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No England positives from ECB virus tests ahead of Windies series

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“Old Trafford will be the venue for the second and third Tests of the England-West Indies series due to its on-site hotel. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – No England cricketer tested positive for the coronavirus prior to a training group assembling at the Ageas Bowl ahead of next month’s Test series against the West Indies, it was announced Wednesday. The England and Wales Cricket Board said all results came back negative from 702 tests carried out on players, support staff, match officials, ECB staff, venue staff and hotel staff from…

‘First love’ – how 1983 World Cup win triggered India’s obsession with cricket

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“Batsman Sunil Gavaskar (L) and former captain Kapil Dev were two of the heroes of India’s 1983 World Cup win. ©AFP” /> New Delhi (AFP) – “First love red an obsession with the sport in India and created its biggest market — ultimately making India’s board the richest and most powerful in the world. India was previously a hockey-loving nation, owing to their five Olympic gold medals between 1948 and 1980.But on June 25, 1983, India’s cricketers became world-beaters. Nobody saw the victory coming, after India came into the one-day tournament…

‘Properly handle sensitive factors’: China tells India, Russia on bilateral ties

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COURTESY BY: https://www.hindustantimes.com/ Beijing on Tuesday said the tripartite grouping of Russia, India and China should maintain strategic autonomy, “properly handle” sensitive issues in bilateral ties and overall maintain a good relationship. Speaking at the Russia, India and China (RIC) virtual foreign ministers’ meeting on Tuesday, state councilor and minister, Wang Yi said the three countries “…should correctly treat and properly handle sensitive factors in bilateral relations and overall maintain a good relationship”. “Properly handle sensitive factors” in bilateral issues was the closest that Wang came in referring to the…

Imran Khan’s anti-graft crusade hits the glass ceiling. It is Made in China

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COURTESY BY: https://www.hindustantimes.com/ For those who remember the memorable courtroom scene from the Tom Cruise blockbuster, “A few good men”, in which Jack Nicholson, in a moment of extreme provocation, exclaims “you can’t handle the truth’, the situation in Pakistan today is a grim reminder of the opacity with which the deep state operates to protect its interests. Even Imran Khan, the poster boy of the establishment, didn’t realise how deeply vested the interests of the Army are in the matters of the State when he decided to move his…

Paine says Australia cricketers must adapt quickly after cutbacks

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“Tim Paine will lead Australia in their Test series against India later this year. ©AFP” /> Sydney (AFP) – Australia’s cricketers must forge a leaner, tighter Test team to cope with the coronavirus-related job losses forced on the sport, captain Tim Paine said Tuesday. Paine played down reports of tensions between the players and Cricket Australia but said the game’s elite had to come to terms with cutbacks related to the pandemic. That included losing long-time batting assistant Graeme Hick and other backroom staff when CA axed 40 jobs last…

West Indies batsmen must start strongly, says Simmons

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“West Indies coach Phil Simmons. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – West Indies coach Phil Simmons said his batsmen must hit the ground running in England to give of a first-class game, in the run-up to the first Test, which starts in Southampton on July 8. The West Indies attack features Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel and captain Jason Holder, with Alzarri Joseph — tipped by Simmons to be a “big hit” also in the squad. But their batsmen have struggled to build big totals in recent years. The West Indies beat England…

Giles confident Pakistan’s England tour will go ahead despite positive virus tests

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“England cricket team chief Ashley Giles. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – England managing director Ashley Giles believes Pakistan’s tour in August will go ahead even though three Pakistani cricketers have tested positive for coronavirus. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Monday that leg-spinner Shadab Khan, fast bowler Haris Rauf and teenage batsman Haider Ali had tested positive for COVID-19 despite showing no symptoms and would now go into self-isolation. Pakistan are due to play three Tests and three Twenty20 internationals against England, starting in August. More virus results from the…

SECOND update on Covid-19 tests

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COURTESY BY: https://www.pcb.com.pk/ Lahore, 23 June 2020: Following the announcement yesterday that three players had tested positive for Covid-19, the Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday confirmed that a further seven players and a player support personnel from a total of 35 have tested positive for Covid-19. The PCB had organised these 35 tests in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar on Monday. Players who have tested positive are: Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan and Wahab Riaz Player who have tested negative are: Abid Ali, Asad…

Don’t ‘poke the bear’ – Warner says Aussies shouldn’t sledge Kohli

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“Virat Kohli will lead India in their tour of Australia this year. ©AFP” /> New Delhi (AFP) – Australia’s David Warner has warned against sledging Virat Kohli when India tour Australia this year, saying “trying to poke the bear” will only make the star batsman play better. As cricket slowly gets back into action after coronavirus suspensions, India are slated to tour Australia for four Test matches in December-January in what is set to be a highlight of the year. Warner, a lynchpin of Australia’s batting attack, said he is looking…

Pakistan bowler Irfan confirms he is ‘well’ after rumours of death

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“Irfan (L) is the tallest man to play international cricket. ©AFP” /> Islamabad (AFP) – Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan had to confirm that rumours of his death spreading on social media were “fake news” on Sunday. The 38-year-old, known for being the tallest person to play first-class cricket at 7ft 1in (2.16 m), said false reports saying he had been in a car accident were “baseless”. “Some social media outlets have been spreading a baseless fake news about my death in a car accident,” Irfan wrote on Twitter. “This…