Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal given World Cup deadline

Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal have until December 30 to provide the PCB with the necessary documents to clear their names for World Cup selection.

"The PCB has asked them to submit the documents about their assets and bank accounts by December 30 to be considered in the list of probables for the World Cup," Subhan Ahmad, the board's COO, told APP. 

The ICC had extended Pakistan's deadline for the submission of its preliminary 30-member squad for the tournament to January 5, after receiving a request from the board. Kamran and Malik have not played for Pakistan since their controversial tour of England in August and were left out of the tour to the United Arab Emirates. They have also been denied permission to play league cricket in Bangladesh. The PCB has remained fairly tight-lipped about the reasons for their exclusion. 

Kamran and Malik had both questioned the board's decision to not clear them for the New Zealand tour. Kamran had written to the ICC asking if he was under investigation and got a clean chit from them. The ICC had sent him and Salman Butt notices during Pakistan's tour of England in August, seeking information about events related to the 2010 World Twenty20 held in May. 

Legspinner Danish Kaneria, who has not figured in Pakistan's one-day plans in recent times, was also earlier given until the end of the year to submit his replies to the board's integrity committee's queries, in order to gain clearance to play for the country. 

http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/493964.html

ICC releases documentary on 'Road to the World Cup'

With less than two months to go until the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the ICC has announced the release of a documentary, 'The Road to the World Cup'.
The programme charts the fascinating story of how teams from across the globe attempted to qualify for cricket's flagship event.

Capturing the success of the Pepsi ICC Development Programme in bringing the sport to all corners of the globe, the documentary narrates the story of how the four ICC Associate and Affiliate Member qualifying places in the 2011 event were decided. This includes colourful, and never before seen, footage of four qualifying tournaments across the world.

Covering tournaments in venues as diverse as Jersey, Dar-es-Salaam, Buenos Aires and Johannesburg, this fascinating tale presents a unique insight into the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League (WCL) qualifying structure that provided ICC Members with a pathway to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

With interviews and footage of the four ICC Associate Members - Canada, Ireland, Kenya and Netherlands - that successfully made the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the documentary is a must watch for all international cricket fans in the lead up to next year's showpiece.

The footage also memorably charts the thrilling success of the Afghanistan cricket team through multiple divisions of the Pepsi ICC WCL, highlighting their title successes in Jersey, Tanzania and Argentina, before they come agonisingly close to sealing ICC Cricket World Cup qualification in South Africa.

Tendulkar is ICC Cricket World Cup Ambassador

The ICC has announced that Sachin Tendulkar will star in a special ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 marketing campaign.

The campaign, which will be launched next month, will see Tendulkar, who was announced in November as an ambassador for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, feature in a series of advertisements to raise the profile of cricket's flagship event.

In his role as tournament ambassador, he will be called upon to promote and support a variety of ICC initiatives for the tournament, which is the third biggest sporting event in the world and will take place in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka from 19 February to 2 April next year.

"When I got to know that the ICC wanted me to be the event ambassador for the 2011 World Cup, I was really excited and I didn't know how to react," said Tendulkar.

"I grew up watching various World Cup matches and when you actually get approached by the ICC and they want you to play a special role in this event it is absolutely flattering. I am truly honoured and I am looking forward to this event."

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said that he was delighted to have Tendulkar involved in promoting the ICC Cricket World Cup.

"Sachin is perhaps the top player in the world today. He is revered not just in India but across the globe. The World Cup is the World Cup - it is the flagship event, the cup that counts, and if you match the player, Sachin Tendulkar, with the event, then you have a fantastic fit," said Lorgat.