Younis asks team-mates to seek better IPL contracts
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Pakistan captain Younis Khan has asked his team-mates to push for better IPL contracts following their success in the World Twenty20. “These players are now world champions and highly marketable. There is a higher value to their performances,” Younis said.
While many in the team turned out for their respective franchises in the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008, political tensions between India and Pakistan prevented them from playing in the second season. |
Younis, who played for Rajasthan Royals, noted, however, that top players like Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul and Misbah-ul-Haq were now worth more than the $100,000 contracts they had signed last year.
“Now the scenario is different. These players should talk to their agents in India and ask them to go for a hike in price from the IPL franchises. I am happy if any of our players can be better packages in the IPL for next season,” Younis said.
IPL commissioner Lalit Modi had said that after Pakistan’s World Cup win he perceived no problems in the players returning to play in the IPL next year, provided both national governments were okay with it.
Eleven Pakistani players, including Shahid Afridi and Gul, the stars of Pakistan’s World Twenty20 campaign, were recruited by the Kolkata, Rajasthan, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore franchises before the inaugural IPL. However, the franchises opted to retain the contracts of only four of them – Akmal and Tanvir (Rajasthan Royals), Misbah (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Gul (Kolkata Knight Riders) – after it became clear that they would not be able to play in the second season of the league.
Younis though, turned his back on the league after announcing his retirement from the Twenty20 format soon after Pakistan won the world event.
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ICC World Twenty20: Cricket rants
I’ve watched almost every game that has been played in the ICC World Twenty20 and have noticed a few things.
Don’t break the flow of the game
The IPL can learn from this competition, the introduction of the ‘strategic break’ in IPL 2 was absolutely ridiculous. The break did exactly that “break” the flow of the game; the commentators started talking about the effects of the eleventh over in the IPL.
In this ICC World Twenty20 there have been no breaks, the game has flowed and the scores have been much higher, which the cricket fans love.
There is still place for an elegant cover drive in Twenty20 cricket
My second observation that I’d like to discuss is that batsmen can still play a cover drive in Twenty20 cricket. Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis in particular have played good cricket strokes in this ICC World Twenty20, and it’s worked. Jacques is currently the leading run scorer in the competition with 147 runs in four innings with a strike rate of 129.85.
It hasn’t been often that you’ve seen Jacques play a shot in anger over the past few weeks. And when he has played the big shot it’s been with control. The same can be said about AB de Villiers, this man is pure class and he’s managed to bring that class and batting elegance from test cricket into the Twenty20.
The players who have struggled have been the guys trying to smash the ball out the park from ball one, Albie Morkel, Herschelle Gibbs and Mark Boucher.
Taking the pace off the ball
Having the ability to take the pace off the ball without being hit out the park, is possibly the greatest asset any team can have. Seven of the ten most economical bowlers in the competition are spin bowlers.
If you have a decent pace attack that can be backed up by your spinners then you’re going to do very well in Twenty20 cricket. Look at the South African team, we have great opening bowlers in Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell, as soon as they come off we have Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe to build the pressure on the batsmen which then allows for the part timers to take wicket as the batsmen now need to up the run rate.
My last observation: if you have Wayne Parnell in your team, you are going to win the ICC World Twenty20
Statistic were taken from CricInfo, as of Monday June 15 @ 15H50
IPL Cricket: Preview CSK vs DD
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JOHANNESBURG: Here’s a sneak preview of the game between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils to be played at the Wanderers ground on Saturday.
What’s at stake:Both sides would like to carry the winning momentum after registering confidence boosting wins in Centurion on Thursday. Delhi Daredevils defeated the unbeaten Deccan Chargers by six wickets while Chennai Super Kings overwhelmed defending champion Rajasthan Royals by 38 runs.
Captain vs captain:: Delhi Daredevils may have to make do without the services of their captain Virender Sehwag who needed to have four stitches to his left hand during the match against the Deccan Chargers. Mahendra Singh Dhoni will smell blood after Sehwag almost ruled himself out of the Saturday’s encounter.
Key battles:L Balaji will have to lock horns with in-form local boy AB deVilliers while Muttiah Muralitharan will try to bowl out fellow countryman T Dilshan with a ‘doorsa’. Dirk Nannes would like to repeat his match-winning performance when he faces the likes of Matthew Hayden. Another interesting battle will be between Daniel Vettori and Dhoni.
Team news: Delhi Daredevils are likely to miss the services of Sehwag.
Form guide: The Delhi Daredevils bowling has improved thanks to some excellent work by left-arm new ball bowlers Dirk Nannes and Ashish Nehra. Chennai Super Kings middle-order including the likes of Suresh Raina, S Badrinath and Dhoni has struck form and it will be a keenly-fought contest.
IPL Cricket: Flintoff injury huge blow – Pietersen
As Andrew Flintoff prepares for his latest trip to the operating table Kevin Pietersen, England’s other million-dollar IPL star, admitted it was a massive blow for England, but said players can’t be stopped from joining the event.
“It’s going to be very difficult for boards to pull players out of tournaments like this when you’re playing with the best players in the world,” Pietersen told the Guardian. “You can’t have one rule for some and another rule for others. But it’s a huge blow come the summer for England.”
Flintoff flew home yesterday to have surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee which is set to keep him out of action for up to six weeks and means he misses the series against West Indies.
There was months of negotiations between the ECB and Professional Cricketers’ Association before the players were finally released for the IPL, with the board eventually conceding to the demands to allow an extra week at the event despite England’s crammed schedule.
Following an 11-week tour of the Caribbean, Pietersen and Flintoff – along with Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah who were also in West Indies for the duration – had a week at home before heading to South Africa. Those who don’t get injured are due to return next week, shortly before the first Test against West Indies which is the beginning of a hectic summer.
Flintoff had an injury-interrupted tour of West Indies when he returned to England for two weeks to recover from a hip problem before returning for the one-day series. His latest problem is not as serious as some of his previous ailments, but means there will be some major changes to England’s early-summer planning.
Dr Derek Bickerstaff, the renowned knee surgeon who operated on Michael Vaughan, told Cricinfo that although the operation is a fairly simple procedure the recovery needs to be carefully managed. “There are different levels of this sort of injury,” he said. “But the recovery period should also be pretty rapid. There will probably be a week of rest followed by two weeks on the bike in the gym and by four weeks he should be training again and be ready to play after about six if everything goes well.
“There is a small risk that the operation could leave the knee susceptible to further problems because some of the shock-absorbing tissue has been removed, but it’s unlikely to be a factor in the life-time of a fast bowler like Andrew Flintoff although he may suffer later in life. It shouldn’t prevent him returning to action effectively.”
Source: Cricinfo
IPL reach agreement over Wanderers
The Indian Premier League matches scheduled for the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg will go ahead as planned with officials of the Gauteng Cricket Board reaching a solution with IPL bosses.
The Wanderers is scheduled to host eight IPL matches – six regular season matches between May 2 to 19, a semi-final on May 23 and the final on May 24 – but the venue was in doubt due to a row over VIP suites at the stadium.
The IPL had demanded exclusive use of the suites at the stadium, but suite-holders had refused and Alan Kourie, the chief executive of the GCB, said: “We are happy and proud to have reached an amicable resolution with the IPL.”
He added: “It now clears the way for hosting the business end of one of the best cricketing leagues in the world.
“Gauteng cricket fans will now be able to witness some truly amazing cricketers in action at our very own Wanderers Stadium,” he said.
IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi was equally happy.
“We are extremely pleased with the co-operation of the Gauteng Cricket Board and in particular the assistance received from Alan Kourie,” he said.
“I am glad the fans in Johannesburg will now be able to witness the IPL.”
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