SPORTS SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2016

CRICKET Tahir says Ramadan won’t put him in a spin

NEW DELHI: When Ramadan starts, Imran Tahir will begin jug- gling the demands of observing his Muslim faith and playing a full day of international for a team sponsored by a beer company. “I don’t think it is difficult to balance professional sports with practicing your faith,” insisted the legspinner, in an interview with AFP. “It is very easy if you fol- low the right path.” One of the world’s top spinners, Pakistan- born Tahir has played more than 100 times for the Proteas since making his international debut in 2011, after becoming a South African citizen through marriage. In his native Pakistan, the team regularly prays together on the field during internationals and the lunch break is extend- ed on Fridays, so players and fans can attend the weekly serv- ices at the nearest mosque. And in Bangladesh, the only oth- er Muslim-majority Test-playing nation, facilities have been set aside to enable fans to pray at the ground. Tahir is one of five Muslims to have been selected for the South African squad taking part in the tri-nation ODI series with the West Indies in in the Caribbean that begins on Friday and runs until June 26.

Lager logo They include former skipper , who along with Tahir has been given special dispensation not to sport the logo of Castle lager, the team’s major sponsor, as Muslims are for- bidden from drinking alcohol. Muslims are normally expected to fast from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan, which begins in different parts of the world this coming Sunday or Monday. But they are allowed to refrain from fasting if they are away from home, as in the case of Tahir while he is in the West Indies. Tahir said that even if he did not observe a fast on a particular NEW DELHI: South African cricketer Imran Tahir tosses the ball at a practice session during the World T20 match day, he would still make it up at a later stage. “I am thankful to Allah that he drove me closer to him,” Tahir said, cricket tournament at The Feroz Shah Kotla Cricket Ground in New Delhi. — AFP during the just-finished . “I try not to miss my prayers and the 30 fasts in Ramadan but even if I do glancing at the clock to ensure he wouldn’t be late for Friday the shorter formats and is now the world’s number two bowler miss them due to my cricket, I make up for them later on.” prayers. “Rather they (players, coaches and support staff) give in Twenty20 internationals behind the West Indian spinner The Lahore-born Tahir has plied his trade around the world, more respect. Some have even offered me their room to offer , and number six in the ODI chart. His animated including stints in England’s and the IPL, my Namaz (prayers).” celebrations and appeals have made him something of a pan- where he played for the Delhi Daredevils. Speaking to AFP in tomime villain among some fans, but Tahir says it shows his the Indian capital, Tahir said that many in the cricketing frater- Late starter passion.”I think people know that the celebration is instinctive nity helped him observe his faith.”I have come through all the Since making his international debut at the late age of 32, and not fake,” he said. “Looking back at the hard patches of my different cultures of the world while playing cricket and I have Tahir has become a mainstay of a South African team that had life, I feel good that I have come thus far. If I get a I just had no difficulty whatsoever while following my path,” he said, long lacked a top-class spinner. He has particularly excelled in want to show people that how big that is for me.” — AFP

CRICKET ICC conducts dope tests on ICC calls for Pakistan’s Shah and Misbah clampdown on bat size LAHORE: Cricket’s world governing body is conducting dope tests on four Pakistani play- LONDON: India’s Anil Kumble and several oth- hundreds, nearly one every game, and 463 six- ers, including leg-spinner Yasir Shah, sus- er former Test players on an International es, an average of one every nine overs. West pended for three months earlier this year, Cricket Council committee have urged the Indies’ Chris Gayle struck 16 sixes in racing to team manager Intikhab Alam confirmed yes- sport’s law-makers to bring in new restrictions the fastest one-day international double hun- terday. Pakistan Test Misbah-ul-Haq on the size of bats amid concerns over a glut of dred during a World Cup match against was also tested by the International Cricket run-scoring. Following a two-day meeting at Zimbabwe at Canberra’s Manuka Oval, while Council (ICC). Lord’s, the headquarters of the Marylebone New Zealand’s Martin Guptill hit a six measured The team can ill afford any positive results, Cricket Club (MCC), the ICC cricket committee at 110 metres in the course of his 237 against which could have a significant impact on chaired by Kumble issued a statement saying it the West Indies at Wellington. their upcoming tour in England, during which wanted MCC, which still has overall global Thursday’s statement from the ICC cricket the results are expected to be confirmed. The responsibility for cricket’s Laws or rules, to committee, whose members include several ICC, which has been a signatory of the World instigate a clampdown. former Test batsmen in England’s Andrew Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2006, rou- While there are limitations on bat length Strauss, India’s Rahul Dravid and Sri Lanka’s tinely conducts such tests in and out of com- (when the lower portion of the handle is insert- , said: “MCC sought the petition. Shah was provisionally suspended in ed it shall not be more than 38in/96.5cm) and committee’s guidance on the desirability of December last year after he tested positive width (4.25in/10.8cm at its widest part), none making changes in order to redress the balance for chlortalidone, a masking agent under the currently exist on depth. Modern manufactur- between bat and ball. “The committee WADA list of banned substances. He was ers have become increasingly skilled at making received a research paper from MCC citing a barred for three months after he pleaded Yasir Shah bats with larger ‘sweet spots’ that do not feel wealth of scientific and statistical evidence guilty and told the ICC that he had inadver- as heavy to pick-up as the blades that were showing bats have become more powerful in tently taken his wife’s blood pressure medica- England, which starts at Lord’s from July 14. once only the preserve of 1980s power-hitters recent years, primarily due to having larger tion. His ban was lifted in late March, making Pakistan will also play five one-days and a such as West Indies great and ‘sweet-spots’.” It added: “The committee’s view him eligible for the England tour. on the tour. Their England hero . was that MCC should strongly consider limiting Alam said Shah’s test could come under last tour to England in 2010 was marred by a The balance between bat and ball has the dimensions of cricket bats to help achieve a the spotlight. “Besides Shah, Test captain spot-fixing case which resulted in five-year become especially loaded against bowlers in better balance between bat and ball.” South Misbah-ul-Haq, one-day skipper bans on then Test captain , limited overs games where the innovations Africa great Barry Richards, speaking and fast bowler were also test- Mohammad Asif and . Amir brought in by Twenty20 cricket, allied to during last year’s World Cup, said restrictions ed but Shah’s test could be targeted,” he returned to the national team in January this increasingly short boundaries, have led to an were urgently needed to bring modern-day said. Shah is seen as Pakistan’s main wicket- year and is expected to be named for all orgy of run-scoring. Last year’s 50-over World bats into line with the kind of relatively slim taker for the four-match Test series in three formats for the tour. — AFP Cup in Australia and New Zealand witnessed 38 models he used in his 1970s heyday. — AFP