Bad weather on Saturday affected both games in Hambantota and Colombo. -Photo by AP

COLOMBO: The International Cricket Council on Sunday defended the scheduling of the World Twenty20 as monsoon rains threatened to ruin the tournament in Sri Lanka.

“This was the only period available in the Future Tours Programme this year to conduct the tournament,” an ICC spokesman told AFP. “All the teams were aware of it.”

The two-yearly tournament, being held in Sri Lanka for the first time, coincides with the traditional start of the monsoon season in the region.

The first four days of the event, which opened on September 18 and continues till October 7, stayed rain-free before bad weather on Saturday affected both games in Hambantota and Colombo.

The match between South Africa and Sri Lanka in the southern port town of Hambantota was reduced to seven-overs-a-side, which the Proteas won by 32 runs.

In Colombo, Australia were 100-1 in 9.1 overs chasing West Indies’ total of 191-8 when heavy rain forced the match to be called off in front of 18,000 fans at the Premadasa stadium.

Australia, who still needed 92 more from 65 balls to win the game with nine wickets in hand, were declared winners by 17 runs according to the Duckworth-Lewis method that decides rain-hit games.

The forecast for the rest of the tournament is for worsening weather.

“There will be showers at times in the western, southern and central provinces,” meteorologist Pabodini Karunapala told AFP. “By the first week of October, we will start getting more rains.

“In Colombo, we should expect rain at any time, especially heavy rains during the early morning and evening.”

Sri Lanka, which was awarded hosting rights for the tournament in 2007, has organised just one international series in the month of October since gaining full status in 1982.

That was a five-match one-day series against England from October 1-13 in 2007, with three games being played in Dambulla, which lies in the central dry zone, and two in Colombo.

All five matches were completed, with England taking the series 3-2.

The Champions Trophy final in Colombo in 2002 was affected by rain on both September 29 and the scheduled reserve day the next day, forcing the title to be shared by India and Sri Lanka.

The Super Eights round of the World Twenty20 starts next Thursday, with the semi-finals on October 4 and 5 and the final on October 7.

South Africa 78 for 4 (De Villiers 30, Kulasekara 1-9) beat Sri Lanka 46 for 5 (Steyn 2-10) by 32 runs

Sri Lanka 182 for 4 (Kumar Sangakkara 44, Jeewan Mendis 43*) beat Zimbabwe 100 (Masakadza 20, Ajantha 6-8, Jeevan 3-24) by 82 runs

Sri Lanka’s cricketer Ajantha Mendis celebrates after he dismissed Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utseya (unseen) during the World Twenty20 cricket match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at The Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota on September 18, 2012. Ajantha recorded T20I figures of 6 for 8 helped Sri Lanka rout Zimbabwe by 82 run in Hambantota.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez welcomed the chance to play against India before the tournament starts on Tuesday. “It is usually a high-pressure game and good for us to experience it early,” Hafeez told reporters in Colombo on Wednesday night. India coach Duncan Fletcher said his team’s two warm-up matches — the other is against host Sri Lanka on Saturday — will be important preparations for the main event. “We have come here with the belief that we can win the World Twenty20 and it is crucial we get attuned to the conditions,” Fletcher said. “We have obviously got a good build-up. “We look forward to the two warm-up games which will give us the preparation we require for the tournament.” India and Pakistan have been drawn in separate groups for the preliminary league, but will meet in the Super Eights round in Colombo on September 30 if the seeding go to plan.

Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi. -Photo by AFP

COLOMBO: Seven Asian players including India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara were selected in the International Cricket Council’s one-day team of the year on Friday.

Dhoni, who was included in the team for a fifth year in succession, was named captain.

India’s Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga, Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal and all rounder Shahid Afridi were also named in the team.

The addition of Ajmal, the top-ranked ODI and Twenty20 bowler, may go some ways to easing anger in Pakistan, where PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf called his omission from individual awards an error, and said he was saddened by it.    The PCB lodged a written protest with the International Cricket Council and his omission last week sparked protests in Pakistan cities. Senior officials will boycott the awards on Saturday in Colombo but some players will attend.

England captain Alastair Cook and paceman Steven Finn, Australian skipper Michael Clarke and South African fast bowler Morne Morkel completed the line-up.

“This team, along with the test team of the year was extremely difficult to decide upon, but we feel the side has strength to bat well down the order while also having a good variety for any type of conditions when it comes to its bowling attack,” former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, the chairman of the ICC Awards selection panel, said.

“With six countries represented and a vast expanse of talent the team would be a challenge to beat for any number of opposition sides.”

“I think we can safely say that this is one of the strongest ODI team of the year selections ever in the awards history,” ICC Chief Executive David Richardson added.

ICC one-day team of the Year (in batting order): Gautam Gambhir (India), Alastair Cook (England), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Virat Kohli (India), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India, wicketkeeper/captain), Michael Clarke (Australia), Shahid Afridi (Pakistan), Morne Morkel (South Africa), Steven Finn (England), Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka), Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan).

12th Man – Shane Watson (Australia)

He, she, or they, will just stumble across something that doesn’t just speak to our heart, ears or hips, but to our soul.

In cricket, it’s happened before.

To our modern and mordant ears, Our Don Bradman sounds like a piece of ass, but to Australians in the 1930s it spoke about their hero and how he was theirs.

People loved that little unlovable prick, and that song captured it all.

Years later we were told that someone didn’t actually like cricket, but that they loved it. A song that appeared to be about a white guy about to be robbed was actually abut an opening batsmen about to be beaten to death by Roberts, Holding and co.

In this one magical moment, they capture the fear of opening batsmen, and the love of cricket.

At the same time some ad men had a conundrum, how do you make something Australian without using the word Australia. They whispered into our ears about men with moustaches, and then magically changed the word Australian to Aussies.

Those Aussies were told to c’mon aussies, c’mon, c’mon. Australia’s new fake cricket team were suddenly Aussie as. But it was more than that, it was a song about taking out the stuffiness of cricket, de-englishing it, making it ozstrayan. A generation sang along.

The latest generation also has an anthem. Penned as a warcry for a team owned by a newspaper, the Deccan Chargers song captured the cricket world’s attention. The IPL had an anthem, these weren’t corporate teams designed to be playthings for the rich, these were flesh and blood teams that were there for all of us.

According to this blog, these are the lyrics:

Tum ball daloge hum jaan dalenge …Tum khel kheloge ho hum jaan pe khelenge…(2)

no ifs no buts..no more agar magar…(2)

Go Deccan Chargers..Go Chargers Go GO GO GO..Deccan Chargers Deccan Chargers Go GO GO GO (2)

Tum jahan jaoge hum ko wahan paoge…Tum Ab bachke hum se kahan jaoge…yeyeh
Tum jahan jaoge hum ko wahan paoge…Tum Ab bachke hum se kahan jaoge…

no ifs no buts..no more agar magar…(2)

Go Deccan Chargers..Go Chargers Go GO GO GO..Deccan Chargers Deccan Chargers Go GO GO GO (2)

Now, I can’t tell you what every word here means, but it doesn’t matter. This isn’t a song about about meanings, it’s about feelings.

When this song was written, they didn’t mean for it it to be stupidly repetitive enough to speak to the morons, or just idiotic enough to appeal ironically to the hipsters, the power of the cricket anthem flowed through them.

Like Sehwag or Trumper, the writers saw the ball and hit the ball, nothing else mattered.

Sweet, pure, cricket. Straight into my ears, my heart, my soul. When I sing this song out loud, I feel a warmth that cannot be explained by science.

One time in Kolkata, a taxi driver spoke Bengali, I spoke English, but we bonded over one thing, “Go the chargers, go the chargers, go, go, go, goooooooooo”.

Now it seems like the Deccan Chargers and their anthem might simply disappear. It’s sad, but it’s the end of this generation, and nothing lasts forever.

Cricket will have ups and downs, peaks and troughs, and highs and lows, but as long as it is a sport than can inspire musicians to inspire us through cricket related songs, then cricket is doing rather nicely.

I don’t like cricket anthems…

Australia skipper George Bailey, who hit a brilliant 42 off 27 balls in the losing effort, was nevertheless upbeat after an improved performance by his team. -Photo by AFP

Australia will begin this month’s Twenty20 World Cup ranked 10th in the world in the shortest form of the game after losing a thrilling match to Pakistan in a ‘super over’ in Dubai.

The Australians matched the tally of 151 achieved by Pakistan late on Friday, sending the match to the single over shootout, in which they scored 11 runs only for the hosts to edge them by a single run off the last ball of the match.

Having been beaten by seven wickets in their first match against Pakistan earlier in the week, Australia lost the series 2-0 and dropped behind Ireland in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings.

Australia skipper George Bailey, who hit a brilliant 42 off 27 balls in the losing effort, was nevertheless upbeat after an improved performance by his team.

“I’m really pleased that we played a lot closer to what we’re capable of,” he added.

“I think our guys will take a lot of confidence out of it. But to be so close, and then to lose, leaves a lot of questions in your head.”

Australia, losing finalists at the last Twenty20 World Cup in 2010, have been grouped with Ireland and West Indies in the opening stage of the fourth version of the tournament, which takes place in Sri Lanka from Sept. 18 to Oct. 7.

Pakistan, who won the second Twenty20 World Cup in 2009 and are ranked fourth in the world, will play New Zealand and Bangladesh in their group matches.

Ajmal, 34, took 72 wickets in 12 Tests from August 2011 to July this year. -Photo by Reuters

KARACHI: Former Pakistan players on Thursday urged a boycott of the International Cricket Council (ICC) annual awards ceremony over the omission of spinner Saeed Ajmal from the shortlist for Test player of the year.

An independent jury comprising former players, officials and mediamen provoked anger in Pakistan after omitting the wily off-spinner from the shortlist of four candidates, which includes Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, Australian Michael Clarke and South Africans Vernon Philander and Hashim Amla.

Ajmal, 34, took 72 wickets in 12 Tests from August 2011 to July this year, including 24 wickets in a 3-0 rout of then world number one team England in January-February.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) earlier this week lodged a protest with the ICC demanding a review of the shortlist for the September 15 ceremony to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. But the ICC said an independent jury had decided the list.

“The way the ICC has ignored Ajmal is unjust and the PCB must convey its reservations by boycotting the awards ceremony in Sri Lanka,” former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif told AFP.

Former batsman Basit Ali urged the PCB not to accept the decision.

“The decision to leave out Ajmal is inexplicable and Pakistan must not attend the ceremony,” he said.

Mohsin Khan, the former opener who coached the team that beat England this year, said the selection process should not come down to personal preferences.

“This ICC process to shortlist players is clearly flawed because cricket is all about performance, not personal likes and dislikes. Better if the PCB boycotts the awards function,” Khan said.

“It will at least send out a strong message to the ICC. South Africa also did it in 2009 when their deserving players were ignored for the awards.”

The PCB said it was considering the option of boycotting the event. A final decision is expected within the next few days.

“If anyone else has more wickets than Ajmal, then we are ready to withdraw our concern and instead we will support their pick. But this isn’t reflecting well on the ICC and they should rectify it,”

PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf told local media.

Around 150 youngsters took to the streets in Lahore to protest against Ajmal’s omission.

Ajmal took 72 wickets in the 12 month period. -Photo by Reuters

KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said that Saeed Ajmal will not be included in the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year shortlist.

“The ICC has no authority to change the results of the academy,” an ICC spokesman was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. “The voting results are final and binding on everyone.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had lodged an official protest with the ICC against Ajmal’s inclusion. The 34-year-old’s name did not feature among the four nominees, despite being the leading wicket-taker in Tests in the period under consideration.

South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Australia’s Michael Clarke all made the list.

The ICC holds the annual awards ceremony to recognise the best players and umpire in international cricket.

The names are chosen by a 30-member jury comprising of former players, officials and journalists. This year’s ceremony will be held in Colombo on September 15.

Ajmal took 72 wickets in the 12 month period, including 24 in Pakistan’s 3-0 rout of then world number one Test team England earlier this year.

Ajmal took 72 wickets in the 12 month period, including 24 in Pakistan’s 3-0 rout of then world number one Test team England earlier this year. – File photo

LAHORE: Pakistan lodged a protest with cricket’s governing body Monday over the exclusion of off-spinner Saeed Ajmal from the shortlist of an annual award, saying they hope his name will be included after a review.

The 34-year-old’s name did not feature among the four nominees for the coveted ‘Test Cricketer of the Year’ award, despite being Test cricket’s leading wicket-taker in the period under consideration.

South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Australia’s Michael Clarke all made the list.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) holds the annual awards ceremony to recognise the best players and umpire in international cricket.

The names are chosen by a 30-member jury comprising of former players, officials and journalists. This year’s ceremony will be held in Colombo on September 15.

Ajmal took 72 wickets in the 12 month period, including 24 in Pakistan’s 3-0 rout of then world number one Test team England earlier this year.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesman Nadeem Sarwar said they have written to the ICC on Ajmal’s omission.

“Yes, we have shown our concerns on Ajmal’s name not shortlisted for Test player of the year award despite his excellent performance in Tests during that stipulated period,” Sarwar told AFP.

“We hope that the ICC will reconsider this and include Ajmal’s name,” he added.

Graeme Swann was omitted from a shortlist in 2010 but was later included after England put up his case. South Africa also objected to the omission of their players and boycotted the 2009 ceremony held in Johannesburg.

Despite his omission from the award shortlist, Ajmal’s name has been included in ICC’s best Test team of the year.

Asif said his appeal in the CAS had been put on hold due to the criminal proceedings against him in England. -File photo

KARACHI: Disgraced Pakistan paceman Mohammad Asif said on Thursday he will pursue an appeal against a seven-year ban imposed on him by cricket’s governing body over the 2010 spot-fixing scandal.

The 29-year-old was jailed by a London court in November last year after being found guilty of conspiring to cheat and conspiring to accept corrupt payments over no-balls bowled deliberately during the 2010 Lord’s Test against England.

Team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Aamer have also been released after being sent to prison in the same case.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) banned the trio from playing all cricket for five years. Asif’s seven year sanction includes a two-year suspended portion.

Asif said his appeal in the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) had been put on hold due to the criminal proceedings against him in England.

“I had filed the appeal when I was banned by the ICC (in February 2011) and now I have decided to pursue my appeal through my counsel Ravi Gill and hope that a date is given to me very soon,” Asif told AFP from London.

Once considered a fast-rising talent, Asif twice failed dope tests, in 2006 and 2008, the second during the inaugural Indian Premier League season which ended in a one-year ban.

He was also detained in Dubai for 19 days in June 2008 for possession of a banned drug.

Asif said he was practising hard and played a club match in England on Monday, taking a hat-trick and winning the man-of-the-match award, and was keen to resume his international career.

“I hope that I will get a fair result from the CAS and then hopefully able to revive my career,” said Asif, who has yet to return home since being released from prison in May.

“If I don’t get an early date then I will return to Pakistan and whenever I get a date then I will go to Switzerland. It has been a tough period, without cricket and away from home but I am sure its going to be over soon,” said Asif.

Asif has taken 106 wickets in 23 Tests. His tally in 38 one-day internationals stood at 46. He also played 11 Twenty20s for Pakistan, taking 13 wickets.

International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its new list of top One Day International bowlers on Monday 27th August, in which Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has been ranked as No. 1 bowler with 727 points followed by South African pacer Tsotsobe with 725 points.

Mohammad Hafeez has replaced South Africa paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe as number one ranked bowler in the ICC top One Day International bowlers list. Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has been ranked No.3 on the list.

Meanwhile, Umer Akmal has been ranked No.12 in the ODI batsmen list while Misbah-ul-Haq was ranked 27.

Muttiah Muralitharan underwent extensive testing as debate swirled about his unusual delivery action.  -Photo by AFP

International Cricket Council is a step closer to introducing biomechanical testing for bowlers with suspect delivery actions in match conditions.    

The ICC and the Maryleborne Cricket Club, the traditional custodian of the game, are working with an Australian scientific consortium to develop technology which can be worn during matches by bowlers who have been reported for suspect bowling actions.

Biochemist Marc Portus, who is leading the project, told Australian media the technology – similar to that used in iPads and car crash impact detection systems – could be ready for use in first-class matches within two years.

Bowlers who competed in the under-19 World Cup have tested the technology at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. It uses sensors on either side of the elbow joint to measure the degree of elbow flexion, with details transmitted wirelessly to scientists in the stadium or practice facilities.

“Testing in a lab does bring some limitations, and one of them is that it’s very hard to recreate the environment of elite match play,” Portus told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. “With words exchanged between players, a batter getting on top of a bowler, when it’s hot on day five of a test match and you need two wickets to win, it’s almost impossible to recreate that in a lab environment.

“So this is a way to bridge that gap.”    Portus said using the technology would help identify problems at a junior level so a bowling action can be corrected before a player gets anywhere close to international cricket.    The ICC said the second stage of the three-phase project will conclude late next year and is concerned with the technology’s measurement methods and precision against current laboratory conditions. The last phase will start in 2014 and focus on making the technology more comfortable for players as well as maximizing wireless data transmission.

“The ICC is keen to see this technology implemented in elite cricket and believes it will be a significant stride forward in detecting illegal bowling actions in match conditions,” ICC chief executive David Richardson said.

Illegal bowling actions, relating to bending and straightening the arm beyond defined limits and often referred to as ‘throwing’ or ‘chucking,’ have long caused controversies and involved some of the biggest names in the game.

Muttiah Muralitharan, who retired with a world record 800 test wickets, underwent extensive testing as debate swirled about his unusual delivery action.

In 2004, he went to Perth, Australia, for extensive tests under laboratory conditions to determine if his action was legal. The eventual report contained meticulous analysis of the movement of his wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder as he bowled.

The conclusion was that because of a congenital deformity of the elbow and Muralitharan’s unusually quick arm speed, what looked like a throw, was in fact an optical illusion.

In calls which almost curtailed his career, Muralitharan was twice no-balled in Australia for throwing – once in a test and once in a one-day international – during Sri Lanka’s 1995-96 tour. His bowling action was cleared again by the ICC in 1999, after he had been no-balled on the 1998-99 tour of Australia. His doosra – a delivery that turns the other way – was also questioned in 2004.

Muralitharan said his career nearly ended after the 1995-96 controversy and that he even considered switching to legspin bowling.

But when he retired, he said that he had replied to all his critics through technology and testing, saying it was unfair to judge the legality of a bowler’s action using the naked eye.

Mohammad Hafeez. -Photo by AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez clinched the top spot in the ICC One Day International bowler rankings, replacing South Africa’s Lonwabo Tsotsobe ojn Monday when the rankings were released.

Hafeez, who was previously number two, is now ahead of Tsotsobe with two points. However, both of them will have the chance  to improve or worsen their rankings in the coming weeks with Hafeez playing in the three match ODI series against Australia in the UAE and Tsotsobe playing against England.

The change in rankings occured after Tsotsobe’s figures of 2.3-0-18-0 in the first rain affected ODI against England.

“It was a big occasion and we learnt a lot from the experience of playing Australia,” Afghanistan captain Nawroz Mangal told reporters through an interpreter.

“I’m satisfied with the performance of my team. We couldn’t put runs on the board in the top order but Australia are a major team and they know how to win.”

Clarke typified that know-how, scoring 75 from 94 balls after promoting himself to number three in the batting order having won the toss and opting to take first use of a pitch as hard as concrete and equally devoid of grass.

Clarke shared a second wicket stand of 131 in 28 overs with opener Matthew Wade, who also made 75, his highest score in ODIs, to help set the platform for Australia’s match-winning total.

Later, the Australia captain leapt high to his left at midwicket to pull off a spectacular catch to remove Afghanistan’s top-scorer Ashgar Stanizkai, who made 66 before becoming one of man-of-the-match Mitchell Starc’s four wickets.

“Afghanistan played quite well,” Starc told reporters. “They put up a fight, surprised us with how well they fielded and they batted quite well too. It was a competitive match for us.”

The match actually spanned two days, starting at 6 p.m. (0200 GMT) local time on Saturday and finishing at 1:30 a.m. the following day in an effort to combat the extreme heat of the United Arab Emirates summer.

There was no direct sunlight for the players to contend with but extremely high humidity allied to a temperature that never dipped below 30 degrees Celsius made it as much a case of the survival of the fittest as a cricket match.

Wade became visibly distressed towards the end of his innings and when he was out, Australia briefly lost their way, losing four wickets for 42 runs.

Mike Hussey (49), back in the side after missing the recent series in England for family reasons, and George Bailey (23) gave the innings late impetus, however.

Afghanistan’s Stanikzai struggled badly with cramp, although he and Mohammad Nabi (46) led a recovery from 49-4, adding 86 in 19 overs to briefly threaten Australia’s total after Starc (4-47) and James Pattinson (3-46) produced impressive new-ball spells.

The heat and humidity also meant bowlers from both sides regularly bowled full tosses, a legacy of sweaty hands unable to grip the ball properly.

“We thought it would be a drier heat but both balls towards the end (of the Afghanistan innings) were hard to hold onto,” said Starc. “It’s something we’ll have to look at in training before we start the Pakistan series (on Tuesday).

“Finishing a game at 1:30 a.m. is something we’ve now experienced and there are quite a few tired bodies in the dressing room now.”

Afghanistan, who lost by seven wickets to Pakistan in February in their previous ODI encounter with a leading side, now head to Trinidad to continue preparations for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka next month, which they have qualified for along with Ireland.

“We hope we can learn from this game and the West Indies tour,” said Mangal. “We want to cause a major upset at the Twenty20 World Cup.”

“Cricket gives hope to millions of people in our country and we want to improve in this game.”-File photo by AFP

SHARJAH: Afghanistan’s top cricket official on Friday demanded more technical support from the cricket world to build on his team’s success.

In February, Afghanistan’s first-ever one-dayer against Pakistan triggered a nation-wide frenzy with even the Taliban – who during their rule until 2001 banned all sports – sending a message of support.

Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Hamid Shinwari said besides support from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) his country needs technical help from the top countries.

“The support of the ACC and the ICC is very helpful in developing the game in Afghanistan but we expect more from the world because cricket is more than a game in Afghanistan,” Shinwari told reporters.

“Cricket gives hope to millions of people in our country and we want to improve in this game.”

Historians believe cricket was introduced to Afghanistan in the 19th century by British troops during the Anglo-Afghan wars, but it developed tremendously in the 1990s when Afghan refugees returned from Pakistan.

The Afghan national team was formed in 2001 after the ICC awarded the country their affiliate membership, opening the doors for more development of the game which by leaps and bounds overtook football in popularity.

That came about after Afghanistan rapidly rose from the ICC Division Five in 2008 to fifth finish in the 2011 World Cup qualifiers, earning the right to play one-day internationals.

They also won the Inter-Continental Cup in 2010 and were silver medallists in the Asian Games in China, beating Pakistan in the semi-final.

Their qualification for the World Twenty20 in 2010 gave them the first chance to lock horns with top teams India and South Africa.

Afghanistan repeated that success by earning the right to play in the fourth edition of the World Twenty20 to be held in Sri Lanka next month.

“Our team is doing well at international level. You can see that we are doing better than some of the full members and we have the capacity to do even better,” said Shinwari.

“It’s a hurdle for an affiliate member not to be playing against full members and we thank Australia for this opportunity,” said Shinwari, who believes support from Hamid Karzai’s government is also helping in the development of the game.

“Our people are more passionate about the game. The government is spending more money to help develop the game and we now have two grounds, one in Kabul and the other in Jalalabad,” said Shinwari.

“We want to build three more stadiums in the next two years. We are also building academies and if this all becomes a reality then hopefully we want to stage our own league in 2014,” said Shinwari.

“We will invite foreign players to come and play in Afghanistan because cricket is a peace-building game and there are no security problems,” said Shinwari.

Cricket’s oldest club, the MCC, has announced its intention to send a team to Afghanistan in the near future.

England’s Kevin Pietersen is set to ‘miss out’ on the World Twenty20 despite the ICC extending the deadline to submit teams (Picture: Reuters)

The ICC confirmed ‘after receiving requests from several of its members’ the deadline has been put back six days to Friday week.

That brought immediate hope it could offer Pietersen a lifeline of being named in England’s squad after Metro revealed yesterday he would not be selected in time for this Saturday’s original deadline.

In theory it offers Pietersen and his advisors extra time to sort out their differences with England after he was dropped for sending ‘provocative’ text messages about his team-mates to South Africa players.

The texting row has overshadowed the build-up to Strauss reaching the 100 Test appearances milestone (Picture: Reuters)

But Metro can reveal England, preparing for this morning’s third and final Test against South Africa, were happy to submit their final 15-man party on Saturday and moreover Sri Lanka were the main drivers behind the change in deadline.

That doesn’t mean England could not use the extra days to have a change of heart over Pietersen.

But that appears a long shot given captain Andrew Strauss yesterday said there was ‘no overnight solution’ to resolving the Pietersen saga because of the divisions in the dressing-room it has caused.

Indeed, both camps are still some way apart in resolving their issues and it is understood England want Pietersen, whose apology for sending the texts was made public yesterday, to reveal the exact content of the messages before both parties can move forward.

It remains to be seen if Kevin Pietersen will play for England again (Picture: PA)

Asked directly if Pietersen – man of the tournament when England won it in 2010 – would be picked for its latest edition in Sri Lanka, Test captain Andrew Strauss said: ‘I don’t know how and when this is going to be resolved. I personally think it’s not a process that can be finished overnight.’

But Metro understands that, while  Pietersen’s apology has been welcomed by the England and Wales Cricket Board, he will not be named in the 15-man party for Sri Lanka on Saturday.

That is the deadline for England to  submit their final squad to the International Cricket Council and it is understood, although negotiations surrounding Pietersen’s return are ongoing, there will be no resolution until after the third Investec Test against South Africa at Lord’s.

Preparations for today’s match, which England need to win to retain their No.1 Test status, have been overshadowed by Pietersen’s omission from the squad.

Strauss, the subject of at least one of Pietersen’s messages, added: ‘I feel a little bit let down by Kevin if I’m honest.’

But he would not rule out a return for the South Africa-born batsman at some stage, even though he has alienated much of the dressing room.

‘It’s a step in the right direction,’ Strauss said of the apology. ‘But this issue hasn’t just been about the text  messages.

‘There’s been a bit more of a broader issue about trust and mutual respect. From our point of view it wasn’t possible for him to play in this Test match. I would like Kevin to play for England again – but only if we resolve the issues that we need to resolve.

‘We can’t sweep this under the carpet. Once the Test match is over, maybe the dust will have settled and we can map out a pathway forward.’

South Africa captain Graeme Smith reacted furiously to accusations the tourists maliciously leaked information about Kevin Pietersen to engineer his removal from England’s team for the third Investec Test.

It is widely thought the revelation Pietersen sent derogatory text messages about his team-mates to South African players during the second Test got into the public domain after a tip-off from somebody either in, or close to, the touring party.

Smith, however, rejected those claims yesterday, saying: ‘The notion we have tried to nail Kevin or put things out in the media is just ridiculous. I have never heard such a load of rubbish.

‘I am amazed how the story got out in the first place. I heard someone say we did it on purpose. That’s the biggest load of rubbish I have heard, I can’t believe it has got to that point.’

South Africa attempted to defuse the row on Monday when they released a statement saying Pietersen’s texts were just ‘banter’. Yet in his public apology released yesterday Pietersen himself conceded the messages were ‘provocative’.

Asked if he had seen the texts, Smith said: ‘I have not seen anything.

‘Being involved in this stuff is what we have tried to stay away from this whole tour.’

Smith will reach a landmark today when he captains in a Test for the 94th time, breaking Australian Allan Border’s record to become the most-capped Test skipper ever. ‘It will be a huge honour,’ added the 31-year-old.

Babar Azam. -Photo courtesy: ICC

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan beat Scotland by nine wickets in their Group B match on Monday to qualify for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup quarter-final.

Scotland opted to bat after winning the toss and made 200 runs in 49.5 overs. Ross Mclean (59), Freddie Coleman (39) and Kyle Smith (34) were the top scorers while Mohammad Nawaz took four wickets and Adil took two for Pakistan.

Pakistan met the target set easily as Sami Aslam scored 78 while captain Babar Azam bated beautifully and scored 106 not out to be named man of the match in second consecutive game.

Aslam and Azam had an opening partnership of 163 runs.

In other matches, West Indies beat Papua New Guinea by nine wickets while Australia defeated Nepal by 212 runs.

Saeed Ajmal. -Photo by Reuters

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal was nominated in three categories for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Awards, when the ICC announced the longlists on Monday.

Ajmal is one of the two players from Pakistan to be nominated for ICC ODI player of the year along with team mate Shahid Afridi.

He is also nominated for ICC Test cricketer of the year and ICC player of the year.

Other Pakistani players to be nominated for the awards are Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez for ICC spirit of cricket award and T20 performance of the year award for his performance against Zimbabwe on 16 September 2011.

Junaid Khan has been nominated for the ICC emerging player of the year award and umpire Aleem Dar has been nominated for ICC umpire of the year.

A five-man panel which included Clive Lloyd, Marvan Ataparru, Carl Hooper, Tom Moody and Clare Connor put the list together and the awards will take place on September 15.

Stefanie Taylor of the West Indies became the first woman to be nominated for the ICC cricketer of the year award.

Nominees:

ICC Cricketer of the Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy): Male or Female: Saeed Ajmal (Pak), Hashim Amla (SA), Stuart Broad (Eng), Michael Clarke (Aus), Alastair Cook (Eng), Virat Kohli (Ind), Vernon Philander (SA), Kumar Sangakkara (SL) and Stafanie Taylor (WI).

ICC Test Cricketer of the Year: Saeed Ajmal (Pak), Hashim Amla (SA), Stuart Broad (Eng), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Michael Clarke (Aus), Alastair Cook (Eng), Jacques Kallis (SA), Vernon Philander (SA), Matt Prior (Eng), Marlon Samuels (WI), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Dale Steyn (SA) and AB de Villiers (SA).

ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Shahid Afridi (Pak), Saeed Ajmal (Pak), Michael Clarke (Aus), Alastair Cook (Eng), MS Dhoni (Ind), Steven Finn (Eng), Gautam Gambhir (Ind), Shakib Al Hasan (Bang), Virat Kohli (Ind), Lasith Malinga (SL), Brendon McCullum (NZ), Morne Morkel (SA), Sunil Narine (WI), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Brendan Taylor (Zim) and Shane Watson (Aus).

ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Jess Cameron (Aus), Shanel Daley (WI), Lydia Greenaway (Eng), Anisa Mohammed (WI), Mithali Raj (Ind), Sarah Taylor (Eng) and Stafanie Taylor (WI).

ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year: Jess Cameron (Aus), Shanel Daley (WI), Alyssa Healy (Aus), Anisa Mohammed (WI), Mithali Raj (Ind), Lisa Sthalekar (Aus), Sarah Taylor (Eng) and Stafanie Taylor (WI).

ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Trent Boult (NZ), Doug Bracewell (NZ), Dinesh Chandimal (SL), Pat Cummins (Aus), Nasir Hossain (Bang), Junaid Khan (Pak), Nathan Lyon (Aus), Tino Mawoyo (Zim), Sunil Narine (WI), James Pattinson (Aus), Lahiru Thirimanne (SL) and Matthew Wade (Aus).

ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year: Shaiman Anwar (UAE), Peter Borren (Neth), George Dockrell (Ire), Trent Johnston (Ire), Ed Joyce (Ire), John Mooney (Ire), Kevin O’Brien (Ire), Hiran Patel (Can), Paul Stirling (Ire) and Dawlat Zadran (Afg).

ICC Spirit of Cricket Award: Mohammad Hafeez (Pak), Jacques Kallis (SA), Kieron Pollard (WI), Daniel Vettori (NZ) and AB de Villiers (SA).

ICC Umpire of the Year (David Shepherd Trophy): Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Kumar Dharmasena, Billy Doctrove, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Tony Hill, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Asad Rauf, Simon Taufel and Rod Tucker

LG People’s Choice Award: James Anderson (Eng), Jacques Kallis (SA), Vernon Philander (SA), Kumar Sangakkara (SL) and Sachin Tendulkar (Ind).