PCB suspends Shahid Afridi's contract

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday suspended the central contract of former one-day captain Shahid Afridi, who had announced his retirement from international cricket, a board statement said. At the same time it revoked all no-objection certificates (NOCs) for the player, meaning he will not be officially permitted to play abroad, the PCB said. Afridi, a hugely popular...

England on course for 2nd rank in Tests

England's stunning victory against Sri Lanka in the first Test in Cardiff has kept them on course to reclaim second position on the ICC Test Championship table for the first time in more than three years. Although the Test Championship table will be updated only at the end of the series, a 3-0 series win will put England one ratings point ahead of South Africa. England last occupied...

Tendulkar is India's cricketer of year

Record-breaking batsman Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday received India's cricketer of the year award for his outstanding performances in 2009-2010. Tendulkar, the world's leading scorer in both Test and one-day cricket, won the Polly Umrigar award, named after a former India captain, at a function held by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Mumbai. The master batsman...

India can do well in Windies: Fletcher

India's newly-appointed coach Duncan Fletcher said Tuesday the team had the potential to perform well on its upcoming tour of the West Indies despite missing key players. "There is a lot of talent in India and my job is to prepare these youngsters," said former Zimbabwean all-rounder Fletcher, who was named coach last month. "India have a plan to stay at the top. The young...

Trott wins England player of the year award

Jonathan Trott's run-scoring feats during the past 12 months were recognised when he was named England's cricketer of the year by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) at a ceremony at Lord's here on Wednesday. The award, voted for by the British cricket media, is given to the player who has had the greatest impact upon England's performances from the start of the 2010 international...

It is Afridi's personal decision: Butt

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ijaz Butt has reacted cautiously to the flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi's announcement that he didn't want to play under the current board set-up. "It is his personal decision to retire. But we have not dropped him, neither did we tell him not to play," Butt said. Afridi rocked Pakistan cricket last night when he announced...

Murali says Sri Lanka are on their own

Retired Sri Lanka great Muttiah Muralitharan has said there isn't much he can do for his compatriots as they struggle to come to terms with their dramatic first Test defeat. The tourists were dismissed for just 82 in under two hours in Cardiff on Monday as England grabbed an unlikely innings and 14-runs win to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Spin...

Former players slam Afridi

                                 Afridi has come under criticism for announcing his retirement. Shahid Afridi's shock retirement out of anger at being sacked as Pakistan's ODI captain has found no sympathy in the country's cricket community...