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Pakistan team for Asia Cup announced

KARACHI: The 15-member Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup 2008 has been announced here today.

Chief selector Salahuddin announced the final team during a press conference at the National Stadium, Karachi.

The team is as follows:
Shoaib Malik (captain)
Misbah-ul-Haq
Mohammad Yousuf
Younus Khan
Salman Butt
Shahid Khan Afridi
Umar Gul
Rao Iftikahr Anjum
Suhail Tanvir
Sarfaraz Ahmed
Fawad Alam
Nasir Jamshed
Wahab Riaz
Mansoor Amjad
Saeed Ajmal.

The Asia Cup will begin from Tuesday (June 24) simultaneously at Lahore and Karachi. Six teams are participating in the event including hosts Pakistan. Other teams are India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.
 
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Malik promises to play Asia Cup as allrounder

Monday, June 23, 2008
By our correspondent

KARACHI: Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik intends to fully return to his role as an allrounder in the Asia Cup.

Under fire for failing to bowl much in recent times, Malik said he would also perform his duties as an off-spinner in the six-nation spectacle getting underway from tomorrow.

His critics believe that Malik, who has had a serious elbow problem in the past, cannot earn a place in the team as a specialist batsman alone. They believe Malik should also bowl enough overs to justify his place in the playing lineup.

But Malik has not been bowling sufficient overs in recent seasons, raising questions whether he has lost confidence in his bowling abilities.

Malik, however, plans to answer those questions by putting up an allround show in the Asia Cup.

“I will bowl (in the Asia Cup),” Malik told reporters when asked whether the inclusion of uncapped off-spinner Saeed Ajmal means he (Malik) does not plan to bowl in the tournament. “I will be playing as an allrounder,” he added.

Malik indicated that in the absence of Kamran Akmal, who has been dropped from the Asia Cup, he might open with Salman Butt. But he was quick to add that the final decision over the batting order will be taken after a team meeting on Monday (today).

Malik also announced that experienced allrounder Shahid Afridi was hundred percent fit and will be playing in the Asia Cup. Afridi left a training session the other day because of a painful wrist.

Malik’s Pakistan will begin the tournament as hot favourites for the title after having beaten India in the final of a tri-series in Bangladesh earlier this month. They also have the home advantage.

But Malik played down the home turf factor. “We will have a slight edge as we will be playing at home but I don’t believe it would be a big advantage because conditions are almost the same everywhere in the sub-continent,” he pointed out.

Malik agreed that the expectations of the home fans are high following the tri-series triumph. “Yes, the people are expecting us to win (the title). That will pose some extra pressure but we are professionals and know how to handle it.”

The Pakistan captain does not believe that the hot and humid conditions here would affect his team. “The conditions here are much better that what we experienced in Bangladesh,” he said.
thenews
 
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Brief History Of Asia Cup

1984: The first edition of the Asia Cup, called the Rothmans Asia Cup and conceived in 1983 with the creation of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), was held in Sharjah, then home to the council. The tournament was a round-robin tournament; India won the title on the back of a ten-wicket win over Sri Lanka and a 54-run win over archrivals Pakistan.

1986: Now termed the John Player Gold Leaf Trophy, the second edition was held in Sri Lanka. The defending champions were not present, however, owing to a controversial series against the hosts the year before – one during which the umpires allegedly made incorrect decisions in favour of Sri Lanka – and so Bangladesh entered as the third team. Sri Lanka proceeded to lift the trophy with a five-wicket win over Pakistan after losing their first match to the same opponents.

1988: Bangladesh hosted the Wills Asia Cup but failed to win any of theirs three games. Sri Lanka cruised into the final with three wins in a row but were brushed aside by India, thanks to Man-of-the-Series Navjot Sidhu’s rapid 76.

1990-91: India hosted the fourth edition and won it for the third time, defeating Sri Lanka in the final in Calcutta. Pakistan had pulled out of the tournament, which helped India’s cause.

1995: With the 1993 tournament cancelled due to political tensions, the official fifth edition returned to Sharjah after 11 years. India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were tied on points after the preliminary round but the former two teams went in by virtue of a better run rate. For the third successive time India defeated Sri Lanka in the final.

1997: Sri Lanka lifted the 1997 Pepsi Asia Cup by defeating India by eight wickets at home. Sri Lanka, having lifted the World Cup the year before, were a force to be reckoned with.

2000: Pakistan remained unbeaten all tournament and rightfully lifted the title for the first time. Moin Khan’s team won the title in Dhaka beating Sri Lanka in the final by 39 runs.

2004: Sri Lanka shrugged off an indifferent season with a 25-run win over India in Colombo in the final, after losing just one match in the tournament. Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also participated but did little of note.
DailyTimes
 
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Pakistan eye ruthless win over Hong Kong
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
By Khalid Hussain

KARACHI: Pakistan aim to achieve a ruthlessly one-sided victory over minnows Hong Kong in the Asia Cup opener here at the National Stadium today (Tuesday).

Skipper Shoaib Malik will elevate himself up the order and will open the innings with the in-form Salman Butt in a match that Pakistan should easily win even after fielding their second string players.

But the hosts, still haunted by the ghosts of a nightmarish defeat to underdogs Ireland in a crucial World Cup match in 2007, are unwilling to take any chances against Hong Kong, a side that has played just two One-day Internationals in its history and doesn’t seem capable of achieving a big upset.

A Pakistan official told ‘The News’ that the final eleven will be decided only after a meeting this afternoon, just hours before the start of the day-night international. But it has been learnt that Pakistan will be fielding their “best eleven” against Hong Kong in a bid to help their players warm up for Thursday’s big game against title contenders India.

With Kamran Akmal, who has been opening the innings for Pakistan in recent times dropped for the Asia Cup, Malik has decided to open with Butt. Pakistan have the option of playing young opener Nasir Jamshed but Malik wants room for an extra all-rounder which is why he would be opening the innings.

Pakistan’s middle order will remain the same with Younis Khan followed by the experienced Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq. Shahid Afridi will come next followed by young all-rounder Fawad Alam.

It would be an important game for young stumper Sarfraz Ahmed, who will be keeping the wicket. Pakistan are hoping that Sarfraz will succeed where Akmal has failed in recent times and will do a neat job behind the stumps.

With Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif out because of their off-the-field exploits, Sohail Tanvir — the IPL’s best bowler — will have to shoulder the pace responsibilities with Umar Gul and Rao Ifitkhar Anjum.

Pakistan have selected uncapped off-spinner Saeed Ajmal in their squad but he will have to wait for his international debut. Pakistan have won their last ten games on home soil and Malik says that the hosts aim to continue the winning spree during the entire course of the tournament.

While Pakistan are likely to rely on specialist pacers and spinning all-rounders like Malik, Afridi and Fawad, Hong Kong, who have not played an ODI since 2004, would be looking to their seasoned slow bowlers to work out a miracle this evening. Medium-pacer Afzaal Haider and spinners Nadeem Ahmed and Najeeb Amar can pose a challenge for Pakistani batsmen on the low and slow National Stadium wicket.

Their English coach Aftab Habib is hoping his team will achieve what seems like impossible.

“Cricket is a funny game and we should remember there were lots of upsets in the 2007 World Cup so we must give it our best to upset Pakistan,” he says.

Squads: Pakistan — Shoaib Malik (captain) Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar Anjum.

Hong Kong — Tabarak Dar (captain), Afzaal Haider, Ashish Gadhia, James Atkinson, Toby Brown, Hussain Butt, Irfan Ahmed, Courtney Kruger, Roy Lamsam, Munir Dar, Nadeem Ahmed, Najeeb Amar, Skhawat Ali, Waqas Barkat (wk), Zain Abbas.

Umpires: Tony Hill (New Zealand), Brian Jerling (South Africa). TV umpire: Amiesh Saheba (India). Match referee: Alan Hurst (Australia).
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We have one very good and set opener now I think we need to find one more who could be Khalid Latif or Khurram Manzoor also we need to test some new batsmen in middle order.
 
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We have one very good and set opener now I think we need to find one more who could be Khalid Latif or Khurram Manzoor also we need to test some new batsmen in middle order.

Fully aqgree about the opener. However, with, Shoaib, Misbah, Younus and yousuf. dont think you have space for more. Shahid Afridi is the only genuine allrounder apart from Shoaib. We do need Asif back though, much as I am annoyed at his recent antics
WaSalam
Araz
 
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187-7. Very poor showing. Lets hope Fawad and Tanvir takes us to past 230+.
 
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chalo ab aik bat batao gis team ki halat hongkong ke samny aysy hai india sri lanka ke samny kesy ho gi?
 
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chalo ab aik bat batao gis team ki halat hongkong ke samny aysy hai india sri lanka ke samny kesy ho gi?

Yaar nahi pucho bheter hai.:lol:
Bus dua carro kay yeah team kis si trekay say jeet jai:D

(sorry for the poor urdu to roman)
 
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Pakistan didn't take them seriously thats what was the problem. But they got the score which no one expected at one point.
 
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