Steve Smith, AB de Villiers Say No to Pakistan Leg of PSL 2019

Agencies
November 11, 2018

Karachi, Nov 11: Former Australian captain Steve Smith has given his conditional availability for the fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League, insisting that he would only be playing matches in the United Arab Emirates and not travel to Pakistan for the playoffs and final.

Smith, who is serving a 12-month ban for his role in the Cape Town ball tampering incident during a Test match against South Africa earlier this year, is allowed to appear in T20 leagues worldwide.

His ban ends before the World Cup in England next year, and it is the first time the Australian batsman has given his availability for the PSL.

According to a reliable source in the Pakistan Super League secretariat, besides some other top foreign players have also made it clear they wouldn't travel to Pakistan for the last leg of the PSL featuring eight matches including the final in Karachi.

"Smith and these players have said they will only be available to play in UAE," the source told PTI.

South Africa's AB de Villiers has also limited his first ever appearance in the PSL to just two weeks and that too apparently only for matches in the UAE.

The names of 371 foreign players and 311 Pakistani players will feature in the PSL players draft to be held on November 20th in Islamabad.

Except for India, players from all the test playing nations and associate member countries of the ICC are available for the players draft.

Many of the foreign stars will only be available for part of the PSL when they are free of national duty or after the conclusion of the Big Bash League in Australia.

For example Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and Australian opener Chris Lynn will only be available for the league following the conclusion of BBL.

The local list of players also includes the names of Pakistan's former captain, Salman Butt, who has completed a five-year ban for spot-fixing and discarded stars, Imran Farhat, Imran Nazir, Abdul Razzaq.

In the third PSL also the six franchises in the tournament faced difficulties when some of their overseas stars refused to travel to Lahore and Karachi to play in the playoffs and final due to security concerns.

The PCB has once again told the franchises it is their responsibility to decide whether they want to sign on foreign players who are not willing to play in Pakistan.

"The onus has been put on us that we must convince our foreign signings to also be prepared to play in Pakistan," a franchise owner said.

In a big boost for the PSL, the PCB has apparently already sold the tournament title rights for a booming 1.5 billion rupees for a three-year period a big increase on the previous sponsorship of one billion rupees.

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News Network
June 20,2020

Melbourne, Jun 20: If 15 teams can be allowed to enter Australia for the T20 World Cup then fans will not be stopped from watching live action from the stadiums, Cricket Australia's interim CEO Nick Hockley said on Saturday.

Hockley replaced under-fire Kevin Roberts, who recently got the boot from Cricket Australia, which is grappling with financial woes.

Different possibilities are being worked out for the T20 World to go ahead as scheduled later this year and one of them is to host the tournament before empty stands in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Hockley said crowds will be allowed, though, hosting 15 teams with players, officials and support staff is "complex" as of now, hinting that probably the ICC flagship event could be pushed back.

"The reality is, and we've got much more understanding about this in recent weeks, is crowds are most likely to come back before international travel. Our biggest challenge is getting 15 teams into the country," Hockley told cricket.com.au when asked if he would like to see the World Cup proceed without fans.

"If I compare it with the prospect of a bilateral tour, you're talking about bringing one team in and then playing individual matches. But the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and having six or seven teams in one city at the same time, it's a much more complex exercise."

When specifically asked whether crowds would be permitted by the time borders have opened to the point that 15 teams will be allowed to travel to Australia, Hockley replied in an affirmative.

"That's the current thinking, yes."

Hockley said it came as a shock when he was asked by Cricket Australia to replace Roberts.

"I've had very mixed emotions. I was very shocked to be asked. I didn't see it coming at all, so I probably haven't had time yet to process it. I feel very sad for Kev (Roberts). On the other hand, I feel this is a massive privilege to be asked, it's a massive responsibility and a massive opportunity even if it's only for the next few months," he said.

Hockey did not commit when asked if he would like to assume the role full time, but he did say that he would quit as CEO of the T20 World Cup Organising Committee.

"My approach throughout my entire career has been to focus on doing the best job I can with what I've been tasked with, and the future will look after itself. And I'll continue the same approach.

"That's (T20 World Cup) been a real priority over the last 48 hours. We're reasonably well progressed and we will be appointing an interim because you just can't do both," he said.

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News Network
March 26,2020

New Delhi, Mar 26: As India continues its fight against coronavirus, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly pledged to donate rice worth Rs 50 Lakhs to the needy people.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), in its statement, said Ganguly along with Lal Baba Rice will provide rice to people who have been put in government schools for safety and security.
"#Sourav to provide Free Rice to the Needy It is heartening to note that Sourav Ganguly along with Lal Baba Rice has come forward to provide free rice worth Rs 50 lacs to the needy people who have been put in government schools for safety and security. Hope this initiative of Ganguly would encourage other citizens of the state to take up similar initiatives to serve the people of our state. #CAB," CAB said in a statement.
CAB President Avishek Dalmiya has also lent support to the needy people as he donated Rs 5 lakhs to the Government's Emergency Relief Fund.
"CAB President donates 5 lakhs to the Government's Emergency Relief Fund to fight against #CoronaVirus/#Covid19," CAB said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a 21-day nation-wide lockdown to contain coronavirus.

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News Network
January 8,2020

Indore, Jan 8:  India skipper Virat Kohli has added yet another feather to his cap by becoming the fastest player to score 1,000 runs in T20I cricket as a captain. Kohli played an unbeaten knock of 30 during India''s seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second T20I of the ongoing three-match series on Tuesday evening.

Kohli achieved the milestone of scoring 1,000 runs as captain in his 30th T20I inning. He is the second Indian and sixth overall after MS Dhoni to have achieved the feat. Dhoni had scored 1112 runs in 62 T20I games as captain.

Faf du Plessis (1273 runs from 40 games), Kane Williamson (1083 runs in 39 games), Eoin Morgan (1013 runs in 43 games) and Ireland''s William Porterfield (1002 runs in 56 games) are other captains on the list.

During India''s emphatic victory at the Holkar Stadium, Kohli also surpassed team-mate Rohit Sharma, who has been rested for the series, as the top run-getter in the T20Is. Kohli now has 2663 runs from 71 innings.

Both had finished 2019 as joint top-scorers in T20Is, with 2633 runs each.

India, already with an unassailable lead of 1-0 in the series, will now face Sri Lanka in the final T20I on Friday in Pune. The first match between the two teams was called off without a ball being bowled due to wet patches on the pitch in Guwahati last Sunday.

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