England Near to Clean Sweep Against India

England eye clean sweep against India

LONDON: England captain Alastair Cook is hoping to complete a miserable tour for India on Friday by wrapping up a 3-0 one-day series victory over the tourists. India are yet to taste victory over England this summer, having been whitewashed 4-0 in the Test series and trailing 2-0 ahead of Friday's final one-dayer in Cardiff. However India came agonisingly close to pipping England at Lord's last weekend, and Cook remains wary of the threat posed by the wounded tourists heading into the match. "The last two games have been very close, and have shown what a talented side India are," Cook said. "We're going to have to play at the top of our game to try to win, and finish the summer on a high as a one-day team." Cook however is satisfied with England's form in his first season in charge as skipper of the limited overs side, which also included a 3-2 series win over Sri Lanka. "It's been a good start, and I'm very happy with the way the lads have taken to me as captain and bought into the ideas," Cook said. "I'm very happy with winning both series. We know how tough it's going to be in the next two months or so (in a return series in India), but this side has always responded well to challenges." Cook also believes England's one-day squad can improve. "We are a very young side trying to make progress," he said. "The exciting thing is I don't think we've played as well as we can. "We have been put under pressure in this series, but have still won the games. That is very encouraging. Meanwhile Cook paid tribute to India batsman Rahul Dravid, who will be playing his 344th and final one-day game. "He's scored 10,000 runs in both forms of the game. He's managed to adapt his game to every surface," Cook said. "He is an all-time great."

ICC Awards Cook and Trott Win Awards

Cook and Trott win main ICC awards

LONDON: England batsmen Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott were named respectively Test player of the year and player of the year at a ceremony hosted by the sport's governing body the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday. Cook, the 26-year-old opener who was appointed one day captain after the World Cup this year - shone during the year peaking with a masterly 294 in the third Test victory over India in August, though, that fell outside the time frame for the award. It was his third Test century in six matches and 19th in all and is now just three shy of England's all-time record Test century total. It represents quite a turnaround in the genial Cook's fortunes as a year ago he was close to being dropped before reviving his career with a hundred against Pakistan at The Oval. It proved to be the springboard for a triumphant tour of Australia where he scored 766 runs, including three centuries, as England won the Ashes 3-1. During the performance period, he played 12 Tests and in 18 innings, he compiled 1,302 runs at an average of 51.74, including six centuries and four half-centuries. His highest score of 235 not out against Australia at Brisbane helped his team towards series victory as it won the Ashes away from home for the first time since the 1986-87 season. The independent voting academy of 25 cricket experts put Cook first, ahead of an impressive group of players that had been short-listed, including England team-mates Trott and James Anderson, as well as Jacques Kallis of South Africa, who previously won this award in 2005. The ICC later named Trott as their cricketer of the year. Trott, who alongside Cook was a bedrock of England's victory in Australia last winter with 445 runs, took the award ahead of fellow short-list nominees Sachin Tendulkar and Hashim Amla.

Pakistani Umpire Aleem Dar Wins Third Time Best umpire Award

Aleem Dar wins best umpire award for third time in a row

LONDON: Aleem Dar of Pakistan has won the ICC best umpire award for third consecutive year at a ceremony held here on Monday. However, Pakistan’s pace bowler Wahab Riaz and middle-order batsman Azhar Ali failed to win the best emerging player of the year award.

Misbah and Team Hunt for Win T20 Today

Misbah and Team Hunt for Win T20 Today

HARARE: After winning their one-off Test and later whitewashing Zimbabwe 3-0 in the ODI series, Pakistan will go all out to stamp their superiority in the two-match Twenty20 series getting underway from today.

Pakistan, the former world T20 champions, will begin as hot favourites to win both the games even though Zimbabwe will be fancying their chances in the shortest format of the game.

As a team Zimbabwe have largely been doing the basics right, and in the process have shown that there's a good deal of talent to work with. However when they've been required to up the tempo in a run chase the necessary fluency just hasn't been there, and a flurry of wickets has generally been the result.

Since the advent of Twenty20 Zimbabwe have played just 14 internationals, a pitiful number when you put it next to Pakistan's 46.

This may have helped Zimbabwe on their return to Test cricket, where most of the batsmen have displayed admirable technique, but they're lacking a dimension to their one-day stroke-play.

As for the bowling, the seamers have shown an ability to be accurate and consistent, but on flat pitches that is often not enough. Chris Mpofu admits that adding a slower ball to his repertoire has turned his game around, and Kyle Jarvis and Brian Vitori need to do likewise.

Having won the Test and swept the one-day series, Pakistan will view the Twenty20 series as a chance to have a bit of fun. The tour has been a great success, particularly in the way the inexperienced fast bowlers have been blooded.

The only member of the touring party not to play a match so far is Rameez Raja, so expect the 24-year-old to enjoy his first international showing in one or both of the matches. Having played a key role with the bat in the Karachi Dolphins' run to the final of their recent domestic Twenty20 competition, where they lost a one-over eliminator to the Rawalpindi Rams, Raja will be one to watch.

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, said that there would be two or three changes to the side that took the field in the third one-dayer as Pakistan look to find the right Twenty20 balance. One imagines they will look to field their strongest possible side in the first match, with Saeed Ajmal likely to return, before possibly giving a game to others in the second.

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Rameez Raja, Shoaib Malik, Adnan Akmal (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Shah, Sohail Tanvir, Sohail Khan, Junaid Khan, Aizaz Cheema.

Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor (captain), Regis Chakabva, Vusi Sibanda, Chamu Chibhabha, Charles Coventry, Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu (wk), Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Prosper Utseya, Ray Price, Kyle Jarvis, Chris Mpofu, Brian Vitori, Cephas Zhuwao.

Zimbabwe VS Pakistan 3rd ODI 14 September 2011

Pakistan in Zimbabwe ODI Series - 3rd ODI
Zimbabwe v Pakistan
Pakistan won by 28 runs

Played at Harare Sports Club
14 September 2011 (50-over match)

Pakistan innings (50 overs maximum)
Total (5 wickets; 50 overs; 211 mins) 270 (5.40 runs per over)

Zimbabwe innings (target: 271 runs from 50 overs)
Total (9 wickets; 50 overs; 226 mins) 242 (4.84 runs per over)


Pakistan Won by 28 Runs

England VS India 6 September 2011

NatWest Series [India in England] - 2nd ODI
England v India
England won by 7 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)

Played at The Rose Bowl, Southampton
6 September 2011 - day/night (50-over match)


India innings (23 overs maximum)
Total (8 wickets; 23 overs; 109 mins) 187 (8.13 runs per over)

England innings (target: 188 runs from 23 overs)
Total (3 wickets; 22.1 overs; 99 mins) 188 (8.48 runs per over)

England Won by 7 Wickets (With 5 Balls Remaining)

Zimbabwe VS Pakistan 1 to 5 September 2011

Pakistan in Zimbabwe Test Match
Zimbabwe v Pakistan
Pakistan won by 7 wickets

Played at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
1,2,3,4,5 September 2011 (5-day match)


Zimbabwe 1st innings
Total (all out; 150.4 overs; 645 mins) 412 (2.73 runs per over)


Pakistan 1st innings
Total (all out; 156.1 overs) 466 (2.98 runs per over)


Zimbabwe 2nd innings
Total (all out; 56.3 overs) 141 (2.49 runs per over)

Pakistan 2nd innings (target: 88 runs)
Total (3 wickets; 21.4 overs) 88 (4.06 runs per over

Pakistan Won by 7 Wickets

Austraila VS Sri Lanka 1st Test 31 August to 3 September

Warne-Muralitharan Trophy - 1st Test
Sri Lanka v Australia
Australia won by 125 runs


Played at Galle International Stadium
31 August, 1,2,3 September 2011 (5-day match)

Australia 1st innings
Total (all out; 86.4 overs; 347 mins) 273 (3.15 runs per over)


Sri Lanka 1st innings
Total (all out; 50 overs; 216 mins) 105 (2.10 runs per over)

Australia 2nd innings
Total (all out; 59.2 overs; 240 mins) 210 (3.53 runs per over)

Sri Lanka 2nd innings (target: 379 runs)
Total (all out; 95.5 overs; 385 mins) 253 (2.64 runs per over)

England VS India 1st ODI 3 September 2011

NatWest Series [India in England] - 1st ODI
England v India
No result

Played at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
3 September 2011 (50-over match)


India Total Runs: (7 wickets; 50 overs) 274 (5.48 runs per over)


Total (2 wickets; 7.2 overs) 27 (3.68 runs per over)

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Pakistan Team Doesn’t Need Head Coach: Afridi

 KARACHI: World acknowledged all rounder boom, boom Shahid Khan Afridi has said that Pakistan team didn’t need head coach.

Talking to Geo News representative Nasim Rajput, former captain Shahid Afridi said that the bowling and batting coaches should work under the strong manager.

Replying to a question, Afridi said that he would definitely come back in the national team. To another question, he said that let it be Zimbabwe or any other team, each and every victory is vital.

Regarding Eid, he replied that it was quite different for him, as despite being in the country he offered Eid prayer for the first time sans father. 

Controversy Hits Cricket Team

 BULAWAYO: After the tour of West Indies, there seem to be differences emerging between the team captain and coach over the playing eleven during the first test against Zimbabawe, Geo News reported.

According to sources , captain Misbah ul Haq wanted to include either Yasir Shah or Sohail Tanveer in the playing eleven but coach Waqar Younis wanted to include Aizaz Cheema and successed in doing so. During this ordeal, team manager Naveed Akram Cheema remained a silent spectator.

This is not the first time differences emerged over the selection of the playing eleven during a tour. During the tour of West Indies, differences emerged between coach Waqar Younis and skipper Shahid Afridi, which led to the eventual resignation of Afridi.

Aisam-Bopanna Reaches Pre-Quarter-Final in US Open

NEW YORK: Pakistan tennis ace Aisamul Huque Qureshi and his Indian partner Rohan Bopanna have reached the pre-quarter-final of the doubles event in the US Open Tennis Tournament, Geo News reported. Indo–Pak Express Aisamul Huque and Rohan Bopanna displaying great skills in the underway last grand slam men’s doubles defeated their opponents James Cerretani of U.S. and Marx Philip of Germany by 7-6, 7-6. Following this great thrilling victory, Aisam and Bopanna have reached to the pre-quarter-final of the doubles event.