India finally broke through for their first win of the tour thanks to a dazzling display in the field. Ravindra Jadeja provided the spark – and did no harm to his chances in Saturday’s IPL auction – with a pair of run-outs as Australia’s batsmen were constricted by intense pressure from the fielders, and were dismissed in the 20th over for 131.

That was always going to be hard to defend and so it proved, India reaching the target with two balls to spare and eight wickets in hand to draw the series 1-1. They began the chase needing only a fraction above six an over and as a result spent much of their innings in cruise control, Gautam Gambhir able to amble along at less than a run a ball without ever letting the pressure build.

The only time a hint of worry might have entered the Indian camp was when five dot balls came towards the end of the chase, and George Bailey had all his fielders in the ring in the final over with one run required. But Gambhir found a gap at midwicket to strike a boundary off Clint McKay and finished on 56 from 60 balls, with MS Dhoni also unbeaten on 21.

Virender Sehwag provided some excitement with one enormous six back over the head of the bowler Xavier Doherty but it was the only one in India’s innings. They didn’t need any more. Sehwag was caught at cover off a Brad Hogg full toss for 23 and Virat Kohli, who made a quick 31, was brilliantly caught when Matthew Wade dived to his right off the bowling of Mitchell Marsh, but they were Australia’s only two moments to celebrate in the field.

Australia needed to build more pressure and while their work with the ball and in the field was not bad, it lacked the zip shown by their India counterparts. Four Australia batsmen were run out and another was stumped, the younger men brought in for the limited-overs games providing the energy that India lacked in the Tests.

It all started with Jadeja, who got rid of two of David Hussey’s partners with run-outs and then picked up the wicket of Hussey off his own bowling. The big wicket was that of Aaron Finch, who was sent in alongside David Warner at the top of the order and showed his power with six fours, five of which were through the off side.

Finch launched drives and cuts at anything wide of off and at one stage he had aggregated more than 100 Twenty20 international runs without being dismissed, but that changed quickly. Finch was caught short when Hussey pushed into the off side and tried for a single that wasn’t there, Jadeja’s throw getting rid of Finch for 36 from 23 balls.

The captain George Bailey departed soon afterwards when he overcommitted as Hussey steered the ball to backward point, where Jadeja collected and threw to the bowler’s end with Bailey (3) a long way short. Jadeja then induced a leading edge off Hussey, who made 24 from 29 balls, and that wicket left Australia in trouble at 5 for 93.

The fine work kept coming from India. Mitchell Marsh was stumped off Rahul Sharma, Dhoni collecting the ball close to the stumps and with no give in his gloves, he hardly had to move to whip the bails off and find Marsh just out of his ground. That was followed by what was effectively a knockout blow for Australia, when Matthew Wade was run out for 32 off 29 balls.

Wade had slog-swept a six and after his outstanding innings on Wednesday, he seemed like the man who might carry Australia to a competitive score. But he pushed to cover and took off only to be turned back by Brett Lee, and Rohit Sharma’s direct hit had Wade short despite his full-length dive.

Australia were dismissed with two balls to spare, when Doherty was run out thanks to sharp work from Suresh Raina. They had lost 4 for 10 since the start of the 19th over.

Australia’s innings had got off to a poor start with the early loss of David Warner, who was caught at deep midwicket for 8 when he skied a ball off Praveen Kumar. Shaun Marsh’s miserable summer continued with a second-ball duck, his limp prod outside off resulting in an edge to first slip, where Sehwag parried the ball up to Dhoni to give Praveen his second wicket.

It was an excellent way for India to begin, and they didn’t let the advantage slip. Now the question is whether they can carry some of this spark into the one-day series.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo.

Matthew Wade’s 72 and David Hussey’s all-round performance propelled Australia to 31-run victory over India in the first Twenty20 international of the two-match series at Sydney.

Daniel Christian removed Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja in his successive overs to take Australia into commanding position the first Twenty20 international against India.

Chasing 172 runs target, India crumbled as they lost five wickets inside 75 runs in the first Twenty20 international of the two-match series against Australia at Sydney.

Bowling change got the early reward for Australia as David Hussey struck in his first two overs to scalp Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma and left India struggling at 53/4 in 7.1 overs. Brad Hogg joined the party as he dismissed Virat Kohli for 22.

Gambhir and Kohli resurrected Indian innings as they have added 41 runs in 30 balls for the second wicket.

India got off to poor start as they lost Virender Sehwag in the first over. Sehwag, who smashed a boundary in his 3 balls stay, got a thick leading edge off Brett Lee that went to David Hussey at first slip.

Earlier, Matthew Wade’s 72 and David Hussey’s 42 powered Australia to post 171/4 in the first match of the two-match series.

Wade has been the star of Australian innings, who smacked five boundaries and three huge sixes in his swashbuckling knock that came in just 43 balls. Part time bowler Suresh Raina ended Wade’s blistering innings to give India vital breakthrough.

David Hussey also played useful knock, scored 42 runs in 30 balls with the help of one four and three sixes.

Australia lost Wade early when the play resumed after the rain has stopped play when the hosts reached 131/2 in 14.4 overs.

Matthew Wade reached his maiden Twenty20 international half-century with a six that also brought up Australia’s hundred in the 13th over.

R Ashwin had Travis Birt caught by Suresh Raina in the covers as Australia lost their second wicket in the tenth over in the first match of the two-match series.

R Vinay Kumar gave India the first breakthrough when he had David Warner caught by Raina in the covers.

Vinay bowled a fullish length delivery angling into the batsman, at 128.4 kph, Warner hopped back a bit to the leg side for the heave across the line but got a top edge. It flew high in the air and Raina took a regulation catch at covers.

Warner smashed two sixes and a four in his 14-ball 25.

The breakthrough came after Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and chose to bowl.

After winning the toss, Dhoni said that the pitch looked like a good wicket and it was good to know the target.

Australian skipper George Bailey said that he would have batted anyways and added that they are a very balanced side. Three debutants for Australia – Bailey, James Faulkner and Xavier Doherty.

The Indians would look to turn the table in their favour after a mediocre Test series and Dhoni has a talented pool of youngsters at his disposal.

Dhoni would be hoping for lady luck to smile on him in the first of the two T20 matches ahead of the tri-series, featuring hosts Australia and Sri Lanka.

Teams:

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt.), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, Praveen Kumar.

Australia: George Bailey (Capt.), David Warner, Matthew Wade, Travis Birt, David Hussey, Mitchell Marsh, Daniel Christian, James Faulkner, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Xavier Doherty.

Source: Times of India

England finished a tough tour of India on an upbeat note, as they preserved their world No. 1 ranking in Twenty20 cricket with a hard-earned six-wicket victory in Kolkata. Steven Finn, with 3 for 22 in four fast and accurate overs, was England’s inspiration with the ball as they limited India’s powerful line-up to 120 for 9 after MS Dhoni had won the toss. Then it was over to Kevin Pietersen, who overcame an anxious start, and a fourth-ball life, to silence a raucous and expectant crowd with a blistering 53 from 39 balls.

Given how poorly England had fared in their 5-0 whitewash in the ODI series, they began the match on a hiding to nothing. However, from the moment they claimed two wickets in the first eight deliveries of the match, they were the team dictating the pace of the contest. Suresh Raina, with 39 from 29 balls, threatened for a time to restore the status quo, as did the Indian spinners who dominated the thrust of their attack. But when Raina dropped Pietersen at backward square leg off R Ashwin in the fifth over of the innings, India squandered the chance to ramp up the pressure that had led to England’s collapse of 10 for 47 on the same surface in Tuesday’s fifth ODI.

Pietersen’s response was far from instantaneous, however. Although he showed no ill-effects from the chipped thumb that ruled him out of the final ODI, the left-arm spin of Ravindra Jadeja helped to limit him to 2 from his first nine balls before a stunning change of approach reaped the richest of dividends. In the space of his next three balls, he dropped to his knees to scoop Yusuf Pathan over his head for his first boundary of the innings, before flipping to a left-hander’s stance and butchering a perfect switch hit over the fence at what had been deep extra cover.

Craig Kieswetter had already fallen to a mistimed lofted drive off Jadeja, and when Alex Hales holed out to deep midwicket off Pathan, both of England’s openers had fallen with 40 runs on the board. However, Samit Patel’s combative hitting proved to be the ideal foil for Pietersen, and their 60-run stand from 46 balls broke the back of the run-chase. Patel played second-fiddle for much of their stand, not least when Pietersen pumped the last two balls of the eighth and nine overs for three fours and a six. But he was not averse to taking the aerial route himself, as he proved when he flogged Vinay Kumar into the stands at long-on.

Typically, the denouement was not without its alarms for England. With 100 on the board, Patel sliced Virat Kohli to cover to depart for 21, and one over later, Pietersen was also on his way – courtesy of a shocking lbw decision from umpire Sudhir Asnani, who was perhaps distracted by another change of stance from Pietersen when he put up his finger for a delivery that clearly pitched outside leg. However, Ravi Bopara got away with a plumb appeal in Raina’s next over, as he and Jonny Bairstow sealed the match with 10 balls to spare.

If nothing else, the victory – England’s first in any limited-overs match in India since 2002 – was due reward for an outstanding month’s work from Finn. By trusting in the same virtues of line, length and pace that had earned him eight wickets in the ODIs, he claimed the wicket of Ajinkya Rahane with the fourth ball of the match, courtesy of an outstanding one-handed pluck in front of first slip from Kieswetter, then later returned to remove two dangermen, Raina and Ravindra Jadeja, with consecutive deliveries.

Finn conceded three boundaries in his 24 deliveries, one to Virat Kohli when he overpitched in his first over, and two to Raina – a clean swipe for six, back down the ground, and a rare poor delivery on the pads when he returned to the attack to start the 12th over. The rest of the time, however, his rhythm and accuracy was unrelenting, and it was his key extraction of Raina, who cut loosely to backward point in Finn’s third over that was the pivotal moment of the innings. One ball later, Jadeja chopped on for a golden duck, and at 74 for 6 with eight overs remaining, India’s habitual acceleration was thwarted.

It wasn’t a one-man show from England’s bowlers, however. Tim Bresnan bounced back from a disappointing ODI series with a second-ball strike to remove Robin Uthappa for 1, and also cut short a threatening performance from Kohli, who had moved along to a run-a-ball 15 when Alex Hales on the deep midwicket boundary pulled off an excellent running catch inches inside the rope.

Graeme Swann’s struggles with the ball continued when Raina pumped him for 16 in his first over, but his captaincy was certainly on the ball. Patel fizzed through his first three overs for 13 and bowled a frustrated Manoj Tiwary when he attempted to slog his way out of a rut, while Bopara pulled off some impressive changes of pace to deliver a double-wicket maiden in the 17th over of the innings. Yusuf Pathan missed the change-up after two slower balls and was bowled; two balls later Praveen Kumar had a mow and went the same way.

MS Dhoni, inevitably, was on hand to provide some late resistance as he and Ashwin scalped 25 runs from India’s final two overs, but a run-a-ball chase was always within England’s grasp – even allowing for the depth of their failings on this most disappointing of one-day campaigns.

Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo

Eoin Morgan and Jade Dernbach, England’s matchwinners in their jaunt to Ireland earlier in the week, once again produced their one-day best as England scraped home by six wickets in a tense Twenty20 against India at Old Trafford. Morgan made 49 from 27 balls to break the back of a stiff 166-run target, after Dernbach’s array of slower balls and yorkers had stopped India’s big hitters in their tracks with career-best figures of 4 for 22 from 3.4 overs.

On a sluggish pitch, India chose to bat first and posted a competitive total of 165, thanks largely to an eye-catching 61 from 39 balls from the debutant Ajinkya Rahane. Rahul Dravid, in his first and last Twenty20 international appearance, smacked three consecutive sixes off Samit Patel to turn a previously laborious knock into a sprightly 31 from 21, while Suresh Raina put his miserable Test series to one side with a useful 33 from 19.

Dernbach and Morgan, however, produced the day’s most captivating performances, and thanks to their combined efforts, England appeared to have the game in the bag with 32 runs still required from the final 29 deliveries of the contest. However, an exceptional 19th over from Munaf Patel went for just three runs, as Patel smashed his bat in two with an attempted cover drive, before Ravi Bopara was suckered by Munaf’s line outside off and struggled to put bat on ball.

Needing ten from the final over, England then had a stroke of major fortune when umpire Rob Bailey erroneously called wide when Vinay Kumar pitched his first delivery just inside the tramlines. Suitably buoyed, Patel then squeezed a pair of fours through third man before sealing the match with a lofted drive over extra cover with three balls of the contest remaining.

England’s innings had started ignominiously when the debutant Alex Hales – whose only other slice of the action had been a juggled catch at long-on which deflected off his shoulder – was suckered by Praveen Kumar’s command of swing and pinned lbw for a second-ball duck. After three of their Powerplay overs England were floundering on 17 for 1, with a hyperactive Kevin Pietersen inside-edging their only boundary through third man, and they scarcely looked any more composed when Pietersen was dropped by a diving Parthiv Patel at third man.

Two balls later Craig Kieswetter found a thick edge for six off Munaf, and it wasn’t until Pietersen whistled a conventional pull through square leg that their innings really found its feet. Vinay was muscled expertly through the covers twice in four balls by Kieswetter, before R Ashwin’s first nine-ball over was bookended by two more Pietersen boundaries. At 58 for 1 after six, England were suddenly up and running.

That solid position was dented twice in the next seven balls, however. First Kieswetter holed out to short cover, then Pietersen’s international summer was ended by a flash of inspiration from MS Dhoni, who moved down the leg side to gather a swinging delivery from the part-timer Virat Kohli, and whipped off the bails as Pietersen toppled out of his crease. He was gone for 33 from 23 balls, and at 60 for 3 after 7.1 overs, England were suddenly tottering.

It didn’t take Morgan long to find his range, however. After seeing out Kohli’s over, he drilled his first three balls from Rohit Sharma for four, four, six – two threaded cover-drives and a massive mow over deep midwicket. He added two more fours in Kohli’s next two overs, then marked the resumption of play after a lengthy delay by clipping a Praveen full-toss off his pads through fine leg.

At the other end, Bopara struggled to match either Morgan’s poise or placement, as he was made to wait 24 deliveries before cuffing his first boundary through deep midwicket off Ashwin. But while Morgan was in the zone, all he needed to do was stay with his partner. The pair added 73 for the fourth wicket in 8.1 overs, before Morgan was sweetly caught at point by Sharma. The decision required ratification from the third umpire, but was never seriously in doubt. And nor, at that stage, was the result.

Bopara’s unconvincing 31 from 36 balls allowed India to regain a toe-hold in the game, and it wasn’t the only aspect of England’s performance that lacked conviction. Earlier, the notion of unsettling India’s openers with the short ball backfired spectacularly as Rahane unveiled a range of cultured but aggressive strokes, including four fours in Stuart Broad’s first two overs. His first-class average of 67 points to a player with a rounded technique that can cope with all eventualities, and as India muscled along to 49 for 1 in the six-over Powerplay, their prospects looked sky-high.

Bopara ended a second-wicket stand of 65 in seven overs when Dravid’s debut ended with a drill to short extra cover. Five balls later, Rahane was on his way as well, as Dernbach at third man pocketed a cramped uppercut off Broad. Kohli came and went in the same Broad over as he flung his bat at a lifter outside off, and when Graeme Swann had Sharma stumped for 1, India had lost four wickets in 16 balls.

The stage was set for Raina, whose Test series had ended in such ignominy with a 42-ball pair at The Oval. His struggles against the short ball had been a recurring theme of the summer, although he proved a point of sorts by smashing a Broad bouncer with alacrity over midwicket for six. Two more sixes off Tim Bresnan gave India’s innings a late lift, but Dernbach’s variations were too cunning for the tail. India were bowled out with two balls of their allocation remaining, and how vital would those prove to be in the final analysis?

Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo

Putting up a splendid all round show, India scored a comfortable 16-run win over the West Indies in the one-off Twenty20 international to begin their Caribbean tour on a resounding note here Saturday.

It is India”s first win over the West Indies in T20 format as they had lost the previous two encounters at Lord”s and Kensington Oval.

After being invited to bat on a tricky Sabina Park Oval strip India recovered from a top-order collapse to post a competitive 159 for six and then restricted the hosts to 143 for five.

Host skipper Darren Sammy had asked second-string India to bat under helpful conditions for the pacers and he himself did all the damage with four wickets as the visiting batsmen struggled to adjust to the bounce of the pitch.

India owed their recovery to top-scorer S Badrinath (43) and Rohit Sharma (26) as they combined for a 71-run stand for the fifth wicket after the visitors were reeling at 56 for four inside nine overs.

Yusuf Pathan (15 off 6) and Harbhajan Singh (15 off 7) hit some lusty shots towards the end to help India cross the 150-run mark.

Indian bowlers then complimented the good batting effort from the middle-order with a disciplined performance.

Harbhajan Singh (2/25) took two wickets while Praveen Kumar (1/27), R Ashwin (1/30) and Munaf Patel (1/35) contributed in the win with a wicket apiece.

For the West Indies, Darren Bravo hit a-run-a-ball 41 and Christopher Barnwell sparkled with a 16-ball unbeaten 34 but that only reduced the defeat margin for the hosts.

Source: Yahoo Cricket

Pakistan beat Australia by 11 runs in the second Twenty20 international at Edgbaston to wrap up a 2-0 series win.

After Kamran Akmal’s 33 from 25 balls helped Pakistan post 9-162, its bowlers were able to dismiss Australia for the second game running and spark noisy celebrations.

Left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer led the Pakistan attack with 3-27, matching the figures he returned in Tuesday’s 23-run win in the opening match at the same venue.

That win had ended Pakistan’s 12-match losing run against Australia in all formats and the series success should serve to provide a confidence boost ahead of the two-Test series, which begins at Lord’s next week.

Australia’s only real bright spot came in the form of left-arm orthodox spinner Steve O’Keefe who claimed 3-29 on his international debut.

O’Keefe’s selection was one of two changes to the Australian side. He came in along with James Hopes, in place of Shane Watson and Steve Smith, while Pakistan was unchanged.

With Watson out, Clarke moved to the top of the order for his side’s chase. Clarke took 15 from his first eight deliveries before David Warner (one) was trapped lbw by Aamer.

Tim Paine then drove Shoaib Akhtar to Umar Gul for a duck, and while Clarke looked to maintain his belligerence with back-to-back boundaries off Aamer, the captain chopped the next ball onto his stumps.

The right-hander’s 30 from 17 balls silenced some of his doubters, but his departure left Australia in trouble at 3-33 after four overs.

A stand of 50 from 46 balls between Hopes and David Hussey steadied the chase before quick glovework from Kamran ensured the vital breakthrough.

The wicketkeeper whipped off the bails with Hopes barely out of his ground to end his 28-ball 30 and spark the delight of bowler Afridi who celebrated in typically unguarded style.

Afridi then had dangerman Cameron White (seven) caught in the deep before David Hussey (33) offered a simple return catch to Saeed Ajmal as Australia’s batting began to creak against spin for the second game running.

But with Michael Hussey still at the crease Pakistan still feared a repeat of his World Twenty20 semi-final heroics.

The West Australian briefly threatened as he flicked Gul for back-to-back boundaries to leave Australia needing 27 from 17 balls.

Gul struck a vital blow two balls later when he trapped Michael Hussey (25) in front.

The impressive Aamer then pinned Mitchell Johnson in front for a duck and with 19 needed off the final over for last pair Dirk Nannes and Shaun Tait, it proved too much.

Pakistan had earlier started badly with the bat when Shahzaib Hasan fell lbw for his second duck of the series as part-timer David Hussey opened the innings with an unlikely maiden wicket.

Kamran and Salman Butt recovered from the early setback in a stand of 61 from 42 balls before debutant O’Keefe struck with the final ball of his first over in national colours.

Salman (31) top-edged a sweep to short fine leg where White took a diving catch.

Kamran (33), having seen David Hussey carry his drive to long-on over the rope, departed from Johnson’s next ball when he skied to Clarke at mid-wicket, but that only brought Umar Akmal to the crease, after his match-winning 64 from 31 balls in Game 1.

The 20-year-old was soon peppering the boundaries alongside Afridi, although the skipper stole some of his limelight when he thrashed Shaun Tait over his head and into the construction site at the old members’ end.

The pair added 30 from 20 deliveries before they fell to back-to-back balls from Nannes.

Umar (25) skied a high steepling shot which Nannes did well to hold onto, before he produced a short ball to catch the gloves of Afridi (18) and fly through to wicketkeeper Paine. Aamer nicked the hat-trick ball through the vacant slip area for four.

Those dismissals began a tumble of late wickets, with O’Keefe finding the stumps of both Gul and Akhtar in the penultimate over.

Aamer was able to supply some late hitting, launching O’Keefe over mid-wicket, to finish unbeaten on 21 from 11 balls in an all-round display.

Source: Cricket Australia

It can’t bring back the World Twenty20 trophy, but Pakistan extracted some sort of revenge on Australia in their first meeting since the semi-final in St Lucia. Again, a vigorous Umar Akmal half-century set up Pakistan’s innings but this time their bowlers, led by Mohammad Aamer, did enough to strangle Australia’s run-rate and deny Michael Clarke’s men, who couldn’t chase down 168.

In May, it took something special from Michael Hussey to drive Australia into the decider against England, as he monstered the 18 needed off the last over, bowled by Saeed Ajmal. This time, Ajmal fittingly collected the final wicket and was mobbed by his team-mates as Australia fell to a 23-run defeat, their first loss to Pakistan in any format in their past 13 meetings.

Umar set up the victory with the fastest Twenty20 international half-century by a Pakistan player, a 21-ball effort that brought the thousands of Pakistan fans at Edgbaston to their feet. Their 167 for 8 looked competitive but gettable, and when David Warner scythed five boundaries from Shoaib Akhtar’s first five balls, Australia appeared to be in charge.

But once the field went back, and Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul came on, the runs dried up. Gul delivered yorker after yorker, and Afridi altered his pace and angle to keep Warner and David Hussey guessing during their 52-run stand. Hussey had 34 from 28 balls when he skied Afridi to mid-on, and Warner followed in the next over.

Warner’s 41 from 31 was more restrained than his usual Twenty20 efforts, with the attack on Akhtar his only period of dominance. Ajmal, the unlucky man asked to bowl the final over in St Lucia, deceived Warner with a ball that went straight on, beat the bat and crashed into the stumps. That brought Michael Hussey to the crease, but there were no heroics this time.

The Australians needed some top-order support for Warner; instead, Michael Clarke’s dismal Twenty20 batting record continued. He was caught for 5, trying to force Abdul Razzaq through cover and it is now eight innings since he has scored better than a run a ball in a Twenty20 for his country.

Aamer (3 for 27) began the strong bowling effort by trapping Shane Watson lbw in the first over of the chase, before he returned to snare the key wickets of Cameron White and Steven Smith. With every wicket the Pakistan fans roared and blasted on their air horns, just as they had during Umar’s batting blitz.

The highlight of his 64 was a pair of sixes straight down the ground off Smith, but his ability to the find the gaps and invent ways of scoring was remarkable. It takes a brave man to paddle sweep a Dirk Nannes full toss off middle stump, but Umar made it look like the most logical selection of stroke and ran the ball to the fine-leg boundary.

He departed in the 19th over, bowled by Shaun Tait, but by then he’d done enough. Umar was the star, but he had good support from Shoaib Malik in a 51-run stand that included 20 off one over, as Malik launched a stinging attack on David Hussey’s offspin.

Malik was out in unusual fashion when he edged a slow bouncer behind off Nannes and the batsmen took a cheeky single, only for replays to show that Tim Paine had completed the catch diving forward. Pakistan looked like they might not even bat out their overs after they stumbled to 47 for 4 in the eighth over.

Umar’s recovery won Pakistan the game, and earned him the Man-of-the-Match award. There was no world trophy on offer, but the win will give Pakistan confidence ahead of their long tour of England. And a confident Pakistan is a dangerous Pakistan.

Brydon Coverdale is a staff writer at Cricinfo

The PCB also put the Akmal brothers — Kamran and Umar — and Shahid Afridi on probation for six months besides imposing fines between Rs 2-3 million for indiscipline on the tour after implementing the recommendations of an inquiry committee formed to evaluate Pakistan’s dismal performance.

PCB’s tough stand virtually puts an end to the international careers of Younis (32) and Yousuf (35) — two of the country’s most accomplished batsmen in the middle order — and is bound to bring about wholesale changes in the team.

Pakistan were whitewashed in all the three formats of the game in Australia during the recent tour in December-January, following which PCB had set up a six-member inquiry committee headed by Board’s chief operating officer Wasim Bari.

The committee had recommended that Yousuf and Younis should no longer be part of the national team in any format because of their bad influence on the team and that Malik and Rana be banned for 12 months and fined Rs 2 million each, the PCB said in a statement.

PCB spokesman Nadeem Sarwar said the Board had decided to implement the recommendations of the inquiry committee to salvage Pakistan cricket.

“The committee was an independent set up and they interviewed around 13 players and studied the reports of the manager, coach, assistant coach and captain before taking a decision,” Sarwar said.

The players, however, would have the right to appeal against the decisions and they can also talk to PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt for a review of the same, Sawar said.

PCB’s legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi, who was a member of the inquiry committee said that the players under the law had the right to appeal in any court against their punishments.

“The inquiry committee has based its recommendations on the hearings we held with the players and team officials and also after going through the reports of the team manager, coach, assistant coach and captain,” he said.

“The inquiry committee has done what it felt was necessary to put Pakistan cricket back on the right track,” he added.

The Board said that it had banned Yousuf and Younis from playing for Pakistan but they could continue to play domestic cricket and in foreign leagues.

“Mohammed Yousuf and Younis Khan, keeping in view their infighting which resulted in bringing down the whole team, their attitude has a trickle down effect which is a bad influence for the whole team. They should not be part of national team in any format,” the statement said quoting the committee report.

The inquiry committee’s report on Afridi said: “For the shameful act of Shahid Afridi, which has brought the game and country into disrepute, he be fined Rs 3 million.

“A warning be issued to him by the PCB Chairman and he be put on probation for six months, during which his conduct be strictly monitored.”

The punishments are set to impact the composition of Pakistan’s World Twenty20 Championship. The team is the defending champion in this format and the 15-man squad for the event is due to be out by the end of this month.

With Afridi also on a six-month probation, it is quite likely that a new captain will be named for Pakistan’s upcoming international tournaments.

The PCB has stopped short of calling the punishment on Yousuf and Younis a life ban.

“They will not be part of any Pakistan team in any format from here on. A life ban means they cannot play domestic cricket or any other similar cricket, but we are not stopping them from that. They can play domestic cricket or county cricket here and abroad,” Rizvi said.

“As and when the PCB deems appropriate, these players will be considered for selection for the national team,” said a PCB statement.

The former Pakistan vice-captain said at the National Stadium that such damaging reports are being spread by elements seeking to destabilise Pakistan cricket.

“These false reports do not bother me and I will continue to focus on my game. I want to give my best performance for my country,” said the Lahore-based Akmal who is in Karachi to feature in the National Twenty20 championship which began on Sunday.

However, Akmal made it clear that he might consider suing the media organisations which accused him of being involved in match-fixing.

“It is a huge allegation and I will decide on my response after discussing the issue with my lawyer and the Pakistan Cricket Board.”

Media reports over the last couple of days have suggested that Akmal and experienced Pakistan all-rounder Rana Naved-ul-Hasan are under investigation for match-fixing.

Rana Naved has also strongly denied the accusation and has threatened to take legal action over the issue.

Source: Times of India

A superb match needed a Super Over to split the teams and New Zealand prevailed to repay Brendon McCullum for his amazing century. McCullum became the second-highest scorer in a Twenty20 international with an unbeaten 116, but after Michael Clarke and Cameron White exploded in the reply the scores were tied at 214 after 40 overs.

A six-ball tiebreaker was required and the calm Tim Southee delivered another tight over to allow only six runs for White, David Warner and Brad Haddin. Shaun Tait’s waywardness, including two wides, assisted the locals and Martin Guptill finished the game with a four over point from the third legitimate delivery.

The hosts were upset by a meek performance in Friday’s one-sided defeat, but McCullum showed his might with an unforgettable 56-ball demolition on a small ground that was rocking at the start and the end. Things were much quieter as Clarke organised the chase with 67 from 45 and White provided some much-needed muscle with 64 off 26 in a pursuit that was almost perfectly timed. However, Clarke and White could only scurry two from the final ball when three were required, with Clarke run out well short of his ground.

Needing two off almost every delivery throughout the second innings, the Australians managed to stay on track after Warner departed for a McCullum-style 20 off 10. Haddin (47 off 37) and Clarke, who was travelling much quicker than his usual pace, were able to stay close to the rate so they required 125 from the final 60 balls.

James Franklin slowed things down briefly with the wickets of Haddin and David Hussey (10) before White’s brute force arrived. White warmed up with a six over cover off Daniel Vettori, then caressed an inside-out clearance in the same area and was dropped on the boundary attempting a third.

He then powered two fours and a six off Franklin before flicking Shane Bond into the spectators at square leg. The 13 that came from Bond’s final over left Australia wanting 36 off 18 deliveries, but the first of three magically controlled Southee efforts made it 30 from 12.

White survived a run-out and found two boundaries and a six down the ground off Jacob Oram to cut the margin to 12. In Southee’s final over the bowler showed the maturity of a 30-year-old, not a boy who is 21, by delivering more pin-point yorkers to keep his side in the game.

And he proved it wasn’t a fluke by doing it again in the Super Over. The result levelled the series and delivered Australia their first loss of their summer while setting up an intriguing five-match one-day contest beginning on Wednesday.

Despite the flurry of absorbing action at the end, it was McCullum’s fireworks over the first half of the match that were the highlight. He showered boundaries around the tiny stadium and the change in attitude left the Australians, who had rested Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson, wondering if there was any way to stop the run avalanche. They were able to slow it a couple of times, but McCullum carried his team through the loss of six wickets and achieved the side’s highest total.

His hundred came up in 50 balls, equalling the record of Chris Gayle, the only other century-maker in this format. It was achieved with a single to deep cover, at which point the batsman ripped off his helmet to take in the applause, but he was not finished and carried his bat. Nathan McCullum joined his brother at the end, getting 14 in a 50-run stand in 3.2 overs on an afternoon that stunned everyone.

The big crowd of 26,148 was sprinkled by McCullum’s eight sixes and he backed up with a dozen fours during the barrage. Four of the boundaries came with “McScoops” past or over the wicketkeeper, but that was nothing compared to the two sixes he managed to shovel behind himself off Tait. It was brave and brutal – one of the clearances off Tait came from a 155kph thunderbolt.

McCullum proved he wouldn’t be intimidated by Australia’s quick bowlers when he charged the third ball of the day from Tait (2 for 40) and bashed him for four through cover. There were 10 runs from the eventful over, which also contained the ugly bowled of the out-classed Peter Ingram for 0 and Tait sending a finger signal to McCullum.

In the second over McCullum planted a six through cover off Dirk Nannes’ opening delivery, was almost caught next ball top edging a pull, and quickly flicked him to fine leg for a boundary. The new-ball bowlers couldn’t match Friday’s performance as they gave up 42 in the first four overs.

McCullum ended up on his back after his first attempt to scoop Nannes over the wicketkeeper, but he managed it the second time, with the ball just missing Haddin on the way to the boundary. He followed up by unleashing a huge six to midwicket to show he could mix the unorthodox and the traditional. Nannes returned for the 16th over and McCullum enjoyed swinging him twice into the stands on the legside as the bowler went for 51 off four.

After losing the strike in the middle stages when some of his team-mates disappeared, McCullum focused by blasting a fierce straight four off Steven Smith and brought up his half-century in the same over when he pulled to midwicket. He dusted off the scoop to surprise Daniel Christian and then pulled him for six behind square – 57 of his runs came in that segment.

Gareth Hopkins (36 off 17) was the perfect ally for McCullum as they put on 68 in five overs to regain their explosive momentum. McCullum kept going till the end and had a chance to seal the game in the Super Over, but he was as happy as every other local when Guptill squared the series.

Peter English is the Australasia editor of Cricinfo.