Category: Sports

MUMBAI, July 8, 2008 (AFP) – India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni took the rare step of pulling out of a Test tour because of fatigue on Tuesday, saying he wanted to miss the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. The wicketkeeper-batsman told officials he was not available for the three Tests starting in Colombo on July 23, […]

NEW DELHI, July 8, 2008 (AFP) – As if Muttiah Muralitharan was not enough, Sri Lanka now have another formidable spinner in Ajantha Mendis, whose unique style is also breaking new ground.Muralitharan, with a record 735 Test wickets, has long flummoxed batsmen with his “doosra” delivery that spins away from right-handers instead of coming in […]

KARACHI, July 6, 2008 (AFP) – Sensational spinner Ajantha Mendis took six wickets for just nine runs to help Sri Lanka beat India by 100 runs in the final here on Sunday to successfully defend the Asia Cup title. As expected the 23-year-old spinner mesmerised the Indian batsmen with career-best figures to cause a slump […]

MELBOURNE, July 6, 2008 (AFP) – The Olympic movement has a long history of loveable losers but debate rages over whether they embody the spirit of Games or are a distraction unworthy of competing alongside the world’s top athletes.Ski-jumper Eddie “the Eagle” Edwards, swimmer Eric “the Eel” Moussambani and the Jamaican bobsleigh team all caught […]

KARACHI, July 6, 2008 (AFP) – Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was named best Test bowler of the year and compatriot Kumar Sangakkara the best Test batsman as Sri Lankans dominated the Asian cricket awards at the weekend. Muralitharan, 36, surpassed Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne as the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket last year. He now has […]

KARACHI, July 5, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s wicket-keeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara Saturday said Asia leads international cricket as the financial hub and custodian of the game which has pioneered unprecedented globalisation.“Asia have produced teams that have impacted the game in profound ways and cricketers who have individually shaped the way cricket is played and […]

KARACHI, July 5, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka will look to their new spinning sensation Ajantha Mendis to defend their Asia Cup title against batting juggernauts India when the two teams meet in the final here on Sunday. The 23-year-old from Moratuwa has bowled impressively in a tournament dominated by batsmen, and after going wicketless […]

SINGAPORE, July 4, 2008 (AFP) – Asian nations will without doubt bag plenty of medals at the Olympics but what is blindingly clear is that host China will outdo all its regional competitors.At the 2004 Games in Athens 15 Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) nations fought their way onto the medal table. A rampant China […]

KARACHI, June 30, 2008 (AFP) – Sparkling centuries from Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara powered defending champions Sri Lanka to a crushing 158-run win over Bangladesh Monday to reach the final of the Asia Cup.Jayasuriya celebrated his 39th birthday with an 88-ball 130 while Sangakkara scored 121 to help Sri Lanka pile up a mammoth […]

KARACHI, June 29, 2008 (AFP) – Kumar Sangakkara hit a fighting hundred and spinner Ajanta Mendis took four wickets to power Sri Lanka to a 64-run win over Pakistan in their Asia Cup Super League clash here on Sunday.The left-hander scored 112 to lift Sri Lanka to 302-7 after Pakistani paceman Sohail Tanveer notched up […]

KARACHI, June 29, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan said his immediate target at international level is to overhaul Pakistani bowler Wasim Akram’s world record of one-day wickets.“I want to take 30-odd wickets to get to Wasim’s world record in one-day cricket and try out for 1,000 wickets in Tests,” Muralitharan said […]

KARACHI, June 29, 2008 (AFP) – Kumar Sangakkara hit a steady century to help Sri Lanka post a challenging 302-7 against Pakistan in a Super League match in the Asia Cup at the National Stadium here on Sunday.The swashbuckling left-hander scored a 110-ball 112 to lift his team after they were sent into bat by […]