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Pakistan's Hasan does not fear flat pitches at World Cup

Pakistan seamer Hasan Ali says he is not worried about the prospect of flat pitches that are likely to favour batsmen during the World Cup in England and Wales.

The 24-year-old was Pakistan's star performer in the Champions Trophy win in England two years ago, taking 13 wickets to finish as player of the tournament.


But his recent form has been a worry for Pakistan, coinciding with 10 straight ODI losses leading into their opening World Cup match against the West Indies in Nottingham on Friday.

Hasan said he knows how to bowl on flat pitches.

"The way modern cricket is going, every bowler needs to know that taking wickets is the key," Hasan said. "You take wickets and you win matches."

Touted for taking wickets in the middle overs of one-day matches, Hasan rose to the top of the bowler's charts in 2017, taking 45 wickets -- the most in the calendar year.

But he managed just three wickets in four matches against England in a 4-0 loss earlier in May.

"I know that I have not taken many wickets since the South Africa tour, but I am doing the hard work with bowling coach (Azhar Mahmood) and once I get my rhythm I am sure wickets will come my way," said Hasan.

"We know that our bowling, which has been our strength, is not doing well but with the return of two experienced bowlers in Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir our bowling is now at full strength," he added.

Amir missed the last four matches in the England ODI series due to chicken pox before he was included in the World Cup squad.

Riaz was also left out of the Wold Cup preliminary squad but was included after poor form by paceman Junaid Khan.

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  • Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, from Harrow, has become the youngest player ever to earn the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title
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  • She breaks a record held by Kateryna Lagno and matched by China's Hou Yifan, both of whom achieved WGM status aged 12
  • She also picked up a second International Master norm in Samarkand, putting her a step closer to chess's higher, gender-open title

Bodhana Sivanandan discovered chess by accident, playing with pieces her father was about to give away. At 11, she's just become the youngest person in history to hold the title of Woman Grandmaster.

What she achieved in Samarkand

Sivanandan sealed the record at the 46th Chess Olympiad, playing all 11 rounds on England's top board — the position reserved for a team's strongest player — and finishing with eight points. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) confirmed she had already passed the 2300 rating threshold required for the WGM title before this event, and Samarkand delivered the third and final norm needed to make it official.

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