Dav Whatmore: Australian Coach of Pakistani Cricket Team

One of the strong contenders to coach Pakistan cricket team Dav Whatmore has reached Lahore Saturday, Geo News reported.

Dav Whatmore reached Lahore today by a private airline to hold his final round of talks with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials who appear set to appoint the Australian as the national team's coach. 

After landing at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal Airport, Whatmore avoided to talk to media men present at the airport. He is expected to meet PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf and other officials during his stay in Lahore.

The committee appointed to select the head coach for national team finalized its recommendations last week that were conveyed to the PCB.

Sources told that the PCB has 95 percent finalised Whatmore as the next head coach. However, the final appointment would take place after England series, sources added.

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Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif Guilty of spot Fixing

Former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif were found guilty Tuesday of involvement in a spot-fixing betting scam during a match against England last year.

At Southwark Crown Court in London, Butt, 27, was found guilty of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat at gambling.

Asif, 28, was found guilty on the second count but the jury have not yet reached a decision on whether he is guilty of conspiracy to obtain and accept corrupt payments.

Both had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecutors alleged that the pair conspired with British agent Mazher Majeed and bowler Mohammad Aamer to deliver three intentional no-balls during the Lord's Test between Pakistan and England in August 2010. (AFP)

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First Class Cricketer Killed in Peshawar

First class cricketer Nauman Habib was killed after he was kidnapped, Geo News reported. Habib was 32 years old and was missing since the past three days. His body was recovered from the Hayatabad area of the city Habib had represented Peshawar Panthers in the national T20 cup and claimed four wickets in a match gainst Islamabad. During his career Habib played in 63 first class matches and claimed 221 wickets.

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T20 Semi-Finals Lahore Eagles Won Toss

The first semi-finals is being played between Lahore Eagles and Sialkot Stallions here at the National Stadium on Saturday. 

Lahore Eagles won the toss and elected to bat first.

Both teams made one change as Waqas Ahmed replaced Waqas Aslam in the Eagles and Qaiser Abbas came in place of Faisal Naved in the Stallions.

Lahore Eagles have reached the semis winning all their three league matches. They beat Karachi Zebras by two runs, Abbottabad Falcons by 15 runs and Quetta Bears by nine wickets. On the other hand Sialkot Stallions have won their both league matches – first against Hyderabad Hawks by nine wickets and then against Lahore Lions by six wickets. 

In the other semi-final, to be played later today, Rawalpindi Rams and Peshawar Panthers will face each other.

GeoSuper will telecast both the semi-finals live from the National Stadium, Karachi.

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Sachin Afraid of Shahid Afridi

Former Pakistan Captain Shahid Afridi said that Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar would tremble when he was facing Shoaib Akhtar, Geo News reported. 

Afridi added that during the ICC World Cup 2011 Sachin was also scared of Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal. 

In his recently released autobiography Shoaib Akhtar claimed that Sachin Tendulkar was scared of him and was not a match winner. Sachin refused to comment on these claims and they created a backlash for Akhtar in India. 

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India Allowed Pakistani Cyclists to Play in New Dehli

The 104-kilometer International Cycle Race will begin from 4th September in New Delhi.

India has given Pakistani cyclists clearance to participate in an international race, a Pakistani cycling official said Monday, leading to hopes other sporting fixtures might be revived.

India froze ties -- including sporting ones -- with Pakistan after the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008, which New Delhi blamed on militants based across the border.

The worst-hit sport is cricket, which is wildly popular in both countries, but Pakistan have been pressing hard for a tour of India next year.

"It is a welcome sign that India have cleared our cyclists' visit to participate in September 11 race," said Idrees Haider Khawaja, secretary of the Pakistan Cycling Federation.

"We hope that other sporting relations will also be restored in near future."

Pakistan has chosen a six-man team, which will cross the border to join cyclists from the hosts, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Korea in the race in New Delhi.

Attempts to revive hockey ties are also under discussion between the arch-rivals, who share 11 Olympic hockey golds between them.

Pakistan and India also agreed to play a two-match football series in England this month, but that was put off after riots in the host country.

Khawaja said he hoped the cyclists will help forge better ties between the neighbours.

"Our cyclists will take with them a message of goodwill and we hope that cycling opens the way for more and more sporting ties," he said.

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Russian Firepower Stopped with Head by Irish

A sterling defensive display by the Republic of Ireland saw them hold Russia to what could prove to be a crucial 0-0 draw in their Euro 2012 Group B clash here on Tuesday.

The Irish - who trail Russia now by two points with two matches remaining while Slovakia are a point behind but play later on Tuesday - had Aston Villa duo Shay Given and Richard Dunne to thank for keeping their automatic qualifying chances very much alive.

The Irish - who were recording their third successive scoreless draw - had had to remodel their first choice defence radically as regular starters John O'Shea was injured and Sean St Ledger suspended, leading to rare starts for Leeds United's Darren O'Dea and Stephen Kelly, who was celebrating his 28th birthday.

Given pulled off a stunning save in the eighth minute from Andrei Arshavin's rasping 30 yards shot, turning it around the post for a corner.

The Aston Villa goalkeeper - winning his 116th cap and who made his international debut against the Russians - was again at his best in the 22nd minute as he dived to his right to turn away a volley from Igor Semshov after Alexsandr Kerzahkov had put in a dangerous cross.

Dunne then produced a remarkable goalline clearance as Given was for once beaten but the veteran defender managed to block Semshov's shot with his leg as Russia piled the pressure on the Irish goal.

Former Chelsea player Yuri Zhirkov looked a different player to the one rarely given a chance in England and having been the provider for Semshov's goalbound shot, he nearly turned to scorer as cheekily seeing Given off his line prior to a corner he tried to curl it in at the near post, only for the goalkeeper to recover and push it away.

Russia began the second-half in the same determined fashion and Dunne again had to be alert to block Roman Shirokov's shot from inside the penalty area.

Semshov then made an extraordinary misjudgement in the 55th minute as again breaking through the fragile Irish defence he chose to pass it into empty space - substitute striker Roman Pavlyuchenko was a yard behind him - to no-one rather than shoot himself with just Given to beat.

Dunne, however, picked up a booking later in the half which rules him out of the next qualifier against Andorra, and was then involved in a farcical episode where having bloodied his shirt when his head hit the turf he was ordered off by the referee after returning with a new one.

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Women's Quarter-Finals at US Open Cancelled

Rain wiped out women's quarter-final matches at the US Open on Wednesday night, completing a washout on the day after six men's matches had already been cancelled.

Four men's last-16 contests and two quarter-finals were cancelled on a rainy day in Flushing Meadows, but organizers had hoped to salvage the day by playing all four women's quarters simultaneously on Wednesday night.

Serena Williams made it as far as Arthur Ashe Stadium to warm-up for her match with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova before misty rain again intervened and play was called off at 2015 local time.

"While it is only misting currently at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the forecast predicts worsening conditions," the US Tennis Association said in a statement. 

"Due to this forecast the USTA is cancelling the Wednesday, September 7 night session."

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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Issued Show-Cause Notice to Miandad

Pakistan cricket authorities revealed Friday that former captain and current director-general Javed Miandad has been served a formal notice to explain why he criticized the board.

In his three years at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Miandad, 54, has had several disputes with the organisation's chairman Ijaz Butt, and on Wednesday said that 90 percent of the board's decisions were wrong.

Authorities demanded an explanation from the former great.

"PCB has served a show-cause notice to Minadad over an interview in the media and he has been given seven days to explain," PCB spokesman Nadeem Sarwar told AFP.

Miandad told local English newspaper Dawn that he was not being allowed to fulfil his duties despite having been appointed by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the patron of the PCB.

"People around the world regard my services as a cricketer but the PCB doesn't want to give me authority to improve cricket," he said.

"While closely watching the functioning of the PCB, I am disappointed and feel that 90 percent of decisions are wrong, and are spoiling the sport in the country".

Miandad said would meet Zardari to "apprise him of the poor condition of cricket in Pakistan. I will request him to either take necessary steps or allow me to leave the DG post."

Butt is due to complete his three-year term as PCB chairman next month.

Miandad was regarded as one of Pakistan's greatest-ever batsmen, scoring 8832 runs in 124 Tests -- both still national records -- during an illustrious career. He also featured in 233 one-day internationals.

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Pakistan Qualified for Final of Asian Hockey Championship

The arch-rivals Pakistan and India tied the semi-final match of the Asian Champions hockey tournament on Friday while Pakistan succeeded to gain its place in the finals.

Both the teams displayed aggressive attitude since the beginning of the match which was later tied 2-2.

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