AB de Villiers profile

AB de Villiers      

South Africa

Full name Abraham Benjamin de Villiers

Born February 17, 1984, Pretoria

Current age 29 years 360 days

Major teams South Africa, Africa XI, Delhi Daredevils, Northerns, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Titans

Playing role Wicketkeeper batsman

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm medium

Fielding position Wicketkeeper

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	89	148	16	6827	278*	51.71	12455	54.81	18	34	782	47	161	3
ODIs	159	153	25	6331	146	49.46	6746	93.84	16	36	572	109	134	3
T20Is	51	48	8	867	79*	21.67	715	121.25	0	4	67	26	47	6
First-class	115	193	21	8714	278*	50.66	15372	56.68	21	48			212	4
List A	191	184	28	7668	146	49.15			19	45			160	3
Twenty20	144	132	28	3060	105*	29.42	2302	132.92	1	17	241	108	103	15

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	89	5	204	104	2	2/49	2/49	52.00	3.05	102.0	0	0	0
ODIs	159	1	12	22	0	-	-	-	11.00	-	0	0	0
T20Is	51	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
First-class	115		234	138	2	2/49		69.00	3.53	117.0	0	0	0
List A	191		12	22	0	-	-	-	11.00	-	0	0	0
Twenty20	144	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Career statistics

Test debut	South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, Dec 17-21, 2004 scorecard
Last Test	South Africa v India at Durban, Dec 26-30, 2013 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut	South Africa v England at Bloemfontein, Feb 2, 2005 scorecard
Last ODI	South Africa v India at Centurion, Dec 11, 2013 scorecard
ODI statistics
T20I debut	South Africa v Australia at Johannesburg, Feb 24, 2006 scorecard
Last T20I	South Africa v Pakistan at Cape Town, Nov 22, 2013 scorecard
T20I statistics
First-class debut	Northerns v Western Province at Centurion, Oct 17-20, 2003 scorecard
Last First-class	South Africa v India at Durban, Dec 26-30, 2013 scorecard
List A debut	Northerns v Eastern Province at Centurion, Nov 26, 2003 scorecard
Last List A	South Africa v India at Centurion, Dec 11, 2013 scorecard
Twenty20 debut	Titans v Lions at Centurion, Apr 8, 2004 scorecard
Last Twenty20	South Africa v Pakistan at Cape Town, Nov 22, 2013 scorecard

Recent matches

Bat & Bowl	Team	Opposition	Ground	Match Date	Scorecard
40*	South Africa	v Sth Afr XI	Johannesburg	4 Feb 2014	Other
5c/0s, 74, 2c/0s	South Africa	v India	Durban	26 Dec 2013	Test # 2111
4c/0s, 13, 0/5, 103	South Africa	v India	Johannesburg	18 Dec 2013	Test # 2108
109	South Africa	v India	Centurion	11 Dec 2013	ODI # 3444
3	South Africa	v India	Durban	8 Dec 2013	ODI # 3443
77	South Africa	v India	Johannesburg	5 Dec 2013	ODI # 3442
48*	South Africa	v Pakistan	Centurion	30 Nov 2013	ODI # 3441
74	South Africa	v Pakistan	Port Elizabeth	27 Nov 2013	ODI # 3440
10	South Africa	v Pakistan	Cape Town	24 Nov 2013	ODI # 3438
13	South Africa	v Pakistan	Cape Town	22 Nov 2013	T20I # 343

Profile

A batsman of breathtaking chutzpah and enterprise, as well as the skills and the temperament required to back up his creative intent. A fielder able to leap tall buildings and still come up with the catch. A wicketkeeper who is perfectly at ease donning pads and gloves. A fine rugby player, golfer, and tennis player. All AB de Villiers needs to show off his abundant gifts is a ball. Just about any ball.

Cricket should be pleased to have him. Few drive the ball as sweetly and to the boundary as regularly, and - in South Africa, at any rate - even fewer possess the silkily snappy footwork required to put spinners in their place. de Villiers is also among the fastest and the most instinctively sensible runners between the wickets. Marry all that with an approach to life that veers between laconic and laid back, and it isn't difficult to fathom why he has been afforded senior player status in the South African team years ahead of his time.

de Villiers' potential was recognised years before he made the leap to senior international level as an opening batsman against England at Port Elizabeth in 2004-05. He has batted everywhere from number one to number eight - with the important exception of number three - and has performed well in most of these positions.

After a brief slump in form in 2006 and 2007, de Villiers returned to the straight and narrow early in 2008 with a blistering 103 not out off 109 balls in Durban against West Indies. Later that year came one of de Villiers' career highlights, an undefeated 217 at Ahmedabad. It was the first double-century by a South African against India.

Hashim Amla profile

Hashim Amla      

South Africa

Full name Hashim Mahomed Amla

Born March 31, 1983, Durban, Natal

Current age 30 years 318 days

Major teams South Africa, Dolphins, Essex, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa XI

Playing role Top-order batsman

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm medium, Right-arm offbreak

Relation Brother - AM Amla

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	73	126	10	5956	311*	51.34	11380	52.33	20	27	739	8	58	0
ODIs	85	82	6	4054	150	53.34	4497	90.14	12	23	403	19	40	0
T20Is	19	19	2	409	48	24.05	337	121.36	0	0	48	6	7	0
First-class	171	283	25	13298	311*	51.54			41	66			124	0
List A	141	136	8	5736	150	44.81			15	34			60	0
Twenty20	57	56	4	1386	88*	26.65	1121	123.63	0	6	161	21	17	0

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	73	5	54	37	0	-	-	-	4.11	-	0	0	0
ODIs	85	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
T20Is	19	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
First-class	171		387	275	1	1/10		275.00	4.26	387.0	0	0	0
List A	141		16	28	0	-	-	-	10.50	-	0	0	0
Twenty20	57	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Career statistics

Test debut	India v South Africa at Kolkata, Nov 28-Dec 2, 2004 scorecard
Last Test	South Africa v India at Durban, Dec 26-30, 2013 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut	Bangladesh v South Africa at Chittagong, Mar 9, 2008 scorecard
Last ODI	South Africa v India at Centurion, Dec 11, 2013 scorecard
ODI statistics
T20I debut	Australia v South Africa at Brisbane, Jan 13, 2009 scorecard
Last T20I	South Africa v Pakistan at Cape Town, Nov 22, 2013 scorecard
T20I statistics
First-class debut	1999/00
Last First-class	South Africa v India at Durban, Dec 26-30, 2013 scorecard
List A debut	2001/02
Last List A	South Africa v India at Centurion, Dec 11, 2013 scorecard
Twenty20 debut	Western Province Boland v Dolphins at Cape Town, Apr 7, 2004 scorecard
Last Twenty20	Cape Cobras v Dolphins at Paarl, Jan 24, 2014 scorecard

Recent matches

Bat & Bowl	Team	Opposition	Ground	Match Date	Scorecard
1, 15	South Africa	v Sth Afr XI	Johannesburg	4 Feb 2014	Other
26	Cape Cobras	v Dolphins	Paarl	24 Jan 2014	T20
33	Cape Cobras	v Titans	Cape Town	22 Jan 2014	T20
1	Cape Cobras	v Dolphins	Durban	19 Jan 2014	T20
65	Cape Cobras	v Knights	Bloemfontein	17 Jan 2014	T20
84	Cape Cobras	v Lions	Paarl	15 Jan 2014	T20
1	Cape Cobras	v Warriors	Port Elizabeth	11 Jan 2014	T20
48	Cape Cobras	v Titans	Centurion	9 Jan 2014	T20
59*	Cape Cobras	v Knights	Cape Town	5 Jan 2014	T20
57	South (SA)	v North (SA)	Cape Town	4 Jan 2014	Other T20

Profile

An elegant strokeplayer blessed with the temperament to make the most of his talent, Hashim Amla is the first South African of Indian descent to reach the national squad - his grandparents migrated from Gujarat - and he shares the penchant for wristy leg-side flicks that ooze off his bat. His elevation to the South Africa side was a poorly kept secret after he reeled off four centuries in his first eight innings of the 2004-05 season, after being appointed captain of the Dolphins (formerly Natal) at the tender age of 21. His older brother by four years, Ahmed, made his first-class debut two seasons before Hashim, but there is little doubt that the younger Amla is the better player. He is also a devout Muslim whose requests to have logos promoting alcohol removed from his playing gear have been successful so far. Amla toured New Zealand with the South African Under-19 team in 2000-01, he captained South Africa at the 2002 Under-19 World Cup, and after starring for the A team, made his Test debut against India in 2004-05. He was not an instant success, with serious questions emerging about his technique as he mustered 36 runs in four innings against England later that season.

Misbah Profile

Misbah-ul-Haq      

Pakistan

Full name Misbah-ul-Haq Khan Niazi

Born May 28, 1974, Mianwali, Punjab

Current age 39 years 259 days

Major teams Pakistan, Faisalabad Wolves, Khan Research Labs, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sargodha, St Lucia Zouks

Playing role Middle-order batsman

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Legbreak

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	46	80	14	3218	161*	48.75	7673	41.93	5	25	337	35	37	0
ODIs	141	128	31	4384	96*	45.19	5930	73.92	0	35	293	67	63	0
T20Is	39	34	13	788	87*	37.52	715	110.20	0	3	45	26	14	0
First-class	192	314	38	14057	284	50.93			38	76			180	0
List A	257	234	53	8870	129*	49.00			11	61			118	0
Twenty20	106	94	28	2377	107*	36.01	2001	118.79	1	9	150	94	39	0

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	46	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
ODIs	141	1	24	30	0	-	-	-	7.50	-	0	0	0
T20Is	39	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
First-class	192		318	242	3	1/2		80.66	4.56	106.0		0	0
List A	257		144	179	1	1/10	1/10	179.00	7.45	144.0	0	0	0
Twenty20	106	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Career statistics

Test debut	New Zealand v Pakistan at Auckland, Mar 8-12, 2001 scorecard
Last Test	Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, Jan 16-20, 2014 scorecard
Test statistics
ODI debut	Pakistan v New Zealand at Lahore, Apr 27, 2002 scorecard
Last ODI	Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Abu Dhabi, Dec 27, 2013 scorecard
ODI statistics
T20I debut	Bangladesh v Pakistan at Nairobi (Gym), Sep 2, 2007 scorecard
Last T20I	England v Pakistan at Abu Dhabi, Feb 27, 2012 scorecard
T20I statistics
First-class debut	1998/99
Last First-class	Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited v Water and Power Development Authority at Faisalabad, Jan 22-25, 2014 scorecard
List A debut	1998/99
Last List A	Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited v Water and Power Development Authority at Faisalabad, Jan 27, 2014 scorecard
Twenty20 debut	Faisalabad Wolves v Peshawar Panthers at Karachi, Feb 24, 2006 scorecard
Last Twenty20	Faisalabad Wolves v Lahore Eagles at Rawalpindi, Feb 11, 2014 scorecard

Recent matches

Bat & Bowl	Team	Opposition	Ground	Match Date	Scorecard
-	Wolves	v L Eagles	Rawalpindi	11 Feb 2014	T20
12	Wolves	v Leopards	Islamabad	9 Feb 2014	T20
27	Sui Gas	v WAPDA	Faisalabad	27 Jan 2014	LA
101	Sui Gas	v WAPDA	Faisalabad	22 Jan 2014	FC
63, 68*	Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Sharjah	16 Jan 2014	Test # 2115
1, 97	Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Dubai (DSC)	8 Jan 2014	Test # 2114
135	Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Abu Dhabi	31 Dec 2013	Test # 2112
51	Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Abu Dhabi	27 Dec 2013	ODI # 3450
-	Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Abu Dhabi	25 Dec 2013	ODI # 3448
40	Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Sharjah	22 Dec 2013	ODI # 3447

Profile

The most remarkable aspect about Misbah-ul-Haq is his unflappable temperament. It shows in his batting, which reached unprecedented levels of consistency in 2011, and in his captaincy, which helped lift Pakistan from the depths of the spot-fixing saga in England in 2010. Taking over as leader immediately after that episode at the age of 36, Misbah's calm approach was exactly what Pakistan cricket needed after the tumultuous period it had gone through.

As a batsman, Misbah can either defend dourly with unflagging patience, or irritate bowlers with his improvisations. It helps that his defensive technique is sound: that solid foundation has helped him bat for long periods in Test cricket. That aspect of his game was in evidence right from his first Test innings in 2001, when he survived over two hours to score 28 in Auckland. He should have played much more international cricket thereafter, but was held back by his inconsistency. For four years between 2003 and 2007, he didn't play a single Test, and only turned up for a handful of ODIs.

update

Raina out of Asia Cup squad

ESPNcricinfo staff

February 11, 2014

Comments: 386 | Login via | Text size: A | A

	Suresh Raina was dropped for the last two ODIs against New Zealand recently © BCCI Enlarge
Related Links News : Binny raring for more international exposure Players/Officials: Suresh Raina | Cheteshwar Pujara | Ishant Sharma Series/Tournaments: ICC World Twenty20 | Asia Cup Teams: India

Suresh Raina has been left out of India's squad for the Asia Cup, which starts on February 25. The batsman, however, is a part of the team for the World Twenty20, scheduled for March.

Cheteshwar Pujara has been included in the Asia Cup squad, while Ishant Sharma has been left out of both teams.

Ishant and Raina's exclusions are the only two changes to the India ODI squad from the one that played in New Zealand.

Since the series against England in January 2013, when he scored 277 runs with four half-centuries, Raina has had just one fifty-plus score - against Zimbabwe - in 24 innings. He was dropped from the last two ODIs against New Zealand, after scores of 18, 35 and 31 in the first three games.

For Pujara, this is his first ODI call-up since the tour to Zimbabwe when the batsman made his one-day debut. Pujara scored 13 and 0 in the two matches, but since been in good form, scoring Test hundreds against West Indies and South Africa.

In Ishant's case, his exclusion due to recent poor form has continued from the New Zealand series, where the bowler was dropped after the first two ODIs in favour of Varun Aaron. Ishant had a poor series against Australia at home, conceding 189 runs in three matches at an average of 94.50 with two wickets. Against South Africa, Ishant picked up four wickets in two ODIs at an average of 19.50, while he picked up two wickets against New Zealand, giving away 118 runs at 59 and an economy rate of 7.86.

The pace attack in both squads is led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami. Ishwar Pandey, who was a part of the tour to New Zealand, has been picked for the Asia Cup, while Mohit Sharma has been named in the Twenty20 squad.

updates

	The report said the banned Indian fast bowler Sreesanth told Delhi Police about "three prominent" Indian players being involved with bookies © AFP Enlarge
Related Links News : Charges against Gurunath proved - IPL probe report News : The IPL rules Gurunath broke Series/Tournaments: Indian Premier League Teams: India

The worst of the corruption in Indian cricket may not have been uncovered as yet. The Justice Mudgal Committee has submitted a sealed envelope which, it says, contains information about persons who could be involved in "sporting fraud."

The names of those persons and the allegations against them are enclosed in the envelope that the committee, set up to investigate charges of match-fixing and betting in IPL, handed to the two-judge Supreme Court bench of AK Patnaik & JS Khehar on Monday.

"The Committee during its interactions and on review of documents provided to it has come across many allegations of sporting fraud," the committee's final report said. "However, as of now these are mere allegations and we do not think it proper to cast aspersions on the persons named unless investigations are conducted. The names of the persons and allegations in view of the sensitive nature of the information are being provided separately in a sealed envelope."

In addition to the sealed envelope and the final report the committee submitted a supplementary document by Nilay Dutta, a senior advocate and member of the Assam Cricket Association, that expanded on the investigations.

Dutta's report revealed that members of the Delhi and Mumbai police told the committee that some Indian and foreign players" were connected to "betting activities." The report said the banned Indian fast bowler Sreesanth told Delhi Police about "three prominent" Indian players being involved with bookies.

The report also noted an investigation conducted by the Indian edition of Sports Illustrated that had recorded conversations between a "prominent Indian capped" player and various bookies. The journalist could identify the "voice" of this player, who was part of the Indian squad during the 2011 World Cup and is also part of the "present" Indian team.

"A journalist who apparently was connected with recording of tapes for Sports Illustrated revealed that the said investigation found links to Dawood Ibrahim [India's most wanted criminal] and that the money laundered through booking activities were being used for funding terrorist activities," Dutta's report stated.

The committee, Dutta noted, had spoken to former BCCI presidents IS Bindra and Shashank Manohar during its investigation. Bindra made the committee aware of a former "prominent" Indian player who, he said, was allegedly involved with the bookies along with a former "reputed" Indian player. Manohar, Dutta said, had told the committee that the "all matches" in the IPL needed to be investigated, an indicator of how deep corruption had spread in cricket's most lucrative domestic tournament.

South Africa cheated Pakistan on International Cricket Council vote, says Zaka Ashraf

Karachi: Pakistan cricket chief Zaka Ashraf on Saturday said he felt "cheated" after South Africa abandoned their opposition to controversial reforms of the sport's world body, allowing the proposals to be approved.

The Pakistan Cricket Board chairman said South Africa had opposed the International Cricket Council (ICC) reforms, seen as favouring the "Big Three" of India, England and Australia, as recently as Friday. But South Africa supported the proposals at an ICC Board meeting in Singapore on Saturday, giving them the extra vote they needed to pass. Of the 10 full ICC members, eight were in favour with only Pakistan and Sri Lanka abstaining.

"I think South Africa cheated us," Ashraf told AFP by phone from Singapore. "Just last night (Friday) they told us that they have changed their stance and told us that it was the decision of their board (CSA). It disappointed us."

Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa were the three opponents when the reforms were debated at an ICC Board meeting last month. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will now discuss the proposals with their respective Boards. "Our stance was based on principle but other countries went after money. I am afraid the big share of money will go to the 'Big Three'. The 'Big Three' will get money from the share of the other seven," Ashraf said. (Also read: Sri Lanka to seek new mandate)

But he added: "We have requested the ICC Board to give us time. We will discuss this matter further in our board of governors meeting and will try to get the PM's (Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif) advice on this." (Main points of ICC revamp)

Separately, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said he fears "severe consequences" from the revamp to cricket worldwide. "I think this is more damaging to cricket than match-fixing," Latif told AFP. "Giving powers to three 'dons' mean they will take every decision on their whims... handing power to three means the ICC ceased to exist."

Among the reforms, the "Big Three" were given permanent seats on a new, five-man executive committee, while India's N. Srinivasan was made chairman of the decision-making ICC Board.

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