Without clearances, Chennai could lose IPL final

Agencies
April 9, 2019

New Delhi, Apr 9: The Indian squad for the ICC World Cup will be selected on April 15 in Mumbai, the CoA decided on Monday apart from giving a one-week deadline to TNCA to get required clearances for keeping the IPL final in Chennai.

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) along with three BCCI office bearers met in the Capital to discuss various issues related to IPL and Cricket Operations.

The last date for announcing the World Cup squads is April 23 but BCCI has decided to announce it eight days prior to the scheduled date. The World Cup will begin on May 30 in the United Kingdom.

The decision was informally taken at an earlier date but was announced on Monday.

While Indian team's World Cup preparations are on right track with only a couple of slots up for grabs, the formidable Chennai Super Kings team might feel a bit uncomfortable after BCCI zeroed in on Hyderabad as the stand-by venue for the May 12 final.

The issue of the three empty stands -- I, J and K -- at the Chepauk has been an issue since 2012 and whenever Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has organised matches (IPL or international), the three stands have remained out of bounds for the spectators as the local municipal corporation has not provided a fit certificate.

The only exception was an ODI match in December 2012, when an exception was made as India was playing Pakistan. The issue many believe is more political between the state government and the TNCA.

"Three stands constitute 12,000 spectators. It looks really odd on TV whenever one finds completely empty stands. We don't want CSK to lose out on home advantage if they qualify for the play-offs," a senior BCCI official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

"But we have given them a week's time to get clearances. If they fail to procure the certificates, the final will be shifted to Hyderabad and play-off and eliminator will go to Bengaluru. Since Sunrisers were runners-up in 2018, they will be hosting the final," he added.

Meanwhile, the CoA also decided on the format of the mini Women's IPL which will be played with three teams. There will be four games instead of the odd-exhibition match played last year.

"The matches will be held at 8 pm which is also TV prime time for men's matches. One game will be held in Visakhapatnam and other games will be in all likelihood held in Bengaluru," said a source.

It was also learnt that CoA has asked the steering committee of Players' Association to expedite the process of formation of the body.

"The Players' Association is expected to take shape in the next two weeks. The four-member committee has been told to expedite the process," an official said.

The BCCI has also decided to invite fresh tender for title sponsorship of domestic tournaments and international games in India. "It will be a fresh process but PayTm can also bid but just like new bidders."

Even BCCI's PR company AdFactors' contract with the board has come to an end and they will have to show 'Expression of Interest' (EOI) and again apply through the proper process.

The BCCI will be getting Rs 2.09 crore from Cricket Australia after reconciliation of accounts for the past 10 years.

"There have been discussions on accounts settlements over all the past bilateral series between India and Australia. We are supposed to get Rs 2.09 crore. The discussions are still on. The office bearers will again meet the CoA on April 20," a BCCI official said.

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News Network
May 9,2020

May 9: Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has donated an undisclosed amount to financially help 4,000 underprivileged people, including children from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools, amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tendulkar made the donation to the Hi5 Foundation, a non-profit organisation based out of Mumbai.

“Best wishes to team Hi5 for your efforts in supporting families of daily wage earners,” Tendulkar tweeted.

The organisation, through a tweet, thanked Tendulkar for doing his bit for the needy.

“Thanks @sachin_rt for proving once again that #sports encourages compassion! Your generous donation towards our #COVID19 fund enables us to financially aid 4000 underprivileged people, including children from @mybmc schools. Our budding sportspersons thank you, Little Master!”

The legendary batsman had earlier contributed Rs 25 lakh each to Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the country’s fight against COVID-19. Tendulkar had earlier pledged to bear the cost of feeding 5,000 people for a month in a couple of areas in Mumbai.

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News Network
April 14,2020

Karachi, Apr 14: Disappointed with Kapil Dev's response, Pakistan's Shahid Afridi has backed his former teammate Shoaib Akhtar's proposal for an ODI series against India to help raise funds for the less privileged in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Afridi told reporters in Kohat that he was surprised by the comments of Indian great Kapil and former IPL chairman, Rajeev Shukla, who outrightly dismissed Akhtar's suggestion.

"The entire world is fighting against coronavirus and we need unity in our region to defeat this common enemy. Such negative comments don't help at all," Afridi said.

"I don't see anything wrong with Shoaib Akhtar's suggestion for Pakistan and India to play cricket.

"Kapil's reaction has surprised me. I expected better from him and feel one should not talk like this in these crisis times."

Afridi said that he was also surprised at some of the "negative comments" Indian stars Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh's support for his charity foundation attracted.

"Sport is supposed to bring people together and build bridges. It is pretty disappointing."

Afridi also urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to order the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to restore departmental cricket in the country to save the livelihood of hundreds of domestic players.

"I myself played for the departments and witnessed how departments really salvaged domestic cricket in Pakistan and helped it thrive decade after decade.

"Departments take good care of the players and spend lots of money on the development of domestic cricket, so how can departmental cricket hurt Pakistan cricket," questioned Afridi.

He also questioned the PCB and the Pakistan team management for making a fitness of players a big issue.

"They are always talking about hard training and fitness tests. I have never seen fitness tests taken with such frequency and the result is that many players are getting injured and many of them are also unhappy with the situation."

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News Network
January 23,2020

Jan 23: Quinton de Kock has been named as the new captain of the South Africa One-Day International side, taking over from Faf du Plessis, who is dropped altogether from the three-match series against England next month.

Du Plessis led South Africa in their disastrous 2019 World Cup campaign and has hinted at international retirement from all formats following the Twenty20 global finals in Australia later this year.

"We all know the quality of the player that Quinton de Kock has grown to become," CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Over the years we have watched him grow in confidence and become one of the top ODI wicket-keeper batsmen in the world. He has a unique outlook and manner in which he goes about his business and is tactically very street smart."

De Kock leads a 15-man squad with five uncapped players in seamers Lutho Sipamla and Sisanda Magala, left-arm orthodox spinner all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin, opening batsman Janneman Malan and wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne.

Magala, leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, seamer Lungi Ngidi and hard-hitting opening batsman Jon Jon Smuts must pass fitness tests before they can join the squad.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will be rested for the series, while allrounders Chris Morris and Dwaine Pretorius have also not been able to force their way in.

"The road towards the 2023 Cricket World Cup starts now and we want players doing well in our domestic structures to see the rewards of the hard work that they have put in," CSA Independent Selector Linda Zondi added.

The first ODI will be staged in Cape Town on Feb.4th, with the second in Durban three days later and the final match of the series to be held in Johannesburg on Feb.9th.

Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Jon Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne.

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