2006 ABN-AMRO Twenty20 Fixtures and Results

Thursday, December 21st 2006
Group A
Lahore Eagles beat Abbottabad Rhinos by 80 runs National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex, Karachi
Karachi Dolphins beat Faisalabad Wolves by 2 runs National Stadium, Karachi
Group B
Karachi Zebras beat Hyderabad Hawks by 52 runs United Bank Limited Sports Complex, Karachi
Group C
Peshawar Panthers beat Multan Tigers by 5 wickets National Stadium, Karachi



Friday, December 22nd 2006
Group A
Faisalabad Wolves beat Lahore Eagles by 24 runs National Stadium, Karachi
Group B
Sialkot Stallions beat Karachi Zebras by 2 runs (D/L) Colts CC Ground, Colombo
Group C
Multan Tigers beat Islamabad Leopards by 21 runs Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Karachi
Group D
Rawalpindi Rams beat Quetta Bears by 20 runs National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex, Karachi



Saturday, December 23rd 2006
Group A
Karachi Dolphins beat Abbottabad Rhinos by 8 wickets Asghar Ali Shah Stadium, Karachi
Group B
Sialkot Stallions Hyderabad Hawks by 7 wickets United Bank Limited Sports Complex, Karachi
Group C
Peshawar Panthers beat Islamabad Leopards by 65 runs National Stadium, Karachi
Group D
Lahore Lions beat Rawalpindi Rams by 2 runs National Stadium, Karachi



Sunday, December 24th 2006
Group A
Faisalabad Wolves beat Abbottabad Rhinos by 7 wickets National Stadium, Karachi
Karachi Dolphins beat Lahore Eagles by 9 wickets National Stadium, Karachi
Group D
Lahore Lions beat Quetta Bears by 3 wickets United Bank Limited Sports Complex, Karachi



Monday, December 25th 2006 - Semi Finals
Karachi Dolphins beat Peshawar Panthers by 5 wickets National Stadium, Karachi
Sialkot Stallions beat Lahore Lions by 9 wickets National Stadium, Karachi



Sunday, March 4th 2007 - The Final
Sialkot Stallions beat Karachi Dolphins by 14 runs National Stadium, Karachi

Pakistan’s cricket chiefs believe

Pakistan’s cricket chiefs believe that the country is now set to break out of the period of uncertainty that has dogged the sport here in recent times.

“The dry spell is finally over and that’s a good sign for our cricket,” Wasim Bari, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief operating officer, told ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

“A lot of positive developments are taking place,” said the former Pakistan Test captain. “I must say that things are improving for Pakistan cricket,” he added.

Coming from a senior official of a cricket board which was recently removed as a World Cup 2011 co-host, such remarks may look a bit surprising.

But Bari has his reasons for feeling good about the current state of Pakistan cricket.

Things are looking better for the sport if you compare it with the situation six months back.

Pakistan cricket became one of the victims of the so-called war on terror following the 9-11 terrorist attacks in the United States. The security situation went from bad to worse in Pakistan because of the war in Afghanistan and later due to the Taliban uprising in the northern parts of its own territory.

Western nations stopped sending their cricket teams to Pakistan even ahead of the fatal blow that came in the shape of a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore last March. The ambush in broad daylight left eight people dead besides injuring several members of the touring team.

Pakistan, who were stripped of their status as Champions Trophy hosts even before the Lahore attack because of security concerns, also lost their right to host 14 of the World Cup 2011 matches.

Things were really looking bleak for Pakistan at the start of this summer but took a positive turn when the national team lifted the ICC World Twenty20 trophy in England in June.

Just days after returning home from England, the Pakistanis left for a full tour of Sri Lanka in June. They lost in both the Test and one-day series there.

After a brief rest, the national cricketers are now training in Karachi for the ICC Champions Trophy to be played in South Africa from September 22 to October 5.

The elite eight-nation event will mark the start of a very hectic ten-month period for Pakistani cricketers that will take them across three continents for a number of Test, one-day and twenty20 matches.

Pakistan, who did not play a single Test for almost 14 months, are to ‘host’ New Zealand for four One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 matches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai next month. Younis Khan’s men will then play their ‘home’ Test series against the Kiwis in New Zealand in Nov-Dec. The series cannot take place in Pakistan because of security-related issues.

Pakistan will begin a tough tour of Australia in December and will play three Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 game Down Under. Later, they are scheduled to defend their World T20 title in the West Indies and will then host Australia in a Test series in England. Pakistan will also play a Test series against England next summer.

“Our players will get plenty of cricket in the coming months. It’s now time that they prove their worth,” said Bari.

However, things are yet to improve on the home front. Pakistan are still some months away from hosting an international cricket match though Bari is hopeful that some ice-breaking games can be staged by next March.

“The security situation (in Pakistan) is getting better every day which is why I’m hopeful for an early return of international cricket here,” said Bari.

Bari’s PCB, meanwhile, is expecting to fill up its depleting bank account following a deal that it has finalised with the International Cricket Council (ICC). Pakistan is likely to receive around Rs1.25 billion for giving up its legal proceedings against the ICC for shifting World Cup 2011 matches from the country.

The Board is also making efforts to revive money-making bilateral matches against India which were suspended following last November’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The PCB lost almost US$30 million after India cancelled its tour of Pakistan late last year because of strained relations between the two countries.

Two Pakistan players short-listed for ICC Awards

Two Pakistan players short-listed for ICC Awards 2009

LAHORE: Two Pakistan players – all-rounder Shahid Afridi and fast bowler Umar Gul – have been nominated for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Awards 2009 to be held in South Africa next month. The players have been short-listed in the category of Twenty20 International Performance of the Year. The duo are joined by West Indies’ Chris Gayle and Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan in the said category. Two Pakistan umpires – Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf – have also been short-listed for the Umpire of the Year Award.

India’s Gautam Gambhir and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Australia’s Mitchell Johnson and England’s Andrew Strauss have all been short-listed for the Cricketer of the Year Award. The awards are based on the performance between August 13, 2008 and August 24, 2009. This period includes such high-profile events as the ICC World Twenty20 2009 in England, the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2009 in South Africa, as well as several bilateral Test and ODI series. In addition, Gambhir, Johnson and Strauss are also short-listed for the Test Player of the Year along side Sri Lanka’s Thilan Samaraweera at the sixth annual ICC Awards, presented in association with the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA). This year’s awards include eight individual prizes and also features the selection of the Test and ODI Teams of the Year and the award to the side that has adhered most to the Spirit of Cricket.

The long-lists of nominations were made by a five-man ICC selection panel chaired by former West Indies captain and current chairman of the ICC cricket committee Clive Lloyd. The panel also included former players such as India’s Anil Kumble, Mudassar Nazar of Pakistan, Bob Taylor of England and New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming. The short-lists were created after the individual player awards were voted for by an academy of 25 highly credentialed cricket personalities from around the world. The academy includes a host of former players, respected members of the media as well as representatives of the elite panels of ICC umpires and ICC match referees.

Short-lists of nominees

1: Cricketer of the Year

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind)

Gautam Gambhir (Ind)

Mitchell Johnson (Aus)

Andrew Strauss (Eng)

2: Test Player of the Year

Gautam Gambhir (Ind)

Mitchell Johnson (Aus)

Thilan Samaraweera (SL)

Andrew Strauss (Eng)

3: ODI Player of the Year

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI)

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind)

Virender Sehwag (Ind)

Yuvraj Singh (Ind)

4: Emerging Player

Ben Hilfenhaus (Aus)

Graham Onions (Eng)

Jesse Ryder (NZ)

Peter Siddle (Aus)

5: Twenty20 International Performance of the Year

Shahid Afridi (Pak) for scoring 51 off 34 balls and taking 2-16 against South Africa during the ICC WT20 semi-final in Nottingham on June 18.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL) for scoring 96 not out off 57 balls against the West Indies in the semi-final of the ICC WT20 at The Oval on June 19.

Chris Gayle (WI) – for hitting 88 off 50 balls against Australia during the ICC WT20 at The Oval on June 6.

Umar Gul (Pak) for taking 5-6 against New Zealand during the ICC WT20 at The Oval on June 13.

6: Umpire of the Year

Aleem Dar

Tony Hill

Asad Rauf

Simon Taufel

7: Spirit of Cricket

Australia

England

New Zealand

Sri Lanka.

Butt hopeful of hosting cricket matches in Pakistan

Butt hopeful of hosting cricket matches in Pakistan soon
IANS 14 September 2009, 06:44pm IST
|
KARACHI: After having "fruitful" discussions with officials in England last weekend, Pakistan's cricket chief Ejaz Butt is confident that
international matches will return to the country.

Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman met the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke and other top officials in London to discuss measures aimed at bringing international cricket back to Pakistan. Clarke heads an International Cricket Council task force that has been assigned to devise ways for the return of international matches to Pakistan.

"I had fruitful discussions with Mr. Clarke and there are hopes that the ICC task force will work and revive international cricket when it's possible," said the PCB chief.

Pakistan became a no-go zone for international sportsmen after Sri Lankan cricketers were ambushed by terrorists in Lahore last March.

The attack left eight people, mostly cops, dead besides injuring several cricketers and one team official.

The ICC was forced to shift the Champions Trophy from Pakistan to South Africa and also relocated 14 World Cup 2011 matches which were supposed to be hosted by Pakistan because of security fears.

Pakistan, which hosted its One-day series against Australia in UAE this summer, has also been forced to play three 'home' Tests against New Zealand in New Zealand in late November-December.

The PCB will host New Zealand for four ODI and two Twenty20 games in Dubai next month.

World Cup

Bowling	Team	Wkts
Umar Gul	PAK	36
Shahid Afridi	PAK	33
DL Vettori	NZ	27
BAW Mendis	SRI	25
SL Malinga	SRI	23
SCJ Broad	ENG	21
DW Steyn	SA	17

World Cup

Bowling	Team	Wkts
Umar Gul	PAK	36
Shahid Afridi	PAK	33
DL Vettori	NZ	27
BAW Mendis	SRI	25
SL Malinga	SRI	23
SCJ Broad	ENG	21
DW Steyn	SA	17

World Cup

Batting	Team	Runs
BB McCullum	NZ	747
TM Dilshan	SRI	572
ST Jayasuriya	SRI	549
Shoaib Malik	PAK	541
KP Pietersen	ENG	529
GC Smith	SA	513
Misbah-ul-Haq	PAK	509