Pakistan to stage S.Africa series in Middle East

KARACHI: (Reuters) - Pakistan will play three tests and five one-day internationals against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates later this year.

"We are in touch with the South African Cricket Board and we will be finalising the dates and venues soon," Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt said on Thursday.

South Africa had been scheduled to visit Pakistan in October but they refused to play in the country because of security concerns.

Teams have been reluctant to tour Pakistan since six policemen and a driver were killed when militants attacked the Sri Lankan cricket squad's bus in Lahore in March 2009. Six players were wounded in the incident.

AIBA appoints Brown international technical official at South American Games

Jamaica: Jamaica Boxing Board general secretary Leroy Brown has been appointed by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) to be one of the international technical officials for boxing at the ninth South American Games, which take place in Medellin, Colombia, from today through March 30.

More than 3,000 athletes from 15 countries will be participating in 31 sports in these games, which will have the main venue at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium.

The sporting disciplines include athletics, basketball, baseball, boxing, cycling, diving, football, weightlifting, swimming, tennis, table tennis and shooting.

A former secretary of AIBA's World Championship Committee, Brown, who is chairman of Jamaica's Referee and Judges Commission, is an experienced technical official. He has officiated with distinction as an international judge at two Olympic Games and in several Central American and Caribbean, Commonwealth and Pan-American Games.

He was a member of the AIBA technical preparatory committee and then worked as an international technical official at the World Boxing Championships in Chicago in 2007. He also officiated at the World Youth Boxing Championships in Mexico in 2008.

International technical officials perform duties as members of the jury, manage weigh-in and medical examinations and supervise the draw prior to the start of competition. They also assign referees and judges and assess their performances in competition. They also have the responsibility of ensuring that the correct equipment is assigned to and used by boxers during competition.

Boxing is one of the most popular sports in South America and boxers from territories such as Argentina, Aruba, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Peru and Venezuela will be participating. With female boxing slated to make its debut in the 2012 Olympic Games in England, females will be included in the boxing programme for these games for the first time.

Pakistan tennis community hopeful of help from Sania Mirza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tennis Federation is thinking of utilising the services of Sania Mirza as a coach when she comes to Pakistan after her wedding with Shoaib Malik.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik is set to marry Indian tennis star Sania Mirza in April.

“We would love to have the services of Sania Mirza as a female tennis coach,” secretary of the PTF, Rashid Khan, told Dawn on Wednesday.

The PTF official added: “Sania will be of great help for Pakistan’s emerging female tennis players as she has the international exposure and experience.”

Rashid added that he was not aware whether the legendary tennis player would stay in Pakistan or not, however, “Sania’s stay in Pakistan alone would be an encouraging sign for female players.”

Answering a question, he said: “According to the International Tennis Federation rules, Sania can only play for Pakistan if she doesn’t make appearance from the Indian side on the international circuit for two consecutive years.”

Meanwhile, Sara Mansoor, Pakistan No.1 tennis player, said that Sania can bring a change in country’s female tennis circuit.

She said: “We only have Aisam-ul-Haq as a better rated international tennis player. However, if Sania starts coaching us it will improve our international ranking.”

Sara, ranked No.3 in the national circuit, pointed out that Sania’s presence alone at the tennis court would make a huge difference and “it will be morale boosting sign for several female players.”

Around 32 female players are currently featuring in the national tennis circuit.

Sara insisted: “Sania has now become a source of inspiration especially for Pakistani girls while her wedding with Shoaib Malik will increase an interest in game.”

The emerging tennis player said: “We need celebrities like Sania in Pakistan as their presence will make a difference for future players who are striving to mark their name in the international sports arena.”

Exclusive: Pakistan didn’t feature China, Iraq boxing events

By Ubaid-ur-Rehman Awan

01/04/2010

Karachi: The Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) was planed two boxing teams send to China and Iraq but Pakistan Government declined No-objection Certificate (NOC) for traveling to sensitive country Iraq and lack of Funds stop Pakistani boxing team going to China an official of Pakistan Boxing Federation Secretly told awansports.blogspot.com.

Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) face many financial crises after math Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament and Pakistan federal government and Sindh Provincial Government did not released there funds.

“Pakistan Government not allow us Iraq travel because politically situation not good there we are bound to our government decision and we are decided pulled out from first Baghdad International Youth Open Championship, to be held from April 2-11 in Baghdad.” Official told.

Mohib Bacha (light-flyweight), Qadir Khan (featherweight) and Riaz Cheena (lightweight) were representative Pakistan in the inaugural Baghdad Youth tournament.

Abdul Majeed (coach) and S. Mohammad Shareef (referee judge) were accompanying the team. Around twenty countries would contest for top honors in the said tournament.

Meanwhile Pakistan hopes also dims or dims participating in first AIBA China Open International Boxing Championship, to be held from April 3-11 in Guiyangn.

Tournament will start from 3rd April and Pakistani boxing organizers haven’t funds for China Traveling and government did not financial support to PBF on this matter, official also said

We have tray if today (1st April) we arrange required money so we will send boxers to China otherwise we want apologies to Chinese organizers.

Pakistan team was comprised on Mohammad Waseem (flyweight), Naimatullah (bantamweight), Nisar Khan (middleweight) and Mir Waiz (super heavyweight) were contesting in the China Open Championship.

Iqbal Hussain was accompanying the team as its manager while Akram Khan would be the referee judge.

Arshad Hussain was being the coach of the team during the tournament.

Pakistan Boxing Federation President Doda Khan Bhutto also have plan joining the team on April 7 and will hold a meeting with AIBA President Ching Kuo Wu.

“We want apologies to both countries Iraq and China we are strong supporter for us especially when we organize an international tournament January this year named Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament (SBBIBT 2010) at Karachi and both teams was here but we can’t do it” Official said in emotionally.

It seems that Pakistan was also failed sending team to India in last month for participating commonwealth boxing championship at New Delhi due to short of funding and preparing and Indian team was also traveled Pakistan and he contest in Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament was held earlier this year at Karachi.

Afridi ask to PCB; requests reconsideration of fine

Karachi: Shahid Afridi has written to the PCB chairman asking him to reconsider the fine imposed on him by a committee for ball-tampering during the fifth ODI against Australia in February this year. Though local reports suggested that the fine will be withdrawn, the board says it has asked Afridi to formally appeal against the charge.

Afridi was fined Rs. 3 million ($35,000) and put on probation for a six-month period after the committee, set up after a disastrous tour of Australia, found him guilty of bringing the game and country into disrepute. Afridi was caught on TV biting the ball in a bid to tamper with it. He was leading Pakistan in the match and was immediately banned for two games, by the ICC.

He was temporarily removed as Pakistan's Twenty20 captain following the incident but was announced recently by the board as the man to lead Pakistan's defense in the World Twenty20, due to begin in the Caribbean on April 30th. Afridi's personal plea to the chairman is based on the grounds that he has already been punished once for the incident, and a fine would be the second punishment for the same offence.

"Afridi has written a letter to us and we will consider it in due course," Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, told Cricinfo. "His punishment has not been withdrawn yet and all these reports are baseless."

The letter does not, however, constitute a formal appeal and Afridi is likely to be told he should follow the process set up by the board to the punished players. Seven players were punished in all by the committee with fines and bans - the Akmal brothers, Shoaib Malik, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan and Afridi - though the specific nature of charges was never released. The board has set up a three-member appeals panel consisting of retired judges from the Supreme and High Courts and given the players 30 days to file appeals.

As of today, no player has filed an official appeal. Afridi has sent a letter to the chairman, as has Younis Khan who has been banned indefinitely from playing from Pakistan. The board has sent Younis a reply asking him to initiate a formal appeal to the panel. Rana, banned for a year from playing for Pakistan for unspecified offences, has today also sent in a legal notice through his lawyer to the PCB in which some legal objections have been raised about his punishment, but this is not a formal appeal.

Malik, also banned for a year, said he intends to appeal but he's currently playing in a Twenty20 tournament in Sharjah - he could lodge an appeal upon his return - and is possibly distracted by the announcement of his wedding to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.

Yousuf, meanwhile, has announced his retirement from international cricket as a result of his indefinite ban though he also said recently he might consider appealing should he be advised to do so.
thanks by cricinfo

Johnson swings out New Zealand

Hamilton: Mitchell Johnson tore through New Zealand's lineup with six wickets and ten for the match to decimate New Zealand as Australia swept the two-match series with a convincing 177-run victory at Hamilton. The pacy left-armer made short work of New Zealand, who briefly rallied in an 87-run stand for the sixth wicket before the loss.

Brendan McCullum and Martin Guptill were the usual culprits in a defiant surge, with the wicketkeeper lashing three consecutive fours off Johnson, caning nine fours and a six while Guptill batted cautiously and discreetly to reach his fifty off 143 balls (six fours). Australia looked slightly ragged early on, as two of the side's more valuable performers shared a handy partnership.

But the new ball worked a treat, as McCullum (51) steered Doug Bollinger straight to gully before Ricky Ponting removed Guptill with a stinging catch off Johnson (273 for 8). The crowd were entertained with a cracking Tim Southee assault on Bollinger; he hooked the left-arm quickie for six and then bashed four consecutive fours, three of them caned down the ground, to race to 45 off 25 balls before Johnson ended the damage to complete a fine ten-wicket match haul. Along with Simon Katich's obdurate display, it helped seal a memorable victory for Australia.

© Cricdb

Pakistani boxers to feature in China, Iraq

KARACHI: A four-member boxing squad will feature in the first AIBA China Open International Boxing Championship, to be held from April 3-11 in Guiyang while another three-member squad will participate in the first Baghdad International Youth Open Championship, to be held from April 2-11 in Baghdad.

Mohammad Waseem (flyweight), Naimatullah (bantamweight), Nisar Khan (middleweight) and Mir Waiz (super heavyweight) would contest in the China Open Championship.

Iqbal Hussain will accompany the team as its manager while Akram Khan would be the referee judge.

Arshad Hussain will be the coach of the team during the tournament.

Pakistan Boxing Federation President Doda Khan Bhutto will join the team on April 7 and will hold a meeting with AIBA President Ching Kuo Wu.

Teams from more than forty countries will be seen in action during the eleven-day tournament.

Meanwhile, Mohib Bacha (light-flyweight), Qadir Khan (featherweight) and Riaz Cheema (lightweight) will represent Pakistan in the inaugural Baghdad Youth tournament.

Abdul Majeed (coach) and S. Mohammad Shareef (referee judge) would accompany the team. Around twenty countries would contest for top honours in the tournament.