Media Release – 18 May 2009

Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the Patrons XI Team and Chairman XI Team for the Practice Matches on 20, 21 & 22 May, 2009 at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. Match will start at 7.pm daily.
Patrons XI:
1. Salman Butt
2. Ahmed Shehzad
3. Younis Khan – Captain
4. Shoaib Malik
5. Fawad Alam
6. Yasir Hameed
7. Sarfraz Ahmed
8. Mohammad Aamer
9. Sohail Tanvir
10. Yasir Shah
11. Shoaib Akhtar
12. Umar Amin
13. Kamran Younis
14. Imran Ali

Chairman XI:
1. Shahzaib Hasan
2. Nasir Jamshed
3. Kamran Akmal
4. Misbah-ul-Haq – Captain
5. Shahid Afridi
6. Mohammad Hafeez
7. Azhar Ali
8. Wahab Riaz
9. Iftikhar Anjum
10. Saeed Ajmal
11. Umar Gul
12. Aizaz Cheema
13. Zulfiqar Jan

All players are requested to report Coach Intikhab Alam on 20th May, 2009 at 5.pm at Gadaffi Stadium Lahore.

Aqib Javed expressed regret over the result of the ODI series in Dubai. He said that overall the Pakistan team played well enough to have won the series either 4-1 or 3-2 but it was the few pivotal sessions where they were really bad that cost us the series. He said “The third match in particular should’ve gone in our favour because at one point we were 95/1 chasing just under 200 runs, we should never have lost that game”

On a more positive note he said the players were very upbeat after winning the last two games of the tour and are now confident that they have the capability to beat any team in the world. When asked whether Pakistan struggle to beat Australia due to a lack of self-belief against the World Champions Aqib said “There may have been an element of that in the past but I think the close nature of the games in Dubai has shown that moving forward this Pakistan team will play against Australia with a lot more self-belief”

Aqib said that the camp in Bhurban had proven to be a very good idea because it isolated the players from other distractions and allowed them to concentrate on improving their fitness and training. He added “We’ve also organised other fitness related activities like hiking to keep them focused and entertained. Quite a few of the players have proven to be very fit but there are 4 that have really stood out. Younis Khan, Misbah Ul Haq, Umar Gul and Fawad Alam are the 4 fittest players in the camp. They set the standard for the others to follow but everyone in the squad has worked really hard”

I reminded Aqib that during our last interview he said that he had yet to see newcomer Shahzaib Hasan in action, Aqib replied “I still haven’t seen him playing any cricket as of yet but all that will change in a few days when we play the T20 side games. From what I’ve seen of Shahzaib so far he looks strong but I can’t comment on his batting till I see him play”

Expanding on the T20 warmup games Aqib said “There will be two equally balanced teams selected from the 30 (available) probables announced for the T20 WC. Originally we were going to play 6 games over 3 days but due to the heat in Lahore this would be impractical and we dont want to risk unnecessary injuries so it’s been reduced to 3 games over 3 days. One of the teams will be led by Younis Khan and the other one by Misbah Ul Haq”

Aqib said that after the warm-up games the players would be playing in the domestic T20 tournament and then flying out to England.

I agree, this sounds like Yasir Hameed

I have a feeling that this operation in Swat will have more broader and wider repercussions and it is possible that there may be supporters of Afghan Taliban who might be able to bring this war into other cities and provinces of Pakistan like they brought the Kalashnikov culture in the country. Whatever it is, it seems like a very dangerous move.

If Musharraf had taken this action they would have condemned him a zillion times, I am referring to the Badmash Brothers, like khansahab has said they are quiet because of two reasons and he is absolutely right. How much more selfish they can be? I still cannot believe how Zardari approved and agreed to send General Kiyani to India after the Mumbai attack and how Nawaz Sharif issued an order to land Gen. Musharraf’s plane in India and arrest him in India?

Both of them (Mush and Kiyani) at that time were holding the top posts of Pakistan Army and India could have easily taken advantage of the situation by giving them “truth serum” and “uglofying” the top secrets of the country. Only an idiot like Ghaddari and Badmash Sharif can do that to protect their own ass. Mulk kya cheez hai vo apni maa ko bhee baich dain for their own Gaddi.

Now where are those so called democratic elements that used to say that what Musharraf is doing is undemocratic, so he must resign?

The Sharif brothers have been unusually quiet about the issue because they know this is not the time to take sides. If they condemn the operation, America will not act favourably towards them and if they support the operation, the public will be upset.