Coach abused me: Umar Akmal makes shocking revelation

Agencies
August 17, 2017

Karachi, Aug 17: Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal has made a shocking revelation and claimed that national coach, Mickey Arthur, used 'poor language' and then abused him at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. The right-handed batsman said that former captain Inzamam-ul Haq and former leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed were both witness to the incident. Meanwhile, according to a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson, a show-cause notice is set to be issued to Akmal for breaching the terms of contract and clauses for players by speaking to the media on the issue.

The incident between Akmal and Arthur is said to have taken place when the former reached the academy for training. The batsman had returned from England following a rehabilitation programme for a knee problem.

In July, Akmal was omitted from PCB's list of players that received national contracts.

"I stand by what I told the media earlier today. Mickey Arthur used first poor language and then abused me. Inzamam bhai and Mushtaq bhai (Ahmed) are both witness to this incident at the NCA," Akmal said on Wednesday.

Akmal said that while he had informed batting coach Grant Flower for his need to practice at the academy, he was turned away because he was not a centrally contracted played any more.

"When I reached there first Grant and then our physio, Grant Luden refused to accommodate me saying they were only working with the centrally contracted players. I then went to Mickey and he told he was instructed only to work with the contracted players," said the right-hander.

"He then told me go and speak to Inzamam and Mushtaq. I went to them and spoke to them. They explained things to me about my status and reminded me I had failed the fitness test several times. They advised me to listen to what was being said to me. I said okay and then they told me go and talk to Mickey again," Akmal recalled.

"First he told me what I was doing at the academy. He then told me I should go and play club cricket. And then he used poor and abusive language. I can tolerate anything but I don't think anyone has the right to use such language," he added.

Meanwhile, a PCB spokesman said that a show-cause notice would be issued to Akmal for not taking the board's permission before speaking to the media.

"He is not a centrally contracted player but he is still bound by clauses governing players even one year after his contract expires. He can't speak to the media without first seeking permission from the board," he said.

On the other hand, Akmal has said that he went to the media only because of the 'bad language' used by Arthur and hoped that the PCB would look into the matter.

"I want to know that after I was dropped for the West Indies tour did I complain or blame anyone? I admitted I needed to work harder on my fitness and game.

"When I was sent back from the Champions Trophy which was a humiliating experience for me I didn't say anything or speak in the media. I only admitted I needed to improve my fitness and I had to do better.

"I went to England for rehabilitation and remained positive. But today I went to the media because the head coach used bad language and he has no right to do this with any player and I want the PCB to look into this."

Akmal has played has played in 16 Tests, 116 ODIs and 82 T20Is for Pakistan.

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News Network
February 11,2020

Dubai, Feb 11: Two Indian players-- Akash Singh and Ravi Bishnoi -- and three Bangladeshis have been charged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for involvement in the quarrel just after the U-19 cricket World Cup summit clash in Potchefstroom, South Africa on Sunday.

Akash and Bishnoi and three Bangladeshi players -- Md. Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain and Rakibul Hasan -- were found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct after a few players from both sides nearly came to blows after Bangladesh beat India by three wickets to win their maiden U-19 World Cup title.

"Five players have been found guilty of a Level 3 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Support Personnel ... (they) were charged with violating Article 2.21 of the code, whilst Bishnoi received a further charge of breaching Article 2.5," the ICC said in a statement.

"All five players have accepted the sanctions proposed by ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup Match Referee Graeme Labrooy," it added.

A near brawl broke out after Bangladesh’s historic win over India in the final. The Bangladesh players were aggressive during the Indian innings with lead pacer Shoriful Islam frequently sledging the Indian batsmen.

As soon as the match ended, Bangladeshi players rushed into the playing area.

"India's Akash accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of eight suspension points, which equates to six demerit points, which will remain on his record for two years," the ICC said.

Compatriot Bishnoi accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of five suspension points, which equates to five demerit points.

"Bishnoi also accepted a level 1 charge of breaching Article 2.5 for a separate incident during the match, where he used language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter following the dismissal of Avishek Das in the 23rd over," said the ICC.

"For this he received a further two demerit points meaning seven demerit points will remain on his record for the next two years."

Bangladesh's Towhid Hridoy accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of ten suspension points, which equates to six demerit points, which will remain on his record for two years.

Shamim Hossain accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of eight suspension points, which equates to six demerit points, which will remain on his record for two years.

Rakibul Hasan accepted the charge of breaching Article 2.21 and has received a sanction of four suspension points, which equates to five demerit points, which will remain on his record for two years.

All charges were levelled by on-field umpires Sam Nogajski and Adrian Holdstock, third umpire Ravindra Wimalasiri as well as fourth umpire Patrick Bongni Jele. Level 3 breaches carry a minimum penalty of four suspension points and a maximum penalty of 12 suspension points.

The suspension points will be applied to the forthcoming international matches the players are most likely to participate in at either senior or U-19 level. One suspension point equals a player being ineligible for one ODI or T20I, U-19 or A team international match.

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News Network
January 17,2020

Jan 17: Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza cruised into the women's doubles final of the Hobart International with her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok here on Friday.

Sania and Kichenok sailed past the Slovenian-Czech pair of Tamara Zidansek and Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (3) 6-2 in the semifinal contest that lasted one hour and 24 minutes.

The fifth-seeded Indo-Ukrainian combination will lock horns with second seeds Shuai Peng and Shuai Zhang of China. The Chinese pair got a walkover after Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens and Alison Van Uytvanck conceded the other semifinal match because of injury.

While Sania and Kichenok had to fight hard in the opening set, the second set was a cakewalk for the combination.

The first set was a tough contest between the two pairs, bringing the tie-breaker into the equation after it was level at 6-6.

In the tie-breaker, Sania and Kichenok upped their game by a few notches to outsmart their opponents and take the lead.

The second set was a no-contest as Saina and Kichenok broke their opponents thrice -- in the second, sixth and eighth game -- to easily pocket the set and a place in the summit clash.

Saina and Kichenok got 11 break chances out of which they converted four, while their opponents utilised two out of the five break chances that came their way.

The 33-year-old Sania is returning to the WTA circuit after two years. During her time away from the game, she battled injury breakdowns before taking a formal break in April 2018 to give birth to her son Izhaan. She is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.

Before the ongoing event, Sania last played at China Open in October 2017.

A trailblazer in Indian tennis, Sania is a former world No.1 in doubles and has six Grand Slam titles to her credit.

She retired from the singles competition in 2013 after becoming the most successful Indian woman tennis player.

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Agencies
August 2,2020

New Delhi, Aug 2: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Sunday said the Women's IPL or the Challenger series, as it is better known, is "very much on", ending speculation about the parent body not having a plan for Harmanpreet Kaur and her team.

The men's IPL will be held between September 19 and November 8 or 10 (final date yet to be locked in) in the UAE due to the surge in Covid-19 cases in India. The women's IPL will also be fit in to the schedule, according to the BCCI chief.

"I can confirm to you that the women's IPL is very much on and we do have a plan in place for the national team also," Ganguly told PTI ahead of the IPL Governing Council meeting later on Sunday.

The BCCI president, who is awaiting a Supreme Court verdict on waiver of the cooling-off period to continue in the position, did not divulge details but another senior official privy to the development said that women's Challenger will be held during the last phase of IPL like last year.

"The women's Challenger series is likely to be held between November 1-10 and there could be a camp before that," the source said.

The former India captain also said that the centrally contracted women players will have a camp which has been delayed due to the prevailing situation in the country.

"We couldn't have exposed any of our cricketers -- be it male or female to health risk. It would have been dangerous," Ganguly said.

"The NCA also remained shut because of Covid-19. But we have a plan in place and we will have a camp for women, I can tell you that," he added.

The BCCI's cricket operations team is chalking up a schedule where Indian women are likely to have two full-fledged white-ball series against South Africa and the West Indies before playing the ODI World Cup in New Zealand. 

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