Category: Sports

ISLAMABAD, March 25, 2011 (AFP) – A “terrorist” suspected of planning to attack the cricket World Cup has been arrested after help from authorities across South Asia including in Pakistan, Interpol chief Ronald Noble said. Pakistan was initially meant to be one of the World Cup co-hosts. But the country lost that right when gunmen […]

March 23, 2011 (AFP) – Matt Prior admitted England have not played their best cricket in the World Cup and will be underdogs in their quarter-final against Sri Lanka on Saturday. England, who have never won the tournament, endured a rocky ride in the first round, losing to Ireland and Bangladesh but beating South Africa […]

March 22, 2011 (AFP) – World Cup winner Aravinda de Silva believes Sri Lanka’s misfiring middle order could be the weakest link in Saturday’s quarter-final clash against England. De Silva, who is now the team’s chief selector, also said the day-night match at the R. Premadasa stadium will be “tough”, with the toss playing a […]

NEW DELHI, March 20, 2011 (AFP) – India will play defending champions Australia in a mouthwatering World Cup quarter-final clash after the hosts battled back to beat the West Indies comfortably on Sunday. India scored 268 thanks largely to a century by in-form Yuvraj Singh but lost their last six wickets for just 36 runs, […]

NEW DELHI, March 19, 2011 (AFP) – Pakistan ended defending champions Australia’s 34-match unbeaten World Cup run on Saturday while hapless Bangladesh crashed out in a humiliating rout at the hands of South Africa. On the day that India, England and, barring a mathematical miracle, West Indies completed the quarter-final line-up, Pakistan beat Australia by […]

CHENNAI, March 20, 2011 (AFP) – Yuvraj Singh’s maiden World Cup century was the cornerstone of India’s 268 all out against the West Indies on Sunday but the host nation lost their last six wickets for just 36 runs. Fast bowler Ravi Rampaul marked his World Cup debut with a career-best five for 51 which […]

MUMBAI, March 18, 2011 (AFP) – Veteran spinner Muttiah Muralitharan shrugged off a worrying injury scare to take four wickets as Sri Lanka defeated New Zealand by 112 runs in their World Cup Group A clash on Friday. It was always a tough ask for New Zealand on the Wankhede Stadium pitch, which will stage […]

MUMBAI, March 18, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara hailed veteran spinner Muttiah Muralitharan as a legend for his four-wicket contribution in Friday’s World Cup win over New Zealand. Muralitharan, playing in his final World Cup before retirement, took 4-25 as the Black Caps were dismissed for 153 to lose by 112 runs. […]

NEW DELHI, March 17, 2011 (AFP) – England stayed alive at the World Cup on Thursday with a dramatic 18-run over the West Indies while international cricket prepared to say farewell to controversial Pakistan star Shoaib Akhtar. Off-spinners James Tredwell and Graeme Swann took seven wickets between them as England triumphed in Chennai. West Indies, […]

Mar 18, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has prepared a model with 20 key venues and facilities in its bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the southern town of Hambantota, the central bank said in a statement. “The key purpose of the CEO’s visit to Sri Lanka will be to understand the steps […]

NEW DELHI, March 10, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka became the first team to qualify for the World Cup quarter-finals on Thursday after an emphatic victory over Zimbabwe that virtually ensures last eight spots for New Zealand and Pakistan. The joint hosts now have seven points from five games in Group A, one clear of […]

NEW DELHI, March 7, 2011 (AFP) – England star Kevin Pietersen became the injury-cursed World Cup’s latest victim on Monday, his high-profile departure predictably dwarfing Canada’s low-key win over fellow no-hopers Kenya. Pietersen will head home to undergo a hernia operation that he had been hoping to postpone until after the competition. But after looking […]