Pakistan Twenty20 skipper Shahid Afridi believes the national team is balanced enough to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in the West Indies, despite the absence of their most experienced fast bowler, Umar Gul.
Umar Gul took six wickets in a devastating display of quick bowling as Pakistan kept the One-day cricket series alive with a 23-run victory over England at the Oval on Friday.
Kolkata Knight Riders began preparations for season four of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by signing lanky Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan on the recommendation of their bowling coach Wasim Akram, it was reported on Tuesday.
The down and out Pakistan side received a huge blow when their star-performer pacer Umar Gul was ruled out for the remainder of the series against England.
Pakistan, bowled out for just 72 on Friday before England replied with 251, were 291 for nine at stumps, a lead of 112, with two days remaining in the second Test.
Pakistani leg-spinner Danish Kaneria spun a web around the Australian batsman to reduce the hosts to 286 for 8 on Day 3 of the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
England birthday boy James Anderson and rookie pace bowler Steven Finn ripped through Pakistan's batting to reduce them to 90 for six at tea on the second day of the first Test at Trent Bridge on Friday.
Pakistan ended their 15-year wait for a test win over Australia on Saturday, a feat captain Salman Butt put down to having possibly the best pace attack in the world.
Pakistan scrambled the 40 runs they required to beat Australia by three wickets in the second Test at Headingley on Saturday to level the series at 1-1.
Pakistan's newly-appointed fielding and bowling coach Waqar Younus expressed confidence that the team has the potential to beat Australia on its upcoming tour.
Kumar and others, including former JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, were accused of raising anti-India slogans.
Pakistan avenged their heart-breaking defeat in this year's World Twenty20 semi-final to beat Australia by 23 runs in the first T20 international in Birmingham on Monday.
Pakistan speedster Umar Gul has said he is not surprised with India lifting the Asia Cup title, as the men in blue were far more experienced and better in comparison to the hosts Sri Lanka.
Dope-tainted pacer Mohammad Asif and opening batsman Imran Farhat will return to the Pakistan Test side after over two years in the first Test against New Zealand starting on Tuesday in Dunedin.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was adjudged 'Asian Cricketer' and 'Asian Batsman of the Year' at the Castrol Asian Cricket Awards in Karachi on Friday. Sachin Tendulkar was named 'Best ODI Batsman' while Gautam Gambhir grabbed the honour in Twenty20.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat against India in their Asia Cup ODI.
"They (Pakistanis) are the enemies of the entire nation and we have been opposing their playing here for many years now," Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray told reporters in Mumbai.
Five foreign players, including West Indies opener Chris Gayle figure in the 14-member Kolkata Knight Riders squad for the Indian Premier League lung-opener against Bangalore Royal Challengers on April 18. The squad announced on Wednesday has New Zealander Brendon McCullum, Australian captain Ricky Ponting, David Hussey and Pakistani Mohammed Hafiz.
All 12 men's squads for the ICC World Twenty20 2010 have been confirmed with the very best players in the world all getting ready for the big event, which gets underway in the West Indies later this month.
Pacer Mohammad Amir claimed a wicket on his return to international cricket following a five-year ban as Pakistan registered a 16-run victory over New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International in Auckland on Friday.
The International Cricket Council confirmed that its anti-corruption officer interviewed Pakistani cricketers Younis Khan, Danish Kaneria and Umar Gul in Lahore to gain "specific information". It, however, did not say whether the officer also quizzed banned fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.
Pakistani pacer Sohail Tanvir will consult a specialist in Australia for the treatment of his injured knee, next week.
Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi shared the bowling honours as Pakistan defeated Australia by seven wickets in a Twenty20 match in Dubai on Thursday.
Skipper Daniel Vettori and wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum rescued New Zealand with a blazing 176-run partnership on the second day of the third Test against Pakistan.
Strengthening their pace attack, the Pakistani selectors on Tuesday included controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and his fellow paceman Umar Gul in the final 15-man squad for next month's Champions Trophy.
Skipper Daniel Vettori (99) missed out on a well-deserved hundred but together with Brendon McCullum steered New Zealand to 404 for eight on a rain-marred second day of the first Test against Pakistan in Dunedin on Wednesday.
Mark Boucher's stumping of Umar Gul was his 396th dismissal (378 catches, 18 stumpings) in his 103rd Test match, surpassing Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy's tally of 395 dismissals.
Thilan Samaraweera scored his second successive double hundred and Tillekaratne Dilshan stroked a fluent century as Sri Lanka amassed 606 on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan. Pakistan were 110 for one in reply at close on Monday. Samaraweera scored a majestic 214 and Dilshan 145, overshadowing career-best Test figures of six for 135 by Umar Gul.
New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat in the Twenty20 World Cup first semi-final in Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday.
Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field against Pakistan in the rain-delayed opening match.
With the current situation not conducive for Pakistan players, Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday said the team is not too keen on retaining Shoaib Akhtar and the Pakistani pacer is "up for trade".
After middle-order batsman Younis Khan and fast bowler Sohail Tanvir's forays into Australia's domestic cricket, it is now the turn of Umar Gul to play Down Under after receiving an offer from Western Australia. He said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given him the clearance to play in Australia provided he is available for national duty when required.
Fast bowler Umar Gul will miss the remaining two games of Pakistan's one-day series against Sri Lanka due to an ankle injury.
Left-arm fast bowler Thilan Thushara claimed three wickets to steer Sri Lanka to a 36-run win over Pakistan in the first one-day international on Thursday. The hosts piled up a modest 232 runs but went on to frustrate Pakistan with some tight bowling to skittle them out for 196 in 44.4 overs.
Pakistan pacer Umar Gul has admitted that the players initially lacked motivation in the Twenty20 World Cup but the defeat against England in the opening group stage match changed all that.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori on Monday clarified that no complaint was lodged with the match referee vis--vis suspicion of ball tampering by Pakistan's bowlers during the Super Eights match between the teams in the World Twenty20 at the Oval on Saturday. Fast bowler Umar Gul registered best-ever figures in Twenty20 cricket, claiming five for six in three overs as Pakistan won by six runs.
The Pakistan cricket camp in England is fuming over New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori's suggestions of ball tampering by fast bowler Umar Gul in their Twenty20 World Cup Super Eight match in London on Saturday.
Umar Gul bagged a sensational five-wicket haul as Pakistan defeated New Zealand by six wickets on Saturday to keep their semi-finals hopes alive in the World Twenty20. In an incredible spell of fast bowling, he demolished the Kiwis for a paltry 99 in 18.3 overs after they chose to bat in the Super Eight match.
"They will not be considered for the one-dayers against Zimbabwe because they have to prove their match fitness," chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed told Reuters on Sunday.
