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Home , Alvin Kallicharran, Bernard Julien, Javed Miandad, Saeed Anwar, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Umar Akmal

MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015

Pakistan pin hopes on next generation

ADELAIDE: will pin their hopes on Cup were badly hit by the suspension of the next generation after their World Cup ace spinner for an illegal bowl- campaign ended with a quarter-final exit to ing action and injuries to pacemen Umar but with departing skipper Gul and and spinning all- Misbah-ul-Haq warning the team is not up rounder (also suspend- to international scratch. ed for his action). Pakistan, the 1992 champions, lost their Former said the first two matches to and the West system is so faulty that there are no back- Indies before staging a comeback with four ups. “When Ajmal and Junaid were out, we consecutive wins to earn a berth in the did not have back-up bowlers and that hit quarter-finals. Pakistan badly,” said Wasim. But Pakistan went down by six “Until and unless we put our house in against Australia in Adelaide, a defeat order we are not going to stand up and be which critics argue exposed the weakness- counted against top teams like Australia, es of the players and system. India and .” None of Pakistan’s younger batsmen- The return of Junaid and possibly of , and Sohaib Mohammad Aamir, who started playing Maqsood-could match the guile of 40-year- domestic last week after his five- old Misbah who was the main -getter year ban for spot-fixing was relaxed, will with 350 in seven matches. strengthen the . “It’s necessary that the younger bats- But it’s the woes that need men take responsibility,” said Misbah, who attention, a problem Misbah hoped would quit ODI cricket after Friday’s defeat. “They be solved sooner rather than later. “Maybe are talented players but maybe they were the lack of international exposure was hurt- not made responsible enough to help the ing the batsmen so I have suggested to the team.” Akmal is the most talented of them that they arrange all but he failed to turn his full potential more and more cricket for these youngsters into performances, scoring only 164 runs in because batsmen can only get better with seven . exposure,” said Misbah. His on Saturday, giving a sim- Pakistan’s most pressing task will be to ple catch to Aaron Finch off part-timer pick up a new captain for the one-day Glenn Maxwell, highlighted his shortcom- team. Hafeez would be one contender as is WELLINGTON: Members of the team leave the field after defeating the West Indies by 143 runs during their ings. Shehzad managed 222 at the tourna- Shehzad but both have their problems of quarterfinal match in Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday. — AP ment while Maqsood scored 124 in five their own. innings.”If our cricket is to match interna- Hafeez’s bowling action was deemed tional standards then our youngsters have illegal in November while Shehzad has a New Zealand’s W Cup to work hard,” said Misbah. “They are the history of disciplinary problems. Former best performers in domestic cricket so they captain and senior batsman have to take the mantle from us. have also shown desire to lead “Besides batting, fitness and are Pakistan’s one-day team but the PCB last two key areas where our players have to year said it wanted a young leader to follow semi-final heartbreak work very hard because they are not up to Misbah. “I think Pakistan should start build- international standards,” said Misbah. ing a team for the next World Cup now,” Pakistan’s preparations for the World said Misbah. — AFP AUCKLAND: New Zealand will hope it’s a case of hosts to a decent total. Opener John Wright stand of 194 between and seventh time lucky when they face South Africa at anchored New Zealand’s chase until he was run out . The match ended in chaos Auckland’s Eden Park tomorrow, as all six of their by Derek Randall and, as wickets kept falling, a tar- when, with Pakistan needing two runs for victory, previous World Cup semi-finals have ended in get of 14 off the last over, bowled by , Roger Twose abandoned an attempt to catch defeat. Below AFP Sport looks back at the Black proved just beyond New Zealand. Anwar as spectators charged on to the field, with Caps’ litany of last-four woes: 1992, Auckland: New Zealand 262-7 (M Crowe the runs awarded later by the umpires. 1975, : New Zealand 158 (G Howarth 91, K Rutherford 50) lost to Pakistan 264-6 2007, Kingston: New Zealand 208 (M 51; B Julien 4-27) lost to the West Indies 159-5 (A (Inzamam-ul-Haq 60, 57 no) by 4 Muralitharan 4-31) lost to 289-5 (M Kallicharran 72, G Greenidge 55) by 5 wkts One-day wkts New Zealand captain led from Jayawardene 115 no, U Tharanga 73) by 81 runs internationals were still in their infancy when a the front but suffered a pulled hamstring and a mix- New Zealand were rarely in this contest at Jamaica’s crack West Indies side with plenty of limited overs up with his runner saw him run out nine runs shy of Sabina Park. experience in English county cricket proved too a hundred. But with Ken Rutherford making 50, Sri Lanka piled up an imposing total on the back strong in the last four of the inaugural World Cup. New Zealand set Pakistan a stiff chase by the stan- of a brilliant hundred by and a Left-arm paceman ’s haul was dards of the time. However, Crowe-in a bid to be fit fifty by opener . In reply, no New mainly responsible for New Zealand batting fewer for the final-wasn’t on the field when Pakistan bat- Zealand batsman made more than opener Peter than 53 of their then scheduled 60 overs, with Geoff ted and, as a , a series of elaborate bowling Fulton’s 46, with off-spin great Howarth-who played at The Oval for Surrey-top- changes he had planned were not carried out by taking four wickets after Sri Lanka’s new-ball scoring with 51. A second- stand of 125 acting skipper Wright. bowlers had made early inroads. between and Pakistan were 140 for four after 35 overs, need- 2011, RPS Colombo: New Zealand 217 (S Styris then took the West Indies, the eventual champions, ing 123 from the last 15. But Inzamam-ul-Haq 57) lost to Sri Lanka 220-5 (T Dilshan 73, K to the brink of victory. announced himself to the world with a brilliant Sangakkara 54) by 5 wkts. New Zealand struggled 1979, Old Trafford: New Zealand 212-9 (J innings and, with veteran batsman Javed Miandad, for runs, with Scott Styris playing largely a lone Wright 69) lost to 221-8 (G Gooch 71, M he shared a match-changing stand of 87. hand in an innings where the next best score was Brearley 53) by 9 runs. The closest New Zealand 1999, Old Trafford: New Zealand 241-7 lost to 39, while paceman and spinner have yet come to a World Cup final saw them just Pakistan 242-1 (Saeed Anwar 113 no, Wajahatullah took three wickets each. edged out in a match that went the distance. Wasti 84) by 9 wkts New Zealand, despite fast Fine fifties from and Kumar New Zealand great took a miser- bowler taking three wickets, still Sangakkara meant that, although Sri Lanka lost ly one for 32 in 12 overs but fifties from Graham managed what seemed a decent total. three wickets in the 160s, they inflicted another Gooch and England captain Mike Brearley saw the But they were undone by a superb opening semi-final defeat upon New Zealand. — AFP India hoping Kohli will deliver against Aussies

SYDNEY: By his own lofty standards, has had a modest World Cup so far. But his Indian teammates all think the elegant stroke-maker will live up to his reputation as a big-match player when it matters. And few games matter more than Thursday’s semi-final against Australia. For Kohli, it’s a golden opportunity to get back amongst the runs. “I don’t think he has batted badly. When he has got an opportunity he has scored runs,” India’s World Cup captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said. “It’s not that he has scored a every time he has gone out to bat. But everybody relating his performance with the test series NEW ZEALAND: West Indies’ batsman is bowled out in this file photo. — AFP and expecting a hundred in every innings from him.” Gayle rules out retirement Kohli’s lean run at the World Cup has been puzzling, partly because of his great record WELLINGTON: Chris Gayle intends to keep back injury. “I’m actually out of the Test record in One Day Internationals and his great playing international cricket with his eyes series, the back won’t hold up for that for- form this summer. on the 2016 World but admitted mat at this point in time. But I haven’t He has scored 22 ODIs, averages almost 52 his back injury will sideline him from next retired from any format as yet. As I go on I from 157 matches in the format and is among month’s Test series against England. The 35- will keep informing the West Indies Cricket India’s best batmen. He replaced Dhoni as test year-old Jamaican hit a typically flamboy- Board about my progress in the future with captain for India’s last match against Australia ant 33-ball 61 as West Indies slumped to a West Indies cricket.” in Sydney in January and scored four hun- crushing 143-run defeat to New Zealand in On Saturday, and with the West Indies dreds in the series and averaged over 86. the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday having to chase 394 at the Westpac, Gayle But his form in ODI has fallen away. He with many in the game expecting Gayle to hit 56 of his 61 runs in boundaries, includ- made a century in India’s opening World Cup end his rollercoaster relationship with the ing eight sixes, as he was reduced to walk- match against Pakistan but hasn’t made a fifty national team. ing pace between the wickets. since. Known equally for his silken touch with But the veteran of 103 Tests and 269 But he put that down to a groin strain the bat and a penchant for run-ins with oppo- ODIs intends to keep playing and is keen to rather than his troublesome back. “The sition players, Kohli also found himself help West Indies to the World T20 in India back actually held up well, to be honest embroiled in controversy after swearing at a next year where they’ll look for a second with you, in the outfield for 50 overs and title to add to their 2012 triumph. then opening the batting,” he said. journalist over a story about his personal life. “Definitely want to play the T20 World “It wasn’t too bad, slight scare again The batting mainstay was censured by the Cup next year for West Indies, there’s no with a niggle in the groin, so all that was Indian board for his ugly outburst against the doubt about that,” Gayle told happening, and you have to take the con- travelling Indian journalist in and www.ESPNcricinfo. ditions into consideration, it was a bit cold advised to maintain his cool. “I’ve got a few concerns and a few and you’re feeling some pain.” After his 107 against Pakistan in Adelaide, injuries to try and solve. I’ll give myself Gayle said he was looking forward to he has scored 46, 33 , 33, 44 not out, some time and hopefully look back at it working with former international all- 38 and 3 and Dhoni backed him for a big one and see how well I can actually progress for rounder Phil Simmons, who will take over soon. “I don’t think there has been any poor West Indies cricket at this point in time.” as West Indies coach next month after sign- shot selection. He is a dominant batsman who Bu the left-handed opener, who hit a ing a three-year deal with the WICB. “I know likes playing his shots when he goes in to bat,” World Cup record score of 215 at the World Phil well,” Gayle said. “He’s a good man, he Dhoni said. “It’s quite difficult but at the same Cup until it was bettered on Saturday by has done well with Ireland and he’s one of time I feel it is important to keep focussing on New Zealand’s Martin Guptill with 237, will us as well, so there’s no doubt about it. We the process. It’s just around the corner and big not play in the three-Test home series know how we can actually become a AUSTRALIA : Indian batsman Virat Kohli walks out to bat during a training session. — AFP players always score in big games.” — Reuters against England in April and May to rest his stronger unit.” — AFP