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Shahid Afridi said a good performance in the two-match series against New Zealand would build into Pakistan’s preparations for the 50-over World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2014There might not be much relevance to a Twenty20 contest right now, but Shahid Afridi said a good performance in the two-match series against New Zealand would build into Pakistan’s preparations for the 50-over World Cup.Pakistan have had a tough time in one-day cricket over the past 12 months. They lost to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final in February, and conceded a three-match series to the same opposition in the UAE. Recently, they were beaten by a young Australia side 3-0. But an upswing in their Test form has put the team in a good frame of mind.”I think the boys are feeling very confident ahead of the series and my side is a very well-balanced one,” Afridi said. “You can’t compare the T20s with the ODI cricket. It’s a totally different format. But I think a victory, and to have a winning combination is very important. You feel more confident after a victory. Each victory and each game before the World Cup is important to us.”Afridi also voiced confidence in his bowling resources. Umar Gul, who has recovered from knee injury and appears fit for international cricket after going through six first-class matches in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Wahab Riaz is also making a comeback after hurting his knee during the second ODI against Australia in October. Since then, he’s played two four-day games during which he bowled 68 overs.”Both Umar and Wahab have performed very well for Pakistan in the past,” Afridi said. “They are both looking very fit and they seem to be in good form. I am very happy to see them in the squad.”With Mohammad Hafeez under scrutiny for his action and Saeed Ajmal – the top wicket-taker in T20s – suspended from bowling, Afridi sees an opportunity for fringe players to shine.”Our spinners have done very well despite Ajmal’s absence and played a very important role in our wins. I believe that Pakistan has got good bowling strength. We have bowlers sitting who are waiting for their chance to get into the team. It’s not as if we are struggling to find another spinner. I think we have always been blessed with good bowling combinations.”

Bangladesh will prepare for the upcoming World Twenty20, which they are hosting, with three T20 matches against their A team

Mohammad Isam03-Dec-2013Bangladesh’s preparation for the upcoming World Twenty20 begins next Tuesday as the senior side gear up to face the A team in three Twenty20 matches. A two-man selection panel has picked a youthful second-string side against a Bangladesh team which includes Shakib Al Hasan, the allrounder having recovered from dengue fever, which he contracted on the eve of the first ODI against New Zealand in October.The team will however be without the experience of Tamim Iqbal, as the left-hand opener is still recovering from an abdominal injury that resulted in him missing out on the third ODI of the New Zealand series, as well as the one-off T20 match. They will be led by Mushfiqur Rahim, who has been given an extension till the 2015 World Cup as captain.Nasir Hossain will lead a strong A team which includes Imrul Kayes, the second-highest scorer in the Dhaka Premier League, as well as Marshall Ayub who played two Tests in October. The side is packed with three allrounders in Farhad Reza, Muktar Ali and Alauddin Babu – who, admittedly, recently conceded 39 runs off an over in a DPL match.All three matches will be held at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, with the first two – on December 10 and 12 – being played in the evening. The final game, on December 14, will be played in the afternoon.The series is the brainchild of Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen who, like the members of the team management, is looking to fix the team’s problematic T20 setup. Bangladesh are currently No. 10 in the ICC Twenty20 rankings, 15 rating points behind Ireland. They have won only two of their last ten international matches in this format.In the World Twenty20, which they are hosting, Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan, Hong Kong and Nepal in the first round of the competition, from which only one team will qualify to the following stage.Squads
Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Naeem Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah , Abdur Razzak, Sohag Gazi, Mashrafe Mortaza, Ziaur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain.Bangladesh A: Nasir Hossain (capt), Jahurul Islam, Mohammad Mithun, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Marshal Ayub, Sabbir Rahman, Nazmul Hossain, Farhad Reza, Arafat Sunny, Elias Sunny, Muktar Ali, Alauddin Babu.

Kyle Coetzer struck a brilliant unbeaten century as Northamptonshire thrashed Worcestershire by seven wickets to win their fifth Yorkshire Bank 40 game in arow.

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2013Northamptonshire 188-3 (Coetzer 105*) beat Worcestershire 187-8 (Fell 55, Azharullah 4-38) by four wickets
ScorecardKyle Coetzer continued Northants’ fine season with an unbeaten century•Northamptonshire CCCKyle Coetzer struck a brilliant unbeaten century as Northamptonshire thrashed Worcestershire by seven wickets to win their fifth Yorkshire Bank 40 game in arow.The Royals’ innings never got going as they were restricted to 187 for 8 from their 40 overs with 19-year-old Tom Fell top-scoring with 55 off 71 balls as Mohammad Azharullah took 4 for 37.Unsurprisingly, the in-form Steelbacks chased down their target with 37 balls to spare with Coetzer hammering 105 not out from 110 deliveries to move the hosts up to second in Group A – three points behind Nottinghamshire.Fell completed the first half-century of his senior career off 63 ballsbut his innings came to an end when Azharullah’s yorker crashed into his offstump.Chasing 188, Northamptonshire lost Australia international Cameron White, who made 24 in the first game of his second spell with the county before he was caught and bowled.Kyle Coetzer then went on to reach 50 off 63 deliveries as his third-wicket partnership of 121 with captain Alex Wakely took the game away from the visitors.Coetzer completed his third century in domestic one-day cricket off 107 ballsbefore Wakely holed out at long on 43, leaving Matt Spriegel to nudge the winning run and complete a comfortable victory.

Preview of the match between Pune Warriors and Chennai Super Kings in Pune

The Preview by Nikita Bastian29-Apr-2013Match factsApril 30, 2013
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Pune Warriors have already proved to be a stumbling block for Chennai Super Kings this season•BCCIBig PicturePune Warriors are at the bottom of the points table. Chennai Super Kings are at the top after nine games. Warriors have lost their last four matches, Super Kings have five wins in a row. On current form, this is possibly the biggest mismatch in the IPL. But then, the previous time Super Kings lost in this tournament was when they played Warriors. That upset came at Chepauk, and the game wasn’t even close, Warriors winning by 24 runs.Since then, Super Kings have been unstoppable. They have won even when it seemed like they wouldn’t; their strategy of accelerating a chase late has often appeared a folly, only for someone to deliver and take them over the line. At Eden Gardens it was Ravindra Jadeja; against Rajasthan Royals, Dwayne Bravo got a six away with 10 needed off 4; and then there was an MS Dhoni special against Sunrisers Hyderabad.For Warriors, it has been just the opposite. Time and again they’ve looked to be in control of the game, only to end up losing. Chasing 120 against Sunrisers, they went from 101 for 4 to 108 all out; they were not able to defend 185 against Kings XI Punjab, and on Sunday they just could not get the big hits away against Daredevils, finishing 15 short in a chase of 165 despite being only four down. They have four points from nine games, and while the permutations are not firmed up as yet, it seems likely that Warriors will have to win all their remaining seven games and hope for other results to go in their favour to progress to the playoffs.Form guidePune Warriors LLLLW (most recent first)
Chennai Super Kings WWWWWIn the spotlightFor Chennai Super Kings, the fourth overseas player slot has been like a game of musical chairs. Dirk Nannes, Ben Laughlin, Jason Holder and Albie Morkel have all come in, gone out and then, in some cases, come right back in again. It appears Super Kings, in sticking to type, would prefer to play allrounder Ablie but he has been having fitness issues. Which of the overseas quicks will play in Pune? That’s anyone’s guess. Once Faf du Plessis is fit, provided the team doesn’t run into a bad patch of form, they might also be tempted to allow Michael Hussey a bit of a rest and give themselves the extra overseas batting option, should they need it going into the business end of the tournament.Pune Warriors’ death bowling has been the worst among all teams in the tournament. Their economy rate at the death (overs 16 to 20) so far this season is 11.17, almost two runs more expensive than the second team on the list, Kolkata Knight Riders. Death bowling has been something Warriors have been focusing on improving. After the IPL auction in February coach Allan Donald had said they aggressively pursued Australian quick Kane Richardson and paid big bucks for him – he was the third most expensive buy at US$700,000 – specifically because of his “exciting death-bowling skills”. Richardson played his first game against Delhi Daredevils on Sunday and, after conceding 17 runs in three overs, produced length balls in the 19th to be dispatched for three sixes. Might have just been the nerves of an IPL debut, but given Warriors position on the points table are they out of time to find a viable solution?Stats and Trivia Robin Uthappa and Aaron Finch have four half-century opening stands in seven innings this season, the most by any pair During his innings against Knight Riders, Suresh Raina became only the second player to tally 100 sixes in the IPL, behind Chris Gayle Quotes”The way he has played against different teams has been quite dynamic. I cannot speak more highly of Hussey, on the influence he has and the way he conducts himself. He leads by example, not only the runs he scores but the way he trains and conducts himself.”
“Cricket is a funny game, especially T20, where even a single over can change the game. So we’ve learnt that until it’s over, don’t raise your hopes.”

Lionel Messi would be "welcome" in the Saudi Pro League should decide to leave Inter Miami in the near future, sporting director Michael Emenalo says.

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Messi was offered deal from Saudi ArabiaOpted to join Inter Miami insteadArgentine still welcome at Saudi Pro LeagueWHAT HAPPENED?

Messi was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia and recently admitted he considered the offer before he decided to head to MLS in July, signing for Inter Miami. The 36-year-old appears happy in the United States after his first few months in the country, but Emenalo says the Pro League would be happy to snap him up.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MICHAEL EMENALO SAID

"The reasons that he ended up in MLS is something that I don’t have answers to," Emenalo was quoted as saying by . "If he decides next season that he wants to come here, we will be happy to welcome him. If he wants to stay in MLS, we will be very, very happy for him."

On another potentially busy window in January, the former Chelsea technical director added: "The Saudi Pro League is open for business to any superstar that wants to come. If there is an indication that there is an opening and any of the superstars that you know and I know says: ‘We are interested in coming to this league,’ we will work very very hard to bring them in.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

A move to the Middle East would see Messi unite with his former rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who is hoping to fire Al-Nassr to the league title this season. The Argentine sensation would also join the likes of ex-Barcelona team-mate Neymar, currently at Al-Hilal, and former Real Madrid hero Karim Benzema, who is now with Al-Ittihad.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Instead of heading to Saudi Arabia any time soon, however, Messi will instead reunite with his old co-star Luis Suarez at Inter Miami. After missing out on the play-offs in 2023, the World Cup winner will aim to help his side reach the MLS play-offs in the 2024 campaign.

Jonathan Trott has been ruled out of action for three to four weeks meaning he will miss the end of the English domestic season, after scans revealed a fracture to his right hand

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Sep-2012Jonathan Trott has been ruled out of action for three to four weeks meaning he will miss the end of the English domestic season, after scans revealed a fracture to his right hand, but is expected to be fit for the start of the tour to India.Trott took a blow from Dale Steyn during the fourth ODI against South Africa at Lord’s on Sunday and although initial x-rays did not reveal serious damage further investigation has found an undisplaced fracture on his middle finger.It means Trott will be unavailable for the CB40 final against Hampshire at Lord’s and the final round of Championship matches, although Warwickshire are on the brink of securing the four-day title with a game to spare.An ECB statement said: “Although initial X-rays were clear, a subsequent MRI scan revealed a fracture at the base of his third metacarpal. No intervention is required and the 31-year-old should be able to resume batting in 3-4 weeks and is expected to available for the tour of India next month.”Jonny Bairstow took Trott’s place for the final one-day international against South Africa at Trent Bridge and Ravi Bopara moved up to No. 3 but fell for a second ball duck to Dale Steyn.England are expected to name their Test squad for India next week before the start of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. There are a number of issues to resolve, not least whether Kevin Pietersen will be available but also the likely absence of Ian Bell for the Mumbai Test as his wife is due to give birth.

Tamim Iqbal is expected to return to cricket within two or three weeks, after he underwent arthroscopic evaluation and surgery on his left knee in Melbourne on Monday

Mohammad Isam29-Dec-2014Tamim Iqbal is expected to return to cricket within two or three weeks, after he underwent arthroscopic evaluation and surgery on his left knee in Melbourne on Monday.According to Dr David Young, the orthopaedic surgeon performed the procedure, the batsman will be able to make a comeback to nets following rehabilitation which will begin immediately.Bangladesh’s chief selector Faruque Ahmed said that Tamim will be considered for Bangladesh’s 15-member World Cup squad, which is expected to be announced next week. Bangladesh will have a short camp at home from January 12, and Tamim is likely to return before the team leaves for Brisbane on January 24.”He [Tamim Iqbal] will be considered one hundred per cent,” Faruque told ESPNcricinfo. “The report has given us optimism as he will have ample time to rehabilitate from the surgery and begin nets in due time.”Tamim had complained of pain while playing for Legends of Rupganj in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League two weeks ago, following which the BCB sent him to see Dr Young.According to a BCB press release, their senior physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury informed that “the BCB medical team will decide on the management plan for the player in consultation with Dr Young after evaluating the complete report on the surgery”.

South Africa haven’t won in four matches in Durban, something they will be out to correct. India stood up in Johannesburg, something they will be out to repeat

The Preview by Firdose Moonda25-Dec-20130:00

Dravid: Big challenges after taxing Test

Match facts December 26- December 30, 2013
Start time 1000 local (0800GMT)Jacques Kallis will be playing his final Test•Getty ImagesBig Picture Test match cricket probably does not get tougher or tenser than the Wanderers last week. It also doesn’t get more tight. After five days of one of the best quality matches in recent times, there was no winner which has increased what’s at stake in this Boxing Day Test.For South Africa, that grew even more when Jacques Kallis announced the Durban match would be his last. South Africa will want to give him a send-off that includes a series win but will also have on eye on important points on the ICC rankings and intangible ones the teams need to prove to themselves and their fans.India have already done the last of those. Their batsmen performed beyond expectation and showed their ability to adjust to conditions that are regarded as some of the toughest in the world. Their bowlers had the measure of their opposition for the majority of the first Test. Having pushed the No. 1 ranked team to the edge, India will see no reason why they can’t tip them over, especially given the venue of the second Test.Durban is where India beat South Africa the last time they were here. Graeme Smith’s men have not won any of the last four matches they have played at Kingsmead, which gives them all the more reason to push for one here. They are a proud and proven team, who have claimed victories all over the cricketing world and now need to get an important one on their own turf and will take heart from their record to do that.South Africa have not lost a series in almost five years. Their last defeat came in February 2009 against Australia. Since then, they have played 13 series, won seven and drawn six. Of those, four of the shared spoils came at home. Being the top-ranked team is important to them and this series will play a crucial role in staying there.India’s next assignment is against New Zealand while South Africa take on third placed Australia at home so the outcome of this match could be crucial for the rankings over the next few months.Form guide (last five completed games most recent first)
South Africa DWLWW
India DWWWWIn the spotlightIt was always coming but it arrived unexpectedly soon. Jacques Kallis will play his last Test in Durban. After 18 years as a Test allrounder, Kallis has decided to reserve the time he has left for limited-overs cricket only with an eye on the 2015 World Cup. That doesn’t mean he won’t want to go out with a bang. After last scoring a century more than a year ago, Kallis has the perfect stage to do it here.Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander were, according to Graeme Smith, the two men who made the decision to play for a draw in Johannesburg because they wanted to leave the open the possibility of winning the series in Durban. Much of the burden of doing that will fall on them. After going wicketless in the second innings at the Wanderers, Steyn will be looking forward to the possibility of swing in the air at Kingsmead while Philander, who has not played a Test at this ground will want to show his style of bowling can be as successful in these conditions as they are anywhere.Having recently become the fastest Indian bowler to 100 Test wickets, R Ashwin may not be used to playing a bit-part role but that’s what he had to do at the Wanderers. Ashwin bowled only six overs in the first wickets and although his load was six times more in the second, he went wicket-less. That should change in Durban. With spin certain to play a role, Ashwin should have the opportunity to come into his own in the latter stages of the match. His contributions with the bat on what could be a tricky surface will also be needed.Team news Morne Morkel’s quick recovery from his ankle sprain means South Africa may not have to choose any replacement seamer and can stick to the same pace attack. Should something go wrong for Morkel, one of Rory Kleinveldt or Kyle Abbott will take his place. They seem certain to make a change in the spin department with Robin Peterson likely to step in for Imran Tahir.South Africa: (likely) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Alviro Petersen, 3 Hashim Amla 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers (wk), 6 Faf du Plessis, 7 JP Duminy 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Morne Morkel, 11 Imran Tahir/Robin PetersonAfter the way their batting line-up stood up at the Wanderers, India do not have any need to make changes. They may ponder playing a second specialist spinner with Ravindra Jadeja a possibility, but will then have to leave out a batsman. Their pacemen showed what they are capable of in Johannesburg and unless one of them is carrying legs which are too tired to carry on, they should field the same trio in that department.India: (likely) 1 M Vijay, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rohit Sharma, 6 Ajinkya Rahane, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Mohammed ShamiPitch and conditionsDurban is the South Africa’s most Indian city – in terms of weather and demographics – and the pitch may end up reflecting that. The surface is expected to be slower than usual and should take turn as the match enters the final two days. Despite Durban gaining a reputation for washouts, the first three days are forecast to be sunny and hot. Rain is scheduled for all of Sunday, with the final day cloudy and cooler.Stats and trivia South Africa’s record at Kingsmead reads like this: played 39, won 13, lost 13, drawn 13. India have only won two Tests in South Africa before this tour. The first was in Johannesburg and the second in Durban – both of which were the venues of this series. Jacques Kallis will play his last Test at Kingsmead. He has four hundreds at the venue, which come consecutively between 2002 and 2006. Quotes “That workload will be in their legs somewhere in the Test match, especially if we can get a good partnership somewhere in their line-up. The more confident we’ve got, the less the toss is a worry for us.”

“We gained a lot of confidence and there a lot of positives for us. We batted really well. We bowled really well. So if we can repeat the same thing then we have a very good chance of winning this test match.”

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has barred an Indian national from entering any stadiums in the country after he admitted to being a bookie

Mohammad Isam12-Feb-2013The Bangladesh Cricket Board has barred an Indian national from entering any stadiums in the country after he admitted to being a bookie.A resident of Hyderabad, Durga Prasad was seized by security staff while seated in the international gallery of the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur during the BPL matches on Monday evening. “We accosted Mr Durga Prasad inside the stadium,” BCB’s head of security, Col (retd) Mesbahuddin Serniabat, told ESPNcricinfo.”We followed him and found that he was sending a lot of text messages. After speaking to him, we found out that he is a Hyderabad resident who had come to Bangladesh on February 2.”Serniabat said Prasad had later “admitted that he is a bookie. He earns money from betting. We have banned him from the Shere Bangla National Stadium because betting is illegal in the country.”Prasad he said had given an undertaking to not enter any stadiums in Bangladesh.This is however not the first time a man has had to be ejected from Mirpur during the BPL. In the tournament’s first season, a Pakistan national named Sajid Khan was handed over to the police for suspected involvement in match-fixing after he was stopped from trying to enter the players’ zone.

ESPNcricinfo previews the third Twenty20 international between Pakistan and England, in Abu Dhabi

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan26-Feb-2012Match FactsMonday, February 27, Abu Dhabi
Start time 2000 (1600 GMT)Hammad Azam played a brief but sparkling innings in the second Twenty20•Getty ImagesThe Big PictureAfter two whitewashes we now have a series decider following England’s slick victory in the second Twenty20 international in Dubai. Twenty20 matches can swing on the smallest of factors, but the intensity and sharpness of England’s display on Saturday suggests they are the side finishing stronger.A series victory will help consolidate England’s position at the top of the rankings, although the bigger picture, and it applies to both teams, is putting in place plans for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka during September and October. Twenty20 internationals are few and far between – three-match series are a new breed in this format – so each game is important towards building a unit.England learned quickly between the first and second matches in Dubai while Pakistan regressed quite significantly, especially with the bat. Jonny Bairstow showed that England’s young players are soaking up their experiences while the incisiveness of the bowling attack is now consistent across all three formats.Form guide (Most recent first)
Pakistan LWWWW
England WLWLWWatch out for…Hammad Azam showed some spark in the second Twenty20 and while he was cutting loose, in a manner reminiscent of Abdul Razzaq, Pakistan were not out of the match. For a 20-year-old playing his first Twenty20 international innings it was a display of impressive confidence. It might be worth Misbah-ul-Haq giving him a bowl.Graeme Swann was out-bowled in the Test series by Monty Panesar and often overshadowed by the quicks in the 50-over matches, but he has come into his own in the Twenty20s. His eight overs have brought figures of 5 for 30, which should provide him a nice rankings boost at the end of the series. And he still likes cracking the jokes.Team newsThe form of Shoaib Malik is causing Pakistan problems, which became even more acute when Misbah struggled to score in the second match. The middle order could do with some more kick and it may be worth promoting Azam. Imran Farhat is also in the squad if they decide Awais Zia has proved just hit and miss.Pakistan (probable) 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Awais Zia, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Umar Akmal (wk), 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Hammad Azam, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Aizaz CheemaWith the series on the line England won’t be tinkering as they did in the last ODI, which means Tim Bresnan is unlikely to find a place.England (probable) 1 Kevin Pietersen, 2 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 3 Ravi Bopara, 4 Eoin Morgan, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Samit Patel, 8 Stuart Broad (capt), 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Jade Dernbach, 11 Steven FinnPitch and conditionsIn Dubai a score of around 140-150 proved defendable and the nature of the pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi during the ODIs suggests something similar could be par for this final match. It will be another late finish for fans and players with an 8pm start.Stats and trivia Pakistan’s defeat on Saturday was Misbah’s first as captain in a Twenty20 In 16 innings on tour (including the warm-up matches) Eoin Morgan has made 190 runs with a top score of 31.Quotes”In this game we won last night, I thought Bairstow’s innings was outstanding – very skilful, and very powerful as well. That’s a very good combination to have.”
Edited by Dustin Silgardo