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Sunday, December 2, 2012

Muhammad Asif crowned snooker world champion


SOPHIA: Muhammad Asif has won the final of the World Snooker Championship here.
Asif defeated Gary Wilson of Britain 10-8 in a thrilling final.
With this victory, Asif becomes the second Pakistani to claim the title.
Mohammad Yousuf had won the championship in 1994 while Saleh Mohamamd lost to Indian Pankaj Advani of India.

Friday, September 21, 2012

I am 100% fit & will be in form soon -Afridi

Karachi-(Routers) Former Pakistani skipper Sahabzada Shahid Khan Afridi stated that he is 100% ft & will pe in form soon in upcoming matches.He refuses the allegations of former cricketer that he is unfit and while in bowling is not giving stress to his back which is showing Afridi has some trouble in his back.He further said that its true he is not in form now a days but people should not forget t-20 world cup 2009 when he caught memorable catch of Styris in Pakistan Vs Newzealand running in opposite direction, after which whole Pakistan team came back in the tournament and World remember "Who won the World cup t20 in 2009".
Some former cricketers who has nothing to do but their work is to criticize every one always in search of points to criticize me.I will give them reply with my performance in the t20 cup.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Full advertisement 'Who will win PEPSI" Afridi Vs Misbah



The mystery Misbah Vs Afridi competition of PEPSI now came to end. Captain corner in association with PEPSI Co released full advertisement which will on air between 2nd ODI of Sri lanka Vs Pakistan on 9 June 2012.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Don't cry Bangladesh -You have broken teeths of our enemies


I think Bangladesh should learn from Pakistan when we lost match near from the edge.When we lost the final of t20 World cup 2007 also which is from our arch rival India.Many people got shocked, might be many cried but our team didn't lose their heart and in the result we won t20 World cup 2009.If anyone has a knowledge about old matches than he must remember World Cup 1987 when Pakistan lost semi final match from Australia in sub continent just near from Victory but again world knows better "Who won the cup 1992!!". If as a Muslim nation Bangladesh believe on Allah than they should trust him for having a second chance.
Bangladesh nation called them "Tigers". They must remember the fact that "Tiger never cry , a Tiger always tore his opponent & always fight rather than cry over split milk".
Bangladesh played superb cricket through out the tournament & In my opinion they played well as compare to Pakistan.Bangladesh defeated two finalist teams of World cup 2011.As a brother nation Bangladesh helped Pakistan to snatch the CROWN OF ASIAN CHAMPION from their arch rival India.Because of Bangladesh, We have not given enough pride or chance to "Someone" (India) to decorate the crown on KING'S head.Bengali as our younger & Muslim brothers proved the reality of Muslims in Asia.The two best cricket teams in Asia now are Pakistan & Bangladesh.

On other but controversial hand.If we had lost the final from Bangladesh, than some anti Pakistani forces in Bangladesh which never accept Pakistan & who helped India in cutting our left hand in 1971 could be happy because the night when Pakistan became "ASIAN TIGER IN CRICKET" after some hours there were 23 March (PAKISTAN DAY). The day when we presented our resolution in Lahore which I think should be important for Bengali too.Because after which Bangladesh (old East Pakistan) came into existence so than after which some years Bangladesh formed.If we didn't presented resolution than its petty clear that Bangladeshi People could be not sovereign state.If we lost match on Pakistan Day than anti Pakistan forces could said something against creation & importance of Pakistan.

I know some Bengali people in Bangladesh who since creation of Bangladesh have not accepted Bangladesh yet and called themselves as  Pakistani were very happy yesterday.


In the end I want to say one thing that if Bangladesh was with us than today they can called themselves  Asian Champion.But they with their performance has cleared it on INDIA that however he can try his all effort to break our parts from body but he should remember one thing that our each part can break his teeth even with more power.


PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!!

LOVE YOU TEAM PAKISTAN
PROUD TO BE AN ASIAN TIGER ON "PAKISTAN DAY"

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Sachin century of 100 -A little player of Giant Character

A personal note: I was lucky to have watched cricket in Tendulkar’s era >
My love affair with cricket started in late 80s when Imran Khan used to be a household name. I bought my first cricket magazine Akhbar-e-Watan in 1986 because it had Imran Khan on the cover page. In that scenario, a youngster named Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, took the cricket field and was tipped as the next big thing by none other than Sunil Gavaskar. I did not believe him.
India toured Pakistan in 1989 for a full tour. The Test series was a dull and boring affair but a little unknown kid forced every one to take notice of him. He did not sparkle with the bat at all, either in Tests or in ODIs. It was his four sixes in one over of Abdul Qadir at Peshawar in a 20-over exhibition match that announced his arrival. I watched that in amazement. At tender age of 16 years his hitting was unbelievable. His confidence was incredible.
Since Miandad’s famous Sharjah six, Pakistan had had a psychological edge over India who were merely pushovers against us. With the arrival of Tendulkar, that equation gradually changed. I still remember while playing against India, Pakistan used to have only one concern – Sachin Tendulkar. Only he was the man, we the cricket fanatics used to be wary of. His departure from the crease virtually meant Pakistan would win.
I became envious of Tendulkar’s rise because he posed constant threat against us. Inside I admired his batting, but in the open I used to find hundred reasons to believe he was not the best batsman in the world at that time. Essentially I was right as I believed, and still believe that there is no match to Viv Richards. Arrival of Brian Lara gave me immense relief. Lara was the best batsman in the world for me. It was final.
In the college, we used to conclude our discussions on best batsmen with the announcement that Brian Charles Lara was the best because of his flamboyance and unselfishness. We happily ignored Tendulkar’s contribution towards his team and the burden of expectations on his shoulders. In reality, Tendulkar continued to rise, continued to break records after records. He was ambitious for personal milestones, not for his team, we used to slam him.
Lara faded away, Ponting never reached that summit, Kallis lacked charisma, Inzamam under-achieved and Dravid had a lesser impact in ODIs, but Tendulkar carried on in a mind-boggling fashion. Just when every one thought he had finished, he took a new guard and scripted new milestones. He made us believe he was untiring like a superman. Nothing could quench his thirst for runs.
Whether he is better than Don Bradman or second best after him, I do not know, but he is a genius and a superstar who gave new meanings to the art of batting. Many years from now his achievements would look like a fairy tale and every thing regarding batting would be judged in the light of the standard Tendulkar has set.
He reached 99 international hundreds and took infinity to reach the ultimate milestone. Voices were raised again that he should retire on 99 not out. Now after scoring his hundredth international hundred, no one knows what is going on in his mind. Many would ask him to retire on a high, but his fans especially Indians who follow him frantically cannot think about cricket without him. In this dilemma, every thing rests on the shoulders of the man himself.  Let us leave him alone.
Just imagine how poor the cricketing world would be whenever he calls it quits. Have you felt shivers down your spine? If yes then you are a Sachin Tendulkar fan like me.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Bangladesh beat India after Sachin's 100th

The must-anticipated 100th international century by Sachin Tendulkar went in vain as India lost to Bangladesh by five wickets in their Asia Cup encounter on Friday.
Tendulkar's hundred (114), which came in 147 deliveries, took the Indian score to 289 and it looked a daunting total till a series of blitz by Shakib Al Hasan (49 off 31), Nasir Hossain (54 off 58) and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (46 off 25) blew away the Indian challenge. Tamim Iqbal's knock of 70 and his 113-run partnership with Jahurul Islam (53 off 68) for the third wicket laid a solid foundation for Bangladesh.

After his 64 against Pakistan, Shakib once again shone with the bat, taking charge of the Bangladesh chase when things were looking difficult for the hosts. Just like Shakib, Hossain, too, was extremely impressive, taking the attack to the Indian bowlers from the beginning.
Opening the innings for Bangladesh, Tamim hit his second consecutive half-century. Praveen Kumar gave India an early breakthrough, picking up the wicket of Nazimmudin (5 off 15). But Jahurul, playing his 8th match, mixed aggression with caution. He got to his maiden fifty, before being caught at mid-wicket by Rohit Sharma off Ravindra Jadeja.
Hossain picked up where Jahurul left, clobbering the Indian bowlers from the outset. The wicket of Tamim although gave India a chance to claw their way back, an onslaught by Shakib took the game away from them. His partnership of 68 off just 48 balls with Hossain turned the game in Bangladesh favour.
Huge blows (3 fours, 3 sixes) by skipper Rahim towards the end of the innings sealed the victory for the home side. Indian bowlers went for plenty in death overs, leaking 36 runs off the last 14 balls.
Earlier, Sachin reached the much-awaited 100th century. A sigh of relief was palpable on the face of the veteran batsman who kissed the India emblem on his helmet after waving his bat towards his teammates.
He and Virat Kohli, who came together after the dismissal of Gautam Gambhir (11), shared 147 runs for the second wicket before Kohli was bowled by Abdur Razzak for 66. Suresh Raina was sent ahead of Rohit and the left-handed wasted no time in displaying his array of attacking strokes. His 51 off 38 balls gave the much-needed impetus to the Indian innings, which seemed to have lost momentum as Tendulkar neared the milestone. Rohit was run out while stealing a two at death.
Skipper Dhoni remained unbeaten on 21, along with Jadeja who contributed with 4. Mashrafe Mortaza, who picked up the wickets of Raina and Tendulkar in consecutive deliveries, was the best bowler for Bangladesh.
India will play arch rival Pakistan, who have already reached the final, in a must-win game on Sunday.

At last Sachin made his Century of 100s


So the time which were waiting for almost a year came to end.Sachin made his century of 100s against Bangladesh in Asia Cup 2012.For this milestone he got failure lot of times in a year, falling in nervous 90 s lots of time.
Tendulkar has played 651 International matches and he did his 100 of centuries in his career's 651th International match.He has played 463 ODI , 188 test matches & 1 t20 match.He scored his last 100 on 12 March 2012.He also made a record of most no. of  4s by hitting 2000 4s.Sachin Tendulkar scored 49 centuries in ODIs and 51 in test matches.Out of his 100 centuries he scored 42 in home.He scored most centuries against AUSTRALIA by scoring 20 centuries.
Against his arch rival Pakistan he failed to score 100 many times, most of times he fall into nervous 90s.He has scored just 7 centuries against Pakistan, playing 86 matches.Shahid Khan Afridi said before 2011 World Cup semi final that he will not allow Tendulkar easily to score 100 & he proved his statement and stopped him before 90.

Here are all Tendulkar's 100 records.

1) 119* vs ENG-Manchester-14 August 1990-Draw-Test
2) 148* vs AUS-Sydney-6 January 1992-Draw-Test
3) 114 vs AUS-Perth-3 February 1992-Lost-Test
4) 111 vs SA-Johannesburg-28 November 1992-Draw-Test
5) 165 vs ENG-Chennai-12 February 1993-Won-Test
6) 104* vs SL-Colombo-31 July 1993-Won-Test
7) 142 vs SL-Lucknow-19 January 1994-Won-Test

8) 110 vs AUS-Colombo-September 9, 1994-Won-ODI
9) 115 vs NZ-Vadodara-October 28, 1994-Won-ODI
10) 105 vs WI-Jaipur-November 11, 1994-Won-ODI

11) 179 vs WI-Nagpur-2 December 1994-Draw-Test

12) 112* vs SL-Sharjah-April 9, 1995-Won-ODI
13) 127* vs KEN-Cuttack-February 18, 1996-Won-ODI
14) 137 vs SL-New Delhi-March 2, 1996-Lost-ODI
15) 100 vs PAK-Singapore-April 5, 1996-Lost-ODI
16) 118 vs PAK-Sharjah-April 15, 1996-Won-ODI


17) 122 vs ENG-Birmingham-8 June 1996-Lost-Test
18) 177 vs ENG-Nottingham-5 July 1996-Draw-Test

19) 110# vs SL-Colombo-August 28, 1996-Lost-ODI
20) 114# vs SA-Mumbai-December 14, 1996-Won-ODI

21) 169# vs SA-Cape Town-4 January 1997-Lost-Test

21) 104# vs ZIM-Benoni-February 9, 1997-Won-ODI
23) 117# vs NZ-Bangalore-May 14, 1997-Won-ODI


24) 143# vs SL-Colombo-3 August 1997-Draw-Test
25) 139# vs SL-Colombo-11 August 1997-Draw-Test
26) 148# vs SL-Mumbai-4 December 1997-Draw-Test
27) 155* vs AUS-Chennai-9 March 1998-Test
28) 177 vs AUS-Bangalore-26 March 1998-Lost-Test

29) 100 vs AUS-Kanpur-April 7, 1998-Won-ODI
30) 143 vs AUS-Sharjah-April 22, 1998-Lost-ODI
31) 134 vs AUS-Sharjah-April 24, 1998-Won-ODI
32) 100* vs KEN-Kolkata-May 31, 1998-Won-ODI
33) 128 vs SL-Colombo-July 7, 1998-Won-ODI
34) 127* vs ZIM-Bulawayo-September 26, 1998-Won-ODI
35) 141 vs AUS-Dhaka-October 28, 1998-Won-ODI
36) 118* vs ZIM-Sharjah-November 8, 1998-Won-ODI
37) 124* vs ZIM-Sharjah-November 13, 1998-Won-ODI

38) 113 vs NZ-Wellington-29 December 1998-Lost-Test

39) 136 vs PAK-Chennai-31 January 1999-Lost-Test
40) 124* vs SL-Colombo-28 February 1999-Draw-Test

41) 140* vs KEN-Bristol-May 23, 1999-Won-ODI
42) 120# vs SL-Colombo-August 29, 1999-Won-ODI

43) 126*# vs NZ-Mohali-13 October 1999-Test
44) 217# vs NZ-Ahmedabad-30 October 1999-Draw-Test

45) 186*# vs NZ-Hyderabad-November 8, 1999-Won-ODI

46) 116# vs AUS-Melbourne-28 December 1999-Lost-Test

47) 122 vs SA-Vadodara-March 17, 2000-Won-ODI
48) 101 vs SL-Sharjah-October 20, 2000-Lost-ODI


49) 122 vs ZIM-New Delhi-21 November 2000-Won-Test
50) 201* vs ZIM-Nagpur-26 November 2000-Draw-Test

51) 146 vs ZIM-Jodhpur-December 8, 2000-Lost-ODI

52) 126 vs AUS-Chennai-20 March 2001-Won-Test

53) 139 vs AUS-Indore-March 31, 2001-Won-ODI
54) 127* vs WI-Harare-July 4, 2001-Won-ODI
55) 101 vs SA-Johannesburg-October 5, 2001-Lost-ODI
56) 146 vs KEN-Paarl-October 24, 2001-Won-ODI

57) 155 vs SA-Bloemfontein-3 November 2001-Lost-Test
58) 103 vs ENG-Ahmedabad-13 December 2001-Draw-Test
59) 176 vs ZIM-Nagpur-24 February 2002-Won-Test
60) 117 vs WI-Port of Spain-20 April 2002-Won-Test

61) 105* vs ENG-Chester-le-Street-July 4, 2002-N/R-ODI
62) 113 vs SL-Bristol-July 11, 2002-Won-ODI

63) 193 vs ENG-Leeds-23 August 2002-Won-Test
64) 176 vs WI-Kolkata-3 November 2002-Draw-Test

65) 152 vs NAMI-Pietermaritzburg-February 23, 2003-Won-ODI
66) 100 vs AUS-Gwalior-October 26, 2003-Won-ODI
67) 102 vs NZ-Hyderabad-November 15, 2003-Won-ODI

68) 241* vs AUS-Sydney-4 January 2004-Draw-Test

69) 141 vs PAK-Rawalpindi-March 16, 2004-Lost-ODI

70) 194* vs PAK-Multan-29 March 2004-Won-Test
71) 248* vs BAN-Dhaka-12 December 2004-Won-Test

72) 123 vs PAK-Ahmedabad-April 12, 2005-Lost-ODI

73) 109 vs SL-New Delhi-22 December 2005-Won-Test

74) 100 vs PAK-Peshawar-February 6, 2006-Lost-ODI
75) 141* vs WI-Kuala Lumpur-September 14, 2006-Lost-ODI
76) 100* vs WI-Vadodara-January 31, 2007-Won-ODI

77) 101 vs BAN-Chittagong-19 May 2007-Draw-Test
78) 122* vs BAN-Mirpur-26 May 2007-Won-Test
79) 154* vs AUS-Sydney-4 January 2008-Lost-Test
80) 153 vs AUS-Adelaide-25 January 2008-Draw-Test

81) 117* vs AUS-Sydney-March 2, 2008-Won-ODI

82) 109 vs AUS-Nagpur-6 November 2008-Won-Test
83) 103* vs ENG-Chennai-15 December 2008-Won-Test

84) 163* vs NZ-Christchurch-March 8, 2009-Won-ODI

85) 160 vs NZ-Hamilton-20 March 2009-Won-Test

86) 138 vs SL-Colombo-September 14, 2009-Won-ODI
87) 175 vs AUS-Hyderabad-November 5, 2009-Lost-ODI

88) 100* vs SL-Ahmedabad-20 November 2009-Draw-Test
89) 105* vs BAN-Chittagong-18 January 2010-Won-Test
90) 143 vs BAN-Mirpur-25 January 2010-Won-Test
91) 100 vs SA-Nagpur-9 February 2010-Lost-Test
92) 106 vs SA-Kolkata-15 February 2010-Won-Test

93) 200* vs SA-Gwalior-February 24, 2010-Won-ODI

94) 203 vs SL-Colombo-28 July 2010-Draw-Test
95) 214 vs AUS-Bangalore-11 October 2010-Won-Test
96) 111* vs SA-Centurion-19 December 2010-Lost-Test
97) 146 vs SA-Cape Town-4 January 2011-Draw-Test

98) 120 vs ENG-Bangalore-February 27, 2011-Tied-ODI
99) 111 vs SA-Nagpur-March 12, 2011-Lost-ODI

===========100========
100* vs BAN-Mirpur-16 March,2012- (ODI)


*denotes that he remained not out.
#denotes that he was the captain of the Indian team in that match.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Pakistan Vs India semi final was fixed- Indian bookie


Karachi - Routers, Pakistan Vs India Semi final of world cup 2011 was fixed.It was now declared by an Indian Bookie Vicky Seth talking with Times of India.It should be noted that SPORTS WORLD now CAPTAIN CORNER has broken this news as "Pakistan Vs India World Cup 2011 Semi Final was Fixed- Indian Bookies" on 31 March 2011 & also we published predictions before match as "Pakistan Vs India World Cup 2011 Semi Final -Predictions" on 26 March 2011.All our predictions came true on the day of semi final.Also when we published the report after interviewing an Indian Bookie on Match fixing, some papers criticizes us.But recently a bookie Vicky Seth discloses this in interview with Times of India.


Mysterious catches drop by Pakistan's best fielders like Umar Akmal, Younis Khan & Misbah ul Haq who drop 3 catches of Sachin Tendulkar in a crutial match made everyone think on that point.Also Shahid Afridi's anger on Abdul Rehman Malik (Pakistan's Interior Minister) before semi final especially fans watched a rock hearted player like Afridi crying after sawing his team losing the match was also mysterious for all cricket lovers.Umar Akmal who hits a huge 6 by only one hand got out on straight bowl.All these things raised a big question mark on credibility about fairness of match.

Also we published prediction about final match as title "India Vs Srilanka final match of ICC World Cup 2011-Predictions" on 1 April 2011 after getting some secret information from our sources in India.All our predictions about final too came true and India won the title comfortably.As Afridi who might tried his best to won the semi final is confident that if they beat India in Semi final of world cup they can easily beat Srilanka.

Dhoni played drama of accepting Islam for 2nd Marriage





Karachi -Routers , Indian Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni played a drama of converting to Islam just for second marriage.He even did marriage according to Islamic ethics but has denied it in front of BCCI.According to our sources in India , Indian Captain Dhoni got marry with Hindu girl Sakshi Singh Rawat  & took his name Dilawar Khan (a Muslim name) & his wife Sakshi also converted  into Islam and her Islamic name is Ayesha.The marriage was took place in Lucknow on 4 July 2010.The price of HAQ MEHR was set 11 lakh & 11 thousand IND RS.Maulana Qazi Abu Talha Misbahi Faizabadi was the Qazi.Resources said that Dhoni's opponent raises this issue of converting to Islam & changing of name but Dhoni has denied all these rumors in front of BCCI.But a magazine "Outlook" which publishes from New Delhi has recently published image of Dhoni's "Nikal Nama"(Islamic Marriage Certificate)  All things can be confirm through GOOGLE easily.

This is Dhoni aka Dilawar Khan marriage certificate published by CAPTAIN CORNER.

Friday, March 9, 2012

We are ready for Asia Cup 2012 -Dev Whatmore


Karachi-Pakistan Cricket team's new coach Dev Whatmore said that he is ready for first challenge of Asia Cup 2012 as a coach of Pakistan team.He further stated that in presence of 2 top teams of World cup 2011, India & Srilanka its not easy game to win the title.Bangladesh has a home advantage & can beat any team in presence of its crowd.He loves to tangle challenges & he is ready to face it.Dev Whatmore said that the match between two rivals India & Pakistan always interesting for cricket lovers & in subcontinent people seems it as a war but he himself took it as only a match nothing more.On 18 March we have normal match like Srilanka & Bangladesh but we will try our most to win it.Pakistan has played wonderful cricket against English side but he don't believe how Pakistan lost ODI & t20 series.

In game one team lose & other win , we should not see our past & look forward to it what can we do better in future.We should probe our mistakes in the game & than make our team perfect in line of World Class teams.
Whatmore said that he has spent few days in Pakistan but he has jelled with Pakistan player very much.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Funny gossip story of Fast Bowler Muhammad Aamir with his lawyer Sajida Malik

Muhammad Aamir with his Female Lawer

I have read many forums containing foolish love story rumors of Pakistan Fast bowler Muhammad Aamir with his female lawyer British born  Pakistani Sajida Malik.Muhammad Aamir has recently came to Pakistan from England after completing his spot fixing allegation prison jail abroad.Muhammad Aamir was found in spot fixing against England during Pak- England test series during 2010 along with Asif and Salman Butt.Muhammad Aamir accepted his mistake on request of his female lawyer and gone to jail but just for few months.

Here is article written by famous sports journalist Abdul Majid Bhatti.

If the above article is true and Majid Bhatti is not eager to earn cheapest popularity than its a funny story because he has written a romantic scene where heroine drinks a sip of bear and hero than took sip same where she took.I have a question to Mr. Abdul Majid Bhatti that what he & all people like Ijaz Butt is looking on her face.And how much closely they guys were looking this single lady that they first watched her sip & than her lipstick mark on glass, than they saw Aamir tooking sip from same point.That story shows how much PCB was serious on probing spot fixing allegations.All journalists & PCB officials were only Cross-eye to see Miss Sajida Malik.
Majid Bhatti proclaimed that he was the first who broke Spot fixing case first in his article.Now if this story comes true than Majid Bhatti will took lead on making Gossips in sports or might be through his this article Aamir & his lawyer Sajida Malik who never think on that point will come close each other.Otherwise Mr. Bhatti should be ready for a heavy fine on him by Sajida Malik because M. Aamir is just a childish thinking guy he will just give some childish smile after this story nothing else. But Sajida with his performance looking very sharp.She first made fool Aamir & urged him to accept his guilty as she found herself unable to defend his case so he tied to convince Aamir to accept his crime.If someone like Asif or Butt were there in place of Aamir , I can bet they will definitely shoot the lady because if someone has paid huge money to his Lawyer than he will definitely wants his lawyer to defend his case whether he is guilty or not.But Sajida Malik founds Aamir as foolish child so first she made him fool collection all his earning from cricket than now she caught him in her love as every lady will love henpecked husband.   
Fast bowler Mohammad Aamir with his girlfriend Sajida Malik


Monday, February 27, 2012

Maria Sharapova pic before Oscar Award Red carpet

"Oh the minutes before heading to a red carpet event...as you see it's not as glamorous as it looks. I prefer to cuddle in the blanket until the very last minute. The event? Post Oscar Vanity Fair. I will have to show you a picture of the fancy invitation!"
          Maria Sharapova status on her official facebook page.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Funny Indian media "India tv" attacks Dhoni on defeat against Srilanka



India tv is always famous for its funny reports on cricket.Indian media always criticizes their team in funny styles.They even took minor things and present it like a monster in the air.They also give too much hype to their team when it wins trophies like World cup but when Indian cricket team's performance falls, Indian media helps them in falling by hurtle their team from back with full force.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

‘Even Milan said we were the better side’


Arsène Wenger has called on his side to deliver a repeat performance of their historic 2-0 win at AC Milan when they face the Italian giants on Wednesday.

Late goals from Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor secured victory for Arsenal in 2008 as they became the first English club to beat the Rossoneri at the San Siro.

Wenger remains fiercely proud of that performance and says his current crop also have the quality to secure another famous away European result.

 “I felt it was such a great night because we stayed faithful to our game and played without complexity,” he said.

“I remember that even Milan said the better team won. So let's keep that in our memory and repeat the same performance.

“We have had quite a few good performances away in the Champions League over the years, and we are very proud of them. We won in Madrid in 2006, 5-1 at Inter Milan in 2003, and the 2-0 win against AC Milan in 2008.

“When you look back and remember, you realise that we have won at almost every big stadium in Europe. Yes, we have not won in Barcelona, where we have played a draw, but overall I think we have won everywhere.”

Original post link  http://www.humarinews.com/2012/02/even-milan-said-we-were-better-side.html

Friday, February 10, 2012

Pakistan vs England: ODI Statistics & Facts between the sides

As Pakistan sealed a historical 3-0 whitewash of the current No.1 ranked Test side, It was only hours later when England announced there ODI and T20 Squads which means there in business and are no way going to allow Pakistan on this tour to steal the headlines within the desrts of the UAE. 

England have won 38 out of the 68 matches they've played against Pakistan, Losing 28 and 2 ending up as no results. 
2010 was the last time Pakistan and England played an International one day game against each other, It was the 5th game in the five match natewst series at the Rose bowl, Southampton. England took the close fought series 3-2 after winning the game by 121 runs. Eion Morgan scored a magnificent 107* to take his side to 256 but 3 wickets each from Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann had Pakistan dismissed all out for 135 

18 Months later, Both sides have different captains are ranked 1 place further away from each other and would want to take momentum heading forward especially England as the No.6 ranked side have tours of Sri Lanka and India coming up where the conditions are relatively similar. On the other hand the Pakistan Cricket Board who are deciding on who to appoint as head coach must first think what more to ask for from there current one - Mohsin Khan who was actually appointed as a Interim coach since Waqar younis resigned after the 2011 Zimbabwe tour has helped them too Test ODI and T20 series win over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Dav whatmore is the man who seems likely to be appointed as head coach but Mohsin also made his claim of a full time job by adding a Test series whitewash victory over the No.1 test side onto his CV. Khan also stated his target is for Pakistan to be No.1 and gradullay in the top 3 for Tests and ODI's so another series win for the Pakistani's could possibly take them from 5th to 4th depnding on the outcome of the on-going tri series between Australia, Sri Lanka and India.

17 ODI games against the No.1 ranked Test side, Younis Khan has 433 runs at 28.86 with 1 hundred and 3 half centuries and a best of 101. Younis who started of the test series on a low scored a wonderful 127 for his country in there 2nd innings of the 3rd test that set the platform for a Pakistani win. As always he is a vital part of the side and will be a man to look out for.

225 runs in 5 matches, No half centuries 1 century at a spectacular average of 56.25 against Pakistan he is an upcoming sensation and is one of best One day batsmen at the moment. Had nothing but an absolute horrendous 6 innings where he was terrorized by Pakistan's spinners and averaged 13.66 with 82 runs to his name in the test series. Surprisingly, Eion Morgan leads this side with the most runs against Pakistan. Should be considered extremely lucky if he isn't dropped from the test squad but his elegant strokes with a blend of nous and power makes him a natural ODI finisher and a good finish from England in the series is required and it would  be essential of him to perform.

Sometimes you think will Pakistan ever be complete without this man, But for now let's just admire his 31 wickets in 22 matches with a best of 5/40 he'll bring plenty of smiles, heart touching feelings and charisma to the field. England struggled with Off spin throughout the test series but they better figure out Shahid Afridi's leg spinners too as he is as always been in the limited overs side and England better watch out for Boom Boom.

James Anderson would want to add on to his 25 wickets in 14 matches against Pakistan, With a best of 4/27 England's spear head of the attack had an ordinary test series too claiming 9 scalps - As always he is one of the main performers with the ball for his team and he's spoken his desire of also returning to the T20 side, If he does have a great One day series it is likely he'll be included in the current T20 World champions squad too.

Pakistan's GREENWASH not complete yet



The 3-0 mission accomplished in the most significant format
was monumentally, pleasantly surprising jubilance which no one could have
seriously thought about in terms of a series score-line along those lines, but
the job is not completed yet by any stretch of the imagination and there is
more dominance to follow and many more victories although they won’t quite be
as resounding as the test ones, but ODI cricket is Pakistan’s forte which they
take equally as seriously. Generally the ODI format in this part of the world
has higher viewership, crowd attendances and genuine excitement. Going by how
pessimistic some of the England supporters are about their team’s chances in
the one day internationals which start next week over winning even a single one
day international let alone draw or win the 4 match series, there is almost
every chance for Captain Misbah’s Team Pakistan to whitewash the visitors in
ALL formats and end up with a 10-0 score line once the whole tour concludes on
Monday 27th February in Abu Dhabi.

England have been woeful in sub continental conditions and
lost 5-0 in India last year whereas in the World Cup only managed 3 victories
in 7 encounters. They are below the men in green on the ICC ODI rankings by
some way. Last two ODI series they have played against the men in green away
from home have ended in defeats for them. Cook and Broad are inexperienced
captains and England is vulnerable to spin on the slow and low wickets.

For the hosts majority of the overs will be bowled by the
slower men who control the flow of runs, take wickets and are consistently
reliable performers. It’s a squeezing process to overcome for the batsmen and
each of the trio of spinners is different which never allows you to settle as a
batter. With anything even over 200 on the board batting first and Pakistan
will fancy their chances by turning to their spinners under lights, who get
through their overs quickly not allowing batsmen to think on their feet, build
pressure with dot deliveries, can come on early with the new ball to surprise
the top order and with varieties in repertoire can break partnerships and cause
panic in the dressing room at any moment. Lastly, they also have the skill,
experience and confidence of bowling in the batting power play and can be
extremely difficult to get hold of and subsequently trigger collapses courtesy
of Saeed Ajmal’s mesmerising mysteries.

 The off spinners Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez are ranked at 1 and 2 on the ICC ODI bowling
rankings which just shows how impressively they have delivery in ODI colours
over the last year whereas the multi talented leg spinner Shahid Afridi was the
2nd leading ODI wicket taker last year with 45 scalps in 27 outings
including 4 5 wicket hauls with his canny flattish sharp drifting leg spinners,
sliders and top spinners. The talismanic leg spinning all rounder has kept him
busy by playing for the Melbourne Renegades down under while the national test
team were up against Bangladesh and England and had a decent time of it over
there from a personal point of view. How well England can negotiate and tackle
these gifted, accurate and unorthodox spinners will be the deciding factor in
the brief ODI series. The Men in Green are firm favourites, looking forward to
the contests and the tourists will be up against it. We shouldn’t be surprised
to see Pakistan win this series 4-0.  It will be a challenging ride for Cook’s side and even harder than what they were
up against during the test series which they’ll want to put behind them as
quick as possible after suffering the humiliation of a clean sweep.

 The visitors will be taking on their Lions squad for a warm up fixture on Friday who have just
beaten the Sri Lankan A team 3-2 in a 5 match unofficial ODI series whereas
Misbah and company they will be heading to Sharjah for a one day international
against Afghanistan on the same day where they will be looking to dominate and
perhaps experiment.

Only 2 of 8 KP writers had The Asian Side definitely claiming the series in the preview which was published on the 3rd of
January titled: “England will be put through a tough Pakistan test”and that too
by only a 1 match margin with a 1-0 scoreline. 1 of our writers hesitatingly
sat on the fence at 1-0 either way, 2 said 1-1 including myself, 2 said 0-0
whereas one thought England would bag the series 1-0. Few of us expected
Pakistan to win the series, compete and draw respectably perhaps yes, but
winning it was not what we expected in all honesty. None of us said we would
win the series by a 2 match margin, but it turned out to be by a 3 match
margin. In the preview I also mentioned that 2 results was pushing it and 3
results was close to impossible, but as it stands the Greens have won all 3
tests with all 3 tests having results. We expected docile tracks, high scoring
draws and uneventful action, but it was nothing but fast paced test cricket with
wickets falling in clusters and tests continuously progressing forward towards
an outcome with every session and none of the 3 tests went into day 5 believe
it or not. 110 wickets fell in 11 days with over 3 wickets falling per session.


There were several reasons for this –

a)      Highquality bowling, both teams bowled exceptionally and it was refreshing to see
some top class spin bowling in particular from both of the sides because as
Nasser mentioned we had seen some ordinary, average, mediocre spinners for some
time in world cricket, but here we had talented finger spinners from both sides
and a mystery bowler from Pakistan in the form of Ajmal who injected fear in
batsmen and posed some serious questions

b)      DRS and batsmen being paranoid as a result of getting struck on the pad with a
record number of LBWs falling for a 3 match series in this tour

c)      Out of form batsmen who were short of runs and confidence

d)      England’s batsmen struggling to adapt to the slow paced nature of scoring rates in this
part of the world and lacking patience and application to play long old
fashioned dogged test match innings

e)      Ajmal’spre series talk  really playing in theminds of England’s batters

f)       England’s preparation not being up to scratch while Pakistan were playing the Sri Lankans
and Bangladeshis as I incidentally said in my preview for why they had a slight
advantage over England coming into this series


g)      England Not being able to lift themselves after losing 5 wickets in the opening session
of the series of their top 5 batsmen without 60 on the board at the lunch
interval with Ajmal bagging 3 wickets in his first 10 deliveries he sent down.
Starting a series well is so often so important for what goes to happen at the
end of it all


h)      Underestimating the Pakistan team after the spot fixing scandal and how far they had come under
Misbah ul Haq and talking of underestimating they also did so for the Pakistani
bowler Rehman and Gul whereas they were taken a bit by suprirse by Hafeez who
got 5 left handers dismissed at just 16 as all the talk was surrounding Saeed
Ajmal

Combined Series 11

1) Mohammad Hafeez
2) Alastair Cook
3) Azhar Ali
4) Younis Khan
5) Misbah ul Haq (C)
6) Asad Shafiq
7) Matt Prior (WK)
8) Stuart Broad
9) Abdur Rehman
10) Saeed Ajmal
11) James Anderson

Pakistan’s ODI Squad

Batsmen

Misbah ul Haq (C)
Younis Khan
Azhar Ali
Asad Shafiq
Imran Farhat
Shoaib Malik (added on the request of Misbah ul Haq)

Wicket Keepers

Umar Akmal

Adnan Akmal

All Rounders

Mohammad Hafeez
Shahid Afridi
Hammad Azam

Fast Bowlers

Umar Gul
Wahab Riaz
Aizaz Cheema
Junaid Khan

Specialist Spinners

Saeed Ajmal
Abdur Rehman


Sessions WON

Pak 21
Eng 12

1st test: 6-3 Pak
2nd test: 6-6

3rd test: 9-3 Pak


Pakistan's cricket captain Misbah-ul Haq gestures as he holds the trophy after victory in the third and final Test match between Pakistan and England - AFP

Pakistan's cricket captain Misbah-ul Haq gestures as he holds
the trophy after victory in the third and final Test match between Pakistan and
England - AFP

Pakistan team road to glory for no.1 side



Pakistan’s love affair with the Arabian venues continued when they yet again returned victorious on their new hunting ground:The Ring of Fire. When Pakistan took the field on 4th day at the DSC, there was skepticism amid an air of positivism that has engulfed this Pakistan outfit.

Helped by some inauspicious shot selection by England’s batsmen but with conditions not as conducive as expected, the bowlers put in a Herculean effort for Pakistan to make history.

Pakistan’s first series whitewash against England is not just a whitewash. What it meant to a nation stricken by innumerable problems was evident when people took it to the streets, dancing in mirth, exchanging sweets, overwhelmed by the fact that their heroes had beaten an adversary ranked much higher than them, not to mention the No.1 Test side in the world.

The momentous victory has come at, hopefully, an end of a turbulent period for Pakistan cricket. A torment that started in 2010 ended in the most incredible of manner for Pakistan, who have now stretched their unbeaten series run to six.The most perplexing aspect of their upward curve has been their consistency, a rarity in preceding Pakistan outfits.

With this lustrous performance, not only have they exceeded the most optimistic of predictions but have re-enchanted many erstwhile fans. Though, how much this victory serves in bringing cricket back to Pakistan remains to be seen. With the Bangladesh series just around the corner, Pakistan can well afford to dream of a seventh consecutive series without facing a defeat.

Since the team’s inception, it has been classified as unpredictable. Misbah’s men, however, seem to have altered that impression with a string of persistent performances.The spellbinding sight of Pakistani bowlers banging it in short, turning it miles, bamboozling the batsmen with doosras, reversing the ball mercurially, the batsmen grinding in for runs, show glimpses of the past, a past which was erratic yet better in many ways than the horrors of 2010.

They say the night is darkest just before the dawn. Misbah and Co. have proved that an obdurate draw against South Africa wasn’t a false dawn. It has only gotten brighter since then for Pakistan cricket. Moreover, they’ve clung to their title of being the ‘cornered tigers’ of world cricket. Every time an adversity has hit them, they’ve come out roaring.

For people unfamiliar with Pakistan cricket’s peculiar history, this whole scenario is nothing short of madness. Success of this Pakistan team surely supports the notion that Pakistan is back into international cricket as a force to reckon with. They might rise to fall again and fall to rise again but this victory will go down in history as one of cricket’s most epic battles for honor.

Fabio Capello Quits amid Terry saga

Fabio Capello has reacted strongly after FA stripped Terry off captaincy as proceedings against him continue for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.



The Football Association, in my opinion was within its rights and principally correct to remove the controversial captain as grave allegations overshadowed him. But on the other hand, Capello's reaction is also apprendible as a man of such authority was apparently not consulted when such a critical decision was being made about his team.

So lets take a look on reactions by a few English players followed by unreserved remarks by me:

Wayne Rooney

Gutted Capello has quit. Good guy and top coach. Got to be English to replace him. Harry Redknapp for me.

My Comment: Spot on Wayne. This guy never fails to speak up and says what he feels is right.

Rio Ferdinand
So Capello resigns....what now....

My Comment: Rio might see this as an opportunity to cement a permanent place in the team once again. But I doubt that he will be able to do this keeping in view his lingering back problem, new blood deserve a chance and should be allowed to play. Rio should be taken to the Euros as a sub. (This is coming from a United Fan)

Jack Wilshere
People have their own judgement on Capello but for a young player who was given the chance to play for my country at such a young age he has shown great belief and trust in me so I can only thank him.

My Comment: Wilshere is rightly thankful to Capello as he gave him the chance to show his mettle on the top level.

Kyle Walker
Gutted to see Fabio Capello go, he put a lot of trust in me and gave me my first cap. just want to say a big thanks really.

My Comment: Walker is rightly thankful to Capello as he gave him the chance to show his mettle on the top level.

Glen Johnson
Sad news to see Capello step down. Good man and a Good manager.

My Comment: Capello might be a good man Johnson, but his departure may endanger your position. I think Micah Richard deserves a chance for his consistent performances and should be used against attacking teams.

Michael Owen
Don't know if was just me but it never felt right in the first place knowing the England manager was heading off after the Euros regardless.

My Comment: Dont be silly Owen, I know you will welcome the next manager by saying that he is the best for this job. But you still dont deserve a chance in the England team again, so start looking for a pundti's vacancy in a sports channel as you are well past your prime.

Quotes Courtesy: BBC

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

UConn Basketball Proposes Self-Sanctions To Avoid NCAA Tourney Ban

Jim Calhoun
UConn is sweating now that the NCAA is taking this whole "academics" thing seriously.
The NCAA recently adopted a new set of scrict rules that impose severe punishments on sport programs that underperform academically. Under the rules, the UConn basketball team would be ineligible for the NCAA tournament the next two seasons.
Last fall, Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun brushed off the potentially disastrous punishments for his program, expressing confidence that the NCAA would bend the rules to accomodate him. 
Now it appears that UConn is legitimately afraid that the Huskies will not be allowed to participate in postseason play next season.
In a document obtained by the Associated Press via the Freedom of Information Act, the school sent a proposal to the NCAA, offering to make a number of self-imposed sanctions if the NCAA grants UConn a waiver allowing them to compete in the postseason.
Explanation Of New NCAA Academic Rules And Punishments
UConn has proposed that the program reduce the number of regular season games in plays next season, eliminate exhibition games, forfeit revenue from the Big East Tournament and restrict Calhoun's off-campus recruiting efforts in next fall's contact period.
“Collectively, the university’s proposal will clearly send the message that the institution fully accepts the responsibility for past failings,” the waiver request reads. “It will result in the economic equivalent of a postseason ban without harming the very students the NCAA is trying to protect.”
As Connecticut and Calhoun have pointed out in the past, the NCAA's new rules punish teams retroactively, since the academic data the NCAA uses dates back four years. UConn has argued that it is unfair that they should be punished under new rules that they've not been given time to adjust to.
But UConn's pleading may fall on deaf ears, just as the NCAA's pleadings about academic improvement for years fell on deaf ears at UConn. Finally, the NCAA has put teeth into its insistence on academic achievement, and the bureaucratically indifferent organization may be looking for a chance to make an example of someone here.

Maria Sharapova breezes into Paris Open quarter-finals


PARIS Feb 8 (Reuters) - Top seed Maria Sharapova eased into the third round of the Paris Open with a 6-3 6-1 dismissal of South African Chenelle Scheepers on Wednesday.
The former world number one from Russia dropped serve twice early in the opening set but an upset was never on the cards at the Pierre de Coubertin hall.
After being held 3-3 in the first set, she won nine of the 10 remaining games, taking victory after 68 minutes when Scheepers netted a routine shot.
"I struggled a little bit at the beginning because the surface is quicker than at the Australian Open or the Fed Cup," Australian Open finalist Sharapova, who will next face either Romanian Monica Niculescu or German ninth seed Angelique Kerber, told reporters.

for more visit www.humarinews.com

India beat Sri Lanka by four wickets in CB series

4
Perth: India have beaten Sri Lanka by four wickets with the help of important inning of Virat Kohli in the second match of the Common Wealth Series here on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka set a 234-runs target for India. Young Dinesh Chandimal was the highest scorer who made 64 runs while former captain Tillakaratne Dilshan also chipped in with 48 runs.
But India chased the score in the 46th over. Virat Kohli scored 77-runs and run out due to cramp. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin made a partnership of 55 for the seventh wicket and played a vital role in the win.

An imaginative angle to Pakistan’s English white wash

Once upon a time Pakistan cricket ruled the world. In eighties and early nineties they challenged the very best. After an agonizing period of underachievement in best part of late nineties came the worst phase when they became pariahs of the cricketing world. But then fortune changed as success started to smile upon them again.
Pakistan, often, can do what others only dream of – in both success as well as failures. A whole decade from 1999 to 2010 was marred by controversies, shocking defeats and underachievement. The young generation will remember that era like ‘once upon a time we were so rubbish’, but a true fan or a chronic follower of Pakistan cricket will only give it a passing reference though in a sad and touching way. There is so much in Pakistan cricket that it cannot be ignored as a product. The brand has always been attractive and will always be.
By thrashing and ‘green-washing’ England, Pakistan has signaled return back to the golden days. Tomorrow’s historian will remind his readers by saying ‘once upon a time World’s number one team was rolled over by Pakistan who were isolated to the edge of the cricketing fraternity’. That will be the time when true merits of this huge success would be realized. They say when we are too close to a thing we cannot appreciate its true value.  Today we can celebrate this victory and term it a huge one but its grandiosity will continue to increase with each passing day. The reason being this win is a harbinger of something special to come. As a cricket lover and follower I can sense that.
It is team Misbah. Misbah has surprised even his biggest fan by becoming the central figure of Pakistan’s success. The man who enjoys love and hate relationship with his fans has come out as a messiah for his beleaguered team. Merely two years ago, after being overlooked in the squad of 35, he was contemplating retirement and wanted to burn his kit out of frustration. After the manic events of 2010 in which spot-fixing saga shook the cricket world, he became the logical choice, and the only reasonable one, for captaincy. His calmness, friendly nature and strong mind turned a bunch of individuals into a fighting unit.
The task has just begun. We have seen enough desolation. Now is the time to rise and shine. The victory achieved in the Arabian Desert should not go to waste. Under Misbah, the team will achieve more and continue its ascendancy. But the test is what next after Misbah and the current bunch. We need to plan a smooth transition in the next two years. If we can mastermind that effectively, we would be able to say proudly somewhere in the future, ‘we were invincible once upon a time’!

Contador vows to clear his name -CYCLING NEWS

Alberto Contador has protested his innocence over the two-year doping ban imposed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and insisted he will return to cycling stronger than ever.
The Spaniard has also been stripped of one of his three Tour de France titles for failing a dope test in the 2010 race. His lawyers are currently considering an appeal, which they must lodge within 30 days.
Contador said: “Everybody has been saying that I’m guilty of something that is against my own moral standpoint. My feeling of injustice is terrible. I have done everything possible to show that I am innocent.”
Contador’s ban has been applied retrospectively, which means he has already served the 18 months that have elapsed since the race in question. However it means he will miss the London Olympics.
The Spaniard’s Saxo Bank team have maintained during the lengthy legal protest that Contador’s positive test was due to him eating contaminated meat, a claim that was swiftly rejected by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
At a press conference in his home town near Madrid which was televised by Eurosport, Contador added: “I will continue riding and training cleanly as I have always done. Even though my morale is very low now I will come back to be as good as I have ever been.
“It’s incredible, almost unbelievable, how much support I’ve had. I’ve had nightmare months when I couldn’t sleep, and months when I wanted to go home rather than ride a bike.
“I want to leave good memories for the fans and have memories of doing my job well. Every victory I’ve had hasn’t just been mine, it’s been for all the people. They will decide if I am a champion or not.”

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TENNIS TV:Andy Murray praises instant impact of new coach Ivan Lendl

 
Andy Murray believes new coach Ivan Lendl has improved his game already.
The British number one appointed Lendl, the winner of eight Grand Slam titles, in December.
Murray reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open before losing a five-set thriller to Novak Djokovic, but says Lendl has made a difference.
"I spent five days with him before the Australian Open and I feel like I improved just in those days," Murray told the BBC.
"I'll go and spend a lot more time with him and work harder, and that's really all that you can do."
World number four Murray has 22 ATP titles to his name but has yet to win a Grand Slam after losing three finals.

Ivan Lendl factfile

  • Born March, 1960 in Ostrava, Czech Republic
  • Won first professional title in 1980 in Houston
  • Reached 19 Grand Slam finals, winning eight
  • Won US Open three years in a row from 1985 to 1987
  • Won £13.7m in prize money, ranking eighth in all-time men's earners
The Scot could benefit from the experience of Lendl, 51, who lost his first four Grand Slam finals.
But Murray, 24, admitted that he is inspired by Djokovic, who dominated 2011, losing just six matches all year.
"The turnaround was incredible and he was struggling at the end of the year before," Murray said.
"That's the thing. It is small margins of one break or one match and it doesn't have to be in a Slam - it could be any time.
"Sometimes things can just click and you can make big improvements, and I feel like I made a big improvement in Australia."
Murray has played in an era dominated by what many regard as three of the greatest players of all time in Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.
He added: "Everything that's happened in the past, you would say Federer and Nadal are the greatest players ever and Djokovic, the last year, had probably the greatest year ever.
"This year's a new year; it's irrelevant what's happened in the past.
"I'm not saying I'm going to win 16 Grand Slams, but if I can get a few then you can be remembered in the same breath as those guys - you had those great matches; you won Slams in the same time as them."

Yuvraj Singh misguided by advisers, says devastated father

Filial ingratitude! He would not utter that in as many words but somewhere in his heart, Yograj Singh is devastated that his son trusts everyone else, but not his father.
‘’I’ve endured all kinds of pains,” he blurts out. “My family got divided. I withstood the pain, my mother died in my hands, I withstood the pain. My son walked out on me. I withstood the pain. I can’t bear this pain.” His eyes are moist. “Ask a father what it is like to have a grown up son laid low by a dreaded disease.” He can’t control further; he breaks down.
Here in the city on a private visit Yuvraj Singh’s father Yograj reveals that he often experiences these bouts of existential dilemma — why him, why not others, why his son, why not others’…
“It has happened to my son. Why only to him?” he would think aloud and then recover. “This fate should not befall on any father. No cricketer should suffer this.”
Gradually, he regains the composure. “The county has progressed in every field but not in the medical sphere,” he laments. That sweeping statement fails to hide the disappointment of having to stay apart from his son at the time of his need.
“There are people to take care of him. But who takes care of a father who is shaken for his son’s sickness,” he says during an emotional conversation with DNA.
Yograj is angry that Yuvraj’s illness was not informed to him. He finds fault with the cricketer’s close circle. “They have been saying all is well. He was not allowed to undergo a certain things by his gurus. That Dr Jatin Chaudhry has been stating that he will be fine. In the end, a BCCI doctor suggested that he should be cured. Keeping a son’s health problems away from his father is not just bad, it is a crime.”
Yograj thinks his son is misguided by his advisors. “He trusted them more than me. I don’t know why. I’ve got a son every father would be proud of. All I want is few words from my son.”
Yograj, however, is in touch with Yuvraj, currently convalescing in the United States. “He is not supposed to be speaking. I’m told he has started jogging. He would not require a third round of chemo. God willing, he will be back soon. My birthday is next month. His return will be my birthday gift.”
Never ask him if his son would every play cricket again. “What sort of a question is that,” he shots back. He will be fine. He will lead India. Mark my words.”
Would Yuvraj have made difference to India’s fate Down Under? Again he says, “What sort of a question is that? He made difference to the team for 12 years. Have you forgotten the World Cup?”

Graeme Swann rubbishes Andy Flower's claim England lost to Pakistan due to taking too long a winter break

Graeme Swann refuses to accept England coach Andy Flower's claim that the whitewash defeat to Pakistan was in large part due to the fact the side arrived in the UAE underprepared after taking an extended two month winter break.

Graeme Swann rubbishes Andy Flower's claim England lost to Pakistan after taking too long a winter break
In a spin: Graeme Swann says England's failure against spin rather than complacency or being underprepared cost England against Pakistan  Photo: ACTION IMAGES

Sachin Tendulkar only Indian in top-10 ICC Test Rankings

Dubai: Sachin Tendulkar rose three places to be the only Indian cricketer in the list of top-ten batsmen in the ICC Player Rankings for Test released here on Tuesday.

Sachin is placed at 10th position along with Pakistan's Azhar Ali, who scored a match-winning 157 during the second innings of the third and final Test against England in Dubai earlier this week.

India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan remained static at the 10th spot with an aggregate of 697 points.

The bowling chart continued to be dominated by South Africa's Dale Steyn while Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal consolidated his second position, achieving a career-best rating of 835 points.

Ajmal, who won the player of the series award for claiming 24 wickets in the 3-0 drubbing of England, now trails Steyn by just 69 points.

The other Pakistani bowler to have made an upward leap is left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, who gained two more places to sit in seventh position.

England's Monty Panesar is the other left-arm spinner to head in the right direction. Panesar's two for 25 and five for 125 in the last Test enabled him to gain four places to be placed at 30th spot.

Meanwhile, veteran Pakistan batsman Younis Khan, who recorded his 20th Test century and shared a 216-run stand with Azhar Ali for the third wicket during the second innings of the concluding Test against England rose five places to be at fifth place.

England captain Andrew Strauss and Pakistan's other youngster Asad Shafiq have also made gains.

Strauss has jumped five places to 28th position while Shafiq has moved up four places to 43rd spot.

Sri Lanka's Kumara Sangakkara continued to top the batting chart with 850 rating points followed closely by South Africa's Jacques Kallis.