Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal share a laugh during a training session in Hambantota ©

Corporates show interest in PPL

Four companies have shown interest in the PCB's initiative to launch an international Twenty20 league in Pakistan. A proposal to launch Pakistan Premier League (PPL) will be presented by the companies to the board next week.

"We have invited the companies to present us the plans," PCB chief operating officer, Subhan Ahmed told ESPNcricinfo. "We are thrilled to see the initial response but we have to sit and look into the modalities and feasibility of having such an event in Pakistan involving foreign players."

Ahmed said that international player participation was necessary for the success of such a competition. However, Pakistan has been unable to host international cricket since March 2009, when Sri Lanka's team bus was attacked by terrorists.

"I can't say that we are sure whether to play in Pakistan or abroad. But PCB has serious intention to hold the PPL. The situation definitely has improved and that is why the British [Universities] team is here in Pakistan."

Former PCB president, Nasim Ashraf, floated the While, the idea was scrapped later scrapped in Pakistan, similar leagues have cropped up in Bangladesh, Australia and South Africa after the success of the IPL.

"PPL was held back for several reason in the past, but this time we are very keen and serious on launching our league as an attempt to bring the international cricket back in the country."

Sialkot ask PCB to push for Champions League spot

	Shoaib Malik: ""I hope efforts are made to give Sialkot Stallions a chance to represent their country in the Champions League." © AFP Enlarge

The Sialkot Regional Cricket Association has requested the PCB to make efforts to enable the participation of Sialkot Stallions, the Pakistan domestic Twenty20 champions, in the cash-rich Champions League Twenty20. The PCB, in turn, has said that Sialkot's participation is dependent on the restoration of bilateral ties between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan is the only major Test-playing nation to not have had teams in either the qualifiers or the main round of the Champions League since its inception in 2009. Sialkot were invited to the inaugural edition of the tournament towards the end of 2008, but it was postponed after the terror attacks in Mumbai in November that year. The fall-out of those attacks strained the political relationship between India and Pakistan, and consequently, the cricketing one between the BCCI and the PCB. Pakistan players are excluded from the Indian Premier League as well.

"I hope PCB follows this up with the organisers and efforts are made to give Sialkot Stallions a chance to represent their country in the Champions League," Shoaib Malik, the Sialkot captain, said after his side won the Faysal Bank Super Eight T-20 Cup in Rawalpindi.

"It is disappointing and sad. Sialkot is a terrific Twenty20 team," Malik said. "We never got an opportunity to represent Pakistan in the Champions League and prove its worth against the domestic T20 champions of other countries. I think the players deserve a chance to play against the best and prove themselves.

"Pakistan is an important cricket-playing country and have won two World titles," Malik said. "Everyone is playing in the Champions League then why Pakistan is being ignored.

"The onus is on the ICC. They are the governing body and they have to step up to maintain the equilibrium in cricket world."

Sialkot are Pakistan's most successful T20 team and hold both the national and super-eight T20 titles. They have players like Malik, Imran Nazir, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Abdur Rehman.

The PCB has been pushing for the inclusion of sides from Pakistan since the inaugural edition of the Champions League. The board officials believe it is the BCCI that has a major role to play and has so far showed a cold response to all issues, including the revival of bilateral ties between Pakistan and India.

"Obviously we want our team to be there and play like other teams are," Subhan Ahmed, the PCB chief operating officer, told ESPNcricinfo. "The decision to invite us is something that is in their hands. We can't force them. We had widely raised this issue on various forums but I believe the only difficultly we are facing is the bilateral ties with India and everything is connected with it.

"Once the bilateral ties between Pakistan and India are revived, all these issues will automatically be resolved. So our priority is to revive the Indo-Pak cricket."

PCB agree to host Australia in Sri Lanka

Pakistan's home limited-overs series against Australia this August is likely to be played in Sri Lanka, with SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga and PCB director Intikhab Alam both saying they had agreed in principle to the arrangement. Cricket Australia's stand has not been made public but it is understood to be aware of the plan. The Memorandum of Understanding has not yet been signed and Alam will travel to Sri Lanka next week to finalise arrangements.

"Sri Lanka Cricket had expressed the desire to host the series to the PCB a month ago and both boards have no problems with it. I do not know about the stand of the other cricket board [CA] yet," Ranatunga told ESPNcricinfo.

Alam revealed that South Africa and Australia itself were the other two nations being considered as venues for the series, but Sri Lanka was selected for commercial and cricketing reasons.

Pakistan and Australia will play five ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals against each other. The original plan was to play just one Twenty20, but with the World T20 immediately after the series, the countries' boards have agreed to play two extra matches.

Pakistan have had to play their home series in neutral venues since the attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009. While the UAE has been their location of choice recently, the scheduling of the Australia series just before the World Twenty20, which will be played in Sri Lanka, may have influenced the decision on where to play the five ODIs and one Twenty20 international.

Pakistan have hosted a Test against Australia in Sri Lanka before, in Colombo in 2002. Their last home series against Australia was played in England, in the summer of 2010, after which they have hosted all their home series, including one against Sri Lanka, in the UAE.

The future's bright for Pakistan

	Azhar Ali's innings demonstrated the composure and discipline Pakistan need for the future © AFP
Matches:  Series/Tournaments: England tour of United Arab Emirates Teams: England | Pakistan

Shot of the day Azhar Ali's cover drive off James Anderson just four overs before the close of play was not only timed as sweetly as anything we have seen on this somewhat truculent surface but it spoke volumes about the class and assurance of the next generation of Pakistan batting. Azhar and Shafiq came together with their side still trailing by 16 and the experienced batsmen already dismissed but if the pair were in any way overawed they didn't show it. They batted with discipline and composure. The shot, and the stand, bore the hallmark of real class.

Drama of the day Pakistan have enjoyed little luck with umpiring decisions in this match. Yes, they have not helped themselves with poor judgement using DRS but they could also claim, with some justification, that a few marginal decisions have not gone their way. So it was when Stuart Broad survived a run-out appeal on 33. Broad, committed to an optimistic single, threw himself into a dive with outstretched bat in an attempt to beat Azhar Ali's direct hit from cover. Replays were not absolutely clear: in one frame, just before the stumps were broken, it appeared that Broad's bat had bounced and was in the air. In the next, the stumps were broken and Broad's bat was grounded. With no frame in between, the third umpire, Billy Bowden, decided - quite reasonably - to give the benefit of the doubt to the batsman. Broad survived and scored another 25 to help England add another 59.

Ball of the day The word "unplayable" tends to be overused but may be the best description of the delivery that dismissed Younis Khan. Drawn well forward, he was beaten first by the flight and then by the turn as Monty Panesar produced the perfect ball that pitched middle and clipped the top of off stump. It was almost an action replay of Leeds in 2006, when Monty dismissed the same batsman with the same delivery.

Let-off of the day A strong contender was Junaid Khan's dropping of Matt Prior - a simple chance at this level - but Prior's dismissal for the addition of just one more run ensured Pakistan escaped punishment. It might remind Khan that unless he improves his fielding, he risks his international future: Pakistan have several good, young bowlers and fielding ability could well be the decisive criteria. But the let-off on the third day came when  running in from cover, missed with his underarm throw from little more than ten feet. Had he hit, Asad Shafiq would have been run out for 26 and Pakistan would have been 93 for five. Pietersen had three stumps to aim at and has endured a very poor series to date. Shafiq went on to help Pakistan to stumps with Azhar Ali and sustained Pakistan's hopes of another win.

Sight of the dayWatching spectators streaming into the ground was an immensely heartening sight. Many people took advantage of the free entry and at one stage there were queues outside and a sizeable Pakistan contingent within; this after the lack of spectators for the first five days of this series. So why the low attendances on other days? Several reasons: unlike the UK, there are few retired people interested in the game - Pakistani workers tend to return to Pakistan when they retire - and most working people here say they cannot afford to take the time off during the working week (Friday and Saturday constitute the weekend in the UAE). Locals still show little interest in the game. Still, the ground authorities deserve credit for the free

Pakistan will host teams soon - PCB chief

	Zaka Ashraf says Bangladesh touring Pakistan could set a precedent © AFP

Zaka Ashraf, the PCB chairman, has said he hopes Pakistan's ongoing series against England in the UAE will be their last "home" series played outside Pakistan. The PCB has been in talks with the Bangladesh Cricket Board over staging a series in Pakistan in April, and Ashraf said he hoped that would set a precedent for future home series.

"This England series could be our last series to be held at an offshore venue," he told ESPNcricinfo. "We are keen to host international teams just like other member boards are doing. We are already engaged with the Bangladesh board and I am sure their tour to Pakistan in April will break the ice.

"We are in contact with the [Pakistan] government as well and they have given their consent to us hosting Bangladesh to start with. They have given us their full support.

"Hosting cricket at neutral venues is obviously not our first preference. It's tough for both the board and the team; our players do miss the home advantage."

The Bangladesh board will send a security team to Pakistan to assess whether it is all right for their team to tour there. The ICC has told ESPNcricinfo it will send its own team to assess the security situation in Pakistan before sending its match officials there for the proposed series. After the Bangladesh series, Pakistan are scheduled to play a home series against Australia in August-September 2012, and then one against South Africa in October 2013.

Ashraf said the PCB was also continuing to discuss the possibility of an India-Pakistan bilateral series with the BCCI. "I wrote several times to the BCCI but have found out that the Indian government isn't giving the teams permission to play. I have written to our foreign ministry asking it to engage with India at a diplomatic level, so that cricket can be played like cricket, without politics coming in the way.

"I am in talks with all the member boards, writing them letters offering opportunities to talk about our mutual interests. I have received very positive responses from all parts of the world, including from the ICC."

The Pakistan board is in the process of drawing up new contracts for its cricketers, and Ashraf said the pay scales of the players would be increased, something that has not happened for the last three years. "The new central contracts, which will be finalised this week, will offer increased pay scales for the players. This is because of the wonderful last year our team has had despite everything."

The "everything" Ashraf was referring to was the spot-fixing scandal of 2010 that occurred when his predecessor Ijaz Butt was in charge of the PCB. Though Butt was criticised for the way he reacted to the spot-fixing scandal, and for other issues pertaining to the running of the board, Ashraf said the PCB was functioning fairly smoothly when he took over in October 2011.

"I don't think the house was out of order and this is why I haven't come up with any sweeping changes. My initial observation was that there was some communication problem and this is why we have formed a co-ordination division. I don't see any problems now; the smooth functioning of the board is ultimately reflected in the performance of the team, and we are doing so well."

Pakistan lead the ongoing series against England 1-0 after a convincing win in Dubai.

Questions to answer for England

Pakistan play, on the whole, solid, sensible cricket. In the first Test, they were successful through bowling straight, playing straight and displaying discipline and patience in all departments. They applied the pressure and England buckled.

That should not be interpreted as faint praise. Success in cricket, as in all facets of life, is so often reliant more on perspiration than inspiration. Genius is wonderful but hard work often prevails. In the likes of Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Umar Gul and the underrated Abdur Rehman, Pakistan have mature cricketers who know what it takes to prosper at this level. Besides, in Saeed Ajmal and Younis Khan, Pakistan are blessed with a sprinkling of genius.

Ajmal was especially impressive in Dubai. His use of the crease, his variations in pace and his subtle turn in each direction, presented huge problems for England. How they combat him in Abu Dhabi may well prove crucial.

Talk of Pakistan becoming the best team in the world is premature. They have started well but there is a huge distance to travel before that can be said. They have won series against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka to date. Beating England will provide clearer evidence of progress.

Whatever happens over the next few weeks, the need for Pakistan to recruit another new coach has surely receded. As interim, Mohsin Khan has done everything that has been asked of him and more. While he is not the most hands-on of coaches, he has helped create a calm environment in which the players can shine. Further talk of Dav Whatmore appears superfluous.

But make no mistake, this is Misbah's team. He is the one dictating the tactics, setting the tone and ensuring the happy sense of calm that currently pervades the squad. He assumed the captaincy with Pakistan cricket at a crossroads and has, to date, played the hand that fate dealt him masterfully. Coming from behind to beat his Pakistan team in a three-Test series will be desperately tough.

If any team can do it, England can. It is almost four years since they have lost two Tests in a row - against South Africa in 2008 - and, while only ten teams in history have recovered from one-nil down to win a three-Test series, England did so as recently as 2008. At least six, and possibly seven, of the team that played the last Test in that series in New Zealand will represent England in this game. The last four times that England have lost a Test, they have bounced back with a win in their next. But none of those results were against one of the major teams on Asian pitches.

England have one injury concern. Chris Tremlett has reported stiffness in his back and side, and took no part in training on Tuesday. He is most unlikely to play. As a consequence Steven Finn, a proven wicket-taker but liable to leak runs, and Graeme Onions, a wicket-to-wicket bowler who could be considered an ideal horse for this course, will be considered. The spin of Monty Panesar is another option but there is little precedent for England fielding two spinners in a four-man attack. Indeed, the last time they did so was in December 2003, when they drew with Sri Lanka in Kandy.

And there's the rub. England have a tough balancing act to perform. Excluding Bangladesh, they have won just one Test in Asia since March 2001. In that game, against India in Mumbai in 2006, they fielded two spinners.

That might suggest the inclusion of Panesar. But the problem for England is that in that game, they also played three fast bowlers. The presence of Andrew Flintoff as an allrounder allowed them that luxury but, in the absence of Tim Bresnan who might have batted at seven and displaced Eoin Morgan, it is hard to see a way that two spinners can be accommodated. Perhaps, one day, Ben Stokes or Chris Woakes will solve that problem. For now, the loss of Bresnan is enormous. It is highly unlikely that England, after the batting failure of Dubai, will respond by dropping a batsman to fit in another bowler. But it might well be their best method of winning.

That issue is compounded by the concerns about their top-order batting. The openers, with nine of their last 11 partnerships failing to pass 25, are one issue. The lack of form shown by Kevin Pietersen, Morgan and Ian Bell is another. But it is worth remembering that Bell averaged over 100 in 2011, Pietersen scored 175 two Tests ago and Eoin Morgan scored a century in the Test before that. They have had, at present, one bad game. Nothing more.

It is Andrew Strauss' form that is of greatest concern. With just one century in 26 Tests and an average of 23 from the start of the Sri Lanka series, his form cannot be dismissed quite so readily. At the pre-match media conference, Strauss admitted his lack of runs in Dubai was "disappointing" before conceding he was "conscious that it's important as a captain to lead from the front with regards to scoring runs". England will provide every opportunity for Strauss to rediscover his form and there is no immediate danger of a change of personnel. But it could become an issue.

One bad result, as England keep telling us, does not make them a poor side. But two bad results? That is a different matter.