Category: Cricket News

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a significant policy shift by allowing consortiums to participate in its bilateral media rights auction. This marks a departure from their previous stance, where consortiums (a collaborative group of multiple businesses or banks working together towards a common objective) were not permitted to engage in media rights bidding, even excluding them from the Indian Premier League (IPL) media rights auction last year.

While the immediate rationale behind this policy change remains unclear, it seems to potentially favour Sony Pictures Network India and Essel Group (Zee Network), who have been actively pursuing a merger. In business terms, the relaxation of the policy enables helps two media companies to form a united front.

At first glance, this strategic move appears well-calculated. The combined forces of Sony and Zee could create a formidable entity, potentially leading to increased value for the media rights. Both companies possess robust linear and digital presences, presenting a formidable challenge to competitors such as Viacom 18 and Disney Star. This advantage might not be as pronounced if they were to pursue separate paths.

The long-awaited merger of Sony and Zee has garnered significant attention within India Inc over the past couple of years. However, the final approval has been hindered by various legal disputes. The latest update suggests that October 1 is a tentative date for the completion of this unification. It is not clear if they will form a consortium but as per the ITT, the BCCI will not mind.

In addition to these developments, the Invitation to Tender (ITT) issued by the BCCI on Thursday (October 3) outlines three key timelines. The auction is scheduled for completion by August 31, with inquiries to the BCCI being accepted until August 16. Technical assessment bids must be submitted by August 28, two days ahead of the auction.

The BCCI stipulates that participating firms must ensure that their incremental bids amount to at least Rs 1 crore. In essence, companies vying for the two packages – India sub-continent linear rights and India-sub-continent digital rights, along with global TV and digital rights – are required to collectively increase their bids by Rs 1 crore. For instance, a bid of Rs 25 lakh in Package A and Rs 75 lakh in Package B would fulfill this requirement, as long as the total reaches Rs 1 crore. If a company is bidding for only one package, the incremental bid must still be Rs 1 crore.

As previously reported, the upcoming five-year cycle, commencing in September 2023, will encompass 88 games. The base price for linear rights is set at Rs 20 crore, while the digital package carries a base price of Rs 25 crore. The BCCI has indicated that if the combined value does not exceed Rs 60 crore – equivalent to Rs 5200 crore overall – the entire process might be reconsidered.

Furthermore, the winning company or companies must ensure commentary availability in five languages, including English and Hindi, with the choice of the three remaining regional languages being at the broadcaster’s discretion.

Australia’s premier Test spinner Nathan Lyon has penned a three-year deal with Melbourne Renegades to play in the Big Bash League until the 2025-26 season. Lyon’s move to the Renegades has now ended his long-term association with three-time champions Sydney Sixers.

Often looked at as a red-ball specialist, Lyon hasn’t featured in a T20I for Australia in almost five years. But at Renegades, he will team up with Australia’s first-choice spinner in limited-overs cricket, Adam Zampa. The legspinner recently made the move to Renegades having played for Melbourne Stars before that.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of the Melbourne Renegades,” Lyon said. “(Marvel Stadium’s) a place where I enjoy bowling, it tends to spin a little bit. I’m looking forward to hopefully joining up with ‘Zamps’ in a really good partnership and putting a show on for the Renegades fans.

“I’ve got some really good friends who are part of the Melbourne Renegades, and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to come down. There’s a good group of senior players there who I’ve played a lot of cricket with internationally and also domestically, then you look at the younger guys throughout the roster – it’s a pretty powerful squad in my eyes. I think we need to set the benchmark high, shoot for the finals and make sure we go and try to lift the trophy.”

Prior to his stint with Sixers, Lyon began his career in the BBL by representing Adelaide Strikers. However, owing to national commitments, the 35-year-old has played only 38 games in the BBL so far, picking up 44 wickets at an economy rate of 7.18.

Lyon is currently recovering from a calf injury that ruled him out of the final three Tests of the recently-concluded Ashes. He is expected to recover in time and feature in Australia’s Test summer that begins on December 14 against Pakistan. Renegades begin their campaign on December 8. The final Test of the summer against West Indies is scheduled to get underway the day after the BBL final. If Lyon does play all five Tests scheduled at home this summer, he will miss the majority of the games this season.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve had a clear plan around transforming our playing list to give our club the best opportunity to contend for another BBL championship,” Melbourne Renegades General Manager, James Rosengarten, said. “Being able to add two world-class spinners in Nathan and Adam to our squad for the next couple of years is a significant step in that process, one which we’re confident will help to set us up for success over the coming seasons.”

The Afghanistan Cricket Board said that Rashid Khan, who skipped the Hundred due to a back problem recently, will be available in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Pakistan, scheduled in Sri Lanka from August 22.

Pakistan will play Afghanistan in the three-match series ahead of the Asia Cup as both teams will be keen to finetune their preparation ahead of the tournament.

Rashid, who was rested in the one-match Test series against Bangladesh due to a back problem and joined the team in the white-ball series, decided to skip the Hundred after taking part in Major Cricket League, to take some rest for the back issue.

Doubts were raised regarding his availability against Pakistan in the upcoming series, though ACB chief selector Asadullah Khan brushed all kinds of speculations.

“He (Rashid) skipped the Hundred for these games (against Pakistan) as he wanted some rest to be fully fit for the Pakistan game. Consistently he is playing cricket so he took a rest from Hundred for the Pakistan series,” Asadullah told Cricbuzz recently.

“We had a preparation camp in Kabul and the next camp will be in Hambantota from August 10 and he (Rashid) will join the camp in Hambantota,” he said.

Asadullah said that he has high hopes from the team to do well against Pakistan and hope that it will raise their morale ahead of the Asia Cup and World Cup.

“We have lots of hope before going to the Asia Cup, and if we can win the game that will be very good for our player’s morale,” said Asadullah. “This is the start of our World Cup journey. Before now, we have selected too many players to set up the team as a unit so they can understand their roles but now we are ok with the squad that will play the Asia Cup as well.

“We have lots of hopes from the fast bowling attack along with the spinners. And as a batting unit, we are hopeful that those players who are out of form will regain form in the Asia Cup and in the Pakistan series as well. The good thing is everybody is fully fit and very happy and they are working very hard to perform well.

“That ODI series win against Bangladesh gives us lots of confidence as a batting and bowling unit. We won in Bangladesh, which means that our preparation was very good and some of the mistakes that we made in Bangladesh, I am sure our coach Jonathon and his staff are working very hard on that.,” he concluded.

Broadcasters seeking to acquire the media rights for India’s bilateral matches will find encouragement in the fact that almost half of these games will be contested against two formidable opponents – Australia and England. Out of the 88 games that India are scheduled to play at home in the upcoming broadcast cycle, 39 matches will be against these two powerhouses of world Cricket. This constitutes a proportion close to 45 percent, if not exactly 50 percent, of the total games.

According to the details outlined in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document, the broadcast cycle is structured with a front and back-loaded approach. The cycle commences with eight matches against Australia – three ODIs in September and five T20Is in November – sandwiching the World Cup scheduled for October and November. Australia are also featured at the other end of the 2023-28 cycle with five Tests in January-March 2027, as well as three ODIs and five T20Is in November-December of that year.

The England games are similarly front and back loaded in the cycle, with five Tests at the beginning (January-March 2024). They make a return appearance 12 months later to participate in eight white ball matches – three ODIs and five T20Is in January and February of 2025. The broadcast cycle concludes with five Tests in January and March of 2028.

“A significant portion of the games against Australia and England is a positive aspect, and their distribution throughout the cycle is well-managed. However, the challenge arises with the timing of the eight Australia games, which are positioned just before or immediately after the World Cup. Monetizing these matches might prove challenging, as corporates typically allocate funds for the World Cup or might have already exhausted their budgets. That’s the tricky part,” explains a broadcaster involved in the bidding process.

Among other nations, Sri Lanka, who frequently tour India, will have only one series at home during this cycle – in December 2026, consisting of three ODIs and an equal number of T20Is. No home Tests are scheduled against them in this cycle. Afghanistan are slated to play one Test and three ODIs in June 2026. This marks their second visit to India within the cycle, following three T20Is in January 2024, the dates of which have already been confirmed, January 11, 14, and 17 in Mohali, Indore, and Bengaluru.

South Africa feature only once in this cycle, engaging in a full-fledged series comprising two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is in November and December 2025. New Zealand’s involvement includes three Tests and eight white ball matches in the latter half of 2024 and early 2026, respectively.

As previously reported, the upcoming broadcast cycle encompasses a total of 25 Tests, 27 ODIs, and 36 T20Is. The domestic cricket programme, as highlighted in the ITT, is predominantly fixed, with potential additions to the schedule but limited cancellations except in cases of force majeure.

An industry insider comments on the package, stating, “This is a robust offering, with 60 out of the 88 games featuring competition against top-tier teams. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not aiming for excessively high value. The relatively modest base prices (Rs 20 crore for India TV and Rs 25 crore for digital and global packages) provide the rationale for this.”

BCCI reduces base price for Title Rights

In the meantime, the BCCI is seeking a base price of Rs 2.4 crore for the title rights of their home international series. The previous title rights holder, Mastercard, which had been sub-licensed by Paytm in July 2022, had been offering Rs 3.8 crore per game. The ITT for the title rights specifies the BCCI’s search for a title sponsor for home series over the next three years, encompassing 56 games. The rights are anticipated to be awarded later this month.

Home games in broadcast cycle – September 2023 to March 2028

September 2023:3 ODIs vs Australia

November 2023:5 T20Is vs Australia

January 2024: 3 T20Is vs Afghanistan

January-March 2024: 5 Tests vs England

September-October 2024: 2 Tests, 3 T20Is vs Bangladesh

October-November 2024: 3 Tests vs New Zealand

January-February 2025: 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is vs England

October 2025: 2 Tests vs West Indies

November-December 2025: 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is

January 2026:3 ODIs, 5 T20Is vs New Zealand

June 2026:1 Test, 3 ODIs vs Afghanistan

September-October 2026: 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is vs West Indies

December 2026: 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is vs Sri Lanka

January-March 2027:5 Tests vs Australia

November-December 2027: 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is vs Australia

January-March 2028: 5 Tests vs England

After the game against India on October 15, another World Cup match involving Pakistan faces a potential change in schedule. News has emerged from Kolkata that the city police are concerned about providing security for the Babar Azam-led side’s match against England on November 12. The Kolkata police’s worry stems from Kali Puja, which falls on the same day.

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) states that it has not received formal communication from the Kolkata Police, but sources within the association indicate apparent concern from the police. Interestingly, this information surfaced on the same day when a reconnaissance team from the International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation visited the Eden Gardens to assess the ground’s readiness for the the marquee event between October 5 and November 19 in India.

This development arises amidst ongoing uncertainty regarding the World Cup schedule. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have yet to confirm the World Cup schedule definitively, following reports that the Ahmedabad Police informed the BCCI that they cannot provide security for the high-profile India-Pakistan match on October 15 due to a clash with the first day of the Navaratri festival.

The BCCI has stated that the schedule announced last month will undergo some changes due to requests for modifications from a few ICC members. While the BCCI is finalizing the revised schedule (expected to be announced early next week) the recent developments in Kolkata could further complicate their scheduling challenges.

Cricbuzz reached out to the West Bengal government and the Kolkata City Police, but there was no immediate response. However, a spokesperson for the CAB has reiterated that they have not received any information from the city’s police.

Incidentally, the November 12 match is the last league game of the World Cup before the knockouts commence on November 15.

In what will be their first T20I series since qualifying for next year’s World Cup, Ireland have named a squad full of players that were involved in securing the ticket to the showpiece event, for the series against India.

In addition, Ireland have also recalled seasoned leg-spinner Gareth Delany, who was out with a broken wrist in June. Also coming back is the 25-year-old all-rounder Fionn Hand, who made his T20I debut in August last year and played his maiden Test in June this year.

Ireland Squad:Paul Stirling (capt), Andrew Balbirnie, Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Fionn Hand, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom, Ben White, Craig Young.

The India series, which begins on August 18 and involves three T20Is, will be a platform for the Irish side to identify areas of improvement, reckons men’s national selector Andrew White.

“The recent qualifying campaign in Scotland was the first stage of our strategic planning for next June’s T20 World Cup,” White said. “We currently have around 15 T20 Internationals scheduled between now and the World Cup, so it is important that we use each of these to continue to build on areas that the coaching team have identified.

“We only have a limited time between now and the end of the 2023 domestic season, so it’s also crucial that we use the opportunities we have to provide exposure and experience to a pool of players we believe are in contention for making that World Cup squad.

White also felt that the squad has the talent and confidence to match the incoming Jasprit Bumrah-led India side and that Ireland would use these games to provide opportunities to all the members of the squad.

“Giving opportunities to players also filters down the series themselves, so I would expect that all of the 15 players named in the India series squad will feature at some point,” White said. “The Indian side arriving in Ireland is an exciting one for the supporters, but as we showed last year, we have the talent and confidence to match them on the field of play and we have high hopes for another fiercely contested series.”

“So, while the immediate task at hand for Heinrich (Malan, Head Coach) and the leadership team is the India challenge, we are definitely framing this series as an important component of a longer-term plan to be ready to take on the world’s best at the T20 World Cup next year,” White added.

After the box office success of Major League Cricket (MLC), American Cricket Enterprises (owners of MLC) are keen to ride the momentum onto its pathway league Minor League Cricket (MiLC), launching this weekend. The 26 team franchise affair is touted to be a semi professional league underpinning the MLC, a developmental league on the lines of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The tournament, spanning over 2 months, will see over 150 T20 games being played over 15 states in the US.

There have been major overhauls in the makeup of the squads that took the field last year. Defending champions, Seattle Thunderbolts have been severely impacted by the spate of departures as captain Harmeet Singh, Andries Gous, Shubham Ranjane and Phani Simhadri move down to the Central and Southern Conference teams.

In a surprise move, Silicon Valley Strikers parted ways with captain Unmukt Chand who’s been the most prolific batter of the league over two seasons apart from having the Strikers lift the silverware in the inaugural season. Former Pakistan and MI New York allrounder, Hammad Azam will now be at Dallas Mustangs. Azam was named the MVP of the inaugural season before an injury laden second season mostly saw him out of action for Golden State Grizzlies. A slew of PSL cricketers will call quits to Pakistan cricket after qualifying as local cricketers in the MiLC including the likes of former Pakistan U19 captain Hassan Khan, Imran Khan Jnr. and Zia ul Haq.

The league will also see USA national players in action as they strive to remain relevant in the wake of cricketers like Corey Anderson, Harmeet Singh, Smit Patel and Shadley Van Schalkwyk qualifying for the national team after serving their cool off period. Skipper Monank Patel will make his way across the Hudson to play for the New Jersey Stallion after appearing for the Empire State Titans last year. Steven Taylor is set to miss the season owing to his CPL commitments with the Jamaica Tallawahs.

“The recent success of Major League Cricket shows the strong appetite for cricket in America and the long-term plan to build American cricket is dependent on a successful pipeline of talent coming through Minor League Cricket,” said Zubin Surkari, Tournament Director, Minor League Cricket. “The third season of MiLC will allow fans to see many players who featured in MLC up close while giving the next generation of American cricket stars the chance to shine.”

The 26 teams are divided into Atlantic and Pacific Conferences. The Atlantic conference is further segregated into eastern and southern divisions while the Pacific conference is further bifurcated into western and central divisions. The league stage and playoff rounds will culminate in a finals week at the Grand Prairie Stadium, the site of the MLC final, on October 6-7.

The Supreme Court-appointed administrator in Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has initiated a clean-up of the association by banning over 50 clubs. Pointing out several cases of conflict of interest and nepotism, Justice L Nageswara Rao, former judge of the Supreme Court, barred some bigwigs of the HCA from holding any position in the association for one term and has also expelled them from exercising their vote in the coming HCA election.

The purge order, issued on Monday (July 31), will prevent the likes of Arshad Ayub, a former India cricketer, Vanka Pratap, a former Hyderabad cricketer, and the powerful Agarwal family, who all have held a large chunk of voting clubs thus influencing the HCA election, from both contesting and voting in the coming election.

Also affected in the order, seemingly passed after a meticulous forensic audit of the voting list, are PR Man Singh, the manager of the 1983 World Cup, and K John Manoj, a former secretary of the association. In all, 57 clubs of the electoral rolls consisting of 215 members and about 10 international cricketers have been banned from participating in the election, likely to be ordered soon.

The Administrator will appoint an electoral officer on Tuesday to set in motion the election process. Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin and N Shivlal Yadav, a former India spinner, and a former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), have not found mention in the 46-page order.

The Administrator observed that the association was being run by certain families, who formed a cartel to influence the election results. “Further, a few individuals holding control over several clubs form a cartel which would decide who should be elected to the Apex Council. This would result in the elections to the Apex Council not being fair and transparent. According to the information received from several quarters, this appears to be the saga of all the past elections to the Apex Council of HCA.

“To uphold the democratic principles of fairness in elections to the Apex Council of HCA and to prevent the propensity for manipulation and maneuvering by a few individuals controlling a number of clubs, I found it necessary to conduct a detailed inquiry into the ownership of multiple clubs,” the order said.

The Administrator further pointed out that many members controlled more than one club and noted that the practice should stop. “During the course of the inquiry, I noticed that several persons have adjusted their affairs in changing their executive committees in line with the recommendations made by the Justice Lodha Committee. Some individuals represented to me that they do not have control over more than one club, though their family members are running other clubs, as, according to them, there is no bar in their family members having control over other clubs. I am of the opinion that the practice of individuals controlling more than one club should be discontinued.

“This applies not only to the individual but also to his immediate family members like parents, spouse, siblings, spouses of siblings, children, and spouses of children. It was construed from the hearings that control could only be established by the members of one club through its affiliation with another club, wherein the said clubs have such members of their immediate family as office bearers. In this context and as explained above, immediate family shall include a person’s closest family unit, i.e., parents, spouse, siblings, spouses of siblings, children, and spouses of children. For the reasons stated in this order above, leverage can be granted to families having an affiliation with other clubs through distant relatives such as cousins, nieces, nephews, etc.,” the order said.

The order was welcomed by a certain section. “This is how it should be,” Azharuddin, the outgoing president, who could be contesting in the election, told Cricbuzz. “A small group of families was controlling the association through proxies. This has been the bane of Hyderabad cricket, it was long overdue and the right order has been passed. I don’t have any club, I am a member of the HCA by virtue of being an international player who is a member of the home association as per the Lodha Committee order,” the former India captain said.

“The clean-up of the association has begun in earnest and it will only benefit the association,” former treasurer P Mahendra said. Not too many members were willing to comment though. The HCA has been run by an Administrator since February.

News byte from around the world of cricket that you may have missed, or not

August 4

India, West Indies fined for slow over-rate

India have been fined five per cent of their match fee for falling one over short of the minimum over-rate, while West Indies have been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for falling two overs short in the T20I series opener on Friday (August 3).

Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees imposed the sanction after Hardik Pandya and Rovman Powell’s sides were ruled to be one and two overs short respectively of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. On-field umpires Gregory Brathwaite and Patrick Gustard, third umpire Nigel Duguid and fourth umpire Leslie Reifer leveled the charges.

Pandya and Powell pleaded guilty to the offences and accepted the proposed sanctions, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

West Indies lead the five-match series 1-0 after their four-run win in Trinidad.

August 3

Former PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt passes away

Former Pakistan cricketer and ex-PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt is no more. In an official press release, the PCB today revealed that Butt had passed away earlier in the day at the age of 85. Having represented Pakistan in eight Tests, Butt’s highlight was his tenure as the PCB Chief between 2008-11, a period when Pakistan made won a T20 World Cup, made it to a semifinal of one T20 WC while also progressing to the last four of the 2011 ODI World Cup. Current PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf was profound in his praise for the Board’s former boss.

“On behalf of the PCB, I want to express my deepest condolences on the sad demise of Mr Ijaz Butt,” said Ashraf. “I had the privilege of knowing him personally and I have nothing but utmost respect for Mr Butt.

“I offer my deepest condolences to Ijaz Butt’s family and friends, and assure them that he will always be remembered for the contributions he made to Pakistan cricket.”

August 2

Misbah-ul-Haq to head PCB’s Cricket Technical Committee

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formed a Cricket Technical Committee (CTC) that shall be headed by former captain and coach Misbah-ul-Haq. The 49-year-old will also be joined by two other former Pakistan captains in Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez. The formation of this committee is a part of PCB’s plans to change the existing landscape of Pakistan cricket. The CTC will extensively work with all the facets related to the country’s cricketing structure, right from grassroots level. Apart from being involved with the grooming of talent, the committee will also be accountable for furthering the levels of coaching and umpiring along with maintaining a strict connect with the curators across the country. In short, the CTC will have powers to do everything and anything for the betterment of Pakistan cricket. When asked about the development, Misbah appeared buoyant about the task at hand.

“It is a great honour for me to be appointed as the head of this committee, which comprises well-respected individuals who have served Pakistan cricket for decades. This is a challenging assignment, but with the vast experience and knowledge that this committee possesses, I have no doubt whatsoever that we will be able to make a positive difference by providing recommendations that improve and enhance the state of the game from the grassroots till the very top.”

Litton likely to lead Bangladesh in Asia Cup if Tamim is unavailable

With uncertainty over Tamim Iqbal’s availability for the upcoming Asia Cup, Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan said Litton Das, the vice captain of the team, will be the top choice to lead in the multi-team competition.

Tamim is currently on a seven day rest after returning from England where he had taken multiple injections to recover from a back injury. Litton led Bangladesh in the ODI series against India and Afghanistan in the absence of Tamim.

“First we have to know what the plan of Tamim is. They (physicians) must have told him that he needs to go through a programme. When that programme will start, when it will end, how long it will take and how he feels, without talking to him it is difficult to say anything about it,” Nazmul told Jamuna TV. “Naturally the question will arise what will happen if Tamim doesn’t play. If Tamim doesn’t play as far as I know (the player) who is the vice-captain (Litton) will lead in this series.”

In case Litton does captain Bangladesh in the Asia Cup, it will only be a stop-gap measure, according to Nazmul, who said the decisions for the future will be taken after communication with Tamim.

“Ultimately he will have to sit with us, otherwise how can we announce (the team) and how can we plan? So we have to know (what’s in his mind),” said Nazmul. “It’s only a matter of any day and the earlier we know the better I feel, and I am sure he will communicate.”

August 1

Williamson resumes batting practice

Kane Williamson has resumed batting practice by starting to receive throwdowns in the nets, thus not ruling out the possibility of him playing a part in the upcoming ODI World Cup. Williamson’s chances appeared bleak when he ruptured his ACL on the opening night of the IPL on March 31. On Tuesday, Williamson posted a clip on his instagram handle with a caption “Nice to be back in the nets with the bat in hand for a few throws.”

/Rashid Khan withdraws from The Hundred

Ace Afghan spinner Rashid Khan has withdrawn from his short stint at this season of The Hundred with an unspecified injury. Rashid, who starred for MI New York in the final of the just-concluded inaugural season of the MLC, was due to play three games for the Trent Rockets before he was to be replaced by Ish Sodhi.

“I’m really disappointed to have to withdraw from The Hundred through injury. It’s been great to play in the competition the first two years, Trent Rockets is a great team, and I hope to be back again next year,” the 24-year-old said.

Pakistan left-arm spinner Imad Wasim will now replace Rashid in the Rockets squad for the first three games before making way for Sodhi.

Rashid is the latest in a series of high-profile absentees from this season of The Hundred that begins on Tuesday (August 1). Cricket Australia did not give a go-ahead to Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell to turn out for London Spirit. On the women’s side, Birmingham Phoenix will be missing Ellyse Perry and Northern Superchargers will be without Alyssa Healy because of injuries.

The Bilawal Bhutto-headed committee, appointed by Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, will meet on Thursday to decide on Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup in India. There is no apparent indication of the committee taking a tough stand towards the World Cup, but it could seek permission for a security check in India before giving the green light for the Babar Azam’s men to participate in the October 5-November 19 championship.

The committee, headed by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, is expected to ask the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the hosts, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), to permit a security delegation to visit the venues, where the Pakistan team will play.

“A high-profile meeting will decide on the World Cup participation,” a top PCB official told Cricbuzz on Tuesday evening without divulging the details. The committee includes Sports Minister Ahsan Mazari, Maryam Aurangzeb, Asad Mahmood, Amin ul Haq, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and Tariq Fatmi, a former diplomat.

Even as the wait continues over the schedule of the World Cup, sources in the PCB say that the Pakistan board has been informed by the BCCI about a possible change in the schedule of a couple of games for its team, one of them being the big game against India. Unconfirmed information suggests that the India-Pakistan game could be advanced to an earlier date and not necessarily to October 14. The other change could be their match against the Netherlands, which is currently scheduled for October 6 in Hyderabad as per the original schedule. The Pakistan-Sri Lanka game on October 12 may remain unchanged. The venues, as BCCI secretary Jay Shah already said, will remain unchanged.

BCCI and ICC sources say the final programme is expected this week, and there is a possibility of a change of dates for four to six games in all. The timeline for the ticket sales is also expected this week, with Paytm Insider expected to be awarded the license to sell the tickets online.

Shardul Thakur has been a regular in Indian teams over the last couple of years without ever seeming so. In Test cricket, he has been picked as the fourth seamer in conditions that force the team’s hand against fielding both Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. Now in the lead up to the ODI World Cup, Thakur is a contender for the No.8 slot, balancing seam-bowling responsibilities with Hardik Pandya and offering useful batting and hitting depth lower down the order.

The 31-year-old played each game in the ODI series against West Indies in an assignment that India were happy to experiment. While opportunities to show off his batting skills might have been few, a haul of eight wickets at 11.62 from the three games offered further validation of his usefulness to the side. This included career-best figures of 4 for 37 in Tuesday’s deciding clash in Trinidad.

Thakur admitted that it is a natural situation where a few players could have an eye on World Cup selection, he himself is grateful for the opportunities that have come his way and is not looking too far ahead. He is, however, aware of what he brings to the table. “As an all-rounder who bats in the lower order, my role also becomes important. We’ve seen, in longer chases or if you want to post a big total, you will look to accelerate and lose one or two wickets here and there. If the No. 8 and No.9 can contribute with someone who has batted deep, that role is really important,” Thakur said after India’s 200-run win.

“Whenever I get an opportunity, I just try and contribute towards the team’s success. That’s my thought process – whether it’s in batting, bowling or fielding. I’m not the kind of player who plays for his place in the team. If I play with that thought, I don’t think I’ll be able to play,”.

“Even if they [team management] don’t pick me for the World Cup, it will be their call, I can’t do much. It will be wrong of me to think that I need to play for my place, that I’ll do my job and leave. I’ll have to see what the match situation is, and what the requirement of the team is whether I get personal success or not. That is one thing I keep repeating – no matter what, I’ll try to play for the team and make an impact.”

“I missed just one series – the home series against Sri Lanka. Not sure why I wasn’t picked for that. But I’ve been a part of all the one-day teams in the last two years. Whenever I get a chance to play, I remind myself that the team has confidence in me, and that’s why I’m a part of it. Even in this series, I got an opportunity and I could pick eight wickets.”

While Thakur featured in each game of the series, India couldn’t give ace legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal a look in. Part of the reason is perhaps down to the realisation that the team can feature both Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav only by compromising on their batting depth. Thakur reckoned that not getting to play in one series wouldn’t have much of an impact on Chahal’s confidence.

“We have a strong bench strength. So there will be a lot of times when someone won’t get to play a lot of matches or series. Yuzvendra Chahal is a very good player, he has performed for many years and proved himself. Now, whether to play him or not is the management’s decision. The kind of player he is, whenever we play him, he will surely perform. We’ve seen that whenever he plays, he picks up a lot of wickets, whether it is one-day or T20. He always contributes to the team’s success. So I don’t think not playing one series would demoralize him. He has won several games in the past,” Thakur said.

The seam bowler also heaped praise on the opening pair of Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill, who put on a 143-run opening stand to set up India’s massive total of 351, as well as seamer Mukesh Kumar, whose three early wickets broke the back of West Indies’ chase.

“Even in the previous game, we as a group had decided to bat first and challenge ourselves to defend that score, although we didn’t get the kind of result we wanted with our batting,” Thakur said. “But in this game, we scored a lot of runs. There was a bit of assistance [for the bowlers] early on when we batted Ishan and Shubman batted really well and gave us a strong start. That’s why we could post a big total.

“When we came on to bowl, we thought West Indies would give a strong reply but Mukesh bowled a fine spell with the new ball. The little help that was on offer from the pitch, he managed to extract that. He bowled in the right areas. The first three wickets were really important. Even after that, Kuldeep, I and the rest of the bowling unit contributed really well. Even though we picked three early wickets, our focus was to keep the pressure on even after that. That was the plan.”

England have been found to be repeat offenders as far as overrate is concerned in the just-concluded Ashes series as they’ve been punished across three different Tests – second game at Lord’s, fourth in Manchester and the last at the Oval, losing as many as 19 World Test Championship points. Australia meanwhile were docked 10 WTC points and hit with a 50% match fee fine for being 10 overs short in Manchester.

At the Oval, England were five overs short and were thus docked 5 points and handed a fine of 25%; in the second fixture at Lord’s, they were nine overs short and docked 9 points along with a match fee fine of 45%; in Manchester, Ben Stokes’s side was dock three points and a match fee of 15%. Additionally, England will also receive two penalty points for the first Test, which supersedes any previously announced sanction, following the introduction of the new provisions which were applied retrospectively from the start of the third edition of the World Test Championship.

As per this new provisions of the code that have now been confirmed, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time with the cap at 50 per cent. No over-rate penalty is imposed if a team bowls out the opposition inside 80 overs or twice within 160 overs. Teams will continue to be docked one World Test Championship point for each over they are short of the minimum over rate requirement.

Following the penalties, Australia’s points tally is down to 18 with a points percentage of 30 while England are on just 9 points with a percentage of 15. They’re now placed at third and fifth spot respectively on the WTC 2023-25 table.

The wait is finally over as the media rights tender for bilateral India games has been released. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the launch of the tender and is inviting applicants to bid for the Media Rights to the India’s international and domestic matches.

The BCCI has stated that the detailed terms and conditions will be available in the Invitation To Tender (ITT), which can be purchased upon submission of a non-refundable fee of INR 15 lakh.

“The tender process, including eligibility requirements, submission of bids, rights and obligations, etc., are outlined in the ‘Invitation to Tender’ (“ITT”), which will be provided upon payment of a non-refundable fee of INR 15,00,000 (Indian Rupees Fifteen Lakh Only), plus any applicable Goods and Services Tax,” the BCCI stated in a press release.

The ITT will be available for purchase until August 25th. Furthermore, the BCCI added, “Any interested party wishing to submit a bid must purchase the ITT. However, only those who meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the ITT and are subject to the other terms and conditions therein will be eligible to bid. It should be noted that simply purchasing the ITT does not grant any individual the right to bid. The BCCI reserves the right to cancel or modify the bidding process at any stage or in any manner without providing any reason.”

Amazon, Google approached?

Meanwhile, reports have indicated that the BCCI has approached Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc. (Google) to participate. The apparent intention behind the approach is to enhance the level of interest in the industry, which has recently entered a more subdued state due to various factors.

With reports of Disney Star actively seeking a strategic partnership, the impression emanating from the industry is that current broadcaster might not pose a formidable competition.

Sony, another traditional broadcaster with a significant linear presence, is known to adopt a conservative approach in its bid. Zee, another player, is still in the process of achieving the long-awaited merger with Sony, and the extent to which it will pursue the rights remains uncertain. This situation leaves Viacom 18 as a prominent contender, primarily showcasing interest in the digital rights.

“The relatively tepid response from media firms prior to the auction underscores the challenge of generating profits amid weakened advertising revenues, especially considering the higher viewership garnered by the shorter-format IPL over the years. The auction process is running two weeks behind the schedule recommended by its advisor, Ernst & Young, which had projected the auctions to conclude by the end of August,” reports Bloomberg.

As previously detailed on this platform, it is anticipated that there will be 102 games in the upcoming five-year cycle, slated to conclude in 2027. The BCCI said it would complete the sale by August-end but as per the Tuesday’s notification, that timeline is unlikely to be met.

KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are unlikely to be picked for the Asia Cup 2023, the squad for which is anticipated to be announced this week. Sources within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have indicated that these two batters have not sufficiently recovered to be considered for the continental championship, from August 30 to September 17.

Despite both players sharing progress updates on their fitness on social media, insiders suggest that it’s premature to rush them into international action. However, they remain contenders for the ODI World Cup, later this year, if they make a complete recovery. In such a scenario, the three-ODI series against Australia in September might serve as their comeback matches.

The absence of Rahul and Iyer implies that most of the players, who were part of the just-concluded three-match ODI series against West Indies will likely feature in the six-team championship set to be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. There will be a few bowling changes though, with Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, and the indomitable Jasprit Bumrah returning.

Prasidh Krishna, who is also returning after a long injury break, is under consideration but may not make the cut for lack of a position in the 15. It appears that Ishan Kishan is securing his place not only in the Asia Cup but also in the World Cup for the wicketkeeper slot, though Rahul could potentially be in contention too.

With Ishan’s inclusion, the team management will need to decide on the opening combination when Rohit Sharma returns to the playing XI. Indications point towards Ishan and Rohit opening the innings, while Shubman Gill, who opened in the three ODIs against West Indies, may shift to the middle order. The final team composition and batting order will be determined during the Asia Cup preparatory camp scheduled in Bengaluru from August 24 to 29. India’s inaugural match in the Asia Cup is against Pakistan on September 2.

Dates for Pakistan’s two World Cup games to be altered

In other news, it has been revealed that the World Cup schedule will be altered for six matches, including two involving Pakistan. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan match is reportedly moved a day earlier to October 14 in Ahmedabad, while Pakistan’s game against Sri Lanka is anticipated to be shifted by two days, from October 12 to 10. The venue for the latter match will remain Hyderabad.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly been informed about these potential changes. Alterations may also be made to the schedule of the New Zealand vs Bangladesh match in Chennai on October 11 and the England vs. Afghanistan match on the same day in Delhi, with final confirmation expected within the next few days.

Veteran India and Bengal batter Manoj Tiwary has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Thursday (August 3).

“Goodbye to the game of cricket. This game has given me everything, I mean every single thing which I had never dreamt if, starting from the times when my life was challenged by different forms of difficulties [sic],” the 37-year-old wrote on Instagram.

Tiwary made his international debut in an ODI in Brisbane in 2008 but was dismissed for a duck. Eventually, he had to wait for another three years to feature for India again during a spell in which he registered his only century in international cricket, against West Indies in Chennai.

After being left out of the ODI team in 2012, Tiwary represented India on just four more occasions that included a series in Zimbabwe in 2015. In all he played 12 ODIs and 3 T20Is for the national side.

Tiwary, the minister of state for Youth Affairs and Sports in West Bengal, has constantly featured for his state despite being out of national reckoning and recently captained them in their run to the Ranji Trophy final. In a glittering first-class career, the right-hander ended up smashing 29 centuries at an average of 48.56, finishing with over 9900 runs. This included a best score of 303*, scored against Hyderabad in January 2022.

Tiwary also played 98 games in the IPL, hitting the winning runs for Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2012 final against Chennai Super Kings. One of his best seasons in the IPL came in 2017 when he played a role in Rising Pune Supergiant reaching the final but post that season, he played just five more matches in the competition.

Wednesday’s announcement that Hashim Amla had been appointed the Gauteng Lions’ batting coach prompted a question: had he ever been away from the game? Not really, or not nearly long enough for anyone to forget the mark he left on it. Some players leave memories. Others make magic that shimmers long after they’re gone.

But even a career as stellar as Amla’s – 28 centuries and 9,282 runs at 46.64 in 215 Test innings, and still the fastest man to reach 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 6,000 and 7,000 runs in ODIs – doesn’t guarantee success as a coach. What might he bring to the role?

“Any team who sign him up are going to benefit from him and his presence,” Dale Steyn, who shared a dressing room with Amla in 89 Tests, 95 ODIs and 20 T20Is, or more than half of Amla’s international career, told Cricbuzz.

“Even if he wasn’t a coach, if he was just a mentor, just people talking to him and listening to him, seeing what a calm person he is, would help a team so much. As a coach, what’s even better is that he can add his input on things like how to score, where to score, when to score, when not to score. From a batting perspective, that’s massive.

“He’s also a leader in that he captained South Africa [in 14 Tests, nine ODIs and two T20Is, and to the final of the 2002 under-19 World Cup]. He ticks a lot of boxes in the sense that he can assist many people in that space, whether it’s the captain, the head coach, or any player.

“He’s one of the most approachable people I’ve ever had the pleasure of hanging around with. He doesn’t assign himself to any particular group. ‘Hash’ is a lone warrior. He can fit in with anyone. That’s a great benefit to have in a team because anyone can go and talk to him. He has a wealth of knowledge, and the Lions are really going to benefit from that.”

Amla featured in the last of his 349 internationals in June 2019, then appeared in 59 other matches. These were for Karnataka Tuskers, Falcon Hunters, Khulna Tigers, World Giants – T10, BPL and legends outfits – and Surrey.

In 21 innings for the latter in last year’s county championship he scored two centuries and three 50s amid his 718 runs at 39.88. Not bad for someone who turned 40 on May 31. Then again, that makes him 487 days younger than James Anderson, who is still going if not exactly strong.

On January 18 this year Amla said he was hanging up his famously unsweaty batting gloves for good, prompting an outpouring of appreciation for his career and character from former teammates and opponents alike. But, in March, he played in two legends T20s in Doha. He scored 68 off 59 in the second of them, against an attack that included Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Amir, Abdur Razzak, Sohail Tanvir, Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq.

By then he had graced Mumbai Indians Cape Town’s dugout as their batting coach, but they lost seven of their 10 matches and were the first team eliminated from the playoffs in the inaugural SA20. And now this, a real job. Amla will be Lions head coach Russell Domingo’s go-to batting man for all three formats. He will also, Lions chief executive Jono Leaf-Wright said on Thursday, “add value in the women’s, academy and U19 space”.

On last season’s evidence, most of Amla’s focus will be on the first-class competition, in which the Lions finished fourth out of eight teams. Ryan Rickelton, fuelled by what he took as the injustice of being ruled unavailable for South Africa because of an ankle injury that didn’t stop him from playing domestically, scored three centuries in five innings. But Joshua Richards, Wiaan Mulder and Bjorn Fortuin were the team’s only other century-makers with one each.

The addition to the Lions’ ranks from Western Province of Zubayr Hamza, who will hope to find his way back to the path he veered off after playing six Tests from January 2019 to February 2022, will be watched with interest. Amla will prove his worth if he coaxes Hamza back to the kind of form that earned him an undefeated 202 in his fourth first-class innings, along with two other double centuries and 11 mere hundreds in 139 trips to the crease in which he has scored 5,647 runs at 46.28. Amla will earn more credit if he sorts out Rassie van der Dussen, who has reached 50 just twice of his last 17 innings for South Africa across the formats, both in the course of scoring centuries in ODIs against England.

Fix Hamza’s game and revive Van der Dussen’s. Keep Rickelton firing, Temba Bavuma solid and Reeza Hendricks’ eyes on the prize of a regular place in South Africa’s white-ball sides. Help Mulder hang onto his self-belief. Build Fortuin’s batting ability. Make sure Dominic Hendricks, Evan Jones, Mitch van Buuren and Richards keep doing what they’re doing, only better. Do so despite limited contact with some of those players, who will be in the national set-up for much of their time.

Two days into the job Amla’s to-do list is long, and will likely lengthen. It’s hard enough making memories and magic as a player, harder still when all you can do, after everything, is sit and watch like everyone else. Good thing he’s a calm lone warrior who can fit in with anyone.