women IPL: First season of women’s IPL expected early next year: BCCI President Sourav Ganguly

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly said that the first season of the much-awaited women’s IPL is expected to begin early next year. He informed the state units in a letter.

“The BCCI is currently working on the much awaited Women’s IPL. We look forward to starting the first season early next year,” Ganguly wrote in a letter dated September 20.

PTI reported last month that the tournament is likely to take place in March after the Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed that the men’s IPL will return to the home and away format from the 2023 season. He informed the state units about this. Due to COVID, IPL has been held at certain venues only.

Due to COVID, IPL has been held at certain venues only.

In 2021 also, the tournament was held at four venues – Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Chennai.

Mitigating the risk related to the pandemic has ensured that the league can now return to the old format where each team plays one home and one match.

“The next season of the men’s IPL will also go back to the home and away format, with all ten teams playing their home matches at their designated venues,” read Ganguly’s note to state units.

The note gave him a “snapshot” of the ongoing home season.

BCCI is organizing a full domestic season for the first time since 2020 and all multi-day tournaments will also return to the traditional home and away format.

(with inputs from PTI)

Originally published at Pen 18

bumrah: Boom Time: Bumrah mystery amid death bowling woes for Team India

Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness condition will be the focus of attention as the deteriorating Indian team looks to improve options in the second T20 International against Australia and try to survive the three-match series.

Bumrah, who has been out of action since the end of the England tour, was ruled out of the Asia Cup due to a back injury.

However, to everyone’s surprise, the team management did not play him during the high-scoring first T20I in Mohali, raising doubts as to whether he still achieved peak fitness or not.

To ease the team’s concerns, the ‘three-and-a-half’ pace attack, including Hardik Pandya, conceded 150 runs in 14 overs.

Veteran supporter Bhuvneshwar Kumar has already been taken to the sweepers. He conceded 49 runs in the three final overs (19th) against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia.

Against this backdrop, a fit and fast Bumrah is a pre-requisite for India as home bowlers are increasingly being found on the batting belt.

The worst part about the team is that there are five more official T20 matches left before the first T20 World Cup match against Pakistan on October 23, leaving the Indian team looking quite upset.

If the approach of the top three players in the Asia Cup was a problem, then the biggest concern has been the bowling, which has come out in good batting conditions.

Yuzvendra Chahal, who has been India’s best spinner in all conditions, doesn’t see any danger now. He has been expensive in the last few matches and will have to find a way to trouble the batsmen on wickets that don’t offer much buy-in.

However, all-rounder Axar Patel, who was included as the same replacement for injured Ravindra Jadeja, proved his mettle once again with three wickets on Tuesday.

India were also sluggish on the field, as they were guilty of dropping three catches, which was criticized by former head coach Ravi Shastri.

In batting, India’s aggressive approach paid dividends as KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav took the team past 200 points after early dismissals of top-order batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Designated finisher Dinesh Karthik did not get much chance on Tuesday and is likely to be given extended playing time with the management keeping all options open in the World Cup.

On the other hand, despite the absence of key players like David Warner, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Marsh, Australia look like a well-oiled machine.

All-rounder Cameron Green slipped well into Warner’s shoes with a scintillating half-century at the top in only his second T20I, while Steven Smith and debutant Tim David also gave the team the needed impetus with important cameos.

Experienced Matthew Wade also lived up to the role of the finisher with an unbeaten 45 off 21 and India will have to brace themselves to save Australia from devastation.

Australia, however, would expect a more disciplined performance from their bowling unit after the pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Greene in Mohali.

However, the wicket of the VCA Stadium will be different from the Mohali pitch. It is expected to be on the slower side, which will make the role of bowlers more prominent in this game.

With the dew approaching in the evening, the teams would prefer to chase the target than the defender.


Squad:


Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.


India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah Umesh Yadav.

The match starts at 7.30 IST.

Originally published at Pen 18

harmanpreet kaur news: Harmanpreet Kaur powers India women to first series win in England in 23 years

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored a scintillating unbeaten century to guide India to a comprehensive 88-run victory in the second ODI, marking the country’s first series win against England since 1999.

A vintage Harmanpreet relived memories of the 2017 World Cup with an unbeaten 143 that came off just 111 balls as India posted a mammoth 333 for 5.

India bundled out England for 245 in 44.5 overs on Wednesday night with the help of medium pacer Renuka Singh (4/57).

Danny Wyatt’s 58-ball 65 was the only bright spot in an otherwise disappointing performance by England’s batsmen.

The last time Indian women won an ODI series in England was in 1999 when they won 2-1.

Chasing a fine total, England needed a quick start but Renuka denied them by dismissing two top-order batsmen in Emma Lamb (15) and Sofia Dunkley (1).

Tammy Beaumont (6) was run out as the hosts were reduced to 47 for 3 by the end of the eighth over.

Alice Capsi (39) and Wyatt added 55 runs for the fourth wicket and Wyatt then put on another 65-run partnership with captain Amy Jones (39) before England chased down Renuka in the 30th over. Clean bowled to Wyatt.

In the end, Charlie Dean (37) and Kate Cross (14) tried their best but India registered a resounding victory.

Sent in to bat, Harmanpreet hit 18 fours and four sixes in her 111-ball knock and enjoyed a scintillating 112-run partnership with Harleen Deol (58 off 72 balls) for the fourth wicket.

He shared an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 50 with Pooja Vastrakar (18) and 71 runs in four overs with Deepti Sharma (15 not out).

However, it was in the last three overs that Harmanpreet literally took the game away from England’s grip as a target of 334 runs in a women’s ODI always looked impossible, even if the pitch was a batting belt.

In the last three overs, the Indian team scored 62 runs courtesy their captain, who was in high touch as he reached his fifth century in women’s ODIs.

The innings saw Harmanpreet’s trademark slog sweep sweep over the cow corner, getting her some sixes, while there were disdainful sixes on the cover area.

With little help offered from the pitch for the bowlers, it was very easy to hit through the line and England’s bowling attack ended with only off-spinner Charlie Dean (1/39) with respectable figures.

The worst victim was left-arm seamer Freya Kemp, who performed decently till the end of his seventh over, conceding only 28 runs.

Such was Harmanpreet’s dominance that Deepti Sharma, who still holds the individual record (188) by an Indian batsman in women’s ODIs, was more of a spectator during her sixth-wicket stand.

Brief Scores: India Women 333/5 in 50 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 143 not out, Harleen Deol 58, Freya Kemp 1/82).

England: 245 all out in 44.2 overs (Danny Wyatt 65; Renuka Singh 4/57).

Originally published at Pen 18

federer: Roger Federer’s goodbye will be in doubles, maybe with Nadal

Roger Federer is known for his style of play, for his longevity, for his 20 Grand Slam titles – and for his occasional tears in his most emotional moments after the match, whether after a win or a loss. There was no such sadness on Wednesday, just smiled and cracked some jokes on his own, as Federer appeared at a news conference to discuss his retirement from professional tennis after a knee operation at the age of 41 . He will end his career with a doubles match at the Laver Cup on Friday – probably with longtime rival Rafael Nadal.

Federer said he is now at peace with the decision to walk away, which comes weeks after Serena Williams is expected to be her last at the US Open, and wants the farewell to be a celebration.

“I really don’t want it to be a funeral,” Federer said.

“I want it to be really happy and powerful and party mode.”

Dressed in a blue blazer with sleeves rolled up to the elbow and a white polo shirt, Federer spent nearly half an hour taking questions in the arena, which will host a team event set up by his management company.

“I’m terrified to go in, because I haven’t played in so long,” he said.

“I hope I can be somewhat competitive.”

Federer, who announced last week via social media that he would retire after the Laver Cup, said it took him a while to get used to the idea of ​​being away from the competition.

But it was something he understood he needed to do during his rehabilitation in July after running into setbacks during his third surgery on his right knee in nearly 1 1/2 years.

“You try to go to the next level in training, and I could feel it was going to be difficult. … Believe it was going to turn around. You start being too pessimistic. Then I got a scan. Got back too, which I didn’t want it to be,” Federer explained.

“At some point, you sit down and go, OK, we’re at a crossroads here, at a crossroads, and you have to take a turn. Which way is it?’ I was unwilling to go in this direction: ‘Let’s risk it all.’ I’m not ready for it. I always said that was never my goal.”

And the hardest part came when he knew he needed to stop.

“You’re sad,” Federer said, “at the very moment you realize, well, this is the end.'”

His last knee procedure came shortly after his quarterfinal loss to Hubert Herkaz at Wimbledon in July 2021, which would go into the books as the final singles match of an illustrious career that began in the 1990s and would include 103 tournament titles, one Davis Championships, Olympic medals and hundreds of weeks at No. 1 in the ATP rankings for the Cup Switzerland.

In his online farewell message last week, Federer referred to retirement as a “bitter decision”.

On Wednesday, he was asked which aspect was the bitterest and which was the sweetest.

“Bitterness: You’ve always wanted to play forever,” he said.

“I love being out on the court. I love playing against guys. I love traveling. … It was perfect. I love my career from every angle.”

And then he added: “The funny thing was that I know everyone has to do it at one point; everyone has to leave the sport. It’s been a great, great journey. For that, I’m really grateful.” Am.”

He will play doubles for Team Europe against Team World on the first day of the event, then replace 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini for singles on the weekend. Federer said the plan was spearheaded by the ATP and both team captains John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.

As for the last storm for your duet partner? Federer wouldn’t say for sure – he said it was up to Borg – but the not-so-hidden secret is that it is expected to be Nadal, who holds the men’s record of 22 major championships.

Back in February, when word surfaced that Federer would be in London this week, he said Nadal had messaged him last year that they would play doubles together again. They teamed up to win the doubles match during the first Laver Cup in 2017.

“If we are able to share the court once again as a doubles pair, it will be a really special experience for both of us at this stage in our careers,” Nadal said in February.

While Federer’s other contemporaries and stars of the sport are in Team Europe, such as 21-time Slam winner Novak Djokovic and three-time major winner Andy Murray, the Federer versus Nadal matchup will go down in history as the greatest rivalry. Tennis or any other sport.

He played 40 times in total (Nadal won 26), with 14 Grand Slam matchups (Nadal won 10). Nadal came out on top in his 2008 classic Wimbledon final, considered the greatest match in history; Federer’s last appearance was in the semi-final of 2019 at the All England Club.

“It could be quite, I don’t know, a unique situation, if it were to happen,” Federer said of the pair.

“For us, at the same time, going through the careers of both of us and being able to come out on the other side and build a good relationship, I think, is probably a great message, as well, not only for tennis but sports and maybe even more than that.” Even further.”

As for his future?

The father of two sets of twins – girls 13, boys 8 – wouldn’t say exactly what he planned, other than a vacation, but did say he’d be involved with tennis in some capacity.

Federer tried to reassure his fans by saying: “I won’t be a ghost,” recalling the way Borg stayed away from the sport for years after his retirement.

Originally published at Pen 18

england: England, Australia to play first 5-day women’s cricket test

The first women’s cricket Test match to be played over five days will be next year when England and Australia meet in the Ashes. Women’s Test matches are traditionally played over four days, as opposed to five in the men’s game. There have been only six women’s trials around the world since 2017, all of which have ended in draws after time runs out.

The decision to break a long-standing tradition by the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia comes three months after International Cricket Council President Greg Barkley said he wanted women to play five-day Tests, while Also raises doubts about the long term. The future of the format in women’s cricket.

England captain Heather Knight said, ‘I am very happy.

“I feel like I’ve been drumming for five days in a long time, so it’s a special moment. It feels like the right time, for five days, for big grounds, and it feels like a long time.” has come .

“I probably spent most of my career being grateful for what you did. When I started with anything it was a bonus, you were happy just playing the game you love for England and getting paid Not even doing it, but my eyes are opened. A little more. You see the inequalities you’ve gone through and haven’t really felt. Moving on to the same level is a logical progression.”

The Test will take place at Trent Bridge from June 22-26 as part of the multi-format Ashes series in 2023 which also includes three Twenty20s and three One Day Internationals.

The men’s Ashes will be a five-Test series, with matches in June-July at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval.

Originally published at Pen 18

ioa: Khanna quits as IOA acting president, takes dig at IOC

Senior sports administrator Anil Khanna on Wednesday resigned as the acting president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) after the IOC refused to recognize any “acting/interim president”. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued a suspension threat on 8 September, saying the IOA should hold elections by December this year.

Khanna took charge of the IOA following a court’s decision to end Narinder Batra’s rule as head of the apex sports body in the country.

IOA senior vice president Khanna said he “respects” the IOC’s view, but at the same time asked the world’s umbrella sports body who would have the final say in deciding and interpreting the “law of the land”. and a NOC (National Olympic Committee) constitution.

“Based on the Constitution of the IOA, as approved unanimously by the House of General and in support of a similar previous precedent in the vacancy of the office of President in 2011, I have for a brief period the responsibility of the President’s duties and functions. Khanna said in a statement.

He was referring to the then senior vice-president VK Malhotra taking over as the caretaker IOA president following the arrest of current chief Suresh Kalmadi on corruption charges related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

“The Hon’ble High Court of Delhi has confirmed this on 24th June 2022,” Khanna said in a letter addressed to the IOA General Secretary and members.

“I am honored to be a part of the IOA sports fraternity for the past several years and have served in various capacities. It was my privilege to be a part of the Commonwealth Games as the Acting President where India made a remarkable performed well.”

The IOC, in its September 8 letter, said it would not recognize any “acting/interim president” after Batra stepped down as IOA chief and added that he would serve as the main point of contact with Secretary General Rajeev Mehta.

“While I respect the views of the IOC, at some point, when the dust settles, I would like to ask the IOC who will decide and interpret the ‘law of the land’ and the constitution of the NOC in a nation.

“Will this interpretation be done by the IOC or even by the Hon’ble Courts of a Nation? Once the Hon’ble Courts of a Nation have made a decision after due consideration, will it be appropriate for the IOC to refer to one of the Hon’ble Courts? Different interpretation than the findings!!”

Khanna, former president of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), admitted that the IOA is passing through a tough phase.

“It is no secret that the IOA has been passing through a turbulent time in the last two years and elections are coming up within a few months and also because of the Hon’ble High Court order which may affect the future of some of the affiliated members. The concerns of many in our family have increased, resulting in continuous litigation for the past few weeks.

“Various factions of the IOA are clearly taking opposite stances on constitutional matters, including the interpretation of the Constitution and the position of the interim/acting president. does not recognize.”

He said that the government is making serious efforts to normalize the conduct of the IOA and the Supreme Court is sensitive to the views of the IOC to protect the interests of Indian sportspersons.

“I have already stated in my earlier letter dated 18th September 2022 that it is the duty of the entire IOA family to join hands and cooperate with the Government and take steps under the guidance of IOC and Hon’ble Courts. Principles of Fair Elections, Good Governance to be mutually decided as per the time-limits to be adhered to.

“In order to bring about greater harmony within the entire membership of the IOA, and to achieve the above objective, I have decided to abdicate from the responsibilities and duties of the President by the Constitution of IOA and the Hon’ble High Court.”

Originally published at Pen 18

rishabh pant: Collective Artists Network to exclusively represent cricketer Rishabh Pant

The Collective Artist Network of India’s leading talent management agency (formerly KWAN) has signed cricketer Rishabh Pant and will exclusively manage his business interests.

Prior to Collective, Pant was managed by JSW Sports.

Vijay Subramaniam, Group CEO and Founder, Collective Artist Network said, “I am really excited to welcome Rishabh to Collective Artist Network. “His pure talent in the field and his naturally friendly personality make him a truly unique proposition for his fans and partners. We at Collective look forward to taking the Rishabh brand forward with the infrastructure.”

The 24-year-old wicket-keeper batsman from Uttarakhand made his T20 International debut in 2017 and was named the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year at the 2018 ICC Awards.

In February 2021, Pant was named the Men’s Player of the Month at the first edition of the ICC Player of the Month Awards. He was also the fourth youngest Indian to captain an IPL team and stood in for the injured Shikhar Dhawan for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

“I am thrilled to be working with Collective Artists Network. It feels incredible to be exclusively represented by India’s biggest players in the talent ecosystem in India and I am sure it will be a very successful partnership,” said Pant.

The collective also manages Deepika Padukone, Kartik Aaryan, Shraddha Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Sara Ali Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Tiger Shroff, Hrithik Roshan, Yash and Pritam Chakraborty.

In its sports department, the company manages Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Indian junior badminton champion Anupama Upadhyay.

“We are very proud to announce the signing of our marquee at the Games, Rishabh Pant. He is the poster child of a young and fearless India who is a marketer’s delight. We are really looking forward to see what we can create together,” said Ritesh Nath, Head-Sports, Collective Artists Network.

Originally published at Pen 18