The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bashar eyes World Series final

Bdnews, Dhaka

Habibul Bashar and his team left Tuesday for India to play the ICL (Indian Cricket League) World Series as the ICL Bangladesh XI.

He said they were setting their sights on the final.

"After having played the ICL, the spirits of players are high and they are dreaming of playing the final in the tour-team competition," Bashar told reporters at Zia International Airport in the morning.

He said they had received great support from Bangladeshi fans who had watched all their ICL matches on television at home.

The support had inspired them a lot and would spur them on in the World Series, the former Bangladesh captain said.

Some 14 rebel cricketers took part in the breakaway Indian Cricket League as Dhaka Warriors and subsequently were banned for 10 years by Bangladesh Cricket Board.

They, however, performed well to win four out of eight outings only to miss the semifinals narrowly and finished fifth among nine teams.

This time, Bashar and Co. will play as ICL Bangladesh XI along with ICL India XI, ICL Pakistan XI and ICL World XI.

The league-basis series begins on Nov. 23 with India XI taking on Pakistan XI in the opener in Ahmedabad.

Bangladesh begin their campaign against World XI on Nov. 25. They play against Pakistan and India on Nov. 27 and 28 respectively.

Opener Nazimuddin and spinner Mosharraf Hossain Rubel said it would not be hard for them to get to the final if they could take the ICL momentum into the world series.

Nazimuddin had scored 173 in eight matches while left-arm spinner Rubel grabbed 10 wickets from eight games.

Aftab Ahmed and Shahriar Nafees, however, reiterated their desire to play for the national team.

"Sri Lanka and Pakistan are strongly thinking to lift the ban on those cricketers who joined ICL from the respective countries and Bangladesh should reconsider the decision," said Nafees.

He said he wanted to play cricket wherever it was. "I will always say that I want to play for the national team and the board should review their decision," said Aftab.

Pakistan government key for tours, says coach

Reuters, Karachi

The government has a responsibility to convince reluctant touring sides that it is safe to play in Pakistan, the country's coach Intikhab Alam said on Tuesday.

"The issue of foreign teams not coming to Pakistan because of the security situation is not in the hands of the cricket board. Only the government can resolve this matter," he told Reuters in an interview.

Pakistan is keeping its fingers crossed over India's scheduled test and one-day series starting in January, the tour seen as crucial to lifting the board's flagging revenues and reviving domestic interest in the game.

India need government clearance and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has admitted any decision not to travel could also lead to the International Cricket Council (ICC) shifting the delayed Champions Trophy.

The premier one-day event scheduled in Pakistan was postponed from September over security concerns following a spate of suicide bombings and has now been re-scheduled from Sept. 24 to Oct. 5 next year.

The ICC has said it would monitor security during the India tour before making a final decision on the event.

FUTURE CONCERNS

The team's failure to play any tests this year has had a psychological impact on the players, said Alam, a former Pakistan spin bowler.

"Yes, it has affected their cricket psyche and they are very concerned about their future," he said. "Even at present they are waiting anxiously to find out if India is coming."

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt has said if India refused to tour, the series could be staged in that country by switching Pakistan's scheduled tour across the border in 2010.

Alam said: "I agree playing in India would be a better option then playing at offshore venues."

Pakistan played just 21 one-day internationals in 2008, winning all but three. However, 11 of those wins came against weak sides Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong.

Alam said he would prepare the team for tests through domestic games.

"We will organise five-day matches between the national team and rest of Pakistan. That is the only option available to us."

Pakistan swept last week's one-day series against West Indies 3-0 in Dubai, but Alam said the team needed to do a lot more to compete at test level.

Citycell B. League resumes Nov 24

UNB, Dhaka

The B. League Committee Tuesday published the remaining fixtures of the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th rounds of the ongoing Citycell 2nd B. League that will resume on Monday (November 24) after a 13-day break.

On the day, holders Dhaka Abahani Limited will take on old foe Dhaka Mohammedan SC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS).

As per the fresh schedule, all the matches in Dhaka will now begin at 4:30 pm, while the matches outside Dhaka at 2:45 pm.

Dhaka Abahani dominates the league table with 15 points from six matches, followed by Sheikh Russell KC 14 points (7 matches), Chittagong Mohammedan 13 points (8 matches), Dhaka Mohammedan 11 points (5 matches), Brothers Union Club 10 points (6 matches), Rahmatganj MFS 10 points (7 matches), Chittagong Abahani 10 points (9 matches), Farashganj SC 9 points (7 matches), Arambagh KS 6 points (8 matches), Muktijoddha Samgsad KC 4 points (7 matches) and Khulna Abahani 3 points (8 matches).

Partial fixture:

8th round:

Nov 25: Brothers Union vs Sheikh Russell (BNS)

Nov 27: Dhaka Mohammedan vs Rahmatganj MFS (BNS)

Nov 28: Muktijoddha SKC vs Dhaka Abahani (BNS)

9th round:

Nov 30: Farashganj SC vs Dhaka Mohammedan (BNS)

Dec 1 : Dhaka Abahani vs Dhaka Mohammedan (BNS)

Super League of Div I Hockey begins today

Sports Reporter

The Super League of the Green Delta Insurance First Division Hockey League begins today at the Moulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium. Barnak Samaj will face Farashganj SC at 1.15 PM while Police AC will face Bachelors SC at 3.00 PM.

A total of four teams reached the Super League of the hockey competition.

Police AC secured 24 points from eight matches, Barnak Samaj gained 19 points from as many matches, Farashganj SC collected 17 points from same matches and Bachelors SC earned 11 points from the same number of outings.

Div II Football: Farashganj, Prantik register wins

Sports Reporter

East End Club and Prantik KC won their respective matches of the Second Division Football League on Tuesday.

In the day's first match, East End Club outplayed Police AC 5-2 at the Kamalapur Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium.

After yesterday's outcome, East End Club collected 25 points from 14 matches while Police AC bagged 27 points from as many outings.

Abu Bakar, Jahirul, Gafur, Biplob, Ismail scored one goal each for the victorious team while Amirul and Al Amin returned one each for the losers.

In the day's other match, Prantik KC defeated Matuail Udayan Sangsad by two goals to nil at the same venue.

Al Amin scored all the two goals for the winners.

Prantik KC earned nine points from 14 matches while Matuail Udayan Sangsad collected 17 points from as many outings.

Today T&T Club will Face Friends Social Welfare Organisation while Sadharan Bima KS will meet Euro Famous at the same venue.

Good start for Mirpur in Tokai Kabaddi

Sports Reporter

Mirpur Tokai Kabaddi team made a good start in the Second Orient Bread Tokai Kabaddi Competition when Mirpur outclassed Gulistan Tokai Kabaddi team by 50-6 points amid four lonas in the opening match at the Dhaka Kabaddi Stadium on Tuesday.

Earlier, Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association Kutubuddin Ahmed inaugurated the kabaddi competition as the chief guest while Managing Director of the Orient Food Company Mahbubuzzaman was along with him as the special guest.

General Secretary of Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation Md Nazrul Islam delivered the address of welcome.

Today's matches :

Khilgaon vs Paltan ,Dholpur vs Gulistan, Jatrabari vs Goran

Matuail vs Paltan, Venue : Dhaka Kabaddi Stadium.

Bappi clinch singles title of Intra Club Snooker

UNB, Dhaka

Mohammad Masudul Alam Bappi emerged champion in the singles event of the Intra Club Snooker Tournament-2008 beating Mohammad Mostaqur Rahman in the final at the snooker room of Uttara Club in the city on Monday.

In the doubles, Sheikh Asadul Islam Ripon and Mohammad Mostaqur Rahman pair emerged champions while Mohammad Golam Mowla and ATKM Azmal pair became runners-up.

Later, Uttara Club president Engr Zafar Akram distributed prizes among the winners. Executive committee members of the club were present.

Opening ceremony of National Team Bridge Championship held

Sports Reporter

The opening ceremony of the Ispahani Tea 26th National Team Bridge Championship was held recently in the city.

Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Golam Mostofa Taluhder formally opened the bridge competition as the chief guest. In the ceremony, the special guest was Mirza Ali Behrouze Ispahani while Brigadier General (Retd) Moazzem Hossain was the Guest of Honour. President of Bangladesh Bridge Federation Mofazzel Hossain was present at the time.

The cheif guest gave a speech emphasizing on the spreading of one of the branches of world mind sports-Bridge.

A total of 18 teams from different districts took part in the first phase of the bridge meet. They were :Nine teams from Dhaka, two teams from Chittagong, one team from Comolla, two teams from Narsingdi, one team from Mymensingh, two teams from faridpur and one team from Munshiganj. Six teams will proceed in the second round.

Sylhet score 286/9 against Khulna on day one

UNB, Dhaka

A 182-run partnership between Mohammad Mithun and Saikat Ali enabled Sylhet Division to score 286 for 9 in 91 overs in the first innings against Khulna Division on the 1st day of the four-day sixth round match of the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 10th National Cricket League at Sylhet Stadium on Tuesday.

Batting first after winning the toss, hosts Sylhet Division lost the two openers -- Golam Rahman (5) and Imtiaz Hossain (8) -- for 29 runs in 7.1 overs. But one down Saikat and number four Mithun took the team total to a respective position contributing 182 runs in the 3rd wicket stand.

Mithun hammered 106 runs off 110 balls with eight fours and five sixes while Saikat scored a polished 88 runs off 130 balls with 13 fours.

Top order national colour batsman Rajin Saleh was batting with 41 runs along with tail-ender Monir Hossain who scored six runs. Rezaul Haque made 17.