellow pacers with his elder-brotherly concern. The spin department would also not be the same without the feisty Harbhajan Singh, who would miss the first two ODIs to attend his sister’s wedding. The volatile offie, who had just regained his mojo in Kolkata, would have been quite a handful for the South Africans with his bag of tricks and reckless slogging down the order, not to mention of his confrontational approach. India’s batting also loses some of its formidability because of the absence of left-handed duo of Yuvraj Singh and Gautam Gambhir, the first is nursing an injury in his left wrist and the second a groin. Like the recent Test series, here also India has more than just a bunch of personal reputations at stake. India need to win the three-match ODI series to remain the number two one day side in the world which would entitle them to USD 75,000 from the ICC. To stave off the South Africans, India would expect the substitute players to come to the party today. S Sreesanth, Zaheer’s replacement, is expected to share the new ball with Ashish Nehra tomorrow and the Kerala speedster would have to ensure that he is upto the mark. Uttar Pradesh teammates Sudeep Tyagi and Praveen Kumar would vie for the third pacer’s slot tomorrow. In the slow bowling department, Amit Mishra is almost certain to play tomorrow and he is expected to share the spin burden with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, whose utility in one day cricket has been proven beyond doubt. In the batting line-up, Gambhir and Yuvraj’s absence could be compensated only if the top order fire in unison. Irrespective of whether India set a total or chase one, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar would have to provide the start they are expected of and Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina need to continue the good work. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has fond memories of the venue. In 2005, it was at the same venue that the star stumper-batsman, then with flowing tresses, had hit a devastating unbeaten 245-ball 183 which remains his highest ODI score so far. Since then, the Indian captain has modelled himself more into a finisher but the crowd would assemble here tomorrow to see glimpse of the old Dhoni. A product of the same power-hitting school, Baroda all-rounder Yousuf Pathan is also set to make it to the playing XI tomorrow, hoping to continue his red hot form that has won him a recall to the side. Fortunately for Dhoni, India is not the only team grappling with injuries. South Africa has already lost their charismatic captain Graeme Smith and even though stop-gap leader Jacques Kallis has an enviable record against India, how much inspiration this burly all-rounder manages to provide remains to be seen. Prolific top order batsman Hashim Amla has been asked to stay back and fill Smith’s void. Amla may have been a run-machine in the drawn Test series but one day cricket is a different kettle of fish altogether and the bearded batsman might struggle to adjust to the ODI mode. Their bowling, especially Dale Steyn, looked too hot to handle in the Nagpur Test but was pretty pedestrian in Kolkata. Steyn’s pace, Morne Morkel’s bounce and Wayne Parnell’s angles remain a worry but the Indian line-up is capable enough to blunt them all.

SA to stage Champions League T20

South Africa will host the 2010 Champions League T20 tournament in September, Cricket South Africa announced Friday. Twelve teams from seven countries will play in the event from September 10 to 26. The first edition of the tournament, for the leading Twenty20 teams from the participating countries, was played in India last year with New South Wales beating Trinidad and Tobago in the final. CSA are shareholders, with the Indian and Australian boards, in the Champions League. The tournament will be played at the home venues of the two South African qualifiers and a third ground to be decided by CSA. The participants will be three teams from the Indian Premier League, two each from South Africa, Australia and England, and one each from Sri Lanka, New Zealand and the West Indies.

Nafees to lead BCB XI against England

Opening batsman Shahriar Nafees Ahmed will lead the BCB XI in the first of the two practice matches against England at the Fatullah stadium on February 23. ]BCB squad: Shahriar Nafees (captain), Alok Kopali, Imtiaz Hossain, Nasir Uddin Faruque, Shahin Hossain (wicketkeeper), Mahmudul Hasan, Shafaq Al Zabir, Tanvir Haider, Ariful Hoque, Alauddin Babu, Tapash Baishya, Shamsur Rahman, Md Sharifullah. Team Management: Minhajul Abedin (coach), Zafrul Ehsan (assistant coach), Fahim Muntasir (manager), Azmal Ahmed (physio).

England in Bangladesh 2010

Pakistan recall Alam and Rauf from Australia

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has recalled players Fawad Alam and Abdul Rauf from Australia to reduce the size of the touring squad, officials said in a statement on Thursday.

Chief selector Iqbal Qasim told Reuters that a request by the team management to send senior batsman Younus Khan to Australia before the second Test in Sydney starting on Sunday had been put on hold.
"The team management had asked us to rush Younus to reinforce the team but after discussing the matter with the board chairman we have decided that a final decision would be taken after the second Test," Qasim said.

Pakistan lost the first Test.

India would benefit from having a specialist bowling coach: Dhoni

India would benefit from having a specialist bowling coach, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said on Friday.

The Indian cricket board sacked Venkatesh Prasad and Robin Singh as bowling and fielding coaches in October after the country's early exit from the Twenty20 World Cup in England and the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

India climbed to the top of the test rankings for the first time in December but the team has struggled to establish supremacy in one-day international cricket.

"To some extent it does hurt not having a bowling coach. If you have a specialist coach he is always interacting with the bowlers and trying to get the best out of them," Dhoni told a news conference on the eve of the team's departure to Bangladesh.
"He (coach Gary Kirsten) has to look after everything: he has to sit and talk to the batsmen, bowlers, fielders, build strategies and look after team building."

The Indian board has recruited former Australian fielding coach Mike Young as fielding consultant but has not decided whether to recruit a specialist bowling coach.

India will start the new year with a triangular one-day series involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from Jan. 4 followed by two test matches against Bangladesh.

Batsman Sachin Tendulkar has opted out of the tri-series to save himself for the two tests.