The clock had barely struck five in the morning when Muhammad Tariq heard a car pull at his door. He’d been awake for the past two hours at his residence in Dijkot village, near Faisalabad, Pakistan, waiting for the Pakistan kabaddi captain Nasir Ali to arrive. Together they were to embark on a journey to India to play in the Pro Kabaddi League. Nasir exited his car, sought blessings from Tariq’s parents and reassured them of the prestige his son would bring them by playing in the marquee competition across the border. The parents were satisfied, yet Tariq still had some questions. But he would wait till the pair travelled to Shahkot village, where Patna Pirates’ Wasim Sajjad — the only player from Pakistan to play in the PKL before — joined them. The next stop was Wagah Border.
It’s a three-hour journey from Dijkot to the Indian border. The trio passed time just the way the 24-year-old had hoped it would — clearing all his doubts. Where will I be staying, how are the people there, what if I get lost… The list went on. But Wasim and Nasir were senior players. Wasim had played in India in the inaugural PKL last year, while Nasir had hopped across the border in 2007 for the kabaddi World Cup. “They said Indian people were the same as us. That we’d be staying in big hotels, and they told me that I had all the required documents so there would always be someone to guide me if I needed it. Essentially, they both said that it’s just a matter of getting across the border, and everything else is the same as it is in Pakistan,” he recalls.
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Abhishek Bachchan: ‘I’m a very bad LoserA village boy all his life, simplicity was all he knew or cared for. His chores at home were to milk the cows and look after the rice and sugarcane fields his family owned. In time, kabaddi would become a new responsibility. He would often shuffle between home, Islamabad or Lahore for national camps. Yet, the only time he left the familiar surrounding was for the Asian Beach Games in Thailand last year, where he returned with a silver medal along with the Pakistan team.
Still, coming to India, with all the twists and turns history threw between his home country and the nation that would host him for the PKL, was filled with reservations. He had heard whispers about how Pakistani players were not allowed to play cricket in India, but nothing beyond that. “We don’t get news of most of what happens in India at the village,” he explains. Still there were concerns. Most, however, were quashed last year when he, along with his teammates in the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), watched Wasim play in the league, on television.
Advice coming from a senior player was one thing. But advice coming from someone who had travelled to the neighbouring country just last year was more reassuring. “We parted ways at Amritsar airport. I can’t read, so he pointed me out to the gate for my flight, and then told me that I should ask someone which gate has the flight for Kolkata when I got to Delhi. He said there would be someone to pick me up at Kolkata. And it all panned out exactly as he had said,” Tariq says of what might be a routine journey for any air-flyer but was something that mightily scared the youngster.
Since arriving for duty for the Bengal Warriors franchise, Tariq has managed a minute-long appearance against the Puneri Paltan at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, making him the second Pakistani to appear in the PKL.
“Last year we all saw Wasim play and we became Patna Pirates fans. Maybe some people back home will cheer for the Warriors now,” he adds lightly.
Yet, more than the Pirates or any other franchise of the tournament, a pair of Indian players have achieved cult status among budding players in Pakistan.
“Even before PKL started, Rakesh Kumar and Anup Kumar were people coaches told us all to aspire to. They told us to download as many videos of the Indian team and watch them play, and learn,” he says.
There haven’t been qualms about admiring Indian players. Political history enforces a degree of rivalry on the kabaddi mat between the two nations. Nonetheless, on the Pakistani front, there are concerns greater than losing a game to their adversary. “Circle kabaddi in Pakistan is very famous compared to the international rectangle court game. There have been more active measures to ensure international kabaddi becomes more prominent,” mentions the raider.
Tariq himself was once a circle kabaddi proponent, belonging to a village where the game was widely played. Nonetheless, just two years ago, he was forced to make the switch to the rectangular game. “I played for the Electricity Board then and during a camp at Islamabad, several coaches came to me and told me to switch,” he says. He goes further to explain his dramatic attempt to shun away the new comers. “I escaped the camp and ran home. But they all found me, scolded me, and brought me to PSB to play,” he adds.
Now that the sport took him to Thailand last year, and has brought him to neighbouring India, the Warriors’ Rs 1.5 lakh acquisition has settled quite easily to his own surprise. “The players here welcomed me. They have been quite friendly and helpful to me. I haven’t felt like a foreigner here, let alone a Pakistani,” he claims.
The only problem he has had is checking if he is served halal meat for his meals. And then there is the matter of ordering food. “I can’t read or write much since I quit school after eight standard. So I’m always at the mercy of someone else to order my food.”
Rafael Nadal is playing in Hamburg for the first time since he won the clay-court event in 2008. This is his first tournament since losing in the 2nd round at Wimbledon. (Source: AP)
Top-seeded Rafael Nadal advanced to the semifinals of the Hamburg Open by beating fifth-seeded Pablo Cuevas 6-3, 6-2 on Friday. Nadal’s semifinal opponent will be Andreas Seppi, who reached the last four without having to play.
His opponent, Simone Bolleli, withdrew with a stomach ailment.
Nadal is looking to extend his streak of having won at least one European clay-court title every year since 2004. The former top-ranked player has dropped to No. 10 in the world.
Qualifier Lucas Pouille upset Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-2 to set up a semifinal encounter against eighth-seeded and 2013 Hamburg winner Fabio Fognini, who beat Aljaz Bedene 6-4, 7-5. Pouille reached his second semifinal of the year by ending Paire’s seven-match winning run that included his maiden title in Bastad, Sweden.
Earlier, Nadal had to toil hard to beat Jiri Vesely 6-4, 7-6 (2) for a place in the quarterfinal. Nadal appeared in trouble when he dropped his serve for 4-4 in the second set. But he broke right back and served for the match, only to commit a double fault at match point. He served another double fault to drop the game, but Vesely could not take advantage and Nadal cruised through the tiebreaker, winning the match when Vesely netted a backhand.
Nadal is playing in Hamburg for the first time since he won the clay-court event in 2008. This is his first tournament since losing to Dustin Brown in the second round of Wimbledon. Once No. 1 in the world, Nadal has dropped to No. 10. Seppi, meanwhile, reached the quarterfinals by beating Florian Mayer of Germany 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Meanwhile, two-time defending champion John Isner beat Radek Stepanek 7-6 (3), 7-6 (7) on Thursday night in his opening match in the Atlanta Open. The top-seeded Isner has made the Atlanta finals four of the last five years, winning the last two after losing to Mardy Fish in 2010 and 2011. Yet, this was the first time in six Atlanta appearances that he was not taken to three sets in his first match.
Still, Stepanek — previously 4-1 against Isner — stretched both sets only to see Isner move to 12-1 in Atlanta tiebreakers since 2012.
While Isner’s booming serve was good for 33 aces to three for Stepanek, it was a good thing the world’s 19th-ranked player was at “home”. Fans in Atlantic Station favoured the former University of Georgia star, especially when the former Bulldog trailed in the second.
“(With) the Georgia fans, the barks in the crowd, it feels like I’m playing a college match,” Isner said after moving to 17-3 in Atlanta.
“It’s a very comfortable atmosphere. I played a pretty nervous match, to be honest.” Isner took the first set with his 17th ace, but Stepanek — a 36-year-old, 20-year pro from the Czech Republic — registered the first service break of the match when he launched a forehand winner to lead 3-2 in the second set.
After trading holds, Isner broke back in a game where he turned his back to the net and ran to save a deep ball by popping it high in the sky. That set up an eventual passing shot that surprised Stepanek.
“I certainly got lucky right there,” said Isner, who now lives in Tampa. “He hit it right back at me and I was able to hit a winner. He had some double faults in that game as well.”
Earlier, Ukrainian qualifier Denis Kudla upset third-seeded Jack Sock 7-6 (6), 6-3, and No. 6 Steve Johnson and No. 8 Benjamin Becker also tumbled out. Sock, an American ranked 35th, fell quickly in the second set when his service game abandoned him.
Michael Clarke averages a disappointing 19 in the series so far. (Source: Reuters)
Michael Clarke conceded his side’s middle-order woes were down to his poor form with the bat and vowed to get among the runs in the last two Ashes Tests after Australia lost the third match on Friday to trail England 2-1.
Clarke, dismissed twice by Steven Finn at Edgbaston, is averaging just under 19 for the series with a highest score of 38 and has made only one Test century in the last 15 months.
“The captain is due to get off the plane, that’s the plan for the next Test match,” he told reporters.
“I can’t put my finger on it. It’s always about my preparation. If I do the hard work, that’s gives me the self-belief. England have bowled well at me and got me out early.”
Australia’s top three of Chris Rogers, the leading scorer in the series on either side, David Warner and Steve Smith have made sizeable contributions.
But Clarke’s indifferent form has been matched by Adam Voges at five, with dropped all-rounder Shane Watson and his replacement Mitchell Marsh also failing to make an impact.
The selection of the 35-year-old Voges for his first Ashes series on the back of scoring heavily in domestic cricket and a memorable Test debut has not worked out.
Voges scored a maiden century in June against West Indies but has endured a miserable series in England, averaging a paltry 14.6 with a highest score of 31 in six innings.
“If you bat at four you have to lead the way in scoring runs and if I do then I know Voges will follow,” said Clarke, who could drop down to bat at five in the fourth Test at Trent Bridge starting on Thursday.
“My self-belief is still there. The stats show I’ve performed better at five than four. It’s about what’s best for the team.
“I need to turn my form around because at the moment we are playing with 10 players. The number four has not turned up. I need to find a way to score runs. I will prepare hard and keep the faith it will happen in the middle.”
Warner, who top-scored for Australia at Edgbaston with 77 in the second innings, has every confidence that Clarke will bounce back.
“He’s a world-class player. At the moment things are not going too well for him,” Warner said.
“We’ve seen our top order and middle order score plenty of runs before. We have to try and dig deep and be patient.”
Rickie Lambert was part of England’s World Cup squad in Brazil and earned a move to Liverpool, but struggled to claim a regular place. (Source: Reuters)
Rickie Lambert has left Liverpool after a solitary season at Anfield to join West Bromwich Albion on a two-year deal, the clubs said on Friday.
Lambert, who has 11 caps for England, leaves Merseyside for an undisclosed fee, estimated to be around 3 million pounds ($4.7 million), according to British media reports.
The forward never established himself at Liverpool, scoring only three times in 36 appearances, and had fallen down the pecking order following the arrivals of strikers Christian Benteke, Divock Origi and Danny Ings in the close season.
“Rickie is a good, strong, solid player who is a great character, good in the dressing-room and good on the pitch,” West Brom manager Tony Pulis told the club website.
“We are very pleased to have him on board.
“He’s a player of great pedigree and we look forward to integrating him into our squad.”
Lambert, 33, started his career in Liverpool’s academy and, after spells at several lower league clubs, joined Southampton where he scored 117 goals in five seasons, including 28 in two campaigns in the Premier League.
He was part of England’s World Cup squad in Brazil and earned a move to Liverpool, but struggled to claim a regular place at Anfield despite the club’s struggles up front last season.
He was frequently left on the bench as Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers often chose to use Raheem Sterling in a lone centre forward role, even though it was not his preferred position.
He is likely to get far more first-team opportunities under Pulis, whose side begin their Premier League campaign at Manchester City on Aug. 10.
Ian Bell and Joe Root stitched a steady partnership. (Source: AP)
Ian Bell, under pressure due string of poor scores with the bat, silenced his critics with a composed unbeaten 65-run knock which helped England seal the third Ashes Test, take 2-1 lead.
Bell came into bat at No.3 and was very aggressive in his approach. The right-hander found the fence regularly early in his innings and put the Aussies, defending a modest total, under pressure. After Bell’s effort, Twitter lavished praise on the right-hander. Here’s a look at who said what:
BOOM – @Ian_Bell & @finnysteve on amazing performances! Legends! 2-1 is great score! Would be 3-0 if KP was playing… #BUZZING #Ashes2015
— Kevin Pietersen (@NotKP24) July 31, 2015
Ian Bell’s average at number three in the 2015 Ashes – 105 #BetterThanBradman — Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) July 31, 2015
The performances of @finnysteve and Ian Bell in this test under massive pressure simply cannot be overstated. Huge plaudits to both #class
— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) July 31, 2015
Well done @Ian_Bell!! Never in doubt son! 😉 #UTV #Ashes http://t.co/lWquZqE46m — Ian Taylor (@IanTaylor7) July 31, 2015
BOOOOOOM! Brilliant win England. Brilliant batting by @Ian_Bell. #Ashes
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 31, 2015
Right approach from the local boy. Attack. @Ian_Bell #Ashes2015
— Gautam Bhimani (@gbhimani) July 31, 2015
Ian Bell scored a composed 65 to steer England to win in the third Ashes Test. (Source: Reuters)
Ian Bell, under enormous pressure after a poor run of form and promoted to number three in the order, answered his critics in emphatic fashion with a composed unbeaten 65 to steer England to victory in the third Ashes Test on Friday.
Calls for the 33-year-old to be dropped mounted after he failed twice in the second Test at Lord’s and although he scored a fluent 53 in the first innings at Edgbaston, Bell was pilloried for the reckless stroke that brought his downfall.
The right-hander arrived at the crease on his home ground with England, chasing 121 for victory, on 11 for one following the dismissal of captain Alastair Cook.
Bell immediately went on the attack, clipping his first ball sweetly to the square leg boundary and taking responsibility in a partnership with inexperienced opener Adam Lyth.
He was badly dropped on 20 by Australia captain Michael Clarke but, after Lyth had departed for 12, Bell and Joe Root calmly guided their side home by eight wickets.
Cook never had any doubts about his team mate who has scored 7,545 runs in 113 Tests, including 22 centuries.
“Class is permanent, Ian Bell is a fantastic cricketer, but we’ve got to keep backing the right horses and trust me, Ian Bell is one of them,” Cook told reporters.
“It couldn’t be more fitting for Belly to be walking off in his home Test match 60 odd not out to win a game.
“We know he’s a fine player, he had a bit of a tough time but everyone in history has a bit of a tough time. He’s absolute class and it was a pleasure to watch him,” Cook added.
