Daily Excelsior.........sports

Draw will be huge morale
booster for team: Inzy

MOHALI, Mar 12: Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq today said the brilliant fightback shown by his lower order batsmen to salvage a draw in the first cricket Test against India will serve as a "huge morale booster" for his team for the whole series...........more

Akmal heroics rescue
Pakistan in first test

MOHALI, Mar 12: Pakistan staged an incredible fightback to save the first cricket Test match against India from the jaws of defeat, finding an unlikely hero in Kamran Akmal who slammed a maiden century under immense pressure here today.......................more

TWI raises the tech
stakes for Indo-Pak series

MOHALI, Mar 12: Trans World International (TWI) today promised more sophisticated and hi-tech coverage of cricket in India during the ongoing series against Pakistan................more

Fans allowed to visit places outside visa specifications

MOHALI, Mar 12: Most of the Pakistani fans missed the gritty performance of their side in saving the first cricket Test against India as they preferred to visit various places outside the state after they were given permission by the authorities...........more

Arun aiming at
some foreign club

By Sanjeev Sharma

JAMMU, Mar 12: After playing for country’s top football clubs for the last four years, Arun Malhotra of Jammu has decided to try his luck with some international clubs after his annual contract with Bombay based Mahindra United will be over in May this year...........more

Valid ticket holders
left high and dry

MOHALI, Mar 12: With hundreds of fans smelling an Indian victory since morning, there was a great rush to make it inside the stadium. .........more

India set up mouth-watering
hockey final against Pak

KARACHI, Mar 12: India set themselves an opportunity to avenge for their defeat in the league match when they routed South Africa 3-0 and storm into tomorrow’s final against Pakistan in the four-nation junior hockey tournament here............more

Pakistan no longer
underdogs

By Wasim Akram

For four days India had an upper hand and looked like winning the first test convincingly, but a class act performance by both Razzaq and Kamran Akmal.......more

Kamran, Razzaq deserve pat.....
By Anil Kumble

Former Pak captains shower praises on team......

Pak not to gain psychological advantage from draw: Ganguly.....

Draw will be huge morale booster for team: Inzy

Inzamam, however, said the team needs a lot of improvement in fielding and catching and even hinted that there could be some changes at the top of the batting order.

"Definitely, it has given us a huge morale boost and will help us in the whole series. With just four wickets left, Abdul Razzaq and Kamran Akmal staged a tremendous fighback, it will certainly help us," the Pakistan captain told reporters here.

Admitting that Pakistan had little hope to save the opening Test after being dominated by the Indians for the first four days, he said "we thought if we make 200 runs we can fight. Then we could have a chance in getting the Indians out. But I must praise my boys who put up a tremendous fight".

Asked if there could be some changes in the batting order at the top, he said "ho Sakta Hai (it can happen)" and added that they will see the wicket at Kolkata first.

"We will see what combination to play with (at Kolkata)," he said.

The 35-year-old captain believed the match could have been rather interesting had his side not missed chances and misfielded on many occasions.

"The team will have to improve on its weak areas. We misfielded and left many chances and we need to set things in order. If we had taken our chances the Test could have been even more interesting," Inzamam said.

Commenting on the criticism which his team had faced and that some had even dismissed it as a "club level team", he said "I would like to thank those who criticised us. But I am happy the way boys have performed today and proved themselves".

Inzamam said he considered the fight put up by his lower order batsmen as a hallmark of the test for Pakistan.

"The way Razzaq, Akmal played and even Sami and Rana showed determination and character, it was commendable," he said.

Inzamam also defended his pace attack which faced the wrath of Virender Sehwag on the first day saying he was satisfied with their performance. "They contained the Indian batsmen on third day and I am satisfied."

Asked if Indian off spinner Harbhajan Singh could trouble them if included in the team in the forthcoming Tests, he said "we have played him earlier in Tests and ODIs. It (his inclusion) should not be much of a bother."

On playing before a packed Kolkata stadium which might have even fewer Pakistani fans could put some pressure on the team, he said "we are used to playing before packed houses".

Man of the match Akmal, who was also present at the press conference, said "I had thought that I will wait for the bad ball and take it from session to session".

"The coach had planned it that way and asked me to take it from session to session and wait for the bad ball," the 23-year-old Pakistani wicketkeeper batsman said. (PTI)

Akmal heroics rescue Pakistan in first test

The 23-year-old Akmal produced a match-turning 109 and shared a record 186-run seventh wicket partnership with Abdul Razzak (71) to thwart India’s march for a victory on the fifth and final day which saw fortunes change dramatically for the visitors.

When the Pakistanis started the day at 257 for six, it was expected that India would wrap up the innings in the first session itself.

But instead Pakistan, who had conceded a first innings lead of 204, rode on the wicketkeeper-batsman’s brilliance to declare their second innings at 496 for nine, giving India an improbable target of 293 from 25 overs.

India were 85 for one in 17 overs when the match was called off. Virender Sehwag was the batsman to be dismissed for 36 while Gautam Gambhir remained unbeaten on 32.

When play started on the final day, the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly made it clear that he meant business by taking the second new ball in the 81st over itself and handing it to his most successful seamers Irfan Pathan and Laxmipathy Balaji.

But the two overnight batsmen Akmal and Abdul Razzaq stood firm defying the Indian attack for almost two sessions today making the issue safe for Pakistan.

This was Pakistan’s highest score in India, improving upon their 487 for nine they made at Chennai in 1986-87.

Akmal and Razzaq joined hands when the side was struggling at 243 for six yesterday and they stitched together an innings that turned the match on its head helping Pakistan salvage a draw from a grim situation.

Akmal was the more attacking of the two scoring his runs from 154 balls with the help of 15 fours while his senior partner Razzaq was content in playing the sheet-anchor’s role.

Razzaq curbed his attacking instincts, as was the demand of the situation, to came up with his knock from 260 balls with four fours and one six off Anil Kumble.

The two added 184 runs, a Pakistani record for the seventh wicket against India, to frustrate the home team bowlers who had an ordinary outing at the PCA Stadium.

The Indians had themselves to blame for allowing Pakistan to see off the morning session as they failed to come up with a disciplined bowling attack that had given them an upperhand coming into the final day.

The two batsmen appeared tentative early on when they played and missed on a number of occasions. But once they settled down, there was nothing the Indian bowlers could do to trouble them.

Barring Laxmipathy Balaji, no other bowler was looking like taking a wicket even though Anil Kumble finished with four scalps to take his Test tally to 450 wickets.

Balaji followed his maiden five-wicket haul in the first innings with figures of four for 95 in the second, assuring himself a place in the final eleven for the second Test at Kolkata, starting on March 16.

After failing to get a wicket in the first session with both Akmal and Razzaq playing cautiously, India broke the partnership four hours into play today when Balaji dismissed the wicketkeeper-batsman at the team’s score of 427.

But by then it was too late for India as Akmal had done much more than what his team could have asked for.

After frustrating the Indians for close to four hours on the final day, Akmal was dismissed when he was brilliantly caught by substitute Harbhajan Singh in the cover region.

Seven runs later, Razzaq edged Kumble to Rahul Dravid in the slips.

Their seventh-wicket stand was the best ever for Pakistan against India, improving upon the 154 put together by Imran Khan and Ijaj Faqih in Ahmedabad during the 1986-87 series.

The tail-enders then chipped in as Pakistan declared their innings at 496 for nine with Naveed-ul Hasan, with a quickfire 38, and Danish Kaneria (4) remaining not out.

India opted for useful practice in their second innings with opener Gautam Gambhir executing some stunning shots on the offside.

Virender Sehwag on the otherhand was in a more sedate mood and scored only eight in the team’s first 50.

But he began to hit some booming drives and overtook his younger partner before losing his wicket to Younis Khan. (PTI)

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan 1st innings: 312

India 1st innings: 516

Pakistan 2nd innings:

Salman Butt c Kaarthick b Pathan 5

Taufeeq Umar lbw b Balaji 4

Younis Khan b Balaji 1

Yousuf Youhana b Kumble 68

Inzamam-ul Haq lbw b Kumble 86

Asim Kamal lbw b Balaji 48

Abdul Razzaq c Dravid b Kumble 71

Kamran Akamal c Harbhajan b Balaji 109

Mohammad Sami c and b Kumble 10

Naveed-ul Hasan not out 38

Danish Kaneria not out 4

Extras (b-17, lb-20, nb-2, w-13) 52

Total (for 9 wkts decl, 144 overs) 496

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-10, 3-10, 4-149, 5-193, 6-243, 7-427, 8-436, 9-467

Bowling: Irfan Pathan 27-7-70-1, Laxmipathy Balaji 30-5-95-4, Anil Kumble 54-16-160-4, Zaheer Khan 22-0-93-0, Sachin Tendulkar 8-0-30-0, Virender Sehwag 3-1-11-0.

India 2nd innings:

G Gambhir not out 32

V Sehwag st Akamal b Younis Khan 36

Extras (b-5, lb-8, nb-4) 17

Total (for one wkt, 17 overs) 85

Fall of wicket: 1-85

Bowling: Sami 7-0-25-0, Naveed-ul Hasan 2-0-6-0, Kaneria 6-2-17-0, Younis Khan 2-0-24-1. (PTI)

TWI raises the tech stakes for Indo-Pak series

MOHALI, Mar 12: Trans World International (TWI) today promised more sophisticated and hi-tech coverage of cricket in India during the ongoing series against Pakistan.

TWI who are covering the series for Prasar Bharati will set new standard in television coverage of the game, asserted IMG’s - of which TWI is the production arm - senior international vice-president Andrew Wildblood.

Talking to newspersons here Wildblood said he was overwhelmed with the response his people and their work had evoked.

"The response to our coverage has been unbelievably positive," he said. "But then again, we are the ones who have always led the way. Television work is a combination of science and art and in Simon Wheeler we have the best artist there in this line."

Eight and a half tons of equipment, 45 personnel and state of the art cameras and lenses are what IMG have brought to the table this time.

"If you remember, we pioneered ‘spin vision’ in the nineties and are now set to take it to another level. During the course of the series we will bring in ultra-motion lenses that operate at a thousand frames per second and the picture quality is extraordinary. To give you a reference, we now use equipment that works at 75 frames per second so we are talking about a better than ten-time jump in quality."

So what does he feel about the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s plans to run its own cricket-only channel?

"Well, it is not for me to comment on this, but we would be delighted to be involved in the production aspect if the BCCI thinks that is the way to go," he said.

And where does he see IMG going in India?

"We have been investing in India for over a decade now and have seen it change in so many ways, all of them positive. Our new chairman Teddy Frostman sees India as the most important long-term prospect," he added. (UNI)

Fans allowed to visit places outside visa specifications

The majority of fans have left for Delhi, Agra, Ajmer and Shimla even before the match ended since they were permitted to visit places outside those specified on their visas but the officals did not extend the visa dates beyond March 14.

"The office of the Foreign Registration Officer (FRO) set up here has given permission to approximately 1500 Pakistani cricket fans who wished to travel to places other than specified in their visas. These include Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Sangrur, Malerkotla in Punjab, Delhi, Agra, Shimla and Ajmer," said Jaspal Singh, an official who handled the request forms of the Pakistanis.

He, however, said that the visa period (March 9-March 14) of the fans was not being extended and added they need not necessarily report to the Mohali fro and could inform the fro concerned from whose jurisdiction they were leaving for Pakistan.

"We have all records (of the fans) with us and likewise with Wagah authorities and we will know if anybody plays mischief," said Jaspal Singh.

District police chief of Ropar, under whose jurisdiction Mohali falls, had earlier said that cricket fans whose visas exempt them from mandatory "police reporting" were applying at the fro office here for the place they wished to travel and clearance from the concerned fro was taken before giving them the permission.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had announced at a dinner party hosted for the 2500 odd fans at Chandigarh a few days back that they will be allowed to travel to a few cities of their choice. (PTI)

Arun aiming at some foreign club

By Sanjeev Sharma

Arun, who is on the pay rolls of ONGC alongwith top cricketers like Yuvraj Singh and Mohd Kaif, is also getting offers from leading Kolkatta based clubs.

" After spending almost four years of my career with leading clubs of the country, now I’m making up my mind to try to join some clubs abroad on contract basis. The objective behind such an attempt is to get exposure," said Arun while talking to the EXCELSIOR during a visit to Jammu.

Undergoing a busy schedule with National Football League (NFL), Arun disclosed that in coming June, Indian team will be in Pakistan for invitational matches.

Back home, Arun was happy to hear the news that his name has been recommended in the penal of outstanding sportspersons for including in the Sports Advisory Board of Jammu district.

"During the last three years of myself being part of the Indian team, it was for the first time that I got recognition back home. No doubt, I have had the pleasure of honour at the national and international level, but a word of appreciation in home state certainly boosts the moral," said Arun.

Arun’s name has been recommended, with seven other top sportspersons of Jammu, for the proposed Sports Advisory Board of Jammu district. Out of these eight players, four will be shortlisted for being included in the Board as members.

Valid ticket holders left high and dry

MOHALI, Mar 12: With hundreds of fans smelling an Indian victory since morning, there was a great rush to make it inside the stadium.

A large number of valid ticket holders were left high and dry outside the gate number 1 as the security officials closed it following huge rush.

Many accused the police personnel on duty of having accommodate a large number of unauthorised persons leaving the genuine ones with nowhere to go.

To crackdown on the fans who managed an entry using their connections even PCA president I S Bindra got tough and could be seen checking the tickets himself at the terrace block.

However, the fans had to go home disappointed as Pakistan batsman showed tremendous fighting spirit to salvage a draw.

Longest bat: A Chandigarh based craftsman Vishnu Prajapati has made a 21 feet long cricket bat with 6 feet long handle weighing 150 kg. Today, it was on display at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium here. (PTI)

India set up mouth-watering hockey final against Pak

India’s all three goals came in the first half through Vikram Kanth (6), Birendar Lakra (25) and Ajitesh Roy (32).

In the tournament opener, India had suffered a 3-0 defeat against Pakistan, who in the first semifinal scored a thumping 7-0 victory over Japan.

Tariq Aziz (45 and 65), Imran Warsi (17), Yasir Islam (24), Khalid Mahmood (26), Arif Mohammad (57) and Akhtar Mohammad (67) scored for the winners who enjoyed a commanding 3-0 lead at lemon break.

However, Pakistan’s penalty corner conversion left much to be desired. The green shirts could convert only one of the five short corners. Japan were poorer with their short corner drills when they wasted all the six opportunities.

India also should have won by a more comprehensive margin but their forwards relied mostly on personal heroics and individual gamesmanship while in goal-scoring positions.

India were no less than pathetic with their penalty corner conversions as they missed all the nine goals scoring opportunities. (AGENCIES)

Pakistan no longer underdogs

By Wasim Akram

For four days India had an upper hand and looked like winning the first test convincingly, but a class act performance by both Razzaq and Kamran Akmal changed all that. I am sure that after the fourth day everyone expected India to wrap up the Pakistani tail by lunch and chase a moderate total to win.

However, both Razzaq and Kamran batted beautifully to help Pakistan save the match. I am sure Inzaman must have given a pep –talk before the start of the fifth day. He would have told his team not to go for a draw and instead to put a decent score and to look at bowling India out. Even though realistically that was never going to be the case I am sure that helped the Pakistan players to play the fifth day with a very strong positive attitude and it worked wonders for them.

Razzaq is an excellent all rounder who the Pakistan can use as the fifth bowler. This gives them a great advantage as now Pakistan can drop a batsman and play an extra bowler. Kamran Akmal has been scoring heavily in the first class cricket also. This innings of his under immense pressure shows character and his confidence level like Balaji’s will now be sky high.

Even though India had an upper hand throughout the match, this result will definitely give Pakistan an edge. They will be much more confident and now will be looking at giving India a much harder fight.

The lead, which India had built, was very challenging and it seemed even more when Pakistan lost their first three wickets for 10 runs. However the magic of Inzy and Youhana, two of my favorite batsman helped get Pakistan out of a spot of bother. Inzaman played some effortless defensive shots, which saw the ball going to the boundary. He was a victim to a bad leg before decision. Looking at his height and the fact that the ball hit his pad outside the leg stump to a leg spinner should have saved him.

Danesh Kaneria also bowled beautifully and I am sure will improve as the series goes along. The googly to which Laxman got out was a great delivery. His googlies are very effective and are very hard to pick up for the batsman.

The Pakistan team will be very pumped up after this result. It doesn’t matter now whether the Pakistan side is experienced or not. The Pakistan side can be very dangerous if they are charged up and are confident.

Looking ahead, I think Pakistan needs to play an extra bowler. They need to attack the strong Indian batting lineup, even though it means dropping a batsman. I always feel that attacking is the best form of defense.

It was awesome to see the way the Pakistani fans were looked after in Mohali and Chandigarh, and that’s the way the Punjabi culture is. To see both the Indian flags and the Pakistan flag together in the stadium always gives me goose bumps. I am sure we will get to see similar love and respect in Kolkata as the Bengali culture is also very hospitable.

I can’t wait now for the second test to begin. Pakistan will no longer be the underdogs in this series. We can really expect some great cricket in the month ahead. (TCM)

Kamran, Razzaq deserve pat

By Anil Kumble

Mohali, Mar 12: The first word that springs to mind at the end of a long, tiring day on Saturday is: Frustrating. We tried everything we could to exploit the advantage of having taken six wickets in Pakistan’s second innings on Friday and complete a win so that we could claim a 1-0 lead in the series.

Kamran Akmal, who made a maiden century under pressure, and Abdul Razzaq got together in a rewarding partnership in four hours for Pakistan and helped their team escape to a draw. I cannot put a finger on what we did wrong and will only say that the bowlers turned out a lot of hard work through the day on what was a flat track.

Kamran Akmal played well on a slow pitch that did not offer turn while Razzaq was watchful. Of course, credit must be given to the two batsmen for holding back our charge and salvaging a draw under pressure but it must be realised that the pitch had little for any bowler. It was frustrating that the ball did so little off the pitch even on the fifth day.

Earlier this season, we were denied success in Chennai by the determination of Damien Martyn – who made a century – and Jason Gillespie, who had come in as night-watchman on the third evening. But we did set ourselves up for a victory before overnight rain washed out all of the fifth day’s play.

To anyone who thinks we underestimated the Pakistan team, I would like to say that we did not do any such thing. We have a healthy respect for the visiting team and are aware that we have to go out and perform, scoring runs and taking wickets. On Saturday, the Pakistanis batted well in conditions that favoured the batsmen. It worked out for them.

Despite the draw, we will take away more positive from here than the Pakistan team. In Test cricket, we look to win sessions and everyone will admit that we won all sessions but a couple in which Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana and then Akmal and Razzaq held fort for Pakistan.

We did dominate over four days and, frankly, it was only one session on Saturday that stopped us from following through. Balaji’s return to Test cricket after an injury lay off has been heartening while Viru scored big runs, Rahul, Sachin and Laxman finding half-centuries. We now travel to Kolkata for the second Test beginning next Wednesday. We will remember that we beat South Africa by eight wickets at the Eden Gardens a few months ago. The draw here will not reduce our intensity or desire to be the first Indian team to win a back-to-back series against Pakistan. On the contrary, it will only steel our determination further .(TCM)

Former Pak captains shower praises on team

KARACHI, Mar 12: Pakistan’s former greats were unanimous in hailing the achievement of Inzamam-ul-Haq’s men who returned from the dead to hold India to a draw in the first cricket Test at Mohali.

"Simply awesome," said former captain Moin Khan. "It had been a great fightback by the Pakistan cricket team. Pakistan has fought against all odds to fight out a draw. If luck had favoured Pakistan, I am sure they would have won the game.

"In my view, a new star on cricket horizon in the shape of Kamran Akmal is born today," he added.

Moin pointed out that Virender Sehwag, who scored 173, was dropped by Taufeeq Umar and Younis Khan; Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 94, was given not out by Rudi Koertzen when television replays confirmed that he had been legitimately caught at forward-short-leg off Danish Kaneria; while Inzamam-ul-Haq twice got tough leg before decisions.

"Frankly speaking, if you analyse the match in a broader prospective, Pakistan was a better side. They had been completely written-off and were branded as the weakest team ever to go on a tour. Credit must be given to Inzamam-ul-Haq who led from the front and injected a new lease of life in his young outfit," he said.

Pakistan after being on the back foot for the first four days saved the match thanks to a 184 run seventh wicket partnership between wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and allrounder Abdul Razzaq.

Another former skipper Rashid Latif said Pakistan managed to save the test only because they played like a team, showed fighting spirit and planned the last day to perfection.

"It is a great achievement. I think Pakistan saved the Test only because they played with purpose and with a lot of spirit. Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq should be given full marks because they not only occupied the crease but kept the scoreboard moving. The two showed that they had cool and intelligent heads on their shoulders. They showed that if other batsmen play session-by-session, Pakistan can dominate this series," Latif said.

"The problem with the Pakistan team is the top order that if trying to score quickly. I think, Inzamam-ul-Haq or Yousuf Youhana should again consider promoting themselves to number three and bring Younis Khan at number five.

"I think after this result, the balance of the series has now shifted in Pakistan favour because India will hardly believe their luck and their confidence must have been dented," Latif added.

A delighted and relieved Pakistan’s chairman of selectors Wasim Bari attributed the result to "tremendous team effort".

"The way the team fought back from a desperate situation has made the entire nation proud of them. I think Abdul Razzaq and Kamran Akmal, in particular, need to be praised as they probably played the innings of their life. Their innings was full of determination and guts," Wasim Bari said. (PTI)

Pak not to gain psychological advantage
from draw: Ganguly

MOHALI: Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly today praised Kamran Akmal and Abdul Razzaq for steering Pakistan to an incredible draw in the first cricket Test but said the visitors would not gain any psychological advantage from the result.

"They played well to draw the match but I don’t thing Pakistan will get a big psychological advantage," Ganguly told reporters here.

"We played well in this Test but we must give credit to Razzak and Akmal," he added.

Wicket-keeper batsman Akmal struck his maiden century and was associated with a record 184-run seventh wicket partnership with Razzaq (71) which denied India a victory.

Ganguly said he did not think that the slower run rate on the third day by the Indians could have made much difference on the outcome of the match.

"I don’t think so. We were in full control of the Test for the first four days and we had their six wickets down with 97 overs left to get them out and score the remaining runs. I don’t see any connection (between the slow rate and the match outcome)," he said.

Asked when India felt that the match was slipping out of their control, Ganguly said "when they had a lead of 210 runs and we were left with just 38 overs to get those runs".

The captain also justified his decision to play three seamers in the match.

"You don’t judge these things at start (like Pakistani tailenders would resist the attack) at the start of the match. The wicket had moisture and our decision (under those circumstances) was pretty fair. We must give credit to Pakistan," he said.

Ganguly did not agree calling Razzaq and star of the Pakistani innings Akmal as tailenders and said they were good batsmen who could score runs.

"It is not the question of tailenders, but getting two batsmen out," he said.

Regarding the possibility of including Harbhajan Singh in the Kolkata Test, he said "somebody like Harbhajan who has the capacity to extract turn on any surface, it will be hard to leave him out.

"In Kolkata, it gets hot and we will have to see the surface and the wicket (before taking any final decision)."

Ganguly said he played four Tests in Mohali, out of which three had been drawn while India had tasted victory against England here.

"Unfortunately (the win) did not happen today," he said. (PTI)