Indian news round-up

The secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), JY Lele said in Mumbai on Thursday that a new rotation formula for the allotment of international matches is to be introduced in place of the existing zonal allotment system.

According to the new plan, the allotment of matches are to be made on the basis of rotation of centres and not according to the old system of zonal allotment of matches. The new formula would now give the opportunity to all those Test centres including those with floodlight facilities to host a ODI even if the centre had hosted a Test during a previous home series.

So far, with the zonal system of allotment of matches, the South Zone with six affiliated units and the West Zone with five affiliated units were able to host a Test or a ODI after a long gap as compared to the North and East Zones who had only three or four affiliated units.

The secretary of the Dubai Cricket Council (DCC), Vikram Kaul said on Thursday that the association would go ahead with the proposed three match one-day tournament in Dubai in September.

Speaking to a news agency in Dubai, Kaul said "As far as we are concerned, the Pakistan team's tour is on," and added "I have not been informed by anyone in Pakistan that the tour is off."

Meanwhile, a Dubai based newspaper qouted Zahid Bashir, an official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as saying "The reports which appeared in the Pakistan newspapers are false. We have already given our confirmation to the DCC. We have heard that India is not coming but we are ready to play against Sri Lanka. We will be there on September 21."

India will start their campaign against Thailand on May 30 in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Under-15 tournament scheduled to start on June 30 in Kuala Lumpur. Apart from hosts Malaysia the first ever Asian Junior tournament will feature India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh and Hong Kong.

The schedule: June 30: Sri Lanka vs Pakistan, India vs Thailand and Malaysia vs Hong Kong. July 1: Malaysia vs Sri Lanka, Bangladesh vs India and Hong Kong vs Pakistan. July 2: Thailand vs Pakistan, Malaysia vs India and Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh. July 3: Rest day. July 4: India vs Sri Lanka, Pakistan vs Bangladesh and Hong Kong vs Thailand. July 5: Pakistan vs India, Thailand vs Malaysia and Bangladesh vs Hong Kong. July 6: Malaysia vs Pakistan, Bangladesh vs Thailand and Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong. July 7: Rest day. July 8: Hong Kong vs India, Thailand vs Sri Lanka and Bangladesh vs Malaysia. July 9: Final

Indian wicketkeeper Saba Karim, who was injured when a delivery from Anil Kumble hit him above the eye during India's match against Bangladesh in the recently concluded Asia Cup tournament in Dhaka, is recovering after undergoing a glacoma surgery on his right eye at the Sankara Netralaya eye hospital in Chennai.

Speaking to a news agency in Chennai on Thursday, Karim said "I am being administered steroids. The doctors are waiting for the dosage to be completed before deciding on the date on which I can be discharged."

Karim said that the pressure on the retina had reduced considerably and the vision in his right eye was improving fast. He said "When I was hit in the eye, I could not see anything. I am happy with the improvement now. I am waiting to get fully fit and resume practice."