Karachi, Nov 21 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has reportedly agreed to get actively involved in the bid to save India's cricket tour to his country scheduled for early next year, saying that he would soon be discussing the issue with his Indian counterpart Dr Manmohan Singh.

Gilani told PCB chairman Ijaz Butt that he will assure Dr Manmohan Singh that Indian cricketers will be provided with a fool-proof security blanket during their tour of Pakistan which is lined up for January-February next year, but is in the danger of becoming a victim to the prevailing security situation in the country.

Butt called on the premier in Islamabad last evening in a bid to garner his support to avoid the home series against India from getting cancelled or switched to neutral venues, reported The News.

The series to be played from January 5 to February 19 includes three Tests, five One-day Internationals and one Twenty20 International but is in doubt because the Indian government is yet to clear the tour.

Gilani told Butt and other senior PCB officials that the matter would be tackled at the highest level. "The game of cricket is loved by the people of both India and Pakistan and the government will ensure proper security arrangements for organising the forthcoming Pak-India cricket series. This is a very high-profile tour and the Indian government would be provided assurance regarding their security concerns," the paper quoted Gilani as saying in a statement.

The PCB is making all possible efforts to save the series against India that is crucial for the future of Pakistan cricket. Pakistan have not played a single Test in 2008 because of Australia's refusal to tour this country on the pretext of security apprehensions earlier this year. Experts fear that if India also avoided their tour of Pakistan, then no leading cricket team will visit this country in the coming years. (ANI)

Sydney, Nov 21 (ANI): Defending his "third world country" remark, Australian opener Matthew Hayden has insisted that he meant no disrespect to any nation or its citizens in that category.

Hayden felt that he had been made a victim of "certain sections of humanity (who) want to take someone like myself down."

"The politics of cricket, I think, has gone mad," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Hayden, as saying.

"One of the things I love the most about India, is that you walk around the back of the hotel, and there's a man who's selling peanuts on the street for one cent a month, and he holds his head so high, and is so proud, as if he was making two million dollar a month."

"It frustrates me that certain sections of humanity want to take someone like myself down, who is a really great admirer of the country, and who has really built his career on the back of the country in a very proud and honoured way," Hayden said.

"We've had our competitive spats, but I'm sure that's only enhanced the reputation of India. It's made them play better against me, and I've played better against them. I stand by what I said."

"There is a large portion of India that is third world that is below the poverty line. But from my experience, it is those people who I admire the most," he added.

Senior Indian officials, skipper Mahendra Dhoni and an army of angry bloggers criticised Hayden over the comment, which he used when describing the factors that contributed to Australia's slow over rate during the Border-Gavaskar series. (ANI)

Lahore, Nov 19 (ANI): Facing a severe financial crunch caused by the spate of postponed series and tournaments in 2008, the PCB is reportedly planning to cut down heavily on the administrative expenditure incurred in running the organisation.

According to The News, Wasim Bari, who was recently appointed as Director HR and Administration, is keen on trimming expenses. "Needless appointments made to the board will be terminated to reduce the overall expenditures," the paper quoted him as saying.

Three areas will be looked at in particular to cut down costs, the paper said and added that general administrative costs are to be cut down by at least 50 percent. The budgets of each director and their department will also be revised this time based on more accurate forecasts.

Capital expenditure on stadiums through the country will be halted, but the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and Rawalpindi would be the exceptions where the renovation work is yet to be completed, added the paper.

Pakistan suffered heavy losses this year after Australia pulled out of a full series in March-April and the Champions Trophy was postponed, both due to security concerns. (ANI)

Kanpur, Nov 19 (ANI): Indian cricket captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni today said that his team will go with full strength in the third One-day International (ODI) against England to be played in Kanpur on Thursday.

Addressing a news conference after the net practice session at the Green Park stadium, the venue of the match, Dhoni said, there won't be much experimentation in the selection of players for the third ODI.

"It's a seven match series so winning two games I don't think means much in a series like this. So, there won't be too much of experimentation but we will look at the combination, we will see if there is any player who needs rest, but we will go with full strength," he added.

Admitting the need for an extra spinner in the team, Dhoni said, "You want to have an extra spinner in the side, but you got to see the combination as well because you know you don't really want to be batsmen short, because if you see in the last game, it was basically Yusuf Pathan's last quick fire 50 that really helped us. So at times, it's very important."

India leads the 7 match series 2-0 with some brilliant performance of the Indian batsmen specially southpaws Yuyraj Singh and Gautam Gambhir. (ANI)