Lahore, Dec 19 : Sri Lankan Cricket Board has confirmed today that its team would tour Pakistan in the third week of January.

Director media Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Asif Sohail, said that Sri Lankan Cricket Board chairman Arjuna Ranatunga has confirmed that his team would tour Pakistan in January.

Asif Sohail said Sri Lanka would play three tests, three one-day matches and a 20twenty match during the tour.

The spokesman said that the PCB is finalizing the schedule of Sri Lankan series, which would be announced likely within couple of days.

Karachi, Dec 19 : Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi has urged not to get disappointed as India is not only team in the world to play cricket as there are many other teams who are willing to tour Pakistan.

"Pakistan or we could play in their place, so we need not to follow particular team with begging bowl," Afridi said.

He called India decision of not sending their cricket team to Pakistan for the scheduled next year tour, disastrous for cricket.

"India verdict gave a negative impression to the world," Afridi told reporters at National Stadium, Karachi.

Afridi said Pakistan Cricket Board has toiled hard to assure the India series but the only disappointed came in our way.

Lahore, Dec 19 : Former Pakistan cricket captains have flayed India's decision to cancel next month's tour to Pakistan in wake of the Mumbai terror attacks in which at least 179 people were killed.

Former captain and Tehreek-I-Insaaf chief Imran Khan has said that this decision of India will not help build up trust between the two countries and it is a wrong decision by the Indians.

Imran said India should have applied the same criteria as they did when they asked England to return to their country after last month's militant attacks in Mumbai.

Sydney, Dec 19 : Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has been told that he cannot complete a two-week coaching stint with budding pacers because he plays in the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League.

Gillespie was invited by the Australian team's bowling coach Troy Cooley to work with young pacemen at the Centre of Excellence, but the move has been blocked by Cricket Australia, which sides with the influential Indian board in banishing so-called "rebel" ICL players from domestic and international cricket.

"I just found out that because of my involvement in the ICL that doesn't allow me to go and do any coaching there, which I think is quite unusual," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Gillespie, as saying.

Boston  - Evander Holyfield steps into the ring for one more time on Saturday when the 46-year-old former heavyweight world champion takes on giant Russian Nikolai Valuev in Zurich.

The American's attempt at gaining the WBA title has divided boxing fans with many thinking it is time for the veteran to hang up his gloves and spend time with his 11 children in his 17-bedroom mansion in Atlanta rather than risk injury against the 2.13-metre Valuev, who has lost just once in 50 bouts.

Washington  - US football fans, media and officials named US men's national team goalkeeper Tim Howard and US women's national team midfielder Carli Lloyd as the 2008 athletes of the year, according to a statement released Thursday.

The awards were the first ever for the two athletes, US Soccer said.

Howard is goalkeeper for English Premier League club Everton FC and the US national team.

Lloyd started all six games at the Beijing Olympics in August.