|
Demand
for Shoeb Akhtar's farewell match gathers momentum
Saturday April 16, 2011 08:39:42 PM,
IANS
|
|
Karachi: Shoaib Akhtar
may have fallen out with Pakistan's top cricket officials but the
regional cricket associations for whom he has played on the domestic
level are pushing for a befitting send-off for the controversial
fast bowler.
According to a report, the regional cricket organisations close to
Akhtar are planning to hold exhibition matches to give him a grand
farewell.
The 'Rawalpindi Express' as he was called had an unceremonious exit
after he lost the confidence of the team management, which denied
him a chance to play his last match after he announced his
retirement from international cricket.
Akhtar, who took 178 wickets in 46 Tests and 247 wickets in 163 ODIs,
announced his retirement from international cricket during the World
Cup while expressing a desire to play the remaining matches of the
tournament. He, however, was dropped citing poor fitness.
According to officials, Akhtar is still ready to come out of
retirement to play his swansong match for Pakistan but the team
management, which is not happy with the pacer's indiscipline during
the World Cup, is unlikely to give him the chance.
The Rawalpindi region, from where the pacer started his domestic
career, therefore, is planning to hold an exhibition match to honour
him.
"He (Akhtar) has done a great service to Pakistan and deserves a
better farewell. We will not let 'Rawalpindi Express' to retire like
that," president of Rawalpindi region, Syed Naeem Akhtar, told the
Express Tribune Saturday.
The Rawalpindi region chief, who is also a member of the PCB
governing body, said plans have already been initiated to hold a
colourful exhibition match for Akhtar.
"We would invite national cricketers in the match to bid farewell to
the great fast bowler," he said while hinting a match could be
organised on sidelines of the National Twenty20 tournament, opening
in isalabad June 24.
"The match is not possible in near future due to absence of the
national team. It is being planned on sidelines of the T20
tournament when most of the national stars who want to feature in
the match would be present."
Meanwhile, the Islamabad region from where Akhtar is currently
associated has demanded an international farewell match.
"He is a great cricketer and deserves to play his farewell match for
Pakistan," said Islamabad region president Shakil Ahmed Sheikh.
"We have plans to hold exhibition match for Shoaib (Akhtar) but we
want to see him playing his last match for Pakistan."
"If teams are not visiting Pakistan, then a match can be arranged in
Dubai or he would be given the chance to play in team's forthcoming
future series."
A PCB selector supported the idea of holding an exhibition match to
honour Akhtar.
"It is a good idea to hold a farewell match for him."
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Top
Stories |
|
India,
Kazakhstan sign civil n-pact, unveil strategic roadmap
India and Kazakhstan Saturday signed seven pacts, including a civil
nuclear agreement envisaging cooperation between the two sides in
peaceful uses of atomic energy. During Prime
»
Finally,
India gets stake in Kazakh oil block |
|
|
|
Most
Read |
|
'Enough evidence to establish role of saffron brigade in 2006
Malegaon blast'
The Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI), which is
»
Malegaon
blast accused on hunger strike since April 05, pleads innocence |
|
Amidst
mud-slinging, Lokpal joint committee meets Saturday
Amid a
raging controversy over a CD containing alleged conversations of
civil society leader Shanti Bhushan regarding purported corrupt
deals, the joint committee for drafting the anti-graft
»
Lokpal
Bill co-chair caught in CD controversy |
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
 Veerappa
Moily calls to liberate education from fetters of elitist class
Union Law Minister Dr. Veerappa Moily
has given a call for liberating education which has been in the
clutches of a
» |
|
India, 6
other largest economies to come under G-20 scanner
Seven of the world's largest economies including India would face
a new surveillance system aimed at highlighting and rectifying
flaws before they imperil growth under a deal agreed by Group of
20 finance chiefs.
»
|
|
Veerappa
Moily calls to liberate education from fetters of elitist class
Union Law Minister Dr. Veerappa Moily
has given a call for liberating education which has been in the
clutches of a handful of the elite class for centuries who
deprived the masses from enjoying
» |
|
Saudi
Arabia to build world's tallest building
The world's tallest building, the one-mile high Kingdom Tower,
will be built in western Saudi Arabia.
The skyscraper, expected to cost $30 billion, will be erected in
Obhur, some 30 km north of Jeddah City on the Red Sea's eastern
» |
|
Iran
announces new Islamic internet
Iran has announced it would launch an Islamic internet to counter
the influence of the US-dominated world wide web. "Iran will soon
create an internet that conforms to Islamic principles, to improve
its communication
» |
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
Farooq
Naikwadi, a counselor for Civil Services exams, addressing a
workshop on the topic at Abdullah Ash Shae Auditorium,
Mansoora in Malegaon April 09, 2011
(Photo:
ummid.com) |
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links