|
We
have done it
Indians create Test history on Pak soil
Rawalpindi, April 16
India added another glorious chapter to their cricketing history when they
trounced Pakistan by an innings and 131 runs for their first-ever Test series
triumph in this country.
‘It is a great feeling’
Rawalpindi, April 16
Calling it a “great feeling” on beating Pakistan in a Test series on their soil, Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly today said his side’s triumph was the result of “team work” and that hard work of the players was beginning to bear fruits.
India’s biggest win abroad
Rawalpindi, April 16
The win over Pakistan today was only the sixth away-series victory for India since 1932 when it joined the ranks of Test playing nations.
It had taken 50 years for the Indians to record their first series win on Pakistani soil since their first visit in 1954-55 under the captaincy of Vinoo Mankad.
Kalam, Advani hail win
New Delhi, April 16
The President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani and Congress President Sonia Gandhi joined the entire nation in hailing the Indian cricket team's historic Test series victory at Rawalpindi today.
Pak have plenty of rethinking to do
Pakistan lost the decisive Rawalpindi Test the moment they got shot out for a little over 200. From then on, the hosts’ only hope was a fiery spell from either the local boy Shoaib Akhtar or from Mohammed Sami, on the second morning. However, that did not happen, and from as early as lunch on the second day, it was clear that India would win.
Rs 50 lakh bonus for team
KOLKATA: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced a bonus of Rs 50 lakh for the Indian team for crafting a historic 2-1 win in Pakistan against the hosts.
What makes Balaji popular?
Rawalpindi, April 16
He is enjoying unprecedented popularity in Pakistan but a clueless Indian seamer Laxmipathy Balaji is still wondering what has made him click in this land of Pathans.
The medium-pacer, who helped shape India’s historic Test series triumph today, has been greeted with chants of “Balaji, Balaji” and has emerged as a hero of sorts.
Notes from Pakistan
Indian fans hosted by Pak cricket club
It was the turn of the Indian fans to be feted as a local cricket club hosted a lunch for those who travelled from across the border to watch the ongoing third Test match between India and Pakistan.
India
set to clinch series
Dravid hits career-best 270; Pak lose 2
wickets
Rawalpindi, April 15
Pressing on relentlessly in their pursuit of a first-ever series triumph in
Pakistan, India had the home side on the mat after Rahul Dravid reached another
batting landmark by scoring 270 on the third day of the series-deciding Test
here today
Up to the bowlers to finish the job: Wright
Rawalpindi, April 15
With India sitting pretty on a huge 376-run lead, coach John Wright feels it is now up to the bowlers to finish the job and give their team a historic Test series triumph on Pakistan soil.
Dravid best, says Amarnath
Pak media blames umpires, biased commentators
Rawalpindi, April 15
Directing its ire against “poor” umpiring and “biased” TV commentators, Pakistani media today grudgingly acknowledged the prowess of Indian batsmen in seizing the initiative in the series-deciding third cricket Test.
NOTE FROM PAKISTAN
From commentary to politics
After his stint as a television commentator in the ongoing Test series in Pakistan, former India opening batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu may contest Lok Sabha elections on the BJP ticket.
There are indications that Sidhu may be asked to contest from Amritsar , though the final word is yet to reach Sidhu.
Dravid,
Laxman, Patel frustrate Pak
Rawalpindi, April 14
India were shining today at the end of the second day’s play in the
series-deciding third cricket Test against Pakistan, which ran into Rahul
Dravid ‘The Wall’, who hit a gritty unbeaten century to put his team in
command.
Century
special only if India win: Dravid
Rawalpindi, April 14
Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid today
said his maiden century against Pakistan would become “special” only if his
team won the series-decider against Pakistan and this would be possible only if
they carried on their good show on the remaining days of the Test.
Injuries
to Shoaib, Kamal add to Pak’s woes
Rawalpindi,
April 14
Pakistan’s injury
worries mounted today with pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar and
batsman Asim Kamal forced to leave the field with injury
scares on day two of the series-deciding cricket Test
against India here.
No
letter from India: ICC
London, April
14
The International
Cricket Council today dismissed media reports indicating
that it had received a letter from the Indian cricket board
asking it to review the action of Pakistan bowler Shoaib
Akhtar.
No
funds: PCB
RAWALPINDI: The
Pakistan’s Cricket Board says it does not have the funds
to introduce central contracts for its players. Pakistan
vice-captain Yousuf Youhana had urged the board on Tuesday
to introduce a contract system to stem a surge in injuries
among top players.
Notes
from Pakistan
Sikhs
visit Panja Saheb shrine
A large number
of Sikhs from Punjab, here to watch the ongoing third and
final Test match of the India-Pakistan cricket series,
visited the famous Panja Saheb shrine in Hasan Abdel, a few
hours’ drive from here.
Indian seamers have Pak on the mat
Rawalpindi, April 13
India had Pakistan on the mat before allowing them to reach a fighting 224 and then lost Virender Sehwag to the first ball of the innings which left honours even on the opening day of the series-deciding third cricket Test here today.
Shoaib under scrutiny again
Rawalpindi, April 13
The controversy regarding express bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s bowling action refuses to die down with the ICC now indicating that he might have to travel to Australia to get his action scrutinised at the department of human movement sciences in the University of Western Australia.
Notes from Pakistan
Tips for Balaji at Waqar’s farewell
At the farewell dinner of fast bowler Waqar Younis here, there was one cricketer who hardly had time to eat, drink and be merry.
Even as the party was in full swing, Indian seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji was spotted in a corner, engaged in an animated conversation with
Waqar, who announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday evening.
Players join hands to fight AIDS
Rawalpindi: Indian and Pakistani players wore symbolic red ribbons on the opening day of the series-deciding third cricket Test here on Tuesday, reiterating the international cricket’s commitment to raise awarenss about AIDS. Lensman
assaulted
Rawalpindi:
An Indian photographer, covering the Indo-Pak Test
here, was assaulted on Tuesday by a constable, who was suspended pending an
inquiry following strong protests from both Indian and local journalists.
Nerve-wracking test of
character, temperament
Rawalpindi, April 12
The Indian team’s character and temperament will be tested to the hilt when they take on arch rivals Pakistan in the series-deciding third cricket Test starting here tomorrow, with their “good” problem of who will open the batting still dogging them and some of the top batsmen struggling for form.
Chopra axed; Ganguly may open
Rawalpindi, April 12
India today expectedly axed opener Aakash Chopra for tomorrow’s crucial series-deciding Test against Pakistan with skipper Sourav Ganguly indicating that he may open the innings with Virender Sehwag.
Injuries to Sami, Gul could hurt Pak
This has been an amazing series so far. Just when one side gains the psychological advantage and threatens to overwhelm the other, the opposite happens.
During the one-day series, once Pakistan went 2-1 up ahead of the Lahore double-header, everybody thought India were down for the count. However, the visitors came back strongly to claim the series.
Pak look to exploit
bowling conditions
Rawalpindi, April 12
High on confidence after the victory in Lahore, Pakistan will look to exploit the chink in the Indian batting by putting the visitors in on a
seamer-friendly track in the series-deciding third Test starting at the Pindi Stadium here tomorrow.
BCCI should have sports medicine centre
In every series, be it a home or an overseas one, some cricketers get injured. And invariably, the fast bowlers are mostly the first to join the list of casualties. India’s Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra or Ajit Agarkar are no exceptions. The same is the case with Pakistan’s Umar Gul and Sami, who looked a doubtful starter for the Rawalpindi Test till Sunday morning.
Differences in
Pak team
Rawalpindi:
Pakistan’s injury worries have been aggravated due to differences between skipper Inzamam-ul Haq and trainer-cum-doctor Tauseef
Razzaq, a local daily reported on Monday.
Notes from Pakistan
Nigam enthrals Karachi
Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam enthralled audience in Karachi on Sunday night, sharing the stage with some Pakistani stars.
The show, titled "Sur Se Sur Milao", started at 11 pm and went on well into the early hours, during which the artists sent out a message of peace to the people of India and Pakistan.
India grappling with opening problem
Rawalpindi, April 11
India were today grappling with a “good” problem of who would open the batting in the series-deciding third cricket Test starting here on Tuesday, with coach John Wright ruling out nothing, including retaining Aakash Chopra.
Ex-cricketers want Ganguly to open
London, April 11
Sourav Ganguly should open the Indian innings with Virender Sehwag in the third and final Test against Pakistan, but Aakash Chopra too should not be made a scapegoat, two former cricketers have said.
Lively, grassy track awaits Indians
Lahore, April 11
Another lively and grassy track awaits the Indian cricket team in the third Test against Pakistan, with the home team hoping to give their battery of fast bowlers the right conditions for a series-clinching triumph.
Pak
considering four-pronged pace attack
Rawalpindi, April 11
Pakistan are considering the option of fielding a
four-pronged pace attack against India on a grassy track in the decisive third
Test starting here on Tuesday. With Mohammad Sami being declared fit for the
decider, Pakistan is considering the option of giving Test debut to all-rounder
Rana Naveed-ul Hasan and recalling pacer Fazle Akbar after the two impressed
during the nets this morning.
Notes from Pakistan
Azhar,
myself were made scapegoats: Malik
Former Pakistan skipper Saleem Malik believes that he and former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin were made scapegoats in the match-fixing allegations that destroyed their respective cricketing careers, and to a large extent their lives as well.
Wright
hints at Yuvraj opening the innings
Islamabad,
April 10
With the opening puzzle
still unsolved, Indian cricket team coach John Wright today
hinted that Yuvraj Singh could be accommodated in the team
in place of Aakash Chopra for the third and series-deciding
Test at Rawalpindi. “I have always favoured specialists.
But this is a (matter of) one Test match and it will be the
captain’s call.
Sami
gives Pak another fitness scare
Rawalpindi,
April 10
Pakistan’s chances of
winning the historic Test series against India have been
dented with the news that fast bowler Mohammad Sami is
struggling with back pain. Shoaib
Akhtar is now the only fully fit front-line pace bowler
available for the hosts, who won the second Test by nine
wickets in Lahore earlier this week, as they head into the
series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi starting on
Tuesday.
Young
umpires needed at highest level
In
the Multan and Lahore Test matches, the standard of umpiring
has come under lot of criticism. In international cricket,
the two men at the centre have a tough job in hand. They are
assigned to go through the game pedantically for all five
days of a Test match without missing a single event. The
decisions they make not only make or break the future of the
cricketers sometimes, but also have a huge bearing on the
result of the match.
PTV
trying to stifle truth: Qadir
Lahore, April 10
Former leg-spinner
Abdul Qadir, in the eye of a storm over his controversial
remarks on Pakistan bowlers, has charged the state-run PTV
with trying to stifle the “truth”. The legendary bowler
has reportedly been axed by PTV on the instructions of the
federal information ministry for attributing the success of
Pakistan’s fast bowlers to “making” the ball. Qadir,
however, claimed that he had not received any information
regarding his sacking, but if he did, he would not hesitate
to take the matter to the court.
Sehwag
to tie knot on April 22
New Delhi:
India’s triple
centurion Virender Sehwag will be opening a new innings in
his life when he ties the knot with the Delhi girl Arti
Singh on April 22, four days after the return of the Indian
cricket team from Pakistan, at the official bungalow
allotted to Law Minister Arun Jaitley.
Notes
from Pakistan
Perception
of ‘fixed series’ keeping crowds away?
The Pakistan
cricket authorities are skeptical over whether enough crowds
would turn up to watch the third and final Test at
Rawalpindi beginning April 13. They feel that it would be a
great achievement if even half of the seats would be
occupied. “If the poor response from fans in the first two
Tests at Multan and Lahore is any indication, I fear
Rawalpindi will be no different. I will be surprised if half
the seats are taken,” The News quoted PCB spokesman Sami-ul
Hasan as saying here Friday. One of the reasons being touted
behind the poor response for Tests, was the growing
perception among the masses that this is a “friendship
tour” in more senses than one.
PCB
to hire PR firm
LAHORE: Beset
with controversies over the past two years, the Pakistan
Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to hire a public relations
firm to boost its sagging image.
Yuvraj
may open at Rawalpindi
Lahore, April 9
The Indian team
management was still undecided about its opening combination
in the crucial third Test against Pakistan but it appears
that Aakash Chopra may get the axe in order to accommodate
Yuvraj Singh who cannot be kept out because of his excellent
performances with the bat while substituting for captain
Sourav Ganguly in the first two Tests.
Neither
side looked good under pressure
The win at
Lahore was a victory for positive thinking and playing to
one’s strength. The hosts got conditions that favoured
their strength, their pace bowling, in the form of a green
wicket and this infused their bowlers and the rest of the
team with the belief that they could win.
Pak
benefitted from Dravid’s largesse
Rahul Dravid
gave Pakistan a gift in the mouth by electing to bat first
on a greenish Lahore wicket. India were sitting on a 1-0
lead in the series and the next thing you notice is that
Indians have allowed Pakistan to literally lift themselves
up from the floor.
Miandad
finds admirer in Dravid
Lahore, April 9
Javed Miandad’s
technique and innovation with the willow had won him
admirers all over the cricketing world. In his avtar as the
coach, he still manages to generate awe and his latest
admirer is India’s stand-in captain Rahul Dravid.
Nehra
rues frequent injuries
New Delhi, April 9
Left-arm seamer Ashish
Nehra considers himself “unfortunate” since his short
international career has too often been plagued by injuries,
but he knows that such things are part and parcel of a
pacer’s life.
Sachin
reminds me of Hanif, says Fazal
Lahore, April 9
After his famous
meeting with the Don six years ago, batting maestro Sachin
Tendulkar had another tryst with a cricketing legend here
yesterday. And this must have been an even more humbling
experience for the world’s best batsman since the legend
himself came knocking at his door.
PCB
chief lauds team’s win
LAHORE: Showering
praise on the home side for its “special” win against
India in the second Test here, Pakistan Cricket Board chief
Shaharyar Khan has urged the players to give their best in
the decider and emerge victorious in the three-match series.
PCB
condemned
LAHORE: The
Pakistan Cricket Board has come in for severe criticism
after the disappointing crowd turnout during the first two
Test matches against India at Multan and Lahore.
Moin,
Razzaq ruled out
LAHORE: Pakistan
wicketkeeper Moin Khan and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq have
been ruled out of next week’s third and final Test against
India due to injury. Moin is suffering from a groin problem
and Razzaq from a back strain. The pair also missed the
second Test, which Pakistan won by nine wickets today to
level the series 1-1.
Steve
Bucknor
LAHORE: Experienced
West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor is eyeing a century
of Test matches before he retires in 2007. “I have
set a target of 2007 for myself and with the speed
of Test matches I am doing I hope to complete the
century before retiring,” Bucknor said. — AFP |
Notes
from Pakistan
Bucknor
happy with showing
He has been
Indian cricket team’s bugbear for quite some time now, but
Steve Bucknor says that he is “pretty happy” with his
performance. The 57-year-old West Indian member of the
so-called panel of Elite Umpires appears to be chasing the
Indians wherever they go — South Africa, Australia and now
Pakistan where he contributed to India’s misery in the
second Test.
Patel
helps India avert innings loss
Lahore, April 8
In the end there were
no heroics and faint hopes of a fightback vanished with the
early dismissal of Virender Sehwag as India capitulated to
give Pakistan a series-levelling nine-wicket win in the
second cricket Test here today. Odds were heavily stacked
against the visitors when they resumed their second innings
on the fourth morning at 149 for five but optimists were
hoping of a miracle from the Multan Test triple-centurion
Sehwag, overnight on 86.
Toss
not only reason for defeat: Dravid
Lahore, April 8
In a flip-flop on his
controversial decision to bat first in the second cricket
Test here, stand-in captain Rahul Dravid today said that
toss was one of the many aspects to be looked into while
analysing India’s performance but it was not the reason
for the heavy loss.
Gul
grabs stumps before time
Lahore, April 8
Umar Gul, Pakistan’s
trump-card in the second cricket Test against India here,
may have jumped the gun by reaching out for the stumps
before a win had been achieved, but his timing in the first
innings devastation of India was just perfect.
Complacency
factor at play in Lahore
habits die
hard. The adage seems true when it about the Indian cricket
team. A team that
looked invincible only last week, has shown such
inconsistency this time that people are now forced to
believe that this bunch of players are as vulnerable as any
other team. But it’s nothing new.
Stop
criticism or I’ll quit: Inzamam
Lahore, April 8
Shortly after the
series-levelling win against India here today, Pakistan
cricket captain Inzamam-ul Haq dropped a bombshell by
threatening to relinquish the captaincy if the “negative
criticism” directed at his team did not stop. Inzamam said
he was not opposed to criticism but some of the negative
remarks by former Pakistan cricketers in the last few days
had been extremely “demoralising” for the team and
“had crossed all limits”.
Lahore
Test party falls prey to cynicism
Old enemies who
are now thick pals in the midst of cricket’s biggest
diplomatic exercise should be very happy with the state of
the series. One-all and a decider to go. That will, of
course, set the tongues of the conspiracy theorists wagging
again.
I
am no angel, says Shoaib
Lahore:
After
bowling one of his fiery spells to bowl Pakistan to a
stunning nine-wicket victory over India in the second
cricket Test here on Thursday, express fast bowler Shoaib
Akhtar said he was ‘not an angel’ and ‘still learning
day by day.’
Imtiaz’s
appeal
Lahore:
Former Pakistan captain Imtiaz
Ahmed on Thursday made a fervent appeal for more cricketing
ties with India saying ‘’not only the game but the
people of the subcontinent will benefit” from it.
Notes
from Pakistan
Miandad
turns gracious host
Once a
formidable opponent, legendary Pakistani batsman Javed
Miandad turned a gracious host as he feted his former rivals
at a dinner. Former Indian captain Gundappa Viswanath,
accompanied by Dilip Vengsarkar, Syed Kirmani and Kiran
More, all former India Test players who have played against
Miandad, found their Pakistani host to be a simple human
being.
Inept batting display by India
Lahore, April 7
India were staring at defeat in the second cricket Test against Pakistan here today after yet another inept batting display by its top order with the exception of Virender Sehwag who was unbeaten on a defiant 86.
Ganguly leaves
for Pakistan
KOLKATA:
India’s regular cricket captain
Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday left for Delhi en route to Pakistan after recuperating from his lower back injury which had sidelined him during the first two Tests.
Bucknor right man for friendship series?
The Indian cricket team and Steve Bucknor do not share a good chemistry. The Jamaican from the elite panel of international umpires has so often been unkind to them in his decision-making that it comes as no surprise that Indian cricketers perceive a certain bias in his work.
Irfan moves to top spot
Mumbai, April 7
India’s teenage bowling sensation Irfan Pathan has moved to the top spot in
One-Day International bowling ranking, while India moved to the second spot in the Samsung cricket ratings.
Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar continued to hold the top slot
In ODI batting list while Pathan’s fine showing in Australia
and Pakistan, with a tally of 24 wickets from 13 matches, has
earned him 157 points to top the bowling list, a press note said
here today.
Notes from Pakistan
Food Street lures Indian officials
Having heard so much about Lahore’s famous Food Street from the players, with its array of mouth-watering dishes, Indian cricket board officials and selectors could not but find time to go there.
Hospitals respond to cricketers’ appeal
Lahore, April 7
The appeal by Indian cricketers to save the life of a cancer-affected Pakistani girl has been heard with three leading hospitals in India offering to treat the 10-year-old.
Inzaman,
Farhat put Pak on top
Lahore, April 6
Pakistan rode on
centuries from Imran Farhat and skipper Inzamam-ul Haq to
set the stage for a huge first innings lead over India in
the second cricket Test which was marred by some
controversial umpiring decisions on the second day here
today.
Inzamam
looks to bat India out of Test
Lahore, April 6
Describing his first
Test century against India here today as one of his best
knocks, Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq indicated he was
looking to bat the visitors out of the second cricket Test.
Parthiv
Patel reported for excessive appealing
Lahore, April 6
India’s wicketkeeper
Parthiv Patel was today summoned by ICC match referee Ranjan
Madugalle for a hearing after he was reported for excessive
appealing during the second day’s play of the second
cricket Test against Pakistan.
BCCI
to decide on Ganguly
Kolkata, April 6
A decision to send
Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly back to Pakistan for the third
Test in Rawalpindi would be taken only after a confirmation
of his match-fitness by cricket board’s chief medical
consultant.
Pak
players miffed by criticism
Lahore, April 6
Doubts are being raised
about the “sincerity” of Pakistan bowlers after
speculation mounted over the omission of Shabbir Ahmed and
Abdul Razzaq as well as the reported offer of Shoaib Akhtar
to pull out of the second cricket Test against India.
Moin
faces uncertain future
Lahore, April 6
The ghost of Sachin
Tendulkar’s ‘wrong-un’ continues to haunt wicketkeeper
Moin Khan who faces an uncertain future with selectors
“adamant” to drop him for the third Test against India.
Pakistan
fans keeping away
LAHORE:
Even the prospect of
Pakistani batsmen making merry against India and avenging
the humiliating defeat at Multan in the second cricket Test
could not lure locals to the Gaddafi Stadium today.
Notes
from Pakistan
Sidhu
too busy to write memoirs
Cricketer-turned-commentator
Navjot Singh Sidhu says he has a wealth of cricket tales to
tell but can’t find time now to write a book. “I have so
much to write that it will make a very interesting book
written in just 20 days flat,” says the man known for his
rib-tickling one-liners, or “Sidhuisms” as they are
called. “I can write a book on India’s 1996 tour of
England alone.”
Chandigarh
boy Yuvraj hits first Test century
Lahore, April 5
India gambled in
batting on a lively wicket and nearly collapsed before a
fighting maiden century by one-day specialist Yuvraj Singh
took it to a respectable 287 on the opening day of the
second cricket Test against Pakistan here today.
This
century means lot to me, says Yuvraj
Lahore, April 5
After scoring his
maiden Test century which saved India some blushes on the
opening day of the first Test against Pakistan, Yuvraj Singh
said he was “not worried” over the impending return of
skipper Sourav Ganguly.
Yuvraj
puts selectors in dilemma
Lahore, April 5
Skipper Sourav Ganguly
in place of who? — that will be the big question for
Indian cricket selectors now. The fighting century hit by
Yuvraj Singh in the second Test against Pakistan here today
is certain to put the selectors in a dilemma on how to
accommodate the skipper when he returns to the team for the
third Test starting in Rawalpindi on April 13.
Defining
moment of Yuvraj’s career
Indian
cricket’s continued success at the international level in
recent times is certainly an indication of the historic
changes it has gone through. Its over-dependence on a few
individuals in the past did not help much and only
encouraged developing a strange culture in the side.
Batting
treat for parents
Lahore: Parents
of young seamer Irfan Pathan were treated to a
roller-coaster ride on their first ever outing to a cricket
ground to watch a Test match where they saw their son
perform this time with the bat in the midst of a batting
collapse.
Squash’s
loss, cricket’s gain
Lahore, April 5
It is a miracle that
Pakistan’s Umar Gul, who wrecked the cream of India’s
batting in the second Test here today, is playing cricket at
all. He had enough inspiration around him as a toddler to
take to squash.
Atkinson
‘shaves off’ moustache, blames Inzy
Lahore, April 5
English curator Andy
Atkinson has found a novel way of taking a dig at his
detractors who still blame him for ‘shaving’ the grass
at Multan — he has shaved off his moustache and is blaming
it on Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq!
Saving
Huba
Lahore: The
Indian cricket team today appealed to cancer specialists
back home to help save a 10-year-old Lahore girl’s life.
Huba Shahid has been diagnosed as having rabdomy sacrcoma
(facial cancer). Her father Shahid Siddique Chhina, a local
journalist, has been told that the recommended treatment was
a gamma knife surgery and is available only in India.
Notes
from Pakistan
Sonu
in Jagjit Singh’s footsteps
Popular Indian
ghazal singer Jagjit Singh performed in Lahore last week and
young and popular Sonu Nigam is set now to perform at a live
concert in Pakistan, titled “Sur Se Sur Milao”. Nigam
will have the company of popular Pakistani singers Amjad
Sabri and Farih Pervaiz.
India
eye maiden Test series win in Pakistan
Lahore, April 4
Humiliated as never
before, Pakistan will be out for revenge when they meet
India in the second Test match beginning here tomorrow but
the resurgent visitors will be pressing for their first-ever
series win in the land of their arch-rivals riding on the
confidence gained by their massive victory in the Multan
Test and the one-day series before that.
Rahul
Dravid unfazed by lively track
Lahore, April 4
Indian captain Rahul
Dravid was not worried by the lively track designed to suit
the Pakistan pace attack in the second cricket Test, saying
his bowlers were also capable of capitalising on the
conditions and giving the team a historic Test series
triumph.
We
are under pressure, says Inzamam
Lahore, April 4
Pakistan skipper
Inzamam-ul Haq today admitted his team was under tremendous
pressure to draw series and said, “We have to perform
really well to come back in the series.
Jolt
for Pak: Moin out
Lahore, April 4
Pakistan’s bid to
level the series against India received a big blow with
veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Moin Khan being ruled out of
the crucial second Test starting here tomorrow.
Shoaib
was unwilling to play Lahore Test
Lahore, April 4
Dejected with his
performance in the Multan Test, Pakistan’s pace spearhead
Shoaib Akhtar came close to pulling out of the second match
against India “in the larger interest of the team”.
Pak
pacers need to recover from scars
All reports
coming out of the Gaddafi Stadium testify that this time
round, the pitch on which the Test will be played is green.
The hosts had no choice but to prepare such a pitch,
especially after they got it so terribly wrong in Multan.
Now that the Pakistan pace bowlers have got a wicket that
suits them, they will need to recover from the scars of
Multan quickly if they want to square the series.
Fans
finally make it to Lahore
Wagah, April 4
After strong protests
by enthusiastic cricket fans who could not travel to Lahore
by road yesterday, the government finally relented today
afternoon and allowed them to cross over by road.
PCB
cuts ticket prices
LAHORE: Alarmed
at the poor turn-out during the Multan Test, Pakistan
Cricket Board has slashed the prices of tickets
substantially for the second Test between India and
Pakistan, starting here tomorrow.
Ganguly
better
KOLKATA: Team
India skipper Sourav Ganguly has set a target of Wednesday
for his return to Pakistan after making significant progress
in the treatment of his injured lower back in the last three
odd days.
Notes
from Pakistan
For
traders business never stopped
Tension or no
tension, businessmen from India and Pakistan trading in
carved wooden artifacts have maintained a stable partnership
over the years. A shop
owner in the famous Anarkali market said articles like table
coasters and other miniature showcase objects that he and
others sell in Pakistan are actually made in Saharanpur,
Uttar Pradesh.
Lahore
wicket being kept under wraps
Lahore, April 3
With the dust raised in Multan still to settle down, an overtly
cautious Pakistan Cricket Board is trying to keep information
about the Lahore wicket under wraps.
Mystery
of missing grass: curator blames Inzamam
Lahore, April 3
Under-attack chief curator
Andy Atkinson has finally come out with his version of the
mystery of the missing grass at Multan. Atkinson, who has come
under a lot of flak for preparing a placid turf for the Multan
Test, held captain Inzamam-ul Haq and manager Haroon Rashid
responsible for the removal of grass from the track on which
India posted a huge total to win by an innings and 52 runs.
Miandad
lashes out at detractors
Lahore, April 3
Cornered Pakistan coach
Javed Miandad has hit back at his detractors for putting
pressure on him and the players by their stringent criticism and
said his team could still stage a comeback in the series.
Shoaib
Akhtar looks tired mentally
It is a
make-or-break Test for Pakistan in Lahore. They would like to
maximize the potential of their pace battery which is the engine
which drives them on a cricket field. But I am not sure if
Shoaib Akhtar is up to the task.
Pathan’s
parents to watch Lahore Test
Lahore, April 3
After his exploits in the
Multan encounter, Irfan Pathan will hope to rework his magic in
the second Test as well because he will have “special”
guests watching him in action from the stands.
NOTES FROM PAKISTAN
Cricket
fever creeps into Harappa
Far away from
the madding crowd, even the sylvan surroundings of Harappa,
the earliest discovered site of the Indus civilisation, is
not untouched by the cricket fever that has gripped the
subcontinent. The cricketing fortunes of India and Pakistan,
who have been battling for honours in a path-breaking
series, is being keenly followed here as much as the other
major cities.
Cricket
fans stranded at Wagah
Wagah, April 3
Nearly hundred Cricket fans were disappointed today when
they were not permitted by the immigration authorities at
the Wagah international border to cross over to Pakistan by
foot.
Indians
master art of winning matches, hearts
Multan, April 2
Winning high pressure
matches and winning the hearts of cricket-crazy Pakistani fans
may be two altogether different propositions, but the Indian
cricket team has been doing both without much ado in the three
weeks they have spent so far in this country.
Bowling
proved the weakest link: Miandad
Lahore, April 2
Admitting that he was
“under pressure” after the heavy defeat to arch-rivals
India, Pakistan coach Javed Miandad on Friday said the bowling
attack turned out to be his team’s “weakest link” during
the Multan Test.
Miandad
defensive, negative
The
defeated Pakistan team’s coach Javed Miandad has been as
defensive and negative as he was as a captain during his salad
days.
Nehra
joins team in Lahore
Lahore, April 2
Left arm pacer Ashish Nehra
who was sent back home midway through the one-day series,
returned here from Delhi to join the Indian team two days before
the start of the second cricket Test against Pakistan.
Kumble
- a silent assassin
It
was 16 years ago when I first met a bespectacled young lad
called Anil Kumble.
Notes
from Pakistan
Sachin
& his permanent companion
Sachin
Tendulkar, arguably the world’s best batsman and a well-known
music buff, listens to his favourite songs these days on iPod, a
digital CD player that has virtually become his permanent
companion.
Best-ever
Indian team, says Pak media
Lahore, April 2
The Indian cricket team was
today hailed as the “best ever” by the Pakistani media which
attacked the home side for its “shameful defeat” in the
Multan Test.
Indian
team visits Wagah
Lahore, April 2
Fresh from a historic win
on Pakistani soil, the Indian cricket team today took a day off
and visited the Wagah border to witness the spectacular
flag-lowering ceremony.
Team
India create history in Pak
Multan, April 1
After a 50-year wait, India finally humbled Pakistan on its
home turf for the first time to record its biggest-ever win
abroad, marking yet another high for the resurgent team that
recently triumphed in the one-day series against the
arch-rivals.
 In
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It’s
magic, says an ecstatic Wright
Multan, April 1
Coach John Wright said India’s first Test victory on Pakistan
soil in Multan today would rank among the top achievements of
his cricketing career.
Inzamam
puts bowlers on notice
Multan, April 1
Pakistan captain
Inzamam-ul Haq today put his fast bowlers on notice, saying
they must perform or face being dropped from the side for
the remaining two Tests against India.
Saqlain
axed, Imran Nazir in
Multan, April 1
The Pakistani selectors
today made one change in the
16-member squad as they dropped veteran spinner Saqlain
Mushtaq and brought in young batsman Imran Nazir for the
second Test to be played at Lahore from April 5.
Pak
panicked on eve of Multan Test
The
great Iqbal once said: “The price of cowardice is death”—
Pakistan panicked on the eve of the Multan Test, and perished by
an innings in a little over four days. The hosts were psyched by
the bowling of Irfan Pathan in the one-dayers, and they thought
that if they played on a grassy wicket, their batsmen would not
be able to handle the talented Indian left-arm bowler.
Entire
nation erupts in joy
New Delhi,
April 1
The nation erupted into
joy today after India registered its first ever cricket Test
win on Pakistan soil with Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee leading the country in hailing the splendid win.
Cricket
fans perplexed
Amritsar, April
1
Hundreds of cricket
lovers, who have got visa to see the second Test match
between India and Pakistan scheduled to be played in Lahore
on April 5, are perplexed as the special cricket train
arranged to carry them to Pakistan will steam off on April
5.
Notes
from Pakistan
Kapil,
Vengsarkar for Lahore Test
Multan, April 1
An array of former
India Test players and officials, including Kapil Dev, Dilip
Vengsarkar and the national selectors, will be at Lahore to watch the
second Test match between against Pakistan at Gaddafi Stadium from
Monday.
Anil
Kumble casts spell
India on verge of
historic victory in Pak
Multan, March 31
India were
tantalisingly close to their first-ever Test win in Pakistan
which was forced to follow on and left staring at defeat
after Anil Kumble took seven wickets on the penultimate day
of the Multan Test here today.
Batsmen deserve a lot of credit: Kumble
Multan, March 31
With India on the threshold of a historic victory, ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble today said his performance in Pakistan’s second innings was largely possible because of his batsmen who made his job easier by posting a huge first innings total.
Enforcing follow-on was
the right decision
It has been an eventful Test match so far. While the Indian domination continued like in the one-dayers, Sehwag’s historical feat made it a more memorable one.
Umpire Taufel target of Pak media
Multan, March 31
Directing its ire against umpire Simon Taufel, the Pakistani media today said his “dubious and questionable decisions” against Inzamam-ul Haq and Yousuf Youhana were “unpardonable” in this era of technology.
“Dubious umpiring diminishes Pakistan hopes in first Test,”
screamed a headline in local daily ‘The Nation’ in its lead story
on the ongoing Test match.
Pak players almost boycotted series after fixing charges
Multan, March 31
Three senior members of the Pakistan cricket team, including skipper Inzamam-ul Haq, had threatened to boycott the Test series against India in protest against allegations that the fourth one-dayer at Lahore could have been fixed, according to a report in the local media here today.
Notes
from Pakistan
Security
staff taking no chances
Pakistani
security staff is taking no chances with the security of the
Indian players here with intelligence and police personnel
guarding round the clock the road leading to the hotel and
its every nook and corner.
Advantage
India at Multan
Pak struggle to
avoid follow-on
Multan, March 30
Sachin Tendulkar
bowled Moin Khan through his legs off the day’s last ball
to strengthen India’s grip over the first Test leaving
Pakistan six wickets down for 364 and requiring 112 runs to
avoid a follow on.
Inzamam
relying on lower order
Multan, March
30
Pakistan may have found
themselves in a difficult position in the first cricket Test
against India but captain Inzamam-ul Haq today said his
lower order batsmen were quite capable of pulling the team
to safety “if they play to their potential”.
Peeved
with Taufel, PCB lodges complaint
Multan, March 30
Peeved over
questionable umpiring that decided the fate of Pakistan
skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and his deputy Yousuf Youhana at
crucial stages on the third day of the first Test against
India, the PCB today lodged an official complaint against
umpire Simon Taufel with ICC match referee Ranjan Madugalle.
Triple
ton yet to sink in, says Sehwag
Multan, March
30
Purists frown on his
unorthodox batting style, he is often criticised for
throwing away his wicket after getting the starts, his lack
of footwork is seen as a weakness — yet it has no bearing
on Virender Sehwag who goes about playing his usual game —
attacking cricket.
Youhana
in pitch controversy
Multan, March
30
As if his poor show
with the bat was not enough, Pakistan vice-captain Yousuf
Youhana’s bad time now extends even off the field. With
the Multan pitch turning out to be a belter and the Indian
batsmen, led by the triple-ton maker Virender Sehwag, making
merry on a placid track, it’s now suggested that Youhana
was instrumental in having the grass shaved off the track
here.
Curator
told to make ‘responsive’ track
Multan, March 30
After drawing flak for
the “dead” Multan turf, the Pakistan Cricket Board is
rushing its curator to Lahore for preparing a green top to
suit its fast bowlers in the second Test. The PCB has
instructed English curator Andy Atkinson to prepare a
“responsive” track for the April 5 to 9 Test after
cricket commentators and Pakistani players denounced the
ground staff for preparing a grassless pitch for the ongoing
first Test here against India.
Appoint
Sarfaraz bowling coach, says Miandad
Multan, March 30
Pakistan coach Javed
Miandad today dropped a bombshell by suggesting that the
controversial Sarfaraz Nawaz be made the bowling coach of
the team. Miandad’s
suggestion came amidst reports that the Pakistan Cricket
Board (PCB) is planning to appoint a bowling coach after the
series against India with Pakistan playing in the Asia Cup,
the ICC Trophy in England and then hosting Zimbabwe
immediately after.
Imran’s
tips to Pak bowlers
ISLAMABAD: Resigned
to the fact that the Multan turf has very little to offer to
seamers, legendary all-rounder Imran Khan has urged the
“demoralised” Pakistani paceman to make most of the
conditions in the ongoing first cricket Test against India.
Notes
from Pakistan
Sehwag
‘six bats’ into history
Bats are an
integral and important part of a batsman’s baggage and
Virender Sehwag has brought six of them for the 39-day tour
of Pakistan, one of which he used to hammer the attack to
notch up a historic 309.
Latif
brothers
MULTAN: Half-brothers
Rashid and Shahid Latif have been separated for decades by
hostility between India and Pakistan but cricket has brought
them together — as it also seems to be between their
countries.
Congrats
Sehwag, you’ve done it
Becomes first
Indian to hit triple century in Test cricket
Multan, March 29
Virender Sehwag created history by becoming the first Indian
to crack a triple century and Sachin Tendulkar struck an
unbeaten century as India posted their third highest Test
score ever to take a firm grip on the opening Test against
arch-rivals Pakistan here today.
Sehwag
rues missing Hayden’s record
Multan, March 29
With a record triple
century under his belt, Virender Sehwag today said his
delight at achieving the feat was tinted with disappointment
as he could have attempted to overtake Matthew Hayden’s
world record.
Declaration
surprises Tendulkar
Multan, March
29
A visibly disappointed
Sachin Tendulkar today said he was “taken by surprise”
by the timing of the Indian cricket team’s declaration
which deprived him of what could have been his fourth double
century of his career.
Tendulkar
closer to century record
Multan: The
Multan Test here is turning out to be a statistician’s
delight as batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar inched closer
towards the highest Test century record, presently held by
another Indian great Sunil Gavaskar.
Pak
media blasts pitch curator
Multan, March 29
As India appeared in
full control of the first cricket Test, Pakistani media
today blasted English curator Andy Atkinson for preparing a
“dead” wicket for the series opener at the Multan
Cricket Stadium.
Pathan,
Balaji good for Indian cricket: Zaheer
Multan, March 29
Pace spearhead Zaheer
Khan believes the emergence of young seamers Irfan Pathan
and L Balaji is a “good sign for Indian cricket” but the
duo needs to work hard to keep improving.
Sidelights
Imran
still a popular figure
Multan, March 29
Former Pakistan captain
Imran Khan, who is one of the star cricket commentators, is
still a much sought after figure in his country as was
evident at Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and now in
Multan.
Notes
from Pakistan
One-day
series defeat hurts: Umar
Pakistan’s
young players have yet not come to terms with the defeat
they suffered at the hands of India in the one-day series as
Taufiq Umar says, “it still rankels in the mind, it
hurts.”
Ticket
prices
Multan: Concerned
over the poor crowd turnout for the first Test in 15 years
between the arch-rivals, the Pakistan Cricket Board has
reduced the price of tickets by half to lure fans to the
ground.
Sehwag
puts Pak attack to sword
Hits career-best
unbeaten 228
Multan, March 28
Virender Sehwag smashed
a career-best unbeaten 228 as India piled up a commanding
356 for two to set the stage for a huge first innings score
on the opening day of their first cricket Test on Pakistan
soil in 15 years. The 24-year-old Sehwag also became the
highest Indian scorer against Pakistan ever.
I
will try to get triple hundred, says Sehwag
Multan, March
28
Describing his
career-best unbeaten 228 against Pakistan in the first
cricket Test as a “turning point in his career”,
Virender Sehwag today said he will try to reach the 300-run
mark which no Indian has been able to achieve so far.
Imran
criticises turf
Multan, March 28
After the Indians
feasted on a docile Pakistan bowling attack to amass 356 for
two, legendary all-rounder Imran Khan came down heavily on
the authorities for overlooking the strength of the home
team and preparing a track which is assisting spinners more
than the fast bowlers.
Akram
not averse to coaching Pak bowlers
New Delhi, March 28
Clearly upset by an
indisciplined bowling attack struggling against India in the
just concluded Samsung Cup, former Pakistan skipper Wasim
Akram said he was not averse to play the bowling coach’s
role if it came his way.
Notes
from Pakistan
Magic
words — I’m from India
The goodwill
generated by the cricket series has spread so much that even
Pakistanis are getting their work done by saying the magic
words: “I’m from India!” Be
it hiring a rickshaw or booking hotel rooms or getting money
from banks, the mere mention of “India” makes most
Pakistanis go out of their way to accommodate requests from
the thousands of Indians in their country because of
cricket.
Pak
for one-day series in India
Multan:
India will
host Pakistan for three one-dayers in a six-match series
later this year, with the remaining three to be played in
the neighbouring country, the PCB announced here on Sunday.
Injured
Ganguly out of first Test
Multan, March
27
The Indian cricket team’s bid to re-write history yet
again by winning their first-ever Test on Pakistani soil
suffered a jolt with inspirational skipper Saurav Ganguly
being ruled out of the opening match here tomorrow.
In
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Important
to start series well: Dravid
Multan, March
27
India’s stand-in
skipper Rahul Dravid today gave equal chance to Pakistan to
win the first Test while dismissing suggestions that Indians
had gained a winning momentum by clinching the one-dayers.
India
should go with 5 bowlers
Put together,
four Indian batsmen — Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly,
Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman — have hammered 25,000 runs
in more than 300 Test matches they have played so far. Their
overall batting average is more than 50 and the average age
is 31.
Agarkar
happy to be back
MULTAN:
Mumbai pacer Ajit
Agarkar is very happy and excited to be back in the team and
is ready to shoulder the responsibility. “It
is nice to be back in the side. There is a lot more
responsibility,” the seamer told mediapersons during the
interaction here on Friday.
Younis
Khan’s omission a big mistake
At the start of
the tour, I had said that India would win the one-day
series, while Pakistan would do well in the Tests. However,
I will have to add a proviso after the way the Pakistanis
went down in the last two one-dayers. For the hosts to win
the Test series, Inzamam will have to succeed on two fronts.
Pray
for team: Inzamam
Multan: Pakistan
skipper Inzamam-ul Haq today urged the people of this holy
city to pray for him and for the team’s victory over India
in the Test series starting here from on Sunday.
Notes
from Pakistan
Pak
team to have special prayers
The Pakistan
cricket team will have “special prayers” before they
take field against India in the first Test here on Sunday
which marks the country’s 300th Test. Incidentally,
Pakistan played its first Test against India at New Delhi in
1952-53.
Chopra,
Ajit back at nets with team
Multan, March
26
Medium pacer Ajit
Agarkar and leg spinner Anil Kumble, who were not considered
for the one-dayers due to injuries are back in the national
side and are bound to add more strength to the team.
Ganguly
uncertain for first Test
Multan, March 26
Uncertainty prevailed
today over the availability of Sourav Ganguly for the first
Test against Pakistan beginning here on Sunday although a
medical scan showed there was no serious injury save for
some muscular pain.
Sachin
hungry for big scores, says Saqlain
Lahore, March 26
Off spinner Saqlain
Mushtaq, whose duel with Sachin Tendulkar was one of the
highlights of the 1999 series, believes the Indian batting
maestro has still not lost his hunger for runs and is
destined to break many more batting records in coming years.
Kumble
ready for ‘challenge’
Multan, March
26
India’s bowling
trumpcard Anil Kumble, returning to the squad after an
injury lay-off, is looking to carry the “positive
factors” from his successful Australian tour into the Test
series against Pakistan. “It is good to be in Pakistan, it
is my first trip here and I will try to take the positive
factors from the Australian series going into the Test
matches,” the seasoned leg-spinner told reporters here
today.
Time
for luck to favour Pakistan, says Inzamam
Multan, March 26
Pakistan captain
Inzamam-ul Haq today said he believed that his home town
(Multan) would bring luck to him and his team against India
in the Test series. “I
think we need a bit of luck,” he said, adding that “it
was a case of too close yet so far in the one-day series and
I hope now we will fight back in the larger version of the
game.”
Tepid
response to 1st Test
Multan, March 26
This ancient city, a
citadel with a 4000-year-old history, is oblivious of the
fact that the first cricket Test between India and Pakistan
is slated to be played here from Sunday.
Tests
will be thrilling: Rashid
Multan, March 26
Pakistan manager Haroon
Rashid today promised a better and positive showing by his
team in the three Test series, beginning Sunday, against
India. “The Test
series is going to be as thrilling and exciting as the
one-day series but insha allah the results will be in our
favour,” he said.
Notes
from Pakistan
Saqlain
ribbed over ‘teesra’
Former Pakistan
cricket chief Arif Ali Khan Abbasi has lost none of his wit
as was evident when he hugged off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq at
Lahore airport and then greeted him with: “I have heard
you have come up with the “teesra” (the third one).”
India
have edge in Tests: Inzamam
Lahore, March 25
The one-day series having ended in triumph,
India will now battle for honours in the three-Test series with Pakistan whose
captain Inzamam-ul Haq today conceded that the visitors now had an edge.
Kalam
says it with flowers
New Delhi, March 25
The first citizen of
the country wants to celebrate the first series victory of
the Indian cricket team in Pakistan with the flowers from
the famous Mughal Gardens.
Irfan
displayed tremendous character
The men in blue
have made the country proud. This victory will go a long way
in helping Indian cricket grow at all levels. Every win, be
it Test matches or one-dayers, throw up a few individuals,
who perform like champions.
Poor
planning cost Pakistan the Samsung Cup
Poor planning
and an unprofessional approach cost Pakistan the Samsung
Cup. At the start of the series, I had said that India were
the favourites.
Saurav
Ganguly undergoes tests
LAHORE:
Indian skipper
Saurav Ganguly on Thursday underwent medical tests to
ascertain the extent of the injury he sustained while
fielding in the series deciding fifth one-day cricket match
against Pakistan here.
Younis
Khan, Shahid Afridi dropped
Lahore, March 25
Opener Shahid Afridi
and middle-order batsman Younis Khan were today dropped
while leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was included for the
historic three-Test series against India starting in Multan
on Sunday.
Notes
from Pakistan
Treat
for Indian fans on Navratras
Pakistanis have
earned a reputation for being warm and considerate hosts to
visiting Indians, and the hotels here are no exception.
Hotel Mel Rose served
halwa-puri at breakfast on Thursday in keeping with the
religious requirements of many visiting Hindus, who are
observing a nine-day period of fasting these days in
observance of Navratra.
India
clinch series in Pak
Pathan grabs 3 wickets; Laxman hits century
Lahore, March 24
Shrugging off the tag of “chokers”,
India rewrote history by winning their first-ever series in Pakistan after
beating back a late charge by the home side in the decisive fifth one-dayer here
tonight to the joy of their delirious supporters who set off fireworks.
Indo-Pak
series good for game, says Fazal
Lahore, March 24
Former Pakistan captain Fazal Mehmood has
said that the revival of the cricketing ties with India was good for the game in
the sub-continent. “Cricket generates passion and excitement and is a good way
to unite the people,” the legendary fast bowler of yesteryears said.
Notes from Pakistan
Cricket
crucial to promote friendship, says Sinha
Bollywood star and Union Minister
of Shipping Shatrughan Sinha has said that cricket has played a vital role in
bringing India and Pakistan closer. Speaking at a dinner hosted by Punjab Chief
Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi for Pakistani and Indian cricket teams, Mr Sinha
said that the peace journey had begun, although the goal was yet to be achieved,
a report in ‘Daily Times’ said.
Saqlain
developing a ‘teesra’
Lahore, March
24
Saqlain Mushtaq, who introduced the off-spinners’
googly or the “doosra” (the other one) to international
cricket, is developing a “teesra” (the third one) in a
bid to win back a place in the Pakistan team.
Pakistan
earn dubious record
LAHORE:
Pakistan, who have been dogged by the large number of extras
conceded during the ongoing one-day cricket series against
India, have earned the dubious record of conceding more than
11,000 extra runs, the highest in the history of one-day
internationals.
Parthiv
has bright future, says Healy
Lahore, March
24
Former Australian stumper Ian Healy has praised young
wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, with whom he has been working
with in recent months, and said the Indian teenager has a
bright future.
India
keen to break jinx today
Lahore, March 23
A confident India and a
wounded Pakistan will battle for honours in the one-day series
here tomorrow, the visitors wanting to shake off the tag of “chokers”
and the home side wanting to salvage the pride of its formidable
bowling line-up.
Positive
Indians hope to keep trend going, says Dravid
Lahore, March 23
Looking for their first
cricket series win against Pakistan on their turf, India today
said they were approaching tomorrow’s decider with a “positive
frame of mind”, recalling that they have always had the better
of the home side in crunch situations such as those in various
World Cups.
Pakistan
short on momentum
If India was the
team that was up against it on the eve of the fourth one-dayer,
it’s Pakistan that is seriously short on momentum on the eve
of the series decider.
Shoaib’s
‘illness’ bothering Pak
Lahore, March
23
Speedster Shoaib Akhtar’s
bout of “illness” during the crucial fourth one-dayer
against India is “disturbing” the Pakistan team
management which desperately needs the bowler to be in top
form for the deciding one-dayer against India here tomorrow.
Miandad
takes fixing whispers in stride
Lahore, March 23
Pakistan coach Javed
Miandad says he is not surprised by the “whispering
campaign” about the fourth one-day match against India
being fixed as it was common for such rumours to float every
time his team lost a match.
Notes
from Pakistan
Ganguly
dines at famous Food Street
Indian
captain Saurav Ganguly, who loves good food, and Information
and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had a late
dinner together at the famous Food Street here in the early
hours of Monday.
Yuvraj,
Kumble in Test squad
New Delhi,
March 22
Yuvraj Singh, the
debonair batting star from Punjab, has been rewarded for his
consistent display in the longer version of domestic
cricket, particularly his two hundreds for North Zone in the
Duleep Trophy final against East Zone at Mohali recently, as
he has been included in the 15-member Indian squad for the
three-Test series against Pakistan, beginning after the
five-match one-day international series.
In video (28k,
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ACU’s
gives clean chit to Indo-Pak series
Lahore, March 22
Refuting all the wild
allegations and rumours about the outcome of yesterday’s
match, the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) of the ICC today gave
a clean chit to the ongoing India-Pakistan cricket series.
Perfect
‘goodwill’ script for a grand finale at Lahore
Whoever is writing
the script for the Goodwill series is doing a darned good
job. The poet and the general and their peoples in the great
Indian subcontinent could not have asked for more from
cricket than to take the emotion-stirring series right down
to the wire in a grand finale.
It’s
50-50 in decider, says Miandad
Lahore, March
22
Smarting under a shock
defeat in the fourth one-dayer, Pakistan coach Javed Miandad
now believes both India and Pakistan will have a 50-50
chance in the deciding fifth and final one-day cricket match
here on Wednesday.
Indians
succeeded in Aussie style
It has been
often seen that a team dishes out its best performance when
under great pressure. Unfavourable results not only activate
the drives in the minds of the players, but also ignite
their self-respect, sense of duty and accountability. I have
regularly witnessed embarrassed players spending sleepless
nights after a few dismal shows.
Notes
from Pakistan
Lahoris
think tie was fixed
"We knew
the result beforehand,’’ is the refrain here regarding
last night’s India-Pakistan one-day cricket match. ‘’Friendship
and commercial interests took precedence over the
game,’’ said many people whom this reporter asked for
their views on the match.
Sami’s
joy short-lived
Lahore: The
joy of having broken the 100 mph speed barrier proved
short-lived for Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Sami after he
learnt that the speed guns had not given an accurate reading
in the third one-day international against India in Peshawar
on Friday.
Appoint
bowling coach, says Imran
Lahore, March 22
The inept show of the
Pakistan bowlers in the ongoing one-day series with India
has triggered off a debate with legendary cricketer Imran
Khan calling for appointing a bowling coach, a suggestion
rejected by his contemporary and national coach Javed
Miandad.
Dravid,
Kaif conquer Lahore
Lahore, March 21
Rahul Dravid ‘The Wall’
stood among the ruins of India’s innings along with master
craftsman Mohammad Kaif to take their team to an incredible win
and square the series against Pakistan 2-2 before thousands of
delirious Indian supporters here tonight.
Imran impressed by Irfan, Kaif
Lahore: Rookie pacer Irfan Pathan continued his good form with the new ball and have his latest admirer in the form of former Pakistan captain and legendary allrounder Imran Khan.
Indian
team lacks quality bowlers, says Sohail
Lahore, March 21
Former Pakistan captain and
selector Amir Sohail has said that the touring Indian cricket
team lacks quality bowlers and that is one reason why they lost
at Rawalpindi and Peshawar.
Make
Aquib bowling coach, Imran tells PCB
Lahore, March 21
Pakistan’s World Cup
winning skipper Imran Khan today suggested to the PCB to appoint
former speedster Aquib Javed as the team’s bowling coach,
especially for the coming three-match Test series against India.
Lahore
never had it so good
Lahore, March 21
This historical city once
known as “Paris of Asia’’ is in the grip of cricket mania
and tourist boom with hotels full to capacity and for once the
famed Lahori hospitality shown the window in the interest of
business and economy.
Notes
from Pakistan
Cricket
invades Lahore kitchens
Full Toss Salad
or Off Swinger — take your pick from the menu in top
hotels of Lahore where cricket mania has found its way into
kitchens. At the
Holiday Inn, which appears to have been taken over by
cricket-crazy Indians who have poured into this historic
city for the two Indo-Pak one-dayers this week, the menu is
all cricket parlance.
‘Chacha’
cheers for friendship
Lahore, March 21
He is often described as
Pakistan’s favourite ‘chacha’ (uncle). His face, marked by
a flowing white beard, is familiar to television viewers
wherever cricket is played. For 36 years ‘chacha’ Abdul
Jaleel has followed the Pakistan cricket team at home and abroad
dressed in Pakistan national colours and carrying a big Pakistan
flag.
India
under pressure to level series
Lahore, March 20
The Indians will be under
pressure to level the series when they take on Pakistan here
tomorrow, their bowling worries still dogging them and some of
their famed batsmen struggling, a fact the team is reluctant to
admit.
Risky
to play with four bowlers
The composition of
a team is heavily dependent on four regular bowlers while a few
non-regular bowlers mostly take the slot of the fifth bowler. It
is always a big risk if one or two of the regular bowlers
concede a few extra runs.
Odds
stacked heavily against Indians
As India approaches
the Lahore double-header, it is obvious that the odds are
stacked heavily against them. They have lost two straight games
which means that Pakistan have got a bit of momentum going for
them. Add to that the fact that their bowling is really lacking
in penetration, and the scenario becomes a little more grim for
captain Saurav Ganguly.
Bowling
worries plague both captains
Lahore, March 20
Pakistan are worried by the
extras conceded by their famed bowling line-up while the Indians
are missing their three top bowlers, injured Ashish Nehra, Anil
Kumble and Harbhajan Singh as the two teams prepare for another
high-voltage duel here tomorrow, a match the visitors will have
to win to level the series.
Notes
from Pakistan
Indian
fans invade Lahore
Lahore, March 20
It is an Indian invasion of
this historic city of Pakistan. They are coming by planes,
trains and bus loads — the Indians in their thousands to back
their national cricket team when they take on Pakistanis at the
Gadhaffi Stadium here tomorrow and again on Wednesday.
Fake
tickets flood market
Lahore:
The Indian team,
desperate to draw parity in the series, will be cheered by
country’s top industrialist —Ambanis, Wadias and Munjals, as
they take on Pakistan in the fourth one-day cricket match here
tomorrow.
Mistaken
identity
Lahore: Indian
vice-captain Rahul Dravid must not have thought in his wildest
dreams that his failure to recognise Yasir Hameed at Rawalpindi
would serve as a “wake-up call” for the young opener who
emerged as the hero in Pakistan’s back-to-back wins in the
ongoing one-day series.
Down,
but not out
Peshawar, March 19
Yasir Hameed blunted an
inspired Indian bowling attack with a fine 98-run knock before
crisis man Abdur Razzaq sailed Pakistan through to a four wicket
victory with 16 balls to spare in another thrilling contest
between the arch-rivals here today.
Razzaq
hopes to seal series on Sunday
Peshawar, March 19
All-rounder Abdul Razzaq,
whose unbeaten 72-run partnership with Moin Khan took Pakistan
to a four-wicket win over India in the third one-dayer today,
said he hoped the team would win the next match at Lahore on
Sunday and clinch the series.
Ganguly
cautioned
Peshawar, March 19
Match referee Ranjan
Madugalle has asked Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly to refrain
from making “contentious comments” during the series in
Pakistan.
Notes
from Pakistan
Musharraf
pays to watch match
Peshawar, March 18
An avid cricket fan,
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf might have watched the
second one-day international match between India and Pakistan in
Rawalpindi for a brief period, but he did not hesitate to shell
out Rs 4500 for the ticket.
Cricket
fans get visas
Amritsar, March 19
Chaos and confusion
prevailed today as thousands of cricket fans queued up at the
two-day special visa camp set up here by the Pakistan High
Commission to issue travel documents for the India-Pakistan
cricket one-dayers at Lahore on March 21 and 24.
Ganguly
pins hopes on Pathan, Zaheer
Peshawar, March 18
Indian cricket captain
Sourav Ganguly is banking on youngster Irfan Pathan to deliver
the goods in the absence of the in-form Ashish Nehra while
hoping that strike bowler Zaheer Khan will return to form soon
to help the side turn the tables on Pakistan in the third
one-dayer tomorrow.
Batsmen
hold the key in Peshawar one-dayer
Peshawar, March 18
With the five-match one-day
series interestingly poised at 1-1, India’s fate in the third
match here tomorrow against traditional rivals Pakistan will
hinge on the performance of their famed batting line-up that
failed in Rawalpindi.
Medium
pacers cannon fodder for batsmen
The fact that the two
matches so far have been dominated by the batsmen will not please
bowlers from both sides, but it has certainly provided the viewers
with a great spectacle. The pitches are so flat that medium-pace
bowlers are cannon fodder for the batsmen.
Ganguly
‘behind whispering campaign’
Islamabad, March 18
Indian captain Saurav Ganguly is
being charged with running a “whispering campaign” aimed at
unsettling Pakistan match-winning speedster Shoaib Akhtar by
attempting to question his action.
Rashid
stepbrother India’s fan
Kolkata, March 18
While former Pakistan skipper
Rashid Latif has earned plaudits for dazzling displays for his
country, his stepbrother here is set to flourish the Tricolour when he
sets foot on Pakistan soil to watch the current cricket clashes.
Notes
from Pakistan
A
lot of friendship between two teams: Youhana
Peshawar, March 18
Notwithstanding the
high-voltage action on and off the field, Pakistan vice-captain
Yousuf Youhana said on Thursday the one-day cricket series was
being played in “true spirit” of friendship.
Tickets
for Lahore tie sold out
LAHORE: Tickets
for the final two one-day games between Pakistan and India at Lahore
on March 21 and 24 have been picked up in no time, according to the
Pakistan Cricket Board.
Opinions
page: Cricket
talk in Supreme Court
J&K
PAGE: Cricket
fever grips Hurriyat
|
Video |
 |
Now, a motorbike ride to promote peace and
India-Pakistan cricket.
(28k,
56k)
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DD
to show all matches; to deposit Rs 50 crore
New Delhi, March 17
The uncertainty over the
telecast of the India-Pakistan cricket series on Doordarshan was
over today with the Supreme Court directing international sports
channel Ten Sports to share its exclusive live signals of the
remaining matches with the national network.
In video: (28k,
56k)
Musharraf
praises Sachin, Balaji
Islamabad, March 17
Pakistan President Pervez
Musharraf today complimented Sachin Tendulkar for his superb
batting in the second one-dayer and praised L. Balaji for his
valiant efforts towards the end of the match, which India lost
by 12 runs.
Ganguly
not convinced with Akhtar’s action
Rawalpindi, March
17
Pakistan’s tearaway fast
bowler Shoaib Akhtar may have put in a fiery performance in
front of his home crowd in his 100th One-Day International
yesterday, but Indian captain Sourav Ganguly’s comments on his
bowling action may leave him fuming.
Tendulkar
relishes return to Pak
Rawalpindi, March
17
He started his
international cricket career in Pakistan as a bubbling
16-year-old prodigy facing up to great fast bowlers like Imran
Khan and Wasim Akram.
SRINATH COLUMN
Focus on building the team
The Indians were
found wanting at Rawalpindi. It is now quite obvious that this
series is all about sustaining the pressure.
Bhandari
to replace Nehra
New Delhi:
Delhi seamer Amit Bhandari
will replace left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra in the Indian cricket
team for the rest of the series in Pakistan, the Indian Cricket
Board said today.
Make-or-break
series for me, says Bhandari
New Delhi, March 17
Delhi seamer Amit Bhandari,
who replaced injured Ashish Nehra for the India-Pakistan one-day
series, is elated to be chosen for the job and says it would be
a make-or-break series for him.
Umer
included
Islamabad: Pakistan
today included prolific left-handed opener Taufiq Umer in the squad for
the third one-day cricket international against India to be played in
Peshawar on Friday.
Inzamam
fined for slow over-rate
Islamabad, March 17
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul
Haq was today fined 80 per cent of his match fees for his team's
slow over-rate in the second One-Day International against India
in Rawalpindi.
Notes
from Pakistan
India
accused of playing mind games
Islamabad, March 17
Jubilant over the home
team’s series levelling victory in the second One-Day
International at Rawalpindi, the Pakistan media today turned the
heat on the Indian team by accusing them of playing “mind
games” over the fitness of strike bowler Ashish Nehra, to
spring a last minute surprise.
Visa
seekers a harassed lot
Amritsar, March 17
Hundreds of visa seekers
who arrived here today from all over the state as well as
outside it felt harassed as they did not have any prior
information about the change of date for issuing visas.
Despite
Sachin’s 141, Pakistan force a win
Rawalpindi, March 16
India and Pakistan played another sensational thriller here tonight
before the visitors lost the second one-day international by 12 runs
despite Sachin Tendulkar's return to pristine form which enabled him to
hit his 37th one-day century and cross a record 13,000 runs.
Fans
throng Rawalpindi stadium for the second India-Pakistan ODI.
(28k,
56k)
Akhtar
promises a hat-trick next time
Rawalpindi, March 16
“Rawalpindi Express” Shoaib
Akhtar celebrated his 100th One-Day International with a thrilling
12-run win against India here tonight and promised to snare a hat-trick
“next time around”.
News
about Nehra’s fitness leaked to a 'privileged' few
Rawalpindi, March 16
Despite claims of transparency, the
Indian team management is back to its old ways of leaking the
information to a ‘privileged’ few and keeping others in the dark,
putting a question mark on the role of the high profile media manager.
No
proposal for Indian PM’s visit: Pakistan
Islamabad, March 16
Pakistan today said there was no
proposal for the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to visit the
country to watch a One-Day International cricket match between the two
sides at Lahore.
Afghan
refugees barred from Peshawar ODI
Peshawar, March 16
Pakistani authorities have barred
Afghan refugees from the Arbab Niaz Stadium in the border town of
Peshawar as part of security measures for India’s third one-day
cricket match against Pakistan, officials said today.
Notes
from Pakistan
Musharraf
eggs on Pak team
Pakistan
President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday egged on his team, aiming
to square the series against India in the second one-dayer at
the Pindi cricket stadium here.
Visa
camp from March 18
Amritsar, March 16
The Pakistan High Commission will
now open a special cricket visa camp for two ODIs to be played at Lahore
on March 18 here.
Unique
way of wishing team good luck
Amritsar, March 16
Rashpal Singh (30), a die-hard fan
of Indian cricket team, wished good luck to the team in a unique
way.
Nehra
to miss Rawalpindi tie; Saurav doubtful
Rawalpindi, March 15
The Indian cricket team received a big
jolt ahead of their second match of the one-day series against
Pakistan with Ashish Nehra being ruled out due to injury and
captain Saurav Ganguly a doubtful starter for the day-night tie.
Pakistan
to add firepower to bowling
Rawalpindi, March 15
Smarting under a narrow
defeat in the Karachi one-dayer, Pakistan coach Javed Miandad
today indicated that a “sixth bowler” might be picked for
tomorrow’s day-night clash against India in a bid to add more
firepower to their bowling.
Dravid
defends his bowlers
Rawalpindi, March 15
Indian vice-captain Rahul
Dravid was sympathetic of his “inexperienced” bowling
attack, that nearly cost India the Karachi one-dayer, but
admitted it was an area of concern on which they were working.
Security
beefed up following bomb scare
Rawalpindi:
Security has been beefed up
in and around the Pindi cricket stadium, the venue for
tomorrow’s second one-day match between India and Pakistan, in
view of the bomb scare in Karachi.
Inzamam’s
innings might have positive effect on Pak
Everybody was
worried that the team losing at Karachi would not be able to
overcome the psychological setback of being one down.
Waqar
predicts a ‘close’ series
New Delhi, March 15
Former Pakistan captain
Waqar Younis today said the ongoing Indo-Pak series will be
“close” as both the teams are in good nick but the home
bowlers should tighten up their line and length to show better
results.
Notes
from Pakistan
Shoaib
keen to make 100th ODI memorable
When local hero
Shoaib Akhtar marks his run-up at the Pindi Cricket Stadium for
his 100th one-day international appearance on Tuesday, he would
be hoping to make the day memorable for himself by grounding the
high flying Indian batsmen and gifting his team a series-levelling
win.
Karachi
tie hits business hard
Rawalpindi, March
15
It was not only the
Pakistan team but the industry in Karachi that suffered a huge
loss during the first one-dayer against India on March 13.
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March
15, 2004 |
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Musharraf
to have tea with Indian team
Islamabad, March 14
The Indian cricket team,
which has been showered with great deal of affection ever since
it arrived in Pakistan, will enjoy the stately hospitality of
the President, Gen Pervez Musharraf, when they attend a
get-together over tea with him on Wednesday.
In video (28k, 56k)
Middle
overs an area of concern: Wright
Rawalpindi, March 14
A day after India struggled
to defend a mammoth total, Indian cricket team coach John Wright
called upon his bowlers to keep the focus in the middle overs
which he admitted was becoming a problem area for the team.
President
Kalam lauds Indian win
NEW DELHI: President
APJ Abdul Kalam on Sunday congratulated the Indian cricket team
on its memorable victory in the Karachi one-day international
against Pakistan, on Saturday.
NOTES FROM
PAKISTAN
Pak
performance fantastic: manager
Pakistan cricket
team manager Haroon Rashid on Sunday described his team's
performance in the first one-dayer against India as ''fantastic
and incredible.''
Cricket
too batsman friendly
Indians held their
nerves together in the final hour to make it a great victory in
the first one-dayer against Pakistan in Karachi.
Laxman
expected to play second ODI
Rawalpindi, March
14
The Indian team management
is expecting the in-form VVS Laxman, who had to sit out of the
first one-day cricket match against Pakistan due to a stiff left
knee, to be fit for the second game to be held on Tuesday.
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March
14, 2004 |
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India
clinch Karachi thriller
Karachi, March 13
India scored a sensational
five-run win in the first one-day international of their historic
cricket tour of Pakistan here today in a thriller that was decided on
the last ball of the tie in which a world record of 693 runs were made
on a day of scintillating batting by the two sides.
In
video (28k,
56k)
Wave of joy sweeps
the nation
New Delhi, March 13
A euphoric nation erupted into
celebration as India scored a sensational last-ball win over
subcontinent rivals Pakistan in the opening one-day encounter of the
historic cricket series, against the hush that descended on the
National Stadium in Karachi.
Laxman likely for
next match
KARACHI: India’s
‘Very Very Special’ batsman, Laxman has not sustained a serious
injury and is expected to be fit for the second one-dayer at
Rawalpindi, the team management said on Saturday.
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