Associated Press

Lahore, July 7:

New Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer got his first taste of tempers in the mercurial Pakistan team before he was due to fly to South Africa on Wednesday to complete a coaching assignment. Witnesses said captain Inzamam-ul Haq and pacer Shoaib Akhtar exchanged hot words in the tune up camp late on Tuesday but Woolmer intervened before it could go out of hand. “It was some misunderstanding but Woolmer and I got the matter settled,” Pakistan manager Haroon Rasheed told AFP. Rasheed and Woolmer then had a session with both players and advised them to refrain from such incidents in the interests of the team.

Akhtar had developed differences with Inzamam after Pakistan’s home series defeat against India in April this year. Akhtar, who fell injured in Rawalpindi’s decisive Test of the series which Pakistan lost 2-1, was accused of underperforming and his injury was assessed by a medical commission.

According to reports, Akhtar had alleged that Inzamam maligned him through statements in the media, to which Inzamam reacted sharply. Rasheed said now no player is allowed to give statements to the media without his and Woolmer’s permission. “Pakistan team is united and there are no differences with Akhtar and Inzamam,” Woolmer told reporters. Inzamam scuffled with Younis Khan during Pakistan’s failed campaign in the World Cup last year.

Asia Cup is on despite suicide bombing

COLOMBOL: The Sri Lankan cricket board says the six-nation Asia Cup cricket tournament will go ahead despite Wednesday’s suicide bombing by Tamil Tiger rebels that killed four people and wounded seven others in the capital. “There is no change in our plan,” Sri Lanka Cricket spokesman, Ray Illangakoon said. Sri Lanka will host the Asia Cup from July 16-August 1. The participants include India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. Most of the matches will be played at two stadiums in Colombo. A rebel suicide bomber detonated explosives at a police station on Wednesday, killing herself and four officers after being detected on a mission to assassinate a top moderate Tamil leader. Police stopped the woman as she was trying to get inside the office of Douglas Devananda, a top Tamil leader who is opposed to the Tigers. — AP