Pak to play final if semifinal washed out: ICC
DUBAI: International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the Pakistan cricket team will play final of the mega event in Mumbai owing to better potion in the group if the rains wash away much-awaited second semifinal showdown, Geo News reported.
The council said the semifinal clash, scheduled to be held on Wednesday at Punjab Cricket Association stadium in Indian city Mohali between archrivals Pakistan and India, would be held on Thursday in case the incessant rains continue.
In another move to make the cricket match possible, ICC has decided to reduce 50-50 overs show to 20-20 overs for each side even if the match could not be held on Thursday due to rains.
However, Pakistan will qualify for final in the event when every effort goes in vain, ICC said.
It is pertinent to mention here that the second semifinal of cricket world cup 2011 is all set to be played between India and Pakistan today (Wednesday) in Indian city Mohali.
The other team, Sri Lanka, have already qualified for the final having comprehensively beaten New Zealand by five wickets on Tuesday.
World Cup 2011: ICC notifies umpire and match referee appointments
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced umpire and match referee appointments for the warm-up and group stage matches for its flagship event the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 which will be staged from 19 February to 2 April in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.Steve Davis of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires and Kumar Dharmasena of the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires and a former World Cup winner with Sri Lanka in 1996, will stand in the tournament opener which will be played between Bangladesh and India in Mirpur on Saturday 19 February.Billy Doctrove and Asad Rauf, both from the elite panel, will be the third and fourth umpires, respectively while Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referee will be the match referee.
Pakistan, Australia play first T20 at Birmingham tomorrow
BIRMINGHAM: The first Twenty20 International of the series between Pakistan and Australia will be played here at the Edgbaston tomorrow.
Pakistan are facing Australia for the first time after being defeated in the World T20 semi-finals.
Pakistan completed preparations for two Twenty20 internationals against Australia playing T20 matches against Essex and Northamptonshire and winning both.
The second Twenty20 International between the two countries will be played on Tuesday.
Earlier, they played the semi-final of the World Twenty20 in May and Australia emerged victorious in the match.
Five T20 internationals have so far been played between the two countries, Pakistan winning two and Australia three.
Hosts handed Queen’s Baton Relay at Wagha Border
LAHORE: The torch of XIX Commonwealth Games, Queen’s Baton Relay, has been handed over to host nation India amid a glaring and sparkling ceremony at Wagha Border on early Friday, Geo news reported.
A large number of Pakistan’s Olympians 12 Commonwealth gold medalists, government officials and members civil society were also present on the occasion at the memorable moment to convey a loving message in good will gesture and a message of peace under the joint venture of Indian media organization and Pakistan’s leading news giant ‘Jang Group’ named ‘Aman Ki Asha’.
An especial ceremony including national songs’ concert was held here to mark the memorable and glaring occasion.
A chain, made of handkerchiefs with peace messages enshrined on them formed by Pakistani children, also accompanied Queen’s Baton Relay, which was exchanged by a similar chain from Indian children in New Delhi.
The Relay Baton covered distance of 10 kilometers while being transferred to India from Pakistan.
Earlier on Thursday, on its way to India, the Commonwealth Games torch Queen”s Baton Relay 2010 carrying the message of “Peace through Sports” landed at the Allama Iqbal International Airport.
A crew of QBR, including Ajay Choutala, Member of Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Raj Qadian, Avny Lavasa, Louis Rosa and Asokan, reached here with the Queen”s Baton relay.
Pakistan Olympic Association President Arif Hassan, Pakistan Baseball Federation President Shaukat Javed and other officials welcomed the delegation at the airport. Ajay Choutala handed over the Queen”s Baton relay to the Pakistani Olympic chief with a message of peace. Strict security arrangements were made on this occasion.
Ajay Choutala, giving it to the Pakistani head, said they came with the message of love and peace. “Those problems which could not be solved during wars, can easily be solved on sports grounds,” he added.
Ajay said he requested the Pakistani people to come to India to see the Commonwealth Games. “Both the governments of India and Pakistan should realize this and should follow liberal policies towards friendship,” he added.
Ajay Choutala said he would request his government to give relaxation in visa policy to the Pakistani visitors. Ajay hoped, “Both nations can come close through sports activities and two sports, cricket and Kabaddi, are more popular in both countries”.
Receiving the Queen”s Baton, the POA president said, “This is a moment of prestige and honour for me as a Pakistani and we feel proud in receiving the Queen”s baton.”
He said that POA will arrange a dinner reception on Thursday at local hotel where it will hand over it to the Punjab chief minister as the head of the province. “The Queen”s Baton will return to India on the morning of 25th through Wagha border to Indian counterpart Suresh Kalmadi,” he added.
The torch has specially been designed on an 18 karat gold leaf, fixed on top of the torch. The relay, the largest of all the previous editions, is covering a distance of 170,000 km during its visit to 71 participating nations across the world. In total, it will take about 340 days to reach its destination.
The Commonwealth Games XIX will be held in Delhi from October 3-14. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were the chief guest of the official dinner on June 24 while Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer would be the guest of honour during the transfer of the torch to the Indian Olympics Association president on 25th June.
Four matches in FIFA World Cup s in today
JOHANNESBURG: Last four matches in first leg Football World Cup 2010 will be played today.
First match will be played between North Korea and Ivory Cost, second between Portugal and Brazil. In the third fixture, Spain will Chile whereas in the last match of the day, Switzerland will take on Honduras.
Three matches in FIFA world cup today
JOHANNESBURG: Three matches will be played in FIFA World Cup today (Monday).
In the first match, two teams of Group G Portugal and North Korea will play against each other in Johannesburg. The match will begin at 4:30 pm Pakistan Time.
In Group H, Chile to face Switzerland in Port Elizabeth at 7: 00 pm Pakistan whereas last match of the day will be played between European champion Spain and Honduras at 11:30 PST. Spain should win today’s match to stay in the tournament.
Proteas complete clean sweep of ODI series with Windies
PORT OF SPAIN: Half-centuries from Jacques Kallis and J.P. Duminy helped South Africa complete a clean sweep of their One-day International series with West Indies, when they won the fifth and final match by one wicket here on Thursday.
The result meant that South Africa have now swept West Indies 5-0 in each of their last three bilateral ODI series.
Kallis, the Man-of-the-Match, hit five boundaries in the top score of 57 at better than a run-a-ball, and Duminy struck just one four in 51 from 75 deliveries, as the South Africans, in pursuit of 253 for victory, reached their target with just two balls to spare on a slow Queen”s Park Oval pitch.
Lonwabo Tsotsobe carried the Proteas over the threshold, when he slapped a wide delivery from Kieron Pollard through cover for four.
Like last Sunday, the Proteas ran into late trouble, when Charl Langeveldt was caught behind for six off the last ball of the penultimate over to leave the visitors needing eight from the final over.
But Roelof van der Merwe swung the first ball of the final over from Pollard over square leg for four to ease South Africa”s tension before Tsotsobe won it for them three balls later.
South Africa had bowled with discipline to restrict West Indies, but Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit the top score of 67 from 104 balls, and Narsingh Deonarine helped himself to a run-a-ball 53 to lead the Windies to 252 for six from their 50 overs.
The visitors then started their chase steadily, but Smith was caught behind of Dwayne Bravo for 12 in the ninth over.
The South Africans then stumbled, when Hashim Amla, who earned the Man-of-the-Series award for his 402 runs, which made him the most prolific batsman in the series, was run out for 45 in the 14th over, and A.B. de Villiers was caught at deep mid-on of Gayle in the 19th over.
Kallis and Duminy put the Proteas back on course for victory with a stand of 58, but Kallis was dubiously caught behind off Gayle in the 36th over, and Mark Boucher was caught at short third man off Pollard to leave the visitors needing 78 from the last 84 balls.
South Africa lost their way inside the last 10 overs, when four wickets fell for 35 runs from 34 balls, but their last wicket pair held steady.
The two sides now prepare for a series of three Tests, with matches in Trinidad (June 10-14), St. Kitts (June 18-22), and Barbados (June 26-30).
The South Africans start a two-day tour match on Saturday against Trinidad Tobago at the Frank Worrell ground on the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies.
Umpire Koertzen to retire in July
DUBAI: Rudi Koertzen will retire as a top-flight umpire following the two-Test series between Pakistan and Australia in England in July, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Friday.
The 61-year-old South African”s career is set to end at Headingley, where the econd ”neutral” Test starts on July 21 after the series opener at Lord”s.
That will leave Koertzen, renowned for his deliberately slow method of giving a batsman out, with a record of having stood in 106 Tests, a record 209 one day internationals and 14 20 over internationals.
ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said of his fellow South African: “He is one of the most respected umpires in the game and has always been confident and self-motivated yet humble.
“His outstanding service to the game and a wonderful career at the elite level needs acknowledgement.”
Koertzen, currently officiating in the triangular ODI series in Zimbabwe, said in an ICC statement: “It has been 18 incredible years for me as an international umpire and I have thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.
“Even though I will retire after the Leeds Test, I”ll be more than happy to assist and help young umpires if they need my guidance as cricket also teaches us to give something back to the sport.
“After 18 years in business, I think it is payback time.”
South Africa”s Marais Erasmus and Rodney Tucker of Australia have been included in the ICC”s elite panel of umpires for the 2010/11 season, starting July 1, 2010.
They will replace Koertzen and England”s Mark Benson, who stepped down from the elite panel in February.
PFF announces Super Football League draws
KARACHI: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has announced draws for the Super Football League to be held from June 11 to 31 here at the People’s Stadium Lyari.
Geo Super will telecast all these matches live.
Defending champions Islamabad United, Karachi Energy, Lahore Lajpal, Tribe Club Peshawar and Quetta Zorawar are taking part in the tournament.
In all, 23 matches will be played in the league and the first match will be played between Islamabad United and Karachi Energy on June 11.
The round matches will played upto July 24 while the semi-finals will be held on July 27 and 28 and the final will be played on July 31.
The PFF has directed to include six junior players in each team enabling the selectors to formulate the Pakistan junior team for the Under-23 Olympic Football and the SAF Games.
Each team has been allowed to play four guest footballers in the Super League.
First ODI between West Indies and South Africa today
ANTIGUA: The first of the five One-day Internationals will be played between West Indies and South Africa here today.
The match will begin at 6-30 pm (PST).
Earlier, two Twenty20 Internationals were also played between the two teams and both matches were won by South Africa.
As South Africa team has a psychological edge over the West Indies but the hosts are determined to get a rhythm soon.
Captain Chris Gayle said there is a much difference between Twenty20 and One-day International cricket and he remained optimistic that West Indies would give an improved performance in the one-day series.
Captain Graeme Smith said following on from their clean sweep of the T20 series, they would be looking to maintain their intensity.
