Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has challenged his side to build on last week’s Twenty20 wins over Australia in the two-Test series between the countries that starts at Lord’s today.
Pakistan failed to win a single international match on a tour of Australia concluded this year, sparking a series of bans and fines imposed on several players by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The fall-out meant a youthful squad arrived in England without its two leading Test batsmen in former captains Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan, who both had disciplinary action taken against them by the PCB, but the way Pakistan beat Australia in back-to-back Twenty20s at Edgbaston suggests a bowling attack featuring Umar Gul and teenage left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, set to be bolstered by leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and paceman Mohammad Asif, will pose problems.
However, the key factor in determining the outcome of the series is whether Pakistan’s batsmen can score enough runs. If they can, they could yet triumph in a series being played in England after top-class international cricket in Pakistan was suspended following last year’s armed attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore.
Leg-spinning all-rounder Afridi, who hasn’t played Test cricket since 2006 in order to concentrate on one-day formats, became captain despite being penalized himself for biting the ball in Australia.
Nevertheless, it appears his side are rallying behind him.
“I think now we have regained our winning habit, we must work harder to maintain it,” Afridi said.
He admitted, however, that Yousuf and Younus had left a large hole in Pakistan’s top order.
“Obviously, we will miss their experience, but right now I am focusing completely on the team I have,” Afridi said. “They are the ones who will fight for Pakistan in the Test matches and I retain confidence they can do this.”
In the absence of Yousuf and Younus, who both average more than 50 in Tests, the only member of the Pakistan top six who averages more than 40 is the gifted Umar Akmal — and he has played just six Tests.
“I think their depth is going to be tested,” Australia’s Michael Hussey said. “You take Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf out of that team and you’re losing two outstanding, classy players. That’s going to be a big loss, particularly in the Test match arena.”
“It’s going to be very hard to find those runs that those guys consistently score in Test match cricket, but their bowling attack looks outstanding. They’re very well balanced and they cover all bases very well,” he said.
Pakistan who, if the Twenty20s are any guide, can be assured of vocal backing from British-based supporters, are embarking upon a run of six Tests in seven weeks, with four matches in England against their hosts after the Australia series.
“It is a very hectic schedule,” Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said. “It is a tough tour for the youngsters, but also a learning tour for them. In many ways, it is like a restart for Pakistan.”
It is also a landmark series as it will be the first time Tests in England have not featured the England team since a 1912 triangular tournament, where Australia and South Africa made up the three competing teams.
Both Australia wicketkeeper Tim Paine, deputizing for the injured Brad Haddin, and leg-spinner Steven Smith are likely to make their Test debuts at Lord’s.
With Paine and swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus set to join captain and star batsman Ricky Ponting in the 11, Tasmania — a state with just 2.5 percent of Australia’s population — could have three players in the Test side for the first time.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was