Pakistan&#39;s Mohammad Hafeez&#39;s has been banned from bowling in international cricket after the ICC found his bowling action to be illegal.&nbsp;

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The bowling action of Pakistan&#39;s Mohammad Hafeez has been found to be illegal and he has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect: ICC
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931172611970646016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Saddened to know the result of my bowling action from ICC , it would never pull me down , wil never give up , worked so hard to remodelled it &amp; wil work again twice harder to get better to serve my beloved country Pakistan ???? &amp; Achieve MORE <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NO1allrounder?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NO1allrounder</a>
&mdash; Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) <a href="https://twitter.com/MHafeez22/status/931154682780807168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Match officials had reported Hafeez in last month&rsquo;s third one-day international against Sri Lanka.

&ldquo;The assessment revealed that the majority of his deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations,&rdquo; the ICC said in a statement.

Hafeez is an off-spinner and an opening batsman.&nbsp;

Hafeez, 37, has been suspended twice earlier.

He served a 12-month ban starting&nbsp;July, 2015 after his action was found to be illegal for the second time in a two-year period.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Hafeez has been suspended on two previous occasions for the same offence

Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez's has been banned from bowling in international cricket after the ICC found his bowling action to be illegal. The bowling action of Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez has been found to be illegal and he has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect: ICC — ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2017 × Saddened to know the result of my bowling action from ICC , it would never pull me down , wil never give up , worked so hard to remodelled it & wil work again twice harder to get better to serve my beloved country Pakistan ???? & Achieve MORE #NO1allrounder — Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) November 16, 2017 × Match officials had reported Hafeez in last month’s third one-day international against Sri Lanka. “The assessment revealed that the majority of his deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations,” the ICC said in a statement. Hafeez is an off-spinner and an opening batsman. Hafeez, 37, has been suspended twice earlier. He served a 12-month ban starting July, 2015 after his action was found to be illegal for the second time in a two-year period.

Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez suspended after ICC finds bowling action illegal

The face of Test cricket is set to change forever!

The International Cricket Council(ICC) has allowed Test nations not only to experiment with the four-day Test format but has also given a go-ahead for Test championship and one-day international league.

The idea of a Test championship has been on the anvil for the past four years but the ICC was forced to abandon it due to financial reasons.

&quot;Our priority was to develop a structure that gave context and meaning across international cricket and particularly in the Test arena,&quot; ICC chief David Richardson said in a statement.

The Test league will start in 2019 and will have all nine teams play six series over two years - three at home and three away.&nbsp;

It will culminate in a final between the two top teams at Lord&#39;s in mid-2021.

&quot;Bringing context to bilateral cricket is not a new challenge, but this is the first time a genuine solution has been agreed on,&quot; ICC chairman Shashank Manohar said.

The nine nations in the competition are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and West Indies.

The ICC also intends to establish a 13-nation one-day international league starting in 2020.

Television companies have for a long time tried to stay away from promoting the longer format especially with the onslaught of T20 and the Indian Premier League eating up the TRPs but the ICC has maintained Test cricket needs a new lease of life.

&quot;Already we&#39;ve seen that Test cricket is at different stages in different countries and it&#39;s still very popular, extremely popular in the likes of England and Australia, in particular, and maybe less so in some others,&quot; ICC chairman said.

&quot;And whether we can resurrect the interest in those countries where test cricket, the interest in test cricket has fallen away is what we are trying to, hopefully, achieve,&quot; Richardson added.

The Test championship final will culminate in a final between the two top teams at Lord's

The face of Test cricket is set to change forever! The International Cricket Council(ICC) has allowed Test nations not only to experiment with the four-day Test format but has also given a go-ahead for Test championship and one-day international league. The idea of a Test championship has been on the anvil for the past four years but the ICC was forced to abandon it due to financial reasons. "Our priority was to develop a structure that gave context and meaning across international cricket and particularly in the Test arena," ICC chief David Richardson said in a statement. The Test league will start in 2019 and will have all nine teams play six series over two years - three at home and three away. It will culminate in a final between the two top teams at Lord's in mid-2021. "Bringing context to bilateral cricket is not a new challenge, but this is the first time a genuine solution has been agreed on," ICC chairman Shashank Manohar said. The nine nations in the competition are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. The ICC also intends to establish a 13-nation one-day international league starting in 2020. Television companies have for a long time tried to stay away from promoting the longer format especially with the onslaught of T20 and the Indian Premier League eating up the TRPs but the ICC has maintained Test cricket needs a new lease of life. "Already we've seen that Test cricket is at different stages in different countries and it's still very popular, extremely popular in the likes of England and Australia, in particular, and maybe less so in some others," ICC chairman said. "And whether we can resurrect the interest in those countries where test cricket, the interest in test cricket has fallen away is what we are trying to, hopefully, achieve," Richardson added.

Watch ICC's new plan: Test championship set to start from 2019

Players being sent off for misconduct is all set to become a reality in cricket with the ICC&#39;s revamped playing rules, which will be effective in all series starting September 28 or later.

The significant changes also include a restriction on the dimensions of the bat and changes to the Decision Review System. However, the ongoing India-Australia limited-overs series will continue to be played as per the old rules.

All of these rules will come into effect from the two upcoming Test series -- when South Africa host Bangladesh and Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates.

The ICC playing conditions will now incorporate the relevant clauses from the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Laws of Cricket - 2017 Code - meaning that all the playing regulations will be captured in one document for each format.

&quot;Most of the changes to the ICC playing conditions are being made as a result of changes to the Laws of Cricket that have been announced by the MCC. We have just completed a workshop with the umpires to ensure they understand all of the changes and we are now ready to introduce the new playing conditions to international matches,&quot; ICC General Manager (Cricket) Geoff Allardice said.

To maintain the balance between bat and ball, the size of the edges of the bats, as well as their thickness, will now be restricted.

&quot;The restriction on the length and width of bats remain unchanged but the thickness of the edges can&#39;t be more than 40mm and the overall depth can be 67 mm at the most. Umpires will be issued with a new bat gauge, which they can use to check a bat&#39;s legality,&quot; the ICC stated.

In a new playing condition pertaining to players&#39; conduct, a player can now be sent off the field for the rest of the match for any serious misconduct.&quot;Meaning it will apply to Level 4 offences while the Level 1 to 3 offences will continue to be dealt with under the ICC Code of Conduct,&quot; it said.

&quot;Threatening to assault an umpire, making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with an umpire, physically assaulting a player or any other person and committing any other act of violence all constitute Level 4 offences,&quot; it added.

Also, in the new the DRS rules a review will now not be lost in case of a decision that remains unchanged, solely as the result of an &#39;umpire&#39;s call&#39;.

&quot;As for DRS in Test matches, there will be no more top-up reviews after 80 overs of an innings, meaning that there can only be two unsuccessful reviews in each innings, while the DRS will now also be allowed to be used in T20Is.&quot;

&quot;An important change with respect to runouts is that if a batsman is running or diving towards the crease with forward momentum, and has grounded his/her bat behind the popping crease but subsequently lost contact with the ground at the time of the wickets being put down, the batsman will not be run out.&quot;

The same interpretation will also apply for a batsman trying to regain his/her ground to avoid being stumped.

For boundary catches, airborne fielders making their first contact with the ball will need to have taken off from within the boundary, otherwise, a boundary will be scored. 
Besides, a batsman can now be out caught, stumped or run out even if the ball bounces off the helmet worn by a fielder or wicket-keeper.&nbsp;

The significant changes also include a restriction on the dimensions of the bat and changes to the Decision Review System

Players being sent off for misconduct is all set to become a reality in cricket with the ICC's revamped playing rules, which will be effective in all series starting September 28 or later. The significant changes also include a restriction on the dimensions of the bat and changes to the Decision Review System. However, the ongoing India-Australia limited-overs series will continue to be played as per the old rules. All of these rules will come into effect from the two upcoming Test series -- when South Africa host Bangladesh and Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates. The ICC playing conditions will now incorporate the relevant clauses from the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Laws of Cricket - 2017 Code - meaning that all the playing regulations will be captured in one document for each format. "Most of the changes to the ICC playing conditions are being made as a result of changes to the Laws of Cricket that have been announced by the MCC. We have just completed a workshop with the umpires to ensure they understand all of the changes and we are now ready to introduce the new playing conditions to international matches," ICC General Manager (Cricket) Geoff Allardice said. To maintain the balance between bat and ball, the size of the edges of the bats, as well as their thickness, will now be restricted. "The restriction on the length and width of bats remain unchanged but the thickness of the edges can't be more than 40mm and the overall depth can be 67 mm at the most. Umpires will be issued with a new bat gauge, which they can use to check a bat's legality," the ICC stated. In a new playing condition pertaining to players' conduct, a player can now be sent off the field for the rest of the match for any serious misconduct."Meaning it will apply to Level 4 offences while the Level 1 to 3 offences will continue to be dealt with under the ICC Code of Conduct," it said. "Threatening to assault an umpire, making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with an umpire, physically assaulting a player or any other person and committing any other act of violence all constitute Level 4 offences," it added. Also, in the new the DRS rules a review will now not be lost in case of a decision that remains unchanged, solely as the result of an 'umpire's call'. "As for DRS in Test matches, there will be no more top-up reviews after 80 overs of an innings, meaning that there can only be two unsuccessful reviews in each innings, while the DRS will now also be allowed to be used in T20Is." "An important change with respect to runouts is that if a batsman is running or diving towards the crease with forward momentum, and has grounded his/her bat behind the popping crease but subsequently lost contact with the ground at the time of the wickets being put down, the batsman will not be run out." The same interpretation will also apply for a batsman trying to regain his/her ground to avoid being stumped. For boundary catches, airborne fielders making their first contact with the ball will need to have taken off from within the boundary, otherwise, a boundary will be scored. Besides, a batsman can now be out caught, stumped or run out even if the ball bounces off the helmet worn by a fielder or wicket-keeper.

Players being sent off for misconduct: ICC's new rules to come into effect Thursday

The International Cricket Council(ICC) has voted in favour of giving Afghanistan and Ireland full Test status.

As new full members of the ICC, Ireland and Afghanistan will take the total number of Test nations to 12. &nbsp;

Bangladesh was inducted as a full Test member back in 2000 after the then BCCI chief late Jagmohan Dalmiya pushed other Asian nations namely Sri Lanka and Pakistan to further the Asian block within the ICC. Sri Lanka was inducted as a member in 1982, Zimbabwe joined the elite club in 1992.

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BREAKING: <a href="https://twitter.com/ACBofficials">@ACBofficials</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Irelandcricket">@Irelandcricket</a> confirmed as Full Members after a unanimous vote at ICC Full Council meeting. 
 
More to follow... <a href="https://t.co/HXCw2HwDAW">pic.twitter.com/HXCw2HwDAW</a>
&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/877894746726952960">June 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Heartiest congratulations to Ireland and Afghanistan on test status. Really happy for both the countries.
&mdash; Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/877915341271187456">June 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Afghanistan Cricket Board Chief Executive Shafiq Stanikzai elated at being granted full Test status, said,&quot;For a nation like Afghanistan it is a huge and remarkable achievement, the entire nation will be celebrating across all five regions and different provinces. It is the perfect Eid gift.&quot;

&quot;Everyone has waited for this news and has been so keen to hear this news. Afghanistan cricket has gone from strength to strength and we dared to dream that this would happen and today it has become a reality,&quot; he added.

&quot;It&rsquo;s fantastic news for all involved with Irish cricket and I&rsquo;d like to thank the ICC and the members for the positive outcome,&quot; said Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom in a statement.

&quot;Test cricket is the pinnacle of the sport and it&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;ve all been aiming for,&quot; he added.

Ireland captain William Porterfield added:&nbsp;&quot;It&rsquo;s wonderful news for all of Irish cricket, with all the players already talking about playing in a Test match for the first time.

&quot;We&rsquo;ve all played in World Cups and achieved some memorable results along the way, but to play in a Test would be a bit special.&quot;

&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council(ICC) has voted in favour of giving Afghanistan and Ireland full Test status

The International Cricket Council(ICC) has voted in favour of giving Afghanistan and Ireland full Test status. As new full members of the ICC, Ireland and Afghanistan will take the total number of Test nations to 12. Bangladesh was inducted as a full Test member back in 2000 after the then BCCI chief late Jagmohan Dalmiya pushed other Asian nations namely Sri Lanka and Pakistan to further the Asian block within the ICC. Sri Lanka was inducted as a member in 1982, Zimbabwe joined the elite club in 1992. BREAKING: @ACBofficials and @Irelandcricket confirmed as Full Members after a unanimous vote at ICC Full Council meeting. More to follow... pic.twitter.com/HXCw2HwDAW — ICC (@ICC) June 22, 2017 × Heartiest congratulations to Ireland and Afghanistan on test status. Really happy for both the countries. — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 22, 2017 × Afghanistan Cricket Board Chief Executive Shafiq Stanikzai elated at being granted full Test status, said,"For a nation like Afghanistan it is a huge and remarkable achievement, the entire nation will be celebrating across all five regions and different provinces. It is the perfect Eid gift." "Everyone has waited for this news and has been so keen to hear this news. Afghanistan cricket has gone from strength to strength and we dared to dream that this would happen and today it has become a reality," he added. "It’s fantastic news for all involved with Irish cricket and I’d like to thank the ICC and the members for the positive outcome," said Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom in a statement. "Test cricket is the pinnacle of the sport and it’s what we’ve all been aiming for," he added. Ireland captain William Porterfield added: "It’s wonderful news for all of Irish cricket, with all the players already talking about playing in a Test match for the first time. "We’ve all played in World Cups and achieved some memorable results along the way, but to play in a Test would be a bit special."

ICC unanimously votes for Afghanistan, Ireland as Test playing nations

Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed led from the front as he smashed an unbeaten half-century to guide Pakistan to a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their do-or-die Champions Trophy fixture and eventually to the semi-finals here at the Sophia Gardens on Monday.

Chasing a target of 237 runs to win in the virtual quarterfinal clash, Pakistan held their nerve to come out victorious in this knockout encounter.

Pakistan made a great start to their innings with openers Azhar Ali (34) and Fakhar Zaman (50) stitching a crucial 75-run stand to provide their side to laid the platform.

However, Pakistan lost their next three batsmen in quick successions-Babar Azam (10), Mohammad Hafeez (one) and Shoaib Malik (11), who was playing his 250th ODI game.

Imad Wasim and Fahim Ashraf also got out cheaply for four and 15 runs respectively and it looked unlikely for Pakistan to cross the line after being reduced to 162-7.

But Sri Lanka&#39;s disintegrated fielding in the last 45 minutes with couple of dropped catches and Sarfraz subsequent half-century saw Pakistan book their place in the semi-finals.

Sarfraz struck an unbeaten 61-run knock off 79 balls besides sharing a pivotal partnership of 75 runs with fast bowler Mohammad Amir (unbeaten at 28) to help Pakistan chase down the target with 31 balls to spare.

Nuwan Pradeep was the pick of the bowlers for Lanka as he finished with the figures of three for 60 while Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal and Thisara Perera all chipped in with a wicket each.

Earlier, put in to bat first, the Angelo Mathews-led sidthey rope chugged and spluttered to a total of 236 after reducing to 167-7 at one point.

Lanka were cruising at 162 for three as Niroshan Dickwella (73) and Mathews (39) took the Pakistan bowlers to the cleaners by sharing a crucial 78-run stand for the fourth wicket.

However, Pakistan bowlers hit back and triggered a middle-order collapse before Asela Gunaratne (27) and Suranga Lakmal (26) tried to save the blushes for their side and guide them past 200-run mark.

Junaid Khan and Hasan Ali were the most economical bowlers for Pakistan as they bagged three wickets each. Mohamad Amir and Fahim Ashraf also contributed with two wickets.

Sarfraz was adjudged `Man of the Match` for his match-winning performance.

Pakistan will now take on hosts England in the first semi-finals at the same venue on Wednesday while the other last-four contest will see defending champions India taking on Bangladesh at Edgbaston a day after.

(ANI)

Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed smashed an unbeaten half-century to guide Pakistan to a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka

Skipper Sarfraz Ahmed led from the front as he smashed an unbeaten half-century to guide Pakistan to a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in their do-or-die Champions Trophy fixture and eventually to the semi-finals here at the Sophia Gardens on Monday. Chasing a target of 237 runs to win in the virtual quarterfinal clash, Pakistan held their nerve to come out victorious in this knockout encounter. Pakistan made a great start to their innings with openers Azhar Ali (34) and Fakhar Zaman (50) stitching a crucial 75-run stand to provide their side to laid the platform. However, Pakistan lost their next three batsmen in quick successions-Babar Azam (10), Mohammad Hafeez (one) and Shoaib Malik (11), who was playing his 250th ODI game. Imad Wasim and Fahim Ashraf also got out cheaply for four and 15 runs respectively and it looked unlikely for Pakistan to cross the line after being reduced to 162-7. But Sri Lanka's disintegrated fielding in the last 45 minutes with couple of dropped catches and Sarfraz subsequent half-century saw Pakistan book their place in the semi-finals. Sarfraz struck an unbeaten 61-run knock off 79 balls besides sharing a pivotal partnership of 75 runs with fast bowler Mohammad Amir (unbeaten at 28) to help Pakistan chase down the target with 31 balls to spare. Nuwan Pradeep was the pick of the bowlers for Lanka as he finished with the figures of three for 60 while Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal and Thisara Perera all chipped in with a wicket each. Earlier, put in to bat first, the Angelo Mathews-led sidthey rope chugged and spluttered to a total of 236 after reducing to 167-7 at one point. Lanka were cruising at 162 for three as Niroshan Dickwella (73) and Mathews (39) took the Pakistan bowlers to the cleaners by sharing a crucial 78-run stand for the fourth wicket. However, Pakistan bowlers hit back and triggered a middle-order collapse before Asela Gunaratne (27) and Suranga Lakmal (26) tried to save the blushes for their side and guide them past 200-run mark. Junaid Khan and Hasan Ali were the most economical bowlers for Pakistan as they bagged three wickets each. Mohamad Amir and Fahim Ashraf also contributed with two wickets. Sarfraz was adjudged `Man of the Match` for his match-winning performance. Pakistan will now take on hosts England in the first semi-finals at the same venue on Wednesday while the other last-four contest will see defending champions India taking on Bangladesh at Edgbaston a day after. (ANI)

Champions Trophy: Captain Sarfraz powers Pakistan into semis

BCCI&#39;s acting secretary&nbsp;<a href="http://aninews.in/keysearch/keyword-search/amitabh-choudhary.html">Amitabh Choudhary</a>&nbsp;has said that the $400 million offer presented by the International Cricket Council (ICC) before India is &quot;far less than what the country deserves&quot;, seeing BCCI&#39;s contribution to global cricket revenues.

&quot;Because it is far less than what India deserves fairly,&quot; ESPNcricinfo quoted Choudhary as saying to a leading daily when asked why he did not agree to the settlement deal.

The BCCI secretary contended that the Indian market contributed 70 per cent of the global cricket revenue and, therefore, it was natural for India to get the lion&#39;s share.

&quot;Why do you forget that a disproportionate share of revenues to cricket comes from India? It&#39;s very easy and misleading to say that India is getting a disproportionate share,&quot; he said.

&quot;The facts are that over 70 per cent of cricket&#39;s revenue world over comes from the Indian market. That [the $293 million offered by the ICC] is not even close to the contribution that India makes,&quot; he added.

The ICC on Thursday abolished the &#39;Big Three system&#39; and approved a new financial model after its meet in Dubai, under which the BCCI will receive $293 million from 2016 to 2023. Previously, the board was drawing an amount of $570 million due to its &#39;&nbsp;<a href="http://aninews.in/keysearch/keyword-search/big-three.html">Big Three</a>&#39; formula.

This might not have gone down well with the Indian board as the new model eats into its share.

<a href="http://aninews.in/keysearch/keyword-search/icc.html">ICC</a>&nbsp;independent chairman Shashank Manohar had initially offered a compromise formula of an additional $100 million, which would push the BCCI&#39;s share to almost $400 million.

However, BCCI rejected this with a counter-offer under which it would still get its&nbsp;$570 million but no other full member&#39;s share would be reduced.

Manohar, had in February while presenting the finance model for the first time, had said the basic premise was to allow every member country to get an equitable share.

To which the BCCI had objected, saying it could not accept the finance model without any scientific basis.

Choudhary further said that any decision on revoking the Members Participation Agreement (MPA) could only be taken by the BCCI, which has called for a special general body meeting (SGM) on May 7.

With the new revenue model getting the nod, BCCI will now have to do with what they have in the eight-year cycle. The England Cricket Board received $143 million while Zimbabwe Cricket received $94 million.

The remaining seven Full Members will receive $132 million each. The Associate Members will receive a funding of $280 million. This model was passed by a vote of 13 to 1.&nbsp;

(ANI)

Before the model was passed by a vote, Indian cricket received $570 million. Now, it will receive $293 million until 2023

BCCI's acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary has said that the $400 million offer presented by the International Cricket Council (ICC) before India is "far less than what the country deserves", seeing BCCI's contribution to global cricket revenues. "Because it is far less than what India deserves fairly," ESPNcricinfo quoted Choudhary as saying to a leading daily when asked why he did not agree to the settlement deal. The BCCI secretary contended that the Indian market contributed 70 per cent of the global cricket revenue and, therefore, it was natural for India to get the lion's share. "Why do you forget that a disproportionate share of revenues to cricket comes from India? It's very easy and misleading to say that India is getting a disproportionate share," he said. "The facts are that over 70 per cent of cricket's revenue world over comes from the Indian market. That [the $293 million offered by the ICC] is not even close to the contribution that India makes," he added. The ICC on Thursday abolished the 'Big Three system' and approved a new financial model after its meet in Dubai, under which the BCCI will receive $293 million from 2016 to 2023. Previously, the board was drawing an amount of $570 million due to its ' Big Three' formula. This might not have gone down well with the Indian board as the new model eats into its share. ICC independent chairman Shashank Manohar had initially offered a compromise formula of an additional $100 million, which would push the BCCI's share to almost $400 million. However, BCCI rejected this with a counter-offer under which it would still get its $570 million but no other full member's share would be reduced. Manohar, had in February while presenting the finance model for the first time, had said the basic premise was to allow every member country to get an equitable share. To which the BCCI had objected, saying it could not accept the finance model without any scientific basis. Choudhary further said that any decision on revoking the Members Participation Agreement (MPA) could only be taken by the BCCI, which has called for a special general body meeting (SGM) on May 7. With the new revenue model getting the nod, BCCI will now have to do with what they have in the eight-year cycle. The England Cricket Board received $143 million while Zimbabwe Cricket received $94 million. The remaining seven Full Members will receive $132 million each. The Associate Members will receive a funding of $280 million. This model was passed by a vote of 13 to 1. (ANI)

BCCI seethes at ICC's revenue-sharing model, says India has been short-changed

India&#39;s cricket administration has thumbed its nose at International Cricket Council by not announcing the Indian team for the Champions Trophy before the April 25 deadline.

The&nbsp;Board of Control for Cricket in India -- the administrators of Indian cricket -- is apparently in no hurry to announce the&nbsp;squad, a move that will escalate tensions between the two cricket bodies.

The BCCI and ICC have recently sparred over the proposed revenue-sharing model. The new proposal would result in Indian cricket receiving a lot less money than they have in recent years.

Some reports suggest that the BCCI could lose up to&nbsp;$190 million if the new model is implemented. The Indian cricket administration will continue to remain the highest earners, but the massive pruning in their take-home earnings has prompted the BCCI to stoutly oppose the proposed model.

India&#39;s decision to not name the squad before the April 25 deadline is being viewed as BCCI&#39;s way of putting pressure on the ICC.

The BCCI is yet to officially seek an extension, which many could perceive as a show of defiance. The ICC extends the deadline only under special circumstances.

The BCCI top brass feels that naming the India squad is a mere formality as the selectors know who are the certainties.

With at least 14 of the 15 members of the Indian team more or less known, the Indian officials are in no tearing hurry. &quot;Tell me one thing, if we name the squad, say for example on May 5, will ICC bar us from participation. We have a settled squad and naming it is a mere formality,&quot; a top BCCI official told PTI today.

The Champions Trophy will be held in the United Kingdon from June 1 to 18, and India are the defending champions.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

BCCI flies in the face of ICC by not announcing the Champions Trophy squad before April 25

India's cricket administration has thumbed its nose at International Cricket Council by not announcing the Indian team for the Champions Trophy before the April 25 deadline. The Board of Control for Cricket in India -- the administrators of Indian cricket -- is apparently in no hurry to announce the squad, a move that will escalate tensions between the two cricket bodies. The BCCI and ICC have recently sparred over the proposed revenue-sharing model. The new proposal would result in Indian cricket receiving a lot less money than they have in recent years. Some reports suggest that the BCCI could lose up to $190 million if the new model is implemented. The Indian cricket administration will continue to remain the highest earners, but the massive pruning in their take-home earnings has prompted the BCCI to stoutly oppose the proposed model. India's decision to not name the squad before the April 25 deadline is being viewed as BCCI's way of putting pressure on the ICC. The BCCI is yet to officially seek an extension, which many could perceive as a show of defiance. The ICC extends the deadline only under special circumstances. The BCCI top brass feels that naming the India squad is a mere formality as the selectors know who are the certainties. With at least 14 of the 15 members of the Indian team more or less known, the Indian officials are in no tearing hurry. "Tell me one thing, if we name the squad, say for example on May 5, will ICC bar us from participation. We have a settled squad and naming it is a mere formality," a top BCCI official told PTI today. The Champions Trophy will be held in the United Kingdon from June 1 to 18, and India are the defending champions. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India runs the risk of not participating in this year's Champions Trophy

Cricket&#39;s global governing body has received a thumping mandate from its members to proceed with a broad restructure aimed at curbing the dominance of the &quot;Big Three&quot; - Australia, India and England.

The sweeping changes were passed in a vote during a meeting at the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters in Dubai, the governing body said in a statement Thursday.&nbsp;

&quot;This model was passed 13 votes to one,&quot; the ICC said in a statement.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India stands to lose $277 million revenue over the next eight years under the changes, with more flowing to minor Test nations and associate members like Ireland and Afghanistan.&nbsp;The restructure was agreed to in principle in February by the majority of Test playing nations - including England and Australia - but India opposed the proposal.

&quot;A revised constitution was also approved by 12 votes to two,&quot; it said, adding the changes would be put to the ICC in June for adoption.

The shake-up amends the ICC&#39;s constitution and financial structure so that revenue is more equitably distributed among members and less power is concentrated in the hands of the &quot;Big Three&quot;.

It reverses a much-criticised ICC decision in 2014 to relinquish more control to Australia, England and India, the world&#39;s most powerful cricketing boards.

Despite India&#39;s opposition to the reforms, it was a former BCCI boss who was instrumental in pushing through the changes.

ICC chairman Shashank Manohar, who was asked by the council to defer his resignation last month to see the reform package through, declared it &quot;another step forward for world cricket&quot;.

&quot;I am confident we can provide a strong foundation for the sport to grow and improve globally in the future through the adoption of the revised financial model and governance structure,&quot; he said.

The BCCI is clearly unhappy with the latest restructuring as media reports have been speculating for weeks that India might pull out of the Champions Trophy to be held in the UK between June 1 to 8th to protest against ICC&#39;s latest move.

The tug of war between the ICC and BCCI over financial matters has often&nbsp;seen long, protracted battles fought in boardrooms which have sometimes spilled out in the open, however, this time the ICC along with its other members have clearly outmanoeuvred the world&#39;s richest cricket body.&nbsp;

(AFP)

The shake-up amends the ICC's constitution and financial structure so that revenue is more equitably distributed among members

Cricket's global governing body has received a thumping mandate from its members to proceed with a broad restructure aimed at curbing the dominance of the "Big Three" - Australia, India and England. The sweeping changes were passed in a vote during a meeting at the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters in Dubai, the governing body said in a statement Thursday. "This model was passed 13 votes to one," the ICC said in a statement. The Board of Control for Cricket in India stands to lose $277 million revenue over the next eight years under the changes, with more flowing to minor Test nations and associate members like Ireland and Afghanistan. The restructure was agreed to in principle in February by the majority of Test playing nations - including England and Australia - but India opposed the proposal. "A revised constitution was also approved by 12 votes to two," it said, adding the changes would be put to the ICC in June for adoption. The shake-up amends the ICC's constitution and financial structure so that revenue is more equitably distributed among members and less power is concentrated in the hands of the "Big Three". It reverses a much-criticised ICC decision in 2014 to relinquish more control to Australia, England and India, the world's most powerful cricketing boards. Despite India's opposition to the reforms, it was a former BCCI boss who was instrumental in pushing through the changes. ICC chairman Shashank Manohar, who was asked by the council to defer his resignation last month to see the reform package through, declared it "another step forward for world cricket". "I am confident we can provide a strong foundation for the sport to grow and improve globally in the future through the adoption of the revised financial model and governance structure," he said. The BCCI is clearly unhappy with the latest restructuring as media reports have been speculating for weeks that India might pull out of the Champions Trophy to be held in the UK between June 1 to 8th to protest against ICC's latest move. The tug of war between the ICC and BCCI over financial matters has often seen long, protracted battles fought in boardrooms which have sometimes spilled out in the open, however, this time the ICC along with its other members have clearly outmanoeuvred the world's richest cricket body. (AFP)

ICC unanimously votes for new cricket model, BCCI loses out

India might not play in the upcoming Champions Trophy due to differences between the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Sportskeeda said in a <a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/india-could-pull-out-champions-trophy-2017-bcci-icc">report</a>.

&ldquo;BCCI reserves its rights to take all necessary decisions to exercise the rights under the Members Participation Agreement (MPA),&rdquo; a source close to the BCCI told Sportskeeda.&nbsp;

The differences are over a new ICC constitution that looks to limit India&rsquo;s share of revenue and power under The Big Three proposal, which involves the BCCI along with the cricket boards of Australia and England. The proposal guarantees the three boards a major share of the global revenues and gives them a larger say in administrative actions.&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp;

The differences are over a new ICC constitution that looks to limit India?s share of revenue and power under The Big Three proposal

India might not play in the upcoming Champions Trophy due to differences between the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Sportskeeda said in a report. “BCCI reserves its rights to take all necessary decisions to exercise the rights under the Members Participation Agreement (MPA),” a source close to the BCCI told Sportskeeda. The differences are over a new ICC constitution that looks to limit India’s share of revenue and power under The Big Three proposal, which involves the BCCI along with the cricket boards of Australia and England. The proposal guarantees the three boards a major share of the global revenues and gives them a larger say in administrative actions. (WION)

Tiff between ICC and BCCI could force India to pull out of Champion's Trophy: Report

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday welcomed the prospect of the International Criminal Court (ICC) putting him on trial over his bloody war on drugs, saying he would not be intimidated and his campaign would be unrelenting and &quot;brutal&quot;.

A self-confessed assassin who testified to being in a &quot;death squad&quot; under Duterte is expected to file a case at the ICC this month or in April, accusing the president of crimes against humanity, his lawyer said recently.

But Duterte has said he is on the right track regarding human rights and has never instructed security forces to kill suspects who were not resisting arrest. More than 8,000 people have died since he took office last year and began his anti-drugs campaign, a third in raids and sting operations by police who say they acted in self-defence.

&quot;I will not be intimidated and I shall not be stopped just by what? International Criminal Court? Impeachment? If that is part of my destiny, it is my destiny to go,&quot; Duterte told reporters shortly before leaving for Myanmar.

&quot;The drive against corruption, criminality and drugs will resume and it will continue and it will be brutal.&quot;

Rights groups say many of the deaths were assassinations of drugs users with police complicity. The authorities reject that and blame vigilantes and drugs gangs.

Duterte said he would never &quot;condone the killing of a criminal person arrested with outstretched arms, begging for his life, or what is popularly known as extrajudicial killings&quot;.

&quot;Follow the law and we are alright. Drop shabu and nobody will die tomorrow,&quot; Duterte said. Shabu is the street name for the highly addictive crystal methamphetamine that the government blames for most of the serious crimes in the Philippines.

But Duterte warned: &quot;If you place the guys lives in jeopardy...my order is to shoot you.&quot;

He said he would rather see &quot;thousands or millions of criminals go first&quot;, than see security forces killed in the anti-narcotics war.

Two men, including the one who is expected to file the ICC case, have testified before the Philippine Senate saying they were part of an alleged &quot;death squad&quot; in Davao that killed at Duterte&#39;s behest. But legislators found no proof of extra-judicial killings and death squads.

The &quot;death squad&quot; and allegations of drugs-related extrajudicial killings were among the reasons for an impeachment complaint filed by an opposition lawmaker in Congress against Duterte on Thursday.

Duterte said he was not ruling out the possibility that &quot;scalawags in government who are trying to silence guys dealing with them&quot; were behind these extrajudicial executions.

(Reuters)

A self-confessed assassin who testified to being in a 'death squad' under Duterte is expected to file a case at the ICC this month

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday welcomed the prospect of the International Criminal Court (ICC) putting him on trial over his bloody war on drugs, saying he would not be intimidated and his campaign would be unrelenting and "brutal". A self-confessed assassin who testified to being in a "death squad" under Duterte is expected to file a case at the ICC this month or in April, accusing the president of crimes against humanity, his lawyer said recently. But Duterte has said he is on the right track regarding human rights and has never instructed security forces to kill suspects who were not resisting arrest. More than 8,000 people have died since he took office last year and began his anti-drugs campaign, a third in raids and sting operations by police who say they acted in self-defence. "I will not be intimidated and I shall not be stopped just by what? International Criminal Court? Impeachment? If that is part of my destiny, it is my destiny to go," Duterte told reporters shortly before leaving for Myanmar. "The drive against corruption, criminality and drugs will resume and it will continue and it will be brutal." Rights groups say many of the deaths were assassinations of drugs users with police complicity. The authorities reject that and blame vigilantes and drugs gangs. Duterte said he would never "condone the killing of a criminal person arrested with outstretched arms, begging for his life, or what is popularly known as extrajudicial killings". "Follow the law and we are alright. Drop shabu and nobody will die tomorrow," Duterte said. Shabu is the street name for the highly addictive crystal methamphetamine that the government blames for most of the serious crimes in the Philippines. But Duterte warned: "If you place the guys lives in jeopardy...my order is to shoot you." He said he would rather see "thousands or millions of criminals go first", than see security forces killed in the anti-narcotics war. Two men, including the one who is expected to file the ICC case, have testified before the Philippine Senate saying they were part of an alleged "death squad" in Davao that killed at Duterte's behest. But legislators found no proof of extra-judicial killings and death squads. The "death squad" and allegations of drugs-related extrajudicial killings were among the reasons for an impeachment complaint filed by an opposition lawmaker in Congress against Duterte on Thursday. Duterte said he was not ruling out the possibility that "scalawags in government who are trying to silence guys dealing with them" were behind these extrajudicial executions. (Reuters)

Philippines' Duterte welcomes prospect of ICC case, says 'brutal' war on drugs to go on

Shashank Manohar has resigned -- with immediate effect -- as the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

He cited &quot;personal reasons&rdquo; for his departure.&nbsp;

Manohar had been elected to the post only in May last year for a tenure of two years, becoming the first independent chairman of the game&#39;s governing body.

WION has a copy of Manohar&#39;s resignation letter, which he sent to ICC CEO David Richardson. &nbsp;

In it, Manohar says: &quot;I have tried to do my best and have tried to be fair and impartial in deciding matters in the functioning of the Board and in matters related to Member Boards along with the able support of all Directors.&quot;&nbsp;

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<h5>It is thought that Manohar resigned because of the BCCI&#39;s resistance to his reforms</h5>
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Then, in the next paragraph, he adds: &quot;However, for personal reasons it is not possible for me to hold the august office of ICC Chairman and hence I am tendering my resignation as Chairman with immediate effect.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;

It is thought that Manohar resigned because of the Board of Control for Cricket in India&#39;s resistance to his reforms.&nbsp;

Manohar had been trying to reform the ICC&#39;s &quot;Big Three&quot;&nbsp;revenue-sharing model. The Big Three of the cricketing world are Australia, England, and India, with a major share of the ICC&#39;s revenue being split among the boards of the three countries.&nbsp;

It was India that had led the resistance to Manohar&#39;s reforms.

The BCCI brought together three other boards -- those of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe -- in addition to itself to put a stop to Manohar&#39;s reforms. &nbsp;

A total of four boards were needed to put a permanent stop to Manohar&#39;s reforms.&nbsp;

(WION)

He cited 'personal reasons' for his departure

Shashank Manohar has resigned -- with immediate effect -- as the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He cited "personal reasons” for his departure. Manohar had been elected to the post only in May last year for a tenure of two years, becoming the first independent chairman of the game's governing body. WION has a copy of Manohar's resignation letter, which he sent to ICC CEO David Richardson. In it, Manohar says: "I have tried to do my best and have tried to be fair and impartial in deciding matters in the functioning of the Board and in matters related to Member Boards along with the able support of all Directors." It is thought that Manohar resigned because of the BCCI's resistance to his reforms × Then, in the next paragraph, he adds: "However, for personal reasons it is not possible for me to hold the august office of ICC Chairman and hence I am tendering my resignation as Chairman with immediate effect." It is thought that Manohar resigned because of the Board of Control for Cricket in India's resistance to his reforms. Manohar had been trying to reform the ICC's "Big Three" revenue-sharing model. The Big Three of the cricketing world are Australia, England, and India, with a major share of the ICC's revenue being split among the boards of the three countries. It was India that had led the resistance to Manohar's reforms. The BCCI brought together three other boards -- those of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe -- in addition to itself to put a stop to Manohar's reforms. A total of four boards were needed to put a permanent stop to Manohar's reforms. (WION)

Shashank Manohar stuns cricketing world, steps down as ICC chairman

Cricket&#39;s governing body said Wednesday they would bring together the captains of India and Australia to clear the air after the dramatic second Test was marred by accusations of cheating.

The International Cricket Council said &quot;no further action&quot; would be taken against the skippers in the wake of India&#39;s 75-run victory over Australia in Bangalore earlier this week that was overshadowed by a spiralling war of words.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli`s accused Steve Smith of abusing the decision review system (DRS) after he was seen looking to the Australian dressing-room while considering appealing against his dismissal for lbw.

The rules forbid players from consulting with anyone off the pitch about whether to seek a review from the umpires.

Smith admitted he had been at fault but put it down to a one-off &quot;brain-fade&quot; but an angry Kohli said it was far from an isolated incident, suggesting it had been happening for the entire Test.

The ICC said neither skipper had violated the council`s code of conduct but the match referee would bring both captains together ahead of the next Test &quot;to remind them of their responsibilities to the game&quot;.

&quot;We have just witnessed a magnificent game of Test cricket where players from both teams gave their all and emotions were running high during and after the match,&quot; ICC chief executive David Richardson said in a statement.

&quot;We would encourage both teams to focus their energies on the third Test in Ranchi next week.&quot;

India won the Test after Australia crashed to 112 all out on the fourth-day, bringing the world`s top-two sides into a 1-1 draw in the four-match series. 
 
(AFP)

BCCI had asked the International Cricket Council to probe the cheating allegations against the Australian skipper

Cricket's governing body said Wednesday they would bring together the captains of India and Australia to clear the air after the dramatic second Test was marred by accusations of cheating. The International Cricket Council said "no further action" would be taken against the skippers in the wake of India's 75-run victory over Australia in Bangalore earlier this week that was overshadowed by a spiralling war of words. Indian skipper Virat Kohli`s accused Steve Smith of abusing the decision review system (DRS) after he was seen looking to the Australian dressing-room while considering appealing against his dismissal for lbw. The rules forbid players from consulting with anyone off the pitch about whether to seek a review from the umpires. Smith admitted he had been at fault but put it down to a one-off "brain-fade" but an angry Kohli said it was far from an isolated incident, suggesting it had been happening for the entire Test. The ICC said neither skipper had violated the council`s code of conduct but the match referee would bring both captains together ahead of the next Test "to remind them of their responsibilities to the game". "We have just witnessed a magnificent game of Test cricket where players from both teams gave their all and emotions were running high during and after the match," ICC chief executive David Richardson said in a statement. "We would encourage both teams to focus their energies on the third Test in Ranchi next week." India won the Test after Australia crashed to 112 all out on the fourth-day, bringing the world`s top-two sides into a 1-1 draw in the four-match series. (AFP)

No action against Virat Kohli, Steve Smith in DRS row: ICC

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced its Test and ODI teams of the year 2016 on Thursday.

But for some reason, Virat Kohli, India&rsquo;s Test captain, who is on an 18-match unbeaten streak was omitted from the list of ICC Test team of the year.

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Here is the ICC Test Team of the Year 2016! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICCAwards?src=hash">#ICCAwards</a> <a href="https://t.co/TjqFeMn4MY">pic.twitter.com/TjqFeMn4MY</a>
&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/811813662801399809">December 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Kohli recently led India to a 4-0 series win over England in a five-Test home series.

He was the man of the series by scoring 655 runs in the five Tests, at a whopping average of 109.16 with the&nbsp;highest score of 235.

He scored 1215 runs in 2016 in 12 Test at an average of 75.93, with four centuries and two half-centuries.

The only Indian in the line-up of the Test team is the off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, with two of Kohli&rsquo;s closest competitors, Kane Williamson of New Zealand and Joe Root of England make it to the team.

However, Kohli makes it into the ODI team of the year, along with Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma.

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&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/811816048534126593">December 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Warner and Starc are two cricketers who found a place in both the teams.

The Test team is selected on the basis of records between September 14, 2015, and September 20, 2016. Williamson had a great 2015, coming up with an average of 90.15 from 16 innings. While Kohli averages 42.66 off 15 innings in 2015, reports NDTV Sports.

ICC ODI team of the year 2016: Virat Kohli (captain), David Warner, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rohit Sharma, AB de Villiers, Jos Buttler, Mitchell Marsh, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Starc, Kagiso Rabada, Sunil Narine, Imran Tahir.

ICC Test team of the year 2016: Alastair Cook (captain), David Warner, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Adam Voges, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rangana Herath, Mitchell Starc, Dale Steyn, Steve Smith.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Kohli was omitted from the ICC Test team of the year but however, makes it into the ODI team of the year

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced its Test and ODI teams of the year 2016 on Thursday. But for some reason, Virat Kohli, India’s Test captain, who is on an 18-match unbeaten streak was omitted from the list of ICC Test team of the year. Here is the ICC Test Team of the Year 2016! #ICCAwards pic.twitter.com/TjqFeMn4MY — ICC (@ICC) December 22, 2016 × Kohli recently led India to a 4-0 series win over England in a five-Test home series. He was the man of the series by scoring 655 runs in the five Tests, at a whopping average of 109.16 with the highest score of 235. He scored 1215 runs in 2016 in 12 Test at an average of 75.93, with four centuries and two half-centuries. The only Indian in the line-up of the Test team is the off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, with two of Kohli’s closest competitors, Kane Williamson of New Zealand and Joe Root of England make it to the team. However, Kohli makes it into the ODI team of the year, along with Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma. Presenting the ICC ODI Team of the Year 2016! #ICCAwards pic.twitter.com/5rH3XozNIj — ICC (@ICC) December 22, 2016 × Warner and Starc are two cricketers who found a place in both the teams. The Test team is selected on the basis of records between September 14, 2015, and September 20, 2016. Williamson had a great 2015, coming up with an average of 90.15 from 16 innings. While Kohli averages 42.66 off 15 innings in 2015, reports NDTV Sports. ICC ODI team of the year 2016: Virat Kohli (captain), David Warner, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rohit Sharma, AB de Villiers, Jos Buttler, Mitchell Marsh, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Starc, Kagiso Rabada, Sunil Narine, Imran Tahir. ICC Test team of the year 2016: Alastair Cook (captain), David Warner, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Adam Voges, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rangana Herath, Mitchell Starc, Dale Steyn, Steve Smith. (WION)

No place for Virat Kohli in the ICC Test team of the year 2016

India will end 2016 as the world&#39;s top-ranked Test side after their 4-0 series thrashing of England, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement on Tuesday.

Virat Kohli&#39;s side humbled England by a innings and 75 runs in the fifth and final Test in Chennai to extend their unbeaten run to 18 matches, the longest they have ever gone without defeat.

The series win took India to 120 points in the ICC standings, 15 points ahead of second-placed Australia, while England&#39;s defeat saw them slip from second to fifth position.

&quot;(India) can&#39;t be overtaken this year since the team rankings are updated only at the end of each Test series,&quot; the ICC said in an emailed statement.

India have also registered series wins against the West Indies and New Zealand this year as part of their unbeaten run.

India have triumphed in five straight series under Kohli, and are now unbeaten in 18 Tests, beating their previous best-ever run of 17 matches which was set back in 1987.

(Reuters)

The series win took India to 120 points in the ICC standings, 15 points ahead of second-placed Australia

India will end 2016 as the world's top-ranked Test side after their 4-0 series thrashing of England, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement on Tuesday. Virat Kohli's side humbled England by a innings and 75 runs in the fifth and final Test in Chennai to extend their unbeaten run to 18 matches, the longest they have ever gone without defeat. The series win took India to 120 points in the ICC standings, 15 points ahead of second-placed Australia, while England's defeat saw them slip from second to fifth position. "(India) can't be overtaken this year since the team rankings are updated only at the end of each Test series," the ICC said in an emailed statement. India have also registered series wins against the West Indies and New Zealand this year as part of their unbeaten run. India have triumphed in five straight series under Kohli, and are now unbeaten in 18 Tests, beating their previous best-ever run of 17 matches which was set back in 1987. (Reuters)

Cricket: India finish year as top-ranked Test side

Russia dealt the International Criminal Court (ICC) a fresh blow Wednesday as the court&#39;s top officials urged nations to support the tribunal hit by a wave of unprecedented defections.

Moscow has never ratified the world&#39;s only permanent war crimes court, but in a heavily symbolic move on the opening day of the ICC&#39;s annual meeting, it said it was formally withdrawing its signature to the tribunal&#39;s founding Rome Statute.

&quot;The court did not live up to the hopes associated with it and did not become truly independent,&quot; Russia&#39;s foreign ministry said, describing its work as &quot;one-sided and inefficient&quot;.

The move came only days after The Gambia on Monday formally notified the United Nations it was leaving the ICC, following in the footsteps of South Africa and Burundi.

&quot;Don&#39;t go,&quot; pleaded Senegalese minister Sidiki Kaba, the president of the ICC&#39;s Assembly of State Parties as he opened an eight-day meeting. &quot;In a world criss-crossed by violent extremism...it is urgent and necessary to defend the ideal of justice for all.&quot;

The tribunal opened in 2002 in The Hague as a court of last resort to try the world&#39;s worst crimes where national courts are unable or unwilling to act.

In his passionate plea, Kaba admitted the ICC was undergoing a &quot;difficult moment&quot;.

With Russia and China having blocked UN moves to refer war crimes in Syria to the ICC for investigation, Kaba acknowledged some believed international justice was marred by double standards. But he offered reassurances, saying: &quot;You have been heard.&quot;

There have long been accusations of bias against African nations. And Kenya, Namibia and Uganda have also indicated they are considering pulling out of the Rome Statute.

&nbsp;

&#39;Legal dilemma&#39;&nbsp;

South Africa&#39;s Justice Minister Michael Masutha told the assembly the decision to quit &quot;was not taken lightly&quot; by his country, which had played a major role in drawing up the founding statute. He argued South Africa had been treated unfairly by the court when it did not arrest visiting Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, even though the ICC has issued an international warrant for his arrest on war crimes charges.

Pretoria had found itself caught in a dilemma, with &quot;conflicting obligations&quot; to uphold both the ICC&#39;s rules and international law granting immunity to heads of state, Masutha said, adding his country &quot;would not become a safe haven for fugitives.&quot;

Chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda insisted however her office would continue &quot;to forge ahead to deliver on its important mandate&quot;. &quot;Without the ICC we will regress into an even more turbulent world where chaos and violence take the upper hand.&quot;

Amnesty International slammed Moscow&#39;s &quot;cynical&quot; move as a bid &quot;to undermine the progress towards international justice&quot;.

But Bensouda told AFP later that Russia&#39;s decision would not impede her ongoing investigation into alleged war crimes during the brief 2008 war between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia. &quot;We will continue to do our work,&quot; she said, adding her office would seek &quot;as much information from alternative sources as possible&quot;.

Bensouda has also opened preliminary probes into cases in the Palestinian territories, Colombia as well as Ukraine, and revealed she may be poised to launch her most complex investigation so far.

In her annual report she said there was a &quot;reasonable basis&quot; to believe US troops as well as the Taliban and Afghan forces may have committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

&nbsp;

&#39;Do not betray victims&#39;&nbsp;

If a full-blown investigation goes ahead, US forces would be exposed for the first time to an ICC investigation, although it is highly unlikely any American troops would end up in the dock in The Hague.

Palestinian foreign minister Riad Malik meanwhile pressed the court to launch a full investigation into what he said where &quot;crimes that continue to be committed by Israeli occupation&quot;.

To drop the probe &quot;would send a message to our children...that criminals can get away with their crimes, because we live in a world where might is right&quot;.

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra&#39;ad Al Hussein warned of &quot;a new trend&quot; of isolationism, adding &quot;now is not the time to abandon the post. This is the time of resolve and strength&quot;.

&quot;Do not betray the victims, nor your own people. Stand by the Rome Statute and the court.&quot;

(AFP)

Russia has never ratified the world's only permanent war crimes court, and called it 'one-sided and inefficient'

Russia dealt the International Criminal Court (ICC) a fresh blow Wednesday as the court's top officials urged nations to support the tribunal hit by a wave of unprecedented defections. Moscow has never ratified the world's only permanent war crimes court, but in a heavily symbolic move on the opening day of the ICC's annual meeting, it said it was formally withdrawing its signature to the tribunal's founding Rome Statute. "The court did not live up to the hopes associated with it and did not become truly independent," Russia's foreign ministry said, describing its work as "one-sided and inefficient". The move came only days after The Gambia on Monday formally notified the United Nations it was leaving the ICC, following in the footsteps of South Africa and Burundi. "Don't go," pleaded Senegalese minister Sidiki Kaba, the president of the ICC's Assembly of State Parties as he opened an eight-day meeting. "In a world criss-crossed by violent extremism...it is urgent and necessary to defend the ideal of justice for all." The tribunal opened in 2002 in The Hague as a court of last resort to try the world's worst crimes where national courts are unable or unwilling to act. In his passionate plea, Kaba admitted the ICC was undergoing a "difficult moment". With Russia and China having blocked UN moves to refer war crimes in Syria to the ICC for investigation, Kaba acknowledged some believed international justice was marred by double standards. But he offered reassurances, saying: "You have been heard." There have long been accusations of bias against African nations. And Kenya, Namibia and Uganda have also indicated they are considering pulling out of the Rome Statute. 'Legal dilemma' South Africa's Justice Minister Michael Masutha told the assembly the decision to quit "was not taken lightly" by his country, which had played a major role in drawing up the founding statute. He argued South Africa had been treated unfairly by the court when it did not arrest visiting Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, even though the ICC has issued an international warrant for his arrest on war crimes charges. Pretoria had found itself caught in a dilemma, with "conflicting obligations" to uphold both the ICC's rules and international law granting immunity to heads of state, Masutha said, adding his country "would not become a safe haven for fugitives." Chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda insisted however her office would continue "to forge ahead to deliver on its important mandate". "Without the ICC we will regress into an even more turbulent world where chaos and violence take the upper hand." Amnesty International slammed Moscow's "cynical" move as a bid "to undermine the progress towards international justice". But Bensouda told AFP later that Russia's decision would not impede her ongoing investigation into alleged war crimes during the brief 2008 war between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia. "We will continue to do our work," she said, adding her office would seek "as much information from alternative sources as possible". Bensouda has also opened preliminary probes into cases in the Palestinian territories, Colombia as well as Ukraine, and revealed she may be poised to launch her most complex investigation so far. In her annual report she said there was a "reasonable basis" to believe US troops as well as the Taliban and Afghan forces may have committed war crimes in Afghanistan. 'Do not betray victims' If a full-blown investigation goes ahead, US forces would be exposed for the first time to an ICC investigation, although it is highly unlikely any American troops would end up in the dock in The Hague. Palestinian foreign minister Riad Malik meanwhile pressed the court to launch a full investigation into what he said where "crimes that continue to be committed by Israeli occupation". To drop the probe "would send a message to our children...that criminals can get away with their crimes, because we live in a world where might is right". UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein warned of "a new trend" of isolationism, adding "now is not the time to abandon the post. This is the time of resolve and strength". "Do not betray the victims, nor your own people. Stand by the Rome Statute and the court." (AFP)

Russia withdraws from International Criminal Court

India will become the last Test nation to embrace cricket&#39;s decision review system (DRS) this week, ending their resistance to on-field technology at a time of growing debate about its impact on the game.

While the recent series between England and Bangladesh fuelled criticism that the constant resort to TV replays has undermined umpires&#39; confidence, DRS supporters say the technology is rapidly improving.

While the other nine teams have been using DRS for years, the world&#39;s number one Test side had resisted over doubts about its reliability, sparked by a frustrating trial run in 2008.

India&#39;s master batsman Sachin Tendulkar was long rumoured to be at the forefront of the opposition in the dressing room and World Cup winning skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was also a sceptic.

But opposition has faded since Tendulkar retired and Dhoni stepped down as Test skipper (he remains ODI captain).

India&#39;s agreement to employ DRS for the five-Test series against England that begins this week came after an International Cricket Council (ICC) presentation last month on upgrades in technology.

Announcing the U-turn, the country&#39;s cricket board president Anurag Thakur said India &quot;recognise the enhanced role of technology in sport&quot; and would deploy all the DRS tools in the England series.

DRS comprises three main elements: ball-tracking technology known as &#39;Hawkeye&#39;; a high-audio microphone known as &#39;snicko&#39; which detects the sound of a ball grazing the bat or gloves; and &#39;hotspot&#39; thermal imaging which can also determine where a ball makes contact.

Improved technology&nbsp;

ICC general manager Geoff Allardice said India&#39;s change of heart stemmed from improvements which more accurately predict whether the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps after hitting a batsman&#39;s pads.

&quot;Our aim for a long time has been to make the DRS technology better with an end goal of getting it used more consistently in international cricket,&quot; he said in a conference call from the ICC&#39;s Dubai headquarters.

Allardice said India&#39;s new coach Anil Kumble has been key to the change of heart after being a DRS proponent in his old position as chairman of the ICC cricket committee.

That the former spinner, who took a record 619 wickets for India, is a DRS fan is no surprise given the system is widely seen to have most benefited spinners.

Figures have shown the number of leg before wicket (LBW) decisions in favour of spinners has roughly doubled since DRS came into widespread usage in 2009.

Before, umpires could rarely be persuaded to raise their finger unless the ball was arrowed towards middle stump but batsmen now often have to walk after being hit on the pad by balls heading for off or leg.

Bishan Bedi, another legendary Indian spinner, is delighted India are finally using DRS.

&quot;Better late than never,&quot; he told AFP, saying India stood to benefit given the number of spinners they employ on their own turning tracks.

&quot;It should be good for the spinners. It cannot humanly be possible to eradicate human error so the more we can reduce it, the better.&quot;

But while India are now on board, the&nbsp;debate about the pros and cons of DRS shows no signs of abating -- particularly after 42 decisions were reviewed in last month&#39;s Bangladesh-England series.

Constant scrutiny

Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena had 16 decisions reviewed, eight of which were overturned by a colleague scrutinising the slow-motion replays.

The constant reviews drained some of the drama from a nail-biting series. It reached its nadir at the end of the first Test when England had to wait several minutes before their victory was confirmed.

Allardice acknowledged the number of reviews going against an umpire was a factor in deciding whether they remain on the elite panel which officiate in Tests, while insisting the ICC wouldn&#39;t &quot;jump to a conclusion on the basis of one single performance&quot;.

India&#39;s former international umpire Krishna Hariharan said it was important players continued to respect the umpires&#39; authority.

&quot;If technology can assist in the betterment of cricket it is definitely welcome, but remember it is always in the hands of the on-field umpire,&quot; said Hariharan who sits on India&#39;s umpire assessment committee.

Some observers say DRS has also undermined a basic tenet of the game, accepting the rough with the smooth.

&quot;There is much rhetoric about the spirit of cricket: but few things have betrayed that spirit more&quot; than DRS, the columnist Simon Heffer wrote in Britain&#39;s Daily Telegraph recently.

(AFP)

India's agreement to employ DRS came after an International Cricket Council (ICC) presentation last month on upgrades in technology

India will become the last Test nation to embrace cricket's decision review system (DRS) this week, ending their resistance to on-field technology at a time of growing debate about its impact on the game. While the recent series between England and Bangladesh fuelled criticism that the constant resort to TV replays has undermined umpires' confidence, DRS supporters say the technology is rapidly improving. While the other nine teams have been using DRS for years, the world's number one Test side had resisted over doubts about its reliability, sparked by a frustrating trial run in 2008. India's master batsman Sachin Tendulkar was long rumoured to be at the forefront of the opposition in the dressing room and World Cup winning skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was also a sceptic. But opposition has faded since Tendulkar retired and Dhoni stepped down as Test skipper (he remains ODI captain). India's agreement to employ DRS for the five-Test series against England that begins this week came after an International Cricket Council (ICC) presentation last month on upgrades in technology. Announcing the U-turn, the country's cricket board president Anurag Thakur said India "recognise the enhanced role of technology in sport" and would deploy all the DRS tools in the England series. DRS comprises three main elements: ball-tracking technology known as 'Hawkeye'; a high-audio microphone known as 'snicko' which detects the sound of a ball grazing the bat or gloves; and 'hotspot' thermal imaging which can also determine where a ball makes contact. Improved technology ICC general manager Geoff Allardice said India's change of heart stemmed from improvements which more accurately predict whether the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps after hitting a batsman's pads. "Our aim for a long time has been to make the DRS technology better with an end goal of getting it used more consistently in international cricket," he said in a conference call from the ICC's Dubai headquarters. Allardice said India's new coach Anil Kumble has been key to the change of heart after being a DRS proponent in his old position as chairman of the ICC cricket committee. That the former spinner, who took a record 619 wickets for India, is a DRS fan is no surprise given the system is widely seen to have most benefited spinners. Figures have shown the number of leg before wicket (LBW) decisions in favour of spinners has roughly doubled since DRS came into widespread usage in 2009. Before, umpires could rarely be persuaded to raise their finger unless the ball was arrowed towards middle stump but batsmen now often have to walk after being hit on the pad by balls heading for off or leg. Bishan Bedi, another legendary Indian spinner, is delighted India are finally using DRS. "Better late than never," he told AFP, saying India stood to benefit given the number of spinners they employ on their own turning tracks. "It should be good for the spinners. It cannot humanly be possible to eradicate human error so the more we can reduce it, the better." But while India are now on board, the debate about the pros and cons of DRS shows no signs of abating -- particularly after 42 decisions were reviewed in last month's Bangladesh-England series. Constant scrutiny Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena had 16 decisions reviewed, eight of which were overturned by a colleague scrutinising the slow-motion replays. The constant reviews drained some of the drama from a nail-biting series. It reached its nadir at the end of the first Test when England had to wait several minutes before their victory was confirmed. Allardice acknowledged the number of reviews going against an umpire was a factor in deciding whether they remain on the elite panel which officiate in Tests, while insisting the ICC wouldn't "jump to a conclusion on the basis of one single performance". India's former international umpire Krishna Hariharan said it was important players continued to respect the umpires' authority. "If technology can assist in the betterment of cricket it is definitely welcome, but remember it is always in the hands of the on-field umpire," said Hariharan who sits on India's umpire assessment committee. Some observers say DRS has also undermined a basic tenet of the game, accepting the rough with the smooth. "There is much rhetoric about the spirit of cricket: but few things have betrayed that spirit more" than DRS, the columnist Simon Heffer wrote in Britain's Daily Telegraph recently. (AFP)

Cricket: DRS makes India debut but debate still rages

India&#39;s top court today decided to reserve its order to pass direction over Justice Lodha committee plea alleging that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is violating the apex court order and committee directions regarding the BCCI reforms.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Anurag Thakur, however, filed an affidavit and told India&#39;s top court that he had not asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO, Shashank Manohar, to state that the appointment of Justice R M Lodha committee would &quot;tantamount to government interference&quot; in the functioning of BCCI, Indian news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the affidavit, Thakur said:&nbsp;&quot;I am filing this affidavit pursuant to the order dated October 7, passed by this court on whether I had asked the CEO of the ICC to state that the appointment of Justice Lodha Committee was tantamount to government interference in the working of the BCCI.&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;At the outset, it is denied that any such request was put forth by me to the CEO of the ICC,&quot; Thakur said in his affidavit, according to PTI.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He told the apex court that he said he took part in a recent ICC meeting where he had pointed out to the ICC chief that he, as the then BCCI president, had taken a view that Justice Lodha panel recommendation on appointment of a CAG nominee in the apex council would amount to governmental interference and may invoke action of suspension of the Board from the ICC.

&nbsp;

It&#39;s pertinent to mention that Lodha Committee is a Supreme Court-appointed panel that was formed after the national cricket governing body got embroiled in controversy over alleged siphoning of funds. The panel was formed to overhaul the functioning of BCCI.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;I, therefore, requested him that he being the ICC chairman, can a letter be issued clarifying the position which he had taken as BCCI President,&quot; the affidavit said. &quot;Manohar explained to me at the meeting that when the stand was taken by him, the matter was pending before this court and had not been decided.&quot;

&nbsp;

The affidavit also mentioned that BCCI had later rejected BCCI&#39;s contention that the appointment of CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India ) nominee in the council would amount to governmental interference, PTI reported. &nbsp;The apex court had held that the ICC would appreciate that the appointment would bring transparency in the finances of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

&nbsp;

According to ICC regulations, national boards must not have government interference in its administrative body. A transgression in this regard could lead to de-recognition of member boards, Indian news agency ANI reported today.

&nbsp;

Earlier during the hearing, SC&nbsp;had dismissed BCCI&#39;s response to the status report filed by the Lodha committee following the board&#39;s failure to meet an important deadline with respect to the implementation of a Memorandum of Associations (MoA), as necessitated by the timelines framed by the Lodha committee, according to ANI.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Justice TS Thakur had criticised the BCCI for transferring Rs 400 crore overnight to its state associations, which was against the Lodha panel&#39;s recommendations.

&nbsp;

Insisting that the national cricket board should have maintained transparency, the &nbsp;court had said: &nbsp;&quot;You can&#39;t transfer Rs 400 crore overnight.&quot; BCCI, on the other hand, had refuted allegations of non-compliance with Lodha panel&#39;s recommendations.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The SC-appointed panel, Lodha Committee, last week, accused the BCCI of defying the apex court`s orders and stalling its proposed reforms. It also recommended the ouster of the entire top brass of the cash-rich cricket body.

&nbsp;

The recommendations, which have still not been accepted by the 30-member BCCI committee, include one-state one-vote, age limit of 70 years, cooling-off period of three years which included the tenure of the administrators, continue with the five-selectors and keeping to retaining the powers of the president and secretary as per the earlier constitution of the board.Defending its action, the BCCI said, &quot;a meeting comprising all members took place, and several recommendations of the Lodha Committee were rejected by voting&quot;.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI, ANI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Supreme Court reserved its order to pass direction over Justice Lodha committee plea alleging that BCCI is violating the apex court order

India's top court today decided to reserve its order to pass direction over Justice Lodha committee plea alleging that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is violating the apex court order and committee directions regarding the BCCI reforms. The president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Anurag Thakur, however, filed an affidavit and told India's top court that he had not asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO, Shashank Manohar, to state that the appointment of Justice R M Lodha committee would "tantamount to government interference" in the functioning of BCCI, Indian news agency PTI reported. In the affidavit, Thakur said: "I am filing this affidavit pursuant to the order dated October 7, passed by this court on whether I had asked the CEO of the ICC to state that the appointment of Justice Lodha Committee was tantamount to government interference in the working of the BCCI." "At the outset, it is denied that any such request was put forth by me to the CEO of the ICC," Thakur said in his affidavit, according to PTI. He told the apex court that he said he took part in a recent ICC meeting where he had pointed out to the ICC chief that he, as the then BCCI president, had taken a view that Justice Lodha panel recommendation on appointment of a CAG nominee in the apex council would amount to governmental interference and may invoke action of suspension of the Board from the ICC. It's pertinent to mention that Lodha Committee is a Supreme Court-appointed panel that was formed after the national cricket governing body got embroiled in controversy over alleged siphoning of funds. The panel was formed to overhaul the functioning of BCCI. "I, therefore, requested him that he being the ICC chairman, can a letter be issued clarifying the position which he had taken as BCCI President," the affidavit said. "Manohar explained to me at the meeting that when the stand was taken by him, the matter was pending before this court and had not been decided." The affidavit also mentioned that BCCI had later rejected BCCI's contention that the appointment of CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India ) nominee in the council would amount to governmental interference, PTI reported. The apex court had held that the ICC would appreciate that the appointment would bring transparency in the finances of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). According to ICC regulations, national boards must not have government interference in its administrative body. A transgression in this regard could lead to de-recognition of member boards, Indian news agency ANI reported today. Earlier during the hearing, SC had dismissed BCCI's response to the status report filed by the Lodha committee following the board's failure to meet an important deadline with respect to the implementation of a Memorandum of Associations (MoA), as necessitated by the timelines framed by the Lodha committee, according to ANI. Justice TS Thakur had criticised the BCCI for transferring Rs 400 crore overnight to its state associations, which was against the Lodha panel's recommendations. Insisting that the national cricket board should have maintained transparency, the court had said: "You can't transfer Rs 400 crore overnight." BCCI, on the other hand, had refuted allegations of non-compliance with Lodha panel's recommendations. The SC-appointed panel, Lodha Committee, last week, accused the BCCI of defying the apex court`s orders and stalling its proposed reforms. It also recommended the ouster of the entire top brass of the cash-rich cricket body. The recommendations, which have still not been accepted by the 30-member BCCI committee, include one-state one-vote, age limit of 70 years, cooling-off period of three years which included the tenure of the administrators, continue with the five-selectors and keeping to retaining the powers of the president and secretary as per the earlier constitution of the board.Defending its action, the BCCI said, "a meeting comprising all members took place, and several recommendations of the Lodha Committee were rejected by voting". (WION with inputs from PTI, ANI)

BCCI-Lodha Committee standoff: India's top court reserves order

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)&nbsp;president Anurag Thakur allegedly urged the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of cricket, in September to write a letter threatening India&#39;s suspension if there is interference in its functioning.

India&#39;s Supreme Court has asked the 41-year-old administrator to file an affidavit explaining his conversation with ICC chief executive officer Dave Richardson regarding the alleged request. The court has given Thakur 10 days&#39; time to file the affidavit.&nbsp;

DNA, on September 10, had carried a report about how Thakur had asked ICC to write a letter to BCCI saying it would suspend the board if there was any intrusion.

As per ICC regulations, any interference by government in the functioning of its member boards is not tolerated.

However, ICC chairman Shashank Manohar had told Richardson to ask for a formal request from Thakur in this regard. But the matter died there as BCCI could not put in a formal request as it would have invited contempt of court proceedings against it.

Richardson later came on record saying that Thakur was not happy with the ICC&#39;s refusal to write the letter.

&quot;Mr Thakur actually criticised the ICC for not sending the letter,&quot; he was quoted as saying.

The BCCI, which is the governing body for cricket in the country, and the Indian judiciary have been at odds in recent months, as the former has refused to implement changes recommended by the Lodha Committee.

The Lodha Committee was instated by the Indian supreme court in order to overhaul the administrative structure of the cricket board. The panel recommended several changes, including&nbsp;age limit of 70 years for all office bearers&nbsp;and a tenure limit of nine years with a cooling off period. The BCCI is yet to accept these suggestions.

(The report first appeared in DNA)

It is suspected Anurag Thakur asked the ICC for the letter to help evade the Lodha Committee recommendations

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Anurag Thakur allegedly urged the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of cricket, in September to write a letter threatening India's suspension if there is interference in its functioning. India's Supreme Court has asked the 41-year-old administrator to file an affidavit explaining his conversation with ICC chief executive officer Dave Richardson regarding the alleged request. The court has given Thakur 10 days' time to file the affidavit. DNA, on September 10, had carried a report about how Thakur had asked ICC to write a letter to BCCI saying it would suspend the board if there was any intrusion. As per ICC regulations, any interference by government in the functioning of its member boards is not tolerated. However, ICC chairman Shashank Manohar had told Richardson to ask for a formal request from Thakur in this regard. But the matter died there as BCCI could not put in a formal request as it would have invited contempt of court proceedings against it. Richardson later came on record saying that Thakur was not happy with the ICC's refusal to write the letter. "Mr Thakur actually criticised the ICC for not sending the letter," he was quoted as saying. The BCCI, which is the governing body for cricket in the country, and the Indian judiciary have been at odds in recent months, as the former has refused to implement changes recommended by the Lodha Committee. The Lodha Committee was instated by the Indian supreme court in order to overhaul the administrative structure of the cricket board. The panel recommended several changes, including age limit of 70 years for all office bearers and a tenure limit of nine years with a cooling off period. The BCCI is yet to accept these suggestions. (The report first appeared in DNA)

BCCI chief in soup for wanting ICC letter threatening to 'suspend India'

The head of India&#39;s powerful cricket board has voiced opposition to controversial plans for a two-tier Test system being considered by the game&#39;s governing body, a report said today. 
 
Anurag Thakur, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), told a newspaper that smaller nations would lose out on revenue and the chance to compete against the top teams. 
 
&quot;The BCCI is against the two-tier Test system because the smaller countries will lose out, and the BCCI wants to take care of them. It is necessary to protect their interests,&quot; a Chennai-based daily, quoted him as saying. 
 
&quot;In the two-tier system, they will lose out on a lot, including revenue and the opportunity to play against top teams. We don&#39;t want that to happen.&nbsp;We want to work in the best interests of world cricket and that is why our team plays against all the countries.&quot; 
 
The International Cricket Council (ICC) first discussed the proposal to split Test cricket into two divisions at a meeting in Edinburgh last month, and is due to debate the plan further in September. 
 
Under the scheme being considered, the top seven-ranked teams would join a de facto premier league designed to boost interest in Test cricket.&nbsp;The other three lowest ranked sides which are currently the West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, would then join a second division, which would also include the likes of Afghanistan and Ireland. 
 
Although England, Australia and New Zealand have all come out in favour of the proposal, India&#39;s opposition could well mean it is now dead in the water. 
 
Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar is head of the ICC and India, which is the game&#39;s financial powerhouse, has a history of ensuring that its stance prevails on key debates within the global body. 
 
The plan has been fiercely opposed by the likes of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which is at risk of falling outside the top seven after sliding down the rankings in the last year. 
 
The smaller Test teams financial survival largely depends on their ability to sell television rights to matches against teams such as India and England. 
 
(AFP)

Although England, Australia and New Zealand all favour the proposal, India's opposition could well mean it is now dead in the water

The head of India's powerful cricket board has voiced opposition to controversial plans for a two-tier Test system being considered by the game's governing body, a report said today. Anurag Thakur, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), told a newspaper that smaller nations would lose out on revenue and the chance to compete against the top teams. "The BCCI is against the two-tier Test system because the smaller countries will lose out, and the BCCI wants to take care of them. It is necessary to protect their interests," a Chennai-based daily, quoted him as saying. "In the two-tier system, they will lose out on a lot, including revenue and the opportunity to play against top teams. We don't want that to happen. We want to work in the best interests of world cricket and that is why our team plays against all the countries." The International Cricket Council (ICC) first discussed the proposal to split Test cricket into two divisions at a meeting in Edinburgh last month, and is due to debate the plan further in September. Under the scheme being considered, the top seven-ranked teams would join a de facto premier league designed to boost interest in Test cricket. The other three lowest ranked sides which are currently the West Indies, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, would then join a second division, which would also include the likes of Afghanistan and Ireland. Although England, Australia and New Zealand have all come out in favour of the proposal, India's opposition could well mean it is now dead in the water. Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar is head of the ICC and India, which is the game's financial powerhouse, has a history of ensuring that its stance prevails on key debates within the global body. The plan has been fiercely opposed by the likes of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which is at risk of falling outside the top seven after sliding down the rankings in the last year. The smaller Test teams financial survival largely depends on their ability to sell television rights to matches against teams such as India and England. (AFP)

India's cricket board opposes two-tier Test plan: report

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dethroned Pakistan&#39;s Yasir Shah to top the International Cricket Council&#39;s (ICC) test rankings after his match-winning display against West Indies in the first test. 
 
The 29-year-old picked up figures of 7-83 in the second innings as the visitors cruised to an innings-and-92 runs victory inside four days in Antigua. 
 
Leg spinner Yasir, who became the first Pakistani bowler in 20 years to top the test rankings, dropped to fifth after managing just one wicket in the second test defeat against England at Old Trafford. Ashwin, who also tops the all-rounders ranking, is followed by England&#39;s James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who both moved up one place respectively. 
 
Joe Root&#39;s magnificent 254 in the 330-run victory against Pakistan has helped him move into the second place in the test rankings for batsmen, behind Australian Steve Smith, who retains top spot. England&#39;s test skipper Alastair Cook, also moved back into the top 10 at ninth place on the back of a century and an unbeaten 76 in the second test. 
 
(Reuters) 
 
&nbsp;

Ravichandran Ashwin picked up figures of 7-83 in the second innings of the first test against West Indies in Antigua

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin dethroned Pakistan's Yasir Shah to top the International Cricket Council's (ICC) test rankings after his match-winning display against West Indies in the first test. The 29-year-old picked up figures of 7-83 in the second innings as the visitors cruised to an innings-and-92 runs victory inside four days in Antigua. Leg spinner Yasir, who became the first Pakistani bowler in 20 years to top the test rankings, dropped to fifth after managing just one wicket in the second test defeat against England at Old Trafford. Ashwin, who also tops the all-rounders ranking, is followed by England's James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who both moved up one place respectively. Joe Root's magnificent 254 in the 330-run victory against Pakistan has helped him move into the second place in the test rankings for batsmen, behind Australian Steve Smith, who retains top spot. England's test skipper Alastair Cook, also moved back into the top 10 at ninth place on the back of a century and an unbeaten 76 in the second test. (Reuters)

Indian off-spinner R Ashwin regains number one spot in ICC test rankings

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will apply for the inclusion of women&#39;s cricket at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Durban, South Africa, said&nbsp;the governing body. 
 
Cricket has struggled to venture into new markets away from its traditional strongholds and the influential Indian board&#39;s reluctance to embrace multi-sports events as a means to increase exposure has hindered growth. 
 
Following a presentation by the Commonwealth Games Federation, the ICC board agreed to apply for a women&#39;s competition at the Durban Games during its annual conference in Edinburgh on Saturday. 
 
&quot;It will enhance the profile of the sport and create additional exposure and experiences for female cricketers,&quot; ICC chairman Shashank Manohar, a former head of the Indian board, said in a statement. 
 
South Africa won the men&#39;s event when cricket took place at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia, the only time the sport has been included in the programme. 
 
The Asian Games remains the largest multi-sports event that features cricket and the last two editions included both men&#39;s and women&#39;s competitions. 
 
The ICC has also been exploring the possibility of getting cricket added to the Olympic programme. 
 
&quot;There will be further discussions on cricket&#39;s potential participation in the Olympic Games following further meetings with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) later in the year,&quot; the governing body said. 
 
President of the Italian board Simone Gambino told ESPNcricinfo on Friday that cricket would be included in the 2024 Olympics should Rome win the bid to host the Games. 
 
(Reuters)

South Africa won the men's event when cricket took place at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia, the only time the sport has been included in the programme

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will apply for the inclusion of women's cricket at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Durban, South Africa, said the governing body. Cricket has struggled to venture into new markets away from its traditional strongholds and the influential Indian board's reluctance to embrace multi-sports events as a means to increase exposure has hindered growth. Following a presentation by the Commonwealth Games Federation, the ICC board agreed to apply for a women's competition at the Durban Games during its annual conference in Edinburgh on Saturday. "It will enhance the profile of the sport and create additional exposure and experiences for female cricketers," ICC chairman Shashank Manohar, a former head of the Indian board, said in a statement. South Africa won the men's event when cricket took place at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia, the only time the sport has been included in the programme. The Asian Games remains the largest multi-sports event that features cricket and the last two editions included both men's and women's competitions. The ICC has also been exploring the possibility of getting cricket added to the Olympic programme. "There will be further discussions on cricket's potential participation in the Olympic Games following further meetings with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) later in the year," the governing body said. President of the Italian board Simone Gambino told ESPNcricinfo on Friday that cricket would be included in the 2024 Olympics should Rome win the bid to host the Games. (Reuters)

ICC wants women's cricket at 2022 Commonwealth Games

Nadia Murad, a 23-year-old Yazidi&nbsp;woman from Iraq, endured a three-month nightmare as a sex slave of the Islamic State (IS) group. 
 
After her harrowing escape with the help of a fake religious ID nearly two years ago, Murad has a message for world leaders striving to crush the extremists: IS leaders must stand trial for genocide. 
 
&quot;Genocide must be recognised,&quot; Nadia Murad told AFP through a translator in Geneva, on the side of a human rights event held in the Swiss city. 
 
As Iraq wages an offensive against Islamic State, with government forces retaking full control of the jihadist bastion of Fallujah on Sunday, UN investigators are making a renewed push for justice for the jihadists&#39; victims. 
 
The Yazidis, neither Muslim nor Arab, are an ancient religious minority of more than half a million people concentrated near the Syrian border in northern Iraq. 
 
The Islamic State despises the Kurdish-speaking gropu because Yazidis are not &quot;people of the book&quot;, meaning their faith does not adhere to the theological tradition that begins with Abraham of the Old Testament and extends through the Koran. 
 
In 2014, IS jihadists massacred Yazidis in the Iraqi city of Sinjar, forcing tens of thousands of them to flee, and capturing thousands of girls and women as spoils of war. 
 
The UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) for Syria earlier this month said it had compiled evidence proving that IS was perpetrating a genocide against the Yazidis. 
 
With Iraqi leaders hailing their recent victories over IS in Fallujah and weighing a new operation to flush them out of their northern strongholds like Mosul, Nadia Murad insisted that the need for accountability should not be forgotten. 
 
Forced Islam conversion 
 
She was taken by the Islamic State from her home village in August 2014 and brought to Mosul. 
 
&quot;The first thing they did was they forced us to convert to Islam,&quot; she said. &quot;After conversion, they did whatever they wanted to do.&quot; 
 
During a speech held in December 2015 at the UN Security Council, Murad recounted her so-called &#39;marriage&#39; to one IS captor, who subjected her to horrific abuse. 
 
&quot;I was not able to take any more rape and torture,&quot; she told. She decided to flee. 
 
On the run in Mosul, Murad said she was terrified that no one would help her, but she ultimately found shelter with a Muslim family in the city. 
 
&quot;They made me a fake Islamic ID,&quot; she said, which she used to cross the border into Iraqi Kurdistan. 
 
She lived in a camp for displaced people and, with the support of theYazidi&nbsp;welfare organisation Yazda, relocated to Germany, where she now lives with her sister. 
 
&#39;Roadmap for prosecutions&#39; 
 
The United Nations and several other Western institutions&nbsp;suggested last year that the IS assault on the Yazidis amounted to a premeditated, genocidal effort to exterminate an entire community. 
 
The evidence presented by the UN Commission of Inquiry earlier this month was more conclusive. 
 
COI member and former international prosecutor Carla del Ponte described the commission&#39;s report as &quot;a roadmap for prosecutions&quot;. 
 
Supported by witness testimony, the commission found that IS &quot;sought to erase the Yazidis through killings, sexual slavery, enslavement, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment&quot;. 
 
Referring heinous, mass crimes to the International Criminal Court often meets obstacles in the UN Security Council for political reasons. 
 
But COI members expressed hope that the&nbsp;Yazidi&nbsp;case could be investigated by The Hague-based International Criminal Court. 
 
Nadia Murad, one of 376 people and organisations nominated for this year&#39;s Nobel Peace Prize, broke down in tears as she told a UN audience the extent to which her people felt abandoned by the international community. 
 
Speaking at a Human Rights Council event in Geneva last week, she said that anger would intensify if the IS attempt to exterminate the Yazidis did not lead to prosecutions. 
 
&quot;For you to regain the trust of the Yazidis will take a lot of work,&quot; she said. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Nadia Murad was held captive as a sex slave. She survived rapes and tortures, and now urges the world to trial IS for genocide

Nadia Murad, a 23-year-old Yazidi woman from Iraq, endured a three-month nightmare as a sex slave of the Islamic State (IS) group. After her harrowing escape with the help of a fake religious ID nearly two years ago, Murad has a message for world leaders striving to crush the extremists: IS leaders must stand trial for genocide. "Genocide must be recognised," Nadia Murad told AFP through a translator in Geneva, on the side of a human rights event held in the Swiss city. As Iraq wages an offensive against Islamic State, with government forces retaking full control of the jihadist bastion of Fallujah on Sunday, UN investigators are making a renewed push for justice for the jihadists' victims. The Yazidis, neither Muslim nor Arab, are an ancient religious minority of more than half a million people concentrated near the Syrian border in northern Iraq. The Islamic State despises the Kurdish-speaking gropu because Yazidis are not "people of the book", meaning their faith does not adhere to the theological tradition that begins with Abraham of the Old Testament and extends through the Koran. In 2014, IS jihadists massacred Yazidis in the Iraqi city of Sinjar, forcing tens of thousands of them to flee, and capturing thousands of girls and women as spoils of war. The UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) for Syria earlier this month said it had compiled evidence proving that IS was perpetrating a genocide against the Yazidis. With Iraqi leaders hailing their recent victories over IS in Fallujah and weighing a new operation to flush them out of their northern strongholds like Mosul, Nadia Murad insisted that the need for accountability should not be forgotten. Forced Islam conversion She was taken by the Islamic State from her home village in August 2014 and brought to Mosul. "The first thing they did was they forced us to convert to Islam," she said. "After conversion, they did whatever they wanted to do." During a speech held in December 2015 at the UN Security Council, Murad recounted her so-called 'marriage' to one IS captor, who subjected her to horrific abuse. "I was not able to take any more rape and torture," she told. She decided to flee. On the run in Mosul, Murad said she was terrified that no one would help her, but she ultimately found shelter with a Muslim family in the city. "They made me a fake Islamic ID," she said, which she used to cross the border into Iraqi Kurdistan. She lived in a camp for displaced people and, with the support of theYazidi welfare organisation Yazda, relocated to Germany, where she now lives with her sister. 'Roadmap for prosecutions' The United Nations and several other Western institutions suggested last year that the IS assault on the Yazidis amounted to a premeditated, genocidal effort to exterminate an entire community. The evidence presented by the UN Commission of Inquiry earlier this month was more conclusive. COI member and former international prosecutor Carla del Ponte described the commission's report as "a roadmap for prosecutions". Supported by witness testimony, the commission found that IS "sought to erase the Yazidis through killings, sexual slavery, enslavement, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment". Referring heinous, mass crimes to the International Criminal Court often meets obstacles in the UN Security Council for political reasons. But COI members expressed hope that the Yazidi case could be investigated by The Hague-based International Criminal Court. Nadia Murad, one of 376 people and organisations nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, broke down in tears as she told a UN audience the extent to which her people felt abandoned by the international community. Speaking at a Human Rights Council event in Geneva last week, she said that anger would intensify if the IS attempt to exterminate the Yazidis did not lead to prosecutions. "For you to regain the trust of the Yazidis will take a lot of work," she said. (AFP)

Islamic State must stand trial for genocide: Yazidi woman survivor

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