Tag: BCCI

  • ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 to be held in UAE, Oman

    ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 to be held in UAE, Oman

    ICC has officially announced that Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 is to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

    The cricket governing body announced the news on their social media accounts.

    Earlier, it was reported that the T20 WC 2021 is set to begin from October 17 in the UAE, with the final for the 16-team tournament scheduled for November 14. The tournament will start days after the Indian Premier League (IPL) final, which is likely to be held on October 15.

    As per details, the venue for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 has been shifted to the UAE and Oman, with the tournament set to run from October 17 to November 14.

    The tournament was originally set to be staged in India, but had to be shifted given the deadly second wave of Covid-19 there.

    The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will remain the hosts of the event, which will now be held across four venues – Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground.

    The first round of the tournament, comprising eight qualifying teams, will now be split between Oman and the UAE. Four of these teams will then progress to the Super 12s round where they will join the eight automatic qualifiers.

    “The BCCI is looking forward to hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 tournament in UAE and Oman,” said Saurav Ganguli in the official statement.

    The upcoming edition will be the first Men’s T20 World Cup played since 2016, when the West Indies beat England in the final in India.

    The eight teams competing in the preliminary stage are Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Namibia, Oman and Papua New Guinea, before the play-off stage and the Final on November 14.

  • BCCI suspends IPL 2021 indefinitely

    BCCI suspends IPL 2021 indefinitely

    The Board of Cricket Control India (BCCI) has indefinitely postponed the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) following several positive cases of COVID-19 across teams over the past couple of days.

    The decision was taken in an emergency meeting called after players of Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad tested positive for COVID-19. Hyderabad’s Wriddhiman Saha and Delhi’s Amit Mishra were the players who had tested positive and have now been put into isolation.

    The BCCI had contemplated moving the whole tournament to one city but the coronavirus outbreak in the IPL setup left them with no choice but to cancel the event.

    In a media statement, the IPL said the decision was “unanimously” taken by the tournament’s Governing Council along with the top brass of the BCCI.

    “The BCCI does not want to compromise on the safety of the players, support staff and the other participants involved in organising the IPL,” the statement said. “This decision was taken keeping the safety, health and wellbeing of all the stakeholders in mind.”

    “These are difficult times, especially in India and while we have tried to bring in some positivity and cheer, however, it is imperative that the tournament is now suspended and everyone goes back to their families and loved ones in these trying times,” read the statement further.

    “The BCCI will do everything in its powers to arrange for the secure and safe passage of all the participants in IPL 2021,” it added.

    As per reports, IPL officials also consulted a few franchises for their take on the situation and it is believed that some suggested to call it off totally. Other reports have suggested that the tournament has been postponed for a few days only.

    Meanwhile, IPL chairman Brijesh Patel confirming the news said the decision was taken for the safety of all stakeholders as the number of cases in the tournament bubble continue to rise by the day.

    India on Tuesday reported 3,57,229 new case, taking the overall case count past the 2 crore mark to 2,02,82,833. 

  • Indian govt greenlights visa issuance for Pakistan team for T20 World Cup

    Indian govt greenlights visa issuance for Pakistan team for T20 World Cup

    The Government of India has approved the request to issue visas to the Pakistan cricket team and journalists for the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place from October to November this year.

    According to details, although visas for the Pakistan cricket team have been sorted, it isn’t clear whether fans can travel across the border to watch the matches.

    The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI’s) apex council has been told by Board secretary Jay Shah following “government assurances”.

    Shah informed the council of the same in a video conference meeting held on Friday where it was also decided that the mega-event will be staged across nine venues with Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium hosting the final.

    “The visa issue of Pakistan cricket team has been sorted. However, whether the fans can travel across the border to watch matches is still not clear,” an Apex Council member told the Press Trust of India on conditions of anonymity.

    “It will be decided in due course of time. However, we had promised ICC that it will be sorted.”

    Pakistan and India have not played bilateral cricket for close to a decade now due to political tensions between the two countries.

    Pakistan has been demanding assurances from the ICC that visas will be granted to its players for the 16-team extravaganza, which will complete seven editions this year.

    It must be noted here that the qualifying round for the mega event will take place firstly with teams divided into two groups. Sri Lanka, Ireland, Papua New Guinea, and Oman are placed in Group A whereas Bangladesh, Holland, Namibia, and Scotland will compete in Group B.

    For the main event, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, and two qualifying teams are part of Group 1 whereas India, South Africa, Afghanistan, England, and two qualifying teams are placed in Group 2.

    Two top teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals followed by the mega final, scheduled on November 15.

    The tournament is most likely to be played with COVID-19 protocols being enforced. The Decision regarding the crowd will be taken after monitoring the situation closer to the time.

  • Is a Pakistan-India T20I series on the cards?

    Is a Pakistan-India T20I series on the cards?

    Reports are rife on social and electronic media that a T20I bilateral cricket series is on the cards between Pakistan and India.

    According to a report published in Jang, “India and Pakistan might soon get involved in bilateral cricket series again with a possibility of the six-day window for a three-match T20I series later in the year.”

    While a PCB official initially denied the speculations and said that there are no talks between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the (Board of Control for Cricket in India) BCCI, he hinted that there is a possibility of a series later in the year.

    On the other hand, PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani on Tuesday said that no one has contacted the board while denying that the Pakistan board is in talks with the Indian board.

    PCB sources have said that if the series goes ahead then it will be the Indian team that will visit Pakistan as Pakistan had toured India the last time.

    The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was held in 2012-13. Ever since bilateral cricket relations between the two nuclear countries was suspended, the two countries have competed in only ICC events and Asia Cup.

    In case a series comes to fruition, a window of six days for three matches could be identified despite this being a busy calendar year for cricket.

    Meanwhile, nothing is confirmed as yet and everything is hearsay and based on reports.