Iqbal Qasim named Pakistan chief selector

Mohammad Ilyas has stepped down as Pakistan's interim chief selector, while Iqbal Qasim has been appointed to the post of chief selector.

The decision to appoint Qasim, a former chief selector himself, had been taken after Ilyas put forward his resignation today on the sidelines of the governing board meeting in Islamabad. The board, however, had decided to bring back Qasim and former selector Saleem Jaffar in the five-man committee. Azhar Khan, Asif Baloch and Farukh Zaman were retained in the committee.

"We wanted to make some changes regarding the selection committee and Iqbal Qasim is the new chairman of the selection committee," Ashraf said after the meeting. "Pakistan is going to the Asia Cup (in Bangladesh) and I hope the selectors will continue the merit policy."

Qasim, presently the sports head of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), had resigned from his first stint as chief selector following a poor tour of Australia in 2009-10. The team was whitewashed in both the Test and ODI series and Shahid Afridi was banned for biting the ball. Qasim was a member of the selection committee until the 2007 World Cup and had been appointed in an honorary post, continuing as a senior employee with NBP.

"During the two-and-a-half month tour (in Australia), we lost every single match we played but I pray that such a situation does not arise again," Qasim said. "There's a short time available for the Asia Cup, our team's effort will be to select the best possible team. I can assure you that the team will be balanced."

Jaffar was also a member of the selection committee from 2007 till July 2010, when his contract was not renewed due to a rift in selection. Currently the head coach of Karachi City Cricket Association, he will now work as a full-time selector.

Ilyas' resignation was expected because the PCB had already been making plans to form a new selection committee. Ashraf, when taking over as chairman, refrained from major changes in order to maintain the team's winning momentum. Ilyas was part of the selection committee throughout the Ijaz Butt administration in different positions, and had served as the interim chief selector since Mohsin Khan was appointed as interim head coach.

Ilyas said he gave up his role owing to his personal commitments and the extensive fieldwork required to be a national selector. "I am quite busy at the moment," Ilyas said. "I've been there for three and a half years so it's time for new people to take over. I have enjoyed working with everybody."

Ilyas was criticised for selecting his son-in-law Imran Farhat as an opening batsman in one-day internationals particularly by fans who felt that Farhat wasn't deserving of a spot in the national team. However, Qasim has assured that teams henceforth will be picked on merit.

"Imran Farhat is just like any other player," Qasim said. "Every player will be evaluated and whatever team is picked it will be on merit."

Qasim also acknowledged Ilyas' work: "I give my full support to Ilyas for his wonderful contribution. He did his work with dedication and honesty. The board appreciates his services with compliments and he was with us as an important member of the team."

Interestingly, Mohsin was supposed to return to the selection panel, but his future with the PCB is still uncertain, with the likelihood of him being replaced by another head coach in the near future. However, Ashraf told ESPNcricinfo recently that "Mohsin's future is associated with the PCB".

All major regions in Pakistan have been represented; Zaman looks after the NWFP (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) region, Baloch after Balochistan and the rest over Sindh and Punjab.

Amir will not appeal ICC ban

Mohammad Amir, the Pakistan fast bowler, has decided not to appeal, in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the five-year ban imposed on him by the ICC for spot-fixing during the 2010 Lord's Test against England.

"Amir told the ICC earlier this week through his lawyer that he would not be appealing against his five-year ban," an ICC spokesman told ESPNcricinfo.

The decision was taken after legal experts said they believed the possibility of a successful outcome was reduced by Amir pleading guilty before the ICC and a London court. Last November, Amir and team-mates Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif were given sentences for bowling deliberate no-balls during the Test.

Amir pleaded guilty and did not contest his case in London's Southwark Crown Court. He returned homeon Sunday, nearly a month after being released from Portland Young Offenders Institution in Dorset, where he had served half of a six-month sentence for his part in the spot-fixing scam. He is currently serving his ICC ban, which ends in 2015.

At the trial, the judge Mr Justice Cooke, said Amir was "unsophisticated, uneducated and impressionable" and "readily leant on by others".

Amir, who returned with his London-based solicitor Sajida Malik, hasn't yet spoken about his future. In the meantime, the PCB said it was keen to rehabilitate him till he serves his ban.

The PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf insisted that Amir was still an asset and a world-class bowler. "We will consider him for selection once his ban is over," Ashraf said in Islamabad after the governing board meeting.

The PCB is likely to involve Amir in an education programme, but is also keen to talk to him about the spot-fixing case. Under ICC regulations, a player who has been banned must go through a rehabilitation course before returning to cricket.

2012 Asia Cup Itinerary

Cricket is almost like a religion in the Asian subcontinent. That is the reason why the International Cricket Council hosts The Asia Cup every two years. It proves the dominance of a team in the Eastern region of the cricketing world. The Asia Cup 2012 also ensures to be a top class international competition, featuring the likes of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the minnows Honk Kong and UAE. Just like other international cricket events, this series will also be a part of the ICC’s innovative Future Tour Programs, an initiative to spread the sport of cricket throughout the globe.

Although China was interested to host the Asia Cup 2012 in Guangzhou, the ICC entrusted the hosting rights to Bangladesh. In fact, this will be the 3rd time that Bangladesh gets to host such a coveted championship. The main event will begin in March 12, 2012 and continue up to March 22. There will be the preliminary stage, where each team will play against the opponent. The two teams which emerge with the highest points will go forward into the finals. All the teams are strong, and it will be a matter of time before the cricket fraternity finds out which team will be crowned Asian champions.

Earlier it was scheduled to be played from March 1 to March 11 but was reorganized to avoid conflicts with Commonwealth Bank Series 2012 in Australia which includes Sri Lanka and India as participates. Indians are the defending champions of Asia Cup, having beaten Sri Lanka in final of 2010 in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. Till now, Asia Cup has been organized 11 times with last being organized by Sri Lanka. India holds titles five times followed by Sri Lanka four times and Pakistan one time.

In the Pakistan vs Bangladesh ODI match, it would be interesting to know who will be top spinner on this cricket pitch with interesting fight between cricket bat and cricket ball in 2012 Asia Cup. Some cricket websites like sky sports, star cricket and cricinfo provides latest cricket score on 2012 Asia Cup tournament. If you reside in North America, you can watch 2012 Asia Cup live on internet by using cricket willow website. Cricket Tickets of Asia Cup 2012 are expected to available atwww.vaigogo.com. Booking tickets for Bangladesh vs Pakistan, first ODI match could also be done there.

Asia Cup 2012 Schedule

Asia Cup 2012 will begin on Monday, March 12, 2012 in Bangladesh as per cricket schedule announced. 2012 Asia Cup is an international tournament to be organized by Bangladesh. Asia Cup 2012 will consist of 6 ODI and 1 Final match. to be hosted by Bangladesh in March 2012. 

The Asia Cup 2012 tournament is a part of Future Cricket Tour Programs (FTP) prepared by International Cricket Council (ICC). Bangladesh will host this tournament, beginning on March 12, 2012. In Asia Cup 2012 bilateral series, first ODI match would be between Bangladesh - Pakistan on Mar 12, 2012 at 14:30 local time to be played at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.

Date and Time	Match Details and Series
Mon Mar 12  14:30 local | 08:30 GMT	1st ODI - Bangladesh vs Pakistan  Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Tue Mar 13  14:30 local | 08:30 GMT	2nd ODI - India vs Sri Lanka  Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Thu Mar 15  14:30 local | 08:30 GMT	3rd ODI - Pakistan vs Sri Lanka  Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Fri Mar 16  14:30 local | 08:30 GMT	4th ODI - Bangladesh vs India  Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Sun Mar 18  14:30 local | 08:30 GMT	5th ODI - India vs Pakistan  Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Tue Mar 20  14:30 local | 08:30 GMT	6th ODI - Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka  Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Thu Mar 22  14:30 local | 08:30 GMT	Final ODI - TBC vs TBC  Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur

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England seal series in thriller

England produced world-class death bowling coupled with moments of brilliance in the field to snatch a five-run victory in the deciding Twenty20 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and seal the series 2-1. With Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal together, needing 35 off the last five overs, Pakistan were in control but Stuart Broad and Jade Dernbach showed nerves of steel to finish the tour on a high.

Broad bowled the 16th and 19th overs which cost just four runs apiece and that included a misfield by Jonny Bairstow at long-on in the penultimate over which gave away a boundary. Broad removed Akmal, who skied a catch to long-off after missing the first two balls of the 19th over, and Bairstow redeemed himself in the last with a powerful throw to Craig Kieswetter which found Shahid Afridi short of his crease.

Dernbach, who bowled the 17th over for six runs, was left with 13 to play with for the last and was in control except when a slower ball looped out short to be called wide. That left Pakistan needing eight off three deliveries but Hammad Azam and Misbah could only muster two singles before a trademark slower ball from Dernbach castled Misbah and set of wild celebrations from the bowler.

The series win, a notable result for Broad who is still in his infancy as a captain, will give the England squad a significant surge of confidence ahead of their title defence at the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. Their remaining T20s before that tournament are all at home, so success in conditions similar - if not identical - to Sri Lanka will have provided a wealth of knowledge especially for the younger players.

Misbah, meanwhile, could well face further criticism after ending with 28 off 32 balls but it should have been the anchor innings to guide his side home. Only in the final four overs did the asking rate hit eight-an-over and some of Akmal's wild heaves to leg didn't show very clear thinking. It had been difficult to hit boundaries all evening - the match produced 15 fours and three sixes - and huge credit must go to England's bowlers and fielders. Graeme Swann built pressure for the quicks with a guileful spell and Jos Buttler, having endured a poor series with the bat, manufactured a wicket with a flat throw that was superbly collected by Kieswetter to remove the well-set Asad Shafiq.

It is a fine line batsmen tread in Twenty20. For the failure of Misbah to get his side across the line there is the success of Kevin Pietersen after his unbeaten 62, made from a sedate 52 balls, gave England a defendable total. It was clear early on that this wasn't a 150 pitch and Pietersen judged it was better to stay until the end than aim too high. Samit Patel contributed a spritely 16 and Pietersen finished the innings with a last-ball six off Aizaz Cheema which ultimately proved the difference.

What Eoin Morgan would give for some of Pietersen's end-of-tour form. His last innings of the trip was a tortured affair, as many of the 16 before this one had also been. He chipped short of long-off against Afridi on 6 and should have been stumped on 8 as Akmal added another error to a long list. But this one didn't prove costly although Morgan was left cursing a team-mate rather than himself. Pietersen drove firmly to cover, where Misbah fumbled, and didn't adhere to the adage of "don't run on a misfield", leaving Morgan stuffed when he changed his mind again.

Bairstow couldn't repeat his showing from two days ago as he misjudged the length against Saeed Ajmal, who claimed 4 for 23, and England's other young middle-order batsman, Buttler, had another tough innings. He scored four runs off the nine combined deliveries he faced from Ajmal and Afridi and was then given lbw against Ajmal playing a sweep that left him on his knees in the crease. This tour hasn't launched Buttler's international career as it appeared it could do but he can still make the World Twenty20.

Crucially, however, Umar Gul had a poor day. Trying to react to Pietersen's movement in the crease, he conceded five wides down the leg side and, in his final over, sprayed another wide outside off stump with Pietersen proceeding to hit the seventh ball to the midwicket boundary. That's all it takes to change a tight Twenty20.