Beleaguered speedster Shoaib Akhtar [Images] heaved a huge sigh of relief as the appellate tribunal of the Pakistan Cricket Board on Sunday decided to suspend the five-year ban on him for a month to allow him to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
PCB chief files suit against Shoaib
Although the tribunal was still in meeting in Lahore [Images], sources aware of the proceedings confirmed to PTI that the tribunal had accepted Shoaib's application to suspend the ban for one month and allow him to play in the IPL which ends on June 1.
The IPL authorities had refused to allow the fast bowler to play in the league despite the tribunal's decision earlier this week to allow him play outside Pakistan while retaining the ban on him.
Shoaib on Saturday made a fresh application, praying to the tribunal to allow him play in the IPL and earn his livelihood.
Ban upheld, but Shoaib can play IPL
He said the tribunal should suspend the ban temporarily as it would take time to come to a final decision in the case, by which the IPL would be over.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
UPA-Left committee on N-deal to meet on Tuesday
The United Progressive Alliance-Left Committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal would meet in New Delhi on Tuesday with the Left parties, providing outside support to the Congress-led ministry, sticking to their guns and the government saying it would seek the sense of Parliament on the matter.
At their meeting on May 6, the UPA and its Left supporters are slated to discuss the state of government's negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency on an India-specific safeguards agreement for implementing the nuclear deal.
"We will consider what the government will report to us on its talks with the IAEA. On that basis, we will take the issue forward," a senior Left leader told PTI when asked about the stand they would take at the upcoming meeting.
Asserting that the Left opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal continued, he said the government was committed to consider the findings of this Committee while taking the next step on the nuclear deal.
After the last round of UPA-Left meeting on March 17, the Left parties and the government have been exchanging notes on related issues, but no details are available.
Though Left leaders have refused to divulge details about these exchanges, informed sources said these related to several political and technical matters like uninterrupted fuel supplies.
Left sources said the government had sent some information on the nuclear issue and they have reiterated their objections to operationalising the deal.
The Left has been opposing the deal on the grounds that conditions laid down by the Hyde Act would impinge on India pursuing an independent foreign policy and make it 'subservient' to US strategic interests worldwide.
Indicating a shift in its stand, the Government has said it would seek 'sense of the House' on the stalled deal before it goes to the US Congress for ratification.
"Before we go for its ratification in the American Parliament, we will come to Parliament to take the sense of the House even though there is no provision in the Constitution that stands in our way," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said recently.
His statement appeared to indicate a change in the thinking of the government which had so far maintained that international agreements were solely in the domain of the Executive.
However, the Left sources said the government already knows "the sense of opposition to the nuclear deal expressed in both Houses of Parliament. Government has no majority on the issue. What more do they need?"
The Left has been joined by opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and several other parties which have been expressing apprehensions over various aspects of the deal.
India had concluded talks with the global nuclear watchdog IAEA on a specific draft safeguards agreement in the last week of February, more than three months after it began the process.
The safeguards agreement with the IAEA and a waiver from the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers' Group to enable India participate in nuclear commerce are the two pre-requisites to operationalise the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, which seeks to end New Delhi's nuclear isolation.
India has told the US that it could not go ahead with the deal without a political consensus and efforts were on for reaching the same.
At their meeting on May 6, the UPA and its Left supporters are slated to discuss the state of government's negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency on an India-specific safeguards agreement for implementing the nuclear deal.
"We will consider what the government will report to us on its talks with the IAEA. On that basis, we will take the issue forward," a senior Left leader told PTI when asked about the stand they would take at the upcoming meeting.
Asserting that the Left opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal continued, he said the government was committed to consider the findings of this Committee while taking the next step on the nuclear deal.
After the last round of UPA-Left meeting on March 17, the Left parties and the government have been exchanging notes on related issues, but no details are available.
Though Left leaders have refused to divulge details about these exchanges, informed sources said these related to several political and technical matters like uninterrupted fuel supplies.
Left sources said the government had sent some information on the nuclear issue and they have reiterated their objections to operationalising the deal.
The Left has been opposing the deal on the grounds that conditions laid down by the Hyde Act would impinge on India pursuing an independent foreign policy and make it 'subservient' to US strategic interests worldwide.
Indicating a shift in its stand, the Government has said it would seek 'sense of the House' on the stalled deal before it goes to the US Congress for ratification.
"Before we go for its ratification in the American Parliament, we will come to Parliament to take the sense of the House even though there is no provision in the Constitution that stands in our way," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said recently.
His statement appeared to indicate a change in the thinking of the government which had so far maintained that international agreements were solely in the domain of the Executive.
However, the Left sources said the government already knows "the sense of opposition to the nuclear deal expressed in both Houses of Parliament. Government has no majority on the issue. What more do they need?"
The Left has been joined by opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and several other parties which have been expressing apprehensions over various aspects of the deal.
India had concluded talks with the global nuclear watchdog IAEA on a specific draft safeguards agreement in the last week of February, more than three months after it began the process.
The safeguards agreement with the IAEA and a waiver from the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers' Group to enable India participate in nuclear commerce are the two pre-requisites to operationalise the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, which seeks to end New Delhi's nuclear isolation.
India has told the US that it could not go ahead with the deal without a political consensus and efforts were on for reaching the same.
Karthikeyan wins Feature race
Narain Karthikeyan [Images] scorched the Brands Hatch circuit to win the Feature race and close the A1GP season on a high note as Team India secured its first ever top-10 finish in Brands Hatch on Sunday.
Narain grabs India's first pole
It was Karthikeyan versus Robbie Kerr throughout and the Indian won the battle through a brilliant second pit stop.
The Indian, starting at pole at the grid, finished the 48-lap race in 1 hour 7 min 24 seconds to bring home a total of 21 points -- 15 from Feature and 6 from Sprint, where Karthikeyan finished fifth in the morning.
This powered India to its first A1GP top-10 finish as they edged past USA, Portugal and China to be perched on 10th place on the championship table.
The second pit-stop in lap 32 proved instrumental in Karthikeyan's win as he beat the host nations' Robbie Kerr at the break to go ahead and eventually grab the lead with 10 laps to go.
It was smooth sailing after that as he maintained the lead and secured India's second win of the season.
It also crushed Robbie Kerr's hopes of a double win after the Briton had won the Sprint race in the morning. Kerr finished second behind Karthikeyan with a marginal gap of 1.078.
Swiss Neel Jani finished third with a timing of 1:07:33.416. However he had already sealed the Championship for his nation when he finished fourth in Sprint race in the morning.
Earlier, Narain gathered six points for Team India by finishing fifth in the 15-lap Sprint race.
Starting fifth at the Grid, Karthikeyan did well to maintain his position and took 19 minutes 23: 610 seconds, a gap of 0.342 seconds from the winner Robbie Kerr of the host nation, to finish his race.
Kerr led from the start to finish to win comfortably and did not give any chance anyone in the top-five to get past him.
The only change in the top-five beginners at the grid was thanks to the brilliance of Ireland's Adam Carroll, who pipped Swiss Neel Jani to claim the third place. Carroll began at the fourth position and overtook Jani in the very first lap and eventually finished the race with a timing of 19:21:329.
Jani finished fourth but it was enough to seal the championship. It hardly matters how he fares now in the main Feature race to be held later in the day.
Karthikeyan pushed hard the Swiss driver in the seventh lap but Jani held his nerves and did not let the Indian overtake him.
Narain grabs India's first pole
It was Karthikeyan versus Robbie Kerr throughout and the Indian won the battle through a brilliant second pit stop.
The Indian, starting at pole at the grid, finished the 48-lap race in 1 hour 7 min 24 seconds to bring home a total of 21 points -- 15 from Feature and 6 from Sprint, where Karthikeyan finished fifth in the morning.
This powered India to its first A1GP top-10 finish as they edged past USA, Portugal and China to be perched on 10th place on the championship table.
The second pit-stop in lap 32 proved instrumental in Karthikeyan's win as he beat the host nations' Robbie Kerr at the break to go ahead and eventually grab the lead with 10 laps to go.
It was smooth sailing after that as he maintained the lead and secured India's second win of the season.
It also crushed Robbie Kerr's hopes of a double win after the Briton had won the Sprint race in the morning. Kerr finished second behind Karthikeyan with a marginal gap of 1.078.
Swiss Neel Jani finished third with a timing of 1:07:33.416. However he had already sealed the Championship for his nation when he finished fourth in Sprint race in the morning.
Earlier, Narain gathered six points for Team India by finishing fifth in the 15-lap Sprint race.
Starting fifth at the Grid, Karthikeyan did well to maintain his position and took 19 minutes 23: 610 seconds, a gap of 0.342 seconds from the winner Robbie Kerr of the host nation, to finish his race.
Kerr led from the start to finish to win comfortably and did not give any chance anyone in the top-five to get past him.
The only change in the top-five beginners at the grid was thanks to the brilliance of Ireland's Adam Carroll, who pipped Swiss Neel Jani to claim the third place. Carroll began at the fourth position and overtook Jani in the very first lap and eventually finished the race with a timing of 19:21:329.
Jani finished fourth but it was enough to seal the championship. It hardly matters how he fares now in the main Feature race to be held later in the day.
Karthikeyan pushed hard the Swiss driver in the seventh lap but Jani held his nerves and did not let the Indian overtake him.
Pollock shines as Mumbai beat Delhi
Mumbai Indians won their second straight match with a comprehensive 29-run win over the high-flying Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League match at the D Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
Scores | Images
The win followed their triumph over the Kolkata Knight Riders while it was the Delhi side second defeat in six games.
Chasing 163 for a win, the Delhi team's innings began on a disastrous note with the in-form Gautam Gambhir [Images] (1) and Shikar Dhawan (1) returning to the pavillion early and reducing their side to four for two by the third over.
Captain Virender Sehwag [Images] (40) and South African AB de Villiers (21) tried to steady the ship but the latter was quite unfortunate to be run out in the non-striker's end just as he was starting to look good.
Sehwag put on a further 45-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Shoaib Malik [Images] (24) but his dismissal was callous and came in at a crucial time.
The Delhi captain's 20-ball knock consisted of three boundaries and an equal number of hits over it but he wasn't his usual belligerent self.
Daredevils were eventually dismissed for 133 with seven balls to spare as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
Captain Shaun Pollock [Images] impressed with the ball with enviable figures of two for 16 off his four overs while Ashish Nehra took three for 26.
*
Pics: Punjab beat Kolkata
*
Pics: Bangalore beat Hyderabad
Earlier, the Mumbai Indians batting failed to prosper yet again and the home team were restricted to 162 for eight.
Put in to bat by Delhi captain Sehwag, the home team - with only one victory in their first five matches - sparkled sporadically but with no batsman willing to bat till the end, finished up with a less-than-competitive score.
Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya (34), newcomer Yogesh Takawale (14), Dominic Thornely (30) and Robin Uthappa (22), in the top order, got starts but failed to make them count as Delhi Daredevils struck at regular intervals to stop their progress.
After a opening stand of 46 between their new pair of wicketkeeper Takawale and veteran Jayasuriya, who looked in supreme touch and struck one six and six fours in his 16-ball knock, the innings went into a decline before being propped up by Thornely and Uthappa.
*
Download the Knight Riders on your mobile!
The third wicket pair added 52 runs in 36 balls but once this stand between Thornely and Uthappa was broken, there was a steep slide.
From 102 for two, the home team slid to 112 for six and despite the best efforts of captain Shaun Pollock, who scored 33 in 15 balls, with 3 sixes and 2 fours and was leading the team again after Sachin Tendulkar [Images] was declared unfit, the final tally did not assume a menacing proportion.
The start was brisk with Jayasuriya being the aggressor in the opening stand with league debutant Takawale.
The former Lanka skipper first turned his attention on Mohammad Asif [Images] and slammed him for two successive fours in his opening over to give the innings a kick-start.
*
IPL: Points table | Schedule | Match reports
The first two overs yielded 26 runs but Glenn McGrath, as is his wont, tied down the batsmen, especially Takawale, with rising balls that rose up to the rib cage.
After five overs, it was 35 for no loss and Takawale grew a bit in confidence after inside edging McGrath for his first boundary and then cover-driving him for another.
When V Yo Mahesh came into the attack in place of the expensive Asif, Jayasuriya flicked the Tamil Nadu Ranji Trophy bowler for a six and then hit him for a four to long leg before taking a single.
His partner Takawale, however, gave a leading edge to the first ball he faced from the medium pacer for third man Pradeep Sangwan to hold an easy catch.
Yo Mahesh struck another blow in his opening over as he clean bowled the dangerous-looking Jayasuriya when he went for a wild heave off the bowler and Mumbai Indians slipped from 46 for no loss to 50 for two in three balls.
Uthappa, showing aggressive intent after a period of calm, and Thornely forged a stand of 52 in 43 balls before departing in close succession.
*
Predict, Play & Brag! | Cricket videos
Uthappa again perished to his pet shot in this format, the scoop, off Sangwan, the left arm seam bowler, and was later followed into the dressing room by Thornely who was bowled to leave Mumbai Indians struggling at 109 for four in the 14th over.
Dwayne Bravo [Images] and Abhishek Nayar flopped and it was left to Pollock, who struck Asif for three sixes in the 19th over, to take the score past the 150-mark and provide his team with a fighting chance for a victory.
Yo Mahesh emerged Daredevils' most successful bowler with a haul of 3 for 33.
Scores | Images
The win followed their triumph over the Kolkata Knight Riders while it was the Delhi side second defeat in six games.
Chasing 163 for a win, the Delhi team's innings began on a disastrous note with the in-form Gautam Gambhir [Images] (1) and Shikar Dhawan (1) returning to the pavillion early and reducing their side to four for two by the third over.
Captain Virender Sehwag [Images] (40) and South African AB de Villiers (21) tried to steady the ship but the latter was quite unfortunate to be run out in the non-striker's end just as he was starting to look good.
Sehwag put on a further 45-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Shoaib Malik [Images] (24) but his dismissal was callous and came in at a crucial time.
The Delhi captain's 20-ball knock consisted of three boundaries and an equal number of hits over it but he wasn't his usual belligerent self.
Daredevils were eventually dismissed for 133 with seven balls to spare as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
Captain Shaun Pollock [Images] impressed with the ball with enviable figures of two for 16 off his four overs while Ashish Nehra took three for 26.
*
Pics: Punjab beat Kolkata
*
Pics: Bangalore beat Hyderabad
Earlier, the Mumbai Indians batting failed to prosper yet again and the home team were restricted to 162 for eight.
Put in to bat by Delhi captain Sehwag, the home team - with only one victory in their first five matches - sparkled sporadically but with no batsman willing to bat till the end, finished up with a less-than-competitive score.
Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya (34), newcomer Yogesh Takawale (14), Dominic Thornely (30) and Robin Uthappa (22), in the top order, got starts but failed to make them count as Delhi Daredevils struck at regular intervals to stop their progress.
After a opening stand of 46 between their new pair of wicketkeeper Takawale and veteran Jayasuriya, who looked in supreme touch and struck one six and six fours in his 16-ball knock, the innings went into a decline before being propped up by Thornely and Uthappa.
*
Download the Knight Riders on your mobile!
The third wicket pair added 52 runs in 36 balls but once this stand between Thornely and Uthappa was broken, there was a steep slide.
From 102 for two, the home team slid to 112 for six and despite the best efforts of captain Shaun Pollock, who scored 33 in 15 balls, with 3 sixes and 2 fours and was leading the team again after Sachin Tendulkar [Images] was declared unfit, the final tally did not assume a menacing proportion.
The start was brisk with Jayasuriya being the aggressor in the opening stand with league debutant Takawale.
The former Lanka skipper first turned his attention on Mohammad Asif [Images] and slammed him for two successive fours in his opening over to give the innings a kick-start.
*
IPL: Points table | Schedule | Match reports
The first two overs yielded 26 runs but Glenn McGrath, as is his wont, tied down the batsmen, especially Takawale, with rising balls that rose up to the rib cage.
After five overs, it was 35 for no loss and Takawale grew a bit in confidence after inside edging McGrath for his first boundary and then cover-driving him for another.
When V Yo Mahesh came into the attack in place of the expensive Asif, Jayasuriya flicked the Tamil Nadu Ranji Trophy bowler for a six and then hit him for a four to long leg before taking a single.
His partner Takawale, however, gave a leading edge to the first ball he faced from the medium pacer for third man Pradeep Sangwan to hold an easy catch.
Yo Mahesh struck another blow in his opening over as he clean bowled the dangerous-looking Jayasuriya when he went for a wild heave off the bowler and Mumbai Indians slipped from 46 for no loss to 50 for two in three balls.
Uthappa, showing aggressive intent after a period of calm, and Thornely forged a stand of 52 in 43 balls before departing in close succession.
*
Predict, Play & Brag! | Cricket videos
Uthappa again perished to his pet shot in this format, the scoop, off Sangwan, the left arm seam bowler, and was later followed into the dressing room by Thornely who was bowled to leave Mumbai Indians struggling at 109 for four in the 14th over.
Dwayne Bravo [Images] and Abhishek Nayar flopped and it was left to Pollock, who struck Asif for three sixes in the 19th over, to take the score past the 150-mark and provide his team with a fighting chance for a victory.
Yo Mahesh emerged Daredevils' most successful bowler with a haul of 3 for 33.
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