Oddly enough, in all these years of writing about cricket, I have never watched a 50-over match between India and Pakistan at a cricket ground. I have watched Tests in Lahore, Bangalore and Chennai, and the World Twenty20 final in Johannesburg, but never an ODI, the genre that has engendered much of the passion between the fans of these two countries, where cricket has always been close to the national identity. I was at the 2007 World Cup, but India and Pakistan were in different groups, and in any case both the teams had gone home in disgrace by the time I landed.

So here it is then, it's that time again when cricket acquires an edgy subtext. For a long while this decade, familiarity threatened to breed tedium. But India and Pakistan haven't played each other for more than year - 14 months, 22 days to be exact, and the world has changed quite a bit in between, so inevitably, though not ideally, it will be a bit more than cricket at SuperSport Park in Centurion on September 26.

Without the friction, the edge, and occasionally even the mean spirit that great rivalries bring, sport will be sterile. India and Pakistan provide all these on a cricket field, but with them, cricket has managed to not merely remain a sport. Sometimes it has been a salve, sometimes a weapon; it has enabled bonding and it has divided; at times it has been a bridge, at others a vehicle for ugly chauvinism; and governments have used it as both a handshake as well a show of fists. Consequently, cricket has provided both India and Pakistan with some beautiful and uplifting moments, as well some noxious ones.

The Ashes, cricket's original big rivalry, and the more traditional, begins and ends on the playing field. Indian and Pakistani cricketers have rarely had that simple luxury, because for their nations the cricket rivalry has always been a small, but profoundly symbolic, part of a bigger, far more complex rivalry. And for the major part of their cricket history neither the players nor the fans have managed to escape this. It has been a burden.

It seemed on India's tour of Pakistan in 2004 that a breakthrough had been made. No one who went on that tour came back untouched by the swell of goodwill and fellow-feeling, and it carried on when Pakistan toured India the folowing year. However, as the cricket boards, which had always been bound by mutual interest, worked overtime to milk the situation, things began to change.

The teams started playing every year. India went back for a full series in 2006; the same year the two sides played in Abu Dhabi and Glasgow; Pakistan toured for a full series in 2007; in 2008 they took part in the forgettable Kitply Cup, also featuring Bangladesh, in Dhaka, and then in the Asia Cup in Pakistan.

From a pure cricket point of view, it was overkill. It took away the anticipation and the intensity. But from a larger perspective, it also took away the heat and emotional charge, and that was not a bad thing at all. Since they were always playing, wins and losses no no longer felt like life and death. It felt somewhat dull, but it also felt sane.



	The Ashes, cricket's original big rivalry, and the more traditional, begins and ends on the playing field. Indian and Pakistani cricketers have rarely had that simple luxury, because for their nations the cricket rivalry has always been a small, but profoundly symbolic, part of a bigger, far more complex rivalry

It's hard to imagine the players wouldn't have found that liberating. After all, no one takes to a game to avenge a nation's honour - though from Indian and Pakistani cricketers, their fans had come to expect nothing less. So even though many of the players were friends off the field, often sharing meals in restaurants and at homes, and schoolboy jokes, they were expected to growl and snarl at each other on the cricket field.

Once the pressure eased, they could allow themselves to be themselves. It wasn't a coincidence that no captain lost his job on account of a loss to the old enemy in this period. And, inevitably, when the Indian Premier League came, Pakistanis constituted the second largest pool of foreign players. They could have been the largest if the Indian Cricket League hadn't appropriated a big lot already.

And then, with the Mumbai terror attack, the landscape changed again. It was clear from the moment it was known that those who burned and killed in Mumbai had come from Pakistan that cricket was bound be affected, and so it was. The first diplomatic response from the Indian government was to cancel the impending cricket tour to Pakistan. It was no more than symbolic, but it was most convenient.

So on Saturday in Centurion there will be yet another resumption of cricket's most fraught rivalry. The governments are talking again, and somehow the build-up has been far less frenzied for this match. In fact, it's been almost muted. Perhaps that is because it's only a one-off, and at a neutral venue, and the Champions Trophy has never been such a big deal. Or is it a sign?

I am looking forward to my first one-day match between India and Pakistan. I am hoping it turns out to be as good as the last one these teams played at this ground. It will be naïve to expect cricket to sort out our countries' problems, but in understanding the meaning of sport there can be a beginning.

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SORRY SRILANKA WE ARE KINGS

Pakistan won by 52 runs

Shahid Afridi shone with bat and ball on his debut as Pakistan's Twenty20 captain to steer the world champions to an emphatic 52-run win over Sri Lanka here on Wednesday.

Afridi smashed 50 off 37 balls in Pakistan's 172-5, and then claimed 1-21 in four economical overs and effected a run out with a direct throw as Sri Lanka were shot out for 120 with 11 balls to spare.

A sell-out crowd of 35,000 at the overflowing Premadasa stadium watched the first T20 match between the two teams since the World Twenty20 final in England in June, when Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

The result was the same as seamer Rana Naved and off-spinner Saeed Ajmal picked up three wickets each to stun the hosts.

Sri Lanka lost wickets at regular intervals with skipper Kumar Sangakkara the only batsman to offer resistance against the fired-up Pakistanis with 38 off 31 balls.

Afridi, who was man of the match in both the semi-final and final at the Worlds, once again dominated the battle to help Pakistan end an otherwise dismal tour of Sri Lanka on a winning note.

Pakistan had lost the preceding Test series 2-0 and conceded the one-dayers by a 2-3 margin during the six-week tour.

Afridi hit two sixes and four boundaries after taking over the Twenty20 team from Test and one-day skipper Younus Khan, who has retired from the shortest format of the game.

Pakistan, who elected to bat after winning the toss, lost a wicket off the first ball when Kamran Akmal was bowled by Nuwan Kulasekara after attempting a big heave.

The other opener, Imran Nazir, cracked five fours and a six in his 40 off 28 balls to boost the total as Pakistan moved to 59-3 by the eighth over.

Teenager Umar Akmal, who hit a 20-ball 30, put on 66 for the fourth wicket with Afridi.

Abdul Razzaq and Misbah-ul Haq added a quickfire 33 as Pakistan plundered 47 runs in the last five overs to leave Sri Lanka facing a daunting target of 8.7 runs an over.

Sri Lanka get chance to avenge Pakistan's World T20 win

Sri Lanka will have an early opportunity to avenge their defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the World Twenty20 final when the two teams clash in a T20 international here on Wednesday.

Younus Khan's Pakistan stunned favourites Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the final at Lord's in June, sparking massive celebrations in their cricket-obsessed nation.

But the joy was short-lived as Pakistan, touring Sri Lanka a week later, slumped to a 2-0 defeat in the Test series and lost the one-dayers 3-2 against Kumar Sangakkara's rampant home team.

Pakistan salvaged their reputation by winning the last two one-day matches and hope to carry the momentum into Wednesday's clash in which they will be led by flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi.

Afridi, man of the match in both the semi-final and final of the World Twenty20, was appointed T20 captain after Younus quit the shortest form of the game soon after leading Pakistan to the title.

"It is not important that we lost the Test and one-day series," said Afridi. "This is a new game and we are determined to end the tour on a positive note."

Sangakkara was, however, confident of a good showing by his team, provided the top order batsmen delivered.

"Our bowling always stepped up when we wanted it to," the Sri Lankan captain said. "We have just got to make sure our batting keeps up."

Sri Lanka called up in-form opening batsman Mahela Udawatte to replace Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is still recovering from finger and eye injuries sustained during the third Test last month.

Udawatte is expected to open the innings with swashbuckling veteran Sanath Jayasuriya.

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, the world's leading wicket-taker with 770 Test annd 511 one-day wickets, will lead the bowling in the absence of experienced seamer Chaminda Vaas.

Vaas, who retired from Test cricket after the Pakistan series, was ignored by the selectors despite saying he will play limited-overs cricket until the 2011 World Cup.

Pakistan (from): Shahid Afridi (capt), Imran Nazir, Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Aamir, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Rao Iftikhar.

Sri Lanka (from): Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Mahela Udawatte, Mahela Jayawardene, Chamara Kapugedara, Thilina Kandamby, Angelo Matthews, Ajantha Mendis, Malinga Bandara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Lasith Malinga, Isuru Udana, Thilan Thushara.

A tribute to hansei cronje

A tribute to hansei cronje

Hansie Cronje, was a tenacious cricketer who captained the South African cricket team at the tender age of 24 years. Leading South Africa to great success on the world stage, he was a very handy batsman and more than competent with the ball. He had excellent tactical skills and was able to lead his team to many wins against the best the world could offer. Having been banned for life from any involvement in cricket, as a result of his admission to accepting bribes from bookmakers, he will long be remembered as the only player to have had the guts to come clean and accept the consequences.

Career Biography

Born in Bloemfontein to parents Ewie (father) and San-Marie (mother) Cronje. He attended Grey College, a prestigious private boys school reserved mainly for the very affluent. Hansie, graduated as the head of his class after completing his matriculation (yr12).

Playing in a number of provincial cricket sides, he was selected as a representative for the all schools South African cricket team in both 1986-87. His major cricket debut was made in 1987, when he was selected as an all-rounder to represent Free State and at the age of 21, was made captain of the team. Whilst playing for Free State, he attended the local university in Blomfontein.

Hansie quickly developed as a cricketer of international quality and was selected to represent South Africa against the West Indies in 1991, when he was promoted to the national squad after having impressed the UCBSA selectors with his performances at the provincial level.

In 1994, aged just 24 years, he was made captain of the South African team and became the youngest person promoted to this position in over a century.

In 2000, Hansie was banned for life by the UCBSA, after he admitted to the King Commission of having accepted bribes from bookmakers during the previous few years.

As a result of his life ban, in 2001, he became the financial manager for an agricultural machinery company based in Johannesburg.

Cronje was killed on 1 June 2002, in a plane crash. He was the only passenger on a plane carrying cargo. He has now taken his palce alongside other legends of cricket past in that great cricket stadium in the sky.

He is survived by his wife Bertha, whose greatest wish was that the world would forgive the mistakes of Hansie and see him for the true person and champion he was.

Career Statistics

Born:
25 September 1969, Bloemfontein - South Africa

Died:
1 June 2002, Outeniqua Mountains, near George, Western Cape - South Africa, Result: Plane Crash

Major Teams:
Free State, Leicestershire, South Africa, Ireland

Batting Style:
Right Hand Bat

Bowling Style:
Right Arm Medium

Test Debut:
Saf v Win at Bridgetown, 1991-92

ODI Debut:
Saf v Aus at Sydney, World Cup, 1991-92

PCB clarifies Qadir & Gen. Tauqir Zia statement regarding match fixing in Sri Lanka

PCB clarifies Qadir & Gen. Tuque Zia statement regarding match fixing in Sri Lanka

It is very surprising to note in today’s papers the statement by Gen. Tauqir Zia & Mr. Abdul Qadir regarding match fixing in Colombo. May be Mr. Qadir is not aware of the control mechanism for match fixing, but we are sure Gen. Tauqir Zia would be aware of the match fixing controls.

Match fixing in all the ICC matches are monitored by ICC under the supervision of Lord Condon. Currently there are one or two senior staff of Lord Condon in Sri Lanka ensuring complete control over the match fixing. How does PCB come into this matter? The matter was reported by the PCB staff in Sri Lanka to the concerned official of the ICC in Sri Lanka and they took some urgent steps in this regard.

Sri Lanka win over Pakistan Sri Lanka win over Pakistan

One Day International Series: Sri Lanka v Pakistan:
Sri Lanka 232-9 bt Pakistan 196 (44.4 ovs) by 36 runs

The hosts bowled their opponents out for 196 with five overs to spare, having earlier made 232-9.

Thilan Thushara did the damage for Sri Lanka finishing with 3-29 while Anjelo Mathews (43) and Kumar Sangakkara (36) top scored for the hosts.

Umar Gul (33) and Fawad Alam (31) were the only innings of note as Pakistan laboured in reply.

Fellow seamer Nuwan Kulasekera also ripped into Pakistan's top order taking 2-30.

It could had been even worse when the tourists, beaten 2-0 in the preceding Test series, slipped to 134-8 before tail-enders Gul and Mohammad Aamir (23) boosted the total with a rousing ninth-wicket stand of 62.

The pair took the total to 196-8 when both batsmen fell in the space of two deliveries to hand Sri Lanka the lead in the five-match series.

Earlier, Sri Lanka recovered from their own top order failure to post a competitive total.

All-rounder Mathews led the late revival, with the last four Sri Lankan wickets adding 101 valuable runs before the 50 overs ran out.

Spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who missed the Test series with a knee injury, marked his return with an aggressive 32 off 15 balls that included four boundaries and a six.

The second game of the series will be played at the same venue on Saturday.

Now Shoaib gets show cause notice

Now Shoaib gets show cause notice

Mercurial pacer Shoaib Akhtar has run into trouble yet again with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The PCB has issued him a show cause notice for violating the terms of his central contract. In a TV interview on July 9, Shoaib, who has played 46 Tests and 144 one-day internationals, had criticised the team management and said he thought of taking legal action against the PCB for making his ‘skin infection’ public. The 33-year-old controversial fast bowler was found to be suffering from ‘genital warts’ a week before the national team’s departure for the Twenty20 World Cup in England and was withdrawn from the team.

Last week opener Imran Nazir, who has returned to international cricket after severing his ties with the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), was also issued a show cause for giving an interview to a sports channel without prior permission and approval of the PCB. Sources told Daily Times Monday that the notice to Shoaib had been signed by PCB director of cricket operations Zakir Khan and was sent to Shoaib two days ago, charging him with violating three clauses of his central contract. “Shoaib has been asked to submit his reply by July 31 and if the PCB is not satisfied with his reply, it reserves the right to penalise him,” added sources.

Shoaib told media yesterday that he would reply the show cause after consulting his lawyers and declined to comment on the charges. Shoaib was last week not included in a Pakistan squad for the Sri Lanka one-day international series and in a 30-member preliminary squad for the ICC Champions Trophy.

Shoaib, who is not new to controversies, is also fighting a legal case in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against an 18-month ban and a fine of Rs 7 million. The original ban was five years, imposed when Shoaib publicly criticised the PCB after his omission from the central contract last year. A PCB appellate tribunal reduced the ban to 18 months but levied the fine. Shoaib challenged that decision in the LHC which suspended the ban but upheld the fine. The PCB cleared him to play pending a final decision on his appeal and also awarded him a central contract earlier this year.

Shoaib’s 12-year-career has been beset with fitness and discipline problems. He has not been able to win a regular place in the Pakistan team. Shoaib, along with fellow paceman Mohammad Asif, also failed a dope test in 2006 and was banned for two years. Asif was banned for one year. The bans were overturned on appeal.

Afridi to lead Pakistan in Sri Lanka T20

Afridi to lead Pakistan in Sri Lanka T20

Pakistan on Wednesday appointed Shahid Afridi captain for its Twenty20 against Sri Lanka after Younus Khan held firm to his decision to retire from the shortest form of the game.

The 29-year-old Afridi, a dashing all-rounder, has never led Pakistan at international level and was chosen ahead of vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

National skipper Younus announced his retirement from Twenty20 cricket after leading Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title in England last month.

He refused to relent when approached to change his mind by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt.

"The PCB chairman appointed Afridi captain of the Pakistan team only for the T20 match against Sri Lanka on August 12," the PCB said in a statement.

Pakistan, who lost a three-Test series against Sri Lanka last week, meet the hosts again in the first of five one-day matches in Dambulla on Thursday. The T20 match will follow the one-day series.

Afridi has played 26 Tests, 273 one-day internationals and has appeared in all 23 Twenty20 matches Pakistan has played so far. He was the player of the tournament in the inaugural World Twenty20 held in South Africa in 2007.

He also won man-of-the-match awards in the semi-final and final of last month's World Twenty20 and was instrumental in Pakistan clinching the title.

Afridi last week said he would love to lead Pakistan.

"Younus is a great captain but if he doesn't want to carry on in the T20 format, I would love to lead Pakistan because captaining your country is a great honour and I want to do this before I retire," he said.

History of Cricket World Cup History of Cricket World Cup

The most prestigious championship of One-Day International cricket, the Cricket World Cup is organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport's premier governing body. Held every four years, this mega tournament has an illustrious history.

The history of Cricket World Cup can be traced back to the year 1975, the first time this championship was organized at an international level. Considered to be the biggest achievement in cricket, the World Cup has been held nine times since 1975. The ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in West Indies is the ninth edition of Cricket World Cup.

Before the history of Cricket World Cup was being written, cricket was passionately followed in a few countries of the world। The first-ever Test match was played in the year 1877, between Australia and England. In 1889, South Africa was also awarded with Test status.

By 1952, India, West Indies, New Zealand and Pakistan also joined the ICC and played regular Test series against each other. However, for a world championship in the league of Cricket World Cup, a five-day format was considered unsuitable.

In the early 1960s, One-day cricket started gaining popularity, courtesy English county cricket। The first-ever ODI was played in 1971 between England and Australia at Melbourne. The astounding success of the shorter version of the game led to the formation of the World Cup.

The first three Cricket World Cups were held in England, the home of cricket, as it was the only country that had the kind of infrastructure and resources required for such a big event. Sponsored by a financial services company called Prudential, the first three Cricket World Cups were known as Prudential Cup.

Eight teams participated in Cricket World Cup 1975, which was won by the inimitable West Indies. Captained by the brilliant Clive Lloyd, West Indies beat Australia by 17 runs in a thrilling final match.

In the second Cricket World Cup in 1979, the ICC allowed inclusion of non-Test playing nations, selected from a qualifier tournament. West Indies won their second World Cup, defeating England by 92 runs in the final match. After this event, the ICC decided to make the Cricket World Cup a quadrennial competition.

The last Cricket World Cup was held in West Indies in the year 2007. Won by Australia, who defeated Sri Lanka by 53 runs, this World Cup was contested by 16 teams.

The following is a list of winners of previous Cricket World Cups:

1st world cup won by 1975 – West Indies

2nd world cup won by 1979 – West Indies

3rd world cup won by 1983 – India

4th world cup won by 1987 – Australia

5th world cup won by 1992 – Pakistan

6th world cup won by 1996 – Sri Lanka

7th world cup won by 1999 – Australia

8th world cup won by 2003 - Australia

9th world cup won by 2007 - Australia

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A World Beating Pakistan Cricket Team

In spite of Pakistan’s cricket infrastructure being chaotic we produce much talent. All the cricket greats cricket greats that visited Pakistan commented upon this. Our real problem lies with the development of our youth.

The lack of formal coaching at basic levels screams for the need to polish and develop new entrants into the Test arena. This makes the PCB Cricket Academy an important part of the development process with the need for a high quality non-political professional Coach who does not need to be a great cricketer. The best coaches do not necessarily become top players.

Pakistan has produced a number of world beating teams which were not always consistent but were always exciting to watch due to their aggressive attitudes and thus the team to beat. The five T’s that in my view, create a great team are:

Trust; is my leading requirement. The Chairman of the PCB must have the trust of his own officials. The Selection Committee must have trust in the cricket and the Players must in turn have trust in their Captain.

Talent; plays an important part in any team that excels and really needs no amplification.

Training; comes next in sequence of importance. This includes coaching and physical training. Every time we listen to good cricket commentators, the technique of the player is high on their list of essential requirements. In only the rarest cases is Technique inbred or learnt by watching. Great players develop their own style but for consistent success they follow the basics that they were taught. Physical fitness has become a vital part of the modern game as shown by the current cricketers compared to those of the mid fifties. Physical fitness cannot be created in camps but requires a personal regimen as exhibited by Imran Khan , Laved Miandad or Wasim Akram. They are supremely fit even in their retirements because physical training is a part of their daily regimen.

Togetherness; or Team Spirit as was clearly visible during the Captaincies of Mr. Kardar, Imran Khan andWasim Akram Wasim Akram and the performance of those teams proves this point. Air Marshal Nur Khan quickly reversed the decision of appointing Miandad as Captain noting the effect it had on Team Spirit. Eleven players playing as a unit will always beat Teams with high profile heroes not play as one unit.

Toughness; is the fifth T that goes to make a great team. This applies to both mental and physical strength. This asset is developed by providing a competitive and sound domestic structure to young cricketers with physical strength developed via regular physical training. These qualities enable players to go that extra mile when others fold up to the challenge.

Examining how the present Team measures up to the five Ts’ provide us some valuable insights. Newspaper articles and statements prove categorically that there is an endless deficit in the area of Trust and does not bear repetition. In the area of Talent our Team is blessed. The current Pakistan Team has enough gifted batsmen and bowlers to make a great team in spite of their fielding and fitness? This is proven by their showing in tight corners. In Togetherness it is obvious that the politics of the Board and Selectors becomes reflected in the team and also surfaces in the news which can hardly be conducive to continuing team spirit.

In Training, the shortcomings are clearly visible. The team fielding is bad by international standards. Barring the Captain the team clearly exhibits lack of fitness. The Board needs to forcefully exhibit that lack of fitness is unacceptable. Central Contracts must depend on fitness. The Shoaib Akhter approach sends the wrong message. Whilst it is sad to comment on a once great player, I am forced to note that the present Coach is hardly the epitome of Fitness.

Finally in the area of Toughness, the Pakistan Team Pakistan Team more often than not folds under pressure. Pakistan’s Domestic Structure is totally responsible for the lack of this quality. The make up of the different teams and their titles do little to add to the competitiveness of the tournaments. The selections of all teams are made by paid by PCB Selectors who do not even belong to the areas that the players represent. The PCB pays lip service to the vital importance of domestic tournaments proven by lack of regular scheduling. We are unable to publish a Calendar even six months in advance. The ludicrousness of the situation is shown by a domestic tournament being rescheduled due to need of the local TV Rights holder wanting to air a more profitable tournament.

All the above being said and done the current Pakistan Team has the essence of a great unit. It requires an able and competent person to be appointed and allowed to run cricket. The effect of cricket on our national spirit is plain for all to see. I can only pray that the Patron has the “time” away from state affairs to appreciate that the recent success was not by design.

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