(KP Sports Desk) – Maverick Pakistani all-rounder and former captain of the national team, Shahid Khan Afridi has proven not only to be a valuable player for Melbourne, but also a fan favourite. Afridi speaking to a Pakistani Urdu-daily said that he has been offered a new contract and captaincy by the Big Bash League team.

Afridi told the newspaper that the next season of the Big Bash League will be played in December this year, and he has been approached by the Melbourne franchise to captain the Renegades next season, along with a new contract offer.

Afridi recently returned after taking part in the recently concluded disappointing campaign of Melbourne. He scored 69 runs in 7 matches for the ‘Gades and picked up 10 wickets at 20.80

(From KheloPakistan Sports Desk) - Aisam ul Haq Qureshi, Pakistan’s sole hope at the Australian Open Tennis tournament has reached the third round, with his partner Jean-Julien Rojer. The pair defeated Philip Marks and Adil Shams 6-4, 6-7 in the second round. They will face American-Brazilian pair of Eric Butorac and Bruno Soares in the next round.

In a tough fight between the 2 pairs, the Pakistani sensation and his partner finally prevailed over Philip and Adil Shamsuddin which came down to a tie-breaker in the second test.

In mixed-doubles play, Aisam and Czech Republic’s Andrea Lavakova have also qualified for the second round of the tournament. In their opening match, the pair defeated host Australian’s 6-3, 6-1 to successfully advance to the 2^nd round.

(From KheloPakistan Sports Desk) - The Pakistani national hockey team players will receive a new set of central contracts by the end of February 2012. Previously, the Pakistan Hockey Federation had offered 3 month central contracts to the players in September last year, which have expired in December.

The PHF has directed the national selectors to keep in view the performance of Pakistan players in the recently concluded Champions trophy, as well as the National Hockey Championship due to start on January 26^th to finalize a list of players.

The National Hockey Championship starts on the 26^th of this month and will last till 11^th of February. After which the list of centrally contracted players will be issued. PHF selectors have also decided to include a few junior team players, where as Rehan Butt who wasn’t issued a contract in September last year will be under the micro scope of the selectors in the upcoming tournament.

(From KheloPakistan Sports Desk) - After the bitter experience of spot-fixing fiasco in England, plus the Zulqarnain Haider run-away saga in UAE, the PCB has imposed strict restrictions on the Pakistani player’s vis-à-vis interacting with fans or anyone else. Permission is required from the team management if a player wishes to meet & greet with a friend of relative in UAE.

It has also been made mandatory on the players to submit their phone numbers and details of the mobile company which issued them a SIM card. Subhan Ahmed the chief operating officer of the PCB told reporters on Sunday, that a new clause in the central contract of Pakistan players has made it mandatory on them to provide details of their contact numbers when on tour abroad.

Strict enforcement of these rules has been implemented in the last few tours by the cricket team management and all records are being kept in order to make frequent checks on team players by not only the management, but also the ICC anti-corruption unit.

Here's a round up of all the matches that took place in men's singles draw on Day 7:

[2] R Nadal (ESP) d [18] F Lopez (ESP) 64 64 62

World No.2 Rafael Nadal thrashed  fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday. Nadal will now face Tomas Berdych of Czech republic in the quarter finals and will aim to reach his first semi-final in three years.

[3] R Federer (SUI) d B Tomic (AUS) 64 62 62

Swiss Maestro Roger Federer outclassed Australian superstar Bernard Tomic to book his place in his 9th straight quarter final in Melbourne. Fed -Ex hit 13 aces and 45 winners throughout the match. He will now face Argentine Juan Martin Delpotro in the quarter finals.

Akmal, now thats a name that is familiar with Pakistan cricket. I first saw a Akmal play back in 1996, in a Under-15 World Cup Final. Kamran Akmal was the player, a keeper and lower order batsman. He then went on to represent Pakistan for years. Little did I know, as I sat in the stands, this Akmal was the first of a few. 

In 2006, then Pakistan head Coach, Bob Woolmer, claimed that Adnan Akmal was the best wicketkeeper in the country. Few could argue with a man, of Woolmer's stature. Apart from being a astute Coach he was a identifier of talent. Despite continuous flaws, Kamran Akmal was persisted with. He played his last Test for Pakistan back in 2010, in 'that' game at Lords. 

Zulqarnain Haider was the choice to don the keeping gloves for the South Africa series that followed but on the morning of the 5th ODI, he fled the team. With the Tests still to be played, Pakistan needed a keeper; everyone expected a Akmal to get the nod and it sure was a Akmal. Only difference was it was Adnan rather than Kamran. 

Adnan, number 5 out of the 7 brothers, has been a keeping revelation in the last 17 months since he debuted. Unlike, Kamran, he is a natural keeper. His keeping has been top drawer; his made a few errors but keeping against Ajmal is not easy. If the batsman can't pick him then it's largely unfair to expect a Keeper to do so every time. 

England were woefully out of sorts in the 1^st test at Dubai as Misbah ul Haq’s men outplayed the world number 1 ranked test side to win by 10 wickets inside 3 days and take an influential 1-0 lead in the series. Now, 2 dead draws will be more than enough to give Misbah ul Haq’s side the series honours which will be nothing short of a monumental achievement in Pakistan’s test history.

It will also represent a phenomenal run of rich test form under Misbah’s captaincy which includes beating the very best in the business who went into this series full of energy and optimism for beating Pakistan and even walking over them. Pakistan was expected to compete, but the manner and margin of victory was astounding and least expected.

This is the first time since 2003 that Pakistan have won 3 consecutive tests in a row when they whitewashed Bangladesh in their tour of Pakistan in 2003, the series famously known for the match winning knock played by the Sultan of Multan to save the hosts from utter embarrassment.