Check todays hot topics and new pictures Today is: 29 May, 2012
Testing times ahead for ‘under fire’ PCB boss Butt

Testing times ahead for ‘under fire’ PCB boss ButtLahore, Mar. 6 : The next few days would test the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt's tactfulness and skills regarding handling issues in the board, as he has to make several important decisions in days to come.

He is also likely to face action for some of his recent `unilateral' decisions.

Butt has to appoint a captain or captains for the Pakistan Test, ODI and Twenty20 teams for forthcoming assignments besides implementing recommendations of the inquiry committee, which was set up to probe Pakistan's humiliating tour Down Under.

The committee had recommended hefty penalty for all-rounder Shahid Afridi and wicket keeper Kamran Akmal for violating the players' code of conduct during the series.

Moreover, Butt's thorny relations with the Sports Ministry and the National Assembly's (NA) Standing Committee on Sports is likely to enhance his troubles in coming days.

Insiders said that Butt's contradictory statements regarding some of the players being involved in match-fixing at a press conference recently would only add to his problems when he appears before the NA committee on Saturday (today) to explain his remarks against captain Mohammed Yousuf and Shoaib Malik.

Butt had first said that two players were under investigation for match-fixing and then retracted, saying he was speaking about old cases and none of the current players in the Pakistani team are suspects in fixing matches.

His recent decisions of using his discriminatory powers to appoint Waqar Younis and Ijaz Ahmed as coach and assistant coach respectively, and Mohsin Khan as the new chief selector have also not gone down well with the government, The Nation reports.

"The PCB chairman should have consulted the governing council members specially the new ones inducted into the council while taking such key decisions. He has again shown a tendency to take unilateral decisions, which affect Pakistan cricket directly," Sports Minister Ijaz Jakhrani had said earlier. (ANI)


Serbia bans player for refusing to sing anthem

Serbia bans player for refusing to sing anthemBelgrade, May 29 : Serbian midfielder Adem Ljajic has been suspended from the national team for refusing to sing the national anthem before his country's friendly against Spain, the Serbian Football Federation announced.  Read more »

Lazio captain arrested amid probe into match fixing

Lazio captain arrested amid probe into match fixingRome, May 28 : The captain of the Italian football club Lazio has been arrested amid investigations in connection to match-fixing scandal.  Read more »

Mobbed by thousands, Kolkata's Knights begin victory parade

Mobbed by thousands, Kolkata's Knights begin victory paradeKolkata, May 29: With a frenzied crowd of thousands cheering on, Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Tuesday began a victory parade from south Kolkata's  Read more »

Cricket was just by chance, says now `cage fighter`Adam Hollioake

Cricket was just by chance, says now `cage fighter`Adam HollioakeLondon, May 28 : Former England cricketer Adam Hollioake has revealed that his friends and family were surprised when he chose the gentleman's game over rugby and boxing as his profession.  Read more »

Australia''s world motorcycling champion Stoner to retire

  Australia''s world motorcycling champion Stoner to retireSydney, May 18 : Australian professional motorcycle racer, two-time MotoGP world champion, Casey Stoner, announced that he will retire from Grand Prix racing at the  Read more »

Veer Patel upstages Aravind in National Supercross

Veer Patel upstages Aravind in National SupercrossPune, April 30 - Veer Patel of Baroda steered his Honda CRF 250 with much panache to clinch the title in the showpiece Foreign Open class ahead of defending champion Aravind KP in the 2012 National Supercross championship here.  Read more »