Christian Eriksen scored a last-gasp winner as Inter Milan advanced to the Italian Cup semi-finals on Tuesday with a 2-1 victory over 10-man AC Milan in a fiery derby clash.

The quarter-final at the San Siro was overshadowed by a row between star strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku, who both scored on the night, with the Swede later sent off in the second half.

Tensions were high with Lukaku missing the chance to put Inter ahead on 20 minutes as Milan goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu, standing in for the suspended Gianluigi Donnarumma, saved with his foot.

And it was Ibrahimovic who grabbed the opener on the half-hour after connecting with Soualiho Meite's headed cross, firing in low from the right with the ball bouncing in off the far post.

Former Manchester United teammates Ibrahimovic and Lukaku then clashed angrily before the half-time whistle.

Ibrahimovic taunted Lukaku and infuriated the Belgian by laughing in his face with the pair going head-to-head.

The duo traded insults as they headed towards the tunnel with a furious Lukaku being restrained by his teammates.

Both players were booked over the incident.

Ibrahimovic got his marching orders when he picked up a second yellow card 15 minutes after the break for bringing down Aleksandar Kolarov.

"The booking for the dispute with Lukaku certainly influenced Ibrahimovic's dismissal," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli.

"He apologised like the great champion he is. But it wasn't easy with a man less.

"I didn't hear what they said but they are old enough to take care of themselves. We have to look ahead."

Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte said he was happy to see Lukaku's reaction.

"I was pleased to see Romelu like this," said Conte.&nbsp;

"Ibra has the wickedness of a winner. I think that Romelu, also from this point of view, is growing.&nbsp;

"For us he's important, and if he gets angry every now and then I'm pleased." &nbsp;

Italy's top two teams in the league this season were looking to bounce back after a disappointing weekend of Serie A action.

Leaders AC Milan lost to Atalanta, as Inter missed the chance to move equal on points with the leaders after a goalless draw at Udinese.

Ibrahimovic scored a brace the last time they met in a 2-1 league win in October, with Lukaku also netting for Inter.

Rafael Leao's foul on Nicolo Barella gave Inter a penalty after 71 minutes with Lukaku stepping up to fire in via the underside of the crossbar.

Eriksen came off the bench with two minutes to go and the out-of-favour Danish midfielder scored the winner deep into stoppage time with a sensational free-kick after a change in referee because of injury.

Inter go through to meet either Juventus or Serie B side SPAL in the two-legged semi-final on February 3 and 10.

Christian Eriksen scored a last-gasp winner as Inter Milan advanced to the Italian Cup semi-finals on Tuesday with a 2-1 victory over 10-man AC Milan in a fiery derby clash.

Christian Eriksen scored a last-gasp winner as Inter Milan advanced to the Italian Cup semi-finals on Tuesday with a 2-1 victory over 10-man AC Milan in a fiery derby clash. The quarter-final at the San Siro was overshadowed by a row between star strikers Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku, who both scored on the night, with the Swede later sent off in the second half. Tensions were high with Lukaku missing the chance to put Inter ahead on 20 minutes as Milan goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu, standing in for the suspended Gianluigi Donnarumma, saved with his foot. And it was Ibrahimovic who grabbed the opener on the half-hour after connecting with Soualiho Meite's headed cross, firing in low from the right with the ball bouncing in off the far post. Former Manchester United teammates Ibrahimovic and Lukaku then clashed angrily before the half-time whistle. Ibrahimovic taunted Lukaku and infuriated the Belgian by laughing in his face with the pair going head-to-head. The duo traded insults as they headed towards the tunnel with a furious Lukaku being restrained by his teammates. Both players were booked over the incident. Ibrahimovic got his marching orders when he picked up a second yellow card 15 minutes after the break for bringing down Aleksandar Kolarov. "The booking for the dispute with Lukaku certainly influenced Ibrahimovic's dismissal," said Milan coach Stefano Pioli. "He apologised like the great champion he is. But it wasn't easy with a man less. "I didn't hear what they said but they are old enough to take care of themselves. We have to look ahead." Inter Milan coach Antonio Conte said he was happy to see Lukaku's reaction. "I was pleased to see Romelu like this," said Conte. "Ibra has the wickedness of a winner. I think that Romelu, also from this point of view, is growing. "For us he's important, and if he gets angry every now and then I'm pleased." Italy's top two teams in the league this season were looking to bounce back after a disappointing weekend of Serie A action. Leaders AC Milan lost to Atalanta, as Inter missed the chance to move equal on points with the leaders after a goalless draw at Udinese. Ibrahimovic scored a brace the last time they met in a 2-1 league win in October, with Lukaku also netting for Inter. Rafael Leao's foul on Nicolo Barella gave Inter a penalty after 71 minutes with Lukaku stepping up to fire in via the underside of the crossbar. Eriksen came off the bench with two minutes to go and the out-of-favour Danish midfielder scored the winner deep into stoppage time with a sensational free-kick after a change in referee because of injury. Inter go through to meet either Juventus or Serie B side SPAL in the two-legged semi-final on February 3 and 10.

Late Eriksen winner sends Inter into Italian Cup semis as Ibrahimovic sees red

Matthew Wade was axed Wednesday for Australia's Test series in South Africa after failing to fire against India, while under-pressure Tim Paine retained the captaincy.

Wade played all four games in the tense 2-1 home summer series loss to India, including two as makeshift opener in place of the injured David Warner.

But he managed just 173 from his eight innings, with some rash shots ultimately costing him his place in the side and seeing him replaced by Alex Carey as back-up wicketkeeper.

Instead, Wade will join Australia's Twenty20 squad on their tour of New Zealand as vice-captain to the out-of-form Aaron Finch.

Australia are due to play three Tests in South Africa. The tour was originally scheduled for February and March, but the dates have yet to be locked in due to concerns over coronavirus.

Cricket Australia Wednesday reiterated its commitment to making the trip, with the Tests expected to take place in March or April.&nbsp;

The five-game T20 tour of New Zealand runs from February 22 to March 7, clashing with South Africa, meaning a host of players including Warner, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins were not available.

Wade was the main casualty from the India series, with the squad otherwise much the same.

Uncapped bowlers Sean Abbott, Michael Neser, and Mitchell Swepson are again included, with fellow quick Mark Steketee and Carey the only newcomers.

Carey's inclusion was seen as significant, with the 29-year-old, who has excelled for Australia in limited overs internationals, tipped as a potential successor as captain to Paine, 36.

Paine had a sub-par series against India, particularly the last two Tests when he dropped a slew of chances and came under fire over his bowling changes, field placings and decisions on when to declare.

He was also fined for an expletive-laden rant at an umpire and forced to apologise after an ugly verbal tirade at India's Ravi Ashwin, all of which put his captaincy under the microscope.

<h2>- 'Wide of the mark' -</h2>

But National Selector Trevor Hohns insisted Paine was still the right man for the job.

"Tim Paine was excellent at number seven against India and as a batsman, wicketkeeper and captain still has much to offer in the Test arena," he said.

Cricket Australia's National Teams chief Ben Oliver also gave Paine his backing.

"Tim has the support of the team, the coach and everyone else at Cricket Australia and the result of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series has done nothing to diminish that," he said.

"After a series that attracted so much global interest, it was inevitable there'd be scrutiny. But some of the commentary surrounding Tim and his position as Test captain has been wide of the mark."

The absence of several T20 regulars opened the door for some fresh faces to make the trip to New Zealand, with three uncapped players in the squad including teenage leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha.

The other rookies are opener and gloveman Josh Philippe and fast bowler Riley Meredith.

Paceman Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff and spinner Ashton Agar make their return to Australian colours after lengthy injury layoffs.

&nbsp;

Test squad for South Africa: Tim Paine (capt), Pat Cummins, Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

T20 squad for New Zealand: Aaron Finch (capt), Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa

Matthew Wade was axed Wednesday for Australia's Test series in South Africa after failing to fire against India, while under-pressure Tim Paine retained the captaincy.

Matthew Wade was axed Wednesday for Australia's Test series in South Africa after failing to fire against India, while under-pressure Tim Paine retained the captaincy. Wade played all four games in the tense 2-1 home summer series loss to India, including two as makeshift opener in place of the injured David Warner. But he managed just 173 from his eight innings, with some rash shots ultimately costing him his place in the side and seeing him replaced by Alex Carey as back-up wicketkeeper. Instead, Wade will join Australia's Twenty20 squad on their tour of New Zealand as vice-captain to the out-of-form Aaron Finch. Australia are due to play three Tests in South Africa. The tour was originally scheduled for February and March, but the dates have yet to be locked in due to concerns over coronavirus. Cricket Australia Wednesday reiterated its commitment to making the trip, with the Tests expected to take place in March or April. The five-game T20 tour of New Zealand runs from February 22 to March 7, clashing with South Africa, meaning a host of players including Warner, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins were not available. Wade was the main casualty from the India series, with the squad otherwise much the same. Uncapped bowlers Sean Abbott, Michael Neser, and Mitchell Swepson are again included, with fellow quick Mark Steketee and Carey the only newcomers. Carey's inclusion was seen as significant, with the 29-year-old, who has excelled for Australia in limited overs internationals, tipped as a potential successor as captain to Paine, 36. Paine had a sub-par series against India, particularly the last two Tests when he dropped a slew of chances and came under fire over his bowling changes, field placings and decisions on when to declare. He was also fined for an expletive-laden rant at an umpire and forced to apologise after an ugly verbal tirade at India's Ravi Ashwin, all of which put his captaincy under the microscope. - 'Wide of the mark' - But National Selector Trevor Hohns insisted Paine was still the right man for the job. "Tim Paine was excellent at number seven against India and as a batsman, wicketkeeper and captain still has much to offer in the Test arena," he said. Cricket Australia's National Teams chief Ben Oliver also gave Paine his backing. "Tim has the support of the team, the coach and everyone else at Cricket Australia and the result of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series has done nothing to diminish that," he said. "After a series that attracted so much global interest, it was inevitable there'd be scrutiny. But some of the commentary surrounding Tim and his position as Test captain has been wide of the mark." The absence of several T20 regulars opened the door for some fresh faces to make the trip to New Zealand, with three uncapped players in the squad including teenage leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha. The other rookies are opener and gloveman Josh Philippe and fast bowler Riley Meredith. Paceman Jhye Richardson and Jason Behrendorff and spinner Ashton Agar make their return to Australian colours after lengthy injury layoffs. Test squad for South Africa: Tim Paine (capt), Pat Cummins, Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner T20 squad for New Zealand: Aaron Finch (capt), Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, D'Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa

Australia axe Wade, keep Paine as captain for South Africa Test tour

The first Tokyo Olympics test event of 2021 will be postponed due to travel restrictions under Japan's coronavirus state of emergency, media reported Wednesday.

The artistic swimming test event -- which will double as the sport's final qualifier for the Games, and is set to feature around 10 countries -- was scheduled to be held at the Tokyo Aquatics Center from March 4-7.

It could now be held in April or May, according to several Japanese media outlets citing sources close to the matter.

The International Swimming Federation (FINA) and Japan Swimming Federation (JASF) have determined travel restrictions on foreign nationals coming into Japan would make the event too difficult to organise, the reports said.

FINA, JASF and Tokyo 2020 did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Japan's borders are currently all but closed to foreign visitors, with Tokyo and other parts of the country under a state of emergency until at least February 7.

Athletes coming to Japan to prepare for the coronavirus-postponed 2020 Games had been exempt from the entry ban, but the government revoked the privilege earlier this month.

The artistic swimming event was set to be the first test event to be held with anti-virus measures in place.

In December, Tokyo 2020 chiefs unveiled a 53-page anti-virus rulebook that they say will allow the Games to be held safely without a vaccine, even if the pandemic is not yet under control.

The first Tokyo Olympics test event of 2021 will be postponed due to travel restrictions under Japan's coronavirus state of emergency, media reported Wednesday. The artistic swimming test event -- which will double as the sport's final qualifier for the Games, and is set to feature around 10 countries -- was scheduled to be held at the Tokyo Aquatics Center from March 4-7.

The first Tokyo Olympics test event of 2021 will be postponed due to travel restrictions under Japan's coronavirus state of emergency, media reported Wednesday. The artistic swimming test event -- which will double as the sport's final qualifier for the Games, and is set to feature around 10 countries -- was scheduled to be held at the Tokyo Aquatics Center from March 4-7. It could now be held in April or May, according to several Japanese media outlets citing sources close to the matter. The International Swimming Federation (FINA) and Japan Swimming Federation (JASF) have determined travel restrictions on foreign nationals coming into Japan would make the event too difficult to organise, the reports said. FINA, JASF and Tokyo 2020 did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Japan's borders are currently all but closed to foreign visitors, with Tokyo and other parts of the country under a state of emergency until at least February 7. Athletes coming to Japan to prepare for the coronavirus-postponed 2020 Games had been exempt from the entry ban, but the government revoked the privilege earlier this month. The artistic swimming event was set to be the first test event to be held with anti-virus measures in place. In December, Tokyo 2020 chiefs unveiled a 53-page anti-virus rulebook that they say will allow the Games to be held safely without a vaccine, even if the pandemic is not yet under control.

Tokyo Olympics test event to be postponed: reports

Ireland opener Paul Stirling and Bangladesh spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz have made notable gains in the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings after some fine performances in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.

Stirling has gained eight slots to reach 20th place after scoring 285 runs against Afghanistan which included centuries in the second and third matches. The valiant effort in the series in Abu Dhabi, that his team lost 3-0, has taken him to the top of the run aggregate in the championship with 441 runs in six matches.

Stirling also scored 135 runs in his side’s preceding series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which was not part of the Super League and which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Off-spinner Mehidy was the most successful bowler in the series against the West Indies which his side swept 3-0 and his effort reflects in the latest update to the ODI rankings. Mehidy has progressed nine spots to take fourth position after grabbing seven wickets including a haul of four for 25 in the second ODI that won him the player of the match award.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
↗️ Mehidy Hasan storms into top five 
↗️ Mustafizur Rahman enters top 10 
↗️ Shakib Al Hasan moves up 15 spots 
 
Bangladesh bowlers sizzle in the latest <a href="https://twitter.com/MRFWorldwide?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MRFWorldwide</a> ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings! 
 
📈 Full rankings: <a href="https://t.co/tHR5rKl2SH">https://t.co/tHR5rKl2SH</a> <a href="https://t.co/2uDyRgfznH">pic.twitter.com/2uDyRgfznH</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1354341072625917953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sourav-ganguly-admitted-to-hospital-again-to-undergo-another-angioplasty-on-thursday-359632" hreflang="en">Sourav Ganguly admitted to hospital again, to undergo another angioplasty on Thursday</a>

Left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman’s six wickets in the series have lifted him from 19th to eighth position while other Bangladesh players to gain in the latest rankings update include Shakib Al Hasan (up 15 places to 13th among bowlers) and Mushfiqur Rahim (up one place to 15th among batsmen) after their player of the match performances in the first and third matches, respectively.&nbsp;

Captain Tamim Iqbal (up one place to 22nd) and Mahmudullah (up five places to 49th) among batsmen and Mohammad Saifuddin (up three places to 43rd) among bowlers have also advanced for Bangladesh while West Indies fast bowler Alzari Joseph has gained 11 slots to reach 34th position.

In other gains for Ireland players, Curtis Campher has advanced 81 places and is 100th among batsmen. Andy McBrine has gained two slots to reach 33rd position and Simi Singh has progressed 30 places to reach 64th among bowlers.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistans-fawad-alam-joins-ravi-bopara-in-exclusive-club-after-third-test-century-359677" hreflang="en">Pakistan's Fawad Alam joins Ravi Bopara in exclusive club after third Test century</a>

Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah Shahidi (70th to 66th), Rashid Khan (96th to 89th) and Javed Ahmadi (103rd to 99th) have gained in the rankings for batsmen. &nbsp;

The UAE also saw some gains for its players with Muhammad Usman advancing five places to reach 78th position after slamming a century in the first match of the series and Rohan Mustafa gain six slots to reach 55th among bowlers.

Ireland opener Paul Stirling and Bangladesh spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz have made notable gains in the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings after some fine performances in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.

Ireland opener Paul Stirling and Bangladesh spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz have made notable gains in the ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings after some fine performances in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League. Stirling has gained eight slots to reach 20th place after scoring 285 runs against Afghanistan which included centuries in the second and third matches. The valiant effort in the series in Abu Dhabi, that his team lost 3-0, has taken him to the top of the run aggregate in the championship with 441 runs in six matches. Stirling also scored 135 runs in his side’s preceding series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which was not part of the Super League and which ended in a 1-1 draw. Off-spinner Mehidy was the most successful bowler in the series against the West Indies which his side swept 3-0 and his effort reflects in the latest update to the ODI rankings. Mehidy has progressed nine spots to take fourth position after grabbing seven wickets including a haul of four for 25 in the second ODI that won him the player of the match award. ↗️ Mehidy Hasan storms into top five ↗️ Mustafizur Rahman enters top 10 ↗️ Shakib Al Hasan moves up 15 spots Bangladesh bowlers sizzle in the latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Men's ODI Player Rankings! 📈 Full rankings: https://t.co/tHR5rKl2SH pic.twitter.com/2uDyRgfznH — ICC (@ICC) January 27, 2021 × ALSO READ: Sourav Ganguly admitted to hospital again, to undergo another angioplasty on Thursday Left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman’s six wickets in the series have lifted him from 19th to eighth position while other Bangladesh players to gain in the latest rankings update include Shakib Al Hasan (up 15 places to 13th among bowlers) and Mushfiqur Rahim (up one place to 15th among batsmen) after their player of the match performances in the first and third matches, respectively. Captain Tamim Iqbal (up one place to 22nd) and Mahmudullah (up five places to 49th) among batsmen and Mohammad Saifuddin (up three places to 43rd) among bowlers have also advanced for Bangladesh while West Indies fast bowler Alzari Joseph has gained 11 slots to reach 34th position. In other gains for Ireland players, Curtis Campher has advanced 81 places and is 100th among batsmen. Andy McBrine has gained two slots to reach 33rd position and Simi Singh has progressed 30 places to reach 64th among bowlers. ALSO READ: Pakistan's Fawad Alam joins Ravi Bopara in exclusive club after third Test century Afghanistan’s Hashmatullah Shahidi (70th to 66th), Rashid Khan (96th to 89th) and Javed Ahmadi (103rd to 99th) have gained in the rankings for batsmen. The UAE also saw some gains for its players with Muhammad Usman advancing five places to reach 78th position after slamming a century in the first match of the series and Rohan Mustafa gain six slots to reach 55th among bowlers.

Stirling, Mehidy gain big in ODI Rankings after fine outings in WC Super League

The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly has been admitted to&nbsp;Apollo Hospital in Kolkata after he complained of chest pain on Wednesday.&nbsp;Further test reports suggest that Ganguly will need two more stents to be implanted and the angioplasty is likely to be conducted on Thursday in presence of noted cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty.

According to reports, Ganguly had felt&nbsp;a slight pain in his chest on Tuesday but the pain increased on Wednesday&nbsp;and hence, he was shifted to the hospital without taking any further risks. He was rushed to the hospital for further check-up. He&nbsp;is currently stable and is likely to remain hospitalised for a couple of days.

"Dr Saptarshi Basu &amp; Dr Saroj Mondal of Woodlands hospital are attending Sourav Ganguly. Dr Aftab Khan will do the stenting at Apollo hospital tomorrow in presence of Dr Devi Shetty," said&nbsp;Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata in a statement.

Ganguly had suffered a mild heart attack earlier in January after which the former Indian captain was immediately admitted to Kolkata's Woodlands Hospital. Ganguly had suffered a sudden blackout during a workout session at his Behala resident on January 2.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-auction-to-be-held-on-february-18-in-chennai-359621" hreflang="en">IPL 2021 auction to be held on February 18 in Chennai</a>

Angioplasty was successfully carried on Ganguly's right coronary artery after the 48-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest. However, the other two damaged arteries too needed angioplasty but the doctors, after consulting Ganguly and his family, decided that the procedure would be done at a later date.

Ganguly was diagnosed with three blocked coronary arteries after which a stent was inserted in one to remove the blockage.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-england-cricket-team-arrives-in-chennai-for-test-series-versus-india-359613" hreflang="en">IND vs ENG: England cricket team arrives in Chennai for Test series versus India</a>

<article>
Earlier in January, Ganguly was attended by noted cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty, who had hinted that the 48-year-old may require an angioplasty at a later date but had confidently said that the former Indian captain can continue to work normally. The noted surgeon had said that the 48-year-old will be ready for next course of procedures or medical intervention after 2-3 weeks.

After being discharged from Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata, earlier in January, Ganguly had said:&nbsp;"I thank the doctors at the hospital for the treatment. I am absolutely fine. Hopefully, I will be ready to fly soon.
</article>

The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly has been admitted to Apollo Hospital in Kolkata after he complained of chest pain on Wednesday.

The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly has been admitted to Apollo Hospital in Kolkata after he complained of chest pain on Wednesday. Further test reports suggest that Ganguly will need two more stents to be implanted and the angioplasty is likely to be conducted on Thursday in presence of noted cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty. According to reports, Ganguly had felt a slight pain in his chest on Tuesday but the pain increased on Wednesday and hence, he was shifted to the hospital without taking any further risks. He was rushed to the hospital for further check-up. He is currently stable and is likely to remain hospitalised for a couple of days. "Dr Saptarshi Basu & Dr Saroj Mondal of Woodlands hospital are attending Sourav Ganguly. Dr Aftab Khan will do the stenting at Apollo hospital tomorrow in presence of Dr Devi Shetty," said Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata in a statement. Ganguly had suffered a mild heart attack earlier in January after which the former Indian captain was immediately admitted to Kolkata's Woodlands Hospital. Ganguly had suffered a sudden blackout during a workout session at his Behala resident on January 2. ALSO READ: IPL 2021 auction to be held on February 18 in Chennai Angioplasty was successfully carried on Ganguly's right coronary artery after the 48-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest. However, the other two damaged arteries too needed angioplasty but the doctors, after consulting Ganguly and his family, decided that the procedure would be done at a later date. Ganguly was diagnosed with three blocked coronary arteries after which a stent was inserted in one to remove the blockage. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: England cricket team arrives in Chennai for Test series versus India Earlier in January, Ganguly was attended by noted cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty, who had hinted that the 48-year-old may require an angioplasty at a later date but had confidently said that the former Indian captain can continue to work normally. The noted surgeon had said that the 48-year-old will be ready for next course of procedures or medical intervention after 2-3 weeks. After being discharged from Woodlands Hospital in Kolkata, earlier in January, Ganguly had said: "I thank the doctors at the hospital for the treatment. I am absolutely fine. Hopefully, I will be ready to fly soon.

Sourav Ganguly admitted to hospital again, to undergo another angioplasty on Thursday

Insurers are facing a $2-3 billion loss if the Tokyo Olympics are cancelled this year, amounting to the largest ever claim in the global event cancellation market, brokers say.

With less than six months until the Games are due to start, the competition will top the agenda when the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive board meets this week.

The Olympic body, which will meet remotely, finds itself in a similar situation to March last year, when it postponed the Games by 12 months as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sport worldwide.

Much of Japan is now under a state of emergency due to a third wave of COVID-19 infections.

The IOC and Japanese organisers have been adamant that another postponement isn’t an option. So it appears more likely the Games would have to be cancelled, rather than postponed again, if they weren’t able to go ahead in Tokyo this summer.

Event cancellation insurers have had a tough year as a result of the pandemic, with festivals, conferences and sporting events postponed or cancelled the world over. Broker Howden estimates COVID-19 event cancellation losses at $5-6 billion.

But cancellation of the Olympics “would be by far the largest. Mind-blowingly,” said Simon Henderson, an executive director at broker Gallagher.

“The Olympics is a World Cup, it’s a tennis tournament, it’s an athletics tournament. It’s swimming, everything all in one - definitely a huge headache.”

Analysts at Jefferies have estimated the Tokyo Olympics is insured for around $2 billion, plus a further $600 million for hospitality.

The IOC takes out around $800 million of protection for each Summer Games, which covers most of the roughly $1 billion investment it makes in each host city.

In addition, the local organising committee in Tokyo will have taken out a further policy, estimated at around $650 million, while broadcasters are also insured for large sums.

“TV networks, sponsors, professional sports teams, entertainers and other organisations could all have event cancellation policies protecting their interests in the Olympics,” said Leigh Ann Rossi, chief operating officer at broker NFP Sports and Entertainment Group.

Such policies will have been bought years in advance and so would likely cover cancellation due to infectious diseases. Event cancellation policies taken out in the last year exclude that cover.

Many of the organisations involved in the Olympics would have been able to claim some costs as a result of last year’s postponement, for issues such as hiring venues or reprinting marketing brochures.

Tim Thornhill, a director at broker Tysers, said there was “no rule of thumb” as to how much of the total insured value of an event could be claimed under the postponement section of an event cancellation policy.

But brokers expect any payments made last year for postponement to be smaller than any cancellation pay-outs this year.

Lloyd’s of London insurers are among those active in the event cancellation market, along with international insurers, and global reinsurers such as Munich Re and Swiss Re.

Munich Re has a $500 million exposure to the Tokyo Olympics, one source previously told Reuters. Munich Re declined to comment.

Swiss Re has a $250 million exposure, its chief financial officer John Dacey told analysts last year.

German insurer Allianz has signed an eight-year insurance agreement with the IOC which took effect earlier this month, covering Winter and Summer Games, including the Summer Games in Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028.

Given how far in advance Olympics policies are taken out, Paris will also likely be covered for postponement or cancellation due to infectious diseases, brokers said.

Insurers are facing a $2-3 billion loss if the Tokyo Olympics are cancelled this year, amounting to the largest ever claim in the global event cancellation market, brokers say.

Insurers are facing a $2-3 billion loss if the Tokyo Olympics are cancelled this year, amounting to the largest ever claim in the global event cancellation market, brokers say. With less than six months until the Games are due to start, the competition will top the agenda when the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive board meets this week. The Olympic body, which will meet remotely, finds itself in a similar situation to March last year, when it postponed the Games by 12 months as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sport worldwide. Much of Japan is now under a state of emergency due to a third wave of COVID-19 infections. The IOC and Japanese organisers have been adamant that another postponement isn’t an option. So it appears more likely the Games would have to be cancelled, rather than postponed again, if they weren’t able to go ahead in Tokyo this summer. Event cancellation insurers have had a tough year as a result of the pandemic, with festivals, conferences and sporting events postponed or cancelled the world over. Broker Howden estimates COVID-19 event cancellation losses at $5-6 billion. But cancellation of the Olympics “would be by far the largest. Mind-blowingly,” said Simon Henderson, an executive director at broker Gallagher. “The Olympics is a World Cup, it’s a tennis tournament, it’s an athletics tournament. It’s swimming, everything all in one - definitely a huge headache.” Analysts at Jefferies have estimated the Tokyo Olympics is insured for around $2 billion, plus a further $600 million for hospitality. The IOC takes out around $800 million of protection for each Summer Games, which covers most of the roughly $1 billion investment it makes in each host city. In addition, the local organising committee in Tokyo will have taken out a further policy, estimated at around $650 million, while broadcasters are also insured for large sums. “TV networks, sponsors, professional sports teams, entertainers and other organisations could all have event cancellation policies protecting their interests in the Olympics,” said Leigh Ann Rossi, chief operating officer at broker NFP Sports and Entertainment Group. Such policies will have been bought years in advance and so would likely cover cancellation due to infectious diseases. Event cancellation policies taken out in the last year exclude that cover. Many of the organisations involved in the Olympics would have been able to claim some costs as a result of last year’s postponement, for issues such as hiring venues or reprinting marketing brochures. Tim Thornhill, a director at broker Tysers, said there was “no rule of thumb” as to how much of the total insured value of an event could be claimed under the postponement section of an event cancellation policy. But brokers expect any payments made last year for postponement to be smaller than any cancellation pay-outs this year. Lloyd’s of London insurers are among those active in the event cancellation market, along with international insurers, and global reinsurers such as Munich Re and Swiss Re. Munich Re has a $500 million exposure to the Tokyo Olympics, one source previously told Reuters. Munich Re declined to comment. Swiss Re has a $250 million exposure, its chief financial officer John Dacey told analysts last year. German insurer Allianz has signed an eight-year insurance agreement with the IOC which took effect earlier this month, covering Winter and Summer Games, including the Summer Games in Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028. Given how far in advance Olympics policies are taken out, Paris will also likely be covered for postponement or cancellation due to infectious diseases, brokers said.

Insurers face 'mind-blowingly' large loss if Olympics cancelled

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and&nbsp;Romelu&nbsp;Lukaku on Tuesday faced-off in a heated war of words during the all-Milan Italian Cup quarter-finals as the AC Milan forward riled up his former Manchester United&nbsp;teammate&nbsp;by evoking&nbsp;voodism&nbsp;while calling him "a little donkey", according to reports.&nbsp;

Lukaku and Ibrahimovic were&nbsp;involved&nbsp;in a heated altercation after the referee blew the half-time whistle in the San Siro.&nbsp;Ibrahimovic taunted Lukaku and made him angry by laughing in his face before the duo went head-to-head.&nbsp;

"Go to your voodoo s**t, you little donkey," Ibrahimovic told Lukaku in English, alluding to an episode during Lukaku's time at Everton.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/late-eriksen-winner-sends-inter-into-italian-cup-semis-as-ibrahimovic-sees-red-359590" hreflang="en">Late Eriksen winner sends Inter into Italian Cup semis as Ibrahimovic sees red</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Lukaku vs Ibrahimovic | What was said? 
 
Listened to the clip multiple times from 5 different broadcasts &amp; this is what i managed to pick up 👀<a href="https://t.co/hV9qENrQyS">pic.twitter.com/hV9qENrQyS</a>
— Karim (@Futball_Karim) <a href="https://twitter.com/Futball_Karim/status/1354364565476302848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The war of words with Lukaku that led to Zlatan Ibrahimović’s first yellow card in the first half: 
 
“Go do your voodoo s***, you little donkey!” (<a href="https://twitter.com/semo33xx?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@semo33xx</a>) <a href="https://t.co/RbBMTuzFhj">pic.twitter.com/RbBMTuzFhj</a>
— Get Italian Football News (@_GIFN) <a href="https://twitter.com/_GIFN/status/1354176365298397184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

In 2018, Everton's majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri had suggested that Lukaku declined a new Everton contract&nbsp;after heeding the advice of a voodoo message.&nbsp;However, the Belgian had rejected any notion of&nbsp;voodism&nbsp;influencing his decision to leave the Merseyside club.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/man-city-go-top-arsenal-gain-revenge-on-southampton-359594" hreflang="en">Man City go top, Arsenal gain revenge on Southampton</a>

On Tuesday, Ibrahimovic and Lukaku traded insults and headed towards the tunnel. Lukaku was being restrained by his teammates.&nbsp;Both players were booked over the incident.&nbsp;Whereas Ibrahimovic went on to pick up his second yellow card 15 minutes after the half-time break.&nbsp;

Christian Eriksen scored the winner to take Inter into the semi-finals after goals by both Lukaku and&nbsp;Ibrahimovic.&nbsp;

Milan&nbsp;manager Stefano Pioli and his inter counterpart Antonio Conte played down the row, saying they had not heard the players' arguing and blamed any tension on the nature of the fixture as a Milan derby.&nbsp;

According to reports, Ibrahimovic&nbsp;apologised&nbsp;to his teammates for getting the red card but denied using racist terms towards Lukaku.&nbsp;

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku on Tuesday faced-off in a heated war of words during the all-Milan Italian Cup quarter-finals as the AC Milan forward riled up his former Manchester United teammate by evoking voodism while calling him "a little donkey", according to reports.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku on Tuesday faced-off in a heated war of words during the all-Milan Italian Cup quarter-finals as the AC Milan forward riled up his former Manchester United teammate by evoking voodism while calling him "a little donkey", according to reports. Lukaku and Ibrahimovic were involved in a heated altercation after the referee blew the half-time whistle in the San Siro. Ibrahimovic taunted Lukaku and made him angry by laughing in his face before the duo went head-to-head. "Go to your voodoo s**t, you little donkey," Ibrahimovic told Lukaku in English, alluding to an episode during Lukaku's time at Everton. ALSO READ: Late Eriksen winner sends Inter into Italian Cup semis as Ibrahimovic sees red Lukaku vs Ibrahimovic | What was said? Listened to the clip multiple times from 5 different broadcasts & this is what i managed to pick up 👀pic.twitter.com/hV9qENrQyS — Karim (@Futball_Karim) January 27, 2021 × The war of words with Lukaku that led to Zlatan Ibrahimović’s first yellow card in the first half: “Go do your voodoo s***, you little donkey!” (@semo33xx) pic.twitter.com/RbBMTuzFhj — Get Italian Football News (@_GIFN) January 26, 2021 × In 2018, Everton's majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri had suggested that Lukaku declined a new Everton contract after heeding the advice of a voodoo message. However, the Belgian had rejected any notion of voodism influencing his decision to leave the Merseyside club. ALSO READ: Man City go top, Arsenal gain revenge on Southampton On Tuesday, Ibrahimovic and Lukaku traded insults and headed towards the tunnel. Lukaku was being restrained by his teammates. Both players were booked over the incident. Whereas Ibrahimovic went on to pick up his second yellow card 15 minutes after the half-time break. Christian Eriksen scored the winner to take Inter into the semi-finals after goals by both Lukaku and Ibrahimovic. Milan manager Stefano Pioli and his inter counterpart Antonio Conte played down the row, saying they had not heard the players' arguing and blamed any tension on the nature of the fixture as a Milan derby. According to reports, Ibrahimovic apologised to his teammates for getting the red card but denied using racist terms towards Lukaku.

Watch: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Romelu Lukaku involved in heated war of words during Milan Derby

Pakistan batsman Fawad&nbsp;Alam&nbsp;on Wednesday scored a terrific century against South Africa in the first Test of the series at the National Stadium in Karachi. Fawad, with his third Test century, joined England&nbsp;all-rounder Ravi&nbsp;Bopara&nbsp;in an exclusive club.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fawad and&nbsp;Bopara, both have converted all of their half-centuries into centuries – a feat achieved only by these two in Test cricket thrice. Fawad, who made his Test debut in 2009 for Pakistan, was not picked in the Test team for over 10 years before he featured for Pakistan in Test match in 2020, against England. While the duo don't have a single Test half-century to their names, they both have three Test centuries.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-admitted-to-hospital-again-after-chest-pain-359632" hreflang="en">BCCI president Sourav Ganguly admitted to hospital again after chest pain</a>

The southpaw, with a unique technique, had slammed his maiden Test ton in his debut Test against Sri Lanka in 2009 before getting his second Test ton against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in August 2020. He&nbsp;continues his good run of form at his home ground in Karachi to rescue Pakistan from a tough situation and convert his another fifty into hundred.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Whereas&nbsp;Bopara&nbsp;had slammed his three Test tons during West Indies' tour of England in 2009, in Bridgetown,&nbsp;Lord's and&nbsp;Chester-le-Street.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-england-cricket-team-arrives-in-chennai-for-test-series-versus-india-359613" hreflang="en">IND vs ENG: England cricket team arrives in Chennai for Test series versus India</a>

Meanwhile, Fawad came into bat at a time when Pakistan&nbsp;were&nbsp;struggling on 27/4. The southpaw held his ground and stitched partnerships with Azhar Ali and Mohammed Rizwan before helping Pakistan take the first-innings lead with Faheem Ashraf.&nbsp;&nbsp;

South Africa, on Day 1 of the Karachi Test, looked to have an advantage in the game but Fawad's knock has forced Proteas to&nbsp;the&nbsp;back-foot.&nbsp;Pakistan have already taken a 50+ lead in the first innings with a set Fawad&nbsp;Alam&nbsp;and Faheem Ashraf in the middle for the hosts.&nbsp;

Pakistan batsman Fawad Alam on Wednesday scored a terrific century against South Africa in the first Test of the series at the National Stadium in Karachi. Fawad, with his third Test century, joined England all-rounder Ravi Bopara in an exclusive club.

Pakistan batsman Fawad Alam on Wednesday scored a terrific century against South Africa in the first Test of the series at the National Stadium in Karachi. Fawad, with his third Test century, joined England all-rounder Ravi Bopara in an exclusive club. Fawad and Bopara, both have converted all of their half-centuries into centuries – a feat achieved only by these two in Test cricket thrice. Fawad, who made his Test debut in 2009 for Pakistan, was not picked in the Test team for over 10 years before he featured for Pakistan in Test match in 2020, against England. While the duo don't have a single Test half-century to their names, they both have three Test centuries. ALSO READ: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly admitted to hospital again after chest pain The southpaw, with a unique technique, had slammed his maiden Test ton in his debut Test against Sri Lanka in 2009 before getting his second Test ton against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in August 2020. He continues his good run of form at his home ground in Karachi to rescue Pakistan from a tough situation and convert his another fifty into hundred. Whereas Bopara had slammed his three Test tons during West Indies' tour of England in 2009, in Bridgetown, Lord's and Chester-le-Street. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: England cricket team arrives in Chennai for Test series versus India Meanwhile, Fawad came into bat at a time when Pakistan were struggling on 27/4. The southpaw held his ground and stitched partnerships with Azhar Ali and Mohammed Rizwan before helping Pakistan take the first-innings lead with Faheem Ashraf. South Africa, on Day 1 of the Karachi Test, looked to have an advantage in the game but Fawad's knock has forced Proteas to the back-foot. Pakistan have already taken a 50+ lead in the first innings with a set Fawad Alam and Faheem Ashraf in the middle for the hosts.

Pakistan's Fawad Alam joins Ravi Bopara in exclusive club after third Test century

Rafael Nadal has taken a sly dig at world number one Novak Djokovic following his requests for quarantined players for the Australian Open 2021 as the Spaniard said that not everyone felt the need to "advertise" how they were trying to help "others".&nbsp;

The Serbian ace gave a list of suggestions to Tennis Australia last week on behalf of 72 players, who were unable to leave their hotel rooms in Melbourne after COVID-19 cases were detected on their planes to Australia. Reportedly, the list included shifting players into private houses with tennis courts and providing them with better meals.&nbsp;

The requests by Djokovic provoked a backlash as Australian media portrayed players as selfish while fellow tennis star Nick Kyrgios termed the Serb as a "tool".&nbsp;

Later, Djokovic published and open later to&nbsp;say his "good intentions for my fellow competitors in Melbourne have been misconstrued".&nbsp;

ÁLSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/florida-offers-to-host-olympics-if-tokyo-backs-out-359423" hreflang="en">Florida offers to host Olympics if Tokyo backs out</a>

"We all try to help each other," Spanish great Nadal told ESPN Tuesday from Adelaide, where he and Djokovic are quarantining ahead of the year's opening Grand Slam in Melbourne on February 8.&nbsp;

"Some need to make public everything they do to help others," he added, in remarks widely seen as referring to Djokovic. "Others... do it in a more private way without having to publish or advertise everything we're doing."&nbsp;

While most of the players are still undergoing a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in Melbourne, Nadal, Djokovic and a few other superstars including Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka were taken to Adelaide where they are due to play an exhibition on Friday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-they-wont-they-key-questions-for-troubled-tokyo-olympics-359408" hreflang="en">Will they, won't they? Key questions for troubled Tokyo Olympics</a>

While it sparked takes on preferential&nbsp;treatment, Nadal admitted it had been smoother sailing.&nbsp;

"In Adelaide, conditions have been better than most players in Melbourne," he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"But there are players in Melbourne who have larger rooms where they can develop physical activities, others have smaller rooms and can't have contact with their coach and their physical trainer.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Where's the line? It's an ethical issue. Everyone has their own opinion and they are all respectable."&nbsp;

Australian Open is set to commence from February 8.&nbsp;

Rafael Nadal has taken a sly dig at world number one Novak Djokovic following his requests for quarantined players for the Australian Open 2021 as the Spaniard said that not everyone felt the need to "advertise" how they were trying to help "others".

Rafael Nadal has taken a sly dig at world number one Novak Djokovic following his requests for quarantined players for the Australian Open 2021 as the Spaniard said that not everyone felt the need to "advertise" how they were trying to help "others". The Serbian ace gave a list of suggestions to Tennis Australia last week on behalf of 72 players, who were unable to leave their hotel rooms in Melbourne after COVID-19 cases were detected on their planes to Australia. Reportedly, the list included shifting players into private houses with tennis courts and providing them with better meals. The requests by Djokovic provoked a backlash as Australian media portrayed players as selfish while fellow tennis star Nick Kyrgios termed the Serb as a "tool". Later, Djokovic published and open later to say his "good intentions for my fellow competitors in Melbourne have been misconstrued". ÁLSO READ: Florida offers to host Olympics if Tokyo backs out "We all try to help each other," Spanish great Nadal told ESPN Tuesday from Adelaide, where he and Djokovic are quarantining ahead of the year's opening Grand Slam in Melbourne on February 8. "Some need to make public everything they do to help others," he added, in remarks widely seen as referring to Djokovic. "Others... do it in a more private way without having to publish or advertise everything we're doing." While most of the players are still undergoing a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in Melbourne, Nadal, Djokovic and a few other superstars including Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka were taken to Adelaide where they are due to play an exhibition on Friday. ALSO READ: Will they, won't they? Key questions for troubled Tokyo Olympics While it sparked takes on preferential treatment, Nadal admitted it had been smoother sailing. "In Adelaide, conditions have been better than most players in Melbourne," he said. "But there are players in Melbourne who have larger rooms where they can develop physical activities, others have smaller rooms and can't have contact with their coach and their physical trainer. "Where's the line? It's an ethical issue. Everyone has their own opinion and they are all respectable." Australian Open is set to commence from February 8.

Australian Open: Rafael Nadal takes sly dig at Novak Djokovic over quarantine complaints

The players auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is all set to be held on February 18 in Chennai. The official Twitter handle of Indian Premier League on Wednesday&nbsp;confirmed that the mini-auction will be held on February 18 while also confirming the venue of the event.&nbsp;&nbsp;

With IPL 2021 retention deadline day bringing plenty of action in regards to franchises retaining and releasing their respective players, the IPL 2021 mini-auction is expected to provide&nbsp;thrilling action as teams look to bolster their squads ahead of the much-awaited 14th&nbsp;season of IPL. The IPL 2021 trading window is set to end on February 4.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨ALERT🚨: IPL 2021 Player Auction on 18th February🗓️ 
 
Venue 📍: Chennai 
 
How excited are you for this year's Player Auction? 😎👍 
 
Set your reminder folks 🕰️ <a href="https://t.co/xCnUDdGJCa">pic.twitter.com/xCnUDdGJCa</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1354337574735597568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

However, the BCCI is still undecided on whether the IPL 2021 will be held in India or not. But the priority for the Indian board remains that the lucrative T20 tournament happens in India.&nbsp;&nbsp;

IPL 2020 was taken abroad, to the United Arab Emirates, in September-November due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the BCCI successfully pulled off the multi-team tournament without a hitch.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-australia-confirms-indian-players-racially-abused-at-the-scg-359597" hreflang="en">Cricket Australia confirms Indian players racially abused at the SCG</a>

Smooth conduct of India's full-fledged home series against England, scheduled to start from February 5, should pave the way for the cash-rich tournament to be held at home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Meanwhile, elite players like Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris among others were released from their respective franchise on the IPL 2021 retention deadline.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mumbai Indians won the IPL 2020 after a splendid show in the UAE as the Rohit Sharma-led outfit lifted a record fifth IPL trophy.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-england-cricket-team-arrives-in-chennai-for-test-series-versus-india-359613" hreflang="en">IND vs ENG: England cricket team arrives in Chennai for Test series versus India</a>

<h2 lang="EN-US" paraeid="{4c81c94e-6116-42f2-8275-77ae3f3f3ac6}{89}" paraid="1245299158" >Retained players list of all IPL 2021 franchise:&nbsp;</h2>

List of retained players by Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers,&nbsp;Yuzvendra&nbsp;Chahal, Devdutt&nbsp;Padikkal, Josh Philippe, Mohammad Siraj, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pavan Deshpande, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson&nbsp;

List of retained players by Chennai Super Kings: N Jagadeesan, R Gaikwad, KM Asif, R Jadeja, MS Dhoni, J&nbsp;Hazlewood, K Sharma, A Rayudu, S Raina, I Tahir, D Chahar,&nbsp;Faf&nbsp;du Plessis, S Thakur, M Santner, D Bravo, L Ngidi, S Curran, S Kishore.&nbsp;

List of retained players by Kings XI Punjab: KL Rahul, Gayle, Pooran, Shami, Jordan, Mandeep, Mayank, Bishnoi,&nbsp;Prabhsimran, Hooda, Sarfaraz, Arshdeep, M Ashwin, Arshdeep, Porel, Harpreet&nbsp;

List of retained players by Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner (c), Abhishek Sharma, Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem,&nbsp;Shreevats&nbsp;Goswami, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha, Abdul Samad, Mitchell Marsh, Priyam Garg, Virat Singh&nbsp;

List of retained players by Kolkata Knight Riders: Dinesh Karthik, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Eoin Morgan, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Varun Chakravarthy, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Yadav, Kamlesh&nbsp;Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Prasidh Krishna, Harry Gurney, Sandeep Warrier.&nbsp;

List of retained players by Rajasthan Royals: Robin Uthappa, Mahipal&nbsp;Lomror, Manan Vohra, Riyan Parag, Mayank&nbsp;Markande, Shreyas Gopal, Varun Aaron, Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Singh, Rahul&nbsp;Tewatia, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Anuj Rawat, David Miller, Jofra Archer, Andrew Tye, Ben Stokes, Tom Curran, Jos Buttler.&nbsp;

List of retained players by Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Suryakumar Yadav,&nbsp;Anmolpreet&nbsp;Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit&nbsp;Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, Hardik Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Anukul Roy, Ishan Kishan, Aditya Tare, Chris Lynn, Trent Boult, Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock.&nbsp;

List of retained players by Delhi Capitals: Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer,&nbsp;Axar&nbsp;Patel,&nbsp;Stoinis, Lalit Yadav, Chris&nbsp;Woakes, Pravin Dubey, Amit Mishra, Kagiso&nbsp;Rabada, Ishant Sharma, R. Ashwin, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje.&nbsp;

The players auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is all set to be held on February 18 in Chennai. The official Twitter handle of Indian Premier League on Wednesday confirmed that the mini-auction will be held on February 18 while also confirming the venue of the event.

The players auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is all set to be held on February 18 in Chennai. The official Twitter handle of Indian Premier League on Wednesday confirmed that the mini-auction will be held on February 18 while also confirming the venue of the event. With IPL 2021 retention deadline day bringing plenty of action in regards to franchises retaining and releasing their respective players, the IPL 2021 mini-auction is expected to provide thrilling action as teams look to bolster their squads ahead of the much-awaited 14th season of IPL. The IPL 2021 trading window is set to end on February 4. 🚨ALERT🚨: IPL 2021 Player Auction on 18th February🗓️ Venue 📍: Chennai How excited are you for this year's Player Auction? 😎👍 Set your reminder folks 🕰️ pic.twitter.com/xCnUDdGJCa — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) January 27, 2021 × However, the BCCI is still undecided on whether the IPL 2021 will be held in India or not. But the priority for the Indian board remains that the lucrative T20 tournament happens in India. IPL 2020 was taken abroad, to the United Arab Emirates, in September-November due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the BCCI successfully pulled off the multi-team tournament without a hitch. ALSO READ: Cricket Australia confirms Indian players racially abused at the SCG Smooth conduct of India's full-fledged home series against England, scheduled to start from February 5, should pave the way for the cash-rich tournament to be held at home. Meanwhile, elite players like Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Chris Morris among others were released from their respective franchise on the IPL 2021 retention deadline. Mumbai Indians won the IPL 2020 after a splendid show in the UAE as the Rohit Sharma-led outfit lifted a record fifth IPL trophy. ALSO READ: IND vs ENG: England cricket team arrives in Chennai for Test series versus India Retained players list of all IPL 2021 franchise: List of retained players by Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Yuzvendra Chahal, Devdutt Padikkal, Josh Philippe, Mohammad Siraj, Washington Sundar, Navdeep Saini, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pavan Deshpande, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson List of retained players by Chennai Super Kings: N Jagadeesan, R Gaikwad, KM Asif, R Jadeja, MS Dhoni, J Hazlewood, K Sharma, A Rayudu, S Raina, I Tahir, D Chahar, Faf du Plessis, S Thakur, M Santner, D Bravo, L Ngidi, S Curran, S Kishore. List of retained players by Kings XI Punjab: KL Rahul, Gayle, Pooran, Shami, Jordan, Mandeep, Mayank, Bishnoi, Prabhsimran, Hooda, Sarfaraz, Arshdeep, M Ashwin, Arshdeep, Porel, Harpreet List of retained players by Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner (c), Abhishek Sharma, Basil Thampi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jonny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Shreevats Goswami, Siddarth Kaul, Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan, Vijay Shankar, Wriddhiman Saha, Abdul Samad, Mitchell Marsh, Priyam Garg, Virat Singh List of retained players by Kolkata Knight Riders: Dinesh Karthik, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Eoin Morgan, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Varun Chakravarthy, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Yadav, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Shivam Mavi, Prasidh Krishna, Harry Gurney, Sandeep Warrier. List of retained players by Rajasthan Royals: Robin Uthappa, Mahipal Lomror, Manan Vohra, Riyan Parag, Mayank Markande, Shreyas Gopal, Varun Aaron, Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Anuj Rawat, David Miller, Jofra Archer, Andrew Tye, Ben Stokes, Tom Curran, Jos Buttler. List of retained players by Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Anmolpreet Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, Hardik Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Anukul Roy, Ishan Kishan, Aditya Tare, Chris Lynn, Trent Boult, Kieron Pollard, Quinton de Kock. List of retained players by Delhi Capitals: Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, Stoinis, Lalit Yadav, Chris Woakes, Pravin Dubey, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, R. Ashwin, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje.

IPL 2021 auction to be held on February 18 in Chennai

Members of the England cricket team including captain Joe Root on Wednesday landed in Chennai, India for the impending four-Test series with the first two matches scheduled to be played in the capital of Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;The England team flew in from Sri Lanka at around 10:30 am and headed to the hotel where the members of the two teams will be staying as part of the bio-secure bubble.&nbsp;

The England team are heading into the highly-anticipated series after an incredible 2-0 win over Sri Lanka where skipper Root slammed two massive tons. Star all-rounder Ben Stokes and pacer Jofra Archer had already arrived in Chennai on Sunday and are already in quarantine.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
📍 Chennai, India<a href="https://twitter.com/root66?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@root66</a> and the team have arrived in India ahead of our four-match Test series 🇮🇳🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 <a href="https://t.co/GT06p9Ru4u">pic.twitter.com/GT06p9Ru4u</a>
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1354332131103825923?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

While a few Indian players including the likes of Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma arrived in the southern city on Tuesday, others such as Cheteshwar Pujara, Jasprit&nbsp;Bumrah&nbsp;and Rishabh Pant reached Chennai on Wednesday morning. Indian skipper Virat Kohli is set to arrive in the city later on Wednesday.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-australia-confirms-indian-players-racially-abused-at-the-scg-359597" hreflang="en">Cricket Australia confirms Indian players racially abused at the SCG</a>

Both India and England will be staying at the Hotel Leela Palace in a bio-secure bubble as part of the quarantine protocols and will undergo testing for COVID-19. The players will be in quarantine for six days and are scheduled to start&nbsp;practising&nbsp;from February 2.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tamil Nadu: England Cricket team and staff arrive at Chennai Airport. The first Test of the four-match series between India and England will begin on 5th February at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvENG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvENG</a> <a href="https://t.co/NpWLJPIcnn">pic.twitter.com/NpWLJPIcnn</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1354321398227849219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The first Test is due to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium from February 5 with the second scheduled from February 14.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-introduces-player-of-the-month-awards-siraj-ashwin-root-in-contention-among-others-359603" hreflang="en">ICC introduces Player of the Month awards; Siraj, Ashwin, Root in contention among others</a>

It will be a homecoming of Test matches in Chennai after the city last hosted the longest format of the game in December 2016 against England. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first two matches of the Test series will be played behind closed doors and call&nbsp;over crowds&nbsp;on remaining matches&nbsp;will be taken at a later stage by the BCCI.&nbsp;

Members of the England cricket team including captain Joe Root on Wednesday landed in Chennai, India for the impending four-Test series with the first two matches scheduled to be played in the capital of Tamil Nadu.

Members of the England cricket team including captain Joe Root on Wednesday landed in Chennai, India for the impending four-Test series with the first two matches scheduled to be played in the capital of Tamil Nadu. The England team flew in from Sri Lanka at around 10:30 am and headed to the hotel where the members of the two teams will be staying as part of the bio-secure bubble. The England team are heading into the highly-anticipated series after an incredible 2-0 win over Sri Lanka where skipper Root slammed two massive tons. Star all-rounder Ben Stokes and pacer Jofra Archer had already arrived in Chennai on Sunday and are already in quarantine. 📍 Chennai, India@root66 and the team have arrived in India ahead of our four-match Test series 🇮🇳🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/GT06p9Ru4u — England Cricket (@englandcricket) January 27, 2021 × While a few Indian players including the likes of Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma arrived in the southern city on Tuesday, others such as Cheteshwar Pujara, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant reached Chennai on Wednesday morning. Indian skipper Virat Kohli is set to arrive in the city later on Wednesday. ALSO READ: Cricket Australia confirms Indian players racially abused at the SCG Both India and England will be staying at the Hotel Leela Palace in a bio-secure bubble as part of the quarantine protocols and will undergo testing for COVID-19. The players will be in quarantine for six days and are scheduled to start practising from February 2. Tamil Nadu: England Cricket team and staff arrive at Chennai Airport. The first Test of the four-match series between India and England will begin on 5th February at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/NpWLJPIcnn — ANI (@ANI) January 27, 2021 × The first Test is due to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium from February 5 with the second scheduled from February 14. ALSO READ: ICC introduces Player of the Month awards; Siraj, Ashwin, Root in contention among others It will be a homecoming of Test matches in Chennai after the city last hosted the longest format of the game in December 2016 against England. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first two matches of the Test series will be played behind closed doors and call over crowds on remaining matches will be taken at a later stage by the BCCI.

IND vs ENG: England cricket team arrives in Chennai for Test series versus India

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced the introduction of the ICC Player of the Month awards which will recognise and celebrate the best performances of both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year.

An independent ICC Voting Academy comprising former players, broadcasters, and journalists from around the world, will team up with fans to vote for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month and ICC Women’s Player of the Month.

Fans have been treated to some sensational cricketing performances during the month of January making the inaugural player of the month awards a highly competitive affair. From performances from youngsters such as Mohammed Siraj (IND), Washington Sundar (IND), T. Natarajan (IND), Rishabh Pant (IND), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG) to established players such as Ravichandran Ashwin (IND), Joe Root (ENG), Steve Smith (AUS), Marizanne Kapp (SA), Nadine de Klerk (SA), Nida Dar (PAK), there will be no shortage of candidates for the month of January.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-australia-confirms-indian-players-racially-abused-at-the-scg-359597" hreflang="en">Cricket Australia confirms Indian players racially abused at the SCG</a>

Geoff Allardice, ICC General Manager – Cricket&nbsp;said: “The ICC Player of the Month is a great way to connect with fans of the sport and celebrate performances of their favourite players through the year. It gives us all an opportunity to acknowledge world-class performances on the field by male and female cricketers and they have been in abundance throughout January.”

<h2>The nomination and voting process:</h2>

The three nominees for each of the categories will be determined by the ICC Awards Nominations Committee based on on-field performances and overall achievements during the period of that month (the first to the last day of each calendar month.)

This shortlist is then voted for by the independent ICC Voting Academy and fans around the world. The ICC Voting Academy comprising prominent members of the cricket family including senior journalists, former players, and broadcasters.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/icc-announces-decade-awards-from-kohli-smith-to-perry-heres-complete-list-of-winners-352996" hreflang="en">ICC announces Decade Awards: From Kohli, Smith to Perry - Here's complete list of winners</a>

The Voting Academy will submit their votes by email and will retain a 90% share of the vote. Subsequently, on the 1st day of each month, fans registered with the ICC will be able to submit votes via the ICC website and will have a 10% share of the vote. Winners will be announced every second Monday of the month on the ICC’s digital channels.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced the introduction of the ICC Player of the Month awards which will recognise and celebrate the best performances of both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced the introduction of the ICC Player of the Month awards which will recognise and celebrate the best performances of both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year. An independent ICC Voting Academy comprising former players, broadcasters, and journalists from around the world, will team up with fans to vote for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month and ICC Women’s Player of the Month. Fans have been treated to some sensational cricketing performances during the month of January making the inaugural player of the month awards a highly competitive affair. From performances from youngsters such as Mohammed Siraj (IND), Washington Sundar (IND), T. Natarajan (IND), Rishabh Pant (IND), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG) to established players such as Ravichandran Ashwin (IND), Joe Root (ENG), Steve Smith (AUS), Marizanne Kapp (SA), Nadine de Klerk (SA), Nida Dar (PAK), there will be no shortage of candidates for the month of January. ALSO READ: Cricket Australia confirms Indian players racially abused at the SCG Geoff Allardice, ICC General Manager – Cricket said: “The ICC Player of the Month is a great way to connect with fans of the sport and celebrate performances of their favourite players through the year. It gives us all an opportunity to acknowledge world-class performances on the field by male and female cricketers and they have been in abundance throughout January.” The nomination and voting process: The three nominees for each of the categories will be determined by the ICC Awards Nominations Committee based on on-field performances and overall achievements during the period of that month (the first to the last day of each calendar month.) This shortlist is then voted for by the independent ICC Voting Academy and fans around the world. The ICC Voting Academy comprising prominent members of the cricket family including senior journalists, former players, and broadcasters. ALSO READ: ICC announces Decade Awards: From Kohli, Smith to Perry - Here's complete list of winners The Voting Academy will submit their votes by email and will retain a 90% share of the vote. Subsequently, on the 1st day of each month, fans registered with the ICC will be able to submit votes via the ICC website and will have a 10% share of the vote. Winners will be announced every second Monday of the month on the ICC’s digital channels.

ICC introduces Player of the Month awards; Siraj, Ashwin, Root in contention among others

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Subhayan Chakraborty

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.