The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> is all set to begin from September 19 (Saturday) with the season opener scheduled to be played between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi. As players gear up for the lucrative T20 tournament, which will be held behind closed doors amid COVID-19 pandemic, Chennai Super Kings honored skipper MS Dhoni with a golden cap for his services to CSK. <o:p></o:p>

While the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Shane Watson went to their rooms with special customized gifts during the customary pre-season dinner for their players, Dhoni was bestowed with golden cap for his contribution to CSK and helping them win three IPL trophies.

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Our customary pre-season dinner turned into a memorable lunch this time and our Lions walked away with some Super Duper Awards.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Thala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Thala</a> Dhoni for leading the team with the willow and scoring the most runs for the Super Kings in IPL 2019. 🦁💛 <a href="https://t.co/aWwErJgyvV">pic.twitter.com/aWwErJgyvV</a>
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/1306571815435685894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a>

CSK head coach Stephen Fleming and fielding coach Rajiv Kumar presented Dhoni with the gift. Notably, the pair of Fleming and Dhoni has been together since the first season of IPL. In 2008, Fleming played under the leadership of Dhoni before he became the head coach in 2009. When CSK was banned from playing in IPL, Fleming took over the charge at Rising Pune Super Giants with Dhoni in IPL 2016 and 2017. <o:p></o:p>

Meawhile, Dhoni will be back on the cricket field for first time since ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand. Since that match, Dhoni was under sabbatical before hanging his boots in international cricket on August 15, 2020.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-face-off-intense-rivalry-between-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-327555">IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings</a>

While Dhoni will be present in CSK camp, the Yellow Army will miss two veterans Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh after the duo pulled out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons.<o:p></o:p>

CSK are set to start their campaign against four-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians on Saturday in what will be the season opener.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is all set to begin from September 19 (Saturday) with the season opener scheduled to be played between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is all set to begin from September 19 (Saturday) with the season opener scheduled to be played between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi. As players gear up for the lucrative T20 tournament, which will be held behind closed doors amid COVID-19 pandemic, Chennai Super Kings honored skipper MS Dhoni with a golden cap for his services to CSK. While the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Shane Watson went to their rooms with special customized gifts during the customary pre-season dinner for their players, Dhoni was bestowed with golden cap for his contribution to CSK and helping them win three IPL trophies. Our customary pre-season dinner turned into a memorable lunch this time and our Lions walked away with some Super Duper Awards.#Thala Dhoni for leading the team with the willow and scoring the most runs for the Super Kings in IPL 2019. 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/aWwErJgyvV — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) September 17, 2020 × ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament CSK head coach Stephen Fleming and fielding coach Rajiv Kumar presented Dhoni with the gift. Notably, the pair of Fleming and Dhoni has been together since the first season of IPL. In 2008, Fleming played under the leadership of Dhoni before he became the head coach in 2009. When CSK was banned from playing in IPL, Fleming took over the charge at Rising Pune Super Giants with Dhoni in IPL 2016 and 2017. Meawhile, Dhoni will be back on the cricket field for first time since ICC World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand. Since that match, Dhoni was under sabbatical before hanging his boots in international cricket on August 15, 2020. ALSO READ: IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings While Dhoni will be present in CSK camp, the Yellow Army will miss two veterans Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh after the duo pulled out of IPL 2020 citing personal reasons. CSK are set to start their campaign against four-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians on Saturday in what will be the season opener.

IPL 2020: Chennai Super Kings honour MS Dhoni with 'Golden Cap'

The return of cricket’s biggest celebration, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a>, has got the cricket superstars bantering on cricket after a sabbatical, and it is not just about on-field action that is being referred to here. On Thursday, Hardik Pandya and AB de Villiers got into a fun word-war on Twitter. It all began when Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya tried trolling MS Dhoni on Twitter for getting out in ‘Gully Cricket’ by gully rules.

He posted a 20-second video featuring MS Dhoni for&nbsp;Dream11’s latest campaign, where MSD is playing gully cricket with youngsters and hits a brilliant four; but gets out, as the ball directly hits a scooter. And by gully cricket rules, a direct shot on the scooter is declared out. Pandya took to Twitter and jokingly wrote to MS Dhoni:

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-records-of-thala-ms-dhoni-in-the-tournament-328205" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament</a> 
 
‘’@msdhoni Two-wheeler pe laga toh four?!! Hahahahaha! #YahanSabSameHai&nbsp;#YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11“

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/msdhoni?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msdhoni</a>, Scooter pe laga toh four?!! Hahahahaha! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YahanSabSameHai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YahanSabSameHai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YeApnaGameHai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YeApnaGameHai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Dream11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dream11</a><a href="https://t.co/uaTLbG5VBy">https://t.co/uaTLbG5VBy</a>
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) <a href="https://twitter.com/hardikpandya7/status/1306450390901092352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Much to Pandya’s surprise, RCB’s attacking batsman AB de Villiers came to MSD’s defence. ABD shared another 20-second video featuring Pandya where he hits a six, but in turn loses the ball in a gully cricket match, and is asked to spare 20 Rs. for the lost ball. AB de Villiers posted:

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-king-kohli-to-afghan-spin-wizard-five-to-watch-in-ipl-2020-328330">From King Kohli to Afghan spin wizard: five to watch in IPL 2020</a>

“Need 20 bucks change @hardikpandya7? #20RupeesLoan #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11”

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Need 20 bucks change <a href="https://twitter.com/hardikpandya7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hardikpandya7</a> ?😂😂😂 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/20RupeesLoan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#20RupeesLoan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YahanSabSameHai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YahanSabSameHai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YeApnaGameHai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YeApnaGameHai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Dream11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dream11</a><a href="https://t.co/KLPs2qByAH">https://t.co/KLPs2qByAH</a>
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABdeVilliers17/status/1306497443299815425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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These videos are based on the newly launched campaign by&nbsp;Dream11&nbsp;called&nbsp;‘Ye Apna Game Hain’.

Hardik Pandya is all set to make a comeback post his lengthy injury layoff. Pandya's form will be crucial for defending champions MI. All eyes will be set on the screen, as retired Indian skipper, MSD, will be seen in action after a long break. Whereas, AB de Villiers will look forward to helping RCB win their first IPL trophy since the league's inception in tough weather conditions.

The return of cricket’s biggest celebration, Indian Premier League (IPL), has got the cricket superstars bantering on cricket after a sabbatical, and it is not just about on-field action that is being referred to here.

The return of cricket’s biggest celebration, Indian Premier League (IPL), has got the cricket superstars bantering on cricket after a sabbatical, and it is not just about on-field action that is being referred to here. On Thursday, Hardik Pandya and AB de Villiers got into a fun word-war on Twitter. It all began when Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya tried trolling MS Dhoni on Twitter for getting out in ‘Gully Cricket’ by gully rules. He posted a 20-second video featuring MS Dhoni for Dream11’s latest campaign, where MSD is playing gully cricket with youngsters and hits a brilliant four; but gets out, as the ball directly hits a scooter. And by gully cricket rules, a direct shot on the scooter is declared out. Pandya took to Twitter and jokingly wrote to MS Dhoni: ALSO READ: IPL trivia: Top records of 'Thala' MS Dhoni in the tournament ‘’@msdhoni Two-wheeler pe laga toh four?!! Hahahahaha! #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11“ .@msdhoni, Scooter pe laga toh four?!! Hahahahaha! #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11https://t.co/uaTLbG5VBy — hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) September 17, 2020 × Much to Pandya’s surprise, RCB’s attacking batsman AB de Villiers came to MSD’s defence. ABD shared another 20-second video featuring Pandya where he hits a six, but in turn loses the ball in a gully cricket match, and is asked to spare 20 Rs. for the lost ball. AB de Villiers posted: ALSO READ: From King Kohli to Afghan spin wizard: five to watch in IPL 2020 “Need 20 bucks change @hardikpandya7? #20RupeesLoan #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11” Need 20 bucks change @hardikpandya7 ?😂😂😂 #20RupeesLoan #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11https://t.co/KLPs2qByAH — AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) September 17, 2020 × These videos are based on the newly launched campaign by Dream11 called ‘Ye Apna Game Hain’. Hardik Pandya is all set to make a comeback post his lengthy injury layoff. Pandya's form will be crucial for defending champions MI. All eyes will be set on the screen, as retired Indian skipper, MSD, will be seen in action after a long break. Whereas, AB de Villiers will look forward to helping RCB win their first IPL trophy since the league's inception in tough weather conditions.

IPL 2020: Hardik Pandya Jokingly trolls MS Dhoni, ABD; reminds him not to mess with ‘Thala’

Defending champion Egan Bernal has withdrawn from the Tour de France ahead of stage 17, his Ineos Grenadiers team said on Wednesday.

Bernal, whose hopes of winning the race fell away when he cracked in Sunday’s 15th stage, was dropped from the main bunch in the ascent to Saint-Nizier, suffering from back pains in Tuesday’s 16th stage won by Lennard Kaemna. [nL8N2GC5AJ]

Bernal had said that compensating for his back led to some discomfort in his knee.

"This is obviously not how I wanted my Tour de France to end, but I agree that it is the right decision for me in the circumstances," Bernal said in a statement.

“I have the greatest respect for this race and I am already looking forward to coming back in the years ahead.”

The 23-year-old will focus on his recovery from the Tour, and reset his goals for the rest of the season, his team said.

They did not specify the reason for his withdrawl.

“We’ve taken this decision with Egan’s best interests at heart,” Ineos team principal Dave Brailsford said.

“Egan is a true champion who loves to race, but he is also a young rider, with many Tours ahead of him and at this point, on balance, we feel it is wiser for him to stop racing.”

The Colombian had pulled out of the Criterium du Dauphine with back pains last month.

Last year, Bernal became the youngest rider to win the Tour de France in 110 years.

Defending champion Egan Bernal has withdrawn from the Tour de France ahead of stage 17, his Ineos Grenadiers team said on Wednesday. Bernal, whose hopes of winning the race fell away when he cracked in Sunday’s 15th stage, was dropped from the main bunch in the ascent to Saint-Nizier, suffering from back pains in Tuesday’s 16th stage won by Lennard Kaemna.

Defending champion Egan Bernal has withdrawn from the Tour de France ahead of stage 17, his Ineos Grenadiers team said on Wednesday. Bernal, whose hopes of winning the race fell away when he cracked in Sunday’s 15th stage, was dropped from the main bunch in the ascent to Saint-Nizier, suffering from back pains in Tuesday’s 16th stage won by Lennard Kaemna. [nL8N2GC5AJ] Bernal had said that compensating for his back led to some discomfort in his knee. "This is obviously not how I wanted my Tour de France to end, but I agree that it is the right decision for me in the circumstances," Bernal said in a statement. “I have the greatest respect for this race and I am already looking forward to coming back in the years ahead.” The 23-year-old will focus on his recovery from the Tour, and reset his goals for the rest of the season, his team said. They did not specify the reason for his withdrawl. “We’ve taken this decision with Egan’s best interests at heart,” Ineos team principal Dave Brailsford said. “Egan is a true champion who loves to race, but he is also a young rider, with many Tours ahead of him and at this point, on balance, we feel it is wiser for him to stop racing.” The Colombian had pulled out of the Criterium du Dauphine with back pains last month. Last year, Bernal became the youngest rider to win the Tour de France in 110 years.

Bernal withdraws from Tour de France ahead of stage 17

Former Pakistan fast bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan on Tuesday claimed that he was racially abuse by Yorkshire supporters when he played for the English county.

Rana alleges he was subjected to racist slurs and hooting from the home crowd when he played for Yorkshire in 2008 and 2009.

The 41-year-old's comments came after Pakistan-born English spinner Azeem Rafiq revealed earlier this month that he was left on the brink of suicide during his time at Yorkshire because the club was "institutionally racist".

"I fully support what Azeem said and this has been the case with me as well," Rana told ESPNcricinfo.

"I never spoke about it because, as foreigners, we were temporary and somehow I managed to accept the way it is.

"There was systematic taunting. To us as overseas players from Asia, when you are not able to perform, the home crowd which should be supporting us, instead started hooting and would taunt us with racist slurs like 'p***'.

"If you are performing then you get all the space but, in case I am not taking wickets, the attitude suddenly started to change.

"They started to give us a tough time, giving me a smaller hotel room and there used to be a clear case of discrimination."

Speaking earlier this month, Rafiq, who had two stints at Headingley between 2008 and 2018, said, as a Muslim, he was made to feel like an "outsider" at the county.

"I know how close I was to committing suicide during my time at Yorkshire," he said.

"I believe the club is institutionally racist and I don't believe they are prepared to acknowledge the fact or willing to change. My only motivation now is to prevent anyone else feeling the same pain."

Yorkshire have engaged an independent law firm to investigate Rafiq's allegations.

In response to Rana's claims, Yorkshire told ESPNcricinfo the allegations were "very concerning" and pledged to investigate the issue.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan on Tuesday claimed that he was racially abuse by Yorkshire supporters when he played for the English county. Rana alleges he was subjected to racist slurs and hooting from the home crowd when he played for Yorkshire in 2008 and 2009.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan on Tuesday claimed that he was racially abuse by Yorkshire supporters when he played for the English county. Rana alleges he was subjected to racist slurs and hooting from the home crowd when he played for Yorkshire in 2008 and 2009. The 41-year-old's comments came after Pakistan-born English spinner Azeem Rafiq revealed earlier this month that he was left on the brink of suicide during his time at Yorkshire because the club was "institutionally racist". "I fully support what Azeem said and this has been the case with me as well," Rana told ESPNcricinfo. "I never spoke about it because, as foreigners, we were temporary and somehow I managed to accept the way it is. "There was systematic taunting. To us as overseas players from Asia, when you are not able to perform, the home crowd which should be supporting us, instead started hooting and would taunt us with racist slurs like 'p***'. "If you are performing then you get all the space but, in case I am not taking wickets, the attitude suddenly started to change. "They started to give us a tough time, giving me a smaller hotel room and there used to be a clear case of discrimination." Speaking earlier this month, Rafiq, who had two stints at Headingley between 2008 and 2018, said, as a Muslim, he was made to feel like an "outsider" at the county. "I know how close I was to committing suicide during my time at Yorkshire," he said. "I believe the club is institutionally racist and I don't believe they are prepared to acknowledge the fact or willing to change. My only motivation now is to prevent anyone else feeling the same pain." Yorkshire have engaged an independent law firm to investigate Rafiq's allegations. In response to Rana's claims, Yorkshire told ESPNcricinfo the allegations were "very concerning" and pledged to investigate the issue.

Pakistan's Rana claims he endured racist abuse from Yorkshire fans

England will aim to end an extraordinary season overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic with a win against Australia as their arch-rivals wait on the fitness of Steve Smith.

Victory at Old Trafford on Wednesday would see 50-over world champions England take the three-match one-day international campaign 2-1.

It would also mean they had not lost a series in any format across 18 matches this summer.

All those fixtures have been played behind closed doors, with England players holed up in bio-secure bubbles in Manchester and Southampton for the best part of three months.

"When you play Australia you always want to win and there is always enough on the line, but it would be really good for us to finish this summer on a high," said England new-ball bowler Chris Woakes, who acknowledged bubble life has had its "tough times".

Australia will hope to have Smith available. The star batsman missed the first two ODIS after being hit on the head during practice last Thursday.

Team management have repeatedly said Smith, felled by a 92 mph bouncer from England fast bowler Jofra Archer during last year's drawn Ashes Test at Lord's, has been rested as a precaution despite passing two concussion tests.

<h2>- 'Tracking in the right direction' -</h2>

Australia coach Justin Langer, speaking before Smith batted in the nets on Tuesday, said: "He's definitely tracking in the right direction so we're hopeful he'll be right for tomorrow (Wednesday)."

Marcus Stoinis is in line to drop out but Woakes, while wary of the "world-class" Smith, said: "It can be tricky coming in with not much cricket under your belt and having to perform from ball one in a decider."

Australia were poised to win the series without former captain Smith on Sunday. But from 144-2, chasing 232 for victory, their last eight wickets fell for 63 runs in a dramatic collapse.

Defeat meant Australia had squandered winning positions in all three formats against England in just over a year, starting with a remarkable one-wicket loss in an Ashes Test at Headingley before they threw away the opening Twenty20 match of the current tour.

But Langer insisted: "I don't think there's a mental fragility there."

Woakes said the fightback was an indication of England's resolve under captain Eoin Morgan.

"We have that character and belief that we can win from any position," Woakes said. "A few years ago we probably felt we could only win from that position with the bat, whereas now we can do it with the ball as well."

Meanwhile Langer's faith in David Warner was intact despite the Australia opener having been dismissed four times in a row by Archer and managing just 12 runs in his last three innings.

"Jofra Archer is an incredibly talented bowler but, equally, David Warner: what a player," said Langer, himself a former Australia opener.

"When he gets in he scores hundreds in ODI cricket...He is working overtime to be up for the game."

England are looking to preserve an unbeaten run in home ODI series dating back to a defeat by Australia in 2015.&nbsp;

"To have not lost one in that time is a hell of an achievement," said Woakes.&nbsp;

"Of course you want to keep that going but, more importantly, you want to win this series and maintain that record."

England will aim to end an extraordinary season overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic with a win against Australia as their arch-rivals wait on the fitness of Steve Smith.

England will aim to end an extraordinary season overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic with a win against Australia as their arch-rivals wait on the fitness of Steve Smith. Victory at Old Trafford on Wednesday would see 50-over world champions England take the three-match one-day international campaign 2-1. It would also mean they had not lost a series in any format across 18 matches this summer. All those fixtures have been played behind closed doors, with England players holed up in bio-secure bubbles in Manchester and Southampton for the best part of three months. "When you play Australia you always want to win and there is always enough on the line, but it would be really good for us to finish this summer on a high," said England new-ball bowler Chris Woakes, who acknowledged bubble life has had its "tough times". Australia will hope to have Smith available. The star batsman missed the first two ODIS after being hit on the head during practice last Thursday. Team management have repeatedly said Smith, felled by a 92 mph bouncer from England fast bowler Jofra Archer during last year's drawn Ashes Test at Lord's, has been rested as a precaution despite passing two concussion tests. - 'Tracking in the right direction' - Australia coach Justin Langer, speaking before Smith batted in the nets on Tuesday, said: "He's definitely tracking in the right direction so we're hopeful he'll be right for tomorrow (Wednesday)." Marcus Stoinis is in line to drop out but Woakes, while wary of the "world-class" Smith, said: "It can be tricky coming in with not much cricket under your belt and having to perform from ball one in a decider." Australia were poised to win the series without former captain Smith on Sunday. But from 144-2, chasing 232 for victory, their last eight wickets fell for 63 runs in a dramatic collapse. Defeat meant Australia had squandered winning positions in all three formats against England in just over a year, starting with a remarkable one-wicket loss in an Ashes Test at Headingley before they threw away the opening Twenty20 match of the current tour. But Langer insisted: "I don't think there's a mental fragility there." Woakes said the fightback was an indication of England's resolve under captain Eoin Morgan. "We have that character and belief that we can win from any position," Woakes said. "A few years ago we probably felt we could only win from that position with the bat, whereas now we can do it with the ball as well." Meanwhile Langer's faith in David Warner was intact despite the Australia opener having been dismissed four times in a row by Archer and managing just 12 runs in his last three innings. "Jofra Archer is an incredibly talented bowler but, equally, David Warner: what a player," said Langer, himself a former Australia opener. "When he gets in he scores hundreds in ODI cricket...He is working overtime to be up for the game." England are looking to preserve an unbeaten run in home ODI series dating back to a defeat by Australia in 2015. "To have not lost one in that time is a hell of an achievement," said Woakes. "Of course you want to keep that going but, more importantly, you want to win this series and maintain that record."

England look to burst out of the bubble with Australia flourish

In what can be termed as unusual incident in franchise cricket, 40-year-old owner of Kabul Eagles made his T20 debut in the ongoing Afghanistan’s Shpageeza Cricket League for his team in a match this week. Abudl Latif Ayobi, the owner of Kabul Eagles franchise, bowled one over while giving away 16 runs but was banned from the remainder of the tournament by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) for misbehaving a day after the incident took place.

Ayoubi was in the playing XI for his team Kabul Eagles in the match against Speen Ghar Tigers on September 13 with the latter posting 142-8 in 20 overs which included the one over by the Kabul Eagles owner Ayoubi, who conceded 16. Eagles went onto win the match as they chase down the target in 17.5 overs.

According to ACB, Ayoubi was banned from attending the remained of the tournament after violating “Articles 9 &amp;18 of the ACB Disciplinary Code, which deals with “misbehaviour with Staff or players, using foul language &amp; damaging property.”

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-updated-squad-list-of-all-the-franchises-retained-and-bought-players-326654" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Updated squad list of all franchises; retained and bought players</a>

“@TheKabulEagles franchise owner Ab.Latif Ayobi is banned from attending the remainder of #Etisalat4GSCL2020 &amp; fined 30000 AFNs for violation of Articles 9 &amp;18 of the ACB Disciplinary Code which deals with misbehavior with Staff or players, using foul language &amp; damaging property,” Afghanistan Cricket Board tweeted on September 14.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/TheKabulEagles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheKabulEagles</a> franchise owner Ab.Latif Ayobi is banned from attending the remainder of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Etisalat4GSCL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Etisalat4GSCL2020</a> &amp; fined 30000 AFNs for violation of Articles 9 &amp;18 of the ACB Disciplinary Code which deals with misbehavior with Staff or players, using foul language &amp; damaging property.
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACBofficials/status/1305488447537401856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, Kabul Eagles went on to defeat Mis-e-Ainak Knights in the summit clash to win the Shpageeza Cricket League 2020.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-and-jasprit-bumrah-involve-in-fun-banter-on-twitter-ahead-of-ipl-2020-327986">Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah involve in fun banter on Twitter ahead of IPL</a>

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WATCH: The moments when the <a href="https://twitter.com/TheKabulEagles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheKabulEagles</a> became the CHAMPIONS of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Etisalat4GSCL2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Etisalat4GSCL2020</a> !<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Final?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Final</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DaAtalanoLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DaAtalanoLeague</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KEvMEAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KEvMEAK</a> <a href="https://t.co/AwEFTCFaDx">pic.twitter.com/AwEFTCFaDx</a>
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACBofficials/status/1306206891454988290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

In what can be termed as unusual incident in franchise cricket, 40-year-old owner of Kabul Eagles made his T20 debut in the ongoing Afghanistan’s Shpageeza Cricket League for his team in a match this week.

In what can be termed as unusual incident in franchise cricket, 40-year-old owner of Kabul Eagles made his T20 debut in the ongoing Afghanistan’s Shpageeza Cricket League for his team in a match this week. Abudl Latif Ayobi, the owner of Kabul Eagles franchise, bowled one over while giving away 16 runs but was banned from the remainder of the tournament by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) for misbehaving a day after the incident took place. Ayoubi was in the playing XI for his team Kabul Eagles in the match against Speen Ghar Tigers on September 13 with the latter posting 142-8 in 20 overs which included the one over by the Kabul Eagles owner Ayoubi, who conceded 16. Eagles went onto win the match as they chase down the target in 17.5 overs. According to ACB, Ayoubi was banned from attending the remained of the tournament after violating “Articles 9 &18 of the ACB Disciplinary Code, which deals with “misbehaviour with Staff or players, using foul language & damaging property.” IN PICS | IPL 2020: Updated squad list of all franchises; retained and bought players “@TheKabulEagles franchise owner Ab.Latif Ayobi is banned from attending the remainder of #Etisalat4GSCL2020 & fined 30000 AFNs for violation of Articles 9 &18 of the ACB Disciplinary Code which deals with misbehavior with Staff or players, using foul language & damaging property,” Afghanistan Cricket Board tweeted on September 14. @TheKabulEagles franchise owner Ab.Latif Ayobi is banned from attending the remainder of #Etisalat4GSCL2020 & fined 30000 AFNs for violation of Articles 9 &18 of the ACB Disciplinary Code which deals with misbehavior with Staff or players, using foul language & damaging property. — Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 14, 2020 × Meanwhile, Kabul Eagles went on to defeat Mis-e-Ainak Knights in the summit clash to win the Shpageeza Cricket League 2020. ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah involve in fun banter on Twitter ahead of IPL WATCH: The moments when the @TheKabulEagles became the CHAMPIONS of #Etisalat4GSCL2020 !#Final #DaAtalanoLeague #KEvMEAK pic.twitter.com/AwEFTCFaDx — Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 16, 2020 ×

Team owner debuts in  Afghanistan's Shpageeza Cricket League, gets banned for misbehaviour by ACB

Olli Rehn, who heads the FIFA committee set up to tackle the effects of the pandemic, said that FIFA, along with financial consultants, had estimated the club game to be worth between $40 billion and $45 billion worldwide.

He said the figure of $14 billion was based on the current scenario, where football is slowly restarting after a three-month hiatus earlier this year, but it would be a “different ball game” if the pandemic did not let up.

“Football has been hit very hard by the coronavirus pandemic,” Rehn, a former EU commissioner and now governor of the Bank of Finland, told Reuters television.

“It has created plenty of turmoil at different levels with some professional clubs facing very serious difficulties. I’m also very concerned about youth academies and lower division clubs.”

Rehn said that football in South America had been especially hard hit, while Africa and Asia were also a concern.

“It is a real danger that the good work that has been done developing football in Asia and Africa could be ruined, so we want to soften the blow and maintain the development that has been done,” he said.

FIFA has allocated $1.5 billion to help tackle the effects of the pandemic and Rehn said 150 of the 211 member associations had so far applied for funds.

He said that, while football was slowly re-awakening, another downturn could not be ruled out.

“The critical thing will be whether a vaccine will be developed and can be used, and that we have medical and other means to fully contain and tame the pandemic, and that is uncertain,” he said.

“We cannot rule out worse developments and that would be another ball game if the pandemic were to continue in a severe form next year. Now we are working on the basis of the current scenario.”

Olli Rehn, who heads the FIFA committee set up to tackle the effects of the pandemic, said that FIFA, along with financial consultants, had estimated the club game to be worth between $40 billion and $45 billion worldwide.

Olli Rehn, who heads the FIFA committee set up to tackle the effects of the pandemic, said that FIFA, along with financial consultants, had estimated the club game to be worth between $40 billion and $45 billion worldwide. He said the figure of $14 billion was based on the current scenario, where football is slowly restarting after a three-month hiatus earlier this year, but it would be a “different ball game” if the pandemic did not let up. “Football has been hit very hard by the coronavirus pandemic,” Rehn, a former EU commissioner and now governor of the Bank of Finland, told Reuters television. “It has created plenty of turmoil at different levels with some professional clubs facing very serious difficulties. I’m also very concerned about youth academies and lower division clubs.” Rehn said that football in South America had been especially hard hit, while Africa and Asia were also a concern. “It is a real danger that the good work that has been done developing football in Asia and Africa could be ruined, so we want to soften the blow and maintain the development that has been done,” he said. FIFA has allocated $1.5 billion to help tackle the effects of the pandemic and Rehn said 150 of the 211 member associations had so far applied for funds. He said that, while football was slowly re-awakening, another downturn could not be ruled out. “The critical thing will be whether a vaccine will be developed and can be used, and that we have medical and other means to fully contain and tame the pandemic, and that is uncertain,” he said. “We cannot rule out worse developments and that would be another ball game if the pandemic were to continue in a severe form next year. Now we are working on the basis of the current scenario.”

COVID-19 pandemic to cost football $14 billion this year, says FIFA

The cricket fans across the world are all set for the biggest cricket league <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>, scheduled to start from September 19. And, so are the Mumbai Indians team players, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, who got into a fun banter today on social media platform Twitter on their “gully cricket” skills.

The MI captain took to Twitter posting a 20-second video featuring the team’s fast bowler, Bumrah, playing gully cricket with youngsters, where his over is cut-short due to his fast pace. Sharma took to Twitter and cheekily wrote to Bumrah: ‘’@bumrah Half over mein retired hurt?! #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11“

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-uae-conditions-remind-me-of-chennai-where-sehwag-hit-300-says-ab-de-villiers-327973">UAE conditions remind me of Chennai where Sehwag hit 300, says de Villiers</a>

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/Jaspritbumrah93?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jaspritbumrah93</a> Half over mein retired hurt?! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YahanSabSameHai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YahanSabSameHai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YeApnaGameHai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YeApnaGameHai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Dream11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dream11</a> <a href="https://t.co/Hn0HPoalo9">https://t.co/Hn0HPoalo9</a>
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45/status/1306088069762674694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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In response to this, Bumrah had a hilarious come back for Rohit! He posted another 20-second video that featured the ace MI captain who is trying to become the opening batsman in a gully cricket match and is asked to move away since the bat belonged to another player. Bumrah posted:

“@Rohit bhai agli baar khudki baat leke aana! Warna batsman se phantom #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11”

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-5-batsmen-with-highest-individual-scores-327544" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top 5 batsmen with highest individual scores!</a>

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.<a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImRo45</a> bhai, agli baar khudki bat leke aana! Warna batsman se phantom! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YahanSabSameHai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YahanSabSameHai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YeApnaGameHai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YeApnaGameHai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dream11IPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dream11IPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Dream11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dream11</a> <a href="https://t.co/nUWeJ9QV9L">https://t.co/nUWeJ9QV9L</a>
— Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaspritbumrah93/status/1306105564934660097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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These videos are based on the newly launched campaign by Dream11 called ‘Ye Apna Game Hain’.

Mumbai Indians captain, Rohit Sharma, is all geared up to showcase his top-notch batting skills, along with Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best T20 bowlers in the world this season, with many elite cricketers like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya participating in the league. Entertainment is guaranteed as all teams are eager to make a mark in the T20 Extravaganza. &nbsp;

The cricket fans across the world are all set for the biggest cricket league Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, scheduled to start from September 19. And, so are the Mumbai Indians team players, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, who got into a fun banter today on social media platform Twitter on their “gully cricket” skills.

The cricket fans across the world are all set for the biggest cricket league Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, scheduled to start from September 19. And, so are the Mumbai Indians team players, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, who got into a fun banter today on social media platform Twitter on their “gully cricket” skills. The MI captain took to Twitter posting a 20-second video featuring the team’s fast bowler, Bumrah, playing gully cricket with youngsters, where his over is cut-short due to his fast pace. Sharma took to Twitter and cheekily wrote to Bumrah: ‘’@bumrah Half over mein retired hurt?! #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11“ ALSO READ: UAE conditions remind me of Chennai where Sehwag hit 300, says de Villiers .@Jaspritbumrah93 Half over mein retired hurt?! #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11 https://t.co/Hn0HPoalo9 — Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) September 16, 2020 × In response to this, Bumrah had a hilarious come back for Rohit! He posted another 20-second video that featured the ace MI captain who is trying to become the opening batsman in a gully cricket match and is asked to move away since the bat belonged to another player. Bumrah posted: “@Rohit bhai agli baar khudki baat leke aana! Warna batsman se phantom #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11” IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top 5 batsmen with highest individual scores! .@ImRo45 bhai, agli baar khudki bat leke aana! Warna batsman se phantom! #YahanSabSameHai #YeApnaGameHai #Dream11IPL @Dream11 https://t.co/nUWeJ9QV9L — Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) September 16, 2020 × These videos are based on the newly launched campaign by Dream11 called ‘Ye Apna Game Hain’. Mumbai Indians captain, Rohit Sharma, is all geared up to showcase his top-notch batting skills, along with Jasprit Bumrah, one of the best T20 bowlers in the world this season, with many elite cricketers like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya participating in the league. Entertainment is guaranteed as all teams are eager to make a mark in the T20 Extravaganza.

Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah involve in fun banter on Twitter ahead of IPL 2020

Royal Challengers Bangalore star AB de Villiers reckons that the biggest challenge for all the players in the impending <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> will be to adjust to the hot and humid conditions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While of the matches will be played in evening, de Villiers is of the view that the conditions in UAE reminds him of Chennai where Virender Sehwag scored a triple ton.&nbsp;

The former South African skipper said that even at 10 pm, the conditions in UAE is extremely hot and humid, which might play a role in the final half of IPL 2020 matches.

“I am not really used to these kind of conditions to be honest. It’ very hot, it reminds me of a Test match we played in July in Chennai once where Viru (Virender Sehwag) scored 300. It was one the hottest weather conditions I have experience in my life,” he said in an interview posted on RCB’s twitter handle.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-updated-squad-list-of-all-the-franchises-retained-and-bought-players-326654" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Updated squad list of all franchises; retained and bought players</a>

“The humidity is similar to that, even at 10 at night. When I arrived here I checked the weather conditions of a few months and it seems to be getting better. It is definitely going to play a part and you have to make sure you have the energy for the backend of the innings or last 5 overs of your bowling spell.” De Villiers said while adding that he would also miss playing in front of packed crowds in India.

“I think obviously all are used to playing in front of crowds in big stage, there is certainly an amount of adrenaline that pumped into you when it gets really loud, especially in Chinnaswamy when the RCB crowd gets going, its difficult to stop the RCB team. So, well miss that there is no doubt about it.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-top-5-all-rounders-to-watchout-for-327567" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Top 5 all-rounders to watchout for!</a>

“But I won’t say I am not used to it, I have played a lot of cricket in empty stadiums. I grew up like that. It’s only in my international career that I have played in front of crowd,” he said.

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is set to commence from September 19 and RCB fans would be hoping that the Kohli-led side will be able to break the trophy jinx this time around.

Royal Challengers Bangalore star AB de Villiers reckons that the biggest challenge for all the players in the impending Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 will be to adjust to the hot and humid conditions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Royal Challengers Bangalore star AB de Villiers reckons that the biggest challenge for all the players in the impending Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 will be to adjust to the hot and humid conditions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While of the matches will be played in evening, de Villiers is of the view that the conditions in UAE reminds him of Chennai where Virender Sehwag scored a triple ton. The former South African skipper said that even at 10 pm, the conditions in UAE is extremely hot and humid, which might play a role in the final half of IPL 2020 matches. “I am not really used to these kind of conditions to be honest. It’ very hot, it reminds me of a Test match we played in July in Chennai once where Viru (Virender Sehwag) scored 300. It was one the hottest weather conditions I have experience in my life,” he said in an interview posted on RCB’s twitter handle. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Updated squad list of all franchises; retained and bought players “The humidity is similar to that, even at 10 at night. When I arrived here I checked the weather conditions of a few months and it seems to be getting better. It is definitely going to play a part and you have to make sure you have the energy for the backend of the innings or last 5 overs of your bowling spell.” De Villiers said while adding that he would also miss playing in front of packed crowds in India. “I think obviously all are used to playing in front of crowds in big stage, there is certainly an amount of adrenaline that pumped into you when it gets really loud, especially in Chinnaswamy when the RCB crowd gets going, its difficult to stop the RCB team. So, well miss that there is no doubt about it. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Top 5 all-rounders to watchout for! “But I won’t say I am not used to it, I have played a lot of cricket in empty stadiums. I grew up like that. It’s only in my international career that I have played in front of crowd,” he said. Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is set to commence from September 19 and RCB fans would be hoping that the Kohli-led side will be able to break the trophy jinx this time around.

IPL 2020: UAE conditions remind me of Chennai where Sehwag hit 300, says AB de Villiers

The BCCI has tied up with UK-based company Sportradar, which will offer its "integrity services" to prevent betting and other corrupt practices during the upcoming IPL through its Fraud Detection Services (FDS).

With the 13th Indian Premier League being held behind closed doors, the challenge for the Board''s Ajit Singh-led Anti-Corruption Unit is very different as there has been a surge in betting-related frauds even during some of the state unit''s leagues, and it''s expected to increase manifold during the lucrative event.

"Yes, BCCI has inked a deal with Sportradar for this year''s IPL. They will be working closely with the ACU and offer their integrity services," an IPL source confirmed the development to PTI.

"Sportradar has very recently red flagged at least half a dozen games in Goa football league which came under fixing cloud. They have also worked with FIFA, UEFA and various leagues across the globe," the source added.

The BCCI ACU, in recent times, tracked unusual betting patterns during the state T20 leagues, including the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), as a major betting company stopped taking bets after unusual bets were being placed.

According to Sportradar, Fraud Detection System (FDS) "is a unique service that identifies betting-related manipulation in sport. This is possible due to the FDS''s sophisticated algorithms and constantly maintained database of odds which are leveraged for the purpose of detecting match-fixing."

It is believed that the company tracks the odds and movements of at least 600 independent bookmakers to detect anomalies in betting patterns. It processes around 5 million data sets per day. It is understood that apart from bookies and possible corruptors, who will look to approach players and support staff online, the advent of multiple fantasy gaming company will also keep the world''s richest cricket board on tenterhooks.

"Fantasy gaming is not exactly betting in its traditional sense but the element of gambling does exist. So it''s a good thing that BCCI is engaging with a company that works on betting related corruption in sport," a BCCI veteran said.

An interesting aspect of fraud detection is the mathematical algorithm that is used to study betting patterns. 
It is a "sophisticated model" which monitors live betting on offer during an event. "There are 25 live alerts, which instantly identifies irregular betting in the marketplace. The mathematical model uses calculated odds, which runs alongside bookmakers'' odds, in order to highlight if the odds during a specific minute or time is out of line, and therefore, potentially suspicious," the Sportradar website stated under its ''25 Live Alerts'' section.

There are also "44 detailed pre-match alerts which are based on odds movements observed at betting operators." An alert is generated in FDS when odds at a bookmaker changes greater than pre-defined parameter", which can be customised according to the nature of the sport."

The BCCI has tied up with UK-based company Sportradar, which will offer its "integrity services" to prevent betting and other corrupt practices during the upcoming IPL through its Fraud Detection Services (FDS).

The BCCI has tied up with UK-based company Sportradar, which will offer its "integrity services" to prevent betting and other corrupt practices during the upcoming IPL through its Fraud Detection Services (FDS). With the 13th Indian Premier League being held behind closed doors, the challenge for the Board''s Ajit Singh-led Anti-Corruption Unit is very different as there has been a surge in betting-related frauds even during some of the state unit''s leagues, and it''s expected to increase manifold during the lucrative event. "Yes, BCCI has inked a deal with Sportradar for this year''s IPL. They will be working closely with the ACU and offer their integrity services," an IPL source confirmed the development to PTI. "Sportradar has very recently red flagged at least half a dozen games in Goa football league which came under fixing cloud. They have also worked with FIFA, UEFA and various leagues across the globe," the source added. The BCCI ACU, in recent times, tracked unusual betting patterns during the state T20 leagues, including the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), as a major betting company stopped taking bets after unusual bets were being placed. According to Sportradar, Fraud Detection System (FDS) "is a unique service that identifies betting-related manipulation in sport. This is possible due to the FDS''s sophisticated algorithms and constantly maintained database of odds which are leveraged for the purpose of detecting match-fixing." It is believed that the company tracks the odds and movements of at least 600 independent bookmakers to detect anomalies in betting patterns. It processes around 5 million data sets per day. It is understood that apart from bookies and possible corruptors, who will look to approach players and support staff online, the advent of multiple fantasy gaming company will also keep the world''s richest cricket board on tenterhooks. "Fantasy gaming is not exactly betting in its traditional sense but the element of gambling does exist. So it''s a good thing that BCCI is engaging with a company that works on betting related corruption in sport," a BCCI veteran said. An interesting aspect of fraud detection is the mathematical algorithm that is used to study betting patterns. It is a "sophisticated model" which monitors live betting on offer during an event. "There are 25 live alerts, which instantly identifies irregular betting in the marketplace. The mathematical model uses calculated odds, which runs alongside bookmakers'' odds, in order to highlight if the odds during a specific minute or time is out of line, and therefore, potentially suspicious," the Sportradar website stated under its ''25 Live Alerts'' section. There are also "44 detailed pre-match alerts which are based on odds movements observed at betting operators." An alert is generated in FDS when odds at a bookmaker changes greater than pre-defined parameter", which can be customised according to the nature of the sport."

IPL: BCCI's Anti-Corruption Unit set to use Fraud Detection Services to prevent corrupt practices

The pitches in UAE are expected to aid spinners but Delhi Capitals veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra feels it is too early to predict that as the conditions have been "neutral" so far.

The 36-year-old India spinner said UAE pitches suiting batsmen or bowlers more can only be ascertained only once the tournament progresses.

"The conditions so far have been neutral. I can't say if they favour the batsmen or the bowlers more," Mishra said in a press release issued by his franchise.

"When we start playing, then we will have a clearer picture and can say whether it is helping the batsmen or the bowlers more," said the the second highest wicket taker in IPL history behind Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga.

With 157 scalps from 147 IPL games, Mishra is currently 13 wickets behind Malinga, who has opted out of this year's tournament due to personal reasons.

The IPL has been shifted to the UAE because of surging COVID-19 cases in India.

Talking about Delhi Capitals' preparation for the upcoming event, Mishra said: "We are really positive, but in T20 cricket, you know it is hard to promise a win, because all teams are so competitive and have quality players in their ranks.

"We also have a lot of match-winners in our team, and we will do our preparations according to each team. We cannot underestimate any team, and need to treat everyone equally," he said.

Mishra further said that the feeling within the group is really good.

The IPL starts on Saturday when defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Chennai Super Kings.

Delhi Capitals will open their campaign against Kings XI Punjab here on Sunday.&nbsp;

The pitches in UAE are expected to aid spinners but Delhi Capitals veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra feels it is too early to predict that as the conditions have been "neutral" so far.

The pitches in UAE are expected to aid spinners but Delhi Capitals veteran leg-spinner Amit Mishra feels it is too early to predict that as the conditions have been "neutral" so far. The 36-year-old India spinner said UAE pitches suiting batsmen or bowlers more can only be ascertained only once the tournament progresses. "The conditions so far have been neutral. I can't say if they favour the batsmen or the bowlers more," Mishra said in a press release issued by his franchise. "When we start playing, then we will have a clearer picture and can say whether it is helping the batsmen or the bowlers more," said the the second highest wicket taker in IPL history behind Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga. With 157 scalps from 147 IPL games, Mishra is currently 13 wickets behind Malinga, who has opted out of this year's tournament due to personal reasons. The IPL has been shifted to the UAE because of surging COVID-19 cases in India. Talking about Delhi Capitals' preparation for the upcoming event, Mishra said: "We are really positive, but in T20 cricket, you know it is hard to promise a win, because all teams are so competitive and have quality players in their ranks. "We also have a lot of match-winners in our team, and we will do our preparations according to each team. We cannot underestimate any team, and need to treat everyone equally," he said. Mishra further said that the feeling within the group is really good. The IPL starts on Saturday when defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Chennai Super Kings. Delhi Capitals will open their campaign against Kings XI Punjab here on Sunday.

IPL 2020: UAE conditions neutral so far, time will tell if they favour batsmen or bowlers more: Amit Mishra

Mitchell Starc on Wednesday breathed fire as he took two wickets from the very first two deliveries of the first over to dismiss English opener Jason Roy and Joe Root in the third ODI between England and Australia at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.&nbsp;

While the first delivery by Starc was way outside the off-stump, Roy went hard for the drive only to send it straight to the hands of Glenn Maxwell standing at point. Root may have thought to steady the rocky start but England’s Test captain was caught plumb by Starc in the second delivery as the southpaw bagged back-to-back wickets to leave England 0/2. However, captain Eoin Morgan denied him the hat-trick.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-predicting-mvps-from-each-franchise-326829" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Predicting MVPs from each franchise</a>

<h2>Watch - Mitchell Starc dismisses Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan:</h2>

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A nightmare start. 
 
Scorecard/Clips: <a href="https://t.co/m1COueGfgA">https://t.co/m1COueGfgA</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvAUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/81HGVQH6ig">pic.twitter.com/81HGVQH6ig</a>
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1306202914835386368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Mitchell Starc with 2 wickets in the first two balls of the day 🙄🙄 
"Come on England" 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvAUS</a> <a href="https://t.co/myHtbYdiHe">pic.twitter.com/myHtbYdiHe</a>
— Toby Phillips (@TobyPhi39674579) <a href="https://twitter.com/TobyPhi39674579/status/1306204176230342659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Both England and Australia are looking to seal the series in the decider on Wednesday with the series firmly locked at 1-1. The ongoing ODI match between England and Australia is the last international match of the English summer as the host look to end it unbeaten.&nbsp;

England have hosted the West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and England, and are yet to lose a series since the restart. However, with Australia getting a solid start, the visitors would be upbeat about their chances of clinching the series.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-delhi-capitals-can-become-champions-this-time-reckons-axar-patel-327746" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Delhi Capitals can become champions this time, reckons Axar Patel</a>

<h2>England vs Australia 3rd ODI – Playing XIs:</h2>

Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Aaron Finch(c), Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey(w), Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa

England (Playing XI): Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Jos Buttler(w), Sam Billings, Chris Woakes, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood

<h2>Here’s what the captains said at toss:</h2>

Aaron Finch - We would have batted first as well. With the lights on, it tends to skid on. Looks a pretty dry wicket, need to bowl well in the first 10 hours. We are playing with the same team. He (Smith) had a long net but didn't feel hundred percent after that blow, so he's going to miss again. We had our chances, but we let them get away. We knew it was going to be a difficult chase, but we need to keep learning and hopefully we win today. We stuck with our skills for most part of the first innings, but we failed to execute in the final overs, they have a strong batting line up.

Eoin Morgan - We are gonna bat first. Think it's a good wicket with a short boundary on one side, hopefully we can capitalize on it. We have made one change - Wood comes in for Sam Curran. He's extremely talented and a versatile all-rounder. We are going in with pace today. We need to grow and learn going forward. Playing against a really strong Australian side. We gained a lot of confidence with the bowling group winning us the last game. Thank all the teams who came here (over the last three months) - West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Australia. The ECB have done an exceptional job in getting these games smoothly in these circumstances.

Mitchell Starc on Wednesday breathed fire as he took two wickets from the very first two deliveries of the first over to dismiss English opener Jason Roy and Joe Root in the third ODI between England and Australia at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.

Mitchell Starc on Wednesday breathed fire as he took two wickets from the very first two deliveries of the first over to dismiss English opener Jason Roy and Joe Root in the third ODI between England and Australia at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester. While the first delivery by Starc was way outside the off-stump, Roy went hard for the drive only to send it straight to the hands of Glenn Maxwell standing at point. Root may have thought to steady the rocky start but England’s Test captain was caught plumb by Starc in the second delivery as the southpaw bagged back-to-back wickets to leave England 0/2. However, captain Eoin Morgan denied him the hat-trick. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Predicting MVPs from each franchise Watch - Mitchell Starc dismisses Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan: A nightmare start. Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/m1COueGfgA#ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/81HGVQH6ig — England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 16, 2020 × Mitchell Starc with 2 wickets in the first two balls of the day 🙄🙄 "Come on England" 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏏#ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/myHtbYdiHe — Toby Phillips (@TobyPhi39674579) September 16, 2020 × Both England and Australia are looking to seal the series in the decider on Wednesday with the series firmly locked at 1-1. The ongoing ODI match between England and Australia is the last international match of the English summer as the host look to end it unbeaten. England have hosted the West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and England, and are yet to lose a series since the restart. However, with Australia getting a solid start, the visitors would be upbeat about their chances of clinching the series. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Delhi Capitals can become champions this time, reckons Axar Patel England vs Australia 3rd ODI – Playing XIs: Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Aaron Finch(c), Marcus Stoinis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey(w), Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa England (Playing XI): Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Jos Buttler(w), Sam Billings, Chris Woakes, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood Here’s what the captains said at toss: Aaron Finch - We would have batted first as well. With the lights on, it tends to skid on. Looks a pretty dry wicket, need to bowl well in the first 10 hours. We are playing with the same team. He (Smith) had a long net but didn't feel hundred percent after that blow, so he's going to miss again. We had our chances, but we let them get away. We knew it was going to be a difficult chase, but we need to keep learning and hopefully we win today. We stuck with our skills for most part of the first innings, but we failed to execute in the final overs, they have a strong batting line up. Eoin Morgan - We are gonna bat first. Think it's a good wicket with a short boundary on one side, hopefully we can capitalize on it. We have made one change - Wood comes in for Sam Curran. He's extremely talented and a versatile all-rounder. We are going in with pace today. We need to grow and learn going forward. Playing against a really strong Australian side. We gained a lot of confidence with the bowling group winning us the last game. Thank all the teams who came here (over the last three months) - West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Australia. The ECB have done an exceptional job in getting these games smoothly in these circumstances.

Watch: Mitchell Starc rattles England with successive dismissal of Jason Roy, Joe Root

While many experts and former cricketers have given their opinion on the ‘controversial’ dismissal of running out the non-striker or ‘Mankad’, legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has suggested a five-run penalty instead of ‘Mankading’ if the non-striker is out of the crease before the bowler delivers a ball.&nbsp;

The debate surrounding Mankading gained pace after Ravichandran Ahswin dismissed Jos Buttler in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL)</a> 2019 match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. Since then there has been many debates surrounding it and recently, Delhi Capitals head coach and former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said wouldn’t allow Ashwin to Mankad anyone. However, since then Ponting has changed his stance.

“If the bowler should not have the unfair advantage of running out the batsman, the latter too should not have the unfair advantage of proceeding too ahead in the pitch in order to take a run. I believe warnings should be given. Rather than giving the batsman out, five penalty runs should be added to the erring team if an umpire feels that the non-striker or the bowler is taking unfair advantage,” Muralitharan was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

TRENDING |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ms-dhoni-and-co-gear-up-for-ipl-2020-with-a-practice-match-327751" hreflang="en">Watch: MS Dhoni and Co. gear up for IPL 2020 with a practice match</a>

While the mode of dismissal is perfectly legal as per ICC rule book, many have said it goes against the ‘spirit of the game’. Whereas Ashwin has always maintained that if bowlers are not given any advantage then why the batsmen should unfairly sneak out of the crease in a bid to gain extra yards.

Mutalitharan is currently the bowling consultant for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL and is regularly involved in preparations in the SRH camp for IPL 2020.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-5-batsmen-with-highest-individual-scores-327544" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top 5 batsmen with highest individual scores!</a>

SRH lifted the coveted IPL trophy in 2016 and are set to face Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on September 21.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

While many experts and former cricketers have given their opinion on the ‘controversial’ dismissal of running out the non-striker or ‘Mankad’, legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has suggested a five-run penalty instead of ‘Mankading’ if the non-striker is out of the crease before the bowler delivers a ball.

While many experts and former cricketers have given their opinion on the ‘controversial’ dismissal of running out the non-striker or ‘Mankad’, legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has suggested a five-run penalty instead of ‘Mankading’ if the non-striker is out of the crease before the bowler delivers a ball. The debate surrounding Mankading gained pace after Ravichandran Ahswin dismissed Jos Buttler in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019 match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. Since then there has been many debates surrounding it and recently, Delhi Capitals head coach and former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said wouldn’t allow Ashwin to Mankad anyone. However, since then Ponting has changed his stance. “If the bowler should not have the unfair advantage of running out the batsman, the latter too should not have the unfair advantage of proceeding too ahead in the pitch in order to take a run. I believe warnings should be given. Rather than giving the batsman out, five penalty runs should be added to the erring team if an umpire feels that the non-striker or the bowler is taking unfair advantage,” Muralitharan was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. TRENDING | Watch: MS Dhoni and Co. gear up for IPL 2020 with a practice match While the mode of dismissal is perfectly legal as per ICC rule book, many have said it goes against the ‘spirit of the game’. Whereas Ashwin has always maintained that if bowlers are not given any advantage then why the batsmen should unfairly sneak out of the crease in a bid to gain extra yards. Mutalitharan is currently the bowling consultant for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL and is regularly involved in preparations in the SRH camp for IPL 2020. IN PICS | IPL trivia: Top 5 batsmen with highest individual scores! SRH lifted the coveted IPL trophy in 2016 and are set to face Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on September 21.

Muttiah Muralitharan suggests 5-run penalty over 'Mankading'

England are set to take on Australia in the 3rd&nbsp;and final ODI of the series at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday. The series is locked at 1-1 after England made a sensational comeback in the second ODI to equalize the series. Both teams would be looking to bag a win and seal the series.&nbsp;

England have not lost a single series after the restart and the Eoin Morgan-led side would be gunning to end the English summer unbeaten. Whereas Australia, who have looked rusty in parts, will be eager to make a comeback after a disappointing loss in the previous match.

Both teams can shuffle the team around a bit but the playing XIs are likely to be on the line as the second ODI. The 3rd ODI between England and Australia promises to be another nail-biting thriller. However, the pitch is highly likely to be on the slower side which may lead to a low-scoring match as the previous ODI.&nbsp;

England head into the match as favourites but Australia have all the ability to seal the series.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/england-look-to-burst-out-of-the-bubble-with-australia-flourish-327874" hreflang="en">England look to burst out of the bubble with Australia flourish</a>

<h2>When will the England vs Australia 3rd &nbsp;ODI begin?</h2>

The England vs Australia 3rd ODI will begin at 05:30 PM IST on September 11. The toss will take place at 05:00 PM IST.

<h2>Where will the England vs Australia 3rd ODI be played?</h2>

The England vs Australia 3rd ODI match will be held at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.

<h2>Which channel will telecast the England vs Australia 3rd ODI?</h2>

The England vs Australia 3rd ODI will have a live telecast on Sony SIX and Sony Six HD in India

<h2>How to watch the live streaming of England vs Australia 3rd ODI?</h2>

The live streaming of England vs Australia 3rd ODI will be available on Sony’s streaming platform. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

England are set to take on Australia in the 3rd and final ODI of the series at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday. The series is locked at 1-1 after England made a sensational comeback in the second ODI to equalize the series.

England are set to take on Australia in the 3rd and final ODI of the series at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday. The series is locked at 1-1 after England made a sensational comeback in the second ODI to equalize the series. Both teams would be looking to bag a win and seal the series. England have not lost a single series after the restart and the Eoin Morgan-led side would be gunning to end the English summer unbeaten. Whereas Australia, who have looked rusty in parts, will be eager to make a comeback after a disappointing loss in the previous match. Both teams can shuffle the team around a bit but the playing XIs are likely to be on the line as the second ODI. The 3rd ODI between England and Australia promises to be another nail-biting thriller. However, the pitch is highly likely to be on the slower side which may lead to a low-scoring match as the previous ODI. England head into the match as favourites but Australia have all the ability to seal the series. ALSO READ: England look to burst out of the bubble with Australia flourish When will the England vs Australia 3rd ODI begin? The England vs Australia 3rd ODI will begin at 05:30 PM IST on September 11. The toss will take place at 05:00 PM IST. Where will the England vs Australia 3rd ODI be played? The England vs Australia 3rd ODI match will be held at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester. Which channel will telecast the England vs Australia 3rd ODI? The England vs Australia 3rd ODI will have a live telecast on Sony SIX and Sony Six HD in India How to watch the live streaming of England vs Australia 3rd ODI? The live streaming of England vs Australia 3rd ODI will be available on Sony’s streaming platform.

ENG vs AUS, 3rd ODI Live Streaming: When and where to watch England vs Australia match?

Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya has warned other teams of his blistering form ahead of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>, scheduled to start from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Hardik hasn’t played international cricket for long now after suffering a back injury which required surgery. However, Hardik would like to make an instant impact when he takes to the field for four-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians.

Hardik was supposed to come back to the Indian team in the series against South Africa in March. However, after the first washed out match, the series was postponed due to coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The flamboyant all-rounder, ahead of their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">IPL 2020</a> season opener against Chennai Super Kings, said that injuries will always be a part of his life but it has taught him to value his fitness more while putting extra yards during training.&nbsp;

“In my life, I have realised one thing that injuries would be with me. No one wants to get injured but I accept the fact that what I do, injuries will be a part,” Hardik said in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of Mumbai Indians.

TRENDING:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-ms-dhoni-and-co-gear-up-for-ipl-2020-with-a-practice-match-327751">Watch: MS Dhoni and Co. gear up for IPL 2020 with a practice match</a>

“Injuries have always kept me going, always kept me motivated, actually taught me how much I have to put hard yards and the hard work has always increased, never decreased.

“I have always felt that if you go one step ahead in your fitness, there are many more magical moments in your life waiting,” the cricketer said.

Hardik was in sensational form when he played in DY Patil T20 earlier this year and was hitting the ball for fun. The 26-year-old said he is top shape physically and mentally while adding he wants to make a strong comeback in the T20 tournament.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-rajasthan-royals-star-all-rounder-ben-stokes-availability-still-in-doubt-327719" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' star Ben Stokes' availability still in doubt</a>

"The way I am hitting the ball right now, the shape and mental space I am in, it is just a matter of time that I go and spend some time on the ground and I think things will come out pretty well.

“IPL is something I have really enjoyed and I would like to make a comeback very strong, just looking forward to it,” Pandya said.

Defending champions Mumbai Indians will lock horns with three-time champions Chennai Super Kings in the season opener in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya has warned other teams of his blistering form ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, scheduled to start from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya has warned other teams of his blistering form ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, scheduled to start from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Hardik hasn’t played international cricket for long now after suffering a back injury which required surgery. However, Hardik would like to make an instant impact when he takes to the field for four-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians. Hardik was supposed to come back to the Indian team in the series against South Africa in March. However, after the first washed out match, the series was postponed due to coronavirus outbreak in the country. The flamboyant all-rounder, ahead of their IPL 2020 season opener against Chennai Super Kings, said that injuries will always be a part of his life but it has taught him to value his fitness more while putting extra yards during training. “In my life, I have realised one thing that injuries would be with me. No one wants to get injured but I accept the fact that what I do, injuries will be a part,” Hardik said in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of Mumbai Indians. TRENDING: Watch: MS Dhoni and Co. gear up for IPL 2020 with a practice match “Injuries have always kept me going, always kept me motivated, actually taught me how much I have to put hard yards and the hard work has always increased, never decreased. “I have always felt that if you go one step ahead in your fitness, there are many more magical moments in your life waiting,” the cricketer said. Hardik was in sensational form when he played in DY Patil T20 earlier this year and was hitting the ball for fun. The 26-year-old said he is top shape physically and mentally while adding he wants to make a strong comeback in the T20 tournament. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' star Ben Stokes' availability still in doubt "The way I am hitting the ball right now, the shape and mental space I am in, it is just a matter of time that I go and spend some time on the ground and I think things will come out pretty well. “IPL is something I have really enjoyed and I would like to make a comeback very strong, just looking forward to it,” Pandya said. Defending champions Mumbai Indians will lock horns with three-time champions Chennai Super Kings in the season opener in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

IPL 2020: 'The way I am hitting the ball...' - Hardik Pandya upbeat about his form

India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have signed off from international duties but he'll be at the heart of the action in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">Indian Premier League</a> -- a tournament he helped inspire, and where he remains a towering figure.

Dhoni, who has led the Chennai Super Kings to three titles and five runner-up finishes in the IPL's 12 editions, will feature in the opening match on Saturday against the Mumbai Indians, the defending champions.

The game comes more than a year after the 39-year-old last played for India in their semi-final loss to New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup.

After much speculation, the wicketkeeper-batsman finally announced the end of his 16-year international career last month.

And without the pressure of having to play well to keep his place in the national team, the flamboyant Dhoni is expected to shine in UAE, the IPL's temporary home as India battles a rampant coronavirus problem.

"He is very fit and I believe he is working very hard on it. Plus he has stopped playing international cricket so there will be less burden on his body," Saba Karim, another former India wicketkeeper, told AFP.

"Global cricket still needs an icon like MS Dhoni to continue."

Dhoni's captaincy began with India winning the inaugural T20 World Cup title in 2007, a success that triggered the birth of the IPL -- the world's most popular and richest cricket league --&nbsp;a year later.

"Dhoni played an instrumental role in kick-starting the IPL because of the way he brought a different dimension to the shorter format of the game because of his aggressive side with the willow," Karim said.

"Also with his calm exterior behind the stumps."

Dhoni, once hailed as the world's best finisher, has played 190 IPL matches, scoring 4,432 runs including 23 half-centuries.

An exemplary leader with fast glovework, Dhoni has made Chennai one of IPL's most loved franchises with almost 200,000 people following the team's fan club on Twitter.

&nbsp;

<h2>- 'Soul of Chennai' -</h2>

&nbsp;

Chennai chief executive Kasi Viswanathan says Dhoni remains key to the team's plans and they expect him to keep playing till the 2022 edition.

The team has been under scrutiny after arriving in the UAE last month with two players testing positive for the coronavirus.&nbsp;

Senior batsman Suresh Raina and veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh later opted out of the competition.

"I swear if Dhoni pulls out of IPL, there's no IPL for me this year!" a Twitter user wrote after the withdrawals.

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra said Dhoni is "the biggest strength of the team and the entire franchise is dependent on him".&nbsp;&nbsp;

"He is the soul of Chennai Super Kings. As long as he is there, CSK's heart keeps beating and they move forward. MS Dhoni, the player and the captain, has a great impact," Chopra&nbsp;said on his YouTube show.

"Dhoni is going to rule the roost once again as a captain, as a batsman."

Chennai and Dhoni were plunged into controversy in 2015, when the team were banned from the IPL for two years for match-fixing.

But Dhoni and his team -- which includes many players aged over 35, including Australia's Shane Watson and South African Imran Tahir -- came back with a bang.

Labelled 'Dad's Army' by the media, Chennai returned to lift the title in 2018 and establish themselves as one of the most consistent teams in IPL history.

"Dhoni is Chennai, Chennai is Dhoni. If Dhoni is doing well. Chennai is doing well," veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle said on Cricbuzz.com.

India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have signed off from international duties but he'll be at the heart of the action in the Indian Premier League -- a tournament he helped inspire, and where he remains a towering figure.

India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni may have signed off from international duties but he'll be at the heart of the action in the Indian Premier League -- a tournament he helped inspire, and where he remains a towering figure. Dhoni, who has led the Chennai Super Kings to three titles and five runner-up finishes in the IPL's 12 editions, will feature in the opening match on Saturday against the Mumbai Indians, the defending champions. The game comes more than a year after the 39-year-old last played for India in their semi-final loss to New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup. After much speculation, the wicketkeeper-batsman finally announced the end of his 16-year international career last month. And without the pressure of having to play well to keep his place in the national team, the flamboyant Dhoni is expected to shine in UAE, the IPL's temporary home as India battles a rampant coronavirus problem. "He is very fit and I believe he is working very hard on it. Plus he has stopped playing international cricket so there will be less burden on his body," Saba Karim, another former India wicketkeeper, told AFP. "Global cricket still needs an icon like MS Dhoni to continue." Dhoni's captaincy began with India winning the inaugural T20 World Cup title in 2007, a success that triggered the birth of the IPL -- the world's most popular and richest cricket league -- a year later. "Dhoni played an instrumental role in kick-starting the IPL because of the way he brought a different dimension to the shorter format of the game because of his aggressive side with the willow," Karim said. "Also with his calm exterior behind the stumps." Dhoni, once hailed as the world's best finisher, has played 190 IPL matches, scoring 4,432 runs including 23 half-centuries. An exemplary leader with fast glovework, Dhoni has made Chennai one of IPL's most loved franchises with almost 200,000 people following the team's fan club on Twitter. - 'Soul of Chennai' - Chennai chief executive Kasi Viswanathan says Dhoni remains key to the team's plans and they expect him to keep playing till the 2022 edition. The team has been under scrutiny after arriving in the UAE last month with two players testing positive for the coronavirus. Senior batsman Suresh Raina and veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh later opted out of the competition. "I swear if Dhoni pulls out of IPL, there's no IPL for me this year!" a Twitter user wrote after the withdrawals. Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra said Dhoni is "the biggest strength of the team and the entire franchise is dependent on him". "He is the soul of Chennai Super Kings. As long as he is there, CSK's heart keeps beating and they move forward. MS Dhoni, the player and the captain, has a great impact," Chopra said on his YouTube show. "Dhoni is going to rule the roost once again as a captain, as a batsman." Chennai and Dhoni were plunged into controversy in 2015, when the team were banned from the IPL for two years for match-fixing. But Dhoni and his team -- which includes many players aged over 35, including Australia's Shane Watson and South African Imran Tahir -- came back with a bang. Labelled 'Dad's Army' by the media, Chennai returned to lift the title in 2018 and establish themselves as one of the most consistent teams in IPL history. "Dhoni is Chennai, Chennai is Dhoni. If Dhoni is doing well. Chennai is doing well," veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle said on Cricbuzz.com.

Goodbye India, hello IPL: Dhoni set to 'rule roost' in UAE

The Premier League began with a bang this weekend as Liverpool launched their title defence with a pulsating 4-3 win over new boys Leeds.

Arsenal and Leicester both recorded impressive 3-0 victories but Jose Mourinho was left fuming after he tasted defeated on the opening day of a league campaign for the first time in his career.

Big-spending Chelsea eased to a 3-1 win at Brighton, but Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made another blunder.

AFP Sport picks out five things we learned from the opening weekend of the season.

<h2>'Special' Leeds a welcome addition</h2>

The return of Leeds to the Premier League after a 16-year absence, and with the mercurial Marcelo Bielsa at the helm, was highly anticipated and it did not disappoint.

The new boys were two minutes away from taking points off the champions until Mohamed Salah completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot to ensure Liverpool emerged victorious at an empty Anfield.

"Leeds are special," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, in the knowledge that other title contenders will struggle to beat Bielsa's men this season.

As the scoreline suggests, improvements will be needed at the back but Leeds will remain true to Bielsa's philosophy in trying to impose themselves on the opposition and on the evidence of their opening salvo, there should be no fear of dropping back down to the second tier.

&nbsp;

<h2>Sensible VAR</h2>

The biggest surprise of the Premier League's return came with the lack of controversy caused by VAR as new interpretations of how to use the technology largely led to more sensible decisions.

Southampton's Kyle Walker-Peters saw a red card downgraded to a yellow after referee Jon Moss came to the sidelines himself to assess a replay.

Newcastle's Jeff Hendrick was not penalised after the ball struck his arm, which was by his side, during the Magpies' 2-0 win at West Ham thanks to a more generous interpretation of the handball rule for defenders.

&nbsp;

<h2>Arsenal show top-four promise</h2>

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have made a habit of upsetting the odds, defeating Manchester City and Chelsea on their way to winning the FA Cup last season and beating Liverpool twice in recent months.

Those victories were earned through defensive discipline and a threat on the counter-attack, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the main dangerman.

Before Saturday's trip to Fulham there were questions over how the Gunners would deal with sides who would not open up against them but Arteta's men responded with an emphatic 3-0 win at Craven Cottage.

New signing Willian had a major role to play in all three goals, scored by Alexandre Lacazette, Aubameyang and another debutant, Gabriel Magalhaes, as Arsenal laid down a marker in their bid to finish in the top four.

&nbsp;

<h2>Ancelotti gets the better of Mourinho</h2>

Everton and Tottenham both turned to multiple Champions League-winning coaches in the middle of last season to revive their fortunes, but both will be judged on what they achieve this season.

On the opening weekend, Carlo Ancelotti got the better of Jose Mourinho as Everton won away from home against traditional top-six opposition for the first time since 2013.

New signings Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure gave the Toffees the dynamism and grit they have badly missed in recent seasons in midfield, while James Rodriguez showed glimpses of the quality that once made him one of the world's most in-demand players.

Spurs, by contrast, look lacklustre, with Mourinho labelling his players "lazy" out of possession and showing little sign of halting their slide since reaching the Champions League final just over a year ago.

&nbsp;

<h2>Kepa blunders again</h2>

As Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga allowed Leandro Trossard's long-range shot to slip through his weak attempted save, Blues boss Frank Lampard must have had a familiar sinking feeling.

Despite Trossard's equaliser for Brighton, Lampard's expensively revamped side went on to win 3-1.

But since he joined Chelsea in 2018, Kepa has conceded 19 Premier League goals from outside the area -- more than any other keeper.

The Spaniard, the world's most expensive keeper, was dropped by Lampard twice last season after a series of costly blunders.

Although Kepa started the new campaign in the team, he might not have his place for much longer as a move for Rennes' Edouard Mendy is reportedly close to completion.

The Premier League began with a bang this weekend as Liverpool launched their title defence with a pulsating 4-3 win over new boys Leeds. Arsenal and Leicester both recorded impressive 3-0 victories but Jose Mourinho was left fuming after he tasted defeated on the opening day of a league campaign for the first time in his career.

The Premier League began with a bang this weekend as Liverpool launched their title defence with a pulsating 4-3 win over new boys Leeds. Arsenal and Leicester both recorded impressive 3-0 victories but Jose Mourinho was left fuming after he tasted defeated on the opening day of a league campaign for the first time in his career. Big-spending Chelsea eased to a 3-1 win at Brighton, but Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made another blunder. AFP Sport picks out five things we learned from the opening weekend of the season. 'Special' Leeds a welcome addition The return of Leeds to the Premier League after a 16-year absence, and with the mercurial Marcelo Bielsa at the helm, was highly anticipated and it did not disappoint. The new boys were two minutes away from taking points off the champions until Mohamed Salah completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot to ensure Liverpool emerged victorious at an empty Anfield. "Leeds are special," said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, in the knowledge that other title contenders will struggle to beat Bielsa's men this season. As the scoreline suggests, improvements will be needed at the back but Leeds will remain true to Bielsa's philosophy in trying to impose themselves on the opposition and on the evidence of their opening salvo, there should be no fear of dropping back down to the second tier. Sensible VAR The biggest surprise of the Premier League's return came with the lack of controversy caused by VAR as new interpretations of how to use the technology largely led to more sensible decisions. Southampton's Kyle Walker-Peters saw a red card downgraded to a yellow after referee Jon Moss came to the sidelines himself to assess a replay. Newcastle's Jeff Hendrick was not penalised after the ball struck his arm, which was by his side, during the Magpies' 2-0 win at West Ham thanks to a more generous interpretation of the handball rule for defenders. Arsenal show top-four promise Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have made a habit of upsetting the odds, defeating Manchester City and Chelsea on their way to winning the FA Cup last season and beating Liverpool twice in recent months. Those victories were earned through defensive discipline and a threat on the counter-attack, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the main dangerman. Before Saturday's trip to Fulham there were questions over how the Gunners would deal with sides who would not open up against them but Arteta's men responded with an emphatic 3-0 win at Craven Cottage. New signing Willian had a major role to play in all three goals, scored by Alexandre Lacazette, Aubameyang and another debutant, Gabriel Magalhaes, as Arsenal laid down a marker in their bid to finish in the top four. Ancelotti gets the better of Mourinho Everton and Tottenham both turned to multiple Champions League-winning coaches in the middle of last season to revive their fortunes, but both will be judged on what they achieve this season. On the opening weekend, Carlo Ancelotti got the better of Jose Mourinho as Everton won away from home against traditional top-six opposition for the first time since 2013. New signings Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure gave the Toffees the dynamism and grit they have badly missed in recent seasons in midfield, while James Rodriguez showed glimpses of the quality that once made him one of the world's most in-demand players. Spurs, by contrast, look lacklustre, with Mourinho labelling his players "lazy" out of possession and showing little sign of halting their slide since reaching the Champions League final just over a year ago. Kepa blunders again As Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga allowed Leandro Trossard's long-range shot to slip through his weak attempted save, Blues boss Frank Lampard must have had a familiar sinking feeling. Despite Trossard's equaliser for Brighton, Lampard's expensively revamped side went on to win 3-1. But since he joined Chelsea in 2018, Kepa has conceded 19 Premier League goals from outside the area -- more than any other keeper. The Spaniard, the world's most expensive keeper, was dropped by Lampard twice last season after a series of costly blunders. Although Kepa started the new campaign in the team, he might not have his place for much longer as a move for Rennes' Edouard Mendy is reportedly close to completion.

Five things we learned from the Premier League's return

Frank Lampard believes Chelsea are already showing the benefits of his £200 million ($257 million) spending spree as they kicked off their Premier League campaign with a 3-1 win at Brighton on Monday.

Blues boss Lampard has splashed out on a host of new signings and the early returns on his lavish investment were promising.&nbsp;

Germany striker Timo Werner, a £53 million recruit from Leipzig, won the penalty that Jorginho converted to put Chelsea ahead.

Kai Havertz, who made a £70 million switch from Bayer Leverkusen, wasn't quite so impactful, but Lampard will be confident there are better days to come from the young Germany forward.

"Timo's speed to win the penalty showed he is sharp and he was a threat all night. He is very mobile and I liked his performance," Lampard said.

"With Kai we saw a lot as well. To get these minutes will only be good and both of them will be huge players for this club."

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was guilty of another mistake when Leandro Trossard equalised for Brighton.

But Reece James' superb strike put Chelsea back in front before Kurt Zouma's deflected effort sealed the points.

It was an encouraging result for Lampard, who has accepted he is under pressure to deliver a title challenge after spending more than any other club so far in the summer transfer window.

"I think to expect everything to click on day one is very difficult. But what they did do was show a bit of determination," Lampard said.

@I really liked the work ethic and the discipline of the team. We've been together as a team for four days after the international break. We had a lot of quarantines before that and new signings.

"We might have dropped points in this game last season. I'm not getting excited by that on day one, but it had a little bit of determination and resilience about it I thought."

Chelsea finished 33 points behind champions Liverpool in fourth last season before a disappointing FA Cup final defeat against Arsenal, but they are primed to improve if Lampard can gel his new signings.

Lampard's other expensive recruits, former Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech and ex-Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell, were both sidelined by injuries, while Thiago Silva wasn't available as he returns to training following his free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.

The historians among Chelsea's fanbase will have noted this was the third time they have started a Premier League campaign with a Monday night victory, with the Blues going on to win the title on the previous occasions in 2014-15 and 2016-17.

The only frustration for Lampard was Kepa's howler.

The world's most expensive keeper was already under pressure to improve after an error-strewn season and with Chelsea having spoken to Rennes about Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy, his days as first choice might be numbered.

Insisting he has not written off Kepa yet, Lampard said: "I am happy with Kepa, I saw confidence in him, he is here, he is our keeper and I am happy with him."

<h2>- Classy Werner -</h2>

Werner was Chelsea's central striker while Havertz lined up on the right flank in the three-man attack.

It was Werner who showed all his class as Chelsea took the lead in the 23rd minute.

Brighton midfielder Steven Alzate surrendered possession with a wayward pass and Jorginho fed Werner, who raced through on goal and was brought down by Mat Ryan as he rounded the Albion keeper.

Jorginho stepped up to take the penalty and Chelsea's captain sent Ryan the wrong way with his trademark hop before shooting.

Brighton equalised in the 54th minute when Trossard's 20-yard shot slipped under Kepa's weak attempted save.

Kepa's blunder wasn't fatal for Chelsea as James restored their lead just 100 seconds later with a stunning 30-yard blast.

Chelsea sealed the points in the 66th minute when Zouma met James' corner with a volley that took a heavy deflection of Adam Webster to wrong-foot Ryan.

Frank Lampard believes Chelsea are already showing the benefits of his £200 million ($257 million) spending spree as they kicked off their Premier League campaign with a 3-1 win at Brighton on Monday.

Frank Lampard believes Chelsea are already showing the benefits of his £200 million ($257 million) spending spree as they kicked off their Premier League campaign with a 3-1 win at Brighton on Monday. Blues boss Lampard has splashed out on a host of new signings and the early returns on his lavish investment were promising. Germany striker Timo Werner, a £53 million recruit from Leipzig, won the penalty that Jorginho converted to put Chelsea ahead. Kai Havertz, who made a £70 million switch from Bayer Leverkusen, wasn't quite so impactful, but Lampard will be confident there are better days to come from the young Germany forward. "Timo's speed to win the penalty showed he is sharp and he was a threat all night. He is very mobile and I liked his performance," Lampard said. "With Kai we saw a lot as well. To get these minutes will only be good and both of them will be huge players for this club." Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was guilty of another mistake when Leandro Trossard equalised for Brighton. But Reece James' superb strike put Chelsea back in front before Kurt Zouma's deflected effort sealed the points. It was an encouraging result for Lampard, who has accepted he is under pressure to deliver a title challenge after spending more than any other club so far in the summer transfer window. "I think to expect everything to click on day one is very difficult. But what they did do was show a bit of determination," Lampard said. @I really liked the work ethic and the discipline of the team. We've been together as a team for four days after the international break. We had a lot of quarantines before that and new signings. "We might have dropped points in this game last season. I'm not getting excited by that on day one, but it had a little bit of determination and resilience about it I thought." Chelsea finished 33 points behind champions Liverpool in fourth last season before a disappointing FA Cup final defeat against Arsenal, but they are primed to improve if Lampard can gel his new signings. Lampard's other expensive recruits, former Ajax playmaker Hakim Ziyech and ex-Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell, were both sidelined by injuries, while Thiago Silva wasn't available as he returns to training following his free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. The historians among Chelsea's fanbase will have noted this was the third time they have started a Premier League campaign with a Monday night victory, with the Blues going on to win the title on the previous occasions in 2014-15 and 2016-17. The only frustration for Lampard was Kepa's howler. The world's most expensive keeper was already under pressure to improve after an error-strewn season and with Chelsea having spoken to Rennes about Senegal keeper Edouard Mendy, his days as first choice might be numbered. Insisting he has not written off Kepa yet, Lampard said: "I am happy with Kepa, I saw confidence in him, he is here, he is our keeper and I am happy with him." - Classy Werner - Werner was Chelsea's central striker while Havertz lined up on the right flank in the three-man attack. It was Werner who showed all his class as Chelsea took the lead in the 23rd minute. Brighton midfielder Steven Alzate surrendered possession with a wayward pass and Jorginho fed Werner, who raced through on goal and was brought down by Mat Ryan as he rounded the Albion keeper. Jorginho stepped up to take the penalty and Chelsea's captain sent Ryan the wrong way with his trademark hop before shooting. Brighton equalised in the 54th minute when Trossard's 20-yard shot slipped under Kepa's weak attempted save. Kepa's blunder wasn't fatal for Chelsea as James restored their lead just 100 seconds later with a stunning 30-yard blast. Chelsea sealed the points in the 66th minute when Zouma met James' corner with a volley that took a heavy deflection of Adam Webster to wrong-foot Ryan.

Big-spending Chelsea start with win at Brighton

The world's most expensive footballer was shown the red card in stoppage time of the 1-0 loss at the Parc des Princes alongside teammates Layvin Kurzawa and Leandro Paredes, as well as Marseille's Dario Benedetto and Jordan Amavi.

Neymar insisted Alvaro Gonzalez called him a "monkey" in a series of furious tweets late on Sunday after he was dismissed for slapping the Marseille defender on the back of the head.

"Look at the racism. That's why I hit him," Neymar, who was returning from coronavirus quarantine, said as he left the pitch. Gonzalez later denied making a racist comment.

"The only regret I have is not hitting this idiot in the face," Neymar then posted after the game, before replying to a Gonzalez tweet to call him a "racist".

Marseille issued a statement of their own defending the 30-year-old Spanish centre-back.

"Alvaro Gonzalez is not racist. He has shown us that by his daily behaviour since joining the club, as his team-mates have already testified," the statement read.

The French league's disciplinary commission, which will decide the punishments, could investigate Neymar's accusations against Gonzalez, who Marseille claim was spat on by Angel Di Maria.

Marseille pledged to "fully cooperate" with any investigation and said the club would remain at the disposal of the commission.

Any racist behaviour carries a maximum suspension of 10 matches.&nbsp;

Spitting directed at another player can lead to a ban of up to six matches.

Kurzawa meanwhile could be suspended for up to seven matches for violent conduct after aiming a punch at opposition full-back Amavi.

PSG, who have lost their opening two games of the season for the first time since 1984/85, host Metz on Wednesday in what was originally scheduled to be their season opener.

The world's most expensive footballer was shown the red card in stoppage time of the 1-0 loss at the Parc des Princes alongside teammates Layvin Kurzawa and Leandro Paredes, as well as Marseille's Dario Benedetto and Jordan Amavi.

The world's most expensive footballer was shown the red card in stoppage time of the 1-0 loss at the Parc des Princes alongside teammates Layvin Kurzawa and Leandro Paredes, as well as Marseille's Dario Benedetto and Jordan Amavi. Neymar insisted Alvaro Gonzalez called him a "monkey" in a series of furious tweets late on Sunday after he was dismissed for slapping the Marseille defender on the back of the head. "Look at the racism. That's why I hit him," Neymar, who was returning from coronavirus quarantine, said as he left the pitch. Gonzalez later denied making a racist comment. "The only regret I have is not hitting this idiot in the face," Neymar then posted after the game, before replying to a Gonzalez tweet to call him a "racist". Marseille issued a statement of their own defending the 30-year-old Spanish centre-back. "Alvaro Gonzalez is not racist. He has shown us that by his daily behaviour since joining the club, as his team-mates have already testified," the statement read. The French league's disciplinary commission, which will decide the punishments, could investigate Neymar's accusations against Gonzalez, who Marseille claim was spat on by Angel Di Maria. Marseille pledged to "fully cooperate" with any investigation and said the club would remain at the disposal of the commission. Any racist behaviour carries a maximum suspension of 10 matches. Spitting directed at another player can lead to a ban of up to six matches. Kurzawa meanwhile could be suspended for up to seven matches for violent conduct after aiming a punch at opposition full-back Amavi. PSG, who have lost their opening two games of the season for the first time since 1984/85, host Metz on Wednesday in what was originally scheduled to be their season opener.

PSG stand by Neymar after Marseille red card

Rafael Nadal returns to competition after a six-month enforced break while Novak Djokovic is looking to make up for his US Open disqualification as the short clay-court season got underway in Rome on Monday without spectators.

The tournament at Rome's Foro Italico normally takes place in May but was pushed back after the coronavirus pandemic which turned the calendar upside down.

"Obviously, it's not the same thing. There is no public, we are in a bubble, we cannot enjoy the city," said Nadal, who will play his first competitive match since his win in Acapulco at the end of February.

"But at least we have a tennis tournament."

Nadal, 34, is the second seed behind world number one Djokovic in the tune-up for the final Grand Slam of the season at the French Open on September 27.

"Excited to be back. Circumstances have been, you know, heavy for everyone, tough ones," said Nadal who is targeting a tenth title in the Roman capital.&nbsp;

Professional tennis was shut down from March until early August.&nbsp;

And the world number two opted out of the US hard court tour because of coronavirus concerns and citing the "madness" of the new calendar.&nbsp;

"Without regret," he insisted before his second round tie midweek against 27th-ranked compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta, who reached the semi-finals of the US Open.

"I am similar to always, maybe a little bit worse because I didn't compete for the last six months.

"But here I am. I arrived with plenty of time to try to have the right practices. That's what I am doing. I know I have a tough match against Pablo. He's playing great."&nbsp;

"It's going to be a good test. I'm excited about going back to the competition without big expectations."

But third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas does not believe the lack of competition will have an impact on two-time defending champion Nadal who has a 61-6 record in the tournament.

"I don't think Rafa will be struggling much playing here," said Tsitsipas.&nbsp;

"Regardless of how he feels, I'm sure he'll find a way. He always finds a way every single year."

<h2>- 'Big lesson' -</h2>

Four-time Rome winner Djokovic, who has reached nine finals in the Italian capital, wants to turn the page on his dramatic disqualification in the round of 16 at the US Open, after throwing the ball involuntarily at a lines judge.&nbsp;

"It's great that I have a tournament right after that happened, because I feel like the earlier I get back in a competition mode, the faster I'll overcome that memory and kind of reprogramme it," the Serb told reporters in the Italian capital.

"When you hit a ball like I did, you have a chance to hit someone on the court. The rules are clear, I accepted that.&nbsp;

"I'm going to take this in, you know, as profound as possible for me as a big lesson."

Djokovic had been unbeaten this year before his US Open exit and is targeting a title he last won in 2015.

"Rafa obviously decided to stay on clay and practice, surely that gives him more advantage, but even if he didn't practice for that long on clay, he would still be the number one favourite in Roland Garros or any other clay tournament because he's Rafa, you know," he added.&nbsp;

"And playing on clay he's the ultimate challenge.

"It's going to be adjustment challenge, you know, how quickly can we adapt, how quickly can we adjust to this new surface."

<h2>- 'Feel safe' -</h2>

The women's tournament will be without Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty, who will not compete again this season because of coronavirus concerns.

Serena Williams, suffering from an Achilles tendon problem, and US Open champion Naomi Osaka will also skip the Rome event.

World number two Simona Halep, absent in the United States, will be the top seed.

"I'm a little bit scared of what is going on in the world, but here I feel safe," said Halep.&nbsp;

"Everything is really well taken care of. We cannot leave the hotel, we cannot leave the bubble.&nbsp;

"I feel ready to start the tournament, and I am also looking forward to the French Open," added the 2018 Roland Garros champion.

Czech Karolina Pliskova, seeded third, is the defending champion in Rome.&nbsp;

Rafael Nadal returns to competition after a six-month enforced break while Novak Djokovic is looking to make up for his US Open disqualification as the short clay-court season got underway in Rome on Monday without spectators.

Rafael Nadal returns to competition after a six-month enforced break while Novak Djokovic is looking to make up for his US Open disqualification as the short clay-court season got underway in Rome on Monday without spectators. The tournament at Rome's Foro Italico normally takes place in May but was pushed back after the coronavirus pandemic which turned the calendar upside down. "Obviously, it's not the same thing. There is no public, we are in a bubble, we cannot enjoy the city," said Nadal, who will play his first competitive match since his win in Acapulco at the end of February. "But at least we have a tennis tournament." Nadal, 34, is the second seed behind world number one Djokovic in the tune-up for the final Grand Slam of the season at the French Open on September 27. "Excited to be back. Circumstances have been, you know, heavy for everyone, tough ones," said Nadal who is targeting a tenth title in the Roman capital. Professional tennis was shut down from March until early August. And the world number two opted out of the US hard court tour because of coronavirus concerns and citing the "madness" of the new calendar. "Without regret," he insisted before his second round tie midweek against 27th-ranked compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta, who reached the semi-finals of the US Open. "I am similar to always, maybe a little bit worse because I didn't compete for the last six months. "But here I am. I arrived with plenty of time to try to have the right practices. That's what I am doing. I know I have a tough match against Pablo. He's playing great." "It's going to be a good test. I'm excited about going back to the competition without big expectations." But third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas does not believe the lack of competition will have an impact on two-time defending champion Nadal who has a 61-6 record in the tournament. "I don't think Rafa will be struggling much playing here," said Tsitsipas. "Regardless of how he feels, I'm sure he'll find a way. He always finds a way every single year." - 'Big lesson' - Four-time Rome winner Djokovic, who has reached nine finals in the Italian capital, wants to turn the page on his dramatic disqualification in the round of 16 at the US Open, after throwing the ball involuntarily at a lines judge. "It's great that I have a tournament right after that happened, because I feel like the earlier I get back in a competition mode, the faster I'll overcome that memory and kind of reprogramme it," the Serb told reporters in the Italian capital. "When you hit a ball like I did, you have a chance to hit someone on the court. The rules are clear, I accepted that. "I'm going to take this in, you know, as profound as possible for me as a big lesson." Djokovic had been unbeaten this year before his US Open exit and is targeting a title he last won in 2015. "Rafa obviously decided to stay on clay and practice, surely that gives him more advantage, but even if he didn't practice for that long on clay, he would still be the number one favourite in Roland Garros or any other clay tournament because he's Rafa, you know," he added. "And playing on clay he's the ultimate challenge. "It's going to be adjustment challenge, you know, how quickly can we adapt, how quickly can we adjust to this new surface." - 'Feel safe' - The women's tournament will be without Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty, who will not compete again this season because of coronavirus concerns. Serena Williams, suffering from an Achilles tendon problem, and US Open champion Naomi Osaka will also skip the Rome event. World number two Simona Halep, absent in the United States, will be the top seed. "I'm a little bit scared of what is going on in the world, but here I feel safe," said Halep. "Everything is really well taken care of. We cannot leave the hotel, we cannot leave the bubble. "I feel ready to start the tournament, and I am also looking forward to the French Open," added the 2018 Roland Garros champion. Czech Karolina Pliskova, seeded third, is the defending champion in Rome.

Nadal returns, Djokovic looking for redemption in Rome

Ace Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has avoided any action by F1’s governing body for the T-shirt he wore on the podium at the Tuscan Grand Prix. However, amid official review into FIA guidelines, Hamilton has now vowed to continue protesting and use his position to promote his views while raising awareness against discrimination.

Ahead of Sunday’s Tuscan Grand Prix, Hamilton took a knee while wearing a black T-shirt with the message: “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor”. He then went on to wear the same T-shirt in the post-match race interview and on the podium. Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman, was shot dead by police in Louisville six months ago.

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It’s been 6 months since Breonna Taylor was murdered by policemen, in her own home. Still no justice has been served. We won’t stay silent. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JusticeForBreonnaTaylor?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JusticeForBreonnaTaylor</a> <a href="https://t.co/7zinVHiYcH">pic.twitter.com/7zinVHiYcH</a>
— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton/status/1305185960024510464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/the-only-regret-i-have-neymar-alleges-racism-after-alvaro-gonzalez-bust-up-in-psg-vs-marseille-327389" hreflang="en">'The only regret I have...' - Neymar alleges racism after Alvaro Gonzalez bust-up in PSG vs Marseille</a>

While the FIA is a non-political organization, the matter was looked into with a conclusion that Hamilton will not be punished.

However, FIA has launched a review of the current set of guidelines which included what racing drivers can wear during an event. 
Hamilton took to social media platform Instagram to declare that he will continue to use his standing as a six-time winner to promote his views.

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✊ <a href="https://t.co/OXXW8OIy9C">pic.twitter.com/OXXW8OIy9C</a>
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) <a href="https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/1305180657140797442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sebastian-vettel-signs-for-aston-martin-from-ferrari-for-2021-and-beyond-326573" hreflang="en">Sebastian Vettel signs for Aston Martin from Ferrari for '2021 and beyond'</a>

“I want you to know that I won’t stop,” he wrote on Tuesday. “I won’t let up. I won’t give up on using this platform to shed light on what I believe is right. This is a journey for all of us to come together and challenge the world on every level of injustice, not only racial. We can help make this a better place for our kids and the future generations.”

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— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) <a href="https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/1305849221917089794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Damon Hill, Britain’s 1996 world champion, accused the sport of having previously ignored the issue of race. He wrote on Twitter: “Such mixed message to Lewis Hamilton’s t-shirt podium message.

“But F1 has always had its head in the sand over any issue that might make people think about anything other than F1. It has to make space for these messages if it is to be embraced by the wider world.”

Meanwhile, Hamilton is now one win away from equaling Michael Schumacher’s record with 90th career triumph of his career in Mugello last week. He will look to equalize Schumacher’s record at the Sochi Autodrom in Russia on Sunday. 
&nbsp;

Ace Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has avoided any action by F1’s governing body for the T-shirt he wore on the podium at the Tuscan Grand Prix. However, amid official review into FIA guidelines, Hamilton has now vowed to continue protesting and use his position to promote his views while raising awareness against discrimination.

Ace Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has avoided any action by F1’s governing body for the T-shirt he wore on the podium at the Tuscan Grand Prix. However, amid official review into FIA guidelines, Hamilton has now vowed to continue protesting and use his position to promote his views while raising awareness against discrimination. Ahead of Sunday’s Tuscan Grand Prix, Hamilton took a knee while wearing a black T-shirt with the message: “Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor”. He then went on to wear the same T-shirt in the post-match race interview and on the podium. Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman, was shot dead by police in Louisville six months ago. It’s been 6 months since Breonna Taylor was murdered by policemen, in her own home. Still no justice has been served. We won’t stay silent. #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor pic.twitter.com/7zinVHiYcH — Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) September 13, 2020 × ALSO READ: 'The only regret I have...' - Neymar alleges racism after Alvaro Gonzalez bust-up in PSG vs Marseille While the FIA is a non-political organization, the matter was looked into with a conclusion that Hamilton will not be punished. However, FIA has launched a review of the current set of guidelines which included what racing drivers can wear during an event. Hamilton took to social media platform Instagram to declare that he will continue to use his standing as a six-time winner to promote his views. ✊ pic.twitter.com/OXXW8OIy9C — Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) September 13, 2020 × ALSO READ: Sebastian Vettel signs for Aston Martin from Ferrari for '2021 and beyond' “I want you to know that I won’t stop,” he wrote on Tuesday. “I won’t let up. I won’t give up on using this platform to shed light on what I believe is right. This is a journey for all of us to come together and challenge the world on every level of injustice, not only racial. We can help make this a better place for our kids and the future generations.” ✊ @LewisHamilton pic.twitter.com/zb0rsn5Tfl — Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) September 15, 2020 × Damon Hill, Britain’s 1996 world champion, accused the sport of having previously ignored the issue of race. He wrote on Twitter: “Such mixed message to Lewis Hamilton’s t-shirt podium message. “But F1 has always had its head in the sand over any issue that might make people think about anything other than F1. It has to make space for these messages if it is to be embraced by the wider world.” Meanwhile, Hamilton is now one win away from equaling Michael Schumacher’s record with 90th career triumph of his career in Mugello last week. He will look to equalize Schumacher’s record at the Sochi Autodrom in Russia on Sunday.

As FIA launches review of guidelines, Lewis Hamilton vows to keep protesting

Ahead of the much-awaited <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>, many experts and pundits have named Delhi Capitals (DC) as one of the favourites to win the tournament or at least qualify for the playoffs. Commenting on DC’s chances in IPL 2020, all-rounder Axar Patel has said with top quality new recruitments, the franchise has ticked all the boxes and are well capable of going all the way in the tournament, set to commence on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals have added the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey among others to their ranks and are looking pretty solid on paper. However, they would need to better their performances from last year in a bid to end the trophy drought.&nbsp;

"With the new changes, I think the squad looks good. With fast bowlers, spinners and all-rounders, we have covered all the bases and I think we can become champions this time. Everyone looks positive in the nets and we all are in good shape,” Axar Patel said on Tuesday.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-who-are-the-favourites-in-mi-vs-csk-opener-gautam-gambhir-opines-327724" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Who are the favourites in MI vs CSK opener? Gautam Gambhir opines</a>

The 26-year-old further lamented the lack of crowds during the IPL as he said players will feel empty without the supporters in the stands.

"Obviously, with no crowd, we'll feel empty. Then, the saliva ban is going to make a big difference for the bowlers. During initial practice sessions, I was being conscious of not using saliva or sweat on the ball. So, these are the challenges which we will have to be wary of," he said.

"Nevertheless, the positive thing is that at least we will have action-packed cricket after a long time, which is a good thing for not only us, but also for India. Everyone will enjoy the game with a different frame of mind which will be really exciting," he said.

According to BCCI’s SOP, players and support staff will be tested every five days during the course of the tournament.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2020-top-5-all-rounders-to-watchout-for-327567" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Top 5 all-rounders to watchout for!</a>

"We are feeling a little bad that we can't enjoy the matches with our friends. After every two days, tests are being conducted. We can't go out anywhere and we can't sit for more than 15 minutes in anyone's room, so these things are challenging, but slowly we are getting used to it," he added.

Speaking on how he is preparing for the first match against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, Axar said, "First of all, it feels really good to be back playing on the ground after being off from cricket for a long time due to lockdown," he said.

"Since we are in the tournament week, it feels really good and the boys are in a positive frame. I feel I am practicing with a positive mindset. I have ticked all the boxes in bowling, batting and fielding, so I think I have prepared well enough," he concluded.

Ahead of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, many experts and pundits have named Delhi Capitals (DC) as one of the favourites to win the tournament or at least qualify for the playoffs.

Ahead of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, many experts and pundits have named Delhi Capitals (DC) as one of the favourites to win the tournament or at least qualify for the playoffs. Commenting on DC’s chances in IPL 2020, all-rounder Axar Patel has said with top quality new recruitments, the franchise has ticked all the boxes and are well capable of going all the way in the tournament, set to commence on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Delhi Capitals have added the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey among others to their ranks and are looking pretty solid on paper. However, they would need to better their performances from last year in a bid to end the trophy drought. "With the new changes, I think the squad looks good. With fast bowlers, spinners and all-rounders, we have covered all the bases and I think we can become champions this time. Everyone looks positive in the nets and we all are in good shape,” Axar Patel said on Tuesday. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Who are the favourites in MI vs CSK opener? Gautam Gambhir opines The 26-year-old further lamented the lack of crowds during the IPL as he said players will feel empty without the supporters in the stands. "Obviously, with no crowd, we'll feel empty. Then, the saliva ban is going to make a big difference for the bowlers. During initial practice sessions, I was being conscious of not using saliva or sweat on the ball. So, these are the challenges which we will have to be wary of," he said. "Nevertheless, the positive thing is that at least we will have action-packed cricket after a long time, which is a good thing for not only us, but also for India. Everyone will enjoy the game with a different frame of mind which will be really exciting," he said. According to BCCI’s SOP, players and support staff will be tested every five days during the course of the tournament. IN PICS | IPL 2020: Top 5 all-rounders to watchout for! "We are feeling a little bad that we can't enjoy the matches with our friends. After every two days, tests are being conducted. We can't go out anywhere and we can't sit for more than 15 minutes in anyone's room, so these things are challenging, but slowly we are getting used to it," he added. Speaking on how he is preparing for the first match against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, Axar said, "First of all, it feels really good to be back playing on the ground after being off from cricket for a long time due to lockdown," he said. "Since we are in the tournament week, it feels really good and the boys are in a positive frame. I feel I am practicing with a positive mindset. I have ticked all the boxes in bowling, batting and fielding, so I think I have prepared well enough," he concluded.

IPL 2020: Delhi Capitals can become champions this time, reckons Axar Patel

Defending champions Mumbai Indians are all set to lock horns with three-time winners Chennai Super Kings in the season opener of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a> at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 19. With the much-anticipated match still a few days away, former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has weighed his opinion on what to expect from the match and who heads into the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">IPL 2020</a> opener as favourites to win the match.&nbsp;

While CSK will be looking to get the revenge of one-run defeat in the final of IPL 2019, Gambhir is of the view that Mumbai Indians will have the upper hand in the match given the balance and depth of both the squad.&nbsp;

Gambhir said that he is excited to see how new recruit Trent Boult bowls in tandem with Jasprit Bumrah while adding the uniqueness of both the pacers will add a different dimension to the MI bowling unit. The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper further said that not having Suresh Raina at number three will have a massive impact in how CSK play as a team.

TRENDING:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-face-off-intense-rivalry-between-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-327555" hreflang="en">IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings</a>

“I am very excited to see how Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah will be bowling together with the new ball. Because Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult are world-class bowlers and both of them are wicket-taking options in T20 cricket. A left-arm seamer who brings the ball in for right-handers and Jasprit Bumrah who is unorthodox,” Gambhir said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected.

“It will be a huge challenge for Chennai Super Kings as they don’t have Suresh Raina at No.3, plus Shane Watson does not play much international cricket and has not played cricket for a long time, so how he plays against Bumrah and Trent Boult. We will also have to see with whom he would be opening the batting.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2020-rajasthan-royals-star-all-rounder-ben-stokes-availability-still-in-doubt-327719" hreflang="en">IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' star all-rounder Ben Stokes' availability still in doubt</a>

“I feel the Mumbai Indians have the upper hand if you see the balance and depth of the squad.” They have also added Trent Boult to their squad, who will give them a very good option,” Gambhir added.

IPL 2020 is set to start from September 19 with the final scheduled to be played on November 10. 
&nbsp;

Defending champions Mumbai Indians are all set to lock horns with three-time winners Chennai Super Kings in the season opener of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 19.

Defending champions Mumbai Indians are all set to lock horns with three-time winners Chennai Super Kings in the season opener of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 19. With the much-anticipated match still a few days away, former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has weighed his opinion on what to expect from the match and who heads into the IPL 2020 opener as favourites to win the match. While CSK will be looking to get the revenge of one-run defeat in the final of IPL 2019, Gambhir is of the view that Mumbai Indians will have the upper hand in the match given the balance and depth of both the squad. Gambhir said that he is excited to see how new recruit Trent Boult bowls in tandem with Jasprit Bumrah while adding the uniqueness of both the pacers will add a different dimension to the MI bowling unit. The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper further said that not having Suresh Raina at number three will have a massive impact in how CSK play as a team. TRENDING: IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings “I am very excited to see how Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah will be bowling together with the new ball. Because Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult are world-class bowlers and both of them are wicket-taking options in T20 cricket. A left-arm seamer who brings the ball in for right-handers and Jasprit Bumrah who is unorthodox,” Gambhir said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected. “It will be a huge challenge for Chennai Super Kings as they don’t have Suresh Raina at No.3, plus Shane Watson does not play much international cricket and has not played cricket for a long time, so how he plays against Bumrah and Trent Boult. We will also have to see with whom he would be opening the batting. ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Rajasthan Royals' star all-rounder Ben Stokes' availability still in doubt “I feel the Mumbai Indians have the upper hand if you see the balance and depth of the squad.” They have also added Trent Boult to their squad, who will give them a very good option,” Gambhir added. IPL 2020 is set to start from September 19 with the final scheduled to be played on November 10.

IPL 2020: Who are the favourites in MI vs CSK opener? Gautam Gambhir opines

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is looking to cut 62 job positions within the organization due to massive financial impact of the COVID-19, chief executive Tom Harrison said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

With professional cricket in the UK hit badly for many months due to the dreaded coronavirus, Harrison said that the sport had witnessed losses to the tune of more than 100 million pounds ($128.92 million) with the figures expected to rise to 200 million pounds if there are further disruptions to the calendar year in 2021.&nbsp;

ECB’s brainchild – The Hundred – was likely to add 11 million pounds of revenue to the sport in its first year but the tournament was postponed until 2021.&nbsp;

“The entire cricket network has pulled together to get us through this challenge so far and overcoming it will mean continuing to make tough decisions as we have done this year,” Harrison said in a statement.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mentally-challenging-jofra-archer-opts-out-of-big-bash-league-to-spend-time-with-family-327663" hreflang="en">'Mentally challenging...' - Jofra Archer opts out of Big Bash League to spend time with family</a>

“Over recent weeks we have thoroughly reviewed the ECB’s structures and budgets in order to reduce central costs without compromising on our ambitions....

“These proposals include a 20% reduction in our workforce budget, which will equate to the removal of 62 roles from our structure.” 
Earlier, the ECB had used short-term cost-cutting measures, including furloughing staff, pay cuts and recruitment freeze at the onset of financial crisis. However, Harrison explained that a long-term solution is needed.&nbsp;

“It is an irrefutable fact that the impact of this pandemic is significant and will be long-lasting. There is deep uncertainty about the future and it is vital we take more steps to ensure the future financial sustainability of cricket in England and Wales,” he said.

<h2>Full statement by ECB’s Tom Harrison:</h2>

The COVID-19 pandemic has left cricket facing its most significant challenge of the modern era. The game has already lost more than £100m, and the financial impact is likely to be £200m if there is further disruption next year, which many are expecting.

Getting cricket back on this summer – at a recreational, domestic and international level, for both men and women - has been a remarkable achievement by everyone across the game. It has been the result of true partnership in action; across our first class counties and recreational game, from our broadcast and commercial partners and with Government and local public health agencies.

When the crisis first hit, the ECB put in place a range of measures to save money in the short term including furloughing staff and significant pay reductions across the organisation, in addition to a recruitment freeze. I am very proud of the work that has been done by my colleagues across the business and the sacrifices made at a time when we asked them to work harder than ever before, while managing their own personal experiences of COVID. It is now an irrefutable fact however, that the impact of this pandemic is significant and will be long-lasting. There is also deep uncertainty about the future, and it is vital we take more steps now to ensure the future financial sustainability of cricket in England and Wales.

The entire cricket network has pulled together to get us through this challenge so far and overcoming it will mean continuing to work in partnership and continuing to make tough decisions as we have done this year. We must reduce the cost base across the game - and that requires the ECB to lead the way by reducing its own cost base.

Given this new reality, if we are to safeguard cricket’s long-term future and still deliver on the growth ambitions of our Inspiring Generations strategy, it is clear the ECB will need to become a leaner and more agile organisation.

Over recent weeks we have thoroughly reviewed the ECB’s structures and budgets in order to reduce central costs without compromising on our ambitions. We have now shared with colleagues our Board-approved proposals, which will generate significant savings. Every part of the ECB is affected by these changes, and these savings will only be possible by reducing our headcount.

These proposals include a 20% reduction in our workforce budget, which will equate to the removal of 62 roles from our structure – a number which is largely made up of existing headcount and a small number of vacant positions. Additionally, we are also proposing further cost savings by changing a number of current posts into flexible working roles. ECB staff have been informed and a collective consultation will begin imminently.

Seven months ago, sharing a message of this nature was unthinkable. The position we had created to come together as a game and grow cricket on the back of a remarkable year in 2019 was truly game-changing. Our ambition and energy are unchanged, but how we get there now needs to look significantly different to what we originally planned for.

I am extremely proud of the work everyone at the ECB and the wider county, county board and club network has done this summer. In the most trying of circumstances, with uncertainty the only guarantee, we have come together to deliver a compelling summer of cricket at all levels. When the pressure has been on, our sport has come together and shown cricket in its best light.

Over the coming weeks we will be supporting our colleagues affected by these proposals as we seek to safeguard the future of our sport. We will share more news as this process progresses. 
&nbsp;

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is looking to cut 62 job positions within the organization due to massive financial impact of the COVID-19, chief executive Tom Harrison said on Tuesday.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is looking to cut 62 job positions within the organization due to massive financial impact of the COVID-19, chief executive Tom Harrison said on Tuesday. With professional cricket in the UK hit badly for many months due to the dreaded coronavirus, Harrison said that the sport had witnessed losses to the tune of more than 100 million pounds ($128.92 million) with the figures expected to rise to 200 million pounds if there are further disruptions to the calendar year in 2021. ECB’s brainchild – The Hundred – was likely to add 11 million pounds of revenue to the sport in its first year but the tournament was postponed until 2021. “The entire cricket network has pulled together to get us through this challenge so far and overcoming it will mean continuing to make tough decisions as we have done this year,” Harrison said in a statement. ALSO READ: 'Mentally challenging...' - Jofra Archer opts out of Big Bash League to spend time with family “Over recent weeks we have thoroughly reviewed the ECB’s structures and budgets in order to reduce central costs without compromising on our ambitions.... “These proposals include a 20% reduction in our workforce budget, which will equate to the removal of 62 roles from our structure.” Earlier, the ECB had used short-term cost-cutting measures, including furloughing staff, pay cuts and recruitment freeze at the onset of financial crisis. However, Harrison explained that a long-term solution is needed. “It is an irrefutable fact that the impact of this pandemic is significant and will be long-lasting. There is deep uncertainty about the future and it is vital we take more steps to ensure the future financial sustainability of cricket in England and Wales,” he said. Full statement by ECB’s Tom Harrison: The COVID-19 pandemic has left cricket facing its most significant challenge of the modern era. The game has already lost more than £100m, and the financial impact is likely to be £200m if there is further disruption next year, which many are expecting. Getting cricket back on this summer – at a recreational, domestic and international level, for both men and women - has been a remarkable achievement by everyone across the game. It has been the result of true partnership in action; across our first class counties and recreational game, from our broadcast and commercial partners and with Government and local public health agencies. When the crisis first hit, the ECB put in place a range of measures to save money in the short term including furloughing staff and significant pay reductions across the organisation, in addition to a recruitment freeze. I am very proud of the work that has been done by my colleagues across the business and the sacrifices made at a time when we asked them to work harder than ever before, while managing their own personal experiences of COVID. It is now an irrefutable fact however, that the impact of this pandemic is significant and will be long-lasting. There is also deep uncertainty about the future, and it is vital we take more steps now to ensure the future financial sustainability of cricket in England and Wales. The entire cricket network has pulled together to get us through this challenge so far and overcoming it will mean continuing to work in partnership and continuing to make tough decisions as we have done this year. We must reduce the cost base across the game - and that requires the ECB to lead the way by reducing its own cost base. Given this new reality, if we are to safeguard cricket’s long-term future and still deliver on the growth ambitions of our Inspiring Generations strategy, it is clear the ECB will need to become a leaner and more agile organisation. Over recent weeks we have thoroughly reviewed the ECB’s structures and budgets in order to reduce central costs without compromising on our ambitions. We have now shared with colleagues our Board-approved proposals, which will generate significant savings. Every part of the ECB is affected by these changes, and these savings will only be possible by reducing our headcount. These proposals include a 20% reduction in our workforce budget, which will equate to the removal of 62 roles from our structure – a number which is largely made up of existing headcount and a small number of vacant positions. Additionally, we are also proposing further cost savings by changing a number of current posts into flexible working roles. ECB staff have been informed and a collective consultation will begin imminently. Seven months ago, sharing a message of this nature was unthinkable. The position we had created to come together as a game and grow cricket on the back of a remarkable year in 2019 was truly game-changing. Our ambition and energy are unchanged, but how we get there now needs to look significantly different to what we originally planned for. I am extremely proud of the work everyone at the ECB and the wider county, county board and club network has done this summer. In the most trying of circumstances, with uncertainty the only guarantee, we have come together to deliver a compelling summer of cricket at all levels. When the pressure has been on, our sport has come together and shown cricket in its best light. Over the coming weeks we will be supporting our colleagues affected by these proposals as we seek to safeguard the future of our sport. We will share more news as this process progresses.

ECB planning to cut 62 jobs due to financial ramifications of COVID-19

Ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">Indian Premier League (IPL 2020)</a>, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to remain in quarantine as he is yet to test negative for COVID-19 after 13-14 days in self-isolation. The young batsman hasn’t been allowed to join the franchise’s bio-secure bubble in the team hotel and will be allowed to join only when he returns negative for the dreaded virus.

Gaikwad was among the two players tested positive for coronavirus in the CSK camp with the other player being Deepak Chahar, who has tested negative for the virus and started training with the rest of Super Kings squad.

According to TOI, CSK management was hopeful of having Ruturaj back before the season opener against Mumbai Indians on September 19 but the latest COVID-19 report brushed off the optimism. However, Ruturaj is asymptomatic from the beginning.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-australias-josh-hazlewood-opens-up-on-england-and-india-series-ipl-2020-injuries-and-more-316469" hreflang="en">EXCLUSIVE: Australia's Josh Hazlewood opens up on England and India series, IPL 2020, injuries and more</a>

Ruturaj is being seen as an ideal replacement for Suresh Raina, who returned back to India citing personal reasons. However, with the latest development, Ambati Rayudu is likely to bat at no. three.

The young batsman is heading to the IPL on the back of a cracking domestic season and many experts have backed him to take the throne forward from Raina.&nbsp;

CSK team has been sweating it heard ahead of their first match against Mumbai Indians as the MS Dhoni-led outfit looks to another eventful season in the 13th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-face-off-intense-rivalry-between-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-327555" hreflang="en">IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings</a>

Meanwhile, BCCI’s medical officer Nitin Patel also continues to remain in quarantine as he is yet to test negative for the dreaded virus.

Earlier, CSK were dealt a massive blow when Raina and veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh pulled out of IPL 2020 due to personal reasons. 
&nbsp;

Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to remain in quarantine as he is yet to test negative for COVID-19 after 13-14 days in self-isolation.

Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to remain in quarantine as he is yet to test negative for COVID-19 after 13-14 days in self-isolation. The young batsman hasn’t been allowed to join the franchise’s bio-secure bubble in the team hotel and will be allowed to join only when he returns negative for the dreaded virus. Gaikwad was among the two players tested positive for coronavirus in the CSK camp with the other player being Deepak Chahar, who has tested negative for the virus and started training with the rest of Super Kings squad. According to TOI, CSK management was hopeful of having Ruturaj back before the season opener against Mumbai Indians on September 19 but the latest COVID-19 report brushed off the optimism. However, Ruturaj is asymptomatic from the beginning. ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Australia's Josh Hazlewood opens up on England and India series, IPL 2020, injuries and more Ruturaj is being seen as an ideal replacement for Suresh Raina, who returned back to India citing personal reasons. However, with the latest development, Ambati Rayudu is likely to bat at no. three. The young batsman is heading to the IPL on the back of a cracking domestic season and many experts have backed him to take the throne forward from Raina. CSK team has been sweating it heard ahead of their first match against Mumbai Indians as the MS Dhoni-led outfit looks to another eventful season in the 13th edition of the lucrative T20 tournament. IN PICS | IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings Meanwhile, BCCI’s medical officer Nitin Patel also continues to remain in quarantine as he is yet to test negative for the dreaded virus. Earlier, CSK were dealt a massive blow when Raina and veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh pulled out of IPL 2020 due to personal reasons.

IPL 2020: CSK batsman Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to be COVID-19 positive, remains in quarantine

Premier League 2020-21: Action in pictures as new season begins with an eventful week

This weekend was a treat for the chess enthusiasts as the team that won India its maiden Chess Olympiad gold celebrated its victory with a special Twitter Chat using the service’s new conversation settings.&nbsp;

This exclusive Twitter Chat was hosted by the vice-captain Srinath Narayanan and the comic Samay Raina. They engaged in light-hearted conversations with Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, captain Vidit Gujrathi along with the other members of the Indian team including Koneru Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, Vantika Agrawal , Nihal Sarin, Divya Deshmukh, Praggnanandhaa and Bhakti Kulkarni. The winning team talked about its Chess Olympiad experience and also shared some tips for budding chess players, on how to prepare for a tournament as big as the Olympiad. The chat also saw the participation of another eminent Indian player, Adhiban Baskaran, and streamer Sagar Shah.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TwitterIndia</a> we are doing a session of Q and A with the Indian team.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChessTweetChat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChessTweetChat</a> <a href="https://t.co/WswL4vkvWv">https://t.co/WswL4vkvWv</a>
— Samay Raina (@ReheSamay) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReheSamay/status/1305110433045442566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Indian team created history on August 30 by winning its first-ever gold in the 2020 Online Chess Olympiad. This was the first time FIDE, the international chess federation, was holding the Olympiad in an online format due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The chat started off with some smooth ‘opening moves’ by Srinath and Samay&nbsp;and quickly progressed to an engaging session of banter between the participants. The chat also saw members of the team sharing their thoughts about some significant developments in the game.&nbsp;

During the chat, Vishwanathan Anand was asked about his views on FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich’s suggestion of staging a Champions Series between India and Russia. In his reply, the Indian chess legend said that he liked the idea and it is on the lines of similar series of matches Russia has played against many other teams, including China.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/five-things-we-learned-from-the-premier-leagues-return-327647" hreflang="en">Five things we learned from the Premier League's return</a>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Its a good idea, like the matches that Russia has played with China for many years or other team matches that are organised
— Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) <a href="https://twitter.com/vishy64theking/status/1305110577740746752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Grandmaster was also asked about his opinion on one of the most interesting new trends in the tabletop game, that of streaming, by Samay, who is an accomplished chess streamer himself. Vishwanathan Anand answered by saying that he was supportive of the development, which would help attract a newer demographic to the game.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-hope-to-carry-domestic-form-into-ipl-2020-says-kings-xi-punjabs-mandeep-singh-327464" hreflang="en">Exclusive: Hope to carry domestic form into IPL 2020, says Kings XI Punjab's Mandeep Singh</a>

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it is an interesting development, definitely introduces new people to the game of chess, which is a good thing
— Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) <a href="https://twitter.com/vishy64theking/status/1305111426755895296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The players sharing their experiences, their favorite moments as well as their journey throughout the tournament in general, were some of the other key highlights of this memorable chat:

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I would like to thank each and every member of the team , the captains, the streamers and our viewers for making my first Chess Olympiad a memorable one.
— Vantika (@vantikachess) <a href="https://twitter.com/vantikachess/status/1305124660200128512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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it was nice to get a team gold, and I enjoyed being part of the team journey
— Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) <a href="https://twitter.com/vishy64theking/status/1305108616328904704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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I think winning against china with the score of 4-2 and directly qualifying to quarterfinals was my favorite moment <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChessTweetChat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChessTweetChat</a>
— Divya Deshmukh (@DivyaDeshmukh05) <a href="https://twitter.com/DivyaDeshmukh05/status/1305111032889708545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Compared to other games I spent more time analyzing my game with Batsuren Dambasuren (Mongolia) the game was very complex <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChessTweetChat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChessTweetChat</a>
— Praggnanandhaa (@rpragchess) <a href="https://twitter.com/rpragchess/status/1305114019708108800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

This weekend was a treat for the chess enthusiasts as the team that won India its maiden Chess Olympiad gold celebrated its victory with a special Twitter Chat using the service’s new conversation settings.

This weekend was a treat for the chess enthusiasts as the team that won India its maiden Chess Olympiad gold celebrated its victory with a special Twitter Chat using the service’s new conversation settings. This exclusive Twitter Chat was hosted by the vice-captain Srinath Narayanan and the comic Samay Raina. They engaged in light-hearted conversations with Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, captain Vidit Gujrathi along with the other members of the Indian team including Koneru Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, Vantika Agrawal , Nihal Sarin, Divya Deshmukh, Praggnanandhaa and Bhakti Kulkarni. The winning team talked about its Chess Olympiad experience and also shared some tips for budding chess players, on how to prepare for a tournament as big as the Olympiad. The chat also saw the participation of another eminent Indian player, Adhiban Baskaran, and streamer Sagar Shah. Thanks to @TwitterIndia we are doing a session of Q and A with the Indian team.#ChessTweetChat https://t.co/WswL4vkvWv — Samay Raina (@ReheSamay) September 13, 2020 × The Indian team created history on August 30 by winning its first-ever gold in the 2020 Online Chess Olympiad. This was the first time FIDE, the international chess federation, was holding the Olympiad in an online format due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The chat started off with some smooth ‘opening moves’ by Srinath and Samay and quickly progressed to an engaging session of banter between the participants. The chat also saw members of the team sharing their thoughts about some significant developments in the game. During the chat, Vishwanathan Anand was asked about his views on FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich’s suggestion of staging a Champions Series between India and Russia. In his reply, the Indian chess legend said that he liked the idea and it is on the lines of similar series of matches Russia has played against many other teams, including China. ALSO READ: Five things we learned from the Premier League's return Its a good idea, like the matches that Russia has played with China for many years or other team matches that are organised — Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) September 13, 2020 × The Grandmaster was also asked about his opinion on one of the most interesting new trends in the tabletop game, that of streaming, by Samay, who is an accomplished chess streamer himself. Vishwanathan Anand answered by saying that he was supportive of the development, which would help attract a newer demographic to the game. ALSO READ: Exclusive: Hope to carry domestic form into IPL 2020, says Kings XI Punjab's Mandeep Singh it is an interesting development, definitely introduces new people to the game of chess, which is a good thing — Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) September 13, 2020 × The players sharing their experiences, their favorite moments as well as their journey throughout the tournament in general, were some of the other key highlights of this memorable chat: I would like to thank each and every member of the team , the captains, the streamers and our viewers for making my first Chess Olympiad a memorable one. — Vantika (@vantikachess) September 13, 2020 × it was nice to get a team gold, and I enjoyed being part of the team journey — Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) September 13, 2020 × I think winning against china with the score of 4-2 and directly qualifying to quarterfinals was my favorite moment #ChessTweetChat — Divya Deshmukh (@DivyaDeshmukh05) September 13, 2020 × Compared to other games I spent more time analyzing my game with Batsuren Dambasuren (Mongolia) the game was very complex #ChessTweetChat — Praggnanandhaa (@rpragchess) September 13, 2020 ×

Indian chess team celebrates its Olympiad victory with a special Twitter Chat

England speedster Jofra Archer has opted out of the Big Bash League 2020-21 to spend time with his family. Archer has been one of the England players who have been inside the bio-secure bubble since the restart of cricket in the UK. He has been part of the England team since the series against the West Indies and will now head to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/ipl">Indian Premier League</a> in the UAE.&nbsp;

Archer will remain inside the bubble during the course of IPL 2020 and the Barbadian-born English pacer said he’s had enough of ‘bubbles’ in the current year. In BBL, Archer plays for Hobart Hurricanes and has scalped 35 wickets in 28 matches.

After the completion of the ongoing ODI series against Australia, Archer will be moved to the UAE, inside another bubble, for IPL 2020, where he will be seen playing for Rajasthan Royals.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-hope-to-carry-domestic-form-into-ipl-2020-says-kings-xi-punjabs-mandeep-singh-327464" hreflang="en">Exclusive: Hope to carry domestic form into IPL 2020, says Kings XI Punjab's Mandeep Singh</a>

Archer admitted that staying inside the bio-bubble is mentally challenging while revealing he hasn’t seen his family since February. He is likely to tour to South Africa with England after the completion of IPL and hence wants to spend time with family in December before gearing up for the tour of India.

“I’ll tell you; it has been mentally challenging. I‘ll be honest with you, I don’t know if I have much more bubbles left in me for the rest of the year. I haven’t seen my family, really, since February,” Archer was quoted as saying on Fox Sports.

“The IPL is going to be most of October, November, we’re going to South Africa hopefully as well. That only leaves me with a few weeks in December for the rest of the year. I love my Hobart family, but I think I need to spend some time with my real family as well,” Archer stated.

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-face-off-intense-rivalry-between-mumbai-indians-and-chennai-super-kings-327555" hreflang="en">IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings</a>

“When the year turns, we’re going to be back in the bubble in the UAE and then India. Family time is really important, especially when you actually cannot see them physically. So, any time off I’m going to spend with them,” he added.

BBL 2020-21 is scheduled to start on December 3. 
&nbsp;

England speedster Jofra Archer has opted out of the Big Bash League 2020-21 to spend time with his family. Archer has been one of the England players who have been inside the bio-secure bubble since the restart of cricket in the UK.

England speedster Jofra Archer has opted out of the Big Bash League 2020-21 to spend time with his family. Archer has been one of the England players who have been inside the bio-secure bubble since the restart of cricket in the UK. He has been part of the England team since the series against the West Indies and will now head to the Indian Premier League in the UAE. Archer will remain inside the bubble during the course of IPL 2020 and the Barbadian-born English pacer said he’s had enough of ‘bubbles’ in the current year. In BBL, Archer plays for Hobart Hurricanes and has scalped 35 wickets in 28 matches. After the completion of the ongoing ODI series against Australia, Archer will be moved to the UAE, inside another bubble, for IPL 2020, where he will be seen playing for Rajasthan Royals. ALSO READ: Exclusive: Hope to carry domestic form into IPL 2020, says Kings XI Punjab's Mandeep Singh Archer admitted that staying inside the bio-bubble is mentally challenging while revealing he hasn’t seen his family since February. He is likely to tour to South Africa with England after the completion of IPL and hence wants to spend time with family in December before gearing up for the tour of India. “I’ll tell you; it has been mentally challenging. I‘ll be honest with you, I don’t know if I have much more bubbles left in me for the rest of the year. I haven’t seen my family, really, since February,” Archer was quoted as saying on Fox Sports. “The IPL is going to be most of October, November, we’re going to South Africa hopefully as well. That only leaves me with a few weeks in December for the rest of the year. I love my Hobart family, but I think I need to spend some time with my real family as well,” Archer stated. IN PICS | IPL Face-off: Intense rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings “When the year turns, we’re going to be back in the bubble in the UAE and then India. Family time is really important, especially when you actually cannot see them physically. So, any time off I’m going to spend with them,” he added. BBL 2020-21 is scheduled to start on December 3.

'Mentally challenging...' - Jofra Archer opts out of Big Bash League to spend time with family

Trent Boult will have big responsibilities on his shoulder in the absence of veteran Lasith Malinga as the Kiwi speedster is all set to take to the field for Mumbai Indians in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/ipl-2020">Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020</a>, scheduled to commence from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

While Malinga is a massive loss to Mumbai Indians, Boult’s inclusion will come as a relief for the Rohit Sharma-led franchise, who will look to defend the IPL trophy with an extremely strong team on paper.

This will be the first time Boult will take to the field for Mumbai Indians and the left-arm pacer explained what could be the biggest challenge for players in the UAE. Boult even explained what it is the difference between playing for and against a side like Mumbai Indians.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-hope-to-carry-domestic-form-into-ipl-2020-says-kings-xi-punjabs-mandeep-singh-327464" hreflang="en">Exclusive: Hope to carry domestic form into IPL 2020 - Mandeep Singh</a>

“I have played for a couple of other franchises but I am obviously excited to be a part of the Mumbai Indians family. Speaking from experience I have played against them a few times. The big challenge that you face when you come up against this side is that they have always been very intimidating. So it’s nice to be on the other end of it and be part of such a cool group,” Boult told MI TV.

Talking about challenges in UAE conditions, Boult said: “The biggest challenge has been trying to prepare to come to 45 degrees in the middle of the dessert. I come from a very small country New Zealand which is about 7 or 9 degrees at the moment.

IN PICS:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-trivia-top-5-batsmen-with-highest-individual-scores-327544" hreflang="en">IPL trivia: Top 5 batsmen with highest individual scores!</a>

“I have played cricket here. I know conditions can change very drastically. But I am hoping for good wickets,” Boult added.

Boult was roped in by Mumbai Indians after a trade-off with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020 auction in December last year.

Trent Boult will have big responsibilities on his shoulder in the absence of veteran Lasith Malinga as the Kiwi speedster is all set to take to the field for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, scheduled to commence from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Trent Boult will have big responsibilities on his shoulder in the absence of veteran Lasith Malinga as the Kiwi speedster is all set to take to the field for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, scheduled to commence from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While Malinga is a massive loss to Mumbai Indians, Boult’s inclusion will come as a relief for the Rohit Sharma-led franchise, who will look to defend the IPL trophy with an extremely strong team on paper. This will be the first time Boult will take to the field for Mumbai Indians and the left-arm pacer explained what could be the biggest challenge for players in the UAE. Boult even explained what it is the difference between playing for and against a side like Mumbai Indians. ALSO READ: Exclusive: Hope to carry domestic form into IPL 2020 - Mandeep Singh “I have played for a couple of other franchises but I am obviously excited to be a part of the Mumbai Indians family. Speaking from experience I have played against them a few times. The big challenge that you face when you come up against this side is that they have always been very intimidating. So it’s nice to be on the other end of it and be part of such a cool group,” Boult told MI TV. Talking about challenges in UAE conditions, Boult said: “The biggest challenge has been trying to prepare to come to 45 degrees in the middle of the dessert. I come from a very small country New Zealand which is about 7 or 9 degrees at the moment. IN PICS: IPL trivia: Top 5 batsmen with highest individual scores! “I have played cricket here. I know conditions can change very drastically. But I am hoping for good wickets,” Boult added. Boult was roped in by Mumbai Indians after a trade-off with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020 auction in December last year.

IPL 2020: What will be the biggest challenge in UAE? Mumbai Indians' Trent Boult explains

Carlo Ancelotti said his belief that Everton will compete with the Premier League's top six this season was justified after Dominic Calvert-Lewin's towering header earned their first win over Tottenham since 2012 with a 1-0 victory on Sunday.

Ancelotti has been heavily backed with the signings of James Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan, and the Toffees looked a much-improved side on the one that finished 12th last season as they were thoroughly deserving winners at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"We showed we can compete, which is the most important message, that we can compete if the spirit is good, if the attitude is good," said Ancelotti.

"I said before the game our target was to fight for the European places. The first game was good, we have to see the second game and the third game, so we have to wait a little bit but I have a lot of confidence. I had (confidence) before this game and I have more confidence now, but we have to be focused."

Spurs are also hoping for an upturn in Jose Mourinho's first full season as boss, but the hosts looked &nbsp;short on ideas as they slipped to a damaging home defeat for their aspirations of mounting a challenge to get back into the top four this season.

"I didn't like my team," said Mourinho, who complained of the free-kick leading to Everton's goal and his players' lack of preparation time in a shortened pre-season.

"After their goal we were poor. We were not physically strong, there was no intensity. The team lacks physical condition."

Mourinho added Spurs' pre-season had been hit by positive coronavirus tests, but did not reveal the players involved.

Everton looked the fitter and better prepared side with their new midfield trio helping to control possession, but it was on the counter-attack they wasted by far the best chance of the game.

Richarlison intercepted Ben Davies's wayward pass and accelerated past Toby Alderweireld and Hugo Lloris before skewing high and wide with an open goal to aim at and Calvert-Lewin begging for a cut-back.

Spurs offered little as an attacking threat, but Jordan Pickford did have to make two good saves before half-time to deny Dele Alli and Matt Doherty on his debut.

Everton surrendered meekly to a 1-0 defeat when they visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in July without mustering a meaningful shot on goal.

But the difference a few months and fresh faces can make was on show in the second half as they controlled the game to earn a first win over Spurs in 16 games.

The only goal of the game arrived 10 minutes after the break as Calvert-Lewin rose highest to power Lucas Digne's free-kick into the top corner.

Mourinho said on Friday he hopes to add another striker before the end of the transfer window to add some support to Harry Kane, but any new arrival will need better service to work with as the England captain did not have an opportunity to get his side back on level terms.

Everton and Richarlison continued to enjoy all the chances as twice the Brazilian cut inside on his favoured right foot and curled efforts just beyond Lloris's far post.

However, one goal was enough for a statement win for the visitors and the worst possible start for Tottenham ahead of a gruelling schedule as they face up to eight games in the Europa League, League Cup and Premier League in the next three weeks.

"On Thursday we have a knockout game (in the Europa League) so there is not much time to cry or complain," added Mourinho.

Carlo Ancelotti said his belief that Everton will compete with the Premier League's top six this season was justified after Dominic Calvert-Lewin's towering header earned their first win over Tottenham since 2012 with a 1-0 victory on Sunday.

Carlo Ancelotti said his belief that Everton will compete with the Premier League's top six this season was justified after Dominic Calvert-Lewin's towering header earned their first win over Tottenham since 2012 with a 1-0 victory on Sunday. Ancelotti has been heavily backed with the signings of James Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan, and the Toffees looked a much-improved side on the one that finished 12th last season as they were thoroughly deserving winners at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. "We showed we can compete, which is the most important message, that we can compete if the spirit is good, if the attitude is good," said Ancelotti. "I said before the game our target was to fight for the European places. The first game was good, we have to see the second game and the third game, so we have to wait a little bit but I have a lot of confidence. I had (confidence) before this game and I have more confidence now, but we have to be focused." Spurs are also hoping for an upturn in Jose Mourinho's first full season as boss, but the hosts looked short on ideas as they slipped to a damaging home defeat for their aspirations of mounting a challenge to get back into the top four this season. "I didn't like my team," said Mourinho, who complained of the free-kick leading to Everton's goal and his players' lack of preparation time in a shortened pre-season. "After their goal we were poor. We were not physically strong, there was no intensity. The team lacks physical condition." Mourinho added Spurs' pre-season had been hit by positive coronavirus tests, but did not reveal the players involved. Everton looked the fitter and better prepared side with their new midfield trio helping to control possession, but it was on the counter-attack they wasted by far the best chance of the game. Richarlison intercepted Ben Davies's wayward pass and accelerated past Toby Alderweireld and Hugo Lloris before skewing high and wide with an open goal to aim at and Calvert-Lewin begging for a cut-back. Spurs offered little as an attacking threat, but Jordan Pickford did have to make two good saves before half-time to deny Dele Alli and Matt Doherty on his debut. Everton surrendered meekly to a 1-0 defeat when they visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in July without mustering a meaningful shot on goal. But the difference a few months and fresh faces can make was on show in the second half as they controlled the game to earn a first win over Spurs in 16 games. The only goal of the game arrived 10 minutes after the break as Calvert-Lewin rose highest to power Lucas Digne's free-kick into the top corner. Mourinho said on Friday he hopes to add another striker before the end of the transfer window to add some support to Harry Kane, but any new arrival will need better service to work with as the England captain did not have an opportunity to get his side back on level terms. Everton and Richarlison continued to enjoy all the chances as twice the Brazilian cut inside on his favoured right foot and curled efforts just beyond Lloris's far post. However, one goal was enough for a statement win for the visitors and the worst possible start for Tottenham ahead of a gruelling schedule as they face up to eight games in the Europa League, League Cup and Premier League in the next three weeks. "On Thursday we have a knockout game (in the Europa League) so there is not much time to cry or complain," added Mourinho.

Ancelotti confident new-look Everton can shake up top six after Spurs win

World champions England staged a remarkable rally in the field to beat Australia by 24 runs in the second one-day international at Old Trafford on Sunday as they levelled a three-match series at 1-1.&nbsp;

Australia were cruising to a modest target of 232 at 144-2 before losing four wickets for three runs, including captain Aaron Finch for 73, to be 147-6.

Sam Curran then took two wickets in two balls before leg-spinner Adil Rashid ended the match with eight balls to spare when he had Alex Carey stumped. &nbsp;

Earlier, Australia held England to 231-9, with captain Eoin Morgan top-scoring with 42 after he won the toss.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa took 3-36 from his maximum 10 overs.

England were in dire trouble at 149-8 before a ninth-wicket partnership of 76 between Tom Curran (37) and Adil Rashid (35 not out) kept them in the game.

The series concludes at Old Trafford on Wednesday -- England's final match of a season where they will have played their 18 scheduled international fixtures, albeit behind closed doors, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Brief scores

England 231-9, 50 overs (A Zampa 3-36)

Australia 207, 48.4 overs (A Finch 73; C Woakes 3-32, J Archer 3-34, S Curran 3-35)

Result: England won by 24 runs

Series: Three-match series level at 1-1&nbsp;

World champions England staged a remarkable rally in the field to beat Australia by 24 runs in the second one-day international at Old Trafford on Sunday as they levelled a three-match series at 1-1.

World champions England staged a remarkable rally in the field to beat Australia by 24 runs in the second one-day international at Old Trafford on Sunday as they levelled a three-match series at 1-1. Australia were cruising to a modest target of 232 at 144-2 before losing four wickets for three runs, including captain Aaron Finch for 73, to be 147-6. Sam Curran then took two wickets in two balls before leg-spinner Adil Rashid ended the match with eight balls to spare when he had Alex Carey stumped. Earlier, Australia held England to 231-9, with captain Eoin Morgan top-scoring with 42 after he won the toss. Leg-spinner Adam Zampa took 3-36 from his maximum 10 overs. England were in dire trouble at 149-8 before a ninth-wicket partnership of 76 between Tom Curran (37) and Adil Rashid (35 not out) kept them in the game. The series concludes at Old Trafford on Wednesday -- England's final match of a season where they will have played their 18 scheduled international fixtures, albeit behind closed doors, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Brief scores England 231-9, 50 overs (A Zampa 3-36) Australia 207, 48.4 overs (A Finch 73; C Woakes 3-32, J Archer 3-34, S Curran 3-35) Result: England won by 24 runs Series: Three-match series level at 1-1

England fight back to beat Australia in 2nd ODI

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