The Pakistan Cricket Board came down hard on enigmatic fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar today, fining him 300,000 rupees and also docking points from his central contract for leaving the national training camp here without permission. "He left the camp without informing the team manager on Augu

The Pakistan Cricket Board came down hard on enigmatic fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar today, fining him 300,000 rupees and also docking points from his central contract for leaving the national training camp here without permission. "He left the camp without informing the team manager on Augu

Pakistan's enigmatic fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi have turned down million-dollar offers to play in the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). Shoaib said hours after clearing a dope test that he was made a good offer from the ICL organizers but he conside

Fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, who returned positive for banned substance nandrolone last year, have cleared the dope tests held last week, the Pakistan Cricket Board said today. The tests were conducted on 26 players during the training camp and practice matches held here i

The Pakistan Cricket Board has started conducting dope tests on the probables for the Twenty20 World Cup including fast bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif who last year had tested positive for a banned substance. "The tests are nearly completed and we have a doctor and a local repre

Although willing to aid the planned Bob Woolmer Academy in every possible way, some officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) feel the late coach's family is being too demanding by asking for a special charity match. Woolmer's widow Gill had written to both the PCB and the Indian Cricket

Flamboyant Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi today said he favoured the International Cricket Council's new rule of awarding a free hit to batsman after a no ball delivery in one-dayers, saying it would make the game more entertaining and exciting. Afridi said he understood the apprehens

The washout of the one-day international against arch-rivals India in Glasgow had deprived Pakistan of a chance to boost morale and confidence, captain Shoaib Malik has said. "In Pakistan, a match against India is above everything else and the players were also looking forward to it a

Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif can heave a sigh of relief as the Court of Arbitration for Sport today dismissed an appeal by the World Anti-doping Agency against the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to overturn a doping ban on them. The CAS said in its verdict that it rejected the WADA app

Pakistan's speed merchant Shoaib Akhtar has been asked to prove his "match fitness" to be eligible for selection for the one-off ODI against India in Scotland next month. Akhtar, who has not played a competitive match in the past 14 months due to fitness problems, was today inclu

Sachin Tendulkar today made way for Sourav Ganguly while Zaheer Khan was included as the sixth Indian in the revised 14-member one-day Asia cricket team for the Afro Asian Cup beginning in Bangalore on June 6. Sri Lankan Dilhara Fernando and Mashrafe Mortaza of Bangladesh were the other tw

Dope-tainted Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar was today dropped from the Asian XI team for the Afro Asia Cricket Cup due to lack of fitness. Asian Cricket Council selection committee member Mohsin Khan said the express bowler was dropped as he had not recovered from his knee injury. "The P

Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has said he wanted to get his fitness problems sorted out once and for all during the lean cricketing season to come back tougher for the home series against South Africa in September. Shoaib, who has not been named even in the probables for the Abu Dhabi

Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar today said there was a need to change the culture of the Pakistan team's dressing room with a captain who is honest and supportive of his players. "My experience is that in the past instead of using me as a match winner some of the captains used

Pakistan pacer Rana Naved ul Hasan and Umar Gul were summoned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for random dope test after their opening World Cup match against the West Indies.ICC had summoned Umer Gul and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan for a random dope test after the World Cup opening match

Two time World champions West Indies will today take on 1992 champions Pakistan in the opening match of the ninth ICC Cricket World Cup. The Windies face pressure as no host country has ever won the title since the World Cup was launched in 1975 in England. Brian Lara and his men woul

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf today strongly dismissed suggestions that pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were pulled out of the World Cup after they failed a secret dope test in London. The announcement came just hours after the International Cricket Counci

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said that players at the upcoming World Cup will be target tested for drugs. In addition to the already announced four random tests at each match, the International Cricket Council says that 17 of the scheduled 51 games in the Caribbean will b

Pakistan pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were today ruled out of the World Cup in Caribbean due to injuries. The team's media manager, Pervez Mir told reporters that both the fast bowlers had not been able to recover from injuries despite getting treatment in London. "They

Pakistan's World Cup prospects suffered a jolt with all-rounder Abdul Razzaq likely to be ruled out for the mega cricket event due to injury in his left knee. Razzaq was hurt on his left knee and possibly fractured it during the nets in Lahore today, a Pakistan Cricket Board offici

Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar today proclaimed himself as a doubtful starter for next month's World Cup with his knee being still a matter of concern. Shoaib, who spent the last week in London apparently to seek medical opinion on his knee problem, said he would again leave for the c

Pakistan team manager Talat Ali has not reported any incident of racial abuse by coach Bob Woolmer against any member of the team, including temperamental fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar during the recent tour of South Africa. A PCB official confirmed to PTI that Talat, in his tour report file

The Pakistan Cricket Board's move to invite former greats for delivering pep-talk to the World Cup-bound players has not found favour from former captain Javed Miandad, who thinks it's too late to organise such meetings. A PCB official confirmed that chairman Naseem Ashraf had contacted g

The Pakistan Cricket Board today said if Shoaib Akhtar feels he was racially abused by coach Bob Woolmer, the speedster could sue him in court and seek an apology and damages. "We have also read claims in newspaper reports that Woolmer allegedly called Shoaib "Blacky" somet

Pakistan completed dope tests on all but three of their World Cup 15-man squad and five reserves, but tests on Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were deferred, an official said. Asif is in England for a reassessment of his elbow injury and on his return will give a test, in the next few day

Grant Compton, the trainer at the Pakistan's National Cricket Academy and a key member of the support staff brought by Coach Bob Woolmer, has resigned over differences with the cricket board over his contract. Compton said he was disappointed with the way the Pakistan Cricket Boar

Pakistan captain Inzamam ul Haq today refused to believe that fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar could accuse him and coach Bob Woolmer of abusing and insulting him during the recent tour of South Africa. "I don't believe Shoaib can say such a thing. It is utterly nonsense. I don't believe it

Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer threatened legal action against a leading Pakistani newspaper for accusing him of making racist remarks against paceman Shoaib Akhtar. The daily Dawn, quoting unnamed sources, reported Friday that Woolmer called Akhtar "blacky" during a hea

Pakistan dope-tested most of its World Cup cricket squad with the futures of key fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif hanging in the balance. Thirteen of the 15-man squad plus five reserves were tested after flying back from South Africa, officials said on Friday. Akhtar and Asi

The public spat between Shoaib Akhtar and Bob Woolmer has taken a new twist with a newspaper claiming that the Pakistan coach had used abusive language with racial overtones against the fast bowler during a heated argument in South Africa. Woolmer, however, has strongly denied that he had