Pakistan drops Younis from Champions Trophy squad

Pakistan on Sunday omitted out-of-form Younis Khan from a 30-man initial squad for the eight-nation Champions Trophy after the middle order batsman flopped in recent one-day matches. 

The 35-year-old Younis managed just 116 runs in the series against South Africa earlier this month which Pakistan lost 3-2 and has not managed to score a century since November 2008. 

Pakistan is in group B of the event to be held in England from June 3-23. The other teams in their group are arch-rivals India, the West Indies and South Africa. 

Defending champions Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England form group A. 

All teams had April 6 as the cut off date to announce their initial squad to be trimmed to 15 in May. 

Chief selector Iqbal Qasim said the Pakistani squad was a "mix of youth and experience". 

"Younis's name was not considered after he did not show the form in the last few matches," he told AFP. 

Pakistani media reported last week that Younis was contemplating retirement from one-day cricket after giving up Twenty20 following the team's 2009 World Twenty20 victory in England under his captaincy. 

But sources close to Younis denied he was retiring from one-day cricket. He was also dropped from the team for a series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates last August before he regained his place against India in December. 

Younis has so far scored 7014 runs in 253 one-day internationals after making his debut 13 years ago. 

Also overlooked was allrounder Abdul Razzaq, who hasn't played a one-day since November 2011. 

Pakistan face the West Indies in their opening match on June 7 before clashing with South Africa (June 10) and arch-rivals India on June 15. 

Probables: Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Ahmed Shehzad, Misbah-ul-Haq, Haris Sohail, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Umer Amin, Sohail Tanvir, Hammad Azam, Azhar Ali, Shahid Afridi, Asad Ali, Anwar Ali, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Rahat Ali, Ehsan Adil, Imran Khan, Aizaz Cheema, Yasir Arafat, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Zulfiqar Babar, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Rizwan. 

Perera stars in Sri Lanka T20 win

Kusal Perera smashed a brisk 64 to set up Sri Lanka's 17-run victory over Bangladesh in a one-off Twenty20 international in Pallekele on Sunday. 

The opener, who was named man of the match, hit four sixes and five fours in his 44-ball knock as Sri Lanka posted a challenging 198-5 before restricting Bangladesh to 181-7. 

Mohammad Ashraful top-scored for Bangladesh with a 27-ball 43 while seamers Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera each bagged two wickets for Sri Lanka. 

"I am happy about my first win as captain," said Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal. 

"Kusal Perera gave us the start and we continued after that. We put up a good total and that is why we won." 

Bangladesh suffered a setback after reaching 68-2 in the eighth over as Ashraful was given out leg-before. He hit seamer Thisara Perera for two successive sixes and then a four in the same over. 

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (39) and Mohammad Mahmudullah (31) kept Bangladesh's hopes alive with a 50-run stand for the fifth wicket before both fell in the 15th over to leave their team struggling at 137-6. 

Bangladesh were let down by their bowling in the later stages of the innings as they gave away 75 in the last five overs. They also conceded 19 runs in wides. 

"We gave 20 runs more and that made the difference," said Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim. 

Sri Lanka's Jeevan Mendis and Angelo Mathews put on 66 for the fifth wicket off just 5.5 overs to help their side set a stiff target. 

Mendis hit three sixes, including two in an over from left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, and two fours in his 17-ball 37 while Mathews contributed an unbeaten 30 off 27 deliveries. 

Sri Lanka plundered 32 off the last 13 balls, with Thisara Perera making a seven-ball 22 not out with two sixes and as many fours. 

The hosts made a brisk start after being put in to bat as they raced to 52 in the opening five overs, with Kusal Perera playing attacking shots against both pace and spin. 

Perera hit seamer Shahadat Hossain for two fours and a six in the first over of the match before smashing two more sixes, one each off spinners Sohag Gazi and Razzak. 

He completed his maiden T20 half-century in the eighth over with two runs to mid-wicket off Mahmudullah. 

Shahadat conceded 54 runs in four overs, including 24 in his last. 

How I am remembered is more important than records: Harbhajan

From flummoxing an all-conquering Australian side to being dropped from the Indian team, Harbhajan Singh's journey in international cricket has been a roller coaster one, but he says its rigours have taught him to "value relationships" above everything else. "When I played 100 Tests, it felt great but I have started realising that more important are the relationships that you have developed over the years," the 32-year-old off-spinner said on Sunday. "It's those you have played cricket with and have known along the way. I would rather be known as a cricketer who was a good human being than being dubbed as a top player and an equally worse human being," he added. 

For Harbhajan, if 90 out of 100 people like him, he will consider it as an achievement. "I only hope that when I stop playing the game, people would say that they cherished being in my company. I know 100 out of 100 guys won't say the same but I want at least 90 people to say that 'Bhajji achha insaan tha' (Bhajji wasn't a bad human being)," the veteran of 101 Tests said during a free-wheeling chat at a city hotel. 

Harbhajan did admit that he was a bit "nervous" going into his 100th Test, but things got better in the second innings. "Obviously, 100 Tests was big thing considering from where I had come. I never imagined I would reach this far. In the first innings in Chennai, I was nervous but it got better in the second innings. 

"In the Hyderabad Test match, I bowled well in the first innings. But in the second, I didn't bowl much. The other bowlers were getting wickets in every five overs and the captain was right in continuing with them. I know that I have tried my best and have no complaints. "A few more wickets would have been better but I had given my 100 per cent." 

With another season of IPL round the corner, Harbhajan is hopeful that Mumbai Indians would be able to win their maiden crown this time. "Cliched it may sound but the focus will be on winning the championship. My own performance will be as important as that of the team's performance." 

He had a very successful on-field partnership with Anil Kumble and is excited that the former India captain will be present as a 'mentor' in the MI dressing room. "It's great to have Anil bhai around. It not only helps to have around while talking cricket but other aspects too. He (Kumble) is someone who can gauge my state of mind. He has always been there with me to give me right kind of advice. His mentorship with MI will be a huge advantage not only for me but for other players," he sounded ecstatic. 

Asked if he is looking to use IPL as a platform to get back into the ODI squad for Champions Trophy, the senior off-spinner replied, "I am not thinking that far ahead. I would like to just concentrate on each and every game. IPL is a format which is not too friendly for bowlers. There will be days when you can go for plenty but one can certainly buy a lot of wickets in the bargain." 

Trying to out-think the batsman is as important for him as having the right frame of mind. "It has got more to do with mindset irrespective of the format you are playing. It is equally important to be in the right frame of mind in order to execute the plan." So apart from Mumbai Indians, which is the team that can go the distance in this edition of IPL, he said, "Chennai Super Kings is a very balanced side. They are a real good team and has played consistently good cricket over the last five editions." 

Harbhajan also wished "speedy recovery" to Jesse Ryder, terming the burly New Zealander as a "gem of a person". "Jesse might have had alcoholic problems as people say but he came across to me as a very warm-hearted person during my tour of New Zealand in 2009. If you know him, he is a great buddy. I pray that he recovers soon," he signed off as he got ready to catch a flight to Bangalore. 

Very excited to be back in IPL: Ricky Ponting

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is very keen to put his best foot forward both as skipper and player for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, a tournament in which he took part only for a while in its inaugural edition in 2008. 

"Obviously, I am very excited to be back in IPL. I said when I had finished playing last time, hopefully I will be able to come back and play again. The way things have worked out -- with my retirement from international cricket and finishing off the domestic season for Tasmania and playing well -- have given me the opportunity to be back here," said the Aussie at his first media conference here today. 

He said retirement from the hectic international schedule has given him time to concentrate on T20 leagues. 

"The reason I did not come back to IPL 2 and 3 was because I had too much international cricket on at that time. And now that I don't have international cricket, the opportunities for me to play in these domestic tournaments are really opening up. 

"I am going to be here for a couple of months and then have a two-month stint at Surrey and another month or five weeks at the Caribbean Premier League as well. Now my whole focus is to make sure that I am the best player and best leader for Mumbai Indians for the next two months. 

"Luckily I had the chance to captain Australia for a long time. I have got a really good idea of what makes good teams successful. And they are all the things I will be bringing to the table in Mumbai," said Ponting. 

Ponting is very excited to be playing alongside Sachin Tendulkar, against whom he has played many times at the international level. 

"To be captain of any franchise is exciting but to think that I am the captain of Mumbai Indians and I will be playing alongside Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh, some of the guys I have had great battles over the years, as well as some of my Australian team mates and some of the young local Indian talent I have come across in the last couple of days is great. 

"With Mumbai now, we have John Wright, a successful ex-India coach, and Anil Kumble, a successful Indian captain and a very very good Indian player and leader. Obviously me coming into the set up, we have put together a really strong leadership group, if you like," said Ponting. 

"And if you think of some of the other guys we have around like Sachin and Harbhajan, we have got a lot of experience and lot of skill around the team. I think it is very exciting for the tournament," added the 38-year-old Tasmanian who retired with 27,000 runs in Tests and ODIs. 

He also said that the entire team is excited about the opening game against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 4. 

"As far as I am concerned, there is no better franchise to be with and no better team to be with than the Mumbai Indians. The three days that I have been here, there has been a lot of excitement around the boys and around the team and the way we have trained over the last three days, it has been exciting. It's fair to say that everyone in our squad is excited about our opening game on fourth. 

"I think the biggest challenge so far has been getting the squad of players together. We have got international players playing all around the world and a lot of those guys are coming together a lot late. We fly to Bangalore tonight," said the former Australian skipper. 

"I am excited to be around the group again. I think a build up to any series is always a lot of fun but when it is a series and a tournament as big as the IPL it adds a little bit more. The excitement has been high around that group and I am looking forward to start of the tournament," he added. 

Even though he has not played IPL, except for a brief while in 2008, Ponting has been following it from whereever he was when the tournament was on. 

"Of course I have followed it (IPL). I am one of those people who follow cricket all around the world. It doesn't matter what series is being played...whether it is the IPL or the Test series in India or Test series in England, then I am always keeping a very close eye on what is happening." 

Ponting was optimistic that this could well be the season when MI break the jinx of not winning the coveted title. 

"Mumbai Indians have a pretty proud tradition in IPL of finishing up the top and being in the semi-finals. We obviously haven't won the tournament yet but hopefully this year is our year," he said. 

Though he has quit international cricket, Ponting has been playing domestic cricket quite a lot. 

"My wife thought that once I retire from international cricket things would start to slow down but I have actually been playing more. To tell the truth I have been away from home a bit more. I think that just goes to show my love for the game," he remarked. 

Gujarat lift Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Gujarat on Sunday clinched the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 Championship title after registering a thumping six-wicket victory over Punjab in the summit clash here. 

Electing to bat, Punjab suffered a top-order collapse to be reduced to 20 for four in the sixth over before they recovered a bit to score 122 for eight in their allotted 20 overs at the Holkar Stadium. 

Gujarat chased down the target with 13 balls to spare. 

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the Gujarat bowlers as he returned with three wickets for just 14 runs from his four overs. Mehul Patel chipped in with two wickets, while Rohit Dahiya and Rakesh Dhurv took wicket apiece. 

Amitoze Singh top-scored for Punjab with a 42-ball 49, while wicketkeeper-batsman Chandan Madan contributed with 25 runs. 

Chasing a modest target of 123, Gujarat started badly as they lost their wicketkeeper captain Parthiv Patel (1) with the score on two. Opener Asad Pathan (32) and one-down batsman Niraj Patel (14) put up a 50-run partnership, before they were both dismissed in the eighth over with the team score of 52. 

Manprit Juneja (31), who hit a breathtaking unbeaten 108 in their final Super League match against Kerala yesterday, and Abdulahad Malik (31 not out) put up a further 64 runs together, as Gujarat kept abreast with the required run-rate. 

Akshar Patel (12 not out) sealed the victory in style with a six as Gujarat reached 128 for four in 17.5 overs. 

For Punjab, left-arm spinner Rajwinder Singh grabbed two wickets for 40, while Siddarth Kaul bagged a wicket. 

Brief Scores: 

Punjab 122 for 8 in 20 overs (Amitoze Singh 49; Jasprit Bumrah 3/14). 

Gujarat: 128 for 4 in 17.5 overs (Asad Pathan 32; Rajwinder Singh 2/40).