MUMBAI: While the rest of the media have been reporting that Aamir Khan is taking on his archrival Shah Rukh Khan by throwing a cricket bash at his house at the same time when SRK is having a bash at Mannat.

Fact is that Aamir has cancelled the shooting of Reema Kagti's untitled movie and is flying down to Mohali to see the high-octane India-Pakistan cricket match live.

Shah Rukh has also cancelled all his appointments to watch the Indo-Pak match with his close friends. The guest list includes Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay and wife Maheep Kapoor

COLOMBO: Pakistan's maverick paceman Shoaib Akhtar, whose colourful career has been a heady mix of on-field brilliance and off-field controversy, will quit international cricket after the World Cup.

"Yes, I will quit international cricket after the World Cup" the 35-year-old said.

"I have taken this decision after much thought. Pakistan's last match in this World Cup will also be my last. I hope that will be the final on April 2."

Akhtar made up his mind after Pakistan's 110-run defeat against New Zealand, in which he went for 70 runs in his nine overs.

He was rested for the match against Zimbabwe on Monday and was thought to be an unlikely starter for Saturday's last Group A match against Australia.

Akhtar, who made his international debut in 1997, took 178 wickets in 46 Tests, the last of which was against India at Bangalore in 2007.

He is three wickets short of 250 in 163 one-day internationals and has taken 19 wickets in 15 Twenty20 internationals.

Pakistan squad members hugged him in the dressing room on Thursday before captain Shahid Afridi embraced him as the players entered the R. Premadasa stadium in Colombo for practice.

Akhtar, known as the Rawalpindi Express during his tear away days as one of Test cricket's most feared if unpredictable talents, once cracked the 100mph barrier at the 2003 World Cup.

At this World Cup, which was always likely to be his swansong, Akhtar looked neat and tidy with figures of 0-10 and 2-42 against Kenya and Sri Lanka respectively.

He missed the win over Canada but was then smashed all over the park at Pallekele against New Zealand, with figures of 1-70, before being dropped for the game with Zimbabwe.

His career will always be remembered for a series of fitness problems, discipline violations as well as a doping offence that put the brakes on achieving his true potential.

Most recently he was fined $2,000 for breaching discipline after the defeat to New Zealand.

Team manager Intikhab Alam confirmed the fine, which was levied after an on-field spat with wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, who missed two chances off his bowling.

Akhtar and the now banned Mohammad Asif failed drugs tests in 2006 and were suspended for two years and one year respectively, both of which were lifted on appeal.

Fitness problems forced him to miss the 2007 World Cup while he was fined heavily and banned for 13 ODIs after he hit Asif with a bat two days before the 2007 World Twenty20 in South Africa.

In 2008 he was banned for five years after publicly criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board following his exclusion from the list of centrally contracted players.

MOHALI: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi insists that the pressure and expectation will all be on India's shoulders in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final blockbuster.

With the prize of a place in Saturday's final at stake, a fever-pitch mood is expected with the 30,000 capacity Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium sold out days ago for the crunch clash.

"We are not the most favourite team for this competition. India is the most favourite and we have played above expectations. We are very confident and we are enjoying our cricket," said Afridi.

But India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni shrugged off the hype surrounding a match which has also taken on huge diplomatic and political significance.

"It's an honour to lead the side," said Dhoni. "If you take a pressure job, you will find yourself in a pressure cooker. When you talk about hype and pressure, what does not help you needs to be kept away. "You need to top up on the skills aspect - vital areas we are focusing on."

The match will be a clash between Pakistan's well-balanced bowling attack and India's star-studded top order, including opener Sachin Tendulkar who needs just one more century for a hundred international hundreds.

"We believe we have the strongest bowling attack in the world," said Pakistan opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez, who took the new ball with his off-spin in the quarter-final win over the West Indies. "That's the key."

Pakistan's Umar Gul is arguably the best reverse-swing bowler at this tournament while Saaed Ajmal's off-spin a potent weapon.

And then there is the leg-spin of Pakistan captain Afridi who is the tournament's top bowler with 21 wickets at an average of just 10.71 apiece.

Meanwhile fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who will retire after the World Cup, waits in the wings. Akhtar has played just three games at this tournament but the suspicion remains that India's batsmen can be troubled by high-class fast bowling.

"Shoaib is not 100 percent but I think he is trying his level-best and we will decide (on his selection) this evening," Afridi said.

India did manage to overcome champions Australia's three-pronged pace attack in a five-wicket quarter-final win in Ahmedabad but that was on a pitch favouring spin. Even then, India collapsed to 187 for five chasing 261 for victory, and it needed a composed 57 not out from the in-form Yuvraj Singh, now back on his home ground, to see the co-hosts to victory.

Traditionally, the Mohali pitch has always offered plenty of pace and bounce and that could yet see Pakistan give Akhtar one last shot at India.

Pakistan's ability to make early inroads into a top order featuring Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir could be decisive.

India's bowlers, notably left-arm quick Zaheer Khan and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, did a good containing job against Australia. India will look for similar results in a bid to book a place in the April 2 Mumbai final against either Sri Lanka or New Zealand.

"I think it's a great sign for both countries and sports, especially cricket always brings these two countries together," Afridi said.

Pakistan, who've yet to register an individual hundred at this event, have lost all four of their World Cup matches against India. However, Hafeez said: "Pakistan has not defeated India in the World Cup but in the last 12 years, Australia also had not lost a single World Cup game. But then they lost to us (by four wickets) and to India.

ISLAMABAD: Interpol Secretary General Ronald Nobel has revealed that terror bid during world Cup 2011 has been thwarted, Geo News reported.

He was addressing a joint press conference following his meeting with Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

Rehman Malik said that Taliban tried to enter India, adding that some people were arrested but none of them was Pakistani national.

Rehman while demanding immediate action against those fanatics involved in desecration of the Holy Quran urged Interpol secretary general to play his role. Ronald said that this act would encourage terrorists’ agenda.

He said that a man who traveled to Maldives from Karachi was arrested during the world cup, adding that the man had desires to conduct terrorism in Sri Lanka.

HANGU: At least five policemen have been killed and as many as 25 others sustained injuries as a result of a powerful explosion – apparently a suicide blast, near Doaaba police station here in Hangu early on Thursday, Geo News reported. According to reports, a suicide bomber driving an explosive-laden vehicle stormed at the Doaaba police station, ripping through the building, which killed five policemen and injured 25 more. Law Enforcement Agencies (LAE) officials have reached the crime site and kicked off rescue efforts as the poor injured police officials are being rushed to hospital for medical attainment. Doctors said some among injured are critical in condition.