Page 52 - Latest Updates on ICC T20 World Cup

Babar Azam backs Gary Kirsten to lead a positive change in Pakistan cricket

Pakistan limited overs skipper Babar Azam is optimistic that Gary Kirsten's appointment as head coach of Pakistan's white ball side will certainly improve its performance. The South African was roped in as the team's limited overs head coach last month on a two-year contract, and this would be his third outing as an international coach, having guided India (2008-11) and South Africa (2011-13). "He (Kirsten) is a very experienced coach, and his presence should be beneficial for us all. He is already taking a lot of interest in the planning for the World Cup and discussing strategy with the team management," Babar told a media conference in Lahore on Monday. Babar said Kirsten was in touch with the side daily, receiving reports about what they were doing and how they were planning things. "He (Kirsten) shares his plans with us, discussions are happening with coaches about our planning, and we update him on net practice plans, like how the bowling practice went today," he said. Babar

ICC T20 World Cup: CWI assures safety after tournament gets terror threat

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup received a terror threat to the tournament from North Pakistan; Cricket West Indies (CWI) provides assurances regarding implementation of all necessary safety measures

T20 WC: Powell to lead strong West Indies team, rookie Shamar called in

Rajasthan Royals power-hitter Rovman Powell will lead a strong West Indies squad, filled with some of the world's best franchise freelancers, in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas. One of the prominent names included is rookie pace sensation Shamar Joseph, who is a part of Lucknow Super Giants in this edition of IPL. The team bears a formidable look with some of the biggest power-hitters in world cricket like Nicholas Pooran of Lucknow Super Giants, Andre Russell of Kolkata Knight Riders, Shimron Hetmyer of Rajasthan Royals apart from skipper Powell himself being part of the 15. Not to forget Romario Shepherd of Mumbai Indians, Sherfane Rutherford (KKR) and Shai Hope (Delhi Capitals), who are also plying their trade in the cash-rich IPL. Pacer Alzarri Joseph, who plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is Powell's deputy while seasoned pros like all-rounders Roston Chase, Jason Holder, batters Johnson Charles, Brandon King have also been inducted. Powell, Shepherd, Russell

Former Ranji Trophy top-scorer Milind to play T20 World Cup for USA

Former Delhi batter and 2018-19 Ranji Trophy top run-getter Milind Kumar found a place in the United States of America squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting June 1. The USA, a co-host of the event alongside the West Indies, announced its 15-member squad to be led by Gujarat-born Monank Patel. Right-handed batter Milind, who scored 1331 runs in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season, had before that played seven seasons for Delhi and then migrated to the USA in search of better opportunities. Milind, a Delhi-born cricketer, played for the state, Sikkim and Tripura in the Indian domestic before migrating to the US. The 33-year-old batter also played for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League. During the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy, he finished as the highest run-scorer for the season playing for Sikkim before making his cricketing debut in the US in 2021 with The Philadelphians in the Minor Cricket League. Former Mumbai left-ar

T20 World Cup 2024: What will be India Playing 11 with four spinners?

With India matches scheduled to take place in the morning during ICC T20 World Cup 2024, it is believed that Rohit would pick three or four spinners in the Playing 11 to strangle the opposition

Check full list of umpires and match referees for ICC T20 World Cup 2024

For the first round of T20 World Cup 2024, ICC has shortlisted 20 umpires and six match referees, who will officiate

T20 World Cup 2024: Rinku Singh has done nothing wrong - Ajit Agarkar

Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar on Thursday described the omission of Rinku Singh from India's T20 World Cup squad as the "toughest" call, saying the in-from swashbuckler has "done nothing wrong" and it all came down to combinations. Rinku, Kolkata Knight Riders' big-hitting finisher from Aligarh, could not find a place in the 15-member squad as the think-tank preferred Chennai Super Kings' Shivam Dube over him. His exclusion became a major talking point as Rinku has scored 356 runs at an average of 89 and strike rate of 176.24 in T20Is for India. "It (not picking Rinku) is probably the toughest thing we have had to discuss. He has done nothing wrong, not even Shubman Gill for that matter. It is not his fault that he missed out. It's about combinations," Agarkar said during a press conference here. "A couple of wrist spinners were included to give Rohit (Sharma) more options. There are two keepers, we needed an extra bowler. It's just unfortunate. He's in the reserves, so that .

Agarkar & Rohit press conference highlights: 'Unfortunate, Rinku not in main squad'

We were looking for players who were batting in the middle-order; KL Rahul is playing as opener; Pant is batting at number 5 and we can believe, Sanju can adjust in the middle-order, says Agarkar

Dairy giant Amul to sponsor US and South Africa in T20 World Cup in June

Indian dairy giant Amul will sponsor USA and South Africa during the T20 World Cup in June, the cricket boards of the respective teams announced on Thursday. The USA will be making their tournament debut as co-hosts of the tournament beginning June 1. Part of the event, including the semifinals and finals, will take place in the Caribbean. Amul has been named the Lead Arm sponsor of the both USA and South African squad. The World Cup opener will be played between USA and Canada on June 1. The Indian dairy behemoth with global footprints has sponsored cricket teams in the past as well including the Netherlands, South Africa and Afghanistan. Amul milk is also now being sold in the USA. USA recently beat Canada 4-0 in a bilateral series. "The goodness of Amul Milk will empower the USA Cricket team to win hearts and laurels from across the world. We wish our best to the team for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024," Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Amul, said in a statement. On the

T20 WC: Drop-in pitches being transported for installation in New York

The drop-in pitches prepared for the upcoming T20 World Cup are being transported from Florida to New York in semi-trailer trucks for installation at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, the ICC said on Tuesday. Among other matches, the venue will also host the marquee India-Pakistan group stage fixture on June 9. Ten drop-in pitches have been prepared in Florida since late December, employing proprietary techniques honed over a decade at Adelaide Oval, the ICC said in a press release. The development of the pitches has been undertaken by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions, led by renowned Adelaide Oval head curator Damian Hough. "The pitches, cultivated with native Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass, have been meticulously nurtured in Florida by Adelaide Oval Turf Solutions and US-based sports turf experts LandTek Group, undergoing continuous care and maintenance over the past three months." Four pitches will be set up at the Nassau stadium, with an additional six designated for neighbour

Gavaskar reveals why Rinku was excluded from India's T20 World Cup squad

Big-hitter Rinku Singh not finding a place in the main India squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas surprised the likes of former all-rounder Irfan Pathan and ex-Australia skipper Aaron Finch, but the legendary Sunil Gavaskar attributed it to the left-handed batter's poor form in the ongoing IPL. The BCCI on Tuesday announced a 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies in June, keeping the hard-hitting middle-order batter, who has played 15 T20Is, in the reserves, along with Shubman Gill, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan. Pathan was one of the the most vocal former players after the announcement, opining on 'X' that "Rinku's recent past performance for Team India shouldn't have been ignored." Former Australia white-ball skipper Finch said he was "surprised" by the BCCI selectors picking four spinners in the side and not Rinku. "I was surprised by the four spinners. I had Rinku in there and only two spinners," said Finch on Star Sports. West Indian

Hardik Pandya will be a different player in T20 World Cup: Gavaskar

Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar feels there is no reason to get overly worried about Hardik Pandya's bowling form going into the T20 World Cup, saying the all-rounder will be a "different player" in national colours. Pandya was retained as vice-captain of the 15-member squad announced by the BCCI on Tuesday despite his ordinary form for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL. The MI captain has scored 197 runs and taken just four wickets in 10 games with his team languishing in ninth spot. "There's a big difference playing in the IPL and playing for your country. Playing for your country brings out something different in every player and Hardik Pandya will be a different player," said Gavaskar on Sports Today. "He's had to face a lot of issues in this particular tournament (IPL), he's handled it quite well. When he goes overseas and has to play for India, I think he will be in a completely different frame of mind. "And that's going to be a much more positive frame of mind than

T20 WC-bound England players to leave IPL in time for series against Pak

The upcoming T20 World Cup-bound England players who are currently fulfilling their IPL commitments will "return in time" for a preceding four-match T20I series against Pakistan, the country's cricket board said on Tuesday. England on Tuesday named a 15-member squad for the T20 showpiece, which will be held across June in the USA and the West Indies, with Jofra Archer returning to international cricket after a hiatus of more than 14 months. The same squad has been selected for the T20I series against Pakistan, which will commences on May 22 in Headingley. "Selected players, currently playing in the Indian Premier League, will return in time for the series against Pakistan, which gets underway at Headingley on Wednesday 22 May 2024,' the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement after naming the T20 World Cup squad. Some of the prominent English players who would have to leave the IPL before the start of the Pakistan series are: Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals), Phil ...

T20 World Cup: Pacer Jofra Archer returns, Jos Buttler to lead England

Fit-again pacer Jofra Archer expectedly returned after a one-year injury-forced hiatus, while rookie all-rounder Tom Hartley also made the cut in the 15-member preliminary T20 World Cup squad announced by defending champions England here on Tuesday. Archer last played for England in a T20 International series against Bangladesh in March last year. The 29-year-old was England's leading wicket-taker in that series with four scalps from three matches at an economy of 6.63. But since then, Archer has been forced to sit on the sidelines because of the recurrence of a stress fracture in his right elbow. "Jofra Archer has recovered from his right elbow injury and is named in the squad," said the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in its media release. England will be led by Jos Buttler, who had guided them to the title in Australia in 2022. From January this year, Archer has been working intensely on his return including Sussex's pre-season camps in Abu Dhabi and Bengaluru, besides ..

T20 World Cup selection: Rinku Singh becomes casualty of impact player rule

The 'Impact Player' rule, which has made IPL contests quite literally a "12-a-side affair", has dealt a raw deal to power-hitter Rinku Singh who couldn't make the Indian main squad for T20 World Cup as he simply did not have enough game time to his credit. The 26-year-old Aligarh left-hander, who captured the cricketing world's imagination with five sixes in an over during the previous IPL, made way for Shivam Dube in the main national squad while his name ended up being among the reserves. Dube got in thanks to more game time for Chennai Super Kings during the first 10 games of the league. Those who were privy to the selection meeting held in Ahmedabad on Tuesday unanimously agreed that Rinku became an easy omission for the panel because he couldn't be fitted alongside Hardik Pandya and Dube in the same 15. "No doubt, Rinku paid the price for the Impact Player Rule. He is plain and simple unlucky. Hardik might be in poor form but he is still India's best seam bowling all-rounder a

T20 World Cup: Sanju Samson, the silent fighter who made his own fortune

Sanju Samson and his legion of faithful fans might have heaved a massive sigh of relief when he was named in India's 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup in USA and Caribbean. His moment came after delicate knocks on the door in the past became a loud thud during this IPL where Samson has so far scored 385 runs from nine matches at a strike-rate of 161.08. In comparison, KL Rahul, his closest rival for the second wicketkeeper-batter's slot behind Rishabh Pant, has made 378 runs from nine matches at 144.27. On the periphery, there is nothing much to distinguish between them apart from the strike-rate, which at times can paint a rather false picture. But in Samson's case those numbers are prima-facie evidence of his impact in the Rajasthan Royals' pink jersey. The loudest argument against Samson in the past was his tendency to produce plateauing outings as a tournament progress. The IPL 2023 was an example of that as after a couple of blazing fifties in the beginning, the 29-year-

Dube lot more complete player, will make an impact in T20I WC: Fleming

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

T20 World Cup 2024: Rohit Sharma-led Indian team squad announced today

Hardik Pandya named vice captain of Team India. Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson are two wicketkeepers on India's list for the World Cup. Rinku Singh in travelling reserves

T20 World Cup 2024: India full schedule, squad, IND-PAK match timings (IST)

India vs Pakistan match in ICC T20 World Cup 2024 will take place on June 9. IND vs PAK live action to begin at 8 PM IST on June 9. Check all you need to know about India campaign here

Team India T20 World Cup 2024 squad, Noida McDonald’s, Theoboroma under FDA scanner & more

Team India T20 World Cup 2024 squad, Noida McDonald’s, Theoboroma under FDA scanner & more