Asia has become cricket’s powerhouse: Sangakkara

Sri Lanka's wicket-keeper batsman Kumar Sangakkara Saturday said Asia leads international cricket as the financial hub and custodian of the game which has pioneered unprecedented globalisation.

"Asia have transformed from minnows of world cricket to the true powerhouse of cricket and we are now the economic driving force behind the world cricket,"

said Sangakkara at a seminar marking the silver jubilee of the Asian Cricket Cricket Council (ACC).

The seminar, "past, present and future of Asian cricket" was attended by current and former cricketers and administrators from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and various other Asian countries.

The ACC was formed in 1983 and now has four full and 18 associate members. The seminar was hosted on the sidelines of ninth Asia Cup which is hosted by Pakistan.

Sangakkara, who will play for Sri Lanka in the final against India on Sunday, said Asia was now the spiritual home of the game.

"There is no doubt that Lord's in London has traditionally been accepted as traditional home of the game but, in my opinion, there has been a gradual shift with magnificent stadiums in Asia.

"The ravages of tsunami being soothed by the panacea that is cricket and when I see this all I have to ask has Asia not now become the new spiritual home of world cricket? I think it has."

Sangakkara said Asia had produced world class players who have revolutionised the game.

"Asia have produced teams that have impacted the game in profound ways and cricketers who have individually shaped the way cricket is played and introduced new skills in the game,"

he said.

ACC chief executive Ashraful Huq said Asian cricket had come a long way in the last 25 years.

"From a body formed by some eight experienced administrators, the ACC has come a long way and so has Asian cricket. It is a long successful journey and we are proud to be the leaders of world cricket,"

said Huq.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf, who will take over as ACC chairman from Sri Lanka's Arjuna Ranatunga on Sunday, said Asian cricket had progressed by leaps and bounds.

"Asian cricket is like Ferrari, going fast and smooth and if we follow the rules of transparency and integrity there is no reason why Asian cricket do not attain maximum heights,"

said Ashraf.

Indian squad announced for tri-nation series

Indian cricket board has announced a 15-member squad for the tri-nation series to be played in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan.

Irfan Pathan’s brother Yousuf Pathan and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha have been included in the squad.

According the the board, they have been selected for their excellent performance in the Indian Premier League while Dinesh Karthik and Munaf Patel failed to get the selectors confidence.

The Indian squad consists of Mahinder Singh Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Yousuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Sreesanth, Ishanth Sharma, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh, Pyush Chawla and Pragyan Ojha.

Asian Cricket Cup in Pakistan from June 24: ACC

Chief Executive Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Ashraful Haque Thursday said that he was satisfied with the arrangements for the Asian Cricket Cup that will be played from June 24 to July 6 in Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference he said all the matches in the cup will be day and night fixtures.

He said six teams would participate in the event.

“The schedule of the tournament is confirmed and all teams have confirmed their participation,”

Ashraful Haque further said.

Three matches of the event will be played in Lahore and 10 in Karachi.

Hosts Pakistan have been placed in Group B of the tournament with India and Hong Kong.

Ashraful says India's rise good for Asian game

India's brilliant show against Australia will inspire other Asian nations and prove a boon for the game in the region, an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) official said Thursday.

Led by an inspirational Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India beat Australia 2-0 to lift the tri-series one-day tournament earlier this month. Before that tournament the tourists narrowly lost a nail-biting Test series 2-1 under Anil Kumble -- but only after breaking the host's 16-match unbeaten run.

"India beating Australia is very good for cricket in Asia and will encourage nations like Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, China and Afghanistan,"

ACC chief executive Ashraful Huq said while talking to a French news agency.

He described India as the top team in the world.

"I watched both the finals in Australia and was amazed how the young Indian team paid the Australians back -- both on and off the field,"

said Huq, also a former secretary of the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

He said the ACC wanted to build on India's success.

"We hope minor nations take a leaf out of India's book. We hope that two Asian teams, other than the four top nations who play directly, qualify for the World Cup 2011,"

he said.

The qualifying round of the 2011 World Cup -- jointly hosted by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka -- will be held in Dubai next year.

Huq said the inclusion of cricket as a medal sport in the 2010 Asian Games in China will be a major lift for the game.

"China is improving by leaps and bounds and cricket's inclusion in the Asian Games will open new avenues for the game. I can say with confidence that the Chinese women's team will give top nations a tough fight very soon,"

he said.

"Cricket is spreading in China like anything and we hope that once China gets their team in the top competitions, the game will flourish in their market and help our cause."

And Afghanistan, Huq said, will surprise major nations once they have a good coach.

"We have asked Afghanistan to hire a good coach, have in fact offered them a good coach, but they have not yet decided on it. Their players are very talented but they lack cricket knowledge.

"Afghanistan could have qualified for the Asia Cup 2008 instead of Hong Kong but they lost the semi-final because they wanted to reach the 150-plus target in just 10 overs which showed their lack of knowledge."

Huq also praised Pakistan for their support to Afghanistan and China.

"Pakistan has helped both China and Afghanistan by giving them equipment, have given China a very good coach and given tours to the Afghanistan team in the past, so other top nations are also willing to help them,"

he said.