London2012: Tomoko beats Oiana in women’s Judo

By Ashley Williams

LONDON (TheSportsNext) July 28, 2012: Japanese women judo players started the London2012 action on a winning note with Tomoko Fukumi getting the better of her Spanish opponent Oiana Blanco in the first match of the London Olympics Women’s Judo 48kg category.

Tomoko Fukumi used her skills to a great effect as the won the last 32 match in the 48kg category in style on Saturday.

London2012: Japan beat Indian Archers after tough contest

By Ashley Williams

LONDON (TheSportsNext) July 28, 2012: The London 2012 swung into action with Archery teams of Japan and India locking horns early on Saturday where the Japanese archers won the first blood at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

After a spirited encounter, Japanese archers outdid Indian archers by 214-214 points.

Inaugural Sri Lankan Premier League set for huge start

By Fathima Zanaida

COLOMBO: The inaugural edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) is all set to commence from August 11, 2012 where top international and Sri Lankan players will showcase their Twenty20 skills.

While the national cricket team is busy taking on India in the five-match One Day International series, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials are finalizing arrangements to make the SLPL2012 a huge success.

Indians, Aussies are the best paid cricketers: Forbes

By Abhishek Manroa

NEW DELHI (TheSportsNext) July 28, 2012: Indian and Australian players are the best paid cricketers in the latest list published by the Forbes Magazine.

The top five spots in the Forbes Magazine’s list of best-paid cricketers are occupied by Indian cricketers including Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir  (third highest-paid, 7.3 million US dollars) and Virat Kohli (fourth, 7.1 million US dollars).

PCB Ramadan ban irks senior cricketers

By Ubaid Awan

KARACHI (TheSportsNext) July 27, 2012: A number of Pakistani national cricketers were irked by a decision by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) which stopped them from taking part in the Ramadan cricket tournaments, sources said.

The PCB authorities have decided against allowing the probables for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 to participate in the Ramadan cricket festivities so as to avoid losing any of them due to an injury but cricketers are not finding it easy to feel happy about it as they wanted these tournaments to regain their shape and form ahead of a hectic schedule.

Ex-ICC Chief urges PCB to stop following BCCI

By Ubaid Awan

KARACHI (TheSportsNext) July 26, 2012: Former chief of the International Cricket Council (ICC) from Pakistan, Ehsan Mani, on Thursday, urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to refrain from getting overshadowed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The Indian cricket board has recently invited Pakistan cricket team for a limited overs series in their country this December and Ehsan Mani, who is renowned for his stance on tough issues, is of the view that the PCB should have hosted this series because it was not India's turn.

Netherlands beat Bangladesh by 1wkt in T20 thriller

By Meg Anderson

THE HAGUE: Bangladesh ended their tour to Europe on a losing note on Thursday when Netherlands squared the Twenty20 International series with a spirited last-ball victory at Sportpark Westvliet.

Chasing 129 runs to win the second Twenty20 International match against Bangladesh, Netherlands rode on a brilliant half-century by Michael Swart (61 from 49 – 4 fours, 2 sixes) before tail-ender Ahsan Malik hit boundary off the last ball to complete a spirited victory in front of the home crowd which went berserk with the winning shot.

Pakistan to drag The Sun into court of law

By Babar Malik

ISLAMABAD (TheSportsNext) July 26, 2012: The Government of Pakistan said Thursday that it will bring The Sun newspaper into court of law for false allegations in the Olympics visa scandal.

The country’s interior minister, Rehman Malik, claimed that Pakistan was victim of a foreign plot aimed to defaming the country in international community.

ICC denies issuing selection clearance to PCB

Monitoring Desk

KARACHI (TheSportsNext) July 26, 2012: The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Thursday, denied issuing clearance to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for selecting any player.

Colin Gibson, Head of Media and Communications at the ICC, told local media here, "Selection of players for the Pakistan national cricket team is the sole and exclusive responsibility of the PCB. The ICC has not issued any form of 'clearance' to the PCB for the selection of any of its players and, like all others who are not suspended for any reason from participating. Mr. Akmal remains eligible for selection for the Pakistan national cricket team should Pakistan to select him".

London2012: Pakistan pin hopes on hockey team

By Hamad Hussain

KARACHI: With the London2012 action just a few hours away, Pakistan’s sports fans are associating high hopes of a medal by the national hockey team but the road looks bumpy for the former Olympic gold medalists with European teams raising the bar high.

Indian hockey team is also looking to exhibit an impressive show as both Pakistan and its bitter neighbours are facing an uphill task at the London2012. Indian hockey team has won eight medals while Pakistan claimed three victories at the Olympics.