Memo scandal: Mansoor Ijaz opens Pandora Box

TrendPK.com

ISLAMABAD:  Mansoor Ijaz, the central character in secret memo scandal, submitted his written statement in the Supreme Court on Thursday, claiming that he met ISI chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha and President Zardari, TrendPK reports.

Mansoor Ejaz’s reply, spread over 81 pages, was received by the apex court registrar via an email here today. He also emailed 31 pictures of his Blackberry phone as evidence for claims.

In his statement, Ijaz confirmed and gave details of his meeting with ISI chief Pasha in London on Oct 22. He stated that the meeting lasted for four hours in London InterContinental Hotel’s room no. 210.

He said Hussain Haqqani has been his friend for last ten years.

Ejaz claimed that he met President Zardari on May 5 2009 in Washington, and the meeting lasted for 45 minutes, in which he briefed the president about the former’s parleys with White House bigwigs.

Ejaz went on claiming that he also contacted Gen Ehsan Ulhaq, the DG ISI in 2003. TrendPK

Rahul Dravid makes a new record of 200 catches in Test cricket

Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid on Monday made a new record of 200 catches in his Test career.

Rahul Dravid took his 200th catch of Dale Steyn off Harbhajan Singh, diving in a flash to his left, during South Africa’s first innings in the ongoing second Test against India at Sahara Kingsmead Stadium here. Dravid now tops the list of most number of catches in Test cricket. He registered the feat in his 149th match. Former Australia opener Mark Waugh is at the second spot with 181 catches from 128 Tests, followed by Australia skipper Ricky Ponting (174), former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming (171) and West Indian batting great Brian Lara (164).

India under pressure in South Africa cricket Test

CENTURION: South Africa’s fast bowlers ripped out three Indian batsmen cheaply when the first Test got under way after a rain delay at SuperSport Park here on Thursday.

India, sent in to bat, were 55 for three at tea.

Dale Steyn had Virender Sehwag caught at third man for nought before Morne Morkel struck twice within five balls to dismiss Gautam Gambhir (5) and Rahul Dravid (14).

Sachin Tendulkar was unbeaten on 22 and was the only batsman able to score boundaries in front of the wicket, twice pulling Lonwabo Tsotsobe to the fence and driving the same bowler through the covers for another four.

Gambhir was caught at first slip when he pushed away from his body and Dravid was trapped leg before wicket by a delivery which cut back sharply to provide Morkel with his 100th wicket in his 29th Test. Morkel took two wickets for four runs in seven overs,

India wins test series against NZ

Staff Report

NAGPUR: India has won the test match in Nagpur against New Zealand by an innings and 198 runs; the host team won the three test match series by 1-0.

New Zealand resumed its innings at 24 runs for the loss of 1 wicket today and the whole team was out on a small total of 175. None of the batsmen faced Indian spinners confidently. Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma took 3 wickets each, while Ojha and Suresh Raina took 2 wickets respectively.

Rahul Dravid was declared Man of the Match for his match winning innings of 191 runs. Trend Pk

Indian top order heaps misery on New Zealand

NAGPUR: Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar built up India’s strong reply with unbeaten half-centuries in the series-deciding third and final Test against New Zealand on Sunday.

The veteran batsmen took the innings on following the dismissal of openers Gautam Gambhir (78) and Virender Sehwag (74) to bring India to 292-2 at stumps on the second day of the match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.

India were ahead by 99 runs with eight wickets in hand, having bundled out the visitors for 193 early in the morning session.

Tendulkar survived some hostile bowling from New Zealand’s quicks to play some breathtaking shots on either side of the wicket. He had so far hit seven boundaries in his 57-run knock off 126 balls.

Dravid played in typically sedate fashion, making 69 with the help of eight fours during his four-hour innings.

He added 79

India batsmen take control of deciding test

NAGPUR: Half-centuries from each of India’s top-order batsmen gave the hosts control of the third and final test after their bowlers had dismissed New Zealand for 193 on the second day on Sunday.

At the close, India had reached 292 for two for a lead of 99 runs, with the experienced duo of Rahul Dravid (69) and Sachin Tendulkar (57) at the crease.

Dravid, with his 60th fifty in tests, and Tendulkar, who needed 43 more for his 50th test hundred, have already added 100 runs for the unbroken third-wicket partnership.

Virender Sehwag (74) and Gautam Gambhir (78) combined for a quickfire opening stand of 113 after paceman Ishant Sharma and spinner Pragyan Ojha picked up the final three New Zealand wickets in the morning.

Sehwag flayed the New Zealand bowlers and brought up a run-a-ball half-century — his 26th in tests, with 12 boundaries and a six before

Sehwag gives India flying start in New Zealand Test

AHMADABAD: Opener Virender Sehwag smashed an unbeaten 87 to give India a brisk start in the opening Test against New Zealand on Thursday.

Sehwag hit 15 fours in his typically aggressive 84-ball knock as the hosts raced to 127-1 at lunch after Mahendra Singh Dhoni elected to bat at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Rahul Dravid (12) was the other not out batsman at the break.

The first session belonged to Sehwag who entertained the fans with a breathtaking array of shots all around the ground.

The dashing batsman shared 60 runs with Gautam Gambhir, the duo surpassing the 3,010-run tally of Chetan Chauhan and Sunil Gavaskar to become the most prolific opening pair for India.

Sehwag started off aggressively, hitting fast bowler Chris Martin (0-28) for three fours in the third over of the day.

He was equally belligerent against

India cruise to seven-wicket win, sweep series

BANGALORE: India cruised to a seven-wicket win over Australia in the second test on Wednesday

to sweep their two-match series 2-0.

Debutant Cheteshwar Pujara (72) cracked a half-century as the hosts chased down a target of 207 runs, the highest

successful run chase at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Sachin Tendulkar (53) and Rahul Dravid (21) completed the victory soon after tea.

Earlier, Zaheer Khan and fellow new ball bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth took less than an hour to polish off

the Australian tail after the tourists had resumed on 202 for seven wickets.

The last three Australian batsmen could add only 21 runs to their overnight score before their second innings folded on

223. AGENCIES

North, Tendulkar light up second day’s play

BANGALORE: India’s Sachin Tendulkar passed another major milestone but a dogged century from Australian Marcus North put the touring side in control of the second test on Sunday.

North’s career-best 128 was the cornerstone of the Australian first innings which folded for 478 at tea on day two, but not before their lower half had added 193 runs to their overnight score of 285 for five wickets.

In reply, India made a feeble start, losing the explosive Virender Sehwag (30) and bail-out specialist Rahul Dravid (one) in quick succession.

Tendulkar remained unbeaten on 44 with opener Murali Vijay (42) at the other end with India still trailing Australia by 350 runs.

Playing his 171st test, Tendulkar became the first batsman to amass 14,000 test runs in the 27th over of the Indian innings, hitting off-spinner Nathan Hauritz for a boundary.

Earlier,

Australia bat first in second test

BANGALORE: Australia captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat first in the second and final test against India on Saturday.

Vangipurappu Laxman, architect of India’s thrilling one-wicket victory in the first test at Mohali, was not

considered because of a back injury, with Cheteshwar Pujara brought in to make his test debut.

India also brought in Murali Vijay and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth to replace the injured Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma.

Peter George replaced Doug Bollinger who sustained an abdominal strain in Mohali.

India: Virender Sehwag, Murali Vijay, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Cheteshwar Pujara, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (captain), Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Pragyan Ojha, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth.

Australia: Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Marcus North,

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