Afridi Available for Test Cricket

by Ubaid-ur-Rehman Awan

KARACHI: Shahid Afridi likely to resurrect his test career where he left it in 2006. Pakistan T20 skipper made aware the Pakistan Cricket Board Saturday that he is ready to be part of the test team in England where Pakistan due to play six test matches against England and Australia.

Talking exclusively to awansports.blogspot.com, Afridi said “I am ready to play for Pakistan in test matches during upcoming tour of England. Due to family commitments, I left the test cricket but now the country needs my services and I am ready to represent Pakistan in test matches again.”

Shahid Afridi due to meet PCB chairman Ejaz butt on 25th May in Lahore where both will discuss about the team formation for Asia cup and England tour. Ejaz Butt also said that the board will announce the captain for Asia cup and England tour on 25 May. Butt wanted a same captain in all three formats of the game and with Afridi’s willingness to play test matches, it is highly likely that Afridi will captain Pakistan in all three formats.

Afridi last played test match in 2006 at Nottingham against England and now he will restart his test career in England as well. On talking about the England tour, Afridi said “playing six test matches against England and Australia in England will be a challenge for Pakistan and I am ready for this challenge. It is up to selectors now whether they will select for the test matches or not.”

On question about the captaincy in test matches he said “it is up to PCB to appoint the captain. I am not in the position to speak anything about the captain until PCB take final decision.”

Afridi likely to lead Pakistan in Asia Cup

by Ubaid-ur-Rehman Awan

KARACHI: Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Khan Afridi will meet chairman PCB Ejaz Butt on May 25 in PCB headquarters Qaddafi Stadium Lahore.

Sources in PCB told The Sports Encounter that there is possibility that Afridi will lead Pakistan cricket team in upcoming Asia Cup starting from June 15 in Sri Lanka.

While talking to The awansports.blogspot.com, Afridi said “I have not taken any decision yet about my retirement from test cricket. I am still thinking about my test career and after consultation with my family and friends, I will let the people know about my decision.”

He further stated that “PCB appellate tribunal should complete the hearing of the players’ appeals as soon as possible so that the players should concentrate on the cricket.”

“PCB should start preparing team for next year mega event ICC World Cup 2011 and players should be fresh before the preparations of World Cup.”

Bokhari to contest for KCCA President

by Ubaid-ur-Rehman Awan

KARACHI: Current secretary of KCCA Siraj ul Islam Bokhari will contest for KCCA President Seat in Saturday’s general elections of Karachi City Cricket Association.

General elections of KCCA will be held in National stadium on Saturday where Siraj ul Islam Bokhari is the lone candidate for the seat of President after Dr. Mohammad Ali Shah was disqualified by Sindh High Court today. Munir Hussain, who was the covering candidate for Dr. Shah was failed to submit his documents to PCB election commissioner Abdul Sami Khan before 5:00pm today.

Prof. Ejaz Farooqui and Riaz uddin Shah will fight for Secretary Seat of KCCA while Mehdi Hasan Khan is the lone candidate for Treasurer.

SHC dismisses Dr. Shah petition

by Ubaid-ur-Rehman Awan

KARACHI: Sindh High Court today has dismissed petition of Sports Minister of Sindh Dr. Mohammad Ali Shah and said that Dr. Shah does not qualify for the presidential elections of KCCA.

Sindh High Court Justice Musheer Alam has said in his decision that Pakistan Cricket Board rules for elections are right and as per the law no sitting MNA (Member of National Assembly) or MPA (Member of Provincial Assembly) can take part in city cricket associations’ elections.

Saifee Ali, lawyer of Dr. Shah told The Sports Encounter that SHC said in its decision that the 2003 and 2007 laws of PCB for elections are right and Dr. Shah cannot take part in the elections. She further said that Munir Hussain, covering candidate for Dr. Shah will contest in tomorrow’s presidential election of Karachi City Cricket Association.

On the other hand when The Sports Encounter contacted the secretary of KCCA Siraj ul Islam Bukhari, “he said, we were not ready for this situation as we are not expecting this decision. We have already called an emergency meeting after Friday prayers and we will decide about our candidate for tomorrow’s election. Munir Hussain is not our candidate yet.”

It is pertinent to mention here that, three years back Munir Hussain was the president of KCCA and Dr. Shah replace him as president and he was not MPA at that time.

PCB Election Commissioner Abdul Sami Khan has made it clear that date for filing of nomination form will not be extended and it is important for all the candidates to submit their forms today by 5:00pm. Elections will be held Saturday morning at 10:00pm in National Stadium Karachi.

PCB lift ban from KCCA Zonal Chairman

by Ubaid-ur-Rehman Awan

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board has lifted the ban on newly elected Chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan of Zone I of Karachi City Cricket Association.

PCB Election Commissioner Abdul Sami Khan told The Sports Encounter that Aftab Khan has submitted appeal to PCB against his ban and PCB has accepted his appeal and decided to lift the ban. He further stated that PCB will strictly monitor the 3-year tenure of Aftab and if PCB received any complaint against him in future, then he will again face ban.

Aftab Ahmed Khan has assured PCB that he will be careful in future and will also submit undertaking to PCB. After receiving the undertaking from Aftab, PCB will issue notification of his success. Aftab Ahmed Khan was banned for one year after receiving complain from ex-secretary of Zone II Jamil Ahmed claiming that he had played two players of Zone II in Zone I team, which is illegal.

Amir Khan: Has the Boxing World Found a New "King" To Throne?

WBA world light welterweight champion Amir “King” Khan pulverized Paul “The Magic Man” Malignaggi by an 11th Round TKO on Saturday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Khan (23-1, 17 KOs), a British citizen of Pakistani descent who became the youngest Englishman to win an Olympic medal when he captured a silver as a lightweight at the 2004 games in Greece, thoroughly dominated Malignaggi (27-4, 5 KOs) in his United States debut before referee Steve Smoger mercifully halted the bludgeoning.

“Me and (trainer) Freddie (Roach) stuck to the game plan. Paulie is a very awkward fighter. We had to break him down slowly,” said Khan, 23, the third youngest Brit to ever win a crown.

“We had to use our brain. I knew in the last few rounds I was hurting him. All I had to do was put the pressure on him.”

Roach, a native of Dedham who has been voted Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America a record four-times, has clearly helped hone Khan’s prodigious skills since they began working together.

Malignaggi, an Italian-American from Brooklyn who is the former IBF junior welterweight champ, is absolutely a polarizing prizefighter and it is understandable that many fans consider him to be a scorching hemorrhoid.

Nevertheless, Malignaggi is a defensive wizard in the ring and he is a legitimate pugilist who possesses exceptional hand-speed and quick reflexes.

Hence, Khan’s utter domination of Malignaggi was extremely impressive.

“I ran into a clone of myself when I was younger. But he was faster and stronger,” said Malignaggi, 29, whose only three previous losses came at the respected hands of Miguel Cotto (34-2, 27 KOs), Ricky Hatton (45-2, 32 KOs) and Juan Diaz (35-3, 17 KOs).

“He’s bigger and stronger. But I gave it all I had.”

Khan, whose record is only blemished by a first round knockout loss to Breidis Prescott (22-2, 20 KOs) in 2008, stated he wanted to fight Marcos Maidana (28-1, 27 KOs) next, and then scrap the victor of the Devon Alexander (20-0, 13 KOs) versus Timothy Bradley (24-0, 11 KOs) bout.

Alexander is the current WBC and IBF light welterweight titlist and Bradley is the WBO world light welterweight champ.

“I’m not going to leave the 140 pound division until I unify the titles,” said Khan.

If Khan fights in the future like he did this past weekend, he will be the “King” of the 140 pound division much sooner than expected...

Kaneria's test future dark after spot-fixing accusation

THE Test future of Pakistani leg spinner Danish Kaneria is in jeopardy following his arrest during a betting probe in England.

While Kaneria was released on bail until September 15 - meaning he is free to play and would be eligible for the series against Australia in July - Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Wasim Bari yesterday could not guarantee that Kaneria would be retained in the side.
''We have not received any documentation as yet, it would be unfair to make a comment until I know the full details,'' Bari said.

Kaneria, who played the last two Tests against Australia here last summer, is under investigation for alleged spot-fixing during an English domestic game last season.
The 29-year-old and Essex teammate Mervyn Westfield were arrested by police last week and questioned over accusations of fraud, namely betting on a game they were playing. It's understood the investigation centres around a Pro40 (England's 40-over competition) win against Durham in September last year. Spot-fixing relates to betting on small outcomes within a game, such as how many runs or extras will be conceded off a certain over.
Kaneria has denied any wrongdoing, saying after he was first linked to the case last month: ''The story is baseless. I have played my cricket for Pakistan as well as for Essex, with pride and honesty … For the last two years I have been Essex's best performer and have never done anything wrong.''
An Essex Police spokesman said at the weekend: ''Two men from Chelmsford have been arrested in connection with a police investigation into first-class domestic cricket match irregularities.

''The investigation began in March 2010 following allegations received about two Essex county cricket players. On Friday, 14 May, two men aged 22 and 29 were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud and both were released on police bail until Wednesday, 15 September pending further inquiries.''
Essex Cricket Club confirmed the two men were Kaneria and Westfield, a fast bowler.
International Cricket Council president David Morgan said his organisation remained vigilant over spot-fixing.

''Cricket is full of discreet events - overs of six balls, power plays, in first-class cricket the morning, the afternoon and the evening [sessions],'' Morgan told AFP. ''There are lots of these discreet events that attract people who gamble.
''What is very clear is that we are extremely vigilant. We have the anti-corruption and security unit. They look very carefully at movements in terms of the amounts bet on particular issues and so on.

''I think cricket is very fortunate in that we've had 10 years of operation of the anti-corruption and security unit.''
Australia play Pakistan in two Tests in England from July 13 and Kaneria would ordinarily be an automatic starter. He has played 58 Tests, taking 254 wickets at 34.27.