Live Cricket Online

Sachin Tendulkar back in ODI Squad

2010-12-21T08:19:00.000-08:00

India have named a full-strength squad for the ODI and Twenty20 series in South Africa, which is their last international limited-overs assignment before the 2011 World Cup begins in February. Piyush Chawla, the legspinner, is the only new name in the 16-man list, having played an ODI last in 2008. Ravindra Jadeja has been left out of the team while Yusuf Pathan, who impressed during the home series against New Zealand, has been retained.

The squad comprises six batsmen, wicketkeeper MS Dhoni, allrounder Yusuf and eight bowlers - five quicks and three spinners, including R Ashwin, who's followed up his success in the IPL and the Champions League with strong performances in ODIs. Ishant Sharma,
who hasn't played ODIs since the trip to Sri Lanka in August, was also left out of the mix.

Sachin Tendulkar, who has opted out of one-day matches since his 200 against South Africa in Gwalior this February, will return to the format and partner Virender Sehwag at the top in order to get match practice in the lead-up to the World Cup.

The other players who've featured in ODIs for India in the recent past but haven't been picked, following the return of the big names, are batsmen Rohit Sharma and Saurabh Tiwary.

Squad: MS Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, R Ashwin, Yusuf Pathan, Piyush Chawla, S Sreesanth.

ACSU to vet Pakistan World Cup probables

2010-11-20T23:19:00.000-08:00

In an aberrant move, the PCB will forward a account of abeyant World Cup probables to the ICC's Anti-corruption & Security Unit (ACSU) for approval afore selecting their final band for the showpiece clash next year. The development is allotment of continuing efforts by the Pakistan lath to restore aplomb in a aged acceptability afterward a year of bound bribery allegations affiliated to the civic side.

At a PCB administering lath affair on November 1, administrator Ijaz Butt abreast associates that the ACSU would be contacted over the band selection. The account of that meeting, aboriginal acquired by Geo, a arch bounded channel, and accessible with ESPNcricinfo, accompaniment acutely that "30 names [are] to be accustomed by PCB for approval by the ACSU, from which the PCB will baddest the final band for the World Cup." The account go on to accede that Butt will accordance the ACSU the 30 (or more) names and the ACSU will "give their augment aback (not in writing) to PCB on whether there were some doubts about player(s)."

There has been growing belief in Pakistan over the accomplished anniversary that the exclusion of assertive players from the accepted band and potentially from the World Cup is affiliated to an ICC charge to ensure the candor of the team, and appropriately the game. The ICC has issued again denials that it has any say over what is about an centralized alternative matter. "It's acutely not the job of the ICC to baddest any teams and we will not do so," the ICC's arch controlling Haroon Lorgat told ESPNcricinfo. "It charcoal the albatross of anniversary affiliate board, in this case the PCB, to aces its 30-man conditional band or 15-player final band for the World Cup 2011.

However, the ICC, getting a members' organisation, is consistently accommodating to accommodate acknowledgment or abutment to any affiliate that seeks its abetment on any issues."
The PCB issued a columnist absolution on Saturday insisting that it was the board's "sole advantage to baddest the squad" for the World Cup and that the ICC would not be signing off on it. But they did accede that all players would be advised "through its Candor lath and may seek the advice of the ACSU on any amateur it wishes to select. The accommodation as to which players will be included in the 30-man conditional band will abide with PCB."

The initiative, it is believed, is a aftereffect of advancing discussions amid the ICC's Pakistan Task Aggregation (PTT) and the PCB; the PTT was reconstituted in October to advice Pakistan accordance with a bulk of bribery issues, as able-bodied as its amount aim of allowance the PCB accordance with the absence of all-embracing candid in the country. This was one of the recommendations on the table and ESPNcricinfo understands it was the PCB - rather than the ICC or the PTT - which took it up on its own accord.

The move will be apparent as a further, actionable aplomb architecture admeasurement in the PCB's action adjoin corruption, added to measures such as the abbreviating of the players' cipher of conduct, or the closing accomplishing of an anti-corruption cipher to mirror the ICC's

Effectively the lath is allurement the ACSU to allotment any advice and apropos they may accept over any player. The move has two purposes in mind. One, it will be apparent as a further, actionable aplomb architecture admeasurement in the PCB's action adjoin corruption, added to measures such as the abbreviating of the players' cipher of conduct, or the closing accomplishing of an anti-corruption cipher to mirror the ICC's. But it is aswell an allowance adjoin abeyant troubles in the future. If there are, for example, any doubts about Pakistan amateur at the World Cup, the lath can at atomic accurately affirmation that all players complex had been austere by the ACSU.

Pakistan's selectors are accepted to accommodated on Monday to put calm a account of 40 probables which will again be beatific to the ACSU after in the month. The final 30 probables accept to be submitted by November 30.

Three of Pakistan's players - Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir - accept been provisionally abeyant by the ICC over allegations of spot-fixing during the fourth Test adjoin England at Lord's beforehand this year. The abounding audition into their case will yield abode in Doha, Qatar in January, cardinal them out of the antecedent probables selection. Questions accept aswell been raised, however, over the connected exclusion of two added players - Danish Kaneria and Kamran Akmal - from the accepted squad.

Kaneria was not accustomed approval by the PCB to biking to the UAE for the Test alternation adjoin South Africa. No acumen has been fabricated accessible by the PCB, admitting his affair in a abstracted spot-fixing case for Essex beforehand this year may accept something to do with it, even if he was eventually austere by Essex police. Akmal was beatific a apprehension by the ACSU beforehand this year as well, but has not been called for the accepted alternation on exercise area according to the PCB.

Afridi hoping Pak team will give its best to win 2011 World Cup"

2010-11-14T08:55:00.000-08:00

Pakistan's limited-overs senior pilot, Shahid Afridi, is upbeat about his squad's World Cup chances, saying that the country can regain the form of address if the instrumentalists live up to their potential.

"It might go like a jape at this point in time but I 'm confident that in spite of all the team's problems, we will give a good display in the World Cup next yr," The News cited Afridi, as saying.

"But we have to work really difficult in the upcoming months and make it sure that the male childs give their best in the World Cup," he tried. Afridi admitted that the spot-fixing outrage had caused Pakistan a lot of problem, and verbalised hope that the tainted triplet would come out clean and play in the World Cup.

"The three instrumentalists suspended because of the scandal are among our cardinal performing artists and it would be a large blow if they can not play for Pakistan in the World Cup," the allrounder said. "But our morale is still eminent and I hope that the team will give its best to win the title of respect," he added.

Three of Pakistan's leading instrumentalists - Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif - were suspended by the Interstate Commerce Commission last September after being criminated of accepting payoffs from match-fixers during the Lord's Test against England. (ANI

Pakistan drop five 'tainted' stars players for World Cup 2011

2010-11-12T13:33:00.000-08:00

Pakistan has agreed not to select five star players for World Cup 2011. Former Test captain Salman Butt, fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria - who was involved in an alleged spot-fixing scandal on the English county scene - have been blacklisted in response to last month's ultimatum by the ICC, which gave the Pakistan board 30 days to take a action against corruption.

Additionally Akmal has been under investigation for his role in Pakistan's controversial defeat by Australia in January's Sydney Test. On the other hand, Kaneria was recently cleared by police over allegations of spot-fixing, but has not been offered a new contract by Essex. The other three are also accused of spot-fixing during the England series.

Sachin Tendulkar - Ambassador for 2011 World Cup

2010-11-11T03:46:00.000-08:00

With exactly 100 days to go, the ICC on Thursday announced the appointment of Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar as the official event ambassador for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

Throughout his long and successful career to date, Tendulkar has inspired hundreds of millions of cricket lovers around the world with his personality, skill, temperament and love for the game.

Since making his debut for India in 1989 at the tender age of 16, on the field he has scored more international runs than anyone else in the history while also adhering faithfully to the spirit of cricket.

Off the field he has always carried himself as a true champion, making him a perfect role model and one of the most recognisable and popular sportsmen of his generation.

In his role as ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 ambassador he will be called upon to promote and support a variety of ICC initiatives for the tournament, which is the third biggest sporting event in the world and will take place in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka from 19 February to 2 April next year.

"There are just 100 days to go and I am really looking forward to playing in another Cricket World Cup," said Tendulkar, who will join Pakistan's Javed Miandad as the only other player to take part in six World Cups.

"In terms of limited-overs cricket, the ICC Cricket World Cup is the highest level you can play so it is always a thrill to take part in such an important and widely followed event.

"The fact that the 2011 event will be staged here in the sub-continent makes it even more special for me and I am keen to ensure we play well. As a team we would be doing everything we can to win the World Cup on home soil " he said.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said, "We are very lucky to have such an extraordinary player as Sachin supporting our flagship event.

World Cup 2011 - Countdown Begins

2010-11-10T22:12:00.000-08:00

The 100-day countdown for the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup began in Dubai on Tuesday. The trophy for the tenth edition of cricket World Cup was displayed by South African players Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn at the Dubai Aquarium.

The South African and Pakistani teams after concluded their five-ODI series in Dubai on Monday joined fast bowlers Morkel and Steyn as the duo unveiled the trophy.

The trophy for World Cup 2011 was launched in a rather innovative manner. Steyn and Morkel went underwater to unveil the coveted trophy amidst sharks and other sea creatures at the aquarium.

Talking to media at the ceremony, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said, "It was spectacular to watch the 100-day countdown ceremony and the ICC and the three host countries are gearing up for the World Cup."

The 43-day tournament will be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The opening ceremony of the World Cup will be held in Bangladesh capital Dhaka on February 17 and the first will be played two days later. The final match will be held in Mumbai on April 2.