Tag: World Cup 2023

The idea to host Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 matches in Bangladesh has been discussed at the ICC meetings last week, reported a renowned cricket website on Wednesday.

According to ESPN Cricinfo, in informal discussions on the sidelines of the board meetings in Dubai, PCB insisted to apply the same hybrid Asia Cup model for the World Cup as well.

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup and Pakistan’s participation in the Men’s ODI World Cup has been in jeopardy after the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) refused to tour Pakistan for the Asian event on political grounds.

The BCCI maintained their stance of not touring Pakistan for the Asia Cup, while the PCB was adamant that if they do not, then Pakistan might not travel to India for the World Cup in October-November.

Reportedly, PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are gradually moving towards a compromise and have nearly agreed to host India’s matches on a neutral venue while the rest of the Asia Cup will be played in Pakistan.

In the latest development, however, ESPN Cricinfo suggested that Bangladesh had been proposed as a neutral venue for Pakistan matches during the ICC ODI World Cup in India later this year.

Earlier, the General Manager of Cricket for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Wasim Khan also claimed that Pakistan may play their matches of the upcoming ICC event at a neutral venue.

In an exclusive interview with ARY News on the sidelines of the recently-concluded T20I series between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Sharjah, Wasim asserted Pakistan would also not play their matches in India and they might get shifted to a neutral country.

“I don’t think that Pakistan will play their matches in India. I think their matches will also be held at a neutral venue just like India’s Asia Cup matches,” he had said.

It may be noted here that the uncertainty around the 2023 Asia Cup began in October last year when the ACC president, and BCCI secretary, Jay Shah refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan and has since been trying to shift the tournament to a neutral venue.

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CHRISTCHURCH: Sri Lanka’s hopes of securing automatic qualification for the World Cup took a major blow on Tuesday when heavy rain and gusting winds forced the second one-day international against New Zealand to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Steady rain meant the covers stayed on all day at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, with organisers calling the match off at 1630 local time (0330 GMT) with more showers forecast.

As a result the two teams split the points which further damages Sri Lanka’s designs on a place in the top eight of the Super League, who automatically qualify for the World Cup in India in October and November.

Having also lost the first ODI in the three-match series, Sri Lanka are now ninth in the table with 82 points, six points behind West Indies.

To make the top eight, Sri Lanka must win the third ODI against New Zealand in three days’ time and pray that South Africa lose at least once in their upcoming series against the Netherlands, and that Ireland fail to beat Bangladesh 3-0 when they meet in May.

The teams missing out on the top eight will go into a repechage 10-team tournament in Zimbabwe in June and July from which the final two teams will emerge.

New Zealand have already qualified for the World Cup and are now guaranteed to finish as Super League table-toppers even if they lose the third ODI in Hamilton on Friday.

Sri Lanka have lost all three tour games played so far in New Zealand, including a 2-0 whitewash in the Test series.

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SHARJAH: The General Manager of Cricket for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Wasim Khan asserted that Pakistan may play their matches of the upcoming ODI World Cup at a neutral venue.

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup and Pakistan’s participation in the Men’s ODI World Cup has been in jeopardy after the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) refused to tour Pakistan for the aforementioned tournament on political grounds.

The BCCI maintained their stance of not touring Pakistan for the Asia Cup, while the PCB was adamant that if they do not, then Pakistan might not travel to India for the World Cup in October-November.

In the latest development, however, reported by ESPN Cricinfo, PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are gradually moving towards a compromise after an initial standoff over the hosting of the Asian event.

The news reports claimed that two boards have nearly agreed to host India matches outside Pakistan while the rest of the matches will be played in the country.

Meanwhile, former CEO of the PCB Wasim shared his prediction regarding how this deadlock will unfold in an exclusive interview with ARY News on the sidelines of the recently-concluded T20I series between Pakistan and Afghanistan here and claimed that Pakistan might also play their world cup matches on a neutral venue.

“I don’t know if it would take place here on in a different country but a neutral venue is highly likely,” responded Wasim in a question regarding the likely neutral venue for India’s Asia Cup fixtures.

“I don’t think that Pakistan will play their matches in India. I think their matches will also be held at a neutral venue just like India’s Asia Cup matches,” Wasim concluded.

It may be noted here that the uncertainty around the 2023 Asia Cup began in October last year when the ACC president, and BCCI secretary, Jay Shah refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan and has since been trying to shift the tournament to a neutral venue.

An emergency meeting of the Asian Cricket Council was held in this regard in Bahrain last month but failed to reach a breakthrough.

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The 2023 ICC ODI World Cup in India is likely to start on October 5 and end on November 19, reported a cricket website on Tuesday. 

According to ESPNcrininfo, BCCI has finalized 12 venues for the marquee event with the final set to be staged at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

The 10-team tournament will comprise 48 matches, including two semi-finals and a final.

The venues shortlisted for the event include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, and Rajkot.

“The BCCI has not specified venues for any games as yet, or the two or three cities where teams will play the warm-ups. The delay in finalising the venues is due to the complications posed by the monsoon season receding at different points in different parts of India.” said the news report.

Moreover, it added the ICC, which usually announces World Cup schedules at least a year in advance, has been waiting for the BCCI to get clearance from the Indian government regarding two key issues, visa clearance for the Pakistan team, and getting a tax exemption for the tournament.

“At the ICC’s quarterly meetings last weekend, held in Dubai, the BCCI is learned to have assured the global body that visas for the Pakistan contingent will be cleared by the Indian government,” it said.

It may be noted that the two South Asian rivals have not played each other since early 2013 outside the ICC and ACC tournaments. The relations between the two cricket boards reached a stalemate following India’s decision not to send their team to Pakistan for Asia Cup later this year.

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KIRTIPUR: United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) Asif Khan struck the fourth-fastest century in Men’s ODIs but Nepal held their nerves in check to claim a nine-run victory by Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) method and sealed their spot in the Cricket World Cup qualifiers.

Nepal were earlier set to chase 311 in 50 overs but with six overs left, the umpires decided that the play couldn’t continue due to bad light and the hosts were nine runs ahead of the DLS.

Nepal had a contrasting start to the run chase as they lost two quick wickets for just six runs in the second over as Aasif Sheikh (5) and Kushal Malla (0) perished cheaply.

Opening batter Kushal Bhurtel then attempted to anchor the run chase with a brief 31-run partnership for the third wicket with skipper Rohit Paudel (16 off 25) before the latter perished in the seventh over. At 37/3, Nepal appeared to have faltered in the all-important clash.

However, Bhim Sarki (67) joined hands with Bhurtel (50) and then Aarif Sheikh (52) led Nepal’s fightback in the middle overs and brought the hosts back in the hunt.

As the umpires decided to call off the action due to bad light after 44 overs, Nepal were ahead of the necessary DLS score thanks to a surge from 17-year-old Gulsan Jha’s (50*) in the later overs.

Earlier, Asif Khan’s fourth-fastest century in Men’s ODIs powered UAE to post a massive total of 310/6 which, however, turned out to be insufficient in the end.

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Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam has aimed to win the ICC ODI World Cup, scheduled later this year in India, on the back of his phenomenal batting run in recent years.

Babar, who was recently named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year for the second consecutive time and also won the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Cricketer of the Year for 2022, has expressed his wish to lead his team to World Cup glory this year after achieving the prestigious individual accolades.

“The World Cup is coming up and my ambition is to perform well so that we can win it.” Babar told ICC Digital on Friday

“You see lot of things individually too, but my goal right now is to win the World Cup.”

The 28-year-old, who has been ruling the ODI chart since July 2021, is in the top five rankings across each format while his consistent performances earned him a place in the ICC Test Team of the Year besides leading the ICC ODI Team of the Year for the second time in a row.

Babar’s exceptional batting class is much more than just the numbers as it came with the additional burden of captaining the side in all three formats.

Pakistan claimed 14 wins from 26 matches through 2022, including eight out of nine victories in ODIs, under Babar’s leadership. He also led his team to the T20 World Cup final last year.

The Green Shirts have a host of 50-over matches lined up this year, including a five-match series against New Zealand in April-May and the ODI Asia Cup at home in September. Pakistan’s skipper wants to use the upcoming assignments to sharpen the blades before the mega-event in India.

“This year we have lot of white-ball cricket because of the World Cup…you need to take things step by step. You can’t really jump to your goal. You have to achieve it step by step,” said Babar.

“The mindset is to go step by step, but yeah you have it in the back of your mind that you need to perform well. There is hard work and planning behind it,” he added.

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New Zealand chief selector Gavin Larsen has expressed his hope that pacer Trent Boult will lead Kiwis’ bowling attack at the 50-over World Cup in India later this year. 

Boult, who was removed from Cricket New Zealand’s players’ central contract last year upon his request as he wanted to make himself available for the franchise leagues around the world, was not part of the New Zealand side during their recent tours to Pakistan and India.

Since New Zealand’s cricket body gives preference to the players within the contract for selection, Boult’s participation in cricket’s top event is under the clouds despite his desire to play the World Cup.

However, Larsen in his interview with SENZ Mornings, a popular New Zealand-based sports podcast, said: “The door is very much open,” adding that Boult is in constant talks with head coach Gary Stead.

“Gary and Trent talk on a regular basis. We all know Boulty’s pedigree, his experience and just what a great match-winner he is and has been over the years for us,” he told.

MUMBAI: India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya has set his sights on the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 as he revealed his biggest New Year’s resolution.

Pandya, while speaking to the media on the eve of the home T20I series against Sri Lanka opened up about his new year’s resolutions.

“The biggest is to win the World Cup,” said Pandya. “I don’t think any bigger resolution can be there. Really want to win the World Cup and for which we will try everything possible in our capacity to go out there and give everything. I think things are looking bright and let’s hope it is,” he added.

The star all-rounder reflected on his remarkable year as he marked his return with a “magical” comeback after setbacks and taking a break while vowing to achieve a lot in the ongoing year.

“One year back things were quite different when I went out of the sport… that was my call to go out and spend some time and get better at it. It [2022] has been a magical year for me,” said Pandya.

“Obviously, would have liked [to win] the [2022 T20] World Cup also but that is part and parcel, we tried but it did not happen. Going forward, what do I want to achieve? There is a lot to achieve. I have not achieved anything.

“So I am looking forward to the future. There are World Cups coming. There are going to be multiple World Cups in multiple years so the goal will always be to win a World Cup and I think, from now onwards, the goal will be to win the World Cup.”

It is apropos to mention that India will be hosting the 50-over ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup later this year in October-November, which India won last in 2011.

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DUBAI: Afghanistan have gained direct qualification to next year’s 50-over World Cup after their abandoned second one-day international against Sri Lanka, the International Cricket Council said.

The Afghans and the hosts took five Super League points each in Pallekele on Sunday, keeping the visitors in seventh place in the table and guaranteeing them at least eighth position.

Hosts India and the seven highest-ranked other teams earn direct entry to the 2023 tournament.

Four teams are scrapping for the last remaining direct entry spot — two-time champions West Indies, Ireland, former winners Sri Lanka, and South Africa.

Sri Lanka will be hoping for a win in the final ODI of the Afghanistan tour on Wednesday to boost their chances and tie the current three-match series.

Afghanistan won the first ODI by 60 runs on Friday.

As well as the hosts, so far defending champions England, New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh and Pakistan have also secured direct entry into next year’s tournament.

The cut-off date for the final Super League standings is on May 31, 2023.

The remaining nations will have to play in the qualifying matches along with five associate teams for the final two spots.

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