Pakistan Resume innings in Karachi

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KARACHI: Sri Lanka resumed their innings on the fourth day of Karachi Test at National Stadium here on Tuesday. Captain Younus Khan led Pakistan’s fightback with his 16th hundred to thwart Sri Lanka on the third day of the opening Test here on Monday.

The 31-year-old right-hander was unbeaten on 149 as the home team, replying to Sri Lanka’s mammoth first innings total of 644-7, were 296-3 at stumps.

Misbah-ul-Haq was the other not out batsman at stumps with 20.

Pakistan need another 149 runs to avoid follow-on.

Younus, leading Pakistan for the first time after he replaced Shoaib Malik following Pakistan’s 2-1 one-day defeat against Sri Lanka last month — his fifth Test as captain overall — truly played a captain’s knock.

He played the twin-pace and twin-spin Sri Lankan bowling attack with consummate ease. Younus pushed Sri Lankan paceman Dilhara towards third man for two to complete his century after four hours and five minutes of defiant batting — his fourth against Sri Lanka.

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New Zealand Win T20 From India by 7 Wickets

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Christchurch: New Zealand started the tour with a bang as the hosts cruised to a comprehensive seven wicket victory over India in the first T20 match of the series.

Brendon McCullum’s half centurion stand proved to India’s nemesis as he ensured a win to start the tour on a good note for his team. He was given apt support by Jacob Oram who milked the bowlers for runs that ultimately led to the fall of the T20 World Champions in their first outing in the Kiwi land.

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The Kiwi batsmen had adopted a contrasting game-plan as they kept the wickets intact in the major part of the game, only punishing the odd ball rather than going in for the kill right from the word go.

Wickets here, wickets there, wickets everywhere…The Indian T20 armada began in a typical dynamic T20 fashion as the visitors managed to score 162/8 with the big names failing to register in the tour opener.

The thriller of a match saw the fortunes swinging either ways before the onus finally wrested in the favour of the hosts.

Even the Indian captain MS Dhoni rued his batsmen’s inability to hold on to their wicket and said that the rash display would hopefully not be repeated. He was all praise for the bowlers who tried hard despite not having a large total to defend keeping the T20 format in mind.

# Brendon McCullum was adjudged the Man of the Match

The Indian bowlers did maintain a healthy rhythm in testing times and in the battle of nerves, gave the upper hand to the hosts. The key was to pick up a wicket just when the batsmen started to get loose and it could not be followed in the death overs.

Martin Guptill hit some spanking shots across the ground to keep the scoreboard turning at a favourable pace. It was Harbhajan Singh who got the desired breakthrough by claiming the batsman for 41 runs.

The Indian bowlers had started their tour with a disciplined show in the initial overs before losing it all completely in the middle and end as Ishant Sharma picked up the wicket of Jesse Ryder with his first delivery. It was an effort that could not be sustained as the batsmen adapted to his line and length of the first spell and clubbed him over the boundary ropes on a few occasions.

The lone Indian warrior of the day was Suresh Raina, who hit a cracking unbeaten 61 from just 43 balls. The last partnership between Harbhajan and Raina proved to be quite destructive for the hosts as Bhajji’s 21 run cameo ensured that India posted a challenging total.

It was a ‘bang-bang and out!’ strategy that prevailed as most of the willow wielders managed a few gargantuan hits before being almost immediately dismissed by the New Zealand bowlers who adapted quickly.

Sehwag had started his New Zealand tour with three successive thunderous sixes, sending a clear message to the hosts that he would take the charge to them. However, the dream run ended soon as Iain O`Brien struck gold for his team by claiming his prized scalp. The ripping fast delivery went through the defence gates of Sehwag who was trying to smash another six and resulted in his dismissal at 26 runs from a mere ten balls.

His opening partner, Gautam Gambhir was not as imposing, as his middle stump was uprooted by O`Brien’s spearing fast delivery at a score of six runs.

# The most unusual of dismissals was witnessed by the Christchurch crowd as Jacob Oram plucked a fast disappearing ball from just inside the boundary ropes, hurled it high as he was going to go across the boundary, came back in before the ball landed and completed the catch to dismiss Yusuf Pathan after he had smashed three successive sixes; another Sehwag like performance came to an end.

Even the in-form skipper MS Dhoni could not manage to stop the onslaught as he was clean bowled by Ian Butler. The bowler had also come into the act to get Rohit Sharma caught by McCullum at a score of seven runs.

The famed Indian batting bit dust at Christchurch with the gritty display of some disciplined bowling, the hosts came out with their homework done and indeed got the results to a certain degree.

Daniel Vettori had chipped into the action by getting the danger man of the T20 format, Yuvraj Singh, out for a mere run. The batsman was adjudged LBW as a clever delivery got him plumb in front of the wicket, a slight lapse of concentration brought his fall after the hosts chose to field first.

Heavy Gun Battle Erupts in BDR Headquarters in Dhaka

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DHAKA: A fierce gun battle broke out on Wednesday inside the headquarters of Bangladesh’s border security force in the capital Dhaka, police said.

The private Bangladeshi news channel has reported several injuries.

“There has been a huge exchange of gunfire at BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) headquarters complex this morning. We have heard mortar fire,” local police chief Nabojit Khisa told foreign news agency.

“The gunfire is still going on. We are not allowed to enter,” he added, declining to comment on reports of a mutiny within the force.

Smoke could be seen coming from the complex, with security forces sealing the area off.

The Bangladesh Rifles are headquartered in the Bangladeshi capital’s Pilkhana area. A fierce gun battle broke out on Wednesday inside the headquarters of Bangladesh’s border security force in the capital Dhaka, police said. The private Bangladeshi news channel has reported several injuries.

“There has been a huge exchange of gunfire at BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) headquarters complex this morning. We have heard mortar fire,” local police chief Nabojit Khisa told foreign news agency.

“The gunfire is still going on. We are not allowed to enter,” he added, declining to comment on reports of a mutiny within the force.

Smoke could be seen coming from the complex, with security forces sealing the area off. The Bangladesh Rifles are headquartered in the Bangladeshi capital’s Pilkhana area.

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Clarke Pulls out of IPL

NEW DELHI: Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke pulled out from the Season 2 of the million dollar Twenty20 tournament — Indian Premier League (IPL). Clarke said on Thursday (February 5) that his decision to skip the lucrative Twenty20 tournament was made because Australia has such a busy international schedule coming up.

“I won’t be going to the IPL,” Clarke said. The most important thing for me is we’ve only got a couple of weeks off, we’ve got a very busy schedule. “With me, with my body and time with my family, I want time off this year.”

But Clarke said his decision did not mean that he could not understand why so many other players did want to play in the Indian competition. “It’s a wonderful thing for cricket, it’s definitely improved Twenty20 cricket, it’s played a part in improving One-day cricket,” he said.

“The lead up to the Twenty20 World Championships is the IPL so it’s good preparation so it does not surprise me that a lot of players are going.” Clarke was valued at $1 million and was set to be among the top three purchases in the auction to be held on Friday (February 6) in Goa. Chennai Super Kings, last year’s finalists, were expected to lead the bidding for Clarke.

Aishwarya Rai back on Screen after 18 Months

MUMBAI: Ash, who is currently in New York for the premiere of Pink Panther 2, will return to India after a fortnight to resume filming for Mani Ratnam’s Raavan. Ash had two releases in 2008: Jodhaa Akbar and Sarkar Raj. Both the films did well at the box office and Ash’s performance was appreciated in both. Jodhaa Akbar released in February while Sarkar Raj released in June 2008.

Mani Ratnam’s Raavan which is set to release at the end of 2009 is most likely to be Ash’s next Hindi release after Sarkar Raj in June 2008. The film also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Vikram, Govinda and Manisha Koirala.

The film is a modern day re-telling of the Ramayana. Ash will play Sita, a contemporary accomplished Carnatic musician while Vikram is Rama and Abhishek is Raavan. Ash is also shooting for the Tamil version of the film, Ashokavanam, which will release at the same time as Raavan. Both the films have been shot in the interiors of South India.

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After Raavan and Ashokavanam, Ash’s next release is Shankar’s sci-fi special-effects laden thriller Endhiran with Rajnikanth. The film has been shot in the exotic locales of Peru and Brazil in South America and Goa in India.

Ash will be seen in colourful costumes in this film. The plot of the film revolves around Ash and Rajnikanth who is a couple. The twist in the story is that Rajnikanth invents a robot called Endhiran who also falls in love with Ash. The film will release in April 2010.

By the time the films release, Ash’s Indian fans would have waited for well over a year to see their favourite actress back on their Bollywood screen again.

In 26/11 Metter Pakistan Must Assure Her Cooperation: Ban

In 26/11 Metter Pakistan Must Assure Her Cooperation: BanPakistan should conduct a “full investigation” into the Mumbai attacks and cooperate with India in bringing the perpetrators of the terrorist incident to justice, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said on Wednesday.

Addressing a news conference with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Moon said he had told the premier “that the Pakistani government should have a full investigation into this issue and fully cooperate with the Indian government”.

Moon was replying to a question on whether he was satisfied with Pakistan’s compliance of resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council after the Mumbai attacks.

The resolutions outlawed the Jamaat-ud-Dawah, a front for the Lashker-e-Taiba terror group, and placed four LeT leaders on a list of entities and individuals facing sanctions for terrorist links.

In his opening statement Moon called for resumption of the peace process between India and Pakistan, which was suspended by New Delhi in the wake of the Mumbai incident.

Noting the “complexities of regional relations particularly in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks”, Moon said he had stressed to Gilani and “other interlocutors the importance of maintaining rapprochement between India and Pakistan that has taken its own momentum in the last several years”.

“In the long run, this is a critical aspect of regional relations and one that can pave the way for a new era of cooperation, peaceful co-existence and socio-economic transformation in South Asia,” Ban said.

Replying to a question, Moon said cooperative and friendly relations between India and Pakistan would be beneficial for the two countries and “very desirable for peace and stability in this subcontinent”.

Though bilateral ties had been hit by the Mumbai attacks, India and Pakistan should resume the composite dialogue process. “This is what the UN and international community wants,” Moon said.

Moon commended Gilani’s recent statement that his government would enact a new law, if necessary, to punish Pakistanis who commit crimes outside the country’s boundaries. He said such a step would be “very helpful” in the fight against terrorism.

Gilani clarified that interior ministry chief Rehman Malik had informed him that Pakistan’s laws are adequate for dealing with crimes committed outside the country. Gilani said new laws could still be enacted if necessary.

“Our resolve and intention is that we will never ever allow Pakistani soil to be used for terrorist activities,” he added.

Gilani also sought to bring up the UN’s role in resolving the Kashmir issue.

Sonia Gandhi Warns Pakistan of Befitting Reply

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, on Wednesday, vowed to fight terrorism and warned Pakistan in indirect words to stop spreading the menace or face a befitting reply.

Addressing a public rally in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Sonia said the “neighbouring country” was trying to harm India and destroy her communal amity.

“The neighbouring country has the malicious intention of dividing our country and destroying its fraternity. The people of India will respond to this,” she said without naming Paksitan.

“Indira Gandhi died fighting terrorism. United, we will give terrorism a strong reply,” she told a gathering, which included a large chunk of tribals. She further said terrorism is a huge challenge before the country and “we will defeat it”.

Hinting at the recent attacks on migrant workers in Maharashtra, she lauded the people of Dadra and Nagar Haveli for “loving and accepting outside workers” who came to work in the Union Territory.

Underlining the achievements of the UPA Government at the Centre under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she stressed that it was pro-people. “We have waived off agriculture loans worth Rs 71,000 crore, which benefited four crore farmers. We have given scholarships to tribal children, and also cleared forestland for cultivation. We have reduced the prices of petrol and diesel twice,” she said.

She went on to say that tribals and villagers stand to benefit from the civilian nuclear deal, which the UPA government signed with the US, through the prospect of uninterrupted power supply.

Shops, schools, markets and even factories remained closed in the city till the afternoon in connection with the rally. Silvassa is an industrially developed city with about 2.2 lakh voters. It has a large population of migrant labourers.