General Cricket thread

[ghazi52]

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PCB finally decides to give up on India series

“
Our failure to materialise the series disappointed millions of cricket fans all over the world especially in India and Pakistan,” said the PCB chief. — Agencies/File

LAHORE: After failing to receive a reply from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finally decided to close the chapter of India series.

The Board has however decided to announce its decision regarding giving up on the series on Monday.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan had sent an email to the BCCI on Thursday asking them to decide on the series in the next 48 hours, failing which they would decide against playing India.

“Yes, we haven’t received a reply from the BCCI till Saturday evening, therefore, we are closing this chapter now. We will, however, make an announcement in this regard by Monday,” Shaharyar told Dawn.

“We made every possible effort to play India and even changed the venue from the UAE to Sri Lanka on BCCI’s request but our efforts went in vain. We signed an MoU with the BCCI last year and were sincere in playing cricket with them,” he added.

“Our failure to materialise the series disappointed millions of cricket fans all over the world especially in India and Pakistan.”

He said the PCB would raise the issue both at the ICC and bilateral level to convey its sentiments that failure to play a series was not good for the game.

Shaharyar said the PCB had given maximum time to the BCCI for taking a decision and for that they kept extending the deadlines.

He added that the PCB should not be held responsible for cancellation of the series and said the Board could not make arrangements for the series on a short notice.

The BCCI had given its consent for the series but the Indian government has not given them go-ahead so far on political grounds despite Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj’s recent visit to Pakistan when she was accorded warm welcome.

...

 

[WAJsal]

The quandary of Mohammad Amir's second innings

Is it time to accept Mohammad Amir back as a regular feature in professional cricket? © AFP


Somewhere in Pakistan, someone is confused about the Mohammad Amir drama. This someone is a shocked Pakhtun after seeing and hearing different views and opinions about the return of Amir.

The Pakhtun wakes up in the morning, offers his prayers, eats his breakfast, wears the cultural Chitrali hat and shawl, and also puts the traditional sandals on. He goes for a walk in the dense winter fog early in the morning and thinks to himself, 'why do they want Amir back?'

The confused man doesn't find an answer to the question and keeps on walking. Then he asks himself, 'why don't they want Amir back? Well, he has brought shame to our country, our beloved homeland. There are enough reasons not to want him back to play for Pakistan and yet the majority wants him,' he thinks to himself, his bemusement increasing.

By this time, the Pakhtun has reached his rice fields, where a spectacular thought comes to his mind. The Pakhtun says to himself, "they want him back because they want to show they have forgiven him and want to give him another chance."

While on his way back to his house, the fog lightened and the sun produced the winter's warming heat. He thinks to himself, "Isn't allowing him back to live in Pakistan already a gesture of forgiving him? After all that he has done, allowing him to live in his country is big already that we have done. Then why do they want to forgive him again?"

Just as he reaches his home, he sits on the charpayi (traditional bed in villages). He continues to wonder why Pakistan wants Amir back. He arrives at a conclusion that Shahid Afridi is going to retire soon. The great Imran Khan was a cricketer that came ages ago and went away from the game by making his country very proud. The days of Waqar and Wasim are long gone and the Inzamams, Saeed Anwars and Mohammad Yousufs were no longer playing for Pakistan. Javed Miandad and Saqlain Mushtaq were also long ago. Younis and Misbah are also only playing Test cricket and are on the verge of retirement. He says to himself, "they don't want Amir, they need him. Pakistan needs a cricketing hero once again for the coming generation and they all know, inside their hearts, that despite whatever Amir has done, he is the only one who can become their hero."

The Pakhtun takes off the shawl, chitrali hat and the traditional sandals. He drags a charpayitowards the area in his house where the sun is shining and just lays there and closes his eyes, "yes, that is the reason they want him back."

They know he is the one who can give them reasons to smile in the coming years.

@Winchester ,@Jazzbot .....

 

[Winchester]

The quandary of Mohammad Amir's second innings

Is it time to accept Mohammad Amir back as a regular feature in professional cricket? © AFP


Somewhere in Pakistan, someone is confused about the Mohammad Amir drama. This someone is a shocked Pakhtun after seeing and hearing different views and opinions about the return of Amir.

The Pakhtun wakes up in the morning, offers his prayers, eats his breakfast, wears the cultural Chitrali hat and shawl, and also puts the traditional sandals on. He goes for a walk in the dense winter fog early in the morning and thinks to himself, 'why do they want Amir back?'

The confused man doesn't find an answer to the question and keeps on walking. Then he asks himself, 'why don't they want Amir back? Well, he has brought shame to our country, our beloved homeland. There are enough reasons not to want him back to play for Pakistan and yet the majority wants him,' he thinks to himself, his bemusement increasing.

By this time, the Pakhtun has reached his rice fields, where a spectacular thought comes to his mind. The Pakhtun says to himself, "they want him back because they want to show they have forgiven him and want to give him another chance."

While on his way back to his house, the fog lightened and the sun produced the winter's warming heat. He thinks to himself, "Isn't allowing him back to live in Pakistan already a gesture of forgiving him? After all that he has done, allowing him to live in his country is big already that we have done. Then why do they want to forgive him again?"

Just as he reaches his home, he sits on the charpayi (traditional bed in villages). He continues to wonder why Pakistan wants Amir back. He arrives at a conclusion that Shahid Afridi is going to retire soon. The great Imran Khan was a cricketer that came ages ago and went away from the game by making his country very proud. The days of Waqar and Wasim are long gone and the Inzamams, Saeed Anwars and Mohammad Yousufs were no longer playing for Pakistan. Javed Miandad and Saqlain Mushtaq were also long ago. Younis and Misbah are also only playing Test cricket and are on the verge of retirement. He says to himself, "they don't want Amir, they need him. Pakistan needs a cricketing hero once again for the coming generation and they all know, inside their hearts, that despite whatever Amir has done, he is the only one who can become their hero."

The Pakhtun takes off the shawl, chitrali hat and the traditional sandals. He drags a charpayitowards the area in his house where the sun is shining and just lays there and closes his eyes, "yes, that is the reason they want him back."

They know he is the one who can give them reasons to smile in the coming years.

@Winchester ,@Jazzbot .....

Yup no star quality among the current generation

Wahab is on/off but the rest.....meh

 

[ghazi52]

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The Pakistan Team in 1977

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[WAJsal]

Man, this was some bowling, don't think i'll ever forget, absolutely magical @Icarus ,@HRK ,@nair ,@Jazzbot , excellent article. He bowled his heart out, respect!


Wahab v Watson, the fury and the folly

"Are you holding a bat?"

When Shane Watson stalks in from the slips to lean in and spit those words at Wahab Riaz, does he know? Does he have any bloody idea, what he is really doing to Wahab, and 90 minutes later, to himself?

Australia had, at one stage, spoken in team meetings about easing off Kevin Pietersen verbally. "It fires him up," was Brett Lee's reasoning. They had not had this meeting about Wahab. When Mitchell Starc beats his edge with an outswinging yorker in the 39th over, the bowler slithers forward. He tells the batsman: "It's the white thing, you have to hit it." Wahab, already cranky at another middle-order meltdown from his team-mates, follows Starc down the pitch. He seethes at the bowler, complains to the umpires.

Next over, James Faulkner throws Wahab a stare. Brad Haddin, running close to the stumps to collect a return throw, sticks his own verbal shiv in Wahab's side. Watson's sledge is only one of many, but it's Watson's sledge Wahab remembers. Before the end of the night, Watson would know best of all, this is not a man worth ruffling; that Wahab's blood boils when you turn up the heat.

Eighteen overs and an innings break later, it is Wahab with the white thing in his hands. Third ball, he rushes David Warner into an uppercut, which settles in the palms of third man Rahat Ali. Tenth ball, Michael Clarke arches his creaking back and fends the white thing to Sohaib Maqsood at short leg.

The first ball to Watson would have flattened the batsman's grille. He dips beneath it with only a little discomfort, but for Wahab, ducking is tantamount to submission. He gets in Watson's face, claps him sarcastically. The next ball is 150kph, Watson dare not play.

Wahab Riaz smelled blood and did not stop © Getty Images

The next over is even more intense. Wahab is an inferno. The white thing is a meteor. Watson goes through series of evasive full-body spasms. His back and limbs are aping the shape of half the alphabet, but his mouth can form no words now. In the stands, 35,516 people all smell leather, voices hoarse, fidgeting, pumping fists from the edge of their seats. In the slips, Haris Sohail's face contorts at the climax of each delivery, sometimes with glee, other times with desperation. On occasion his eyes are filled with fear. Is he afraid for Watson?

Steven Smith, who is bending space-time to appear in a parallel universe from his partner, routinely takes a single early in the overs that follow and coolly observes the combat from the best vantage point in the world. Does he feel the heat pouring off Wahab? Is he enjoying the view?



All through the match, the cricket had not failed to be interesting. This spell is transcendental. Of the tens of thousands in the ground, there is only one protagonist, and one victim, but the cricket so good, all are drawn in. Wahab's anger is felt as keenly as Watson's timidity. So bent is Wahab on embarrassing Watson, he taunts him after every ball.

In one over, he does it so many times, it's as if Wahab rides a conveyor belt from the bowling crease into Watson's personal space. In the crowd, nothing of their exchange is heard, but its details are intimately understood. The Adelaide Oval playing surface covers acres of land. The stands themselves are vast and high. But in those moments, it's as if the whole stadium exists in the burning space between these two men.

"When I was batting Watson just came up to me and said, 'Are you holding a bat?' And that was going through my mind," Wahab later said. "I let him know that even he is having the bat, but he couldn't touch the ball. I know that nowadays, he's not good on the short ball. It was a plan of myself that we discussed in the team meeting."

Eventually, Watson is defeated. Having ducked, arched and hopped, he is eventually humiliated into playing a hook shot off the first ball of Wahab's fifth over. Australian crowds so often scream insults at foreign fielders lining up high catches, but in the seconds this top-edged ball hung in the air, the wind's rustling through the trees at the Cathedral End was heard in perfect silence. When Rahat spilt the simple chance, 35,000 yelped - more in relief than frustration. A sheepish Watson is avoiding gazes at the non-striker's end. A disbelieving Wahab is keeled over, mid pitch.

In the limp finish, an hour later, Australia cruise to the semi-final with six wickets in hand and 97 balls remaining. On the scoreboard, Wahab's figures read 9-0-54-2. Watson has 64 not out from 66. Few will remember in years to come, the ins and outs; that Pakistan had been bowled out for 213.

But few will forget the theatre, and the unbridled, oscillating emotion of this spell. Tattooed into their nerves will be the night a fast bowler filled a stadium with his fury; the half-hour their collective pulses raced in sync with a batsman's heart.
Wahab v Watson, the fury and the folly | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[nair]

Man, this was some bowling, don't think i'll ever forget, absolutely magical @Icarus ,@HRK ,@nair ,@Jazzbot , excellent article. He bowled his heart out, respect!


Wahab v Watson, the fury and the folly

"Are you holding a bat?"

When Shane Watson stalks in from the slips to lean in and spit those words at Wahab Riaz, does he know? Does he have any bloody idea, what he is really doing to Wahab, and 90 minutes later, to himself?

Australia had, at one stage, spoken in team meetings about easing off Kevin Pietersen verbally. "It fires him up," was Brett Lee's reasoning. They had not had this meeting about Wahab. When Mitchell Starc beats his edge with an outswinging yorker in the 39th over, the bowler slithers forward. He tells the batsman: "It's the white thing, you have to hit it." Wahab, already cranky at another middle-order meltdown from his team-mates, follows Starc down the pitch. He seethes at the bowler, complains to the umpires.

Next over, James Faulkner throws Wahab a stare. Brad Haddin, running close to the stumps to collect a return throw, sticks his own verbal shiv in Wahab's side. Watson's sledge is only one of many, but it's Watson's sledge Wahab remembers. Before the end of the night, Watson would know best of all, this is not a man worth ruffling; that Wahab's blood boils when you turn up the heat.

Eighteen overs and an innings break later, it is Wahab with the white thing in his hands. Third ball, he rushes David Warner into an uppercut, which settles in the palms of third man Rahat Ali. Tenth ball, Michael Clarke arches his creaking back and fends the white thing to Sohaib Maqsood at short leg.

The first ball to Watson would have flattened the batsman's grille. He dips beneath it with only a little discomfort, but for Wahab, ducking is tantamount to submission. He gets in Watson's face, claps him sarcastically. The next ball is 150kph, Watson dare not play.

Wahab Riaz smelled blood and did not stop © Getty Images

The next over is even more intense. Wahab is an inferno. The white thing is a meteor. Watson goes through series of evasive full-body spasms. His back and limbs are aping the shape of half the alphabet, but his mouth can form no words now. In the stands, 35,516 people all smell leather, voices hoarse, fidgeting, pumping fists from the edge of their seats. In the slips, Haris Sohail's face contorts at the climax of each delivery, sometimes with glee, other times with desperation. On occasion his eyes are filled with fear. Is he afraid for Watson?

Steven Smith, who is bending space-time to appear in a parallel universe from his partner, routinely takes a single early in the overs that follow and coolly observes the combat from the best vantage point in the world. Does he feel the heat pouring off Wahab? Is he enjoying the view?



All through the match, the cricket had not failed to be interesting. This spell is transcendental. Of the tens of thousands in the ground, there is only one protagonist, and one victim, but the cricket so good, all are drawn in. Wahab's anger is felt as keenly as Watson's timidity. So bent is Wahab on embarrassing Watson, he taunts him after every ball.

In one over, he does it so many times, it's as if Wahab rides a conveyor belt from the bowling crease into Watson's personal space. In the crowd, nothing of their exchange is heard, but its details are intimately understood. The Adelaide Oval playing surface covers acres of land. The stands themselves are vast and high. But in those moments, it's as if the whole stadium exists in the burning space between these two men.

"When I was batting Watson just came up to me and said, 'Are you holding a bat?' And that was going through my mind," Wahab later said. "I let him know that even he is having the bat, but he couldn't touch the ball. I know that nowadays, he's not good on the short ball. It was a plan of myself that we discussed in the team meeting."

Eventually, Watson is defeated. Having ducked, arched and hopped, he is eventually humiliated into playing a hook shot off the first ball of Wahab's fifth over. Australian crowds so often scream insults at foreign fielders lining up high catches, but in the seconds this top-edged ball hung in the air, the wind's rustling through the trees at the Cathedral End was heard in perfect silence. When Rahat spilt the simple chance, 35,000 yelped - more in relief than frustration. A sheepish Watson is avoiding gazes at the non-striker's end. A disbelieving Wahab is keeled over, mid pitch.

In the limp finish, an hour later, Australia cruise to the semi-final with six wickets in hand and 97 balls remaining. On the scoreboard, Wahab's figures read 9-0-54-2. Watson has 64 not out from 66. Few will remember in years to come, the ins and outs; that Pakistan had been bowled out for 213.

But few will forget the theatre, and the unbridled, oscillating emotion of this spell. Tattooed into their nerves will be the night a fast bowler filled a stadium with his fury; the half-hour their collective pulses raced in sync with a batsman's heart.
Wahab v Watson, the fury and the folly | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

Incidents like this make this game interesting...... There are several such instances i remember...... One of Irfan pathans message to bret lee in Waca, and replied in the same coin by bret lee...... Famous Venktesh prasad and aamis sohail spat in bangalore......

 

[ghazi52]

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The cricket records that 2015 broke

Individual records:

The number of consecutive centuries scored by Kumar Sangakkara in the World Cup; the most by any player

The number of deliveries AB de Villiers took to complete the fastest ever ODI half- century in the history of the game against West Indies at Johannesburg

The number of deliveries AB de Villiers took to complete the fastest century in the history of the game against West Indies at Johannesburg

The number of deliveries AB de Villiers took to complete the fastest score of 150 or more in the history of the game against West Indies in Sydney

The runs Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded in his 10 overs in the final match of the five-match series against South Africa at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which is the second most expensive spell in ODI history


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[ghazi52]

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The number of deliveries Chris Gayle took to complete the fastest ever double-century in the history of the game against Zimbabwe at Canberra

Is the number of runs Chris Gayle scored against Zimbabwe in the World Cup on his way to the first-ever World Cup double-hundred

Martin Guptil scored 237 not out against West Indies in the quarter-final of the World Cup at Wellington, which is the second highest individual score by any batman in the ODI format. It is also the highest individual score in the World Cup.

The number of runs scored by Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels for the second-wicket against Zimbabwe at Canberra, which is the highest ever partnership for any wicket in ODIs



Team Records

Was the number years it took Bangladesh to defeat Pakistan in any format of the game since their win in the 1999 World Cup. The Tigers went on to complete their first-ever whitewash over the Men in Green.

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[ghazi52]

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Was the margin of victory for Australia against Afghanistan in a World Cup group match at WACA; the second-biggest margin of defeat in terms of runs

Was the target England chased against New Zealand at Nottingham, which is the fifth highest run chase in ODIs

Was the amount of runs South Africa scored against West Indies at Johannesburg, which is the second highest score in ODIs

Was the aggregate amount of runs scored in a match between England and New Zealand, which was the third-highest aggregate score in an ODI match
...

 

[Jazzbot]

^^ Sad to see WI at the receiving end of most of the records in 2015.

 

[BDforever]

 

[Jazzbot]

Mohammad Amir back in Pakistan limited-overs squads

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir has been selected in Pakistan's ODI and T20s squads for the upcoming limited-overs tour of New Zealand. This is Amir's first national selection since serving out his ban for spot-fixing in the Lord's Test of 2010. His inclusion is subject to his visa coming through - given he has served time in jail for his role in the spot-fixing, obtaining a New Zealand visa might prove problematic - though the PCB is confident of not having issues on that front.

Azhar Ali, who had earlier attempted to quit his role as ODI captain to protest against Amir's return to the national radar, remains in charge of the one-day team. Mohammad Hafeez, who had joined Azhar in his protests, was selected in both squads.

Asad Shafiq returned for the one-dayers, after being dropped for the ODIs against England, Pakistan's previous assignment, which they lost 3-1 in the UAE in November. Legspinner Yasir Shah was the big name missing from the ODI squad, expectedly, given he is provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance.

Fast bowler Umar Gul, who has missed out since the away limited-overs series against Bangladesh in April 2015, returned to the T20 squad. Middle-order batsman Saad Nasim also returned. Mohammad Irfan, Sohail Tanvir and Junaid Khan missed out in the shortest format, making way for Amir. Pakistan's previous T20 series was also against England, in the UAE, which they lost 3-0.

Haroon Rasheed, the PCB chief selector, said of Amir's selection: "Policy-making is the PCB's prerogative and after his clearance he was selected. We didn't have to axe any players [such as Irfan, Tanvir or Junaid] to force him in, but he imposed himself with his performance. In case Amir fails to get visa, we will name a replacement later.

"Irfan is in our plan and he is a proven talent but we wanted to try a different combination and hence dropped him. We wanted to try Umar Gul instead - we saw his domestic performance and understood that he is ready again, and now we want to see how good he can be at the top level."

According to Rasheed, Pakistan's biggest issue would be their fielding. "Both the squads are balanced but at the same time we will have to compete with a tougher opponent. New Zealand have excelled in every department of the game. Pakistan have to fight hard to give them a tough time. But we do have a good bowling armoury. The only reason I see we can lose is due to the fielding, which is a weak link. If we manage to pull ourselves up in the field, then I do not see any reason Pakistan will lose."

Pakistan named only two specialist openers - Ahmed Shehzad and Hafeez - but Rasheed said Sohaib Maqsood and Sarfraz Ahmed would be available to open if required. "Both Sohaib and Sarfraz are marked as an option for the opening slot and it's up to the team management to take a call if they want to use them in the top order." Maqsood's ability up the order was tested during the recent Pakistan A T20 series against England Lions, where he made 17, 40, 3, 38 and 40.

Pakistan play three T20s and three ODIs in New Zealand from January 15. The T20s will be played in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington, before the ODIs kick off from January 25 in Wellington, Napier and Auckland.

Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo's Pakistan correspondent. @kalson


Pakistan squads for NZ tour
ODIs: Azhar Ali (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Sohaib Maqsood, Zafar Gohar, Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Rahat Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir

T20s: Shahid Afridi (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Aamer Yamin, Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Mohammad Rizwan, Saad Nasim, Mohammad Amir




Happy new year hommies...

 

[ghazi52]

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Aleem Dar’s story: The Gujranwala hero who once took on Wasim Akram

“I promised my parents before leaving Gujranwala that I would become something big and I had to fulfill that promise.” — Reuters
Aleem Dar became only the third member of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires to reach the 100-Test mark when he took to the field to officiate in the second Test between South Africa and England on January 2, 2016 at Newlands. He joins the exclusive company of Steve Bucknor and Rudi Koertzen to have umpired in 100 or more Tests, to date.

Imagine the setting.

A tall, wiry Wasim Akram running into bowl at you on what is the biggest day of your fledgling cricket career.

Akram had a long, but very smooth run up unlike his latter years when he could create magic off a few yards.

Facing-off against him was batsman Aleem Dar.

The right-handed middle-order batsman survived the fast, bouncy test by Akram as both the teenagers were picked on the first day of trials for Lahore's Government Islamia College cricket team.

“Wasim Akram was the first one who got selected for bowling and I was the first batsman to be picked,” Dar says.

“I came to Lahore from Gujranwala got admission in Islamia College and played from there,” he adds.

Akram would be selected by the Pakistan team soon after and go onto become arguably the greatest left-arm fast bowler in history. Dar continued to put in the hard yards on the local circuit but soon realised he couldn't cut it at the top level.

“I really wanted to be a cricketer. I gave it my best shot,” says Dar.

“I played First-class a bit and also played at Grade II level. But, then I realised that it was tough for me to become an international cricketer.”

The setback separated Dar from his childhood dreams but he had promised his parents he would do something 'big' in life.

He vowed to become the best umpire in the world.

“I promised my parents before leaving Gujranwala that I would become something big and I had to fulfill that promise,” he says.

Turning point: 2003 World Cup
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), run by COO Majid Khan, President Khalid Mehmood at that time, initiated a program for First-class cricketers to become professional umpires.

“It was a good opportunity. Azhar Zaidi advised me to take it up, saying it was a good opportunity, and that I may get something out of it,” says Dar.

Since then Dar's never looked back and was lucky enough to get frequent opportunities to progress as an umpire.

He featured in his first international match just after a year's experience under his belt, during which he officiated First-class, Grade II and Under-19 matches.

“I started from my club, where Imran Nazir, Abdur Razzaq and other players were playing at the time,” says Dar.

Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar (C) approaches to the stumps after the Pool A 2015 Cricket World Cup match between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. — AFP


“I think I was extremely lucky to have been given the opportunity to officiate in an international match with only an year's experience.”

“Even if a Test cricketer comes to this field, he requires at least five to six years to complete the procedure and officiate in an international match,” he adds.

It did not take much time for Dar to become a World Cup umpire and he impressed the ICC on his very first tournament.

Aleem was flawless throughout the event and earned a place in the semi-final as the fourth umpire.

“The turning point of my umpiring career was the 2003 World Cup,” he says.

“ICC appreciated my performance and with only 12 matches worth of experience, I stayed there until the semi-final and was the fourth umpire in it.

“It was a huge achievement for me,” adds Dar.

Dar’s performances in the 2003 World Cup helped him achieve Test status and an England-Bangladesh fixture in October the same year became the first match he officiated.

Dar entered the ‘elite umpires’ category after that match and has maintained the honour since then.

The ICC conducts different tests to keep check on the umpires’ fitness for future assignments and that according to Dar, has pushed him to achieve extraordinary fitness and high levels of concentration.

“We still attend courses or you can say workshops twice a year conducted by the ICC. In those courses, we have our fitness tests, eye tests, hearing tests, which are quite tough,” he says.

The consecutive three-time ICC Umpire of the Year dedication has been key to his success.

“Every match is important for me. I officiate every match like it's my first one.”

‘Aleem Dar from Pakistan’
The 47-year-old says despite all the accolades, his proudest moment has been representing Pakistan.

“I can't explain the moment when I won the first award. For me, it felt like I had done something for my country.

“I had tears in my eyes, I never thought I would reach this level.”

Dar idolised West Indies umpire Steve Bucknor when he started his career and the Jhang-born official say anyone who wants to be successful needs an idol.

“I will say that not only this profession [umpiring], but, whatever profession you have, try to reach its peak, try to be the best in your respective field,” he says.

“Idolise someone, like when I started, I idolised Steve Bucknor. You need to have a role model for yourself.

“Watch cricket on television, try to give decision before the umpire whether it is LBW, some nick or anything else.

“No dream is too big for you.”

.....

 

[BDforever]

2 matches(1in 2009, 1 in 2014), both won by Neitherlands LOL

 

[CHD]

Amir granted New Zealand visa

Mohammad Amir had served three months in jail for his role in the 2010 spot-fixing case © AFP


Fast bowler Mohammad Amir has been granted a visa by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) on Thursday and will travel with the Pakistan side for the limited-overs tour of New Zealand, which starts from January 15.

The PCB had earlier sought legal advice on whether Amir could get a visa as the bowler had served three months in jail for his role in the 2010 spot-fixing case and New Zealand has rules against granting visas to individuals with criminal convictions. Amir, who has been picked in the ODI and T20 squads for the tour, and will travel to New Zealand with the team on January 9.

"Immigration New Zealand can confirm that a visitor visa has been approved for Mohammad Amir to travel as part of the Pakistan Cricket Team set to tour New Zealand this month," Michael Carley, INZ area manager, told stuff.co.nz. "In making this decision, INZ considered factors including the support of the New Zealand and Pakistan Cricket Board and that Mr Amir had served his sentence for his previous actions."

New Zealand's immigration authority, on its website, states that, "People with criminal convictions or who have provided false or misleading information will not be granted a visa unless a character waiver is granted." It further specifies that, "In the case of character waivers, each application is considered on its individual merits and taking into account, for example, the seriousness of an offence, number of offences and how long ago the event/s occurred."

Carley said Amir's visa had been approved after taking into account the purpose of his visit to the country. "Taking into account all the circumstances and with full understanding of the purpose of his visit, a visa has been approved for Mr Amir," he said.

More to follow...

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.