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Morgan rules out cricket in Pak
Younis changed travel plan, saved us: Intikhab
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A chilling experience, says Sri Lanka coach
Younis apologises, praises players’ spirit
Napier ODI
Sunil Gavaskar writes...
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Morgan rules out cricket in Pak
London, March 3
"In the current situation, Pakistan is a very dangerous place," Morgan told BBC Television after masked terrorists ambushed the Sri Lankan team on its way to play the third day of second Test match at Gaddafi stadium. The attack left seven Sri Lankan team members, including their British assistant coach, injured and killed eight other persons, most of them security guards of the team, escorting them to the ground. "I think international cricket in Pakistan is out of question until there is a very significant change," he said. Questioned about schedule for the World Cup due to be played in four Indian sub-continent countries, Morgan said if Pakistan was to stage any of the matches it would have to completely change the security scenario. But he said the allocation of matches between the four countries was yet to be met though the world cup has been awarded to the four countries. "Quite clearly, this attack puts a great question mark over the ability of Pakistan to host cricket matches," Morgan said. The attack, the first of its kind in the history of world cricket, sent shock waves through the cricketing fraternity evoking wide-spread condemnation from leaders of the cricketing nations, their national boards and players. "The shooting is bound to deter other Test playing nations from touring Pakistan and Sri Lanka," Graeme Labrooy, Secretary of the Sri Lankan Cricketers' Association, said in a statement. "Other countries will think twice before touring Pakistan because of the terrorism problem," he said. Condemning the attack, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa described it as "cowardly" and said his team had gone to Pakistan as "ambassadors of goodwill". Rajapaksa cut-short his official visit to Nepal after hearing about the attack and sent his Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama to Pakistan to bring back the cricketers in a specially chartered plane. A Sri Lankan official spokesperson ruled out any hand of Tamil Tigers (LTTE) in the attack. A statement issued by the ICC on the attack said it had upset wider cricket family. Sri Lankan Cricket Chief Executive Dilip Mendis said "the players are shaken, their families are worried". New Zealand Chief Executive Justin Vaughan said "this is the first time a cricket team has been the target of terrorist so there is a whole new scale of shock". — PTI
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Younis apologises, praises players’ spirit
Lahore, March 3 Sri Lankan team bus driver Mehar Mohammad showed great presence of mind and drove the bus straight inside the secured stadium amidst heavy gunfire. "I talked with Ajantha Mendis, Muttaih Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera after the incident and told them the entire nation was sorry for what had happened. They said they have no complaints against the Pakistani people because of this incident. "The Sri Lankan players specially called the driver, Mehar Mohammad to the airport and thanked him for saving their lives and gave him souvenirs and gifts to express their gratitude towards him," Younis told reporters. Younis said he himself went to meet the injured Sri Lankan players. "I told them this was the work of some misguided people but all of them told me they had no regrets coming to Pakistan for the series and they never expected such a thing would happen," he said. The Pakistan captain said he was grateful to God that his team too survived a close call by deciding not to travel to the stadium together with the Sri Lankans. Younis said he was just happy to know that there was no casualties in the Sri Lankan team because of the incident. "Whoever these people are, they are damaging the country and the people must now rise and deal with them. We can't just leave everything to the government all the time. We also have a responsibility," he said. — PTI |
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Napier ODI
Napier, March 3 India rode on skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's unbeaten 84 and blistering half-centuries by Virender Sehwag (77) and Suresh Raina (66) to rattle up 273 for 4 in 38 overs and then put up a disciplined bowling performance to prevent the Kiwis from upstaging them. Rain-interruptions added to the woes of New Zealand, who were forced to chase a stiff target of 216 from 28 overs when the drizzle halted play for the second time in the match. The Kiwis could manage just 162 for nine. They were 111 in 20.5 overs while chasing original 274 from 38 overs when play was suspended and on the resumption the Kiwis were left with a daunting task of scoring 105 runs off 7.1 overs. After the first rain break, the match was reduced to 38 overs per side. Martin Guptill (64) and Ross Taylor (31) scored the bulk of the runs for the hosts. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh (3/27) and paceman Praveen Kumar (2/28) shone with the ball for India. India were on top of their game today as their batting, despite a lull in the middle overs was awesome, with Suresh Raina providing the thrust with a 39-ball 66. Their bowling was sharp and disciplined, with Praveen Kumar removing the wind out of the Kiwi sail with two crippling blows at the start, and Harbhajan Singh scything through the latter order. The Black Caps did well to recover from a staggering start through Guptill and Taylor but the asking rate was always way too high to be achieved under lights. Requiring a stifling 105 off 43, they lost wickets in a trice as Harbhajan Singh produced a brilliant spell and came close to getting a hat-trick in the 24th over. New Zealand lost four wickets in five balls to capitulate to their worst defeat in the season. Apart from Raina, who savaged the Kiwi attack with casual disdain Sehwag, Dhoni also contributed to India's cause. Earlier, a 141-minute rain-break had little effect on Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar as the celebrated openers went about caning the Kiwi pace attack without much ado. Scoreboard New Zealand:
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Sunil Gavaskar writes...
The tragic happenings in Lahore have certainly taken the sheen away from a terrific Indian performance many thousands of miles away in New Zealand. It now casts a heavy shadow on international cricket in Pakistan and the sad part is that Pakistan’s cricketers will suffer for no fault of theirs.
India and New Zealand players showed their solidarity with their Sri Lankan contemporaries by sporting black arm bands and in this hour sane heads are the need, rather than those asking for extreme measures to be taken. Perhaps even in New Zealand there were portents of things to come when the skies opened up after India had barely taken strike and the match had to be reduced to 38 overs a team. India the World Champions in T20 were smarting from their loss in both the T20 games and the mood could be sensed from the way that the skipper promoted himself to number three instead of Gambhir who himself is no slouch with the bat. His vice-captain Virender Sehwag had already taken off vertically and was playing the bowling with great disdain. It was hard to understand the Kiwi tactics, as their seam bowlers were bowling more full-tosses which on small grounds as in New Zealand is asking for punishment and which is exactly what they got. Full-tosses bowled by an express bowler around the waist is different because unless the batsman gets it bang in the sweet spot, it is going to trickle away but full-bungers from miliary medium pace is just what batsmen with high-back lifts and high and fast intentions want. The only way Viru looked like getting out was to a run out or a brilliant piece of fielding which Ross Taylor provided but by that time New Zealand’s bowlers looked totally demoralised. The skipper Vettori tried to stop the flow of runs but Dhoni pulled out the swish shot from his armoury. This is a shot that looks as if the batsman is trying to lasso a wild untamed horse. There is no one else in world cricket who plays this shot, it’s unique to the Indian skipper and it invariably brings him a boundary. It was only superb fielding by the Kiwis that stopped those shots inches from the ropes and throughout the Indian assault it was that aspect of Kiwi cricket that was outstanding. Suresh Raina muscled some huge hits taking advantage of the short boundaries and his quick fire innings once again emphasised his value to the team. Here is a young man who seems unspoilt by the adulation and riches that have come his way and may he remain that way always. Zaheer and Praveen Kumar bowled so well that the explosive start that the Kiwis were expecting did not materialise and when Dhoni shrewdly brought his spinners on and slowed the pace of the ball coming onto the bat the Kiwis floundered badly. It is a good start to series and India’s resolve was evident and that’s good news for the Indian cricket supporter. — PMG |
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Pakistan cannot host international cricket until it drastically improves its security, International Cricket Council President David Morgan said after today's deadly terror strike on Sri Lankan players in Lahore, putting question mark over 2011 World Cup."
It is all very unfortunate but in these conditions one can understand why teams are reluctant to tour Pakistan. Today is a sad day for Pakistan cricket. Steps should have been taken to prevent such an incident. —
Zaheer Abbas
The government should investigate and find out how this incident occurred because it will have serious repercussions on Pakistan cricket. I am just happy that the Sri Lankan players and officials escaped unhurt. They had come here to support us and whoever has done this is not a Pakistani or a Muslim. —
Javed Miandad
Let us hope sanity prevails in the next few days but the way I see it, the World Cup matches are going to be shifted from Pakistan. I can just say I have never seen anything like this. It was all very sad and horrifying. I just hope the Sri Lankans don't stop supporting our cricket —
Waqar Younis
It is very bad for Pakistan cricket and I just feel for our young players and for the future of the game. —
Sarfraz Nawaz
What frustrates me is that what happened today has justified the concerns of those teams who didn't want to play in Pakistan. I see some difficult times ahead for Pakistan cricket. —
Aamir Sohail