Lahore, Apr. 10: With uncertainty looming over the participation of Pakistan players in the second season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sought information from the IPL management regarding their status.

According to Dawn, even though the players have an independent contract with the IPL, the PCB wants the league management to clarify its stand on the issue.

Lahore, Apr. 10 : Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam and captain Younis Khan have different views about playing conditions and pitches in the UAE.

While Alam, recently, visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai to inspect the pitches for the series against Australia, and said Pakistan will have an advantage over the visiting team, Khan made it clear that performance will matter even if provided home conditions in the UAE.

London, Apr. 10 : A party of 50 cricket-loving explorers departed Lord''s yesterday for an unusual tour. In 11 days'' time, after flying, driving and finally trekking to a plateau 5,000 metres (17,000 ft) up in the Himalayas, more than three miles above sea level, they will play a match of Twenty20 cricket and set a world record: the highest altitude recorded for a field sport.

Los Angeles - The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed back Andrew Bynum, and sent the Denver Nuggets packing with another loss at Staples Centre. Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, Spain's Pau Gasol had 27 with a career-high 19 rebounds and the Lakers snapped the Nuggets' eight-game winning streak, 116-102 on Thursday night.

Though the Lakers one-two punch knocked out the Nuggets at Staples Centre for the 22nd time in the last 24 meetings, and moved one-half game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the NBA, the night belonged to Bynum.

Melbourne, Apr 10 : Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has asked his teammates to start "putting their hands up" after the top five batsmen let the side down again, giving a 2-1 lead to South Africa in the five match series.

Needing to win their five-game one-day series against South Africa to claim the world No. 1 ODI ranking, Australia lost the third ODI by 25 runs.

Augusta, Georgia - American Chad Campbell enjoyed a small piece of Masters history Thursday and missed out on a bigger one as he set the pace on the first day of the opening major of the year. He became the first man ever to birdie each of the first five holes in the tournament, but after threatening to break the course record he had to settle for a 7-under-par 65.