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Sameen Rana did not hold back after the PCB revoked NOCs for the Pakistan players taking part in the T10 league

Danyal Rasool23-Oct-2019The CEO of T10 franchise Qalandars – who stood to lose the most from the PCB’s decision to revoke NOCs for Pakistani players in the league this season – did not hold back in his anger at the development. Sameen Rana lost players of the quality of Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim and Faheem Ashraf in one fell swoop, leading him to say that the PCB should have made this call well ahead of the draft to enable the franchises to make informed decisions.”I wish it had been clear before the draft whether the PCB would issue NOCs or not,” Rana told ESPNcricinfo. “This is a proper cricket organisation, and it hasn’t suddenly dawned on them that the league clashes with the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy? I think it’s disappointing for the Pakistan players, with them being prevented from playing in global events like the T10.”They would have had a chance to learn from players around the world. The West Indies cricket board, CA [Cricket Australia], and almost all other boards are supporting this league.”The third edition of the T10 league, set to take place in Abu Dhabi from November 15 to 24 this year, includes eight teams. It is the Qalandars, owned by the same group that owns the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League, who stand to lose most from the eleventh-hour decision.The make-up of the Qalandars squad is almost exclusively Pakistani, and while most of those players continue to remain available to them for the tournament – coming as they do from the Player Development Programme the Lahore Qalandars organised in their quest to uncover hidden talent throughout the country – key names like Hafeez, Imad and Faheem will become unavailable.Mohammad Hafeez works the ball away•CPL T20/Getty Images

“Our team will be badly hurt; there is no doubt about it, but a lot of guys are here from the Player Development Programme. So we don’t need NOCs for them. These are players that we have developed and groomed, and they are on our contracts. But it would have been good to get support from the PCB because this is a fundamentally Pakistani team. Qalandar is a Pakistani name.”In addition to the Player Development Programme, the Qalandars will still retain the services of icon player Shahid Afridi and former Pakistan opener Imran Nazir, given they are not contracted by the PCB and therefore don’t need an NOC to play in the event.The PCB’s official policy towards leagues around the world is what is informally known as the “PSL plus one” policy. This has resulted, as the name suggests, in players permitted to participate in one league other the PCB-backed Pakistan Super League, with further permission subject to a case-by-case evaluation. The PCB believes this strikes a healthy balance between the players’ desire to safeguard their economic interests, and the board’s concerns about fatigue and burnout. The main reason the PCB provided for blocking player participation in this year’s T10 League is that it wanted them to play domestic matches in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.Faheem Ashraf impressed at the death•Getty Images

Rana, however, emphatically rejected that explanation. “I don’t agree with the statement the PCB put out on the workload of the Pakistan players. Did they not think about the workload on Mohammad Hafeez when they issued him an NOC for the CPL? This is something I don’t understand. You can play in the CPL, you can play in Canada, and everywhere else in the world. But when it comes to the T10, where you have a Pakistani-origin team that is full of Pakistanis, you refuse permission? If you wanted to take this decision, you could have taken it before the draft. What has happened is the PCB has dealt us a massive blow.”Rana said while the primary purpose of investing in Pakistan players was to develop local talent, this would invariably force the Qalandars into being more wary in the future.”The UAE government backs this league, and we should look at it in that context. When the UAE is trying to develop the game there, you should think about the UAE’s contribution in making the PSL a brand and supporting it from the get-go. They provided their grounds, and the PCB and the ECB [Emirates Cricket Board] have enjoyed a great relationship over the years. This will send a very wrong message to the ECB, because they may well feel the PCB’s decision has damaged the value of their league.”The purpose of our team was to give the Pakistani players an opportunity. This is visible from the draft we conducted, where there are 10 Pakistani players, including our captain Sohail Akhtar. We didn’t expect the NOCs to be revoked so late in the day. If we had, perhaps our decision would have been different.”

BCCI president also said he was waiting to have a word with MS Dhoni on his future

Nagraj Gollapudi23-Oct-20197:18

Will support Kohli in every way possible: Ganguly

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has assured the Indian team management led by captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri that his board will make “life easy” and not “difficult” for them but pointed out that performance would be the ultimate yardstick. Ganguly also said he was waiting to have a word with MS Dhoni on his future, pointing out “champions don’t finish quickly.”The 47-year old former India captain was speaking after his formal election as BCCI president, marking the end of the 33-month tenure of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA). Others elected today were Jay Shah (secretary), Arun Singh Dhumal (treasurer), Jayesh George (joint secretary) and Mahim Verma (vice-president).ALSO READ – Meet the new BCCI officialsGanguly was all praise for Kohli who he said had taken Indian cricket to a “different level” since he took over as captain in 2015. India are currently the No. 1 Test team and are perched comfortably atop the World Test Championship table. In ODIs, they are behind England and in T20Is they are ranked fourth.In light of that success, Kohli and Shastri became two of the most powerful people in Indian cricket. Ganguly is scheduled to meet them on Thursday at the BCCI office where the teams to play the home series against Bangladesh would be picked.”I really don’t know what had transpired with the CoA [the previous regime] and Virat and Ravi,” Ganguly said in his first media briefing as BCCI president in Mumbai. “But the new body has taken over, the new office bearers have taken over, it will be a proper discussion and everything would be mutually discussed. But be rest assured that we are here to make their life easier, not make their life difficult. And everything will be on the basis of performance. Performance is the most important thing and that’s what will decide the future of Indian cricket.”Ganguly made it clear that Kohli was the “most important” person in Indian cricket at the moment. “We will be there to support him. We will there to listen to him because I have been a captain myself and I understand from that position and we will deal with it. It is a mutual respect which will be there, so discussions will be there and we will do what is best for the game.”MS Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly share a light moment•AFP

On Tuesday, after India’s 3-0 Test series win over South Africa, Kohli felt Test cricket should be hosted by a maximum of five key venues, a system which is followed in England and Australia. Kohli said it helped bring in better crowds and add to the Test-match culture in those countries and it might be something for the BCCI to look into.The issue had come up in light of poor crowds in two of the three Tests (Pune and Ranchi) and there had already been a precedent – Dhoni had made a similar suggestion in 2010. Ganguly was open to a discussion around it, saying “in terms of the Test venues, we have a lot of space, lot of venues. So we will have to sit with him [Kohli] and see what he wants and take it forward.”With a selection meeting scheduled for Thursday, the question on Dhoni’s future came up once again. The 38-year old hasn’t played for India since the end of the World Cup in July and it doesn’t seem likely that he will be back to play the series against Bangladesh. “It is unlikely Dhoni would be picked for the Bangladesh series which comprises three T20Is and two Tests considering he has not played any cricket after the World Cup.”When asked if he had reached out to Dhoni, Ganguly said, “I have not spoken to him yet. Hopefully we will meet soon and have a word with one of the greats in Indian cricket.”Ganguly was not shy about recalling instances from his own career – which began in 1992 and ended in 2008 -when asked about how long Dhoni could continue playing for India.”It depends on him,” Ganguly said. “I’ve always said that even when I was left out [in 2005] and when the entire world said he’ll never make it I believed in myself and came back [in 2007] and played for four years [domestic cricket included]. You know champions don’t finish very quickly. I don’t know what’s on his mind, what he thinks about his career. So we will deal with that. He is one of the greats of the game. India is very proud to have MS Dhoni. When you sit down and make note of what he has done, you still say “wow”.”Ganguly also brushed aside the question of whether India needed to look at the split captaincy. “It is the job of the selectors (to decide that),” he said before adding, “India is winning, so the question is not necessary at the moment. India is the best team in the world right now so that question is not necessary right now.”

The Sydney Thunder fast bowler will continue to represent New South Wales Breakers

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Dec-2019Rene Farrell, the former Australia fast bowler, joined Alex Blackwell and Kristen Beams in announcing her retirement from the Women’s Big Bash League following the exits of their sides from the latest edition of the T20 tournament on Sunday.Sydney Thunder’s Blackwell, Australia’s most-capped woman cricketer, and Beams, who turned out for Melbourne Stars since the tournament took off in 2015-16, had announced their decision to finish up earlier, and Farrell joined Blackwell in a post-match guard of honour after the Thunder lost to the Melbourne Renegades in their last match of the season.Farrell, 32, made her Australia debut in an ODI against New Zealand in Darwin in July 2007 and played three Test matches, 44 ODIs and 54 T20Is over the years, her last outing in national colours coming in March 2017, again in an ODI against New Zealand, in Mount Maunganui. She finished with 114 international wickets.Though she won’t play in the WBBL again, Farrell will continue to play for New South Wales Breakers.”I still have 50-overs cricket with the NSW Breakers. Hopefully I can go out on a high there like we did for Alex’s career and winning that [after announcing her retirement from state cricket last year],” Farrell, who picked up 79 wickets in 66 games for the Thunder over the years, said. “I have a bit of cricket left, [but this send off with Sydney Thunder] was really special.”The Thunder website said that Blackwell had invited Farrell to join her in the farewell, joined by players from her team, as well as from the Renegades, Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat, who were all in action at Melbourne’s Junction Oval.Alex Blackwell gets a guard of honour•Getty Images

“It was lovely of Al [Blackwell] to invite me to enjoy that moment… very special,” Farrell said. “My reputation is gone now, I had a few tears on TV, but it is special.”It wasn’t a particularly memorable outing for Farrell on the field, though, as she conceded 33 runs in four wicketless overs before scoring 14* in 12 balls in a 29-run defeat. Blackwell, too, didn’t have a good time of it, run out for 1 in the failed chase for the Thunder.”I couldn’t have that send off without sharing it with her,” Blackwell said of the joint farewell. “She’s been an absolute legend of the game; really valuable – especially in T20. She’s a big loss, a wonderful character. She’s been an incredible servant of the game and it’s easy to get emotional when you think of her contribution.”Beams, too, had a bad day at work, conceding 14 runs in her only over as the Heat beat the Stars by eight wickets. She picked up just wickets this season in eight bowling innings for the Stars.”I’ve loved the last five years with the Melbourne Stars and being part of the Stars family,” Beams told the team’s website. “To see the WBBL grow from the first year of competition to what it is now has been a fantastic journey.”The 35-year-old legspinner played one Test, 30 ODIs and 18 T20Is for Australia since making her debut in an ODI against Pakistan in Brisbane in August 2014, last turning out for the national team in an ODI against England in Coffs Harbour in October 2017. She picked up 62 international wickets, and was a one-team player at the WBBL, having been with the Stars since the start of the league.

Although they have several skillful players, getting them together to produce consistent match-winning performances has been tough

Deivarayan Muthu in Indore08-Jan-20202:30

Sri Lanka need leadership and direction – Mickey Arthur

Both Sri Lanka and their new coach Mickey Arthur weren’t supposed to be facing the tough questions from the press in Indore on Tuesday night. Zimbabwe had been slated to tour India and Arthur was in line to coach defending champions Central Stags in the ongoing Super Smash T20 competition in New Zealand. But here they are, 0-1 behind.This is Arthur’s first T20I series as Sri Lanka’s coach, and he faces the challenge of overseeing their T20 World Cup plans, which will begin with qualifying for the tournament in Australia later this year. That bit probably became even tougher after Sri Lanka suffered their fourth successive defeat in the shortest format. The margins of those defeats have been particularly alarming – 134 runs, nine wickets, seven wickets and seven wickets again.After Sri Lanka were asked to bat on a flat pitch in Indore, opener Avishka Fernando looked good, especially when he drove or punched on the up. Kusal Perera and Danushka Gunathilaka weren’t as fluent, but every time they backed away and targeted the off side, they looked threatening. Each of the top three made at least 20, but nobody could press on and make it count.Sri Lanka nearly soaked up 50 dots in their innings, which cost them the match, according to Arthur. “We had a couple of our batsmen getting starts, but starts are not good enough,” he said at the post-match press conference. “Somebody needs to get a 60 or 70 or 80 for us, and that is going to be the journey for us. It is quite a young batting unit and if you look at how we average, we average about what we got [142 for 9] tonight.”For us as coaching staff and players we have got some serious work to do in terms of game-plan, match awareness and playing the big moments. I think we had 49 dot balls tonight, which is too many, as the best teams in the world [would] have 25 dot balls. That is something we need to keep working on.”Arthur said that by piling up the dot balls, Sri Lanka applied too much pressure on themselves, which prompted the middle and lower-order batsmen to take multiple risks, which is a bad place to be against a skillful India attack. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s hero in Pakistan, Dasun Shanaka, their finisher, and Isuru Udana, their No.1 allrounder, were all out swinging hard at the ball.Avishka Fernando guides a wide one towards deep point•Associated Press

Legspin-bowling allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga added a semblance of respectability to Sri Lanka’s total by taking the returning Jasprit Bumrah for three fours in a row to close out the innings. However, 142 for 9 was nowhere near enough to challenge India.”It was a lack of awareness of the game that was actually required at that given time,” Arthur said. “And you can see with our players there’s some much flair. They’ve got all the skills, but it’s that ability to rotate the strike [that’s missing]. And if you’re not rotating the strike, that causes you to look and try and play the big shots, which they did and India were good enough to put them under that sort of pressure that causes those type of mistakes.”Arthur, though, is pleased that Sri Lanka have identified a core group and hoped to bring his vast coaching experience to turn things around. He drew confidence from having lifted a Pakistan team that was in similar flux to No. 1 on the ICC T20I rankings. He reckoned that the turnaround might take longer with Sri Lanka and even set his focus towards building a strong pool for the 2021 T20 World Cup in India.”The exciting thing for me though is that there is a very young core group of players and they are very skilled,” Arthur said. “But we need to coach game-plans, match awareness; we need to coach how they can construct innings and that for me is the biggest challenge as a coach. It is kind of like what I stared with in South Africa; it was exactly the same when I was in Pakistan. Pakistan was a team that was ranked No. 9 in T20 cricket and we got Pakistan to win 11 series in a row–we did not play India–and got ourselves to No. 1 in the world. There were good values because we used the sum of our parts. There were guys who could hit [the ball]out of the park but we learned how to play to our strengths. And that is kind of what I see with Sri Lanka.”It is going to be a challenge. We’ve got eight months to that 2020 World Cup – I am thinking even one World Cup further than that–I am thinking [about] coming back here in 2021 when the guys would be a real finished article, but it is going to take a lot of work. In coaching, that is what your biggest challenge it, and that is why you do it. “Arthur’s immediate task is to put the recent heavy defeats behind and help Sri Lanka square the series in Pune on December 10. The tourists will have fond memories of the MCA stadium, having toppled a full-strength India there in 2016. They might have to do without Udana though. The 31-year old did not bowl in Indore after hurting his back while fielding. Arthur said that he was in “hell of a lot of pain” and that the management will consider recalling former captain Angelo Mathews for Sri Lanka’s must-win match in Pune.