Outsiders no more, Pakistan eye seek victory over Canada

COLOMBO: Pakistan, suddenly cast among the serious contenders for their second World Cup title after beating Sri Lanka, have the chance to fine-tune their fielding and bowling on Thursday in preparation for tougher tests ahead.

The 1992 winners take on Canada here with the full expectation of adding to a perfect record in Group A after beating the co-hosts by 11 runs on Saturday and Kenya by 205 runs last week.

Almost as important as collecting maximum points and building on their positive net run-rate will be the opportunity to work on some of the departments of their game which could still do with plenty of work – almost all in the field.

Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam is delighted that, after being plagued with off-field problems for so long including a corruption scandal involving three players, they can play at the World Cup without the pressure of being among the favourites.

At least until now.

“It’s good that we were not the favourites to win this World Cup and that has enabled the team to play without any pressure,” he told reporters at a training session on Tuesday.

“The team has peaked at the right time,” he said. “Pakistan is blessed with talents. If you take each of our spin bowlers they bowl in a different manner and our fast bowlers have a lot of variation.”

Canada have yet to win a game in a World Cup since their only victory against Bangladesh in Durban 2003. They were bowled out for 36 by Sri Lanka in the same World Cup to record the lowest ever score by a team in the tournament.

The North Americans have started the tournament with a 210-run defeat by Sri Lanka and on Monday they suffered a 175-run beating by Zimbabwe.

Pakistan, however, know only too well that taking any opponent lightly at a World Cup is a mug’s game after premature exits in both 2003 and 2007, the latter after a shock defeat to Ireland.

Both Alam and captain Shahid Afridi have admitted concerns about their poor fielding seen here so far and Reuters witnessed a tough training session dedicated to this vital aspect of the game led by coach Waqar Younis on Tuesday.

“We are concentrating more on fitness and fielding,” all rounder Abdul Razzak said.

“This team has got two to three youngsters. We have got a good combination. That’s why we look united and unity makes the difference. This is just starting and our main matches are coming.”

Meanwhile coach Waqar Younis has also urged his players to sharpen their fielding skills.

“We’ve got to bring that culture that fielding is also the most important part in the game,” Younis said Wednesday. “We’re getting there but (there’s) still a long way to go.”

Pakistan defeated co-host Sri Lanka by 11 runs last week but dropped at least three clear catches, wasted a number of run out opportunities and watched wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal twice fumble stumpings of captain Kumar Sangakkara.

“There’s still a long way to go,” Younis said. “If you look at other sides they are still far ahead of us like South Africa, Australia and the English team, they are definitely ahead of us.”

However, Younis believes that young fielders like Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad are gradually helping to improve matters on the field with their athleticism.

“If you go back 10 or 20 years, we have come a long way and I think youngsters have started making a difference,” he said.

Despite the shortcomings in the field, Pakistan has a maximum four points from its two matches. In every likelihood, it will field another strong playing XI against Canada – which has suffered two heavy defeats against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Leftarm spinner Abdur Rehman sprained a muscle in his right leg during the narrow win over Sri Lanka and offspinner Saeed Ajmal will probably get his first game in the tournament.

Pakistan batsmen have so far scored freely on typical sub-continental pitches, with experienced Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan scoring back to back half-centuries against Kenya and Sri Lanka.

Captain Shahid Afridi is top of the wicket-takers’ list with nine scalps and his 5-16 against Kenya is Pakistan’s best ever bowling figures at a World Cup.

Younis knows full well, though, that weaker teams have previously sprung surprises in the World Cup.

Pakistan lost to Ireland and made an early exit from the 2007 World Cup, while India was stunned by Bangladesh and also failed to advance in the same edition.

“In the past, World Cup teams have taken it easy and it costs you, so every team has to be taken seriously,” he said. “The importance of the tournament makes everyone play to the best of their potential and that is what we are going to do.”

Pakistan’s players have meanwhile watched video footage of Canada’s previous games, when Sri Lanka defeated the North Americans by 210 runs and Zimbabwe routed them by 175.

The team has not yet decided whether to give 35-year-old fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who played against Kenya and Sri Lanka, another outing.

“At this age, sometimes rest is not good because you want to get that rhythm and momentum going,” Younis said.

“You don’t want to take too long a rest because it is too hot and you need to be used to that, so I’m not sure at the moment.”

If Akhtar is rested, Pakistan has an option of including either of the two left-arm fast bowlers – Wahab Riaz or uncapped Junaid Khan.

BCCI writes fuming letter to ICC over referral system

NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket board on Wednesday wrote a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), complaining about the “inadequacy” of the umpire referral system being used in the World Cup.

The board (BCCI) also said it resented the governing body’s general manager Dave Richardson’s criticism of India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had criticised the technology on Sunday.

“The inadequacy of the UDRS has been exposed in the CWC 2011. The group stage match between India and England was a case in point which clearly brought out the inadequacy of the system,” BCCI secretary N Srinivasan wrote in his letter to ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat.

“ICC in consultation with Hawkeye formed playing conditions which specifies when the umpire can rely on Hawkeye and when he cannot. This itself is an admission on the question of reliability of the system including ball tracking technology.”

The UDRS debate stemmed from Ian Bell’s apparent let-off for leg before in England’s thrilling World Cup Group B tie against India on Sunday.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni criticised what he called the “adulteration of technology with human thinking”.

Richardson was subsequently quoted in the Indian media as saying Dhoni would not have criticised UDRS had he been aware of the rule.

The ICC official’s remarks did not go down well with the Indian board.

“BCCI takes strong objection to Mr David Richardson criticising the Indian captain M S Dhoni. Mr. Richardson’s comment that the Indian captain should know the rule is out of place.

“The Indian captain only highlighted the inadequacy of the system and rightly so. It was there for the world to see.

“For an ICC representative to criticise a player for his post match press conference while the World Cup is being played is tantamount to pressurising the player. Mr Richardson has no right to do so.

“BCCI has strong reservations about the statement made by Mr Richardson. He should be instructed not to react in this fashion.”

Trott and Bell make Ireland toil as England reach 327

BANGALORE: Jonathan Trott made 92 out of England’s commanding 327 for eight against Ireland in the World Cup Wednesday as he equalled the record for the fastest 1,000 runs in one-day internationals.

He drew level with West Indies great Vivian Richards and England team-mate Kevin Pietersen in taking just 21 innings to reach the landmark.

Trott shared a third wicket stand of 167 with Warwickshire team-mate Ian Bell (81) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

But they both fell within sight of a hundred to medium-pacer John Mooney, with Bell well caught by Paul Stirling at midwicket and Trott bowled off-stump to end a run-a-ball knock featuring nine fours.

“It’s nice to get some more time in the middle. We targeted at the start of the game to get some good runs on the board and carry on the form we’ve had with the bat and it was nice to do it again today,” Bell said.

On batting with Trott, he said: “We’ve played with Warwickshire for a long time together as well so we know each other’s games inside out. It’s nice to put on another partnership today.”

Mooney led the attack with four for 63 from nine overs while veteran Australia-born seamer Trent Johnston became the first Ireland bowler to take 50 ODI wickets when he dismissed Michael Yardy as the associates rallied late on.

But they will have to break the record for the most runs batting second to win a World Cup match of 313-7 by Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe at New Plymouth in 1992 if they are to defeat England.

Trott and Bell came together after openers Andrew Strauss (34) and Pietersen (59) both gave their wickets away when well-set.

The 29-year-old South Africa-born Trott, who made his ODI debut against Ireland in Belfast in 2009, needed 64 runs to match Richards and Pietersen and reached the landmark with two off left-arm spinner George Dockrell.

Earlier, England captain Strauss, celebrating his 34th birthday, won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bat on the ground where on Sunday he had made a career-best 158 in a thrilling tie with India that yielded a colossal 676 runs.

But there was no repeat when he played on to Dockrell trying to manufacture a pull.

Pietersen looked in superb form but fell tamely when a reverse-sweep against off-spinner Stirling looped gently to wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien.

Bell was almost out for nine when a mix-up with Trott gave Ireland a run-out chance that saw bowler Mooney fail to gather a relayed Niall O’Brien throw.

Jayawardene ‘changed the game’ against Pakistan: TV channel

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s former skipper Mahela Jayawardene is reportedly considering suing a state-run television network for hinting he may have helped fix a World Cup match against Pakistan.

Jayawardene, who lost his middle stump for just two runs in a game that Sri Lanka lost by 11 runs, was mulling legal action against the station for implying he was guilty of corruption, the BBC said.

Jayawardene’s manager told AFP on Tuesday that they were not commenting because “a formal process has been initiated.”

The state television commentary said a local businessman had placed an $18,000 bet on Sri Lanka losing the game.

The TV channel speculated over whether Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera, dismissed for one, had “changed the game” by getting out cheaply and said the outcome would have been different had the pair scored more runs.

Despite high hopes coming into the match, 1996 champions Sri Lanka fell short of Pakistan’s total of 277-7, leaving thousands at a packed R. Premadasa stadium in Colombo devastated.

Governing body Sri Lanka Cricket said they had not received a formal complaint from the two players.

“We are not aware of the issue,” Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive officer Ajith Jayasekera told AFP.

Eight bookies arrested in Karachi

Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga (C) celebrates after dismissing Kenya's cricketer Shem Ngoche (R) during the Group A match in the World Cup Cricket 2011 tournament at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on March 1, 2011.

KARACHI: Liaqatabad Police arrested eight bookies on Tuesday allegedly betting on a Cricket World Cup match, DawnNews reported.

According to the Liaqatabad Super Market Police the accused were placing bets on a Cricket World Cup match between Sri lanka and Kenya by setting up a stall out on the road in Bengali Para area of Liaqatabad ‘A’ area.

Accused tried to escape when police reached there, however police arrested all involved.

Police investigation was underway to find out about their other associates and network.

Malinga takes hat-trick as Kenya out for 142

COLOMBO: Spearhead Lasith Malinga took his second career World Cup hat-trick when he collected six wickets as Sri Lanka dismissed Kenya for 142 in their World Cup clash on Tuesday.

Teams:

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis.

Kenya: Jimmy Kamande (captain), Seren Waters, Collins Obuya, Steve Tikolo, Tanmay Mishra, David Obuya, Maurice Ouma, Peter Ongondo, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Elijah Otieno, Shem Ngoche.

Pakistan set sights on topping the group

COLOMBO: Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam warned Canada on Tuesday that his side is determined to finish top of Group A at the World Cup and will not be easing up when the two sides meet in Colombo.

Having thrashed Kenya by 205 runs in its opening match, before spoiling the party for 35,000 home fans with an 11-run win over co-host Sri Lanka, Alam told The Associated Press that his side now has top slot in its sights.

“That’s the target now,” Alam told AP as he prepared the squad for Thursday’s game. “We want to be on top in our group and we will play against Canada as any other big match.”

“We want this momentum to continue and will not be relaxed against teams like Canada.”

Alam’s side is also wary that any let-up in the pressure it’s been exerting so far on opponents could lead to a nasty upset at the World Cup.

Pakistan has already been on the receiving end of just such a setback in the competition, having famously lost to ICC Associate nation Ireland in the group stage of the 2007 edition in the Caribbean.

“Everyone knows whenever big teams had taken these associate countries lightly they have sprung a few surprises,” Alam said.

However, Pakistan’s batsmen and bowlers have so far delivered the goods with experienced Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan scoring back to back half-centuries in both games.

Shahid Afridi is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with nine scalps off his faster leg-spinners. The Pakistan captain baffled the Kenyans with 5-16 – his country’s best ever bowling figures in the World Cup. He then ripped the heart out of Sri Lanka with a haul of 4-34 besides taking a brilliant low catch.

However, Afridi was equally cautious of the North American rivals against whom Pakistan has played only once in the World Cup – recording an eight-wicket victory in 1979.

“We have tried to gather some video footages of their initial matches, but we will not be relaxed against them,” Afridi said. “We should not be negative about anything and must prove that we are a side which can achieve consistent results.”

Below-par fielding against Sri Lanka is one area to have given Afridi a headache after Pakistan missed several run out chances and dropped three catches, while wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal twice missed out on stumping chances with captain Kumar Sangakkara.

“We must improve or else such fielding will not help our cause,” Afridi said at the time.

Pakistan has two injury worries with left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman spraining a muscle in his right leg during the match on Saturday and Misbah pulling a hamstring during his unbeaten knock of 83.

Rehman had been advised at least rest of seven days to recover in time before the game against New Zealand on Mar. 8.

Misbah did not take the field when Pakistan successfully defended the total of 277-7 but has recovered and was back in training on Tuesday and even batted in the nets.

In the absence of Rehman, off-spinner Saeed Ajmal is expected to get his first game in the tournament on Thursday.