'ACC cannot play further role for Pak-India cricket series'

Chief executive Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Syed Ashraful Haq said that the uncertain situation of the cricket series between Pakistan and India is thought provoking but we cannot play further role to make the series certain.

In an exclusive talk with Geo News, Syed Ashraful Haq said that the Pak-India series is the biggest event not only in Asia but in the world of cricket and everybody wants this series to be held in time.

He said that if the Pak-India series is postponed due to political reasons then the game would be badly affected.

He said the Asian Cricket Council cannot play enough role to make this series certain because this matter is to be finalized not by the boards but the two governments have to deal it.

Dr Nasim Ashraf assumes charge as president ACC

The Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Dr.Nasim Ashraf has earned another distinction when by taking charge of President of Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Sunday.

He has assumed the charge of the continental body for the two-year term after the Annual General Body (AGB) meeting replacing Arjuna Ranatunga of Sri Lanka.

Castrol Asian Cricket awards

Sourav Ganguly has been named the Castrol Asian Cricketer of the Year at the awards handed out in Karachi. Ganguly, who made his way back to the Indian side in December 2006, also won the best overall batsman prize for his outstanding performances in 2007. He was the highest Asian run-getter in Tests in 2007, with 1106 runs, including a career-best 239 not out against Pakistan, besides scoring 1240 runs in ODIs.

Indians and Sri Lankans dominated the inaugural edition of the awards. Muttiah Muralitharan, the joint leading wicket-taker in 2007 with 49 scalps, was honoured with the best overall and best Test bowler. His team-mate Kumar Sangakkara, who reached the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings last year, was awarded the best Test batsman while Farveez Maharoof was the best ODI bowler.

Sachin Tendulkar's phenomenal 1425 runs in ODIs last year fetched him the award for best ODI batsman while Gautam Gambhir, the second highest run-scorer in the World Twenty20, bagged the Twenty20 award. Yuvraj Singh was presented a special award for his six sixes in an over off Stuart Broad in the World Twenty20 in South Africa.

Pakistan's winners included the leading wicket-taker in the World Twenty20, Umar Gul (best Twenty20 bowler), and surprisingly, Kamran Akmal (best fielder/wicketkeeper). Akmal's form has slipped since 2006 and he was dropped from the squad for the Asia Cup after his poor showings.

Among other awards announced, Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan captain, was named the Pakistan Cricketer of the Year, while Ahmed Shehzad, who performed creditably with both bat and ball in the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, won the prize for the best junior. Pakistan legend Hanif Mohammad was also honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The awards are based on the Castrol Performance Index - a comprehensive points system which takes into consideration batting, bowling and fielding performances of each player against all teams in all international matches, in all three formats - Tests, ODIs and Tweny20s, during a calendar year.

ACC satisfied with security measures for Asia Cup

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements in Pakistan for the Asia Cup next month. "Everything is in order and we are satisfied with the security arrangements made by Pakistan," Ashraful Huq, the ACC chief executive, told AFP. "We hope that the event will be held in a fitting manner."

The Asia Cup will be played between six teams - Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE and Hong Kong - in Karachi and Lahore from June 24 to July 6. Security has been a concern for visiting teams after a state of emergency was imposed in November, followed in December by the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, which sparked off violent protests across the country. The ICC women's World Cup Qualifiers were shifted from Pakistan to South Africa and then Australia decided to postpone their tour of the country. But since general elections in February and the forming of a new government, the violence has lessened considerably.

Last week an ICC delegation reportedly left satisfied after inspecting grounds around Pakistan to assess the security situation ahead of the Champions Trophy in September. Pakistan is expected to get the go-ahead for hosting the tournament, with Sri Lanka being the alternative host country, at the ICC board meeting in Dubai on June 29.

The ACC will be commemorating its 25th anniversary during the Asia Cup and Huq said awards to mark the occasion would be given to top Asian cricketers and past and current administrators. A four-member committee has been formed to organise the function.

Asian Cricket Cup in Pakistan from June 24: ACC

Chief Executive Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Ashraful Haque Thursday said that he was satisfied with the arrangements for the Asian Cricket Cup that will be played from June 24 to July 6 in Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference he said all the matches in the cup will be day and night fixtures.

He said six teams would participate in the event.

“The schedule of the tournament is confirmed and all teams have confirmed their participation,”

Ashraful Haque further said.

Three matches of the event will be played in Lahore and 10 in Karachi.

Hosts Pakistan have been placed in Group B of the tournament with India and Hong Kong.

Pak cricket suffered due to cancellation of tours, Rana Tunga

Chairman, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) ,Arjuna Rana Tunga admitted that Pakistan cricket suffered a lot due to cancellation of home series on security concerns and called for stopping this trend.

“ It is a hard fact that Pakistan cricket was badly damaged in terms of earning revenue and most importantly depriving followers of the game from watching quality cricket as foreign teams refused to come to Pakistan and this trend should be stopped,”

he said in interview here on Thursday at ACC Development Committee meeting.

Rana Tunga while supporting the stance of Pakistan Cricket Board on security measures said there was nothing wrong here as far as security of the teams are concerned and international cricket can be played here peacefully.

“ Tell me which country of the world is now safe, there are problems every where and similar is happening in Pakistan which does not mean that cricket should not be played here,"

he said.

Answering a question,he said, ACC fully stands with Pakistan for having prime cricket activities and holding of the Asia Cup in many ways will be a joint declaration or resolution that Pakistan is fully safe for international cricket activities.

“ We have a strong stance that Pakistan must organise this tournament which will put an end to such propaganda raised on security issues,"

he said.

“ ACC is standing firm with its affiliated members because it (ACC) is fully committed to its cause of promoting cricket in the continent,"

he added.

He said by having Asia Cup in Pakistan a clear message will be given to the outer world specially Australia that things are normal for cricket events in Pakistan.

“ Pakistan has organised a lot of interactional cricket including World Cups and they should not be penalised on security concerns,"

he added.

“ we are ready to play here any time."

ACC Chief said ACC will soon form a committee comprising former test cricketers to further develop cricket in Asia specially at junior level besides having adequate test matches and series among the Asian countries.

He admitted that due to tight international cricket activities Asian countries are having less cricket events among themselves and assured that efforts will be made to fill the void by generating a programme in which Asian Junior events will also be organised besides organising women cricket championships.

Answering a question, he said, Asian Test championship has not been dropped that the event has been deferred for the time being due to heavy engagements of the asian test playing countries in international cricket.

Pakistan, India in same group for Asia Cup

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan have been placed in the same group for this year's Asia Cup, the Asian Cricket Council announced on Thursday.

Hong Kong complete the group B line-up, while defending champions Sri Lanka are joined by Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Group A for the ninth edition of the tournament, to be hosted by Pakistan in June-July.

"All the participating nations have confirmed their participation and we hope to have a safe and highly competitive Asia Cup in three months' time,"

ACC chief executive Ashraful Huq said.

The Asia Cup, originally supposed to held every two years, did not take place in 2006 due to a hectic international schedule. Sri Lanka won the tournament on home soil in 2004.

Ashraful dispelled fears the 200,000 dollar event was in doubt after Australia postponed their tour of Pakistan over security fears earlier this month following a wave of Islamic militant attacks.

"The Australians are unaware of our culture and they don't have an idea that no sporting activity has ever been hurt in Asia. All the teams are going to take part barring any major disaster,"

he said.

And Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf promised

"extraordinary security reserved for state heads in the past"

for the event.

After a round-robin first stage, the top two nations in each group qualify for the second phase, where the teams play each other once.

The top two then qualify for the final.

"Karachi will host ten of the 13 matches, while Lahore will host three and, since the event is played in the summer season, all matches will be day-night, starting late in the afternoon,"

Ashraful later said in a press conference.

"Karachi will host the final, while the Pakistan Cricket Board will announce the full schedule of the event in due course."

The first Asia Cup was held in 1984 at Sharjah in the UAE. India have won it four times, Sri Lanka three times and Pakistan once.

It is the first time Pakistan ahs hosted the event. The 1993 edition was to be played there but was cancelled after India refused to tour for political reasons.

ACC President Arjuna Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to their only Asia Cup in 1996, said:

"Being a player I was lucky to play in the first Asia Cup and now as an administrator I feel this is the most prestigious event in Asia and all the nations will ensure to send their best teams."

Pakistan to host Asia Cup from June 25

Pakistan will host the Asia Cup cricket tournament from June 25 in Karachi and Lahore, it was decided at a meeting between Cricket Board Chairman Nasim Ashraf and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) officials in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

Talking to media after the meeting, Nasim Ashraf said Asia Cricket cup will be played in Pakistan from June 25 to July 6.

A PCB official said it was confirmed the Asia Cup would continue till July 6 and on the same day the ACC annual general body meeting would also be held in Karachi to hand over the Presidentship and charge of the ACC to Pakistan for a two-year period as per the rotation policy adopted by the continental body.

"The good thing is that India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have all confirmed their participation in the Asia Cup and that it should not be derailed even if Australia's tour to Pakistan is affected due to security reasons,"

he said.

The ACC will also celebrate its 25th founding anniversary with Pakistan wanting to invite some two dozen delegates from the ICC and member boards for the celebrations.

The official confirmed that Australia's revised itinerary now included two Tests and five one-day internationals instead of the original schedule of three Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 match.

Regarding Australian team’s visit to the country, Nasim Ashraf said an Australian delegation will come to Pakistan on March 6 or 7 to examine the security situation.

Format change planned for Afro-Asia Cup

The Afro-Asian Cup, the second staging of which took place in Bangalore in June last year, looks likely to undergo a radical overhaul of its format.

The event has raised valuable funds for the African Cricket Association and the Asian Cricket Council, but it has been less than a hit with audiences and has been roundly condemned as an unnecessary burden in an already packed international calendar. The third Afro-Asian Cup was initially scheduled to be held in Kenya in June 2008 but Cricinfo was told several weeks ago it was unlikely to go ahead.

But while there had been speculation the event would be ditched completely, it is now reported that the organisers are to propose a new format which would involve matches being on a country basis rather than continent v continent, as is the case now.

There is already an Asia Cup - the itinerary for the 2008 event in June was revealed earlier this week - and to run alongside that there would be a new Africa Cup. That would be likely to feature South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya, as well as other countries such as Namibia and Uganda. The winners from the two continents, and possibly the runners-up as well, would then progress to the finals.

A source close to the event told Cricinfo that the appeal of the revised format was that it would include more countries and appealed far more to local sponsors and broadcasters. What's more, the emerging African countries have been after more meaningful international cricket, and for them this will be a godsend.

It seems that the choice for the organisers was change or bust. The emergence of the IPL - and to a lesser degree the ICL and Stanford 20/20 - on top of the burgeoning Test and ODI merry-go-round means that the international calendar no longer has time for the Afro-Asia Cup as it was. More regional tournaments with a quick in-and-out best-of-three final anytime during the year seems to appease both organisers and sponsors, and it can be scheduled to fit in one of the increasingly rare gaps in the international schedule.

The proposal is due to be put to the next meeting of the Afro-Asia Cup Council early in March.

Asia Cup to go ahead as scheduled

The ninth Asia Cup will be played in Pakistan next June, as originally planned. This was confirmed by the executive board of the Asian Cricket Council, which met in Delhi.

The teams taking part are defending champions Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, along with Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates. The previous edition of the Asia Cup was held in mid-2004, with Sri Lanka defeating India by 25 runs to claim the trophy.

The Asia Cup was initially scheduled for April 2008, but it was postponed to accommodate the Indian Premier League, a franchise-based Twenty20 tournament organised by the Indian board.

There was speculation that the Asia Cup could be postponed again because of the political situation in Pakistan but Nasim Ashraf, the president of the Pakistan Cricket Board, allayed those doubts by saying he had received an assurance from the BCCI that India would participate in the tournament.

The details of the fixtures will be released at a later date.

Asia Cup will go ahead as planned - Ashraf

Nasim Ashraf, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has said the Asia Cup will proceed as planned in June 2008 in Karachi, after the BCCI assured him of India's participation. The tournament, originally scheduled for April, had to be postponed since the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to get underway in the same month.

"The Asia Cup is very much on,"

Ashraf told reporters in New Delhi.

"I've talked to BCCI officials about the tournament and they have promised that India would certainly take part in the tournament."

Ashraf explained that the dates had to be shifted taking into account Pakistan's busy international season - which includes a home series against Australia in April followed by a tri-series in Bangladesh - and also the fact that a few players would be participating in the IPL.

"Some of our top players will be taking part in the IPL,"

Ashraf said.

"Then another reason why we agreed to find new dates for the event was the fact that April didn't suit us because our players will be playing in a tough series against Australia just about the same time."

Ashraf also confirmed that the BCCI had floated the idea of contesting a tri-series between India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka instead of the Asia Cup to raise more profits but the PCB decided against it.

"Our contention is that it is not just about the money,"

he said.

"Next year would be the 25th anniversary of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which is why we want to assure that the Asia Cup is held in a successful manner in June."

The previous edition was held in Sri Lanka in 2004 but the biennial event had to be postponed in 2006 due to scheduling problems. Pakistan was slated to host it in February 2006 after India's bilateral series in Pakistan but the BCCI said it was unable to fit in another one-day tournament with England touring for a three-Test and seven-match ODI series.

The current edition of the Asia Cup features six teams, including Oman and United Arab Emirates, aside from the four Test-playing nations.