Pakistan awaiting another captain

Pakistan are now three cricket captains down, and yet to announce who will lead the side against Australia in Friday's Twenty20 international at the MCG.

Shahid Afridi's suspension for ball tampering has left the tourists without a leader for the last match of their tour, as Mohammad Yousuf has gone home and former skipper Younus Khan is no longer part of the squad.

Yousuf, who captained Pakistan in the three Tests and first four one-dayers, sat out Sunday's match because of knee troubles and is not part of the Twenty20 squad.

Younus played on Sunday but announced after last year's world championships he would no longer represent his country in the shortest version.

Team manager Abdul Raqeeb said Younus was still in Australia, but would not play on Friday.

Raqeeb was not sure when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would announce the new skipper, but said a decision would be made by "hopefully tomorrow".

"It's up to the PCB and we haven't heard anything from Pakistan," he said on Monday.

Allrounder Shoaib Malik and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal are among the candidates to take over the captaincy, but Pakistan's selection process has also been complicated by the resignation of chief selector Iqbal Qasim.

Iqbal stood down after Pakistan were white-washed by Australia in the three-match Test series and five-game one-day series.

Malik captained Pakistan in 2007, while Kamran was Yousuf's vice-captain in the Test series until he was dropped after his poor performance in the second Test in Sydney.

Media in Pakistan reported Yousuf did not play on Sunday because of a disagreement with team management over team selection.

Yousuf took over the captaincy after Younus stood down from the position late last year, when he claimed he no longer had command of the team.

Read more...

1st Test: India beat Bangladesh by 113 runs

Chasing an improbable 415 runs to win, Bangladesh were bowled out for 301 with wicket keeper Mushfiqur Rahim top scoring for his side with 101.

Sachin Tendulkar was adjudged the Man of the Match for his century in the first innings.

Mishra took the last four wickets to fall as the second session was extended by 30 minutes.

Mishra first struck in the third over after lunch having Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan caught by Indian captain Virender Sehwag at silly point and soon after a fired up Zaheer Khan had Mahmudullah caught behind by Dinesh Karthik to reduce Bangladesh to 170/7.

Mishra then struck again when he clean bowled Shahadat Hossain with a googly to take India a step closer to victory.

Mishra them removed Shafiul Islam by taking a return catch before Rahim got to his maiden century -- the fastest hundred by a Bangladeshi batsman in Test cricket.

But soon after, Mishra had Rahim caught by substitute Pragyan Ojha at long-off to win the Test.

Earlier, Ishant took the first two wickets to fall on the fifth day dismissing Mohammad Ashraful and Raqibul Hasan.
Chasing an improbable 415 runs to win, Bangladesh were bowled out for 301 with wicket keeper Mushfiqur Rahim top scoring for his side with 101.

Sachin Tendulkar was adjudged the Man of the Match for his century in the first innings.

Mishra took the last four wickets to fall as the second session was extended by 30 minutes.

Mishra first struck in the third over after lunch having Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan caught by Indian captain Virender Sehwag at silly point and soon after a fired up Zaheer Khan had Mahmudullah caught behind by Dinesh Karthik to reduce Bangladesh to 170/7.

Mishra then struck again when he clean bowled Shahadat Hossain with a googly to take India a step closer to victory.

Mishra them removed Shafiul Islam by taking a return catch before Rahim got to his maiden century -- the fastest hundred by a Bangladeshi batsman in Test cricket.

But soon after, Mishra had Rahim caught by substitute Pragyan Ojha at long-off to win the Test.

Earlier, Ishant took the first two wickets to fall on the fifth day dismissing Mohammad Ashraful and Raqibul Hasan.
India set Bangladesh a target of 415 runs to win the first cricket Test in Chittagong on Wednesday.

Using the early movement of the ball, Ishant struck twice in the first hour conceding just 11 runs from his seven-over uninterrupted spell to give his side the stranglehold in the Test.

Soon after, Sehwag, who introduced himself towards the close of morning session in place of pacer S Sreesanth, dismissed opener Tamim Iqbal (52) to reduce Bangladesh to 135/5.

Tamim was out three overs before the lunch interval as he went for an unnecessary slash off a Sehwag delivery which shaped away after pitching on the off and the thick edge went straight to Rahul Dravid's safe hands at slip.

Tamim, who resumed the day on 23, faced 122 balls and hit six boundaries in his 52.

The early morning fog ensured that the pacers get movement in the first hour and Ishant removed Mohammad Ashraful for 27 in the fourth over of the day to reduce Bangladesh to 79/3.

Bangladesh, who resumed the day on 67/2, were 94/4 just before drinks break with Ishant striking again in his sixth over, trapping Raqibul Hossain leg before for a 30-ball 13.

Tamim started aggressively, hitting two fours in the second over of Sreesanth. He reached his fifty towards the lunch break from 106 balls with the help of six fours.

Play started one hour later than the scheduled 9 am due to foggy conditions for the fifth day in a row.
Using the early movement of the ball, Ishant struck twice in the first hour conceding just 11 runs from his seven-over uninterrupted spell to give his side the stranglehold in the Test.

Soon after, Sehwag, who introduced himself towards the close of morning session in place of pacer S Sreesanth, dismissed opener Tamim Iqbal (52) to reduce Bangladesh to 135/5.

Tamim was out three overs before the lunch interval as he went for an unnecessary slash off a Sehwag delivery which shaped away after pitching on the off and the thick edge went straight to Rahul Dravid's safe hands at slip.

Tamim, who resumed the day on 23, faced 122 balls and hit six boundaries in his 52.

The early morning fog ensured that the pacers get movement in the first hour and Ishant removed Mohammad Ashraful for 27 in the fourth over of the day to reduce Bangladesh to 79/3.

Bangladesh, who resumed the day on 67/2, were 94/4 just before drinks break with Ishant striking again in his sixth over, trapping Raqibul Hossain leg before for a 30-ball 13.

Tamim started aggressively, hitting two fours in the second over of Sreesanth. He reached his fifty towards the lunch break from 106 balls with the help of six fours.

Play started one hour later than the scheduled 9 am due to foggy conditions for the fifth day in a row.
Chasing an improbable 415 runs to win, Bangladesh were bowled out for 301 with wicket keeper Mushfiqur Rahim top scoring for his side with 101.

Sachin Tendulkar was adjudged the Man of the Match for his century in the first innings.

Mishra took the last four wickets to fall as the second session was extended by 30 minutes.


Mishra first struck in the third over after lunch having Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan caught by Indian captain Virender Sehwag at silly point and soon after a fired up Zaheer Khan had Mahmudullah caught behind by Dinesh Karthik to reduce Bangladesh to 170/7.

Mishra then struck again when he clean bowled Shahadat Hossain with a googly to take India a step closer to victory.

Mishra them removed Shafiul Islam by taking a return catch before Rahim got to his maiden century -- the fastest hundred by a Bangladeshi batsman in Test cricket.

But soon after, Mishra had Rahim caught by substitute Pragyan Ojha at long-off to win the Test.

Earlier, Ishant took the first two wickets to fall on the fifth day dismissing Mohammad Ashraful and Raqibul Hasan.

Using the early movement of the ball, Ishant struck twice in the first hour conceding just 11 runs from his seven-over uninterrupted spell to give his side the stranglehold in the Test.

Soon after, Sehwag, who introduced himself towards the close of morning session in place of pacer S Sreesanth, dismissed opener Tamim Iqbal (52) to reduce Bangladesh to 135/5.

Tamim was out three overs before the lunch interval as he went for an unnecessary slash off a Sehwag delivery which shaped away after pitching on the off and the thick edge went straight to Rahul Dravid's safe hands at slip.

Tamim, who resumed the day on 23, faced 122 balls and hit six boundaries in his 52.

The early morning fog ensured that the pacers get movement in the first hour and Ishant removed Mohammad Ashraful for 27 in the fourth over of the day to reduce Bangladesh to 79/3.

Bangladesh, who resumed the day on 67/2, were 94/4 just before drinks break with Ishant striking again in his sixth over, trapping Raqibul Hossain leg before for a 30-ball 13.

Tamim started aggressively, hitting two fours in the second over of Sreesanth. He reached his fifty towards the lunch break from 106 balls with the help of six fours.

Play started one hour later than the scheduled 9 am due to foggy conditions for the fifth day in a row.

Read more...

Bangladesh struggling to hold off India

India's Ishant Sharma claimed two wickets in the opening session of Thursday's final day to boost the visitors' victory hopes in the first test against Bangladesh. Bangladesh, chasing an unlikely winning target of 415, was 136-5 at lunch and faced a difficult task to stave off the India attack over the remaining two sessions.

India's winning chances received a boost shortly before lunch when Tamim Iqbal was out caught at slip by Rahul Dravid off the bowling of Virender Sehwag.

Night watchman Iqbal had scored 52 and was looming as the main hurdle to India's victory hopes. He compiled his runs in patient fashion, facing 122 balls and hitting six boundaries, before an ill-advised slash at a Sehwag short ball.

Resuming at 67-2, Bangladesh added 69 runs to the overnight score after play was delayed by 60 minutes due to fog.

Mohammad Ashraful (27) was the first player dismissed Thursday, edging a Sharma delivery to Dravid at second slip. Sharma (3-18) continued his tight bowling and trapped Raqibul Hasan lbw for 13.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan (11) and Mushfiqur Rahim (1) were the not-out batsmen at lunch.

Iqbal's 52 came off 122 balls and with six boundaries.

Read more...

India's swine flu toll jumps to 1,136

A whopping 16 swine flu deaths, 13 from Gujarat alone, were reported Monday, taking the toll due to the contagious virus in the country to 1,136, health department officials said.

In Gujarat, seven people died in the day, while six deaths had occurred earlier but were confirmed Monday.

Officials said with the 13 deaths in the state, the toll has gone up to 189.

Two deaths were also reported from Rajasthan, where the toll has now risen to 172.

In Kerala, one person died due to the Influenza A (H1N1) virus. So far, 35 people have succumbed to the virus in the southern state.

However, Maharashtra continues to top the list of states that records the highest deaths in the country. As many as 300 people have died due to the swine flu in the state since Aug 3 when the first causality was reported.

“Five new swine flu cases took Delhi's infection tally due to influenza A (H1N1) to 9,600,” a health ministry official told IANS.

With 9,600 cases, Delhi continues to lead the national infection tally. The death toll in the city remains unchanged at 89.

Also, 56 new cases were reported in the country, taking the number of people infected with the swine flu to 28,251.

New cases were also reported from Gujarat (19), Maharashtra (16), Rajasthan (six), Uttar Pradesh (five) and West Bengal (one).

Keywords: Swine Flu, H1N1, death toll, infection

Read more...

Marathi compulsory for cabbies in Mumbai

In a politically driven move to woo the Marathi manoos, the state’s Congress-NCP government has decided from now on, those who want to own and drive cabs in Mumbai must necessarily have lived in Maharashtra for at least 15 years and should be fluent in Marathi.

The decision is seen as an attempt to counter the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s increasing popularity with the young, middle-class Maharashtrian, which helped it win 14 seats in the Assembly elections.

The MNS is now perceived as a major threat in the civic polls scheduled for early 2012.

Of the 56,000 cabs in the city, at least 24,000 taxi permits need to be renewed. These new permits will be given only to those who can speak as well as write Marathi, as per the transport department proposal, cleared by the government.

A majority of taxi owners and drivers in the city are from north India, and this move will affect newer migrants.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said the government is only adhering to the domicile policy. “It is not a question of Marathi agenda. There is provision in the Motor Vehicles Act that those running public transport should be able to speak the local language.”

“In any state, preference is given to locals. What’s wrong?” asked Transport Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.

Government officials said the decision will not affect those who already have permits.

The Mumbai Taximen’s Union said the decision was discriminatory. “Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city and this decision goes against its culture,” said union secretary A L Quadros.

Read more...

Burj Khalifa: The world's tallest building

The Burj Khalifa, the newly-opened Dubai tower, is a multiple record breaker.

As well as becoming the tallest building in the world, the skyscraper is the tallest structure and boasts the most storeys and highest occupied floor. Its 124th floor outdoor observation deck is also the world's highest, and its elevators will travel the longest distance.

The $1.5bn tower is more than twice the size of the Empire State Building and its construction took thousands of workers six years to complete.

THE BUILDING 1. The Burj, which stands at more than 828m high (2,716ft) and has more than 162 inhabitable floors, can be seen from 60 miles away 2. The top of the building features a public observation deck and shop. The world's highest mosque and swimming pool are located on the 158th and 76th floors 3. The tapering spire is made out of reinforced concrete, steel, stainless steel and glass. The exterior cladding of reflective glazing is designed to withstand Dubai's extreme summer temperatures 4. The building contains more than 1,000 apartments and 49 floors of office space, served by 57 lifts. There are a total of four swimming pools and a private library 5. A 160-room hotel carrying the Giorgio Armani logo will occupy the lower part of the tower 6. The foundations were dug to depths of 50m (164 ft). Source: Emaar/Reuters

The tower is the centrepiece of a 500-acre development and contains luxury apartments and offices, and a hotel designed by Giorgio Armani.

Construction began in 2004 and building is said to have so far taken 22 million man hours.

THE CONSTRUCTION

1. The tower is composed of three elements arranged around a central core. The design is said to be based on the desert flower Hymenocallis native to the region

2. The Y-shaped floor plan aims to maximize views of the Gulf. As the building rises, its floor space decreases in size

3. The building's core also features double-decker elevators, said to be some of the fastest in the world.

Source: Emaar/Reuters

Read more...