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Tag: ICC

  • ICC creates history with all-female match officials at Women’s World Cup 2025

    ICC creates history with all-female match officials at Women’s World Cup 2025

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken another big step to promote women in cricket by naming an all-female panel of match officials for the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. 

    This will be the first time in the history of the tournament that only women will officiate in a tournament. 

    The Women’s World Cup will be played in India and Sri Lanka from September 30, with the panel comprising of 14 umpires and four match referees.

    Claire Polosak, Jacquline Williams, and Sue Redfern will return for their third Women’s World Cup, while Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton will appear in their second after officiating in Australia’s title win in 2022.

    The referee panel features Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, and Michelle Pereira, who bring a mix of experience to the 13th edition of the tournament.

    Full list of match officials:

    Match Referees: Trudy Anderson, Shandré Fritz, GS Lakshmi, Michelle Pereira


    Umpires: Lauren Agenbag, Candace la Borde, Kim Cotton, Sarah Dambanevana, Shathira Jakir Jesy, Kerrin Klaaste, Janani N, Nimali Perera, Claire Polosak, Vrinda Rathi, Sue Redfern, Eloise Sheridan, Gayathri Venugopalan, Jacquline Williams

    The ICC said this historic move reflects its commitment to supporting, elevating, and empowering women in cricket.

  • Champions Trophy: ‘No Indian flags displayed at Pakistani stadiums,’ reports claim

    Champions Trophy: ‘No Indian flags displayed at Pakistani stadiums,’ reports claim

    With Champions Trophy just around the corner, hosts Pakistan have displayed flags of all nations except India at the newly-renovated Gaddafi and National stadiums, Indian media outlets have claimed.

    As per the details, Indian media reports quoted a post on X claiming that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) “removed the Indian flag from the Karachi stadium” while keeping the flags of other playing nations.

    Reports went on to claim that the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore was also dressed up as flags of seven teams, except India, were displayed.

    While the PCB or the International Cricket Council (ICC) have not yet responded to the claims that remain unverified, sources privy to the development told The Current that the visuals were from Feb 11 — a day before the Champions Trophy support period started.

    “As per ICC guidelines, only four flags will be hoisted on match days during the CT25. These will include the event authority [ICC], event host [PCB] and the two participating countries for the day,” they clarified.

    Netizens, however, are speculating the possible reasons behind the alleged “snub”.

    As some suggested it could have been an “honest mistake”, others believed it was Pakistan’s reaction to India’s refusal to come play the tournament in the country over “security concerns”.

    Meanwhile, ICC reported that tickets will be available for India’s opening group match with Bangladesh on February 20, while there will also be tickets available for their games against arch-rival Pakistan (February 23) and New Zealand (March 2) at the eight-team tournament.

    It merits a mention that all Indian matches will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after months of negotiations between the PCB, India and the ICC following the neighbouring country’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. 

    There will also be limited tickets available for semi-final 1 which will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, March 4, ICC said.

    Separately, Pakistan is officially ready to host an ICC event for the first time in 29 years, launching the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy at Dewan-e-Khas of Lahore Fort on Sunday.

    The Curtain Raiser event successfully dialled up anticipation ahead of the tournament opener on February 19 between hosts Pakistan and fellow title contenders New Zealand.

    Organisers lit Lahore Fort in all its glory, presenting a spectacular sight as a sign of what’s to come right the way through the first Champions Trophy event since 2017.

    It is hosts Pakistan that will look to defend their crown, having claimed the 2017 edition of the tournament in the United Kingdom (UK).

    Members of the trophy-winning squad from 2017 played a central role at the Curtain Raiser at Lahore Fort, helping ignite great memories such as Pakistan’s decisive win over India by 180 runs at The Oval in the final.

  • PCB tasks ICC with bringing India to Pakistan

    PCB tasks ICC with bringing India to Pakistan

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has handed over the responsibility of bringing the Indian cricket team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy to the International Cricket Council (ICC) after handing over the schedule and format to the council.

    India’s matches will be held in Lahore, and even if they reach the finals, they will have to play at Gaddafi Stadium. On the other hand, the budget approved by the ICC for the Champions Trophy also includes ancillary expenses. The purpose of ancillary costs is to hold the matches at another venue in case the Indian team does not come to Pakistan.

    The Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan next year, but India has yet to confirm. After discussions with participating member states, the council must now finalize the tournament as soon as possible.

    PCB has already written to the ICC about all the financial details, including the payment of revenue. On the other hand, the ICC is waiting for confirmation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

    In 2023, the Indian team refused to come to Pakistan to participate in the Asia Cup. India had to play the matches in Sri Lanka by adopting a hybrid model. This time, Pakistan is rejecting the possibility of using the hybrid model in the Champions Trophy.

    A few days ago, the Indian media claimed that the blue-shirt matches at the event would be shifted to another venue, Sri Lanka or UAE, but the vice president of BCCI, Rajeev Shukla, denied these claims.

  • Usman Khawaja shares video showing ICC’s double standards

    Usman Khawaja shares video showing ICC’s double standards

    Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has shared a Christmas greetings video to show the double standards of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

    The video shows religious symbols and other insignia on the bats of other players. West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran has a Christian cross sticker on his bat as seen in the video, Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne has a Bible message on his bat and South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj has a Hindu symbol on his bat.

    It should be noted that Usman Khawaja had asked the ICC for permission to put up a banner with the message of peace on the bat, but the body stopped him from using the peace symbol on the bat.

    Earlier Usman Khawaja had worn the shoes during a practice session before the first test against Pakistan, which had slogans written on them to express solidarity with the Palestinians and he wanted to wear these shoes in the second match against Pakistan.

    The ICC later said that Usman Khawaja had breached the Clothing and Equipment Act by wearing a blindfold in the Perth Test, for which he was charged.

  • ICC takes action against Usman Khawaja for wearing black armband

    ICC takes action against Usman Khawaja for wearing black armband

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) indicted Australian opener Usman Khawaja for wearing a black armband during the Perth Test against Pakistan.

    According to the ICC, Usman Khawaja violated the rules by his act of promoting a personal message, he did not seek permission from the Australian cricket board and the ICC before wearing the black armband.

    It should be remembered that the Australian batsman batted wore a black armband in the first Test against Pakistan and his move was to express solidarity with the Palestinian people.

  • ‘Like living under Covid’, say Pakistan due to ‘stifling’ World Cup security

    ‘Like living under Covid’, say Pakistan due to ‘stifling’ World Cup security

    Players are not allowed to venture out of their hotel without heavy security, forcing them to spend most of time in rooms

    Pakistani cricketers present in India for the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 feel confined like they are back into COVID era due to the tight security that team director Mickey Arthur described as “stifling”.

    Arthur’s comments came a day ahead of the team’s crucial match against New Zealand which Pakistan must win to keep their hopes alive of reaching the semi-finals.

    Several Pakistan players have already suffered fever and flu at various stages of the tournament which fast bowler Hasan Ali attributed to “room sickness”.

    Players are not allowed to venture out of their hotel without heavy security, forcing them to spend most of their time in hotel rooms.

    “As a Pakistan team, we play a hell of a lot of cricket so being on the road is nothing new for these guys,” Arthur said.

    “What has been tough is the fact that we’ve been under a massive amount of security. So, I’ve been sort of taken aback.

    “I found it difficult. It’s almost like we’ve been back in the COVID times, where you were almost secluded to your floor and your team room.

    “So much so that their breakfast is in a separate room to everybody else. That’s been the tough aspect.”

    Pakistan are playing a tournament in India for the first time since 2016.

    Arthur said that outside of playing and training, the team have not had many outings since their arrival in the last week of September.

    “The boys are used to being on the road but when they’re on the road, they’ve still been able to get out and go and have meals, for example, at different places, and get out on their own accord.

    ‘It’s been tough’ 

    “We haven’t been able to do that this time. And that’s been tough. That has been quite stifling.”

    Arthur said no decision has been made yet on all-rounder Shadab Khan’s participation in the remaining matches after he suffered a concussion against South Africa.

    “Shadab went through a preliminary test today,” said Arthur.

    “He came through that OK, but we’re in no position yet to make a decision on him.”

    This was Shadab’s third concussion, having collided with a Sussex team-mate in a Twenty20 match in the UK in May 2023 and at the Asia Cup last year.

    Meanwhile, Arthur admitted Pakistan have not played up to their potential in India.

    “I’ll be brutally honest, I don’t think we’ve played to our full potential in this tournament yet. I thought the Bangladesh game was the first game where we actually put a complete game together.”

    Pakistan beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in Kolkata on Tuesday, their third win in seven games.

    They now not only need to beat New Zealand on Saturday and defending champions England (Kolkata on November 11) but also hope other results go their way.

    “We got ourselves into a position before the Bangladesh game where it was kind of out of our hands and it’s come back in a funny way into our hands again,” said Arthur.

    Arthur admitted South Africa’s 190-run defeat of New Zealand on Wednesday has handed them a lifeline.

    “South Africa did us a little bit of a favour as well so it’s kind of pushed it back into our hands, albeit a long shot and we need to win big in both our remaining matches,” he said.

  • PCB complains to ICC about inappropriate behavior by Indian crowd

    PCB complains to ICC about inappropriate behavior by Indian crowd

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has filed a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) about the inappropriate behavior of the Indian crowd during the World Cup match between Pakistan and India in Ahmedabad.

    In the biggest match of the ICC Cricket World Cup on October 14, although India’s performance dominated Pakistan, giving the host country a seven wicket win, inappropriate behavior by the fans at the Ahmedabad Stadium drew criticism on social media.

    During the match, where Pakistani fans were not given visas among the crowd hundreds of thousands in the stadium, the inappropriate behavior of Indian fans towards the Pakistani players quickly became a lightening rod on social media.

    Indian fans were heard teasing Pakistan captain Babar Azam, while Rizwan was targeted on his way to the pavilion by fans shouting pro-Hindu slogans and using inappropriate words. Videos of the harassment also went viral.

    PCB has now complained to the ICC about inappropriate crowd behavior during the match between Pakistan and India in Ahmedabad.

    The PCB told the ICC that the Pakistani squad was inappropriately targeted during the match, protesting to the governing body about the delay in Indian visas of Pakistani journalists and fans.

  • ‘Hitman’ Rohit raises India’s World Cup hopes

    ‘Hitman’ Rohit raises India’s World Cup hopes

    Rohit Sharma has led India from the front in their three unbeaten matches of the World Cup to boost his cricket-mad nation’s hopes of winning the title at home.

    The Indian captain has already amassed 217 runs including a record century against Afghanistan, showing no signs of the pressure on his shoulders.

    Rohit succeeded superstar Virat Kohli as white-ball captain in 2021 with the aim of securing the national team a third World Cup and first international title since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

    Australia great Ricky Ponting lavished praise on Rohit for handling the pressure of the job with ease.

    “Someone like Virat, who is a bit more heart-on-the-sleeve, and probably listens to the fans and plays up with the fans a little bit more, someone with his personality would probably find it a bit harder,” Ponting wrote in an International Cricket Council column on Tuesday.

    “But I think Rohit will be fine with it. He’s a terrific bloke and has been a great player for a long time, and he’s done a great job as leader of India.”

    Rohit, 36, has enjoyed franchise success as a skipper with five IPL titles with the Mumbai Indians and then led India to the Asia Cup title last month in a key test of form ahead of the World Cup.

    That success would have helped ease a little of the pain suffered when, under his captaincy, India were defeated in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

    Rohit has never let expectations get to him and Ponting, once his captain at Mumbai and then coach, said the veteran batsman takes pressure in his stride.

    “He’s very laid back,” said Ponting. “You can even see that by the way that he plays. He’s a pretty laconic sort of batsman as well, and that’s the way he is both on and off the field.”

    – ‘Nothing is impossible’ –

    Rohit, an opening batsman nicknamed “Hitman” for his ability to get big scores quickly, was out for a duck in the team’s opening win against Australia, but was lauded for his captaincy moves.

    He soon regained form with 131 against Afghanistan as he surpassed compatriot Sachin Tendulkar with a record seventh World Cup century.

    His ton in 63 balls was the fastest by an Indian in a World Cup to better Kapil Dev’s hundred in 72 balls against Zimbabwe in 1983.

    Rohit took his form to the hotly-anticipated clash with arch-rivals Pakistan and smashed a match-winning 86 to thrash the opposition as India climbed to the top of the 10-team World Cup table.

    In his career, he has accumulated 10,329 ODI runs including 31 centuries in 254 matches since his debut in 2007.

    Rohit, who was not selected for India’s last World Cup triumph at home in 2011, said he relishes the role of being leader.

    “Nothing in life is impossible, you can make it possible if you have the belief,” Rohit said.

    “If you trust in it, if you have the will to go forward, it’s everyone’s dream firstly to be part of the team and then to captain the team is definitely the icing on the cake. I never thought I would be captain one day.”

    “I also believe that good things happen to good people. I kept my head straight, kept working hard on my game. I am sitting here today with a wonderful opportunity to bring glory to this beautiful country.”

    Rohit’s deputy in the World Cup, Hardik Pandya praised the leader for his ability to bring the best out of players through his faith in them.

    “Since he has come, he has backed a lot of boys and we see the result now as well with how the boys are going and expressing themselves,” all-rounder Pandya said.

    “So that’s why Rohit has been special in giving them enough opportunity and at the same time telling them that ‘you know what, I got your back’.”

  • Indian journalists slam govt for not giving visas to Pakistani correspondents

    Indian journalists slam govt for not giving visas to Pakistani correspondents

    Senior Indian journalist Rajdeep Sardesai expressed disappointment on his government’s continuous delay in issuing visas for Pakistani journalists, stating that if Pakistan is playing the World Cup in India, visas cannot be denied to journalists.

    Rajdeep Sardesai asked why should journalists be politically demotivated. “We should adopt the attitude of good hosts,” he remarked, saying that he will expect the same from Islamabad in the future.

    Read More: World Cup 2023: Pakistani cricket presenter Zainab Abbas sent back from India due to safety concerns

    It should be noted that the head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Zaka Ashraf, contacted Foreign Secretary Cyrus Sajjad Qazi in regards to the issuance of Indian visas to Pakistanis for the cricket World Cup.

    Here are some more reactions of Twitter users:

  • Pakistani Journalists furious over ‘Whatsapp’ solution by ICC for World Cup coverage

    Pakistani Journalists furious over ‘Whatsapp’ solution by ICC for World Cup coverage

    India has not granted a visa to any Pakistani journalist to cover the cricket World Cup 2023 yet and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has come up with a solution stating that questions can be asked via Whatsapp, provoking more anger.

    As a temporary solution while Pakistani journalists await clearance for World Cup coverage in India, the ICC has introduced a method for them to submit their questions to an ICC media manager via WhatsApp. These questions will then be presented to the Pakistani representative attending the media conferences.

    The ICC released a statement saying, “In addition to fielding questions from the present media, the Pakistani representative at the media conference will also respond to a selection of queries submitted by members of the Pakistani media who are still awaiting travel approval for the event.”

    Expressing their disappointment, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged a formal complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC). Recent reports indicate that no Pakistani journalist was present at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad when Pakistan kicked off their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands last week.

    The PCB conveyed their disappointment in a letter to the ICC, stating, “The PCB is dismayed by the uncertainty faced by Pakistani journalists and fans in obtaining Indian visas to cover Pakistan’s opening game in the ICC World Cup. Pakistani journalists and fans are expressing deep concern, putting us under immense pressure.”

    In response, an ICC spokesperson commented, “We recognize the vital role played by journalists and passionate fans in elevating the spirit and ambiance of sporting events.”

    “This is an obligation of our host and they are working hard on it with our full support. Every effort is being made to get this sorted,” an ICC spokesperson told The Current.

    Pakistan Cricket Board Management Committee Chairman Mr. Zaka Ashraf has called upon Pakistan Foreign Secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi and raised serious concerns and alarm over the delay in fans and journalists visas for India to cover the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. 

    The chairman also requested the Foreign Secretary to take up the issue with India’s Home Ministry through the Pakistan High Commission Office in New Delhi. The PCB has also taken serious notice of security threats being reported in Indian media and requested the government to evaluate player’s security in India. He emphasised that the well-being and safety of the Pakistan squad were of paramount importance.

    PCB is extremely disappointed to see that journalists from Pakistan and fans are still facing uncertainty about obtaining an Indian visa to cover Pakistan games in ICC World Cup 2023. In the meantime, PCB has again reminded ICC and BCCI of their respective obligations and terms and conditions stipulated in the Host agreement to guarantee visas for fans and journalists of participating teams.

    Pakistani Journalists are upset over this entire situation.

    Abdul Ghaffar, a sporta Journalist wrote took to X (formerly Twitter),

    “ICC instead of asking Pakistan Journo to send questions via Whatsapp must make sure well in advance that Pakistan Media gets visa on time and travelled,” he wrote.

    Another sports journalist, Ubaid Awan, withdrew his ICC media accreditation for World Cup 2023 in protest.