Cricket

Rain dashed New Zealand's hopes of a consolation victory against Sri Lanka, washing out the third and final One Day International (ODI) on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.Sri Lanka secured its fifth ODI series win at home this year after defeating the Black Caps in the first two rain-affected matches. New Zealand made a promising start in the series, reaching 112-1 in 21 overs before rain halted play. Will Young completed his half-century and remained unbeaten on 56, while Henry Nicholls finally found some form with an unbeaten 46.Both batters looked set to post a challenging total, sharing an 88-run stand off 106 balls. Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka timed a spectacular leap to perfection at mid-off, taking a stunning catch over his head to dismiss Tim Robinson for 9 in the fourth over.Rain deprived Sri Lanka of testing its bench strength after the host made five changes. Seam bowling allrounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe debuted but bowled only two overs for 14 runs. New Zealand brought in fast bowlers Zakary Foulkes, who made his ODI debut, and Adam Milne in place of Nathan Smith and Jacob Duffy. Milne replaced Lockie Ferguson, who flew home after a calf injury during the preceding drawn Twenty20 series at Dambulla.The series served as preparation for New Zealand for next year's Champions Trophy, which Sri Lanka failed to qualify for by finishing ninth in last year's World Cup in India.

Hardik Pandya, the Indian all-rounder, is set to make his return to domestic cricket in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's premier T20 tournament. Pandya will join his brother, Krunal Pandya, who will captain the Baroda team.Baroda finished as runners-up in last year's edition of the tournament and will be looking to go one step further this time around. They have been placed in Group B alongside Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Saurashtra, Karnataka, and Sikkim.Under Krunal Pandya's leadership, Baroda has made a strong start to the domestic season. They currently top the standings in Group A of the Elite Division, with four wins and a loss from five matches.Hardik Pandya last played for India in the T20I series against South Africa, where he had modest returns of 59 runs and two wickets. He will be hoping to regain his form and fitness ahead of the upcoming international assignments.The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will get underway on November 23rd, and the final will be played on December 11th.

The Indian blind cricket team's participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Pakistan has been denied by the Indian government due to security concerns. The team was scheduled to cross the Wagah border on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, for the event, which is set to take place from November 23 to December 3.The Indian blind cricket team had received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the sports ministry for participation but was unable to obtain clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). According to Shailendra Yadav, General Secretary of the Indian Blind Cricket Association (IBCA), the team was unofficially informed that they would not be permitted to travel to Pakistan."We have been told unofficially that the blind team will not be permitted to travel to Pakistan. We were scheduled to travel to Wagah border tomorrow. But as of now no clearance has come from the ministry officials. So, we are a bit disappointed," Yadav said.Yadav expressed frustration over the late notice of the decision, stating that the team could have been informed earlier. "They are saying when the mainstream cricket team is not safe how can you be safe there. Of course, we will accept the decision, but why hold the decision till the last minute, why not inform us a month or 25 days back. There is a process," Yadav added.The Indian government's decision has drawn criticism from the blind cricket community. Former Indian blind cricket captain Ajay Reddy expressed his disappointment, saying that the team had been preparing for the World Cup for a long time. "We are very disappointed. We have been preparing for this World Cup for a long time. We had a good chance of winning the title. But now our dreams have been shattered," Reddy said.The Indian blind cricket team is one of the strongest in the world, having won the T20 World Cup twice in 2012 and 2017. The team was also the runner-up in the 2015 World Cup.The T20 World Cup for the Blind is an international cricket tournament for blind and visually impaired cricketers. The tournament is organized by the World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) and is held every four years. The first T20 World Cup for the Blind was held in 2012 in India.

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has expressed his support for Indian skipper Rohit Sharma's decision to miss the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to the birth of his second child.Clarke, who is known for his unwavering commitment to cricket, believes that family should always come first. He recalled the birth of his daughter as the most special moment of his life, emphasizing that he would have prioritized his family over any cricket match."To be honest, the greatest day of my life over any cricket event, over any Test match victory, over captaining Australia. The greatest day of my life was the day when my daughter was born, and being there for that moment was the most special moment of my life," Clarke said.Clarke acknowledged Rohit's passion for playing for India, but he believes that the Indian skipper's decision to be present for the birth of his child is a testament to his priorities."I have no doubt that in an ideal world, it would have been great if his second child came a week early or two weeks early so he could play every Test match. Rohit loves playing for India as much as I love playing for Australia. He is a great player and a wonderful captain. He will be missed. But every single person must respect that decision of any man," Clarke noted.Clarke's comments echo the sentiments of many cricket fans and experts who have come out in support of Rohit's decision. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, however, had suggested that Rohit should feature in the opening Test, sparking a debate on social media.Despite the absence of Rohit, Clarke believes that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be a fiercely contested series. He praised the quality of both teams and predicted that the matches would be close and exciting."I think it's going to be a great series. India is a very good team, and Australia is a very good team. I think it's going to be a very close series. I think it's going to be a very exciting series," Clarke said.

India's recent home defeat to New Zealand has raised questions about their confidence ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series against Australia. However, Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne believes that the visitors remain a formidable opponent despite their setback.Labuschagne acknowledged that India's loss to New Zealand could have dented their morale, especially considering it ended their 12-year unbeaten run at home. "They are probably a little bit lower on confidence, not coming off a Test victory, losing to New Zealand 3-0," he said.However, Labuschagne emphasized that Australia would not underestimate India's capabilities. "They're a quality line-up and they're one of the best teams in the world. So you can never underestimate a team like that," he said.Labuschagne recalled India's remarkable comeback in Australia in 2020-21, when they won the series 2-1 despite missing several key players. "That's what happened in 2021 – the likes of (T) Natarajan played, (Mohammad) Siraj got his first crack in Australia, Washington Sundar played," he said.With India set to field a weakened team in the first Test due to injuries to Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, Labuschagne believes they still have ample talent to pose a challenge. "They're a quality line-up and they've showed that over a period of time. You can't ever underestimate the depth of Indian cricket," he said.Labuschagne's comments highlight the respect that Australia has for India's cricketing prowess. Despite their recent struggles, India remains a formidable opponent with a deep pool of talented players. The Border-Gavaskar series promises to be a fiercely contested battle between two of the world's top cricketing nations.

Ahead of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne has outlined his team's strategy to wear down India's bowlers by playing the "long game." Labuschagne, who was the highest run-getter in the 2020-21 BGT series, believes that by batting for extended periods, Australia can put pressure on the Indian bowlers and force them to bowl longer spells.This approach is similar to the one employed by Indian veteran Cheteshwar Pujara in the past two tours of Australia. Pujara's stubbornness and solid defense provided a wall-like protection for other batters, allowing them to attack the bowlers who would eventually tire.Labuschagne believes that Australia's batting lineup can exploit the relative inexperience of India's pace attack, which includes Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who will be supported by newer stars like Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Nitish Kumar Reddy."We understand that getting them back for their second and third spells, putting them under pressure and letting them come to us and us putting pressure back on them through overs in the field and time in the game, especially over a five-Test series, that is really important," said Labuschagne.Labuschagne has also hinted that he could be a valuable addition to Australia's bowling attack, having delivered medium pace during the Sheffield Shield season and practice sessions. With 13 Test wickets and 84 first-class scalps, he could provide some relief to the workload of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood.The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will commence with the first Test in Perth on November 22, followed by the day-night Test in Adelaide from December 6 to 10. The third Test will be held at The Gabba in Brisbane from December 14 to 18, while the traditional Boxing Day Test will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 30. The series will conclude with the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction is fast approaching, and the anticipation is building for the potential record-breaking deals. Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has made a bold prediction, suggesting that Rishabh Pant could surpass Mitchell Starc's auction record of Rs 24.75 Crore.Pathan took to social media to express his belief in Pant's ability to fetch a staggering price. "Mitchell Starc's auction record is in danger. @RishabhPant17 is ready to break it," he wrote.Pant, the current captain of the Indian cricket team, has established himself as one of the most sought-after players in the IPL. His explosive batting and exceptional wicket-keeping skills make him a valuable asset to any franchise.Starc's record-breaking deal with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2024 auction set a new benchmark for player salaries. However, Pathan believes that Pant's star power and recent performances could eclipse that record.Meanwhile, the IPL auction has also created a scheduling conflict for Australia's bowling coach, Daniel Vettori. He will leave the team during the first Test against India in Perth to attend the auction in Saudi Arabia as the coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad.This scheduling conflict also affects Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer, who will leave the Test to attend the auction as head coaches of Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, respectively.Vettori's decision to prioritize the IPL auction over a Test match reflects the evolving landscape of cricket. While franchise commitments have previously caused coaches to miss series, this is the first time a coach has left midway through a Test to attend the IPL auction.Cricket Australia (CA) is currently seeking a new full-time national pace bowling coach to cover for Vettori when he is unavailable.

The Austrian Cricket Association (ACA) has issued an unreserved apology to the Israel Cricket Association (ICA) and the Israel cricket team for an incident that occurred prior to their Men's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier A match on June 10.While the exact nature of the incident remains undisclosed, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the ACA has taken prompt action to address the issue. The player responsible has been subjected to appropriate disciplinary sanctions in accordance with the ACA's disciplinary procedures.Following the incident, the ICC initiated a conciliation process between the ACA and the ICA to facilitate a mutually acceptable resolution. The process was conducted confidentially by Paul Mortimer, an independent expert in anti-discrimination and race relations.The incident took place in Spinaceto, Rome, during a Europe Qualifier A match between Austria and Israel. The tournament serves as a pathway to qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Austria emerged victorious in the match, with Aqib Iqbal's unbeaten 35-ball 52 sealing a seven-wicket win over Israel.The ACA's apology and the ICC's intervention underscore the importance of fostering an inclusive and respectful environment in cricket. The incident serves as a reminder that all players and teams deserve to participate in the sport without fear of discrimination or harassment.The ICC's Anti-Discrimination Code prohibits any form of discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. The code requires all ICC members to implement policies and procedures to prevent and address discrimination in cricket.The ACA's swift response to the incident demonstrates its commitment to upholding the ICC's Anti-Discrimination Code and creating a welcoming environment for all participants in the sport. The ICC's conciliation process has facilitated a resolution that allows both teams to move forward and focus on their respective cricket journeys.

South African pacer Gerald Coetzee has been reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for showing dissent towards the umpire's decision during the fourth T20 International against India in Johannesburg. The incident occurred when Coetzee made an inappropriate comment after a delivery was called wide.According to the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, Coetzee breached Article 2.8, which prohibits "showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match." As a result, he received an official reprimand and one demerit point added to his disciplinary record.Coetzee admitted to the offense and accepted the sanction proposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, eliminating the need for a formal hearing. The charge was leveled against the bowler by on-field umpires Allahudien Paleker and Stephen Harris, third umpire Lubabalo Gcuma, and fourth umpire Arno Jacobs.Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50% of a player's match fee, along with one or two demerit points. If a player accumulates four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points, leading to a ban. Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test, two ODIs, or two T20Is, whichever comes first.In the fourth T20I, India posted an imposing 283/1 batting first, with centuries from Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma. South Africa was bowled out for 148, resulting in India's biggest win in terms of runs. The visitors won the match by 135 runs and claimed the four-match series 3-1.