Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday proposed a three-match series between India and Pakistan, behind closed doors, in a bid to raise funds to combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Akhtar has said the matches can be a TV only affair and the three-match rubber can gain a massive following as everyone is sitting at home due to lockdown.&nbsp;

Reacting to Akhtar’s proposal, former India skipper Kapil Dev, while speaking to a news channel, has said that this is not the time to think about cricket as the saving lives and getting through these dire situations should be the priority. Kapil said while Akhtar has good intentions behind the proposal, there is no need for anyone including the cricketers to step outside their house as per the directives.

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">EXCLUSIVE: Deepak Chahar opens up on life in lockdown, injuries, regaining rhythm and love for guitar</a>

“India does not need money today so such a series should not be held. And why put our cricketers’ life in danger? So sit back and relax at home,” Dev told a news channel.

“Why take the risk of endangering even one life? There’s no need for anyone to give such suggestions. The authorities are trying their best to make people understand the importance of staying home. It’s easy to say things but organising such an event is extremely difficult.”

Earlier, Akhtar had suggested that the funds generated through the India-Pakistan series can be donated equally to the government of both the nations to fight COVID-19 pandemic.

“In this time of crisis, I want to propose a three-match series in which for the first time, the people of neither country would be upset at the outcome of the games,” Akhtar told PTI from Islamabad.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-we-are-all-in-it-together-mary-kom-opens-up-on-covid-19-pandemic-olympic-gold-dream-life-in-lockdown-and-more-290909" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'We are all in it together' - Mary Kom opens up on COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic gold dream, life in lockdown and more</a>

“If Virat (Kohli) scores a hundred, we will be happy, if Babar Azam scores a hundred, you will be happy. Both teams will be winners irrespective of whatever happens on the field,” he said.

“It can be a TV only affair. Since everyone will be watching at home, you are bound to get massive viewership for the games. For the first time, both countries will play for each other. And whatever funds are generated through this can be donated equally to the government of India and Pakistan to fight this pandemic,” added the 44-year-old.

India and Pakistan have not played a full-fledged bilateral series 2007 amid the diplomatic tensions. Both the nations have locked horns only in the ICC events and Asia Cup.&nbsp;

“It could even lead to resumption of bilateral cricketing ties and relations of both countries improve diplomatically. You never know,” said the ‘Rawalpindi Express’.

“The whole world will tune into it, so much money can be raised to deal with this crisis. In difficult times, the character of the nation comes forward.” In these extraordinary times, Akhtar feels both countries should help each other.

“If India can make 10,000 ventilators for us, Pakistan will remember this gesture forever. But we can only propose the matches. The rest is up to the authorities (to decide).”

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday proposed a three-match series between India and Pakistan, behind closed doors, in a bid to raise funds to combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday proposed a three-match series between India and Pakistan, behind closed doors, in a bid to raise funds to combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Akhtar has said the matches can be a TV only affair and the three-match rubber can gain a massive following as everyone is sitting at home due to lockdown. Reacting to Akhtar’s proposal, former India skipper Kapil Dev, while speaking to a news channel, has said that this is not the time to think about cricket as the saving lives and getting through these dire situations should be the priority. Kapil said while Akhtar has good intentions behind the proposal, there is no need for anyone including the cricketers to step outside their house as per the directives. ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Deepak Chahar opens up on life in lockdown, injuries, regaining rhythm and love for guitar “India does not need money today so such a series should not be held. And why put our cricketers’ life in danger? So sit back and relax at home,” Dev told a news channel. “Why take the risk of endangering even one life? There’s no need for anyone to give such suggestions. The authorities are trying their best to make people understand the importance of staying home. It’s easy to say things but organising such an event is extremely difficult.” Earlier, Akhtar had suggested that the funds generated through the India-Pakistan series can be donated equally to the government of both the nations to fight COVID-19 pandemic. “In this time of crisis, I want to propose a three-match series in which for the first time, the people of neither country would be upset at the outcome of the games,” Akhtar told PTI from Islamabad. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'We are all in it together' - Mary Kom opens up on COVID-19 pandemic, Olympic gold dream, life in lockdown and more “If Virat (Kohli) scores a hundred, we will be happy, if Babar Azam scores a hundred, you will be happy. Both teams will be winners irrespective of whatever happens on the field,” he said. “It can be a TV only affair. Since everyone will be watching at home, you are bound to get massive viewership for the games. For the first time, both countries will play for each other. And whatever funds are generated through this can be donated equally to the government of India and Pakistan to fight this pandemic,” added the 44-year-old. India and Pakistan have not played a full-fledged bilateral series 2007 amid the diplomatic tensions. Both the nations have locked horns only in the ICC events and Asia Cup. “It could even lead to resumption of bilateral cricketing ties and relations of both countries improve diplomatically. You never know,” said the ‘Rawalpindi Express’. “The whole world will tune into it, so much money can be raised to deal with this crisis. In difficult times, the character of the nation comes forward.” In these extraordinary times, Akhtar feels both countries should help each other. “If India can make 10,000 ventilators for us, Pakistan will remember this gesture forever. But we can only propose the matches. The rest is up to the authorities (to decide).”

'Sit back and relax at home' - Kapil Dev dismisses Shoaib Akhtar’s proposal of India-Pakistan charity series to fight against COVID-19

There is no larger symbol of the global sports shutdown than cricket's 110,000-seater Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, opened by US President Donald Trump, but yet to see a ball bowled.

India's newest and the world's biggest cricket stadium lies empty because of the coronavirus pandemic. Where there should be the sound of leather on willow and the roar of the crowd, there is only silence.

Just a few weeks ago, it had been packed to capacity as Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood side-by-side in a show of pomp and ceremony for the February 24 inauguration.&nbsp;

Eclipsing Australia's 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, it was rumoured to be in line to host the final of this year's Indian Premier League, the world's richest Twenty20 tournament, watched by millions worldwide.

But then came COVID-19. The pandemic has brought the sporting world to a grinding halt with massive events including the Tokyo Olympics, football's European Championships, golf and tennis majors, and the glitzy IPL postponed.

"There was hardly any time between the Trump event and the pandemic," a senior Gujarat Cricket Association official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that once cricket resumes, the stadium could be ready "in double-quick time."

"Just five percent work is remaining and it just needs the finishing touches," the official added.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has pushed back the IPL from its original start date of March 29 to April 15, but with the number of coronavirus cases in India exceeding 5,000 and still rising, pressure is growing for it to be shifted again, truncated or scrapped.

<h2>- Unobstructed views -</h2>

The $100-million, circular venue, promises unobstructed views and has state-of-the-art facilities including an Olympic-sized swimming pool as part of a multisports complex.

Next door, a refurbished venue on the site of the&nbsp;former 49,000-capacity Motera Stadium will serve as a venue for cricket, football and hockey.

Critics have charged that it is another "white elephant" vanity project in Modi's home state, following the completion of the world's largest statue there in 2018 - also dedicated to independence hero Sardar Patel.

The giant Statue of Unity measures 182 metres tall (597 feet) -- twice the height of New York's Statue of Liberty.

Modi was Gujarat chief minister for 13 years until 2014, and revamping the former Motera stadium had been long a pet project.

Home Minister Amit Shah, a close ally, headed the Gujarat Cricket Association till last year and his son Jay Shah is the secretary of the BCCI, the world's richest and most powerful cricket board.

Despite cricket being wildly popular in India, domestic first class matches -- and even some international Test matches -- are often played to near-empty stadiums.

The only matches guaranteed to attract big crowds are IPL games and one-day internationals -- and even then it depends on the quality of the opposition.

The nation of 1.3 billion people already has more than a dozen stadiums capable of hosting international cricket, although in the off-season they can be used for other events.

"You are left wondering whether it is a rock concert venue, (or) is it a cricket stadium?" ESPNcricinfo senior editor Sharda Ugra told AFP.

"I would have hoped that there would have been some analysis on the kind of grounds that India needs now.&nbsp;

"We have a lot of these giant grounds in which you have one international match in two years."

There is no larger symbol of the global sports shutdown than cricket's 110,000-seater Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, opened by US President Donald Trump, but yet to see a ball bowled.

There is no larger symbol of the global sports shutdown than cricket's 110,000-seater Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, opened by US President Donald Trump, but yet to see a ball bowled. India's newest and the world's biggest cricket stadium lies empty because of the coronavirus pandemic. Where there should be the sound of leather on willow and the roar of the crowd, there is only silence. Just a few weeks ago, it had been packed to capacity as Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood side-by-side in a show of pomp and ceremony for the February 24 inauguration. Eclipsing Australia's 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, it was rumoured to be in line to host the final of this year's Indian Premier League, the world's richest Twenty20 tournament, watched by millions worldwide. But then came COVID-19. The pandemic has brought the sporting world to a grinding halt with massive events including the Tokyo Olympics, football's European Championships, golf and tennis majors, and the glitzy IPL postponed. "There was hardly any time between the Trump event and the pandemic," a senior Gujarat Cricket Association official told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that once cricket resumes, the stadium could be ready "in double-quick time." "Just five percent work is remaining and it just needs the finishing touches," the official added. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has pushed back the IPL from its original start date of March 29 to April 15, but with the number of coronavirus cases in India exceeding 5,000 and still rising, pressure is growing for it to be shifted again, truncated or scrapped. - Unobstructed views - The $100-million, circular venue, promises unobstructed views and has state-of-the-art facilities including an Olympic-sized swimming pool as part of a multisports complex. Next door, a refurbished venue on the site of the former 49,000-capacity Motera Stadium will serve as a venue for cricket, football and hockey. Critics have charged that it is another "white elephant" vanity project in Modi's home state, following the completion of the world's largest statue there in 2018 - also dedicated to independence hero Sardar Patel. The giant Statue of Unity measures 182 metres tall (597 feet) -- twice the height of New York's Statue of Liberty. Modi was Gujarat chief minister for 13 years until 2014, and revamping the former Motera stadium had been long a pet project. Home Minister Amit Shah, a close ally, headed the Gujarat Cricket Association till last year and his son Jay Shah is the secretary of the BCCI, the world's richest and most powerful cricket board. Despite cricket being wildly popular in India, domestic first class matches -- and even some international Test matches -- are often played to near-empty stadiums. The only matches guaranteed to attract big crowds are IPL games and one-day internationals -- and even then it depends on the quality of the opposition. The nation of 1.3 billion people already has more than a dozen stadiums capable of hosting international cricket, although in the off-season they can be used for other events. "You are left wondering whether it is a rock concert venue, (or) is it a cricket stadium?" ESPNcricinfo senior editor Sharda Ugra told AFP. "I would have hoped that there would have been some analysis on the kind of grounds that India needs now. "We have a lot of these giant grounds in which you have one international match in two years."

Virus prevents play at Trump-opened world's biggest cricket stadium

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has raised more than £65,000 ($80,000) to help fight the coronavirus by auctioning off his World Cup final shirt.

Buttler's shirt, which he wore when completing the last-ball run-out that saw England beat New Zealand at Lord's last year, was sold to raise money for specialist heart and lung centres provided by the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals in London.

Buttler, who earlier in the showpiece match had hit a fifty and batted in the Super Over, put his long-sleeve keeping jersey up for sale on eBay a week ago.

By the time the auction closed on Tuesday, the shirt had attracted 82 bids with&nbsp;the winner paying £65,100.

Buttler, speaking on Monday, said: "It's a very special shirt but I think it takes on extra meaning with it being able to hopefully go to the emergency cause."

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has raised more than £65,000 ($80,000) to help fight the coronavirus by auctioning off his World Cup final shirt. Buttler's shirt, which he wore when completing the last-ball run-out that saw England beat New Zealand at Lord's last year, was sold to raise money for specialist heart and lung centres provided by the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals in London.

England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has raised more than £65,000 ($80,000) to help fight the coronavirus by auctioning off his World Cup final shirt. Buttler's shirt, which he wore when completing the last-ball run-out that saw England beat New Zealand at Lord's last year, was sold to raise money for specialist heart and lung centres provided by the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals in London. Buttler, who earlier in the showpiece match had hit a fifty and batted in the Super Over, put his long-sleeve keeping jersey up for sale on eBay a week ago. By the time the auction closed on Tuesday, the shirt had attracted 82 bids with the winner paying £65,100. Buttler, speaking on Monday, said: "It's a very special shirt but I think it takes on extra meaning with it being able to hopefully go to the emergency cause."

Jos Buttler's World Cup final shirt raises £65,000 for hospital appeal

Ben Stokes on Wednesday ended Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s three-year reign as Wisden’s leading cricketer in the world following his heroics in the ICC World Cup 2019 and the Ashes.&nbsp;

The 2020 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, which was published on Thursday, crowned Stokes as the cricketer of the year as the flamboyant all-rounder became the first Englishman to receive the honour since Andrew Flintoff in 2005.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virus-prevents-play-at-trump-opened-worlds-biggest-cricket-stadium-291302" hreflang="en">Virus prevents play at Trump-opened world's biggest cricket stadium</a>

Wisden described Stokes’ performance in the World Cup and then in the Ashes as ‘performance of a lifetime’.

"Ben Stokes pulled off the performance of a lifetime -- twice in the space of a few weeks," said Wisden editor Lawrence Booth.

"First, with a mixture of outrageous talent and good fortune, he rescued England's run-chase in the World Cup final, before helping to hit 15 off the super over. Then, in the third Ashes Test at Headingley, he produced one of the great innings, smashing an unbeaten 135 to pinch a one-wicket win.

"Against red ball or white, he was a force of nature."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jos-buttlers-world-cup-final-shirt-raises-ps65000-for-hospital-appeal-291301" hreflang="en">Jos Buttler's World Cup final shirt raises £65,000 for hospital appeal</a>

Earlier in January, Stokes was named ICC’s Player of the Year following his tremendous run of form across formats.

Furthermore, Ellyse Perry of Australia reclaimed the leading women's cricketer in the world title from Indian opener Smriti Mandhana.&nbsp;

England pacer Jofra Archer, Australia’s Pat Cummins and Marnus Labuschagne, Ellyse Perry and Essex spinner Simon Harmer was among the Wisden’s five cricketers of the year.<o:p></o:p>

Ben Stokes on Wednesday ended Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s three-year reign as Wisden’s leading cricketer in the world following his heroics in the ICC World Cup 2019 and the Ashes.

Ben Stokes on Wednesday ended Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s three-year reign as Wisden’s leading cricketer in the world following his heroics in the ICC World Cup 2019 and the Ashes. The 2020 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, which was published on Thursday, crowned Stokes as the cricketer of the year as the flamboyant all-rounder became the first Englishman to receive the honour since Andrew Flintoff in 2005. ALSO READ: Virus prevents play at Trump-opened world's biggest cricket stadium Wisden described Stokes’ performance in the World Cup and then in the Ashes as ‘performance of a lifetime’. "Ben Stokes pulled off the performance of a lifetime -- twice in the space of a few weeks," said Wisden editor Lawrence Booth. "First, with a mixture of outrageous talent and good fortune, he rescued England's run-chase in the World Cup final, before helping to hit 15 off the super over. Then, in the third Ashes Test at Headingley, he produced one of the great innings, smashing an unbeaten 135 to pinch a one-wicket win. "Against red ball or white, he was a force of nature." ALSO READ: Jos Buttler's World Cup final shirt raises £65,000 for hospital appeal Earlier in January, Stokes was named ICC’s Player of the Year following his tremendous run of form across formats. Furthermore, Ellyse Perry of Australia reclaimed the leading women's cricketer in the world title from Indian opener Smriti Mandhana. England pacer Jofra Archer, Australia’s Pat Cummins and Marnus Labuschagne, Ellyse Perry and Essex spinner Simon Harmer was among the Wisden’s five cricketers of the year.

Ben Stokes named  Wisden's leading cricketer in the world, ends Virat Kohli's three-year reign

Former India pacer Ashish Nehra reckons there is 100 per cent possibility of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 taking place in the final quarter of the year 2020 given the situation surrounding COVID-19 improves worldwide by October.&nbsp;

The IPL 2020 was earlier scheduled to be played from March 29 but was suspended till April 15. However, with entire India currently under a 21-day lockdown period, there no clarity whether it would go ahead at all.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-is-massive-hope-there-is-a-way-to-schedule-ipl-later-in-the-year-rajasthan-royals-jos-buttler-291119" hreflang="en">IPL is massive, hope there is a way to schedule IPL later in the year: Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler</a>

Nehra is of the view that if the IPL happens in August, a lot of matches will get cancelled due to monsoon season in India. However, the World Cup winner added that if things are back to normal by October then the organisers will have 100 per cent clearance to conduct the cash-rich tournament.

"Even if the IPL doesn't happen in August, (because) there are a lot of places in India that witness rains during that month and there are high chances that lots of matches will get cancelled," Nehra told host broadcasters’ show 'Cricket Connected'.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/harbhajan-singh-fine-with-the-idea-of-ipl-2020-behind-closed-doors-291101" hreflang="en">Harbhajan Singh fine with the idea of IPL 2020 behind closed doors</a>

"If things go back to normal around the world by October, we'll have a 100 per cent clearance," he reckoned.

However, with the spike in COVID-19 cases increasing with each passing day in India and across the world, there are less chances of IPL 2020 taking place this year. The deadly virus has claimed nearly 150 Indian lives apart from causing more than 80,000 global deaths with many countries going under complete lockdown, including India.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
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Former India pacer Ashish Nehra reckons there is 100 per cent possibility of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 taking place in the final quarter of the year 2020 given the situation surrounding COVID-19 improves worldwide by October.

Former India pacer Ashish Nehra reckons there is 100 per cent possibility of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 taking place in the final quarter of the year 2020 given the situation surrounding COVID-19 improves worldwide by October. The IPL 2020 was earlier scheduled to be played from March 29 but was suspended till April 15. However, with entire India currently under a 21-day lockdown period, there no clarity whether it would go ahead at all. ALSO READ: IPL is massive, hope there is a way to schedule IPL later in the year: Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler Nehra is of the view that if the IPL happens in August, a lot of matches will get cancelled due to monsoon season in India. However, the World Cup winner added that if things are back to normal by October then the organisers will have 100 per cent clearance to conduct the cash-rich tournament. "Even if the IPL doesn't happen in August, (because) there are a lot of places in India that witness rains during that month and there are high chances that lots of matches will get cancelled," Nehra told host broadcasters’ show 'Cricket Connected'. ALSO READ: Harbhajan Singh fine with the idea of IPL 2020 behind closed doors "If things go back to normal around the world by October, we'll have a 100 per cent clearance," he reckoned. However, with the spike in COVID-19 cases increasing with each passing day in India and across the world, there are less chances of IPL 2020 taking place this year. The deadly virus has claimed nearly 150 Indian lives apart from causing more than 80,000 global deaths with many countries going under complete lockdown, including India.

'We'll have a 100 per cent clearance if...' - Ashish Nehra opines on future of IPL 2020

With the entire world coming to a standstill due to COVID-19 pandemic, sportspersons have taken to social media platforms to catch up with their mates while keeping their fans and followers engaged during the time of lockdown. Indian opener Rohit Sharma on Tuesday had an Instagram Live session with former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh where the duo was seen discussing a lot of things related to cricket and the current situation surrounding coronavirus.&nbsp;

During the interaction, Yuvraj and Rohit touched upon the topic of team culture. Yuvraj stated that junior players aren’t that afraid of seniors now while adding there was a certain behavioral code in the past which is not the case right now in the Indian cricket team.&nbsp;

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Yuvraj further said that having so many legends in one team helped everyone in the squad to maintain the code of conduct as he added that now junior players are more available on social media, events and other things. &nbsp;

"There was a certain behaviour that we boys had to carry, how they talk to people, how they talk to media. Because they were the ambassadors of the game and India. But it is not the same anymore," Yuvraj told Rohit during the Instagram live session on Tuesday. &nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jos-buttlers-world-cup-final-shirt-raises-ps65000-for-hospital-appeal-291301">Jos Buttler's World Cup final shirt raises £65,000 for hospital appeal</a>

"I think juniors, because of social media, party scenes, these things, we could not even think about that in our time. Because we had that fear that if we do some mistake our senior will tell us that do not do this, this is not right," Yuvraj added. &nbsp;

The two-time World Cup winner touched upon the infamous incident involving Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul in a highly popular talk show which led to the suspension of the duo for their ‘sexist’ comments. Yuvraj said: "That incident could not have happened in our time."&nbsp; 
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With the entire world coming to a standstill due to COVID-19 pandemic, sportspersons have taken to social media platforms to catch up with their mates while keeping their fans and followers engaged during the time of lockdown.

With the entire world coming to a standstill due to COVID-19 pandemic, sportspersons have taken to social media platforms to catch up with their mates while keeping their fans and followers engaged during the time of lockdown. Indian opener Rohit Sharma on Tuesday had an Instagram Live session with former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh where the duo was seen discussing a lot of things related to cricket and the current situation surrounding coronavirus. During the interaction, Yuvraj and Rohit touched upon the topic of team culture. Yuvraj stated that junior players aren’t that afraid of seniors now while adding there was a certain behavioral code in the past which is not the case right now in the Indian cricket team. ALSO READ: Virus prevents play at Trump-opened world's biggest cricket stadium Yuvraj further said that having so many legends in one team helped everyone in the squad to maintain the code of conduct as he added that now junior players are more available on social media, events and other things. "There was a certain behaviour that we boys had to carry, how they talk to people, how they talk to media. Because they were the ambassadors of the game and India. But it is not the same anymore," Yuvraj told Rohit during the Instagram live session on Tuesday. ALSO READ: Jos Buttler's World Cup final shirt raises £65,000 for hospital appeal "I think juniors, because of social media, party scenes, these things, we could not even think about that in our time. Because we had that fear that if we do some mistake our senior will tell us that do not do this, this is not right," Yuvraj added. The two-time World Cup winner touched upon the infamous incident involving Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul in a highly popular talk show which led to the suspension of the duo for their ‘sexist’ comments. Yuvraj said: "That incident could not have happened in our time."

'Because we had that fear if...'- Yuvraj Singh explains change in Indian cricket team's culture

Former Australian cricketer and one of the best spinners of all-time, Shane Warne on Tuesday picked his all-time XI in the Indian Premier League (IPL) consisting only Indian players. Warne was having a live session on social media platform Instagram where the legendary leg-spinner and former skipper of Rajasthan Royals named his all-India IPL XI.&nbsp;

Warne went with the opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag with both the batters having incredible record and consistency in the cash-rich tournament. At number three, Warne named Team India and Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli. Notably, Kohli is also the highest run-scorer in the history of IPL. Following Kohli, Warne picked Yuvraj Singh at number four with Yusuf Pathan coming in at number five.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-players-too-scared-to-sledge-virat-kohli-or-indian-players-due-to-ipl-deals-michael-clarke-291129" hreflang="en">Australian players too scared to sledge Virat Kohli or Indian players due to IPL deals: Michael Clarke</a>

“Yusuf scored one of the best hundreds against Mumbai Indians and he also played a great knock in the IPL final in 2008,” Warne said in the video.

Yusuf was followed by Chennai Super Kings captain and another legend of the game, MS Dhoni. The former India skipper was followed by his CSK teammates, Ravindra Jadeja and Harbhajan Singh. However, Warne surprisingly named Siddharth Trivedi. The former RR pacer had once picked up the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya during a match between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-is-massive-hope-there-is-a-way-to-schedule-ipl-later-in-the-year-rajasthan-royals-jos-buttler-291119" hreflang="en">IPL is massive, hope there is a way to schedule IPL later in the year: Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler</a>

Completing the three-man pace attack, Warne named Munaf Patel and Zaheer Khan as the spearheads of the bowling line-up.&nbsp;

Shane Warne’s all-India IPL XI: Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Siddharth Trivedi, Munaf Patel, Zaheer Khan 
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Former Australian cricketer and one of the best spinners of all-time, Shane Warne on Tuesday picked his all-time XI in the Indian Premier League (IPL) consisting only Indian players.

Former Australian cricketer and one of the best spinners of all-time, Shane Warne on Tuesday picked his all-time XI in the Indian Premier League (IPL) consisting only Indian players. Warne was having a live session on social media platform Instagram where the legendary leg-spinner and former skipper of Rajasthan Royals named his all-India IPL XI. Warne went with the opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag with both the batters having incredible record and consistency in the cash-rich tournament. At number three, Warne named Team India and Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli. Notably, Kohli is also the highest run-scorer in the history of IPL. Following Kohli, Warne picked Yuvraj Singh at number four with Yusuf Pathan coming in at number five. ALSO READ: Australian players too scared to sledge Virat Kohli or Indian players due to IPL deals: Michael Clarke “Yusuf scored one of the best hundreds against Mumbai Indians and he also played a great knock in the IPL final in 2008,” Warne said in the video. Yusuf was followed by Chennai Super Kings captain and another legend of the game, MS Dhoni. The former India skipper was followed by his CSK teammates, Ravindra Jadeja and Harbhajan Singh. However, Warne surprisingly named Siddharth Trivedi. The former RR pacer had once picked up the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya during a match between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians. ALSO READ: IPL is massive, hope there is a way to schedule IPL later in the year: Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler Completing the three-man pace attack, Warne named Munaf Patel and Zaheer Khan as the spearheads of the bowling line-up. Shane Warne’s all-India IPL XI: Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Siddharth Trivedi, Munaf Patel, Zaheer Khan

Shane Warne picks all-India IPL XI; no Sachin Tendulkar in the team

The world’s number one Test batsman, Steve Smith has managed to outfox every world-class bowler by his unorthodox technique, which has left many bemused. The former Aussie skipper has, thus far, amassed as many as 7,227 runs in 73 Tests and 4,162 runs in ODI cricket with an uncanny technique and is hailed as one of the greatest batsmen ever to have graced the cricket field.

Smith has now revealed the reason behind his unusual stance, which sees his back-foot get planted in the line of off-stump. Speaking of his unorthodox batting stance, Smith said that his body posture depends on the bowler he is facing and how the wicket is playing on that particular day. However, it is mainly to limit the way of getting dismissed for Smith.

Talking about his open batting stance, Smith, said in a podcast hosted by Rajasthan Royals: “It depends on who’s bowling, how is the wicket playing, how I gonna score and stuff like that or how people are trying to get me out, probably that determines how open I am or otherwise how closed I am.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/covid-19-fight-gavaskar-contributes-rs-59-lakh-pujara-kashyap-join-list-of-donors-291164" hreflang="en">COVID-19 Fight: Gavaskar contributes Rs 59 lakh, Pujara, Kashyap join list of donors</a>

“But my general stance where my back foot is going to almost off stump or maybe even outside at stages, I know that anything outside my eyeline isn’t hitting the stumps,” he said while adding, “For me, you shouldn’t get out if the ball is not hitting the stumps, so that is just a trick from me when I first started doing it, just limiting the ways I get out,” he explained.

However, Smith has been trapped LBW and experts have blamed his uncanny batting stance for the reason behind the frequency of him getting out in that fashion.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-players-too-scared-to-sledge-virat-kohli-or-indian-players-due-to-ipl-deals-michael-clarke-291129" hreflang="en">Australian players too scared to sledge Virat Kohli or Indian players due to IPL deals: Michael Clarke</a>

“Sometimes, I get trapped in front but I’m okay with that at stages, knowing that if it is outside my eyeline, I don’t need to try and play the ball, I can just leave that,” he said.

Smith, who was out of cricket action for 12 months after a ban imposed by Cricket Australia for his role in the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal in 2018, was the highest run-scorer in 2019 when it comes to Test cricket. He went on to score as many as 589 runs in the Ashes 2019 at a whopping average of 147.25 laced with two hundred and a double century. 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The world’s number one Test batsman, Steve Smith has managed to outfox every world-class bowler by his unorthodox technique, which has left many bemused. The former Aussie skipper has, thus far, amassed as many as 7,227 runs in 73 Tests and 4,162 runs in ODI cricket with an uncanny technique and is hailed as one of the greatest batsmen ever to have graced the cricket field.

The world’s number one Test batsman, Steve Smith has managed to outfox every world-class bowler by his unorthodox technique, which has left many bemused. The former Aussie skipper has, thus far, amassed as many as 7,227 runs in 73 Tests and 4,162 runs in ODI cricket with an uncanny technique and is hailed as one of the greatest batsmen ever to have graced the cricket field. Smith has now revealed the reason behind his unusual stance, which sees his back-foot get planted in the line of off-stump. Speaking of his unorthodox batting stance, Smith said that his body posture depends on the bowler he is facing and how the wicket is playing on that particular day. However, it is mainly to limit the way of getting dismissed for Smith. Talking about his open batting stance, Smith, said in a podcast hosted by Rajasthan Royals: “It depends on who’s bowling, how is the wicket playing, how I gonna score and stuff like that or how people are trying to get me out, probably that determines how open I am or otherwise how closed I am. ALSO READ: COVID-19 Fight: Gavaskar contributes Rs 59 lakh, Pujara, Kashyap join list of donors “But my general stance where my back foot is going to almost off stump or maybe even outside at stages, I know that anything outside my eyeline isn’t hitting the stumps,” he said while adding, “For me, you shouldn’t get out if the ball is not hitting the stumps, so that is just a trick from me when I first started doing it, just limiting the ways I get out,” he explained. However, Smith has been trapped LBW and experts have blamed his uncanny batting stance for the reason behind the frequency of him getting out in that fashion. ALSO READ: Australian players too scared to sledge Virat Kohli or Indian players due to IPL deals: Michael Clarke “Sometimes, I get trapped in front but I’m okay with that at stages, knowing that if it is outside my eyeline, I don’t need to try and play the ball, I can just leave that,” he said. Smith, who was out of cricket action for 12 months after a ban imposed by Cricket Australia for his role in the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal in 2018, was the highest run-scorer in 2019 when it comes to Test cricket. He went on to score as many as 589 runs in the Ashes 2019 at a whopping average of 147.25 laced with two hundred and a double century.

What is the reason behind Steve Smith's unorthodox batting stance? World's no. 1 Test batsman explains

Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has said that he won’t mind playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 behind closed doors, in front of empty stands, as it will allow every fan to watch the tournament on their television sets.

Harbhajan, who plays for Chennai Super Kings, is of the view that the organisers have prioritise players and staff’s safety by ensuring that the stadiums, hotels, flights are properly sanitized while adding a lot of lives will be on the line if IPL 2020 takes place. &nbsp;

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/as-bundesliga-clubs-resume-training-a-debate-over-fairness-and-fitness-291089" hreflang="en">As Bundesliga clubs resume training, a debate over fairness and fitness</a>

"Spectators are important, but if the situation arises, I don't mind playing without them. Yes, as a player I won't get the vibe, but this will ensure that every fan will get to watch IPL on their TV," Harbhajan told the host broadcasters.

"We will have to be cautious about everything and should prioritise players' safety by ensuring that the match venues, team hotels, flights are properly sanitized. A lot of lives are on the line so we should organise IPL when everything is fine," he added.

IPL 2020, which was earlier scheduled to start from March 29, was suspended till April 15 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. And given the current nationwide lockdown, it is unlikely that the cash-rich tournament will take place.

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-a-good-idea-waqar-younis-on-cricket-in-empty-stadiums-amid-covid-19-pandemic-290948" hreflang="en">‘Not a good idea...' - Waqar Younis on cricket in empty stadiums amid COVID-19 pandemic</a>

"I miss matches the most, was hoping that I would get to play 17 matches (including finals) after a year's gap. I miss our visits to the ground, the hordes of fans waiting to greet us, the bikes that used to ride along our bus and am sure that every fan is missing this as well," Harbhajan said.

"I hope that IPL happens soon, till then I will keep myself fit," quipped the 39-year-old veteran of 103 Tests.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has said that he won’t mind playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 behind closed doors, in front of empty stands, as it will allow every fan to watch the tournament on their television sets.

Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has said that he won’t mind playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 behind closed doors, in front of empty stands, as it will allow every fan to watch the tournament on their television sets. Harbhajan, who plays for Chennai Super Kings, is of the view that the organisers have prioritise players and staff’s safety by ensuring that the stadiums, hotels, flights are properly sanitized while adding a lot of lives will be on the line if IPL 2020 takes place. ALSO READ: As Bundesliga clubs resume training, a debate over fairness and fitness "Spectators are important, but if the situation arises, I don't mind playing without them. Yes, as a player I won't get the vibe, but this will ensure that every fan will get to watch IPL on their TV," Harbhajan told the host broadcasters. "We will have to be cautious about everything and should prioritise players' safety by ensuring that the match venues, team hotels, flights are properly sanitized. A lot of lives are on the line so we should organise IPL when everything is fine," he added. IPL 2020, which was earlier scheduled to start from March 29, was suspended till April 15 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. And given the current nationwide lockdown, it is unlikely that the cash-rich tournament will take place. ALSO READ: ‘Not a good idea...' - Waqar Younis on cricket in empty stadiums amid COVID-19 pandemic "I miss matches the most, was hoping that I would get to play 17 matches (including finals) after a year's gap. I miss our visits to the ground, the hordes of fans waiting to greet us, the bikes that used to ride along our bus and am sure that every fan is missing this as well," Harbhajan said. "I hope that IPL happens soon, till then I will keep myself fit," quipped the 39-year-old veteran of 103 Tests.

Harbhajan Singh fine with the idea of IPL 2020 behind closed doors

Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke reckons it is due to the Indian Premier League (IPL) that Australian cricketers are scared to sledge Virat Kohli or other Indian players during bilateral series or other tournaments. Clarke is of the view that players are too afraid to sledge any of the Indian players due to the huge bucks they are bagging for participating in the IPL while adding some feel that sledging Indian players could affect their deals in the cash-rich tournament.&nbsp;

Clarke further opined that over the years, not only Australia but other international teams have been scared to sledge the Indian teams just because of the financial part of the game.

Speaking on Big Sports Breakfast, Clarke said: "Everybody knows how powerful India are in regards to the financial part of the game, internationally or domestically with the IPL. I feel that Australian cricket, and probably every other team over a little period, went the opposite and actually sucked up to India. They were too scared to sledge Kohli or the other Indian players because they had to play with them in April."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-is-massive-hope-there-is-a-way-to-schedule-ipl-later-in-the-year-rajasthan-royals-jos-buttler-291119" hreflang="en">IPL is massive, hope there is a way to schedule IPL later in the year: Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler</a>

The likes of Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Finch, Kane Richardson, Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood, Andrew Tye, Chris Green, Josh Phillipe among others Australian players who went for massive bucks and found takers in the latest IPL auction, which was held in Kolkata in December 2019.&nbsp;

"Name a list of ten players and they are bidding for these Australian players to get into their IPL team," Clarke said. "The players were like: 'I'm not going to sledge Kohli, I want him to pick me for Bangalore so I can make my $1 million US for my six weeks'. I feel like that's where Australia went through that little phase where our cricket became a little bit softer or not as hard as we're accustomed to seeing."&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/harbhajan-singh-fine-with-the-idea-of-ipl-2020-behind-closed-doors-291101" hreflang="en">Harbhajan Singh fine with the idea of IPL 2020 behind closed doors</a>

Australia went through a rough patch since the sandpaper-gate incident in Cape Town in 2018 but after a rough ride, the Baggy Green bounced back strong in the ICC World Cup 2019 and the Ashes and has been on a roll ever since then. Australia are also the host of ICC T20 World Cup 2020 and will be eyeing the coveted trophy in front of their home crowd. 
&nbsp;

Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke reckons it is due to the Indian Premier League (IPL) that Australian cricketers are scared to sledge Virat Kohli or other Indian players during bilateral series or other tournaments.

Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke reckons it is due to the Indian Premier League (IPL) that Australian cricketers are scared to sledge Virat Kohli or other Indian players during bilateral series or other tournaments. Clarke is of the view that players are too afraid to sledge any of the Indian players due to the huge bucks they are bagging for participating in the IPL while adding some feel that sledging Indian players could affect their deals in the cash-rich tournament. Clarke further opined that over the years, not only Australia but other international teams have been scared to sledge the Indian teams just because of the financial part of the game. Speaking on Big Sports Breakfast, Clarke said: "Everybody knows how powerful India are in regards to the financial part of the game, internationally or domestically with the IPL. I feel that Australian cricket, and probably every other team over a little period, went the opposite and actually sucked up to India. They were too scared to sledge Kohli or the other Indian players because they had to play with them in April." ALSO READ: IPL is massive, hope there is a way to schedule IPL later in the year: Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler The likes of Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Finch, Kane Richardson, Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood, Andrew Tye, Chris Green, Josh Phillipe among others Australian players who went for massive bucks and found takers in the latest IPL auction, which was held in Kolkata in December 2019. "Name a list of ten players and they are bidding for these Australian players to get into their IPL team," Clarke said. "The players were like: 'I'm not going to sledge Kohli, I want him to pick me for Bangalore so I can make my $1 million US for my six weeks'. I feel like that's where Australia went through that little phase where our cricket became a little bit softer or not as hard as we're accustomed to seeing." ALSO READ: Harbhajan Singh fine with the idea of IPL 2020 behind closed doors Australia went through a rough patch since the sandpaper-gate incident in Cape Town in 2018 but after a rough ride, the Baggy Green bounced back strong in the ICC World Cup 2019 and the Ashes and has been on a roll ever since then. Australia are also the host of ICC T20 World Cup 2020 and will be eyeing the coveted trophy in front of their home crowd.

Australian players too scared to sledge Virat Kohli or Indian players due to IPL deals: Michael Clarke

With the COVID-19 continuing to wreak havoc, the sporting calendar has been ripped into pieces. With all the major tournaments and events cancelled or postponed, all eyes are on the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which was suspended till April 15 in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in India.&nbsp;

While India is in under a 21-day lockdown period in a bid to curb the spread of deadly COVID-19, the likelihood of IPL 2020 looks bleak. England and Rajasthan Royals batsman Jos Buttler has said that it is a ‘big shame’ that IPL 2020 has been affected by the pandemic.&nbsp;

Buttler termed IPL as ‘massive’ for the revenue and crowd attraction it brings to the table while adding the future of IPL 2020 is indefinite as no one knows how the COVID-19 pandemic will last.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/harbhajan-singh-fine-with-the-idea-of-ipl-2020-behind-closed-doors-291101" hreflang="en">Harbhajan Singh fine with the idea of IPL 2020 behind closed doors</a>

"I don't know any more than you know about when IPL would be played or people talking about whether it can be pushed back. At the moment, everything is quite indefinite as no one knows how long it will last. So it can't be decided at the moment when it could or could not happen," Buttler was quoted as saying by a news portal.

"As for the stature of the tournament, it's a massive, massive tournament. Revenue that is involved in IPL is massive. It is a very important competition to cricket and it's a big shame that it's not going ahead or whether it does have the way to push it in the schedule and allow it," the 2019 World Cup winner added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-a-good-idea-waqar-younis-on-cricket-in-empty-stadiums-amid-covid-19-pandemic-290948" hreflang="en">‘Not a good idea...' - Waqar Younis on cricket in empty stadiums amid COVID-19 pandemic</a>

As per reports, the BCCI is looking for an alternative window later in the year to conduct IPL 2020. However, that will mean some big-name players will miss out on the tournament due to bilateral commitments. "Of course, that might mean certain players might be unavailable. They will have to work through as the situation unfolds," Buttler concluded.&nbsp;

With the COVID-19 continuing to wreak havoc, the sporting calendar has been ripped into pieces. With all the major tournaments and events cancelled or postponed, all eyes are on the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which was suspended till April 15 in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in India.

With the COVID-19 continuing to wreak havoc, the sporting calendar has been ripped into pieces. With all the major tournaments and events cancelled or postponed, all eyes are on the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which was suspended till April 15 in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in India. While India is in under a 21-day lockdown period in a bid to curb the spread of deadly COVID-19, the likelihood of IPL 2020 looks bleak. England and Rajasthan Royals batsman Jos Buttler has said that it is a ‘big shame’ that IPL 2020 has been affected by the pandemic. Buttler termed IPL as ‘massive’ for the revenue and crowd attraction it brings to the table while adding the future of IPL 2020 is indefinite as no one knows how the COVID-19 pandemic will last. ALSO READ: Harbhajan Singh fine with the idea of IPL 2020 behind closed doors "I don't know any more than you know about when IPL would be played or people talking about whether it can be pushed back. At the moment, everything is quite indefinite as no one knows how long it will last. So it can't be decided at the moment when it could or could not happen," Buttler was quoted as saying by a news portal. "As for the stature of the tournament, it's a massive, massive tournament. Revenue that is involved in IPL is massive. It is a very important competition to cricket and it's a big shame that it's not going ahead or whether it does have the way to push it in the schedule and allow it," the 2019 World Cup winner added. ALSO READ: ‘Not a good idea...' - Waqar Younis on cricket in empty stadiums amid COVID-19 pandemic As per reports, the BCCI is looking for an alternative window later in the year to conduct IPL 2020. However, that will mean some big-name players will miss out on the tournament due to bilateral commitments. "Of course, that might mean certain players might be unavailable. They will have to work through as the situation unfolds," Buttler concluded.

IPL is massive, hope there is a way to schedule IPL later in the year: Rajasthan Royals' Jos Buttler

Former Pakistan speedster and the current bowling coach of Pakistan cricket team, Waqar Younis on Monday said that he doesn’t agree with the suggestion that cricket matches should resume anytime soon behind closed doors, in front of empty stands. <o:p></o:p>

The COVID-19 pandemic has ripped apart the sporting calendar with major tournaments and events getting either cancelled or postponed. While many bilateral series were affected due to the outbreak of the dreaded virus, high-profile tournaments such as Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 was also postponed mid-way. Waqar said that maybe in five or six months’ time, cricket can be resumed when things are under control.

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/man-city-boss-pep-guardiolas-mother-dies-after-contracting-covid-19-clubs-issues-statement-290934" hreflang="en">Man City boss Pep Guardiola's mother dies after contracting COVID-19; clubs issues statement</a>

“No I don’t agree with this suggestion that cricket activities should resume soon even before empty stadiums,” Waqar said, during a video conference with journalists on Monday<o:p></o:p>

“I think maybe in five or six months’ time. when things are under control around the world and we get back some normalcy in life, we can think about matches behind closed doors,” the former fast bowler said. “At some stage, we need to think about these choices but not this month or next month...the situation is not right for any cricket activities,” he added.<o:p></o:p>

Pakistan’s last major ICC title was way back in 2017 where the then Sarfaraz Khan-led outfit defeated India to win the ICC Champions Trophy. Since then, it has been a downfall for the Green Army, as a unit. However, Waqar has a strong desire to help Pakistan win another major ICC title and hence, the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup is important.

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/delhi-shooting-world-cup-cancelled-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-290917" hreflang="en">Delhi shooting World Cup cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic</a>

“Whenever I have played for Pakistan as a player or been a coach with the Pakistan team it has always been my desire to see the team win a major ICC title. That is why this World T20 is so important for me and the team,” he said.<o:p></o:p>

“I would like to be the part of management where we can win a major title,” Waqar added.<o:p></o:p>

Former Pakistan speedster and the current bowling coach of Pakistan cricket team, Waqar Younis on Monday said that he doesn’t agree with the suggestion that cricket matches should resume anytime soon behind closed doors, in front of empty stands.

Former Pakistan speedster and the current bowling coach of Pakistan cricket team, Waqar Younis on Monday said that he doesn’t agree with the suggestion that cricket matches should resume anytime soon behind closed doors, in front of empty stands. The COVID-19 pandemic has ripped apart the sporting calendar with major tournaments and events getting either cancelled or postponed. While many bilateral series were affected due to the outbreak of the dreaded virus, high-profile tournaments such as Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 was also postponed mid-way. Waqar said that maybe in five or six months’ time, cricket can be resumed when things are under control. ALSO READ: Man City boss Pep Guardiola's mother dies after contracting COVID-19; clubs issues statement “No I don’t agree with this suggestion that cricket activities should resume soon even before empty stadiums,” Waqar said, during a video conference with journalists on Monday “I think maybe in five or six months’ time. when things are under control around the world and we get back some normalcy in life, we can think about matches behind closed doors,” the former fast bowler said. “At some stage, we need to think about these choices but not this month or next month...the situation is not right for any cricket activities,” he added. Pakistan’s last major ICC title was way back in 2017 where the then Sarfaraz Khan-led outfit defeated India to win the ICC Champions Trophy. Since then, it has been a downfall for the Green Army, as a unit. However, Waqar has a strong desire to help Pakistan win another major ICC title and hence, the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup is important. ALSO READ: Delhi shooting World Cup cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic “Whenever I have played for Pakistan as a player or been a coach with the Pakistan team it has always been my desire to see the team win a major ICC title. That is why this World T20 is so important for me and the team,” he said. “I would like to be the part of management where we can win a major title,” Waqar added.

‘Not a good idea...' - Waqar Younis on cricket in empty stadiums amid COVID-19 pandemic

With the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic leaving the sporting calendar shattered, many events and tournaments have been either cancelled or postponed. All eyes are on big cricket tournaments such as Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and the ICC T20 World Cup, which are yet to be cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic. <o:p></o:p>

While the fans are eagerly waiting for cricket action to resume, the chief executive of the T20 World Cup organizing committee has said that they are&nbsp;optimistic that the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted by Australia in October, will go as planned. "We're wanting to give ourselves the best possible chance of going ahead as planned, so there's no imminent or quick decision," Nick Hockley, chief executive of the T20 World Cup organising committee, said.

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/spit-sweat-and-shaking-on-it-three-sports-habits-that-could-change-after-coronavirus-290857" hreflang="en">Spit, sweat and shaking on it: Three sports habits that could change after coronavirus</a>

"Hopefully it's all resolved and we go ahead. In the event that it isn't completely resolved, we are looking at all the different scenarios. Which is only prudent. They are collective discussions involving the organising committee, the ICC, all the members. We will keep everyone updated if anything changes. But for now, we're just under seven months away ... we've got a bit of time," he added.<o:p></o:p>

Hockley further stated that in case there is an extended season, the conduction of T20 World Cup becomes more likely while adding Australia might not get the chance to host a World Cup in the next 10 or 20 years.

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/in-ms-dhoni-vs-lasith-malinga-scott-styris-picks-his-favourite-between-best-finisher-and-best-death-bowler-in-ipl-290851" hreflang="en">'In MS Dhoni vs Lasith Malinga...' - Scott Styris picks his favourite between best finisher and best death bowler in IPL</a>

"We really feel for the winter codes, obviously they're doing it very tough," Hockley said while adding, “in the event they have extended seasons ... we still think the World Cup is a really strong proposition that might not come here again for 10 or 20 years. We're very encouraged already by the take up in terms of ticket sales," he added.<o:p></o:p>

However, the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) have already witnessed suspended leagues, which puts more question marks on the future of T20 World Cup. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

With the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic leaving the sporting calendar shattered, many events and tournaments have been either cancelled or postponed. All eyes are on big cricket tournaments such as Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and the ICC T20 World Cup, which are yet to be cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic.

With the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic leaving the sporting calendar shattered, many events and tournaments have been either cancelled or postponed. All eyes are on big cricket tournaments such as Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 and the ICC T20 World Cup, which are yet to be cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic. While the fans are eagerly waiting for cricket action to resume, the chief executive of the T20 World Cup organizing committee has said that they are optimistic that the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted by Australia in October, will go as planned. "We're wanting to give ourselves the best possible chance of going ahead as planned, so there's no imminent or quick decision," Nick Hockley, chief executive of the T20 World Cup organising committee, said. ALSO READ: Spit, sweat and shaking on it: Three sports habits that could change after coronavirus "Hopefully it's all resolved and we go ahead. In the event that it isn't completely resolved, we are looking at all the different scenarios. Which is only prudent. They are collective discussions involving the organising committee, the ICC, all the members. We will keep everyone updated if anything changes. But for now, we're just under seven months away ... we've got a bit of time," he added. Hockley further stated that in case there is an extended season, the conduction of T20 World Cup becomes more likely while adding Australia might not get the chance to host a World Cup in the next 10 or 20 years. ALSO READ: 'In MS Dhoni vs Lasith Malinga...' - Scott Styris picks his favourite between best finisher and best death bowler in IPL "We really feel for the winter codes, obviously they're doing it very tough," Hockley said while adding, “in the event they have extended seasons ... we still think the World Cup is a really strong proposition that might not come here again for 10 or 20 years. We're very encouraged already by the take up in terms of ticket sales," he added. However, the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) have already witnessed suspended leagues, which puts more question marks on the future of T20 World Cup.

ICC T20 World Cup organisers hopeful of successful tournament despite coronavirus pandemic

As the coronavirus brings the international sports calendar to a grinding halt, AFP Sport looks at three long-standing habits which could change forever once competition resumes.

<h2>Saliva to take shine off swing bowling</h2>

-- It's been a tried and trusted friend to fast bowlers throughout the history of cricket.

But the days of applying saliva to one side of the ball to encourage swing could be over in the aftermath of COVID-19.

"As a bowler I think it would be pretty tough going if we couldn't shine the ball in a Test match," said Australia quick Pat Cummins.

"If it's at that stage and we're that worried about the spread, I'm not sure we'd be playing sport."

<h2>Towels in tennis - no touching</h2>

-- Tennis players throwing towels, dripping with sweat and blood and probably a tear or two, at ball boys and girls, has often left fans sympathising for the youngsters.

Moves by officials to tackle the issue took on greater urgency in March when the coronavirus was taking a global grip.

Behind closed doors in Miki, ball boys and girls on duty at the Davis Cup tie between Japan and Ecuador wore gloves.

Baskets, meanwhile, were made available for players to deposit their towels.

Back in 2018, the ATP introduced towel racks at some events on a trial basis, but not everyone was overjoyed.

"I think having the towel whenever you need it, it's very helpful. It's one thing less that you have to think about," said Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas when he was playing at the NextGen Finals in Milan.

"I think it's the job of the ball kids to provide towels and balls for the players."

<h2>Let's not shake on it</h2>

-- Pre-match handshakes were abandoned in top football leagues just before the sports shutdown.

Premier League leaders Liverpool also banned the used of mascots while Southampton warned against players signing autographs and stopped them posing for selfies.

Away from football, the NBA urged players to opt for the fist bump rather than the long-standing high-five.

"I ain't high-fiving nobody for the rest of my life after this," NBA superstar LeBron James told the "Road Trippin' Podcast".

"No more high-fiving. After this corona shit? Wait 'til you see me and my teammates’ handshakes after this shit."

Basketball stars were also told not to take items such as balls or teams shirts to autograph.

US women's football star Megan Rapinoe says edicts to ban handshakes or even high-fives may be counter-productive anyway.

"We're going to be sweating all over each other all game, so it sort of defeats the purpose of not doing a handshake," she told the New York Times in March.

As the coronavirus brings the international sports calendar to a grinding halt, AFP Sport looks at three long-standing habits which could change forever once competition resumes.

As the coronavirus brings the international sports calendar to a grinding halt, AFP Sport looks at three long-standing habits which could change forever once competition resumes. Saliva to take shine off swing bowling -- It's been a tried and trusted friend to fast bowlers throughout the history of cricket. But the days of applying saliva to one side of the ball to encourage swing could be over in the aftermath of COVID-19. "As a bowler I think it would be pretty tough going if we couldn't shine the ball in a Test match," said Australia quick Pat Cummins. "If it's at that stage and we're that worried about the spread, I'm not sure we'd be playing sport." Towels in tennis - no touching -- Tennis players throwing towels, dripping with sweat and blood and probably a tear or two, at ball boys and girls, has often left fans sympathising for the youngsters. Moves by officials to tackle the issue took on greater urgency in March when the coronavirus was taking a global grip. Behind closed doors in Miki, ball boys and girls on duty at the Davis Cup tie between Japan and Ecuador wore gloves. Baskets, meanwhile, were made available for players to deposit their towels. Back in 2018, the ATP introduced towel racks at some events on a trial basis, but not everyone was overjoyed. "I think having the towel whenever you need it, it's very helpful. It's one thing less that you have to think about," said Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas when he was playing at the NextGen Finals in Milan. "I think it's the job of the ball kids to provide towels and balls for the players." Let's not shake on it -- Pre-match handshakes were abandoned in top football leagues just before the sports shutdown. Premier League leaders Liverpool also banned the used of mascots while Southampton warned against players signing autographs and stopped them posing for selfies. Away from football, the NBA urged players to opt for the fist bump rather than the long-standing high-five. "I ain't high-fiving nobody for the rest of my life after this," NBA superstar LeBron James told the "Road Trippin' Podcast". "No more high-fiving. After this corona shit? Wait 'til you see me and my teammates’ handshakes after this shit." Basketball stars were also told not to take items such as balls or teams shirts to autograph. US women's football star Megan Rapinoe says edicts to ban handshakes or even high-fives may be counter-productive anyway. "We're going to be sweating all over each other all game, so it sort of defeats the purpose of not doing a handshake," she told the New York Times in March.

Spit, sweat and shaking on it: Three sports habits that could change after coronavirus

The rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is second to none. Over the years, the head-to-head clashes between CSK and MI have witnessed many dramatic and enthralling moments which has made this rivalry more special besides the trophy count, where MI has a slight edge with five over CSK’s four. The matches between CSK and MI have also witnessed many face-offs, most notably between arguably the greatest finisher of all-time MS Dhoni and best death bowler Lasith Malinga. <o:p></o:p>

Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris reckons Dhoni has the edge over Malinga in terms of dominating the duel in head-to-head matches. Styris said CSK’s consistency in the knockout rounds, ability to produce more uncapped players and Dhoni’s advantage over Malinga make CSK the better side among the two.

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-a-cash-cow-break-will-lead-to-anxiety-and-insecurity-for-few-players-paddy-upton-290837" hreflang="en">‘IPL a cash cow, break will lead to anxiety and insecurity for few players’: Paddy Upton</a>

"I've got four points. It's about consistency, CSK have never missed the final series, have won the most knockout matches, it's the expectation and reliance on these IPL teams to produce Indian players and CSK have produced the most uncapped players for India and it's a real desire that they have to continue to develop players in that regard," said Styris told host broadcasters.<o:p></o:p>

Overall, Dhoni has scored as many as 4,432 runs in 190 matches in IPL, whereas Malinga has 170 wickets in just 122 matches. But Styris, who has played 12 matches for CSK, feels Dhoni has the edge over Malinga.

<h2 class="MsoNormal">"Dhoni owns Malinga"</h2>

<o:p>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-virat-kohli-pv-sindhu-to-mc-mary-kom-sports-fraternity-lights-diyas-candles-to-show-solidarity-in-fight-against-covid-19-290821" hreflang="en">From Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu to MC Mary Kom: Sports fraternity lights diyas, candles to show solidarity in fight against COVID-19</a>

"It's about the best finisher in the game against the best finisher bowler. Dhoni vs Malinga and Dhoni owns Malinga," said Styris, who played 12 matches for CSK.<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, there’s no official confirmation related to the postponement or cancellation of IPL 2020 with the cash-rich tournament standing suspended until April 15 in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. As per latest reports, the BCCI is looking for an alternate window later in the year to conduct the tournament.<o:p></o:p>

The rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is second to none. Over the years, the head-to-head clashes between CSK and MI have witnessed many dramatic and enthralling moments which has made this rivalry more special besides the trophy count, where MI has a slight edge with five over CSK’s four.

The rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is second to none. Over the years, the head-to-head clashes between CSK and MI have witnessed many dramatic and enthralling moments which has made this rivalry more special besides the trophy count, where MI has a slight edge with five over CSK’s four. The matches between CSK and MI have also witnessed many face-offs, most notably between arguably the greatest finisher of all-time MS Dhoni and best death bowler Lasith Malinga. Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris reckons Dhoni has the edge over Malinga in terms of dominating the duel in head-to-head matches. Styris said CSK’s consistency in the knockout rounds, ability to produce more uncapped players and Dhoni’s advantage over Malinga make CSK the better side among the two. ALSO READ: ‘IPL a cash cow, break will lead to anxiety and insecurity for few players’: Paddy Upton "I've got four points. It's about consistency, CSK have never missed the final series, have won the most knockout matches, it's the expectation and reliance on these IPL teams to produce Indian players and CSK have produced the most uncapped players for India and it's a real desire that they have to continue to develop players in that regard," said Styris told host broadcasters. Overall, Dhoni has scored as many as 4,432 runs in 190 matches in IPL, whereas Malinga has 170 wickets in just 122 matches. But Styris, who has played 12 matches for CSK, feels Dhoni has the edge over Malinga. "Dhoni owns Malinga" ALSO READ: From Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu to MC Mary Kom: Sports fraternity lights diyas, candles to show solidarity in fight against COVID-19 "It's about the best finisher in the game against the best finisher bowler. Dhoni vs Malinga and Dhoni owns Malinga," said Styris, who played 12 matches for CSK. Meanwhile, there’s no official confirmation related to the postponement or cancellation of IPL 2020 with the cash-rich tournament standing suspended until April 15 in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. As per latest reports, the BCCI is looking for an alternate window later in the year to conduct the tournament.

'In MS Dhoni vs Lasith Malinga...' - Scott Styris picks his favourite between best finisher and best death bowler in IPL

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.&nbsp;

"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 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

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>

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>

“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.

<o:p>TRENDING!&nbsp;&nbsp;</o:p><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>

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>

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>

“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>

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>

“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>

Pietersen had earlier hosted Rohit Sharma, Ahmed Shehzad and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. <o:p></o: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

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>

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>

“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:&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>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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>
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1245970061875122176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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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. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

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>

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>

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>

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>

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

It has been nine years since India successfully lifted the ICC World Cup 2011 to put an end to a 28-year wait for all the fans. While fans and former players look back to the glorious campaign by the Men in Blue, several iconic moments and performances pop up in the mind. However, former India opener-turned BJP MP – Gautam Gambhir – was left fuming on Thursday with an obsession over MS Dhoni’s final six in the summit clash of the 2011 World Cup against Sri Lanka, which was also the final runs for India in the quadrennial event.&nbsp;

While fans and other social media handles relived the moment by posting Dhoni’s photograph, Gambhir was irked by the obsession for that six and took to Twitter to express his opinion regarding it.&nbsp;

“Just a reminder @ESPNcricinfo: #worldcup2011 was won by entire India, entire Indian team &amp; all support staff. High time you hit your obsession for a SIX,” Gambhir wrote.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/coronavirus-going-to-leave-more-people-bankrupt-than-dead-says-shoaib-akhtar-290001" hreflang="en">'Coronavirus going to leave more people bankrupt than dead', says Shoaib Akhtar</a>

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Just a reminder <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNcricinfo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNcricinfo</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/worldcup2011?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#worldcup2011</a> was won by entire India, entire Indian team &amp; all support staff. High time you hit your obsession for a SIX. <a href="https://t.co/WPRPQdfJrV">pic.twitter.com/WPRPQdfJrV</a>
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) <a href="https://twitter.com/GautamGambhir/status/1245562059309248513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Chasing 275 against Sri Lanka in the final of 2011 World Cup, India witnessed openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar depart cheaply.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sourav-ganguly-visits-belur-math-donates-2000kgs-rice-for-the-needy-during-covid-19-pandemic-289928" hreflang="en">Sourav Ganguly visits Belur Math, donates 2000kgs rice for the needy during COVID-19 pandemic</a>

However, it was Gautam Gambhir’s gritty knock of 97 and Virat Kohli’s crucial 35 which bought the Men in Blue back into the game.&nbsp; 
Skipper Dhoni promoted himself to number five, ahead of the in-form Yuvraj Singh, and hammered a 79-ball 91 not-out to help India cross that winning line. However, Dhoni’s final six has remained etched into the minds of fans and experts as it was winning run for India in the tournament. &nbsp;

But it doesn’t take away the fact that Gambhir’s knock of 97 was one of the most crucial innings in the history of Indian cricket and the fans still remember his contribution to Indian cricket, especially in the entire 2011 World Cup, where he ended up as sixth highest run-scorer with as many as 393 runs in nine matches at an average of 43.66. 
&nbsp;

It has been nine years since India successfully lifted the ICC World Cup 2011 to put an end to a 28-year wait for all the fans. While fans and former players look back to the glorious campaign by the Men in Blue, several iconic moments and performances pop up in the mind.

It has been nine years since India successfully lifted the ICC World Cup 2011 to put an end to a 28-year wait for all the fans. While fans and former players look back to the glorious campaign by the Men in Blue, several iconic moments and performances pop up in the mind. However, former India opener-turned BJP MP – Gautam Gambhir – was left fuming on Thursday with an obsession over MS Dhoni’s final six in the summit clash of the 2011 World Cup against Sri Lanka, which was also the final runs for India in the quadrennial event. While fans and other social media handles relived the moment by posting Dhoni’s photograph, Gambhir was irked by the obsession for that six and took to Twitter to express his opinion regarding it. “Just a reminder @ESPNcricinfo: #worldcup2011 was won by entire India, entire Indian team & all support staff. High time you hit your obsession for a SIX,” Gambhir wrote. ALSO READ: 'Coronavirus going to leave more people bankrupt than dead', says Shoaib Akhtar Just a reminder @ESPNcricinfo: #worldcup2011 was won by entire India, entire Indian team & all support staff. High time you hit your obsession for a SIX. pic.twitter.com/WPRPQdfJrV — Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) April 2, 2020 × Chasing 275 against Sri Lanka in the final of 2011 World Cup, India witnessed openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar depart cheaply. ALSO READ: Sourav Ganguly visits Belur Math, donates 2000kgs rice for the needy during COVID-19 pandemic However, it was Gautam Gambhir’s gritty knock of 97 and Virat Kohli’s crucial 35 which bought the Men in Blue back into the game. Skipper Dhoni promoted himself to number five, ahead of the in-form Yuvraj Singh, and hammered a 79-ball 91 not-out to help India cross that winning line. However, Dhoni’s final six has remained etched into the minds of fans and experts as it was winning run for India in the tournament. But it doesn’t take away the fact that Gambhir’s knock of 97 was one of the most crucial innings in the history of Indian cricket and the fans still remember his contribution to Indian cricket, especially in the entire 2011 World Cup, where he ended up as sixth highest run-scorer with as many as 393 runs in nine matches at an average of 43.66.

Gautam Gambhir left fuming with obsession over MS Dhoni's 2011 World Cup final winning 6

A whopping 9.02 million fans in India watched the 'Women in Blue' take on Australia in the ICC World T20 final, breaking all viewership records across TV as well as digital platforms.

India, though, were thrashed by the Southern Stars at the historic MCG where 86,174 people were present for the summit clash. 
The ICC released a viewership data on Thursday which showed that Harmanpreet Kaur's team struck a chord with the fans, leading to a staggering 5.4 billion total viewing minutes for the tournament across India.

Total viewing minutes is arrived at after a calculation based on how many people watched any particular match for how much duration.

ICC's digital channels went overdrive during the February 21 to March 8 event in Australia, with an astonishing 1.1 billion total video views, making it the most watched event in the history of women's cricket. In fact, it was the most watched cricket event after the 2019 Men's World Cup.

The figure was more than 20 times the video views delivered in the previous edition played in the West Indies in 2018 and 10 times the previous most successful women's cricket event, which was the ICC World Cup in 2017.

As India made the final of the event for the first time, fans watched 1.78 billion minutes of live match action on TV of that game alone. The figure is 59 times more than the final of the previous edition in 2018 between Australia and England, and comprised 35 per cent of the overall viewership for the tournament.

The digital streaming figures too were impressive in India, peaking at 3.1 million for concurrent users of Hotstar during the final.

In Australia, the average audience for the final was 1.2 million, making it the most watched women's cricket match and the sixth-most watched cricket game ever on subscription television in Australian broadcast history.

ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said: "These quite outstanding broadcast and digital numbers demonstrate the power of women's cricket to aggregate a huge global audience and engage fans.

"This undoubtedly consolidates our position as one of the leading women's sports in the world and we want to build on the momentum from this event and create a long-term sustainable foundation for the game."

"We have built on the record-breaking success of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 and continued our focus on deepening engagement with existing fans and bringing new fans to the game with relevant, engaging content that goes beyond match highlights."

A whopping 9.02 million fans in India watched the 'Women in Blue' take on Australia in the ICC World T20 final, breaking all viewership records across TV as well as digital platforms.

A whopping 9.02 million fans in India watched the 'Women in Blue' take on Australia in the ICC World T20 final, breaking all viewership records across TV as well as digital platforms. India, though, were thrashed by the Southern Stars at the historic MCG where 86,174 people were present for the summit clash. The ICC released a viewership data on Thursday which showed that Harmanpreet Kaur's team struck a chord with the fans, leading to a staggering 5.4 billion total viewing minutes for the tournament across India. Total viewing minutes is arrived at after a calculation based on how many people watched any particular match for how much duration. ICC's digital channels went overdrive during the February 21 to March 8 event in Australia, with an astonishing 1.1 billion total video views, making it the most watched event in the history of women's cricket. In fact, it was the most watched cricket event after the 2019 Men's World Cup. The figure was more than 20 times the video views delivered in the previous edition played in the West Indies in 2018 and 10 times the previous most successful women's cricket event, which was the ICC World Cup in 2017. As India made the final of the event for the first time, fans watched 1.78 billion minutes of live match action on TV of that game alone. The figure is 59 times more than the final of the previous edition in 2018 between Australia and England, and comprised 35 per cent of the overall viewership for the tournament. The digital streaming figures too were impressive in India, peaking at 3.1 million for concurrent users of Hotstar during the final. In Australia, the average audience for the final was 1.2 million, making it the most watched women's cricket match and the sixth-most watched cricket game ever on subscription television in Australian broadcast history. ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said: "These quite outstanding broadcast and digital numbers demonstrate the power of women's cricket to aggregate a huge global audience and engage fans. "This undoubtedly consolidates our position as one of the leading women's sports in the world and we want to build on the momentum from this event and create a long-term sustainable foundation for the game." "We have built on the record-breaking success of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 and continued our focus on deepening engagement with existing fans and bringing new fans to the game with relevant, engaging content that goes beyond match highlights."

ICC Women's World T20: 9 million in India watched final, 5.4 billion 'viewing minutes'

Exactly nine years ago today, India lifted the ICC World Cup 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The win in the summit clash brought an end to a 28-year-old for millions of Indian cricket fans with the Indian squad etching their names in the history books in golden letters.

With entire India celebrating the ninth anniversary of India’s memorable ICC World Cup 2011 win, let us take relive the timeline of the entire campaign of the MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue as they became the first side to win the World Cup on their home soil.&nbsp;

<h2>TIMELINE: India’s journey in ICC World Cup 2011&nbsp;</h2>

Bangladesh vs India – Group B match

India started the campaign by defeating the Bangla Tigers by 87 runs. A convincing win to start the quadrennial event with Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli smashing 175 and 100 not-out respectively.&nbsp;

India vs England – Group B match

It was a proper humdinger with the match ending in a tie. India posted 338 runs on the board, courtesy a splendid ton by Sachin Tendulkar (120). However, Andrew Strauss ended up smashing 158 with Ian Bell scoring a crucial 69 to help England tie the match.

<img alt="India vs England" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1325433-89e8-4e31-bb30-3f84ce6b8a65" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Par6100130.jpg" />

India vs Ireland – Group B match

Yuvraj Singh’s golden arm came into play as he scalped five wickets to restrict Ireland to 207 in 47.5 overs. However, India witnessed a slump in the top-order but it was again Yuvraj, this time with the willow, as he smashed an unbeaten 50 with MS Dhoni (34) and Yusuf Pathan (30*) chipping in with crucial runs to help India win by five wickets.&nbsp;

India vs the Netherlands – Group B match

Another convincing win for India as they bundled the Netherlands out for 189 before chasing it with ease in just 36.3 overs. Yuvraj again picked up two wickets and scored 51 not-out. The unbeaten run continued.

India vs West Indies – Group B match

India posted 268 while batting first with the man in form, Yuvraj Singh smashing 113. The Windies started well but completely lost the plot in the middle overs as they were bundled out for 188. Zaheer Khan picked up three wickets, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuvraj picked up two apiece with Harbhajan Singh dismissing the dangerous Kieron Pollard.

India vs Australia – 2nd Quarter-Final

Big game against the World Cup biggies – Australia. Ricky Ponting scored a phenomenal 104 but Aussies kept on losing wickets at the other end before getting all-out for 260. A perfect batting display by India as everyone chipped in with crucial runs and built steady partnerships. India ended up chasing 261 in 47.4 overs. Suresh Raina comes into play with a cracking 34 not-out off 28.&nbsp;

<img alt="India vs Australia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="95c0cfc2-80f1-487f-a075-e5e95f1e6552" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Del463035.jpg" />

India vs Pakistan – 2nd Semi-Final

The most hyped game in the history of cricket. And what bigger occasion than a World Cup knockout match between India and Pakistan. Under immense pressure, in front of the home crowd in Mohali, India posted 260. Sachin Tendulkar was constantly dropped by the Pakistani fielders and the Master Blaster went on to score a sluggish yet crucial 85. Suresh Raina, Dhoni and even Harbhajan Singh chipped in with crucial runs before all the Indian bowlers – Zaheer, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Harbhajan and Yuvraj – ended up with two wickets each to bundle out Pakistan for 231. One more win to lift the coveted World Cup.&nbsp;

<img alt="India vs Pakistan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d67dd1cd-6e8b-421b-a056-94c4ed645aff" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Del466109.jpg" />

India vs Sri Lanka – Final&nbsp;

Sri Lanka batter first and posted 274 – an extremely fighting total in the big pressure World Cup final. Mahela Jayawardene scored a stylish and unbeaten 103 whereas Nuwan Kulasekara and Thisara Perera scored 32 and 22* down the order. India lost Virender Sehwag for a duck, Sachin followed soon with an 18. Gautam Gambhir, at no. 3, played a knock of a lifetime (97) but missed out on a World Cup final century. Dhoni’s move to promote himself up in the batting order worked wonders for India as the Indian skipper went on to hammer 91 not-out off 79 while Yuvraj Singh scored 21 off 14 to help India break the 28-year drought and lift the World Cup. &nbsp;

<img alt="India vs Sri Lanka" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="019782a3-b3d8-4af2-b494-356ab589fbfb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Del467242.jpg" />

Exactly nine years ago today, India lifted the ICC World Cup 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The win in the summit clash brought an end to a 28-year-old for millions of Indian cricket fans with the Indian squad etching their names in the history books in golden letters.

Exactly nine years ago today, India lifted the ICC World Cup 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The win in the summit clash brought an end to a 28-year-old for millions of Indian cricket fans with the Indian squad etching their names in the history books in golden letters. With entire India celebrating the ninth anniversary of India’s memorable ICC World Cup 2011 win, let us take relive the timeline of the entire campaign of the MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue as they became the first side to win the World Cup on their home soil. TIMELINE: India’s journey in ICC World Cup 2011 Bangladesh vs India – Group B match India started the campaign by defeating the Bangla Tigers by 87 runs. A convincing win to start the quadrennial event with Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli smashing 175 and 100 not-out respectively. India vs England – Group B match It was a proper humdinger with the match ending in a tie. India posted 338 runs on the board, courtesy a splendid ton by Sachin Tendulkar (120). However, Andrew Strauss ended up smashing 158 with Ian Bell scoring a crucial 69 to help England tie the match. India vs Ireland – Group B match Yuvraj Singh’s golden arm came into play as he scalped five wickets to restrict Ireland to 207 in 47.5 overs. However, India witnessed a slump in the top-order but it was again Yuvraj, this time with the willow, as he smashed an unbeaten 50 with MS Dhoni (34) and Yusuf Pathan (30*) chipping in with crucial runs to help India win by five wickets. India vs the Netherlands – Group B match Another convincing win for India as they bundled the Netherlands out for 189 before chasing it with ease in just 36.3 overs. Yuvraj again picked up two wickets and scored 51 not-out. The unbeaten run continued. India vs West Indies – Group B match India posted 268 while batting first with the man in form, Yuvraj Singh smashing 113. The Windies started well but completely lost the plot in the middle overs as they were bundled out for 188. Zaheer Khan picked up three wickets, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuvraj picked up two apiece with Harbhajan Singh dismissing the dangerous Kieron Pollard. India vs Australia – 2nd Quarter-Final Big game against the World Cup biggies – Australia. Ricky Ponting scored a phenomenal 104 but Aussies kept on losing wickets at the other end before getting all-out for 260. A perfect batting display by India as everyone chipped in with crucial runs and built steady partnerships. India ended up chasing 261 in 47.4 overs. Suresh Raina comes into play with a cracking 34 not-out off 28. India vs Pakistan – 2nd Semi-Final The most hyped game in the history of cricket. And what bigger occasion than a World Cup knockout match between India and Pakistan. Under immense pressure, in front of the home crowd in Mohali, India posted 260. Sachin Tendulkar was constantly dropped by the Pakistani fielders and the Master Blaster went on to score a sluggish yet crucial 85. Suresh Raina, Dhoni and even Harbhajan Singh chipped in with crucial runs before all the Indian bowlers – Zaheer, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Harbhajan and Yuvraj – ended up with two wickets each to bundle out Pakistan for 231. One more win to lift the coveted World Cup. India vs Sri Lanka – Final Sri Lanka batter first and posted 274 – an extremely fighting total in the big pressure World Cup final. Mahela Jayawardene scored a stylish and unbeaten 103 whereas Nuwan Kulasekara and Thisara Perera scored 32 and 22* down the order. India lost Virender Sehwag for a duck, Sachin followed soon with an 18. Gautam Gambhir, at no. 3, played a knock of a lifetime (97) but missed out on a World Cup final century. Dhoni’s move to promote himself up in the batting order worked wonders for India as the Indian skipper went on to hammer 91 not-out off 79 while Yuvraj Singh scored 21 off 14 to help India break the 28-year drought and lift the World Cup.

Relive the timeline: How Team India broke 28-year wait to lift the ICC World Cup 2011

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the entire sporting calendar has come to a screeching halt. All the major tournaments and leagues have been either cancelled or postponed which has made things difficult financially for the sporting bodies. England cricket team’s limited-overs skipper, Eoin Morgan is okay to play matches behind closed doors in these unprecedented times.

Morgan said that there was little to no crowd in County matches while adding the Test series against Pakistan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the exact same, hence players have experienced what it is to play without any crowd and that shouldn’t be an issue. However, Morgan is of the view that cricket should only resume when medical experts think is ‘OK’ to play behind closed doors.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/gautam-gambhir-left-fuming-with-obsession-over-ms-dhonis-2011-world-cup-final-winning-6-290027" hreflang="en">Gautam Gambhir left fuming with obsession over MS Dhoni's 2011 World Cup final winning 6</a>

<h2>"Sport can play a huge role in uplifting the world"</h2>

"I've played county cricket for a long time and Test match cricket in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and that's the exact same, I'd say," Morgan was quoted as saying by AFP.

"From a very serious point of view, if medical experts advised us it was OK to play behind closed doors and it was on TV, I think that would be a huge step forward for the game.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/coronavirus-going-to-leave-more-people-bankrupt-than-dead-says-shoaib-akhtar-290001" hreflang="en">'Coronavirus going to leave more people bankrupt than dead', says Shoaib Akhtar</a>

"Sport can play a huge role in uplifting the world and people's perspective on things, although he added that cricket "in the grand scheme of things doesn't matter," the English skipper added.

Morgan further praised Jos Buttler’s ‘incredibly kind gesture’ as the gloveman auctioned his ICC World Cup 2019 final jersey in a bid to raise funds for two hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the entire sporting calendar has come to a screeching halt. All the major tournaments and leagues have been either cancelled or postponed which has made things difficult financially for the sporting bodies.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the entire sporting calendar has come to a screeching halt. All the major tournaments and leagues have been either cancelled or postponed which has made things difficult financially for the sporting bodies. England cricket team’s limited-overs skipper, Eoin Morgan is okay to play matches behind closed doors in these unprecedented times. Morgan said that there was little to no crowd in County matches while adding the Test series against Pakistan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the exact same, hence players have experienced what it is to play without any crowd and that shouldn’t be an issue. However, Morgan is of the view that cricket should only resume when medical experts think is ‘OK’ to play behind closed doors. ALSO READ: Gautam Gambhir left fuming with obsession over MS Dhoni's 2011 World Cup final winning 6 "Sport can play a huge role in uplifting the world" "I've played county cricket for a long time and Test match cricket in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and that's the exact same, I'd say," Morgan was quoted as saying by AFP. "From a very serious point of view, if medical experts advised us it was OK to play behind closed doors and it was on TV, I think that would be a huge step forward for the game. ALSO READ: 'Coronavirus going to leave more people bankrupt than dead', says Shoaib Akhtar "Sport can play a huge role in uplifting the world and people's perspective on things, although he added that cricket "in the grand scheme of things doesn't matter," the English skipper added. Morgan further praised Jos Buttler’s ‘incredibly kind gesture’ as the gloveman auctioned his ICC World Cup 2019 final jersey in a bid to raise funds for two hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.

Eoin Morgan ready to play behind closed doors, says 'sport can play a huge role in uplifting the world'

England's Jos Buttler is auctioning the shirt he wore in last year's dramatic World Cup final win in support of hospitals treating the coronavirus.

The 29-year-old wicketkeeper/batsman played a key role in England's thrilling defeat of New Zealand at Lord's in July, scoring a fifty, batting in the Super Over and then running out Martin Guptill off the very last ball of the match.

In a social media video posted on Tuesday, the 29-year-old said he would be posting the jersey, signed by all members of the World Cup-winning squad, on eBay.

All proceeds will go to the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals' charity.&nbsp;

"As we all know, hospitals, doctors, nurses and the NHS are all doing quite an incredible job at the moment," Buttler said.

"And in the weeks and months to come they are going to need our support even more.

"Last week, the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals' charity launched an emergency appeal to provide lifesaving equipment for those two hospitals, specialising in lung and heart conditions in preparation for the COVID-19 outbreak.

"To help with their fundraising effort I'm going to be donating this shirt, which is the shirt I wore in the World Cup final last year, signed by all the players who were members of the squad."

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Please retweet <a href="https://twitter.com/ABdeVilliers17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABdeVilliers17</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/faf1307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@faf1307</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRaina?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRaina</a> <a href="https://t.co/FunJCNayP0">pic.twitter.com/FunJCNayP0</a>
— Jos Buttler (@josbuttler) <a href="https://twitter.com/josbuttler/status/1245095727165886464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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British television personality Piers Morgan submitted a bid of £10,000 ($12,422) but the value of the shirt had soon passed the £12,000 mark.&nbsp;

Cricket, in common with many sports, has seen its fixture programme brought to a shuddering halt by the global spread of the coronavirus.

Buttler was on England's tour of Sri Lanka that was recently abandoned during a warm-up game and was due to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League Twenty20 event, which has been postponed until at least April 15.

There will be no cricket in England until May 28 at the earliest.

England's Jos Buttler is auctioning the shirt he wore in last year's dramatic World Cup final win in support of hospitals treating the coronavirus. The 29-year-old wicketkeeper/batsman played a key role in England's thrilling defeat of New Zealand at Lord's in July, scoring a fifty, batting in the Super Over and then running out Martin Guptill off the very last ball of the match.

England's Jos Buttler is auctioning the shirt he wore in last year's dramatic World Cup final win in support of hospitals treating the coronavirus. The 29-year-old wicketkeeper/batsman played a key role in England's thrilling defeat of New Zealand at Lord's in July, scoring a fifty, batting in the Super Over and then running out Martin Guptill off the very last ball of the match. In a social media video posted on Tuesday, the 29-year-old said he would be posting the jersey, signed by all members of the World Cup-winning squad, on eBay. All proceeds will go to the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals' charity. "As we all know, hospitals, doctors, nurses and the NHS are all doing quite an incredible job at the moment," Buttler said. "And in the weeks and months to come they are going to need our support even more. "Last week, the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals' charity launched an emergency appeal to provide lifesaving equipment for those two hospitals, specialising in lung and heart conditions in preparation for the COVID-19 outbreak. "To help with their fundraising effort I'm going to be donating this shirt, which is the shirt I wore in the World Cup final last year, signed by all the players who were members of the squad." Please retweet @ABdeVilliers17 @faf1307 @ImRaina pic.twitter.com/FunJCNayP0 — Jos Buttler (@josbuttler) March 31, 2020 × British television personality Piers Morgan submitted a bid of £10,000 ($12,422) but the value of the shirt had soon passed the £12,000 mark. Cricket, in common with many sports, has seen its fixture programme brought to a shuddering halt by the global spread of the coronavirus. Buttler was on England's tour of Sri Lanka that was recently abandoned during a warm-up game and was due to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League Twenty20 event, which has been postponed until at least April 15. There will be no cricket in England until May 28 at the earliest.

Jos Buttler auctions World Cup final shirt for hospital appeal

The social media erupted on Tuesday when former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh and veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh posted messages on Twitter to show their support to former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s foundation named – Shahid Afridi Foundation – who are working to support and help the needy in Pakistan amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Netizens were furious to see Yuvraj and Harbhajan supporting Pakistan as they blew the entire incident out of proportion. The hashtag #ShameOnYuvi started trending on Twitter on Tuesday evening which has prompted the World Cup winner to come out and issue a fresh statement surrounding the row.&nbsp;

“I really don't understand how a msg to help the most vulnerable gets blown out of proportion! All I tried to achieve via that msg was to help ppl in our respective countries by providing healthcare, my intention as not to hurt anyone's feelings. I am Indian and I will always bleed blue and will always stand for humanity. Jai Hind,” Yuvraj tweeted on Wednesday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/franchises-turn-to-whatsapp-groups-to-answer-player-queries-as-fate-of-ipl-2020-hangs-in-balance-289869" hreflang="en">Franchises turn to WhatsApp groups to answer player queries as fate of IPL 2020 hangs in balance</a>

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<a href="https://t.co/7h0t9009Gz">pic.twitter.com/7h0t9009Gz</a>
— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) <a href="https://twitter.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1245295251385958400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/didnt-have-that-kind-of-support-from-mahi-and-virat-yuvraj-singh-praises-ganguly-289817" hreflang="en">'Didn’t have that kind of support from Mahi and Virat': Yuvraj Singh praises Ganguly</a>

While Yuvraj did ask everyone to show their support for the good work Afridi has been doing in Pakistan, the message was blown out of proportion by the social media users. Yuvraj further informed everyone, in the video message he had posted on Twitter, that his foundation ‘YouWeCan’ has collected around Rs 1.5 crore and will be supporting the needy in these testing times.&nbsp;

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These are testing times, it’s time to lookout for each other specially the ones who are lesser fortunate. Lets do our bit, I am supporting <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAfridiOfficial</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/SAFoundationN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SAFoundationN</a> in this noble initiative of covid19. Pls donate on <a href="https://t.co/yHtpolQbMx">https://t.co/yHtpolQbMx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StayHome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StayHome</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@harbhajan_singh</a> <a href="https://t.co/HfKPABZ6Wh">pic.twitter.com/HfKPABZ6Wh</a>
— yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) <a href="https://twitter.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1244873490303340544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The southpaw was last seen playing in the Road Safety World Series where he came out of retirement to play for India Legends to spread awareness relating to road safety. Yuvraj has been one of the sportspersons always available in tough times. He has not only supported cancer survivors through his foundation, the former India all-rounder is one of the first ones to come forward to help during tough times.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The social media erupted on Tuesday when former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh and veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh posted messages on Twitter to show their support to former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s foundation named – Shahid Afridi Foundation – who are working to support and help the needy in Pakistan amid COVID-19 pandemic.

The social media erupted on Tuesday when former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh and veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh posted messages on Twitter to show their support to former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s foundation named – Shahid Afridi Foundation – who are working to support and help the needy in Pakistan amid COVID-19 pandemic. Netizens were furious to see Yuvraj and Harbhajan supporting Pakistan as they blew the entire incident out of proportion. The hashtag #ShameOnYuvi started trending on Twitter on Tuesday evening which has prompted the World Cup winner to come out and issue a fresh statement surrounding the row. “I really don't understand how a msg to help the most vulnerable gets blown out of proportion! All I tried to achieve via that msg was to help ppl in our respective countries by providing healthcare, my intention as not to hurt anyone's feelings. I am Indian and I will always bleed blue and will always stand for humanity. Jai Hind,” Yuvraj tweeted on Wednesday. ALSO READ: Franchises turn to WhatsApp groups to answer player queries as fate of IPL 2020 hangs in balance pic.twitter.com/7h0t9009Gz — yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) April 1, 2020 × ALSO READ: 'Didn’t have that kind of support from Mahi and Virat': Yuvraj Singh praises Ganguly While Yuvraj did ask everyone to show their support for the good work Afridi has been doing in Pakistan, the message was blown out of proportion by the social media users. Yuvraj further informed everyone, in the video message he had posted on Twitter, that his foundation ‘YouWeCan’ has collected around Rs 1.5 crore and will be supporting the needy in these testing times. These are testing times, it’s time to lookout for each other specially the ones who are lesser fortunate. Lets do our bit, I am supporting @SAfridiOfficial & @SAFoundationN in this noble initiative of covid19. Pls donate on https://t.co/yHtpolQbMx #StayHome @harbhajan_singh pic.twitter.com/HfKPABZ6Wh — yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) March 31, 2020 × The southpaw was last seen playing in the Road Safety World Series where he came out of retirement to play for India Legends to spread awareness relating to road safety. Yuvraj has been one of the sportspersons always available in tough times. He has not only supported cancer survivors through his foundation, the former India all-rounder is one of the first ones to come forward to help during tough times.

'The message was blown out of proportion' - Yuvraj Singh issues fresh statement after the criticism over 'help Pakistan' appeal

With the COVID-19 pandemic leaving the entire sporting calendar shattered, the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 hangs in balance. While some of the players are training indoors while preparing for the cash-rich tournament, there’s a sense of uncertainty on whether IPL 2020 will be played or not. <o:p></o:p>

The BCCI had postponed the IPL 2020 till April 15 after it was earlier scheduled to start on March 29. The decision to postpone the tournament came after COVID-19 outbreak in the country following which the Indian government had put restriction on international and domestic flights. Eventually, there was a 21-day lockdown in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.<o:p></o:p>

To answer the queries of players regarding IPL 2020 amid the lockdown, the official of one of the franchises have said that they have created a WhatsApp group where the players and officials can discuss things related to the tournament.

<o:p></o:p>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rajasthan-royals-ready-to-play-shortened-ipl-2020-with-indian-players-only-ceo-ranjit-barthakur-289851" hreflang="en">Rajasthan Royals ready to play shortened IPL 2020 with Indian players only: CEO Ranjit Barthakur</a>

“See, you do realise that for players, it is all about going out onto the field and performing. Critics can talk about the money factor and stuff, but it is very difficult for cricketers to be sitting at home and not being sure when they will be back on the ground and if at all the IPL will happen this year. Numerous theories in the media have also not helped. So, it was decided to create a WhatsApp group so that their queries can be answered without any confusion,” the official said as per a report.

<o:p></o:p>

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/didnt-have-that-kind-of-support-from-mahi-and-virat-yuvraj-singh-praises-ganguly-289817" hreflang="en">'Didn’t have that kind of support from Mahi and Virat': Yuvraj Singh praises Ganguly</a>

“Rather than listening to people on the outside and getting half-baked information, it is always better that they get the real picture. Till recently we had the youngsters checking if reports that the IPL will not happen this year are true or not. So, it is best if you have a group where you have the management, the coaching staff as well as the players all under one roof,” the official added.<o:p></o:p>

The WhatsApp group has been created to keep players away from rumours and speculations on social media. <o:p></o:p>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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With the COVID-19 pandemic leaving the entire sporting calendar shattered, the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 hangs in balance. While some of the players are training indoors while preparing for the cash-rich tournament, there’s a sense of uncertainty on whether IPL 2020 will be played or not.

With the COVID-19 pandemic leaving the entire sporting calendar shattered, the fate of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 hangs in balance. While some of the players are training indoors while preparing for the cash-rich tournament, there’s a sense of uncertainty on whether IPL 2020 will be played or not. The BCCI had postponed the IPL 2020 till April 15 after it was earlier scheduled to start on March 29. The decision to postpone the tournament came after COVID-19 outbreak in the country following which the Indian government had put restriction on international and domestic flights. Eventually, there was a 21-day lockdown in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. To answer the queries of players regarding IPL 2020 amid the lockdown, the official of one of the franchises have said that they have created a WhatsApp group where the players and officials can discuss things related to the tournament. ALSO READ: Rajasthan Royals ready to play shortened IPL 2020 with Indian players only: CEO Ranjit Barthakur “See, you do realise that for players, it is all about going out onto the field and performing. Critics can talk about the money factor and stuff, but it is very difficult for cricketers to be sitting at home and not being sure when they will be back on the ground and if at all the IPL will happen this year. Numerous theories in the media have also not helped. So, it was decided to create a WhatsApp group so that their queries can be answered without any confusion,” the official said as per a report. ALSO READ: 'Didn’t have that kind of support from Mahi and Virat': Yuvraj Singh praises Ganguly “Rather than listening to people on the outside and getting half-baked information, it is always better that they get the real picture. Till recently we had the youngsters checking if reports that the IPL will not happen this year are true or not. So, it is best if you have a group where you have the management, the coaching staff as well as the players all under one roof,” the official added. The WhatsApp group has been created to keep players away from rumours and speculations on social media.

Franchises turn to WhatsApp groups to answer player queries as fate of IPL 2020 hangs in balance

Custodian of cricket laws, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), has decided to provide parking and storage spaces available at the iconic Lord's cricket ground to the National Health Services (NHS) staff battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus outbreak has infected over 7,00,000 people and caused more that 35,000 deaths worldwide.

In the UK, close to 23,000 people, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prince Charles, have been infected and over 1,400 deaths reported.

"The close proximity of a number of hospitals to Lord's gives the Club the opportunity to assist medical staff so they can concentrate on their ongoing battle against the virus," the MCC said in media release.

The club has provided 75 car parking spaces for NHS staff at the nearby Wellington Hospital, University College Hospital, and the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth. 
"MCC has currently provided 75 parking space at Lord's for staff at Wellington Hospital, University College Hospital, and the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth" it added.

In addition, the custodians of cricket laws are also providing food to a city-based charity.

"MCC has provided food to City Harvest London, who help put fresh surplus food to good use in a sustainable way, redistributing to organisations that feed the hungry," the statement said.

"We are continuing to work closely with our local community, hospitals and organisations to offer support as best we can during this period."

Custodian of cricket laws, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), has decided to provide parking and storage spaces available at the iconic Lord's cricket ground to the National Health Services (NHS) staff battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Custodian of cricket laws, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), has decided to provide parking and storage spaces available at the iconic Lord's cricket ground to the National Health Services (NHS) staff battling the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus outbreak has infected over 7,00,000 people and caused more that 35,000 deaths worldwide. In the UK, close to 23,000 people, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prince Charles, have been infected and over 1,400 deaths reported. "The close proximity of a number of hospitals to Lord's gives the Club the opportunity to assist medical staff so they can concentrate on their ongoing battle against the virus," the MCC said in media release. The club has provided 75 car parking spaces for NHS staff at the nearby Wellington Hospital, University College Hospital, and the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth. "MCC has currently provided 75 parking space at Lord's for staff at Wellington Hospital, University College Hospital, and the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth" it added. In addition, the custodians of cricket laws are also providing food to a city-based charity. "MCC has provided food to City Harvest London, who help put fresh surplus food to good use in a sustainable way, redistributing to organisations that feed the hungry," the statement said. "We are continuing to work closely with our local community, hospitals and organisations to offer support as best we can during this period."

Lord's opens facilities for NHS staff battling COVID-19 pandemic

Former India captain and coach Anil Kumble on Tuesday made a donation to the Central and Karnataka state relief funds to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

"To bowl out #Covid19India we all need to come together and fight this battle. I have made my humble contributions to #PMCaresFund #PMNRF and #CMReliefFund @PMOIndia @narendramodi @CMofKarnataka @BSYBJP Please do #StaySafeStayHome," he tweeted.

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To bowl out <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Covid19India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Covid19India</a> we all need to come together and fight this battle. I have made my humble contributions to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMCaresFund?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMCaresFund</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMNRF?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMNRF</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CMReliefFund?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CMReliefFund</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PMOIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CMofKarnataka?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CMofKarnataka</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BSYBJP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BSYBJP</a> Please do <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StaySafeStayHome?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StaySafeStayHome</a>
— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) <a href="https://twitter.com/anilkumble1074/status/1244928620063109120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The legendary leg-spinner however refrained from disclosing the amount he has donated.

Kumble thus joined a host of leading sportspersons like batting mastero Sachin Tendulkar, India skipper Virat Kohli, his deputy Rohit Sharma, Mithali Raj, pugilist Mary Kom among others who have generously contributed for the noble cause.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the death toll due to COVID-19 has increased to 32 while the cases have soared to 1,251 till Monday night.&nbsp;

Former India captain and coach Anil Kumble on Tuesday made a donation to the Central and Karnataka state relief funds to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Former India captain and coach Anil Kumble on Tuesday made a donation to the Central and Karnataka state relief funds to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. "To bowl out #Covid19India we all need to come together and fight this battle. I have made my humble contributions to #PMCaresFund #PMNRF and #CMReliefFund @PMOIndia @narendramodi @CMofKarnataka @BSYBJP Please do #StaySafeStayHome," he tweeted. To bowl out #Covid19India we all need to come together and fight this battle. I have made my humble contributions to #PMCaresFund #PMNRF and #CMReliefFund @PMOIndia @narendramodi @CMofKarnataka @BSYBJP Please do #StaySafeStayHome — Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) March 31, 2020 × The legendary leg-spinner however refrained from disclosing the amount he has donated. Kumble thus joined a host of leading sportspersons like batting mastero Sachin Tendulkar, India skipper Virat Kohli, his deputy Rohit Sharma, Mithali Raj, pugilist Mary Kom among others who have generously contributed for the noble cause. According to the Union Health Ministry, the death toll due to COVID-19 has increased to 32 while the cases have soared to 1,251 till Monday night.

Anil Kumble does his bit in fight against COVID19

Outfoxing batsmen with his swing deliveries and Yorkers while becoming one of the mainstays in the Indian limited-overs team, Deepak Chahar was finally carving his own niche in the world of cricket before a back injury pulled him back to the ground zero. &nbsp;

After months of rehabilitation, Chahar was gearing up for the Indian Premier League 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic has left the sporting calendar shattered with the tournament now postponed until April 15 as India continues to remain in a 21-day lockdown period.&nbsp;

There is a massive possibility that the tournament may get cancelled given the current scenario surrounding the COVID-19 but that has not stopped Chahar from training. He may not be able to go outside but the right-arm pacer made sure his gym equipment was in his house before the lockdown began.&nbsp;

In an exclusive interview with WION’s Subhayan Chakraborty, Chahar opened up about his injury, rehab process, workload management, red-ball cricket, how he is spending time in lockdown, love for guitar and much more.

<img alt="Deepak Chahar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a682494-0f78-4a07-b446-e98b3830b114" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1KE08T.jpg" />

Chahar’s back injury not only ended his year 2019 on a sour note but also kept him on the bed for three-four weeks forcing him to miss quite a few bilateral series. However, he has recovered perfectly and was gearing up to regain his lost rhythm but then the 21-day lockdown happened due to COVID-19.

“I am doing really good now. The MRI reports, which came out before the lockdown, were perfectly fine. I had started to train fully to regain my lost rhythm but then this whole coronavirus situation happened and now we all are confined to our houses. Hopefully, the situation will improve quickly and we will be back to our normal lives,” Chahar told WION.

“Thankfully the rehab process ended before the lockdown was announced. I had my share of injuries before as well but the initial three-four weeks where I was completely bed-ridden was really tough. I took it as a new challenge and came out as a better person. After that phase, it was all about regaining my fitness and then working on getting back my rhythm,” Chahar added.

<img alt="Deepak Chahar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c0787b89-d4cb-4db2-b60e-b1f205d8645a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1JD23L.jpg" />

The Indian cricket team has witnessed quite a few injuries in the last year or so. Be it Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Rohit Sharma or Chahar himself, players have suffered severe injuries which have not only hampered the bodies of the players but the planning of the team as well. The BCCI has started to put a lot of emphasis on the players’ workload. Chahar is&nbsp;with BCCI on this matter as he feels the current cricket calendar is extremely hectic for a player to play each and every game.&nbsp;

“The BCCI has done really well in tracking players’ workload. I mean, there’s so much cricket going on. A youngster will want to play every possible match, be it for India, India A, Ranji Trophy, IPL or other tournaments but it is really crucial to take a break when your body demands so. Look at the number of injuries we had in the last year or so, it is quite important to take the back seat when needed.&nbsp;

“Like I was playing continuously, be it for India, India A, Ranji Trophy before I got injured. And to know my body was the biggest takeaway for me in the last few months. Playing cricket might look easy from outside but trust me, international cricket or even state-level cricket is not at all easy,” Chahar explained.

<img alt="Deepak Chahar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b3ecde4-8661-40ed-bca8-da8ad0a1fc0c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1LY9BA.jpg" />

Given Chahar’s heroics with the red-ball in the domestic circuit, quite a few experts have touted him to feature for India in Test cricket. However, due to the rigorous competition for spots in the longest format of the game, the 27-year-old is yet to crack the code and find himself donning the coveted white jersey. Even though he is hopeful, Chahar is not worried about Test cricket as of now as he wants to seal a spot in the limited-overs squad first.&nbsp;

“Before I came into T20 cricket and IPL, I was mostly known for my red-ball bowling in the domestic circuit. I have done pretty well with red-ball. But to play Test cricket, a bowler needs the endurance to bowl 20-25 overs consistently at a go. Right now, I want to cement my spot in the Indian limited-overs team and if they consider me for the Test team in future, I will train accordingly to increase my endurance levels,” Chahar said.&nbsp;

“Test cricket requires skills but more than skills it is the mind and your body which come into the play a lot more. Batsmen will leave good deliveries so you need to plan him out and just not wait for him to make a mistake. It is a tough nut to crack but hopefully, I will get a chance in the longest format in future,” he further said.

<img alt="Deepak Chahar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4edba246-8714-4264-9b7f-9134b0b06645" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1JD1V5.jpg" />

While everyone in the Indian cricket team continues to train at their respective residences, Chahar feels it is going to be a walk in the park for anyone after the lockdown gets over and cricket is resumed again. The Agra-born pacer is of the view that everyone will struggle a bit initially and it will take around 10-12 days to get back in full rhythm.

“International cricket, as I said, is not easy at all. Players will take time to regain their rhythm and might struggle initially when they walk into bat at a net session. Hopefully, this break will not affect their form much but I think it is going to ruin the momentum and rhythm. But yes, this break will work as a mental refreshment for everyone,” Chahar opined.&nbsp;

<img alt="Deepak Chahar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="db5cc296-dbd0-4a32-82c8-0c7e95a5af70" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1GE0T5.jpg" />

During the 21-day lockdown phase, Chahar has found a fitness partner in his father as the duo are training together indoors in a bid to keep fresh and fit.

“My father has always been beside me, no matter what the situation is. Now he is motivating us all by keeping the mood fresh in our house. My dad and I have made a fitness routine which we are religiously following during this lockdown phase. We have created a mini-gym for ourselves and that is helping me a lot,” Chahar said.

Chahar has found another partner at his house amid the lockdown. Besides spending his time in the indoor gym with his father or playing highly-popular shooting game PUBG, Chahar is spending his time learning guitar, which he wanted to do since he was a kid.&nbsp;

“I always wanted to learn guitar so I am utilizing this time to learn it a bit. I am working on my body, training indoors, spending good time with my family. These are the things which active sportspersons don’t usually get to do when they are on the go,” Chahar said.

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8LejNupsKt/?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">I wanted to play this song on guitar since I was a kid finally I did it #chaseyourdreams #guitar #music #best #healer #fun #learnsomethingnew #everyday</a>

<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/deepak_chahar9/?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"> Deepak Chahar</a> (@deepak_chahar9) on <time datetime="2020-02-05T09:03:42+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Feb 5, 2020 at 1:03am PST</time>
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Finally, Chahar had a heartfelt message for everyone during these tough times as he once again urged everyone to remain indoors and stay safe.&nbsp;

“Stay safe everyone. Follow the advisory by the Indian government and take all the necessary precautions. We all complain about our hectic life routines, but now is the time to enjoy the break and spend some time in your home. It will be again back to normal after a few weeks then everyone will once again get busy with the regular hustle and bustle and you will again miss spending time with your family or for that matter, even yourself.

There are so many things to do like I am learning guitar, you all can learn new things. You will not get to spend time at your home after things become normal, so stay safe and stay indoors,” Chahar concluded.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Outfoxing batsmen with his swing deliveries and Yorkers while becoming one of the mainstays in the Indian limited-overs team, Deepak Chahar was finally carving his own niche in the world of cricket before a back injury pulled him back to the ground zero.

Outfoxing batsmen with his swing deliveries and Yorkers while becoming one of the mainstays in the Indian limited-overs team, Deepak Chahar was finally carving his own niche in the world of cricket before a back injury pulled him back to the ground zero. After months of rehabilitation, Chahar was gearing up for the Indian Premier League 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic has left the sporting calendar shattered with the tournament now postponed until April 15 as India continues to remain in a 21-day lockdown period. There is a massive possibility that the tournament may get cancelled given the current scenario surrounding the COVID-19 but that has not stopped Chahar from training. He may not be able to go outside but the right-arm pacer made sure his gym equipment was in his house before the lockdown began. In an exclusive interview with WION’s Subhayan Chakraborty, Chahar opened up about his injury, rehab process, workload management, red-ball cricket, how he is spending time in lockdown, love for guitar and much more. Chahar’s back injury not only ended his year 2019 on a sour note but also kept him on the bed for three-four weeks forcing him to miss quite a few bilateral series. However, he has recovered perfectly and was gearing up to regain his lost rhythm but then the 21-day lockdown happened due to COVID-19. “I am doing really good now. The MRI reports, which came out before the lockdown, were perfectly fine. I had started to train fully to regain my lost rhythm but then this whole coronavirus situation happened and now we all are confined to our houses. Hopefully, the situation will improve quickly and we will be back to our normal lives,” Chahar told WION. “Thankfully the rehab process ended before the lockdown was announced. I had my share of injuries before as well but the initial three-four weeks where I was completely bed-ridden was really tough. I took it as a new challenge and came out as a better person. After that phase, it was all about regaining my fitness and then working on getting back my rhythm,” Chahar added. The Indian cricket team has witnessed quite a few injuries in the last year or so. Be it Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Rohit Sharma or Chahar himself, players have suffered severe injuries which have not only hampered the bodies of the players but the planning of the team as well. The BCCI has started to put a lot of emphasis on the players’ workload. Chahar is with BCCI on this matter as he feels the current cricket calendar is extremely hectic for a player to play each and every game. “The BCCI has done really well in tracking players’ workload. I mean, there’s so much cricket going on. A youngster will want to play every possible match, be it for India, India A, Ranji Trophy, IPL or other tournaments but it is really crucial to take a break when your body demands so. Look at the number of injuries we had in the last year or so, it is quite important to take the back seat when needed. “Like I was playing continuously, be it for India, India A, Ranji Trophy before I got injured. And to know my body was the biggest takeaway for me in the last few months. Playing cricket might look easy from outside but trust me, international cricket or even state-level cricket is not at all easy,” Chahar explained. Given Chahar’s heroics with the red-ball in the domestic circuit, quite a few experts have touted him to feature for India in Test cricket. However, due to the rigorous competition for spots in the longest format of the game, the 27-year-old is yet to crack the code and find himself donning the coveted white jersey. Even though he is hopeful, Chahar is not worried about Test cricket as of now as he wants to seal a spot in the limited-overs squad first. “Before I came into T20 cricket and IPL, I was mostly known for my red-ball bowling in the domestic circuit. I have done pretty well with red-ball. But to play Test cricket, a bowler needs the endurance to bowl 20-25 overs consistently at a go. Right now, I want to cement my spot in the Indian limited-overs team and if they consider me for the Test team in future, I will train accordingly to increase my endurance levels,” Chahar said. “Test cricket requires skills but more than skills it is the mind and your body which come into the play a lot more. Batsmen will leave good deliveries so you need to plan him out and just not wait for him to make a mistake. It is a tough nut to crack but hopefully, I will get a chance in the longest format in future,” he further said. While everyone in the Indian cricket team continues to train at their respective residences, Chahar feels it is going to be a walk in the park for anyone after the lockdown gets over and cricket is resumed again. The Agra-born pacer is of the view that everyone will struggle a bit initially and it will take around 10-12 days to get back in full rhythm. “International cricket, as I said, is not easy at all. Players will take time to regain their rhythm and might struggle initially when they walk into bat at a net session. Hopefully, this break will not affect their form much but I think it is going to ruin the momentum and rhythm. But yes, this break will work as a mental refreshment for everyone,” Chahar opined. During the 21-day lockdown phase, Chahar has found a fitness partner in his father as the duo are training together indoors in a bid to keep fresh and fit. “My father has always been beside me, no matter what the situation is. Now he is motivating us all by keeping the mood fresh in our house. My dad and I have made a fitness routine which we are religiously following during this lockdown phase. We have created a mini-gym for ourselves and that is helping me a lot,” Chahar said. Chahar has found another partner at his house amid the lockdown. Besides spending his time in the indoor gym with his father or playing highly-popular shooting game PUBG, Chahar is spending his time learning guitar, which he wanted to do since he was a kid. “I always wanted to learn guitar so I am utilizing this time to learn it a bit. I am working on my body, training indoors, spending good time with my family. These are the things which active sportspersons don’t usually get to do when they are on the go,” Chahar said. View this post on Instagram I wanted to play this song on guitar since I was a kid finally I did it #chaseyourdreams #guitar #music #best #healer #fun #learnsomethingnew #everyday A post shared by Deepak Chahar (@deepak_chahar9) on Feb 5, 2020 at 1:03am PST × Finally, Chahar had a heartfelt message for everyone during these tough times as he once again urged everyone to remain indoors and stay safe. “Stay safe everyone. Follow the advisory by the Indian government and take all the necessary precautions. We all complain about our hectic life routines, but now is the time to enjoy the break and spend some time in your home. It will be again back to normal after a few weeks then everyone will once again get busy with the regular hustle and bustle and you will again miss spending time with your family or for that matter, even yourself. There are so many things to do like I am learning guitar, you all can learn new things. You will not get to spend time at your home after things become normal, so stay safe and stay indoors,” Chahar concluded.

EXCLUSIVE: Deepak Chahar opens up on life in lockdown, injuries, regaining rhythm and love for guitar

While entire India continues to be in a 21-day lockdown period in a bid to fight back against the dreaded COVID-19, the sporting fraternity has come forward and donated their bit for the noble cause. Indian opener Rohit Sharma was the latest to join the growing list of sportspersons to donate their part to combat the novel coronavirus.

Rohit on Tuesday took to social media platform Twitter to confirm that he has donated Rs 80 lakh. The stylish Indian opener donated Rs 45 lakh to PM CARES Fund, Rs 25 Lakh to CM Relief Fun (Maharashtra), Rs 5 lakh to Feeding India and Rs 5 lakh to Welfare of Stray Dogs.&nbsp;

“We need our country back on feet &amp; the onus is on us. I’ve done my bit to donate 45lakhs to #PMCaresFunds, 25lakhs to #CMReliefFund Maharashtra, 5lakhs to @FeedingIndia and 5lakhs to #WelfareOfStrayDogs.Let’s get behind our leaders and support them @narendramodi @CMOMaharashtra,” Rohit tweeted on Tuesday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-i-saw-it-coming-apurvi-chandela-opens-up-on-tokyo-olympics-postponement-and-life-in-lockdown-289643" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'I saw it coming' - Apurvi Chandela opens up on Tokyo Olympics postponement and life in lockdown</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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We need our country back on feet &amp; the onus is on us. I’ve done my bit to donate 45lakhs to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMCaresFunds?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMCaresFunds</a>, 25lakhs to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CMReliefFund?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CMReliefFund</a> Maharashtra, 5lakhs to <a href="https://twitter.com/FeedingIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FeedingIndia</a> and 5lakhs to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelfareOfStrayDogs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelfareOfStrayDogs</a>.Let’s get behind our leaders and support them <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CMOMaharashtra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CMOMaharashtra</a>
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45/status/1244848509951459328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Rohit has been pretty vocal about the health advisory by the Indian government as he has, several times, urged his fans and followers to remain indoors and adhere to the directives by the government. Even during the Instagram Live sessions with Kevin Pietersen and Yuzvendra Chahal, Rohit had stated that everyone wants to contribute something to their country and it is the right time to do that by simply staying indoors.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-2020-to-be-postponed-bcci-looking-to-free-august-september-window-for-ipl-2020-289617" hreflang="en">Asia Cup 2020 to be postponed? BCCI looking to free August-September window for IPL 2020</a>

Rohit is the not the first cricketer to step forward and donate his bit with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Pathan brothers, among many others, already contributed their part.&nbsp;

While the sporting calendar remains shattered due to COVID-19 pandemic, sportspersons have been restricted to train at their residence with a countrywide lockdown in place as per the orders by the Indian government. 
&nbsp;

While entire India continues to be in a 21-day lockdown period in a bid to fight back against the dreaded COVID-19, the sporting fraternity has come forward and donated their bit for the noble cause.

While entire India continues to be in a 21-day lockdown period in a bid to fight back against the dreaded COVID-19, the sporting fraternity has come forward and donated their bit for the noble cause. Indian opener Rohit Sharma was the latest to join the growing list of sportspersons to donate their part to combat the novel coronavirus. Rohit on Tuesday took to social media platform Twitter to confirm that he has donated Rs 80 lakh. The stylish Indian opener donated Rs 45 lakh to PM CARES Fund, Rs 25 Lakh to CM Relief Fun (Maharashtra), Rs 5 lakh to Feeding India and Rs 5 lakh to Welfare of Stray Dogs. “We need our country back on feet & the onus is on us. I’ve done my bit to donate 45lakhs to #PMCaresFunds, 25lakhs to #CMReliefFund Maharashtra, 5lakhs to @FeedingIndia and 5lakhs to #WelfareOfStrayDogs.Let’s get behind our leaders and support them @narendramodi @CMOMaharashtra,” Rohit tweeted on Tuesday. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'I saw it coming' - Apurvi Chandela opens up on Tokyo Olympics postponement and life in lockdown We need our country back on feet & the onus is on us. I’ve done my bit to donate 45lakhs to #PMCaresFunds, 25lakhs to #CMReliefFund Maharashtra, 5lakhs to @FeedingIndia and 5lakhs to #WelfareOfStrayDogs.Let’s get behind our leaders and support them @narendramodi @CMOMaharashtra — Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) March 31, 2020 × Rohit has been pretty vocal about the health advisory by the Indian government as he has, several times, urged his fans and followers to remain indoors and adhere to the directives by the government. Even during the Instagram Live sessions with Kevin Pietersen and Yuzvendra Chahal, Rohit had stated that everyone wants to contribute something to their country and it is the right time to do that by simply staying indoors. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2020 to be postponed? BCCI looking to free August-September window for IPL 2020 Rohit is the not the first cricketer to step forward and donate his bit with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Pathan brothers, among many others, already contributed their part. While the sporting calendar remains shattered due to COVID-19 pandemic, sportspersons have been restricted to train at their residence with a countrywide lockdown in place as per the orders by the Indian government.

Rohit Sharma donates Rs 80 lakh to combat COVID-19 pandemic

Controversial Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal could face a lifetime ban if convicted of match-fixing charges unveiled Friday by the country's cricket authorities.

The 29-year-old was provisionally suspended by the anti-corruption unit of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on February 20, the day when the Pakistan Super League commenced in Karachi.

The PCB said Umar violated its code on two counts. &nbsp;

"The PCB has charged Umar Akmal with two breaches of the anti-corruption code which relates to not reporting a fixing offer," said a PCB press release.

Under the PCB anti-corruption code a player is required to immediately report to a team manager or officials of the anti-corruption unit when he receives an offer to fix a match. &nbsp;

Under the code if a player is found guilty the penalty ranges from a suspension of six months to a lifetime ban.

Umar has 14 days to respond to the charges in writing.

Umar has a history of disciplinary problems, having been arrested and detained for a day after a brawl with a traffic warden in 2014.&nbsp;

He was also banned for three months after a spat with then Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur in 2017.

Last month he escaped punishment after making rude remarks to a fitness trainer in Lahore.

Often described as a talented yet undisciplined cricketer, Umar has played 16 Tests, 121 one-day internationals and 84 Twenty20 internationals since his debut in 2009.

He last played for Pakistan in the Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka four months ago, failing to score in either match.

Umar's anti-corruption case is the latest of many that has hit Pakistan cricket in the last 20 years, resulting in life bans and fines for several players.

The PSL was hit by a spot-fixing case in 2017 when openers Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were banned for five years.&nbsp;

Controversial Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal could face a lifetime ban if convicted of match-fixing charges unveiled Friday by the country's cricket authorities. The 29-year-old was provisionally suspended by the anti-corruption unit of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on February 20, the day when the Pakistan Super League commenced in Karachi.

Controversial Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal could face a lifetime ban if convicted of match-fixing charges unveiled Friday by the country's cricket authorities. The 29-year-old was provisionally suspended by the anti-corruption unit of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on February 20, the day when the Pakistan Super League commenced in Karachi. The PCB said Umar violated its code on two counts. "The PCB has charged Umar Akmal with two breaches of the anti-corruption code which relates to not reporting a fixing offer," said a PCB press release. Under the PCB anti-corruption code a player is required to immediately report to a team manager or officials of the anti-corruption unit when he receives an offer to fix a match. Under the code if a player is found guilty the penalty ranges from a suspension of six months to a lifetime ban. Umar has 14 days to respond to the charges in writing. Umar has a history of disciplinary problems, having been arrested and detained for a day after a brawl with a traffic warden in 2014. He was also banned for three months after a spat with then Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur in 2017. Last month he escaped punishment after making rude remarks to a fitness trainer in Lahore. Often described as a talented yet undisciplined cricketer, Umar has played 16 Tests, 121 one-day internationals and 84 Twenty20 internationals since his debut in 2009. He last played for Pakistan in the Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka four months ago, failing to score in either match. Umar's anti-corruption case is the latest of many that has hit Pakistan cricket in the last 20 years, resulting in life bans and fines for several players. The PSL was hit by a spot-fixing case in 2017 when openers Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were banned for five years.

Pakistan's Umar Akmal could face lifetime ban over corruption charges

Pandya brothers – Hardik and Krunal – on Sunday posted a video of them playing indoor cricket as entire India continues to be in a 21-day lockdown period. The Pandya brothers were supposed to be seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for Mumbai Indians, however, amid the COVID-19 pandemic the cash-rich tournament was postponed until April 15 from its scheduled date of March 29.&nbsp;

Krunal Pandya took to social media platform Twitter to post the video in which the duo is seen giving a heartfelt message at the end of the video. “We can have fun indoors too Please stay home and be safe everyone @hardikpandya7,” Krunal captioned the video.&nbsp;

“Stay safe everyone. Avoid going out, you can have fun indoors as well just like me and my family had. We urge everyone to observe lockdown and stop the spread of the coronavirus,” Pandya brothers said at the end of the video.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-to-be-held-from-july-23-august-8-in-2021-as-organisers-announce-new-dates-289490">Tokyo Olympics to be held from July 23-August 8 in 2021 as organisers announce new dates</a>

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We can have fun indoors too Please stay home and be safe everyone <a href="https://twitter.com/hardikpandya7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hardikpandya7</a> <a href="https://t.co/bje9m5n99j">pic.twitter.com/bje9m5n99j</a>
— Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) <a href="https://twitter.com/krunalpandya24/status/1244284776653053953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Hardik, who was in red-hot form before his international comeback, was named in the Indian team before the first ODI was abandoned due to rain. The series was eventually aborted due to novel coronavirus outbreak in the country.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-confirms-barcelona-players-will-take-70-wage-cut-and-contribute-to-club-employees-salary-amid-covid-19-pandemic-289485" hreflang="en">Lionel Messi confirms Barcelona players will take 70% wage cut and contribute to club employees' salary amid COVID-19 pandemic</a>

The South African team was sent back to their country on an immediate basis with Indian players returning to their respective residences.

Meanwhile, it is highly likely that IPL 2020 will also be scrapped this season amid COVID-19 pandemic. While there has no official update regarding the cancellation of IPL 2020, it is likely that the season will be scrapped with no mega auction next season.

All the major sporting events and leagues have been cancelled or postponed amid COVID-19 pandemic. Even the Tokyo Olympics have been moved to 2021 with the organisers picking July 23 to August 8, 2021 being the revised dates for the Games.

Pandya brothers – Hardik and Krunal – on Sunday posted a video of them playing indoor cricket as entire India continues to be in a 21-day lockdown period. The Pandya brothers were supposed to be seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for Mumbai Indians, however, amid the COVID-19 pandemic the cash-rich tournament was postponed until April 15 from its scheduled date of March 29.

Pandya brothers – Hardik and Krunal – on Sunday posted a video of them playing indoor cricket as entire India continues to be in a 21-day lockdown period. The Pandya brothers were supposed to be seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for Mumbai Indians, however, amid the COVID-19 pandemic the cash-rich tournament was postponed until April 15 from its scheduled date of March 29. Krunal Pandya took to social media platform Twitter to post the video in which the duo is seen giving a heartfelt message at the end of the video. “We can have fun indoors too Please stay home and be safe everyone @hardikpandya7,” Krunal captioned the video. “Stay safe everyone. Avoid going out, you can have fun indoors as well just like me and my family had. We urge everyone to observe lockdown and stop the spread of the coronavirus,” Pandya brothers said at the end of the video. ALSO READ: Tokyo Olympics to be held from July 23-August 8 in 2021 as organisers announce new dates We can have fun indoors too Please stay home and be safe everyone @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/bje9m5n99j — Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) March 29, 2020 × Hardik, who was in red-hot form before his international comeback, was named in the Indian team before the first ODI was abandoned due to rain. The series was eventually aborted due to novel coronavirus outbreak in the country. ALSO READ: Lionel Messi confirms Barcelona players will take 70% wage cut and contribute to club employees' salary amid COVID-19 pandemic The South African team was sent back to their country on an immediate basis with Indian players returning to their respective residences. Meanwhile, it is highly likely that IPL 2020 will also be scrapped this season amid COVID-19 pandemic. While there has no official update regarding the cancellation of IPL 2020, it is likely that the season will be scrapped with no mega auction next season. All the major sporting events and leagues have been cancelled or postponed amid COVID-19 pandemic. Even the Tokyo Olympics have been moved to 2021 with the organisers picking July 23 to August 8, 2021 being the revised dates for the Games.

WATCH: Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya play indoor cricket amid 21-day lock down due to COVID-19 pandemic

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