Melbourne to host final of men's, women's 2020 World T20

Agencies
January 30, 2018

Melbourne, Jan 30: Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the final of both the men's and women's World Twenty20 when the tournaments come to Australia in 2020, organisers announced on Tuesday.

The women's tournament, made up of 10 teams, will be held from February 21 to March 8 before 16 men's teams play from October 18 to November 15. It will mark the first time the tournaments are held as standalone events in the same year in the same country.

The women's final will coincide with International Women's Day, with the world governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), hoping for a record attendance at a women's sporting event.

The largest crowd to attend a women's sporting event was 90,185 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for the 1999 Women's World Cup soccer final between the United States and China.

"It's very exciting to think about ... to potentially play in front of over 90,000 people," Australia women's captain Meg Lanning told reporters.

"I think it just shows where the women's game is at. It's always evolving and it's exciting to see where it is in 2020."

The ICC and Cricket Australia unveiled the venues for both tournaments on Tuesday, with women's pool matches to be played at several smaller venues in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra.

Both the women's semi-finals will be at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Hobart and Geelong will host six pool stage matches in the men's tournament before the country's six main cricket venues, including the new Perth Stadium, host matches.

The men's semi-finals will be in Sydney and Adelaide before the final in Melbourne, where Steve Smith's side will be looking to end a poor run in global tournaments for the shortest form of the game.

Australia's men have made just one previous final, in 2010 in the West Indies, and have been knocked out in the second round of the last two tournaments.

"When T20 cricket started, it was just a smash-and-grab sort of game," Smith said. "The game has changed so much and the strategy behind the game is really important.

"Hopefully we can get that trophy that's eluded us for so long."

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News Network
June 10,2020

Kingston, Jun 10: "Enough is enough", said West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as he opened up on the raging issue of racism and called for "respect and equality" for black people, who have faced discrimination for years.

Bravo joined the likes of his former captain Darren Sammy and Chris Gayle in denouncing racism in the wake of African-American George Floyd's killing at the hands of a white police officer in the USA.

"It's sad to see what's going on around the world. As a black man, we know the history of what black people have been through. We never ask for revenge, we ask for equality and respect. That's it," Bravo told former Zimbabwe cricketer Pommie Mbangwa in an Instagram live chat on Tuesday.

"We give respect to others. Why is it that we are facing this over and over? Now enough is enough. We just want equality. We don't want revenge, war.

"We just want respect. We share love and appreciate people for who they are. That's what is most important."

The 36-year-old, who has played 40 Tests, 164 ODIs and 71 T20Is for West Indies, said he wants the world to know that they are powerful and beautiful people and gave the example of greats such as Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan.

"I just want our brothers and sisters to know that we are powerful and beautiful. And at the end of the day, you look at some of the greats of the world, whether it is Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan we have had leaders who paved the way for us," he said.

Two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Sammy had earlier alleged that a racist nickname was used to address him during his IPL stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad and demanded an apology.

Sammy said he was called 'Kalu' while he was in India. 'Kalu' is a derogatory word to describe black people.

Gayle, who too plays in the IPL, took to Twitter to back Sammy, saying that racism does exist in cricket.

"It's never too late to fight for the right cause or what you've experienced over the years! So much more to your story, @darensammy88. Like I said, it's in the game!!," Gayle tweeted.

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News Network
January 14,2020

Sydney, Jan 14: Retired South African big-hitter AB de Villiers on Tuesday said efforts are on to ensure his comeback in the national team for the T20 World Cup in Australia, a plan in which his IPL form will play a crucial role.

Speaking to Cricket Australia's official website 'cricket.com.au', the 35-year-old swashbuckler said he would love to be back two years after calling it quits internationally. He is currently in Australia to play in the Big Bash League.

"I would love to. I've been talking to 'Bouch' (new South Africa coach Mark Boucher), (new director of cricket) Graeme Smith and (captain) Faf (du Plessis) back home, we're all keen to make it happen," he said.

"It's a long way away still, and plenty can happen – there's the IPL coming up, I've still got to be in form at that time. So I'm thinking of throwing my name in the hat and hoping that everything will work out," he added.

De Villiers, nonetheless, is keeping a check on his expectations.

"It's not a guarantee, once again. I don't want to disappoint myself or other people, so for now I'm just going to try and keep a low profile, try and play the best possible cricket that I can and then see what happens towards the end of the year," he said.

"There are a lot of players (involved with CSA) who I used to play with. Guys who understand the game, leaders of the team for many years" he said of the present dispensation.

"So it's much easier to communicate than what it used to be in the past. They understand what players go through – especially players that have played for 15 years internationally.

"It doesn't mean that everything is going to be sunshine and roses, but it's definitely a lot easier and it feels comfortable, the language that's being used and just the feel that everyone has at the moment in South Africa about the cricket," he added.

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Agencies
January 23,2020

Aurangabad, Jan 23: An FIR has been registered against three people including former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin for allegedly duping a travel agent, Mohammad Shadab, of more than Rs 20 lakh.

However, Mohammad Azharuddin has refuted allegations and said: "I strongly rubbish the false FIR filed against me in Aurangabad. I am consulting my legal team and would be taking action as necessary."

Azharuddin's personal assistant Mujeeb lives in Augurangabad and has good relations with the travel agency of Shadab.

The travel agent alleged that Mujeeb asked him to book some flight tickets but did not pay the amount.

The police have booked the three under Section 406, 420 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

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