Pak look to rookie bowlers, Fazle Akbar is the top pick

Three years after he last played for Pakistan, Fazle Akbar could get a chance to pay again. As Pakistan struggle with injuries to their pace...

Three years after he last played for Pakistan, Fazle Akbar could get a chance to pay again. As Pakistan struggle with injuries to their pace attack, Akbar and Rao Ifthikar are rival claimants for the third slot to accompany Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami.

Umar Gul has pulled out with a back injury and Shabbir Ahmed has also been ruled owing to an injury. This leaves Akbar as the back-up bowler with international experience as the team think-tank appeares concerned that the others — Rana Naveed Ul Hasan and Rao Iftikhar Anjum — lack the experience.

Naveed, though, may still get to play as an all-rounder in place of opener Taufeeq Umer, but it is the possible selection of Akbar that elicits interest. And Akbar has done his homework, getting tips from close friend Gul. ‘‘He just asked me to stick to the basics and the rest will follow’’, he said. The batsman he wants to bowl to in the Indian team is Rahul Dravid. ‘‘He is very much like Bevan, someone even the bowlers enjoy bowling to, because it is a real challenge.’’

India go in with a right-left hand opening combination in Yuvraj and Sehwag and that would mean bowlers’ constant adjusting their lines. But Akbar says he is ready. ‘‘My signature ball is the inswing to the left-handers, if I can get that can be successful. That apart I can also bowl the outwsinger to good effect .’’

EAM Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Rubio hold bilateral discussions in New York

India14 min ago

Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar and US Senator Rubio met in New York to discuss the 25% tariff on Indian oil imposed by Trump. This was their first in-person meeting since the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting. India and the US also began talks for a trade agreement, with positive discussions during a recent visit by US trade officials to India.

View all shorts

Live Blog