Cricket

Jafer Chohan, the 22-year-old Yorkshire legspinner, has been recalled from England's white-ball tour of the Caribbean to manage his workload ahead of the upcoming Lions tour of South Africa. Chohan made history last month as the first graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) to be named in an England squad.Chohan's opportunity with Yorkshire arose after he was released by Middlesex as a 17-year-old in 2019. He has since flourished under the guidance of Adil Rashid, his mentor at Yorkshire. Chohan's fast-tracking into the England set-up is a testament to his talent and the progress he has made in recent years.However, the England management has decided to prioritize Chohan's long-term development by sending him home before he has a chance to make his international debut. The team has a wealth of spin options available, including Rashid, Rehan Ahmed, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Dan Mousley, and Will Jacks.Chohan's release from the England squad is also a reflection of the team's current success in T20Is. England has taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match series against the West Indies, with Chohan playing a supporting role in the nets.Despite not making his international debut on this tour, Chohan's inclusion in the England squad is a significant milestone for British South Asian cricketers. The SACA, launched in 2021, aims to address the under-representation of South Asian players in the professional game. Chohan's journey is an inspiration to aspiring cricketers from all backgrounds.In addition to the Lions tour, Chohan is also set to play for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, which commences on December 15. His release from the England squad will allow him to focus on these upcoming commitments and continue his development as a legspinner.

Suryakumar Yadav, the world's top-ranked T20 batter, has demonstrated his adaptability by adjusting his playing style to the challenging wickets encountered during the T20 World Cup. However, he anticipates the pitches in the Caribbean to be more conducive to his natural strokeplay.India's Super 8 journey commences on Thursday against Afghanistan. The team will also face Bangladesh and Australia in St Lucia, a venue that has already witnessed the highest total of the tournament. They will also play matches in Antigua.The "spicy" wickets in New York forced Suryakumar to exercise patience, particularly while playing shots behind the wicket. In India's match against USA, he guided the team to victory with an unbeaten 50 off 49 deliveries, a strike rate significantly lower than his impressive average of 168.06."If you have been number one for two years, you should be able to bat in different conditions and change the game as per the needs of the team. That displays good batsmanship and that is what I try," said Suryakumar during a media interaction."It's difficult to generate that force when there's no pace on the wicket and when someone has read your game nicely. So, at that time, you have to be very smart how you want to extend your innings. You have to change according to the situation, what team demands at that moment and talk to your partner who is inside, calm your nerves down and then take the innings ahead."Suryakumar is eager to showcase his versatile batting style once again in the West Indies, although he didn't face any significant challenges with the conditions in the United States."I was happy playing there as well (laughs). It's not that we weren't happy playing there, but we were playing for the first time, so yes, the conditions were different and little challenging as well. But we have played here (in West Indies), we know the conditions."The Kensington Oval pitch has a distinct brownish appearance, which the Indian team also observed during their previous tour of the Caribbean."The practice pitches, yeah, they were a little spicy in New York. It was fresh. They made the conditions after they got to know there is a World Cup there. Here they have been making pictures regularly and they are much better than (USA)," he said.The spinners have been doing well in the Caribbean conditions so far in the tournament but Suryakumar is not perturbed."That has always been my strong point (sweeps and reverse sweeps). I've tried to play the same way that I do in the practice sessions."In a strategic move, Virat Kohli has been paired with captain Rohit Sharma to open the batting, while Rishabh Pant has been elevated to the number three position. The question remains: if India suffers early wicket losses, will Suryakumar adapt his approach to the situation?"Nothing like that has happened. We try to play the format of the game. If there are early wickets you still have to put runs on the board and bat with that same intent. That is what we try and tell each other to take the positive route. The management has left it to the players to decide at that point of time," he added.

The T20 World Cup 2022 kicked off in the Caribbean with a disappointing start as the West Indies vs Papua New Guinea match in Guyana on Sunday witnessed empty stands and a lack of buzz. The Providence Stadium was only partially filled, with most of the stands remaining empty and isolated.The 9th edition of the ICC's cricketing extravaganza is being jointly hosted by the USA and West Indies. The USA vs Canada game on Saturday marked the tournament's commencement. However, the low turnout in the first T20 World Cup game in the Caribbean raised concerns and drew criticism on social media.West Indies captain Rovman Powell opted to bowl first against PNG in the opening Group C match. Despite a green-tinged pitch, the two-time former champions included three spinners - Roston Chase, Akeil Hosein, and Gudakesh Motie - in their final 11.PNG, who stunned Zimbabwe to qualify for their second T20 World Cup appearance, relied on their experienced players - captain Assad Vala, Tony Ura, and Lega Siaka - to post a challenging total. Their only previous meeting in an official international fixture was at the 2018 qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe for the 2019 50-over-side World Cup, where West Indies emerged victorious.The lack of crowd support and atmosphere in the opening match raised questions about the tournament's appeal in the Caribbean. The ICC and local organizers will hope for improved attendance and enthusiasm in subsequent matches to create a more vibrant and engaging atmosphere for the global cricketing event.

The 2024 T20 World Cup, the ninth edition of the prestigious ICC event, is set to captivate cricket enthusiasts worldwide. Jointly hosted by the United States and the Caribbean islands, the tournament promises thrilling matches and intense competition.Teams and Format:The tournament will feature 20 teams, an increase from the 16 that participated in the previous edition. The teams have been divided into four groups of five each:* Group A: India, Pakistan, USA, Ireland, Canada* Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, Oman* Group C: West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda, Papua New Guinea* Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, NepalIn the initial group stage, each team will play against the other teams in their group once. The top two teams from each group will advance to the "Super 8s" stage, while the remaining three teams will be eliminated.The "Super 8s" stage will see the eight qualified teams divided into two groups of four each. Again, each team will play against the other teams in their group once. The top two teams from each group will reach the semi-finals, and the winners of the semi-finals will qualify for the final.India's Fixtures:India, one of the tournament favorites, will face the following opponents in the group stage:* Ireland (June 5, New York)* Pakistan (June 9, New York)* USA (June 12, New York)* Canada (June 15, Florida)Warm-Up Fixtures and Playing Conditions:Seventeen teams will participate in warm-up games scheduled from May 27 to June 1. Teams can utilize all 15 members of their squad in these matches. India's only warm-up game is against Bangladesh on June 1.Tied games will be decided by a "Super Over." If the "Super Over" also results in a tie, it will continue to follow "Super Overs" until a winner can be decided.Only the first semi-final has a reserve day, in addition to 60 minutes of extra time to finish the match on June 26 itself. If not, the game moves to June 27. There will be 250 additional minutes available to finish the second semifinal on the scheduled day (June 27) itself. For the final on June 29, there is a reserve day in place on June 30.

Usain Bolt, the legendary sprinter and world's fastest man, has expressed his preference for T20 cricket, citing its fast-paced nature and global appeal. As a Jamaican who once aspired to be a fast bowler, Bolt believes that T20s will continue to attract more fans from the Caribbean and around the world, potentially surpassing the popularity of Test matches.Bolt's passion for cricket stems from his childhood, where he grew up watching the sport with his father. He admires the skills of legendary bowlers like Wasim Akram and Courtney Walsh, and has always been a fan of Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara. Among the current crop of cricketers, Bolt singles out Virat Kohli as the standout performer.As the ambassador for the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, Bolt is thrilled to be involved in the sport he loves. He believes that T20s combine the best elements of Test matches and one-day internationals, creating the perfect game for modern audiences.Bolt's enthusiasm for T20 cricket is shared by many in the Caribbean, where the format has become increasingly popular. He acknowledges that Test cricket faces a threat in the region, but believes that the excitement and speed of T20s will continue to attract more fans.Bolt also believes that cricket has the potential to grow in the United States, where it is currently played primarily by South Asian and Caribbean expats. He hopes that the presence of a global cricket event in the country will help to introduce the sport to a wider American audience.Despite his busy schedule, Bolt remains a keen observer of cricket and enjoys watching T20 matches whenever he gets the chance. He is particularly impressed by the power-hitting of players like Andre Russell, who embody the fast-paced nature of the format.Bolt's love for cricket and his belief in the future of T20s make him an ideal ambassador for the sport. His magnetic personality and global recognition will undoubtedly help to promote cricket and attract new fans to the game.