Page 21 - Asia Cup

Ahead of Asia Cup, Pakistan go top of ODI rankings, beat Australia

Following their 3-0 ODI series sweep over Afghanistan on Saturday, Pakistan sealed the top spot in the ODI rankings

Asia Cup: Deadlock over PCB's new contracts, players want more freedom

The deadlock between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the national team players over the signing of new central contracts is yet to be resolved ahead of the all-important Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. A well-informed insider in the board on Saturday confirmed that there were still a number of issues to be sorted out and at one stage senior pacer, Shaheen Shah Afridi had refused to sign the new central contract after the PCB denied him an NOC for the Emirates T20 International League. Shaheen got so frustrated at the board's refusal to issue him an NOC that he made it clear it would be best if he didn't sign any contract with the board and played as a freelancer, the insider said. The board then averted a similar situation with some other players by agreeing to issue NOCs for the Emirates League to be held in January-February. Shaheen has secured an USD 400,000 contract for two or three years and an additional USD 150,000 for the league by marketing his NFTs online. The insider

Asia Cup: BCCI Prez Roger Binny and VP Rajiv Shukla to travel to Pakistan

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had sent an invite to BCCI as a key member of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to attend the opening ceremony and as well as the opening match of the tournament

Asia Cup 2023 full schedule, match timing, venues, live streaming in India

Asia Cup 2023 will be played in a 50-over format. Pakistan will host 4 matches, one in Multan and the other three in Lahore and Sri Lanka will host 9 matches

ODI World Cup: India's 18-member squad for Asia Cup to undergo fitness test

India's 18-member squad for the Asia Cup will undergo extensive fitness and medical tests when Men In Blue will be in Alur for a camp ahead of the continental event.

Asia Cup 2023: Top five run-getters in the history of the tournament

From India, none among Dhoni, Sehwag or Virat feature in the list of the top five run-getters in the history of the Asia Cup. Then who leads the chart? It's not Sachin by the way

Chahal gets a 'Googly' again, misses out on playing 3 ICC events in 3 years

It's another ICC event on the horizon and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has once again fallen out of favour with the Indian team selectors. Chahal was a big name missing from the Asia Cup squad announced on Monday but India skipper Rohit Sharma has left the door slightly ajar for the 33-year-old for the subsequent ODI World Cup at home in October-November. The wily operator, who was once India's go to bowler in the middle overs, finds himself in familiar territory as another World Cup beckons. Chahal was controversially excluded from the 2021 T20 World Cup before returning for the 2022 edition in Australia, where he did not get a game as finger spinners were preferred in the playing eleven. Kuldeep Yadav, one half of the celebrated 'Kul-Cha' duo has left the other half behind in the pecking order. Kuldeep is the sole wrist-spinner in the 17-member squad for Asia Cup with the think-tank going for the better batter in Axar Patel alongside Ravindra Jadeja. India seem to be banking hea

We should have 15 players for World Cup from Asia Cup team only: Gavaskar

An annoyed Sunil Gavaskar pleaded with those questioning the Indian team selection for the upcoming Asia Cup and asserted that this 17-man squad should form the nucleus of the 15-member World Cup side. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was a notable omission from the squad, leaving India with only one wrist spinner in Kuldeep Yadav. Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are the other spin bowling options in the squad that was named on Monday. Few also wondered why senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who is also a very useful batter lower down the order, was not picked in the side. "Yes, there are a few players who will believe that they are lucky. But the team is selected. So don't talk about Ashwin. Stop creating controversy. This is our team now. "If you don't like it, don't watch the matches but stop saying that he should have been picked or another should be there, this is a wrong mindset," Gavaskar told 'Aaj Tak'. Both Jadeja and Axar have also proved their batting abilities across .

Asia Cup: Bangladesh replaces Injured Ebadot with uncapped Tanzim Hasan

Bangladesh pacer Ebadot Hossain was on Tuesday ruled out of the upcoming Asia Cup due to a knee injury sustained during the ODI series against Afghanistan last month. Ebadot, who was named in the 17-member squad 10 days ago, failed to recover within the designated time-frame and has been replaced by uncapped 20-year-old pacer Tanzim Hasan. It remains to be seen whether the 29-year-old will be able to regain fitness in time for the ODI World Cup in India from October 5. "Ebadot had undergone six weeks of rehab following the injury," BCB's chief sports physician Dr Debashis Chowdhury was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. "We have had multiple MRIs done during this time and the reports suggest that his ACL is still a concern and requires further management. Therefore, he misses out on the Asia Cup. "Considering the importance of Bangladesh team's next major event, which is the ICC World Cup in October, the BCB is committed to exploring every safe medical option available for getting

Asia Cup: Newbie Tilak Varma confident of carrying List A form into ODIs

Young batter Tilak Varma on Tuesday said he is confident of carrying his List A cricket form into one-day internationals, after receiving a maiden call-up in the Indian squad for the Asia Cup. The left-handed Varma, who made his international debut for India in T20Is earlier this month on the West Indies tour, is the newest face in the 17-member extended India squad for the Asia Cup, starting August 30. The same group is expected to be pruned further to 15 members for the World Cup starting on October 5. Varma, who averages an impressive 56.18 in 25 List A games with five tons and as many fifties, told BCCI that he was confident of excelling in one-day cricket. "I am really confident playing one-day cricket. I have done well in List A cricket for my state and at U-19 (level) I have done well. I am confident that I can do well in ODIs," Varma said in a video interview. "I never dreamed that I would be debuting directly in the Asia Cup that too in the one-day side. I was always ...

Asia Cup will be big part of India's preparations for World Cup: Southee

With the World Cup less than two months away, New Zealand pace spearhead Tim Southee says the upcoming Asia Cup will be a big part of India's preparations for the showpiece, while admitting that scheduling of T20 competitions has made it difficult for teams to align resources. India announced an extended 17-member squad for the Asia Cup starting August 30, including Sanju Samson as travelling stand-by player since KL Rahul the preferred wicketkeeper-batter at No. 5 has picked up a niggle to his original injury. "I guess ideally you want to play as much as you can together and to lead into a World Cup. But I think you look at the Asia Cup, and what better place to have your team together around that? "I'd imagine that is going to be a big part of the Indian team's preparation at the Asia Cup," Southee told the media here on the sidelines of the Ceat Cricket Rating Award on Monday. Southee also backed the Indian batters to have plans against left-arm pace, while acknowledging the r

Asia Cup 2023: 'Ashwin, Chahal should have been selected in India squad'

India should have included Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal as spinners for the Asia Cup in the lead-up to the World Cup, feel former players Madan Lal and Karsan Ghavri. While Kuldeep Yadav was picked as the frontline spinner for the Asia Cup, the other spin options in the squad are all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Akshar Patel. "Australia have played Kuldeep Yadav very well. Yuzvendra Chahal should have got a chance. He is a match-winning bowler," Lal told PTI on the sidelines of Ceat Cricket Rating Award here on Monday night. "Ashwin is someone who has taken 500-600 wickets... he knows how to take wickets. We did not play him in the WTC final, the team management knows better," added the 1983 World Cup winner. Ghavri backed Ashwin for the upcoming World Cup, saying he will be vital in Indian conditions. "What is Ashwin supposed to prove after taking 712 international wickets? He has not been treated well despite being a senior player," Ghavri said. "Ashwin is a quality

India squad for Asia Cup 2023: 5 key takeaways from selection announcement

In the press conference, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma said that this is the best set of players that will represent India at the Asia Cup

Asia Cup: Sourav Ganguly says number 4 position won't make much difference

Former captain Sourav Ganguly on Monday said India have a lot of options for the No 4 position in their ODI side, and stressed that one position alone will not win important tournaments like the World Cup. Ganguly said the team management should zero in on one player and give him a long rope at the No 4 slot. India has enormous talent. I keep hearing about this...we don't have this or that but we have too much and that is the problem that we cannot decide. "The No 4...Rahul (Dravid), selectors and Rohit (Sharma) need to decide that this is my No 4 and I will continue with him'. One batting slot does not make much of a difference, Ganguly told the media here while being appointed as the brand ambassador of the real estate company Casagrand. Downplaying the debate over the No 4 position, Ganguly said any player can be fitted there. Number four is just a number and anybody can fit in. I started in the middle-order in one-day cricket and went on to open because I was asked to by Sachi

Chahal to Rahul: Here's what Agarkar said about India squad for Asia Cup

India chief selector Ajit Agarkar on Monday said it was important for both Shreyas Iyer and K L Rahul to get enough game time ahead of the ODI World Cup in India. Both Rahul and Iyer were named in the 17-man Asia Cup squad but the former has developed a niggle unrelated to his original injury, making him a doubtful starter for the opening game against Pakistan on September 2. Speaking to media, Agarkar did not rule out the possibility of Rahul missing the opening game. Ahead of the selection meeting, there were questions over both Rahul and Iyer's inclusion in the India squad as they have not played competitive cricket for months. Rahul and Iyer are coming back after undergoing thigh and back surgeries. "Rahul plays in the team as a wicketkeeper-batter. Hopefully he will be available from the first game itself. Both Rahul and Iyer had long term injuries and they have done really well to get fit. It is a small setback for KL but we are hopeful that will be okay. He is a very importa

Asia Cup 2023: BCCI reveals India squad; Tilak gets call-up, Chahal dropped

Tilak Varma found a place in the squad and Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are back in the team as well with Rahul still struggling with the niggle

India Asia Cup squad 2023: Iyer, KL return; Tilak gets maiden call-up

Agarkar informed during the press meet that Shreyas Iyer is declared completely fit. While KL Rahul is still having some niggle, he would be declared fit in a few days' time.

Asia Cup 2023: PCB invites Jay Shah to Pakistan to watch opening match

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday invited Jay Shah, BCCI Secretary and President of ACC, to attend the opening match of the Asia Cup between Pakistan and Nepal on August 30 at Multan. The PCB said besides Shah it has also invited heads of other boards who are part of the Asian Cricket Council for the opening match. A well-informed source in the PCB said the invitation was sent to Shah more out of hope than any realistic expectation of him visiting Pakistan. The PCB has basically followed up on the invitation which was extended verbally by Chairman Zaka Ashraf to Jay Shah when they both met in Durban for the ICC meeting, the source said. The Pakistani media had then reported that Shah accepted the PCB's invitation, but the BCCI secretary denied this claim. The PCB was obviously embarrassed after the Pakistani media reported that Jay Shah had accepted Zaka Ashraf's invitation and the Indian board official later flatly denied this, he said. Aware of the existing relations .

Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan best for middle-order, feels Saba Karim

Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has backed Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan as the best replacement options at number 4 and 5 if the first-choice players are not fit in time for the Asia Cup and World Cup. India are expected to announce the squad for the Asia Cup in a few days and it remains to be seen if the preferred choices in Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul make the cut. The selectors should take KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer into consideration they can be included in the team if they are fit. But the wait has not ended, the team will be announced on the 20th from what I know, they have the time until then, Karim told the media during a chat organised by Jio Cinema. But if they are not fit, Ishan Kishan is a good option against Rahul since he can bat as an opener and in the middle-order, he added. While Karim named three players for the No 5 slot, he said senior batter Suryakumar would be his first preference. If Shreyas Iyer is not fit, you have 2-3 options to pick from, in Tila

Why does Ashwin find it difficult to be friends with his Indian teammates?

R Ashwin underlined the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a major factor behind the "lack of friendship" between players