Younis to play for S Australia

Senior batsman Younis Khan, who will play Sheff-ield Shield cricket for Sou-th Australia, has delayed his departure by a week after deciding to make himself available for Pakistan’s domestic T20 event as well as the four-nation T20 tournament in Toronto from October 10-14. “I am excited about playing in Australia, but I will join them after the Toronto tournament,” he said.

Bhattacharya, Joshna lift titles

Former national champion Ritwik Bhattacharya shocked top-seeded Malaysian Mohd Azlan Iskander 12-10, 11-9, 11-1 to lift the men’s open crown in the 33rd Bombay Gymkhana-HSBC Maharashtra State Open squash tournament on Friday, reports PTI from Mumbai.

The women’s title-clash was clinched by top seed Joshna Chinnappa, who edged fellow Chennai-based player Deepika Pallikal 12-10, 11-9, 11-9.

Desperate PCB awaits WI tour

With security fears forcing one tournament cancellation after another, an anxious Pakistan Cricket Board is keeping its fingers crossed on a planned tour by West Indies, who are yet to give their consent on playing in the troubled country, reports PTI from Karachi.

A senior PCB official said the Board was still waiting for a response from their West Indian counterparts. “As far as we know the chief executive of the West Indies board is out of office until next week and we are not expecting a final answer until the end of this month. But we are keeping our fingers crossed they will accept our invitation,” he said.

NADA adopts WADA code

The National Anti-Doping Agency adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency’s code just a day before the World Anti-Doping Agency is expected to give accreditation to the Indian laboratory at its meeting in Montreal, reports PTI from New Delhi.

As per the WADA rules, a national agency must give a go-ahead to its code to be applicable in a territory before the accreditation is given. “Newly constituted Governing Body of the NADA today met under the Chairmanship of Sports Minister MS Gill and approved the WADA Code for its application in India,” the Sports Ministry said in a statement.

Inter plan to hire Maradona

Serie A champions Inter Milan are considering hiring former Argentina great Diego Maradona as a consultant, club president Massimo Moratti said, reports Reuters from Milan.

"I think we'll link up with him. He still has great appeal and it seems to me that he is out of the tunnel," Moratti told La Gazzetta dello Sport. Since his retirement from soccer, Maradona, 47, has suffered a string of health problems related to obesity and his addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Asif’s lawyer miffed with IPL

Tainted Pakistan bowler Mohammad Asif’s lawyer accused the Indian Premier League’s drugs inquiry tribunal of unnecessarily delaying the hearing into the pacer dope violation case, reports PTI from Karachi.

Asif was due to appear before the drugs inquiry tribunal to plead his case after both his ‘A’ and ‘B’ samples tested positive for a banned substance, nandrolone.

The tribunal had earlier given a date in August for the hearing but Asif could not attend that time due to shortage of time to complete travel formalities.

“I can’t understand why they are delaying the hearing,” Asif’s lawyer Shahid Karim said.