ICC World Twenty20, 2009

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Younis says will play Twenty20 World Cup last time

ABU DHABI: Pakistani skipper Younis Khan said the experience gained after playing against Australia would provide help in Twenty20 World Cup next month.

Younis while talking in Geo News program ‘ Captain’s Corner’ said he would take part in twenty20 world cup probably last time.

[Sadaf Gondal]

that's sad

[Sadaf Gondal]

DUBAI: Paceman Umar Gul recorded the second best figures in international Twenty20 cricket to help fire Pakistan to a seven-wicket win over Australia in the one-off match at Dubai Stadium here on Thursday.

The 25-year-old fast bowler took 4-8 in his four-over spell, combining with leg-spinner Shahid Afridi (3-14) to restrict Australia to a modest 108 in 19.5 overs after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and fielded.

In Pakistan's reply, Kamran Akmal hit a rapid-fire unbeaten 59 while Haq scored 24. They shared an 85-run stand for the third wicket after Pakistan lost openers Ahmed Shahzad (four) and Salman Butt (16).

Akmal's maiden Twenty20 fifty included five boundaries and three towering sixes off 42 balls and enabled Pakistan to reach their target with 3.4 overs to spare.

Haq was full of praise for Gul and Afridi.

"Gul was outstanding, and Afridi has been bowling well in the whole series. Once we got them out for 108 it was in our hands, so hopefully we carry this form to the World Twenty20," said Haq, referring to next month's event in England.

Australia's stand-in captain Brad Haddin, leading in the absence of Michael Clarke, said his team was outplayed.

"We were progressing well in the first five overs but thereafter we were outplayed," said Haddin.

Earlier, Gul provided Pakistan with a crucial breakthrough, dismissing the dangerous-looking Shane Watson (33) with his first delivery to put the brakes on Australia, who had reached 42 without loss.

Watson had struck three successive boundaries off paceman Sohail Tanvir in the fourth over.

Australia then suffered a severe jolt when four wickets fell for 12 runs in the space of 21 deliveries to leave them in trouble at 73-5.

Afridi trapped James Hopes (six) and Andrew Symonds (nought) leg-before off successive deliveries, before bowling David Hussey (four).

Gul returned for his second spell to dismiss Nathan Hauritz (two), Brett Lee (nought) and Marcus North (20) to improve on his own Pakistan record of 4-13 in a Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka last year.

They were the second best figures ever in a Twenty20 international, behind New Zealand paceman Mark Gillespie's 4-7 against Kenya at Durban in 2007.

[Sadaf Gondal]

DUBAI: Pakistan and India are favourites to win next month's World Twenty20 tournament, as both have shown good form in the rapid-fire version of the game, said Pakistan's stand-in captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

"Both Pakistan and India have been doing very well in Twenty20 cricket, so I think both have a very good chance of winning the World Twenty20," Haq said after Pakistan's seven-wicket win over Australia here Thursday.

Pakistan, led by Haq after regular captain Younus Khan pulled out due to fever, rode on a career-best 4-8 by paceman Umar Gul and leg-spinner Shahid Afridi (3-14) to dismiss Australia for a low score of 108.

In reply, Kamran Akmal hit a fiery 59 to help Pakistan reach their target with 3.5 overs to spare -- an emphatic win that Haq said would lift his team's spirits ahead of the World Twenty20 starting in England next month.

"I think this win is an indicator of where we stand," said Haq, who scored 24 and added 85 for the third wicket with Akmal. "This win will be a great morale booster for the team," which lost the preceding one-day series 3-2.

Thursday's victory was Pakistan's 17th out of 20 Twenty20 matches it has played since this popular brand of cricket was introduced in 2005.

Pakistan finished runners-up to India in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup, held in South Africa two years ago.

Haq said he believed Pakistan's domestic Twenty20 championship had helped to build the team.

"We have been playing a Twenty20 tournament every year and that has matured us. Fortunately, we are again playing that event in Pakistan before going to England," said Haq.

Besides India and Pakistan, Haq also fancied the chances of South Africa and New Zealand in next month's tournament.

"Any team can win a Twenty20 game but you need discipline and luck. I think South Africa and New Zealand are also two very good teams," he said.

[Sadaf Gondal]

KARACHI: Pakistan captain Younis Khan is considering to retire from the shortest format of the game after leading his side in next month's World Twenty20 Champions in England in a bid to focus on Tests and One-day Internationals.

At 31, Younis suspects that the 'slam-bang' format of the game is not his cup of tea but will wait and see how he fares in the June 5-21 spectacle in England before taking a final decision over his Twenty20 career.

Younis missed Pakistan's Twenty20 International against Australia in Dubai on Thursday night and his absence ignited rumours that the skipper might step down from captaincy for the England assignment. There were even rumours that Younis might relinquish captaincy in favour of senior all-rounder Shahid Afridi, regarded as the perfect man for the hit-and-run version of cricket.

But Younis made it clear that he has no such plans, adding that he was forced to sit out of the game against Australia because of fever.

"I was unwell and thought it would better not play last night," he said adding that he was surprised how untrue rumours spread like wildfire.

Younis said that he is unlikely to play in any more editions of the World Twenty20 Championships after the event in England as he wants to stay focused on Tests and ODIs. "There is a big possibility that I will not play in any more Twenty20 World Cup after the next month's tournament. I might even decide to quit playing Twenty20 cricket after that."

The captain has played 15 Twenty20 Internationals, scoring 260 runs at an average of 18.57 with the best score of 51 - his only fifty. His T20 record is below average when compared with his stats in Tests and ODIs. He has scored 5129 runs from 60 Tests, at a healthy average of 51.80 with 16 hundreds. Younis has also scored 5379 runs from 186 one-day appearances.

The fact that he doesn't like playing Twenty20 cricket much was evident from his below-par showing for Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) last summer.

Younis failed to impress in that event and was discarded from the playing eleven by the team's skipper - Shane Warne - for the semifinals and the final. Royal defeated Chennai Super Kings in the final to win the title.

The Karachi-based Younis took over as Pakistan captain this January after his predecessor Shoaib Malik was forced to step down following a humiliating 234-run defeat in the ODI series final against Sri Lanka in Lahore.

Just fours months into his first tenure as regular captain, Younis is already facing bitter criticism from various quarters over his team's 2-3 series defeat against Australia in UAE.

His individual showing in the series was disappointing as he just managed to score 73 runs in the five-match series at an average of 14.60 with a highest score of 28.

But Younis is confident of regaining his golden form soon and is expecting his team to click in the World Twenty20 Championship. Pakistan lost to India in the final of the inaugural event in South Africa and are now regarded among the favourites for the title this summer. They share Group B with England and minnows Netherlands and will open their title campaign with their opening match on June 7 against the hosts at The Oval.

Meanwhile, sources close to Younis have rejected reports that there are divisions in the Pakistan team. Sources said that Younis has the complete backing of all the players.

[Sadaf Gondal]

DUBAI: Pakistan and India are favourites to win next month's World Twenty20 tournament, as both have shown good form in the game's rapid-fire version, Pakistan's stand-in captain Misbah-ul-Haq said on Friday.

"Both Pakistan and India have been doing very well in Twenty20 cricket, so I think both have a very good chance of winning the World Twenty20," Haq said after Pakistan's seven-wicket win over Australia here Thursday.

"I think this win is an indicator of where we stand," said Haq, who scored 24 and added 85 for the third wicket with Akmal. "This win will be a great morale booster for the team," which lost the preceding one-day series 3-2.

Thursday's victory was Pakistan's 17th out of 20 Twenty20 matches it has played since this popular brand of cricket was introduced in 2005. Pakistan finished runners-up to India in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup, held in South Africa two years ago.

Haq said he believed Pakistan's domestic Twenty20 championship had helped to build the team.

"We have been playing a Twenty20 tournament every year and that has matured us. Fortunately, we are again playing that event in Pakistan before going to England," said Haq.

Besides India and Pakistan, Haq also fancied the chances of South Africa and New Zealand in next month's tournament.

"Any team can win a Twenty20 game but you need discipline and luck. I think South Africa and New Zealand are also two very good teams," he said.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam said the team would play practice matches before the event in England. "I am pleased with the performance of the team," said Alam. "Had we been as clinical in the one-day series we would have won that as well. We will play some practice Twenty20 matches so that the team tunes up well."

Australia's stand-in captain Brad Haddin said he hoped his team's defeat on Thursday would not demoralise them.

"You can't judge the form of the team on one game," said Haddin, who replaced Michael Clarke as captain after Clarke returned home for a rest. "We were progressing well in the first five overs but then we lost track and were totally outplayed by Pakistan," he said.

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Saeed Ajmal''s playing T20 WC linked to biomechanical report

DUBAI: Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal’s participation in the Twenty20 World Cup has been linked to his biomechanical test report.

Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam, while talking with Geo News on Thursday, told that on returning home after the series against Australia Saeed Ajmal would be sent either England or Australia where he would undergo a biomechanical assessment of his action at laboratory.

If the biomechanical report does not clear his bowling action then he will be replaced by one of the reserved players in the team for the Twenty20 World Cup.

Match officials reported Ajmal for a suspected illegal bowling action after Pakistan''s second one-day against Australia in Dubai on April 24.

Ajmal will now have to undergo a biomechanical assessment of his action, at an International Cricket Council-approved facility, before the Twenty20 starts in England on June 5.

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NZ ya phir Pakistan champion ho gaya

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KARACHI: Pakistan may be short of match practice ahead of the Twenty20 World Championship but all-rounder Shahid Afridi says his side would still be quite a handful for the opposition teams at the mega-event in England next month.

"We will be a different and more confident team in the World Cup. It was a good victory for us in the T20 match against Australia and it has put us in the right mood for the tournament," Afridi said.

"We are looking forward for a better performance in the World Cup and avenging our defeat in the final last time, he added

"It is disappointing the way we lost the One-day series to Australia from winning positions. But it was a good tough series for us and we are mentally prepared for the Twenty20 World Cup."

Afridi was one of the few success stories in the series against Australia, impressive with both bat and ball in the low scoring matches.

"I thought the batting was disappointing as it didn't lend enough support to the bowlers who did a very good job in the series," he said.

Afridi said in the three matches Pakistan lost, it was in a position to win but buckled under pressure.

"All the players were very ashamed and embarrassed after the way we lost the third match after being in a strong position," he recalled.

Pakistan, chasing 199 for victory collapsed, after being 95 for no loss at one stage.

"I thought after the match that considering the position we were in, even the Karachi or Sialkot teams should have won that game and closed the series," he said.

Afridi said the players at times played reckless shots under pressure but have learnt their lessons from the series.

He also denied rumors about groupings and splits in the team.

"We were like a team in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and I think at a time when Pakistan cricket is going through a crisis because of the international teams not coming to Pakistan the media should support us and encourage the team before the World Cup," he said.