Akhtar chooses business over cricket

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar said he will not participate in the Sri Lankan Premier League, since he wants to concentrate on his business.

"The issue is that I have started a business and it needs a lot of time from me. So I wouldn't be able to make it to Sri Lanka," Akhtar, who retired during the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, said.

The fast bowler from Rawalpindi also said that for the time being he has lost his appetite for the game because of his business interests.

The Sri Lankan Premier League (SPL), on the lines of the Indian Premier League, has attracted players from many countries including Pakistan's Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq.

The first edition of the league, hosted by Sri Lanka's cricket Board, will be played from July 19 to August 4.

Akhtar has told his supporters that he is keen to get one final farewell match from Pakistan and his home association had also said it would support him.

But with no international team touring Pakistan, the PCB has also not responded positively to Akhtar's desire to play a farewell match.

Akhtar retired at the age of 35 during the 2011 ICC CWC, which also turned out to be a controversial tournament for him as he was fined and charged with quarreling with teammate Kamran Akmal over a dropped catch during the match against New Zealand.

Sreesanth to be fit for England tour

Ruled out of the West Indies Test series due to an elbow injury, India pacer S Sreesanth is hoping to be fit for the England tour starting next month.

Sreesanth took time out from his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore to visit the temple to pray to Lord Ayyappan.

"I hope I am fit before England series. I can't wait to swing the ball in England and win the series for India. I am preparing myself for the England series and am hoping for a strong comeback," he said.

Sreesanth would fancy a strong performance in England if he is selected in the Indian squad as he has played for Warwickshire county in 2009.

India play a four-match Test series against England starting on July 21, followed by a Twenty20 International and five ODIs.

Sreesanth rued missing out of the West Indies Test series, which begins on June 20.

"I surely miss West Indies, loved bowling there in 2006 when we won. I still remember getting Brian Lara out for a duck at Antigua," he concluded.

Windies end series with dignity

West Indies finished off their ODI series against India in style with a thrilling seven-wicket victory at Sabina Park.

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After losing the first three ODIs, the Windies salvaged some pride with a 103-run win in Antigua on Monday and limited their series defeat to 3-2 today thanks to some inspired batting - first from Ramnaresh Sarwan and Darren Bravo and then Marlon Samuels and Kieron Pollard.

Having been set a challenging victory target of 252 - Virat Kohli contributed  94 and Rohit Sharma 57 but India lost their last seven wickets for just 63 runs - it did not look good for the hosts when openers Lendl Simmons (six) and Adrian Barath (17) departed early on.

But Sarwan and Bravo steadied the ship and kept the scoreboard ticking over nicely until the former retired hurt on 75 with his side 156 for two.

Sarwan, thought to be suffering from severe cramps, received treatment from the physio and had Simmons as a runner, but could not continue and headed back to the pavilion at the end of the 38th over.

Requiring a run-rate of eight per over for victory, Bravo made full use of his side's batting powerplays with a brilliant knock of 86 from 99 balls to take the game away from India.

His departure - stumped by Parthiv Patel off the bowling of Amit Mishra - left work to be done, though, at 213 for three in the 46th over.

But Samuels (28 not out off 25 balls) and Pollard (24 not out off 13 balls) were more than up to the task.

The duo pummelled Vinay Kumar for 20 runs in the 48th over to set up the triumph, with Pollard hitting the winning boundary in the following over to seal victory with eight balls to spare.

The tourists had earlier looked to be coasting on 188 for three in the 36th over, but ended up being dismissed for 251 in 47.3 overs.

Paceman Andre Russell - later named man of the match - was the pick of the Windies' bowlers with four for 35 from 8.3 overs, with Kemar Roach and Pollard claiming two wickets apiece.

India got off to shaky start as openers Patel (six) and Shikhar Dhawan (11) perished within the first seven overs.

Manoj Tiwary then made a brisk run-a-ball 22 before falling to Pollard, which brought Kohli and Sharma together in the middle.

The pair got India back on course with an assured 110-run fourth-wicket partnership but there was to be no century for Kohli, who was run out trying to come back for a second run following an accurate throw from Sarwan at deep square leg.

Captain Suresh Raina became Pollard's second victim in the following over without having troubled the scorers, which prompted the arrival of Yusuf Pathan.

Sharma was next to go, bowled by Anthony Martin, and, although Pathan made a quickfire 30 from 29 deliveries, the contribution of the India tail was negligible as Amit Mishra, Vinay Kumar and Ishant Sharma managed just two runs between them. Ravichandran Ashwin finished unbeaten on eight.

Kajal’s mouth watering shape

Heroine Kajal has been getting string of opportunities on the Telugu screen after her astounding hit ‘Magadheera’ with hero Ramcharan Teja. After she became the number one heroine in Telugu, she appears to be taking extra care in maintaining her shape. Even in her early film ‘Chandamama,’ she has generated heat among the youngsters with her voluptuous body in damp clothes. There is a vast difference in Kajal’s shape before and after ‘Maga Dheera.’

There used to be some minor flaws in her shape before that film. Now after her success, she is said to have gone to the experts and ensured that the body shapes were as they should be. It is perhaps because of this perfection in her anatomy that all the heroes are vying with one another to book her in their films. Kajal now wants to prove her strong points in the Bollywood also with this new shape. 

Latest photos of Kajal are maddening her fans. The saree she wore, leaving few inches of gap above and below her navel were superb, fans say. She has displayed her shape in a manner not too much and not too little either

Aunty is in mood to show again!

Sindu Menon has got good name and recognition with her performance as one of the heroines in ’Chandamama.’ She earned kudos by also dubbing her dialogues in the film. She has acted as heroine and in small characters in several films after that.

Sindu got married then and said she would concentrate more on her marriage and her family. She did not forget to mention that she would think of films once her family life was settled. True to her word, she has stopped acting in films for a while and concentrated on her family life. Now, she says she is ready for the second innings.

Sindu once again started her career with the recent film ‘Vaishali.’ However as this was a very sensitive character and by doing such characters she would get only similar characters, Sindu is believed to be telling the producers and directors who come to her that she was willing to act in hot and sexy roles.

Alas, what a dream! Even the young heroines are not getting enough opportunities these days. Who would watch this married aunty even if she acts in a red hot character? Let us wait and see what she would do next as she is back in the mood to do spicy things on screen

Glenn McGrath, wife Sara slam second wedding claims

Former Australian cricketer Glenn McGrath and wife Sara have lashed out at a women’s magazine, which claimed that the couple are planning a second wedding in Italy.

They have branded the cover of ‘New Idea’ featuring the couple as ‘tacky’.

After rubbishing the ‘exclusive’ unauthorised cover story, the couple took to their Twitter accounts to separately highlight the deception, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The cover image shows Sara, in a white dress, standing against a bougainvillea-covered wall under the headline "Glenn and Sara Exclusive: Our Big Fat Italian Wedding!"

Within hours, the couple were calling the story - which states that their November wedding in Sydney was necessary to ‘speed up Sara''s paperwork for immigration’ – ‘rubbish’ and ‘crap’.

McGrath was amazed, tweeting: "The stuff they write in women''s magazines.......?!! Where do they get it from ?????" before saying there was only one accurate detail in the story.

"Though they did get one thing right!! Sara''s dad got me a Ducati. That''s why I''m getting my motorbike licence."

The article claimed that a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony would take place at the height of the European summer in a picturesque village an hour south of Rome.

"What a load of rubbish? Who writes this crap !!!" Sara responded.

"What the heck is a satin purse called a borsa that brides wear??? Never heard of it!!! I love the photoshop job on the cover totally changed my dress colour!! And the tarantella how tacky!!!"

India all out for 251 against West Indies

Virat Kohli scored 94 as India were all out for 251 in 47.3 overs in the fifth and final ODI against the West Indies at Sabina Park, here today.

Apart from Kohli, Rohit Sharma scored 57 as Andre Russell took four for 35.

Brief Scores: India 251 all out in 47.3 overs (Virat Kohli 94, Rohit Sharma 57, Andre Russell 4/35) vs West Indies.