

Pakistan Cricket News July 2008
New Zealand in Pakistan 2008
Comprehensive Cricket News, Latest Information and Live ball-by-ball Commentary.
Pakistan vs New Zealand Cricket Series 2008
New Zealand will play 3 One Day Internationals during the Pakistan tour starting August 24 2008.
Get the latest news of New Zealand's 2008 Pakistan Tour →
ICC Champions Trophy 2008 in Pakistan
Shoaib named in Pakistan's Champions Trophy squad
A Pakistani court earlier this month said the 32-year-old Akhtar was free to play cricket again after suspending an 18-month ban imposed on him by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for indiscipline. "We have shown a big heart by including Akhtar as it is in the larger interest of the game," said the PCB's chief operating officer while announcing the squad in a press conference.
Pakistan had to delay the announcement after Akhtar was asked to pay a seven million rupee (162,000 dollars) fine, which was imposed by an appellate tribunal last month along with the ban -- that replaced an original five-year ban imposed earlier this year. Akhtar's lawyer Monday assured that the paceman will pay the fine once his appeal against his latest ban is decided. Akhtar was in April banned for five years over a series of discipline violations, including public criticism of the PCB on excluding him from a list of 15 contracted players.
He was already on two years' probation for hitting Asif with a bat days before the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa last September. Asif was in the preliminary squad until his name was announced by the Indian Premier League as dope offender on Monday.
He also faces an internal PCB inquiry after he was seized at Dubai airport last month on charges of possessing opium. He was detained for 19 days before the Gulf police said the quantity of drug was "insignificant" and deported him. Akhtar and Asif missed the last Champions Trophy held in India in 2006 after they were withdrawn from the team following positive dope tests.
A PCB doping tribunal banned Akhtar for two years and Asif for one year. However the bans were overturned on appeals. Besides losing Asif, Pakistan also suffered a crucial blow when ace batsman Mohammad Yousuf pulled out of the Champions Trophy saying he would not play any cricket in the holy month of Ramadan to focus on prayers. Naghmi said all the 30 players will undergo dope tests on July 19 and 20 to avoid any further doping controversy.
Pakistan hosts the biennial Champions Trophy from September 11-28 but the eight top teams event will be played under a cloud after players from Australia, New Zealand and England raised safety concerns. Last week's blasts in the capital Islamabad and Karachi further endangered Pakistan's chances of hosting the event.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is awaiting a security assessment of Pakistan during the Asia Cup, which finished here on Sunday. The ICC categorically said it is following a security process and will not compromise on it. In case Pakistan is not found fit to host the Trophy, Sri Lanka has been chosen the alternate venue. Pakistan Team: Shoaib Malik, Misbah-ul Haq, Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Khalid Latif, Ahmed Shahzad, Khurrum Manzoor, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Bazid Khan, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanveer, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Arafat, Mansoor Amjad, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Mohammad Ali, Rao Iftikhar, Sohail Khan, Abdur Rauf, Wahab Riaz, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Amir, Kamran Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal
Shoaib could miss Champions Trophy
The speedster was banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board for five years for disciplinary grounds, but that sentence was reduced to 18 months by an appellate tribunal. The tribunal had also imposed a fine of seven million rupees. Shoaib took his case to the Lahore High Court, who temporarily lifted the ban pending a final decision in September. The fine remained. Although Shoaib is free to play international cricket, the PCB have insisted that the fast bowler would be picked to the 30-player probables list for the Champions Trophy only if he pays the fine.
Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said that Shoaib's name would be deleted from the list if he refused to pay the fine. "We will deal with Shoaib's case according to instructions from the PCB," Salahuddin told the News. "If Shoaib refuses to the pay the fine then we will have to overlook him for the Champions Trophy."
Shoaib's lawyer Abid Hasan Minto said Shoaib could only pay the fine when the court made a decision on the case. "Shoaib will pay the fine as soon as the court decides the matter," he said. "If the PCB think the fine payment is a norm for inclusion in the squad, it is up to them. If they want to deny the national team his presence and keep someone like him away from the team, then it is their decision."
Asia Cup Cricket 2008 in Pakistan
PAK v BAN, Asia Cup 2008: Pakistan beats Bangladesh by 10 wickets in Super Four
Pakistan finished with four points, two fewer than Sunday's finalists - defending champion Sri Lanka and India. Opening batsmen Salman Butt (56) and Nasir Jamshed (52) both scored unbeaten half centuries for Pakistan as it won with 116-0 in 19.4 overs. Earlier, Pakistan pacemen Abdur Rauf (3-24) and Rao Iftikhar (2-20) helped to dismiss Bangladesh for only 115 in 38.2 overs. Butt hit 10 fours and faced 62 balls while Jamshed smashed five fours and two sixes in his unbeaten knock off 56 deliveries.
Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful's decision to bat first after winning the toss backfired with Pakistan seamers exploiting the overcast conditions. Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal top scored with 26 and was one of Rauf's three wickets.
Iftikhar, who was hit for three boundaries in his first over, came back strongly and bowled six maiden overs in his spell of 10 steady overs. Rauf started the Bangladesh rout on his second delivery when Nazimuddin mistimed a pull shot and skied an easy catch to Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik for three.
Ashraful (14) added 41 runs with Iqbal before Bangladesh lost three wickets for three runs in eight deliveries. Ashraful hit Rauf for a six over mid-wicket before he lost his patience on the next delivery and gave an easy catch to Misbah-ul-Haq at gully.
Raqibul Hasan pulled Sohail Tanvir's first ball to Iftikhar at fine leg before Rauf found an edge off Iqbal's bat as Bangladesh slipped to 49-4. Alok Kapali, who scored a century against India last Saturday, made 17 before he became Iftikhar's first victim when he gave an easy catch in the slips while Mashrafe Mortaza was trapped leg before wicket to Iftikhar. Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal (2-19) finished off the innings when he had Farhad Reza stumped as Bangladesh was bowled out with 11.4 overs remaining.
PAK v BAN, Asia Cup 2008: Pakistan 116 for 0 (19.4 overs) beats Bangladesh 115 all out (38.2 overs) by 10 wickets
IND v PAK, Asia Cup 2008: Younis brilliant unbeaten century takes Pakistan home
Younis hit an unbeaten 123 off 117 balls and stand-in captain Misbah-ul-Haq scored an undefeated 70 off 62 deliveries, enabling Pakistan to reach the 309-run target in 45.3 overs for the loss of two wickets.
Earlier, Pakistan's second-choice bowlers restricted India to 308 for seven from its 50 overs on a flat batting wicket with fast bowler Rao Iftikhar taking three for 51. Younis hit 11 fours and a six and, together with Misbah, shared a match-winning 144-run unbeaten third-wicket stand off 123 deliveries.
Playing in his 174th one-day international, Younis also became the ninth Pakistani batsmen to score 5,000 runs when he pulled leg-spinner Piyush Chawla for a boundary and reached 37.
The result left India requiring to beat defending champion Sri Lanka on Thursday to assure itself of qualifying for the final. Pakistan, which lost to India by six wickets in the group stage, faces Bangladesh in its Super Four game Friday and if India loses Thursday, the home team could qualify for the July 6 final against Sri Lanka.
IND v PAK, Asia Cup 2008: Pakistan 309 for 2 (45.3 overs) beat India 308 for 7 (50.0 overs) by 8 wickets
IND v PAK, Asia Cup 2008: India look to seal spot in final
India is in a much better position and a win would put them in the title clash against Sri Lanka, a repeat of the 2004 final in Colombo. On the other hand, after a three-day break Team India will look to seal a place in the final against Sri Lanka with a win at Karachi against Pakistan.
The Indian players enjoyed a two-day break from cricket after captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni complained that the tournament schedule was too tight and had left the players tired. Kirsten said it was very important to give the players some time off from cricket. "We are now back to cricket, but it is very important to give guys some time off the cricket so that we did that and now guys are back and focusing on next two games," he said.
The Indian batting is solid as ever with Gambhir and Sehwag giving the explosive starts and the middle order of Raina, Yuvraj and Dhoni there to finish the job. The batting makes up for the slightly weak bowling but the biggest worry for the team has been their fielding.
Pakistan Cricket News from the Past..
- June 2008 - Pakistan Cricket News
- May 2008 - Pakistan Cricket News
- February 2008 - Pakistan Cricket News
- Oct-Dec 2007 - Pakistan in India Cricket Series 2007
- September 2007 - ICC World Twenty20 Championship 2007
- April-May 2007 - ICC Cricket World Cup 2007
- March 2007 - ICC Cricket World Cup 2007
- February 2007 - ICC Cricket World Cup 2007
- January 2007 - Pakistan in South Africa Cricket Series 2007
- December 2006 - West Indies in Pakistan Cricket Series 2006
- November 2006 - West Indies in Pakistan Cricket Series 2006
- ICC Special (Oct, Nov 2006) - Pakistan's ICC Champions Trophy 2006 campaign
- Oct 2006 - ICC Champions Trophy 2006
- Jul 2006 - Pakistan in England 2006
- Jul 2006 - Top End Series, Pakistan tour to England
- Jun 2006 - India U-19 tour to Pakistan
- Apr 2006 - EurAsia Cricket Series
- Mar 2006 - Pakistan beats SL in ODI series
- Feb 2006 - Pakistan wins Under-19 World Cup, loses ODI series to India at home, wins Test series
- Jan 2006 - India in Pakistan
- Dec 2005 - Pakistan wins series against England
ICC Champions Trophy 2008 in Pakistan
Comprehensive Cricket News, Latest Information and Live ball-by-ball Commentary.
ICC Champions Trophy 2009
The 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, originally scheduled to be held in Pakistan in 2008, was moved to South Africa by the ICC. The eight-team tournament is scheduled to take place from 24 September to 5 October at the Wanderers and Centurion stadiums.
Get the latest news on ICC Champions Trophy 2009 →
Asia Cup 2008 in Pakistan
Comprehensive Cricket News, Latest Information and Live ball-by-ball Commentary.
Asia Cup Cricket 2008
The Ninth Edition of the Asia Cup will be held at Pakistan in june 2008.
Get the latest news of Asia Cup Cricket 2008 →

Bangladesh Tri Series 2008
India and Pakistan join Bangladesh in the Tri-Series, which is scheduled to start from 8 june 2008.
Get the latest news of Bangladesh Tri Series 2008 →
Pakistan v Sri Lanka Cricket Test Series 2009
Cricket series schedule
Bangladesh vs Pakistan Cricket Series 2009
Cricket series schedule - Postponed
- Tue 10 March, 2009: 1st T20 - Bangladesh v Pakistan at Mirpur
- Thu 12 March, 2009: 2nd T20 - Bangladesh v Pakistan at Mirpur
- Fri 13 March, 2009: 1st ODI - Bangladesh v Pakistan at Mirpur
- Sun 15 March, 2009: 2nd ODI - Bangladesh v Pakistan at Mirpur
- Tue 17 March, 2009: 3rd ODI - Bangladesh v Pakistan at Mirpur
- Fri 20 March, 2009: 4th ODI - Bangladesh v Pakistan at Chittagong
- Sun 22 March, 2009: 5th ODI - Bangladesh v Pakistan at Chittagong
Pakistan v Australia Cricket Series at UAE 2009
Cricket series schedule
- Wed 22, April 2009: Pakistan v Australia 1st ODI at Dubai
- Fri 24, April 2009: Pakistan v Australia 2nd ODI at Dubai
- Mon 27, April 2009: Pakistan v Australia 3rd ODI at Abu Dhabi
- Fri 01, May 2009: Pakistan v Australia 4th ODI at Abu Dhabi
- Sun 03, May 2009: Pakistan v Australia 5th ODI at Abu Dhabi
- Thu 07, May 2009: Pakistan v Australia Twenty20 at Dubai
ICC World Twenty20 2009
WT20 2009 Cup Index | Latest News | Results | Championship Schedule | Groups & Points | Twenty20 Teams | Venues | Live TelecastPakistan Cricket Series Results 2009
Pakistan ODI Matches 2009
Series | Played | Won | Lost | N/R |
v Sri Lanka | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Total | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Pakistan Test Matches 2009
Series | Played | Won | Lost | N/R |
v Sri Lanka | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Total | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Pakistan Twenty20 Matches 2009
Series | Played | Won | Lost | N/R |
- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |