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Younis Khan quits T20

Pakistan skipper Younis Khan announced his retirement from the T20 format cricket after leading his side to an emphatic win over Sri Lanka in the ICC T20 World Cup finals at the Lord's on Sunday.
Younis will continue to play in test and ODI formats for Pakistan.

ICC World Twenty20 2009, England

Pakistan ICC World Twenty20 2009 Champions

Shahid Afridi's sensible yet electrifying batting, with a couple of boom-booms thrown in for good measure, helped Pakistan overtake Sri Lanka's modest score with 8 balls to go, and bag the Championship. With his outstanding bowling throughout the tournament, and great batting towards the final stages, Shahid Afridi has risen to iconic status that was reserved for the likes of Imran Khan in a nation troubled by conflicts for so long.
Afridi's unbeaten 54 and a wicket of the very last ball, earned him the Man-of-the-Match award. He hit two sixes and two fours, and the winning runs, after which he stood and saluted the thousands of elated Pakistani supporters in his usual trademark style.


It was the second global one-day title for Pakistan after Imran Khan's side rallied in similar fashion to win the 1992 50-over World Cup. Pakistan lost the inaugural Twenty20 final in 2007 to India.


Sri Lanka had effectively lost the match in the first six powerplay overs, after they were down 32 for 4. A captain's innings from Kumar Sangakkara and a late charge by Angelo Mathews (partnership of 68 runs in 43 deliveries) boosted Sri Lanka to 138 for 6. Abdul Razzaq claimed a wicket in each of his first three overs, removing Jehan Mubarak for a duck, Sanath Jayasuriya for 17 and Mahela Jaywardene for one.

ICC World Twenty20 final, Lord's, PAK v SRL: Pakistan 139/2 (Afridi 54*, Akmal 37) beat Sri Lanka 138/6 (Sangakkara 64*, Mathews 35*, Razzaq 3-20) by eight wickets

ICC World Twenty20 2009 Finals Preview

14:00 GMT | 10:00 EDT | 19:30 IST :: The Finals - Sunday, June 21
Sri Lanka v Pakistan at Lord's
On Sunday, July 21st, the two best bowling sides in the second edition of the World Twenty20 - Pakistan, the mesmerizingly over-achieving underdogs and Sri Lanka, the remarkably professional and well oiled machine - meet in the finals at Lord's.

While two Pakistanis - Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal - have picked up 12 wickets apiece in the tournament to top the bowling charts, Sri Lankan mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis (with an outstanding economy rate of less than 5 runs an over) and fast bowler Lasith Malingahas also have 12 wickets apiece. But their bowling strength is deeper, with Muralitharan and Angelo Mathews taking 13 wickets between them at less than a run a ball. For Pakistan, the surprise package has been Shahid Afridi, who picked up 10 wickets in the tournament so far, conceding just 5.37 runs per over.

Batting is one area that worries Sri Lanka. Other than Dilshan (with 317 runs at an average over 60), Jayasuriya (160 runs), Jayawardene (153 runs) and to an extent, Sangakkara (just 113 runs), no one else has contributed much with the bat. The one area where the Lankans do excel over Pakistan is their fielding.
The Pakistan batting averages just 138 as a team, with no one shining in particular, but everyone contributing in bits and pieces. Captain Younis Khan (172 runs) and Kamran Akmal (151 runs) are the leading batsmen.
With both sides preferring to bat first, the toss will be crucial.

The last contest between the two finalists was in the Super Eights at Lord's when Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 19 runs. Sri Lanka made 150 for the loss of 7 wickets as Dilshan and Jayasuriya put on 81 for the first wicket in 9 overs, with the rest of the side adding just 69 more from the 11 overs that followed. Despite a 37 ball 50 from Younis Khan, Pakistan lost too many wickets to Malinga and Murali and ended up 19 runs short of the target.

Boom Boom lifts Pakistan into World T20 final

Shahid Afridi shone with bat and ball at Trent Bridge as Pakistan dumped South Africa by seven runs to storm into the World Twenty20 final. Boom Boom smashed 51 from 34 balls and then grabbed 2-16 with his leg-spin as Pakistan successfully defended 149-4 to restrict the favoured Proteas to 142-5 before a sell-out crowd.
Afridi, coming on to bowl in the seventh over, struck twice in four deliveries when he bowled Herschelle Gibbs and AB de Villiers to make South Africa 50-3 in 8.3 overs. Veteran Jacques Kallis made a brave attempt to take the South Africans home, striking seven fours and a six in 64 from 54 balls, but the other batsmen faltered against the spot-on attack.

2009 ICC World Twenty20, First Semi-final at Trent Bridge, PAK vs SAF, June 18 2009: Pakistan 149/4 (Afridi 51, Malik 34) beat South Africa 142/5 (Kallis 64, Duminy 44*, Afridi 2-16) by seven runs

ICC World Twenty20 Semi-Finals Preview

16:30 GMT | 12:30 EDT | 22:00 IST :: 1st Semi-Final - Thursday, June 18
South Africa v Pakistan at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
South Africa is one of the only two teams in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 to reach the Semis without losing a single match (Sri Lanka is the other). The perennial favorites in any form of cricket, and big time chokers at crunch time, South Africa will have to overcome their nerves to go on to the semis when they meet a resurgent Pakistan team which is looking stronger and stronger with each match. AB de Villiers is currently South Africa's top scorer with 185 runs in five matches, and teammate Jacques Kallis is not far behind with 174 from four matches.
Seamer Roelof van der Merwe is the team's best bowler with 9-106 from 17 overs, while Wayne Parnell has 8-93 from the same number of overs.
Right-arm seamer Umar Gul is the main reason the Pakistanis have progressed so far in the tournament after a stuttering start. Gul, who was the highest wicket-taker in the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa when Pakistan ended runners-up to India, again tops the list with 12 scalps in this tournament. Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal is joint second with Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga in the wicket-taker's list with 11 wickets, while leg-spinning allrounder Shahid Afridi has eight.

Pakistan were routed by South Africa in a practice match ahead of the tournament at Trent Bridge, losing by 59 runs after being bowled out for 127 in reply to South Africa's 186-7.

Tournament Results

South Africa
beat Scotland by 130 runs at The Oval
beat New Zealand by one run at Lord's
beat England by seven wickets at Trent Bridge
beat West Indies by 20 runs at The Oval
beat India by 12 runs at Trent Bridge

Pakistan
lost to England by 48 runs at The Oval
beat Holland by 82 runs at Lord's
lost to Sri Lanka by 19 runs at Lord's
beat New Zealand by six wickets at The Oval
beat Ireland by 39 runs at The Oval

16:30 GMT | 12:30 EDT | 22:00 IST :: 2nd Semi-Final - Friday, June 19
Sri Lanka v West Indies at Kennington Oval, London
Sri Lanka, the unbeaten, strongest, and best balanced team in the tournament, will face West Indies in the second semi-final at the Oval on Friday. Three of Lanka's big four batsmen have been in form, with the opening partnership of Sanath Jayasuriya and Tillekeratne Dilshan performing consistently well. Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene showed in the match against New Zealand that they have the class and composure to lead their side to victory on the big stage. Dilshan is the tournament's top runscorer.
While spinner Ajantha Mendis is an absolute terror, veteran spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has been successfully strangling sides in the middle overs. Mendis already has 10 victims in the tournament while sling-shot fast bowler Lasith Malinga lies joint second in the leading wicket-takers in the tournament with 11 and are expected to provide the main obstacle to West Indies' chances of progress.

West Indies skipper Chris Gayle, after beating England in a do-or-die match went on to remark that some teams were now scared of his team. Dwayne Bravo, with 154 runs from 4 matches and eight wickets for 123 runs from 14 overs, has been the best all-rounder in the tournament so far. Lendl Simmons with 150 runs from 4 matches is also in terrific form.

Tournament Results

West Indes
beat Australia by 7 wickets at The Oval
lost to Sri Lanka by 15 runs at Trent Bridge
beat India by 7 wickets at Lord's
lost to South Africa by 20 runs at The Oval
beat England by five wickets at The Oval (D/L method)

Sri Lanka
beat Australia by 6 wickets at Trent Bridge
beat West Indies by 15 runs at Trent Bridge
beat Pakistan by 19 runs at Lord's
beat Ireland by 9 runs at Lord's
beat New Zealand by 48 runs at Trent Bridge

Umar Gul stuns New Zealand with first ever Twenty20 5-wicket haul‎

A sensational five-wicket haul for just 6 runs in 3 overs by Umar Gul helped Pakistan defeat New Zealand by six wickets to keep their semi-finals hopes alive in the World Twenty20.
The Kiwis were all out for a paltry 99 in 18.3 overs, after they won the toss and decided to bat first at Oval. After being introduced in the 13th over, Gul wreaked havoc in his three-over spell and emerged the first bowler ever to claim five wickets in a T20 international.
Pakistan coasted home to finish on 100-4 with Shahzaib Hasan making 35 and Shahid Afridi 29 not out.

2009 ICC World Twenty20 Match 18: PAK vs NZL, Group F, June 13: New Zealand 99 in 18.3 overs (Gul 5-6, Razzaq 2-17) lost to Pakistan 100/4 in 13.1 overs (Shahzaib Hasan 35, Shahid Afridi * 29) by 6 wickets (with 41 balls remaining)

Sri Lanka defend modest total to beat Pakistan‎

Sri Lanka survived a mid-innings slump and a threatening 66-run partnership between Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq to ease to a 19-run win in their first game of the Super Eights at Lord's. Sanath Jayasuriya (26) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (46) put on 81 for the first wicket but then lost 6 wickets for 69 runs to Shahid Afridi (2 for 23) and Saeed Ajmal (2 for 26) as they slumped to 150-7.
Lasith Malinga (3 for 17) and Muttiah Muralitharan (2 for 28) were able to restrict Pakistan to 131-9 with Younus Khan positng 50.

2009 ICC World Twenty20 Match 15: PAK vs SRL, Group F, June 12: Sri Lanka 150 for 7 (Dilshan 46) beat Pakistan 131 (Younis 50, Malinga 3-17) by 19 runs

June 12 Preview: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, India vs West Indies at the Lord's

Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in a Group F match at Lord's on Friday at 18:00 IST which is an important match for both teams. Pakistan has so far shown they can play like winners or losers, depending on the mood of the team. Shahid Afridi's bowling (with his 4-11 against the Dutch ) has picked up, but his batting style has been ridiculed by everyone since the tournament started. Sri Lanka on the other hand are fresh from two morale boosting victories over Australia and West Indies. Batsman Dilshan and veteran all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya have both already recorded big scores with the bat.

India meet Windies in the second match, scheduled to start at 22:00 IST in a Group E match. Belonging to the toughest group, a win or loss can mean moving to the semis or going home. T20 World Champions India barely had to break sweat progressing from their group with comfortable wins over Bangladesh and Ireland. West Indies on the other hand are inconsistent, depending too much on Captain Chris Gayle's batting. His 88 from 50 balls led the team to a crushing win over Australia, while they lost pathetically to Sri Lanka while Gayle rested, due to an injury.

Comprehensive victory for Pakistan at Lord's

Pakistan needed to beat the dark horses Netherlands by a 25 run margin if they wanted to stay alive in the World Twenty20. And they demolished the men in orange by 82 runs.
Pakistan, who were low in their confidence after losing their game against England by 48 runs, looked lost till the middle overs, when Afridi started picking up wickets in qucik succession. His 4 wickets in 4 overs giving away just 11 runs made sure they move into the Super 8s with England from the same group. Man of the match Kamran Akmal effected 4 stumpings, 1 run out and scored 41 off 30 balls in a Pakistan score of 175/5.

2009 ICC World Twenty20 Match 9: PAK vs NET, Group B, June 9: Pakistan 175/5 in 20 overs (Kamran Akmal 41, Younis Khan 36) beat Netherlands 93 (Afridi 4-11) by 82 runs

Pietersen's innings sink Pakistan at Oval

England crushed Pakistan by 48 runs in a group B death match after messing up their tournament opener with minnows Dutch. Kevin Pietersen, returning to the side after losing the match against the Dutch, hit 58 off 38 balls to help his team reach 185 for 5.
In reply, Pakistan's batting was lackluster, and no one seemed interested in putting up a fight. Younis Khan top scored with 46, while Broad picked up 3 wickets for 17 in 3 overs.

2009 ICC World Twenty20 Match 6: PAK vs ENG, Group B, June 7: England 185-5 (Pietersen 58, Ajmal 2-23) beat Pakistan 137-7 (Younis Khan 46, Broad 3-17) by 48 runs

India beat Pakistan by 9 wickets in T20 World Cup warm-up match

In the final warm-up game, India beat Pakistan in an emphatic fashion in front of a packed house at the Oval. Pakistan started strongly, with the young Ahmed Shehzad scoring 25 off 19 balls with 5 fours, but Ishant Sharma's first over, a 2 wicket maiden, changed the course of the game.
India, riding on the first wicket partnership of 140 between Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir in 16 overs, took the match away from a wayward Pakistan attack.

2009 ICC World Twenty20 Warm-up Match: IND vs PAK, June 3: India 159 for 1 (Rohit 80, Gambhir 52*) beat Pakistan 158 for 6 (Misbah 37*, Younis 32, Ishant 1-11) by nine wickets

Pakistan brushed aside by South Africa in T20 World Cup warm-up match

South Africa played better in every department of the game to beat last year's runner-up Pakistan comprehensively at Trent Bridge.

2009 ICC World Twenty20 Warm-up Match: SAF vs PAK, June 1: South Africa 186 for 7 (Smith 70, Gibbs 42, Ajmal 2-20) beat Pakistan 127 (Botha 2-20, Steyn 2-19) by 59 runs

Pakistan v Australia Cricket Series at UAE 2009

PAK v AUS, 4th ODI, Abu Dhabi: Clarke and Bollinger lead Australia to series win (3:1)

Michael Clarke struck a sparkling hundred as Australia beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the fourth day-night international at Abu Dhabi on Friday to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series.
The 28-year-old Australian captain hit an unbeaten 100 and was well supported by Watson (85 not out) as the pair added 197 for the third wicket to ease Australia past a modest 198-run target with 5.4 overs to spare. Pakistan were bowled out for 197 in 48.4 overs with Australian left-arm paceman Doug Bollinger taking 5-35 in only his second international one-day match.
Pakistan won the first match by four wickets before Australia came back strongly to win the second by six wickets and the third by 27 runs. The fifth and final match will be played here on Sunday.

PAK v AUS, 4th ODI, Abu Dhabi: Australia 200-2 (44.2 overs) beat Pakistan 197 (48.4 overs) by 8 wickets

PAK v AUS, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: Australia beats Pakistan by 27 runs (AUS 2:1)

Michael Clarke's all-round performance helped his team give Pakistan a dose of their own medicine as Australia won the third day-night international by 27 runs at Abu Dhabi on Monday.
The 28-year-old hit a fighting 66 to anchor an otherwise struggling Australian innings which helped them reach 198-7 in their allotted 50 overs before claiming 3-15 to bowl Pakistan out for 171 in 47.1 overs.
Clarke's brilliant bowling which saw Pakistan lose their ten wickets in the space of 76 runs -- steered his team to a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. The remaining two matches will be played here on May 1 and 3. The only Twenty20 match is scheduled for Dubai on May 7.

PAK v AUS, 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: Australia 198-7 (50 overs) beat Pakistan 171 (47.1 overs) by 27 runs

PAK v AUS, 2nd ODI, Dubai: Symonds stars for Australia (AUS 1:1)

Andrew Symonds rewarded the faith of the Australian selectors as he led his side to a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second one-day international in Dubai.
The all-rounder got the call for this series after undergoing counselling to deal with a series of off-field controversies, but after failing with the bat in the first-game defeat, displayed the talent which keeps Australia coming back for more. His two wickets for 12 runs helped finish off the Pakistan tail as they made 207, and his brisk half-century carried Australia almost all the way as they reached their target with 29 balls to spare.
After Brad Haddin went for just eight, Shane Watson's 30 and 48 from James Hopes had helped Australia build a solid platform, but Pakistan dismissed the pair within the space of three balls to leave the tourists in a more nervous position at 93 for three when Symonds strode to the crease. He took a while to play himself in, but after the offer of a free hit against Shoaib Malik was smashed for his first four in the 29th over, Symonds began to express himself a little more and hit Saeed Ajmal for six in the next over.
By the time he was bowled by Shahid Afridi for 58 off 62 balls, the damage had been done with Australia well ahead of the run rate and only 25 runs from their target. Michael Clarke's unbeaten 39 and 10 from Callum Ferguson saw them home.

PAK v AUS, 2nd ODI, Dubai: Australia 208-4 (45.1 overs) beat Pakistan 207 (46.2 overs) by 6 wickets

PAK v AUS, 1st ODI, Dubai: Pakistan beat Australia by 4 wickets (PAK 1:0)

Shahid Afridi claimed six victims to pave the way for Pakistan to claim victory by four wickets in their opening one-day international against Australia in Dubai.
The Pakistan all-rounder claimed career-best figures of six for 38 as Australia could only manage a paltry 168 in an innings that lasted just 38.5 overs. The world champions again lost their way in the middle overs, losing eight for 27 at one stage as they wilted against Afridi's spin.
It could have been worse for the Australians who relied on a last-wicket stand of 46 runs between James Hopes (48 not out) and Ben Hilfenhaus (four) to give their score some respectability.
Pakistan's reply, while slow going at times, always looked on track with Kamran Akmal hitting 48 at the top of the order before Misbah-ul-Haq anchored the innings with an unbeaten 30 from 68 balls.

PAK v AUS, 1st ODI, Dubai: Pakistan 171-6 (44.1 overs) beat Australia 168 (38.5 overs) by 4 wickets

Pakistan in Bangladesh Cricket Series 2009

Pakistan tour of Bangladesh postponed

Pakistan's forthcoming tour of Bangladesh has been postponed due to security concerns.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board says the tour has been postponed on the advice of the government, although they have refused to say whether the decision was connected to the Lahore attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team or to the recent violence in Bangladesh.
The Pakistan team was scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on Saturday for two Twenty20 matches and five one-day internationals. Pakistan and Bangladesh are co-hosts, along with India, for the 2011 World Cup.
In February, a mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles border guards over pay and command structure resulted in widespread violence that killed at least 80 people that included more than 50 officers.

Pakistan v Sri Lanka Cricket Test Series 2009

Gunmen attack Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan

A dozen men attacked Sri Lanka's cricket team with rifles, grenades and rocket launchers Tuesday ahead of a match in Pakistan, wounding seven players and a coach from Britain in a brazen assault on South Asia's most beloved sport. Six policemen and a civilian were killed.
An assistant coach was also wounded, but the players' and coach's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. The assailants ambushed the convoy carrying the squad and match officials at a traffic circle close to the main sports stadium in the eastern city of Lahore, triggering a 15-minute gunbattle with police guarding the vehicles.
None of the attackers were killed or captured at the scene, city police chief Haji Habibur Rehman said. Authorities did not speculate on the identities of the attackers or their motives. The attack reinforced perceptions that nuclear-armed Pakistan is veering out of control and will end any hopes of international cricket teams — or any sports teams — playing in the country for months, if not years. Even before the incident, most cricket teams choose not to tour the country because of security concerns.

PAK v SL, 2nd Test, Lahore: Test called off after attack

The second cricket Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was called off Tuesday after a deadly gun and grenade attack on the tourists' bus in Lahore, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced.
"This test match has been officially called off," PCB chairman Ijaz Butt told reporters in Pakistan's eastern city Lahore. Pakistani authorities were providing helicopters to evacuate the Sri Lankan team, which announced they would return home immediately.
"We are providing helicopters to evacuate the team from the ground to an air base from where they will leave," Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab province of which Lahore is the capital, told reporters. "We are going to catch these terrorists one way or the other," he said.

PAK v SL, 2nd Test, Lahore: Pakistan 110-1 drew with Sri Lanka 606

PAK v SL, 1st Test, Karachi: First Test drawn as Khan misses shot at record

The first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka ended in a draw after some late excitement when the tourists lost quick wickets briefly raising hopes of an unlikely result at Karachi on Wednesday.
The tourists averted defeat after losing five wickets for just 120 runs, finishing the match with the score of 144-5 in their second innings.
Pakistan captain Younus Khan failed to create history as he fell for 313, 24 runs short of Pakistan's highest Test score of 334 held by Hanif Mohammad, made against the West Indies at Barbados in 1958. Younus had also set his sights on West Indian Brian Lara's highest Test score of 400. Lara achieved the record against England in Antigua in 2004.
Pakistan achieved their higest Test total of 765-6 declared in reply to Sri Lanak's first innings score of 644-7 declared.
The second and final Test starts in Lahore on March 1.

PAK v SL, 1st Test, Karachi: Pakistan 644-7 drew with Sri Lanka 765-6 & 144-5

Read more Cricket news

Cricket News from February 2009
Cricket News from January 2009

Past Series News

Pakistan v Sri Lanka ODI Series 2009

PAK v SL, 3rd ODI, Lahore: Sri Lanka beat Pakistan to clinch series (SL: 2-1)

Sri Lanka inflicted Pakistan's heaviest defeat in a limited-overs cricket international on Saturday, winning by 234 runs to clinch the three-match series 2-1.
Tillakaratne Dilshan's unbeaten 137 off 139 balls took Sri Lanka to 5-309 before Nuwan Kulasekera claimed 3-17 and Thilan Thushara 3-33 to bowl out Pakistan in just 22.5 overs for their fourth-lowest total of 75. Pakistan's previous biggest defeat - in terms of runs - was a 224-run loss to Australia in 2002 at Nairobi, Kenya.
Kumar Sangakkara hit 50 and Sanath Jayasuriya collected 45 to also be in the runs for Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium, with Umar Gul taking 3-45 and Sohail Khan 1-52 for Pakistan. Pakistan slumped to 6-18 in the ninth over before Gul hit 27 to save the team from recording their lowest total.
Sri Lanka offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan became the only second bowler after former Pakistan quick Wasim Akram (502) to take 500 ODI wickets, finishing with 2-2.

PAK v SL, 3rd ODI, Lahore: Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 309-5 (50.0 overs) beat Pakistan 75 (22.5 overs) by 234 runs