Tag: ICC

  • Fans react to Babar Azam being ‘ignored’ by ICC in World Cup promo

    Fans react to Babar Azam being ‘ignored’ by ICC in World Cup promo

    On July 20, the International Cricket Council (ICC) shared a promo for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Cricket fans around the world have strongly reacted to Babar Azam, number one ODI batter, being ignored by the ICC in its recently released World Cup promo in which Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan also made an appearance.

    ICC tweeted: “History will be written and dreams will be realised at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. All it takes is just one day.”

    However, cricket fans were quick to point out an obvious omission by the ICC in its World Cup promo.

    The missing factor: Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam.

    Read more: Babar Azam and co ready to dominate in LPL: auction data released

    Fans called out the ICC for its ‘bias’, not including Babar Azam in the promo and also for making the content more about the Indian cricket team and less about the World Cup.

    Here are some tweets by fans who were not happy with the ICC:

  • PCB will receive more than twice the revenue from ICC

    PCB will receive more than twice the revenue from ICC

    The annual conference, board, and committee meetings of the ICC were held in Durban, South Africa, from July 10–13, 2023. At these meetings, the ICC Financial and Distribution Model 2024–27, Amendments to the ICC Sanctioning Regulations, and Modifications to the Over Rate Sanctions in Test Cricket, among other topics, were discussed. Pakistan was represented at these meetings by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) delegation.

    The new ICC finance and distribution model offers a crucial chance for the game to grow and anticipates the largest-ever investment to go into global cricket.

    In accordance with its constitutional right, the PCB has repeatedly asked for more information over the past few weeks at the ICC Meetings to better understand the justification for assigning weights to each of the criteria and determining the distributions.

    The PCB believed that such a critical choice shouldn’t be made in a hurry in the lack of all pertinent facts, data, and formulas. Therefore, the PCB suggested that this matter be tabled until the next ICC meeting.

    Therefore, the PCB was ranked among the top-four countries in this Model as a result of the performance of the Pakistan cricket team in men’s ICC events and in bilateral cricket, as well as the PCB’s own enormous fan following, which results in significant commercial value. As a result, compared to the previous cycle, the PCB will earn more than twice as much money.

    This increased revenue can be helpful for Pakistan cricket, and it’s good news for the Pakistani fans as well as the whole nation.

  • Ahmedabad will host India vs Pakistan World Cup match, ICC reveals schedule

    Ahmedabad will host India vs Pakistan World Cup match, ICC reveals schedule

    Ahmedabad is set to host the all-important India vs Pakistan World Cup, as International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the schedule for the mega event.

    The Cricket World Cup 2023 will be held in 10 venues across 46 days later this year.

    The World Cup kicks off on October 5 with a repeat of the 2019 Final as England take on New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

    Hosts India begin their campaign on October 8 against five-time World Cup winners Australia in Chennai.

    A total of 10 teams will participate in the showcase event, the first eight having already qualified through the Cricket World Cup Super League. The final two spots will be determined at the end of the Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe, which concludes on July 9.

    Each team plays the other nine in a round-robin format with the top four qualifying for the knockout stage and semi-finals.
    Key Fixtures

    The much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash is scheduled for Sunday, October 15 in Ahmedabad. Their last encounter in the 2019 World Cup was a high-scoring affair with India achieving a huge victory in Manchester.

    Pakistan will face Australia in Bengaluru on October 20, while England clash against South Africa the next day in Mumbai.
    The final group stage match will be England up against Pakistan in Kolkata on November 12.

    Knockout Stages

    The first semi-final will be held on Wednesday, November 15 in Mumbai, and the second semi-final will be held the following day in Kolkata. Both semi-finals will have a reserve day.

    The final will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19, with November 20 slated as the reserve day.

    All three knockout fixtures will be day-night affairs, with the matches beginning at 14:00 local time.

    Tournament Venues

    There will be a total of 10 venues – Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Dharamsala, Delhi, Chennai, Lucknow, Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kolkata.

    Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram, in addition to Hyderabad, will host the warm-up matches from 29th September to 3rd October.

    Pakistan’s World Cup schedule:

    Pakistan vs Qualifier, Oct 6, Hyderabad

    Pakistan vs Qualifier, Oct 12, Hyderabad

    Pakistan vs India, Oct 15, Ahmedabad

    Pakistan vs Australia, Oct 20, Bengaluru

    Pakistan vs Afghanistan, Oct 23, Chennai

    Pakistan vs South Africa, Oct 27, Chennai

    Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Oct 31, Kolkata

    Pakistan vs New Zealand, Nov 4, Bengaluru

    Pakistan vs England, Nov 12, Kolkata

  • ICC set to reveal schedule for World Cup 2023

    ICC set to reveal schedule for World Cup 2023

    All the controversies, mismanagements, conflicts, on venues aside, the International Cricket Council (ICC), is now all set to reveal the dates and venues of World Cup 2023.

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) previous management committee Chairman Najam Sethi proposed three venues for the India vs Pakistan match including Chennai, Indore and Kolkata while stating that the team will not play in Ahmedabad Narendra Modi Stadium because of security reasons.

    Najam Sethi, also stated that if Asia Cup will be held under Hybrid Model than his Board will propose the same Hybrid Model for the World Cup, with Pakistan playing its matches in Colombo or Dhaka.

    However, Zaka Ashraf, most likely the new chairman of PCB, bluntly dismissed the policies of Najam Sethi, and is currently tight lipped on the participation of Pakistan in the World Cup.

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto believes that cricket should be separated from politics, expressing disappointment on India’s policy to not play in Pakistan. However he also said but we are evaluating Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup.

    On June 27, ICC will reveal the schedule for the upcoming World Cup to be held in India. This announcement comes just four months before the tournament is set to begin, which is a shorter timeframe compared to previous World Cups that had their schedules announced over a year in advance.

    According to media reports, the tournament is expected to commence in October and conclude in November. However, the specific venues and fixtures have yet to be confirmed. One of the reasons behind the delay in scheduling was PCB’s delayed approval of the draft fixture list.

    Najam Sethi had stated that the approval or disapproval of the World Cup schedule lies with the government, similar to how the Indian government decides when their team travels to play.

    The PCB had also requested the ICC to change the venues of their matches against Australia and Afghanistan in an effort to gain an advantage. They proposed swapping the locations, suggesting that playing Australia in Chennai and Afghanistan in Bengaluru would make Pakistan the favorites in both matches.

    “Australia in Bengaluru and Afghanistan in Chennai are the two which we should look to get changed as much as possible,” as per the reports we found in media.

    “Ideally, we can switch these around. Australia in Chennai and Afghanistan in Bengaluru would make us obvious favorites in both matches.” the note further said.

    Normally, venue changes during ICC events occur only when there is a security threat. However, it remains to be seen if the ICC will accommodate their request.

    Overall, the ICC’s announcement of the World Cup schedule in India set to take place in a few months, is eagerly anticipated. The final details of the tournament, including venues and fixtures, will be unveiled soon.

    Pakistan’s tentative World Cup schedule

    October 6 – vs Qualifier in Hyderabad

    October 12 – vs Qualifier in Hyderabad

    October 15 – vs India in Ahmedabad

    October 20 – vs Australia in Bengaluru

    October 23 – vs Afghanistan in Chennai

    October 27 – vs South Africa in Chennai

    October 31 – vs Bangladesh in Kolkata

    November 5 – vs New Zealand Bengaluru

    November 12 – vs England in Kolkata

  • Foreign Office evaluating Pakistan’s participation in World Cup

    Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) likely new chairman, Zaka Ashraf, recently stated that he does not like the Hybrid Model for Asia Cup 2023.

    “I did not like the Hybrid Model. I feel that the present Hybrid Model seems to be an injustice with Pakistan. If all the important matches are going to take place in Sri Lanka and only less impactful matches will take place in Pakistan, then what is the purpose of having the hosting rights? Who will go to watch Nepal vs Pakistan,” he questioned.

    “The first thing I will do as PCB-chairman is reject the Hybrid Model. If Pakistan has the hosting rights, then all of the matches should take place in Pakistan,” Ashraf said recently.

    The statement stunned cricket fans all over Asia, and officials from the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) expressed displeasure over it.

    If Zaka Ashraf rejects the Hybrid Model and if India does not agree to travel to Pakistan, will the Pakistan Cricket team travel to India for the World Cup 2023? The World Cup is a mega event of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

    Former PCB management committee chairman, Najam Sethi, released a statement to the BCC podcast, stating, “If the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) consider the Hybrid Model for the Asia Cup, then we will go with the same model in the World Cup. Because if the Hybrid Model is applicable for the Asia Cup, then why would it not be a good option for the World Cup?”

    Today, the foreign office of Pakistan released a statement, stating, “We are evaluating the participation of Pakistan in the World Cup, with the security concerns of the players being of utmost priority.”

    This statement by the Ministry comes at a time when bilateral cricket has been suspended for a long time due to bad political relations between the two rival neighboring countries.

    The two have only played cricket against each other in multi-team events at neutral venues over the past decade, and Pakistan’s participation in the Cricket World Cup in October-November is still in doubt.

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in Goa last month, is the first senior Pakistani leader to visit India in the last 9 years.

    The Foreign Minister’s spokesperson said, “Politics should be set aside from sports. India’s racist policy of not playing in Pakistan is ridiculous and disappointing.”

    Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said yesterday, “We are observing and evaluating all aspects related to our participation in the World Cup, including the security situation of Pakistani cricketers. We will let you know our opinion.”

    The uncertainty of Pakistan’s participation means that the dates and venues of the World Cup are yet to be finalized, even though the tournament is only three months away.

    India has already refused to come to Pakistan for the Asia Cup starting on August 31. In response, Pakistan has warned that if Pakistan loses the rights to host the Asia Cup, it will boycott the World Cup.

    To resolve the issue amicably, Najam Sethi proposed the Hybrid model, but Zaka Ashraf straight away dismissed it.

  • Shahnawaz Dahani ne African language kyun seekhi, player reveals details

    Shahnawaz Dahani ne African language kyun seekhi, player reveals details

    Shahnawaz Dahani, Pakistan’s ace fast-medium pacer, has opened up about a viral video featuring the cricketer on the streets of Zimbabwe, singing a famous African traditional song with local children.

    Recently, the Pakistan Shaheens toured Zimbabwe for two Test matches and six One Day Internationals (ODIs), winning both test matches while Zimbabwe emerged victorious in four out of six ODI matches. These were unofficial matches held in Harare.

    The most interesting part of the series was Shahnawaz Dahani’s lively moments on the streets of Zimbabwe with African kids singing their traditional songs in the African Shona language.

    While speaking exclusively to “The Current Life”, Shahnawaz Dahani was asked if he loves spending time with children and the story behind the viral video, as well as how he learned the language.

    “I love spending time with children as they are the future of Pakistan. They watch us and learn from us, and they have dreams just like we did in our childhood. The same goes for the Zimbabwean kids. They enjoy watching us, and we also enjoy their company,” the bowler said.

    “I learned the language in just 30 days. I observed and watched them closely to understand what they were saying, and I quickly picked up the language.

    My teammates were amazed at how I learned the language, and although they tried, they failed. The credit goes to me for learning the African Shona language in just 30 days,” Dhani stated.

    Zimbabwean kids really like cricket and follow Pakistan, the pacer explained, adding that it motivated him to learn their language. “If you have passion, you can easily accomplish difficult and seemingly impossible things,” he remarked.

    When asked how many languages Shahnawaz Dahani can speak, he replied, “I try to learn as many as I can. I love learning languages and new things. I can speak five to six languages.”

  • Babar Azam takes a dip in test rankings: Joe Root is the new Number 1

    Babar Azam takes a dip in test rankings: Joe Root is the new Number 1

    According to the new rankings of the International Cricket Council (ICC), England’s Joe Root has become the number one Test batsman in the world.

    After the first Test of the Ashes series, there has been a change in the ICC Test Player Rankings and England’s Joe Root has moved up five places to the first place in the rankings, replacing Australia’s Marnus Libuschen, with New Zealand’s Kane Williamson moving up two places to the second position and Marnus Libuschen to the third position.

    In the Test batsmen’s ranking, Travis Head is at the fourth position after a step up, while Pakistan captain Babar Azam remains at the fifth position.

    Similarly, Australia’s Steve Smith has dropped 4 places to sixth, Usman Khawaja has moved up 2 places to seventh and England’s Harry Brook has moved up to 13th place after 5 places.

    India’s Ravichandran Ashwin remains at the top of the ICC Test bowlers rankings.

    In the bowlers ranking, England’s James Anderson is second, Rabada has moved up one level to third, Pete Cummins has moved down one level to fourth, England’s Ollie Robinson and Australia’s Nathan Lyon have moved up one level to 5th and 6th respectively.

  • No conflict on chairman PCB’s seat, says Rana Sana Ullah

    No conflict on chairman PCB’s seat, says Rana Sana Ullah

    In a press conference, Rana Sanaullah declared that there is no dispute within the government over the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He mentioned that the Prime Minister always fosters inclusivity, and coalition partner Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) chief Asif Zardari engages in discussions.

    He clarified that any political party can hold different opinions regarding the appointment of the PCB Chairman, but there is no fundamental disagreement.

    Furthermore, Rana Sanaullah emphasized that there is no pressure on former Chairman Nadra, Tariq Malik. He denied any occurrence of a contentious conversation between himself and Tariq Malik’s secretary.

    It is important to note that Chairman of the PCB Management Committee, Najam Sethi, recently met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During the meeting, the Prime Minister directed Najam Sethi to expedite the elections for the PCB Chairman.

    Shahbaz Sharif has nominated Najam Sethi as the candidate for the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Following this nomination, Najam Sethi held a meeting with Sharif, where he briefed the Prime Minister on the upcoming Asia Cup and the World Cup in India.

    According to sources, Najam Sethi also sought the Prime Minister’s opinion on the Asia Cup and the World Cup, and the Premier expressed complete confidence in Najam Sethi.

    During the briefing, it was announced that the PCB’s 2014 constitution has been fully reinstated. Elections for the PCB districts have been completed in over 90% of the districts, and 80% of the regional elections have also been concluded.

    Additionally, it was disclosed that the Regional Inter-District Under-19 Cricket Tournament will commence on June 15. The one-year cricket calendar has been finalized and will be announced soon. All departments have begun assembling their cricket teams.

  • Clear roadmap for Pakistan’s World Cup journey to India

    Clear roadmap for Pakistan’s World Cup journey to India

    The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has agreed to the hybrid model for Asia Cup 2023. Now, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), in a meeting with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and other cricketing boards, has approved the model with slight amendments.

    Asia Cup 2023 is all set to be played with PCB’s hybrid model, while Pakistan retains the hosting rights.

    The PCB favors the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the neutral venue, considering it a smart and effective revenue gateway for Pakistan. However, other boards, including the Indian Cricket Board, argued for an alternative venue. Consequently, the ACC has finalized Sri Lanka as the neutral venue for the tournament. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will now co-host the Asia Cup 2023.

    According to the proposed hybrid model, the first four or five matches will be played in Pakistan, with the remainder of the tournament moving to Sri Lanka, where India will have the opportunity to play their group matches.

    The PCB had been ready to show flexibility over a tit-for-tat stance for the World Cup had the Indian board rejected the hybrid model. The former had also expected the Pakistan government to grant approval for the country’s team to travel to India for the 50-over showpiece “much easily” if the proposed model was accepted.

    It is, therefore, understood that Pakistan will feature in India for the first time since 2016. Whether they take on the hosts, their arch-rivals, in Ahmedabad as proposed in a draft schedule sent by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to the boards of the participating sides is also to be decided by the country’s government.

    As per media reports, the PCB, having received the draft schedule as well, has started it’s consultations with the government over the fixture list and a decision is expected to be made in the coming week.

    That would also mean that the official schedule of the World Cup will be released just over three months ahead of the first game of the tournament on October 5.

    According to the draft schedule, Pakistan will kick off their campaign on October 6 against one of the teams coming through from the preceding qualifying round in Hyderabad before taking on another qualifier at the same venue on October 12.

    The Babar Azam-led unit is scheduled to fly out to Ahmedabad for the high-octane clash against India on October 15 before playing Australia five days later in Bengaluru and Afghanistan and South Africa in Chennai on October 23 and 27.

    After locking horns with Bangladesh in Kolkata four days later, Pakistan will return to Bengaluru for their match against New Zealand on November 5 before concluding the league stage with their fixture against England in Kolkata on November 12.

    The dates and venues for the tournament’s semi-finals and final have not been included in the draft schedule

  • Indian batters should learn playing pace and swing from Babar, says Nasir Hussain

    Indian batters should learn playing pace and swing from Babar, says Nasir Hussain

    Former England captain Nasser Hussain has advised Indian batsmen to learn how to handle pace and swing from Babar Azam and Kane Williams.
    He gave the remarks after India’s 209-run defeat against Australia in the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

    In an interview with a sports channel, Hussain expressed disappointment with the batting performance of the Indian team and suggested that their top-order batsmen should observe the techniques employed by Pakistan’s Babar Azam and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson when facing the seam and swing ball.

    He mentioned that Babar and Williamson exhibit patience by playing the swing ball late, which is a valuable lesson for Indian batsmen.

    Renowned Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar also criticized Virat Kohli’s shot selection, questioning his technique despite scoring over 70 centuries.

    Gavaskar pointed out that Kohli often plays the out-swinger too far ahead of the off-stump, resulting in poor shot selection and a compromised head position.

    Gavaskar emphasized that such non-serious shots may be acceptable when the team is in a winning position, but during crucial moments, when a century is required, Kohli should refrain from rushing to play the out-swinger, particularly with three slips waiting to capitalize on any mistakes.