Bangladesh seamer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for "inappropriate physical contact" during a verbal altercation with Nepal skipper Rohit Paudel in their final group D match of the T20 World Cup. The incident took place in the third over of the Nepal chase on Sunday when Tanzim, after bowling a delivery, walked towards Paudel "in an aggressive manner and made inappropriate physical contact." Tanzim bowled exceptionally well in the game and finished with a match-winning spell of 4/7 to help Bangladesh claim a 21-run win at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown. In addition to the fine, "one demerit point has been added to Tanzim's disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period." The 21-year-old was found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other .
Legendary West Indies pacer Wesley Hall has seen a lot of great batters over the years and in his opinion, Indian superstar Virat Kohli belongs right at the top with the all-time legends of the game. The 86-year-old from Barbados, who formed a lethal bowling partnership with Charlie Griffith in the 1960s, also feels that the modern day West Indies players can't be expected to turn down million-dollar contracts in franchise cricket though it does impact the health of Test cricket in the region. In stark contrast to the nomadic life of a current international cricketer, Hall played 48 Tests in a career spanning 16 years. He was a special guest at the Kensington Oval here on Tuesday when he met members of the Indian team and presented his autobiography to Kohli and head coach Rahul Dravid on the sidelines of their second training session. Having also served as sports minister of Barbados, the man of many talents reserved humbling words for Kohli in his brief chat with the former India
Virat Kohli will be expected to hit his straps after a lean run while left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav will anxiously wait for his chance when title-favourites India face a sprightly Afghanistan in their opening Super 8 fixture of the T20 World Cup here on Thursday. The big talking point ahead of the game is the Indian team combination. Will India go in with the same line-up that worked for them in the group league stage or bring in their best spinner over the last 12 months, Kuldeep, at the expense of a specialist pacer now? At the start of the tournament, skipper Rohit Sharma had expressed his keenness to include all four all-rounders -- Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja -- in the playing eleven. That strategy suited the Indian team in the bowler-friendly conditions in New York and the captain is expected to retain the winning combination that stretches their batting till number 8. The only way to fit Kuldeep into the team is to either drop Mohammed Sira
With former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir's candidature almost final, the BCCI could make the announcement any time between June 19 and 21
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir was on Tuesday interviewed by the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) for the national team's head coach position. The interview took place over a zoom call with both Gambhir and Malhotra attending it virtually. "Yes, Gambhir appeared for the interview with the CAC. One round of discussions happened today. There is another round expected tomorrow," a BCCI source told PTI. Gambhir is believed to be the only candidate who is in contention and the announcement of his name is a mere formality which could happen in the next 48 hours. The specifics of his interaction with CAC chairman Ashok Malhotra and his colleagues Jatin Paranjpe and Sulakshana Naik were not immediately known. Both Paranjpe and Naik are based in Mumbai. The discussion, it is believed, was focussed on the roadmap he has in mind for the next three years, which will feature three ICC tournaments across formats. There is an Apex Council meeting on Tuesday evening and it is understo
Indian cricket board secretary Jay Shah visited the National Football League (NFL) headquarters in New York with the BCCI saying the move was aimed at "fostering international sporting collaborations." BCCI secretary Shah is in the United States for the ongoing T20 World Cup. "In a significant move towards fostering international sporting collaborations, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah visited the National Football League (NFL) headquarters in New York," the Board said in a statement. The BCCI organises the the IPL that has become the world's second-richest sports league in terms of per match value, behind USA's National Football League. Since its maiden season in 2008, the IPL and T20 cricket have grown exponentially. During the visit, the BCCI said Shah held "productive discussions" with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his team, focusing on sharing best practices, exchanging innovative ideas, and enhancing fan engagement and experiences. Shah presented a customised helmet adorned wi
Former BCCI chief curator Daljit Singh is shocked by the "poor quality" of drop-in pitches being used for the T20 World Cup games in New York, including the ones featuring India. India play three World Cup games in New York including the blockbuster clash against Pakistan on June 9. In their tournament-opener against Ireland, uneven bounce and cracks attracted a lot of attention. India skipper Rohit Sharma was forced off the field after being hit by a Josh Little ball that took off from length, raising concerns about the safety of the players. "It is a poor pitch. Drop-in pitch needs to be installed well in advance. To create density, you need to play on it and use different rollers and then increase the density," Daljit, who worked with the BCCI for more than two decades, told PTI. "It seems they just installed it without doing any of that, poor quality and preparation I would say," he said. The ICC had transported 10 made-in-Australia drop-in pitches to New York in the first wee
Former India captain and Delhi Capitals director of cricket Sourav Ganguly is in favour of continuing with the impact-player rule in IPL, but wants teams to decide their picks at the toss. The impact-player rule has become a hot topic of debate following the recently-concluded edition of IPL where scores in excess of 250 runs were notched up eight times. Ganguly added he wants the boundaries to be pushed further back in upcoming IPL editions. "I like the impact player rule. My only thing with IPL is that I just want the grounds to be a bit bigger. The fences should go a little behind," Ganguly told the media on the sidelines of the International Procurement and Supply Chain Conference organised by the Blue Ocean Corporation. "It is a great tournament. The only thing you can do with the impact player is decide before the toss, so it's a bit of skill there. "So, have the impact player revealed before because that will require a lot of skill and game plan. But, I am all for the impac
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir loves the IPL, and the quality of cricket it produces, but doesn't want the franchise-based T20 league to become the pathway to the Indian team for youngsters. Speaking on Ravichandran Ashwin's YouTube show, 'Kutti Stories with Ash', Gambhir said, "The bigger concern that arises is about how many youngsters want to play Test cricket for India. I hope the IPL is not a shortcut to play for India." The Kolkata Knight Riders team mentor also asserted that the IPL has benefitted the Indian domestic cricketers. "Today, when I look at international T20 sides, apart from 2-3 teams, I don't see enough competition when it comes to playing for India," he said. "Not many teams can match the quality that India has. So, I feel that in today's day and age, IPL has become far more competitive than international T20 cricket. "Just the quality of the domestic players has changed, the way domestic players want to play in the IPL and the way they work around T20 cri
The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) on Monday laid the foundation stone for indoor cricket training academies in six North-Eastern states, with the sole emphasis on helping budding cricketers from the region. The indoor cricket academies will serve players from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim and will be based in Shillong, Itanagar, Kohima, Aizawl, Imphal and Gangtok. "Honoured to have laid the foundation stone for BCCI's upcoming state-of-the-art indoor training facilities in the North-East," Shah wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Earlier, cricketers from these states were required to travel to centres in Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai or Ahmedabad for training during the monsoon season. The BCCI had also created North-East Cricket Development Committee, which is being headed by Avishek Dalmiya, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). "Our cricketers from six states -- Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and
BCCI invites applications for Indian men's cricket team head coach; see eligibility, process, remuneration, and past coaches here
On May 13, the BCCI invited applications for the position of head coach for the Indian men's cricket team. Watch the video to know more
Also, in the CK Nayadu Trophy, a domestic-level under-23 state tournament, a new point system will be introduced to make sure performances get more balanced
The exclusion of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer from the list of centrally-contracted players was a decision that was solely taken by chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, BCCI secretary Jay Shah has revealed, asserting that "nobody is indispensable". Kishan and Iyer were left out after failing to show up for domestic engagements despite a directive from the BCCI. While Kishan went on a long break after the end of the ODI World Cup last year and remained unavailable until the IPL, Iyer eventually did feature in a few matches for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy including the semifinal and the final. However, Iyer still found himself at the receiving end after it emerged that he had attended a Kolkata Knight Riders' camp in Mumbai when his domestic side was busy playing a Ranji Trophy fixture. "You can check the constitution. I am just a convener (of the selection meeting)," he said during a media interaction at the BCCI head office here on Thursday. "That decision lies with Ajit Agarkar, ev
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah says the 'Impact Player' rule, which has divided opinions in the ongoing IPL, can be revisited if that's what the stakeholders want given that it was introduced as a "test case". The impact player rule has had a heavy bearing on the ongoing edition with teams crossing 250-run mark as many as eight times so far. Players, coaches as well as experts have pointed out the challenges which the impact player rule poses to the bowlers, saying that it allows teams to have extended batting line-ups. India captain Rohit Sharma has stated that the rule hurts all-rounders as they are not getting enough bowling opportunities. "Impact player rule was brought in as a test case. On the bright side, it is providing additional playing opportunities to two Indian players," he said in an interaction with select media at the BCCI office here on Thursday. "Isn't it important that two Indian players are getting a chance? The game is also becoming more competitive," he added. Shah
A purist at heart, Gujarat Titans batting coach Gary Kirsten wants the BCCI to find a way to maintain an equilibrium between bat and ball after witnessing unprecedented domination by the batters in the ongoing IPL season. It has been a nightmare for the bowlers this season with IPL teams crossing the 250-plus totals as many as eight times this IPL. "I'm a cricket purist and I like to see an even contest between bat and ball," said Kirsten during the press conference ahead of their clash against Chennai Super Kings. "So, however the authorities of the game decide which way to go. The most important thing is that it's an even contest. And if it becomes uneven, I would like that to be addressed as best they can. "However they make that decision, it needs to be an even contest between bat and ball and maybe it hasn't so much this IPL. I think it's been like the batter is dominating the IPL more." It takes time to really master captaincy: Kirsten backs ...
India head coach Rahul Dravid will have to reapply if he wishes to continue in the job after his tenure ends with next month's T20 World Cup, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has said while making it clear that the new appointment will be for a three-year term. Dravid, who had a two-year contract originally, was given an extension along with his support staff after the conclusion of the 50-overs World Cup in November last year. "We will call for applications in the next few days. Rahul Dravid's tenure is coming to an end. He has to reapply if he has to continue. We are looking for a long-term coach, for three years," Shah told select media during an interaction at the BCCI office here on Thursday. The BCCI secretary said there has been no precedent of having different coaches for different formats but ultimately the decision rests with the Cricket Advisory Committee. The CAC comprises Jatin Paranjape, Ashok Malhotra and Sulakshana Naik. "There is no precedent of different coaches for differ
Shivam Dube's enhanced game understanding and completeness have impressed Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming who is confident in the lefthanded allrounder's ability to make an "impact" in the upcoming World Cup. The 30-year-old, who is the second leading run-scorer for the defending champions in the ongoing IPL, made the cut to the 15-member Indian squad for the T20 global showpiece in the USA and West Indies beginning on June 1. "He is a lot more complete in terms of what he is trying to do, understanding his game, and that comes from experience," Fleming said ahead of their match against Punjab Kings. "We have worked hard on areas he wasn't so strong, but also continuing to develop his strength. So, if that form continues, he is going to be an impactful player for India (at the World Cup)." Dube has 350 runs in nine outings at a strike rate of 172.41, including three half-centuries. "He has been fantastic. He has proven this year that there is a lot more to him than
Even median batters are netting more runs than before and the room for bowlers appears shrinking
Former BCCI anti-corruption unit chief Neeraj Kumar found superstar Virat Kohli's work ethic "matchless" during his tenure with the powerful cricket board. The former top cop of Delhi worked with the BCCI between 2015 and 2018. His role in the BCCI ACU required him to regularly interact with the cricketers and he found most to them to nice and approachable. "Oh there were lots of them. One should be really proud of them. They all gave me a lot of respect. But two people who are not spoken much about are Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ajinkya Rahane, outstanding people, thorough gentlemen," said Kumar during an exclusive interaction with PTI journalists at its headquarters here. Kohli's commitment to the game is second to none and that was not missed on Kumar as well. "In cricket, Virat Kohli's work ethic is matchless. The way he goes about his training was exemplary," he said. Asked if the cricketers resorted to foul language, he added: "yes a few of them are fond of using foul language (i