Category: International Cricket

Coronavirus may force IPL out of India, chairman says

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“South Africa hosted the IPL in 2009. ©AFP” /> New Delhi (AFP) – The Indian Premier League could be moved out of the country if the coronavirus pandemic next month or two and then take a call accordingly,” said Patel, adding that options included staging the cash-rich tournament abroad. Pandemic cases have surged in the nation of 1.3 billion people.India now has the fourth highest caseload in the world, concentrated in major cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai which are cricket hubs. The world’s wealthiest Twenty20 tournament has twice been…

Indian cricket still hopes to salvage IPL season

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“The Board of Control for Cricket in India still hopes to salvage something from the money-spinning IPL T20 competition despite the coronavirus. ©AFP” /> New Delhi (AFP) – Indian cricket chiefs are sticking with plans to salvage the cash-rich IPL tournament this year even if it means playing in empty stadiums, the country’s board president Sourav Ganguly said Thursday. The world’s richest Twenty20 tournament is heading for the first wipeout of its 12-year history after being repeatedly postponed because of the coronavirus. Despite the worsening epidemic caseload in India, Ganguly…

Stokes does not need extra captaincy pressure, says Pietersen

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“England’s Ben Stokes. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – Kevin Pietersen does not think Ben Stokes should captain England if Joe Root is forced to miss a game against the West Indies because it would heap too much pressure on the all-rounder. Root’s wife is due to give birth in July, meaning he risks missing one of the three behind-closed-doors Tests against the Caribbean side next month. Root has backed vice-captain Stokes to do a good job in his absence, but former England skipper Pietersen is wary about the all-rounder assuming…

Gower salutes Windies ‘spirit of co-operation’

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“Thank you West Indies – Former England captain David Gower (L, with Ian Botham). ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – David Gower has urged the rest of world cricket to follow the West Indies in demonstrating a “spirit of co-operation” as the global game looks to get back on its feet amid the coronavirus. The West Indies are due to arrive in England next week, ahead of a three-match Test series rescheduled for July even though the pandemic has claimed at least 48,000 lives in Britain, according to official figures. International…

A decade after Lord’s scandal, match-fixing still haunts Pakistan cricket

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“Mohammad Amir was one of three players jailed over the spot-fixing scandal. ©AFP” /> Karachi (AFP) – When Mohammad Amir bowled a no-ball against England on the opening day of the 2010 Test at Lord’s, no one could have imagined his long stride past the crease marked the first step in a historic fixing scandal. Two days later it was revealed that three no-balls — two by Amir, and one by his pace partner Mohammad Asif — had been part of a shady betting deal. Pakistan’s captain Salman Butt had…

Boycott bows out of BBC’s TMS citing virus concerns

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“Bowing out of BBC Radio – Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – England great Geoffrey Boycott announced on Friday that his lengthy run as a commentator on BBC Radio’s Test Match Special had come to an end. The 79-year-old Boycott, who was left off a list of on-air talent published by the BBC ahead of the rescheduled Test series at home to the West Indies, said he would have been interested in continuing. But he explained the coronavirus had made the decision for him following a…

Surrey hail India ‘rollover’ as virus deprives them of Windies Test

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“India consolation – This week should have seen the Oval staging the first Test between England and the West Indies but the match has been moved to the Ageas Bowl because of the coronavirus. ©AFP” /> London (AFP) – Surrey have praised the “passion and loyalty” of British cricket fans after revealing 85 percent of seat-holders for what should have been this week’s first Test between England and the West Indies at their Kia Oval headquarters have decided to roll over their tickets to next year’s England-India Test at the…

Spinners have chance to shine during saliva ban: Kumble

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“Time for spinners to shine: Anil Kumble. ©AFP” /> New Delhi (AFP) – Cricket chief Anil Kumble hopes a ban on using saliva to shine the ball after the coronavirus shutdown could see a resurgence of spin bowling in Test cricket. The International Cricket Council is expected to order a temporary ban next week on using spit as a shining agent, as part of measures to get the sport restarted. Fast bowlers could struggle to swing the ball under the new rules with Australian quick bowler Mitchell Starc saying the…

No saliva, no sweat, says India pace bowler Shami

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“India’s Mohammed Shami is known for his reverse swing. ©AFP” /> New Delhi (AFP) – India fast bowler Mohammed Shami says he will be able to reverse-swing the ball even if saliva is banned during the coronavirus pandemic. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to next week order a temporary ban on using saliva, as part of measures to get the sport started again while reducing the risk of spreading the virus. Bowlers traditionally get the ball to move in the air, deceiving the batsman, by shining one side…