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Pakistan denies blocking Dhaka cricket league



Pakistan has denied it blocked its players from participating in the Dhaka cricket league, saying Friday that the Bangladesh board never contacted it to seek clearance.

Under the new rules of the International Cricket Council (ICC), a no-objection certificate (NOC) is mandatory from the home board for players to take part in a domestic competition in another country.

Several Pakistani players feature in the annual Dhaka Premier League, but the strained relations between the two countries have forced the organisers of the 12-team competition starting from September 10 to go ahead with no representation from Pakistan.

The relationship between the Pakistani and Bangladesh cricket boards hit a low last year after Bangladesh refused to tour their neighbours, after twice agreeing to a short limited over series.

That stopped Pakistan from reviving international cricket on their grounds, suspended since terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009.

Earlier this year, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) -- in an apparent tit-for-tat -- refused to allow its players to feature in the Bangladesh Premier League, separate from the private Dhaka league.

The PCB said the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) never contacted it to seek permission for players to feature in the league.

"It is only reasonable to expect PCB to deal with the governing body of cricket in a country rather than its affiliated units and the matter of giving permissions to players for foreign leagues is between the respective boards," a PCB spokesman told AFP.

"In case of Dhaka Premier League, though we were contacted by organisers of the league at a very late stage, BCB never contacted us."

Reports from Bangladesh said the BCB refused the requests from the Dhaka league teams to take the initiative of talking to the PCB.

Several Pakistani players including the great left-arm paceman Wasim Akram and batting maestro Mohammad Yousuf have participated in the Dhaka league in the past.

Some of the players have shown resentment over the loss of money.

"Bangladesh board should have taken the initiative when the teams contacted them," a Karachi-based player told AFP, not wishing to be named.

"It's loss of money for us and loss of gloss for them as Pakistani players are star attraction for their crowds.

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Pakistan sweep to victory in Zimbabwe Test



Pakistan took nine wickets in an extended morning session to beat Zimbabwe by 221 runs on the fifth day of the first Test at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.

Zimbabwe, set an unlikely 342 to win, were bowled out for 120.

Left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan made the initial breakthrough, taking two wickets in his first eight balls of the day after Zimbabwe resumed at 13 for one.

Then spinners Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal took over, finishing with four wickets apiece.

Left-armer Rehman, who followed up Junaid's opening burst by taking the next three wickets, took four for 36, while Ajmal wrapped up the tail to take four for 23.

Off-spinner Ajmal finished with match figures of 11 for 118, the fourth time he had taken 10 or more wickets in a match.

Zimbabwe were in trouble from the sixth ball of the day when captain Hamilton Masakadza gloved a short delivery from Junaid to gully.

Overnight batsman Vusi Sibanda was out lbw in Junaid's next over to reduce the home side to 19 for three.

Sikandar Raza and Malcolm Waller, who shared a century partnership in the first innings, provided some resistance with a fourth wicket stand of 30 before Waller swept left-arm spinner Rehman to backward square leg where the tall Rahat Ali stretched skywards to hold a catch.

Raza was dropped by wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal off Rahat when he was on 17 but made only seven more runs before he was caught at short leg off Rehman.

Elton Chigumbura took advantage of ultra-attacking fields to strike 28 off 35 balls, with five fours, before he became Rehman's third victim, caught at slip.

Wickets tumbled and play was extended when Zimbabwe were eight down at the scheduled lunch break, enabling Pakistan to complete an early victory in a match in which Zimbabwe had the better of the first three day's play.

An unbeaten double century by veteran Younis Khan gave Pakistan the edge though, and he was later named man of the match.

"Zimbabwe won the game for three-and-a-half days," admitted Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq. "Younis played a match-winning innings that changed the game."

Zimbabwe had led by 78 runs on the first innings and were still on top deep into the Pakistan second innings before Younis' unbeaten 200 allowed the tourists to declare on 419 for nine, leaving Zimbabwe with what proved an impossible task.

Misbah acknowledged that Zimbabwe had played well for much of the match but said his team need to improve in the second Test, which starts at the same venue on Tuesday. "We need to be on the money right from the start," he said.

Hamilton Masakadza, who took over the captaincy when Brendan Taylor withdrew on the morning of the match after the birth of his first child, said Zimbabwe had fought hard and played well for much of the match.

"The main thing is to focus on the positives," said Masakadza. "We did compete and we were ahead for three-and-a-half days. The bowlers bowled really well and the batsmen applied themselves in the first innings."

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Zimbabwe really tested us: Misbah



Having fought incredibly hard to stay on top and eventually come out victors in the first Test against Zimbabwe, Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq admitted that his team have to improve a lot if they are to win the second Test as well. Zimbabwe looked well set to upset the applecart and claim a historic win over the visiting Pakistan side, before an inspired double ton by Younis Khan on Day 4 and some superb spin bowling by Saeed Ajmal and Addul Rehman took the game away from them. The home side lost their last 9 wickets in the extended morning session on the final day to suffer a 221-run defeat.

Misbah conceded that the final result flattered the visitors and that they were made to work extremely hard by Hamilton Masakadza, who had stepped in for Brendan Taylor for this game, and his team.

"We need to improve a lot before the next game. We didn't play a Test for a long time and Zimbabwe tested us really well in this game. They are improving everyday."

The skipper also sang praises for Younis Khan, who bailed Pakistan out of trouble with a sublime double ton on Day 4, for changing the game.

"Younis Khan set up the game for us. His innings completely changed the game."

Younis himself said he rated this knock as one of his best and added that he was particularly pleases that he was able to put his hand up and work for the team when they needed him the most. The experienced batsman also had words of praise for the Zimbabwe bowlers who he said made it extremely difficult out in the middle.

"It is always very good to get runs when my team needs me the most. This 200 is right up there. Zimbabwe didn't give us any easy runs. Their bowlers bowled well and made life difficult for us. Test cricket is all about playing well as a team and we did that."

Zimababwe skipper Hamilton Masakadza who impressed in his first Test as skipper said his team did well to stay on top for 3 and a half days, but that the late fightback from Pakistan dented their progress.

"I think the boys fought hard for the first three and a half days. Yesterday things didn't go our way and the game went away from us. The bowlers bowled really well and the batters applied themselves very well in the first innings. The last wicket partnership for Pakistan in the first innings dented us a bit," he said.

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Pakistan finalises TV deals for two series



Pakistan cricket authorities Friday announced the much-awaited sale of broadcast rights for two home series.

The series, to be played at the neutral venue of the United Arab Emirates because of security fears in Pakistan, will be against South Africa (October-November) and Sri Lanka (December-January).

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the UAE-based Ten Sports won the rights to the Pakistan-South Africa series, while the local Geo Super was awarded the rights to the matches against Sri Lanka on the recommendation of a Bids Committee headed by Ehsan Mani, former president of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"The sale process was conducted by a Bids Committee, the entire process was monitored by independent Audit Firm Ernst & Young and observed by a member of the PCB governing board to ensure its transparency and integrity," said a PCB statement.

Pakistan's previous five-year TV rights deal, which expired in June this year, was worth US$140.5 million.

The PCB was forced to sell only two series and hold the five-year deal until next year as the high court in Islamabad has prevented it from taking major decisions until a new chairman is appointed through elections.

Former PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf was suspended by the court over dubious elections in May this year.

A PCB spokesman said the deal was finalised after a clean process.

"Two bidders participated in the bidding process. The financial bids of both were evaluated and were the highest," said the spokesman.

"The PCB will not be announcing the rights fee amounts finalised for these tours. However, the offers finalised are significantly higher than the values that PCB had received for these series under the previous media rights contract."

Pakistan will play two Tests, five one-day and two Twenty20 against South Africa and three Tests, five one-day and two T20 against Sri Lanka.

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Rain washes out first ODI



The first one-day international between England and Australia in Leeds was washed out on Friday, as heavy and persistent rain flooded the ground and ruined any chance of play.

Umpires Aleem Dar and Richard Illingworth had little option but to abandon hopes of any play taking place after inspecting the waterlogged outfield for a third time at 1.30 pm (1130 GMT).

Drenched groundstaff tried in vain to soak up and sweep away puddles which had grown larger by the hour on the grass and the large Headingley covers.

But the relentless downpour gave them little respite and chance of beating the odds, leaving those few fans inside the ground -- and many hundreds in the surrounding bars -- frustrated and soon heading for home.

It was a disappointing and dismal start to the series after two previous days of hot, September sunshine and following the thrilling Ashes encounters that saw England triumph and tightly contested T20 clashes.

Supporters will receive a full refund for a complete wash-out and the two teams will now have to wait until Old Trafford, Manchester, on Sunday to resume cricketing combat in the second of the ODIs

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Wasim hopes for Tendulkar's last Test against Pakistan

Famed Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram said Thursday he hoped Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar would play his final Test farewell against Pakistan in Kolkata.

World record run-getter Tendulkar, 40, is set to achieve the unique record of playing his 200th Test later this year against the West Indies, who have agreed to tour India.

Speculation is rife that Tendulkar might retire from all cricket after that or sometime early next year.

Tendulkar, regarded as one of the best batsmen to play the game, has so far scored 15,837 runs with 51 hundreds in 198 Tests and 18,426 in 463 one-days with 49 centuries -- all world records.

But Wasim, who played in Tendulkar's debut Test in Karachi in 1989, said Tendulkar's farewell Test should be against Pakistan.

"I have created an ideal scenario for his farewell Test: India playing Pakistan at Eden Gardens, Kolkata with a passionate crowd and both nations at a standstill," Wasim told AFP.

"It could be the best farewell Tendulkar can have," he added.

The Indian media has speculated that India may cancel their tour to South Africa later this year and invite Pakistan for a short two-Test tour.

The nuclear rivals have not played a full series since 2007, but there were hints that full ties may revive after India invited Pakistan for a short limited over series last December.

Recent tensions on the de facto border in the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir, however, have left 11 people dead since early August and are likely to make the prospect of a tour more remote.

Pakistan's domestic team Faisalabad Wolves, due to play in India's Champions League Twenty20 that starts September 17, are still waiting for clearance from New Delhi.

Wasim said sport should be separated from politics.

"Cricket, as always, has the capacity to bring the people of both nations closer," said Wasim, who led a Pakistan tour of India in 1999 despite extremist threats.

Wasim said Tendulkar was also revered in Pakistan.

"He is a role model," said Wasim. "He is one of the best without any doubt and if I had to vote for the best sportsman of the century I would not hesitate for a second to give it to Sachin.

"Having played with him for years and having been in touch even after my retirement I have found him a true role model," he said.

"I hope relations improve and my wish come true is that India and Pakistan play a Test sooner than later."