Saqlain Mustaq, the Pakistani offspinner, is all set to undergo a second knee surgery, and will be out of cricket for several months as a result. Doctors have advised him to undergo surgery at the earliest to treat this career-threatening injury.Saqlain has already had surgery on his left knee, earlier this year, and the fresh procedure is likely to lay him low for as many as six months. “It is disappointing to be in such a situation. But the doctors say that if I don’t get proper and permanent treatment, my career could come to an abrupt end,” Saqlain is quoted as saying to Reuters.Saqlain’s injury comes on the back of the announcement that Umar Gul, the promising young mediumpacer, was out of action because of a troublesome back that needed treatment.While Saqlain has been in and out of the Pakistan team, he has performed with success for Surrey over the last few years. Saqlain’s last match for Pakistan was a disappointing one, against India at Multan, where he had meagre returns of 1 wicket for 204 runs.

Zee Telefilms are almost certain to reject the Bombay High Court’s proposal to submit fresh bids for India’s cricket rights. Both Zee and ESPN-Star Sports – who went to court in protest against the granting of the rights to Zee – have been given time till Tuesday to decide whether they want to table new bids.According to a report on indiantelevision.com, it appears that Zee will inform the court on Tuesday of the strength of their original bid. ESPN-Star had questioned the eligibility of Zee’s bid, citing their lack of experience in cricket telecasting, and a two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice DS Bhandari and Justice DY Chandrachud will preside over the matter.According to the report, Zee is unlikely to enter into equity collaboration with a foreign partner, ruling out the chance of a joint venture with AOL Time Warner for the sports channel which is set to be launched on Octiber 2.The much-anticipated Test series against Australia starts on October 6, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India will want the rights dispute resolved well before that. The High Court had proposed that fresh sealed bids be submitted with the Registrar General of the High Court on Wednesday, with the understanding that the rights would be given to the highest bidder. Further, there would be no scope for appeal afterwards.Zee has already made an initial payment of $20million to the BCCI.

The Australian women’s team due to tour India for seven one-day internationals is all set to feature two identical twins. The selection panel announced a 13-person squad including Kate and Alex Blackwell. Alex has played eight ODIs but Kate, if selected to play in a match, will be making her debut. If this does happen, this will be the first pair of twins representing Australia in women’s cricket. Shelly Nitschke, the 27-year old left-hand bat, was named in the squad as replacement for Kris Britt, who made herself unavailable for personal reasons.Australia and India have met 14 times before in women’s one-dayers, with India winning just once. The only time India were successful was in 1995.The Blackwells will inevitably draw comparisons to the Waugh twins. But, they insist they aren’t the female equivalent of the more famous cricket twins. “I guess we are progressing along similar to the way Mark and Steve were early in their careers and we appreciate the comparison,” Kate told the Australian Associated Press. “We look up to them a lot but female cricketers should be recognised for themselves, not as the equivalent of Mark Waugh or Steve Waugh or Matthew Hayden or anybody.”While Alex has played two Tests and eight one-dayers, this tour is a first for Kate. “We were fighting for the same position and I got used to living up to what she had achieved.” she said. “I had seen her go through the steps (to get to international level) and I thought that if she could do it, I could do it. She’s a role model for me and we’re all really, really excited – it’s a big celebration day.”Squad 1 Belinda Clark (captain), 2 Karen Rolton, 3 Alex Blackwell, 4 Kate Blackwell, 5 Leonie Coleman, 6 Shelley Nitschke, 7 Cathryn Fitzpatrick, 8 Julie Hayes, 9 Melanie Jones, 10 Lisa Keightley, 11 Clea Smith, 12 Lisa Sthalekar, 13 Emma Twining

Andrew Flintoff has been declared fit to bowl in the fourth Test match against South Africa which starts at Johannesburg tomorrow.Flintoff tore a muscle in his left side during England’s defeat at Cape Town last week, and while initial fears that he would be ruled out of the tour proved unfounded, there were serious concerns that he wouldn’t be able to bowl.But after bowling 20 deliveries at three-quarter-pace in the nets this morning, he was passed fit. “He’s had a bowl out in the middle and came out fine so he goes in as he did in the first three Tests – fully fit to play as an allrounder,” said Michael Vaughan. “In Cape Town I thought he was our best bowler, and in Durban probably our second-best. It is good to have him fit to bowl, and we will just have to judge who is bowling well on any given day and on the given surface to see how much we use him. But as far as we’re concerned he is available to play any role required.”The news is a boost to England, but given that less than a week ago the injury was considered quite serious, there have to be concerns that Flintoff could break down during the game.

England Under-19 189 for 4 (Harmison 40*) trail India Under-19 472 for 4 dec (Pujara 211, Tewari 109) by 283 runs
ScorecardAt the close of the second day’s play at Jamshedpur, England Under-19’s hopes of avoiding a 3-0 series whitewash against India were resting on the shoulders of Ben Harmison, the younger brother of the Test paceman, Steve. Harmison Jr was unbeaten at stumps on 40 not out, as England reached 189 for 4 in reply to India’s hefty first innings of 472 for 4 declared.It was another arduous day for England’s young cricketers, who watched and learned during the first session as Cheteshwar Pujara converted his overnight 162 into a brilliant double-century, and M Tewari recorded a century of his own in a 217-run stand for the third wicket. Both men eventually fell in quick succession to give England’s spirits a timely lift, and when the declaration eventually came, their own openers responded in kind.Michael O’Shea and Joe Denly added 81 for the first wicket, but the needless run out of the captain, Steven Davies, for 4 put England back under pressure at 99 for 2. Denly and Harmison then added 74 for the third wicket to carry England towards their initial goal of avoiding the follow-on, only for two late wickets to dent their prospects. But with Harmison unbeaten at the close, England still harbour hopes of a face-saving draw.

The ICC has announced the suspension of their Project USA initiative, which was aimed at developing cricket in the United States, because of concerns about the governance of the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA).Malcolm Speed, the ICC’s chief executive, said that the issues had not been dealt with in a satisfactory manner: “The ICC is not satisfied that the USACA is meeting its obligations to review and restructure its governance to meet the needs of Project USA, and as a consequence Project USA is now suspended.”Speed added that the future of the three-way initiative between the ICC, the West Indies Cricket Board and the USACA would now be discussed by the ICC Board.”We have witnessed the unseemly and public debate surrounding the USACA elections,” said Speed. “At this stage we are not able to recommend to the ICC full members that they participate in Project USA given the unsatisfactory state of governance in the USA. I will now be preparing a report on the status of this project for consideration by the ICC Board at its next meeting in March.”The initial phase of Project USA began in 2004 with a feasibility study into hosting one-day internationals in America, to raise funds for the development of cricket there.

No. 4 – World Cup quarter-final 1995-96
ScorecardFor subcontinental fans, every World Cup has two narratives: the one about who actually wins the tournament; and the equally important one of who wins the encounter between India and Pakistan. For that one match, the tournament goes beyond sport and into nationalism. A defeat in the tournament can be forgiven; a loss against the neighbour cannot.In 1996, controversy set in before the match began, when Wasim Akram, Pakistan’s captain, decided not to play because of injury. (His house was to be stoned later after the defeat.) Aamer Sohail took over the captaincy and promptly lost the toss. Mohammad Azharuddin, India’s captain, chose to bat.Waqar Younis began with a hostile spell first up, as Sachin Tendulkar batted with a restraint befitting of the importance of the occasion. But the longer innings he set himself up for did not materialise. Instead, it was Sidhu who was to be the fulcrum of India’s innings. Batting with a runner because of a leg injury, he gritted his way to an invaluable 93 before Mushtaq Ahmed got him with a flipper.A score of 250 seemed likely, but all that was transformed at the end of the innings. Ajay Jadeja, who had once harboured dreams of opening the innings for India, came in at No. 6 and seized the day, and the momentum. He smashed 45 off 25, as Waqar’s last two overs went for 40. Those were decisive runs.India’s 287 was a daunting total in those days, but Pakistan began well. Sohail and Saeed Anwar added 84 in 10 overs before Anwar was out for 48, off just 32 balls. Then came a defining moment of the game, as hothead met hothead. Sohail, having smashed Venkatesh Prasad for a four to extra-cover, indicated to the bowler that the next ball would disappear there as well. Prasad, a mild-mannered man outside the field of cricket, glared at him, strode back to his mark, and rushed in. Sohail tried to make room for the shot he had promised, and the ball middled the off stump.That was the decisive turning point. Prasad, mixing it up beautifully, then took the wickets of Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Anil Kumble had Pakistan on a leash after that. Javed Miandad, playing his last one-day international, came out at No. 6, but his day was done, and so was the game. India won, in the end, by 39 runs.Firecrackers went off across India. A different kind of welcome awaited the Pakistanis at home.Amit Varma is contributing editor of Cricinfo. He writes the independent blogs, India Uncut and The Middle Stage.