Lahore, Jan. 28 : Shoaib Malik's removal from the captaincy of the national squad has sparked fresh controversy in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), as the Board's Director General, Javed Miandad, has openly expressed his displeasure over his sudden sacking.

Miandad said that he would have personally liked to solve the problem in the team, and that Malik should have been given more time to sought out things.

Perth, Jan. 28 : Batsman and vice-captain Michael Clarke''s return from injury will not only bolster a seriously depleted Australia team, but should soon give Ricky Ponting the chance to take a much-needed rest, reports The Australian.

Ponting has been superman as his team disintegrated around him this summer, playing all nine Tests, two Twenty20 games and four one-day matches in a relentless four-month stint on the road.

London, Jan. 28 : England fast bowler Stuart Broad has announced that at this stage of his international career, he would like to concentrate on playing for England as much as possible, rather than the Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition, franchises of which are keen to recruit him.

Melbourne, Jan. 28 : Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds may just get away with a fine for his abusive radio rant on New Zealand wicketkeeper batsman Brendon McCullum.

According to Fox Sports, the troubled cricketer can be fined 5750 dollars and may not be suspended for more serious offences under the Code of Conduct provisions.

His most serious breaches include turning up drunk for a one-dayer during the 2005 Ashes and being sent home from Darwin last year in the aftermath of the infamous "gone fishing" affair.

Karachi, Jan. 28 : After taking over the command from Shoaib Malik , new Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan has asked the members of the national squad to show consistency in their performance.

Khan urged the team members to give their hundred percent on the field and show their real capability.

"Consistency is what this team needs urgently," The News quoted him, as saying.

Brisbane, Jan. 28 : Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds international cricket career could be saved by his psychologist Deidre Anderson, who will report to Cricket Australia (CA) that the all-rounder is unlikely to be a disruption to the Australian team should he be selected.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Anderson, who helped swimmer Ian Thorpe reach his decision to retire, is to give CA an assessment of Symonds''s mental readiness to rejoin the team and handle the related responsibilities.