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Category: Sports

  • MCC announces new gender-neutral cricket term ‘batter’ to replace ‘batsman’

    MCC announces new gender-neutral cricket term ‘batter’ to replace ‘batsman’

    International cricket laws have been amended to replace the term ‘batsman’ with the gender-neutral word ‘batter.’

    According to details, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) — the sole authority on the laws of cricket since it was founded in 1787 — announced the amendment to the laws of the game on Wednesday.

    The MCC said the use of the terminology would “help reinforce cricket’s status as an inclusive game for all”.

    The profile of women’s cricket has rocketed in recent years, with England’s victory over India in the 2017 World Cup final taking place in front of a capacity crowd at Lord’s, which is owned by the MCC.

    A crowd of 86,174 saw Australia defeat India in the T20 World Cup final in Melbourne in 2020 and in August Lord’s broke the record for a domestic women’s match as more than 17,000 fans watched the final of the inaugural Hundred competition.

    “MCC believes in cricket being a game for all and this move recognises the changing landscape of the game in modern times,” said assistant secretary with responsibility for cricket and operations, Jamie Cox. “Use of the term ‘batter’ is a natural evolution in our shared cricketing language and the terminology has already been adopted by many of those involved in the sport.

    “It is the right time for this adjustment to be recognised formally and we are delighted, as the guardians of the laws, to announce these changes today,” added MCC.

  • T20 World Cup squad meets premier Imran Khan at PM House

    T20 World Cup squad meets premier Imran Khan at PM House

    The national squad for the T20 World Cup met premier Imran Khan at Prime Minister (PM) House.

    The meeting started with the introduction of the national cricket team. PM Khan also gave cricket tips to the players and shared his experience as a sportsman with the players.

    “The path to success is the path of truth and honesty, one way is of honour and the other is of wealth. You have to break the idol of wealth,” advised PM Khan.

    “You have to play for the team and your nation. The eyes of the nation are on you and we want to see you succeed,” said the premier.

    Prime Minister Imran with T20 World Cup squad

    PM Khan reaffirmed that the Pakistani cricket team is extremely talented and the whole world recognises the talent of Pakistan.

    “When you step on the field, play with confidence and a winning spirit, because a team which avoids defeats never really wins,” said PM Khan, adding, “Play aggressively, a team that plays with a defensive approach never wins.”

    The prime minister said, “Be a strong and hard-working team. The entire nation is banking on you.”

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Twitter reacts to Umar Akmal’s TikTok video with wife
    
			
    

    Recently, a TikTok video of Pakistani cricketer Umar Akmal with his wife did the rounds on social media. Umar can be seen lip-syncing on a Bollywood song ‘Pyaar diyan majbooriyan’.
    




    


    




    Social media users had some interesting reactions to the cricketer’s acting skills.
    




    


    




    
https://twitter.com/bushGazini/status/1440366700235399177?s=20

    




    


    




    


    




    


    




    


    




    


    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Mujhe afsos hai, England’s tour not cancelled over security’: British High Commissioner
    
			
    ‘Mujhe afsos hai, England’s tour not cancelled over security’: British High Commissioner
    
			
    

    British High Commissioner to Pakistan Christian Turner on Tuesday termed Pakistan as a safe country, saying that the England cricket team’s tour was not cancelled over security concerns.
    




    Speaking on ARY News programme, ‘Off The Record’, with Kashif Abbasi, the British High Commissioner dispelled an impression that the tour of the England team was cancelled over security concerns.
    




    Turner assured that the England team would tour Pakistan next year as they only had three matches scheduled for the now-cancelled tour in 2021. “Our players had been playing PSL and other leagues in Pakistan,” he said while once again reiterating that security was not the reason behind the cancellation of the tour.
    




    While appreciating Pakistan cricket team’s recent tour to England, he lauded the national team’s players for being a true and passionate ambassador of the game of cricket.
    




    Earlier, Turner also took to Twitter and released a video in which he expressed his sadness, saying that he is upset that the English board, “which is independent of the British government”, called off men and women’s tour of Pakistan in October.
    




    “The British High Commission supported the tour, did not advise against it on security grounds; and our travel advice for Pakistan has not changed,” he said.
    




    


    




    While talking to Muneeb Farooq, on Geo News‘ programme ‘Capital Talk’, the British High Commissioner said that from day one of his appointment, he is working for building the image of Pakistan and he has also changed the travel advisory for the country. 
    




    “Not only with PCB, but I am also working with the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board] for this day,” he added.
    




    He also said that this is not the story of people taking Pakistan down or any security issue, it is about the ECB and the players taking decision, and we must all work hard to change those perceptions and return to that day when cricket will return to Pakistan.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘Decision of England board is cowardly, was made out of fear of the players and India’: British author
    
			
    ‘Decision of England board is cowardly, was made out of fear of the players and India’: British author
    
			
    

    British author and journalist Peter Oborne termed the decision of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as cowardly, saying that the decision to cancel the tour of Pakistan was taken out of fear of English players and India.
    




    The author slammed the English board, saying the grounds on which the visit to Pakistan was canceled were a matter of “grave concern”.
    




    Peter said: “The England board’s decision to cancel the tour was cowardly and out of fear of the players and India, especially the IPL. The security arrangements in Pakistan were the same as those made for Prince William and Kate Middleton. The British High Commission in Pakistan was satisfied with the security arrangements.”
    




    While talking to Sky News, the author said: “Not for Pakistan’s cricket, this decision is a blow to the whole world. Pakistan team is one of the best teams in the world, England apparently did not make this decision on security grounds.”
    




    


    




    He also criticised “invisible” Chairman ECB Ian Watmore to come on television and defend this decision.
    




    “We are kicking one of our closest cricketing allies on teeth because of India,” he stated.
    




    Oborne said that there was no change in the English board’s security advice, adding that the press release did not mention security but the players’ stress.
    




    He further said that Pakistan came and played in the UK even in the dangerous time of Covid-19. Pakistan did good to Britain by coming in the pandemic.
    




    Earlier, veteran cricket journalist George Dobell had taken the ECB to the cleaners for cancelling its tour to Pakistan and had called it out on its “hypocrisy”.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Cricket presenter Zainab Abbas reveals her ‘travel partner’, flaunts baby bump
    
			
    Cricket presenter Zainab Abbas reveals her ‘travel partner’, flaunts baby bump
    
			
    

    Cricket Presenter Zainab Abbas has announced her pregnancy. The sports journalist took to her Instagram account to make the announcement. Zainab, while sharing the picture, wrote, “My travel partner, this past year.”
    




    “Feels more like a test match rather than a T20, but managed to weather the storm and carry on working throughout. Hoping this new journey is as rewarding as the previous one. Grateful,” added Zainab,
    




     




    Zainab recently became first Pakistani female presenter to make her debut with British sports channel Sky Sports .
    




    


    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    IPL broadcast banned in Taliban’s Afghanistan over presence of female spectators
    
			
    IPL broadcast banned in Taliban’s Afghanistan over presence of female spectators
    
			
    

    The Taliban have warned media outlets in Afghanistan not to broadcast the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 due to the presence of female spectators in stadiums.
    




    “Ridiculous: Taliban have banned the broadcasting of Indian Premier League (IPL) in Afghanistan. Taliban have warned that Afghan media outlets should not broadcast the Indian Cricket League due to girls dancing and the presence of the female audience and spectators in stadiums,” tweeted Afghan journalist Fawad Aman.
    




    


    




    The UAE leg of IPL is underway and two matches have been played between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore.  
    




    The knockout stage of IPL 2021 is scheduled to begin on October 10 with the final slated to be held on October 15.
    




    Notably, the Taliban banned most forms of entertainment — including many sports and women have been completely banned from playing sport. Even though the hardline group has shown they do not mind men playing cricket, pulling together a match in Kabul shortly after foreign forces withdrew.
    




    Australia had earlier issued a statement, saying if the recent media allegations against the Taliban-led hardline government in Afghanistan that it will not support women’s cricket were proved to be true, then Cricket Australia will not host the Afghanistan men’s team for the proposed Test match in Hobart.
    




    Meanwhile, it has also been reported that teams will also not play against Afghanistan in T20 World Cup, which is slated to be starting from October 17 in the UAE and Oman.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    New Zealand to tour India for T20, Test series after abandoning Pakistan tour
    
			
    New Zealand to tour India for T20, Test series after abandoning Pakistan tour
    
			
    

    New Zealand will be visiting India in November to play three Twenty20 Internationals and two Test matches, two months after abandoning their tour of Pakistan over “safety concerns”.
    




    The series against New Zealand will kickstart India’s 2021-22 home season, which includes four Tests, three one-days and 14 T20Is, the Indian cricket board said in a statement on Monday.
    




    In a move that disappointed cricket analysts and enthusiasts, New Zealand called off their limited-overs tour of Pakistan minutes before the opening fixture in Rawalpindi on Friday following a security alert from their government.
    




    India could not host the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) or the T20World Cup because of the Covid-19 surge in the country this year.
    




    Both tournaments have been shifted to the United Arab Emirates, with Oman also hosting some T20 World Cup matches.
    




    West Indies will arrive in India in February to play six limited-overs matches, followed by Sri Lanka who will face their hosts in two Tests and three T20 matches.
    




    South Africa will tour India in June to play six T20 matches.
    




    Meanwhile, after New Zealand, England also cancelled their men and women teams’ tour to Pakistan.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘This western bloc gets united’: Ramiz Raja reacts on England, New Zealand tour pullout
    
			
    ‘This western bloc gets united’: Ramiz Raja reacts on England, New Zealand tour pullout
    
			
    

    Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja on Monday expressed his disappointment over England Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision to call off the men’s and women’s cricket tours.
    




    Raja said England has failed a member of their cricket fraternity when it needed it the most.
    




    “Disappointed with England, pulling out of their commitment & failing a member of their Cricket fraternity when it needed it most. Survive we will inshallah,” Ramiz Raja tweeted.
    




    


    




    “I am severely disappointed in England’s withdrawal but it was expected because this western bloc gets united unfortunately and tries to back each other. So you can take any decision on the basis of security threat and perception. There was a sense of anger because first New Zealand got away without sharing information about the threat they were facing,” said the 1992 World Cup team member in a video shared by the PCB.
    




    


    




    The PCB chairman further said that it is a wake up call for Pakistan team to become the best for other teams to line up to play against them without making excuses.
    




    “A wake up call for Pakistan team to become the best team in the world for teams to line up to play them without making excuse,” he said.
    




    ECB on Monday announced that it has has reluctantly decided to withdraw both men’s and women’s teams from the tour to Pakistan.
    




    “The ECB Board convened this weekend to discuss these extra England Women’s and Men’s games in Pakistan and we can confirm that the Board has reluctantly decided to withdraw both teams from the October trip,” an ECB statement read.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘A real shame’: NZ captain displeased with his team’s decision
    
			
    ‘A real shame’: NZ captain displeased with his team’s decision
    
			
    

    New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has expressed his displeasure with his team over the decision to pull out of its tour of Pakistan.
    




    “I don’t know the details of yesterday. It was a sudden call, but obviously, a real shame,” said the captain. 
    




    The Kiwi captain said there is so much passion in Pakistan and that he dreaded that the “guys will be gutted” to not have started and played the whole series.
    




    I will find out a bit more about it over the next few days, Williamson said, admitting that he does not know full details of the incident.
    




    “Players’ safety is paramount and when you hear messages going through from the government, it is certainly above the players’ heads,” Williamson said.
    




    Williamson shared his empathy towards the Pakistani players his team was set to be pitted against on the pitch. “They were obviously over there, ready to go to the ground. It is a sudden thing that happened.”
    




    He said he certainly hoped there is no lasting impact from it because it is a special place for cricket to be and there have been a lot of strides forward to see cricket go back into Pakistan and play there safely.
    




    Meanwhile, Williamson was not part of the team that arrived in Pakistan for the series but he said he was aware of what happened and was concerned.