The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided to take disciplinary action against the players, including indefinite ban on former captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan, after confirming reports off internal strife in the team and after getting clearance from the Presidency, sources said on Wednesday.
Coach Misbah-ul-Haq and his fellow selectors have been criticised by Pakistan media for placing too much expectation on such young shoulders, particularly against an ascendant team that thrives on home pitches.
A month back, there was huge buzz over India's 500th Test and many former greats had come up with their own all-time XI of India. Now, to celebrate Pakistan's 400th Test match played against West Indies, legendary Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis has revealed his all time Pakistan Test XI. Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed was the only player under the age of 30 selected in the high-quality side. Furthermore, the 29-year-old, alongside veteran right-handed batsman Younus Khan, was the one of two active players picked.
The shelling from across the border started in Nowshera sector around 12.30 pm, ending over 12-hour-long lull in the border skirmishes which intensified after India's pre-emptive strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed's terror camps at Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan on Tuesday.
India and Pakistan meet in their opening World Cup match at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Ahead of what promises to be a thrilling contest here's a fact-file on the teams.
Pakistan's ODI captain Shahid Afridi said his team was trying to keep its morale high in the wake of the spot-fixing scandal and was looking forward to their practice game against Somerset on Thursday.
Virtually ruling out Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan's return to the side for the series against England, PCB chairman Ejaz has said that Pakistan will continue to test youngsters in future matches to build a strong team for next year's World Cup.
Pakistan Coach Waqar Younis has said that the near three-month-long tour of England, which was marred by 'spot-fixing' allegations, had been difficult "on and off the field".
England cricket captain Andrew Strauss says he will be 'relieved' once the ongoing series against Pakistan is over and done with as the allegations of spot-fixing were 'casting a shadow" on his team's performance.
Opener Salman Butt is all set to be named as Pakistan vice-captain for the forthcoming Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the subsequent tour to England, according to PCB sources.
Disappointed at being ignored from the list of probables for the Asia Cup and the subsequent tour of England, out-of-favour Pakistan all-rounder Rana Naved has questioned the selectors decision to include other banned players Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik in the 35-man chart.
Controversial pacer Mohammad Asif's impressive comeback against Australia has left the Pakistan team management in a fix over the playing eleven for their semi-final clash against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy on Saturday.
Pakistan's cricket coach Waqar Younis believes that his team's first Test win over Australia in 15 years is the beginning of a new era for the game in the troubled country.
Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has advised Shahid Afridi not to retire from Test cricket and continue to lead the side in England.
Pakistan's morale boosting 2-0 win over Australia in the T20 series has delighted coach Waqar Younis, who believes the two back-to-back victories against the formidable Kangaroos would certainly help his side in the upcoming Test series.
Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has been handed an official reprimand by the ICC after he pleaded guilty to using abusive language and gestures during the second Test against South Africa in Dubai, after taking the wicket of Morne Morkel.
Pakistan's interim selection committee on Wednesday snubbed controversial speedster Shoaib Akhtar and recalled disgraced pacer Mohammad Asif to the preliminary 30-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, in South Africa later this year.
Sri Lanka set a plethora of records during their massive first innings total of 706 for seven declared against India in the first Test in Ahmedabad. They obliterated England's record of 652 for seven declared to register the highest total against India in India.
The bodies have been recovered from the encounter site where the search operation was still in progress
PCB chairman Ejaz Butt and captain Younis Khan and coach Intikhab Alam will appear before the National Assembly standing committee on sports on Tuesday to respond to the match-fixing allegations labeled against them during the Champions Trophy in South Africa.
Pakistan on Tuesday named all-rounder Shahid Afridi captain for next month's Asia Cup and the subsequent full tour of England, opting for a single skipper for all three formats of the game.
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has invited trouble with his criticism of the team's frequent batting reshuffle in the Champions Trophy with the board reviewing if it amounts to contract violation.
Gautam Gambhir may be a familiar Pakistan nemesis on the field but the aggressive opener threw his weight behind Younis Khan and his men saying it is impossible to believe that they had tanked their matches in the ICC Champions Trophy. Gambhir said it is wrong to blame cricketers of match fixing if they end up on the losing side.
The Pakistan Cricket Board will announce the squads for next month's Asia Cup and the tour of England on May 22 and opener Salman Butt is likely to get the Test captaincy.
- Pakistan coach Waqar Younis refused to blame his side after they were on the receiving end of an astonishing Australia fight back in Friday's Twenty20 World Cup semi-final in St Lucia.
Former Pakistan speedster Waqar Younis has said that he is ready to help Australian bowlers to lift the Ashes once again.
Strong contenders Pakistan will have an easy task at hand when they open their Champions Trophy campaign by taking on a depleted West Indies at the Wanderers on Wednesday
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis is a frustrated man after watching the pathetic fielding display by his team during the six-wicket loss to England in their first Super Eight match of Twenty20 World Cup in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Pakistan cricket on Monday plunged into crisis as the Islamabad High Court, which had restored Zaka Ashraf as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, declared in its detailed judgement all decisions taken by the Najam Sethi-led management committee since February as "null and void".
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis described the whole drama surrounding Shoaib Malik's alleged marriage to Ayesha Siddiqui as "sad" and "depressing" amid an outpouring of support for the former captain.
Beleaguered all-rounder Rana Naved has also sent a legal notice to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) against the 12-month ban and Rs 2 million fine imposed on him by the board in early March.
Stressing the need for having continuity in the team management, newly-appointed coach Waqar Younis has hailed Shahid Afridi's appointment as Pakistan captain for next month's Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.
Pakistan cricket coach Waqar Younis, on Sunday, refused to step down from his position despite being in the line of fire for the team's disastrous World Twenty20 campaign, saying that he will not go out as a 'villain'.
'It's always a pleasure to come here and challenge ourselves against a very, very good team' 'We are concentrating on our strengths and jobs. If we execute them well, it will be a challenging series'R
Pakistan's new head coach Waqar Younis on Wednesday said that the cricket board must have valid reasons to hand indefinite ban on senior players Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan but they should be made public.
Former Test captain Waqar Younis accepted an offer from the Pakistan Cricket Board to take over as national team coach on Saturday, a day after the PCB had offered him the position.
Pakistan skipper Misbah ul Haq, who is often blamed for his slow approach to game, showed that he can be an attacking skipper when situation demands. In the crucial game against South Africa, the 40-year-old was seen adopting a carefree approach, which helped the sub-continent nation stun the one of the pre-tournament favourites by 29 runs.
Former captain Waqar Younis did not enjoy his coaching stint with the Pakistan team and said they were some non-cricketing reasons for the debacle in Australia.
Muttiah Muralitharan went past Wasim Akram to become the highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket.
Pakistan cricket coach Waqar Younis on Tuesday insisted that his team will perform to the fullest in the upcoming Twenty20 and One-Day series against England despite the 'spot-fixing' controversy surrounding the tour.
