Irfan to marry old friend Shivangi
VADODARA: 'Baroda bomber' Irfan Pathan (24) is set to marry long-time friend Shivangi Dev, daughter of an Indian diplomat in Australia. Pathan, who has known Shivangi for six years, told TOI their parents had finally given their nod to the wedding. 
"We know each other really well now," said a blushing Irfan, who first met his lady love in Canberra in 2003. The younger Pathan, however, is sure of the venue. "It will take some time but certainly in Vadodara. It will be a traditional wedding," he said. 
TOI had first reported about Irfan's relationship with Shivangi, in March last year. Irfan had first met her during a practice match. 
Talking about their first meeting, Pathan told TOI: "She was very shy and didn't talk much during our first meeting. It took quite some time before we got comfortable with each other and got into a relationship," Irfan said. 
So, who proposed first? "I was the one who proposed to her about three years ago. I was in Vadodara when I called her up and asked her if she would marry me," he said. She said yes. 
Initially, there was some resistance from both families. "Now, our families have accepted our relationship," he added. 
Shivangi, who has visited Irfan's home twice, works as a chartered accountant in Australia and also teaches dance to children. "She is a very good dance teacher and has a major fan following in her dance school," said Irfan who has visited her school. 
 

Pakistan to play Australia 
series in England in 2010
LONDON: Pakistan and Australia will play two test matches and two Twenty20 internationals in England next July, the English Cricket Board said on Friday.
Pakistan have been forced to seek matches in overseas venues after violent attacks in their homeland led to the removal of 2011 World Cup matches in their country.
Twenty20 world champions Pakistan also went without test cricket in 2008 due to visiting nations cancelling tours.
'The Pakistan team performed outstandingly well in the World T20 tournament in England and were worthy world champions,' ECB chairman Giles Clark said in a statement.
'The passion of the support for their team in England demonstrated why this country is an ideal venue for these matches against Australia.'
England are also scheduled to host Pakistan for four test matches, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 internationals in August and September 2010.
 

Ronaldo completes Real 
switch with six-year deal
MADRID: Real Madrid have officially signed Cristiano Ronaldo on a six-year deal worth 93 million euros, the Spanish giants announced Friday.
Former Manchester United forward Ronaldo is set to earn 13 million euros a year with Real, thus becoming the world’s highest-paid footballer.
A statement on the official website of Real Madrid said: ‘Real Madrid CF and Manchester United have signed the definitive agreement for the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish club on 1 July.
‘The player will stay at Real Madrid for six seasons.’
Ronaldo’s deal will see him move ahead of current soccer salary king, Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who currently earns 12 million euros a year.
Ronaldo, 24, had been on around 7.5 million euros a year at Old Trafford. Portuguese international Ronaldo will officially become a Real player on July 1 and is set to be unveiled by the nine-times European champions on Monday July 6.
Ronaldo is now set to become the centre-piece of the new Real as newly-elected president Florentino Perez bids to get the club reacquainted with their former glory days on the European stage.
 

ICC rejects request for
World Cup matches in UAE
LONDON: Matches in the 2011 World Cup due to be staged in Pakistan will not take place in the United Arab Emirates, International Cricket Council president David Morgan said here on Thursday. 
Instead, the 14 fixtures will, despite the wishes of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), take place in the three subcontinent co-host nations of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. 
Mr Morgan said the Dubai-based ICC had looked at staging matches in a "fifth country", amidst speculation that matches could be shifted to the UAE. But he told reporters at Lord’s here on Thursday: "The (ICC) board has considered that but it has decided the 14 matches originally allocated to Pakistan should take place in the three other subcontinent countries of the full members, that is India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh." 
How many games will be played in each of those countries has yet to be decided. The ICC has referred the matter back to the tournament’s central organising committee and Mr Morgan said he expected a decision within a fortnight. 
The ICC ruled out matches in violence-hit Pakistan following the militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore on March 3 while it was on its way to the Qadhafi stadium to resume a Test match. 
But Pakistan, who last weekend beat Sri Lanka in the World Twenty20 final at Lord’s, remains a co-host of the World Cup. 
Mr Morgan, flanked by ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, stressed the PCB, who have taken legal action against the ICC, would still receive a hosting fee of $750,000 per match — $10.5 million in total.
 

Yousuf & Razzaq to be 
awarded category ‘A’ contract
KARACHI: The Pakistan cricket Board has decided to award category A central contracts to senior players Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq, who have made a return to the national team after resigning from the rebel Indian Cricket League.
Sources in the Board said PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt had approved the contracts for the two players, who leave with the national team for the Test tour of Sri Lanka today.
"Both of them have been included in the A category while no final decision has been taken on the two other players who have resigned from the ICL, Imran Nazir and Rana Naved," one source said.
Razzaq has already represented Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup in England where he was sent as a replacement for the injured Yasir Arafat.
 

We got complacent after 
taking seven wickets: Dhoni
KINGSTON: Indian cricket team skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted that his teammates got complacent after polishing the top-order of the West Indies, who nearly toppled India in the high scoring first one-dayer here on Friday.
India set a massive 340-run target before the hosts but had to toil hard to defend it before managing a 20-run win at Sabina Park.
"Most of the guys thought that we have won the game when they were seven wicket down but it was a mistake and hopefully we won't repeat that. It was more close than thought," he said after the match.
Speaking about Yuvraj Singh, who played a magnificent knock of 131 he said, "He has matured as a batsman in the last couple of years. We rely a lot on him. He gets big runs for us in the middle-order.
 

Shane Bond awarded NZ 
contract for next season
WELLINGTON: Fast bowler Shane Bond has been officially welcomed back to New Zealand Cricket (NZC) after being offered a playing contract for the next international season. 
The 34-year-old paceman had been banned from national selection after he joined the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL) last year. He was permitted to rejoin the national team after severing ties with the ICL, and NZC wasted little time calling him back, naming him on an elite list of 20 players awarded contracts for the 2009-10 season. "Shane Bond is confident he can continue to contribute to the blackcaps," head selector Glenn Turner said in a statement. "He has performed well in the shorter form of the game at domestic level while his international track record is outstanding." 
 

ICC Intercontinental Cup 
gets underway next month
LONDON: The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) first-class tournament, Intercontinental Cup 2009-10, gets underway next month with many of the heavy-hitters from the competition in action. 
The tournament begins in Scotland as the 2005 champions take on the 2006-07 finalists Canada at Mannofield, Aberdeen from July 2 to 5. When that match is over Scotland and Canada will play a two-ODI series at the same venue. Canada will then head to the Netherlands for two ODIs on July 11 and 12 at VRA Amstelveen. Then Canada will face the Dutch in an Intercontinental Cup match at VOC Rotterdam from July 15 to 18. Meanwhile, defending champions Ireland will host Kenya from June 3 to 6 at Eglinton in the island’s north-west. There will then be a three-ODI series at Clontarf, Dublin with those matches taking place on June 9, 11 and 12.
Ireland will travel to Aberdeen to take on Scotland in an Intercontinental Cup (August 17-20) and ODI series (August 22 and 23), continuing a rivalry between the two teams that has flourished since 1888.
Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004, beating Canada in the final, while Ireland have been victorious in all three events since then, beating Kenya in the 2005 decider, Canada in the 2006-07 event and Namibia in 2007-08.