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Pak Cant Wait For Match Against India
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Six years have passed since their humiliating loss to India here in a World Cup match but Pakistan captain Younis Khan says the defeat still hurts and his team would be eyeing revenge when the two sides clash in the Champions Trophy on September 26.
In a 2003 World Cup match here, Pakistan lost the match despite defending a competitive 270 owing to batting fireworks of Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar.
"It hurts. I played that match. We scored 270 and still lost. A score of 250 in these conditions is considered safe. But the way Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag batted, and backed by Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh, we lay beaten. That defeat still hurts," Younis said in a pre-tournament press conference here.
"Indeed, we have lost to India in most of these ICC match-ups except only once. Ab hamara bhi jeetne ka haq banta hai (even we deserve to win sometimes now)," he added.
Younis said he wished there were more matches between the two sides.
"If you get beaten, it's a long wait to get even. It keeps hurting you," he quipped.
Also hurting Younis and his team-mates are accusations from former players and media back home that Pakistani players might be involved in match fixing.
ICC Champions Trophy
Friday, September 18, 2009
The ICC Champions Trophy is the second biggest ODI tournament after the World Cup. This time it’s the elite eight (top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings) that will be vying for the coveted trophy. The trophy, which is made of sterling silver, is 46cm in height and weighs 3.1 kg. On the top of the trophy is a silver gilt cricket ball.
The pedestal of the trophy is made of black lacquered wood with a silver band for engraving. The total weight of the silver used in the trophy is 2.5 kg and it took around 60 hours to craft the trophy. The magnificent trophy was made by the renowned London-based jewellers Asprey at a cost of £14,900. The 2009 edition of Champions Trophy offers total prize money of $4 million.
WI Claims To Have Unearthed 'next Tendulkar'.
Road Town (British Virgin Islands): If former player Keith Arthurton is to be believed, West Indies has unearthed the next Sachin Tendulkar in a seven-year-old hailing from Hannah Estate in Tortola.
Arthurton conducted a three-day coaching clinic this weekend on the islands of Tortola and Virgin Gorda and he had no doubt whatsoever that he has seen the next Tendulkar in Aidan Gorege.
"While he was batting, I heard someone in the crowd shout out that he looked like Sachin Tendulkar I thought the same thing because of the way he bats, his stance and his attitude," said Arthurton, who represented West Indies in 33 Tests and 105 ODI between 1988 and 1999.
"You don't really see that in kids who are that young but he has something special in him and the local coaches should work with him so that he can develop his cricket skills," Arthurton said of Aidan, who is originally from Dominica.
Youngest participant of the camp, Aidan looks older than his age and has a stance which is almost a replica of Tendulkar's, according to a report in the Anguilla News.
Talking about the kid's technique, Arthurton said, "His stance is very good and he moved his feet at the right times and with ease. I certainly would like to work with him in future as I think he has the potential to develop into a very good player," Arthurton said.
Star players Chris Gayle, and Dinesh Ramdin also turned up in the camp to share their experience with the kids.
A 20-over match at the H Lavity Stoutt Community College marked the end of the camp.
Afridi looks forward to India match in Champions Trophy
Karachi Flamboyant Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi is looking forward to play against India in the Champions Trophy in South Africa where his side had not beaten their neighbours in an ICC tournament in recent years.
Afridi said he has a lot of respect for India which had a very good One-day combination and the match between the two arch rivals should produce fireworks.
"India are a strong side and our present team is also well balanced and has depth so we should have a good match. I am looking forward to it," he told reporters in Lahore.
"The rivalry and intensity of playing against each other is always there. It does not matter who wins or loses. What is important is I want to play with passion and aggression and I
expect our players to show 100 per cent commitment," he added.
Pakistan lost their 2003 World Cup match to India at the Centurion and were twice beaten in the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.
"I think our team is very experienced and balanced and we can do well in South Africa and try to change our past record there," Afridi said.
He said Pakistan have some good players particularly like Muhammad Yousuf, Shoib Malikh and Misbah-ul-Haq
"Although Malik and Misbah have recently not scored many runs but they are quality players and they have played some brilliant innings in the past. So I am expecting them to do
well in Champions Trophy. It will add a lot of depth to our batting if they click," he said.
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