<p>England Test captain Joe Root wants to make the most of some unexpected extra time with his family as he urged his side to reflect on their game while cricket is put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p>Monday should have seen Root leading England in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.</p>

<p>But the tour was halted midway through a warm-up match on March 13, before the two-Test series had even started, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.</p>

<p>The England and Wales Cricket Board have postponed all domestic cricket until at least May 28.</p>

<p>"Getting the chance to spend time with family at home is obviously something we don't get a huge amount of," said Root, the father of a three-year-old son, in a conference call.</p>

<p>"Very strange times we are living in. I think it's important that when we get our opportunities we try to help and support everyone around us and really come together like we've seen a lot of throughout the whole nation over the last couple of weeks."</p>

<p>While there may not be any cricket, Root's responsibilities as Test captain are still continuing as he checks on the health and well-being of his squad.</p>

<p>"I've actually been in touch with every single player across the course of the winter throughout the last couple of weeks to make sure everyone is OK, make sure everyone is getting their stuff done," he said.</p>

<p>England drew the Ashes series last year before winning away to South Africa.</p>

<p>They are supposed to play three-Test series against both the West Indies and Pakistan in the English summer, although the future of those campaigns remains uncertain.</p>

<p>"Trying to get a bit of feedback as well. We now have some time on our hands to have a good assessment of where we are as a team," said Root.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I suppose (we can) look at a few things and use this as an opportunity to really improve things and where we might want to take the team forward. There is obviously a lot going around in sport, a lot of uncertainty about when things will start again.</p>

<p>"I think one thing that the guys have done really well is try to stay active, stay fit, stay positive. That's been quite clear when I've called with everyone."</p>


England Test captain Joe Root wants to make the most of some unexpected extra time with his family as he urged his side to reflect on their game while cricket is put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

England Test captain Joe Root wants to make the most of some unexpected extra time with his family as he urged his side to reflect on their game while cricket is put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Monday should have seen Root leading England in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. But the tour was halted midway through a warm-up match on March 13, before the two-Test series had even started, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The England and Wales Cricket Board have postponed all domestic cricket until at least May 28. "Getting the chance to spend time with family at home is obviously something we don't get a huge amount of," said Root, the father of a three-year-old son, in a conference call. "Very strange times we are living in. I think it's important that when we get our opportunities we try to help and support everyone around us and really come together like we've seen a lot of throughout the whole nation over the last couple of weeks." While there may not be any cricket, Root's responsibilities as Test captain are still continuing as he checks on the health and well-being of his squad. "I've actually been in touch with every single player across the course of the winter throughout the last couple of weeks to make sure everyone is OK, make sure everyone is getting their stuff done," he said. England drew the Ashes series last year before winning away to South Africa. They are supposed to play three-Test series against both the West Indies and Pakistan in the English summer, although the future of those campaigns remains uncertain. "Trying to get a bit of feedback as well. We now have some time on our hands to have a good assessment of where we are as a team," said Root. "I suppose (we can) look at a few things and use this as an opportunity to really improve things and where we might want to take the team forward. There is obviously a lot going around in sport, a lot of uncertainty about when things will start again. "I think one thing that the guys have done really well is try to stay active, stay fit, stay positive. That's been quite clear when I've called with everyone."

England captain Joe Root trying to make most of enforced break

<p>The Premier League's highly-paid players have become an unwilling target amid the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with government officials wading in to tell stars to take pay cuts.</p>

<p>Health Secretary Matt Hancock used the government's daily briefing on the crisis on Thursday to tell players to "make a contribution, take a pay cut and play their part."</p>

<p>Talks are ongoing between the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), Premier League and English Football League (EFL) with the players' union accepting they must "share the financial burden of the Covid-19 outbreak."</p>

<p>However, by waiting three weeks since football in England was suspended on public health grounds, the players and the Premier League may have already lost the PR war.</p>

<p>"If you are out of sync with society at the moment, that’s a huge mistake," Adrian Bevington, English Football Association's former director of communications, told PRWeek, the trade magazine for the public relations industry.</p>

<p>"You have to maintain that feeling of empathy for where we are and the seriousness of the situation."</p>

<p>The decision by four Premier League clubs to use the government's furlough scheme, designed to protect jobs at stricken companies, has been met with a government backlash.</p>

<p>Tottenham, Newcastle, Norwich and Bournemouth plan to use government funds to pay 80 percent of wages of non-playing staff up to a maximum of 2,500 pounds ($3,100) a month.</p>

<p>The average salary for a Premier League player is three million pounds a year, according to the latest Global Sports Salaries survey.</p>

<p>Julian Knight, who chairs the British government's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, accused those clubs of living in a "moral vacuum".</p>

<p>David Lammy of the opposition Labour party and MP for Tottenham said: "It’s criminal that Premier League footballers haven’t moved more quickly to take pay cuts and deferrals."</p>

<p>The Premier League's huge popularity worldwide has driven up players' salaries on an exponential scale over the past 20 years due to a boom in television rights and sponsorship.</p>

<p>However, that could all come crashing down if fans and sponsors are turned off by the stand off at an already difficult time for the game financially.</p>

<p>"It is going to be imperative for everyone in the sports industry –- clubs, players, managers, commercial partners, sponsors -– that they really dial into the mindset of people coming out of this," added Bevington.</p>

<p>"It is such a difficult time and will be a challenging environment for so many people economically and healthwise. They’ve got to get that right."</p>

<h2>- Political football -</h2>

<p>However, there is also frustration among players that they are being used a pawns in a political battle.</p>

<p>Premier League players are being encouraged to follow the example of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Atletico Madrid where players have taken pay cuts to protect other staff members.</p>

<p>Many in England have already made huge contributions to help their local communities.</p>

<p>Manchester United's Marcus Rashford has teamed up with charity FareShare to help feed at least 400,000 children, while an anonymous Liverpool player has donated £25,000 to Alder Hey hospital.</p>

<p>Yet, the players are questioning why they and not many billionaire owners of clubs are being told to foot the bill for the salaries of non-playing staff.</p>

<p>"We are aware of the public sentiment that the players should pay non-playing staff’s salaries. However, our current position is that -– as businesses -- if clubs can afford to pay their players and staff, they should," the PFA said in a statement.</p>

<p>Tottenham's decision to furlough 550 staff on Tuesday came on the same day it was revealed chairman Daniel Levy was paid seven million pounds last season.</p>

<p>According to the Sunday Times rich list, Tottenham owner Joe Lewis, who resides in the Bahamas, saw his wealth surge to 4.4billion pounds last year.</p>

<p>"The same criticisms are not being made of the banking industry, not being made of hedge fund managers, they are not being made of lawyers who charge £10,000 a day, accountants, or off-shore funds which avoid paying tax," football finance expert Kieran Maguire told AFP.</p>

<p>"Joe Lewis himself is worth over four billion pounds, (but) we are having a go at Harry Kane who is a guy with a career that is going to end at 35."</p>

<p>At a time of huge public spending to shore up the National Health Service (NHS) and economy, there is also an argument that a cut in player wages could be detrimental to the public purse.</p>

<p>"What contributes more to the government, the NHS/police," tweeted former Stoke and Ireland striker Jonathan Walters.</p>

<p>"A PL player taking a pay cut that stays with the clubs owners or paying more than 45 percent tax through PAYE on a large salary which goes directly to the government."</p>


The Premier League's highly-paid players have become an unwilling target amid the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with government officials wading in to tell stars to take pay cuts.

The Premier League's highly-paid players have become an unwilling target amid the financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with government officials wading in to tell stars to take pay cuts. Health Secretary Matt Hancock used the government's daily briefing on the crisis on Thursday to tell players to "make a contribution, take a pay cut and play their part." Talks are ongoing between the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), Premier League and English Football League (EFL) with the players' union accepting they must "share the financial burden of the Covid-19 outbreak." However, by waiting three weeks since football in England was suspended on public health grounds, the players and the Premier League may have already lost the PR war. "If you are out of sync with society at the moment, that’s a huge mistake," Adrian Bevington, English Football Association's former director of communications, told PRWeek, the trade magazine for the public relations industry. "You have to maintain that feeling of empathy for where we are and the seriousness of the situation." The decision by four Premier League clubs to use the government's furlough scheme, designed to protect jobs at stricken companies, has been met with a government backlash. Tottenham, Newcastle, Norwich and Bournemouth plan to use government funds to pay 80 percent of wages of non-playing staff up to a maximum of 2,500 pounds ($3,100) a month. The average salary for a Premier League player is three million pounds a year, according to the latest Global Sports Salaries survey. Julian Knight, who chairs the British government's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, accused those clubs of living in a "moral vacuum". David Lammy of the opposition Labour party and MP for Tottenham said: "It’s criminal that Premier League footballers haven’t moved more quickly to take pay cuts and deferrals." The Premier League's huge popularity worldwide has driven up players' salaries on an exponential scale over the past 20 years due to a boom in television rights and sponsorship. However, that could all come crashing down if fans and sponsors are turned off by the stand off at an already difficult time for the game financially. "It is going to be imperative for everyone in the sports industry –- clubs, players, managers, commercial partners, sponsors -– that they really dial into the mindset of people coming out of this," added Bevington. "It is such a difficult time and will be a challenging environment for so many people economically and healthwise. They’ve got to get that right." - Political football - However, there is also frustration among players that they are being used a pawns in a political battle. Premier League players are being encouraged to follow the example of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Atletico Madrid where players have taken pay cuts to protect other staff members. Many in England have already made huge contributions to help their local communities. Manchester United's Marcus Rashford has teamed up with charity FareShare to help feed at least 400,000 children, while an anonymous Liverpool player has donated £25,000 to Alder Hey hospital. Yet, the players are questioning why they and not many billionaire owners of clubs are being told to foot the bill for the salaries of non-playing staff. "We are aware of the public sentiment that the players should pay non-playing staff’s salaries. However, our current position is that -– as businesses -- if clubs can afford to pay their players and staff, they should," the PFA said in a statement. Tottenham's decision to furlough 550 staff on Tuesday came on the same day it was revealed chairman Daniel Levy was paid seven million pounds last season. According to the Sunday Times rich list, Tottenham owner Joe Lewis, who resides in the Bahamas, saw his wealth surge to 4.4billion pounds last year. "The same criticisms are not being made of the banking industry, not being made of hedge fund managers, they are not being made of lawyers who charge £10,000 a day, accountants, or off-shore funds which avoid paying tax," football finance expert Kieran Maguire told AFP. "Joe Lewis himself is worth over four billion pounds, (but) we are having a go at Harry Kane who is a guy with a career that is going to end at 35." At a time of huge public spending to shore up the National Health Service (NHS) and economy, there is also an argument that a cut in player wages could be detrimental to the public purse. "What contributes more to the government, the NHS/police," tweeted former Stoke and Ireland striker Jonathan Walters. "A PL player taking a pay cut that stays with the clubs owners or paying more than 45 percent tax through PAYE on a large salary which goes directly to the government."

Premier League stars in firing line over taking pay cut

<p class="MsoNormal">Veteran Indian batsman Suresh Raina reckons Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 can wait till the situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic completely settles down. The stylish southpaw, who has already done his bit to help the Indian government combat the dreaded virus, said ‘life is most important at this point of time’.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Raina, who has been one of the faces of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings, said that the top-most priority, right now, has to be saving the lives of people who are suffering and dying from the deadly COVID-19 virus while adding that everyone needs to adhere to Indian government’s guidelines on lockdown or else there will be severe consequences.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">"Life is most important at this point in time. IPL can surely wait. We all need to follow the government guidelines on lockdown else we all face the consequences. When life gets better, we can think about IPL. So many people are dying at the moment, we need to save lives," Raina told PTI.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</strong></o:p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-enjoy-batting-with-those-who-can-virat-kohli-names-2-batsmen-he-loves-batting-with-during-instagram-live-with-kevin-pietersen-290378" hreflang="en">'I enjoy batting with those who can...' - Virat Kohli names 2 batsmen he loves batting with during Instagram Live with Kevin Pietersen</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Raina has been extremely active on social media platforms in a bid to spread awareness on the importance of self-isolation and social distancing during the 21-day lockdown period in India. The southpaw has been trying to be the perfect homemaker as his wife, Priyanka Chaudhary Raina, continues to recover from the birth of their second child, Rio, last week. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">"I am relaxing in the lockdown, cooking and spending time with the kids. There is so much more to life than cricket, moments like these make you realise that. With this lockdown, people should realise the importance of being down to earth.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">"At this time, three meals-a-day matter much more than the size of your house and car, what you wear doesn't matter. What you and your workers in the house are doing is the same. You are eating and feeding them at the same time.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</strong></o:p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-when-boss-anushka-sharma-hijacked-instagram-live-session-between-kevin-pietersen-and-virat-kohli-290344" hreflang="en">WATCH: When 'Boss' Anushka Sharma hijacked Instagram Live session between Kevin Pietersen and Virat Kohli</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">"I am used to cooking since my hostel days, so I enjoy doing that. Wife (who gave birth to a boy last week) and kid are still recovering, so happy to contribute with the household work,” Raina said. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Raina, who was gearing for his comeback to competitive cricket since playing his last match in the final of IPL 2019, said that the preparatory camp conducted by CSK was ‘nice’ while adding that MS Dhoni was looking really good in the nets and had the hunger of a youngster.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">"It was a nice camp. I was there for two months but then this happened. Got to spend some time with Dhoni. He was batting so well in the nets, he had the hunger of a youngster. In one session, he batted for three hours at a stretch," recalled Raina.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;</span><o:p></o:p></p>


Veteran Indian batsman Suresh Raina reckons Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 can wait till the situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic completely settles down. The stylish southpaw, who has already done his bit to help the Indian government combat the dreaded virus, said ‘life is most important at this point of time’.

Veteran Indian batsman Suresh Raina reckons Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 can wait till the situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic completely settles down. The stylish southpaw, who has already done his bit to help the Indian government combat the dreaded virus, said ‘life is most important at this point of time’. Raina, who has been one of the faces of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings, said that the top-most priority, right now, has to be saving the lives of people who are suffering and dying from the deadly COVID-19 virus while adding that everyone needs to adhere to Indian government’s guidelines on lockdown or else there will be severe consequences. "Life is most important at this point in time. IPL can surely wait. We all need to follow the government guidelines on lockdown else we all face the consequences. When life gets better, we can think about IPL. So many people are dying at the moment, we need to save lives," Raina told PTI. ALSO READ: 'I enjoy batting with those who can...' - Virat Kohli names 2 batsmen he loves batting with during Instagram Live with Kevin Pietersen Raina has been extremely active on social media platforms in a bid to spread awareness on the importance of self-isolation and social distancing during the 21-day lockdown period in India. The southpaw has been trying to be the perfect homemaker as his wife, Priyanka Chaudhary Raina, continues to recover from the birth of their second child, Rio, last week. "I am relaxing in the lockdown, cooking and spending time with the kids. There is so much more to life than cricket, moments like these make you realise that. With this lockdown, people should realise the importance of being down to earth. "At this time, three meals-a-day matter much more than the size of your house and car, what you wear doesn't matter. What you and your workers in the house are doing is the same. You are eating and feeding them at the same time. ALSO READ: WATCH: When 'Boss' Anushka Sharma hijacked Instagram Live session between Kevin Pietersen and Virat Kohli "I am used to cooking since my hostel days, so I enjoy doing that. Wife (who gave birth to a boy last week) and kid are still recovering, so happy to contribute with the household work,” Raina said. Raina, who was gearing for his comeback to competitive cricket since playing his last match in the final of IPL 2019, said that the preparatory camp conducted by CSK was ‘nice’ while adding that MS Dhoni was looking really good in the nets and had the hunger of a youngster. "It was a nice camp. I was there for two months but then this happened. Got to spend some time with Dhoni. He was batting so well in the nets, he had the hunger of a youngster. In one session, he batted for three hours at a stretch," recalled Raina.

IPL 2020 can wait as life is most important now, says Suresh Raina

<p>Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II and no resumption of the ATP and WTA Tours until July 13 at the earliest as the coronavirus continues to cause havoc.</p>

<p>AFP Sport looks at what happens next for tennis in 2020.</p>

<h2>Djokovic, biggest winner or loser?</h2>

<p>-- Before the season went into cold storage, Novak Djokovic had captured an eighth Australian Open and was on an 18-0 winning streak since the turn of the year.</p>

<p>Talk was of Djokovic, now a 17-time Grand Slam title winner, going on to match his 2011 and 2015 seasons.</p>

<p>In 2011, he built a 41-match win streak before ending the year with a 70-6 record and 10 titles, including the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open crowns.</p>

<p>In 2015, Djokovic won the same three Slams again out of 11 titles in a win-loss record of 82-6.</p>

<p>After taking the 79th title of his career in Dubai on the last day of February this year, the 32-year-old proclaimed: "One of the targets is to go unbeaten the whole season. I'm not kidding."</p>

<p>However, with the French Open, which he has won once, and Wimbledon, where he was the defending champion, respectively postponed and scrapped, has his bubble burst?</p>

<p>"The big loser is Djokovic," former world number one and seven-time major winner Mats Wilander told L'Equipe.</p>

<p>"He hasn't lost this year yet, but this virus has stopped him in his tracks."</p>

<h2>Will there be any more tennis at all in 2020?</h2>

<p>-- After Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time in 75 years on Wednesday, All England Club chief Richard Lewis was hoping for the best but fearing the worst.</p>

<p>"I don't think it's unrealistic to say that there may be no more tennis this year," he said.</p>

<p>"But I would like to think that things will settle down so that tournaments can be played sooner rather than later. Who knows what will happen?"</p>

<p>The clay-court and grass-court seasons have already been binned.</p>

<p>In all, 21 tournaments on both tours have been affected.</p>

<p>The rescheduled French Open has been shoehorned into September-October, starting just a week after the US Open final in New York.</p>

<p>Two different continents; two radically different surfaces.</p>

<p>Also, a rebooted Roland Garros now clashes with six ATP and WTA events, some of which form part of the lucrative and high-profile Asian hard-court swing.</p>

<p>The Laver Cup in Boston, where Roger Federer is likely to feature, is another direct rival to the Paris showpiece.</p>

<p>Furthermore, there are no guarantees that the spread of the deadly coronavirus will have stalled by the summer.</p>

<p>"I think that we are going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season," tweeted former world number one and two-time major winner Amelie Mauresmo.</p>

<p>"The international circuit = male and female players of all nationalities including their coaching staff, spectators and people from all over the world who bring these events to life.</p>

<p>"No vaccine = no tennis."</p>

<h2>End of the road for low-paid?</h2>

<p>-- The likes of Djokovic, Federer and Rafael Nadal have all banked over $100 million in prize money in their careers.</p>

<p>However, the world rankings stretch beyond the 1,200 mark where an army of under-achieving and low-paid players barely make ends meet.</p>

<p>Currently at 1,283 in the world is 27-year-old Ksenia Kolesnikova of Russia - in 2020, she has officially made just $68.</p>

<p>"Players lower ranked than 250 will not be able to buy food in two-three weeks' time," warned Georgia's world number 371 Sofia Shapatava.</p>

<p>She has organised a petition calling on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to provide a financial safety net for the hundreds who toil in second and third-tier events.</p>

<p>But she is not optimistic the ITF will look favourably on her plea.</p>

<p>"I honestly don't think so," she told AFP.</p>

<p>"They replied that their plate is full and they will come back to me as soon as they can. But after that email they did not reply with anything."</p>


Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II and no resumption of the ATP and WTA Tours until July 13 at the earliest as the coronavirus continues to cause havoc.

Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II and no resumption of the ATP and WTA Tours until July 13 at the earliest as the coronavirus continues to cause havoc. AFP Sport looks at what happens next for tennis in 2020. Djokovic, biggest winner or loser? -- Before the season went into cold storage, Novak Djokovic had captured an eighth Australian Open and was on an 18-0 winning streak since the turn of the year. Talk was of Djokovic, now a 17-time Grand Slam title winner, going on to match his 2011 and 2015 seasons. In 2011, he built a 41-match win streak before ending the year with a 70-6 record and 10 titles, including the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open crowns. In 2015, Djokovic won the same three Slams again out of 11 titles in a win-loss record of 82-6. After taking the 79th title of his career in Dubai on the last day of February this year, the 32-year-old proclaimed: "One of the targets is to go unbeaten the whole season. I'm not kidding." However, with the French Open, which he has won once, and Wimbledon, where he was the defending champion, respectively postponed and scrapped, has his bubble burst? "The big loser is Djokovic," former world number one and seven-time major winner Mats Wilander told L'Equipe. "He hasn't lost this year yet, but this virus has stopped him in his tracks." Will there be any more tennis at all in 2020? -- After Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time in 75 years on Wednesday, All England Club chief Richard Lewis was hoping for the best but fearing the worst. "I don't think it's unrealistic to say that there may be no more tennis this year," he said. "But I would like to think that things will settle down so that tournaments can be played sooner rather than later. Who knows what will happen?" The clay-court and grass-court seasons have already been binned. In all, 21 tournaments on both tours have been affected. The rescheduled French Open has been shoehorned into September-October, starting just a week after the US Open final in New York. Two different continents; two radically different surfaces. Also, a rebooted Roland Garros now clashes with six ATP and WTA events, some of which form part of the lucrative and high-profile Asian hard-court swing. The Laver Cup in Boston, where Roger Federer is likely to feature, is another direct rival to the Paris showpiece. Furthermore, there are no guarantees that the spread of the deadly coronavirus will have stalled by the summer. "I think that we are going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season," tweeted former world number one and two-time major winner Amelie Mauresmo. "The international circuit = male and female players of all nationalities including their coaching staff, spectators and people from all over the world who bring these events to life. "No vaccine = no tennis." End of the road for low-paid? -- The likes of Djokovic, Federer and Rafael Nadal have all banked over $100 million in prize money in their careers. However, the world rankings stretch beyond the 1,200 mark where an army of under-achieving and low-paid players barely make ends meet. Currently at 1,283 in the world is 27-year-old Ksenia Kolesnikova of Russia - in 2020, she has officially made just $68. "Players lower ranked than 250 will not be able to buy food in two-three weeks' time," warned Georgia's world number 371 Sofia Shapatava. She has organised a petition calling on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to provide a financial safety net for the hundreds who toil in second and third-tier events. But she is not optimistic the ITF will look favourably on her plea. "I honestly don't think so," she told AFP. "They replied that their plate is full and they will come back to me as soon as they can. But after that email they did not reply with anything."

What now for tennis in 2020?

<p class="MsoNormal">Former England captain Kevin Pietersen conducted an Instagram Live session with Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday as the duo discussed a lot of things ranging from lockdown amid COVID-19 pandemic, cricket and life. Pietersen, during the candid interaction, asked Kohli about his two favourite batsmen with whom he likes to bat. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Replying to Pietersen’s query, Kohli said he likes to bat with those who can run far while naming veteran Indian wicket-keeper MS Dhoni and Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB de Villiers. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“I enjoy batting with those who can run fast with me. So it has to be MS when we play for India and AB when we play in the IPL for RCB. We don’t even talk while we are batting,” Kohli said during an Instagram live hosted by Pietersen.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><strong>TRENDING!&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></o:p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-when-boss-anushka-sharma-hijacked-instagram-live-session-between-kevin-pietersen-and-virat-kohli-290344" hreflang="en">WATCH: When 'Boss' Anushka Sharma hijacked Instagram Live session between Kevin Pietersen and Virat Kohli</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Kohli and Dhoni have won many matches for India after the current Indian skipper made his debut under Dhoni in 2008 in Sri Lanka. Kohli also holds the record of scoring as many as 19 centuries under Dhoni, which is most by any Indian player under a skipper. The swashbuckling right-handed batsman went on to say that he never thought of sledging de Villiers as it may sour their personal bonding. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Pietersen and Kohli then discussed the worldwide situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic and their off-the-field bonding since they played together for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“Right from 2009-10, we had amazing fun at RCB. We hit off well from Day 1. You came in as the big KP a star. We had a gun team with Kallis, Boucher, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid,” Kohli said.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-for-5-weeks-as-warm-up-for-t20-world-cup-michael-vaughan-comes-up-with-interesting-suggestion-290326" hreflang="en">IPL 2020 for 5 weeks as warm-up for T20 World Cup? Michael Vaughan comes up with interesting suggestion</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“We have reached three finals but haven’t won. We deserve to win a title. At RCB, we get talked about so much as we had stars. The more you think (about winning the IPL), the more it keeps running away from you. There have been added pressure lately but we need to just enjoy and not take pressure.” <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Pietersen had earlier hosted Rohit Sharma, Ahmed Shehzad and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. <o:p></o:p></p>


Former England captain Kevin Pietersen conducted an Instagram Live session with Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday as the duo discussed a lot of things ranging from lockdown amid COVID-19 pandemic, cricket and life.

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen conducted an Instagram Live session with Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday as the duo discussed a lot of things ranging from lockdown amid COVID-19 pandemic, cricket and life. Pietersen, during the candid interaction, asked Kohli about his two favourite batsmen with whom he likes to bat. Replying to Pietersen’s query, Kohli said he likes to bat with those who can run far while naming veteran Indian wicket-keeper MS Dhoni and Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB de Villiers. “I enjoy batting with those who can run fast with me. So it has to be MS when we play for India and AB when we play in the IPL for RCB. We don’t even talk while we are batting,” Kohli said during an Instagram live hosted by Pietersen. TRENDING! WATCH: When 'Boss' Anushka Sharma hijacked Instagram Live session between Kevin Pietersen and Virat Kohli Kohli and Dhoni have won many matches for India after the current Indian skipper made his debut under Dhoni in 2008 in Sri Lanka. Kohli also holds the record of scoring as many as 19 centuries under Dhoni, which is most by any Indian player under a skipper. The swashbuckling right-handed batsman went on to say that he never thought of sledging de Villiers as it may sour their personal bonding. Pietersen and Kohli then discussed the worldwide situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic and their off-the-field bonding since they played together for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL. “Right from 2009-10, we had amazing fun at RCB. We hit off well from Day 1. You came in as the big KP a star. We had a gun team with Kallis, Boucher, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid,” Kohli said. ALSO READ: IPL 2020 for 5 weeks as warm-up for T20 World Cup? Michael Vaughan comes up with interesting suggestion “We have reached three finals but haven’t won. We deserve to win a title. At RCB, we get talked about so much as we had stars. The more you think (about winning the IPL), the more it keeps running away from you. There have been added pressure lately but we need to just enjoy and not take pressure.” Pietersen had earlier hosted Rohit Sharma, Ahmed Shehzad and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

'I enjoy batting with those who can...' - Virat Kohli names 2 batsmen he loves batting with during Instagram Live with Kevin Pietersen

<p>UEFA and Europe's top clubs have stated their determination that the current football season should be played to a conclusion and threatened that teams may be excluded from the next Champions League if their domestic competitions are ended prematurely.</p>

<p>In a joint letter released late on Thursday, UEFA, the European Club Association (ECA), and the European Leagues body representing nearly a thousand clubs in 29 countries, said that they were working on the possibility of playing on into July and August if need be.</p>

<p>The Champions League and Europa League -- both of which are currently frozen in the last-16 stage -- could be completed once the domestic seasons are finished, and "stopping competitions should really be the last resort after acknowledging that no calendar alternative would allow to conclude the season."</p>

<p>The joint response came after the Belgian Pro League announced on Thursday that it recommended declaring the current season over already with the present table accepted as final.</p>

<p>It is the first European league to take such a measure, although more could follow.</p>

<p>That means Club Brugge would in theory go straight into the next Champions League group stage, but UEFA, the ECA and the European Leagues indicated that they may be barred from continental competition if the Belgian league decision is finalised.</p>

<p>"It is of paramount importance that even a disruptive event like this epidemic does not prevent our competitions from being decided on the field, in accordance with their rules and that all sporting titles are awarded on the basis of results," the joint letter said.</p>

<h2>- Not justified -</h2>

<p>"We are confident that football can restart in the months to come –- with conditions that will be dictated by public authorities -- and believe that any decision of abandoning domestic competitions is, at this stage, premature and not justified.</p>

<p>"Since participation in UEFA club competitions is determined by the sporting result achieved at the end of a full domestic competition, a premature termination would cast doubts about the fulfilment of such condition."</p>

<p>The letter concluded: "UEFA reserves the right to assess the entitlement of clubs to be admitted to the 2020/21 UEFA club competitions."</p>

<p>UEFA has set up two working groups to devise a way for European football to get out of the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p>One is tasked with looking at the legal and financial consequences of the crisis, while the other is devising a new match calendar. UEFA and the clubs have set themselves a mid-May target for deciding on the most viable option for completing the season.</p>

<p>There have been calls in other countries for this season to be declared null and void, but any option which rules out completing this season could have serious consequences for leagues reliant on huge television deals and who could find themselves having to reimburse broadcasters if remaining matches are not played.</p>

<p>Justifying its decision, the Belgian Pro League said it was "very unlikely" to be able to hold matches in front of crowds before June 30 and that it had "unanimously decided that it was not desirable...to continue the competition" after that date.</p>

<p>The decision still needs to be formally validated at a General Assembly on April 15.</p>


UEFA and Europe's top clubs have stated their determination that the current football season should be played to a conclusion and threatened that teams may be excluded from the next Champions League if their domestic competitions are ended prematurely.

UEFA and Europe's top clubs have stated their determination that the current football season should be played to a conclusion and threatened that teams may be excluded from the next Champions League if their domestic competitions are ended prematurely. In a joint letter released late on Thursday, UEFA, the European Club Association (ECA), and the European Leagues body representing nearly a thousand clubs in 29 countries, said that they were working on the possibility of playing on into July and August if need be. The Champions League and Europa League -- both of which are currently frozen in the last-16 stage -- could be completed once the domestic seasons are finished, and "stopping competitions should really be the last resort after acknowledging that no calendar alternative would allow to conclude the season." The joint response came after the Belgian Pro League announced on Thursday that it recommended declaring the current season over already with the present table accepted as final. It is the first European league to take such a measure, although more could follow. That means Club Brugge would in theory go straight into the next Champions League group stage, but UEFA, the ECA and the European Leagues indicated that they may be barred from continental competition if the Belgian league decision is finalised. "It is of paramount importance that even a disruptive event like this epidemic does not prevent our competitions from being decided on the field, in accordance with their rules and that all sporting titles are awarded on the basis of results," the joint letter said. - Not justified - "We are confident that football can restart in the months to come –- with conditions that will be dictated by public authorities -- and believe that any decision of abandoning domestic competitions is, at this stage, premature and not justified. "Since participation in UEFA club competitions is determined by the sporting result achieved at the end of a full domestic competition, a premature termination would cast doubts about the fulfilment of such condition." The letter concluded: "UEFA reserves the right to assess the entitlement of clubs to be admitted to the 2020/21 UEFA club competitions." UEFA has set up two working groups to devise a way for European football to get out of the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. One is tasked with looking at the legal and financial consequences of the crisis, while the other is devising a new match calendar. UEFA and the clubs have set themselves a mid-May target for deciding on the most viable option for completing the season. There have been calls in other countries for this season to be declared null and void, but any option which rules out completing this season could have serious consequences for leagues reliant on huge television deals and who could find themselves having to reimburse broadcasters if remaining matches are not played. Justifying its decision, the Belgian Pro League said it was "very unlikely" to be able to hold matches in front of crowds before June 30 and that it had "unanimously decided that it was not desirable...to continue the competition" after that date. The decision still needs to be formally validated at a General Assembly on April 15.

UEFA warn clubs risk Champions League exclusion if seasons are not completed

<p>Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen on Thursday continued his series of Instagram Live sessions as he was joined in by Indian captain Virat Kohli and the duo discussed all things related to cricket, their friendship, life and situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic. However, the live session witnessed a hilarious moment when Kohli’s wife and Bollywood superstar Anushka Sharma hijacked the conversation and asked Kohli to come for dinner.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kohli and Pietersen share a great rapport since playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore for two seasons – 2009 and 2010 – in Indian Premier League before the Englishman moved to the Delhi-based franchise in 2012. The duo discussed RCB’s performance in IPL over the years while the Indian skipper also revealed why he transformed into a vegetarian.</p>

<p>Kohli, during the live session, said that he has never spent so much time with Anushka since their marriage in 2017.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-for-5-weeks-as-warm-up-for-t20-world-cup-michael-vaughan-comes-up-with-interesting-suggestion-290326" hreflang="en">IPL 2020 for 5 weeks as warm-up for T20 World Cup? Michael Vaughan comes up with interesting suggestion</a></strong></p>

<p>“It is the longest we have spent together in one place since we have been married. We have never been in one place for so long at the same time. It’s bizarre. It’s not a good thing to single out this as an opportunity to spend time. But it is what it is. We have to be positive and we are being cautious. These are strange times,” the Indian skipper said.</p>

<p>However, as Kohli and Pietersen continued with their discussion, Anushka suddenly commented on it and asked Kohli to join her for dinner. "Chalo chalo dinner time," wrote Anushka, asking Kohli and Pietersen to end their chat.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So funniest and valuable Instagram live between Kevin pietersen and virat Kohli <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KP24</a><a href="https://twitter.com/AnushkaSharma?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnushkaSharma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/VikasVe40501958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VikasVe40501958</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID2019</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID%E3%83%BC19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVIDー19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Corona?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Corona</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronaupdatesindia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronaupdatesindia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StayHomeSaveLives?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StayHomeSaveLives</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NarendraModi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NarendraModi</a> <a href="https://t.co/TH7mMgeNyU">pic.twitter.com/TH7mMgeNyU</a></p>
— Vikas Verma (@VikasVe40501958) <a href="https://twitter.com/VikasVe40501958/status/1245980060282056706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Pietersen later shared a screenshot of Anushka’s comment on Instagram as he wrote: "When the BOSS said time was up, time was up! @anushkasharma @virat.kohli Hope you all enjoyed that? Just two dudes hanging out."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pm-modi-holds-meeting-with-40-sportspersons-including-virat-kohli-sachin-tendulkar-pv-sindhu-to-discuss-covid-19-situation-in-india-290310" hreflang="en">PM Modi holds meeting with 40 sportspersons including Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu to discuss COVID-19 situation in India</a></strong></p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-e9cpyFw2S/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">When the BOSS said time was up, time was up! @anushkasharma @virat.kohli Hope you all enjoyed that? Just two dudes hanging out....</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kp24/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Kevin Pietersen</a> (@kp24) on <time datetime="2020-04-02T15:36:50+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Apr 2, 2020 at 8:36am PDT</time></p>
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<p>Pietersen has already held live sessions with Rohit Sharma, Ahmed Shehzad, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Kohli was the latest to join the Englishman on his series of Instagram live session. &nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen on Thursday continued his series of Instagram Live sessions as he was joined in by Indian captain Virat Kohli and the duo discussed all things related to cricket, their friendship, life and situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic.

Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen on Thursday continued his series of Instagram Live sessions as he was joined in by Indian captain Virat Kohli and the duo discussed all things related to cricket, their friendship, life and situation surrounding COVID-19 pandemic. However, the live session witnessed a hilarious moment when Kohli’s wife and Bollywood superstar Anushka Sharma hijacked the conversation and asked Kohli to come for dinner. Kohli and Pietersen share a great rapport since playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore for two seasons – 2009 and 2010 – in Indian Premier League before the Englishman moved to the Delhi-based franchise in 2012. The duo discussed RCB’s performance in IPL over the years while the Indian skipper also revealed why he transformed into a vegetarian. Kohli, during the live session, said that he has never spent so much time with Anushka since their marriage in 2017. ALSO READ: IPL 2020 for 5 weeks as warm-up for T20 World Cup? Michael Vaughan comes up with interesting suggestion “It is the longest we have spent together in one place since we have been married. We have never been in one place for so long at the same time. It’s bizarre. It’s not a good thing to single out this as an opportunity to spend time. But it is what it is. We have to be positive and we are being cautious. These are strange times,” the Indian skipper said. However, as Kohli and Pietersen continued with their discussion, Anushka suddenly commented on it and asked Kohli to join her for dinner. "Chalo chalo dinner time," wrote Anushka, asking Kohli and Pietersen to end their chat. So funniest and valuable Instagram live between Kevin pietersen and virat Kohli @imVkohli @KP24@AnushkaSharma @VikasVe40501958 #COVID2019 #COVIDー19 #Corona #coronaupdatesindia #StayHomeSaveLives #NarendraModi pic.twitter.com/TH7mMgeNyU — Vikas Verma (@VikasVe40501958) April 3, 2020 × Pietersen later shared a screenshot of Anushka’s comment on Instagram as he wrote: "When the BOSS said time was up, time was up! @anushkasharma @virat.kohli Hope you all enjoyed that? Just two dudes hanging out." ALSO READ: PM Modi holds meeting with 40 sportspersons including Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu to discuss COVID-19 situation in India View this post on Instagram When the BOSS said time was up, time was up! @anushkasharma @virat.kohli Hope you all enjoyed that? Just two dudes hanging out.... A post shared by Kevin Pietersen (@kp24) on Apr 2, 2020 at 8:36am PDT × Pietersen has already held live sessions with Rohit Sharma, Ahmed Shehzad, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and Kohli was the latest to join the Englishman on his series of Instagram live session.

WATCH: When 'Boss' Anushka Sharma hijacked Instagram Live session between Kevin Pietersen and Virat Kohli

From Virat Kohli to Jasprit Bumrah: How star cricketers are spending their time during lockdown

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a meeting, via video conferencing, with 40 top sportspersons from different sports and discussed the situation surrounding COVID-19 in India. Among the top 40 sportspersons to join the meeting with PM Modi were Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Hima Das, Mary Kom, among others.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This was the first time that PM Modi interacted with sports icons of India since the 21-day lockdown was enforced to curb the spread of the deadly virus in the country. With the COVID-19 virus spreading like a wildfire in the nation, PM Modi asked all the sportspersons to spread the message of social&nbsp;distancing in a bid to combat the dreaded virus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The other prominent athletes included PT Usha, Pullela Gopichand, Vishwanathan Anand, Hima Das, Bajrang Punia, Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Manu Bhaker, Sharad Kumar, Ajay Thakur and Cheteshwar Pujara, among others.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meeting with 40 top sportspersons from various sports via video conferencing today, on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> situation in the country. <a href="https://t.co/NGzl4mL45x">pic.twitter.com/NGzl4mL45x</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1245957238193369088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-virus-rewriting-history-books-in-tennis-mahesh-bhupathi-opens-up-on-wimbledon-cancellation-life-in-lockdown-and-more-290212" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Virus rewriting history books in tennis' - Mahesh Bhupathi opens up on Wimbledon cancellation, life in lockdown and more</a></strong></p>

<p>The likes of Ganguly, Tendulkar, Kohli, Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu&nbsp;and Hima Das offered their suggestions surrounding the COVID-19 situation in the country to PM Modi.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meeting with 40 top sportspersons, including Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu and Hima Das, via video conferencing today, on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> situation in the country. <a href="https://t.co/eC4xKceL4a">pic.twitter.com/eC4xKceL4a</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1245958634028306432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, PM Modi urged people to gather for a unique exercise on April 5 at 9 PM to display the unity in the fight against COVID-19. PM Modi asked everyone to turn off all the lights at 9 PM, on April 5, and light a diya, candle, torch or flashlight for 9 minutes as a display of unity in these tough times.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">From sharing videos that reaffirm the importance of fitness, helping the poor and needy, emphasising on social distancing as well as contributing to efforts such as PM-CARES, our sportspersons are doing excellent towards making India free from COVID-19.</p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1245987822525267968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-deepak-chahar-opens-up-on-life-in-lockdown-injuries-regaining-rhythm-and-love-for-guitar-289712" hreflang="en">EXCLUSIVE: Deepak Chahar opens up on life in lockdown, injuries, regaining rhythm and love for guitar</a></strong></p>

<p>"On this Sunday, April 5, we will challenge the darkness of coronavirus threat together. On April 5, at 9 pm, I need your 9 minutes. At 9 pm, turn off all the lights in your houses and light a Diya, candle, torch or flashlight for 9 minutes at your doors, or balcony," PM Modi said on Friday.</p>

<p>The sporting calendar has been shredded into pieces by the COVID-19 pandemic with almost all the major tournaments and events getting either cancelled or postponed in the wake of the deadly virus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In India, the total number of positive cases has rapidly risen to 2,069, as of Thursday morning, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the death toll now at 53.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a meeting, via video conferencing, with 40 top sportspersons from different sports and discussed the situation surrounding COVID-19 in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a meeting, via video conferencing, with 40 top sportspersons from different sports and discussed the situation surrounding COVID-19 in India. Among the top 40 sportspersons to join the meeting with PM Modi were Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Hima Das, Mary Kom, among others. This was the first time that PM Modi interacted with sports icons of India since the 21-day lockdown was enforced to curb the spread of the deadly virus in the country. With the COVID-19 virus spreading like a wildfire in the nation, PM Modi asked all the sportspersons to spread the message of social distancing in a bid to combat the dreaded virus. The other prominent athletes included PT Usha, Pullela Gopichand, Vishwanathan Anand, Hima Das, Bajrang Punia, Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Manu Bhaker, Sharad Kumar, Ajay Thakur and Cheteshwar Pujara, among others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meeting with 40 top sportspersons from various sports via video conferencing today, on #COVID19 situation in the country. pic.twitter.com/NGzl4mL45x — ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2020 × ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Virus rewriting history books in tennis' - Mahesh Bhupathi opens up on Wimbledon cancellation, life in lockdown and more The likes of Ganguly, Tendulkar, Kohli, Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu and Hima Das offered their suggestions surrounding the COVID-19 situation in the country to PM Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held meeting with 40 top sportspersons, including Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu and Hima Das, via video conferencing today, on #COVID19 situation in the country. pic.twitter.com/eC4xKceL4a — ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2020 × Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, PM Modi urged people to gather for a unique exercise on April 5 at 9 PM to display the unity in the fight against COVID-19. PM Modi asked everyone to turn off all the lights at 9 PM, on April 5, and light a diya, candle, torch or flashlight for 9 minutes as a display of unity in these tough times. From sharing videos that reaffirm the importance of fitness, helping the poor and needy, emphasising on social distancing as well as contributing to efforts such as PM-CARES, our sportspersons are doing excellent towards making India free from COVID-19. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 3, 2020 × ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Deepak Chahar opens up on life in lockdown, injuries, regaining rhythm and love for guitar "On this Sunday, April 5, we will challenge the darkness of coronavirus threat together. On April 5, at 9 pm, I need your 9 minutes. At 9 pm, turn off all the lights in your houses and light a Diya, candle, torch or flashlight for 9 minutes at your doors, or balcony," PM Modi said on Friday. The sporting calendar has been shredded into pieces by the COVID-19 pandemic with almost all the major tournaments and events getting either cancelled or postponed in the wake of the deadly virus. In India, the total number of positive cases has rapidly risen to 2,069, as of Thursday morning, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the death toll now at 53.

PM Modi holds meeting with 40 sportspersons including Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu to discuss COVID-19 situation in India

<p class="MsoNormal">Former England captain Michael Vaughan on Friday came up with a suggestion in regards to the much-anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as he said that a five-week tournament could be held in September-October including all overseas and domestic players. Vaughan suggested that IPL 2020 could be played as a warm-up for the ICC T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in Australia in October 2020. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Vaughan took to social media platform to lay out his suggestion as the former English cricketer said IPL is such an important tournament as it affects cricket’s economy not just in India but globally while adding the tournament could be played for five weeks if travel restrictions are cleared out by then. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">“My thoughts on the IPL .. as it’s such an important tournament for the games economy globally not just in India .. I would play a 5 week tournament Sept/Oct including all players as a warm up for the T20 WC .. that’s if we are clear to travel by then .. Thoughts? #Stayhome,” Vaughan tweeted on Friday.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pm-modi-holds-meeting-with-40-sportspersons-including-virat-kohli-sachin-tendulkar-pv-sindhu-to-discuss-covid-19-situation-in-india-290310" hreflang="en">PM Modi holds meeting with 40 sportspersons including Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu to discuss COVID-19 situation in India</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My thoughts on the IPL .. as it’s such an important tournament for the games economy globally not just in India .. I would play a 5 week tournament Sept/Oct including all players as a warm up for the T20 WC .. that’s if we are clear to travel by then .. Thoughts ? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Stayhome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Stayhome</a></p>
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1245970061875122176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The 13<sup>th</sup> edition of IPL was earlier scheduled to be held on March 29 but was suspended until April 15 in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak in the country. While the three-match ODI series between India and South Africa was aborted mid-way, other bilateral series (worldwide) and tournaments like Pakistan Super League were also postponed. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-new-zealand-june-july-tours-in-doubt-due-to-coronavirus-290281" hreflang="en">Cricket: New Zealand June-July tours in doubt due to coronavirus</a></strong></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Eventually, the Indian government decided to put a hold on domestic and international air travel with the country going under a 21-day lockdown period to curb the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">With the number of positive cases rapidly rising in India, the BCCI is looking for an alternate window later in 2020 given there’s a free window if Asia Cup 2020 is postponed or scrapped for the season.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">In India, the total number of positive cases has rapidly risen to 2,069, as of Thursday morning, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the death toll now at 53.<o:p></o:p></p>


Former England captain Michael Vaughan on Friday came up with a suggestion in regards to the much-anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as he said that a five-week tournament could be held in September-October including all overseas and domestic players.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan on Friday came up with a suggestion in regards to the much-anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 as he said that a five-week tournament could be held in September-October including all overseas and domestic players. Vaughan suggested that IPL 2020 could be played as a warm-up for the ICC T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in Australia in October 2020. Vaughan took to social media platform to lay out his suggestion as the former English cricketer said IPL is such an important tournament as it affects cricket’s economy not just in India but globally while adding the tournament could be played for five weeks if travel restrictions are cleared out by then. “My thoughts on the IPL .. as it’s such an important tournament for the games economy globally not just in India .. I would play a 5 week tournament Sept/Oct including all players as a warm up for the T20 WC .. that’s if we are clear to travel by then .. Thoughts? #Stayhome,” Vaughan tweeted on Friday. ALSO READ: PM Modi holds meeting with 40 sportspersons including Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu to discuss COVID-19 situation in India My thoughts on the IPL .. as it’s such an important tournament for the games economy globally not just in India .. I would play a 5 week tournament Sept/Oct including all players as a warm up for the T20 WC .. that’s if we are clear to travel by then .. Thoughts ? #Stayhome — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) April 3, 2020 × The 13th edition of IPL was earlier scheduled to be held on March 29 but was suspended until April 15 in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak in the country. While the three-match ODI series between India and South Africa was aborted mid-way, other bilateral series (worldwide) and tournaments like Pakistan Super League were also postponed. ALSO READ: Cricket: New Zealand June-July tours in doubt due to coronavirus Eventually, the Indian government decided to put a hold on domestic and international air travel with the country going under a 21-day lockdown period to curb the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. With the number of positive cases rapidly rising in India, the BCCI is looking for an alternate window later in 2020 given there’s a free window if Asia Cup 2020 is postponed or scrapped for the season. In India, the total number of positive cases has rapidly risen to 2,069, as of Thursday morning, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with the death toll now at 53.

IPL 2020 for 5 weeks as warm-up for T20 World Cup? Michael Vaughan comes up with interesting suggestion

<p>The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has helped raise Rs 71 lakh through donations from its state affiliates and National Sports Federations (NSF) as a contribution towards the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>

<p>"IOA is deeply grateful to its NSFs and state associations and other federation and bodies for extending their support and humble contributions towards the cause of our nation's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," the IOA said in a statement issued by its Secretary General Rajeev Mehta.</p>

<p>"In these challenging times, the coming together of the Olympic family to support the nation's need once again reinforces our belief that we shall always come out stronger to serve sports and make the nation proud."</p>

<p>The IOA will transfer the donations to Prime Minister Cares Fund, the statement added.</p>

<p>The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has claimed over 53,000 lives worldwide while infecting more than a million people.</p>

<p>In India, it has led to 56 deaths as per official estimates with over 2,000 people infected by the deadly virus.</p>

<p>Several sports personalities, including Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, shuttler PV Sindhu and athletes Neeraj Chopra and Hima Das, have also come forward to provide financial contributions to fight against the disease.</p>


The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has helped raise Rs 71 lakh through donations from its state affiliates and National Sports Federations (NSF) as a contribution towards the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has helped raise Rs 71 lakh through donations from its state affiliates and National Sports Federations (NSF) as a contribution towards the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. "IOA is deeply grateful to its NSFs and state associations and other federation and bodies for extending their support and humble contributions towards the cause of our nation's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic," the IOA said in a statement issued by its Secretary General Rajeev Mehta. "In these challenging times, the coming together of the Olympic family to support the nation's need once again reinforces our belief that we shall always come out stronger to serve sports and make the nation proud." The IOA will transfer the donations to Prime Minister Cares Fund, the statement added. The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has claimed over 53,000 lives worldwide while infecting more than a million people. In India, it has led to 56 deaths as per official estimates with over 2,000 people infected by the deadly virus. Several sports personalities, including Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, shuttler PV Sindhu and athletes Neeraj Chopra and Hima Das, have also come forward to provide financial contributions to fight against the disease.

IOA raises Rs 71 lakh as contribution in country's battle against COVID-19 pandemic

<p>Uruguay star Luis Suarez complained on Thursday that he has been "hurt" by criticism of him and fellow millionaire Barcelona players for the time it took to agree to pay cuts to help out other club employees.</p>

<p>Argentine superstar Lionel Messi announced on Monday that Barca's players had agreed to a 70 percent pay cut and to make contributions to ensure the club's non-playing staff could be paid in full during the state of alarm in Spain caused by the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p>Footballers across Europe's top leagues have come under fire as some clubs have made cuts to their non-playing staff or their salaries while many wealthy players have yet to see their incomings affected.</p>

<p>"It hurts because we were the first to want to reach an agreement," Suarez told Uruguayan radio station Sport890.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We know the situation the club is in, the situation the world is in right now and it was a minimal detail (holding up the agreement).</p>

<p>"But people have said things like us players didn't want to give in; that the basketball and handball players came to an agreement and we didn't.</p>

<p>"We hadn't come to an agreement because we were waiting to find the best solution for the club, and to our benefit and trying to help the employees."</p>

<p>In announcing the agreement, Messi had directed a thinly veiled swipe at the Barca board, led by president Josep Maria Bartomeu, whom he accused of undermining the players during recent negotiations.</p>

<p>His lengthy Instagram post was shared by a slew of teammates, including Suarez.</p>

<p>Striker Suarez, who has remained in Spain unlike some of his European-based international teammates such as Edinson Cavani and Diego Godin, called on Uruguay to impose a strict lockdown.</p>

<p>"It's the best solution for everyone. I know it's difficult in Uruguay where many people live day to day ... but if we don't all come together and go in the same direction, it's going to be difficult to come out of this situation," he said.</p>

<p>Uruguay has partially closed its borders, shut schools and shopping malls and advised people to social distance and stay at home, but hasn't imposed a lockdown.</p>

<p>So far, the country has had 350 coronavirus cases and four deaths.</p>


Uruguay star Luis Suarez complained on Thursday that he has been "hurt" by criticism of him and fellow millionaire Barcelona players for the time it took to agree to pay cuts to help out other club employees.

Uruguay star Luis Suarez complained on Thursday that he has been "hurt" by criticism of him and fellow millionaire Barcelona players for the time it took to agree to pay cuts to help out other club employees. Argentine superstar Lionel Messi announced on Monday that Barca's players had agreed to a 70 percent pay cut and to make contributions to ensure the club's non-playing staff could be paid in full during the state of alarm in Spain caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Footballers across Europe's top leagues have come under fire as some clubs have made cuts to their non-playing staff or their salaries while many wealthy players have yet to see their incomings affected. "It hurts because we were the first to want to reach an agreement," Suarez told Uruguayan radio station Sport890. "We know the situation the club is in, the situation the world is in right now and it was a minimal detail (holding up the agreement). "But people have said things like us players didn't want to give in; that the basketball and handball players came to an agreement and we didn't. "We hadn't come to an agreement because we were waiting to find the best solution for the club, and to our benefit and trying to help the employees." In announcing the agreement, Messi had directed a thinly veiled swipe at the Barca board, led by president Josep Maria Bartomeu, whom he accused of undermining the players during recent negotiations. His lengthy Instagram post was shared by a slew of teammates, including Suarez. Striker Suarez, who has remained in Spain unlike some of his European-based international teammates such as Edinson Cavani and Diego Godin, called on Uruguay to impose a strict lockdown. "It's the best solution for everyone. I know it's difficult in Uruguay where many people live day to day ... but if we don't all come together and go in the same direction, it's going to be difficult to come out of this situation," he said. Uruguay has partially closed its borders, shut schools and shopping malls and advised people to social distance and stay at home, but hasn't imposed a lockdown. So far, the country has had 350 coronavirus cases and four deaths.

Luis Suarez 'hurt' by criticism of Barcelona players' pay cut delay

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