Wasim Akram bowls at KKR nets
Dubai: The Kolkata Knight Riders batsmen will forever remember today's net session as their mentor Wasim Akram bowled his heart out before the teams' weekend game against Delhi Daredevils. It was a treat to see 'the Sultan of Swing' bowling long spells with short run-ups and producing the same movement that world cricket once saw in his playing days. Akram, 47, guided the KKR bowling unit on many facets of swing and seam bowling by training with them in scorching heat, the Gulf News reported. "For me, as bowling mentor means not to change a bowler's action at this stage. They have all come here after doing the hard bit and I just mostly talk to them on questions about their bowling and how to pick a weakness and how to assess which shot a batsman is going to play," the former Pakistan skipper told Gulf News after a practice session.
BCCI justifies decision
New Delhi: The BCCI sought to justify its rejection of accreditation applications from certain photo news agencies for covering the IPl, saying they did not meet accreditation standards as "their primary businesses involved commercial sale and licensing of photographic images". "BCCI wishes to explain, in line with its existing policies, the decision to not accredit certain categories of entities, i.E., photo news agencies, for coverage of Pepsi IPl 2014, which began on 16 April 2014," the Board said in a release. "As with other sports bodies internationally, the BCCI processes numerous media accreditation applications it receives after undertaking an evaluation of applicants and their respective organisations. Through the BCCI media accreditation process, photographers nominated by bona fide domestic and international news publications as well as news agencies, including AFP, were duly accredited, for the Pepsi IPl 2014," it said.
Ajmal cleared for county
Karachi: Star Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has been given clearance by his home board to play a shortened stint with Worcestershire in the English season. The 36-year-old's departure was held up after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) discussed the matter following confirmation of Pakistan's tour to Sri lanka in July-August. "We have given NOC (no-objection certificate) to Ajmal but want him to return in mid-July so that he can be part of team's tour to Sri lanka," PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed said late Thursday. Pakistan will play two Tests and three one-day internationals in Sri lanka on a tour which was only finalised last week on the sidelines of an International Cricket Council meeting in Dubai. Ajmal said he would fly early next week and will be available for Worcestershire's home match on April 27.
Shivlal Yadav to chair BCCI meet
Mumbai: Former Test off spinner Shivlal Yadav, the Supreme Court-appointed interim president of BCCI for non-IPl related matters, is to chair the Emergent Working Committee meeting of the Board here on Sunday. "I will be chairing the meeting," Yadav said when queried on the issue. The BCCI website indicated former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, the Supreme Court-appointed interim president for IPl-related matters, as the chairman of the Working Committee. "I don't know whether he will be attending the meeting as he's in Dubai overseeing the organisation of IPl," said the Hyderabad-based Yadav.