After their early exit from the Asia Cup, there seems to be more bad news for Pakistan cricket fans with reports of 'infighting' within the national team. As per PTI, captain Shahid Afridi and Pakistan's national coach Waqar Younis are at loggerheads and attempts are being made by Pakistan Cricket Board to sort out the differences ahead of the crucial ICC World T20 in India. Chief selector Haroon Rasheed announced the revised World T20 squad on Monday, but insiders in the board say all is not well even as Pakistan prepares to leave for India on Tuesday night. "The board Chairman, Shaharyar Khan will be meeting with Afridi in Lahore later today while he has had a detailed meeting with Waqar," one well-informed source told PTI. "Waqar, when he met with the Chairman, expressed his displeasure over the working of the national selectors and also voiced some complaints about Afridi," the source added.
Vice captain Younis Khan and all rounder Shahid Afridi have been promoted to the top category.
Pakistan selectors will have no surprises in store when they announce the Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka on the next 48 hours apart from recalling talented opener Ahmed Shehzad.
Pakistan's head coach Waqar Younis said he was focussing on preparations for the Asia Cup and World T20 events and not thinking about an extension of his coaching contract that expires in May. "I have still three to four months of my contract left and right now I haven't given a thought to the future," he told reporters here yesterday. Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shahryar Khan has said that the board had decided to extend the contract of Waqar for the tour to England which lasts from July to September. "Coaching of any team is always a tough job. It doesn't matter whether you do well or disappoint. It is a tough job and I knew about this when I accepted this challenge. I enjoy taking up tough challenges," Waqar said. The former Pakistan captain said at present, he was only focusing on preparations for the Asia Cup and World T20 events and not thinking about his contract. He said when the time came, he will think about it.
West Indies fast bowling legend Michael Holding believes legalising ball tampering in the post coronavirus world is a bit "self contradictory", while South African great Allan Donald is completely on the opposite end of the spectrum on a subject that has divided opinions. The International Cricket Council (ICC), during its recent CEC meeting, considered the use of artificial substances on the ball instead of saliva.
India's off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has managed to retain his second spot in the latest ICC player rankings for Test bowlers issued on Sunday.
Pakistan were 242 for five when bad light ended play six overs early on day 1 of the first Test.
Pakistan's former head coach Waqar Younis regrets about resigning as the national team coach with "unfinished business" and misses coaching the national team.
The World Cup bound Pakistani cricketers will have two counselling sessions with a well-known sports psychologist before leaving for the World Cup.
Pakistan hosts its first Tests on home soil since the 2009 militant attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore.
Pakistani fast-bowling legend Waqar Younis has said that the South African pacer Dale Steyn is one of the best in the world he has seen in past two to three decades.
Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir broke down during the national conditioning camp and offered to leave the game before being accepted by protesting players, who had reservations training with him.
Pakistan bowling coach Azhar Mahmood has called on the his side to draw inspiration from the women's side who displayed a spirited performance during the recently-concluded World Twenty20.
The two join captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Shoaib Akhtar and Abdul Razzaq as the highest paid performers
The Pakistan captain said the PCB should utilize the services of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
Opener Ahmed Shehzad has been recalled to Pakistan's Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka after being dropped for the April-May series against Bangladesh on disciplinary grounds. Besides Shehzad, the selectors also recalled southpaw Shan Masood, another out-of-favour opener, who was ignored for the last few series and tournaments.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has delayed the appointment of Waqar Younis as their bowling coach until next week.
Pakistan named a 16-member Test squad for the high-profile series against India on Saturday.
Waqar Younis and his deputy Mushtaq Ahmed have had a heart-to-heart to talk with the players.
Former captain Inzamam ul Haq has blamed the lack of international cricket at home since 2009 for the declining standards in Pakistan cricket.
Cheteshwar Pujara stayed in the top-10 list in the latest ICC Test Rankings issued on Sunday. Pujara dropped a rung to seventh but is still better off than his teammates as far as the rankings are concerned.
Former Pakistan captain and fast bowling great, Wasim Akram slammed the formation of an inquiry committee by the cricket board to probe into the team's poor show in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. "I don't understand the purpose of announcing a probe committee when the national team is due to leave for India for the World T20," Akram told a news conference on Saturday. Akram, who was Director of the Islamabad United franchise which recently won the Pakistan Super League in Dubai, said that it was lamentable that instead of supporting the team the players were being put under pressure. "I don't agree with this thinking. This decision of the Pakistan Cricket Board to evaluate the team's performance in the Asia Cup at this time," he added. "It does not make sense as the World T20 is just a few days away."
The PCB also retained Saleem Altaf as manager of the team for next month's tour of the West Indies.
The security agencies in Pakistan are clueless about the whereabouts of these 19 most wanted terrorists. Some of them have been hiding in Pakistan and others are believed to have fled the country.
'Every man in the hot seat needs trusted cops to grind their axe with political opponents.' 'And that's what explains Waze's importance; him investigating the fake TRP scandal, his arrest of TV journalist Arnab Goswami, and heading the investigation into the Antilia bomb scare case.'
From the moment he took guard as a 16-year-old against Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis on a green-tinged pitch in Karachi in 1989, Sachin Tendulkar's destiny looked assured.
Former India spinner Maninder Singh looks back on Sachin Tendulkar's debut Test in conversation with Manu Shankar.
Younis Khan and Yousuf Youhana steered Pakistan to a five-wicket win over the Australian Prime Minister's XI.
Desai, who has been handed a two-year contract, has joined the team before the the first T20 International on Friday.
Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul Haq rates the 2-0 series win over Australia as his country's "best ever" considering his team were without three key bowlers.
Pakistani prime minister and cricket great Imran Khan on Sunday urged his country's cricket team to be mentally strong and take calculated risks to triumph in a crucial World Cup clash.
Younis Khan scored 124 as to propel Pakistan to 298 for four at the close of the second day, a first innings lead of 90 in the second Test against Sri Lanka.
The veteran wicketkeeper is confident of returning to the team for the next two games of the Paktel Cup.
The Australian bowlers took the honours on a sunny day at the Gabba.
Sachin Tendulkar compiled a mountain of runs for almost a quarter of a century and reached cricket's dizzying heights by defying a burden of expectation that would have crushed lesser mortals. Whenever Tendulkar came to the crease, India's billion-plus population made secret deals with gods, froze where they were, clutched lucky charms and indulged in all sorts of superstitions. And the sport's most prolific run-accumulator created plenty of those heart-in-mouth moments in his 24 years in international cricket.
It was on August 14, 1990, that Tendulkar scored the first of his 100 international centuries, a majestic 119 not out on a fifth day track to save the Test match for India against England in Manchester.
