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IPL 2024: Cricket’s Finest Ready for Action

This time, the tournament will see some of its biggest names return to the competition after missing out on the last season…reports Asian Lite News

The 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will once again be the place where some of the biggest names in men’s cricket will be showcasing their skills to enthrall fans.

This time, the tournament will see some of its biggest names return to the competition after missing out on the last season. At the same time, there are some exciting names who would be making their first foray into the world of IPL.

IANS looks at the players to watch out for from both Indian and overseas contingent.

Rishabh Pant: When the left-handed wicketkeeper-batter survived a life-threatening car accident in December 2022, people were concerned about his well-being and more so about whether he would return to playing.

In his nearly 14 months away from the game, Pant had his right knee ligaments reconstructed, stitches and grafting done for his skin-related injuries, underwent rigorous rehabilitation, aqua therapy and a tailor-made strengthening plus flexibility programme at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to now be on the verge of making a remarkable comeback to cricket.

With him coming back to cricket, it should be interesting to see how Pant copes with the loads of batting and possibly doing wicketkeeping, as well as captaining Delhi Capitals after a long period on the sidelines. Moreover, if he fares well in IPL 2024, he could be in late reckoning for a spot in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup squad.

Shreyas Iyer: The right-handed batter missed IPL 2023 due to a lower back issue which needed surgical intervention in the United Kingdom. Iyer now comes into this season as Kolkata Knight Riders’ captain, but has had a couple of bad months.

Iyer had a stellar run-making time in 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup in India, but couldn’t hold on to his place in T20I and Test teams, and didn’t get a BCCI central contract too due to non-participation in domestic competitions.

Though he made a fluent 95 in the Ranji Trophy final for Mumbai, Iyer couldn’t field in the last two days due to back pain resurfacing and it remains to be seen how he copes up with the bat and leadership loads in IPL 2024 for KKR.

Pat Cummins: Australia’s Test and ODI captain opted out of IPL 2023 focus on international cricket commitments. It was a move which paid off for Cummins as he won the World Test Championship, retained the Ashes and took home the Men’s ODI World Cup title.

In last year’s IPL Auction at Dubai, with his value skyrocketing, Cummins was roped in by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for a whopping INR 20.5 crore, making him the second-most expensive player in the history of the league. With him now being given leadership duties, Cummins will be itching to leave his mark in the IPL on his return for the 2024 season.

Rachin Ravindra: The left-handed batter, who also bowls quick left-arm spin, shone at the Men’s ODI World Cup in India, finishing as the competition’s fourth leading run-scorer with 578 runs at an average of 64.

He also scored three centuries and two half-centuries, including an unbeaten 123 in the tournament opener against England in Ahmedabad. Those performances propelled Chennai Super Kings to pick him for INR 1.8 crore, but with his team-mate Devon Conway suffering a thumb injury, Ravindra can open with Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Azmatullah Omarzai: The 23-year-old seam-bowling all-rounder from Afghanistan can fit into the Gujarat Titans’ set-up as a replacement for Hardik Pandya, who’s now moved to captain the Mumbai Indians, and partly for an injured Mohammed Shami.

Omarzai, who left Sachin Tendulkar mesmerised with his seam position in the ODI World Cup, can become a floater in the batting line-up and be the new-ball swinging bowler in powerplay. Him making a career-best 149 not out in an ODI against Sri Lanka at Pallekele also boosts his batting credentials.

Kumar Kushagra: Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans fought for the services of the explosive wicketkeeper-batter, but the former withdrew during the IPL 2024 auction. Delhi Capitals jumped in and eventually staved off the challenge from Titans’ to acquire Kushagra for a life-changing INR 7.2 crore.

Though Pant has been cleared by the BCCI medical team to start IPL 2024 as a wicketkeeper-batter, if he doesn’t don the gloves in initial days, then Kushagra can be amongst the first people to take up the keeping duties.

A batter who’s capable of hitting long sixes in the lower-order and impressed DC scouts, including director of cricket Sourav Ganguly, Kushagra also represented India A against the England Lions in January this year, adding to his steady rise in cricket since the IPL auction.

ALSO READ-WPL: Bowlers Step Up, Batting, Fielding Must Catch Up

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India News Sport Sports

Cricket Ascends to New Heights!

Cricket, as one says is a religion in India. This may have been an understatement earlier, but it has soared to such heights to give it a true meaning now…reports Asian Lite News

The most wonderful development in sports, at present, revolves around the game of cricket. Cricket lovers, from the relatively few cricket-playing countries in the world, have now moved to every nook and corner of the globe. It is through these cricket-loving followers that the game is growing and soaring to new heights.

India has become the centre-point of the game’s popularity and has now touched and crossed all genders, castes, religions and any other adverse taboos related to it. Cricket has become the focal point on which Indians rich or poor, old or young, from streets to farms, cities to villages have taken it to be the sport to revel in.

Cricket, as one says is a religion in India. This may have been an understatement earlier, but it has soared to such heights to give it a true meaning now.

Red-ball cricket was the sole proprietor of the game, the white-ball brought in a change and now the hard tennis ball has come to stay. The five days of cricket are gradually moving towards a 10 overs affair, one in which one’s strength, hand-eye coordination and aggression, play a far greater importance than the skills and technique required earlier.

Hyderabad, May 18 (ANI): Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli celebrates his century during the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, in Hyderabad on Thursday. (ANI Photo/ Digital Restriction)

The television and digital screen has Indian cricket being showcased in all forms of its avatar. The screen had India playing Test cricket against England which they won with style and flair.

The Indian and International women cricketers are playing the popular WPL T20. The last stage of the domestic Ranji Trophy was also in progress and has now been won for the 42nd time by Mumbai.

The Indian actors were playing a serious Celebrity Cricket League amongst themselves. Not to be missed even in their old age, former cricketers are playing the Legends League.

The new entrant that has taken the street players to the stadium in Mumbai has been the Indian Street Players League (ISPL), the T10 tennis-ball cricket league. With Sachin Tendulkar playing and endorsing it, the tournament has sowed the seeds of another form of cricket that could see a huge rise in the popularity of the game. Especially, as it is far safer to play it, rather than facing a hard leather cricket ball.

Tennis ball cricket is not a novel idea, every cricketer and cricket-lover has in his cricket journey been a part of it. In India, it was the cheapest form of the game, in which one required just a ball and a wooden bat to play.

The cricket battles between buildings in Mumbai, streets, villages, and local establishments around India have been as seriously fought as one sees in stadiums in an international match. For it to now transcend into the stadiums around the country will be quite a journey.

The most encouraging and positive movement in the expansion of the game of cricket has recently been seen through women and girls finally getting the platform to play it seriously in India.

The second edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in India has been a super success. Unknown and young Indian cricketers are blossoming through it and many more will emerge in the near future.

Women’s cricket around the world is progressing by huge strides and India, one feels, will be the hub of its growth in years to come. The Indian women’s cricket stars are now as revered as the men, their popularity is what will drive the young girls of tomorrow into a game that parents earlier had restricted them to do so.

The British, through their world dominance at one time, may have spread, introduced and established cricket where they were present, however, the phenomenal rise that one sees now shows how the royal and wonderful game is now rising on its own.

The popularity of Test cricket and the characteristics it embedded were a strong base for the sport to establish itself. The transformation that has taken place through the shorter version of it, has been phenomenally successful.

The staunch old followers and connoisseurs of cricket may find the change rather concerning. However, as one says, change is inevitable and they will need to change as well. Cricket has found a new lease of life through it and every form of the game seems to have something different to enjoy and relish.

The cricket-playing nations have all established themselves. However, the growth of cricket will come forth from the countries one never imagined would delve into it. The United States of America, the Middle East and Europe are the new serious entrants into the sport. They are all establishing their T20 and T10 leagues.

The Major League cricket tournament in the United States has a few of the richest and most established international companies supporting it. The International League (IL) T20 also endorsed as the DP World ILT20 is a rich cricket tournament sanctioned by the Emirates Cricket Board. Whereas, in Europe, I was privileged to witness the European Cricket League, a T10 tournament, played between 31 European countries.

Cricket is gradually growing and leaping towards becoming a sport that is capturing the interest and hearts of people worldwide.

It has the character, the class and the royal pedigree to grow even further. The World Cup T20 in June 2024 and the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 in the United States will be just the right note to hit, to put cricket into the big league of sport. After all, it was at St. George’s Cricket Ground in New York in 1844 that the first-ever international cricket match was held between the US and Canada.

Cricket truly is soaring to new heights.

ALSO READ: ‘Return Feels Like Debut’

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Sport Sports Woman

Sue Redfern Breaks Barriers

The ICC-appointed female umpires will get match-day pay parity with their male counterparts on the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires and receive comparable perks…reports Asian Lite News

England’s Sue Redfern will become the first female neutral umpire appointed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to stand in a bilateral series after being named for the upcoming ICC Women’s Championship and T20I fixtures between Australia and South Africa.

Sue’s appointment follows the ICC’s decision to appoint one neutral umpire for all ICC Women’s Championship series as well as any T20I matches scheduled between two same opponents. The move will ensure some neutrality in running matches while also keeping in mind the long-term development of female umpires.

“It’s an honour to be named by the ICC as its first official female neutral umpire and I’m very excited about the upcoming series between Australia and South Africa. This is a defining moment for both women’s cricket and female cricket officials, who have worked hard and been given development opportunities in recent years.”

“I’ve seen the landscape evolve for female officials and how many are now being recognised and supported across many countries. I am sure this appointment can help build momentum and visibility to help further develop female officials across the world in the future. Personally, I would like to thank the ICC and the ECB for their support over the years and I look forward to more such appointments,” said Sue in the ICC statement.

Sue played in six Tests and 15 ODIs for England between 1995 and 1999, including four in the 1997 Women’s ODI World Cup in India. Post the end of her playing career, Sue has been on the ICC Development Panel of Umpires since 2016. She has officiated in two ICC Women’s ODI Cricket World Cups (2017 and 2022) and three ICC Women’s T20 World Cups (2018, 2022 and 2024).

The ICC said it will prioritise female officials for the neutral umpires’ role in ICC Women’s Championship series. The ICC-appointed female umpires will get match-day pay parity with their male counterparts on the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires and receive comparable perks.

The female neutral umpires will be selected on merit and more of them will find themselves in the ICC International Panel of Umpires in the coming years, as part of ICC’s strategic ambition to advance the involvement and visibility of women both on and off field within the game.

“This is a watershed moment for women’s cricket as we look to both implement a female match officials’ pathway programme and accelerate officiating opportunities for our very best performers.”

“Neutral appointments will give female umpires more exposure to different conditions and will support the learning and development of local female umpires who officiate alongside them.”

“Last year we had the first all-female match officials’ panel at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa and so it is important that we build on that momentum through a combination of development and high-quality opportunities,” said Wasim Khan, ICC’s General Manager of Cricket.

Meanwhile, In a ground-breaking decision in last November, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced equal pay for female match officials, signalling its commitment to gender equality in cricket.

The reforms include the equalisation of match-day pay for ICC umpires, regardless of whether they are officiating men’s or women’s cricket matches.

The initiative, which is set to be implemented in January 2024, marks a pivotal moment in cricket’s history, as it takes another stride towards equal opportunities in the sport.

The Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) also recommended including at least one neutral umpire in every series of the ICC Women’s Championship, in line with the long-standing practice in men’s international cricket.

“The changes to the gender eligibility regulations resulted from an extensive consultation process and are founded in science, aligning with the core principles developed during the review,” remarked ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice.

The ICC Board also approved new gender eligibility regulation for women’s cricket according to which male-to-female participants who have undergone male puberty will not be eligible to compete in the international women’s game, irrespective of any surgical or gender reassignment treatment they may have undertaken.

ICC will revisit these regulations within two years to align with the sport’s evolving landscape. At the domestic level, though, these regulations will remain under the jurisdiction of individual member boards.

ALSO READ: Deepti Sharma, Pat Cummins Win ICC Player of the Month

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Fashion Lite Blogs

Extra Butter Launches Cricket-Themed Collection in India

The 2.0 iteration of this iconic shoe takes inspiration from the heritage of Cricket — specifically the dignity and distinction of classic style that’s become a signature of the sport and continues to transcend into luxury and fashion…reports Asian Lite News

Extra Butter, the progressive New York streetwear and fashion boutique and independent lifestyle brand, has been a long-time collaborator with the global athletic apparel and footwear giant, Adidas. Over the years, the two brands have collaborated on seven successful global projects, and they are pleased to announce the launch of their very first such collaboration exclusively for India.

The idea for this collaboration came about when Extra Butter was planning the launch of its 1st international outpost in Mumbai. Given their history of collaborations, Extra Butter reached out to Adidas to see if they could work together to create something for India — specifically to celebrate Extra Butter’s arrival here — and the Adidas team in Germany were only too happy to oblige.

For this collaborative collection between the two brands, Extra Butter’s Co-Founders and brothers Ankur and Nick Amin wanted to tell an Indian story, one that they were nostalgic about. Cricket was a sport that both had a lot of fond childhood memories of; the brothers had grown up hearing about cricketing legends, such as Sunil Gavaskar and his exploits on the pitch and witnessed the sport’s elites, like Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar, put Indian cricket on the global stage.  

Parallelly, Ankur and Nick were aware that Extra Butter’s debut in India would be about a month, or so, ahead of the 2023 Cricket World Cup and they both thought, “why not tell a story that focuses on Cricket?” After all, Cricket is woven into the fabric of Indian society. What was initially a leisurely pastime for the English upper classes, has evolved into an influential cornerstone of the country’s culture. The core values of Cricket, its principles, spirit and elegance continue to captivate our nation and are passed down through generations. With India’s hosting of the 2023 Cricket World Cup roughly coinciding with Extra Butter’s launch in Mumbai, the brand wanted to honour the nation’s love affair with the sport.

The centrepiece of this Extra Butter X Adidas collection is probably the Adidas Cable-Knit 2.0 SC Premiere model of shoes, in white and cricket-ball red. Incidentally, the original Cable-knit SC Premiere was designed by Extra Butter’s designers, Bernie Gross and Jeff Staple, along with Adidas’ design team and marked the first time ever that cable-knit fabric was used as an upper on a sneaker.

The 2.0 iteration of this iconic shoe takes inspiration from the heritage of Cricket — specifically the dignity and distinction of classic style that’s become a signature of the sport and continues to transcend into luxury and fashion. The design of the shoe is loaded with Easter eggs, and this is the first time the Adidas name appears in Hindi on the uppers of the shoe. Also, the design features the years that India has won the Cricket World Cup on the medial side of the shoe. Beyond that, there are a few hidden Easter eggs that customers will have to hunt for.

Additionally, the collection also features a range of apparel, including a stunning club blazer and pants, along with a vest and a full-sleeve sweater in the iconic cable knit material, that is synonymous with Cricket attire. The hero piece is a short-sleeved cable-knit button-up shirt that is sure to be a big hit. The creative teams at Extra Butter really added a lot of flavour to the story by focusing on the fashion element of Cricket — specifically the elegance and sophistication of the attire of the sport. There are also a variety of streetwear staples like T-shirts and caps to round off the collection.

Observing the passion surrounding Cricket in India and speaking about his growing interest in the sport, Extra Butter’s Creative Director, Bernie Gross, says, “I really loved deep diving into Cricket, a sport I knew virtually nothing about.  Seeing how people in India are so passionate about the sport is making me pay a little extra attention to Cricket.”

The products from this collaboration are now exclusively available at Extra Butter’s Mumbai flagship store at Utopia City, Lower Parel, and on the brand’s Indian e-commerce website.

ALSO READ-A Fusion of Fashion, Art, and Sustainability

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London News Sport UK News

ECB to establish independent regulator

The Commission suggested the establishment of a new regulatory entity, separate from the ECB, within the coming year….reports Asian Lite News

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will establish an independent regulator and increase investment in the women’s game as part of efforts to make cricket more inclusive after a report found widespread discrimination across the sport.

The ECB published its response on Monday after the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) outlined 44 recommendations in the report, which found evidence of deep-rooted racism, sexism, classism and elitism.

The report recommended the creation of a new regulatory body, independent of the ECB, within the next year. The ECB said the regulator would be operational before the start of the 2024 season and report to the Independent Cricket Regulatory Board.

Within the current broadcast cycle, which runs until 2028, the ECB said it would invest at least 25 million pounds per year to further grow the women’s and girls’ game at every level. The investment will be independent of any revenue generated by the women’s game.

“There is no doubt that the ICEC highlighted to great effect the impact of discrimination on individuals and the extent of the systemic challenges to be addressed,” ECB chair Richard Thompson said in a statement.

“Its in-depth analysis also presented an opportunity to put in place a comprehensive plan of action that will deliver meaningful change and rebuild trust among the communities we serve. This response represents a set of actions that will accelerate and intensify our work to make cricket a game for everyone, actions that cricket can deliver and fund within an achievable timeframe.”

Last month, the ECB equalised match fees for England’s women’s and men’s teams with immediate effect, implementing a change recommended in the ICEC report.

“In collaboration with the game, we will develop a Women’s Professional Game Strategy for 2025-2029 to plot our path to sustainable domestic player pay parity in the future,” the ECB said.

The ECB will also publish a state of equity report every three years and adopt a more transparent and accountable approach to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Other planned steps in line with ICEC recommendations include overhauling the talent pathway to “make it more meritocratic, inclusive, accountable, transparent and consistent” and adding victimisation as an offence in the Anti-Discrimination Code.

“On the day the ICEC published its report, I apologised without reservation on behalf of cricket’s wider leadership to anyone who has suffered discrimination or felt excluded from our sport,” Thompson added.

“As well as reiterating that apology here, I reaffirm our absolute commitment that cricket will strive to become the most inclusive sport in England and Wales. Cricket hasn’t got it right in the past, but this is an opportunity to move forward together.”

ALSO READ: Golden Glory For India In Women’s T20 Cricket

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Cricket Sport Sports

Cricket’s ‘Fab Four’ Set for ‘One Last Dance’

2023 ICC Cricket World Cup tournament could be the final time that these four legends play an ICC Cricket World Cup or matter of fact, any major ICC tournament together…reports Asian Lite News

The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India is less than a month away and will feature some of the cricket’s very best players and teams. This tournament is set to hold a lot of significance in larger cricket history, as the modern day ‘Fab Four’, consisting of batting greats – Virat Kohli (India), Steve Smith (Australia), Joe Root (England) and Kane Williamson (New Zealand) will have their ‘One Last Dance’ together.

This tournament could be the final time that these four legends play an ICC Cricket World Cup or matter of fact, any major ICC tournament together. Ever since the New Zealand legend Martin Crowe coined the term ‘Fab Four’ to put all these stars in a group, they have accomplished a lot in the sport. All of these players have a large volume of runs and multiple records to their name.

But with Virat about to turn 35 in November, Steve aged 34, Root about to turn 33 in December and Williamson currently aged 33, they are not getting any younger. By the time the next 50-over World Cup comes in 2027, they will be in their late 30s. There is a big chance that they would not be around in the white-ball set-up during that time together at once.

Ahead of the WC, let us have explore these legends, in numbers:

Virat Kohli

Virat is undoubtedly the best all-format batter of all four. In 279 ODIs, he has scored 13,027 runs at an average of 57.38. He has scored 47 centuries and 65 half-centuries in the format, with the best score of 183. He is the second-highest run-scorer for India in ODIs next to Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs) and in fifth position.

The dashing Indian top-order batter has represented India in 26 World Cup matches since 2011, having scored 1,030 runs at an average of 46.81. He has smashed two centuries and six fifties in 26 matches, with the best score of 107. He is India’s second-highest run-scorer in WC history, next to Sachin Tendulkar (2,278 runs) and overall at 17th spot. He lifted the 2011 WC with India.

During this World Cup, he would be extremely keen to improve his record in the knockout stages after poor outings in the 2015 and 2019 semifinals, in which he registered single-digit scores.

The 2019 World Cup was the best for Virat statistically. In nine matches, he scored 443 runs at an average of 55.38, with five half-centuries to his name and a best score of 82. Virat was the 10th-highest run-scorer in the tournament and the second-highest scorer for India.

This year, Virat has been in solid form across all formats. In 14 ODIs and 12 innings this year, Virat has smashed 556 runs at an average of 55.60, with three centuries and one fifty and a best score of 166*.

Steve Smith

Next up is Steve Smith. Often hailed as the greatest Test batter of Australia since the days of Don Bradman, Smith has also played 142 ODIs for Australia. In these, he has scored 4,939 runs at an average of 44.49. He has scored 12 centuries and 29 fifties in 126 innings, with the best score of 164.

Smith has played 24 World Cup matches since his debut in 2011. In these, he has scored 834 runs at an average of 46.33, with one century and eight fifties in 20 innings, with the best score of 105. He is the eighth-highest run-scorer for Australia in WC history.

The 2015 CWC was the highest point of Smith’s ODI career. In the eight matches he played, he scored 402 runs at an average of 67.00, with one century and four half-centuries and best score of 105. This included a match-winning century against India in the semis and a match-winning half-century against New Zealand in the finals. He was the sixth-highest run-scorer in the tournament and Australia’s leading run-scorer.

This year, however, Smith has not had much ODI match practice. He has played only two innings in three matches, scoring 22 runs at an average of 11.00, with the best score of 22. He will be looking forward to improving and adding to these stats in India.

Joe Root

Joe Root is up next. In 161 ODIs, he has scored 6,217 runs at an average of 48.95. He has scored 16 centuries and 36 fifties in 150 innings, with the best score of 133*. He is England’s second-highest ODI run-scorer, next to Eoin Morgan (6,957 runs).

Since his WC debut in 2015, he has represented England in 17 WC matches, scoring 758 runs at an average of 54.14 in 16 innings, with three centuries and three fifties. His best score in WC is 121. Behind the legendary Graham Gooch (897 runs in 21 innings), he is England’s second-highest run-scorer in WC history.

Root’s finest moment of his ODI career came in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, when his team lifted their maiden title. In 11 matches, he scored 556 runs in 11 innings at an average of 61.77, with two centuries and three fifties. He had the best score of 107. Root ended as the fifth-highest run-scorer in the tournament and as England’s leading batter too.

This year, Root has played only three ODIs, scoring only 10 runs. This tournament will be his opportunity to roar out loud in his side’s title defence.

Kane Williamson

Lastly, let us look at Kane Williamson. In 161 ODI matches, he has scored 6,554 runs at an average of 47.83. He scored 13 centuries and 42 fifties in 153 innings, with the best score of 148. He is the fifth-highest ODI run-scorer for New Zealand.

Ever since his World Cup debut in 2011, he has scored 911 runs in 23 matches and 22 innings at an average of 56.93, with two centuries and three fifties. His best score is 148. He is NZ’s fourth-highest run-scorer in WC history, behind Martin Guptill (995 runs), Ross Taylor (1002 runs) and Stephen Fleming (1,075 runs).

The 2019 World Cup is Williamson’s high point in ODIs. In 10 matches, he scored 578 runs at an average of 82.57. He scored two centuries and two fifties, with the best score of 148. He was the fourth-highest run-maker in the tournament and NZ’s best batter. This earned him the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award, but he could not win the World Cup since a tie in regular time at finals and then in Super Over led to his side losing the match on the basis of boundary count “by the barest of margins”.

In three matches this year, he has scored 164 runs at an average of 54.66, with two fifties and best score of 85. Williamson, who has gained full fitness after suffering an injury during IPL 2023, will be keen to be at his best during the marquee event in India. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Rohit’s Brigade Stuns Lanka, Ends Winning Streak

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Africa News Cricket Sport

S. Africa Achieves Gender Pay Parity in Cricket

Not only will women’s international players earn the same match fees as their male counterparts, but the women’s domestic leagues will also be professional…reports Asian Lite News

South Africa have become the latest country to provide equal pay across genders, after they announced their male and female cricketers would receive the same match fees for international matches.

The Proteas join New Zealand and India as countries to have previously revealed pay parity across the genders and comes on the back of the landmark announcement from the ICC earlier this year that saw equal prize money for men’s and women’s teams at ICC events.

Leading figures from cricket across the country gathered in Tshwane on Tuesday to announce an updated structure to their domestic women’s competition and equal pay for both male and female players at international level.

The changes to match fees for South Africa’s women’s cricketers will commence next month when they travel to Pakistan for a six-match white-ball tour against the Asian side.

The latest development from South Africa comes on the back of a highly successful 18 months for the national women’s team, which saw them reach the semifinals of the Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand in 2022 and then make it all the way through to the final when hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup at the start of this year.

Not only will women’s international players earn the same match fees as their male counterparts, but the women’s domestic leagues will also be professional.

The new domestic structure takes its framework from the existing 16-team, two-tier set-up, which is divided into a top six and a bottom ten, with the latter being split into two groups of five each with a promotion-relegation system in place.

Top six teams will now be allowed to contract up to 11 players – five more than the previous six that were allowed – and will also be able to add more full-time coaches and support staff to their set-up.

The top six teams will compete in a 50-over and a 20-over competition, with the shortest-format matches likely to be played on the same days as the men’s competition to increase visibility.

“The professionalisation of the women’s domestic structure aims to elevate the women’s cricketing landscape by providing a platform for local talent to shine, fostering a culture of sporting excellence, while inspiring the next generation of players,” Cricket South Africa CEO Pholetsi Moseki said.

“With the success of South African cricket on the global stage, we believe that this will be a stepping stone for local talent, creating an environment that fosters growth, resilience, and a deep love for the sport.

“Professionalising the women’s domestic structure has been met with enthusiasm from fans, players, and sponsors alike. We call on brands to continue showing their support for women’s cricket, recognising the league’s potential to redefine the narrative around women in sports in the country,” he added.

ALSO READ: James Graham’s ‘Dear England’ Comes to West End Oct 9
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Business Economy Sport

Cricket drought hits Disney+ Hotstar

Disney+Hotstar had 40.4 million subscribers at June-end, down nearly 21 million since October last year….reports Asian Lite News

Disney+ Hotstar lost around 12.5 million subscribers for its third quarter that ended on July 1, as the absence of cricket content on its platform continues to pinch it harder.

The April-June period is the third consecutive quarter in which Disney+Hotstar has lost a significant number of subscribers. International Channels revenues for the quarter decreased 20 per cent to $1.2 billion, and operating results decreased to a loss of $87 million from income of $166 million.

The decrease in advertising revenue was due to lower rates attributable to Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket programming, the company said in its earning report late on Wednesday.

Disney+Hotstar had 40.4 million subscribers at June-end, down nearly 21 million since October last year.

“We actually have been looking at multiple markets around the world with an eye toward prioritising those that are going to help us turn this business into a profitable business. What that basically means is there are some markets that we will invest less in local programming but still maintain the service,” said Bob Iger, Disney CEO.

“What I’m saying is not all markets are created equal. And in terms of our march to profitability, one of the ways we believe we’re going to do that is by creating priorities internationally,” he added.

Overall, the Walt Disney Company reported that revenues for the quarter and nine months grew 4 per cent and 8 per cent, respectively.

“Our results this quarter are reflective of what we’ve accomplished through the unprecedented transformation we’re undertaking at Disney to restructure the company, improve efficiencies, and restore creativity to the centre of our business,” said Robert A Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company.

International Disney+ (excluding Disney+ Hotstar) average monthly revenue per paid subscriber increased from $5.93 to $6.01 “due to an increase in average retail pricing and a favourable foreign exchange impact, partially offset by a higher mix of wholesale subscribers.”

ALSO READ: Funding spring soon?

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-Top News Business India News

‘It is time for the global game to reset’

The WCC believes that to qualify as a full ICC member, each nation must be required to commit to investing in both men’s and women’s cricket and field a national women’s team….reports Asian Lite News

Claiming that “it is time for the global game to reset”, the MCC World Cricket Committee (WCC) has proposed for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to establish two strategic funds — one to sustain the Test cricket programme across the world and other for the development of the women’s game.

To help identify nations in need of support to sustain Test cricket, the WCC has asked ICC to undertake a Test match financial audit to analyze the difference between operational costs and commercial.

This need could be subsequently addressed via a separate Test fund, established to protect the sanctity of Test match cricket, the WCC recommended following the first meeting of 2023 in Dubai, in which it concluded that the game was at a crossroads with intervention required.

The committee has now released specific recommendations for the ICC to help ensure the long-term prosperity of the men’s and women’s international games.

“Ahead of the next iteration of the ICC men’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) in 2028, it calls on the ICC to ensure the men’s FTP beyond 2027 has an equitable schedule of matches for all full member countries, rewarding hosts and touring nations alike,” the MCC informed in a release on Tuesday.

The goal must be to secure a balanced, meaningful, and commercially viable FTP for all, which prioritises bilateral cricket, finds suitable space for franchise cricket and, in particular, supports the full potential of the ICC World Test Championship to be recognised.

The committee discussed how to protect, grow and strengthen women’s cricket globally. It believes that the optimum solution to support this objective would be to create a substantial and ringfenced ICC Strategic Fund that can be allocated on a required basis to full member and associate nations who, amongst other key initiatives, fully commit to their women’s pathway and national team, the release said.

The WCC also believes that to qualify as a full ICC member, each nation must be required to commit to investing in both men’s and women’s cricket and field a national women’s team.

The committee, led by England’s Mike Gatting and comprising, Suzie Bates, Clare Connor, Kumar Dharmasena, Sourav Ganguly, Jhulan Goswami, Heather Knight, Justin Langer, Eoin Morgan, Ramiz Raja, Kumar Sangakkara, Graeme Smith and Ricky Skerritt, questioned the role men’s One-Day International (ODI) cricket now plays outside of ICC World Cups, and recommended it be significantly reduced following the completion of the 2027 ICC Men’s World Cup.

“The suggestion is that a scarcity of ODI cricket would increase the quality, achieved by removing bilateral ODIs, other than in the one-year preceding each World Cup. This would, as a consequence, also create much-needed space in the global cricketing calendar,” the release said.

The committee, in its meeting, also expressed concerns with the pace of play in men’s Test matches being played around the world.

“Despite a thrilling World Test Championship Final, a substantial number of overs were lost throughout the duration of the Test, and in the first Test of the men’s Ashes series, with both teams fined and penalised World Test Championship points after failing to comply with over-rate targets. The WCC has previously raised these concerns with ICC, along with suggestions for intervention but has yet to see any change implemented,” the WCC said in the release.

Following the conclusion of the World Cricket Committee and the release of the game-wide actions, outgoing Chair, Mike Gatting, said: “In many ways, cricket is growing and, on the surface, seems financially strong. However, we are increasingly seeing a game which focuses on a powerful few, as opposed to a democratic and inclusive approach for the benefit of the whole sport.

“It’s time for the global game to reset. Too often, member nations are finding themselves living hand to mouth with their cricketing operations, versus having a long-term, viable strategy in place that future-proofs the game in their country, both financially and in terms of participation,” he said.

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Bilawal-led panel to decide Pakistan’s WC participation in India

The PCB had sent a letter to PM Shehbaz Sharif in June asking for advice on whether the Pakistan team was allowed to travel to India, and if so, if there are any reservations about any of the five venues earmarked for hosting games featuring the Men in Green.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a 14-member committee, headed by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, to consider the the country’s cricket team’s participation in the World Cup to be held in India in October.

The committee, after going through all the relevant factors, will finalise its recommendations for the premier’s consideration and approval, The News reported.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in its June 27 letter addressed to the Sharif, bypassing all the laid down protocols, has sought the federal government’s clearance before giving the green light to the organisers for the national team’s participation in the ODI World Cup.

The committee, headed by Bilawal, includes the interior minister,  law minister, the Inter-Provincial Coordination minister, the information and broadcasting minister, the adviser on Kashmir affairs, the adviser on Establishment, the foreign secretary, PSPM and representatives of secret agencies and sensitive departments.

The committee has been authorised to hold its meeting and consider Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

Pakistan could well reciprocate by refusing to travel to India for the upcoming World Cup and by announcing that they will also play all their matches at neutral venues, The News reported.

The Prime Minister has authorised the committee to decide on the sensitive matter for his final approval.

In the letter written directly to Sharif by PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer, the Board has sought clearance for the Pakistan cricket team’s participation in the ICC Cricket World Cup, and in the event the government provides clearance for participation in the mega event, it wants advice in relation to the venues for the Pakistan team’s scheduled matches.

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