NOTTINGHAM (July 29, 2010): Kevin Pietersen was passed fit to play in the opening Test against Pakistan despite injuring himself treading on a stray football during practice here on Wednesday - just a day before the first of a four-match series is due to get underway at Trent Bridge.

NOTTINGHAM (July 29, 2010): Ajmal Shahzad was ruled out on Wednesday of the England squad for the first Test against Pakistan, starting at Trent Bridge here on Thursday, with an ankle injury. Shahzad's place in a 12-man squad has been taken by fellow Yorkshire seam bowler Tim Bresnan.

ISLAMABAD (July 29, 2010): Pakistani fast bowler Mohammed Asif will make his film debut with a Malayalam movie, directed by lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboodiri. The shooting of the film, titled Mazhavillinnattamvare (Till the tip of the rainbow), is scheduled to begin in September.

KARACHI (July 29, 2010): Cricket teams from Afghanistan and Hong Kong are to appear in a club-level event in Pakistan, in a tentative step towards reviving the sport in the violence-hit country, an official said Wednesday. Pakistan has not hosted any international cricket since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March 2009.

LAHORE (July 29, 2010): Chairperson Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Women Wing, Robina Irfan has urged the sportswomen to participate in outdoor sports. She said that bankers and teams like PIA, KRL and PEL should form women teams to promote football among women in Pakistan. Physically healthy players actively participate in the development and uplift of the country.

ASTORE (July 29, 2010): District sports officer Shafiq Ahmed Khan said Babusar Polo festival will start from August 6 and continue till August 8 at Babusar Getti Dass district Diamer. Talking to newsmen here on Wednesday, he said many national and international tourists would participate in the festival and thousands of local people would also participate in polo match and festival.

NOTTINGHAM (July 29, 2010): Pakistan captain Salman Butt has backed the seam bowling trio of Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul to carry on from where they left off against Australia when they face England.

NOTTINGHAM (July 29, 2010): Mushtaq Ahmed has urged Pakistan to persist with the combination of captain Salman Butt and coach Waqar Younis. Former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq, now England's spin bowling coach, will find himself on the opposite side to his compatriots when a four-Test series gets underway at Trent Bridge here on Thursday

ISLAMABAD (July 28, 2010): Former Pakistani skipper Wasim Akram feels that the upcoming series against England will be the 'real' test for Salman Butt's young team. Pakistan faces England in the first of the four Tests at Trent Bridge starting on Thursday. "Facing England at home will be a tough challenge. They are a very good side at home and it is going to be really difficult to beat them," Cricket365 quoted Akram as saying.

LEEDS (July 28, 2010): Yorkshire are contemplating cuts after losing out on as much as 750,000 pounds (1.16 million dollars) while staging last week's 'neutral' Test between Pakistan and Australia at Headingley. Although Yorkshire boasts England's second largest Pakistani population outside of London, the expected support for Pakistan - who won by three wickets after bowling out Australia for just 88 on the first day - failed to materialise.