Asif tested positive, confirms IPL

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif is the player who has tested positive for a banned substance during the Twenty20 Indian Premier League, organisers of the inaugural tournament revealed on Monday.
"The Indian Premier League compared the result from the WADA-approved laboratory in Switzerland with the data collected by IDTM, the Sweden-based independent agency which organised the anti-doping testing in accordance with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards, to confirm the player in violation is Mr Mohammad Asif," the IPL said in a statement.
"A note in writing has been sent to the fast bowler, the Pakistan Cricket Board and Asif's franchisee, Delhi Daredevils on the findings," the statement added.
The organisers also announced that former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar will be a part of the three-member IPL Drugs Tribunal that will decide the fate of Asif.
Gavaskar, along with former Maharashtra University of Health Sciences Chancellor Dr Ravi Bapat and lawyer Shirish Gupte, will take up the matter in case Asif's B sample is found to be positive.
The tribunal will take a decision in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency code to which the IPL is a signatory.
Interestingly, Asif was detained at the Dubai International airport last month for allegedly carrying contraband drugs in his luggage on his way back home from India after playing in the IPL. He was kept in detention for 19 days for allegedly carrying 0.24 grams of opium in his wallet during transit through Dubai en route to Pakistan from India.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has already constituted a three-man committee to investigate Asif's detention in Dubai on allegations of possessing an illegal substance.
Asif and fellow-Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar had tested positive during the last edition of the Champions Trophy, held in India in 2006.

Source:rediff

Ganguly denies plans of retiring from ODIs

Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly on Thursday denied rumors of taking retirement from ODIs. Ganguly made this announcement on the sidelines of an awards function in Kolkata.
He also hoped to make his way back into the ODI team again by his performance. Ganguly was recently presented with best Asian batsman of the year award.
Meanwhile, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Kartik and Zaheer Khan got together in Mumbai to felicitate their mothers and wives in a programme sponsored by a detergent brand.

Source:rediff

Testing time ahead for senior players

Except for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's shock pull-out, there are no major surprises in the 16-man Indian squad for the forthcoming three-Test series against Sri Lanka .
The Indian selectors had no choice but to bring back the 'Fab Four' -- Sachin Tendulkar , Rahul Dravid Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman. But, except for Tendulkar, the rest have been dumped from the limited-overs' side and many believe it won't be long before they are phased out from the Test side too.
However, for now, they continue to survive, fully aware that a failed series could virtually signal the end of their international careers.
After all the hype and thrills of the IPL, and the charisma of the young Indian team, it is back to the more traditional format. The seniors are back, the whites are back, the red cherry will finally be back from hibernation and so will be five days of non-stop cricket. It is interesting to see how the sub-continent fans take up to Test cricket after the IPL. The one-dayers in Bangladesh and Asia Cup in Pakistan did not generate much interest and it remains to be seen whether Twenty20 has also made a dent on Test cricket.
Making the selectors' intent clear was the inclusion of Mumbai youngster Rohit Sharma. The 21-year-old struggled in the last two ODI series (Bangladesh tri-series and Asia Cup), scoring just one half-century in nine innings, but showed enough promise to be worthy of a place in the Test side. Should there be an injury or two to the seniors, Sharma will no doubt be looking to make most of this opportunity. Getting picked ahead of Yuvraj Singh should be a huge confidence-booster for the right-hander.
Gautam Gambhir also makes a comeback to the Test side after a string of impressive performances in ODI and Twenty20 matches for India. The left-hander was the leading run-scorer in the CB tri-series in Australia, with 440 runs, and then took charge in the IPL, aggregating 534 runs and finishing second behind Australia's Shaun Marsh He is the highest run-scorer in one-dayers in 2008, with 908 runs in 19 matches, and it was only fair that he was picked ahead of the inconsistent Wasim Jaffer.
Talking of the seniors, Ganguly will again not only need to prove his worth in the side but also his fitness. He hit two half-centuries in his last two Tests, against South Africa, but an inconsistent run before that will not make it easy for him. But, like all the other Indian batsmen, he will be looking forward to feasting on the batting beauties you mostly encounter in Sri Lanka.
Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh will, as usual, chore up the spin department. But an interesting selection here is the addition of uncapped Hyderabad left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who impressed during the Asia Cup with encouraging performances. The 21-year-old played three matches in Pakistan, claiming three wickets with an economy rate of 4.53, despite bowling on the flat wickets in Karachi. His selection means there is no room for Piyush Chawla who for a couple of years now had been groomed as a replacement for Kumble.
Dhoni's absence means that Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel have got another lifeline in international cricket. Karthik played against Pakistan in Bangalore last year, but Parthiv's last match was four years ago, against Australia in Nagpur in October 2004.
Parthiv was revelation with the bat for Gujarat, as he hit 615 runs in seven Ranji Trophy Plate division matches in the 2007-08 season to help his team win the title. He followed it up with another good showing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, amassing 302 runs in 13 matches.
Karthik, on the other hand, had a quiet time in the IPL with Delhi Daredevils scoring just 145 runs in 13 matches. However, the Tamil Nadu batsman will be the first choice to fill in for Dhoni since Parthiv's glove work is still to convince many.
Munaf Patel is also another player on the comeback trail. He played a stellar role in Rajasthan Royals' victory in the IPL, but despite that was not picked for the tri-series in Bangladesh and Asia Cup. However, better sense seems to have prevailed finally as he makes it to the squad ahead of Praveen Kumar and Irfan Pathan
Munaf's fitness will be under the scanner and it remains to be seen whether he can go through a full series without any breakdowns.
Similar will be the case for Zaheer Khan with the left-armer making a comeback to the Test squad after missing international cricket due to injuries since last November.
Virender Sehwag's appointment as vice-captain is hugely debatable. With seniors like Tendulkar and Laxman in the side and willing up to take up responsibilities it would have made more sense to give them the role.
Overall, it a good all-round team comprising seven batsmen, four fast bowlers, three spinners and two wicketkeepers. India last toured the island nation in 2001, and ended up 2-1 losers. This time, no doubt, they are keen for revenge.
Squad:
Batsmen: Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Rohit Sharma.
Bowlers: Anil Kumble (captain), Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha.
Wicketkeepers: Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel.

source:rediff.com

India Innings Highlights vs Sri Lanka - Asia Cup 2008 Final!!

Sri Lanka win Asia Cup

Ajantha Mendis broke India's back with a mesmerising six-wicket haul as Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup cricket tournament with a facile 100-run victory in Karachi on Sunday night.
Chasing 274, India's much-vaunted batting attack was bamboozled by Mendis' bag of tricks and the mystery spinner emerged as the wrecker-in-chief to bundle out India for 173 in just 39.3 overs.
Mendis' bowling figures read an impressive 8-1-13-6 and this was the first six-wicket haul in the Asia Cup history.
India's ploy of having an additional batsman did not pay dividend and only Virender Sehwag (60 off 36) and captain Mahendra Singh (49) managed to salvage their reputation.
The Indian batsmen thus let down their bowling colleagues, who had earlier done a decent job by bowling out Sri Lanka for 273 in 49.5 overs, a total built around Sanath Jayasuriya's 125-run knock off just 114 balls.
Chaminda Vaas started the rot by removing Gautam Gambhir (6) in the fifth over before Mendis took over.
In his first over, Mendis foxed an onrushing Sehwag with a 'flicker' to get him stumped and two balls later, he flicked another through Yuvraj Singh's gates to castle him for a duck.
In his third over, Mendis disturbed Suresh Raina's (16) timbers before trapping Rohit Sharma (3) plumb in front four runs later. In the 32nd over again, he scalped Irfan Pathan and RP Singh off success deliveries to complete his six-wicket haul.
Earlier, Jayasuriya looked unstoppable in a brilliant 125 runs from 114 balls that included nine fours and five sixes as he put on a face-saving 131 runs stand for the fifth wicket with Tillekaratne Dilshan who made 56.
India started well as Ishant Sharma rocked the top order with three wickets while RP Singh cleaned up the tail with as many as Sri Lanka struggled to make 57 in the last 10 overs.
Jayasuriya's 27th career hundred rescued Sri Lanka from a precarious 66 for four in 12 overs after India, in a brave decision, opted to field first.
RP Singh suffered badly in the 16th over when a blitz from Jayasuriya produced 26 runs from six balls taking him from 61 to 87.
He blasted Singh over the long off area for two sixes and then drove him for two fours over covers with the final ball being dispatched over mid-wicket for another six.
His partnership with Dilshan, who made his fifty from 68 balls, came at a time when the Lankans were rattled by Sharma.
After Kumar Sangakkara was run out for just four in the second over after a tragic mix-up with Jayasuriya, Sharma struck thrice.
He had Mahela Jayawardene (11) caught at point cutting straight to Rohit Sharma and then in his sixth over, he first had Chamara Kapugedera (5) caught off a miscued pull shot and bowled Chamara Silva for a first ball duck.
India fought back through their spinners Pragyan Ojha, Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag and so tight were the Indians in their bowling and fielding that despite Jayasuriya's hundred, Sri Lanka were not able to get a boundary between the 22nd and 40th over.

Pakistan court lifts ban on Shoaib Akhtar

The Lahore High Court on Friday lifted an 18-month ban on Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for indiscipline. Although the court lifted the suspension, it did not remove the seven million rupees ($101,000) fine imposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appellate tribunal last month. The PCB handed the volatile fast bowler a five-year ban in April for several instances of indiscipline and violating the conditions of a two-year probation. The tribunal later reduced the suspension to 18 months with a fine.

India seal Asia Cup final berth

India exhibited their batting prowess to perfection with their top order firing in unison to score an easy 6-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their must-win Asia Cup Super Four match and set up a summit clash against the same opponents on Sunday.
India chased down the target of 309 with 19 balls to spare and after losing four wickets, thanks to a half century each by Gautam Gambhir (68), captain M S Dhoni (67) and Suresh Raina (54) and a valuable 42 from Virender Sehwag after Sri Lanka, electing to bat, had made 308 for 8.
Yuvraj Singh (36 not out) and Rohit Sharma (22 not out) romped him with an unfinished 57-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Thursday's result extinguished Pakistan's any hopes of making it to the final and rendered Friday's last Super Four match between the hosts and Bangladesh in Karachi inconsequential.
India made a blazing start with the opening duo of Sehwag and Gambhir carrying their solid batting form from their match against Pakistan on Wednesday, putting on 92 runs from 70 balls.
The duo drove, pulled and cut the Lankan opening bowlers without taking much risks, hitting boundaries in regular intervals and keeping the asking rate always lower than the required rate of 6.18 per over.
Sehwag played second fiddle to his junior partner but did not shy away from hitting odd balls for boundaries including a huge six off Nuwan Kulasekara
Earlier, shrugging off the disappointment of Wednesday night's defeat to Pakistan, India fought hard but could only restrict Sri Lanka to 308 for 8.
Chamara Kapugedera (75), captain Mahela Jayawardene (50) and Chamara Silva (50) scored half-centuries, but the Indian bowlers did well to peg back the Lankans on another good batting track after captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni lost the toss.
Playing before a sparse crowd, Sri Lanka were in control for most part of the innings but lost wickets at regular intervals after reaching 217 for three.
In the final 10 overs they lost four wickets but scored 74 runs.
Sri Lanka have already qualified for the final while India must win the game to book the other spot in the summit clash and put the hosts out of the reckoning.
After losing Kumar Sangakkara in the fourth over for just seven runs -- he was caught down the leg side off Ishant Sharma -- Sanath Jayasuriya ] went about the task in his usual fashion.
Dropped on four by Yuvraj Singh, who attempted a difficult catch running in from mid-off, Jayasuriya breezed his way to 43 from 37 balls, before he was caught by Dhoni on the leg side, giving Sharma his second wicket.
Jayawardene, who scored his 47th career fifty, and Kapugedera put Sri Lanka in the driving seat with a 78-run stand off 89 balls, to put the pressure on India.
Jayawardene fell just one ball after completing his half century off 62 balls. He was caught by Gautam Gambhir at long off after dancing down the wicket and attempting to hit Pragyan Ojha out of the ground.
Kapugedera teamed up with Silva to put on another 68 off 66 balls for the fourth wicket. Both the youngsters batted with freedom as Ojha went for runs.
Kapugedera raced to his fifth half century from 55 balls, inclusive of fours, before Praveen Kumar trapped him leg before at 217 in the 38th over.
Five overs later, Tillakeratne Dilshan also pulled Irfan down to R P Singh at fine leg after scoring 15 off 19 balls.
Silva's run-out, after reaching his 50 in the 46th over, at the total of 263 put Sri Lanka back in their effort to score quick runs in the final overs and post a big total.
Irfan Pathan was the most expensive bowler, conceding 80 in his 10 overs, his final over conceding 14 runs.

source:rediff.com