Latest News: Asia Cup flop 'a warning bell'



KARACHI: Former Pakistan cricket greats said Sunday Pakistan's failure to reach the final of the Asia Cup was "a warning bell" for problems that needed urgent attention before next year's World Cup.

"Pakistan did play well in both the matches but the fact is that we are still number three, behind Sri Lanka and India, which is a warning bell for next year's World Cup," former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas told AFP.

The four-nation Asia Cup, being played in the Sri Lankan resort of Dambullah, is seen as a build-up for next year's World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Arch-rival India beat Pakistan by three wickets on Saturday, qualifying for the June 24 final against Sri Lanka and leaving runners-up Pakistan and Bangladesh to contest a league match on Monday.

Abbas said the results showed that Pakistan was performing poorly.

"Against India our batting did well, but bowling and fielding were not up to the mark," said Abbas.

Pakistan also failed to reach the final of the 2008 Asia Cup, when the tournament was held in their own country.

Abbas said there were "too many coaches" in the Pakistan camp, which he found "hard to understand," referring to head coach Waqar Younis, assistant coach Aqib Javed and batting-fielding coach Ijaz Ahmed.

"Too many coaches are spoiling the broth," Abbas said.

Former chief selector Iqbal Qasim, who resigned in February after Pakistan's winless tour of Australia, said Pakistan had to confront its problems before next year's World Cup.

"Fielding is our main problem, which again failed us on Saturday," said Qasim, a former left-arm spinner. "We also need to know when to utilise our batting powerplay, which is being spoiled every time."

Qasim said fast-rising batsman Umar Akmal and paceman Mohammad Amir needed guidance to turn their huge talent into better performances.

"Umar is creating panic when he comes on to bat," which led to run-outs for his batting partners which he survived, Qasim said.

"It's a big problem which needs to sorted out."

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi will lead the team on the tour of England starting next week.

Pakistan will play two Twenty20 and two Tests against Australia and four Tests, two Twenty20 and five one-day matches against England.

Latest News: Hockey greats slam appointment of Dutch coach



KARACHI: The appointment of a Dutchman to revive Pakistan's dwindling field hockey fortunes is a waste of money and will not stop the alarming decline, former greats said on Sunday.

Pakistan Saturday named Michel van den Heuvel as coach of their national team in a bid to revive the game here, which hit its lowest ebb in New Delhi in March this year.

Pakistan, winner of three Olympic gold and four world titles, finished 12th and last -- their worst-ever finish -- in the World Cup.

Former Olympian and ex-coach Shahnaz Shaikh said hiring a foreign coach will prove a waste of money.

"Under economic problems, Pakistan government has already slashed sports budget by 60 percent and the hiring of a foreign coach will increase financial woes and will not produce desired results," Shaikh told AFP.

"I am told the Dutchman will be paid 1.6 million rupees (18,000 dollars) per month until 2012, which is huge and unacceptable in this poor country."

Shaikh said Van den Heuvel had failed to lift Dutch hockey.

"In the last ten years the Dutch hockey has failed to produce results and with Van den Heuvel involved, either as assistant coach or coach, this step is unwise and will fail," said Shaikh, a winner of the World Cup in 1971.


Van den Heuvel will be Pakistan's third foreign coach, succeeding fellow Dutchmen Hans Jorritsma, appointed in 1994, and Roelant Oltmans, in 2004.

Another former Olympian, Shahbaz Ahmed, was just as scathing.

"When I played in the Dutch league (1996-2000), Van den Heuvel was my team coach and I found him very ordinary, he failed to handle the team and I told club's president that until he is in charge, we cannot win," Ahmed said.

"By appointing a foreign coach they (officials) are trying to save themselves and when the team loses they will put the blame on the foreign coach," said Ahmed, a member of Pakistan's World Cup winning team in 1994.

Under the new coach Pakistan tour Spain next month before featuring in October's Commonwealth Games in India and November's Asian Games in China.

Latest News: Three matches in FIFA world cup today




JOHANNESBURG: Three matches will be played in FIFA World Cup today (Monday).

In the first match, two teams of Group G Portugal and North Korea will play against each other in Johannesburg. The match will begin at 4:30 pm Pakistan Time.

In Group H, Chile to face Switzerland in Port Elizabeth at 7: 00 pm Pakistan whereas last match of the day will be played between European champion Spain and Honduras at 11:30 PST. Spain should win today’s match to stay in the tournament.
 
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