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India, Pak
favourites: Akram
Warne rubbishes reports of involvement in match-fixing
Lee ruled out of T20 World Cup
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Olic shoots Bayern into Champions League final
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India, Pak
favourites: Akram
“I would say India and Pakistan start off with the advantage as they are good in this form of the game and they also have quality spinners to take advantage of the pitches in the West Indies,” Wasim said. The former left-arm pacer said despite despite being short on international cricket, Pakistan will be a strong side in the tournament.
“Don’t forget that Pakistani players didn’t feature in the IPL so they are relatively fresh compared to other teams. They have not played much international cricket in recent times, so the players would be very keen to leave their mark on the World Cup,” Wasim stated. He also said that in Shahid Afridi Pakistan have a young and an aggressive captain. “Pakistan also have a very aggressive skipper in Shahid Afridi who is ideal for this format. He has proved in the past that he excels in T20 cricket,” Wasim added. Ramiz, who left for the West Indies today as part of ESPN STAR Sports' commentary team, said he backed India and Pakistan because of their Twenty20 experience and quality spin attack. “In this type of cricket all teams have equal chances to do well and predictions are hard to make. But I would say India and Pakistan have an edge because they are led by inspirational captains and they relish this form of the game,” he said. Ramiz also conceded that Pakistan would miss experienced Umar Gul's services after the pacer was ruled out of the tournament with a shoulder injury last week. “In Gul’s absence Afridi and Abdul Razzaq will hold the key for Pakistan since they are experienced players and can adapt to the pressure situations,” he said. “There is no dearth of talent in the Pakistan team but the problem is that the players can't absorb pressure,” he added. Form in warm-up games vital: Afridi
ST. LUCIA: Keen to retain the ICC World T20 Championship, Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi is in no mood to let his team relax in the warm-up matches ahead of the important tournament. Pakistan would kick start its campaign in the tournament against Bangladesh on May 1, but before that it has to play two practice games against the Windward XI (today April 28) and Zimbabwe (on Thursday, 29 April), and Afridi wants his side to win both the matches before the real test starts. “We want to get off to a flyer and the importance of the warm up games should not be underestimated,” PakPassion.net quoted Afridi, as saying. In 2009, although Pakistan took home the coveted trophy, its performance in the first two matches against England and India was ordinary to say the least, and Afridi knows that repeating the same mistakes again could dent hopes of lifting the championship for the second consecutive time. “The Bangladesh match is the first match in the tournament for us and it is a vital game, so we must make sure that we are fully prepared, ready and in good form ahead of the first match. This is why the two warmup matches are crucial,” Afridi said. He said he would want his squad to give its all in the warm-up matches and start the campaign with a bang. “The matches against Windward XI and Zimbabwe will be used as vital practice for the real thing, We want to take the matches very seriously and ensure that our players make full use of the warm up fixtures. We dont want to start slowly and would much rather go into the tournament showing some decent form,” Afridi said.
— Agencies |
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Warne rubbishes reports of involvement in match-fixing
Warne said he was not completely surprised by the controversy but was shocked that his name had been dragged without any substantiation. “In the time I have played in the IPL, I have never been approached or heard anything at the Royals regarding match-fixing. I said to a couple of friends I am comfortable because I am not involved in this IPL controversy in any way, shape or form,” Warne said. “Although, weird things can sometimes happen in Twenty20 cricket. That’s the nature of the game. I do know this: To fix a Twenty20, you would have to have the captain, otherwise you just couldn't do it. Any players involved in this controversy, if found guilty, should be banned for life,” said the legendary leg-spinner. “I have total confidence that no Australian is involved. It's good to hear that the authorities have come out and said that no Australian is under investigation,” he was quoted as saying by ‘Courier Mail’. Warne expressed his admiration for Lalit Modi for the huge success of the IPL but indirectly hinted that there was lack of transparency in running the show. “Modi’s vision has been fantastic and he should take all the credit for the IPL, which is very much his baby,” Warne said. “But in the IPL everything must be transparent so there can’t be any
innuendo.” — PTI |
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Lee ruled out of T20 World Cup
Melbourne, April 28 According to the team spokesman, Lee strained a muscle in his right elbow. “It’s a muscle strain. We have gone to the ICC Technical Committee to ask for a replacement player,” the spokesman was quoted as saying by local media. The replacement player is most likely to be either Doug Bollinger or Ryan Harris. Both the pacers had put up a good show at the IPL-III with Bollinger’s team - Chennai Super Kings - winning the tournament. ustralia will play their opening game against defending champions Pakistan on Sunday in St Lucia.
— PTI |
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Jeev Milkha Singh eyes Texas Open return
“I have started my practice but certainly not full fledged. My doctors have advised me to be gradual in approach to ensure full recovery. After a week, I will follow full-fledge practice schedule. Surely I am going to play in Texas Open next month”, said Jeev adding that he would fly to the destination in the first week of May. Jeev, who had developed injury in the rotator cuff of his left shoulder before the Masters, got his shoulder treated at Delhi where he was given injection in the shoulder. He has also been getting physiotherapy on the shoulder almost every day under the supervision of PGI doctor MS Dhillon. The injury had forced Jeev to withdraw from Quail Hollow Championship and the Italian Open on the European Tour. |
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Olic shoots Bayern into Champions League final
Lyon, April 28 Lyon were bidding to reach their first ever European final but saw Michel Bastos and Bafetimbi Gomis spurn the best chances that came their way. The hosts had captain Cris sent off midway through the second half after being shown two yellow cards in quick succession. Bayern, four-time champions, will meet the winners of other semi-final between Barcelona and Inter Milan in the final in Madrid on May 22. Coach Louis van Gaal will be aiming to become just the third man to guide two different teams to Europe's top club honour, having tasted Champions League glory with Ajax in 1995. After seeing his side outplayed in Munich, Lyon coach Claude Puel made his attacking intentions clear by naming wingers Bastos, Sidney Govou and Cesar Delgado in his line-up in support of Lisandro Lopez. Bayern’s injury problems meant Holger Badstuber had to move into the centre of defence, with 19-year-old Diego Contento taking his place at left-back, but it was the home defence that found itself under pressure first. With barely two minutes on the clock, Olic robbed Cris wide on the right and centred for Thomas Mueller, but with only Hugo Lloris to beat he clipped his first-time shot narrowly wide from 10 yards. Mueller then flashed a cross across goal before Bayern scored the night's first psychological blow when Mark van Bommel drew a foul from Maxime Gonalons that earned the youngster a booking and a suspension for the final. The goal the Lyon fans dreaded arrived in the 26th minute when Robben's pass down the inside-left channel found Mueller, who teed up Olic to spin away from his marker and score. The noise of the Bayern fans' drums replaced the roar of the home support and they grew even louder when Bastos spurned a superb chance for an equaliser by volleying wide from six yards. Puel introduced Gomis at half-time and the former Saint Etienne striker sent a thumping volley high over the Bayern crossbar when a left-wing cross fell to him at the back post shortly after his introduction. Bastian Schweinsteiger flashed an eye-catching half-volley narrowly over as Bayern looked to kill the game off, before Lloris produced a fine save to push away Robben’s low curling effort. Lyon’s evening went from bad to worse shortly before the hour when Cris received his marching orders, picking up two yellow cards in the space of a minute for fouling Olic and then sarcastically applauding the referee's decision to book him. The hosts responded with a stinging shot from Govou that Hans-Joerg Butt palmed away before Olic killed off any lingering hopes of a comeback by scampering onto Hamit Altintop's pass and beating Lloris with a crisp finish. Olic secured possession of the matchball in the 77th minute when he nodded home Philipp Lahm's cross from the right.
— AFP |
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Former Pakistani captains Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja believe that India and title holders Pakistan will have an edge over other teams in the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies because of their quality spin attacks. Wasim rated India and Pakistan as favorites to reach the final of the tournament to be held in the Caribbean from April 30 to May 16.
Karachi, April 28
Melbourne, April 28
Chandigarh, April 28
