Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has been one of the sports personalities, who has been working tirelessly to help Pakistan combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Afridi has been visiting rural areas of Pakistan in a bid to distribute food and other essential items to the needy with the help of Shahid Afridi Foundation.

As part of his noble initiative, Afridi visited a Hindu temple in Pakistan and distributed essential food items. Afridi took to social media platform Twitter to post a few photographs as he visited Shri Lakshmi Narayan temple and the former all-rounder was joined by legendary Pakistani squad player Jahangir Khan.

“We are in it together and we shall prevail together. Unity is our strength. Visited Sri Lakshmi Narain mandir along with @JK555squash President @SAFoundationN to deliver essential food items. Ensuring #HopeNotOut,” the former Pakistan captain tweeted.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We are in it together and we shall prevail together. Unity is our strength. Visited Sri Lakshmi Narain mandir along with <a href="https://twitter.com/JK555squash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JK555squash</a> President <a href="https://twitter.com/SAFoundationN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAFoundationN</a> to deliver essential food items. 
Ensuring <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HopeNotOut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HopeNotOut</a> 
پاکستان بھر تک, آپ کے گھر تک 
<a href="https://t.co/KGY2Gs2zUr">https://t.co/KGY2Gs2zUr</a> <a href="https://t.co/1VpOhSkc8L">pic.twitter.com/1VpOhSkc8L</a>
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1259461825860702208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2020</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>

Earlier, Afridi had announced that to reach out as many affected areas in Pakistan, brands can avail his services for free but in return, he would need ration to help the needy during these testing times.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-most-powerful-batsman-and-best-finisher-cricket-has-ever-seen-greg-chappell-298399" hreflang="en">MS Dhoni 'most powerful batsman' and 'best finisher' cricket has ever seen: Greg Chappell</a>

In order to reach out to maximum affected areas in Pakistan, Afridi earlier launched a unique initiative where he announced that while the brands could avail his services for free, he would need ration in return to help the needy.

“I hope all of you are doing well. This is a different message from me for all the brands I have worked with in the past, different commercials. It was for my own benefit and they also utilised me for marketing purposes. Now, I am offering my services to all those brands for the sake of my country. As you all are aware, the food drive is on and we are trying to maximise it by covering as many areas as we can. Pakistan is a big country and there are many areas where people are still waiting for ration to reach their houses. I don’t want anything in return from commercial purpose, I am available for social media activities as well as for TV. I don’t want money from you but give me ration which I can provide to people in Pakistan,” Afridi had said in a video.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have been lucky to have worked with many brands for ads/promotion. Now working first hand with the ones suffering during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID2019</a> I have a proposal to al brands: I will work with brands for free personally - I just want ration and funds in return <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DonateKaroNa?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DonateKaroNa</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SAFoundationN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAFoundationN</a> <a href="https://t.co/UI43gkBTmo">pic.twitter.com/UI43gkBTmo</a>
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1249680900641771521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2020</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/yuvraj-singh-questions-ravi-shastris-go-out-and-play-your-game-approach-298388" hreflang="en">Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach</a>

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and veteran Harbhajan Singh had also contributed to the Shahid Afridi Foundation earlier.&nbsp;

Pakistan is one of the worst affected countries with over 34,000 COVID-19 positive cases. The Ministry of National Health Services of Pakistan on Tuesday said that 2,255 cases were confirmed positive after 11,848 tests were conducted.

Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has been one of the sports personalities, who has been working tirelessly to help Pakistan combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has been one of the sports personalities, who has been working tirelessly to help Pakistan combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Afridi has been visiting rural areas of Pakistan in a bid to distribute food and other essential items to the needy with the help of Shahid Afridi Foundation. As part of his noble initiative, Afridi visited a Hindu temple in Pakistan and distributed essential food items. Afridi took to social media platform Twitter to post a few photographs as he visited Shri Lakshmi Narayan temple and the former all-rounder was joined by legendary Pakistani squad player Jahangir Khan. “We are in it together and we shall prevail together. Unity is our strength. Visited Sri Lakshmi Narain mandir along with @JK555squash President @SAFoundationN to deliver essential food items. Ensuring #HopeNotOut,” the former Pakistan captain tweeted. We are in it together and we shall prevail together. Unity is our strength. Visited Sri Lakshmi Narain mandir along with @JK555squash President @SAFoundationN to deliver essential food items. Ensuring #HopeNotOut پاکستان بھر تک, آپ کے گھر تک https://t.co/KGY2Gs2zUr pic.twitter.com/1VpOhSkc8L — Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) May 10, 2020 × Earlier, Afridi had announced that to reach out as many affected areas in Pakistan, brands can avail his services for free but in return, he would need ration to help the needy during these testing times. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni 'most powerful batsman' and 'best finisher' cricket has ever seen: Greg Chappell In order to reach out to maximum affected areas in Pakistan, Afridi earlier launched a unique initiative where he announced that while the brands could avail his services for free, he would need ration in return to help the needy. “I hope all of you are doing well. This is a different message from me for all the brands I have worked with in the past, different commercials. It was for my own benefit and they also utilised me for marketing purposes. Now, I am offering my services to all those brands for the sake of my country. As you all are aware, the food drive is on and we are trying to maximise it by covering as many areas as we can. Pakistan is a big country and there are many areas where people are still waiting for ration to reach their houses. I don’t want anything in return from commercial purpose, I am available for social media activities as well as for TV. I don’t want money from you but give me ration which I can provide to people in Pakistan,” Afridi had said in a video. I have been lucky to have worked with many brands for ads/promotion. Now working first hand with the ones suffering during #COVID2019 I have a proposal to al brands: I will work with brands for free personally - I just want ration and funds in return #DonateKaroNa @SAFoundationN pic.twitter.com/UI43gkBTmo — Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) April 13, 2020 × ALSO READ: Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and veteran Harbhajan Singh had also contributed to the Shahid Afridi Foundation earlier. Pakistan is one of the worst affected countries with over 34,000 COVID-19 positive cases. The Ministry of National Health Services of Pakistan on Tuesday said that 2,255 cases were confirmed positive after 11,848 tests were conducted.

Shahid Afridi visits Shri Lakshmi Narayan temple in Pakistan, distributes food items to needy

Live football will be finally back on May 16 with Bundesliga resuming the halted 2019-20 season. The German top-flight league will commence with Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in what promises to be a perfect resumption.

Live football will be finally back on May 16 with Bundesliga resuming the halted 2019-20 season. The German top-flight league will commence with Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in what promises to be a perfect resumption. Ahead of the highly-anticipated resumption of Bundesliga 2019-20 season, FC Schalke 04 have asked every Premier League clubs’ fans to come out and support Die Konigsblauen for the remainder of the season. FC Schalke 04 took to social media platform Twitter to create a thread on why each and every Premier League club should tune into their television sets and support the Blues. The reasons given by Schalke is winning hearts on internet with fans coming out with videos and photographs in support of the German club. ALSO READ: The Bundesliga is back, so can Dortmund catch Bayern? “CALLING ALL @premierleague FANS. We have a reason for fans of EVERY PL club to support FC Schalke 04 for the remainder of the Bundesliga season!,” Schalke wrote in start of the thread. CALLING ALL @premierleague FANS We have a reason for fans of EVERY PL club to support FC Schalke 04 for the remainder of the Bundesliga season! THREAD pic.twitter.com/ge1UoUyMku — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Arsenal, they wrote: “@Arsenal Not one, but two former Royal Blues are currently playing at the Emirates! Assist king and local lad Mesut Özil came through the ranks here in Gelsenkirchen, while rock-hard Sead Kolasinac was a fan favourite during his six years in Royal Blue!” ALSO READ: Premier League players face strict new training protocols @Arsenal Not one, but two former Royal Blues are currently playing at the Emirates Assist king and local lad Mesut Özil came through the ranks here in Gelsenkirchen, while rock-hard Sead Kolasinac was a fan favourite during his six years in Royal Blue! #S04 pic.twitter.com/uyHYLq1QxG — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Aston Villa: “@AVFCOfficial We’re the one blue team you're allowed to like…” @AVFCOfficial We’re the one blue team you're allowed to like…#S04 pic.twitter.com/oBa2xRbCpu — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Bournemouth: “@afcbournemouth Enjoy having a former player as your coach? Well Schalke’s the right club for you! David Wagner played for us for two years back in the 90s!” @afcbournemouth Enjoy having a former player as your coach? Well Schalke’s the right club for you! David Wagner played for us for two years back in the 90s! #S04 pic.twitter.com/HYFl9nFF0l — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Brighton and Hove Albion: “@OfficialBHAFC You simply can’t go wrong with blue and white kits” @OfficialBHAFC You simply can’t go wrong with blue and white kits #S04 pic.twitter.com/KWkjHtvutM — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Burnley: “@BurnleyOfficial Just like Burnley, we’re a city with a big coal mining history!” @BurnleyOfficial Just like Burnley, we’re a city with a big coal mining history! #S04 pic.twitter.com/85HsnW4sfr — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Chelsea: “@ChelseaFC The Blues The Royal Blues Stick with your colour and get behind the biggest and best side in blue in Germany!” @ChelseaFC The Blues The Royal Blues Stick with your colour and get behind the biggest and best side in blue in Germany! #S04 pic.twitter.com/JPnGvgHkDH — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Crystal Palace: “@CPFC Schalke academy graduate Max Meyer is at Palace these days, so cheer on his old team for the rest of the campaign!” @CPFC Schalke academy graduate Max Meyer is at Palace these days, so cheer on his old team for the rest of the campaign! 🇩🇪#S04 pic.twitter.com/EWDZBjFSR8 — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Everton: “@Everton This one’s a no-brainer. Many Evertonians have kept an eye on Jonjoe already this season, so jump on the bandwagon and cheer on the Royal Blues for the rest of the campaign” @Everton This one’s a no-brainer Many Evertonians have kept an eye on Jonjoe already this season, so jump on the bandwagon and cheer on the Royal Blues for the rest of the campaign #S04 pic.twitter.com/G1JCzsqTVF — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Leicester City: “@LCFC Named in Kicker’s Team of the Season twice at Schalke, and a Premier League winner with Leicester, @FuchsOfficial’s former club is the one for you, Foxes!” @LCFC Named in Kicker’s Team of the Season twice at Schalke, and a Premier League winner with Leicester, @FuchsOfficial’s former club is the one for you, Foxes! #S04 pic.twitter.com/GgVhd58SLE — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Liverpool: “@LFC A DFB-Pokal winner with Schalke, and a Champions League winner with the Reds, Joel Matip’s ex-club are definitely worth watching with no Premier League on. And about your coach…We may not like him, but our current coach David Wagner is his best friend” @LFC A DFB-Pokal winner with Schalke, and a Champions League winner with the Reds, Joel Matip’s ex-club are definitely worth watching with no Premier League on. And about your coach…We may not like him, but our current coach David Wagner is his best friend. #S04 pic.twitter.com/kskVGo870I — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Manchester City: “@ManCity Basically, you owe us. There was no need for seven” @ManCity Basically, you owe us. There was no need for seven #S04 pic.twitter.com/f7ZbdjiayG — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Manchester United: “@ManUtd You’ll never walk alone is banned here.” @ManUtd You’ll never walk alone is banned here. #S04 pic.twitter.com/wlLdAo4qss — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Newcastle United: “@NUFC Newcastle upon Tyne Handshake Gelsenkirchen Our two great cities are twinned – what better reason do you need? #HowayTheSchalke” @NUFC Newcastle upon Tyne Gelsenkirchen Our two great cities are twinned – what better reason do you need? #HowayTheSchalke#S04 pic.twitter.com/s4gnnPuPwU — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Norwich City: “@NorwichCityFC PUKKI PARTY The super Fin spent two years here in Gelsenkirchen!” @NorwichCityFC PUKKI PARTY The super Fin spent two years here in Gelsenkirchen! 🇫🇮#S04 pic.twitter.com/qpF34TR9NN — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Sheffield United: “@SheffieldUnited Sheffield and Gelsenkirchen are two cities that share a major industrial heritage, which makes us your natural choice to follow in Germany.” @SheffieldUnited Sheffield and Gelsenkirchen are two cities that share a major industrial heritage, which makes us your natural choice to follow in Germany. #S04 pic.twitter.com/AIcl25OZIF — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Southampton: “@SouthamptonFC You’ve had the likes of Bale, Walcott and Le Tissier, while Neuer, Sane and Özil all graduated from our @knappenschmiede Two clubs with fantastic academies.” @SouthamptonFC You’ve had the likes of Bale, Walcott and Le Tissier, while Neuer, Sane and Özil all graduated from our @knappenschmiede. Two clubs with fantastic academies. #S04 pic.twitter.com/Zb1NEHphFH — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Tottenham Hotspur: “@SpursOfficial In terms of Spurs, what else can we say? As we saw last season, we both love beating Dortmund” @SpursOfficial In terms of Spurs, what else can we say? As we saw last season, we both love beating Dortmund #S04 pic.twitter.com/VEMXPgmnzs — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Watford: “@WatfordFC Looking to back a German club where a former Hornet played? Look no further than Schalke! Spanish magician Jurado played for us between 2010-2013 – who can forget this assist!” @WatfordFC Looking to back a German club where a former Hornet played? Look no further than Schalke! Spanish magician Jurado played for us between 2010-2013 – who can forget this assist! #S04 pic.twitter.com/mva7q21Wpb — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For West Ham: @WestHam #S04 pic.twitter.com/oqYThZVG0g — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 × For Wolves: “With both sides currently in sixth, you can resume watching your side fighting to get into Europe next season” @Wolves With both sides currently in sixth, you can resume watching your side fighting to get into Europe next season #S04 pic.twitter.com/OgEEnGwuX2 — FC Schalke 04 () (@s04_en) May 11, 2020 ×

FC Schalke 04 call out every Premier League club fans to support them in Bundesliga; the thread is winning hearts

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell’s tenure as the head coach of Indian cricket team may have been marred by controversies but the veteran remains highly impressed with MS Dhoni, who made his senior debut under his coaching. While disagreements with players became a common trend under Chappell, Team India went onto win 17 matches on the bounce while chasing with Dhoni playing a crucial role in the transition.

Chappell has said that the young Dhoni was the most exciting cricketer in India at that time and the ‘most powerful batsman’ he has ever seen. Chappell revealed that he was left awestruck when he saw Dhoni batting for the first time.&nbsp;

"I vividly remember that I was left awestruck when I saw him batting for the first time. He was definitely the most exciting cricketer in India at that time. He used to hit the ball from the most unusual positions. He is the most powerful batsman I have ever seen," Chappell said during a chat session on Facebook.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/yuvraj-singh-questions-ravi-shastris-go-out-and-play-your-game-approach-298388" hreflang="en">Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach</a>

Chappell further revealed how Dhoni played a contrasting knock against Sri Lanka following his blistering 183 and how he asked the wicketkeeper-batsman to play along the ground and take Team India over the winning line. &nbsp;Chappell added that Dhoni is the ‘best finisher’ the game has ever seen.&nbsp;

"I remember his knock of 183 against Sri Lanka and how he tore them apart. It was power hitting at its very best. The next match was in Pune. I asked MS, 'why don't you play along the ground more instead of trying to hit every ball to the boundary'. We were chasing 260 odd and were in a good position and Dhoni was playing a contrasting inning to the one he had played just a couple of days before.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-reject-playing-ipl-2020-with-only-indian-players-says-it-will-be-similar-to-syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy-298286" hreflang="en">CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy</a>

"We still needed 20 runs to win and Dhoni asked me, through 12th man RP Singh if he could hit sixes. I told him not until the target was in single digit. When we needed six runs to win, he finished the game with a six," he said.

"I always used to challenge him if he could finish the game. There used to be a booming smile on his face, whenever he used to score the winning runs. He is definitely the best finisher the game has ever seen," he signed off.

Apart from becoming a chasing side in ODIs, Team India also won their maiden Test series in the West Indies after 35 years. 
&nbsp;

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell’s tenure as the head coach of Indian cricket team may have been marred by controversies but the veteran remains highly impressed with MS Dhoni, who made his senior debut under his coaching.

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell’s tenure as the head coach of Indian cricket team may have been marred by controversies but the veteran remains highly impressed with MS Dhoni, who made his senior debut under his coaching. While disagreements with players became a common trend under Chappell, Team India went onto win 17 matches on the bounce while chasing with Dhoni playing a crucial role in the transition. Chappell has said that the young Dhoni was the most exciting cricketer in India at that time and the ‘most powerful batsman’ he has ever seen. Chappell revealed that he was left awestruck when he saw Dhoni batting for the first time. "I vividly remember that I was left awestruck when I saw him batting for the first time. He was definitely the most exciting cricketer in India at that time. He used to hit the ball from the most unusual positions. He is the most powerful batsman I have ever seen," Chappell said during a chat session on Facebook. ALSO READ: Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach Chappell further revealed how Dhoni played a contrasting knock against Sri Lanka following his blistering 183 and how he asked the wicketkeeper-batsman to play along the ground and take Team India over the winning line. Chappell added that Dhoni is the ‘best finisher’ the game has ever seen. "I remember his knock of 183 against Sri Lanka and how he tore them apart. It was power hitting at its very best. The next match was in Pune. I asked MS, 'why don't you play along the ground more instead of trying to hit every ball to the boundary'. We were chasing 260 odd and were in a good position and Dhoni was playing a contrasting inning to the one he had played just a couple of days before. ALSO READ: CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy "We still needed 20 runs to win and Dhoni asked me, through 12th man RP Singh if he could hit sixes. I told him not until the target was in single digit. When we needed six runs to win, he finished the game with a six," he said. "I always used to challenge him if he could finish the game. There used to be a booming smile on his face, whenever he used to score the winning runs. He is definitely the best finisher the game has ever seen," he signed off. Apart from becoming a chasing side in ODIs, Team India also won their maiden Test series in the West Indies after 35 years.

MS Dhoni 'most powerful batsman' and 'best finisher' cricket has ever seen: Greg Chappell

Since his retirement in June 2019, Yuvraj Singh has been vocal about different aspects of cricket. The former Indian all-rounder has been vocal about team selections and decision-making of the team management and now, the southpaw has questioned Team India head coach Ravi Shastri’s approach of ‘go out and play your game.’

During an Instagram Live session, Yuvraj said Shastri’s ‘play your natural game’ approach may work with someone like Virender Sehwag but it will never work with Cheteshwar Pujara while adding the coaching staff needs to realise certain aspects of the game.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/arjuna-awards-bcci-likely-to-recommend-shikha-pandey-deepti-sharmas-name-298381" hreflang="en">Arjuna Awards: BCCI likely to recommend Shikha Pandey, Deepti Sharma's name</a>

"The current guys have no one to talk to and take advice. I don’t know if Ravi is doing it but maybe he has others things in his hand. Anyway, you can’t tell everyone just ‘go out and play your game, express yourself’, this approach may work with someone like Sehwag … but this will never work with Pujara … so these things the coaching staff need to realise," Yuvraj said.

Yuvraj also criticized Team India’s selection in the ICC World Cup 2019 as he said how could team management allow someone like Vijay Shankar, who didn’t have much experience in high-pressure games, to bat in the middle-order. While India were splendid in the quadrennial event, they fell short in the semi-final in their defeat to New Zealand.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-reject-playing-ipl-2020-with-only-indian-players-says-it-will-be-similar-to-syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy-298286" hreflang="en">CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy</a>

Apart from cricket, Yuvraj has been vocal on social media platforms during the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Yuvraj has held Instagram Live sessions with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, among others. 
&nbsp;

Since his retirement in June 2019, Yuvraj Singh has been vocal about different aspects of cricket. The former Indian all-rounder has been vocal about team selections and decision-making of the team management and now, the southpaw has questioned Team India head coach Ravi Shastri’s approach of ‘go out and play your game.

Since his retirement in June 2019, Yuvraj Singh has been vocal about different aspects of cricket. The former Indian all-rounder has been vocal about team selections and decision-making of the team management and now, the southpaw has questioned Team India head coach Ravi Shastri’s approach of ‘go out and play your game.’ During an Instagram Live session, Yuvraj said Shastri’s ‘play your natural game’ approach may work with someone like Virender Sehwag but it will never work with Cheteshwar Pujara while adding the coaching staff needs to realise certain aspects of the game. ALSO READ: Arjuna Awards: BCCI likely to recommend Shikha Pandey, Deepti Sharma's name "The current guys have no one to talk to and take advice. I don’t know if Ravi is doing it but maybe he has others things in his hand. Anyway, you can’t tell everyone just ‘go out and play your game, express yourself’, this approach may work with someone like Sehwag … but this will never work with Pujara … so these things the coaching staff need to realise," Yuvraj said. Yuvraj also criticized Team India’s selection in the ICC World Cup 2019 as he said how could team management allow someone like Vijay Shankar, who didn’t have much experience in high-pressure games, to bat in the middle-order. While India were splendid in the quadrennial event, they fell short in the semi-final in their defeat to New Zealand. ALSO READ: CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Apart from cricket, Yuvraj has been vocal on social media platforms during the time of COVID-19 pandemic. Yuvraj has held Instagram Live sessions with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, among others.

Yuvraj Singh questions Ravi Shastri's ‘go out and play your game' approach

Team India’s performance in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was praised by all even though the Women in Blue came just short and finished with a runner’s up medal. &nbsp;Players like Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Shikha Pandey and Deepti Sharma were some who stood out in Team India’s journey to the final. And Shikha and Deepti’s names have been suggested for this year’s prestigious Arjuna Awards by the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Cricket Operations team.

Shikha and Deepti’s consistent run of form since 2019 has reaped rewards and their performances have helped their names being forwarded to the office-bearers for the recommendation for the Arjuna Awards.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/csk-reject-playing-ipl-2020-with-only-indian-players-says-it-will-be-similar-to-syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy-298286" hreflang="en">CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy</a>

“Yes, the office-bearers were given the names of Shikha and Deepti by the cricket operations team for not just their brilliant show in the World T20 in Australia where we finished as runners-up, but also for their consistent showing in the last season. These two names have been forwarded to the office-bearers and are likely to be forwarded to the ministry for the Arjuna Awards once they approve,” a source close to the development was quoted as saying in media reports.

Shikha scalped seven wickets from five matches with the best figures of 3/14 in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Whereas Deepti played an all-round role while being instrumental with both bat and ball and finished the showpiece event with 116 under her belt.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-womens-cricket-world-cup-qualifier-postponed-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-298154" hreflang="en">ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic</a>

Furthermore, Shikha is also a part of the Indian Air Force. “I’ve done engineering, and I’m an officer in the Indian Air Force. I joined the Air Force in 2012, and I took my training as well, and now I happen to be a flying officer, ATC officer. Then in 2014, I debuted for the Indian cricket team,” Shikha had revealed during the World T20.

The Sports Ministry on May 5 invited nominations for 2020 National Sports Awards including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Award. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the ministry had asked for nominations to be sent via e-mail.&nbsp;

The process, which usually starts in April, has been delayed due to the pandemic. “Due to lockdown on account of the outbreak of COVID-19, hard copies of nominations are not required to be sent. Scanned copies of the nominations duly signed by the applicant/recommending authority may be sent at above-mentioned email ids, before the last date of submission,” said the ministry in its circular.

The ministry has given a deadline of June 3 to file the nominations. 
&nbsp;

Team India’s performance in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was praised by all even though the Women in Blue came just short and finished with a runner’s up medal.

Team India’s performance in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was praised by all even though the Women in Blue came just short and finished with a runner’s up medal. Players like Shafali Verma, Poonam Yadav, Shikha Pandey and Deepti Sharma were some who stood out in Team India’s journey to the final. And Shikha and Deepti’s names have been suggested for this year’s prestigious Arjuna Awards by the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Cricket Operations team. Shikha and Deepti’s consistent run of form since 2019 has reaped rewards and their performances have helped their names being forwarded to the office-bearers for the recommendation for the Arjuna Awards. ALSO READ: CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy “Yes, the office-bearers were given the names of Shikha and Deepti by the cricket operations team for not just their brilliant show in the World T20 in Australia where we finished as runners-up, but also for their consistent showing in the last season. These two names have been forwarded to the office-bearers and are likely to be forwarded to the ministry for the Arjuna Awards once they approve,” a source close to the development was quoted as saying in media reports. Shikha scalped seven wickets from five matches with the best figures of 3/14 in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Whereas Deepti played an all-round role while being instrumental with both bat and ball and finished the showpiece event with 116 under her belt. ALSO READ: ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic Furthermore, Shikha is also a part of the Indian Air Force. “I’ve done engineering, and I’m an officer in the Indian Air Force. I joined the Air Force in 2012, and I took my training as well, and now I happen to be a flying officer, ATC officer. Then in 2014, I debuted for the Indian cricket team,” Shikha had revealed during the World T20. The Sports Ministry on May 5 invited nominations for 2020 National Sports Awards including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Award. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the ministry had asked for nominations to be sent via e-mail. The process, which usually starts in April, has been delayed due to the pandemic. “Due to lockdown on account of the outbreak of COVID-19, hard copies of nominations are not required to be sent. Scanned copies of the nominations duly signed by the applicant/recommending authority may be sent at above-mentioned email ids, before the last date of submission,” said the ministry in its circular. The ministry has given a deadline of June 3 to file the nominations.

Arjuna Awards: BCCI likely to recommend Shikha Pandey, Deepti Sharma's name

French women's football giants Lyon will be declared league champions for the 2019-20 campaign, collecting the title for the 14th consecutive year after the season was ended by the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was confirmed to AFP by a source close to talks held Monday by the French football federation as well as a source at Lyon, backing up an earlier report from RMC Sport.

Lyon, winners of the past four Women's Champions League finals, have claimed the French title every year since 2007.

The women's top flight in France was halted in mid-March when Lyon held a three-point lead over Paris Saint-Germain.

Last month, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that professional sport could not return until September.

The men's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 divisions were ended, with PSG named the top-flight champions.

Lyon and PSG will likely represent France next season in the Women's Champions League.

Both clubs made it through to the quarter-finals of this season's competition. Lyon are due to play Bayern Munich while PSG will face Arsenal if UEFA is able to reschedule the latter stages of the knockout rounds.

French women's football giants Lyon will be declared league champions for the 2019-20 campaign, collecting the title for the 14th consecutive year after the season was ended by the coronavirus pandemic.

French women's football giants Lyon will be declared league champions for the 2019-20 campaign, collecting the title for the 14th consecutive year after the season was ended by the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was confirmed to AFP by a source close to talks held Monday by the French football federation as well as a source at Lyon, backing up an earlier report from RMC Sport. Lyon, winners of the past four Women's Champions League finals, have claimed the French title every year since 2007. The women's top flight in France was halted in mid-March when Lyon held a three-point lead over Paris Saint-Germain. Last month, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that professional sport could not return until September. The men's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 divisions were ended, with PSG named the top-flight champions. Lyon and PSG will likely represent France next season in the Women's Champions League. Both clubs made it through to the quarter-finals of this season's competition. Lyon are due to play Bayern Munich while PSG will face Arsenal if UEFA is able to reschedule the latter stages of the knockout rounds.

Lyon women awarded French title, 14th in a row

The Bundesliga returns on Saturday in empty stadiums, but German fans are being warned to stay away and authorities have warned matches could be halted if too many supporters gather outside the grounds.

German football will be blazing a trail among Europe's top leagues&nbsp;by resuming two months after it was halted by the spread of coronavirus, but its strategy is fraught with risks.

In a football-mad country which boasts the highest average attendances&nbsp;in the world, will supporters banished from stadiums be able to stay away?

In Saxony, where third-placed RB Leipzig will host mid-table Freiburg on Saturday afternoon, the state's Interior Minister Roland Woeller has issued a clear threat.

"Fans must not use matches behind closed doors as an excuse to gather in front of the stadiums or elsewhere," he said.

"This could lead to matches being stopped."

His concerns are justified.

Several hundred fans gathered in Moenchengladbach when the hosts beat 2-1 Cologne on March 11 -- the only previous German league game played behind locked doors, just days before the shutdown.

Eintracht Frankfurt have appealed to their supporters before they resume their season against 'Gladbach on Saturday.

"We've talked a lot with our fans and said: 'listen guys, don't show up at the stadium'," Frankfurt's sports director Fredi Bobic told ESPN.

Under German league rules put in place to resume the season, the home side is responsible for ensuring fans do not try to approach the stadium to support their team from a distance.

After weeks of meticulous planning and mass testing of players and backroom staff, it would be a nightmare for the Bundesliga if the fans were to derail the fragile recovery attempt.

Christian Seifert, CEO of the Bundesliga, does not expect fans to play into the hands of critics who fear they will mass outside grounds despite large public events being banned in Germany.

Seifert accused the critics predicting that football fans would fail to respect the pleas for restraint of making "sweeping statements".

"I don't believe that the fan scene and the fan organisations will do their critics... the favour of behaving in exactly the way" that those doomsayers fear, he said.

The Bundesliga boss said all the talks he had held on the issue "do not give any indication" that supporters will gather.

Broadcaster Sky has agreed to show some of Saturday's matches on a free-to-air channel, allaying fears that fans will gather in bars or public places which have a subscription for the pay-per-view service.

<h2>- Historic first -</h2>

However, Seifert says while they are taking every reasonable step to discourage fans from meeting up, "the DFL's responsibility ends at a certain point".

The centrepiece of Saturday's return to action is Borussia Dortmund at home to Schalke in the Ruhr derby, a match which would usually draw a crowd of 82,000 to Signal Iduna Park.

Instead, it will be the first time this fixture is played behind closed doors since it began in 1925.

Germany's huge stadiums - for example Bayern Munich's enormous Allianz Arena holds 75,000 - will remain empty for the forseeable future.

There are fears in the German football scene that the 'Ultras' -- hardcore fans who often lead the chanting at matches -- will lose their hard-earned influence at their clubs.

Some groups of these hardcore supporters are opposed to games being played in empty stadiums, because they feel the initiative is driven by financial reasons.

The clubs are eager to finish the league season before June 30 in order to collect around 300 million euros ($324 million) due from TV contracts.

Helen Breit from the nationwide football supporters group "Unsere Kurve" (Our Curve) said she refused to watch a single match without fans on television.

"For me, football is in the stadiums," she told Munich-based paper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

"I've been going to almost every Freiburg match for more than ten years and watching football on TV is not an option for me."

<h2>- Football is 'sick' -</h2>

Another group feels the resumption of football during a pandemic, which has claimed 7,500 lives in Germany, shows how "sick" professional football has become.

"A continuation of the season would be sheer mockery of the rest of society," &nbsp;Ultras groups across Germany said in a joint statement last month.

"Professional football is sick enough and should remain in quarantine."

But for the vast majority of fans, the decision to play the nine remaining round of matches behind closed doors makes the best of a bad situation.

Even if the fans cannot be in the stands in person, Moenchengladbach have found a novel way of allowing them to be seen by the players -- for 19 euros ($21), Gladbach fans can buy a cardboard cut-out of themselves which will be placed on the terraces of Borussia Stadium.

The Bundesliga returns on Saturday in empty stadiums, but German fans are being warned to stay away and authorities have warned matches could be halted if too many supporters gather outside the grounds.

The Bundesliga returns on Saturday in empty stadiums, but German fans are being warned to stay away and authorities have warned matches could be halted if too many supporters gather outside the grounds. German football will be blazing a trail among Europe's top leagues by resuming two months after it was halted by the spread of coronavirus, but its strategy is fraught with risks. In a football-mad country which boasts the highest average attendances in the world, will supporters banished from stadiums be able to stay away? In Saxony, where third-placed RB Leipzig will host mid-table Freiburg on Saturday afternoon, the state's Interior Minister Roland Woeller has issued a clear threat. "Fans must not use matches behind closed doors as an excuse to gather in front of the stadiums or elsewhere," he said. "This could lead to matches being stopped." His concerns are justified. Several hundred fans gathered in Moenchengladbach when the hosts beat 2-1 Cologne on March 11 -- the only previous German league game played behind locked doors, just days before the shutdown. Eintracht Frankfurt have appealed to their supporters before they resume their season against 'Gladbach on Saturday. "We've talked a lot with our fans and said: 'listen guys, don't show up at the stadium'," Frankfurt's sports director Fredi Bobic told ESPN. Under German league rules put in place to resume the season, the home side is responsible for ensuring fans do not try to approach the stadium to support their team from a distance. After weeks of meticulous planning and mass testing of players and backroom staff, it would be a nightmare for the Bundesliga if the fans were to derail the fragile recovery attempt. Christian Seifert, CEO of the Bundesliga, does not expect fans to play into the hands of critics who fear they will mass outside grounds despite large public events being banned in Germany. Seifert accused the critics predicting that football fans would fail to respect the pleas for restraint of making "sweeping statements". "I don't believe that the fan scene and the fan organisations will do their critics... the favour of behaving in exactly the way" that those doomsayers fear, he said. The Bundesliga boss said all the talks he had held on the issue "do not give any indication" that supporters will gather. Broadcaster Sky has agreed to show some of Saturday's matches on a free-to-air channel, allaying fears that fans will gather in bars or public places which have a subscription for the pay-per-view service. - Historic first - However, Seifert says while they are taking every reasonable step to discourage fans from meeting up, "the DFL's responsibility ends at a certain point". The centrepiece of Saturday's return to action is Borussia Dortmund at home to Schalke in the Ruhr derby, a match which would usually draw a crowd of 82,000 to Signal Iduna Park. Instead, it will be the first time this fixture is played behind closed doors since it began in 1925. Germany's huge stadiums - for example Bayern Munich's enormous Allianz Arena holds 75,000 - will remain empty for the forseeable future. There are fears in the German football scene that the 'Ultras' -- hardcore fans who often lead the chanting at matches -- will lose their hard-earned influence at their clubs. Some groups of these hardcore supporters are opposed to games being played in empty stadiums, because they feel the initiative is driven by financial reasons. The clubs are eager to finish the league season before June 30 in order to collect around 300 million euros ($324 million) due from TV contracts. Helen Breit from the nationwide football supporters group "Unsere Kurve" (Our Curve) said she refused to watch a single match without fans on television. "For me, football is in the stadiums," she told Munich-based paper Sueddeutsche Zeitung. "I've been going to almost every Freiburg match for more than ten years and watching football on TV is not an option for me." - Football is 'sick' - Another group feels the resumption of football during a pandemic, which has claimed 7,500 lives in Germany, shows how "sick" professional football has become. "A continuation of the season would be sheer mockery of the rest of society," Ultras groups across Germany said in a joint statement last month. "Professional football is sick enough and should remain in quarantine." But for the vast majority of fans, the decision to play the nine remaining round of matches behind closed doors makes the best of a bad situation. Even if the fans cannot be in the stands in person, Moenchengladbach have found a novel way of allowing them to be seen by the players -- for 19 euros ($21), Gladbach fans can buy a cardboard cut-out of themselves which will be placed on the terraces of Borussia Stadium.

'Stay away' - German fans warned ahead of Bundesliga restart

Three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winners Chennai Super Kings have rejected the idea of playing the tournament with only Indian players while differing with Rajasthan Royals, who are fine with the option given the current scenario surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. CSK have compared the IPL with only Indian players with domestic T20 competition Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

IPL 2020, which stands postponed indefinitely, can be played in the September-October window if the ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by Australia, doesn’t take place.

"CSK is not keen to do an IPL with only Indian players. That way it would be playing another Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (domestic T20 competition). The franchise has not been in touch with the BCCI of late as the situation is worsening," a CSK source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"Let's hope we can have the IPL later this year," he added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-staring-at-loss-of-half-a-billion-dollars-if-ipl-2020-is-cancelled-298168" hreflang="en">BCCI staring at loss of half a billion dollars if IPL 2020 is cancelled</a>

Meanwhile, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has said that the Indian cricket board will incur a loss around Rs 4,000 crore if the cash-rich tournament gets cancelled while adding that the board will be in huge financial trouble like Cricket Australia.&nbsp;

"The board will take a revenue hit of Rs 4000 crore if it doesn't happen. The board will be in a big problem," BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal told PTI earlier this week.

With COVID-19 positive cases continuing to rise in India, the BCCI and IPL franchises see no point in discussing the fate of the tournament. However, CSK is hopeful that the Indian board will take the best possible when the right time comes.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-womens-cricket-world-cup-qualifier-postponed-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-298154" hreflang="en">ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic</a>

"There has been no discussion with the BCCI ever since it postponed the IPL. There is no point in discussing also as things are unlikely to be okay anytime soon," the CSK source said.

"We expect the BCCI to take the best possible decision when the time comes," he added.

There are alternate options of conducting the tournament overseas after UAE and Sri Lanka Cricket came up with separate proposals to host the tournament.

Three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winners Chennai Super Kings have rejected the idea of playing the tournament with only Indian players while differing with Rajasthan Royals, who are fine with the option given the current scenario surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winners Chennai Super Kings have rejected the idea of playing the tournament with only Indian players while differing with Rajasthan Royals, who are fine with the option given the current scenario surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. CSK have compared the IPL with only Indian players with domestic T20 competition Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. IPL 2020, which stands postponed indefinitely, can be played in the September-October window if the ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by Australia, doesn’t take place. "CSK is not keen to do an IPL with only Indian players. That way it would be playing another Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (domestic T20 competition). The franchise has not been in touch with the BCCI of late as the situation is worsening," a CSK source told PTI on conditions of anonymity. "Let's hope we can have the IPL later this year," he added. ALSO READ: BCCI staring at loss of half a billion dollars if IPL 2020 is cancelled Meanwhile, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has said that the Indian cricket board will incur a loss around Rs 4,000 crore if the cash-rich tournament gets cancelled while adding that the board will be in huge financial trouble like Cricket Australia. "The board will take a revenue hit of Rs 4000 crore if it doesn't happen. The board will be in a big problem," BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal told PTI earlier this week. With COVID-19 positive cases continuing to rise in India, the BCCI and IPL franchises see no point in discussing the fate of the tournament. However, CSK is hopeful that the Indian board will take the best possible when the right time comes. ALSO READ: ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic "There has been no discussion with the BCCI ever since it postponed the IPL. There is no point in discussing also as things are unlikely to be okay anytime soon," the CSK source said. "We expect the BCCI to take the best possible decision when the time comes," he added. There are alternate options of conducting the tournament overseas after UAE and Sri Lanka Cricket came up with separate proposals to host the tournament.

CSK reject playing IPL 2020 with only Indian players, says it will be similar to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Premier League clubs face having to pay a huge refund to broadcasters even if they manage to complete the coronavirus-disrupted season behind closed doors.

Broadcasters would be reimbursed for matches not being played as scheduled and the lack of atmosphere in empty stadiums is also a factor.

The BBC reported the bill facing the English top-flight, which continued talks on "Project Restart" on Monday, could be as high as £340 million ($420 million).

"We were able to update our clubs today on our situation with broadcasters, which is obviously confidential," said Premier League CEO Richard Masters.

"Whatever happens, there's going to be significant loss of revenue for clubs. That is inevitable.

"We were able to paint a picture today about what would happen in various scenarios, playing out the season and not playing out the season, to allow them to have a picture of that as we stand in the early part of May."

The rebate to broadcasters would surge to an estimated £760 million if the season cannot be completed. Masters has previously warned of a £1 billion loss once the absence of gate receipts is taken into account.

For the first time on Monday, the 20 Premier League clubs discussed models that may have to be used to decide final standings if it is not deemed safe to resume.

New government guidelines have paved the way for elite sport to return behind closed doors in England from June 1.

<h2>- Player fears -</h2>

However, England internationals Raheem Sterling and Danny Rose are the two latest high-profile players to raise their concerns over a return to contact sport when the rest of society is being advised to follow social-distancing guidelines.&nbsp;

"The moment we do go back it just needs to be a moment where it's not just for footballing reasons, it's safe for not just us footballers but the whole medical staff, referees," Sterling told his YouTube channel.

"(I am) not scared, but reserved and thinking what the worst outcome could be.

"I've had friends whose grandma has passed away, I've had family members as well that have passed away. You've got to be wise and take care of yourself and those around you."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in parliament on Monday that the return of sport on TV would "provide a much-needed boost to national morale."

However, a YouGov poll revealed that 73 percent of 2,000 people surveyed said the return of the Premier League and English Football League would not lift their spirits.

Britain has been one of the worst-hit countries in the global pandemic, with the government officially recording more than 32,000 deaths from COVID-19.

"People's lives are at risk," Rose, who is on loan at Newcastle from Tottenham, told an Instagram live.

"Football shouldn't even be spoken about coming back until the numbers have dropped massively."

The Premier League are due to meet unions for players and managers later this week to discuss protocols for a return to group training.&nbsp;

"Safety comes first. We must listen to government, the authorities and the medical experts and continue to follow their advice," added Masters.

"That is exactly what we are doing. We are getting ourselves in the best position to resume the season, but only when the conditions are right."

Premier League clubs face having to pay a huge refund to broadcasters even if they manage to complete the coronavirus-disrupted season behind closed doors. Broadcasters would be reimbursed for matches not being played as scheduled and the lack of atmosphere in empty stadiums is also a factor.

Premier League clubs face having to pay a huge refund to broadcasters even if they manage to complete the coronavirus-disrupted season behind closed doors. Broadcasters would be reimbursed for matches not being played as scheduled and the lack of atmosphere in empty stadiums is also a factor. The BBC reported the bill facing the English top-flight, which continued talks on "Project Restart" on Monday, could be as high as £340 million ($420 million). "We were able to update our clubs today on our situation with broadcasters, which is obviously confidential," said Premier League CEO Richard Masters. "Whatever happens, there's going to be significant loss of revenue for clubs. That is inevitable. "We were able to paint a picture today about what would happen in various scenarios, playing out the season and not playing out the season, to allow them to have a picture of that as we stand in the early part of May." The rebate to broadcasters would surge to an estimated £760 million if the season cannot be completed. Masters has previously warned of a £1 billion loss once the absence of gate receipts is taken into account. For the first time on Monday, the 20 Premier League clubs discussed models that may have to be used to decide final standings if it is not deemed safe to resume. New government guidelines have paved the way for elite sport to return behind closed doors in England from June 1. - Player fears - However, England internationals Raheem Sterling and Danny Rose are the two latest high-profile players to raise their concerns over a return to contact sport when the rest of society is being advised to follow social-distancing guidelines. "The moment we do go back it just needs to be a moment where it's not just for footballing reasons, it's safe for not just us footballers but the whole medical staff, referees," Sterling told his YouTube channel. "(I am) not scared, but reserved and thinking what the worst outcome could be. "I've had friends whose grandma has passed away, I've had family members as well that have passed away. You've got to be wise and take care of yourself and those around you." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in parliament on Monday that the return of sport on TV would "provide a much-needed boost to national morale." However, a YouGov poll revealed that 73 percent of 2,000 people surveyed said the return of the Premier League and English Football League would not lift their spirits. Britain has been one of the worst-hit countries in the global pandemic, with the government officially recording more than 32,000 deaths from COVID-19. "People's lives are at risk," Rose, who is on loan at Newcastle from Tottenham, told an Instagram live. "Football shouldn't even be spoken about coming back until the numbers have dropped massively." The Premier League are due to meet unions for players and managers later this week to discuss protocols for a return to group training. "Safety comes first. We must listen to government, the authorities and the medical experts and continue to follow their advice," added Masters. "That is exactly what we are doing. We are getting ourselves in the best position to resume the season, but only when the conditions are right."

Premier League braced for TV losses as player protests mount

Their scheduled international tours unlikely to go ahead due to coronavirus pandemic, the cricket boards of Australia and New Zealand are exploring the possibility of creating a constant stream of matches between the two neighbouring nations.

With the two governments planning to open up a corridor to allow quarantine-free travel, New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White discussed the possibility with his Cricket Australia counterpart Kevin Roberts.

"I've talked to Kevin Roberts about that. A Tasman bubble would be terrific if it did eventuate," White told Sydney Morning Herald.

"...It would present some opportunities going forward. But I think the key is to keep an open mind and be flexible so if opportunities do arise we can take them.

"We haven't talked specifics really. What we have talked about is conceptually the possibility of playing each other and that's where we are at the moment."

With the 13th IPL suspended indefinitely, the Test tour of Bangladesh abandoned and a limited-overs tour of England in July also likely to be called off, Australia will be without any cricket action this winter.

There are also doubts over the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in October-November in Australia.

New Zealand's home international summer is also uncertain with Pakistan and West Indies scheduled to tour for Tests and Sri Lanka in the shorter form. 
Australia and New Zealand were locked in a three-game men's ODI series in March when it was called off due to the coronavirus outbreak after the first game was played behind closed doors at the SCG.

Their scheduled international tours unlikely to go ahead due to coronavirus pandemic, the cricket boards of Australia and New Zealand are exploring the possibility of creating a constant stream of matches between the two neighbouring nations.

Their scheduled international tours unlikely to go ahead due to coronavirus pandemic, the cricket boards of Australia and New Zealand are exploring the possibility of creating a constant stream of matches between the two neighbouring nations. With the two governments planning to open up a corridor to allow quarantine-free travel, New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White discussed the possibility with his Cricket Australia counterpart Kevin Roberts. "I've talked to Kevin Roberts about that. A Tasman bubble would be terrific if it did eventuate," White told Sydney Morning Herald. "...It would present some opportunities going forward. But I think the key is to keep an open mind and be flexible so if opportunities do arise we can take them. "We haven't talked specifics really. What we have talked about is conceptually the possibility of playing each other and that's where we are at the moment." With the 13th IPL suspended indefinitely, the Test tour of Bangladesh abandoned and a limited-overs tour of England in July also likely to be called off, Australia will be without any cricket action this winter. There are also doubts over the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in October-November in Australia. New Zealand's home international summer is also uncertain with Pakistan and West Indies scheduled to tour for Tests and Sri Lanka in the shorter form. Australia and New Zealand were locked in a three-game men's ODI series in March when it was called off due to the coronavirus outbreak after the first game was played behind closed doors at the SCG.

Australia, New Zealand look to restart international cricket with Trans-Tasman rivalry

The FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup is all set to be held in India from February 17 to March 7, 2021, after the apex footballing body announced new dates of the showpiece tournament on Tuesday. The U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, which was originally scheduled to be held in November 2020, was postponed earlier amid the COVID-19 pandemic with FIFA announcing new dates for the competition on Tuesday.&nbsp;

In what comes as a huge relief for youngsters, FIFA has decided to keep the original eligibility criteria – players born on or after January 1, 2003, and on or before December 31, 2005. Hence, the teams and players need not worry about bringing in new faces into the squad.&nbsp;

The World Cup is scheduled to be hosted by Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Navi Mumbai with the opener slated to be played at Bhubaneswar and final at Navi Mumbai.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/U17WWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#U17WWC</a> will take place in five cities in India 🇮🇳. 
 
Ahmedabad 
Bhubaneswar 
Guwahati 
Kolkata 
Navi Mumbai 
 
The countdown to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KickOffTheDream?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KickOffTheDream</a>, is back . <a href="https://t.co/7WF1pXkVwv">pic.twitter.com/7WF1pXkVwv</a>
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAWWC/status/1260140686420127744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2020</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/lyon-women-awarded-french-title-14th-in-a-row-298144" hreflang="en">Lyon women awarded French title, 14th in a row</a>

There will be 16 participating teams in the U-17 Women’s World Cup with India getting an automatic entry in the competition by the virtue of being the host. This will be India’s maiden appearance in the U-17 Women’s World Cup.&nbsp;

However, the only qualifying event that has been played thus far is for Asia, wherein Japan and North Korea made the cut to the finals. The qualifying events for Africa, Europe, Oceania, South America, and Central, North America and the Caribbean was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FIFA further announced that the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, to be hosted by Costa Rica and Panama, has been rescheduled to January 20 – February 6, 2021, whereas the Futsal World Cup in Lithuania will now be played from September 12 – October 2, 2021.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/stay-away-german-fans-warned-ahead-of-bundesliga-restart-298141" hreflang="en">'Stay away' - German fans warned ahead of Bundesliga restart</a>

Following a thorough assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recommendations made by the FIFA-Confederations COVID-19 Working Group, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has taken the following decisions in relation to FIFA events:

- to confirm the following proposed new tournament dates, subject to further monitoring:

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica/Panama 2020: 20 January – 6 February 2021 (tournament to keep original eligibility criteria: players born on or after 1 January 2000 and on or before 31 December 2004);

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020: 17 February – 7 March 2021 (tournament to keep original eligibility criteria: players born on or after 1 January 2003 and on or before 31 December 2005);

FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2020: 12 September – 3 October 2021;

- to hold the 70th FIFA Congress, which was originally due to take place in Addis Ababa, as an online event on 18 September 2020. 
&nbsp;

The FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup is all set to be held in India from February 17 to March 7, 2021, after the apex footballing body announced new dates of the showpiece tournament on Tuesday.

The FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup is all set to be held in India from February 17 to March 7, 2021, after the apex footballing body announced new dates of the showpiece tournament on Tuesday. The U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, which was originally scheduled to be held in November 2020, was postponed earlier amid the COVID-19 pandemic with FIFA announcing new dates for the competition on Tuesday. In what comes as a huge relief for youngsters, FIFA has decided to keep the original eligibility criteria – players born on or after January 1, 2003, and on or before December 31, 2005. Hence, the teams and players need not worry about bringing in new faces into the squad. The World Cup is scheduled to be hosted by Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Navi Mumbai with the opener slated to be played at Bhubaneswar and final at Navi Mumbai. The #U17WWC will take place in five cities in India 🇮🇳. Ahmedabad Bhubaneswar Guwahati Kolkata Navi Mumbai The countdown to #KickOffTheDream, is back . pic.twitter.com/7WF1pXkVwv — FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) May 12, 2020 × ALSO READ: Lyon women awarded French title, 14th in a row There will be 16 participating teams in the U-17 Women’s World Cup with India getting an automatic entry in the competition by the virtue of being the host. This will be India’s maiden appearance in the U-17 Women’s World Cup. However, the only qualifying event that has been played thus far is for Asia, wherein Japan and North Korea made the cut to the finals. The qualifying events for Africa, Europe, Oceania, South America, and Central, North America and the Caribbean was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FIFA further announced that the Under-20 Women’s World Cup, to be hosted by Costa Rica and Panama, has been rescheduled to January 20 – February 6, 2021, whereas the Futsal World Cup in Lithuania will now be played from September 12 – October 2, 2021. ALSO READ: 'Stay away' - German fans warned ahead of Bundesliga restart Following a thorough assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recommendations made by the FIFA-Confederations COVID-19 Working Group, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has taken the following decisions in relation to FIFA events: - to confirm the following proposed new tournament dates, subject to further monitoring: FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica/Panama 2020: 20 January – 6 February 2021 (tournament to keep original eligibility criteria: players born on or after 1 January 2000 and on or before 31 December 2004); FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2020: 17 February – 7 March 2021 (tournament to keep original eligibility criteria: players born on or after 1 January 2003 and on or before 31 December 2005); FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2020: 12 September – 3 October 2021; - to hold the 70th FIFA Congress, which was originally due to take place in Addis Ababa, as an online event on 18 September 2020.

FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup to be held in India from February 17, 2021

The Chief National Coach of Indian badminton team, Pullela Gopichand has been stamped quarantine for next 14 days by the Telangana authorities after the former badminton player rushed to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh from Hyderabad, Telangana to see his ailing grandmother on Monday.&nbsp;

Speaking to Zee Media, Gopichand disclosed that he had rushed to Guntur from Hyderabad to see his grandmother, who is not keeping up well. However, while he was returning, he was marked quarantine by the Telangana authorities.&nbsp;

The recipient of Padma Bhushan also clarified that he does not have any symptoms and the quarantine stamp is part of the norms. Gopichand further stated that he will abide by the quarantine rules and stay at home.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-might-be-a-good-idea-to-look-at-quarantine-facility-for-olympic-hopefuls-pullela-gopichand-opens-up-on-postponed-games-and-more-292727">Exclusive: 'Might be a good idea to look at quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls' - Pullela Gopichand opens up on postponed Games and more</a>

Meanwhile, with sporting action coming to a halt amid the COVID-19 pandemic and almost all the tournaments and events getting either postponed or cancelled, Gopichand had suggested building a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls ahead of Tokyo Games which was pushed back to 2021 in the wake of the pandemic.&nbsp;

“It might even be a good idea to look at a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls from all sports. For example, since inter-city travel is not possible, athletes from the same city can stay at a facility which allows them to train for the upcoming events. We might also have to plan for domestic leagues and tournaments because restrictions in India could be lifted before those of other countries. &nbsp;Since global tournaments would not be taking place, there will be a need to replace those with quality domestic competitions to make up for the loss of international exposure,” Gopichand had told WION in an exclusive interview.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-staring-at-loss-of-half-a-billion-dollars-if-ipl-2020-is-cancelled-298168" hreflang="en">BCCI staring at loss of half a billion dollars if IPL 2020 is cancelled</a>

“We are going through an unprecedented crisis, so adjustments need to be made. For example, I had never used a mobile phone application for training, but we are forced to do that now and that has become the norm. So we are looking at different ways to help the players enhance their skills during this lockdown. Adaptability is the key, we have to make quick decisions and think out of the box,” he had added.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Chief National Coach of Indian badminton team, Pullela Gopichand has been stamped quarantine for next 14 days by the Telangana authorities after the former badminton player rushed to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh from Hyderabad, Telangana to see his ailing grandmother on Monday.

The Chief National Coach of Indian badminton team, Pullela Gopichand has been stamped quarantine for next 14 days by the Telangana authorities after the former badminton player rushed to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh from Hyderabad, Telangana to see his ailing grandmother on Monday. Speaking to Zee Media, Gopichand disclosed that he had rushed to Guntur from Hyderabad to see his grandmother, who is not keeping up well. However, while he was returning, he was marked quarantine by the Telangana authorities. The recipient of Padma Bhushan also clarified that he does not have any symptoms and the quarantine stamp is part of the norms. Gopichand further stated that he will abide by the quarantine rules and stay at home. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Might be a good idea to look at quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls' - Pullela Gopichand opens up on postponed Games and more Meanwhile, with sporting action coming to a halt amid the COVID-19 pandemic and almost all the tournaments and events getting either postponed or cancelled, Gopichand had suggested building a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls ahead of Tokyo Games which was pushed back to 2021 in the wake of the pandemic. “It might even be a good idea to look at a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls from all sports. For example, since inter-city travel is not possible, athletes from the same city can stay at a facility which allows them to train for the upcoming events. We might also have to plan for domestic leagues and tournaments because restrictions in India could be lifted before those of other countries. Since global tournaments would not be taking place, there will be a need to replace those with quality domestic competitions to make up for the loss of international exposure,” Gopichand had told WION in an exclusive interview. ALSO READ: BCCI staring at loss of half a billion dollars if IPL 2020 is cancelled “We are going through an unprecedented crisis, so adjustments need to be made. For example, I had never used a mobile phone application for training, but we are forced to do that now and that has become the norm. So we are looking at different ways to help the players enhance their skills during this lockdown. Adaptability is the key, we have to make quick decisions and think out of the box,” he had added.

Pullela Gopichand placed under quarantine for 14 days after visiting Guntur to see ailing grandmother

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.