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Asia Cup 2020 cancelled, confirms Ganguly

Sarthak Karkhanis
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Asia Cup 2020 cancelled, confirms Ganguly

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly announced on Wednesday, July 8, that the Asia Cup 2020 has been cancelled. The decision was originally expected to come after the Asian Cricket Council meeting on July 9.

In a conversation with journalist Vikrant Gupta on Instagram Live, Ganguly spoke about a variety of issues like the future of the IPL, Australia tour, ICC Chairmanship and gave important updates related to the same.

“Asia Cup has been cancelled. It’s difficult to say which will be India’s first international series. We’ve done our preparations but we can’t do much till we know the government rules. We are not in a hurry because the health of players is of the utmost importance. We are monitoring things monthly,” Ganguly said.

He didnt give any further details on the issue.

Asia Cup 2020 cancelled, confirms Ganguly | BCCI President Sourav Ganguly announced on Wednesday, July 8, that the Asia Cup 2020 has been cancelled.
Asia Cup 2020 has been cancelled

Earlier, the tournament was supposed to be hosted by Pakistan in UAE after India refused to travel to Pakistan. But later, Pakistan and Sri Lanka swapped hosting rights among themselves for the 2020 and 2022 events.

Ganguly also informed that the future of the ICC T20 World Cup will be clear in a few days.

“(If the T20 World Cup gets cancelled) then we will try everything to stage the IPL. It is very important for Indian cricket. We will try to host it in India. The cancellation of T20 World Cup will happen soon because all countries are asking for a direction from ICC. We’ll know by mid-July. My gut-feeling is saying it’s tough, ” the former Indian captain added.

“The ICC is trying their best to stage the T20 World Cup because that brings in a lot of revenue. We don’t have a window for IPL yet because we have to play in Australia in December. That’s FTP and we can’t change that. Australia is one country where, apart from Melbourne, things are returning to normal.”

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

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ENG vs WI: Twitter reacts to the (delayed) return of international cricket

Charbel Coorey
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ENG vs WI: Twitter reacts to the (delayed) return of international cricket

Cricket, glorious cricket, is back. But, England’s weather was up to its usual tricks, playing spoilsport as the entire first session was abandoned due to rain and a wet outfield.

Bummer.

However, fans on Twitter can dish up some beauties, and they didn’t disappoint as rain dampened the exciting mood somewhat.

ENG vs WI: Twitter reacts to the (delayed) return of international cricket
Strange but beautiful sight as the coin is tossed on the return of international cricket.

The best reactions to the delayed start to the 1st England vs West Indies Test:

England and rain? Cricket is truly back. Our game can fight just about anything, except one thing…

Love a good Simpsons/Cricket meme.

Our patience was certainly being tested. Time for England to invest in a roof or two.

2020, please. Just one request.

The countdown was on for the return of international cricket

Excitement was building as the England vs West Indies Test series drew closer. The best sport, alright!

The to-do list is simple. Block out everything. It is Test cricket time!

For some, the very sight of an upcoming live match was too much to handle! A beautiful sight.

Joy as international cricket finally resumed, Stokes adjusting to life as skipper, and surprise at Broad’s omission

Seeing international cricket back on the calendar is a sight to behold.

Fans took to Twitter to express their views on live cricket, just the way it used to be. It may be four months since international cricket was last played, but it seems more like an eternity given what the world has and continues to go through.

The boys shook hands and realised they shouldn’t. This is going to take some getting used to…

Here’s to an excellent Test match and series!

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England pitches will suit spin in July-August: Yasir Shah

Sarthak Karkhanis
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England pitches will suit spin in July-August: Yasir Shah

Pakistan wrist-spinner Yasir Shah believes that Pakistan doesn’t have an inexperienced side. He also hinted that Pakistan may play another spinner in the XI if needed as he feels that wickets in England may favour the tweakers in the months of July-August.

“I think we need to look at the pitches before deciding. Obviously, the tracks in England during July-August tend to assist spinners,” Yasir Shah said.

The leg-spinner was confident about the Asian side’s chances in the Test series.

“Hopefully, we should be able to compete well. The preparation has been good so far. We’ve arrived one month early and so, there is a lot more time left. When we came in 2016, we had a two weeks’ camp in Southampton. So we’re accustomed to the tracks over there. We also played an ODI there. Yes, spinners do enjoy the conditions there. We hope to make use of that,” the 34-year-old added.

Pakistan is unbeaten in England since 2010, and Yasir Shah was a part of those sides. He also showered praise on spin bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed

“It’s a challenge I’m looking forward to. On our 2016 tour, I was able to do well and fortunately, Mushy (Mushtaq Ahmed) was there at that time too. He used to keep telling me what to do. His experience of playing in England and county cricket has helped me a lot. I had to endure a lot of struggles. There was a fracture and returning from such an injury was tough for me. Recovery and form was tough. But I gained confidence steadily and the rhythm started to return. Over here, the practice has been good and Mushy has been constantly giving me tips on areas to improve.”

England pitches will suit spin in July-August: Yasir Shah | Pakistan wrist-spinner Yasir Shah believes that Pakistan doesn’t have an inexperienced side

Shah was impressed with the training facilities and food arrangements in England.

“It’s a different feeling (bio-secure environment) and I’m trying to focus extensively on my preparations. It’s been over a week here in England and I must say that the food arrangements have been really good. We’ve been given meals as recommended by our physio. Of course, I do miss home-cooked food but given the situation across the world, going out isn’t an option.”

Yasir also said that the players will find it difficult to play in front of empty stands.

“It will be definitely be tough to play without crowd support. We’ll miss it for sure. We did play a few PSL games in front of empty stands and it’s never ideal. But given the current scenario, there isn’t much you can do.”

The England-Pakistan Test series is scheduled to begin on August 5 at Old Trafford.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

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Ireland set to tour England; ECB set dates for IRE and PAK series

Charbel Coorey
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Ireland set to tour England; ECB set dates for IRE and PAK series

Ireland will arrive in England later this month for three ODIs against the world champions. England will then move straight onto the Test series against Pakistan.

In a continuation of what is a very unique time for cricket, England will be forced to name separate squads for the ODIs against Ireland and Tests against Pakistan.

Ireland were supposed to be playing in England in September, but this has been pushed forward. The Ageas Bowl in Southampton will be the venue for the three ODIs, to be held from July 30 to August 4. The next day (August 5), England’s first Test against Pakistan will begin in Manchester.

England and Pakistan will then move to Southampton for the second and third Test matches, starting on August 13 and 21 respectively. They will return to Manchester for T20Is at Old Trafford on August 28, 30 and September 1.

Ireland set to tour England; ECB set dates for IRE and PAK series | Ireland and Pakistan to compete with England in late July and August.
Ireland’s visit to England is a big boost for them

England will need to brace for a busy period coming, with Australia also set to tour in September. However, CEO Tom Harrison was not getting complacent.

“Confirmation of these matches against Ireland and Pakistan is another important step for our game as we begin to safely stage international cricket again but also to minimise the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and will continue to have, on cricket at all levels,” Harrison said.

Harrison then also spoke about ensuring the women’s game is high on the agenda, as well as the Australia-England series later this year.

“It must be reiterated that there is still much work for the ECB and the cricket network to do as we try to plot a path through this pandemic. Chief amongst our priorities is to build on our commitment to support and grow women’s cricket and at the elite level discussions continue to progress to determine the best and safest way to host a tri-series against India and South Africa.

“We also continue to explore options for our England men to play white-ball series against Australia this summer and hope to have news on those series soon.”

Harrison was also very thankful to Cricket West Indies, Pakistan Cricket Board and Cricket Ireland for their efforts in helping get cricket back up and running.

“We owe a significant debt of gratitude to the players, staff and administrators of the Cricket West Indies, Cricket Ireland, and the Pakistan Cricket Board for their willingness and co-operation to get international cricket back up and running and allow these matches to be staged.

“Sports fans across the world will benefit as international cricket returns to our screens while it will also provide much-needed financial aid at all levels of cricket in England and Wales as we aim to withstand the challenges in front of us.”

Pakistan’s tour of England looked in doubt a few weeks ago as 10 players tested positive. However, nine have since tested negative, with three to meet with the squad in England.

England vs Ireland ODI series schedule:

  • 1st ODI, Southampton – July 30
  • 2nd ODI, Southampton – August 1
  • 3rd ODI, Southampton – August 4

England vs Pakistan series schedule:

  • 1st Test, Manchester – August 5-9
  • 2nd Test, Southampton – August 13-17
  • 3rd Test, Southampton – August 21-25
  • 1st T20I, Manchester – August 28
  • 2nd T20I, Manchester – August 30
  • 3rd T20I, Manchester – September 1

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Australian players to prepare for England; No T20 World Cup: Reports

Sarthak Karkhanis
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Australian players to prepare for England; No T20 World Cup: Reports

Australian players have been asked to start training and prepare for the limited overs series in England, which is all set to be held in September. According to reports in the The Daily Telegraph, the 2020 T20 World Cup is all set to be postponed.

“Cricket’s World Cup is set to be officially postponed this week as Australia’s players are told to start preparing for comeback battle against England,” the Australian media outlet reported.

Australian players to prepare for England; No T20 World Cup: Reports | England series set to be held in September; T20 World Cup set to be postponed
Australian players to prepare for England

With the World Cup all set to be postponed by the ICC, the Indian Premier League may well happen during the September-November window. “The ideal scenario would be they could go straight from the England limited overs series to wherever the T20 league is held in Middle East or Asia”, the report added.

“Training for return to action in September is strongest indication yet that Aaron Finch’s troops will head to the UK for a limited overs tour in bio-security bubble building up their workloads for a return to play in September and players have been told to start preparing for another date with the Old Enemy.”

Australia’s tour is yet to be confirmed, with details to come in the near future. The imminent postponement of the T20 World Cup is disappointing, but having 16 teams in quarantine, plus the significant second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria, it is very difficult to stage it this year.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

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3 Pakistan players cleared of COVID-19; set to join the squad

Sarthak Karkhanis
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3 Pakistan players cleared of COVID-19; set to join the squad

Haider Ali, Kashif Bhatti and Imran Khan have been cleared to join the Pakistan Cricket team in England after they tested negative for COVID-19 for the second time. Out of the 10 players that tested positive, nine of them have been cleared to play.

Six Pakistan players were allowed to fly to England, as they were tested negative for the 2nd time. Only one player, Haris Rauf, has not yet recovered from the disease although PCB says that he is asymptomatic. The three Pakistan players will fly out along with Mohammad Imran and Malang Ali, who are the masseurs of the team.

3 Pakistan players cleared of COVID-19; set to join the squad | Haider Ali, Kashif Bhatti and Imran Khan have been cleared to join the Pakistan Cricket team in England
Haider Ali confirmed he tested negative for COVID-19

The Pakistan side have started training Worcester where they are in a bio-secure bubble. The teams are in quarantine but are allowed to practice at the training ground. After the completion of the mandatory quarantine period, the teams will be shifted to Derbyshire’s The Incora County Ground on July 13 where they will play 2 Intrasquad practice matches.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

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New Zealand an option to host the IPL: Reports

Sarthak Karkhanis
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New Zealand an option to host the IPL: Reports

The Governing Council (GC) of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is considering options to host the tournament overseas later this year as Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and New Zealand have offered to host it, a BCCI official was quoted saying by the PTI.

“Staging the event in India has to be the first choice. But, in case it is not safe to have it, then we will look at the overseas options. UAE, Sri Lanka and New Zealand have also offered to host the IPL,” a senior BCCI official said.

Earlier this year, the IPL was postponed due to the widespread of the coronavirus pandemic in India. The tournament can be held during the late September-November window as the ICC T20 World Cup is all set to be postponed till 2022.

Also read: Brijesh Patel says IPL outside India a possibility

Among the three countries, Sri Lanka is the most feasible option financially, and with the timings. New Zealand is the safest, considering the pandemic situation with 0 Covid-19 cases in the country but with a 7 and a half hour time difference it is unlikely that it will be played down under. However, UAE will be the most likely option considering that the IPL was previously hosted in the country back in 2014. The timings will not be an issue in case the tournament is hosted in the middle-east.

New Zealand an option to host the IPL: Reports

The Indian Premier League has been played overseas a couple of times. In 2009, the entire tournament was shifted to South Africa owing to the 2009 general elections, while in 2014, the first half was shifted to UAE due to 2014 general elections.

“We will sit down with all stakeholders (broadcaster, teams, etc) and take a call. The safety of the players is paramount. There will be no compromise on that,” the official said.

The IPL GC meeting date will be declared soon. The issue of the Chinese title sponsors is also due to be discussed by the council.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

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Neil Manthorp reveals his best & worst South Africa vs Australia moment since readmission

Charbel Coorey
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Neil Manthorp reveals his best & worst South Africa vs Australia moment since readmission

Neil Manthorp, legendary South African cricket journalist and broadcaster, revealed both his favourite and worst South African moment against the Aussies since readmission. Speaking on the Cricket Unfiltered Podcast, Manthorp engaged listeners with his terrific storytelling.

“There have been lots [of great moments],” said Manthorp. “But nothing, nothing tops the Boxing Day Test match in 2008. I love the MCG; I’m an absolute ‘G tragic. But, you know, coming off the back of the opening win in Perth, chasing 414, it was the history. There are so few mountains to climb in international cricket… you know, so few records that haven’t been broken, but South Africa have been trying to win in Australia for a century. 11 tours. Never won in Australia.”

Manthorp then spoke fondly of that famous Boxing Day Test, recollecting just how well South Africa fought back from a seemingly hopeless position to seal the series 2-0.

“I think Australians have probably forgotten just how far behind South Africa were in that Boxing Day Test match,” said Manthorp. “South Africa were still 10 runs behind [the follow on mark] when they lost their seventh wicket. They were looking at the follow on. So, to win by lunch time on day five was incredible. So, yeah, that’s definitely, definitely my favourite moment.

Neil Manthorp reveals his best & worst South Africa vs Australia moment since readmission
JP Duminy played a memorable knock in the MCG Boxing Day Test of 2008.

There have been lots of others ones that have been enjoyable for different reasons; of course you have Graeme Smith coming out to bat in the third Test match, so that’s my favourite series. To win for the first time in Australia was amazing.”

Also read: South African cricket tragic Daniel Orsmond reveals his top 5 South Africa Tests since 2000

Manthorp was then asked to recollect his worst moment by Australian journalist and Cricket Unfiltered host Andrew Menczel. Two came to mind. The first, the Australia vs South Africa New Years’ Test in 2002.

“You really don’t need to ask me that, do you? Because you already know the answer,. I’ll confirm it,” joked Manthorp. “I’ll give you a couple of near misses. There’s the New Years’ Test match in 2002 when Australia were absolutely dominant. South Africa were hopless.

Australia batted first. They made the usual 550. Things were going reasonably well for South Africa. Herschelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten were batting, and I was sharing an apartment with the great Crash Craddock (Australian cricket journalist) and I’d decided that I was going to invite everyone around for a curry that night,” recalled Manthorp.

“So, I popped out to buy some ingredients and I was only gone a couple of hours. I wanted to get ready; it was going to be a late finish and I was going to be cooking. So, I went out and I got the ingredients to make the curry that evening.”

But, then it all went horribly wrong. And Manthorp won’t ever forget it.

“And, when I got back into the SCG, I thought all was well, because Herschelle Gibbs was still batting!” recalled Manthorp. “But, South Africa had been bowled out in a session and followed on in my absence! So, I just thought ‘we shouldn’t be here’; it was just humiliating”.

Then, Manthorp went on to mention his worst moment – one that will resonate with many South African fans.

“It was the World Cup Semi Final in ’99,” said Manthorp in a more serious tone. “That was when my skin felt like it belonged to somebody else. It was a completely out-of-body experience, that was. It took many years to get over that.”

You can catch the full interview with Neil Manthorp on the Cricket Unfiltered podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

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Would have loved to play more T20s: Sourav Ganguly

Sarthak Karkhanis
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Would have loved to play more T20s: Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly, former Indian captain, believes that T20s have reinvented cricket and he would have loved to play more in the format. In an interview with Indian opener Mayank Agarwal for the BCCI website, the BCCI President talked about the NatWest Trophy Final and the ICC 2003 World Cup.

Although Ganguly didn’t represent India in T20Is, he did play the Indian Premier League while plying his trade and captaining the Kolkata Knight Riders and Pune Warriors India.

“T20 is very important. I would have changed my game. It’s the licence to keep swinging and keep hitting. I would have loved to play T20, although I did play for the first five years of the IPL. I think I would have enjoyed T20,” he said.

Ganguly also spoke about the historic 2002 Natwest Trophy Final and his iconic reaction post the game.

“It was a great moment. We all got carried away, but that’s what sport is. When you win a game like that, you celebrate even more. That was one of the great cricket matches I have been part of,” he said.

“The Natwest had its own charm. When you win in England, on a Saturday at the Lord’s, it’s a remarkable feeling. It’s a packed house. I am sure you will get to play Test cricket in England when we travel to play five Tests…and it’s a remarkable experience.”

Would have loved to play more T20s: Sourav Ganguly | Ganguly also spoke fondly of Natwest Series Final 2002
Sourav Ganguly spoke fondly of a classic match (Natwest Final 2002)

Ganguly feels that getting to the World Cup Final was a great achievement.

“Getting to the World Cup, winning every game hands down except Australia, I thought, was a great achievement.”

He spoke fondly about both the Natwest Trophy and the 2003 WC Final but abstained from comparing both the matches.

“Both have their own place. The World Cup final has a special place; we got smashed by Australia. They were the best team in that generation.”

Ganguly spoke as the BCCI continues to work on all options to stage the IPL in 2020, even overseas.

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

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Confident our team will do well in the T20 World Cup: Babar Azam

Sarthak Karkhanis
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Confident our team will do well in the T20 World Cup: Babar Azam

Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan’s limited overs side, said that he is keen on learning the art of captaincy with the presence of legends in the dressing room itself. He is confident that Pakistan will return to form in T20Is and do well, if and when the T20 World Cup is held.

“If the World Cup is held according to schedule, I’m confident that our team will do well in it,” as there is uncertainty over the future of this year’s T20 World Cup due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“As a professional cricketer I hope that the T20 World Cup is held according to schedule. As Pakistan’s captain I would really want that the World Cup is not delayed as it will be my first World Cup as skipper. But it’s up to the authorities to decide,” Azam added.

Pakistan were on top of the T20I rankings for thee years before the slipped down, due to poor performances in 2019 as they won only one out of the 10 matches they played in the format.

“Yes, we did lose a few matches and our ranking has unfortunately gone down. What happened is that we did some experimentation and tried out several players. We are now sure about the combination, which includes both youth and experience. I’m confident that we will do well in the T20 series against England and improve our ranking.”

Confident our team will do well in the T20 World Cup: Babar Azam | Babar Azam keen to learn about captaincy from Pakistan legends.
Confident our team will do well in the T20 World Cup: Babar Azam

Ahead of the England tour, Pakistan team management has roped in several legendary names like Waqar Younis, Younus Khan and Mushtaq Ahmed in addition to Mishbah ul Haq who is the head coach. Babar Azam, who has only captained in five T20Is so far, is very keen on learning the art of captaincy from these stalwarts and he believes their presence in the dressing room will benefit the players immensely.

“I and other players will benefit immensely from their presence. They are four of our greatest legends. They have loads of experience. It’s our duty to learn from them and I’m sure all of us will do that … I’m keen to learn the art of captaincy from them.” the 25 year-old said.

The skipper showered praise on the former coach, Mickey Arthur and the current coach.

“Mickey really supported me. He gave me confidence. He rated me highly even when I was very much a newcomer. He backed me all the time. The best thing about him was he had great trust in my abilities. I must add that Misbah bhai is no different. He really backs me and has confidence in me. It really helps when your coach trusts you.”

Pakistan will play England only later this month but Azam is happy that they are getting more time for preparation.

“When you don’t play cricket for three months it does make a difference. But the good thing is that we have one extra month to prepare ourselves for the Tests,” he explained. “I was pleasantly surprised to see each and every boy was fit. That’s a good start.

“The next part is to play and practise as much as we can because the more you practise the better you get. We have lined up a series of training sessions and practice matches so I’m sure by the time the Test series begins we will be ready for it.”

Written by Sarthak Karkhanis. Follow Sarthak on Twitter today.

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