Category: International Cricket

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…

Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe tests positive for virus

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“Mashrafe Mortaza (pictured during a 2019 Cricket World Cup match against the West Indies) and two other players have tested positive for the coronavirus. ©AFP” Dhaka (AFP) – Former Bangladesh cricket captain Mashrafe Mortaza and two other players said they have tested positive for the coronavirus as infections in the South Asian nation rise. Left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam and former opener Nafees Iqbal were the other two who revealed their positive test results. Mashrafe, who stepped down as the one-day international captain in March but remains available for selection, announced…

New Surrey coach Solanki glad of Kohli time

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“Former England batsman Vikram Solanki is the new head coach at Surrey. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – New Surrey coach Vikram Solanki said working with Virat Kohli in the Indian Premier League had given him an insight into the mindset of cricket’s “superstars” as he prepared to take up the reins at the Oval. Former England batsman Solanki, who finished his playing career with Surrey before joining their backroom staff, succeeds Australia’s Michael Di Venuto at the London-based club. He is set to start his new post next week when…

Sri Lanka ‘sold’ 2011 cricket World Cup final: minister

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“India won the 2011 World Cup final by six wickets. ©AFP” /> Colombo (AFP) – Sri Lanka “sold” the 2011 World Cup final to India, the country’s former sports minister said Thursday, reviving one of cricket’s most explosive match-fixing controversies. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, who was sports minister at the time, is the second senior figure to allege the final was fixed, after 1996 World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga. “I tell you today that we sold the 2011 World Cup finals,” Aluthgamage told Sirasa TV.”Even when I was sports minister I believed…

England women cricketers back in training

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“Back training – England captain Heather Knight (R) and Nat Sciver (L) are among a 24-strong training group . ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – Cricket chiefs announced on Thursday that England’s women players would return to training this month ahead of a possible tri-series in September. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) postponed a series against India, initially scheduled to start at the end of the end of June, because of the coronavirus pandemic. There had been fears that, with many sports prioritising the return of men’s matches over…