Cricket

Sandeep Lamichhane: Sandeep Lamichane set to miss T20 World Cup 2024 after denied US visa for second time despite Cricket Association of Nepal’s efforts | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Nepalese leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane will be absent from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled for June in the West Indies and the United States. This setback comes after the US Embassy rejected Lamichhane’s visa application for the second time, effectively barring him from participating in the tournament.Lamichhane’s initial application was denied the previous week, prompting swift action from the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and the Nepali government. ALSO SEE: T20 World Cup Schedule Despite their combined efforts, including diplomatic interventions and communication with the International Cricket Council (ICC), the US Embassy remained resolute in its decision.The CAN, in an official statement, expressed disappointment at the outcome, highlighting the extensive measures taken to secure Lamichhane’s travel permission. It reads, “Despite taking necessary initiatives, along with the diplomatic note, from the government of Nepal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Sports Council, CAN, and International Cricket Council (ICC), for cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane’s visit to participate in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies, the US Embassy has expressed its inability to give travel permission (visa) to national player Lamichhane to play in the World Cup.” The US Embassy, while acknowledging the significance of the tournament and the efforts made to facilitate travel for participating athletes, maintained its stance on confidentiality regarding individual visa cases.This development is a significant blow to Nepal’s T20 World Cup aspirations. Lamichhane, a key player in the Nepali squad, brings a wealth of experience and skill to the team. His absence will undoubtedly be felt as Nepal faces stiff competition in Group D, which includes formidable opponents such as Bangladesh, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands.Nepal’s campaign is set to begin on June 4th against the Netherlands in Texas. The team will need to regroup and strategize effectively to overcome the challenge of competing without their star spinner.(Inputs from ANI)

T20 World Cup: India Eye Redemption As Big-Ticket Cricket Touches Base In America

Danijones7 months ago09 mins

There will be the usual favourites, the mavericks, the chokers and also the unpredictable minnows — the script is familiar for a World Cup but the scale would be unprecedented when the T20 showpiece, featuring a record 20 teams, spearheads cricket’s audacious charge into the American market starting in New York on Saturday. While India would be eager to shed the baggage of near-misses, Australia would like to add another chapter to their tale of domination. For the likes of Pakistan and West Indies, the primary target would be to keep in check their tendency to implode at the most inopportune time. Defending champions England and South Africa too will be a force to reckon with, especially the latter. Given the presence of match-winners like Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Quinton de Kock and Kagiso Rabada, the Proteas seem primed to get rid of the chokers’ tag. It will be a ground-breaking event not just because of the sheer size of the draw but also for the fact that it officially marks cricket’s big-ticket entry into the USA, which will host 16 of the 55 matches to be played across 29 days. The remaining 39 games will be held in the West Indies, including the Super 8 stage, the semifinals and the final on June 29. Besides the obvious favourites on paper, the likes of Afghanistan can also never be counted out to upset the apple cart at the most unexpected time. There are plots within plots that will unfold in the course of next one month. And perhaps one of the most intriguing would be the one involving India, a team that looks so destined for an ICC trophy but has somehow managed to fall short after the 2013 Champions Trophy triumph. Rohit Sharma’s reputation as captain will definitely be on the line this time. Considering the unparalleled resources and depth that the sport’s powerhouse has, most experts find it difficult to pinpoint India’s trophy drought at the word stage over the past decade. Rohit’s predecessor Virat Kohli ended his tenure as the most successful Test captain but a global trophy eluded him. Now Rohit is carrying that baggage of not winning a world title with India finishing runner-up in two ICC events over the past 12 months, including the juggernaut-ending loss to Australia in the ODI World Cup final at home. Their outdated approach in the previous two T20 World Cups cost them dearly but they are unlikely to repeat those mistakes in the Americas. The recently-concluded IPL showed how the batters are pushing boundaries and India’s high-profile line-up needs to follow that risky path. India may not have the same batting firepower as compared to some of the rival teams but as pitches in the Caribbean are expected to be spin-friendly, they surely have all bases covered. Rohit and Co. are scheduled to play three games at the makeshift facility here including the blockbuster clash against Pakistan on June 9. Drop-in pitches will be used at the brand new facility with all teams entering unfamiliar territory. India, however, will have the advantage of playing a warm-up game against Bangladesh at the same venue on June 1 before they take on Ireland in their opening league game on June 5. USA and Canada to play historic tournament opener Not far from India’s base in New York City, the first ever international cricket game was played between USA and Canada back in 1844. Cricket, however, lost out to the likes of Baseball soon after and centuries later, the sport will make an honest attempt to create a space of its own in the already matured American sporting market, starting with USA-Canada opener in Dallas on Saturday. USA are getting to make their World Cup debut as tournament co-hosts but they have demonstrated that they cannot be taken lightly, having beaten Canada and more recently full-member Bangladesh in a bilateral series. Canada, who have featured in the ODI Word Cup in the past, will also be making their T20 World Cup debut on Saturday. Uganda are the other first-timers in the competition. Defending champions England have point to prove Rohit will not be the only captain who will go into the tournament under immense pressure. Jos Buttler will also be out to prove himself after England’s shambolic performance as defending champions at the ODI World Cup in India six months ago. England were by the far the best team of the 2022 T20 World Cup and they will be determined to reassert their supremacy in the shortest format. And challenging that dominance would be the likes of India, South Africa and Australia, who have managed to retain the Ashes, win the World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup in the last 12 months. It will also be a stern captaincy test for new Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh. Two-time champions West Indies, who could not qualify for the 50-over World Cup in India, are title contenders in their home conditions and their experience in the Caribbean Premier League is going to come in handy. The always unpredictable Pakistan, who made the final of the previous edition, have concerns in the batting department going into their opener against USA on June 6. Saim Ayub has not delivered for them at the top and it remains to be seen if management brings back skipper Babar Azam to open alongside Mohammad Rizwan. Also in focus would be Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, who have been brought back to the national fold from retirement, likely because of their CPL experience. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

After playing for two countries, New Zealand cricketer Bernadine Bezuidenhout announces retirement – India TV

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Image Source : GETTY Bernadine Bezuidenhout New Zealand’s wicketkeeper-batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout has announced retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. However, she will be available to play for Northern Districts to play in domestic cricket next season. Bernadine is one of the few cricketers to play for two countries in her career. She first represented South Africa, the country of her birth, in 2014 before moving to New Zealand and play for white ferns in 2018. Overall, she played 20 ODIs and 29 T20Is in her international career mustering 291 and 299 runs respectively in the two formats. The decision comes close on the heels of the Women’s T20 World Cup that is set to be played in Bangladesh later this year in October. Opening up about the decision, the 30-year-old recalled the memories while playing for the country and has thanked everyone who helped her achieve success in the sport. “It’s been such a great ride. Playing for the White Ferns has been a huge privilege and honour and it’s left me with the fondest memories. The journey has taught me so much and I’ll be forever grateful to everyone who has been on the path with me,” she said in a statement released by New Zealand Cricket (NZC). Bernadine has founded the a non-profit, social organisation The EPIC Sports Project Charitable Trust and was finding it tough to balance her work and playing career and hence, the decision. “I’m at peace with this decision but it wasn’t an easy one to make. I’ve struggled to find a balance between my work and playing career for a while now, and after a lot of thought and reflection I feel that it’s the right time to pivot and put my full focus on The EPIC Sports Project,” she added. New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer thanked Bernadine for her contributions and said that he is proud of her for the way she is impacting lives off the field. “I want to thank Bernie for the contributions she’s made to the White Ferns on the field, and for the caring qualities she brought to the group off the field. We’re proud of the work that Bernie does outside of cricket and I have no doubt she’ll continue to make a positive impact on the lives of many,” Ben said.

Pakistan targets right T20 combination against understrength New Zealand | Cricket

Babar Azam should bat at number 3: Former Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

London [UK], : After Pakistan’s disappointing seven-wicket loss against England in the fourth T20I match at the Kennington Oval, former cricketer Shoaib Malik said the ‘Men in Green’ skipper Babar Azam should bat at number three. Babar Azam should bat at number 3: Former Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik Babar scored 36 runs from 22 balls at a strike rate of 163.64 in the fourth T20I match. He slammed 5 fours and 1 six during his time on the crease. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Malik took to his official X account and said that it was a tough series. He added Pakistan need someone in the batting order who can rotate the strike in the middle overs of a game. He also asked Azam Khan and Shadab Khan not to lose confidence since they play a vital role in the ‘Men in Green’ squad. “Tough series! Remember: we’ve been in tough spots before & came out stronger! IMO Babar should bat at no 03! We need someone in the middle overs to rotate strike, you are our best option, with your guidance our middle order will do alot better. Azam & Shadab, you two are vital for our team, don’t lose confidence, play with heart, you are match winners. Going into the World Cup, keep you morale high, We’ve got this,” Malik wrote on X. Recapping the match, the hosts won the toss and decided to field first. The England bowlers were subjected to some fine hitting by the opening pair of skipper Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan , but the spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali turned the pressure back on Pakistan batters, sinking them to 86/5. It was only a brief fightback by Usman Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed , that took Pakistan to 157/10 in 19.5 overs. Besides Rashid and Moeen, Mark Wood and Liam Livingstone also did fine with the ball. In the run-chase of 158 runs, England blew the visitors away with a powerplay assault by Phil Salt and skipper Jos Buttler , who made 78 runs in the powerplay. A brief comeback spell from pacer Haris Rauf delayed the victory for England. But Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook , finished off the proceedings in 15.3 overs, with seven wickets left. Rashid got the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his spell. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Sandeep Lamichhane’s US Visa Denied For Second Time Despite Nepal Board’s Interference

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane is set to miss the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World 2024 which is scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the United States, as his US visa application was rejected for the second time. After the cricketer’s first application was rejected last week, the Nepali government and the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) stepped in to support him; but, despite their best efforts, the application was rejected once again. The CAN asserted that despite taking necessary initiatives with various organisations, Lamichhane’s visit to participate in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies, the US Embassy has expressed its inability to give travel permission. “Despite taking necessary initiatives, along with the diplomatic note, from the government of Nepal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Sports Council, CAN, and International Cricket Council (ICC), for cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane’s visit to participate in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies, the US Embassy has expressed its inability to give travel permission (visa) to national player Lamichhane to play in the World Cup,” CAN said in a statement as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. A spokesperson of the US Embassy stated that they cannot comment on individual visa cases as visa records are confidential under US law. “The US Embassy in Kathmandu and other US consular posts around the world have made a concerted effort to ensure that members of national cricket teams who qualify for the appropriate visa class are able to travel in time to compete in the World Cup. We cannot comment on individual visa cases as visa records are confidential under US law,” a spokesperson of the US Embassy in Kathmandu said. Nepal has been placed in Group D alongside Bangladesh, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. Nepal will kick off its campaign on June 4 against The Netherlands in Texas. Nepal squad: Rohit Paudel (c), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, and Kamal Singh Airee. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell Make 50s As West Indies Hammer Nine-Man Australia By 35 Runs

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

Fifties by Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell helped West Indies outpunch a nine-man Australia by 35 runs in their warm-up match ahead of the T20 World Cup in Port of Spain, Trinidad. As it happened in their first training match against Namibia, the Aussies fielded only nine players against the Windies. Selector George Bailey and head coach Andrew McDonald filled the remaining two spots while fielding. Batting first, West Indies rode on fifties by Pooran (75), skipper Powell (52) and an unbeaten 47 off 18 balls by Sherfane Rutherford to raise 257 for 4 in 20 overs. In reply, Josh Inglis (55) led Australia’s reply and there were a 39 by Ellis and numerous 20s as Australia finished at 222 for seven. Earlier, Australia had Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Nathan Ellis and Ashton Agar as bowlers, and all went for plenty. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh, recuperating from an injury, refrained from bowling, though he later batted. West Indies innings was built around fine partnerships between Pooran and Johnson Charles (40), who milked 90 runs for the second wicket and a 63 for the unbroken fifth wicket between Rutherford and Shimron Hetmyer (18). The absence of skipper Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green and Travis Head was felt as they are yet to join the squad. They are spending a few extra days at home after a taxing campaign in the recently concluded IPL. Namibia beat PNG Namibia defeated Papua New Guinea by three runs under the DLS method. Batting first, PNG were restricted to 109 for seven in 20 overs, and Namibia were 93 for six in 16.5 overs when the skies opened up in Tarouba. But they were three runs ahead in the DLS calculations at that stage. At Dallas, the match between the Netherlands and Canada was abandoned without a ball being bowled. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

West Indies slam 257 runs against Australia in T20 World Cup warm-up, win by 35 runs – India TV

Danijones7 months ago04 mins

Image Source : GETTY Australia vs West Indies Rain has played a massive role in the T20 World Cup warm-up matches so far in the USA and the West Indies. However, when the Caribbean side locked horns against Australia on May 31 (Friday) at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain in Trinidad, it rained sixes. A total of 479 runs were scored in 40 overs with only 11 wickets falling while 31 maximums were hit. After being invited to bat first, Shai Hope got out eary but batting at three, Nicholas Pooran teed off right from the word go smacking 75 runs off just 25 deliveries in the 90-run partnership with Johnson Charles. The left-hander smashed five fours and eight sixes during his stay in the middle. The carnage didn’t stop as skipper Rovman Powell also showed off his hitting skills scoring 52 runs off 25 balls before getting out to Tim David. Australia continued to play with nine players much like they did against Namibia with their coach and chief selector taking the field. Their bowling attack expectedly suffered with even the likes of Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Ellis being taken away for a lot of runs. In fact, Zampa suffered the most conceding 62 runs in his four-over spell while Hazlewood and Ashton Agar also went for 55 and 58 runs respectively in their four overs. Apart from Pooran and Powell, Sherfane Rutherford also batted well for the Caribbean side amassing 47 runs off just 18 balls with four fours and as many sixes to his name. Thanks to these powerful performances, West Indies posted 257 runs in their 20 overs. In response, Australia started off at a brisk pace reaching 60 runs in less than five overs but lost their top three batters in the process. Josh Inglis was the only batter with the substantial contribution in the big chase as he scored 55 runs while Nathan Ellis played a fighting knock down the order mustering 39 runs off 22 balls. With only nine players, they couldn’t chase down the mammoth target but reached 222 runs in 20 overs for the loss of seven wickets. The Aussies will be happy with the way they fought but the West Indies will be delighted to see their players hit the straps ahead of the T20 World Cup.

England Vs Pakistan: After Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain hails IPL’s role in preparing England for T20 World Cup 2024 after Pakistan win | Cricket News

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

NEW DELHI: Former England cricketer Nasser Hussain has provided his analysis on the preparedness of the Jos Buttler-led England team for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. According to Hussain, the defending champions are in a favourable position heading into the tournament.England have been placed in Group B alongside rivals Australia, Scotland, Namibia, and Oman.Their campaign will commence against Scotland on June 4. SEE ALSO: T20 World Cup Schedule Hussain believes that the Three Lions are in better form compared to their performance in the ODI World Cup 2023, where they struggled initially.Hussain emphasized the importance of having a contingency plan, or “Plan B,” in case England encounters a slow start or faces challenges against stronger opponents.“They’ve just got to be better than they were at that 50-over World Cup. They went into that with a lot of hope and it didn’t start well and they didn’t react well. So they need to have a Plan B. If we don’t start well, if things don’t go well, how do we react? How do we react to slower pitches? How do we react when better sides come up against us? But under Buttler and what they’ve got in this side they’re in a real good place. They just got to go and do it,” Hussain stated. Hussain also commended the Indian Premier League (IPL) for its role in preparing England players for high-pressure situations and big matches.“They’re a very balanced side, they’ve played in a lot of big games. We don’t talk enough about the IPL and how that obviously sets you up as a cricketer but also sets you up in big games. And under pressure and big crowds and that’s what you need going into a World Cup. So they’ve done all that they could do,” the former England international added.(Inputs from ANI)

David Warner ready for ‘fearless’ Australian campaign in farewell World Cup

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

Veteran Australia opener David Warner is set to play his final T20 World Cup. This will be Warner’s final assignment with the Australia team as the player retires from the international format of the game. With several Australian stars waiting in the line to take over the opener’s spot, Australia are in a good place – in the white ball formats at least. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Warner said that Australia are fearless in their approach and no one plays to protect their spot in the team. Warner, one of the best all-format players in the team will be hopeful of repeating his success from the 2021 tournament, where he shouldered the responsibility to score the majority of the runs for his team. T20 World Cup 2024: Group A Preview Warner’s preparation, just like in the 2021 season has not been ideal. The left-hander was injured for the majority of the Indian Premier League season and lost the opening spot to promising youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk. Warner played only 8 matches in the IPL 2024 and scored 168 runs at a strike rate of 134.40. Warner will hope to finish his international career on a high, especially having won the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup 2023 in his final season. “We’ve always played fearless and I think that’s why we’ve been so successful over the last few years,” David Warner told Sydney Morning Herald. “We don’t care about our spot in a team, we just care about doing the best that we can, and making sure that whatever we’re doing, we’re trying to be that match winner,” Warner further added. T20 World Cup 2024: Full Coverage Australia have several in-form match winners in their ranks. Travis Head, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc have played in the final of the IPL 2024 and have done well in the tournament. Starc especially was lethal in the playoffs stage of the tournament and played a big part in KKR’s title win. Warner spoke about the match winners in the team and said that Australia had plenty of them in their line-up. “And the fortunate thing is that we’ve got so many of them. One might come off one day, the next day someone else will come off. So we just know that one person in that top six, if they can get anywhere between 60 to 80 runs at a good strike rate, we know we’re always going to post a good total,” Warner concluded. Australia will play their first T20 World Cup 2024 match on June 6 against Oman. Australia’s T20 World Cup Squad Mitch Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa. Published By: Kingshuk Kusari Published On: May 31, 2024

Azam Khan shown no mercy after flop show vs England as PCB, Babar Azam accused of ‘nepotism’

Danijones7 months ago03 mins

Azam Khan’s selection for Pakistan’s T20 World Cup team created plenty of controversy, due to his position as son of former national team skipper Moin Khan. Now his form has also not helped his cause, and has given more impetus to fans to criticise his selection. Pakistan’s Azam Khan walks back to the changing rooms after losing his wicket.(AP) The wicketkeeper-batter was dismissed for a five-ball duck in Pakistan’s fourth T20I against England. Receiving a short delivery by Mark Wood, Aam could only loop it into the air, for a simple catch behind the stumps. Pakistan could only post 157 in 19.5 overs. Meanwhile, England reached 158/3 in 15.3 overs, winning by seven wickets. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan said, “Azam Khan is an embarrassment to international cricket.” Meanwhile, another fan wrote, “PCB ko chahiye keh ICC se baat kar ke Azam Khan ki jagah 60, 60 kg walay 2 players khila le.” Another fan wrote, “No sane team will play Azam Khan again until he sorts out his fitness!” One fan wrote, “Azam Khan is the best example of nepotism in our country. Mediocrity rules here in every department. Shameless people who persisted with him must be charged and sentenced. This is a criminal act not a simple mistake.” Here are the other reactions- For the T20 World Cup, Pakistan are placed in Group A, alongside Canada, India, Ireland and the USA. Babar Azam and Co. will open their campaign on June 6, taking on the USA in Texas. Speaking after Pakistan’s defeat in the series vs England, Babar said, “First six overs, we played very well. After that, the momentum shifted as wickets fell. Our middle-order needs to step up. You need 2-3 good overs in the middle and in the death as well. England’s bowling was very good. Hopefully we don’t do this in the World Cup. We made a couple of changes due to the injuries. Our powerplay was good. We have played good cricket in patches.”