Tag: World Test Championship

Pakistan optimistic about hosting India in 2023 Asia Cup: Ehsan Mani | Cricket News – Times of India

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KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ehsan Mani is optimistic about hosting India in the Asia Cup in 2023 and hopes the political relations between the two neighbouring countries would improve by then.
Mani informed that Sri Lanka will host the Asia Cup in 2022, ruling out any chances of the continental event being staged this year in June.
“In 2022 Sri Lanka will have it (Asia Cup) and in 2023 Pakistan will be hosting the regional event. I am optimistic that by time the political relations between the two countries would have improved and this would pave the way for the Indian team to come to Pakistan,” Mani said.
“In recent days there has been some positive signs through backdoor channels and hopefully the ice will melt in the relations,” he told the ‘Jang’ newspaper in an interview on Wednesday.
Mani said if the Indian team visits its neighbours, it will be a “big breakthrough” for Pakistan cricket.
Mani further said that the Asia Cup 2021 is unlikely to be held as Pakistan doesn’t have the time for it due to PSL 6 matches and India will also be busy with the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand.
“Their is no question of the Asia Cup being held this year as we are very busy and don’t have time to spare this year.”
“There was a small window in June in which we are going to play the rest of the Pakistan Super League matches,” Mani said.
“The Indian team will play the final of the Test Championship against New Zealand. They have to go to England two weeks ago and stay in quarantine so the Indian team is also busy,” he added.
Mani said he hasn’t officially received any information on the reports of India sending its ‘B’ team for the Asia Cup.
“We have also heard about the Indian board wanting to send a B team to Asia Cup but no one has spoken about it to us.”
Mani said the revenue earned from the Asia Cup will be spend on promoting cricket in associate countries.
He said the Asian Cricket Council is guaranteed a proper income from the tournament only if all the teams take part in the regional competition.
Mani also disclosed that the ICC had assured the PCB about Pakistan’s participation in the World T20 this year in India.

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59 wickets by two Indian spinners was reflection of how difficult it was: Silverwood | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: England coach Chris Silverwood admitted that Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel with a combined 59 wickets made the lives of England batsmen miserable as this 1-3 defeat will certainly “hurt” them for some time to come.
Having started off with a big win on a flat deck in Chennai, the visitors stumbled on the turners as Ashwin (32 wickets) and Axar (27 wickets) clinically decimated the English batsmen who were more troubled by the straighter deliveries.
“It’s (59 wickets from four matches) probably a true reflection as well. It was difficult. They made life very hard for us, hard to get first innings runs which is something that we obviously try and pride ourselves on and something we’re working hard towards that. But they made life very tough,” Silverwood told the British media during a virtual press meet.

Unlike a lot of former cricketer turned English pundits, who have panned the tracks, Silverwood said that it’s only fair to accept that they were completely outplayed in the last three Test matches.
“They outplayed us in their conditions. I’m going to give a lot of credit to the Indians. They came back hard after that first test. We expected them to but they came back very hard.”
This defeat will make the team stronger as they pause and reflect on their performance during the past one month.
“It’s going to hurt for a while. And obviously, probably reflecting some talking going on between the players and the various coaches, but hopefully we’ll pull the positives out of it and learn from it and that will make them stronger moving forward,” Silverwood said.
Looking ahead to the coveted Ashes in Australia later this year, Silverwood said the experience they would learn would help in the long run.
“When you start heading somewhere, there’s always gonna be a few bumps in the road. The experience they will gain from this will be really valuable down the line,” he said.
Asked how much damage would be realistically ahead of the Ashes, he said: “It will alter our outlook and what we’re trying to achieve now. It’ll just go down as an experience and help galvanise the side really. We’ve got some very fine young players in that side.
“None of us like losing a series like that, but I think we will reap rewards down the line of the experience. It’s a very difficult place to come and win. As we’ve seen time and time again history tells us up, not just for England but for other countries as well.”

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India vs England: Bio-bubbles assisted in team bonding, says R Ashwin | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: Calling the last 18 months “hard” but “memorable,” off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said “staying constantly motivated during this time and keeping the mental spirits up” was the biggest challenge. The effort that culminated in a 3-1 series victory here on Saturday was a result of many factors coming together. Topmost among them all, said Ashwin, “was the team bonding that happened” because of the bio-bubbles that the players had found themselves locked in.
“I have not experienced anything like this in the last decade of cricket. Understanding of people and even the opportunity for someone to understand you as a person.

“Those things have been quite special. Some of those comebacks and some of those difficult situations that we faced (on the tour of Australia and in this series) has not come as a surprise. It got us together,” Ashwin added.

This series against England was a comeback of sorts too, with India having lost the first Test in Chennai and then taking away the next three matches from the visitors. “The way we wrested back the initiative in the second Test in Chennai,” he said, as a case in point, “is a result of what we’ve done over the last six months.” To stay in the moment, to try and play some brave cricket are standouts for the allrounder. “We found ourselves in some sticky situations in all these Tests and every time somebody has managed to stand up. That’s related to how we have managed to bond as a team.”

Ashwin calls the last few months one of the “happiest phases” of his career. “I am just going through it and enjoying it. And these bio-bubbles are also situations that I managed to enjoy. I never thought I would be able to spend so much time with every one of my teammates. For me to know some of these teammates — the way I do now — was not possible before the bio-bubbles (because of the time spent together). It is this joy that showed in our performances,” the cricketer said.

The way he’s going, Ashwin will soon surpass Harbhajan Singh’s Test tally, but the off-spinner says it’s not even crossed his mind.

01:38India crush England inside three days to clinch Test series 3-1, seal WTC final spot

India crush England inside three days to clinch Test series 3-1, seal WTC final spot

“He’s a fantastic bowler and I’ve learnt from him. I wasn’t even an off-spinner when Bhajjipa started playing. I was a batsman who bowled a bit of off-spin. I didn’t even imagine in 2001 that I would go on to become an off-spinner,” he said.

This win, in his view, is a testament to how good this Indian team is. “Only because we’re giving attention to people who’re talking about the pitch and making a mockery of it, that they’re getting encouraged to talk more. I would like to see one day where there is a lot of grass on the pitch somewhere else in the world and our Indian commentators (commentators of the game in general) talking about it, praising it and putting it on Instagram posts and people liking it. That is something I’d like to wait and watch,” Ashwin said.
Now that the Indian team has qualified for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, Ashwin believes this will be an opportunity for those who just play the red-ball format to win the ‘World Cup’ and know the feeling.



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ICC planning to move WTC final out of Lord’s | Cricket News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: As world cricket gets excited to see India take on New Zealand in the inaugural World Test Championship final from June 18, it is learnt that the iconic Lord’s cricket ground could miss out on hosting the historic event.
Lord’s was slated to host the match when the International Cricket Council (ICC) had first announced the championship. TOI understands that the ongoing pandemic has got the ICC planning for an alternate venue in England for the final.

“The venue will be announced soon. Lord’s is not the venue the ICC is planning for. ICC will be advised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and its own medical health professionals to decide on the venue for the final. There could be a case of creating a similar bio-secure bubble as the ECB had for the last home summer,” an ICC source told TOI.

ECB had hosted West Indies, Pakistan and Australia in Southampton and Manchester last summer. The two stadiums have five-star lodging facilities in the premises. Interestingly, the ECB has announced five different venues for India’s Test series against England from August this year.
IPL to finish by May 30
It is also learnt that this year’s IPL is slated to start on April 9 and finish by May 30. This will give the Indian team a fortnight to prepare for the WTC final in England. Delhi is likely to be included in the list of six venues where the IPL will be played. TOIunderstands that the franchises have been given a tentative schedule for the IPL and the teams have already started planning for playing and setting up base at certain venues.

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Not at all disappointed to miss my maiden Test ton: Washington Sundar | Cricket News – Times of India

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AHMEDABAD: Bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar, who played a pivotal role in India’s emphatic innings win in the fourth Test against England, doesn’t regret missing out on what would have been a well-deserved maiden hundred for him.
Sundar was left stranded on 96 as India got dismissed for 365 in their first innings on the third day of the Test match here at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
“To win my first series at home is amazing and feels great. I am not at all disappointed to miss the hundred. The 100 will come when it’s the right time for me. I am happy to contribute to the team,” said Sundar after the completion of the match.

The off-spinner played three matches in the Test series against England in which he scored 181 runs, besides picking two wickets. The 21-year-old, in his debut game in Australia, had also scored valuable 82 runs in the series decider at The Gabba, besides scalping four wickets, thus helping India win the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1.
He further said that the pitch was very good to bat on and all it required was a bit of application from the batters.

“To be honest, the pitch was very good to bat on. Credit to (James) Anderson, (Ben) Stokes for getting assistance on this surface, they bowled really well. The wicket is still good to bat on. If you apply yourself you can score,” Sundar said.
With the win, Virat Kohli‘s men also qualified for the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final where they will face New Zealand at the Lord’s from June 18 to 22.

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ICC’s ‘WandaVision’ Wink Meme Sums Up Australia’s Dilemma to Support England Over India

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Cricket is a funny sport so much so that Australia doesn’t mind cheering on their arch-rivals England in the fourth and final Test against India. While England themselves have bid goodbye to the World Test Championship (WTC) after the 10-wicket loss in the extraordinary third Test, their victory in the ongoing clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium will ensure Australia get a pass to the finals against New Zealand, knocking India out of the running. However, Aussie cricketer David Warner has no plans on backing England, even if it comes at a price of losing their spot in the much-awaited finals.

“No, I won’t be barracking for England,” Warner was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia. “It’d be ideal for us to make the world Test championship final. If that happens, it’s a great result for us.” On the other hand, Australia coach Andrew McDonald, has a different take on this.

“Bit of self-interest there, isn’t it, for us following England for the first time in a long time,” McDonald told reporters in Wellington on Tuesday. “We’ll be hoping that they can do the job there.”

“We wish (England) well, see what unfolds. It’s out of our hands but we’ll be watching on with interest.”

So is Australia supporting England or not?

Jumping into the contrasting takes and bandwagon is the International Cricket Council (ICC), who, in a cheeky post, shared a meme that sums up the quandary that the Aussie camp is facing at the moment. The meme posted by the governing body came around the period when India were losing wickets on Friday.

The meme takes inspiration from Kathryn Hahn’s role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s WandaVision— a show that has been the talk of the town in the past few days.

Desis responded to ICC’s take with more Hahn memes.

(With agency inputs)

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