Pathan’s last ODI involvement was a poor performance in Sri Lanka, where he had one wicket from three matches. He went back to domestic cricket and picked up 12 wickets in two Ranji Trophy games - including seven against Uttar Pradesh. It was enough to impress the selectors, who felt RP was “not in form.”

“Irfan was picked on the basis of his credentials as an allrounder. Despite the presence of Yusuf Pathan, his brother, the panel felt the team needed a fast bowler who could bat. He [Irfan] fits the bill for an allrounder and has proved it in the past,” one of the selectors said.

The move to drop RP was surprising because captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has long been a strong supporter of his. At a press briefing on Wednesday Dhoni said he wanted RP to be given more opportunities.

“It’s a bit of a surprise,” a source in the Indian team revealed. “He needs to play more matches. He is absolutely fit. He was getting better despite not playing much in the last few matches.”

The selectors picked the squad for the next two matches - four remain in the series - because they wanted the option of picking lesser-known faces for the final two games in case India won the series before the sixth ODI.

India squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt) Sachin Tendulkar Gautam Gambhir , Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Virat Kohli, Pragyan Ojha, Irfan Pathan

Zimbabwe Innings
• Powerplay 2: Overs 11-15

Tim Southee ruined Australia’s plans to ease back into Test cricket in friendly, familiar conditions as he picked off Australia top three cheaply at the Gabba. Southee swung the ball impressively and reduced Australia to 3 for 23 on a green-tinged pitch before Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke began the task of steadying the innings.

If Australia were expecting a comfortable start against New Zealand, who are the world’s No. 7-ranked Test side and lost their warm-up match against New South Wales, they were in for a surprise. Daniel Vettori’s decision to send Australia in paid off within the first half hour when Southee got one to hold its line to Matthew Hayden, who edged to first slip for 8.

Within the next 15 minutes Southee added two more breakthroughs to justify his selection ahead of Kyle Mills, who was left out. Southee had been swinging the ball back in to the left-hander Simon Katich and he struck when the batsman failed to pick the scrambled-seam straighter ball and edged behind for 10.

Southee completed his trio of successes when he removed Ricky Ponting, who must have initially been thrilled to face a new ball not held by his recent tormentor Ishant Sharma. But Ponting failed to make the most of the opportunity and his leading edge flew to second slip when he tried to work through leg off a Southee ball that bounced handsomely and moved away late.

Only when Clarke joined Hussey did Australia begin to look slightly more comfortable, although there was a nervous moment for Clarke when his thick edge off a Southee outswinger flew past third slip. But Hussey was his typical vigilant self and watched the ball meticulously, playing into gaps and leaving when possible.

The early stumbles must have made Ponting grateful Australia had included Shane Watson, who along with Andrew Symonds and Brad Haddin, provided a solid core of lower-order men at Nos. 6 to 8. The seam-friendly conditions were enough for Watson to win his spot ahead of the unlucky offspinner Jason Krejza, who had taken 12 wickets on debut in the final Test in India.

With only the Davis Cup left on the year’s calendar, we take a look back at the best action in 2008.

MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Andy Murray

Murray started the year as a player on the fringe of the true elite and proceeded to establish himself as very much part of it, claiming two Masters Series titles and finishing runner-up in the US Open.

The young Scot added consistency and accuracy to his game to devastating effect and mastered both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, suggesting Great Britain’s long wait for a male grand slam champion will soon be over.

Murray will kick off the 2009 campaign as one of four players - along with Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic - who currently sit a step above their rivals. That he has managed to join that company is reason enough to celebrate.

WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Dinara Safina

After too long living in the shadow of her brother Marat, Safina finally claimed some headlines of her own in a season in which she claimed three consecutive tour titles and finished runner-up at Roland Garros.

Safina’s extraordinary run in Paris - most famously, her comeback from the brink of defeat to beat Maria Sharapova - underlined the Russian’s potential and saw her finish the full season ranked a lofty third in the world.

Safina now needs to build on that success heading into the new campaign. But in a women’s game where nobody seems currently capable of taking a stranglehold, Safina’s dramatic emergence may not be over yet.

MEN’S MATCH OF THE YEAR: Nadal v Federer, Wimbledon final

Not only the match of the year, but very possibly the greatest tennis match of all time: at his third attempt, Nadal finally dethroned Federer on Centre Court after the mother of all battles.

Held back by a magnificent Federer comeback from two sets down to level matters, the match seemed destined to head into an extra day with both players locked together in the final set.

But with darkness quickly falling, Nadal grabbed the crucial break and served out amid an extraordinary All England Club atmosphere to round off surely the most high-octane tennis match ever played: 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7.

WOMEN’S MATCH OF THE YEAR: Safina v Sharapova, French Open fourth round

Sharapova looked like she was coasting into the French Open quarter-finals against the Russian, who had been in sublime form heading into the tournament but had proved next to nothing on the really big occasion.

Sharapova won the first set and led 5-2 in the second, holding match point, before Safina belatedly stirred, storming back from the brink of defeat to ultimately triumph 6-7 7-6 6-2.

It was to prove a turning point for the whole career of Safina, who went on to reach the final and ended the year very much deserving her place among the women’s elite. Sharapova, injury plagued, may never be the same again.

Stuart Broad has been given a lecture about his behaviour by the match referee after in the second ODI against India.

The Nottinghamshire seamer questioned the verdict of umpire Russell Tiffin to award a wide for a bouncer as England slumped to a 54-run defeat at Indore, and ICC match referee Roshan Mahanama subsequently summoned 22-year-old Broad - whose father Chris is also a match referee - into his office to lecture him on his reaction.

“I’d have probably been fined my whole match fee if my Dad had been the ref,” said Broad. “I got called into the match referees’ office for dissent, but it was just a talking to, nothing more than that.”

He added: “He didn’t say a lot to me, really. He said that on television I shouldn’t be showing my disappointment whichever way the decision goes.

“I explained it was a heat of the moment thing and I didn’t think I had done anything particularly wrong. I have just got to smile instead of being disappointed.”

Mahanama’s stance indicates his determination to stamp down on any misbehaviour and prevent the series deteriorating in a similar way to India’s 2007 tour to England, when they became enraged at England placing jelly beans on the pitch while they were batting.

As match referee during that series and also England’s one-day series in India in 2006, Mahanama is well aware of the history between the two sides and has decided to act early to set the ground rules.

“The umpire felt it was borderline to showing dissent and with him being a young lad I thought it best to have him in for a talk and nip it in the bud,” confirmed Mahanama.

“I don’t want to see players reacting like that, they need to show respect to umpires at all times. We encourage players to work with the umpires and ask them to explain why any decisions have been given. That can overcome a lot of problems.

“In a long series like this tensions can build up so it’s important the players show respect for each other and the officials from the start.”

Wasim Akram has no doubt that the upcoming CL T20 will be a bigger success than the inaugural edition of the IPL.

“I think the CL T20 will be a resounding success. Teams from different countries will be taking part and the standard of cricket will be very high.

“Some of the teams like Sialkot Stallions and WA Warriors apart from Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings are very strong.”

“So the competition will be very tough and all the players will try to excel”, he said.

Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore are the three venues for the inaugural edition of Champions League which will see the two top T20 teams of India, South Africa, Australia and Pakistan vie for honours in the week-long league.

The pace legend said T20 became an instant hit because people have less time these days. “It is a very good package. You get all the action in three hours, so it is bound to appeal to the spectators”.

Cricketers and adminstartors around the world have already hailed the kind of impact the Champions League T20 will have on world cricket.

Western Australia Warriors skipper Marcus North  said he was sure the December 3-10 event would be a huge hit.

“T20 is a great concept. We are all very excited about Champions League Twenty20, which I am sure will be one of the toughest tournaments around the world.”

Luis Scola had 23 points and nine rebounds as the Houston Rockets posted a 100-89 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Luis Scola had 23 points and nine rebounds as the Houston Rockets posted a 100-89 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder despite an injury to superstar Tracy McGrady.

Yao Ming collected 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Rockets, who had 48 rebounds to the Thunder’s 39 and dominated the interior.

McGrady left the game in the third quarter with a left knee injury, allowing Scola and Yao to take over. The duo combined to shoot 17 out of 28 from the field.

Roger Mason’s three-pointer with 8.4 seconds left to play lifted the San Antonio Spurs to an 86-83 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Mason finished with 21 points, hitting three out of five shots from the arc, while Tim Duncan collected 20 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks en route to his sixth double-double of the season for the Spurs, who earned their fourth win in the last five games.

CJ Miles scored 21 points and Carlos Boozer had 21 points and 15 rebounds as the Utah Jazz clinched a 109-97 triumph over the Phoenix Suns.

Amare Stoudemire scored 30 points for the Suns, who lost for just the second time on the road this season.

Intikhab Alam says the PCB should shift the upcoming home series to India if MS Dhoni’s men cancel the tour on security grounds.

“Obviously that is a more viable option if India dont come for some reason. Because then we can have India touring Pakistan the year after,” Alam said when asked about the speculation that the series might be shifted to India as security concerns mount.

“One has to be