Gibson to take over as West Indies coach

Published Tue, Feb 02 10 01:25 PM

St John''s (Antigua), Feb 2 (PTI) Former right-arm pacer Ottis Gibson will take over as West Indies coach for the home series against Zimbabwe starting with the lone Twenty20 match on February 28 in Port of Spain. In an interview to CBC Radio, the West Indies Cricket Board chief executive Ernest Hilaire has confirmed that Gibson has left his job as England''s bowling coach to take up the assignment with the national team, which has been lying vacant after John Dyson''s sacking last year. "Ottis will begin his appointment from the start of the home series against Zimbabwe.

Qasim turns down Butt's request to continue stint as chief selector

Published>Tue, Feb 02 10 12:59 PM

Lahore, Feb.2 (ANI): Pakistan chief selector Iqbal Qasim, who resigned from the post after the team's 5-0 whitewash in the one-day international series against Australia, has turned down Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt's request to continue on the post.
"I am thankful to the PCB chief, but it is not possible for me to continue as chief selector," Qasim said.
Qasim had resigned from the post taking moral responsibility for Pakistan's pitiable performance both in the Test and one-day series Down Under.

Chelsea's title hopes could evaporate in less than a week: Fabregas

Published>Tue, Feb 02 10 12:11 PM

London, Feb.2 (ANI): Skipper Cesc Fabregas admits Arsenal's title dream could be over in less than a week.
Third-placed Gunners face Premier League leaders Chelsea on Sunday still smarting from a 3-1 thrashing at home by Manchester United.
Arsenal were thumped 3-0 by Chelsea earlier this season and Fabregas reckons it is win-or-bust at Stamford Bridge with another year of frustration looming.

SRK stands by his IPL remarks, says India a welcoming place

Published>Tue, Feb 02 10 11:19 AM

Under attack from Shiv Sena for his remarks on the IPL fiasco, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan said he was not apologetic for favouring the inclusion of Pakistani players and termed the activities of the party as "undemocratic".
Standing by his comments, Shah Rukh asserted he believed that every Indian would agree that India is a "good country" and that "everyone is welcome as a guest", but at the same time said too much importance was being attached to the words of "just an actor".

Smith turns on the charm

Published>Tue, Feb 02 10 11:13 AM

The banquet hall - a sea of red, with a whiff of rich perfume dominating the air inside while Kenny G played in the background - seemed more like a venue for a wedding reception rather than the first media briefing of what has been billed as the battle for the Test championship. But that wasn't the most unsettling thing about Graeme Smith's press conference here in Nagpur on Monday.

SRK stands by his IPL remarks, says India a welcoming place

Published>Tue, Feb 02 10 11:09 AM

Under attack from Shiv Sena for his remarks on the IPL fiasco, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan said he was not apologetic for favouring the inclusion of Pakistani players and termed the activities of the party as "undemocratic".

Standing by his comments, Shah Rukh asserted he believed that every Indian would agree that India is a "good country" and that "everyone is welcome as a guest", but at the same time said too much importance was being attached to the words of "just an actor".

"It makes me feel that activities like this are unhealthy, undemocratic, its insensitive but this is the world is and you can only say what you believe in and stand by it and hopefully I will have the strength to do so," Khan told reporters when asked about the Shiv Sena protests back home.

"As an Indian I'm not ashamed, guilty or unhappy about what I said neither am I sorry," he said.

Following the IPL snub, Khan who is also the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders franchise, had spoken against ignoring the Pakistani players and said he would take in cricketers from across the border if his team had an empty slot.

Shiv Sena activists reacted angrily terming it an issue of patriotism, burnt the posters of his upcoming film 'My Name is Khan,' and took their protest to his bungalow in Mumbai.

The party has threatened to not allow the screening of the film, unless the actor apologises.

"Shah Rukh should go to Pakistan if he wants to speak in favour of Pakistani players," said Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab as protesters displayed a 'ticket' from Mumbai to Pakistan.

Senior party leader Manohar Joshi said: "This is the issue of patriotism and Shah Rukh should not interfere in politics".

Far from the unfolding drama, Khan said his comments were made from the standpoint of an Indian and he believed tensions on the border should not be turned into personal hate.

"Whatever I said, which has created an issue... I said it because I am an Indian... I think that every Indian would say the same that we have a good country and that everyone is welcome as a guest," the actor, here to promote his upcoming film, said.

"Every country has tension on its borders but for that tension we can't teach our children and young people the wrong thing... X is wrong, Y is bad and C is dirty," he added.

It was a busy day for Khan and his My Name is Khan co-star Kajol in the Big Apple as they began their morning by ringing the NASDAQ bell and went into a torrent of press conferences with the Indian and international media to speak about their upcoming film.

Journalists, however, were keen to discuss the controversy brewing at home to which Khan asked why his remarks were attracting so much attention.

"I'm not a politician, I'm not a radical... I'm just an actor and I say a lot of things and many times people take it rightly or wrongly but its not to be paid so much attention to".

Source: Web Search

I''ll not take back my resignation: Qasim

Published Mon, Feb 01 10 10:10 PM

Karachi, Feb 1 (PTI) Pakistan chief selector Iqbal Qasim has refused to take back his resignation despite the cricket Board here refusing to accept it today. PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt told reporters in Lahore that he did not accepted Qasim''s resignation and he wanted him to continue until the T20 World Cup later this year. Qasim, a former Test spinner who played 50 Tests, had stepped down yesterday after Pakistan were swamped 5-0 in the one-day series by Australia. "I have no intention of taking back my resignation, my decision is final,