ind-Pak news items by Goal_1

[Goal_1]

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Pakistan will continue their cricket tour of neighbouring India even though emergency rule has been imposed back home, a team official said on Saturday. "We are just focusing on cricket," the team's media manager Ehsan Malik said. "We've had no intimation (from the Pakistan board). Everything is status quo." Pakistan will leave New Delhi on Sunday for Guwahati for the first one-dayer to be played the next day. The five-match ODI series will be followed by three tests which conclude on Dec. 12.

[Goal_1]

ind-Pak news items by Goal_1 NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Pakistan batsman Salman Butt is confident his team can overcome their problem with opening batsmen and shine on the Indian tour starting on Monday. Butt himself has come into reckoning after scoring 83 off 84 balls in a one-day warm-up win over Delhi on Friday, having been omitted from the playing XI in the home one-day series defeat by South Africa last week. Pakistan begin with a five-match one-day series in Guwahati and then are due to play three tests. "To have the innings in the back of your mind helps," 23-year-old Butt told reporters on Saturday. "It is a good thing to remember with a big series coming up but one has to play well on the given day." The talented Lahore batsman has scored all his three one-day hundreds against India, as opener, although he has struggled for a regular spot in eleven due to a lack of consistency. Butt was confident of a turnaround this time. Pakistan are without retired Inzamam-ul Haq and will play the tough series under inexperienced skipper Shoaib Malik. "Inzamam has been a legend and we do miss him, but life goes on," Butt said. "It makes room for new people to come and do well for themselves. "The India series is a big opportunity wherever it is played, and new stars are always made." Having given up vice-captaincy after being made Malik's deputy in June, Butt said he was happy to focus on batting. He said both teams were evenly matched and that there would be no let-up in the intensity of their clash, despite the teams having toured across the border every year since 2004. "We lost to South Africa and India to Australia, so both are in the same frame of mind," he said. "This is my third series between India and Pakistan and I've never done so many sessions with the media." He added: "It gives frequent chances for players to become heroes, make a name for themselves."

[Goal_1]

Inzy bats for Dravid New Delhi, Nov. 3: Inzamam-ul Haq the player has always been unassuming. Now that he has hung up his boots, he may slough off that reputation. Inzamam is here as an expert for a news channel for the duration of the Indo-Pak series. Speaking at a press conference, he aired his views as never before on many issues. On the absence of medium pacer Mohd Asif, he said, "He (Asif) is a top bowler and the team is going to miss him badly.¨ He expressed surprise at the exclusion of Rahul Dravid. "Over the years he has been a great performer. Leaving him out is a big mistake." Inzy, who himself did not get any favours from his own board, was all against the way sub-continental cricket boards treat their senior players. "Age should not be a criterion for playing. If one is fit and scoring runs they could continue as long as they wish. I think Dravid has a lot of cricket left in him. He is a class act and should be brought back." Inzamam looked happy at the comeback of fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar. "He is a top bowler. There is no denying the fact. Whenever he plays for Pakistan the chances of a win go up. In the absence of Asif he now has extra pressure to deliver," he said. India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has found another fan in Inzy. "Dhoni, so far, has been very impressive. He is a lion-hearted character and not afraid to take risks. No wonder that India have played really well in the recent times. He has a great future ahead," he said.

[Goal_1]

Pak youngsters up for the challenge New Delhi, Nov. 3: With the Indian Oil Cup ready to roll on Monday in Guwahati, Pakistan’s crop of youngsters seem hopeful of a good show against India. "Every cricketer at home aspires to play against India," said Sialkot spinner Abdur Rehman here on Saturday. Recalling a childhood incident, Sohail Tanveer, who works up good pace, but off the wrong foot, said, "When I got repeatedly hit for sixes bowling spin, I decided to become a pacer." Sohail was confident of giving his best in the series. "I have hopes of performing well. It’s all about confidence," he said. Asked whether his using the wrong foot was natural, he said, "I only realised recently that I was using the wrong foot. I have to change it, especially when there is no space for any fault." With Mohammed Asif out of the first three ODIs due to a long-standing elbow injury, the onus will be on youngsters like Rao Iftikhar and Tanveer behind the more experienced Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul to show their mettle. Iftikhar, for whom this is the second tour of India since 2004-05, "line and length coupled with variations of pace help in taking wickets, so we need to keep working hard as we do not have any control over the result." But one man who promises not to repeat his past mistakes is Misbah-ul-Haq, who is still haunted by the shot that cost Pakistan the World T20 title. He said, "I’ll regret that shot all my life. It was a rare opportunity of winning the World Cup, you don’t come so close often." He, however, vowed to give his best in the series. After playing a swashbuckling innings in the warm-up match against Delhi, Pakistani southpaw Salman Butt assured that his best was yet to come. "I was not forced to quit the vice-captaincy role. I left it myself. I think right now it’s more important to focus on my batting rather than think of captaincy. Also, age is on my side so I always have a second chance."

[Goal_1]

Younis: It will be a different tour New Delhi, Nov. 3: The Pakistanis are back after a gap of two years. In 2005, they drew the Test series 1-1 and humbled their Indian counterparts in the one-dayers 4-2. Will they be able to do the same? That depends, like so many times before, on the team’s batting. Inzamam-ul Haq is no longer in the team so the responsibility falls on vice-captain Younis Khan’s shoulders, which the batsman acknowledges. "Our bowling has always been stronger, so no worries on that front. Our batting, on the other hand, has not been in the best of form, but, this tour throws us a great opportunity to get our act right, and for that senior batsmen have to put their hands up," Younis said. Younis has been in great nick in recent times. In the last series against South Africa he notched up two centuries, aggregating 265 runs at an average of 66.25. In the one-dayers, he made 194 runs at a shade under 40. During the last India tour he amassed runs at will and turned out to be a cut above the rest. "That was a great tour for me. I got a lot of runs and established myself as a batsman," he recalls. "But that is in the past, and now we are up against a new team which plays their game with a lot of aggression. It will be a different tour this time." Younis was all praise for the current crop of Indian bowlers. "They bowl with a lot of fire and that makes them threatening. But if we keep our basics right then it is going to be a gem of a battle between bat and ball," he said. Younis knows what a good opening stand can do to a team’s chances. "If the openers can get a good start, there would be no stopping for the rest of the batsmen." He also cautions his teammates not to get bogged down by the tremendous pressure created by fans at home. "It is just cricket. Play with an uncluttered mind, not thinking too much about results. That’s the mantra to do well here."

[Goal_1]

Rajput draws positives from Oz series Kolkata, Nov. 3: With Team India’s two-day conditioning camp at the Eden Gardens ahead of the series against Pakistan coming to an end here on Saturday afternoon, manager Lalchand Rajput focused on the team’s consolation win against world champions Australia in the final ODI at Mumbai. A lot of "positives" from that match would be taken into the one day series against Pakistan that kicks off on Monday at Guwahati, he said. "We have done quite well in the last games we played. Especially, the final ODI against Australia, in which, even after losing eight wickets, we kept our nerves and got home. That win has helped us a lot and we would certainly take the positives into the Pakistan series," Rajput said at a press conference after training. He added: "An India-Pakistan series is always a crunch one. It brings out the best in both the sides. The team that handles pressure better and keeps its nerve will ultimately succeed." Rajput also hinted at the experience of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly which would be vital for India in the series. "Sachin and Sourav have loads of experience which will benefit the entire side," he said. He, however, made it clear that the batting order would be decided "only after the team reaches Guwahati." Pakistan’s dependable medium pacer Mohammad Asif’s absence in the ODI series would not be much of a factor, Rajput felt. "No player is indispensable. It all depends on how well the players perform on the field on the day. Asif might not be there, but Shoaib Akhtar is. So, this compensates the deficit," he stressed. Medium pacer Rudra Pratap Singh, accompanying Rajput at the press conference, seemed confident of his side’s prospects against Pakistan. "They are a balanced unit and have some very good players like Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Malik. But specific plans have been made for each of them. We will sit for a meeting and then decide accordingly," he said. He added: "We’ve played a lot of cricket in the last four months. Personally, I am focusing on my own performance. Playing in the Ranji and county matches have helped me improve my game. I have done reasonably well in the previous matches against Pakistan. Hence, I am confident of a good show on this occasion as well." Meanwhile, Team India’s conditioning camp at the Eden Gardens here on Saturday afternoon with evening practice being called off. Yuvraj, who missed training the previous day, was at the ground along with other team members. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag joined in a little later. Unlike Friday, bright sunshine greatly improved ground conditions, ensuring that the players started with fielding drills. Soon after, the nets followed and Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were the ones to take strike first.

[Goal_1]

India-Pak cricket is all about pressure They talk about the Ashes as the biggest series but I don’t think anything is as competitive as contemporary India-Pakistan cricket contests. The thrill of playing in a series like this is unmatched. This can be cricket at its best and you can’t ask for more. The teams are balanced and I expect a great, challenging series ahead with a lot of entertainment thrown in. My best memory of India-Pakistan cricket is from Chennai where the crowd gave us a standing ovation after we won a close Test match there. Sachin Tendulkar’s century is an innings that I shall remember for ever. Of course, I shall also remember the Delhi Test for Anil Kumble’s all-10 effort. I did not play the next match at Eden Gardens where we came back from a 26/6 start to win the Test but that trip will be etched in my mind. I have heard the word pressure being bandied about by all and sundry in the run up to the series but I don’t think too many people understand what this word means. Only those who have played the games will appreciate what the players could be going through. The roar of the crowd during the 1996 World Cup quarterfinal in Bangalore still echoes in my head and I do not think that non-players will ever understand, let alone enjoy, the pressure. The greats soak in the pressure well but even Tendulkar felt that in that memorable Chennai Test match. The teams feel pressure at different levels — doing well in the series can establish a player in the hearts of millions. Of course, the home team have to cope with a tad more pressure than the visiting side. The pressure of doing well against India will weigh on the minds of all players. So who can handle the pressure? The teams have players like Tendulkar, Mohammed Yousuf and Younis Khan who have grown up soaking in pressure. The younger players may find it tough to cope with the challenges. Playing so frequently may help reduce some of the pressure but I don’t think you can see its effect in this series. We have not been playing for far too many years and it would take a couple of more exchanges before the pressure is reduced and people start looking at this as just another series. I would not call either side favourite to win the series because both have just lost series to Australia and South Africa. I think the teams are even-stevens at this moment and would like to hit the ground running. I am sure when they are playing for pride and are intensely competitive, the two teams can dish out some wonderful cricket. I would like some youngsters to come forth and leave their imprint on the series. We know what the likes of Sachin, Yousuf and Younis are capable of but I would really like to see some of the younger players get going. I will look to Umar Gul, Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa to make an impact. Cricket needs some fresh faces. And unlike in the past when some players like Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Viswanath, Javed Miandad and Zaheer Abbas were big names and blocked their places in the side for a good 15 years, now both teams have some open spaces and it will interesting to see which youngsters put their hands up. I am moved by news that Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik and manager Talat Ali visited Virender Sehwag’s home in Delhi to express the team’s condolences in his hour of grief. It is important for such bonding among the players from either teams but I do not think bowlers and batsmen will be smiling at one another too much in the coming series.

[Gaurav]

Will emergency rule effect the current tour in any way?

[Bumper]

ind-Pak news items by Goal_1 Goal_1, please dont create anymore threads to post your news items. I'll be moving all your threads here

[gator]

Goal_1... a suggestion... please add ur views and ur point, when u post a news item... we have feeds which do the job tht u r doing....

[Dirty_South]

Will emergency rule effect the current tour in any way?

nope. Link -> http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2007/nov/03pak.htm

[gs]

Will emergency rule effect the current tour in any way?

Aktor replaced with Malcolm Sami :hysterical:

[beetle]

Welcome gaol.... Can you please stop flashing that signature? It hurts the eyes.....:whatchutalkingabout