 | Cricket: Sialkot ‘unhappy’ with PCB’s interference
28 August 2012
|
| 
KARACHI: Sialkot region officials are unhappy with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) ‘unwanted interference’ in appointing team officials for the Champions League Twenty20.
Sialkot Stallions will become the first Pakistan side to take part in the mega event if it manages to qualify for the main event – Shoaib Malik’s side will take on Auckland Aces on October 9 before meeting Hampshire two days later, needing to top the qualifying pool in order to progress.
Preparation off on the wrong foot
However, according to a Sialkot region official, the team’s preparation for the event got off on the wrong foot after the PCB appointed Naushad Ali team manager.
“Stallions have won so many domestic T20 tournaments and Naeem, who has been the team manager for such a long time, knew the squad inside out,” a Sialkot region official told The Express Tribune. “Now, just for the tournament, the PCB has appointed Naushad in his place without involving the region or our officials.
“There’s a lot of politics going on behind the scenes but the only reason we wanted to stick with Naeem was because of unity and solidarity.”
Big-name signings ruled out by official
Meanwhile, the official also ruled out any big-name signings for the Champions League and insisted that the current crop of players, who have performed outstandingly on the domestic circuit, will be persisted with.
“We are content with the players that we have. The only issue was the replacement of the manager. Naveed Anjum, our coach, was moved to Faisalabad but recalled for the mega event and we are at a loss as to why the PCB wants its own manager.
“Even our players wanted to raise their voices against the decision but the PCB threatened action against them which is why they decided to keep quiet.”
Stallions have won six of the national Twenty20 events – including five consecutive ones that saw them win 25 consecutive matches – and are also the reigning Super Eight T20 Cup winners. | | See Also in Sports News
|
|  ICC no-balls Asad Rauf sans proof
24 May 2013
Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf has been withdrawn by the ICC from officiating in the upcoming Champions Trophy in England following media reports that indicated he was under investigation by Mumbai Police.
"In the wake of reports that the Mumbai Police are conducting an investigation into Asad Rauf's activities, we feel that it is in Asad's best interests as well as those of the sport and the event itself, that he is withdrawn from participating in the ICC Champions Trophy," Dave Richardson, the ... Full Story |  India spot-fix scandal 'shameful': Sports minister
24 May 2013
India's sports minister on Thursday branded as "shameful" the spot-fixing scandal involving the arrest of three cricketers, including Test fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, and 11 bookmakers. Police last week arrested Sreesanth and teammates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila from the Rajasthan Royals, accusing them of deliberately bowling badly in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars.
"It is very shameful. As a young person, as a sports fan, as the sports minister of the country, my head ... Full Story |  No Vettori for Kiwis as they bid to hold England
24 May 2013
Daniel Vettori's hopes of making a return to Test cricket in New Zealand's series finale with England in Leeds ultimately came to nothing after he was ruled out on Thursday. Former captain Vettori hasn't played a Test for nearly a year, mainly because of Achilles trouble, and was only originally selected for the one-day leg of this tour.
But a calf injury suffered by his fellow left-arm spinner Bruce Martin during New Zealand's thumping 170-run first Test defeat at Lord's saw Vettori make an ... Full Story | |
|
|
|
