T20 Qualifiers Postponed During Covid-19 Pandemic

Qualifying Events for the T20 World Cup Championships for 2021 have been postponed. This announcement was made by the International Cricket Council, who confirmed that the decision was made after reviewing the Covid-19 Pandemic. These postponements extend towards the 50-Overs Competition, which would’ve had their qualifying venues in June 2020. This decision was collectively agreed upon by the ICC after Covid-19 has infected 470+ thousand individuals worldwide, with it killing roughly 21+ thousand. Global spreading of this virus has put the world at a standstill, forcing multiple sporting events to be postponed. This extends towards the Premier League, La Liga and UEFA.

The Head of Events for the International Cricket Council, Chris Tetley, provided an official statement to reporters. He mentioned that the unprecedented circumstances worldwide are forcing the ICC to postpone all venues until June 2020. Those postponements could be extended after additional reviews with medical officials. Chris Tetley noted that contingency plans would continue to be created, with the ICC hoping that both the Men’s and Women’s events will be rescheduled for the late summer. Decisions won’t be made based on finances but public safety.

The nation of India was slated to host the T20 World Cup Champion in 2021, which would’ve followed with them hosting the 50-Overs Competition in 2023. Those championship dates could be postponed with the alteration to qualification. It should be noted that the Women’s T20 World Cup was held in Australia during Late February – Early March. This venue was almost cancelled mid-way through over Covid-19 concerns.

India Isn’t Returning to Australia in 2020

When it applies to the Indian National Cricket Team, they’ll most likely have to postponement they’re involved with the Australian T20 Tri-Series. It was expected to be held between October to December, which might not be possible after the Australian government shut down borders for the next six months.

Its unknown is individual permissions will be made for the Indian Cricketers, with Australia have 2000 confirmed cases of Covid-19. Sixteen individuals have died, and the government is doing everything possible to stop increased exposure. Financial analysts in Australia have backlashed this decision, as a six-month closure on borders will have numerous adverse effects onto their economy.

Cricket News

India Defeats Bangladesh in U19 World Cup

The Under Nineteen World Cup for Cricket – 2020 Edition, saw two of the most notable national teams compete against each other. This included Bangladesh and India, who battled against each other earlier this week in the showdown of this competition. Most were anticipating that the Indian National Team would win, with this being the 1st time that Bangladesh appeared in the U19 World Cup. After becoming a feared outfit in a short period, this national team made the finals in this tournament. Their formidable skillsets allowed them to outpace the previous champions, acquiring the maiden title for Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Tigers showed sporting analysts and supported that their dominance couldn’t be outmatched, outplaying their opponents on a 50 Total. This prompted after they began this matchup at 177, indicating that their chase to victory was prompt and destructive. The Indians didn’t have the required defence to account for the strategic wickets implemented by Bangladesh nationals.

This doesn’t mean that a few players with the Indian outfit didn’t try, as Ravi Bishnoi worked vigilantly to dismantle Akbar Ali. After completing this task, the Indians maintained a 65-4 Total. Bangladesh immediately fought back and created the 102-6 total, which followed after Sushant Mishra performed a left-arm wicket. 

Bangladesh Pushes On

Players with the Bangladesh Outfit continued to impress supporting analysts, with Parvez Hossain returning after a mid-game retirement for multiple innings. Once returning to the field, he immediately applied pressure to the Indians with Skipper Ali. Together they continued to batter the scoreboard until Parvez experience additional pain from previous knee injuries, which prompted another benching towards the end of this competition. With all the fight displayed by Indian bowlers, the Bangladesh outfit extirpated the Indians after a prolonged matchup.

When they came to the close, Bangladesh stood victorious at 47.2 Total. India towards the end of this matchup came off frightened and weak from the overwhelming dominance of Bangladesh. They toppled by dominos and completed less than twenty-five runs. The only notable player for the Indians was Jaiswal, who opened this match up with formidable talent. 

India will next meet again Sri Lanka at 8am GMY, their 7th match in the tournament. The hope is they will remain focused as they prepare for their match again New Zealand on the 24th, against Australia on the 28th, Pakistan on the 4th of February and Bangladesh on the 9th.

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England Lions Dominate Over Australia XI

The 2nd day in the England Lions Vs Australia XI went underway this week, with the ferocious British coming out on top in Hobart. After considerable competition from the Australians, the British surpassed expectations and acquiring 600 in the first inning. This fast pace of scoring was prompted by athletes like Dan Lawrence and Dom Bess. James Bracey also provided his assistance, allowing for both Dom and Dan to acquire their respective wickets. Through Lawrence and Bess, these men obtained a score of 503.

Match Highlights

When Dan Lawrence implemented his offensive skillsets, Dom Bess assisted, and the pair made the sixth wicket. All three of these athletes made considerable advancements before their head coach dismissed them. Brandon Doggett forced the men to switch-out with the second lineup, which immediately saw a decrease in scoring speed. The England Lion’s Captain acquired a singular wicket. Sporting analysts were shocked by the outcome of the second-day match, with their predictions becoming incorrect.

Throughout the entirety of this matchup, the England Lions acquired 619 Points. It’s the second-highest points total they’ve obtained during their clubs’ history, with the number one position occurring five years ago in Paarl against South Africa. This also marks the 1st instance that three batsmen with the England Linins have acquired wickets in the same inning. All it took was three individuals to make all the difference and win the second day, with the 3rd and final slated for later this week. Sporting analysts anticipate that athletes like Jason Sangha and Sam Whiteman will dominate over the 3rd match. It should be noted that these two men weren’t available for the 1st or 2nd days of this series, with prior obligations coming first.

Captain Gregory Talks

The Captain for the England Lions spoke with reporters, where he expressed that he’s proud to engage with teammates that have formidable skillsets. He noted that Dom Bess and Dan Lawrence performed beautifully during the second matchup, with their scarce strategies allowing for the England Lions to propel themselves towards victory. These statements continued with him expressing that their partnership with Brandon Doggett has made this organization tough and that they can take any task going forward. Captain Gregory is excited for what’s to come with the 3rd day of this series.

Main

PCA Suspends Umar Akmal for Anti-Corruption

It’s been confirmed that the Pakistan Cricket Board has suspended Umar Akmal, the Wicket-Keep Batsman for their respective national team. This follows after he breached a significant article in the Anti-Corruption Code of Conduct, leading to the immediately enacted suspension. He’ll be unable to play for an unspecified amount of time starting February 20th.

Analysts researched the Pakistan Anti-Corruption Code, locating the charged suspension under Article 4.7.1. Details were then publicly revealed by news outlets that this code revolves around player integrity. It states that during specific circumstances that players undermine the sports branding or reputation can be suspended. This article also mentioned that alleged players must engage with the Anti-Corruption Tribunal to determine if an offence has been committed.

This means Umar Akmal failed testing with this tribunal, with some speculating that the suspension is permanent with the return date unknown. Going forward this Wicker-Keep Batsman won’t be permitted from playing in the PSL 2020 Season with the Quetta Gladiators, which stand as the defending champions for this league. The Gladiators now are seeking a replacement for this once formidable batsman.

Umar Akmal once had one of the most respected reputations in the Pakistan Cricket League, with it slowly being diminished after years of controversial behaviour. The beginning event for Akmal’s downfall was when he physically assaulted staff members with the Pakistan National Cricket Academy of Lahore. Akmal attacked these staff members after he’d failed a fitness test and demanded that they illegally reported his success. The PCB publicly stated that the recent actions of Umar Akmal would remind him of the associated responsibilities with professional cricket. Pakistani Supporters hope to see their Wicker-Keep Batsman return after proving himself worthy of playing professionally.

Pakistan Female Cricketers Under Fire

Male Cricket Superstars aren’t the only professionals receive backlash in recent weeks. The Female Pakistan National Team have received an onslaught of slurs after partaking in a promotional advertisement for the Women’s T20 World Cup. The advertising firm required that these women blow into a T20 World Cup Horn, with it resembling them performing fellatio on a man. This was unwarranted behaviour of supporters, demanding that the International Cricket Council not run this advertisement. It’s officially been cancelled following the backlash. These female athletes are now mentally preparing themselves for an onslaught of racial slurs from opposing teams at the T20 World Cup. 

Cricket News

Cricket Training Academy Opens in British Columbia

The infamous players of tomorrow in professional cricket could be arriving from Canada. Headlines regarding a specialized cricket centre in Surrey, British Columbia have begun circulating online. Called the Stallions Cricket Centre, it’s owned and operated by Khurram Dilshad. He confirmed that two versions of training would be offered, which includes the Passionate Cricketers Academy and the Youth Team. They’ve been active since February 9th but are beginning to garner immense popularity.

North America doesn’t engage with international or professional cricket, often determining that the sport is underwhelming and provides little to zero excitement. That’s why most in Surrey are shocked to learn that Crickets professional fanbase exceeds 2.5 billion. It’s the second most popular sports in the world, with Surrey becoming one of the most popular markets for cricket in North America. It’s made it continuously more challenging to locate training time on fields or placements into teams. That’s what prompted Dilshad to create the Stallion Cricket Centre.

It’s cited that 85% of all cricket players in British Columbia and 73% in Canada are located from Surrey. Having this high level of competition has made it challenging for parents to cater to their children’s passion. That’s why Dilshad created an indoor and outdoor field, allowing for countless games to be players. It should be noted that the standard version of cricket takes upwards of several hours of playtime. This sometimes forces limited freedom for these children.

Those that want to register their children with the Stallions Cricket Centre will be greeted with the best facility in North America for training. The highest-rated coaches are employed by Dilshad, ensuring that all children are provided with the opportunity to learn and play. It’s not known how much it’ll cost to register players, with most sports in Canada costing parents upwards of $10,000.00 yearly.

Dilshad stated: “When the kids have to play at 8 a.m. and rush their games to finish before noon (when most competitive games start), the kids end up playing in long grass and it’s very wet out then, not ideal for teaching fundamentals.”

It is the hope that the new academy will improve the environment that the kids are playing within and allow them a safer more productive place to learn, practise and build upon their skills. Considering the cost and short season, this is certain to have an impact in the years ahead.

Events

England Vs Pakistan Cricket Series Revealed

The Security Situation throughout Pakistan is finally improving, which is allowing for the British Cricket Team to compete against this formidable national team in an official series. This announcement follows after Christian Turner, the British High Commissioner, agreed to allow for the Cricket Series to begin. It should be noted that during this announcement, it was also confirmed that the Mayor of Manchester would arrive at Pakistan next year. The confirmation of this appearance will be dependent on the security situation in twelve months.

Shockingly, this cricket series has taken a prolonged period to begin, even with the current situation in Pakistan. The British & Pakistan are considered prominent trading partners, with more than $3.3 Trillion spent yearly through imports and exports. The British High Commissioner noted that player safety is more important than maintaining a trade relationship. Some financial analysts believe this statement will create adverse effects on this trading relationship.

Those analysts were correct, with an immediate decline in Imports & Exports after Christian Turner’s statements. The British High Commissioner now will spend the next twelve months reprimanding his comments, hoping to double-down on their prior trade volumes. This will increase by the British Cricket League donating substantial funds to education and health in Pakistan. Those donations will be matched by the British Government, with strategies hoping that training and medical assistance will create stronger economies for both nations.

Coronavirus Exposure

There are concerns that this test series could be cancelled for a second time, which would follow after Pakistan confirmed their 7th case of the COVID-19 Virus Strain. The latest patient confirmed is located in Karachi throughout the Sindh Province. Considering that the test series is slated to begin near the Sindh province, there’s a chance that potential travel restrictions will increase additional delays.

Though it should be noted that all several individuals throughout Pakistan with the coronavirus have been quarantined, the British High Commissioner and other executives connected with UK Cricket are concerned that Indian-Medical Conditions will create a substantial outbreak of the coronavirus. Subsequently, coaches with the national cricket team are reviewing the outbreak history in India daily.

It should also be mentioned that one of the several patients infected with the coronavirus has been discharged from the Karachi Hospital. This individual recovered and tested negative for this virus, with the remaining individuals being isolated throughout the Islamabad and Karachi regions. 

Cricket News

Racist Actions Affect Australian Cricketers

Social media has become one of the most detrimental tools against professional athletes. Vindictive individuals scan through hundreds of posts to locate offensive behaviour and then bring it to media reporters. Any behaviour that becomes viral immediately results in the termination of that athlete. This was once again proven at the Australian U19 World Cup, with the Head of Security mentioning they were disappointed with the actions of these players. They targeted India Nationals, who themselves often act in inappropriate behaviour to women worldwide. Instead of focusing on the fact that Indian’s harass women online, these players focused on their rivals, the Indian National Cricket Team.

Jake Fraser McGurk was the 1st player to make social media posts against the Indian Nationals. He focused on their incapability to speak or write proper English. Comments on these posts include “Sir, give me what’s app? I want to friend.” And “How you bat exciting?”. Supports of international cricket from India haven’t taken these offensive comments kindly. It’s a small percentage of their population that doesn’t have educational benefits.

However, individuals that have travelled to India with other cricket associations have expressed that they’ve received similar questions from Indian supporters. Most aren’t aware that India has struggled to revamp their Education Systems with modern era programs. Some of the largest industries in India are considered illegal elsewhere, such as in the United States or European Union. Ultimately, it’s not surprising that some professional players with Australia would eventually become annoyed by the consistent berating from Indian supporters.

The Head of Security

Individuals responsible for the actions of these professional players are outraged by their respective statements. The Head of Security expressed to Australian U19 Reporters that he’d spoken with these selective players and guaranteed similar actions won’t ever be taken again. The Head of Security also confirmed that sanctions will be imposed onto these four players, which will include educational classes relating to cultural sensitivity training. This follows after an extensive level of racism has been portrayed throughout various sporting leagues. It’s led to associations like FIFA, BBL, La Liga and multiple others to implement regulations against racism or terminate venues altogether. Cricket has experienced its fair share of racist behaviour throughout the last twenty years. Nations like New Zealand, India, South Africa, and multiple others prompted the inclusion of various demographics. Tensions continue to grow regularly between these players.

Cricket News

Shane Warne Defends David Hussey

The Big Bash League has come under fire throughout the last two weeks. This follows after governing associates implemented a substantial fine onto David Hussey, the head coach for the Melbourne Stars. This fine was enforced after a joke regarding spiked footwear was made on live television. David Hussey received a $2,000.00 penalty from the Cricket Australian Association under a breach of conduct. Most individuals in the league claim this decision was made to acquire additional funds for the CAA. The jokes made pertained to the Adelaide strikers, who were rumoured to be wearing spiked footwear before the matchup on social media. These claims were never honest.

Individuals watching the Big Bash League via the On-Demand service couldn’t locate any of the pre-emptive matchup footage. Audiences that were watching live noted via social media that commentators forced the spiked footwear concept. An unwarranted fine to David Hussey was provided because commentators wanted to fill-up airtime and acquire more viewers. Since this event took place, multiple coaches have come to the defence of David Hussey. This includes Shane Warne, who expressed that this decision was ridiculous and goes against the open-minded humorous banter that Australian’s are known for worldwide. Warne mentioned that this decision displayed zero common sense and should be retracted immediately.

When looking at the Australian legislation for cricket, subclauses mention that team coaches and captains can pre-emptively walk on the pitch. However, spiked footwear cannot be permitted at any time. David Hussey himself had worn spiked shoes to the event but hadn’t walked onto the pitch. He was found not guilty by Adrian Anderson, the Code of Conduct Commissioner in Australia. This didn’t stop executives in the association from implementing this fine. It shows a blatant level of disrespect and corruption in the BBL League.

BBL Finals Top Athlete

Positive headlines related to the Big Bash League this week. Matthew Wade, the Capitan for the Hobart Hurricanes, performed with admirable skills and prompted this team into the BBL Finals. This followed after a significantly challenging series against the Adelaide Strikers. Matthew Wade himself had hit more than 130 wickets throughout this series, is the second-highest in BBL history. He wasn’t the only player assisting in the Hurricanes performance, additional members like George Bailey and Jake Weatherald showcased their skillsets in the best ways possible. Subsequently, the Hobart Hurricanes will now battle for the BBL Championship title. 

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ICC Temporarily Bans Kagiso Rabada

The International Cricket Council has actively governed over the South Africa and England test series, with the ICC making multiple announcements this week. It was confirmed that Kagiso Rabada had been banned from the final match during this test series. His removal follows after celebrating the dismissal of Joe Root in a disrespectful manner, which occurred on the 1st day of the third matchup. Kagiso Rabada began to scream inappropriate remarks to Joe Root after being dismissed. One demerit point followed for Rabada as well, adding to four in two years. That immediately triggered a one-match ban, meaning that South Africa’s national cricket team loses one of their most profound players in the final matchup.

Some unexpected individuals came to the benefit of this South African player. Graham Onions from the England national cricket team went to social media, where he described this punishment as harsh from the ICC. Jonathon Trott, a bowler that previously played for England, noted that Rabada’s celebration was aggressive and crossed the line. That Kagiso had displayed aggressive behaviour multiple times and this one-game ban if rightfully deserved. Another instance of Kagiso Rabada receiving a demerit point came when South Africa was competing against India. Kagiso aggressively shouted racial remarks to Shikhar Dhawan. It’s the second time that he’s thrown his racist behaviour into the public eye, with the International Cricket Council unimpressed. Continued offences could result in a permanent ban from international cricket.

Old Trafford Redevelopment Approved

Positive news struck cricket headlines this week when Trafford councillors approved the redevelopment of the “Emirates Old Trafford Stadium”. This follows after a town hall meeting on January 16th, 2020. It was confirmed after the meeting that the Emirates old Trafford would be redeveloped with a new stand, allowing for 2850 additional seats. It was noted that this new stand would replace the Red Rose Suite, providing enhanced member facilities to VIP personnel.

New redevelopments include a newly formatted ticket office, retail shop and heritage centre. After the redevelopment phase is completed, more than 26 thousand fans can fill this house.  Additional announcements made with the redevelopment of Emirates Old Trafford include a new extension to the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel. The Civic Quarter area that surrounds this stadiums will be reformatted for visitors, becoming more appealing and approachable in the process. 

Cricket News, Events, Main

Josh Hazelwood Tears Hamstring

Cricket legend Josh Hazelwood has suffered a significant injury, pulling his hamstring during a recent practice. Subsequently, this Fast-Bowler won’t appear during any testing matches until the New Year on January 3rd. This marks one of the most extended stints that Hazelwood has been benched, with Peter Sidle be considered for a potential replacement. The coaching staff begins the Australian Cricketer has already confirmed that this 28 years of age professional player will return before the new seasons start.

Justin Langer, the coach for the Australian National Cricket Team, is also considering two others for a temporary replacement. This includes Michael Neser and James Pattinson, who have collectively been competing with each other on the testing squad. Most anticipated that Langer would select Peter Slide, with his performance throughout the domestic and international seasons being pivotal. Unfortunately, Lander hasn’t confirmed which of these three players will be chosen for the temporary replacement of Josh Hazelwood.

The Acquisitions

James Pattinson barely made it to the national team, with him facing severe competition from Mitchell Starc. He nearly lost his potential placement until it was revealed that Starc had a season-long suspension. Subsequently, Justin Langer was forced to select James Pattinson. That decision ultimately proved to be beneficial, with the coach recently mentioning that both players have ferocious energy and could adequately provide the same support to the national team.

The Head Coach for Australia’s National Football Team is also looking into other players to contention in the 2020 Season. Rumors indicate that Mitchell Marsh could be selected, with his overall testing sessions in the Australian Domestic League suggesting that he has growing talent. Considering that James Pattinson looks for potential players that can be molded around his tactics, it’s almost guaranteed that Mitchel Marsh will be selected for a batting position.

Honestly, there have been extensive talks regarding who the new players will be for the 2020 Australian National Football Team. The announcement of Hazelwood’s injury creates more significant concerns for Cricketing Fans. Regardless, Josh will return to the fields on January 3rd, 2020.  

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