Shahzaib’s spotfixing ban extended to four years
An independent adjudicator increased the ban on Pakistan’s World T20-winning opener Shahzaib Hasan from one year to four on appeal from the PCB. Hasan, 28, was banned in February after being found guilty of not disclosing a fixing offer to the anti-corruption unit of the PCB. He was also fined one million rupees ($8,200). The PCB had appealed the length of the ban, saying it was too lenient. Shahzaib is one of six players sanctioned in the spot-fixing case which rocked the second edition of Pakistan Super League last year. Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Nasir Jamshed were also handed bans of varying lengths.
Cheteshwar Pujara was dubbed a wannabe Usain Bolt by India coach Ravi Shastri for poor running between the wickets that saw him caught short in both innings in the Centurion Test defeat against South Africa in January.
On Friday, as India batsmen gasped for breath at the start of the rain-hit Lord’s Test after being put in to bat in seaming conditions under a grey sky, Pujara was left hard done by again.
Pujara’s run out nightmare continued, but this time it was skipper Virat Kohli’s fault. The India No 3, restored to the playing eleven after being left out of the first Test, was grinding it out with typical doggedness after England spearhead James Anderson had removed both openers.
However, his run out left India reeling at 15/3 from 8.3 overs from 40 minutes of play, and a fresh spell of rain halted play in what is effectively a four-day Test without another ball being bowled. Virat Kohli was on three.
LAHORE: LONDON:
FOUR-DAY TEST
The first day’s play had been washed out and England skipper Joe Root won a crucial toss and put in the visitors under grey skies, tailor-made for the home pacers.
Anderson brought one in to bowl Vijay (0) and then forced Rahul, back at his favourite slot as opener, to nick one that moved away late to keeper Jonny Bairstow. At 11/2, rain came down and two hours of play was held up before players returned, after early lunch and with the floodlights switched on.
Kohli and Pujara seemed to be tackling Anderson and Broad despite being beaten off the odd delivery when disaster struck. Pujara was a picture of patience. But with Kohli looking for runs to rotate the strike and not let Anderson and Broad bowl at the same batsman, Pujara pushed Anderson to point, to the right of debutant Ollie Pope. He gave a start and looked up to see if Kohli was interested.
Kohli started running, but as Pujara picked up speed, the India skipper turned back to regain the