Tag: Misbah

MOHALI - Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq believes fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has a key role to play in the World Cup semi-final against India -- even if the paceman doesn't take the field.
The 35-year-old Akhtar has said he will retire after the World Cup and has only featured in three matches at the tournament to date. But he remains capable of working up fearsome speed and may have one last shot at India when Pakistan face their arch-rivals on Wednesday.
"Shoaib Akhtar is a

MOHALI - Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq believes fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has a key role to play in the World Cup semi-final against India -- even if the paceman doesn't take the field.
The 35-year-old Akhtar has said he will retire after the World Cup and has only featured in three matches at the tournament to date.
But he remains capable of working up fearsome speed and may have one last shot at India when Pakistan face their arch-rivals on Wednesday.
"Shoaib Akhtar

NEW DELHI - Only a comprehensive victory over Zimbabwe will restore some of Pakistan's lost self-belief in Monday's World Cup Group A match in Kandy. Ross Taylor battered them on Tuesday, hammering a 124-ball 131 to inflict on Pakistan a crushing 110-run defeat that continues to rankle the 1992 champions.
"We are trying to recover from our shaken confidence (with a win) in the next match against Zimbabwe," senior batsman Misbah ul Haq said. "We are trying to get the basics right

PALLEKELE - Vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq Friday vowed Pakistan would support Kamran Akmal after his horror show against New Zealand, saying the fumbling wicket-keeper was mentally tough. New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor benefited from two astounding let-offs by the 29-year-old keeper to hit a career-best 131 not out and help his team to a thumping 110-run win in their Group A match in Pallekele on Tuesday. "I think everyone should support him. He had three good matches but dropped two

PALLEKELE - Misbah-ul-Haq on Monday urged his team-mates to take the pressure off high-flying skipper Shahid Afridi who has single-handedly won matches for Pakistan in this World Cup. Afridi took 5-16 -- the best bowling figures by any Pakistani in all World Cups -- against Kenya and followed that with 4-34 against Sri Lanka and 5-23 against Canada, giving him a tournament-high of 14 wickets. His efforts have given Pakistan a perfect six points from three matches and top spot in Group

PALLEKELE - New Zealand pace spearhead Tim Southee said Sunday that in-form Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq was in his sights for the match between the Group A rivals on Tuesday. The 36-year-old Pakistan batsman was in prime form on his side's recent tour of New Zealand, making 203 runs in four innings to help Pakistan secure a series win and has continued to score runs at the World Cup.
Misbah scored 65 against Kenya, 83 not out against Sri Lanka and 37 against Canada, playing a

COLOMBO - Captain Shahid Afridi said Pakistan had sent out a clear message of intent to their World Cup rivals after beating Sri Lanka by 11 runs in a tight Group A encounter on Saturday. Pakistan scored 277 for 7 in their 50 overs with Misbah-ul-Haq hitting an unbeaten 83 and Younis Khan scoring 72 before restricting the home team to 266-9.
"That was a big game and the boys all knew how big that game was," said Afridi, praising Misbah and Younis for very mature cricket. Afridi,

DHAKA - Ahmed Shehzad and Misbah-ul-Haq hit centuries as they steered Pakistan to a morale-boosting 89-run victory over co-hosts Bangladesh in a World Cup warm up match on Tuesday. The win would have helped to put the players in the right frame of mind for the Feb 19-April 2 tournament after their recent on-field exploits were overshadowed by the ban handed to three former team mates for spot-fixing.
Pakistan scored 285 for nine in their 50 overs before skittling out Bangladesh

BANGALORE: Australia may not start as strong World Cup favourites but the momentum is with them after their recent one-day success against England, skipper Ricky Ponting said on Friday.
"At the moment we're in good shape. We've got some really good confidence and a bit of momentum around our team," Ponting told reporters in Bangalore.
"Our lead-up really couldn't be much better coming into this World Cup, having just beaten a pretty good English side with quite a few of our

LAHORE - Rubbishing rumours about groupings in the team, vice-captain Misbah-ul-Haq has said that all players are united, with their focus on the World Cup. "Winning against New Zealand in the Test series and then in the ODI series has helped the team lift its morale before the World Cup," Misbah told reporters on his return from New Zealand.
Pakistan lost the Twenty20 series during New Zealand tour, but bounced back strongly and managed to clinch the Test and ODI series against

WELLINGTON - Misbah-ul-Haq overcame the loss of late wickets to keep his cool and guide Pakistan to a two-wicket victory over New Zealand in their fourth one-day international match in Napier Tuesday.
Misbah, who has anchored Pakistan's batting throughout the tour of New Zealand, proved once again a thorn in the side of Daniel Vettori's team, scoring 93 not out as Pakistan finished on 264 for eight in 49 overs having chased down the host's 262 for seven. The Pakistan test

LAHORE - After humiliating defeat in the first one day international against Black Caps, former Pakistan fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz has again asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to dump Shahid Afridi as skipper.
Talking to a private television channel on Sunday, Sarfraz Nawaz said, "Afridi clearly failed to live up to the expectations and PCB shouldn't take risk with him in the upcoming mega event like cricket World Cup," he added. Pakistan lost the first one-day international

SPORTS This WEEK - F

LAHORE - Pakistan batsman Younis Khan, captain Misbah-ul-Haq and fast bowler Umar Gul have moved up in the ICC Player Rankings after showing good performances in the Wellington Test against New Zealand which ended in a draw on Wednesday.
Younis, who surged to the top of the batting table after his Karachi triple-century against Sri Lanka a couple of years ago, has climbed five places to 14th position in the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after his scores of 73 and

Pakistan captain Misbha-ul-Haq scored the highest number of runs while team-mate Umar claimed the highest number of wickets in the just concluded Test matches between Pakistan and New Zealand. Pakistan won the series 1-0. The Pakistani skipper scored 231 runs at an average of 115.50 and a strike rate of 38.88 with three half-centuries in as many innings of two Test matches. He hit 30 fours and one six in this series. Martin Guptill scored 163 runs at 40.75 and a strike rate of 34.38

Pakistan has won a Test series after a long gap of four years - their last Test series win was against the West Indies in late 2006.
Pakistan needed 274 for victory on the final day. The visitors looked well placed at 160-3 just before tea. However, once Younis Khan fell in the last over before tea, Pakistan seemed to call off their chase. They were unwilling to risk a rare series victory and took a no-risk approach in the final session to ensure a draw.
Earlier, three

LAHORE - The Pakistan Cricket Board Tuesday announced the 15-member squad for the 2011 World Cup without naming captain. Star middle order batsman Mohamamd Yousuf was left out from the team.
The PCB will most likely wait till the completion of the ODI series against New Zealand to reassess the performance of Shahid Afridi.
However, Pakistan's Test captain Misbahul Haq is one of the likely choices provided the PCB does not come under pressure from certain 'influential