Asia Cup 2021 cancelled due to prevailing covid situation in Sri Lanka.



The 2021 Asia Cup has been called off by the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Wednesday due to the worsening covid situation in the Island nation. The tournament between the Asian Cricket Playing nations was scheduled to be held in June this year. The top organiser from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) informed about the recent development.



The competition had already been held over from last year in Pakistan due to the global pandemic in the region.



?Due to the prevailing situation, it will not be possible to play the tournament in June this year,? De Silva said as quoted by The Hindu.



The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) will soon make an official announcement regarding the same.



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The covid cases in Sri Lanka in the last few weeks are on the constant rise. Many nations have banned flights from Sri Lanka and in this worsening situation, India's tour to Sri Lanka is also under the scanner.



On Wednesday, the Sri Lankan government called a ten days ban on the travelers coming into the country with flights.



Ashley de Silva, chief executive of Sri Lanka Cricket proclaimed that the tournament might be called off until the 2023 World Cup due to the pre-scheduled plans and schedules of the countries for the next two years.



The Sri Lankan Cricket team is currently in Bangladesh for a three games One Day International series. The first ODI between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is scheduled for 23rd May.



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Asia Cup 2021 cancelled due to prevailing covid situation in Sri Lanka

asia-cup-2021-cancelled-due-to-prevailing-covid-situation-in-sri-lanka

Sri Lankan Cricketers refused to sign annual players contracts due to lack of transparency.



The top Sri Lankan cricketers have refused to sign the Players central annual contracts due to an alleged lack of transparency from the country cricket board. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was earlier alleged by the cricketers for mismanagement and poor conduct.



All the senior players were in unison in the decision to refuse to sign the contracts, as they excluded some of the deserving and talented cricketers, as well as the central contracts, were not to their likings.



The players in a collective statement said that they have ?decided not to sign the tour contract for the forthcoming tour of England and neither will they enter into any future contracts for tours?.



24 Cricketers were offered the agreements under four basic classes and were asked by the Sri Lanka Cricket to sign it until June 3.



The highest contract under top class offered USD 100,000 to the players while the lowest was for USD 70,000.



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Only one cricketer, Dhananjaya de Silva, was offered the highest contract under USD 100,000.



The Federation of International Cricket Association (FICA) earlier this month revealed that the disputes between Cricketers and the board began after the players alleged the board for providing remuneration offers that were four times less than what other cricket boards offered to its cricketers.



The island nation is slated to tour England for three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and as many T20Is, starting June 18.



The players have made clear their stance that at no point they will ever refuse to represent their nation and play for their country even if they haven't signed the agreements or contracts and the respective board doesn't pay them their payment.



Aravinda de Silva, the chairman of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), supported the new policy added to Sri Lanka Cricket lately which will offer players their contracts depending upon their performances.



Silva further added that the board was forced to take the tough call as the performance of the team nose-dived in all the three ICC formats in the last couple of years.



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Sri Lankan Cricketers refused to sign annual players contracts due to lack of transparency

sri-lankan-cricketers-refused-to-sign-annual-players-contracts-due-to-lack-of-transparency

ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Sri Lanka in fray to host the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.



ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Here is another twist to the marquee ICC tournament as India?s current Covid situation remains the same. Now, Sri Lanka has emerged as one of the top contenders to host the ICC T20 World Cup, which was originally scheduled to be hosted in India.



The Board of Control for Cricket in Indian (BCCI) had earlier asked the ICC to provide them with a month's time to take a wise call whether India could host the event or it needs to be shifted somewhere else.



A couple of officials in the recent joint meeting of the ICC raised sharp questions on the safety of the players who will travel to India for the World Cup if it happens in India. The officials argued that if the BCCI is not able to host the eight teams IPL in India, how can they prepare for the 16 teams affair.



A few days ago, it was learnt that the Indian cricket board has internally informed the ICC to begin its preparations for the same as the board is not willing to schedule the 16-teams competition in the country.



It was expected that the preliminary games of the World Cup will be scheduled in Oman?s capital Muscat to give UAE?s pitches time to breathe, relax and freshen up while the latter stages of the World Cup will go ahead in the UAE.



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<h2>BCCI in talks with Sri Lanka Cricket to host T20 World Cup:</h2>



However, now Sri Lanka has entered the pool for hosting the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;



?See, there is no denying the fact that BCCI and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) officials have been having discussions on taking the showpiece event to UAE with an eye on the COVID-19 situation in India. But, what also needs to be kept in mind here is that hosting the IPL would mean quite a few games, not to forget other tournaments or matches that might be held in some of the venues and tired wickets by the time of the World Cup,? a source was quoted as saying, as reported by Sportskeeda.



The official further informed that these are just initial talks with Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) and it will be too early to predict anything.



?Keeping the playing conditions in mind, there have been some talks with SLC officials (on hosting the event in Sri Lanka) and just basic discussions, to be honest. Too early to get into the details, but we still have some time before we need to get back to the ICC to inform them on the situation as the BCCI will continue to have the hosting rights even if it is played outside India.?



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ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Sri Lanka in fray to host the ICC T20 World Cup 2021

sri-lanka-in-fray-to-host-the-icc-t20-world-cup-2021

ENGvsSL: Sri Lankan cricketers suspended for breaching the bio-bubble in England tour.



ENGvsSL: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Monday took a huge step to suspend three of their main cricketers for breaching the bio-bubble protection during England's limited-overs tour. The suspended cricketers include wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, batsman Kusal Mendis and Danushka Gunathilaka.



SLC has also asked the three to immediately return to Sri Lanka.



The three aforementioned cricketers were spotted roaming in the streets of Durham after their final T20I match against England which they lost by huge 89 runs.



Dickwella, Mendis and Gunathilaka were all part of the playing 11 in the last game against England.



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?Sri Lanka Cricket executive committee has suspended Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka for breaching the bio bubble and they will be immediately recalled to Sri Lanka,? said SLC secretary Mohan de Silva in a statement.



All this probe was called for the matter after a Sri Lankan fan made a video of all three cricketers roaming in the streets of Durham.



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Soon after the video went viral, SLC chief Shammi Silva asked for an immediate investigation to check if there was any breach or not.



?An investigation is underway as they have breached the code of conduct,? said SLC chief.



England white-washed Sri Lanka in a three games T20I series as it marks Sri Lanka?s straight fifth T20I series loss since October 2020.



Post a dismal performance from the Sri Lankans, several former cricketers expressed their concerns and dismay at the poor performance.



?Very sad day for Sri Lankan cricket. The situation is critical. We need immediate measures to save cricket,? wrote Sanath Jayasuriya on his Twitter handle.



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Going forward, Sri Lanka will play a three game ODI series against England starting tomorrow.



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ENGvsSL: Sri Lankan cricketers suspended for breaching the bio-bubble in England tour.

ENGvsSL: Sri Lankan cricketers suspended for breaching the bio-bubble in England tour

sri-lankan-cricketers-suspended-for-breaching-bio-bubble-in-england-tour

Sri Lanka Cricket's pay dispute ended, Cricketer signed new contracts.



In what comes as good news for Sri Lankan cricket, the pay dispute between the country?s cricket board and its cricketers have come to an end and the players have agreed to sign new performance-based contracts.



The Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) gave its cricketers a deadline to sign the contracts till Wednesday following a long stand-off that started back in May 2021.



As per the new contracts, the players will be allocated the central contracts based on their international performance, which is implemented to improve the situation of Sri Lankan cricket on the global front.



The country has seen a steep decline in their cricket performances ever since veteran cricketers retired.



"Players were told in no uncertain terms that they should accept the new terms or leave the team hotel by Wednesday morning," a board source told AFP.



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"They have signed the contracts and the pay dispute is now over."



The new contracts have cut down on the salaries of 24 national cricketers by 40 per cent.



The sources also claimed that Test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and former Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews have again refrained from signing contracts.



A couple of reports also claimed that 34-years old Angelo Mathews is considering retirement from test cricket and informed his country?s cricket board of the same.



Owing to the new contracts and their performances in international cricket, wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella and all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva will fetch the most this year.



The due will receive a handsome annual salary of 100,000 Dollars each.



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Sri Lanka Cricket's pay dispute ended, Cricketer signed new contracts.

Sri Lanka Cricket's pay dispute ended, Cricketer signed new contracts

sri-lanka-crickets-pay-dispute-ended-cricketer-signed-new-contracts

Predicted Openers for Sri Lanka in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021.



ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Sri Lankan Openers: Sri Lankan Cricket has seen a steep decline in the performance of their cricketers in the last five years or so. The country, which was once the powerhouse of cricket greats, is now struggling to win matches.



The extent of the decline is such that Sri Lanka will have to play the qualifiers of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 along with Bangladesh, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Netherlands, Ireland, Namibia and Scotland to seal their spot in the World Cup Super 12.



The worrying trend continues as Sri Lanka cricket is also facing severe internal issues, with their players not agreeing to sign the annual contracts due to lack of transparency and disputes related to the new performance-based contracts.



The T20 World Cup 2021 is not far from here and Sri Lanka will have to bring up certain tweaks in their rules and coaching style to bring out the best from their players.



In this article, we will talk about the probable Opening pair of Sri Lanka for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021.



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<h2>Predicted Openers for Sri Lanka in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021:</h2>



<h3>Danushka Gunathilaka &amp; Kusal Perera:</h3>



The Sri Lankan cricket will be confident enough to send Danushka Gunathilaka and Kusal Perera as the openers in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021.



Danushka Gunathilaka is very consistent up in the order and looks ahead of other players for the opening spot. Although Gunathilaka has nothing fancy to showcase in the T20Is, he looks like the best candidate from the choices available with Sri Lanka.



Gunathilaka has scored 568 runs in the 29 T20I innings at an average of almost 20.



Talking about his partner, Kusal Perera is likely to open the innings along with Gunathilaka. Perera, the skipper of ODIs, has not featured in the T20Is in 2021, however, his stats in the format are way better than his other teammates.



The ODI skipper has amassed 1347 runs in 49 T20I innings at an average of 28 which includes 12 half-centuries.



Sri Lanka might also send the Avishka Fernando to open the innings as he is in good touch. Fernando has amassed 33 in the first ODI while 50 in the second ODI against India.



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Predicted Openers for Sri Lanka in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021

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Asia Cup 2022 to be held in Sri Lanka, tournament to be played in T20 format: The upcoming edition?s Asia Cup is now confirmed to be held in the island nation, Sri Lanka. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on Saturday announced the dates for the tournament, which will be held in the T20 format.



The multi-Asia-nation tournament is slated to begin from August 27 to September 11 while the qualifiers will start from August 20.



The Asia Cricket Council (ACC) have confirmed the development, giving fans hope to witness one more India vs Pakistan clash in the T20 format. Fans will see another India vs Pakistan clash in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.



Notably, Asia Cup 2020 was postponed by the governing authorities owing to the unprecedented rise in the Covid situation. ACC had plans to conduct the tournament in 2021, however, due to jam-packed international schedules the plans were laid down to rest.



The last time Asia Cup was played was in 2018 in which India and Bangladesh featured in the finals. Wicketkeeper batter Dinesh Karthik slammed an 8 ball 29 runs in the final over to stun the Bangladeshis and seal India?s seventh title.



"The Asia Cup 2022 (T20 Format) will be held in Sri Lanka from 27 August - 11 September later this year. The Qualifiers for the same will be played 20 August 2022 onwards,? Asian Cricket Council (ACC) wrote in a tweet.



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<h2>ACC President Jay Shah?s tenure extended by a year:</h2>



In another development, Jay Shah, who is also the president of the ACC along with being BCCI's secretary, has been awarded a one-year extension as the president. The officials unanimously approved the decision after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva proposed the idea.



"AGM Update: The ACC Members unanimously decided that the tenure of Mr. @JayShah as ACC President and that of the Executive Board along with its Committees will continue until the 2024 AGM @BCCI @TheRealPCB @BCBtigers @ACBofficials @ThakurArunS."



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Jay Shah will be at the helm of ACC until 2024.



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Asia Cup 2022 to be held in Sri Lanka, tournament to be played in T20 format

asia-cup-2022-to-be-held-in-sri-lanka-tournament-to-be-played-in-t20-format

Asia Cup 2022 could move out to UAE from Sri Lanka amid political turmoil: The 2022 edition of the Asia Cup, which is slated to be held in Sri Lanka, could be moved out of its original venue due to the political fluidity in the island nation. As per the reports, there are strong chances that the six-nation tournament to shift to the UAE.



The sources in the know of development inform that the discussions to shift the tournament out of Sri Lanka have begun between the Asian Cricket Council and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). The Sri Lankan cricket board (SLC) has been kept in the loop to undergo a smooth change.



It has been learnt that the schedule and dates for the Asia Cup 2022 will be kept the same even if the tournament is shifted out of Sri Lanka. As per the originally released schedule, the Asia Cup 2022 will begin from August 26 to September 11.



The situation worsened in Sri Lanka pretty quickly in the last one week. Nationwide protests have been carried out, the sitting President fled the country and a new leader is being installed.



The situation was different in the last few weeks when SLC agreed to host the multi-nation tournament. However, as the crisis getting escalated, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is in talks to move the tournament out of the island nation.



"In such a scenario, it is being felt that hosting the championship is not appropriate," a member of the ACC told Cricbuzz on Saturday (July 16).



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However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has projected a different scenario for this situation:



"Our first preference is to support Sri Lanka and play the Asia Cup there. If this tournament does not take place in Sri Lanka, it will be a huge cricketing and financial loss for them. Australia's recent tour of Sri Lanka went off without any problems,? said PCB CEO.



"Similarly, there have been no issues with the on-going Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka as we are constantly in touch with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and our embassy in the country. Our discussions with the ACC representatives have suggested that the tournament is on track at the moment as they are monitoring the situation very carefully and we will support their decision," Faisal Hasnain, PCB CEO, said.



This year?s Asia Cup will be conducted in the T20 format in view of preparing for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.



The most anticipated India vs Pakistan fixture in the Asia Cup 2022 will be held on August 28.



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Asia Cup 2022 could move out to UAE from Sri Lanka amid political turmoil

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Sri Lanka Cricket not in position to host Asia Cup 2022, informs Asian Cricket Council: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has been informed that the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) will not be in a position to host the multi-nation upcoming Asia Cup 2022 due to prevailing political and financial turmoil in the country.



The decision came after Sri Lanka Cricket recently postponed the third edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) due to the ongoing crisis.



The development was confirmed by sources in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).



?Sri Lankan cricket has conveyed that due to the existing political and economic situation in their country especially where foreign exchange is concerned it is not an ideal situation for them to host such a mega-event of six teams on the island,? an ACC source said.



The six-nation tournament which will be held in the T20 format will now be staged in some other venue. UAE is kept as a strong contender to host Asia Cup 2022, however, the final decision is yet to come.



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The ACC is likely to make an announcement on the same in the next few days. With the tournament being scheduled to be held in August-September, the ACC will accelerate the process to prepare an alternative hosting country.



?UAE is not the final replacement venue, it could be some other country, even India as the ACC, Sri Lanka cricket will first have to talk with Emirates Cricket Board officials to get final approval for the event,? the official said.



Though Sri Lanka has been successful in hosting the bilateral series, multi-nation tournaments like Asia Cup involve an added hassle of logistics. Moreover, foreign exchange will be another concern for the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board.



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Sri Lanka Cricket not in position to host Asia Cup 2022, informs Asian Cricket Council

sri-lanka-cricket-not-in-position-to-host-asia-cup-2022-informs-asian-cricket-council

Sri Lanka have always been one of those sides which no other team has enjoyed playing against in the Asia Cup history so far. The team has majorly managed to deliver top-notch performances during the tournament and win matches against all the odds.&nbsp;



With 5 titles to its name, Sri Lanka is the second most successful team in the tournament's history only behind India. The team has displayed some tremendously fearless approaches in the shortest format of the game recently and possesses some world-class players who can definitely make things happen for their side.&nbsp;



The team will be eager to be at their best during the Asia Cup 2022. It's time for us to discuss the team's possible Playing XI for the Asia Cup 2022.&nbsp;



<h2>1. Pathum Nissanka</h2>



Sri Lanka's young opening batsman, Pathum Nissanka made his international debut only last year. The youngster has already made his presence felt in big games for his side in his short international career so far.&nbsp;



He already has played some memorable innings for his side so far, especially in white ball cricket. The youngster will be looking to make a mark in the upcoming Asia cup with some good performances in the upcoming Asia Cup.



<h2>2. Danushkha Gunathilaka</h2>



Left-hand batsman Danushkha Gunathilaka will expectedly be partnering with an inexperienced Nissanka in the upcoming Asia Cup. The hard-hitting opener has been blowing hot and cold with the bat for his side scoring runs on a regular basis and providing his team with sublime starts more often.



Gunathilaka will be an important player for his side at the top of the order. He has scored 678 runs in 39 matches so far in his T20I career.



<h2>3. Charith Asalanka</h2>



<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charith_Asalanka">Charith Asalanka</a> is another young batsman who is supposedly going to feature in Sri Lanka's top order. The lef-handed batsman is known for his positive and attacking approach while Asalanka has taken up the role of a no.3 batsman right since he made his international debut last year.&nbsp;



He played a major role in Sri Lanka's historic ODI series win over Australia recently. The youngster will have a very important role to play in Sri Lanka's batting order in the Asia Cup.



<h2>4. Kusal Mendis</h2>



Kusal Mendis without a doubt is one of the most elegant and dependable batsmen in Sri Lanka's lineup. The 27-year-old batsman has shown glimpses of his incredibly good technique and quality with the bat in various conditions in the past.&nbsp;



He has been exceptionally good in terms of resisting the opposition bowlers' tough spells. His task will be to continue his good form in the shortest format of the game as his team shall have heavily relied upon him in the Asia Cup.



<h2>5. Bhanuka Rajaspaksha</h2>



Left-handed explosive batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksha is another crucial part of Sri Lanka's batting lineup. He with his big-hitting abilities can demolish any opposition bowling lineup in T20Is for sure. Owing to his fine performances for the national team the left-hander got picked by IPL franchise Punjab Kings in IPL 2022.&nbsp;



Though the batsman has been in poor form recently, the onus will be on him to provide stability to the&nbsp; Sri lanka innings and finish off the game with big hits towards the later half of the innings as well.



<h2>6. Dasun Shanaka</h2>



Skipper Dasun Shanaka will be the pillar of his side in the upcoming Asia cup for Shanaka with his incredibly good performances with the bat lower down the order have been extremely impressive. Also, his wonderful leadership skills have been a treat o watch for all the fans.&nbsp;



His most recent blitz against Australia in the bilateral series match wherein he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for his side with a fine fifty proves his calibre with the bat. He will be an important asset for his side in the Asia Cup for sure.



<h2>7. Wanindu Hasaranga</h2>



Wanindu Hasaranga has been the most widely discussed topic in the cricketing world in recent times. Owing to his fantastic all-round skills, IPL franchise RCB purchased him ahead of the IPL 2022. The leggie has got the ability to bamboozle the opposition batters with his incredible spin and wicket-taking ability.&nbsp;



He also is extremely handy with the bat in the later half of the innings for his side. Sri Lanka will look to bank upon their X factor to win them games in the Asia Cup.



<h2>8. Chamika Karunaratne</h2>



Karunaratne will be another player who will look to initiate a turnaround in his T20I career during the upcoming Asia Cup. The pacer has managed just 11 wickets in his 25 T20I matches so far.



He will have to live up to his worth in order to see his team achieve greater heights in this Asia Cup.



<h2>9. Dushmantha Chameera</h2>



Dushmantha Chameera will be the leader of the Sri Lankan pace attack for sure in the Asia Cup. The 30-year-old is well known for his fiery opening spells and the ability to choke the runs in the death overs too.&nbsp;



His only task is to work on his line and length so as to be a step ahead of the opposition batters in the middle overs too. Sri Lanka will be relying upon his sheer pace to pick early wickets in the innings.



<h2>10. Maheesh Theekshana</h2>



22 year old Maheesh Theekshana will be partnering with Wanindu Hasaranga in the skin department in the Asia Cup for Sri Lanka.&nbsp;



The youngster's one of the most prominent weapons is the carrom ball which he often used to deceive the batsmen. He will have to be at his best in order to choke the runs and pick wickets in the middle overs during the Asia Cup.



<h2>11. Nuwan Thushara</h2>



With a similar bowling action as that of Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Thushara has been a treat to watch for the fans in his short T20I career so far. The pacer has played only 2 T20Is till now. His quality bowling in the death is what Sri Lanka will look to bank upon to strengthen its grip over the matches.&nbsp;



Thushara is expected to find his best possible rhythm in the upcoming Asia cup despite being rusty so far in his two matches for Sri Lanka.&nbsp;



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Sri Lanka's possible Playing XI for the Asia Cup 2022

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India batter Shubman Gill has started his preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The premier batter has returned to nets for the white-ball practice as he was named in the Indian team for the ODI series against England and the ICC tournament. 
Shubman Gill has been under a lot of pressure for his poor outings with the bat, especially in Test cricket. With the emergence of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who delivered consistent performances, there were a lot of questions about the place of Gill, even in the ODIs. 
Several fans and experts also have backed Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the innings for India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 along with Rohit Sharma. However, amid all this Shubman Gill is making sure that he gives his best to train for the tournament. 
With England ODIs and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 around the corner, Shubman Gill was seen batting in the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. He was seen batting with the white-ball ahead of the tournament and the video can be seen at the end of the article. 
Shubman Gill looked in golden touch with the bat as he played a pull towards the four before blocking the balls. The batter would be eager to make a strong comeback and reply to all the criticism in style with his performances in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. 
Shubman Gill recently played the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 for Punjab. The batter was the lone warrior for his team as he hit a magnificent century and returned to form after having a poor outing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, where he played just three games. 
Shubman Gill would want to carry on his form and help a team win. He has been one of the best batters for India in ODIs. He also has been named as the vice-captain of the team for the tournament and with added responsibility under his belt, a lot will be reliant on him.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/watch-dewald-brevis-turns-into-superman-as-he-takes-a-stunner-in-sa20-2025-/#google_vignette">Watch: Dewald Brevis turns into ‘SUPERMAN’ as he takes a stunner in SA20 2025</a> 
<h2>Watch: Shubman Gill begins preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025:</h2>

Shubman Gill gets ready for ICC Champions Trophy 2025 {PC:X}

India batter Shubman Gill has started his preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Shubman Gill has been under a lot of pressure for his poor outings with the bat, especially in Test cricket.

Watch: 'Under pressure' Shubman Gill looks solid in nets ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025

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Pakistan batter Babar Azam has been in the news for the last few days, especially with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 around the corner. The batter's name has been discussed a lot related to making him open, especially with no clarity over Saim Ayub. 
Pakistan is the only team that has yet to announce the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Since the last few days, he has been in the news as there have been a lot of reports that have suggested that there are chances that he might open the innings for the team. 
However, the fresh reports in Cricket Pakistan have revealed that there are no plans to make Babar Azam open the innings. The reports added that the selection committee has not given the green signal to the development as they feel that batter will be best suited in the middle order. 
<h2>Selectors want a proper opener in the role; Babar Azam to at in middle-order</h2>
The reports claimed that selectors want a proper opener in the role. One of the openers that has been finalized by the management is Fakhar Zaman. However, with Saim Ayub likely to miss out, it is learned that Imam-ul-Haq is also in contention to take the role. 
Babar Azam has been the best batter for Pakistan in ODIs. The batter has mustered truckloads of runs for the team in the format while batting at No.3 and he will be extremely crucial for his team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be played in Pakistan with India games to be played in India. 
Babar Azam also has been a decent opener as well. He has been opening for the team in T20Is and has achieved massive success as well. He also opened in Test cricket during the recent South Africa series and aced that challenge as well, slamming two half-centuries in two innings. 
But, in white-ball cricket, Babar Azam has been criticised a lot for opening in T20Is. This is because he has failed to maximise the powerplay and has been batting with a low strike rate. It remains to be seen where he will be batting for the team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/watch-dewald-brevis-turns-into-superman-as-he-takes-a-stunner-in-sa20-2025-/#google_vignette">Watch: Dewald Brevis turns into ‘SUPERMAN’ as he takes a stunner in SA20 2025</a>

Babar Azam has been the best batter for Pakistan in ODIs.

Pakistan batter Babar Azam has been in the news for the last few days, especially with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 around the corner.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Babar Azam's batting position decided; selectors not in favour of giving him this role

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India assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate has provided a massive fitness update about batter Rinku Singh ahead of the fourth IND vs ENG T20I. He mentioned that the left-hander has gained full fitness and will be playing the next match of the five-match T20I series. 
India and England are all set to lock horns with each other in the fourth match of the T20I series. The game is all set to be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Thursday (30th January). The series is currently at 2-1, with hosts in the lead. 
India has been without the services of Rinku Singh for the last two games of the IND vs ENG series. The left-hander sustained a low back spasm while fielding in the first game and was then ruled out of the next two games of the series as he was under the observation of the BCCI medical team. 
In his place, the India team added Dhruv Jurel to the XI, and the move didn't pay off. The keeper-batter batted lower down the order and struggled to get going in both games, and it potentially cost them the last match of the series. 
<h2>Rinku Singh is fit and ready to play tomorrow - Ryan Ten Doeschate</h2>
However, in what will be a massive boost, Rinku Singh has been declared fit for the next two games. The development was confirmed by assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate, who said that the batter hit nets and will be playing. He told reporters. 
"Rinku Singh is fit and ready to play tomorrow. He batted yesterday night" 
Rinku Singh has been India's one of the best batters in the T20Is. His absence was felt in the last two games as well, but now, with him being fit, it is expected that he would walk straight into the XI and is likely to add Dhruv Jurel to the team. 
The fourth IND vs ENG T20I will be a great opportunity for India to to seal the series, but they need to make some corrections before heading into the next IND vs ENG match. 
India faced a disappointing 26-run loss in the last match at Rajkot. Their batting was one of the main reasons behind the loss and they would be hoping to make a strong comeback.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.icccricketschedule.com/watch-dewald-brevis-turns-into-superman-as-he-takes-a-stunner-in-sa20-2025-/#google_vignette">Watch: Dewald Brevis turns into ‘SUPERMAN’ as he takes a stunner in SA20 2025</a>

India assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate has provided a massive fitness update about batter Rinku Singh ahead of the fourth IND vs ENG T20I

India has been without the services of Rinku Singh for the last two games of the IND vs ENG series.

Rinku Singh to play fourth IND vs ENG T20I? India's assistant coach makes a massive statement

rinku-singh-to-play-fourth-ind-vs-eng-t20i-india-s-assistant-coach-makes-a-massive-statement-

On Thursday morning, the scene outside New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium was nothing short of extraordinary. A massive crowd had gathered well before the match, eager to witness Kohli in action. Long queues stretched for nearly 2 km, with fans patiently waiting for entry. Given his status as Indian cricket biggest crowd-puller the frenzy was hardly surprising. A huge crowd is gathered to see king kohli in  Arun Jaitley Stadium to watch kohli. Reports says that 2KM long queue was showing outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium for virat kohli.
Ranji Trophy action was peaked on January 30 when Virat Kohli, top  star of Indian crickete team, show in his first Ranji Trophy match after a 12-year. Crowd that was shown 2KM away from Arun Jaitley Stadium to see live playing virat kohli. That shows the fan base that kohli and love for indians.
Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy after more than a decade has ignited immense excitement among cricket fans, drawing fresh attention to India’s premier domestic tournament. Virat Kohli’s played his last match  in 2012, that was named in Delhi’s starting XI for their clash against Railways.
According to ANI sports  reports Vipul Kashyap, more than 15,000 fans showed up to see Kohli playing in a Ranji Trophy match after 12 year . That  momentous was return after 12 years for cricket fans. The crowd erupted in excitement the moment Kohli stepped onto the field with his teammates. The roar of the fans was deafening, a testament to their admiration for the former India captain. Kohli acknowledged their love, expressing his gratitude with a warm gesture to there fans.
Virat Kohli last played in the Ranji Trophy when Delhi still had former players like Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag. In that match against Uttar Pradesh, he scored 57 runs across two innings, falling to Bhuvneshwar Kumar both times.
Kohli has featured in 23 Ranji matches between 2006  to 2012 debut against Tamil Nadu, scoring 1,574 runs at an impressive average of 50.77, including five centuries. His highest score—173—came against Bengal. A stellar 2009-10 season earned him a Test call-up, and in 2011, he made his debut in whites against the West Indies. 
Reports says that Virat Kohli’s plays more domestic tournament matches to do practice for future matchs and inspire young generation as well. In future we see more such matchs and India top player's to plays such a match in domestic ground.

Huge Crowd Coming To See Virat Kohli In Ranji Trophy

Ranji Trophy action peaked on January 30 when Virat Kohli, the star Indian cricketer, featured in his first Ranji Trophy game after a 12-year gap.

Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy after more than a decade

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The coveted Women's domestic tournament in India- THE WPL 2025 is on the horizon. Download the Women's Premier League 2025 schedule PDF. Download PDF with group-stage matches, Eliminators, and the grand final. Get all the details for the WPL 2025 tournament in one PDF!

WPL 2025 features five teams competing across four cities, with a thrilling format leading to the final on March 15.