shoaib, Sania congragulated by Cricketers

Current and former cricketers on Wednesday greeted all-rounder Shoaib Malik and his fiancee, Indian tennis star Sania Mirza on their engagement, wishing the couple the very best in life.

Former captain Imran Khan congratulated the couple and wished them a happy union.

“My best wishes to you (Shoaib) and Sania and I pray both of you live a blessed life,” Imran said on a popular television show.

Other players, including Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Misbah-ul-Haq and Kamran Akmal also expressed joy over the engagement news and wishes the couple a great future.

”I am happy for Shoaib and hope he lives a happy life. Sania is not only a good tennis player but a great person too and I am happy for both of them,” Afridi said.

Kamran, one of Shoaib’s closest friends, said he was not surprised by the announcement and was looking forward for the Valima (reception) in Lahore next month. “You can be sure the Lahorites will celebrate this occasion with great fanfare. It is a really good pairing,” he said.

Meanwhile, former Aussie ‘keeper and IPL team Deccan Chargers’ skipper Adam Gilchrist also congratulated Sania on the big day.

The skipper of the Hyderabad-based franchise offered his good wishes to Sania, who also belongs to the city, for her wedding on April 15. “I have read about their marriage in the papers. If you are in love, you should go for it. I wish them a happy married life,” Gilchrist said

Sirilanka announces squad for T-20 Worldcup 2010

Sri Lanka on Wednesday named the squad for the World Twenty20 tournament to be played in the Caribbean from April 30-May 16.

Selectors included uncapped wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal in the 15-man squad while veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya also kept his place in the side.

Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Muttiah Muralitharan (vice-capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Thissara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekera, Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Chanaka Welagedara, Chamara Kapugedara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Chinthaka Jayasinghe.

Delhi Win against Rajisthan Royals in style

Some power-hitting from Dinesh Karthik and suicidal top-order batting from Rajasthan Royals ensured that the Delhi Daredevils notched their 3rd successive win in a row in IPL 2010. Set a target of 189, the Royals’ reply never really got going and they ended up losing by 67 runs. Farveez Maharoof bagged the wickets of Michael Lumb and Faiz Fazal in the very first over.

Naman Ojha’s 27 gave the away side some much needed momentum, but once Ojha fell trying to up the ante further, it was all doom and gloom in the Royals camp.

If there were a man who could dig the Royals out of this deep ditch, it was Yusuf Pathan. He began in typically thundering fashion, smashing Sarabjeet Ladda for two sixes in the 7th over.

Royals’ almost extinguished flames of hope suddenly started flickering again, thanks to Pathan’s terrific start. But all that optimism died down the moment David Warner latched onto his 3rd of 4 catches in the match to dismiss Pathan off Amit Mishra.

It was all over right then and there less than 10 overs into the chase as the Royals went through the motions from then on.

Gautam Gambhir’s decision to bat first seemed to have clicked when Virender Sehwag came out all guns blazing. Yusuf Pathan was greeted with a 6 and a 4 in the very first over. And it all looked rosy until Royals pacer Sumit Narwal struck gold in the 4th over.

Both openers David Warner and Virender Sehwag fell to Narwal’s accuracy, which reduced the Daredevils to 25/5.

The Daredevils showed some semblance of recovery with Paul Collingwood and Gautam Gambhir going steady, but a horrific mix up between the pair saw Collingwood being run-out.

The introduction of Dinesh Karthik gave the Daredevils some much needed impetus, and along with Gambhir, Delhi looked like getting back on track.

Narwal struck again to dismiss Delhi skipper Gautam Gambhir for 43. But that only intensified Karthik’s effort – he hit Shaun Tait for three consecutive fours in the 18th over.

The Daredevils vice-captain was in scintillating form, and the Royals bowlers had no answer for his ingenuity. The Royals finally got their man off the last ball of the innings, but Karthik’s 69 off 38 balls was enough for the Daredevils to set a testing target of 189.