PHF TO ABOLISH SELECTION COMMITTEE

LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) executive committee has decided to abolish the hockey selection committee during a meeting on Wednesday.

The executive committee also decided to make Hanif Khan the coach of the national side till 2014.

PAKISTAN READY FOR INRERNATIONALS

KARACHI: Players from the visiting International World XI Monday said overseas teams should return to tour Pakistan soon, after two Twenty20s against an all-star home side passed off successfully at the weekend.

The exhibition games were the first appearances by high-profile foreign players in Pakistan since deadly militant attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009 led to the suspension of international matches in the troubled country.

The visitors' captain Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka said international cricket should return to Pakistan.

"After these two matches I hope people will believe that Pakistan is a safe country for cricket," he told reporters on his departure.

"We had two great days with good crowds coming and I am sure that with more efforts international cricket will return to Pakistan."

Security was tight as capacity crowds of 32,000 packed into Karachi's National Stadium -- evidence, if it were needed, of the Pakistani public's desperation to see top level cricket at home.

Jayasuriya, the dashing left-hander who was instrumental in Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup win, said he felt sad for the deprived people of Pakistan.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, which distanced itself from the matches initially, said it hoped a platform had been set for the revival of the game.

 "I hope these matches, despite being private, are a good step," board chairman Zaka Ashraf told reporters on Sunday night. "We are doing our efforts and hope that we are able to convince teams to tour us."

T20: PAKISTAN TO TAKE ON AUSTRALIA TODAY

COLOMBO: After being defeated by India in their second Super Eights match, team Pakistan is in a critical do or die situation as they will face Australia in their last Super Eight match in World Twenty 20 in Colombo while India will take on South Africa Tuesday, Geo News reported.

The Pakistan vs Autralia match will begin at 3:00 pm and India vs South Africa at 7:00 pm according to Pakistan Standard Time.

Pakistan will have to device a comprehensive strategy to come up with an impeccable performance against the unbeaten Australia, which is almost assured a semi-final berth after the commanding eight-wicket victory over South Africa in their last game on Sunday.

Pakistan will face an exit from the tournament in case of losing match against Australia, therefore, Pakistan is in a do or die situation to gain a safe place in the semis.

The fight for the second semi-final slot from Group 2 is indeed intriguing as both India and Pakistan have a fair chance of making their place in the semis, with the Aussies enjoying a healthy run-rate of +1.712.

In case Pakistan (-0.426), who are a shade ahead of India (-0.452) in terms of net run-rate happen to win against Australia, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men will then have to win comprehensively against the South Africans in order to make it to the last four.

South Africa has lost both their matches in contrasting manner - a close defeat to Pakistan and a comprehensive one against Australia.

Even if they win on Tuesday, it is an unlikely proposition for AB de Villiers's side to seal a semi-final berth as their inferior run-rate (-0.605) at this stage of the tournament makes their case weak

PAKISTAN BEAT AUSTRALIA BY 32 RUNS

COLOMBO: Pakistan defeated Australia by 32 runs in a key group two Super Eights match of the World Twenty20 here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

However, Australia reached the semi-finals on the basis of a better net run rate.

Both Australia and Pakistan ended the Super Eights on four points each, which knocked winless South Africa out of the tournament.

Australia advanced to the semi-finals despite the defeat due to having the best net run-rate in the group. The result left India needing an emphatic win over South Africa later on Tuesday to stop Pakistan's progress.

Sri Lanka and the West Indies have already qualified from group one.

Chasing 150, Australian batsmen mesmerized by Pakistan’s five-man spin attack, could make 117 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Off spinner Saeed Ajmal claimed three for 17, but it was 20-year-old Raza Hasan who was declared man of the match for conceding just 14 runs and taking two wickets in four overs of steady left-arm spin.

Veteran Mike Hussey was Australia's saviour with an unbeaten 54 off 47 balls as none of the other batsmen managed to cross 15 against the rampaging spinners.

Australia never looked comfortable after their in-form openers, Shane Watson and David Warner, were dismissed by the fifth over with only 19 runs on the board.