Dhoni deserves award, says Milkha

New Delhi: Hailing Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the “backbone of Indian cricket”, chairman of the Arjuna Award selection committee Milkha Singh said that Team India Twenty20 and ODI captain is a deserving recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

Dhoni was on Monday conferred with the award, making him only the second cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to be bestowed the country’s highest sporting honour.

“From my side I tried my best and gave the award to whoever deserved. Four or five candidates were in contention for the award but Dhoni was the best among the lot. The whole country wanted Dhoni to get the award,” Milkha Singh said on Tuesday.

The ‘flying Sikh’ also said the decision to confer the award to Dhoni was taken unanimously by the selection committee.

“He has done tremendously well after coming to the national team. He is the backbone of Indian cricket.

The decision to give Dhoni the award has been taken with full support of all members in the selection committee,” he stated.

Malik, Younis demand

Karachi: Joining the band of players pushing for cricket’s inclusion in the olympics, former Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik along with his present counterpart Younis Khan said with the advent of Twenty20, the sport could easily fit into the games’ schedule.
After Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh, Stephen Fleming and Kumar Sangakkara, Malik and Younis also said cricket deserved to be a part of the Olympics.

Asif test

Karachi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) has extended the date for the B sample test for Pakistani pacer Mohammad Asif to August 18.

Shahid Karim, lawyer for Asif confirmed they had received an e-mail from the IPL accepting their request for the extension of the date.