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“Things Change During World Cup”: Ex-India Star Aheaad Of Pakistan Clash

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Former India pacer RP Singh believes there will be a lot of pressure on the players during the high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The marquee event is set to kick off on June 1 in the USA and the West Indies. One of the greatest rivalries in the history of cricket, India and Pakistan, will write a new chapter in their story on June 9 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York. While India’s World Cup-bound players were engaged in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season to prepare for the tournament, Pakistan played the T20I bilateral series against New Zealand, Ireland, and England. They drew the five-match T20I series against New Zealand (2-2), won the three-match series against Ireland (2-1), and lost the four-match series against England by 2-0. Despite Pakistan’s dwindling form, RP Singh believes that things change during the World Cup and the level of pressure will be different on the players. “Pakistan is also a good team. They played against Ireland and suffered a defeat. Things change during the World Cup. The match is always high-voltage so there is a lot of pressure on the players. Indians’ performance in the World Cup has always been good. We just lost one match last time, and were dominant throughout,” RP Singh told the media during the jersey launch of the World Championship of Legends team India Champions. The level of pressure on the players and the emotional connection of the fans were visible during their last encounter in the World Cup. In 2022, the Men in Green were far ahead in the game against India. The Men in Blue needed 28 runs off a mere 8 deliveries to walk away with a victory. With Virat Kohli on strike against Haris Rauf, the stalwart batter took a step back and struck a towering six right over the head of the Pakistan speedster. In an emotion-packed game, commentator Gerard Whateley delivered the iconic “That is a shot of an emperor” line to describe Kohli’s masterclass. He tonked another maximum on the next ball, which laid the foundation for a successful 160-run chase for India. The match lived up to its hype, and the fans will be expecting another cracker of a match. Before the epic clash between the two cricketing giants, India will take on Ireland in their tournament opener on June 5. Pakistan will meet the USA in their opening clash on June 6. The fans will be expecting a similarly intense clash between the two Asian Giants that keeps them on the edge of their seats. India T20 WC Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj. Pakistan T20 WC Squad: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

“Australia May Not Need Me”: David Warner On Playing 2025 Champions Trophy

Danijones5 months ago07 mins

Port of Spain : The seasoned Australia batter David Warner is aiming for a spectacular finish on his final lap as an international player, saying that Aussies will play “fearless” cricket during the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup to create a unique piece of history. The veteran opener also feels Australia may not need him for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Warner announced his retirement from the longer formats of the game, and he left the door open for a possible return to the next major ICC event if the Men in Yellow require an opening batter. Although he announced his retirement from the longer formats of the game, he left the door ajar for a potential return to the next major ICC event, should the Men in Yellow need an opening batter. After winning the World Test Championship and one-day World Cup in the previous 12 months, Australia is aiming for cricket’s grand slam at the T20 World Cup, which has been enlarged to 20 nations. It will be played in the West Indies and the United States throughout June, with all of Australia’s matches taking place in the Caribbean. The 37-year-old Warner is one of just four players with a chance of becoming the first team to win three International Cricket Council trophies at the same time, alongside Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Travis Head. “Being part of that potential history, you only sit back and reflect on those things when you’re completely done and dusted,” Warner, who is in Trinidad, said as quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald. “I did an interview with the ICC recently asking me about it and all the tournaments I’ve been a part of, and I can’t remember them all, but it’s been great,” he added. However, he continues to indicate that it may not be the end, citing the ICC’s revived Champions Trophy, a mini-World Cup slated for Pakistan next year. “They may not need me,” he added with a laugh. Warner was unable to complete this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) due to injury in his left hand but demonstrated his fitness with 54 from 21 balls in a practice match against Namibia in Trinidad last week. However, he will not play until Australia’s first match, against Oman in Barbados on Thursday. His farewell from the big stage has been quite a trip. Australia defeated India in India to win the ODI World Cup in November, he said goodbye to the conventional game at the Sydney Test in January, and he will most likely say goodbye to T20 internationals in the Caribbean. Whenever the star batter does go, Warner is bound to go out all guns blazing against any team face. “We’ve always played fearless and I think that’s why we’ve been so successful over the last few years. 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,” he said. “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. It’s the same with the new ball. If Starcy [Mitchell Starc] is swinging the ball, we’ll get early wickets, and that brings the spinners into the game,” he added. Warner believes Australia’s emphatic World Cup victory over India late last year, followed by a great performance against South Africa in the semi-final, has given them a “upper edge” over other teams. “If you look at the way that we performed with our backs up against the wall after the first couple of games [losing badly to India and South Africa], you just never count us out,” he said. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

Virat Kohli In New York But Might Miss India’s Only T20 World Cup Warm-Up Game. Here Is The Reason

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

Virat Kohli’s participation in the practice match will depend on how he is feeling.© X (Twitter) India’s premier batter Virat Kohli arrived in New York on Friday for the T20 World Cup, five days after his other team members but it is still not clear if he would be playing the warm-up game against Bangladesh on Saturday. “Virat Kohli has checked in at the team hotel and after a long flight, he would be taking rest,” a senior BCCI source confirmed his arrival. Having travelled for 16 hours to reach the ‘Big Apple’, his participation in the practice match will depend on how Kohli feels and if he is willing to have a hit against the Bangladesh side at the Nassau County Cricket Ground. Kohli has scored 741 runs in 15 IPL games. He doesn’t need much match practice, and he will still get three quality net sessions before the first game against Ireland on June 5. There was an optional training session on Friday morning in which Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Mohammed Siraj sweated it out under the guidance of the support staff. The team management and the BCCI have often made exceptions about Kohli linking up with the national team. He was also permitted a break before the South Africa Test series when he arrived in the ‘Rainbow Nation’ only to leave for the UK for personal reasons before rejoining the squad. He skipped the entire England Test series at home in February-March for the birth of his second child. This time too, for the T20 World Cup, the first batch of players flew in on May 25 while the second group touched down on May 28. Kohli has so far missed three sessions of training but if one goes by what the team management feels, they understand that the legend knows his stuff and his routines won’t be tinkered with. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

T20 World Cup: Want Jasprit Bumrah And Arshdeep Singh To Lead India’s Bowling Attack, Says Ex India Star

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Former India cricketer Rahul Sharma wants Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to lead the Indian bowling attack in the upcoming T2O World Cup in the USA and West Indies with Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in the spin department. The much-awaited T20 World Cup 2024 is set to begin on Sunday (as per IST) with co-host the United States taking on Canada in the tournament opener in Texas. India will take on Ireland in their T20 World Cup opening match in New York on June 5 before the high-octane clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 9. The Indian squad includes four spinners (Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel) and three pacers with two all-rounders. Chahal is making his comeback in the Indian team after July 2023 and was in red-hot form in the IPL 2024. With slow and turning drop-in pitches in the USA, Sharma thought that Jadeja along with Kuldeep would be a much better option than Axar and Chahal. “We don’t know how the pitches in the USA will behave but as far I know the conditions there and some of the reports that are coming I will field Kuldeep Yadav along with experienced Ravindra Jadeja in the spin department and will want Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to lead the Indian bowling attack,” Rahul Sharma told IANS at the inaugural event of Team India Champions. “With four bowling options, and Hardik Pandya or Shivam Dube as all-rounder and fifth bowling option the Indian squad will look balanced and it will be easy for skipper Rohit Sharma to use the bowlers,” he added. When asked about who he would like to see as the finisher role for the Indian team, Rahul Sharma said, “Seeing the way Shivam Dube has batted in this edition of IPL, especially against spinners it was amazing to see and also, he can be used as a bowler too. He dominated against spinners, batted sensibly against pacers, and didn’t look in any trouble. “So, for me, he must be given the responsibility of finishing the matches. And also we have Rishabh Pant in the middle, who has the ability to change the match from any point, so I don’t think there is any concern in the bowling department, and I hope that they dominate,” he concluded. India will face Bangladesh in a warm-up match on Saturday at the newly-built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in the USA, which is scheduled to host eight matches of the marquee tournament, including three games of India. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash, penciled for June 9, will also be hosted at this venue. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

‘Parting Ways With Rohit Sharma And…’: Ex-India Star On 2 Players Mumbai Indians Might Release

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

Aakash Chopra feels Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan might not play for MI next season.© BCCI Former India batter Aakash Chopra feels star batter Rohit Sharma and young wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan might not play for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). There has been an uncertainity over Rohit’s future at MI ever since he was relieved of his captaincy duties by franchise. MI appointed Hardik as captain for IPL 2024 but the five-time champions endured a disastrous season, finishing at the bottom of the 10-team points table. Sharing his views on MI’s possible strategy for IPL 2025 mega auction, Chopra suggested that Rohit might’ve played his last game for the franchise. He also added that keeper-batter Kishan might be released by the team due to his price tag. However, he suggested that MI might use the ‘Right to Match’ card on Kishan if needed. “I think they will let Ishan Kishan go. They might use the ‘Right to Match’ card because 15.5 crores is just too much money. I don’t think Ishan will be retained,” the ex India cricketer said on his YouTube channel. “I think Rohit Sharma has played his last match for the Mumbai Indians, whether he doesn’t want to be retained or the franchise lets him go,” he added. “Either way, I see them parting ways. I don’t think you will be seeing Rohit Sharma in the Mumbai Indians jersey again. That’s just my understanding. I might be wrong but I feel, either which way, Rohit Sharma will not be playing for the Mumbai Indians when you start the next season,” he further explained. The next assignment for Rohit will be to lead the Indian cricket team in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. India will face Ireland in their tournament opener on June 5. Hardik’s inclusion in the squad was a matter of discussion among experts but the selectors decided to show trust in the all-rounder as he was appointed the vice-captain. Topics mentioned in this article

T20 World Cup Group D Preview: Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Battle Resumes, South Africa Aim To Impress

Danijones5 months ago015 mins

Dubai : Former ICC Men’s T20 World Cup champions Sri Lanka find themselves in Group D alongside South Africa, Bangladesh, Netherlands and Nepal for the upcoming tournament. This group promises thrilling matches with rivals Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, South Africa and Netherlands pitted against one another. While Nepal gears up for their second appearance in the marquee event, the group boasts no clear-cut favourite with history bearing witness that each team carries the potential to beat the other. Let’s run through the teams in this group and what we can expect from them. Bangladesh: Bangladesh enters the T20 World Cup with a bit of uncertainty as they continue to look for their strongest XI. Experienced opener Litton Das has been out of form of late with an average of 13.16 this year in six matches. Although teammate Tawhid Hridoy is confident that Das will make a strong comeback in the tournament. Another concern is the injury to vice-captain Taskin Ahmed and his fitness will be monitored prior to Bangladesh’s first contest against Sri Lanka on 7 June after he suffered a side strain before the final match of the recent series against Zimbabwe. The Tigers have backed experience. Other than Das, they have former Bangladesh skippers Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan who can provide Najmul Hossain Shanto much-needed support as he undertakes his first ICC tournament as the new captain. Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed (Vice Captain), Litton Kumer Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Travelling reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud Fixtures: 7 June: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh, Dallas 10 June: South Africa vs Bangladesh, New York 13 June: Bangladesh vs Netherlands, St. Vincent 16 June: Bangladesh vs Nepal, St. Vincent Players to watch out for: In conditions that are expected to be slow with some assistance from spinners, Mustafizur Rahman’s skill set including deceptive off-cutters can turn out to be useful. Mustafizur has time and again proven to be a match-winner for Bangladesh. His control in the middle overs and effectiveness in the final overs with a recovering Taskin Ahmed make him a priceless inclusion. Nepal: Nepal will feature a young side at the T20 World Cup, with 21-year-old Rohit Paudel leading the team as captain. Paudel’s recent form against West Indies A in the lead up to the tournament is a big positive with scores of 112, 71*, and 82 in the series. Gulshan Jha, who appeared at the U19 World Cup earlier in the year, along with 19-year-old Pratis GC are the other young stars expected to bring fireworks. Sompal Kami, the fast bowling all-rounder, is the sole player from Nepal’s inaugural 2014 squad to feature in the 2024 edition, with veteran Karan KC joining him as the team’s senior member. This will mark Nepal’s second appearance in the tournament making them the least experienced side in the group. 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, Kamal Singh Airee Fixtures: 4 June: Netherlands vs Nepal, Dallas 11 June: Sri Lanka vs Nepal, Florida 14 June: South Africa vs Nepal, St. Vincent 16 June: Bangladesh vs Nepal, St. Vincent Players to watch out for: The latest entrant in the six sixes club, Dipendra Singh Airee, comes in with a hard-hitting reputation. Dipendra bludgeoned six sixes in the ACC Men’s T20I Premier Cup clash against Qatar becoming only the third men’s player to do so in T20Is after Yuvraj Singh (2007) and Keiron Pollard (2021). He also is the current record holder of the fastest T20I fifty. The right-handed batter achieved this feat in nine balls, breaking Yuvraj’s record of 12 deliveries. The 24-year-old’s contribution in the middle overs can help Nepal put up a strong challenge in the group. Netherlands: The Netherlands have often brought the element of surprise in an ICC tournament. They have the edge over Proteas, beating them in the last two ICC Men’s tournaments – in the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2023 Cricket World Cup. They will face South Africa again on 8 June in New York with the aim to complete a hat-trick of wins. 20-year-old Michael Levitt has found a place in the absence of Colin Ackermann after an impressive hundred against Namibia earlier this year. The Dutch have restored their core players for this edition with captain Scott Edwards, Bas de Leede, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Vikram Singh and Wesley Barresi bringing the experience. Squad: Scott Edwards (c), Aryan Dutt, Bas de Leede, Daniel Doram, Fred Klaassen, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Paul van Meekeren, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, Tim Pringle, Vikram Singh, Viv Kingma, Wesley Barresi. Reserve: Kyle Klein Fixtures: 4 June: Netherlands vs Nepal, Dallas 8 June: Netherlands vs South Africa, New York 13 June: Bangladesh vs Netherlands, St. Vincent 16 June: Sri Lanka vs Netherlands, St. Lucia Players to watch out for: Bas de Leede has been instrumental for the Netherlands with both bat and ball. For his impressive performance last year, de Leede was awarded with the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year. However, the 24-year-old all-rounder has played little T20I cricket of late, with his recent appearances in the tri-series with Scotland and Ireland being his first matches in the shortest format since 2022 at the most recent edition of the T20 World Cup. De Leede was one of the Netherlands’ best at the event where he finished as their leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps. South Africa: Perhaps the strongest side in this group and the tournament, South Africa have put together a strong squad. The batting line-up consists of experienced Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Reeza Hendricks who can bludgeon bowling attacks with Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs…

T20 WC Warm-Up: Chance To Test Track And India’s Second Pace Option

Danijones5 months ago06 mins

Yashasvi Jaiswal will aim to add his bit to the combination conundrum with a handy contribution while Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj need to put their best foot forward during India’s only T20 World Cup warm-up game against Bangladesh ahead of their tournament opener on June 5. With all 15 cricketers being regular playing XI members of their respective IPL franchises, the team is certainly not short on game time but an assortment of 15 high- calibre players and finding that perfect combination will be key to ending India’s 13-year global trophy drought. In the warm-up game, it is expected that save for Virat Kohli, who is expected to touch down some time before the practice game, all other 14 players will be given a go as it doesn’t have an official status. It will be an opportunity to check everyone’s rhythm after most of the core team members enjoyed a two-week break. There will be two areas where skipper Rohit Sharma and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid need to take a judicious call. Even if Jaiswal is in good nick, how to fit him in the side will be an issue as it would mean keeping a power-hitter like Shivam Dube out of the playing XI. It is a foregone conclusion that Jaiswal might have to sit out as it would not only allow Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to open but could also open the door for Dube at the back end of the tournament. “Shivam Dube is a six-hitting machine. He can be the ‘x-factor’ in the T20 World Cup. But if Shivam has to be in the XI, then you can’t play Yashasvi. Rohit has to take that call and I prefer both pace-bowling all-rounders in the XI. If Shivam plays, he can take on the opposition wrist spinners in the latter half,” Suresh Raina, one of India’s premier T20 batters of his time, said on Friday when asked about a possible combination. The second teething problem for India would be to find Jasprit Bumrah’s opening pace-bowling partner. Both Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj have blown hot and cold in the IPL and their form has left a lot to be desired. RP Singh, one of the heroes of India’s inaugural edition victory, feels that Hardik Pandya’s four overs will be very important. Besides, he feels that Arshdeep should be the second frontline pacer on the newly-laid drop-in track. Talking about the length to be bowled on the tracks in the US during an early morning start, he felt variations will be important, which make Arshdeep a better bet compared to Siraj. “As per my understanding, there should be a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length. There will not be a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters…,” RP replied to a PTI query during a promotional event in Delhi. “These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand the wickets in the US,” he explained. Against Bangladesh on a slowish track, it would also be a challenge for the middle-order as to how they deal with Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan apart from questions asked by cutter master Mustafizur Rahaman. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

England Great Gives Massive Verdict On IPL After Series Win Over Pakistan

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

Jos Buttler in action for England© AFP There has been a lot of chatter over England players not playing in the IPL 2024 playoffs to join the national team for the series against Pakistan just ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticised the England Cricket Board (ECB) as he thought the IPL would have been a better place for preparation than facing Pakistan. He was even supported by former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal. Following England’s 2-0 series win over Pakistan on Thursday, another former England captain Nasser Hussain also joined the competition and praised the IPL for setting up the players for big games and providing them brilliant practice to play in front of big crowds. “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,” said Hussain on Sky Sports. Hussain further said that the England cricket team look balanced ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 but they will need to “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,” he added. Topics mentioned in this article

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

Danijones5 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

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

Danijones5 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