Glimmer of WC hope for Mahmood

Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood, for long consigned to oblivion, has received a surprise recall to replace injured pacer Shabbir Ahmed for the one-day series in South Africa.

Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood, for long consigned to oblivion, has received a surprise recall to replace injured pacer Shabbir Ahmed for the one-day series in South Africa.

A Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman confirmed that Azhar Mahmood would be leaving on Tuesday to join the team. “We are not sure if he would be available for the second one-dayer on February 7 but he will certainly be in contention to play the last three games,” the spokesman said. Shabbir Ahmed returned home from South Africa after picking up a groin injury.

The selectors’ decision to send Azhar Mahmood, who turns 31 this month, instead of the more youthful Rao Iftikhar comes as a big surprise and is an indication that if the former performs well in the games in South Africa he could be a last moment replacement in the World Cup squad.

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Azhar has been out of favour with the selectors for the last two years and played his last international game in February 2005 against Australia at Sydney.

Mills may miss Cup

SYDNEY: A knee injury is threatening to force New Zealand paceman Kyle Mills out of the World Cup. Mills, who has been troubled by knee problems for the past year, aggravated the injury playing against Australia in Perth on January 28 and has been in pain ever since. Mills has been prescribed painkilling tablets to alleviate his discomfort but faced the likelihood of surgery if the problem continued. (Reuters)

Bengaluru family feared dead in Kurnool bus fire

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A family of four from Andhra Pradesh, residing in Bengaluru, are suspected to be among the 20 people reported dead in a fire that gutted a Hyderabad-Bengaluru bus near Kurnool in the early hours of Friday.

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