Pakistan get Musharraf praise, bonus for Australia win

[Kool Guy]

Pakistan get Musharraf praise, bonus for Australia win

AFP Wednesday, September 19, 2007 12:25:22 PM

Pakistan's cricketers received praise from President Pervez Musharraf and a 10,000-dollar bonus each for their win against Australia in the ICC WorldTwenty20, officials said.

"The president spoke to captain Shoaib Malik late Tuesday and congratulated him and the team for an outstanding performance," Musharraf's spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi told AFP.

Pakistan upset Australia by six wickets in a group F match of the Super Eights on Tuesday to virtually seal a semi-final place in the ICC WorldTwenty20 championships being played in South Africa.

"The team's performance has made the country proud," Qureshi quoted Musharraf as telling Malik, who put on a century partnership with Misbah-ul Haq in the match.

Musharraf, who is also patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board, hailed the team's "very spirited performance and praised Malik's leadership and how well the seniors and juniors in the team have gelled as a unit," Qureshi said.

Pakistan's second win in the group has left them needing a point in the last match against Bangladesh in Cape Town on Thursday to move into the last four.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has also announced a cash reward of 10,000 dollars for each player following the victory, a spokesperson said.