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Test defeat not a 'feel-good' gesture to Indian PM: Pak

          Islamabad: Pakistan lost the first Test against India not to help the latter's Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee win the next month's general elections, the country's foreign office said Saturday. It may be recalled that the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), a six religious party alliance, had recently alleged that the defeat was a "goodwill gesture" from President Pervez Musharraf to help Vajpayee in the ensuing parliamentary polls in the neighbouring country. "Winning or losing is not part of CBMs," the News quoted FO spokesman Masood Khan as saying while replying to a question whether the defeat was to help Vajpayee win and give a further boost to the steadily improving ties between the rivals.

Media kept away from pitch; PCB cuts ticket prices (Go To Top)

          Lahore: After the controversy over the pitch prepared for the Multan Test, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) seems to be overtly cautious even as it has kept the reporters and press photographers "at a distance". According to a report in the News, this was the first time when the Board had not allowed the shutterbugs to click the pitch. The photographers and TV camera-crews were clearly instructed to shoot from outside the ground through the iron fencing. And, said the report, all this was being done on the advice of English curator Andy Atkinson, who had attracted a lot of criticism for "removing the grass" from the Multan pitch. Though, a section of the Indian media had quoted him as saying that Inzamam-ul-Haq and manager Haroon Rasheed had asked him to shave off the grass from the pitch in Multan. In another related development, after a slack crowd response during the first Test, the Board has reduced the ticket prices for the Lahore Test starting from Monday. Quoting Arif Rahim, Chief Coordination Security and Protocol, the report said that the prices of tickets for various enclosures were slashed by as much as 50 percent and they were put on sale from Saturday for public.

Shoaib Akhtar says he is not keen on playing (Go To Top)

          Lahore: After a dismal performance so far against India, particularly after the defeat in the first Test at Multan, Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said that he was not keen on playing in the second Test starting Monday at Lahore. He offered to withdraw himself from the second match, but the team management insisted on his playing, said a report in the News. Quoting a team source, the paper said that the Pakistani captain had given Shoaib, and other bowlers, a piece of his mind before the fifth day's play in Multan and since then the fast bowler had been feeling down and depressed. According to the report, the "Rawalpindi Express" told his captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and the team management that since he was out of form he should be kept out in the larger interest of the team and the country. The world's fastest bowler was unable to bowl during practice on Thursday and Friday due to sore knees and then an upset stomach. But on Saturday morning he sent down a couple of overs as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shaharyar Khan visited the nets.

Action against Latif on the cards: PCB (Go To Top)

          Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would surely take a disciplinary action against former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif for levelling match fixing allegations against the team after it lost the fourth ODI against India in the recently concluded Samsung Cup one-day series. According to a report in the News, the Board on Saturday confirmed that it would take some action against Latif for making the charges without any evidence. "Rashid comes under the purview of the Board since he is among the current lot of players who have played for Pakistan in recent times. We have decided to take some action against him but will announce it tomorrow," the paper quoted PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan as saying. He said the Board was not happy at Rashid's remarks and felt that accusing his teammates on the basis of `body language' was shameful. Shaharyar confirmed that the board had sent Rashid's case to the disciplinary committee of the Board for their review and they had sent back their views on the basis of which some action would be taken against him.