ICC announces MoneyGram as Partner
dubai: The ICC and MoneyGram International, a leading global provider of money transfer services, on Monday announced an eight-year deal which confirms MoneyGram as an event partner for ICC events from 2016-2023. A media release by ICC stated: "The ICC and MoneyGram recently completed a successful five-year partnership, which began with the ICC World Twenty20 West Indies 2010, concluding with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. "In the current eight-year cycle, the alliance promises to reach greater heights, as the ICC will stage an impressive 17 tournaments, including six majors - two ICC World Twenty20 tournaments, two editions of the ICC Champions Trophy and two ICC Cricket World Cups."
Sehwag to captain Gemini Arabians
dubai: Gemini Arabians, a team participating in the upcoming Masters Champions league, today named Virender Sehwag as its captain and team director. Players and management descended into Dubai from various parts of the world to reveal the team logo and team jersey. Team owner and CEO Nalin Khaitan said they wanted to attempt something totally out-of-the-box to present the team.
"All the cricketers have shown great enthusiasm and excitement in order to make this event a success. We look forward to translate this passion on to the field and produce exciting cricket at the upcoming MCl," he said. Children from various schools were present to cheer the Gemini Arabian stars, represented by Sehwag, Saqlain Mushtaq, Richard levi, Paul Harris, Jacques Rudolph, Graham Onions and Saqib Ali. Team Patron Medha Ahluwalia announced Sehwag to be the leader of the side.
Fleming named coach of Pune IPl
kolkata: Former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming was on Monday named chief coach of the new Pune franchise of the Indian Premier league Twenty20 cricket tournament. With this the former Chennai Super Kings coach will renew his long and most successful partnership with his former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was picked in the December draft.
"I warmly welcome Stephen Fleming as the chief coach," team owner Sanjiv Goenka, chairman of RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group said in a statement.
The duo had led CSK to two successive IPl triumphs and as many Champions league T20 trophies to become the most successful in the franchise league.
‘It's advantage India at WT20’
mumbai: Former pace spearhead Zaheer Khan on Monday said the Indian cricket team's proficiency in playing spin will make the side a firm favourite when it guns for a second World Twenty20 Championship title on home turf come March-April.
"I am sure India will come out with flying colours. Though the format is T20, it is to be played in the sub- continent. Spin can be a part of it and the ability to play spin well can be an advantage," said the former left-arm pacer, who has retired from all forms of cricket except IPl. Zaheer, an invitee at the Event to extend the sponsorship tie-up between the ICC and MoneyGram for eight more years, said the dynamic nature of the Twenty20 format have ended up rubbing on to the ODIs as well. "There have been lot of changes which add excitement to the game. There have been a lot of innovations from the batters. On the whole the game has become dynamic. The impact of T20 can be seen in ODIs as well as in Test matches," said the 37-year-old Zaheer.
MCA not agreeable to lodha Panel
mumbai: The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), headed by Sharad Pawar, is set to oppose most of the recommendations of the Justice lodha committee submitted in its report to the Supreme Court last week. "We are opposed to most of the recommendations and are one hundred per cent behind Mr Pawar," said MCA's joint secretary P V Shetty, when asked about the managing committee meeting convened on January 13 to discuss the implications of the lodha panel recommendations.
"We will discuss everything and then put forth our views to the BCCI," said Shetty.
Among the sweeping reforms proposed by the lodha panel which are set to be opposed by the MCA's managing committee are that politicians should not be part of the cricket set-up, no office bearer should be above 70 years of age and one state can have only one member and one vote in the BCCI. lodha panel has pointed out that in the BCCI not all states of India are represented and some states, including Maharashtra, are over-represented. "Mainly attributable to their historic legacy, both Maharashtra and Gujarat have three Full Members, each representing parts of their respective States. Maharashtra therefore exercises votes through the Associations of Mumbai, Vidarbha and Maharashtra while Gujarat fields the Associations of Baroda, Gujarat and Saurashtra," the panel has noted.
‘BBl world's 9th most attended league’
melbourne: Australia's domestic T20 cricket tournament Big Bash league has burst into the top 10 most attended sports leagues in the world, according to a report. A crowd of 80,883 turned up at the MCG for the Melbourne derby between the Stars and Renegades a week ago and the organisers of the T20 tournament, in its fifth edition, were still trying to digest the enormity of the interest in the league, a report in ‘Sydney Morning Herald' said. The upcoming Sydney derby next Saturday is also poised to be an SCG domestic record of up to 42,000, an attendance that will only help drive the average crowd figures further north.