Pakistan cricket captain Misbah-ul-Haq has held a meeting with the national team's  coach Dav Whatmore to plan for future training camps and introduction of new players.

KheloPakistan are proud to present an exclusive conversation with Shaan Masood. Shaan, is a Pakistan A player who has represented Pakistan at Under 15 and Under 19 level. Here he talks to us about his career thus far and his hopes for the future.

Pakistan's head coach Dav whatmore has called out his support for the former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik too once again lead the side in the shortest format of the game

A few months ago when it was announced that Bangladesh had agreed to consider touring Pakistan in return for the PCB’s vote in the ICC presidential elections, I had a feeling then that as soon as the PCB had given their vote to Bangladesh’s candidate Mustafa Kamal, that Bangladesh would do anything they could to renege on the agreement and wriggle out of touring.

I initially thought it would be on grounds of their security team finding that security measures weren’t up to scratch after their inspection visit to Pakistan in January of this year. Yet it seems the PCB went all out, leaving no stone unturned when it came to the security measures being put into place. This left Bangladesh without any wriggle room or opportunity to find an excuse not to tour.

Rumours abound that the BCB were trying to get backing from other nations in regards to touring Pakistan, but that none of the other nations agreed. A PCB official was also quoted as saying that a third unnamed nation was in fact, rather than giving support, actually putting pressure on Bangladesh not to tour Pakistan. Further doubt was cast on Bangladesh’s intentions after Kamal himself was quoted as saying: "We won't go if everything doesn't happen within the standard practice, which is the allocation of match-referees, umpires and all things by the ICC". Kamal was referring here to the ICC’s power to refuse to send neutral match officials to any place they deem unsafe. Although the ICC have allowed non-neutral officials to participate in such cases, it seems Kamal would be keen on using any refusal from the ICC to send neutral officials as an excuse not to tour.

 
Now fast forward to the Asia Cup final and the row over the ‘collision’ between Aizaz Cheema and Mahmudullah. Bangladesh have appealed to the Asian Cricket Council about the incident, saying that they should have been awarded a 5-run penalty, something which is stipulated in cricket law if a batsman is deliberately obstructed during a run. This whole saga seems rather trivial to me. The cynic in me tells me that this could be the start of Bangladesh’s strategy to temporarily inflame the relationship with the PCB

Bangladesh defeated by Pakistan in a nail-bitting final of Asia Cup by 2 runs. Although, Bangladesh could not succeeded to claim the trophy, but they claimed the hearts of millions of Bangladeshi cricket fans by providing unmatched performances in the whole tournament. Though, Bangladesh was defeated by Pakistan in the first match too, but they brought the match in a very close situation. Pakistan very hardly managed to win the match. Then in the next two matches against India and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh's performance level was at its peak. The tigers beated India and Sri Lanka by 5 wickets, which was a great achievement.

In my 25 years of following Pakistan I have seen it all; or so I thought. Apart from the action on the field, everything that can happen off it has happened but yesterday the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) stooped to the lowest if the lows by appealing the decision of the Final of the Asia Cup, to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), citing a incident where they claimed all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad was deliberately blocked from taking a second run by Pakistan Fast bowler Aizaz Cheema.

Before the game, and after I have never seen Pakistani fans actually supporting the opposition in a game. Dhaka on the 22nd March 2012 was a case in reason. Many Pakistani fans felt that a win for Bangladesh would be great for cricket. Even myself,for my sins, had openly stated that I wouldn't mind losing the game but as always wanted Pakistan to win.

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As soon as Afridi steps his foot in Karachi, he’s all headlines again! Not for his performance in the Asia Cup final, which made him man of the match, the chewing of balls, neither his hot temperament during a match or even the so called captaincy-rivalry between himself and current captain, Misbah-ul-Haq. This time he’s in news for his ‘bashful’ behavior towards a fan as he stepped in Karachi Airport, returning from Bangladesh, after winning the much-hyped Asia Cup series. 

Today, twenty years have passed since Pakistan’s historic triumph at Melbourne. It’s a day many Pakistanis look up to with pride. A day Pakistan beat their colonial masters to stake a claim on dominance of the cricketing world.

For many, the 1987 heartache at Lahore had been cured.Talents that would carry the mantle of Pakistan cricket in years to come had been unearthed. A glorious career of an able and charismatic leader had come to a befitting climax. 

Being Pakistan’s solitary world cup victory, makes it even more special for the Pakistani fans around the globe. Pakistan’s journey in this tournament epitomized their innate ability to leave the opposition flabbergasted with their inconsistency.

Even the most optimistic of opinions would have written them off halfway through the tournament. It was a safe bet against a team which had managed a solitary win in its first five games. Yet it took one man’s unshakeable resolve and a stroke of luck to drive Pakistan to top of the world.

It has been announced that the ICC ticket launch ceremony will take place in Sri Lanka at the Galle Face Green on Saturday 24th March 1830 (Colombo time), with tickets going on sale to the Sri Lankan public from 0900 (Sri Lanka time) on Monday 26th March. There will be a special window of four days in which only Sri Lankan fans will be able to buy tickets.

Tickets will then go on general global sale to international fans on 30th March at 0900 GMT. Some tickets will be held back for a second phase of sales and will go on sale on 1st August 2012. Prices for tickets start from as little as US $0.25 for any group game on its own and between US $2.50 and US $45 for the Final. A maximum of just six tickets can be purchased by any one person for the group stage, while a maximum of four tickets can be purchased by any one person for the Super8s, Semi-Finals and Final.
 

A day after reports of India’s agitation over Saeed Ajmal’s action, the mesmerizing off-spinner has retorted to the allegations with sarcasm.