The International Cricket Council (ICC) approved the new changes to the pitch and outfield monitoring regulations on Tuesday (Nov 21). The ICC held its general meeting on Tuesday where several topics were on the agenda including the pitch regulations which have now got the green light. On the other hand, the ICC will also trial the stop clock which will be used to regulate time wasting from a bowling side.

<h2>ICC to implement new regulations</h2>

The main purpose of the stop clock will be to regulate the time-wasting approach of the teams during the bowling stint. Recently, it has been seen teams wasting unnecessary time during the match, especially during the breaks. To prevent this, ICC has approved a tennis-like feature that will see teams get penalised for not starting play on time. In tennis, there is a 25-second stop clock from where the server must serve or end up getting penalised.

If the bowling team fails to start play before 60 seconds from the end of the last over, then a five-run penalty will be imposed. This rule will be in effect for the ODIs and T20Is series starting from December 2023 to April 2024 and will be in use from the upcoming series between England and the West Indies. The ICC will then review the trial phase before implementing it on a regular basis for which the decision will be taken during the Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

If the trail goes according to plan, it will be in use for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA later in 2024.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/staggering-record-125-million-fans-attended-odi-world-cup-reveals-icc-661072">STAGGERING! Record 1.25 million fans attended ODI World Cup, reveals ICC</a>

<h2>ICC bans transgender athletes</h2>

"The changes to the gender eligibility regulations resulted from an extensive consultation process and are founded in science and aligned with the core principles developed during the review.

"Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women's game and the safety of players,” ICC CEO Geoff Allardice after the meet.

The review before taking the decision was led by the ICC Medical Advisory Committee chaired by Dr Peter Harcourt and his team and is bound for international contests only. The sanctions of the ICC are not bound to individual board members and imposing of them solely depends on each member.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) approved the new changes to the pitch and outfield monitoring regulations on Tuesday (Nov 21). The ICC held its general meeting on Tuesday where several topics were on the agenda including the pitch regulations which have now got the green light.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) approved the new changes to the pitch and outfield monitoring regulations on Tuesday (Nov 21). The ICC held its general meeting on Tuesday where several topics were on the agenda including the pitch regulations which have now got the green light. On the other hand, the ICC will also trial the stop clock which will be used to regulate time wasting from a bowling side. ICC to implement new regulations The main purpose of the stop clock will be to regulate the time-wasting approach of the teams during the bowling stint. Recently, it has been seen teams wasting unnecessary time during the match, especially during the breaks. To prevent this, ICC has approved a tennis-like feature that will see teams get penalised for not starting play on time. In tennis, there is a 25-second stop clock from where the server must serve or end up getting penalised. If the bowling team fails to start play before 60 seconds from the end of the last over, then a five-run penalty will be imposed. This rule will be in effect for the ODIs and T20Is series starting from December 2023 to April 2024 and will be in use from the upcoming series between England and the West Indies. The ICC will then review the trial phase before implementing it on a regular basis for which the decision will be taken during the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. If the trail goes according to plan, it will be in use for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA later in 2024. ALSO READ | STAGGERING! Record 1.25 million fans attended ODI World Cup, reveals ICC ICC bans transgender athletes "The changes to the gender eligibility regulations resulted from an extensive consultation process and are founded in science and aligned with the core principles developed during the review. "Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women's game and the safety of players,” ICC CEO Geoff Allardice after the meet. The review before taking the decision was led by the ICC Medical Advisory Committee chaired by Dr Peter Harcourt and his team and is bound for international contests only. The sanctions of the ICC are not bound to individual board members and imposing of them solely depends on each member.

ICC approves changes to pitch and outfield monitoring; start stop clock trial

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday made a historic decision by banning transgender athletes from competing in the women’s game. The ICC meeting that took place on Tuesday had several agendas on the table, including the participation of transgender athletes. The ICC has now approved new gender eligibility regulations whereby any male or female participant who has been through any form of male puberty will not be allowed to participate in the international women's game.

<h2>ICC bans transgender athletes</h2>

"The changes to the gender eligibility regulations resulted from an extensive consultation process and are founded in science and aligned with the core principles developed during the review."

"Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women's game and the safety of players,” said ICC CEO Geoff Allardice after the meet.

The review before taking the decision was led by the ICC Medical Advisory Committee chaired by Dr Peter Harcourt and his team and is bound for international contests only. The sanctions of the ICC are not bound to individual board members and imposing them solely depends on each member.

<h2>ICC shifts U-19 World Cup</h2>

Acting on another agenda, the ICC has handed Sri Lanka cricket another major jolt on Tuesday (Nov 21) by stripping off the right&nbsp;to host the U-19 World Cup in 2024. Already under the scanner after being sanctioned by the ICC for government involvement in the board operations, this will be a major setback for the board. However, in some relief, they will still continue to participate in the ICC tournaments and also play scheduled bilateral series.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/staggering-record-125-million-fans-attended-odi-world-cup-reveals-icc-661072">STAGGERING! Record 1.25 million fans attended ODI World Cup, reveals ICC</a>

<h2>Sri Lanka cricket sanctioned</h2>

With the board operation already in chaos, ICC on Tuesday decided to nominate South Africa as the new host for the 2024 junior version of the World Cup. They were the hosts in 2020 while India are the defending champions in the tournament having tasted victory in February 2022. The chaos in Sri Lankan cricket started after Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe sacked the entire board after the team’s dismal show in the ODI World Cup in India.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday made a historic decision by banning transgender athletes from competing in the women’s game. The ICC meeting that took place on Tuesday had several agendas on the table, including the participation of transgender athletes.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday made a historic decision by banning transgender athletes from competing in the women’s game. The ICC meeting that took place on Tuesday had several agendas on the table, including the participation of transgender athletes. The ICC has now approved new gender eligibility regulations whereby any male or female participant who has been through any form of male puberty will not be allowed to participate in the international women's game. ICC bans transgender athletes "The changes to the gender eligibility regulations resulted from an extensive consultation process and are founded in science and aligned with the core principles developed during the review." "Inclusivity is incredibly important to us as a sport, but our priority was to protect the integrity of the international women's game and the safety of players,” said ICC CEO Geoff Allardice after the meet. The review before taking the decision was led by the ICC Medical Advisory Committee chaired by Dr Peter Harcourt and his team and is bound for international contests only. The sanctions of the ICC are not bound to individual board members and imposing them solely depends on each member. ICC shifts U-19 World Cup Acting on another agenda, the ICC has handed Sri Lanka cricket another major jolt on Tuesday (Nov 21) by stripping off the right to host the U-19 World Cup in 2024. Already under the scanner after being sanctioned by the ICC for government involvement in the board operations, this will be a major setback for the board. However, in some relief, they will still continue to participate in the ICC tournaments and also play scheduled bilateral series. ALSO READ | STAGGERING! Record 1.25 million fans attended ODI World Cup, reveals ICC Sri Lanka cricket sanctioned With the board operation already in chaos, ICC on Tuesday decided to nominate South Africa as the new host for the 2024 junior version of the World Cup. They were the hosts in 2020 while India are the defending champions in the tournament having tasted victory in February 2022. The chaos in Sri Lankan cricket started after Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe sacked the entire board after the team’s dismal show in the ODI World Cup in India.

In historic decision, ICC bans transgender athletes from women's game

Seven Caribbean countries will host matches at next year's T20 World Cup, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday.

The ICC awarded the hosting of the event, to be held in June 2024, to the West Indies and the United States in November 2021.

Dominica, Guyana, St Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have also been named as hosts.

"The matches will again give cricket fans the unique experience of enjoying cricket in the Caribbean," said ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice.

Matches will also be held in New York, Florida and Texas in the United States, the first time a major ICC event has been held in the country.

One notable absence from the list of Caribbean host nations is Jamaica, whose Sabina Park ground in the capital Kingston is one of the iconic homes of West Indies cricket.

Jamaica has the largest population of the main cricket-playing nations in the Caribbean but did not submit a bid to host the tournament.

Courtney Francis, chief executive officer of the Jamaican Cricket Association, said Cricket West Indies engaged with national governments over potential bids and that Jamaica's administration had opted against participation.

"The government is the one who determines whether we could be able to host matches because all the expenses would have come back to the government," he told CVM television.&nbsp;

"The government is the one who would have put up the bid money. They would have been the one to carry out repairs to the infrastructure and so on.

"The government did not see it as a viable option in their view and that is the reason why I believe that we have not been able to bid."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-odi-series-india-draw-first-blood-in-pre-world-cup-showdown-gill-shami-impress-638671">IND vs AUS ODI Series: India draw first blood in Pre-World Cup showdown; Gill, Shami shine</a>

West Indies hosted the tournament in 2010, three years after holding the 50 overs World Cup, and Cricket West Indies chief executive Johnny Grave said they were ready to put on a show again.

"The West Indies has got a huge experience in hosting ICC events and we're currently hosting the Caribbean Premier League, which has been another successful tournament.&nbsp;

"We have very experienced operators throughout the region that we work with and partner with and all the stakeholders will be ready to welcome the world and stage this iconic ICC event," he said.&nbsp;

"We're all tremendously excited by the opportunity and the platform that it gives our region to promote itself to the world for tourism, for economic development, as well as hopefully to give our men's team a huge home advantage and going for a record third title."

Next year's tournament will be the first edition of the event to include a record 20 teams.

England are the current T20 world champions, winning their second title when they beat Pakistan in the final in Melbourne last year.

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Seven Caribbean countries will host matches at next year's T20 World Cup, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday.

Seven Caribbean countries will host matches at next year's T20 World Cup, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday. The ICC awarded the hosting of the event, to be held in June 2024, to the West Indies and the United States in November 2021. Dominica, Guyana, St Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have also been named as hosts. "The matches will again give cricket fans the unique experience of enjoying cricket in the Caribbean," said ICC chief executive Geoff Allardice. Matches will also be held in New York, Florida and Texas in the United States, the first time a major ICC event has been held in the country. One notable absence from the list of Caribbean host nations is Jamaica, whose Sabina Park ground in the capital Kingston is one of the iconic homes of West Indies cricket. Jamaica has the largest population of the main cricket-playing nations in the Caribbean but did not submit a bid to host the tournament. Courtney Francis, chief executive officer of the Jamaican Cricket Association, said Cricket West Indies engaged with national governments over potential bids and that Jamaica's administration had opted against participation. "The government is the one who determines whether we could be able to host matches because all the expenses would have come back to the government," he told CVM television. "The government is the one who would have put up the bid money. They would have been the one to carry out repairs to the infrastructure and so on. "The government did not see it as a viable option in their view and that is the reason why I believe that we have not been able to bid." ALSO READ | IND vs AUS ODI Series: India draw first blood in Pre-World Cup showdown; Gill, Shami shine West Indies hosted the tournament in 2010, three years after holding the 50 overs World Cup, and Cricket West Indies chief executive Johnny Grave said they were ready to put on a show again. "The West Indies has got a huge experience in hosting ICC events and we're currently hosting the Caribbean Premier League, which has been another successful tournament. "We have very experienced operators throughout the region that we work with and partner with and all the stakeholders will be ready to welcome the world and stage this iconic ICC event," he said. "We're all tremendously excited by the opportunity and the platform that it gives our region to promote itself to the world for tourism, for economic development, as well as hopefully to give our men's team a huge home advantage and going for a record third title." Next year's tournament will be the first edition of the event to include a record 20 teams. England are the current T20 world champions, winning their second title when they beat Pakistan in the final in Melbourne last year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ICC announces venues for Caribbean leg of 2024 T20 World Cup; Jamaica left out

The Indian cricket team on Friday, September 22 scripted history after their one-sided win against Australia in Mohali. The five-wicket win saw the Men in Blue become the second nation to go top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Rankings in all three formats of cricket. The win in Mohali saw them leapfrog Pakistan to 116 rating points and achieve the top spot, thus meaning India are now No.1 in the ODI, T20I, and Test rankings.

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🚨 BREAKING: India script rankings history by achieving rare feat after victory in first ODI against Australia!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> | Details 👇
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<h2>India script history</h2>

Starting the day level with Pakistan in the ICC ODI Rankings, India needed a win to leapfrog their arch-rivals. India beat Australia in the Mohali contest to achieve the feat, having already topped the standings in T20I and Test rankings. Alongside Australia and New Zealand, Rohit Sharma’s Team India are the only team to play in all the ICC finals at the senior level. They can now improve on their rating points with two more matches against Australia before facing England in the ODI World Cup warm-up match on Saturday, September 30.

<h2>What happened in the match?</h2>

India’s second-string ODI squad started the three-match ODI series on a high as they got the better of Australia in Mohali on Friday, September 22. Riding on the good bowling show from Mohammed Shami and Shubman Gill’s brilliant knock at the top, the Men in Blue registered a five-wicket win against Australia to go 1-0 in the series. The contest also saw Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, and Ruturaj Gaikwad star with respective fifties.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc-2023-pakistan-announce-final-squad-for-marquee-event-in-india-naseem-shah-ruled-out-with-injury-concerns-638467">CWC 2023: Pakistan announce final squad for marquee event in India, Naseem Shah ruled out with injury concerns</a>

Asked to chase 277, the Indian team started with all guns blazing as Gaikwad and Gill set a perfect platform for the middle order. The pair stitched a 142-run stand for the opening wicket before Gaikwad was dismissed on 71 off 77 deliveries. Shreyas Iyer, having seen limited chances at the Asia Cup failed to make the most of his opportunity and was dismissed for three. While Gill looked good for another hundred, he failed to capitalise on the start and was bowled by Adam Zampa for 74.

The two teams will next meet on Sunday, September 24 with India standing an opportunity to win the series. The two teams are also scheduled to meet in the third ODI on September 27, while the biggest meeting will come in the ODI World Cup. The World Cup meeting will take place on Sunday, October 8 in Chennai.

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The Indian cricket team on Friday, September 22 scripted history after their one-sided win against Australia in Mohali. The five-wicket win saw the Men in Blue become the second nation to go top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Rankings in all three formats of cricket.

The Indian cricket team on Friday, September 22 scripted history after their one-sided win against Australia in Mohali. The five-wicket win saw the Men in Blue become the second nation to go top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Rankings in all three formats of cricket. The win in Mohali saw them leapfrog Pakistan to 116 rating points and achieve the top spot, thus meaning India are now No.1 in the ODI, T20I, and Test rankings. 🚨 BREAKING: India script rankings history by achieving rare feat after victory in first ODI against Australia!#INDvAUS | Details 👇 — ICC (@ICC) September 22, 2023 × India script history Starting the day level with Pakistan in the ICC ODI Rankings, India needed a win to leapfrog their arch-rivals. India beat Australia in the Mohali contest to achieve the feat, having already topped the standings in T20I and Test rankings. Alongside Australia and New Zealand, Rohit Sharma’s Team India are the only team to play in all the ICC finals at the senior level. They can now improve on their rating points with two more matches against Australia before facing England in the ODI World Cup warm-up match on Saturday, September 30. What happened in the match? India’s second-string ODI squad started the three-match ODI series on a high as they got the better of Australia in Mohali on Friday, September 22. Riding on the good bowling show from Mohammed Shami and Shubman Gill’s brilliant knock at the top, the Men in Blue registered a five-wicket win against Australia to go 1-0 in the series. The contest also saw Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, and Ruturaj Gaikwad star with respective fifties. ALSO READ | CWC 2023: Pakistan announce final squad for marquee event in India, Naseem Shah ruled out with injury concerns Asked to chase 277, the Indian team started with all guns blazing as Gaikwad and Gill set a perfect platform for the middle order. The pair stitched a 142-run stand for the opening wicket before Gaikwad was dismissed on 71 off 77 deliveries. Shreyas Iyer, having seen limited chances at the Asia Cup failed to make the most of his opportunity and was dismissed for three. While Gill looked good for another hundred, he failed to capitalise on the start and was bowled by Adam Zampa for 74. The two teams will next meet on Sunday, September 24 with India standing an opportunity to win the series. The two teams are also scheduled to meet in the third ODI on September 27, while the biggest meeting will come in the ODI World Cup. The World Cup meeting will take place on Sunday, October 8 in Chennai. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Team India script history in ICC Rankings, become second nation to register THIS rare feat

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a bumper prize money for the upcoming men’s ODI World Cup in India on Friday, September 22. The ICC ODI World Cup is set to get underway in less than two weeks in India as teams across the globe have started to gather in the sub-continent. Two teams playing in the final will share a prize money of $6 million with the winner bagging $4 million. There will be prize money for all the 10 teams participating in the tournament.

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The total prize pool for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC23</a>, including the cash prize for the winners, has been announced 💰 
 
Details 👇
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<h2>What is the prize money?</h2>

The ICC will distribute prize money from a total pool of $10 million with the winner of each match in the league stage getting $40,000 each. Teams failing to make the semifinal stage will get a prize money of $100,000 each. In a unique decision, ICC has asserted it will distribute equal prize money for both men’s and women’s events in the future. A total of 10 teams will participate in the marquee tournament with a round-robin format for the league stage.

India qualified for the ODI World Cup as the hosts while New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Australia, Afghanistan, and South Africa progressed through the Super League stage. On the other side, the Netherlands and Sri Lanka needed qualifiers to get into the World Cup league phase. Interestingly, there is no place for two-time champions West Indies with Zimbabwe also missing out. Both failed to qualify for the World Cup through the playoffs.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc-2023-pakistan-announce-final-squad-for-marquee-event-in-india-naseem-shah-ruled-out-with-injury-concerns-638467">CWC 2023: Pakistan announce final squad for marquee event in India, Naseem Shah ruled out with injury concerns</a>

A total of $1.8 million will be distributed for winning the 45 matches in the league phase while $600,000 will go to the six teams getting eliminated in the league stage. The losing semifinalists will get $800,000 each, comprising of a combined $1.6 million. Runners-up will receive $2 million with the winners pocketing $4 million.

The tournament will start on Thursday, October 5 as defending champions England take on New Zealand in a repeat of the 2019 edition’s final. The semifinals of the World Cup will take place in Mumbai and Kolkata, subject to temporary changes. If India reach the World Cup semifinal and don’t face Pakistan, the match will take place in Mumbai while if India and Pakistan go head-to-head in the semifinal, then the match will take place in Kolkata.

The final of the ODI World Cup will take place in Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, November 19.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a bumper prize money for the upcoming men’s ODI World Cup in India on Friday, September 22. The ICC ODI World Cup is set to get underway in less than two weeks in India as teams across the globe have started to gather in the sub-continent.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a bumper prize money for the upcoming men’s ODI World Cup in India on Friday, September 22. The ICC ODI World Cup is set to get underway in less than two weeks in India as teams across the globe have started to gather in the sub-continent. Two teams playing in the final will share a prize money of $6 million with the winner bagging $4 million. There will be prize money for all the 10 teams participating in the tournament. The total prize pool for #CWC23, including the cash prize for the winners, has been announced 💰 Details 👇 — ICC (@ICC) September 22, 2023 × What is the prize money? The ICC will distribute prize money from a total pool of $10 million with the winner of each match in the league stage getting $40,000 each. Teams failing to make the semifinal stage will get a prize money of $100,000 each. In a unique decision, ICC has asserted it will distribute equal prize money for both men’s and women’s events in the future. A total of 10 teams will participate in the marquee tournament with a round-robin format for the league stage. India qualified for the ODI World Cup as the hosts while New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Australia, Afghanistan, and South Africa progressed through the Super League stage. On the other side, the Netherlands and Sri Lanka needed qualifiers to get into the World Cup league phase. Interestingly, there is no place for two-time champions West Indies with Zimbabwe also missing out. Both failed to qualify for the World Cup through the playoffs. ALSO READ | CWC 2023: Pakistan announce final squad for marquee event in India, Naseem Shah ruled out with injury concerns A total of $1.8 million will be distributed for winning the 45 matches in the league phase while $600,000 will go to the six teams getting eliminated in the league stage. The losing semifinalists will get $800,000 each, comprising of a combined $1.6 million. Runners-up will receive $2 million with the winners pocketing $4 million. The tournament will start on Thursday, October 5 as defending champions England take on New Zealand in a repeat of the 2019 edition’s final. The semifinals of the World Cup will take place in Mumbai and Kolkata, subject to temporary changes. If India reach the World Cup semifinal and don’t face Pakistan, the match will take place in Mumbai while if India and Pakistan go head-to-head in the semifinal, then the match will take place in Kolkata. The final of the ODI World Cup will take place in Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, November 19. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ICC announces BUMPER prize money for ODI World Cup; winners to get THIS amount

Pakistan have reclaimed the top spot in the latest ICC ODI Rankings after a dramatic turn of events on Sunday, September 17. The Men in Green, eliminated in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023, reclaimed the top spot after South Africa’s series win against Australia in Johannesburg. The win led to&nbsp;Australia dropping points, thereby handing the top spot to Pakistan to head into the final two weeks of September with their noses in front in the standings.

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Three wins on the trot! 👌 
 
South Africa come from 2-0 behind to seal a remarkable series victory 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SAvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SAvAUS</a> 📝: <a href="https://t.co/h97mEyA6Mw">https://t.co/h97mEyA6Mw</a> <a href="https://t.co/o3OuBdSHpv">pic.twitter.com/o3OuBdSHpv</a>
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<h2>Pakistan on top</h2>

Babar Azam’s men claimed the top spot despite not being in action as South Africa beat Australia by a margin of 122 runs. On the flip side, India’s win against Sri Lanka was also academic with Pakistan standing firm on 115 rating points. India’s win saw them reach 115 rating points but having played more matches, the arch-rivals claimed the top spot.

Australia’s defeat saw them drop to 113 rating points and therefore to third spot in the ICC ODI rankings. South Africa’s win against Australia saw them leapfrog defending world champions England. The Proteas are on 106 rating points, one behind England who announced their final ODI World Cup squad on Sunday and are fourth.

New Zealand sit sixth in the standings and their rivals in the upcoming series Bangladesh are seventh in the list. Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and West Indies complete the rest of the top 10 in the ICC standings.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-capable-of-being-in-team-if-says-former-pakistan-batter-younis-khan-on-skipper-babar-azam-636790">'Not capable of being in team if...,' says former Pakistan batter Younis Khan on skipper Babar Azam</a>

<h2>Dramatic results on Sunday</h2>

In a contest that lasted for little over three hours, Mohammed Siraj was seen in sublime form in the Asia Cup 2023 final as he wreaked havoc with four wickets in the fourth over of the Sri Lanka innings. Sri Lanka, who decided to bat first, had only two batters with double-digit scores while five players were dismissed for a duck. The entire team was bowled out for 50 as they recorded their lowest total ever in Asia Cup. India won the contest by 10 wickets and lifted the Asia Cup trophy.

Left-arm fast bowler Marco Jansen dismissed the first five Australian batsmen to clinch a come-from-behind series win for South Africa in the fifth one-day international at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday. Jansen took five for 39 as Australia were bowled out for 193 in reply to South Africa's 315 for nine.

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Pakistan have reclaimed the top spot in the latest ICC ODI Rankings after a dramatic turn of events on Sunday, September 17. The Men in Green, eliminated in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023, reclaimed the top spot after South Africa’s series win against Australia in Johannesburg.

Pakistan have reclaimed the top spot in the latest ICC ODI Rankings after a dramatic turn of events on Sunday, September 17. The Men in Green, eliminated in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023, reclaimed the top spot after South Africa’s series win against Australia in Johannesburg. The win led to Australia dropping points, thereby handing the top spot to Pakistan to head into the final two weeks of September with their noses in front in the standings. Three wins on the trot! 👌 South Africa come from 2-0 behind to seal a remarkable series victory 🙌#SAvAUS 📝: https://t.co/h97mEyA6Mw pic.twitter.com/o3OuBdSHpv — ICC (@ICC) September 17, 2023 × Pakistan on top Babar Azam’s men claimed the top spot despite not being in action as South Africa beat Australia by a margin of 122 runs. On the flip side, India’s win against Sri Lanka was also academic with Pakistan standing firm on 115 rating points. India’s win saw them reach 115 rating points but having played more matches, the arch-rivals claimed the top spot. Australia’s defeat saw them drop to 113 rating points and therefore to third spot in the ICC ODI rankings. South Africa’s win against Australia saw them leapfrog defending world champions England. The Proteas are on 106 rating points, one behind England who announced their final ODI World Cup squad on Sunday and are fourth. New Zealand sit sixth in the standings and their rivals in the upcoming series Bangladesh are seventh in the list. Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and West Indies complete the rest of the top 10 in the ICC standings. ALSO READ | 'Not capable of being in team if...,' says former Pakistan batter Younis Khan on skipper Babar Azam Dramatic results on Sunday In a contest that lasted for little over three hours, Mohammed Siraj was seen in sublime form in the Asia Cup 2023 final as he wreaked havoc with four wickets in the fourth over of the Sri Lanka innings. Sri Lanka, who decided to bat first, had only two batters with double-digit scores while five players were dismissed for a duck. The entire team was bowled out for 50 as they recorded their lowest total ever in Asia Cup. India won the contest by 10 wickets and lifted the Asia Cup trophy. Left-arm fast bowler Marco Jansen dismissed the first five Australian batsmen to clinch a come-from-behind series win for South Africa in the fifth one-day international at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday. Jansen took five for 39 as Australia were bowled out for 193 in reply to South Africa's 315 for nine. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pakistan reclaim No.1 spot in ICC ODI rankings on dramatic Sunday despite wins for India, South Africa

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam claimed the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for the third time, bagging the award for August 2023.

Babar who currently sits comfortably at the summit of the ODI rankings continued to impress with bat in the month of August.

His richness of form was reflected in his performances as he struck two fifties and a century. In Pakistan's ODI series against Afghanistan, Babar struck two fifties in the final two matches.

He brought up a 118-run stand with Imam-ul-Haq in the second ODI that laid the foundation for a thrilling last-over finale. Babar contributed 53 runs with the bat and was backed by Imam (91 runs) and the lower order.

Babar didn't stop there, he replicated his performance in the 3rd ODI with his exquisite knock of 60. His sublime batting skills were on display in the Asia Cup opener against Nepal. Babar's knock of 151 made him the first captain in the Asia Cup to score 150 or more than that.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-rohit-sharma-becomes-sixth-indian-to-complete-10000-odi-runs-during-ind-sl-super-four-clash-635230">Asia Cup: Rohit Sharma becomes sixth Indian to complete 10,000 ODI runs during Ind-SL Super Four clash</a>

"I am delighted to be named ICC Player of the Month for August 2023. The past month has been extraordinary for my team and I have put some terrific performances. With the Asia Cup coming to Pakistan after such a long time, it was great to play in front of the passionate and cricket-loving crowds of Multan and Lahore. That I scored my second ODI score of 150-plus in front of my own people in Multan doubled the joy," Babar said as quoted from ICC.

"I am looking forward to making the most of the form as we head into an exciting phase of cricket with the backend of the Asia Cup nearing and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup around the corner. My team and I are eager to bring joy and happiness to the millions of Pakistan fans," Babar added.

The versatile Pakistan skipper will be back in action in the Asia Cup Super Four against Sri Lanka on Thursday.

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Pakistan skipper Babar Azam claimed the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for the third time, bagging the award for August 2023. Babar who currently sits comfortably at the summit of the ODI rankings continued to impress with bat in the month of August.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam claimed the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for the third time, bagging the award for August 2023. Babar who currently sits comfortably at the summit of the ODI rankings continued to impress with bat in the month of August. His richness of form was reflected in his performances as he struck two fifties and a century. In Pakistan's ODI series against Afghanistan, Babar struck two fifties in the final two matches. He brought up a 118-run stand with Imam-ul-Haq in the second ODI that laid the foundation for a thrilling last-over finale. Babar contributed 53 runs with the bat and was backed by Imam (91 runs) and the lower order. Babar didn't stop there, he replicated his performance in the 3rd ODI with his exquisite knock of 60. His sublime batting skills were on display in the Asia Cup opener against Nepal. Babar's knock of 151 made him the first captain in the Asia Cup to score 150 or more than that. ALSO READ | Asia Cup: Rohit Sharma becomes sixth Indian to complete 10,000 ODI runs during Ind-SL Super Four clash "I am delighted to be named ICC Player of the Month for August 2023. The past month has been extraordinary for my team and I have put some terrific performances. With the Asia Cup coming to Pakistan after such a long time, it was great to play in front of the passionate and cricket-loving crowds of Multan and Lahore. That I scored my second ODI score of 150-plus in front of my own people in Multan doubled the joy," Babar said as quoted from ICC. "I am looking forward to making the most of the form as we head into an exciting phase of cricket with the backend of the Asia Cup nearing and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup around the corner. My team and I are eager to bring joy and happiness to the millions of Pakistan fans," Babar added. The versatile Pakistan skipper will be back in action in the Asia Cup Super Four against Sri Lanka on Thursday. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Pakistan's Babar Azam bags third ICC Men's Player of the Month award

The International Cricket Council (ICC) reconnaissance team has arrived in India for the inspection of all the ODI World Cup venues with the marquee event set to start in little over two months. The ICC team will inspect all the venues for the ODI World Cup along with the venues for the warm-up matches. The team consisting of security, events, and broadcast experts, has already started their assessment of the venues.

<h2>ICC team in India</h2>

The reconnaissance team started their inspection with Wankhede Stadium, one of the venues for the semifinal, and landed in Ahmedabad. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will be an important venue for the tournament as it will host the opening match on October 5 and the World Cup final on November 19. The team had a satisfactory experience at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and were pleased with the preparations for the big event.

"They are extremely happy with our planning; the only thing left to address from our side is the ticketing issue. We have called an Apex Council meeting on Monday to decide on pricing, and we will inform the BCCI accordingly," said Amol Kale, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president.

<h2>ICC team in South India</h2>

The team was also in South India recently and kept an eye on three venues including the Chepauk in Chennai on July 26, Trivandrum Stadium (the venue for the warm-up games) on July 27, and the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The ICC team was satisfied with the preparations for the World Cup and has given the green light for the venues to host the matches.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-can-score-as-quickly-as-guys-you-call-six-hitters-curtly-ambrose-praises-india-legend-620548">Virat Kohli can score as quickly as guys you call six hitters: Curtly Ambrose praises India legend</a>

"They seemed satisfied with our facilities. We look forward to hearing from them if they have anything in mind. They will write to us," said a Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) official about Chepauk.

The team suggested a few modifications for the corporate boxes and player areas at the Trivandrum ground.

The ODI World Cup will start on Thursday, October 5 as defending champions England take on New Zealand in a repeat of the last edition's final. The Indian team will take guards on Sunday, October 8 against Australia in Chennai while they will take on Pakistan on Sunday, October 15 (as things stand).

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) reconnaissance team has arrived in India for the inspection of all the ODI World Cup venues with the marquee event set to start in little over two months.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) reconnaissance team has arrived in India for the inspection of all the ODI World Cup venues with the marquee event set to start in little over two months. The ICC team will inspect all the venues for the ODI World Cup along with the venues for the warm-up matches. The team consisting of security, events, and broadcast experts, has already started their assessment of the venues. ICC team in India The reconnaissance team started their inspection with Wankhede Stadium, one of the venues for the semifinal, and landed in Ahmedabad. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will be an important venue for the tournament as it will host the opening match on October 5 and the World Cup final on November 19. The team had a satisfactory experience at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and were pleased with the preparations for the big event. "They are extremely happy with our planning; the only thing left to address from our side is the ticketing issue. We have called an Apex Council meeting on Monday to decide on pricing, and we will inform the BCCI accordingly," said Amol Kale, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president. ICC team in South India The team was also in South India recently and kept an eye on three venues including the Chepauk in Chennai on July 26, Trivandrum Stadium (the venue for the warm-up games) on July 27, and the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The ICC team was satisfied with the preparations for the World Cup and has given the green light for the venues to host the matches. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli can score as quickly as guys you call six hitters: Curtly Ambrose praises India legend "They seemed satisfied with our facilities. We look forward to hearing from them if they have anything in mind. They will write to us," said a Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) official about Chepauk. The team suggested a few modifications for the corporate boxes and player areas at the Trivandrum ground. The ODI World Cup will start on Thursday, October 5 as defending champions England take on New Zealand in a repeat of the last edition's final. The Indian team will take guards on Sunday, October 8 against Australia in Chennai while they will take on Pakistan on Sunday, October 15 (as things stand). WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ODI World Cup 2023: ICC team in India for venue inspection; to visit all 12 stadiums

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) registered its dissent on Monday, July 17, against ICC's new Financial Distribution Model (2023-27) that unanimously got approved following ICC Board Meeting earlier this month. The PCB, in a statement, said they wanted it to get deferred to the next ICC meet, but because other members decided against backing PCB on this, it got tabled on Thursday, July 13.

With PCB's counterpart, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), set to pocket the biggest slab, earning approx. $230 million out of the allotted $600 million pot for the next four years, the Pakistan Board sought more details on the same to understand their cut in this reworked model.

While the BCCI takes the daddy amount (nearly 38.4%), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), with a $41 million share or 6.89%, is next in line, and Cricket Australia (CA) is third with $37.53 million or 6.25%.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-i-wouldnt-want-my-kids-to-be-around-usman-khawaja-speaks-on-crowd-abuse-says-it-has-gone-too-far-616577">Ashes: 'I wouldn't want my kids to be around...' Usman Khawaja speaks on crowd abuse, says it has gone too far</a>

"PCB, in accordance with its constitutional right, has over the past few weeks and at the ICC Meetings, consistently sought additional information to better understand the rationale behind the allocation of weightage to each of the criteria and the calculation of the distributions. The PCB felt in the absence of all relevant information, data and formulae, such a significant decision should not be taken in haste," PCB said in a statement on Monday.

"The PCB, therefore, proposed that this item may be deferred to the next ICC meeting.

"Ultimately, the majority of members did not find it feasible to defer this item and voted in favour of passing the Model, while the PCB recorded its dissent as a matter of principle," it added.

<h2>'PCB was to receive double the share in new model'</h2>

With cricket returning to Pakistan after a gap of nearly ten years and almost every big team travelling to the country for a bilateral series, barring India (due to political tensions between both countries), the PCB urged for a better share of revenue in the latest Financial Model.&nbsp;

The PCB also said it was set to receive double the share it got in the previous cycle because of what it brought to the table.

"Consequently, due to the Pakistan cricket team’s performance in men’s ICC events and in bilateral cricket, the PCB’s own huge fan base, which leads to significant commercial value, the PCB was ranked amongst the top-four nations in this Model. As such, the PCB will receive more than two times the revenue when compared to the last cycle," PCB said.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) registered its dissent on Monday, July 17, against ICC's new Financial Distribution Model (2023-27) that unanimously got approved following ICC Board Meeting earlier this month.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) registered its dissent on Monday, July 17, against ICC's new Financial Distribution Model (2023-27) that unanimously got approved following ICC Board Meeting earlier this month. The PCB, in a statement, said they wanted it to get deferred to the next ICC meet, but because other members decided against backing PCB on this, it got tabled on Thursday, July 13. With PCB's counterpart, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), set to pocket the biggest slab, earning approx. $230 million out of the allotted $600 million pot for the next four years, the Pakistan Board sought more details on the same to understand their cut in this reworked model. While the BCCI takes the daddy amount (nearly 38.4%), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), with a $41 million share or 6.89%, is next in line, and Cricket Australia (CA) is third with $37.53 million or 6.25%. ALSO READ: Ashes: 'I wouldn't want my kids to be around...' Usman Khawaja speaks on crowd abuse, says it has gone too far "PCB, in accordance with its constitutional right, has over the past few weeks and at the ICC Meetings, consistently sought additional information to better understand the rationale behind the allocation of weightage to each of the criteria and the calculation of the distributions. The PCB felt in the absence of all relevant information, data and formulae, such a significant decision should not be taken in haste," PCB said in a statement on Monday. "The PCB, therefore, proposed that this item may be deferred to the next ICC meeting. "Ultimately, the majority of members did not find it feasible to defer this item and voted in favour of passing the Model, while the PCB recorded its dissent as a matter of principle," it added. 'PCB was to receive double the share in new model' With cricket returning to Pakistan after a gap of nearly ten years and almost every big team travelling to the country for a bilateral series, barring India (due to political tensions between both countries), the PCB urged for a better share of revenue in the latest Financial Model. The PCB also said it was set to receive double the share it got in the previous cycle because of what it brought to the table. "Consequently, due to the Pakistan cricket team’s performance in men’s ICC events and in bilateral cricket, the PCB’s own huge fan base, which leads to significant commercial value, the PCB was ranked amongst the top-four nations in this Model. As such, the PCB will receive more than two times the revenue when compared to the last cycle," PCB said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

PCB expresses dissent against ICC's new Financial Distribution Model 2023-27 following approval

The poster boy of the Indian Cricket Team, Virat Kohli has reacted to the ODI World Cup 2023 schedule. The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the CWC schedule in an event organised in Mumbai today, June 27. Interestingly, the ODI World Cup 2023 Trophy, which was unveiled on Monday, had a twist. It was launched into the space stratosphere, at an altitude of 1,20,000 feet above the Earth. The 50-over World Cup tournament will be hosted by India solely and will be played among 10 countries from October 5 to November 19, 2023.

<h2>Virat Kohli picks Wankhede</h2>

While talking to ICC, former India skipper Virat Kohli said that playing at Wankhede will be the most exciting. For the unversed, it’s the same venue where MS Dhoni had hit the winning six and lifted the 2011 World Cup by defeating Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli played an important knock in the match as when he walked in to bat at number 4, veterans like Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag were dismissed. He stabilised the Indian innings by building a partnership of 83 runs with Gautam Gambhir.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-world-cup-2023-10-teams-to-face-each-other-heres-the-format-of-wc-2023-609290">ICC World Cup 2023: 10 teams to face each other- Here's the format of WC 2023</a>

While talking about the same, Kohli said that he is looking forward to playing at Wankhede as it will have the feels. "I was quite young then. I saw what it meant to the seniors. I can understand what they went through and how special it is to play a home world cup and how excited they are going to be. So personally, I'm looking forward to playing in Mumbai. It'd be great to experience that atmosphere again," Kohli told ICC.

<h2>A decade-long drought</h2>

This ODI World Cup 2023 is very significant for the Indians, that too for various reasons. India won its last ICC trophy in 2013 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. Even after having the largest bench strength in the world, India has not been able to win an ICC trophy for the last 10 years. BCCI is the richest cricket board in the world, hence, they are expected to have world-class amenities.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-2023-world-cup-trophy-launched-into-space-stst-609228">&nbsp;ICC reveals ODI World Cup trophy in space</a>

Moreover, this World Cup can be the last one for many players. Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, or even Virat Kohli might say goodbye to the 50-over format before the next ODI World Cup.

Virat Kohli reacted to the lately announced ODI World Cup schedule and also chose his favourite venue for the ICC tournament. And it is none other than Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

The poster boy of the Indian Cricket Team, Virat Kohli has reacted to the ODI World Cup 2023 schedule. The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the CWC schedule in an event organised in Mumbai today, June 27. Interestingly, the ODI World Cup 2023 Trophy, which was unveiled on Monday, had a twist. It was launched into the space stratosphere, at an altitude of 1,20,000 feet above the Earth. The 50-over World Cup tournament will be hosted by India solely and will be played among 10 countries from October 5 to November 19, 2023. Virat Kohli picks Wankhede While talking to ICC, former India skipper Virat Kohli said that playing at Wankhede will be the most exciting. For the unversed, it’s the same venue where MS Dhoni had hit the winning six and lifted the 2011 World Cup by defeating Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli played an important knock in the match as when he walked in to bat at number 4, veterans like Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag were dismissed. He stabilised the Indian innings by building a partnership of 83 runs with Gautam Gambhir. Also read: ICC World Cup 2023: 10 teams to face each other- Here's the format of WC 2023 While talking about the same, Kohli said that he is looking forward to playing at Wankhede as it will have the feels. "I was quite young then. I saw what it meant to the seniors. I can understand what they went through and how special it is to play a home world cup and how excited they are going to be. So personally, I'm looking forward to playing in Mumbai. It'd be great to experience that atmosphere again," Kohli told ICC. A decade-long drought This ODI World Cup 2023 is very significant for the Indians, that too for various reasons. India won its last ICC trophy in 2013 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. Even after having the largest bench strength in the world, India has not been able to win an ICC trophy for the last 10 years. BCCI is the richest cricket board in the world, hence, they are expected to have world-class amenities. Also read: ICC reveals ODI World Cup trophy in space Moreover, this World Cup can be the last one for many players. Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, or even Virat Kohli might say goodbye to the 50-over format before the next ODI World Cup.

World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli chooses his favourite venue for ICC tournament

ICC ODI World Cup 2023’s full schedule has not even been officially announced but already much has been said and written about the tournament. India will be hosting the mega event in October. Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board requested the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket India to change the venue of their games. Earlier, former PCB chairman Ramiz Raza had also expressed his wish for Pakistan not to travel to India for the ODI World Cup 2023. This statement was made after the BCCI made it clear that the Indian team will not travel to the neighbouring country for the next edition of the Asia Cup. While speaking on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his views on PCB’s venue-changing request.

<h2>Ravichandran Ashwin: ICC unlikely to pay heed to the request</h2>

Ravichandran Ashwin broke his silence on the PCB’s request to change the venue and said that the International Cricket Council would not agree to Pakistan’s request. The veteran Indian spinner said that given the nature of the reason, ICC is unlikely to pay heed to the request. He also added that only if Pakistan cited security reasons, then maybe they had a chance of getting the venue swapped. 
 
 
For the unversed, something similar had happened during the 2016 T20 World. The India vs Pakistan encounter was shifted from Dharamshala to Kolkata. Ashwin further said that PCB has mentioned in their request letter that conditions will favour Afghanistan in Chennai. Hence, now the changing of venue also indicates that it plays into an advantage for Pakistan. 
 
"Pakistan, in their request letter itself, have mentioned that conditions will favor Afghanistan in Chennai. So, by changing venues, it plays into an advantage for Pakistan. So, I highly doubt that ICC will heed to this request. Maybe if Pakistan have given some valid security reasons, then it might be shifted,” Ashwin said.

<h2>ICC ODI World Cup 2023: Pakistan’s schedule</h2>

The official schedule for the World Cup mega event is not&nbsp;out yet. The International Cricket Council is expected to make the official announcement on June 27. This means that the fixture schedule will be out exactly 100 days before the start of the tournament. 
 
If reports are to be believed then, Pakistan will kickstart their campaign against Australia. The match may be played at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium on October 20, followed by Pakistan vs Afghanistan at Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, three days later. PCB has requested a venue swap for these two matches.

ICC ODI World Cup 2023’s full schedule has not even been officially announced but already much has been said and written about the tournament. India will be hosting the mega event in October.

ICC ODI World Cup 2023’s full schedule has not even been officially announced but already much has been said and written about the tournament. India will be hosting the mega event in October. Recently, the Pakistan Cricket Board requested the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket India to change the venue of their games. Earlier, former PCB chairman Ramiz Raza had also expressed his wish for Pakistan not to travel to India for the ODI World Cup 2023. This statement was made after the BCCI made it clear that the Indian team will not travel to the neighbouring country for the next edition of the Asia Cup. While speaking on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his views on PCB’s venue-changing request. Ravichandran Ashwin: ICC unlikely to pay heed to the request Ravichandran Ashwin broke his silence on the PCB’s request to change the venue and said that the International Cricket Council would not agree to Pakistan’s request. The veteran Indian spinner said that given the nature of the reason, ICC is unlikely to pay heed to the request. He also added that only if Pakistan cited security reasons, then maybe they had a chance of getting the venue swapped. For the unversed, something similar had happened during the 2016 T20 World. The India vs Pakistan encounter was shifted from Dharamshala to Kolkata. Ashwin further said that PCB has mentioned in their request letter that conditions will favour Afghanistan in Chennai. Hence, now the changing of venue also indicates that it plays into an advantage for Pakistan. "Pakistan, in their request letter itself, have mentioned that conditions will favor Afghanistan in Chennai. So, by changing venues, it plays into an advantage for Pakistan. So, I highly doubt that ICC will heed to this request. Maybe if Pakistan have given some valid security reasons, then it might be shifted,” Ashwin said. ICC ODI World Cup 2023: Pakistan’s schedule The official schedule for the World Cup mega event is not out yet. The International Cricket Council is expected to make the official announcement on June 27. This means that the fixture schedule will be out exactly 100 days before the start of the tournament. If reports are to be believed then, Pakistan will kickstart their campaign against Australia. The match may be played at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium on October 20, followed by Pakistan vs Afghanistan at Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, three days later. PCB has requested a venue swap for these two matches.

World Cup 2023: Ravichandran Ashwin opens up on PCB’s request to swap venues

The third edition of the ICC World Test Championship cycle begins with a clash between a resurgent England side and reigning champions Australia and will end with a Final at Lord's in 2025.

Australia might still be revelling in their triumph over India in the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023 but will have to quickly shift their focus to the next WTC cycle that starts with a clash against arch-rivals England on 16 June.

The five-Test Ashes series will kickstart the World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle that is set to include 68 matches scheduled across 27 series and the third WTC Final to be played at Lord's in 2025.

The nine teams set to participate in the WTC 2023-25 cycle are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies.

Each WTC series in the cycle will include two to five Tests, with the nine competing teams each playing six series - three at home, and three away.

The top two teams in the WTC standings will then qualify for the Final at Lord’s.

Australia topped the standings in the 2021-23 cycle on their way to a first WTC mace, and captain Pat Cummins is confident they can back up the stirring result starting in the series against England.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/selectors-may-take-decision-on-rohits-captaincy-later-this-year-report-604215">Selectors may take decision on Rohit's captaincy later this year - Report</a>

As in the WTC 2021-23 cycle, the England-India Test series will again be contested across five matches, as will the Ashes.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between WTC 2023 finalists Australia and India will also be played over five Tests for the first time since 1992.

The nine teams do not necessarily play the same number of matches in the WTC cycle, with the standings determined by the percentage of all possible points earned.

England will feature in the greatest number of Test matches during the WTC cycle with 21, while Australia (19) and India (19) will also line up in regular five-day fixtures.

Each Test included in the World Test Championship has 12 points available for a win, with four awarded to each team for a draw, and six to each team for a tie. No points are earned from a loss, and teams can lose points for slow over rates.

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The third edition of the ICC World Test Championship cycle begins with a clash between a resurgent England side and reigning champions Australia and will end with a Final at Lord's in 2025.

The third edition of the ICC World Test Championship cycle begins with a clash between a resurgent England side and reigning champions Australia and will end with a Final at Lord's in 2025. Australia might still be revelling in their triumph over India in the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023 but will have to quickly shift their focus to the next WTC cycle that starts with a clash against arch-rivals England on 16 June. The five-Test Ashes series will kickstart the World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle that is set to include 68 matches scheduled across 27 series and the third WTC Final to be played at Lord's in 2025. The nine teams set to participate in the WTC 2023-25 cycle are Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies. Each WTC series in the cycle will include two to five Tests, with the nine competing teams each playing six series - three at home, and three away. The top two teams in the WTC standings will then qualify for the Final at Lord’s. Australia topped the standings in the 2021-23 cycle on their way to a first WTC mace, and captain Pat Cummins is confident they can back up the stirring result starting in the series against England. ALSO READ | Selectors may take decision on Rohit's captaincy later this year - Report As in the WTC 2021-23 cycle, the England-India Test series will again be contested across five matches, as will the Ashes. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between WTC 2023 finalists Australia and India will also be played over five Tests for the first time since 1992. The nine teams do not necessarily play the same number of matches in the WTC cycle, with the standings determined by the percentage of all possible points earned. England will feature in the greatest number of Test matches during the WTC cycle with 21, while Australia (19) and India (19) will also line up in regular five-day fixtures. Each Test included in the World Test Championship has 12 points available for a win, with four awarded to each team for a draw, and six to each team for a tie. No points are earned from a loss, and teams can lose points for slow over rates. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ICC announces WTC 2023-25 cycle schedule as arch-rivals Australia take on England in Ashes

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a fresh set of rules which are set to have a significant impact on the game. ICC have announced a host of changes to the playing conditions which were approved by the ICC Cricket Committee led by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. The new rules will come into effect from October 01, 2022.

With the T20 World Cup 2022 around the corner, the new rules are set to be implemented in the tournament and can have a huge impact. As per the new rules, 'Mankad'(bowler running the non-striker out) is no longer under the 'Unfair Play' section and will be considered a legitimate run-out.

The use of saliva to shine the cricket ball has also been permanently banned. ICC banned the use of saliva for the first time in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, however, the rule is now set to be implemented permanently. As per the new rules, the incoming&nbsp;batters will now have only two minutes to take charge at the crease after the dismissal of their teammate.

Here is a look at the new ICC rules:

Ban on saliva: The use of saliva to shine or polish the cricket ball will be banned permanently in international cricket. The long-standing practice had been abolished for the first time in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis. The rule is now set to be implemented permanently and the players will not be allowed to use saliva on the ball to generate swing. The players can continue using sweat to shine the ball instead of saliva.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-virat-kohli-break-sachin-tendulkars-historic-feat-ricky-ponting-shares-his-take-517856">Will Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar's historic feat? Ricky Ponting shares his take</a>

Batter returning when caught:&nbsp;The new batter coming in will have to take strike when a batter is caught, regardless of whether the two batters crossed each other on the pitch during the dismissal. Earlier, if the batter had crossed the non-striker before the catch, the non-striker was allowed to take strike.

'Mankad' not unfair:&nbsp;Running out the non-striker for backing up too much will no more be considered unfair and referred to as 'Mankad'. The mode of dismissal has now been moved from the 'Unfair Play' section to the 'Run out' section. Running out a non-striker will now be considered a regular run-out.

Incoming batter ready to face the ball:&nbsp;The incoming batter will be allowed only two minutes to settle down and take the strike in both ODIs and Tests. The 90 seconds rule in T20Is will remain intact.

Bowler throwing the ball at the striker's end before the delivery:&nbsp;As per the new rule, a bowler will not be allowed to attempt to run out a batter on the striker's end if he is advancing down the wicket before the bowler's delivery stride. The bowler was earlier allowed to attempt a run-out but it will now be deemed a dead ball.

Striker's right to play the ball: A batter will require to keep some part of their bat or their body inside the pitch while facing a delivery. It will be called a dead ball if a batter stands beyond the pitch. Any delivery which forces the batter to leave the pitch will also be called a no-ball

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/only-monster-should-be-indian-cricket-gautam-gambhir-urges-countrymen-to-get-past-hero-worship-culture-517741">'Only monster should be Indian cricket': Gautam Gambhir urges countrymen to get past hero-worship culture</a>

Five runs penalty on unfair fielding movement: Any attempt to distract the batter by the fielding side with an unfair or deliberate movement while the bowler is running in to bowl the delivery will result in a five-run penalty. The batting side will be awarded five runs and the delivery will be adjudged as a dead ball.

Penalty for slow over rate: In January this year, the ICC implemented a new in-match penalty for teams failing to complete their overs in the allotted time in T20Is. Failure of the fielding team to bowl their overs in the scheduled time led to an additional fielder being brought inside the fielding circle for the remaining overs during the match.

The rule is now set to be implemented in ODIs as well following the conclusion of the &nbsp;ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League in 2023. The rule has already cost matches to a few teams for maintaining a slow over rate.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a fresh set of rules which are set to have a significant impact on the game. ICC have announced a host of changes to the playing conditions which were approved by the ICC Cricket Committee led by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a fresh set of rules which are set to have a significant impact on the game. ICC have announced a host of changes to the playing conditions which were approved by the ICC Cricket Committee led by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. The new rules will come into effect from October 01, 2022. With the T20 World Cup 2022 around the corner, the new rules are set to be implemented in the tournament and can have a huge impact. As per the new rules, 'Mankad'(bowler running the non-striker out) is no longer under the 'Unfair Play' section and will be considered a legitimate run-out. The use of saliva to shine the cricket ball has also been permanently banned. ICC banned the use of saliva for the first time in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, however, the rule is now set to be implemented permanently. As per the new rules, the incoming batters will now have only two minutes to take charge at the crease after the dismissal of their teammate. Here is a look at the new ICC rules: Ban on saliva: The use of saliva to shine or polish the cricket ball will be banned permanently in international cricket. The long-standing practice had been abolished for the first time in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis. The rule is now set to be implemented permanently and the players will not be allowed to use saliva on the ball to generate swing. The players can continue using sweat to shine the ball instead of saliva. Also Read: Will Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar's historic feat? Ricky Ponting shares his take Batter returning when caught: The new batter coming in will have to take strike when a batter is caught, regardless of whether the two batters crossed each other on the pitch during the dismissal. Earlier, if the batter had crossed the non-striker before the catch, the non-striker was allowed to take strike. 'Mankad' not unfair: Running out the non-striker for backing up too much will no more be considered unfair and referred to as 'Mankad'. The mode of dismissal has now been moved from the 'Unfair Play' section to the 'Run out' section. Running out a non-striker will now be considered a regular run-out. Incoming batter ready to face the ball: The incoming batter will be allowed only two minutes to settle down and take the strike in both ODIs and Tests. The 90 seconds rule in T20Is will remain intact. Bowler throwing the ball at the striker's end before the delivery: As per the new rule, a bowler will not be allowed to attempt to run out a batter on the striker's end if he is advancing down the wicket before the bowler's delivery stride. The bowler was earlier allowed to attempt a run-out but it will now be deemed a dead ball. Striker's right to play the ball: A batter will require to keep some part of their bat or their body inside the pitch while facing a delivery. It will be called a dead ball if a batter stands beyond the pitch. Any delivery which forces the batter to leave the pitch will also be called a no-ball Also Read: 'Only monster should be Indian cricket': Gautam Gambhir urges countrymen to get past hero-worship culture Five runs penalty on unfair fielding movement: Any attempt to distract the batter by the fielding side with an unfair or deliberate movement while the bowler is running in to bowl the delivery will result in a five-run penalty. The batting side will be awarded five runs and the delivery will be adjudged as a dead ball. Penalty for slow over rate: In January this year, the ICC implemented a new in-match penalty for teams failing to complete their overs in the allotted time in T20Is. Failure of the fielding team to bowl their overs in the scheduled time led to an additional fielder being brought inside the fielding circle for the remaining overs during the match. The rule is now set to be implemented in ODIs as well following the conclusion of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League in 2023. The rule has already cost matches to a few teams for maintaining a slow over rate.

ICC introduces new rules in cricket: No more 'mankad', permanent ban on use of saliva on ball

Team India's veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has announced his international retirement on Friday (December 24). The 41-year-old has had a stellar run at the highest level and finally decided to call it quits, drawing curtains to a glorious 23-year-long career in international cricket.

Harbhajan tweeted saying, "All good things come to an end and today as I bid adieu to the game that has given me everything in life, I would like to thank everyone who made this 23-year-long journey beautiful and memorable. 
My heartfelt thank you Grateful"

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kohli-shastri-were-controlling-indian-cricket-ex-india-pacer-on-dhonis-appointment-as-mentor-for-t20-wc-439500">Kohli, Shastri were controlling Indian cricket: Ex-India pacer on Dhoni's appointment as mentor for T20 WC</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
All good things come to an end and today as I bid adieu to the game that has given me everything in life, I would like to thank everyone who made this 23-year-long journey beautiful and memorable. 
My heartfelt thank you Grateful .<a href="https://t.co/iD6WHU46MU">https://t.co/iD6WHU46MU</a>
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) <a href="https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/1474302128311062533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/once-virat-kohli-said-shastri-reacts-to-rohit-sharmas-appointment-as-indias-limited-overs-captain-439523">'Once Virat Kohli said....' - Shastri reacts to Rohit Sharma's appointment as India's limited-overs captain</a>

Harbhajan shared a video along with his tweet and explained, "My journey from the streets of Jalandhar to the Indian team has been spectacular. I have never had the sort of motivation that I did when I was wearing the India jersey. But there comes a time when you have to take the tough decisions and move ahead. I have been willing to make an announcement for the past few years and have been waiting to share this moment with you.

Today, I am announcing my retirement from all forms of the game. Though informally, I had taken retirement before but couldn't announce it. I have not been playing active cricket for a while but due to commitments with KKR, I have wanted to stay with them. I had already decided to retire. Like every other cricketer, I wanted to say goodbye to this game in the Indian jersy but fate probably had something else in mind.

Whichever team I have played for, I have tried to help them finish at the top, be it Indian team, KKR, MI, CSK or the county sides."

Harbhajan ended as India's fourth-highest wicket-taker in Tests (417), also being the first-ever Indian to claim a hat-trick in the longest form of the game. In the white-ball formats, he accounted for 269 ODI and 25 T20I scalps. He was part of the national side's memorable 2007 T20 World Cup win and 2011 ODI World Cup triumph. He also played an integral role in India achieving the No. 1 rank for the first time in Test cricket in late 2009, under MS Dhoni's leadership.&nbsp;

Harbhajan also ended with 4 IPL trophies, playing for Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Overall, he featured in 163 IPL matches, ending with 150 wickets (fifth overall).

Team India's veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has announced his international retirement on Friday (December 24). The 41-year-old has had a stellar run at the highest level and finally decided to call it quits, drawing curtains to a glorious 23-year-long career in international cricket.

Team India's veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has announced his international retirement on Friday (December 24). The 41-year-old has had a stellar run at the highest level and finally decided to call it quits, drawing curtains to a glorious 23-year-long career in international cricket. Harbhajan tweeted saying, "All good things come to an end and today as I bid adieu to the game that has given me everything in life, I would like to thank everyone who made this 23-year-long journey beautiful and memorable. My heartfelt thank you Grateful" ALSO READ | Kohli, Shastri were controlling Indian cricket: Ex-India pacer on Dhoni's appointment as mentor for T20 WC All good things come to an end and today as I bid adieu to the game that has given me everything in life, I would like to thank everyone who made this 23-year-long journey beautiful and memorable. My heartfelt thank you Grateful .https://t.co/iD6WHU46MU — Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) December 24, 2021 × ALSO READ | 'Once Virat Kohli said....' - Shastri reacts to Rohit Sharma's appointment as India's limited-overs captain Harbhajan shared a video along with his tweet and explained, "My journey from the streets of Jalandhar to the Indian team has been spectacular. I have never had the sort of motivation that I did when I was wearing the India jersey. But there comes a time when you have to take the tough decisions and move ahead. I have been willing to make an announcement for the past few years and have been waiting to share this moment with you. Today, I am announcing my retirement from all forms of the game. Though informally, I had taken retirement before but couldn't announce it. I have not been playing active cricket for a while but due to commitments with KKR, I have wanted to stay with them. I had already decided to retire. Like every other cricketer, I wanted to say goodbye to this game in the Indian jersy but fate probably had something else in mind. Whichever team I have played for, I have tried to help them finish at the top, be it Indian team, KKR, MI, CSK or the county sides." Harbhajan ended as India's fourth-highest wicket-taker in Tests (417), also being the first-ever Indian to claim a hat-trick in the longest form of the game. In the white-ball formats, he accounted for 269 ODI and 25 T20I scalps. He was part of the national side's memorable 2007 T20 World Cup win and 2011 ODI World Cup triumph. He also played an integral role in India achieving the No. 1 rank for the first time in Test cricket in late 2009, under MS Dhoni's leadership. Harbhajan also ended with 4 IPL trophies, playing for Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Overall, he featured in 163 IPL matches, ending with 150 wickets (fifth overall).

Harbhajan Singh retires, draws curtains to glorious 23-year-long international career

The global cricket governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has asked the Emirates Cricket Board to probe the crowd's behaviour during the T20 World Cup game between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday (October 29).&nbsp;

Pakistan vs Afghanistan clash was one of the highly anticipated matches, in the cricket showpiece event as more than 16,000 tickets had been issued so that fans can enjoy the live action at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-new-zealands-trent-boult-plotting-to-mirror-shaheen-afridis-spell-against-india-425313">T20 World Cup: New Zealand's Trent Boult plotting to 'mirror' Shaheen Afridi's spell against India</a>

However, thousands of ticketless fans travelled to the venue and then attempted to force entry into the stadium, which led to massive chaos. The ICC apologised to ticket holders who could not enter the stadium where the final will also be staged on November 14.&nbsp;

"Dubai Police and security staff secured the stadium to ensure the safety of everyone inside and brought in significant additional resources to disperse the crowd and calm the situation," the ICC said in its official statement.&nbsp;

"At approximately 7 pm, Dubai Police directed that all gates should remain closed and no further entry was permitted to maintain a safe and controlled environment inside the venue," the statement added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-virat-kohli-slams-spineless-people-for-abusing-shami-calls-it-lowest-level-of-human-form-425291">T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli slams 'spineless people' for abusing Shami, calls it 'lowest level of human form'</a>

The ICC has asked the ECB to undertake a thorough investigation into events to learn any lessons and will work closely with authorities to ensure there is no repeat of this situation in the future.&nbsp;

Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi also pleaded with fans to buy tickets to watch the team's remaining matches in the tournament. "For the Afghan fans, please buy a ticket and come to the stadium. Don't repeat this again. This is not good," said Nabi after his team had lost by five wickets.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The global cricket governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has asked the Emirates Cricket Board to probe the crowd's behaviour during the T20 World Cup game between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday (October 29).

The global cricket governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has asked the Emirates Cricket Board to probe the crowd's behaviour during the T20 World Cup game between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday (October 29). Pakistan vs Afghanistan clash was one of the highly anticipated matches, in the cricket showpiece event as more than 16,000 tickets had been issued so that fans can enjoy the live action at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: New Zealand's Trent Boult plotting to 'mirror' Shaheen Afridi's spell against India However, thousands of ticketless fans travelled to the venue and then attempted to force entry into the stadium, which led to massive chaos. The ICC apologised to ticket holders who could not enter the stadium where the final will also be staged on November 14. "Dubai Police and security staff secured the stadium to ensure the safety of everyone inside and brought in significant additional resources to disperse the crowd and calm the situation," the ICC said in its official statement. "At approximately 7 pm, Dubai Police directed that all gates should remain closed and no further entry was permitted to maintain a safe and controlled environment inside the venue," the statement added. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli slams 'spineless people' for abusing Shami, calls it 'lowest level of human form' The ICC has asked the ECB to undertake a thorough investigation into events to learn any lessons and will work closely with authorities to ensure there is no repeat of this situation in the future. Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi also pleaded with fans to buy tickets to watch the team's remaining matches in the tournament. "For the Afghan fans, please buy a ticket and come to the stadium. Don't repeat this again. This is not good," said Nabi after his team had lost by five wickets. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan vs Afghanistan: ICC asks Emirates Cricket Board to probe on crowd behaviour

The importance of gender-neutral terminology can be understood better by highlighting the discrimination faced by a particular gender due to an established structure of how some terms in a particular language are&nbsp;spoken and written.&nbsp;

In English for example, terms that defines gender-specific job titles, such as, policeman, chairman, stewardess, salesman, fireman are used widely and very commonly. But attempts are being made for a gender-inclusive language and words like - police officer, chair, flight attendant, salesperson firefighter are recommended to be applied to any type of communication, whether it is oral or written.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/drs-to-make-debut-in-upcoming-icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2021-419613">DRS to make debut in upcoming ICC men's T20 World Cup 2021</a>

When it comes to sport, especially cricket, the issue related to terminology persists, however, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is making efforts to establish a balance and boost women's cricket.&nbsp;

Recently, ICC announced that the term "batter" will replace "batsman" in all playing conditions from the Men's T20 World Cup 2021. The world cricket governing body stated that over the past four years, it has been moving away from the word batsman and batter being implemented regularly in commentary and across the organisation's channels.&nbsp;

In September, the Marylebone Cricket Club also announced that it would be replacing the word 'batsman' with 'batter' in the Laws of Cricket. Former Australia star Lisa Sthalekar said that the move to 'batter' is a simple but important one in growing a sport that truly is for everyone.&nbsp;

Women's cricket in recent times has seen tremendous growth in terms of popularity as one can remember the Women's T20 World Cup final between Australia and India in 2020 that attracted more than 80,000 to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Women's cricket will feature at the Commonwealth Games for the first time at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, England.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-announce-usd-16-million-prize-money-for-winner-of-t20-world-cup-2021-419616">ICC announce USD 1.6 million prize money for winner of T20 World Cup 2021</a>

Such changes are significant as governing body recognises the changing landscape of the game in modern times but are they enough to boost the status of women's cricket? As women's cricket is plagued by a lack of sponsors and lack of fanfare.&nbsp;

The way Indian Premier League (IPL) has promoted men's cricket, amplifying the market of a particular sport in India, women cricket could also use a league of similar stature and reap benefits.&nbsp;

India's Twenty20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur called for a women's IPL competition after India lost a close Twenty20 International contest to Australia at the Carrara Oval on Saturday (October 9).

Harmanpreet credited the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the domestic T20 competition in Australia, for the national team's success, and alluded to the growth of the Indian men's side thanks to the IPL.

A three-team Women's T20 Challenge tournament, held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates in 2020 alongside the rescheduled men's IPL, has not taken place this year.&nbsp;

Hope the cricket body will take note of what Harmanpreet has said but as of now, an absolute implementation of replacing the word 'batsman' with 'batter' appears to be a significant change. But expectations are definitely there to see more changes in favour of women's cricket.&nbsp;

The importance of gender-neutral terminology can be understood better by highlighting the discrimination faced by a particular gender due to an established structure of how some terms in a particular language are spoken and written.

The importance of gender-neutral terminology can be understood better by highlighting the discrimination faced by a particular gender due to an established structure of how some terms in a particular language are spoken and written. In English for example, terms that defines gender-specific job titles, such as, policeman, chairman, stewardess, salesman, fireman are used widely and very commonly. But attempts are being made for a gender-inclusive language and words like - police officer, chair, flight attendant, salesperson firefighter are recommended to be applied to any type of communication, whether it is oral or written. ALSO READ | DRS to make debut in upcoming ICC men's T20 World Cup 2021 When it comes to sport, especially cricket, the issue related to terminology persists, however, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is making efforts to establish a balance and boost women's cricket. Recently, ICC announced that the term "batter" will replace "batsman" in all playing conditions from the Men's T20 World Cup 2021. The world cricket governing body stated that over the past four years, it has been moving away from the word batsman and batter being implemented regularly in commentary and across the organisation's channels. In September, the Marylebone Cricket Club also announced that it would be replacing the word 'batsman' with 'batter' in the Laws of Cricket. Former Australia star Lisa Sthalekar said that the move to 'batter' is a simple but important one in growing a sport that truly is for everyone. Women's cricket in recent times has seen tremendous growth in terms of popularity as one can remember the Women's T20 World Cup final between Australia and India in 2020 that attracted more than 80,000 to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Women's cricket will feature at the Commonwealth Games for the first time at the 2022 Games in Birmingham, England. ALSO READ | ICC announce USD 1.6 million prize money for winner of T20 World Cup 2021 Such changes are significant as governing body recognises the changing landscape of the game in modern times but are they enough to boost the status of women's cricket? As women's cricket is plagued by a lack of sponsors and lack of fanfare. The way Indian Premier League (IPL) has promoted men's cricket, amplifying the market of a particular sport in India, women cricket could also use a league of similar stature and reap benefits. India's Twenty20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur called for a women's IPL competition after India lost a close Twenty20 International contest to Australia at the Carrara Oval on Saturday (October 9). Harmanpreet credited the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the domestic T20 competition in Australia, for the national team's success, and alluded to the growth of the Indian men's side thanks to the IPL. A three-team Women's T20 Challenge tournament, held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates in 2020 alongside the rescheduled men's IPL, has not taken place this year. Hope the cricket body will take note of what Harmanpreet has said but as of now, an absolute implementation of replacing the word 'batsman' with 'batter' appears to be a significant change. But expectations are definitely there to see more changes in favour of women's cricket.

Not batsman, 'tis 'batter' now: ICC's step in the right direction but is that enough for women's cricket?

The winners of the ICC Men`s T20 World Cup 2021 will take home a winners` cheque of USD 1.6 million while the runners-up will get half that amount, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Sunday.

All 16 competing teams will receive part of the USD 5.6 million allocated as prize money for the tournament, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates and Oman from October 17 to November 14.

"The two losing semi-finalists will receive USD 400,000 each from the games taking place on November 10 and 11," the ICC said in its official release. As in 2016, there will be a bonus amount for every match that teams win in the Super 12 stage. The victors in each of the 30 games in that phase will this time win USD 40,000, a total pot of USD 1,200,000.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-format-is-casting-a-dark-shadow-over-test-cricket-feels-ian-chappell-419603">T20 format is casting a dark shadow over Test cricket, feels Ian Chappell</a>

The teams confirmed to be competing in the Super 12 stage are Afghanistan, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and the West Indies.

The eight teams whose ICC Men`s T20 World Cup campaigns end at that stage will automatically receive USD 70,000 each, a totally of USD 560,000.

The same structure is in place for the first-round victories - with USD 40,000 available to those who win each of the 12 games, amounting to USD 480,000.

The four teams knocked out in the first round will take USD 40,000 each from an overall USD 160,000.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-hardik-pandya-virender-sehwag-names-3-players-mumbai-indians-should-retain-ahead-of-ipl-mega-auction-419581">No Hardik Pandya! Virender Sehwag names 3 players Mumbai Indians should retain ahead of IPL mega auction</a>

Teams whose campaigns begin in the first round are Bangladesh, Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, there will be two scheduled Drinks Intervals in each ICC Men`s T20 World Cup game. They will last for 2 minutes, 30 seconds and will be taken at the midpoint of each inning.

The winners of the ICC Men`s T20 World Cup 2021 will take home a winners` cheque of USD 1.6 million while the runners-up will get half that amount, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Sunday.

The winners of the ICC Men`s T20 World Cup 2021 will take home a winners` cheque of USD 1.6 million while the runners-up will get half that amount, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Sunday. All 16 competing teams will receive part of the USD 5.6 million allocated as prize money for the tournament, which will be played in the United Arab Emirates and Oman from October 17 to November 14. "The two losing semi-finalists will receive USD 400,000 each from the games taking place on November 10 and 11," the ICC said in its official release. As in 2016, there will be a bonus amount for every match that teams win in the Super 12 stage. The victors in each of the 30 games in that phase will this time win USD 40,000, a total pot of USD 1,200,000. ALSO READ: T20 format is casting a dark shadow over Test cricket, feels Ian Chappell The teams confirmed to be competing in the Super 12 stage are Afghanistan, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and the West Indies. The eight teams whose ICC Men`s T20 World Cup campaigns end at that stage will automatically receive USD 70,000 each, a totally of USD 560,000. The same structure is in place for the first-round victories - with USD 40,000 available to those who win each of the 12 games, amounting to USD 480,000. The four teams knocked out in the first round will take USD 40,000 each from an overall USD 160,000. Also Read: No Hardik Pandya! Virender Sehwag names 3 players Mumbai Indians should retain ahead of IPL mega auction Teams whose campaigns begin in the first round are Bangladesh, Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, and Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, there will be two scheduled Drinks Intervals in each ICC Men`s T20 World Cup game. They will last for 2 minutes, 30 seconds and will be taken at the midpoint of each inning.

ICC announce USD 1.6 million prize money for winner of T20 World Cup 2021

Indian batsman KL Rahul has been fined 15% of his match fee for breaching the ICC's code of conduct during the fourth Test of the five-match series between India and England.&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday (September 5) informed that Rahul has been penalised for protesting against the umpire's decision after his dismissal on day three of the fourth Test at The Oval.&nbsp;

Besides deduction in match fee, one demerit point will also be added to Rahul's disciplinary record as it was his first offence in a 24-month period.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravi-shastri-tests-covid-19-positive-indian-support-staff-members-in-isolation-410866">Ravi Shastri tests COVID-19 positive, Indian support staff members in isolation</a>

During England pacer James Anderson's over, Rahul was dismissed at the score of 46. Initially, it was given not out by the on-field umpire but after England reviews it, the replays showed an edge off the bat and then the decision was overturned.&nbsp;

KL Rahul made his displeasure clear after the review adjudged him out and was found guilty of breaching the ICC's code of conduct relating to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match", the world cricket governing body said in a statement.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-says-when-he-was-asked-to-open-in-2019-he-knew-it-was-his-last-chance-in-tests-410839">Rohit Sharma says when he was asked to open in 2019, he knew it was his 'last chance' in Tests</a>

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YESSS <a href="https://twitter.com/jimmy9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jimmy9</a> gets the first wicket! 
 
Scorecard/Clips: <a href="https://t.co/Kh5KyTSOMS">https://t.co/Kh5KyTSOMS</a> 
 
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvIND</a> 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/oty3Zlu2CG">pic.twitter.com/oty3Zlu2CG</a>
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1434117531493490690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The decision was made by on-field umpires Alex Wharf and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Michael Gough, and match referee Chris Broad.

The ICC said there was no need for a formal hearing as Rahul accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Chris Broad.

Indian batsman KL Rahul has been fined 15% of his match fee for breaching the ICC's code of conduct during the fourth Test of the five-match series between India and England.

Indian batsman KL Rahul has been fined 15% of his match fee for breaching the ICC's code of conduct during the fourth Test of the five-match series between India and England. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday (September 5) informed that Rahul has been penalised for protesting against the umpire's decision after his dismissal on day three of the fourth Test at The Oval. Besides deduction in match fee, one demerit point will also be added to Rahul's disciplinary record as it was his first offence in a 24-month period. ALSO READ | Ravi Shastri tests COVID-19 positive, Indian support staff members in isolation During England pacer James Anderson's over, Rahul was dismissed at the score of 46. Initially, it was given not out by the on-field umpire but after England reviews it, the replays showed an edge off the bat and then the decision was overturned. KL Rahul made his displeasure clear after the review adjudged him out and was found guilty of breaching the ICC's code of conduct relating to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match", the world cricket governing body said in a statement. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma says when he was asked to open in 2019, he knew it was his 'last chance' in Tests YESSS @jimmy9 gets the first wicket! Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/Kh5KyTSOMS 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #ENGvIND 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/oty3Zlu2CG — England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 4, 2021 × The decision was made by on-field umpires Alex Wharf and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Michael Gough, and match referee Chris Broad. The ICC said there was no need for a formal hearing as Rahul accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Chris Broad.

India vs England: KL Rahul fined for breaching the ICC's code of conduct

The International Cricket Council confirmed its intention to bid for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games. The ICC has convened a Working Group to lead the bid on behalf of the sport which will be focused on cricket becoming part of the Olympic family for LA 2028, Brisbane 2032, and beyond.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-new-zealand-announces-squad-for-t20-world-cup-and-bangladesh-pakistan-tours-404381" hreflang="en">Cricket: New Zealand announces squad for T20 World Cup and Bangladesh, Pakistan tours</a>

“Our sport is united behind this bid, and we see the Olympics as a part of cricket’s long-term future. We have more than a billion fans globally and almost 90 percent of them want to see cricket at the Olympics," said ICC Chair Greg Barclay.

“We believe cricket would be a great addition to the Olympic Games, but we know it won’t be easy to secure our inclusion as there are so many other great sports out there wanting to do the same. But we feel now is the time to put our best foot forward and show what a great partnership cricket and the Olympics could be,” he added.

Here is how Twitter is reacting to ICC's ambition for Olympics:

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-windies-recall-shamarh-brooks-chemar-holder-for-test-series-against-pakistan-404343" hreflang="en">Cricket: Windies recall Shamarh Brooks, Chemar Holder for Test series against Pakistan</a>

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I think this will do massive wonders especially to Women's cricket Team. 
Because in Olympics Gold toh Gold hota he. 
Men win it or women win it.
— Paras (@Paras_Touchston) <a href="https://twitter.com/Paras_Touchston/status/1424993990751887364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Rishabh Pant to lead India to the podium! Hope it’s gold! <a href="https://t.co/lRNb1xYIVB">https://t.co/lRNb1xYIVB</a>
— Sourav Sinha (@sourav_sinha) <a href="https://twitter.com/sourav_sinha/status/1424995595186589699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Imagine India sending 3 teams and getting gold and silver 💀 <a href="https://t.co/EWPplSvu4F">https://t.co/EWPplSvu4F</a>
— Venkat (@__veebee31) <a href="https://twitter.com/__veebee31/status/1424985415405109250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Hope 40-year Virat Kohli can get us Gold 🥇 <a href="https://t.co/V2KFWQqqY0">https://t.co/V2KFWQqqY0</a>
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) <a href="https://twitter.com/Trendulkar/status/1424987555552907266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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This needs a big push and should be the top most priority of ICC if they want to take Cricket forward! <a href="https://t.co/6qG1urxWaJ">https://t.co/6qG1urxWaJ</a>
— Shivam Maheshwari (@shivam_mah90) <a href="https://twitter.com/shivam_mah90/status/1424991941314236416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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A welcome effort by the <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICC</a> for the inclusion of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/losAngeles2028?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#losAngeles2028</a>. It would be a real step by the <a href="https://twitter.com/iocmedia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iocmedia</a> to truly modernising the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> &amp; would grow much needed viewership. 
I'd also add <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Netball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Netball</a> too while they're at it. <a href="https://t.co/9hshnLXSYa">https://t.co/9hshnLXSYa</a> <a href="https://t.co/6TFfeTOwa2">pic.twitter.com/6TFfeTOwa2</a>
— Barry O’Farrell AO (@AusHCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/AusHCIndia/status/1425001874193747968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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I want them to make <a href="https://twitter.com/thehundred?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thehundred</a> the official format. The Americans would love the 100 ball concept <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympicGames?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympicGames</a> <a href="https://t.co/yqoPgTvrK7">https://t.co/yqoPgTvrK7</a>
— Monty Panesar (@MontyPanesar) <a href="https://twitter.com/MontyPanesar/status/1424986604880474143?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council confirmed its intention to bid for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games. The ICC has convened a Working Group to lead the bid on behalf of the sport which will be focused on cricket becoming part of the Olympic family for LA 2028, Brisbane 2032, and beyond.

The International Cricket Council confirmed its intention to bid for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games. The ICC has convened a Working Group to lead the bid on behalf of the sport which will be focused on cricket becoming part of the Olympic family for LA 2028, Brisbane 2032, and beyond. ALSO READ: Cricket: New Zealand announces squad for T20 World Cup and Bangladesh, Pakistan tours “Our sport is united behind this bid, and we see the Olympics as a part of cricket’s long-term future. We have more than a billion fans globally and almost 90 percent of them want to see cricket at the Olympics," said ICC Chair Greg Barclay. “We believe cricket would be a great addition to the Olympic Games, but we know it won’t be easy to secure our inclusion as there are so many other great sports out there wanting to do the same. But we feel now is the time to put our best foot forward and show what a great partnership cricket and the Olympics could be,” he added. Here is how Twitter is reacting to ICC's ambition for Olympics: ALSO READ: Cricket: Windies recall Shamarh Brooks, Chemar Holder for Test series against Pakistan I think this will do massive wonders especially to Women's cricket Team. Because in Olympics Gold toh Gold hota he. Men win it or women win it. — Paras (@Paras_Touchston) August 10, 2021 × Rishabh Pant to lead India to the podium! Hope it’s gold! https://t.co/lRNb1xYIVB — Sourav Sinha (@sourav_sinha) August 10, 2021 × Imagine India sending 3 teams and getting gold and silver 💀 https://t.co/EWPplSvu4F — Venkat (@__veebee31) August 10, 2021 × Hope 40-year Virat Kohli can get us Gold 🥇 https://t.co/V2KFWQqqY0 — Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) August 10, 2021 × This needs a big push and should be the top most priority of ICC if they want to take Cricket forward! https://t.co/6qG1urxWaJ — Shivam Maheshwari (@shivam_mah90) August 10, 2021 × A welcome effort by the @ICC for the inclusion of #Cricket at #losAngeles2028. It would be a real step by the @iocmedia to truly modernising the #Olympics & would grow much needed viewership. I'd also add #Netball too while they're at it. https://t.co/9hshnLXSYa pic.twitter.com/6TFfeTOwa2 — Barry O’Farrell AO (@AusHCIndia) August 10, 2021 × I want them to make @thehundred the official format. The Americans would love the 100 ball concept #Olympics #OlympicGames https://t.co/yqoPgTvrK7 — Monty Panesar (@MontyPanesar) August 10, 2021 ×

'This will do massive wonders': Netizens happy as ICC confirms cricket's Olympic ambition

The International Cricket Council today confirmed that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will be staged in the UAE and Oman due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation in India. The BCCI will remain the hosts of the event, which will now be held in Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground, from 17 October to 14 November 2021.

Acting ICC CEO Geoff Allardice said: “Our priority is to deliver the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 safely, in full, and in its current window. Whilst we are incredibly disappointed not to be hosting the event in India, the decision gives us the certainty we need to stage the event in a country that is a proven international host of multi-team events in a bio-secure environment. We will work closely with the BCCI, the Emirates Cricket Board, and Oman Cricket to ensure fans can enjoy a wonderful celebration of cricket.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-if-i-perform-i-know-ill-definitely-be-back-kuldeep-yadav-ahead-of-sri-lanka-tour-394704" hreflang="en">Cricket- 'If I perform, I know I’ll definitely be back': Kuldeep Yadav ahead of Sri Lanka tour</a>

BCCI Secretary, Jay Shah, said: “The BCCI made every effort to stage the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and provide its passionate fans with a reason to cheer after a long period of gloom. However, the prevailing pandemic situation in the country meant that the health and safety of everyone concerned was fraught with risk should a tournament of this stature are held across the country. The BCCI will continue to host the tournament, which will now be held in the UAE and Oman and work closely with the ICC to make it a memorable event.”&nbsp;

President BCCI Sourav Ganguly said: “The BCCI is looking forward to hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 tournament in UAE and Oman. &nbsp;We would have been happier hosting it in India but considering the uncertainty due to the Covid 19 situation and the importance of a world championship, the BCCI will now continue to host this tournament in UAE and Oman. The BCCI is looking forward to creating a spectacle.”

Vice President Emirates Cricket Board, Khalid Al Zarooni said: “Emirates Cricket Board is honored that the BCCI (Board of Cricket Control India) and the ICC (International Cricket Council) have entrusted us with staging and delivering the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The UAE’s reputation as being a safe country in which to host high-profile sporting events is a strong complement to our government’s unwavering commitment to implementing and monitoring effective health practices during the pandemic. Having hosted a number of high-profile tournaments in recent months our team is well-prepared and ready to mobilize to ensure the success of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.”

Oman Cricket Chairman, Pankaj Khimji said, “It is indeed a great moment for Oman Cricket to be selected as a venue/host of the forthcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. We shall leave no stone unturned to exceed the requirements of BCCI and ICC. Oman will certainly extend a very warm welcome to all the teams, officials, and media in October.”&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council today confirmed that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will be staged in the UAE and Oman due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation in India.

The International Cricket Council today confirmed that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will be staged in the UAE and Oman due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation in India. The BCCI will remain the hosts of the event, which will now be held in Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground, from 17 October to 14 November 2021. Acting ICC CEO Geoff Allardice said: “Our priority is to deliver the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 safely, in full, and in its current window. Whilst we are incredibly disappointed not to be hosting the event in India, the decision gives us the certainty we need to stage the event in a country that is a proven international host of multi-team events in a bio-secure environment. We will work closely with the BCCI, the Emirates Cricket Board, and Oman Cricket to ensure fans can enjoy a wonderful celebration of cricket.” ALSO READ: Cricket- 'If I perform, I know I’ll definitely be back': Kuldeep Yadav ahead of Sri Lanka tour BCCI Secretary, Jay Shah, said: “The BCCI made every effort to stage the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and provide its passionate fans with a reason to cheer after a long period of gloom. However, the prevailing pandemic situation in the country meant that the health and safety of everyone concerned was fraught with risk should a tournament of this stature are held across the country. The BCCI will continue to host the tournament, which will now be held in the UAE and Oman and work closely with the ICC to make it a memorable event.” President BCCI Sourav Ganguly said: “The BCCI is looking forward to hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 tournament in UAE and Oman. We would have been happier hosting it in India but considering the uncertainty due to the Covid 19 situation and the importance of a world championship, the BCCI will now continue to host this tournament in UAE and Oman. The BCCI is looking forward to creating a spectacle.” Vice President Emirates Cricket Board, Khalid Al Zarooni said: “Emirates Cricket Board is honored that the BCCI (Board of Cricket Control India) and the ICC (International Cricket Council) have entrusted us with staging and delivering the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The UAE’s reputation as being a safe country in which to host high-profile sporting events is a strong complement to our government’s unwavering commitment to implementing and monitoring effective health practices during the pandemic. Having hosted a number of high-profile tournaments in recent months our team is well-prepared and ready to mobilize to ensure the success of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.” Oman Cricket Chairman, Pankaj Khimji said, “It is indeed a great moment for Oman Cricket to be selected as a venue/host of the forthcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. We shall leave no stone unturned to exceed the requirements of BCCI and ICC. Oman will certainly extend a very warm welcome to all the teams, officials, and media in October.”

Cricket: Men's T20 World Cup 2021 moves to UAE and Oman, confirms ICC

India captain Mithali Raj has returned to the top five of the&nbsp;ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings after top-scoring for India with 72 in the opening match of their three-match series against England in Bristol.

The 38-year-old, who has completed 22 years in international cricket, rescued her side from a precarious 27 for two but India’s total of 201 for eight was not challenging enough for England, who will be defending their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title in New Zealand next year.

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In the latest <a href="https://twitter.com/MRFWorldwide?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MRFWorldwide</a> ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings for batting: 
 
↗️ <a href="https://twitter.com/M_Raj03?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@M_Raj03</a> enters top five 
↗️ <a href="https://twitter.com/natsciver?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@natsciver</a> moves up one spot 
 
Full list: <a href="https://t.co/KjDYT8qgqn">https://t.co/KjDYT8qgqn</a> <a href="https://t.co/szonwdMmn9">pic.twitter.com/szonwdMmn9</a>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1409788064944201732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Mithali, who had led India to the final of the last World Cup played at Lord’s in 2017, has gained three slots to reach the fifth position after the Bristol knock. The formerly top-ranked batter returns to the top five for the first time since October 2019.

There was not much else to write home about for the India side in terms of rankings, with all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar re-entering in 97th place among batters and 88th among bowlers. Hard-hitting opener Shafali Verma, the top-ranked T20I batter, has entered the ODI rankings in 120th place after scoring a 14-ball 15 on debut.

England opener Tammy Beaumont has consolidated her top position after her player of the match effort, gaining 26 rating points to reach 791 after her unbeaten 87 while Natalie Sciver’s 74 not out sees her inch up from ninth to the eighth position&nbsp;in the latest women’s ranking update, which is carried out on Tuesdays.

In the bowlers’ list, fast bowler Anya Shrubsole has progressed three places to eighth after grabbing two wickets in the match while left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, top-ranked in T20Is, has gained four slots to reach 10th position with a haul of three for 40 that included the scalps of Mithali and Harmanpreet Kaur. Kate Cross has moved up three places to 25th.

India captain Mithali Raj has returned to the top five of the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings after top-scoring for India with 72 in the opening match of their three-match series against England in Bristol.

India captain Mithali Raj has returned to the top five of the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings after top-scoring for India with 72 in the opening match of their three-match series against England in Bristol. The 38-year-old, who has completed 22 years in international cricket, rescued her side from a precarious 27 for two but India’s total of 201 for eight was not challenging enough for England, who will be defending their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title in New Zealand next year. In the latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings for batting: ↗️ @M_Raj03 enters top five ↗️ @natsciver moves up one spot Full list: https://t.co/KjDYT8qgqn pic.twitter.com/szonwdMmn9 — ICC (@ICC) June 29, 2021 × Mithali, who had led India to the final of the last World Cup played at Lord’s in 2017, has gained three slots to reach the fifth position after the Bristol knock. The formerly top-ranked batter returns to the top five for the first time since October 2019. There was not much else to write home about for the India side in terms of rankings, with all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar re-entering in 97th place among batters and 88th among bowlers. Hard-hitting opener Shafali Verma, the top-ranked T20I batter, has entered the ODI rankings in 120th place after scoring a 14-ball 15 on debut. England opener Tammy Beaumont has consolidated her top position after her player of the match effort, gaining 26 rating points to reach 791 after her unbeaten 87 while Natalie Sciver’s 74 not out sees her inch up from ninth to the eighth position in the latest women’s ranking update, which is carried out on Tuesdays. In the bowlers’ list, fast bowler Anya Shrubsole has progressed three places to eighth after grabbing two wickets in the match while left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, top-ranked in T20Is, has gained four slots to reach 10th position with a haul of three for 40 that included the scalps of Mithali and Harmanpreet Kaur. Kate Cross has moved up three places to 25th.

Cricket: Mithali Raj back in top 5 ICC Women's ODI player rankings

Sunil Gavaskar trusts that the inaugural World Test Championship Final will end in a draw after the downpour played spoilsport by and by toward the beginning of Day 4. He believes India and New Zealand will share the trophy.&nbsp;

The first two sessions of Day 4 have&nbsp;effectively been cleaned out because of rain. Things are probably not going to improve, with the climate gauge foreseeing unending precipitation for the duration of the day.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-wtc-final-jamieson-stars-with-the-ball-as-new-zealand-dominate-392910" hreflang="en">Cricket: WTC Final - Jamieson stars with the ball as New Zealand dominate</a>

Gavaskar, in Aaj Tak, said the WTC Final is probably going to end in a draw with only two days of cricketing activity left. He said:

“It looks like the World Test Championship Final will end in a draw and the trophy would be shared. It would be the first time that a trophy has been shared in the final. There are penalty shootouts in football or other criteria to decide a winner. In tennis, there are five sets and then a tiebreaker to get a winner. In Tests, we can only have a draw in such instances, and there is a high probability of a draw here as well.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-wtc-final-more-pressure-on-new-zealand-than-india-after-day-3-reckons-aakash-chopra-392925" hreflang="en">Cricket: WTC Final - More pressure on New Zealand than India after Day 3, reckons Aakash Chopra</a>

Despite the fact that Day 4 hasn't been totally cleaned out, it is expected that it will end up in a washout. With a downpour proceeding to fall at Southampton, Sunil Gavaskar offered a hopeless climate update from Southampton.&nbsp;

“Everyone around here is saying that there is no chance of play today. It means only two days are left. To complete three innings in two days would be really difficult. Yes, if both teams bat really badly, the three innings could be completed.”

With three innings yet to be finished, a draw looks like the most probable outcome in Southampton. The rules mean the trophy will be shared by India and New Zealand in that occurrence, yet&nbsp;Sunil Gavaskar feels the ICC ought to have finalized criteria to decide a sole victor before the tournament got in progress.&nbsp;

“There should have been some way to decide a winner. In the 2019 World Cup, we saw the team that hit the most boundaries lift the trophy. Due to the pandemic, the table was decided based on percentage points rather than outright points. The goalpost kept shifting throughout the World Test Championship, which wasn’t fair for any team. They should have considered all things and developed criteria to decide a winner” - he signed off

Sunil Gavaskar trusts that the inaugural World Test Championship Final will end in a draw after the downpour played spoilsport by and by toward the beginning of Day 4.

Sunil Gavaskar trusts that the inaugural World Test Championship Final will end in a draw after the downpour played spoilsport by and by toward the beginning of Day 4. He believes India and New Zealand will share the trophy. The first two sessions of Day 4 have effectively been cleaned out because of rain. Things are probably not going to improve, with the climate gauge foreseeing unending precipitation for the duration of the day. ALSO READ: Cricket: WTC Final - Jamieson stars with the ball as New Zealand dominate Gavaskar, in Aaj Tak, said the WTC Final is probably going to end in a draw with only two days of cricketing activity left. He said: “It looks like the World Test Championship Final will end in a draw and the trophy would be shared. It would be the first time that a trophy has been shared in the final. There are penalty shootouts in football or other criteria to decide a winner. In tennis, there are five sets and then a tiebreaker to get a winner. In Tests, we can only have a draw in such instances, and there is a high probability of a draw here as well.” ALSO READ: Cricket: WTC Final - More pressure on New Zealand than India after Day 3, reckons Aakash Chopra Despite the fact that Day 4 hasn't been totally cleaned out, it is expected that it will end up in a washout. With a downpour proceeding to fall at Southampton, Sunil Gavaskar offered a hopeless climate update from Southampton. “Everyone around here is saying that there is no chance of play today. It means only two days are left. To complete three innings in two days would be really difficult. Yes, if both teams bat really badly, the three innings could be completed.” With three innings yet to be finished, a draw looks like the most probable outcome in Southampton. The rules mean the trophy will be shared by India and New Zealand in that occurrence, yet Sunil Gavaskar feels the ICC ought to have finalized criteria to decide a sole victor before the tournament got in progress. “There should have been some way to decide a winner. In the 2019 World Cup, we saw the team that hit the most boundaries lift the trophy. Due to the pandemic, the table was decided based on percentage points rather than outright points. The goalpost kept shifting throughout the World Test Championship, which wasn’t fair for any team. They should have considered all things and developed criteria to decide a winner” - he signed off

WTC Final: ICC should have developed a criteria to decide a winner, says Sunil Gavaskar

VVS Laxman praised the International Cricket Council for acquainting the World Test Championship by keeping the significance of Test cricket in context.

"The World Test Championship is a welcome addition to the cricketing landscape. I must compliment the International Cricket Council for lending greater context and relevance to the longer format. Especially for players like me who never played in a World Cup, to be able to compete in a World Championship is massive. I know cricket has evolved tremendously and we have made a lot of adjustments to provide entertainment and enjoyment to the fans, but it is important to make sure that we also look after the players. Towards that end, the WTC is a step in the right direction."

Although, VVS Laxman wants to see some changes be carried out in the following pattern of the World Test Championship. He wants all Test having countries to be a part of the occasion, proposing groups could be parted into two gatherings of six to oblige the new contestants.&nbsp;

The inaugural edition of the World Test Championship will attract to a nearby with the India versus New Zealand final this week. A sum of nine countries partook in the principal version of the competition, with Ireland, Afghanistan, and Zimbabwe missing out.&nbsp;

In his column for The Times of India, VVS Laxman clarified how adding more countries could improve Test cricket all in all.&nbsp;

"I would like a few changes, though, to make it more inclusive and competitive. While the two-year cycle is just about right, I feel all 12 Test-playing nations should be a part of the competition. Maybe they could be split into two groups of six, with the two group toppers playing a best-of-three final. What that will mean is that the teams ranked in the bottom half of the ICC Test ratings can host some of the top sides, which will not only reignite interest in those respective countries but also bolster their financial resources. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to bridge the already humongous gulf between the big names and the rest.”

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-new-zealand-announce-15-member-squad-for-wtc-final-versus-india-391560" hreflang="en">Cricket: New Zealand announce 15-member squad for WTC Final versus India</a>

The ICC as of late declared plans to make cricket more comprehensive, with the ODI World Cup in the following cycle growing to a 14-group occasion. The T20 World Cup will include 20 groups later on, and more groups playing Test cricket will surely help in globalising the game.&nbsp;

Nonetheless, VVS Laxman's idea to make the World Test Championship Final a three-Test shootout may not be a practical suggestion. ICC acting CEO Geoff Allardice as of late guaranteed that a best-of-three last was impractically attributable to a stuffed worldwide schedule.&nbsp;

The CEO additionally asserted that the points system for the following release of the World Test Championship Final will be changed, with equivalent focuses granted for wins independent of the length of the arrangement. VVS Laxman made a comparative idea in his segment, itemising how ICC could change the current framework.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-should-have-been-wtc-final-series-and-not-just-wtc-final-says-sachin-tendulkar-391562" hreflang="en">Cricket: Should&nbsp;have been WTC&nbsp;Final 'series' and not just WTC&nbsp;Final, says Sachin Tendulkar</a>

"The points system could do with a tweak as well. Perhaps the way to go would be to cap all WTC series at three matches. The marquee series, like the Ashes or India vs England or Australia, could still be over four or five Tests, but only the first three should be taken into consideration for points for the WTC. That will remove the inequity that exists now, where the same number of points are offered for both a two-Test and a five-Test series."

VVS Laxman nonetheless, doesn't need a static focuses scoring framework. He wants teams to be compensated with extra points in the event that they figure out how to win away from home.&nbsp;

"I'd like to see additional weightage given for wins overseas. It's definitely not easy winning at home, but you have an edge because you know your conditions. Winning away is that much more challenging, and should come with a greater reward” - he added.&nbsp;

The new World Test Championship cycle will begin with India versus England series in August. The ICC will declare the framework of the new points system before the series however affirmed they will stay with the parentage of the points system to choose the positions.

VVS Laxman praised the International Cricket Council for acquainting the World Test Championship by keeping the significance of Test cricket in context. "The World Test Championship is a welcome addition to the cricketing landscape.

VVS Laxman praised the International Cricket Council for acquainting the World Test Championship by keeping the significance of Test cricket in context. "The World Test Championship is a welcome addition to the cricketing landscape. I must compliment the International Cricket Council for lending greater context and relevance to the longer format. Especially for players like me who never played in a World Cup, to be able to compete in a World Championship is massive. I know cricket has evolved tremendously and we have made a lot of adjustments to provide entertainment and enjoyment to the fans, but it is important to make sure that we also look after the players. Towards that end, the WTC is a step in the right direction." Although, VVS Laxman wants to see some changes be carried out in the following pattern of the World Test Championship. He wants all Test having countries to be a part of the occasion, proposing groups could be parted into two gatherings of six to oblige the new contestants. The inaugural edition of the World Test Championship will attract to a nearby with the India versus New Zealand final this week. A sum of nine countries partook in the principal version of the competition, with Ireland, Afghanistan, and Zimbabwe missing out. In his column for The Times of India, VVS Laxman clarified how adding more countries could improve Test cricket all in all. "I would like a few changes, though, to make it more inclusive and competitive. While the two-year cycle is just about right, I feel all 12 Test-playing nations should be a part of the competition. Maybe they could be split into two groups of six, with the two group toppers playing a best-of-three final. What that will mean is that the teams ranked in the bottom half of the ICC Test ratings can host some of the top sides, which will not only reignite interest in those respective countries but also bolster their financial resources. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to bridge the already humongous gulf between the big names and the rest.” ALSO READ: Cricket: New Zealand announce 15-member squad for WTC Final versus India The ICC as of late declared plans to make cricket more comprehensive, with the ODI World Cup in the following cycle growing to a 14-group occasion. The T20 World Cup will include 20 groups later on, and more groups playing Test cricket will surely help in globalising the game. Nonetheless, VVS Laxman's idea to make the World Test Championship Final a three-Test shootout may not be a practical suggestion. ICC acting CEO Geoff Allardice as of late guaranteed that a best-of-three last was impractically attributable to a stuffed worldwide schedule. The CEO additionally asserted that the points system for the following release of the World Test Championship Final will be changed, with equivalent focuses granted for wins independent of the length of the arrangement. VVS Laxman made a comparative idea in his segment, itemising how ICC could change the current framework. ALSO READ: Cricket: Should have been WTC Final 'series' and not just WTC Final, says Sachin Tendulkar "The points system could do with a tweak as well. Perhaps the way to go would be to cap all WTC series at three matches. The marquee series, like the Ashes or India vs England or Australia, could still be over four or five Tests, but only the first three should be taken into consideration for points for the WTC. That will remove the inequity that exists now, where the same number of points are offered for both a two-Test and a five-Test series." VVS Laxman nonetheless, doesn't need a static focuses scoring framework. He wants teams to be compensated with extra points in the event that they figure out how to win away from home. "I'd like to see additional weightage given for wins overseas. It's definitely not easy winning at home, but you have an edge because you know your conditions. Winning away is that much more challenging, and should come with a greater reward” - he added. The new World Test Championship cycle will begin with India versus England series in August. The ICC will declare the framework of the new points system before the series however affirmed they will stay with the parentage of the points system to choose the positions.

Cricket: VVS Laxman suggests changes to make World Test Championship more interesting

The ICC on Tuesday celebrated the power of cricket on communities across the world this International Day of Sport for Development and Peace in announcing the regional winners of the ICC Development Awards 2020 in what has been an incredibly challenging year for the members.

Across four categories, 20 regional winners from 17 countries whose inspiring stories represent how cricket continued to be a driving force for change and a sport for all – even in an unprecedented year. From Peru to Malaysia, Namibia to Italy, Kuwait to Nepal, ICC Associate Members continued their work to grow the game: empowering individuals and reaching out to new communities through innovation, determination and with great passion. There are numerous incredible examples of how cricket assisted the COVID-19 relief effort in countries across the world.

The regional winners identified below will be put forward as the ICC Development Awards global nominees, with four winners to be announced via the ICC channels on 20 April.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/residents-near-wankhede-stadium-appeal-maharashtra-cm-to-shift-ipl-2021-venue-375675" hreflang="en">Residents near Wankhede Stadium appeal Maharashtra CM to shift IPL 2021 venue</a>

<h2>ICC Development Initiative of the Year</h2>

Namibia, Argentina, Nepal, Vanuatu and Italy are the regional winners in the Development Initiative of the Year category, showcasing how cricket is becoming accessible to more people than ever before. Watch the video here.

During lockdown, Cricket Namibia created professional development opportunities for its workforce, players, and coaches to foster excellence. Seven admin staff completed 27 academic courses, including in project management, marketing, risk management and leadership. Coach education programmes were also a high priority, with 281 coaches completing courses at various levels.

Cricket Argentina designed 17 free courses in Spanish to develop 257 more coaches, umpires and scorers in 2020. Coaches who were a part of the programme went on to establish three new clubs. The course material was made available to the rest of the region, and seven other Spanish-speaking countries benefitted from the initiative to help engage people in their local language.

With COVID-19 restrictions lifted and cricket returning to Nepal, around 2000 women and 1900 men featured in local tournaments in the country, providing the opportunity to engage new sponsors and broadcasters during the national events.

Vanuatu Cricket livestreamed the Women’s T20 Grand Finals for the first time ever amassing 350,000 views. The exposure led the national team to visit COVID-19 impacted development programmes to engage and attract more women to participate with the set-up of four brand new teams.

The CricketMania campaign delivered by Cricket Italy to promote the sport has become a game-changer for the sport in the country, bringing cricket to a much wider range of 11-18 year olds through schools, clubs and sport body networks than before. The recognition created by the campaign resulted in cricket being included in the National School Games list, enabling Cricket Italy to reach 8797 secondary schools and 8868 high schools.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-2-key-foreign-players-to-miss-delhi-capitals-opening-match-vs-chennai-super-kings-375665" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: 2 key foreign players to miss Delhi Capitals' opening match vs Chennai Super Kings</a>

<h2>100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative of the Year</h2>

The 100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative regional winners recognise five engaging programmes for girls and women, with an emphasis on inclusivity and empowerment. Watch the video here.

Cricket Brazil awarded 14 professional central contracts to the women’s national team, becoming the first Associate Member to fully contract the women’s team before the men’s, raising the status of the game in Brazil and benefitting 2000 girls who play regularly.

The Danish Cricket Federation identified that if they wanted to bring more young women into cricket, they had to speak to them in their language, and listen to what they wanted. They therefore partnered with young female micro-influencers on Instagram to connect with new audiences. The energy and passion they brought into the social media campaign was carried over into online digital coaching sessions for new recruits and revitalised the ecosystem where 50 women attended the first kick-off cricket session.

In Nigeria, the Girls Aspire initiative uses cricket as a tool for girls’ empowerment and socio-cultural change. Ijeoma Okigbo, a journalist, took what she had learnt from an ‘introduction to cricket’ course to a school in Gauraka, Niger State, and coached junior girls from underprivileged backgrounds. The 50 girls, who have gained confidence and respect, have become part of a cricket community.

Samoa International Cricket Association’s Healthy Nanas programme is an initiative delivered in partnership with the Australian Government as part of the Team Up project. It offers women and girls a platform to participate in sport and ensure a healthy lifestyle, while also serving as a safe space to network and discuss issues in their personal lives and community – be it domestic violence, finance or health.

In Malaysia, players were ambassadors for #GirlsForGoals and #Cricket4WomensAid, where they supported online fundraising for survivors of domestic abuse and spoke of how sports had transformed their lives. The Cricket Adiwira entry-level programme provided the opportunity for women and girls to play, setting themselves the target of 128 students playing in each of the 269 participating schools, with at least half of them female.

WATCH:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ipl-2021-fascinating-stats-from-tournament-history-375646" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: Fascinating stats from tournament history</a>

<h2>Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative of the Year</h2>

Bhutan, Uganda, Indonesia, Italy and Peru have been recognized for their outstanding work in using cricket as a vehicle for social change or development within communities from all corners of the world. Watch the video here.

In 15 of Bhutan’s cricket communities, players, coordinators, coaches, and office staff volunteered at hospitals, quarantine facilities and call centers preparing meals, delivering food and patrolling to ensure people followed protocols to assist with the COVID-19 response effort.

The Uganda Cricket Association helped those within their network most impacted by COVID-19 including 100 school teachers to provide them food and financial assistance whilst they were unable to work due to the ongoing lockdown.

Cricket Indonesia’s goal was to promote the healthy messages set out by the Government and ensure that cricket was positioned as a leader in Indonesian society. This was delivered through a webinar series, social media engagement, videos of how to play cricket at home and the distribution of free masks in the office’s local community.

Cricket Italy partnered with Treedom to help offset 11,000kg CO2 emissions produced by the Member’s operations by formally planting 200 trees in Cameroon.

Peru aimed to inspire movement and connection, whilst promoting the well-being of young people during lockdown. What began as a WhatsApp group for children aged 4-14 to exercise at home, expanded to Zoom classes and an online summer academy for older students, as well as a teacher training course.

<h2>ICC Digital Fan Engagement of the Year</h2>

Promotion of cricket activities in emerging nations and engaging fans is incredibly important to grow the sport and five worthy regional winners are being celebrated for their innovative work in 2020. Watch the video here.

Vanuatu Cricket, with a following of only 12,000 on their Facebook Page utilized their digital platforms to reach over 16 million people through livestreaming of the Vanuatu T10 Blast and The Women’s T20 Grand Final. The results of this initiative meant more people were able to engage with Associate cricket, capitalising on the opportunity presented by COVID-19’s impact on the availability of live sport.

The fun and engaging #TrainAtHome digital campaign focused on the best of the United States’ national team players and support staff bringing simple, effective cricket skills-based drills to the homes of fans to encourage them to keep active whilst staying safe during lockdown, resulting in 1.2 million Twitter impressions.

The Fairway Super Series aimed at providing competition for promising junior cricketers ahead of national squad selection, replicated a modern T20 franchise event with Jersey Cricket Board delivering an online draft and match highlights to help the promotion of the event. Highlights of the four-team event reached a wide audience and raised the visibility of the teams’ charitable partners.

Cricket Namibia delivered a two-month campaign in celebration of being crowned an ICC Development Award winner in 2019, consisting of social media posts and radio messages. It reached over 300,000 people, grew fan engagement for the men’s national team and Cricket Namibia‘s brand.

Finally, Kuwait engaged one of the Middle East’s top digital media companies via a sponsorship programme where Kuwait Cricket’s social media channels are professionally managed with a comprehensive engagement programme of daily posts and updates to help create heroes within the cricket community.

ICC General Manager – Development, William Glenwright said: “The ICC Development Awards are a recognition of the work that provides people and communities the opportunity to engage with our incredible sport, with 20 brilliant programmes in 2020 celebrated.

“During a year where so many lives and communities were impacted in different ways - and on the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace - it is inspiring to share, the stories of the regional winners that helped people to feel connected with and participate in physical activity during a time where traditional cricket activity was so heavily restricted.

“We are extremely proud of what the Members achieved in 2020.Their innovative approach to delivering cricket and their unrelenting commitment to growing a sport for all, focusing on inspiring more women and girls in particular to get involved at all levels is something they should all be proud of. I look forward to seeing which four entries will be crowned global winners on 20 April.”

The ICC on Tuesday celebrated the power of cricket on communities across the world this International Day of Sport for Development and Peace in announcing the regional winners of the ICC Development Awards 2020 in what has been an incredibly challenging year for the members.

The ICC on Tuesday celebrated the power of cricket on communities across the world this International Day of Sport for Development and Peace in announcing the regional winners of the ICC Development Awards 2020 in what has been an incredibly challenging year for the members. Across four categories, 20 regional winners from 17 countries whose inspiring stories represent how cricket continued to be a driving force for change and a sport for all – even in an unprecedented year. From Peru to Malaysia, Namibia to Italy, Kuwait to Nepal, ICC Associate Members continued their work to grow the game: empowering individuals and reaching out to new communities through innovation, determination and with great passion. There are numerous incredible examples of how cricket assisted the COVID-19 relief effort in countries across the world. The regional winners identified below will be put forward as the ICC Development Awards global nominees, with four winners to be announced via the ICC channels on 20 April. ALSO READ: Residents near Wankhede Stadium appeal Maharashtra CM to shift IPL 2021 venue ICC Development Initiative of the Year Namibia, Argentina, Nepal, Vanuatu and Italy are the regional winners in the Development Initiative of the Year category, showcasing how cricket is becoming accessible to more people than ever before. Watch the video here. During lockdown, Cricket Namibia created professional development opportunities for its workforce, players, and coaches to foster excellence. Seven admin staff completed 27 academic courses, including in project management, marketing, risk management and leadership. Coach education programmes were also a high priority, with 281 coaches completing courses at various levels. Cricket Argentina designed 17 free courses in Spanish to develop 257 more coaches, umpires and scorers in 2020. Coaches who were a part of the programme went on to establish three new clubs. The course material was made available to the rest of the region, and seven other Spanish-speaking countries benefitted from the initiative to help engage people in their local language. With COVID-19 restrictions lifted and cricket returning to Nepal, around 2000 women and 1900 men featured in local tournaments in the country, providing the opportunity to engage new sponsors and broadcasters during the national events. Vanuatu Cricket livestreamed the Women’s T20 Grand Finals for the first time ever amassing 350,000 views. The exposure led the national team to visit COVID-19 impacted development programmes to engage and attract more women to participate with the set-up of four brand new teams. The CricketMania campaign delivered by Cricket Italy to promote the sport has become a game-changer for the sport in the country, bringing cricket to a much wider range of 11-18 year olds through schools, clubs and sport body networks than before. The recognition created by the campaign resulted in cricket being included in the National School Games list, enabling Cricket Italy to reach 8797 secondary schools and 8868 high schools. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: 2 key foreign players to miss Delhi Capitals' opening match vs Chennai Super Kings 100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative of the Year The 100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative regional winners recognise five engaging programmes for girls and women, with an emphasis on inclusivity and empowerment. Watch the video here. Cricket Brazil awarded 14 professional central contracts to the women’s national team, becoming the first Associate Member to fully contract the women’s team before the men’s, raising the status of the game in Brazil and benefitting 2000 girls who play regularly. The Danish Cricket Federation identified that if they wanted to bring more young women into cricket, they had to speak to them in their language, and listen to what they wanted. They therefore partnered with young female micro-influencers on Instagram to connect with new audiences. The energy and passion they brought into the social media campaign was carried over into online digital coaching sessions for new recruits and revitalised the ecosystem where 50 women attended the first kick-off cricket session. In Nigeria, the Girls Aspire initiative uses cricket as a tool for girls’ empowerment and socio-cultural change. Ijeoma Okigbo, a journalist, took what she had learnt from an ‘introduction to cricket’ course to a school in Gauraka, Niger State, and coached junior girls from underprivileged backgrounds. The 50 girls, who have gained confidence and respect, have become part of a cricket community. Samoa International Cricket Association’s Healthy Nanas programme is an initiative delivered in partnership with the Australian Government as part of the Team Up project. It offers women and girls a platform to participate in sport and ensure a healthy lifestyle, while also serving as a safe space to network and discuss issues in their personal lives and community – be it domestic violence, finance or health. In Malaysia, players were ambassadors for #GirlsForGoals and #Cricket4WomensAid, where they supported online fundraising for survivors of domestic abuse and spoke of how sports had transformed their lives. The Cricket Adiwira entry-level programme provided the opportunity for women and girls to play, setting themselves the target of 128 students playing in each of the 269 participating schools, with at least half of them female. WATCH: IPL 2021: Fascinating stats from tournament history Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative of the Year Bhutan, Uganda, Indonesia, Italy and Peru have been recognized for their outstanding work in using cricket as a vehicle for social change or development within communities from all corners of the world. Watch the video here. In 15 of Bhutan’s cricket communities, players, coordinators, coaches, and office staff volunteered at hospitals, quarantine facilities and call centers preparing meals, delivering food and patrolling to ensure people followed protocols to assist with the COVID-19 response effort. The Uganda Cricket Association helped those within their network most impacted by COVID-19 including 100 school teachers to provide them food and financial assistance whilst they were unable to work due to the ongoing lockdown. Cricket Indonesia’s goal was to promote the healthy messages set out by the Government and ensure that cricket was positioned as a leader in Indonesian society. This was delivered through a webinar series, social media engagement, videos of how to play cricket at home and the distribution of free masks in the office’s local community. Cricket Italy partnered with Treedom to help offset 11,000kg CO2 emissions produced by the Member’s operations by formally planting 200 trees in Cameroon. Peru aimed to inspire movement and connection, whilst promoting the well-being of young people during lockdown. What began as a WhatsApp group for children aged 4-14 to exercise at home, expanded to Zoom classes and an online summer academy for older students, as well as a teacher training course. ICC Digital Fan Engagement of the Year Promotion of cricket activities in emerging nations and engaging fans is incredibly important to grow the sport and five worthy regional winners are being celebrated for their innovative work in 2020. Watch the video here. Vanuatu Cricket, with a following of only 12,000 on their Facebook Page utilized their digital platforms to reach over 16 million people through livestreaming of the Vanuatu T10 Blast and The Women’s T20 Grand Final. The results of this initiative meant more people were able to engage with Associate cricket, capitalising on the opportunity presented by COVID-19’s impact on the availability of live sport. The fun and engaging #TrainAtHome digital campaign focused on the best of the United States’ national team players and support staff bringing simple, effective cricket skills-based drills to the homes of fans to encourage them to keep active whilst staying safe during lockdown, resulting in 1.2 million Twitter impressions. The Fairway Super Series aimed at providing competition for promising junior cricketers ahead of national squad selection, replicated a modern T20 franchise event with Jersey Cricket Board delivering an online draft and match highlights to help the promotion of the event. Highlights of the four-team event reached a wide audience and raised the visibility of the teams’ charitable partners. Cricket Namibia delivered a two-month campaign in celebration of being crowned an ICC Development Award winner in 2019, consisting of social media posts and radio messages. It reached over 300,000 people, grew fan engagement for the men’s national team and Cricket Namibia‘s brand. Finally, Kuwait engaged one of the Middle East’s top digital media companies via a sponsorship programme where Kuwait Cricket’s social media channels are professionally managed with a comprehensive engagement programme of daily posts and updates to help create heroes within the cricket community. ICC General Manager – Development, William Glenwright said: “The ICC Development Awards are a recognition of the work that provides people and communities the opportunity to engage with our incredible sport, with 20 brilliant programmes in 2020 celebrated. “During a year where so many lives and communities were impacted in different ways - and on the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace - it is inspiring to share, the stories of the regional winners that helped people to feel connected with and participate in physical activity during a time where traditional cricket activity was so heavily restricted. “We are extremely proud of what the Members achieved in 2020.Their innovative approach to delivering cricket and their unrelenting commitment to growing a sport for all, focusing on inspiring more women and girls in particular to get involved at all levels is something they should all be proud of. I look forward to seeing which four entries will be crowned global winners on 20 April.”

ICC celebrates the positive impact of cricket on communities during an unprecedented 2020

International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined the&nbsp;Indian cricket team 20 per cent of its match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-whitewash-new-zealand-wins-fifth-t20i-by-seven-runs-278153">New Zealand</a> in the fifth and final Twenty20 International in Mount Maunganui.

The sanction was imposed by Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees after India was&nbsp;ruled to be one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-whitewash-new-zealand-wins-fifth-t20i-by-seven-runs-278153">India whitewash New Zealand, wins fifth T20I by seven runs</a>

The team was fined&nbsp;under&nbsp;Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which&nbsp;relates to minimum over-rate offences.

In this case, the team was fined for every over their side failed&nbsp;to bowl in the allotted time.

To avoid a formal hearing, India stand-in captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-whitewash-new-zealand-wins-fifth-t20i-by-seven-runs-278153">Rohit Sharma </a>pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction.

On-field umpires Chris Brown and Shaun Haig and third umpire Ashley Mehrotra levelled the charge.

India won the match by seven runs on Sunday to complete a rare 5-0 series whitewash over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-whitewash-new-zealand-wins-fifth-t20i-by-seven-runs-278153">New Zealand</a> in the shortest format of the game.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-whitewash-new-zealand-wins-fifth-t20i-by-seven-runs-278153">Virat Kohli</a>'s men have been fined for slow over-rate for the second&nbsp;time consecutively.

On Saturday, the Indian team was fined&nbsp;40 per cent of its match fee after falling short of the target by two overs in the fourth T20 International at the Westpack Stadium.

International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined the Indian cricket team 20 per cent of its match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against New Zealand in the fifth and final Twenty20 International in Mount Maunganui.

International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined the Indian cricket team 20 per cent of its match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against New Zealand in the fifth and final Twenty20 International in Mount Maunganui. The sanction was imposed by Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees after India was ruled to be one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. Also read: India whitewash New Zealand, wins fifth T20I by seven runs The team was fined under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences. In this case, the team was fined for every over their side failed to bowl in the allotted time. To avoid a formal hearing, India stand-in captain Rohit Sharma pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction. On-field umpires Chris Brown and Shaun Haig and third umpire Ashley Mehrotra levelled the charge. India won the match by seven runs on Sunday to complete a rare 5-0 series whitewash over New Zealand in the shortest format of the game. Virat Kohli's men have been fined for slow over-rate for the second time consecutively. On Saturday, the Indian team was fined 40 per cent of its match fee after falling short of the target by two overs in the fourth T20 International at the Westpack Stadium.

India fined by International Cricket Council for slow over-rate in T20I final against New Zealand

The final fixtures for the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup were announced on Sunday as Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea and Scotland qualified for the tournament after an impressive showing at the global qualifying event.

Papua New Guinea, Ireland and Oman will join Sri Lanka in Group A of the first round and the four teams will compete in Geelong from October 18-22, 2020.

On the other hand, Netherlands, Namibia and Scotland will join Bangladesh in Group B and their matches will take place from October 19-23, 2020 at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

The opening match of the tournament will be played between Sri Lanka and Ireland at Kardinia Park Stadium.

"We are thrilled to be welcoming Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea and Scotland to Australia for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2020. We know that all 16 men's teams will receive the warmest welcome and fantastic support from fans living here in Australia and those visiting from around the world," ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Local Organising Committee CEO, Nick Hockley said in an official statement.

It will be the first major global tournament for Papua New Guinea (PNG).

They finished as the runners-up in qualifying tournament. The side had narrowly missed out on qualification for 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups.

Following the conclusion of first-round matches in Geelong and Hobart, the top-ranked team in Group A and the second-placed team in Group B will join Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and West Indies in Group 1 of the Super 12s.

Hosts Australia will play their first match against Pakistan at Sydney on October 24, 2020.

India, England, South Africa and Afghanistan are placed in Group 2 of the Super 12s phase and they all will face the top-placed team in Group B and the second-placed team in Group A.

In the year 2020, both women's and men's T20 World Cup will be played in Australia. The ICC Women's T20 World Cup will take place first, from February 21- March 8.

The finals of the Women's T20 World Cup will be played on International Women's Day.

Defending champions Australia will play their opening match of the tournament against India on February 21.

Both the women's and men's finals will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

The final fixtures for the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup were announced on Sunday as Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea and Scotland qualified for the tournament after an impressive showing at the global qualifying event.

The final fixtures for the upcoming Men's T20 World Cup were announced on Sunday as Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea and Scotland qualified for the tournament after an impressive showing at the global qualifying event. Papua New Guinea, Ireland and Oman will join Sri Lanka in Group A of the first round and the four teams will compete in Geelong from October 18-22, 2020. On the other hand, Netherlands, Namibia and Scotland will join Bangladesh in Group B and their matches will take place from October 19-23, 2020 at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. The opening match of the tournament will be played between Sri Lanka and Ireland at Kardinia Park Stadium. "We are thrilled to be welcoming Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea and Scotland to Australia for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2020. We know that all 16 men's teams will receive the warmest welcome and fantastic support from fans living here in Australia and those visiting from around the world," ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Local Organising Committee CEO, Nick Hockley said in an official statement. It will be the first major global tournament for Papua New Guinea (PNG). They finished as the runners-up in qualifying tournament. The side had narrowly missed out on qualification for 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups. Following the conclusion of first-round matches in Geelong and Hobart, the top-ranked team in Group A and the second-placed team in Group B will join Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and West Indies in Group 1 of the Super 12s. Hosts Australia will play their first match against Pakistan at Sydney on October 24, 2020. India, England, South Africa and Afghanistan are placed in Group 2 of the Super 12s phase and they all will face the top-placed team in Group B and the second-placed team in Group A. In the year 2020, both women's and men's T20 World Cup will be played in Australia. The ICC Women's T20 World Cup will take place first, from February 21- March 8. The finals of the Women's T20 World Cup will be played on International Women's Day. Defending champions Australia will play their opening match of the tournament against India on February 21. Both the women's and men's finals will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

Final fixtures for ICC Men's T20 World Cup announced

MS Dhoni sets out to discharge his duties as lieutenant colonel in territorial army in J&K

The apex cricketing body, International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday officially launched the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC).

"The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup this summer showed just how important it is for every game to count and for the world's best teams to go head-to-head. The World Test Championship will bring relevance and context to bilateral Test cricket over the next two years, creating a pinnacle event for the five-day format, just as the World Cups for men and women do in the ODI and T20I formats," Geoff Allardice, ICC General Manager - Cricket Operations said in an official statement.

"We are awaiting the ICC World Test Championship with great enthusiasm as it adds context to the longest format of the game. Test cricket is very challenging and coming out on top in the traditional form is always highly satisfying. The Indian team has done really well in recent years and will be fancying its chances in the championship," Indian skipper Virat Kohli said.

The championship will begin from August 1 as Australia and England will face each other in the Ashes. WTC will comprise of the top nine Test teams in the world (Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies).

"Test cricket is the pinnacle of our sport. It is the very essence of cricket and the majority of players want to strive to play the purest form of the game. The ICC World Test Championship is another brilliant initiative for the sport, adding context and relevance to every Test series. Every Test matters, but even more so now," England pacer James Anderson said.

"The World Test Championship is a fantastic initiative. We love playing Test cricket, it's the pinnacle for us, remains hugely popular in Australia and we're fortunate that it enjoys great support at home among players, the media and the public. To wear the baggy green is the ultimate for all Australian cricketers and if the World Test Championship helps to ensure that all countries make Tests a high priority then that has to be good news for the game in general and the continuing health of the format in particular," Australian skipper Tim Paine said.

In the championship, a total of 71 Test matches will be played across 27 series over two years. The top two teams will then contest in the ICC World Test Championship final in June 2021 in the UK.

Points will be up for grabs during each match and each team will play three home and three away series. Each series will count for 120 points, distributed over the number of matches in a series.

For example, a two-match series will mean 60 points for each Test while a three-match series will give 40 points to each Test match. A tie will be 50 per cent of the points available, whereas a draw will be a 3:1 points ratio.

The matches will be played in the same format as bilateral series but with the added context of a competition and one champion team. The number of matches in each series can vary between a minimum of two matches, to a maximum of five matches.

The first cycle of the WTC consists of only five-day matches and will include day-night matches. Only matches identified as part of the WTC will count towards the championship.

The apex cricketing body, International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday officially launched the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC). "The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup this summer showed just how important it is for every game to count and for the world's best teams to go head-to-head.

The apex cricketing body, International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday officially launched the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC). "The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup this summer showed just how important it is for every game to count and for the world's best teams to go head-to-head. The World Test Championship will bring relevance and context to bilateral Test cricket over the next two years, creating a pinnacle event for the five-day format, just as the World Cups for men and women do in the ODI and T20I formats," Geoff Allardice, ICC General Manager - Cricket Operations said in an official statement. "We are awaiting the ICC World Test Championship with great enthusiasm as it adds context to the longest format of the game. Test cricket is very challenging and coming out on top in the traditional form is always highly satisfying. The Indian team has done really well in recent years and will be fancying its chances in the championship," Indian skipper Virat Kohli said. The championship will begin from August 1 as Australia and England will face each other in the Ashes. WTC will comprise of the top nine Test teams in the world (Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies). "Test cricket is the pinnacle of our sport. It is the very essence of cricket and the majority of players want to strive to play the purest form of the game. The ICC World Test Championship is another brilliant initiative for the sport, adding context and relevance to every Test series. Every Test matters, but even more so now," England pacer James Anderson said. "The World Test Championship is a fantastic initiative. We love playing Test cricket, it's the pinnacle for us, remains hugely popular in Australia and we're fortunate that it enjoys great support at home among players, the media and the public. To wear the baggy green is the ultimate for all Australian cricketers and if the World Test Championship helps to ensure that all countries make Tests a high priority then that has to be good news for the game in general and the continuing health of the format in particular," Australian skipper Tim Paine said. In the championship, a total of 71 Test matches will be played across 27 series over two years. The top two teams will then contest in the ICC World Test Championship final in June 2021 in the UK. Points will be up for grabs during each match and each team will play three home and three away series. Each series will count for 120 points, distributed over the number of matches in a series. For example, a two-match series will mean 60 points for each Test while a three-match series will give 40 points to each Test match. A tie will be 50 per cent of the points available, whereas a draw will be a 3:1 points ratio. The matches will be played in the same format as bilateral series but with the added context of a competition and one champion team. The number of matches in each series can vary between a minimum of two matches, to a maximum of five matches. The first cycle of the WTC consists of only five-day matches and will include day-night matches. Only matches identified as part of the WTC will count towards the championship.

International Cricket Council officially launches World Test Championship

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will work more closely with Interpol as part of ongoing efforts to combat corruption in the sport, the governing body said on Wednesday.

Alex Marshall, ICC's general manager of its anti-corruption unit, met Interpol officials in Lyon last week to seek closer working relations, it added.

"The ICC has an excellent relationship with law enforcement agencies in a number of countries but working with Interpol means we are connecting with their 194 members," Marshall said in a statement.

"Our focus is on education of players and prevention and disruption of corruptors. Where our enquiries reveal criminal offences have been committed, we will refer this to the relevant law enforcement organisations and this makes Interpol an important partner for us."

Cricket has suffered a series of corruption cases in recent years.

In 2011, Pakistan's Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were found guilty of taking bribes to fix part of a test match against England in a case that prosecutors said revealed rampant corruption at the heart of international cricket.

Earlier this year, the ICC had granted Sri Lankan cricketers a 15-day amnesty to report previously undisclosed information relating to corruption in the sport.

It was followed by former captain and chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya being handed a two-year ban for refusing to cooperate with any investigation conducted by its anti-corruption unit.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will work more closely with Interpol as part of ongoing efforts to combat corruption in the sport, the governing body said on Wednesday.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will work more closely with Interpol as part of ongoing efforts to combat corruption in the sport, the governing body said on Wednesday. Alex Marshall, ICC's general manager of its anti-corruption unit, met Interpol officials in Lyon last week to seek closer working relations, it added. "The ICC has an excellent relationship with law enforcement agencies in a number of countries but working with Interpol means we are connecting with their 194 members," Marshall said in a statement. "Our focus is on education of players and prevention and disruption of corruptors. Where our enquiries reveal criminal offences have been committed, we will refer this to the relevant law enforcement organisations and this makes Interpol an important partner for us." Cricket has suffered a series of corruption cases in recent years. In 2011, Pakistan's Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were found guilty of taking bribes to fix part of a test match against England in a case that prosecutors said revealed rampant corruption at the heart of international cricket. Earlier this year, the ICC had granted Sri Lankan cricketers a 15-day amnesty to report previously undisclosed information relating to corruption in the sport. It was followed by former captain and chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya being handed a two-year ban for refusing to cooperate with any investigation conducted by its anti-corruption unit.

ICC to join hands with Interpol to tackle corruption

Media professional <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-you-need-to-know-to-about-manu-sawhney-the-new-icc-chief-190537">Manu Sawhney</a> on Monday took charge as chief executive of the International Cricket Council and will work alongside Dave Richardson, who will step down after the World Cup in July.&nbsp;

Former ESPN Star Sports MD Sawhney has already been working alongside outgoing Chief Executive Richardson for the last six weeks to ensure a smooth transition.&nbsp;

Richardson will remain with the ICC until July as originally planned to oversee the delivery of the World Cup in the United Kingdom. Sawhney was appointed in January.

His appointment was ratified by the ICC Board following a global search and appointment process led by the apex body's chairman Shashank Manohar and the Nominations Committee.

"I am absolutely delighted to be taking over the reins from David, who has steered the sport so capably over the last seven years. I am excited by the opportunities ahead and I am looking forward to working in partnership with our Members, partners and staff to ambitiously accelerate the global growth of the game," said Sawhney.&nbsp;

"Technology, engagement, women's cricket and driving greater value are key focus areas for us as we consider how we can innovate to transform the sport's long-term future and create a vibrant and sustainable sport globally," he added.

Sawhney was with ESPN Star Sports for 17 years and was responsible for scaling the business and doubling annual revenues.

He also led the global broadcast partnership deal with the ICC that ran from 2007-2015. He is also a non-executive director and member of the Audit Committee of Manchester United Ltd.&nbsp;

Media professional Manu Sawhney on Monday took charge as chief executive of the International Cricket Council and will work alongside Dave Richardson, who will step down after the World Cup in July.

Media professional Manu Sawhney on Monday took charge as chief executive of the International Cricket Council and will work alongside Dave Richardson, who will step down after the World Cup in July. Former ESPN Star Sports MD Sawhney has already been working alongside outgoing Chief Executive Richardson for the last six weeks to ensure a smooth transition. Richardson will remain with the ICC until July as originally planned to oversee the delivery of the World Cup in the United Kingdom. Sawhney was appointed in January. His appointment was ratified by the ICC Board following a global search and appointment process led by the apex body's chairman Shashank Manohar and the Nominations Committee. "I am absolutely delighted to be taking over the reins from David, who has steered the sport so capably over the last seven years. I am excited by the opportunities ahead and I am looking forward to working in partnership with our Members, partners and staff to ambitiously accelerate the global growth of the game," said Sawhney. "Technology, engagement, women's cricket and driving greater value are key focus areas for us as we consider how we can innovate to transform the sport's long-term future and create a vibrant and sustainable sport globally," he added. Sawhney was with ESPN Star Sports for 17 years and was responsible for scaling the business and doubling annual revenues. He also led the global broadcast partnership deal with the ICC that ran from 2007-2015. He is also a non-executive director and member of the Audit Committee of Manchester United Ltd.

Sawhney takes charge as ICC Chief Executive

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Monday said <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/team-india-pays-tribute-to-pulwama-attack-victims-dons-special-army-cap-for-3rd-odi-against-australia-201965">India was granted permission to wear camouflage military caps</a> in the third ODI against Australia as a tribute to the country's armed forces, a gesture which Pakistan has objected to.&nbsp;

In the third ODI in Ranchi on March 8, the Indian team sported military caps as a mark of respect to the CRPF personnel who were killed in the Pulwama terror attack and donated its match fee to the National Defence Fund.

"The BCCI sought permission from the ICC to wear the caps as part of a fundraising drive and in memory of fallen soldiers who have died, which was granted," ICC's General Manager Strategic Communications Claire Furlong said in a statement.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had sent a strongly-worded letter to the ICC, calling for action against India for wearing the caps.

"They took permission from ICC for some other purpose and used it to do something else, which is not acceptable," PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said on Sunday in Karachi.

Last month, the BCCI had asked the ICC to "sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates" following the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The responsibility of the attack was taken by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed.&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Monday said India was granted permission to wear camouflage military caps in the third ODI against Australia as a tribute to the country's armed forces, a gesture which Pakistan has objected to.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Monday said India was granted permission to wear camouflage military caps in the third ODI against Australia as a tribute to the country's armed forces, a gesture which Pakistan has objected to. In the third ODI in Ranchi on March 8, the Indian team sported military caps as a mark of respect to the CRPF personnel who were killed in the Pulwama terror attack and donated its match fee to the National Defence Fund. "The BCCI sought permission from the ICC to wear the caps as part of a fundraising drive and in memory of fallen soldiers who have died, which was granted," ICC's General Manager Strategic Communications Claire Furlong said in a statement. The Pakistan Cricket Board had sent a strongly-worded letter to the ICC, calling for action against India for wearing the caps. "They took permission from ICC for some other purpose and used it to do something else, which is not acceptable," PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said on Sunday in Karachi. Last month, the BCCI had asked the ICC to "sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates" following the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The responsibility of the attack was taken by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed.

India was given permission to wear camouflage caps in memory of fallen soldiers: ICC

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