‘Ind-Pak clash never a dead rubber’
New Delhi: An India-Pakistan clash can never be called a dead rubber, stressed former skipper Sunil Gavaskar, as the arch-rivals gear up for their next Champions Trophy match, the outcome of which will have no bearing on their fortunes in the tournament. India have already made it to the semifinals and Pakistan are certain to fly back, having lost their first two matches. “No such thing as dead rubber when India and Pakistan are playing. Results are important for followers of both the countries,” Gavaskar said. “India would certainly want to win as they would to continue with the winning rhythm. If you lose, you start to doubt yourself and India would want to avoid it,” he told NDTV. Gavaskar said it was all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja with his bowling, who set up India’s thumping eight-wicket victory over West Indies yesterday. “Jadeja turned the match in India’s favour. West Indies were looking set for a score of 250+ and even 300. He turned the match with his bowling on a pitch that didn’t have much help,” he said of Jadeja who took his maiden five-wicket haul.
cricket to return to Dambulla
Dambulla: The upcoming Indian Under-19 team’s tour of Sri lanka will bring international cricket back to the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium (RDIS) for the first time in three years. The Indian U-19 team will play its only four-day match at this venue. The Indian juniors are to arrive here late July to play five ODIs. Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Indians were the last tourists to play an official ODI here during their tour in 2010. The third ODI between Sri lanka and New Zealand in November will be the first official ODI at Dambulla in the last three years. A senior SlC delegation last month visited the town with a view to revive international cricket. The ground would soon see the commissioning of a new flood lights system in keeping with ICC standards, SlC officials said. Inamaluwe Sumangala, chief monk of the historical Dambulla Buddhist monastery and temple, said that construction of a five star hotel in the area was also part of the new development plans.
Asif loses match-fixing appeal
london: Three Court of Appeal judges in london on Wednesday rejected an appeal by Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Asif against his conviction for spot-fixing. In their ruling, the judges said they were “not persuaded that there are any grounds, arguable or otherwise, for attacking the safety of the convictions of this applicant (Asif)”. “The renewed applications are accordingly dismissed,” they added. Fast bowler Asif, 30, was released from jail in May last year after serving half of a 12-month sentence for his part in a plot to bowl deliberate no-balls in a Test match against England at lord’s in 2010.
sachin named brand ambassador
Dubai: UAE’s travel website, Musafir.Com, has partnered with senior India batsman Sachin Tendulkar to be its brand ambassador, in addition to already being a stakeholder. “For his dedication, honesty and inspirational growth in the sport, Musafir.Com finds Tendulkar to be the perfect face to represent the brand,” a company statement released here said. “The Master Blaster — as he is fondly called — has so many wins and achievements in his career that he represents Musafir.Com’s vision to become the leading travel website in the region,” the statement added. PNS/Agencies