West Indies veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s long Test career looks over, with the 40-year-old reportedly to be overlooked for next month’s two matches against Australia.

Chanderpaul is just 45 runs from Brian Lara’s record 11,912 Test runs by a West Indian but poor form appears set to deny him the chance to eclipse that tally.

In 164 Tests Chanderpaul has scored 11,867 Test runs at 51.37 including 30 centuries. He has scored five hundreds in 20 Tests against Australia, including a 69-ball ton in 2003.

But the gutsy left-hander made just 96 runs in the recent three-Test series against England and failed to pass 50.

West Indies chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd refused to give a definitive answer when asked by Trinidad-based radio station 103FM if the veteran would take on Australia in Dominica and Jamaica.

‘You can’t play players if they’re nearing a record, if they’re not producing,’ said Lloyd, who played his last Test aged 40 against Australia in Sydney in 1984.

‘He’s an icon in so far as cricket is concerned but there comes a time when we would have to say ‘thanks very much’. It comes to all of us.

‘If it does happen you have to move on and you have to accept certain things in life.’ – AAP

PAKISTAN MAKES CLEAN SWEEP

Pakistan have pulled off a sensational last over win by two wickets in the second Twenty20 international against Zimbabwe in Lahore on Sunday to take the two-match series 2-0.

With 12 needed off the last paceman Brian Vitori’s last over number ten Bilawal Bhatti hit a six and four besides taking a double to help Pakistan overhaul a stiff 176-run target in 19.4 overs.

Opener Mukhtar Ahmed hit his second consecutive fifty during his 40-ball 62 to entertain another packed 27,000 holiday crowd.

The win added to Pakistan’s joy as the series marked the return of international cricket in Pakistan since terrorists attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009.

Heavy security continued to remain alert with 4,000 policemen guarding the stadium as helicopters surveilled both teams’ arrival in the evening.

Zimbabwe only agreed to tour after Pakistan Cricket Board guaranteed foolproof security normally reserved for heads of state. – AFP