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Pakistan on verge of defeat

          Multan: Leg-spinner Anil Kumble captured six wickets to take India to the verge of their maiden Test victory on Pakistani soil on Wednesday. Kumble grabbed his 24th five-wicket haul as Pakistan, needing 268 to avoid an innings defeat, were 207 for nine on the fourth day. Yousuf Youhana was batting on a fighting 107, his 11th Test century, with last man Shabbir Ahmed on nought. India have not won any of their previous 20 Tests in Pakistan, losing five and drawing 15. Left-arm paceman Irfan Pathan had done the damage earlier, picking up a career-best four for 100 in only his third Test to end Pakistan's first innings on 407 to ensure India could enforce the follow-on. The tourists had amassed 675 for five in their first innings, Virender Sehwag slamming a record 309 and Sachin Tendulkar adding an unbeaten 194. India are playing their first Test in Pakistan in over 14 years.

Inzamam, Youhana, Shoaib almost walked out over fixing (Go To Top)

          Multan: Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, vice- captain Yousuf Youhana and fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar had initially told the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that they did not want to play the Test series against India following accusations that the fourth one-day international at Lahore had been "fixed." Pakistan team sources told the News that these three senior players were very upset over the match-fixing accusations that surfaced because a local news agency had misquoted former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif. "When the story appeared after the match, three of the players were very upset and informed the manager Haroon Rasheed that they would not play in the Test series unless the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took some action against the people making the allegations without any evidence," said a source. "The players were already fed up with the constant allegations made by former Pakistan bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz before the series started and lost their cool," the source said.

Miandad wants Sarfaraz as bowling coach (Go To Top)

          Multan: Pakistan's cricket coach Javed Miandad has reportedly recommended the name of former fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to be appointed as the team's bowling coach. "Miandad has recommended that Sarfaraz be appointed as national bowling coach so that he can divide his time between the senior and junior teams and also work at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore," a PCB source was quoted by The News, as saying. Miandad's recommendation has come as bit of a surprise to the PCB, as Safaraz is seen as an anti-establishment man. PCB CEO Rameez Raja has already indicated that the names of Australian bowling coach Daryl Foster and former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis were being considered for the post, but a decision would be made after the series against India. "Miandad's argument is that despite his problems with the establishment, Sarfaraz was the pioneer of reverse swing and one of the best seam and swing bowlers produced by Pakistan who passed on the art to Imran, Wasim, Waqar etc.," the source said.