Category: Sport

PTI

New Delhi: Two-time World Cup-winning former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni retired from international cricket on Saturday, ending over one year of suspense and also an era during which his often unorthodox leadership and finishing skills became the stuff of legends.

The 39-year-old will, however, compete in this year”s IPL, which gets underway in the UAE from September 19 after being moved out of India due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout. from 1929hrs consider me as retired,” Dhoni posted on his instagram handle.

The announcement came a day after he joined his Chennai Super kings teammates at the side”s home base for a short training camp ahead of the players” departure to the UAE next week.

His last outing in India colours was during the lost World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in July last year.

One of the best runners between the wickets was run out following a hard-earned 50 in that tense game, shattering Indian hopes and leaving him in a state of disbelief.

Ever since he went on a sabbatical after that match, speculation raged over his future but he stoically avoided a response for over a year.

The reticent man from Ranchi will, however, go down as one of the finest to have played the game for India, turning up for the country in a whopping 350 ODIs, 90 Tests and 98 T20 Internationals.

The last leg of his career was, however, marred by a drop in form, prompting several critics to question his resolve to continue.

But he nevertheless signs off as an ODI legend with 10,773 runs, averaging more than 50 despite batting between No.5 and 7 for a major chunk of his career.

In the Test format, from which he retired in 2014, Dhoni accumulated 4876 runs at an average of 38.09 and led India to more wins (27) than anyone else before him.

However, runs are not the parameter on which Dhoni”s career can be truly judged.

Considered a punter by some and a master strategist by several others, it was Dhoni”s captaincy, wondrous reading of match situations and the jaw-dropping hand-speed behind stumps that had the cricket world mesmerised.

A leader even after he gave up the official tag of the leader, Dhoni will be remembered as the nonconformist, who made risks look like well thought-out strategy.

Whether it was handing the ball to rookie Joginder Sharma in the final over of the 2007 World T20 or pushing himself ahead of man-in-form Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 50-over World Cup, Dhoni”s instincts rarely failed him.

For the record, India lifted the trophy on both occasions, propelling him to cult status in a country which remains hopelessly in love with all things cricket.

The IPL was also his happy hunting ground where he was the revered ”Thala”, leading the Chennai Super Kings to three trophies.

The most significant of those titles came last season when the side made its return to the event after a two-year suspension for its official Gurunath Meiyappan”s role in the 2013 spot-fixing scandal.

CSK CEO Kasi Vishwanathan recently stated that the big-hitting batsman will continue to play for the franchise at least till 2022.

Dhoni spent the past year training with his unit in the Territorial Army, where he is an honorary lieutenant colonel, trying his hand at organic farming at his home in Ranchi, and occasionally hitting the nets to send the media and fans into a tizzy.

Raja, now a commentator, said a former captain and senior player of Sarfaraz’s stature carrying drinks, although not rare in cricket, is frowned upon in Pakistan.

PTI

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja believes wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed should retire from Tests and focus on white ball cricket.

Sarfaraz, a former captain, was seen performing the duties of 12th man in the series opener between England and Pakistan in Manchester.

“In my book I am clear once you have been captain and remained on a pedestal then it is very difficult to come down and be on the bench,” Raja, who is also a well-known commentator, said on the Youtube channel, Cricket Baaz.

“I would advise Sarfaraz to think about it and retire from Test cricket and just focus on white ball cricket, a format in which he is very good and known for his aggression,” he added.

Raja, who featured in 57 Tests, said a former captain and senior player of Sarfaraz’s stature carrying drinks, although not rare in cricket, is frowned upon in Pakistan.

“There is nothing wrong with that because even James Anderson carried drinks when he didn’t play in the second Test against West Indies. But in our cricket culture these things are not looked upon nicely and if they involve a former captain,” Raja said.

“I don’t see him getting a chance in the Test format soon so he should focus on white ball cricket where he will play and be respected as well,” he added.

Raja feels the presence of Sarfaraz in the squad also adds pressure on Mohammad Rizwan, who kept the wickets for Pakistan in the first Test.

“He being in the Test squad also adds pressure on Mohammad Rizwan who knows there is a former captain keeper breathing down his neck and that is not good for him. I think Sarfaraz should not be on the bench. He should call it a day from Test cricket.”

Sarfaraz was removed as captain from all three formats last year in a sudden move by the Pakistan Cricket Board but made a comeback to the national squad for the tour of England due to the unusual circumstances arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 33-year-old, who has appeared in 49 Tests, 116 ODIs and 58 T20Is, led Pakistan to the 2017 Champions Trophy title against India.

Under his captaincy Pakistan reached the number one position in the shortest format of the game.

Pakistan’s chances

Raja feels Pakistan has a good chance of bouncing back in the three-Test series as England will be missing the services of its star all-rounder Ben Stokes for family reasons.

“Stokes is the world’s top all-rounder with bat and ball and a game changer. I think Pakistan can definitely take advantage of the situation.”

Talking about the match, Raja said he was disappointed to see Pakistan pacers not bowling short pitched balls to Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes.

“It is frustrating to digest the defeat after having dominated the Test for majority sessions,” he said.

“I was surprised Jos Butler, who was under pressure to get runs, to keep his place in the England team and Chris Woakes,who is primarily a tailender, were not tested by short pitched balls and the fast bowlers.

“Even the field settings for them when Yasir (Shah) was bowling were not good enough.”

The Indian Premier League will start on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the final slated on November 8, IPL Chairman Brijesh Patel said on Friday.

While the event’s Governing Council will meet next week to chalk out the final details and approve the schedule, it is understood that the BCCI has informally intimated the franchises about the plan.

“We expect the government approval to come through by next week. It is a full 51-day IPL,” Mr. Patel told The Hindu.

There are three grounds available in the UAE — Dubai International Stadium, Sheikh Zayed Stadium (Abu Dhabi) and the Sharjah ground. It is learnt that the BCCI will be renting the grounds of the ICC Academy for training of the teams.

The ICC Academy has two full-sized cricket grounds along with 38 turf pitches, 6 indoor pitches, a 5700 square foot outdoor conditioning area along with physiotherapy and medicine centre.

As per the current health protocol in Dubai, there is no need to be in quarantine if people are carrying a negative COVID-19 test report, but if they are not, they will have to undergo a test.

The cash-rich event was originally scheduled to start at the end of March but the COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions that were put in place to contain the virus, led to an indefinite postponement.

However, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had always maintained that the event will be held some time this year.

With inputs from The Hindu

PTI

New Delhi: Former Pakistan batting coach Grant Flower has claimed that ex-skipper Younis Khan had once held a knife to his throat when he tried to offer him some advice.

Asked about the tricky characters that he has had to coach in his career, the 49-year-old Zimbabwean, who was Pakistan’s batting coach from 2014 to 2019, recalled the incident with Younis.

“Younis Khan quite tough to master,” said Flower, who is currently serving as Sri Lanka’s batting coach, said during a conversation with brother Andy and host Neil Manthorp on the ‘Following On Cricket Podcast’.

“I remember one incident in Brisbane, during the Test, at breakfast, I tried to give him a bit of batting advice … But he didn’t take kindly to my advice and brought a knife to my throat, with Mickey Arthur sitting alongside, who had to intervene.”

Younis, who was recently appointed as batting coach for Pakistan’s tour of England, has amassed 10,099 runs in 118 Tests for Pakistan at an average of 52.05.

“Yeah, it’s been interesting. But that’s part of coaching. It makes it a hell of a journey, and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve still got a lot to learn, but I’m very fortunate to be in the position I am,” Flower said.

The incident happened during the opening Test of Pakistan’s tour of Australia in 2016 at Brisbane where Younis had scored a duck in the first innings but managed a 65 in the second essay. He had ended the tour with a fine 175 not out in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January, 2017.

Pakisan had lost the three-Test series 3-0.

Flower also singled out Pakistan opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad as another “interesting” character.

“He’s a very skilful batter, but quite rebellious. Every team has got their rebel. Sometimes it makes them better players, sometimes maybe not so,” said Flower, who had scored 3457 runs in 67 Tests and 6571 runs in 221 ODIs for Zimbabwe.

PTI

Karachi: Former Pakistan captain Mohammed Hafeez has tested negative for COVID-19, a day after the PCB found him positive for the deadly virus ahead of the team’s much-anticipated tour of England.

Hafeez and Wahab Riaz were among the 10 Pakistan players, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The team is due to leave for England on Sunday for a Test and T20 series in August.

On Wednesday, Hafeez took to twitter and clarified that he and his family members have tested negative and also posted the medical report to back his claim.

“After Tested positive COVID-19 acc to PCB testing Report yesterday,as 2nd opinion & for satisfaction I personally went to Test it again along with my family and here I along with my all family members are reported Negetive (sic) Alham du Lillah. May Allah keep us all safe,” Hafeez tweeted.

Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Haider Ali and Haris Rauf are the other eight players who tested positive as per PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan.

PCB had earlier said all who have tested positive did not report any symptoms prior to testing.

“The PCB medical panel is already in contact with these players and the masseur, who have been instructed to observe strict quarantine at their homes for their and their families’ wellbeing,” the PCB said in a statement on Tuesday.

Khan had said that players testing positive for the virus is a warning for the general public.

He also revealed that a support staff member, masseur Malang Ali, had also tested positive for COVID-19.

Khan said that the players and officials would now assemble in Lahore and another round of tests would be carried out on Thursday and a revised squad would be announced the next day.

“It is a matter of concern but we shouldn’t panic at this time as we have time on our hands,” Khan said.

The players and officials would be retested on reaching England.

Despite the developments over two days, Khan said the tour is on track.

“The tour to England is very much on track and the side will depart as per schedule on 28 June.

“Fortunately, all the first-choice red-ball squad, barring Mohammad Rizwan, are negative, which means they can start training and practising immediately after they have been tested and given the all clear when they arrive in England.”

Reacting to Monday night’s development of three Pakistan players testing positive, ECB’s director of cricket Ashley Giles had expressed concerns but there was no threat to the tour as it was “far enough away”.

“We are far enough away from the start of the Test series to not worry about that too much at the moment. We are waiting on those other test results,” Giles said in a video interaction in England.

According to the SOP for the series, the Pakistan team will undergo at least five tests in the lead up to the first Test.

Wasim Khan rejects speculation that the event could be scrapped to make space for the currently suspended IPL

PTI

The Asia Cup will go ahead as scheduled later this year in either Sri Lanka or the UAE, Pakistan Cricket Board CEO Wasim Khan has asserted.

Khan rejected speculation that the event could be scrapped to make space for the currently suspended Indian Premier League.

“The Asia Cup will go ahead. The Pakistan team returns from England on 2nd September so we can have the tournament in September or October,” he said at a media conference here.

“There are some things which will only get clear in the due course of time. We are hopeful of having the Asia Cup because Sri Lanka has not had too many cases of the Coronavirus. If they can’t do it, then UAE is also ready,” he added.

Khan said Pakistan, the original host of the event, had agreed to let Sri Lanka conduct it in return for hosting the next regional event.

He also confirmed that the Pakistan board is working on options to play cricket in the window for the T20 World Cup if it doesn’t go ahead as planned in October-November.

“We are to go to New Zealand in December after hosting Zimbabwe at home. South Africa are ready to tour in January-February to play two or three Tests and some T20 matches,” he disclosed.

PSL to restart in November?

Khan said the board was looking at a November window for completing the Pakistan Super League’s remaining five matches.

Asked about the steps being taken to criminalise match-fixing offences in Pakistan, the PCB official said he was surprised that until today no one from the board had gone to the government and tried to get a legislation against the menace.

“Look the only way people will listen is when they know there is a jail sentence and they have to face the courts if they are found guilty of corruption.,” he said.

On cricket ties with India, the PCB official was very clear that there was no possibility of bilateral series with India in the immediate future.

“Sadly we need to forget about playing India for the time being. It is sad for us and even the BCCI as they have to get permission from their government. It is not realistic for either side right now to think about playing against each other,” he said.

”…the PCB has done its contingency planning and looked at our financial affairs for next two to three years. We are also trying to diversify our commercial streams so that we are not reliant only on ICC shares,” he added.

Khan also said that the board had revised its annual budget because of the situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic and reduced expenses by around Rs one billion.

PTI

New Delhi: Former opener Gautam Gambhir feels Indian players lack “mental toughness” to handle pressure in crunch situations and cannot call themselves world champions unless they prove themselves in big-ticket tournaments like the World Cup.

India won the ODI World Cup twice in 1983 and 2011 but have been knocked out in the semifinal stage in four editions, including the last two editions in 2015 and 2019. In T20 World Cups, India had triumphed in the inaugural edition in 2007 and reached the finals in 2014.

“What sets you apart from being a good player to being a very very good player in a team squad is what you do on those crucial games. I think probably we have not been able to handle the pressure, probably other teams have been able to handle the pressure that way,” Gambhir said on Star Sports’ show ‘Cricket Connected’.

“If you look at all the semi-finals and finals, it just shows when playing really well in the league stage and you don’t play well in the semi-finals or knockouts, it’s probably your mental toughness as well.”

Gambhir, who was part of the 2011 World Cup which the country won after 28 years, said India cannot call themselves world champions unless they prove themselves.

“We can keep talking that we’ve got everything, we have the ability to be the world champions, but till the time you don’t go on the cricket field and prove that, you will never be called the world champions,” the 38-year-old said.

“It’s just your ability in those crunch situations. In bilaterals and league stages you have got probably a chance to make the mistake, come to knockout stages, you don’t have a chance to do that, you make a mistake and you’re going back home. That’s where beliefs come into play and that where India lacks in all those crucial games.

Both engagements postponed due to the COVID-19 threat

India’s tours of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, scheduled for June-July and August respectively, have been called off by the BCCI “owing to the current threat of COVID-19”, secretary Jay Shah said in a statement on Friday.

Both engagements — three ODIs and three T20Is in Sri Lanka and three ODIs in Zimbabwe — were a part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP), which is likely to be revised when the International Cricket Council’s Board meets next week.

Camp can wait

Although it is looking to stage the suspended Indian Premier League later this year, the BCCI would not rush cricketers into a preparatory camp after the hiatus, Shah stressed.

“The BCCI will conduct a camp for its contracted players only when it is completely safe to train outdoors,” he stated.

No rush

“The BCCI is determined to take steps towards the resumption of international and domestic cricket, but it will not rush into any decision that will jeopardise the efforts put in by the Central and State governments and several other agencies in containing the spread of the coronavirus.”

The cricketers and support staff have been vocal about requiring a six-week camp to get back into shape after being forced indoors since mid-March.

On Thursday, IPL governing council chairman Brijesh Patel told The Hindu that a September-October window for the IPL is being considered.

With inputs from The Hindu

Cricketer says his Hyderabad Sunrisers team-mates called him ‘kaalu’, but he did not know what the Hindi word meant.

Former West Indies cricket captain Darren Sammy has alleged he was a victim of a racist slur used by his Indian team-mates when he played for an Indian Premier League (IPL) team in 2013-14.

In a video that Sammy, 36, posted on social media on Tuesday, he said his Hyderabad Sunrisers team-mates used to call him “kaalu”, Hindi slang for black, but he did not know what the word meant.

Sammy said some unnamed Sunrisers team-mates would call him “kaalu” and he only became aware of its racial connotations after watching a TV show that discussed the issue.

“I was listening to [Indian-American comedian] Hasan Minhaj talking about how some of the people in his culture view or describe black people,” Sammy said on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CBL-fuglF6o/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_mid=383151B1-684B-4525-B783-C5C8072CD573

“… I was angry after listening to him describing a word that they use to describe black people, which he was saying is not in a good way … and it was degrading,” he said.

“Instantly, I remembered when I played for Sunrisers in 2013 and 2014, I was being called the exact same word he described that was degrading to us black people.”

recently I discovered a word that I was being called was not what it actually meant I need some answers. So before I start calling out names I need these individuals to reach out and please tell me there’s another meaning to that word. I saw u as brothers https://t.co/Ouf7eh5Yu8

— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) June 9, 2020

Sammy said he will be “messaging those people” to seek an apology from the Indian players.

“Because if it was in any way, shape or form what Minhaj said it meant, I’m very disappointed and I’d still be angry and deserve an apology from you guys,” he said.

Sammy said the word “kaalu” was also used to describe Sri Lankan team-mate Thisara Perera.

“I assumed it meant something else that was uplifting. But every time I was called it, it was me and Thisara, there was always laughter in the moment,” he said.

“But you could understand my frustration and my anger when it was pointed out to me that it wasn’t funny at all.”

Racism is not restricted to the colour of the skin.Not allowing to buy a home in a society just because u have a different faith is a part of racism too… #convenient #racism

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) June 9, 2020

Sammy’s outrage comes in the middle of raging global protests against the killing of George Floyd, a black man, in the United States, late last month.

Several elite athletes have spoken out about racism in sport and society after Floyd’s death in police custody in Minneapolis city.

In a tweet on Tuesday, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan said, “Racism is not restricted to the colour of the skin. Not allowing to buy a home in a society because you have a different faith is a part of racism too.”

Pathan, a Muslim from India’s Gujarat state, was referring to many from the community denied accommodation by the landlords in Indian cities for their religion.

“So much more to your story,” tweeted Sammy’s former West Indian team-mate, Chris Gayle – also a big IPL star in India when he played.

Sunrisers Hyderabad declined to comment when contacted by the Reuters news agency.

Meanwhile, Indian media reports featured a 2014 Instagram post by former Indian cricketer Ishant Sharma, in which the caption of his photo with Sammy purportedly described the West Indian player as “kaluu”, using a different spelling for “kaalu”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/n-9FXeGjXV/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_mid=14C04A87-37D8-4418-952D-7D0A0EE41D30

With inputs from:
Al Jazeera and News Agencies