Misbah replaces Afridi as ODI captain

The curtain has finally come down on Shahid Afridi's reign as ODI captain, with the PCB replacing him withMisbah-ul-Haq for the two ODIs against Ireland at the end of the month.

No official reason has been given for the move to replace a man who has led Pakistan to two ODI bilateral series wins - although against weaker sides - as well as a semi-final run in the 2011 World Cup: when contacted board chairman Ijaz Butt refused to speak on the topic. In 34 ODIs, he won 18 and lost 15 games; a stretch which included tough series against England and South Africa. However Butt had had told a television channel on Wednesday that "no assurance has been rendered to Shahid Afridi of retaining him as skipper for the upcoming one-day international matches in Ireland.

"I didn't give any assurances to anyone and we are still in the process of debating the changes for the series against Ireland which is also important," the PCB chief added.

It is likely, however, that the move came after the board decided they had had enough with Afridi's penchant for awkward public statements. The latest situation arose when Afridi returned from the Caribbean and hinted at unhappiness with coach Waqar Younis over matters of selection. The pair were never on fantastic terms - Waqar had preferred Misbah as captain for the World Cup itself - but held together through the World Cup. But differences grew between the pair during the course of the ODI series which Pakistan eventually won 3-2, Afridi unhappy at the amount of say Waqar wanted in the selection of the final XI.

Afridi was sent a showcause notice by the board and was due to meet the chairman over his comments as well as his relationship with Waqar. A report in Jang, the leading Urdu daily, said Afridi had spoken to the chairman on phone last week before flying out to the USA on a fund-raising tour on Tuesday and been assured that the situation wasn't a serious one. Board officials have also constantly downplayed the differences between the pair since Afridi's arrival, a situation which also led Mohsin Khan, chief selector, to the brink of resignation.

Last December, during the tour of New Zealand, members of the team and the board were also upset with Afridi's very public criticisms of the performances of the side in two Twenty20 losses.

Afridi took over as ODI captain properly in June last year, before the Asia Cup, having been appointed the Twenty20 captain the previous year. He was never given the leadership on a full-time basis, but first irked the board by walking away from the Test captaincy on the tour to England, one Test after being appointed. Misbah, currently the Test captain, now becomes the fifth ODI captain under the near three-year tenure of Butt; there have also been six Test captains in that time.

Afridi does retain a place in the 16-man squad for the two ODIs on May 28 and 30. Three changes have been made from the ODI squad that defeated West Indies. Opener Ahmed Shehzad, middle-order batsman Usman Salahuddin and fast bowler Sadaf Hussain have been dropped. In their place come Azhar Ali, Younis Khan and Umar Gul; Younis and Gul were both rested for the Caribbean ODI trip and Younis missed the Test series after his brother passed away.

Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Taufeeq Umar, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Salman (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Tanvir Ahmed, Junaid Khan, Hammad Azam

Shoaib Akhtar and Afridi will play Sri Lankan Premier League | SPL

ODI skipper Shahid Afridi, including the top Pakistani cricketers will play Sri Lankan Premier League [SPL] at the end of this year. Pakistani players had not a chance to play of the last three sessions of Indian Premier League (IPL).

Afridi said,"I already accepted the offer to become captain from one of the franchise ofSri Lankan Premier League. This is a great opportunity and I will try to take full advantage of it."

Afridi has got to offer in addition Bangladesh Premier League.He reported the matter.

Apart from Afridi Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq, retired fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Abdul Razzaq and Umar Akmal have also contracted with SPL.

'US to deploy troops if Pak nukes come under threat'

Monday, May 16, 2011



LONDON: US troops will be deployed in Pakistan if the nation's nuclear installations come under threat from terrorists out to avenge the killing of Osama bin Laden, the Sunday Express can reveal on Sunday.




The plan, which would be activated without President Asif Ali Zardari's consent, provoked an angry reaction from Pakistan officials last night. Barack Obama would order troops to parachute in to protect key nuclear missile sites. These include the air force's central Sargodha HQ, home base for nuclear-capable F-16 combat aircraft and at least 80 ballistic missiles.

A US source told the Sunday Express: "The plan is green lit and the president has already shown he is wiling to deploy troops in Pakistan if he feels it is important for national security." However, news of the plan has further increased tension between the US and Pakistan with relations already at an all-time low after the Operation Geronimo raid by the US Navy Seal special forces team that killed bin Laden at the house where he had been hiding in Abbottabad, near to a Pakistan military academy.

An angry Pakistani official said: "Pakistan has an elaborate command and control structure and is fully capable of defending its strategic assets under any circumstances and does not need any assistance from any country, including the US, to safeguard its nuclear installations."

The plan reflects growing concern over reprisals for the al-Qaeda terror leader's death. More than 80 people were killed and 140 injured when two Taliban suicide bombers struck at a military academy in the north-western town of Charsadda on Friday.

Alex Neill, of the Royal United Services Institute, said: "The United States places its own national security issues above all other sovereignty issues and trust in Pakistan's abilities are extremely low."

"If Obama can persuade congress that placing US troops at the installations is necessary to protect US citizens from possible nuclear attack, then that's what he will do." The Pentagon on Saturday refused to deny the existence of the plan, with a spokesman saying only: "We are confident that Pakistan has taken appropriate steps towards securing its nuclear arsenal." Source:Geo.tv

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Osama bin Laden hideout becomes Counter Strike map

A software map named fy_abbottabad in reference to the city where a US military team killed the infamous Al-Qaeda leader in a May 2 raid was available Monday as a setting for play in online computer shooter game “Counter-Strike.”

The map program described as a creation by “Fletch” had been downloaded more than 6,400 times from gamebanana.com website as of late Monday.

The map, available to download now features the compound Bin Laden reportedly lived in for the years leading up to his death last week.

Shoaib the fastest I've faced - Ponting

Ricky Ponting has congratulated Shoaib Akhtar on "an outstanding career" and said Akhtar was unquestionably the fastest bowler he had faced while playing for Australia. The two men could face off one final time in Colombo on Saturday, after Akhtar announced he would retire at the end of the World Cup, and Ponting said he would always remember the battles they had shared.

"I had some great duels with Shoaib over the years," Ponting said. "To this day, I've always said he's the fastest bowler that I've ever faced in international cricket. There's one spell that everyone can watch on the internet of him bowling to me at the WACA. That was reasonably entertaining - more so for Justin Langer, who was at the other end laughing at me all the time when I was trying to keep Shoaib's deliveries out.

"He was express pace, a very, very good bowler. Over the years he's had his fair share of injuries that have not allowed him to play as much as he would have liked. But even in this tournament so far, you can see that he's still got it with the new ball. He still has good pace, and his experience has helped him at different times as well. Congratulations to him on what has been an outstanding career."

Shoaib made his decision known to his team-mates on Thursday morning at an emotional gathering where he delivered a farewell speech and was embraced by fellow players and support staff.

"We feel sad for Shoaib as he has been a very nice team-mate and we'll always remember him as someone who always tried hard for the team and every player thanks him," Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan captain, said.

The Pakistan coach Waqar Younis added: ""I played with him and then coached him. He has been a great bowler for the country and served the team well. It is a nice way to leave the place for youngsters and that's something we must appreciate."

Several former Pakistan captains also paid tribute to Shoaib. "I would like to remember him as a tear-away bowler who with his strike-rate was a match-winner on his day. He battled through injuries and controversies with a lot of heart throughout his career," Ramiz Raja, now a television commentator, said.

Rashid Latif claimed Shoaib was the fastest bowler he kept wicket to. "He was amongst the most glamorous cricketers of all time," Latif said. "He was famous for his attitude but let me tell you he was down to earth and never been a problem for me when I was his captain. The only worry for me was his pace, quite easily he was the fastest bowler I kept to."

Aamer Sohail added it would be difficult for Pakistan to find a replacement for Shoaib. "When I captained him I found him to be very responsive and eager to perform for the country. He has done the right thing to retire now but it will take time for someone to take his place.

"He has set a good precedent for the future generation of cricketers."

Source:Cricinfo

Best Places in Pakistan To Visit

Gilgit-Baltistan (Urdu: گلگت - بلتستان, formerly known as the Northern Areas (Urdu: شمالی علاقہ جات, Shumālī Ilāqe Jāt)),^[4] is the northernmost political entity within the Pakistan. It borders Pakistan's Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province to the west, Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor to the north, China to the northeast, Azad Kashmir to the south, and Jammu & Kashmir State of India to the southeast. Gilgit-Baltistan covers an area of 72,971 km² (28,174 mi²) and has an estimated population approaching 1,000,000. Its administrative center is the city of Gilgit (population 216,760).

Naltar lake (Near Gilgit)
RAAMA LAKE(ASTORE)

ASTORE(Northern Areas)