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NATIONAL

Jayasuriya, Mendis floor India to win Asia Cup for Sri Lanka:

Young spinner Ajantha Mendis bamboozled India after an electric knock by veteran Sanath Jayasuriya as Sri Lanka dumped India by a 100 runs in the Asia Cup final here at the National Stadium. Jayasuriya, 39, kept Sri Lanka alive in the final with a breath-taking 125 and then Mendis undid the Indians with his slow-medium “carom ball” to finish astonishing figures of 6-13, handing the Indians a humiliating defeat to retain the crown. The mighty Indian batting line crashed out for a 173 in 39.3 overs. The Indians, chasing 273 — an average total on a batting paradise — seemed cruising to victory at 76-1 in nine overs but the introduction of the 23-year-old Mendis worked like magic for Sri Lanka. The rookie spinner took the prized scalp of Virender Sehwag — India’s top scorer with 60 off 36 balls — in his very first over and then went on to completely wreck the Indian innings. He got the wickets of Suresh Raina (16), Yuvraj Singh (0), Rohit Sharma (03), Irfan Pathan (02) and RP Singh (0). Experienced pacer Chaminda Vaas scalped Gautam Gambhir (6) and skipper MS Dhoni (49 off 74 balls) to complete the job. Earlier, Jayasuriya didn’t look like he is one of the oldest players in action on the world cricket stage after hitting a brutal 125 that helped keep defending champions Sri Lanka alive in the big match. Jayasuriya wasn’t bothered by wickets that fell regularly around him as he plundered the Indian attack, scoring his 27th One-day International century in just 79 balls with the help of five grand sixers and nine fours. His heroic knock lifted Sri Lanka from a seemingly tough situation (66-4 in 12 overs) to 273 all out in 49.5 overs. His rescue act came at a time when India pacer Ishant Sharma had brought the Lankans to their knees with three wickets in quick succession. But Ishant’s effort was later completely overshadowed by Jayasuriya who hammered his second century of the six-nation tournament to the delight of the Karachi crowd. The high point of his innings came in the 16th over when he plundered RP Singh for 26 runs including two huge sixes. Jayasuriya played the lead role in a vital fifth wicket partnership of 131 off 141 balls with Tillakaratne Dilshan (56). It was after his fall in the 36th over that Sri Lanka’s hopes of posting a match-winning total faded. Jayasuriya fell to Virender Sehwag while trying a slog sweep but failed to get past Ishant Sharma at mid-wicket. His 125 came off 114 balls. Dilshan joined him 16 runs later, trying to go for a big one off Irfan Pathan only to scoop the ball into the safe hands of MS Dhoni behind the wicket. Dilshan’s 56 came of 74 balls and included three hits to the fence. Nuwan Kulasekera (29 not out) and Chaminda Vaas (19) then ensured that their side remained alive in the final guiding them to 273 in 49.5 overs. Earlier, Dhoni won the toss and opted for a run-chase on a batting wicket. India got an early breakthrough when they sent back the dangerous Kumar Sangakkara in the second over with Suresh Raina running him out. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene (11), Chamara Kapugedera (5) and Chamara Silva (0) fell to some incisive bowling by Ishant but Jayasuriya didn’t allow the batting to collapse completely. Ishant (3-52) returned best figures of the innings. RP also took three wickets for 67 in nine overs.

LHC suspends Shoaib ban:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on July 4 said Shoaib Akhtar was free to play cricket again after suspending an 18-month ban imposed on the paceman by the country’s cricket authorities for indiscipline. A judge at LHC ruled that the 32-year-old Akhtar should be allowed to play until his appeal against the ban is heard, most likely in September. Akhtar lodged an appeal with the court against an 18-month ban for indiscipline, the latest in a string of controversies involving the bowler. The ban was originally for five years but was reduced last month. “While accepting his application for interim relief (until the appeal is heard), the court has allowed Shoaib Akhtar to play cricket,” Judge Zahid Hussain told the court. “The petition will be heard after the summer vacation,” which ends in September, he said. Akhtar welcomed the decision and said he wanted to play in the Champions Trophy, which Pakistan hosts in September this year. “I am relieved,” Akhtar said after the hearing. “I am keeping fit and I’m going to England and try to play some county or league matches there and get in shape for the Champions Trophy.” Akhtar added that he wanted to clear his name. “I owe my name and fame to Pakistan, so I will never defame my country. I want to win the Champions Trophy for my country and for that I need everyone’s support.” Akhtar and Ashraf were caught up in a legal battle earlier this year over comments made by the bowler after the initial ban, but PCB sources said a senior cabinet minister had succeeded in engineering a rapprochement between them ahead of the court decision. A Pakistan Cricket Board disciplinary committee banned Akhtar for five years in April for several incidents of indiscipline and for violating the conditions of a two-year probation period imposed for hitting a teammate with a bat. The ban followed Akhtar’s public criticism of the PCB after he was dropped from a list of 15 players who were given central contracts in January. However, an appellate committee reduced the suspension to 18 months and imposed a fine of seven million rupees in June. In October last year, Akhtar was banned for 13 matches and fined 3.4 million rupees for hitting partner Mohammad Asif with a bat just days before the Twenty20 World Cup in September in South Africa. The PCB confirmed Friday’s decision. “Akhtar’s appeal to stay the ban was upheld, which means he is temporarily allowed to play until the petition is heard, but he will have to give the fine,” PCB lawyer Taffazul Rizvi said.

National football gala to kick off this month:
Football’s governing body in the country, the PFF, plans to start the Pakistan Premier Football League in the last week of this month, a top official of the federation told ‘ the reporters. “We have prepared the schedule but still we are taking some time to disclose it because we are talking with some sponsors to come in and add colour to the major domestic competition,” the Director Operations of PFF Pervez Saeed Mir said. “Whatever the outcome of the ongoing talks with the sponsors, we will go ahead with our plan and everything including the draws will be issued in the next few days and the league will formally kick off on July 22 or 25,” Mir clarified. He disclosed the prime event will start from Karachi and Quetta as the weather in the two cities is looking good as compared to Lahore and other areas of the Punjab including the federal capital, Islamabad. To a question he said that the talks with local chennels to telecast live around 26 matches of the league involving major departmental teams were in progress but he is not sure about any positive outcome yet. It is pertinent to mention here that 14 top ranking teams including the defending champions WAPDA.

PCB chief goes in to bat for skipper and team coach:
Pakistan cricket chief Nasim Ashraf threw his weight behind the embattled captain and coach of the national team, stressing that the two will complete their two-year terms in spite of a poor showing in the ongoing Asia Cup. There have been rumours that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering to axe captain Shoaib Malik and coach Geoff Lawson after Pakistan failed to make it to the Asia Cup final following defeats to India and Sri Lanka. But the PCB chairman rejected such reports, saying that he believes in continuity. “Let me make it clear once again that Shoaib Malik and Geoff Lawson were both appointed for two-year terms and they will at least continue till then,” Ashraf told reporters here at the National Stadium. Ashraf’s assurance came after a series of reports that questioned the competence of the captain and coach. Lawson has been a target of media criticism for his failure to bring about any major positive change in his team’s performance. He made more enemies in the media which boycotted his press conference following Pakistan’s defeat to Sri Lanka. Malik has fared little better as questions have been asked about his captaincy skills in recent times. Some TV channels recently alleged that Malik chickened out of the crunch Asia Cup game against India after initially declaring himself fit. Stand-in captain Misbah-ul-Haq then led Pakistan to a comprehensive win, forcing several former Pakistan Test cricketers to root their support for him to take over as permanent captain. Ashraf asserted that no change was in the offing. Instead he sought more support for Malik. “I get very dejected when my captain is treated harshly and without reason,” he said. Speaking on a different issue, Ashraf said that the cricket chiefs of Australia, New Zealand and England will join Asian Cricket Council’s silver jubilee celebrations in Karachi . Leading officials from the three nations — who have been raising security concerns — will attend the celebrations and Ashraf said that they would see for themselves that Pakistan is a safe place to host the Champions Trophy. Ashraf said that Justin Vaughan, the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, has personally assured him that the Kiwis will tour Pakistan for a three-match ODI series next month. The PCB chief, who attended the International Cricket Council (ICC) moot in Dubai, praised the ICC for changing the result of the “forfeited” Oval Test against England in a draw.

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