• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

42 FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 Pakistan will not send team until security assurances met ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s interior minis- ed to see the former champions play from Hindu activists. On Wednesday at Eden Gardens and even a bottle ter yesterday ruled out sending the in India. the International Cricket Council (ICC) thrown at our players can disturb national cricket team to India for the “Despite a lot of apprehensions and and Board of Cricket for Control in them.” World Twenty20 until security assur- the fact that India do not want to play India (BCCI) shifted the March 19 game Diplomatic tensions have meant ances come from New Delhi, saying Pakistan (in bilateral series) on one or after the chief minister of the north that the two teams have not played the threats from extremists are con- other pretext, the government and Indian state of Himachal Pradesh any bilateral series for more than three cerning. The Pakistan team were due every Pakistani fan want to see our refused to provide security for the years, and their rivalry is restricted to to fly out on Wednesday to play in the team, who are former champions, to match. multi-national tournaments such as World Twenty20 cricket tournament go and play,” he said. “This is a world Khan said the first part of Pakistan’s the World T20. The arch-rivals have but their departure was put on hold by event, but can cricket be played under demand was met when the match was not played a full series since 2007 and the government. the shadow of threats? It is the gov- shifted from Dharamsala to Kolkata, although Pakistan did tour India late in “Until and unless clear guarantees ernment’s responsibility to ensure but added that even a full to capacity 2012 for a short limited over series on security come from the Indian gov- security of our players and that we are Eden Gardens stadium could be risky. that failed to revive the ties fully. India ernment, unfortunately we are not in a doing.” “What are we demanding? We are did not play an agreed series with position to decide sending the team,” Pakistan sent a security assessment demanding an even playing field,” said Pakistan in December last year, citing Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali team to India on Monday after voicing Khan. “We want our players to play refusal from New Delhi amidst height- Khan told the media. Khan said the repeated concerns about arrange- without any pressure,” said Khan. ened tensions between the South government and every Pakistani want- ments, saying there had been threats “There will be near to 100,000 people Asian nuclear rivals. — AFP Bangladesh bowlers reported for action NEW DELHI: Bangladesh bowlers Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed have been reported for suspect bowling actions during their side’s opening match in the World Twenty20, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday. Off-spinner Sunny, 29, and paceman Ahmed, 20, turned out for Bangladesh in a qualifying match against the Netherlands in Dharamsala on Wednesday. Bangladesh won the match by eight runs. The bowlers’ action would now be scrutinized further by the ICC under its process relating to suspected illegal bowling action. “The ICC is working with the Bangladesh cricket team management to confirm times for the independent testing of both bowlers at the ICC-accredited testing centre in Chennai,” the game’s world govern- ing body said in a statement. Both players will be allowed to continue playing until the results of the tests are declared. The ICC launched a crackdown against sus- pect actions in 2014, which resulted in several leading bowlers being reported. Other bowlers who have been up hauled up include Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez, Bangladesh’s Sohag Gazi, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, Sri Lanka’s Sachithra Senanayake and Tharindu Kaushal. — AFP Australia and South Africa confident for World T20 CAPE TOWN: Australia clinched the series with a six-wicket win in the third and final Twenty20 international against South Africa at Newlands on Wednesday, but both teams believe they have rea- son to be confident ahead of the World Twenty20 in India next week. Australian captain Steve Smith said the series win, built on strong batting performances in the last two matches, were an ide- al boost for his side. South African captain Faf du Plessis said he NAGPUR: Sean Williams (right) of Zimbabwe plays a shot as Scotland’s Matt Cross looks on during the World T20 cricket was disappointed to lose the series but believed his team had tournament match between Scotland and Zimbabwe at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. — AFP played good cricket in all three matches. “We need to look at where we made mistakes,” said Du Plessis after Australia chased down a target of 179 with four balls to Zimbabwe eliminate Scotland spare. “Credit to Australia, they chased down what we thought was a good score. They kept playing aggressively and kept scor- ing boundaries. How you win games like that is to get one or two from World T20, win by 11 runs wickets and squeeze the opposition but we couldn’t do that.” But Du Plessis said South Africa could do well in India. “This team has got really good results in the sub-continent, so we’ll be NAGPUR: Sean Williams stroked a brisk Zimbabwe though had a terrible start that rattled the top-order to reduce really confident. But we’ve got a lot of work still to do before the fifty before the bowlers ensured a sec- after a mid-pitch collision between the them to 20 for four in 3.1 overs. Richie first game. Our basics at crucial times let us down.” Smith did not ond straight win for Zimbabwe, beat- openers which resulted in the run out Berrington and captain Preston attend the press conference after the match but praised his play- ing Scotland by 11 runs in the World of Hamilton and an injury to Vusi Mommsen did put up some fight with ers at the post-match presentation and said they would be confi- Twenty20 in Nagpur yesterday. Sibanda’s chin. their 51-run sixth wicket stand but dent going into the tournament in India. Electing to bat, Zimbabwe suffered The incident forced a six-minute Zimbabwe bowlers made sure they had Opening batsman Usman Khawaja said at the press confer- from regular wicket-fall but Williams’ stoppage time but did little to improve the last laugh. ence: “Losing that first game and coming back to win the next 36-ball 53 enabled the side to post 147 Zimbabwe’s batting prospects as wick- Left-arm spinner Wellington bagged two games was a pretty good thing with the World Cup coming for seven, a score which proved ets continued to tumble against a disci- four scalps while medium-pacer Tendai up.” Khawaja said although Australia had a “big batting line-up”, it enough against a seemingly brittle pline Scottish attack. Williams then Chatara and Donald Tiripano picked up was important for individual players to take responsibility. Scotland batting. mixed the right dose of caution and two wickets each. It was the second “We don’t want to rely on everyone else. You want the guys at Skipper Hamilton Masakadza gave aggression to guide the side to a group win for Zimbabwe, who had the top to score the majority of the runs but if that doesn’t hap- the new ball to his brother and left-arm respectable score with some help from beaten Hong Kong in the opening pen you know you have some really good guys to come.” spinner Wellington Masakadza who lower-order batsmen Malcom Waller game and will need to top the group to Khawaja cautioned that conditions in India were different but bagged four wickets to help bundle and Elton Chigumbura. move into the Super 10 stage. Scotland said: “We’ve got a lot of players who have a lot of experience over out Scotland for 136 in 19.4 overs, in The Scotland batting also faltered lost their opening game to favourites there. It’s about doing what we do well and executing it.” — AFP the must-win Group B match. against an inspired Zimbabwe attack Afghanistan by 14 runs. — AFP .

Load more

  1

Copy Link