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Pakistani cricket fans were excited with the seemingly victory for Pakistan in the first test against Sri Lanka (though they lost the last in the end), when Pakistan cricket lost one of its former star Khan Mohammad. An inspirational pacer from Pakistan’s first test squad dating back to 1952, Khan Mohammad died on Sunday after struggling with prostate cancer.

Khan Mohammad became the first test wicket taker for Pakistan when he dismissed Indian batsman Pankaj Roy for seven in the first test of the country. Mohammad took 54 wickets from 13 test matches and along with Fazal Mahmood formed one of the most successful pace attack for Pakistan.

PCB chief Ijaz Butt expressed his mourn for the death of Khan Mohammad and said “Cricket lost another valuable asset.” No doubt, Mohammad was an excellent bowler and Pakistan cricket has lost one of its great star.

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Star Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas has retired from test cricket recently. The news was revealed by Ashantha de Mel, the chief selector of Sri Lanka. The veteran pacer now wants to focus more on the shorter version of the game ahead of ICC World Cup 2011. It has been quite some time, Vaas has been struggling with form as well as injury. Finally, Vaas failed to make it to the test squad for the 2-match test series against Pakistan. This was perhaps the reason of his retirement from the longer version of cricket. With 354 wickets from 110 tests, Vaas has been a legend of Sri Lankan cricket. However, the bowler thinks that his retirement from test cricket is premature.

There is no doubt, Sri Lanka has a number of young pacers who look pretty much promising. However, still I think, Vaas should have stayed in test cricket for at least couple of more years for the sake of Sri Lankan cricket. In the longer version of the cricket, a young bowler needs some assistance from a veteran bowler like Vaas. Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis got someone like Imran Khan. Moreover, I think, Sri Lankan selectors also gave more importance to the young generation.

Now, let us see if Vaas can retain his place in the ODI squad of Sri Lanka team. I hope Sri Lankan selectors would not make the same mistake by ignoring him in the shorter version.

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merinews

Pakistan captain Younis Khan has said that he wants his side to be among the top three cricket teams in the world. After the twenty20 world cup 2009, Pakistan is now due to take on Sri Lanka in a three match test series. Ahead of the test series, Younis Khan asked his teammates to keep their focus on test cricket and put their twenty20 glory at the back of their mind, stating that everyday is a new day and he only believes in the present and future.

Well, it is pretty nice to see that Younis Khan is trying to keep the team focused on the job at hand and motivate the side to play their best. There is no doubt, test cricket is a different ball game, where mindset and the attitude need to be different than that of twenty20 cricket. However, one thing is for sure that Pakistan team is full of confidence and would like to keep the momentum going during their Sri Lanka tour too.

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Press Association

Imran Nazir has apologized for his misbehavior with umpire Nadeem Ghauri during a domestic match. Now, it is expected that the opener is most likely to be named in Pakistan’s ODI squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka starting from July 30. Following his misbehavior with Nadeem Ghauri, Imran was not included in the Pakistan squad for the Sri Lanka. However, Imran has now requested to include him in the ODI squad and it is expected that PCB will consider his request seriously. In fact, Pakistan is facing some opening problems as Salman Butt is going though a bad time with bat and there is no specialist opener currently available who has enough experience to pair up with young Shahzaib Hasan.

Imran Nazir was one of the several Pakistani cricketers who signed contracts with ICL. However, the opener sought PCB’s amendment and eventually came back into the PCB fold. There is no doubt, Imran Nazir could be very important for Pakistan during Sri Lanka tour. Now, let us see if PCB really considers his inclusion in the ODI squad seriously for the Sri Lanka series.

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Daily Times

Former Australian coach John Buchanan has recently met England national coach Andy Flower and talked about Australian team ahead of the Ashes 2009 series which kicks off from 8 June. Buchanan was in England to meet the top level coaches who are at the helm of ECB’s elite programs. However, the former Aussie coach felt somewhat awkward when he coincidently met some of his former students while visiting England Lions in the lead up to a practice match against the Australians.

Even Buchanan also admitted his experience when Stuart Clark and Shane Watson met him. However, the former coach does not anything wrong in what he has done as he feels his main objective of being in England is to meet the coaches of the elite programs. He also talks about the Australian team and thinks that the visitors would like to feature a four-men pace attack, even though he has indicated some spin in the first test in Cardiff.

Well, I think, even if Buchanan wants to help England ahead of the series, there is nothing wrong with it. What he has given to Australian cricket deserves him to be termed one of the greatest ever Australian coach, and as a professional coach, he has all the rights to help any team who seeks his aid. What is important here is that if England can really get some tips from Buchanan, it could be significant for them to retain the Ashes title because he is the man who knows the insight out of Australian team.

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WAtoday

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has recently blamed three other world cup co-hosts India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for being stripped of its share of 14 world cup 2011 matches. Pakistan lost its world cup hosting right after the deadly terror attack on Sri Lankan team bus which left 6 policemen and a van driver dead last March during a test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

PCB then sent a legal notice to ICC on this regard and proposed to host the 14 world cup matches in a neutral venue like United Arab Emirates. However, ICC did not accept that proposal, but ensured that it would give PCB the world cup hosting fee of US$10.5 million and Pakistan would have its participation in the central organizing committee of world cup tournament.

However, PCB chief Ijaz Butt said that it could have found out a solution of the venues for 14 matches as well as a suitable location for world cup secretariat which has recently been shifted from Lahore to Mumbai.

I think, it is really disappointing for PCB that they now allowed to host the world cup matches, but PCB should understand that the problem does not exist in any other three co-hosts. The problem relies in Pakistan and ICC is doing its best to ensure the highest possible security for the participating teams and cricket fans. So, naturally considering the current situation of Pakistan, ICC has taken the right decision. It is true that Pakistan is a cricket crazy nation and they have shown Pakistan is still a cricket powerhouse by winning the twenty20 world cup 2009. However, when it comes to security, ICC must ensure the safety of the players. I think, PCB should not blame its neighboring cricket control bodies. Rather, PCB should request Pakistan government to take some more initiatives in order to stop the terrorist activities so that the security condition of the country comes under control.

England is going to organize 2 tests and 2 twenty20 internationals between Pakistan and Australia in July 2010. This is, in fact, a home series for Pakistan, but England will host it because Australia is unwilling to visit Pakistan due to security concern. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has also announced that England will take on Pakistan in a four-match test series, five-match ODI series and two-match Twenty20 series in August and September 2010.

Pakistan has been isolated as a cricket venue since the deadly terror attack on Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore last March. Since then, Pakistan is yet to host any international match yet and Pakistan has been stripped off its 14 world cup matches by ICC.

I think, it has been a right decision to organize the Pakistan-Australia series in England because Pakistan has a very big fan base in England. Moreover, English timing is also pretty much comfortable for the cricket fans in Pakistan. Here, it is notable that Pakistan faced Australia earlier this year in UAE and initially, UAE was also thought to be a possible for the next series between Pakistan and Australia.

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AFP