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Wasim hails Shoaib's decision to pull out: Paper

     Karachi: Former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram has hailed fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar's decision to pull out from the India tour because of his fitness problems. Akram said it was a right decision Shoaib took in his career. Supporting Shoaib's decision, Akram said: "I think he has done the right thing and it's good that finally he's making the right decisions about his career. There is no doubt he has had fitness problems in recent matches and it would have been unadvisable for him to go to India for the Tests half fit." The News further quoted the veteran fast bowler as saying: "There is no doubt that presently Shoaib is our main strike bowler. But even the greatest of bowlers struggle and are embarrassed if they don't play at full fitness. He has done the right thing and he should now get down to concentrating on working hard on his fitness if he wants to play for the next few years for Pakistan." Shoaib had pulled out of the tour on Friday saying he required another four-five weeks to make a complete recovery from a hamstring injury. But, he said that he would make himself available for the one-dayers in India if he regained fitness in the next few weeks.

Sania hopes to break into top 25 soon (Go To Top)

     Siliguri: India's new tennis sensation Sania Mirza on Saturday said that she hoped to make it to the top 25 soon. Mirza recently captured the cricket-mad nation's imagination last month after reaching the Australian Open third round and followed it up with a WTA title. The Hyderabad-based Mirza, 18, created history earlier this month by becoming the first Indian woman to capture a WTA singles title. In the process she has also cracked the top 100 in the rankings, rising to 99 this week. The landmark victory came 46 years after Ramanathan Krishnan became the first Indian man to win a title, at London's Queen's Club. "I believe in very realistic dreams and I want to be in the top 25 whenever I can," Mirza told reporters in Siliguri. Mirza was ranked a modest 134 before the Hyderabad event and now has her sights set on breaking into the top 50. The articulate Mirza, who idolises German tennis great Steffi Graf, has also drawn wide attention outside the sporting world by wearing trendy glasses and multiple earrings, making her both a teen icon and an advertiser's dream. Daughter of a Hyderabad-based builder, Mirza showed early promise after being initiated into tennis as a six-year-old. Her natural forehand and all-out aggression were unusual in Indian women tennis players who have in the past displayed a tendency for soft serves and tame baseline rallies. Mirza's big boost came in 2002 when Paes decided to take her on as his mixed doubles partner at the Asian Games. The duo went on to claim the bronze medal. She won the Wimbledon girls doubles in 2003 alongside Russian Alisa Kleybanova and stints under respected tennis coach Bob Brett in Italy helped her improve both her game and fitness. She has won 12 titles on the secondary ITF women's circuit, including five in 2004, before her encouraging Australian Open showing.

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