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ICC ODI WC 2023 reportedly to begin on Oct 5, final in Ahmedabad on Nov 19

The ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 is likely to start on October 5 and the final to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19.

As per reports, the BCCI has shortlisted at least 10 venues other than Ahmedabad for the showpiece event. The other venues include Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Rajkot and Mumbai.

Notably, the 2023 ODI World Cup will be featuring 10 teams and will have 48 matches including three knockouts across the 46-day period, an ESPNcricinfo report said.

Besides the final, the BCCI has not finalised the specified venues for any games as yet, or the two or three cities where teams will play the warm-ups. The complications posed by the monsoon season receding at different points in different parts of India has caused the delay.

Notably, the ICC announces World Cup schedules at least a year in advance, but this time the world governing body has also been waiting for the BCCI to get the necessary clearances from the Indian government.

The report further said that getting a tax exemption for the tournament, and visa clearance for the Pakistan team, which has not played in India except at ICC events since early 2013, are the major issues.

It has been learnt that the BCCI at the ICC’s quarterly meetings in Dubai last weekend have assured the global body that visas for the Pakistan contingent will be cleared by the Indian government. As for the tax exemption issue, the BCCI is expected to update the ICC soon on the exact position of the Indian government.

The tax exemption has been part of the host’s agreement the BCCI signed with the ICC in 2014, when three men’s events were awarded to India: the 2016 T20 World Cup, the 2018 Champions Trophy (later changed to 2021 T20 World Cup, which was moved to the UAE and Oman due to the pandemic) and the 2023 ODI World Cup. As per the agreement, the BCCI was “obligated” to help the ICC (and all its commercial partners involved in the tournament) secure tax waivers.

Last year, the ICC was informed by the Indian tax authorities that it would be charged a 20 per cent tax order (excluding surcharges) for its broadcast revenue from the 2023 World Cup.

The BCCI in a note distributed to its members — state associations — pointed out that any tax “incurred” by ICC would be “adjusted” against the Indian board’s revenues from ICC’s central revenue pool.

In the note, the BCCI listed the ICC’s estimated broadcasting income from the 2023 World Cup at USD 533.29 million.

It said the “financial impact” it would suffer for a 10.92% tax order on that would be around UDS 58.23 million (the BCCI’s note listed the figure as USD 52.23 million, which appears to be an error given the percentages listed). That would more than double to roughly USD 116.47 million if the tax component were to be 21.84%, as desired by the Indian tax authorities.

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Bumrah likely to undergo back surgery in New Zealand: Report

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah is likely to fly to New Zealand to undergo surgery for his back injury.

According to a Cricbuzz report, the medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the managers of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) have finalised a surgeon named Rowan Schouten, who had worked on England pacer Jofra Archer.

The arrangements are being made on a war footing to have Bumrah, who has been out of action for the last five months, flown to Auckland at the earliest for the surgery.

Schouten, in the past, had worked with renowned orthopedic surgeon Grahame Inglis, who had operated upon a few New Zealand players, including Shane Bond — the bowling coach of Mumbai Indians, who is likely to have suggested Schouten’s name.

The report further said that Schouten had also assisted Inglis in the surgery of Australian pacer James Pattinson while he also handled Ben Dwarshuis and Jason Behrendorff’s surgery, who had also struggled with back issues.

The recovery time for Bumrah is somewhere between 20 and 24 weeks, which means he could miss the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) in London, should India qualify.

Significantly, Bumrah had last played for India in a T20I match against Australia at home on September 25, 2022 and has been rehabilitating at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru since then.

Earlier, the right-arm pacer was all set to make a return to competitive cricket against Sri Lanka in January 2023 however, he was ruled out later after failing to recover in time.

Meanwhile, it will also be a massive blow for Mumbai Indians, who will be eyeing to bounce back in the upcoming IPL season after a disastrous outing in the previous one where they had finished at the bottom of points table with just four wins from 14 matches.

Last month, India captain Rohit Sharma had said the team management wants to give Bumrah ample time to regain full fitness. “We are in constant touch with physios and doctors in NCA. The medical team will give him as much time as he wants,” Rohit had told reporters.

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Bumrah ruled out of IPL 2023, set to undergo back surgery: Report

In what could be a massive setback for Mumbai Indians, their star pacer Jasprit Bumrah will reportedly miss the entire IPL 2023 season as he hasn’t yet recovered from a back injury, which has troubled him since last year.

Meanwhile, there is also a big possibility that the right-arm pacer may also be ruled out from the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) in June should India qualify for it.

As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, the BCCI medical team has advised Bumrah a surgery to deal with the recurrences of his back issues and a call in this regard will be soon taken by the Indian board after consultation with the pacer and staffs of the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

Notably, the star pacer has been out of cricketing action since September 2022 due to which he had missed major tournaments like Asia Cup and T20 World Cup last year.

Bumrah had also failed to make to the Indian squad for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy which is crucial for India to get a place in WTC final.

As of now, his chances for appearance in IPL 2023 for Mumbai Indians also look very slim.

“The BCCI medical staff at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru is treating Bumrah’s case on an urgent basis. It is understood that the staff suggested the surgery option to him following recurring niggles in his lower back which surfaced originally in the form of a stress reaction last August,” the report said.

”A final decision on the next step is expected to be taken soon by the BCCI in coordination with the NCA and Bumrah, keeping in mind the ODI World Cup is scheduled in October-November in India,” it added.

Significantly, Bumrah had last played for India in a T20I match against Australia at home on September 25, 2022 and has been rehabilitating at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru since then.

Earlier, the right-arm pacer was all set to make a return to competitive cricket against Sri Lanka in January 2023 however, he was ruled out later after failing to recover in time.

Meanwhile, it will also be a massive blow for Mumbai Indians, who will be eyeing to bounce back in the upcoming IPL season after a disastrous outing in the previous one where they had finished at the bottom of points table with just four wins from 14 matches.

Last month, India captain Rohit Sharma had said the team management wants to give Bumrah ample time to regain full fitness. “We are in constant touch with physios and doctors in NCA. The medical team will give him as much time as he wants,” Rohit had told reporters.

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Dream11, CEAT Tyres & Amul announced as Partners for TATA WPL 2023

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced the list of partners for the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), slated to start in March next month.

Earlier, the Indian board had named Tata as the title sponsor for the WPL and it has now announced to have signed Dream11, CEAT Tyres and Amul as other official partners.

The three brands are pioneers and industry leaders in their respective categories and will be associated for three seasons from 2023 to 2025.

“Dream11, the largest fantasy sports platform in the country with a user base of more than 120 million, will be the Official Fantasy Partner of the WPL. CEAT Tyres and the BCCI have extended its long standing partnership and will be the Official Strategic Timeout Partner of the WPL. The underlying ethos of a safe, sustainable and smarter future synergizes with the values and principles of the WPL,” the BCCI said in the statement.

“Amul, the largest in the world in the dairy category, has had a path breaking journey which resonates with the inaugural WPL. As the Official Beverage Partner, fans will be provided with a wide offering of Amul products at all WPL stadiums,” it added.

Notably, the maiden season of WPL will kick-off from March 4 where Mumbai Indians will be up against Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai.

The final of the cash-rich league will be played at the Brabourne Stadium on 26th March.

“There is rising interest in the inaugural edition of the TATA Women’s Premier League. New partners coming on board is a testament to the quality and popularity that the tournament is set to garner amongst the fans and other stakeholders. We are sure that the league will provide ample opportunities for players to showcase their class and talent. We thank all the partners for their support as we look forward to a fruitful inaugural edition of the TATA Women’s Premier League,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said on the associations.

“The TATA Women’s Premier League is going to be a significant tournament in the cricket calendar and it is wonderful to have the official partners on board. We believe this is a very positive sign for women’s cricket in India and the marquee tournament is going to grow from strength to strength in the years to follow. I thank all our partners for their support on this wonderful journey. We are sure that we will deliver great value to them,” IPL chairman Arun Dhumal said.

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Delighted to name Tata Group as title sponsor of WPL: Jay Shah

BCCI Secretary has announced that TATA Group has bagged the title rights for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023.

Taking to twitter, Shah shared the development: “I am delighted to announce the #TataGroup as the title sponsor of the inaugural #WPL. With their support, we’re confident that we can take women’s cricket to the next level. @BCCI @BCCIWomen @wplt20.”

The WPL 2023 will begin with a blockbuster clash between Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians on March 4 at the DY Patil Stadium.

In its first season, the WPL will stage a total of 20 league matches and two Playoff games that will be played in a duration of 23 days.

The league, which have five teams — Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore & UP Warriorz — will have its first double-header day on March 5 when Royal Challengers Bangalore will square off against Delhi Capitals at the Brabourne Stadium, CCI while UP Warriorz will play their first game of the league against Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil Stadium.

There will be four double headers with the first match starting at 1530 hrs IST and all evening matches will start at 1930 hrs IST. A total of 11 matches each will be held at the DY Patil Stadium and Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, the BCCI said in a media release.

The final game of the league stage will be played between UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals on March 21 at the Brabourne Stadium, CCI.

The Eliminator will be played at the DY Patil Stadium on March 24. The Final of the Women’s Premier League 2023 will be played at the Brabourne Stadium on March 26.

Earlier, the five franchises splurged their purse to acquire some of the best talents in the international and domestic circuit for the inaugural edition of the league.

India’s Smriti Mandhana was the top buy as she was sold for a whopping INR 3.40 crore to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Team India Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 1.80 crore while the rest of the stars from India and around the globe too made the cut in one of the five franchises.

Among the foreign players, Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner and England all-rounder Natalie Sciver were the top buys as they were sold to Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians for INR 3.20 crore respectively.

From the India U19 stars, ICC U19 T20 World Cup-winning captain, Shafali Verma was the top buy, sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 2 crore.

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BGT: Jaydev Unadkat released from 2nd Test squad, to play Ranji Trophy final

Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat has been released from India’s squad for the upcoming second Test of the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in order to allow him to join the Saurashtra team for the Ranji Trophy 2022-23 final against Bengal.

As per a media release from BCCI, the All-India Senior Selection Committee took the decision to release Unadkat in consultation with the Indian team management.

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee in consultation with the Indian team management has decided to release Jaydev Unadkat from India’s squad for the 2nd Test of the Australia tour of India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” the media release said.

“Jaydev will now join the Saurashtra squad, which qualified for the Ranji Trophy final to be played against Bengal from 16th February at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata,” it added.

The 31-year old pacer made his Test return during India’s tour of Bangladesh last year and was picked in the squad for the first two Tests against Australia. The BCCI has not named any replacement for Unadkat in the squad, which has the likes of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav in the pace attack.

India took a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after thrashing the tourists by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test in Nagpur.

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Third Test of BGT shifted to Indore from Dharamsala

The third Test of the ongoing Australia tour of India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, originally scheduled to be held at the HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala from 1st to 5th March has now been shifted to Holkar Stadium, Indore.

Issuing a statement, the BCCI said that owing to harsh winter conditions in the region, the outfield lacks sufficient grass density and will need some time to develop fully.

The schedule for the remaining three Tests is as below:

February 17-21: 2nd Test, New Delhi

March 1-5: 3rd Test, Indore

March 9-13: 4th Test, Ahmedabad.

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WPL will unearth stars of the future, Needs prime time telecast: Mithali Raj

Mithali Raj, known for her unparalleled batting skills and fierce determination on the cricket field, revealed a new facet of her personality on ‘Duologue with Barun Das’ streaming now on the world’s first news OTT – News9 Plus.

“Mithali’s unique perspective on leadership and well-structured ideas on bridging the gap in a ‘man vs woman’ sporting culture made the duologue an insightful and memorable one,” said Barun Das, MD & CEO of TV9 Network who also dons host’s hat on the series.

Asked if she is ready to take up the role of an administrator after a successful cricketing career, Raj said, “Yes. If I can be part of any role in administration to chalk out the structure for the grass root level or to (create) a yearly calendar for women’s cricket… and always (be) there for women cricketers whenever they feel the need to talk something out.”

While recounting the multiple successes she encountered in her 23-year-long professional journey, Raj also candidly shared some of her regrets. “Despite being part of six world cups that I have played, I couldn’t get… the trophy. That probably is one thing that is missing in my cabin,” she expressed.

Being forthright comes naturally to the former captain. On the very first episode, she discloses her reasons for announcing her retirement from cricket on social media on 8th June 2022. But moving beyond bygones, Raj spoke on the critical role media plays in shaping public perception of female athletes and expressed her desire for furthering equal representation and opportunities as her male counterparts.

“Why BCCI is able to have a pay parity now is because for a long time the (women’s) team has been doing well. They have gradually started to market it because the team is giving results and marketing helped to let people come and watch or probably view it on any platform or television and that’s how you got digital rights. Other federations also need to do that,” she said.

About her confidence of women’s cricket attracting audiences, Raj said that marketing and timing are important. “If you don’t show the matches in prime time and if it is not a weekend, then I’m not sure if we can have crowds turning up for the matches,” she said on the upcoming Women’s Premier League slated for March 2023. However, she if confident about the format. “The WPL definitely will unearth a lot of stars of the future & increase the pool of talent that we have in our domestic structure,” she added.

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WPL 2023 player auction list announced

The inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League will be played in Mumbai between March 4-26 where a total of 22 matches will be held with the Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium playing hosts to the marquee tournament.

Ahead of the tournament, the WPL Player Auction list has been released by the Indian cricket board as per which a total of 409 cricketers will be going under the hammer at the Jio World Convention Centre here on February 13.

Notably, as many as A 1525 players had registered for the inaugural WPL Player Auction and the final list was pruned to 409 players.

Out of 409 players, 246 are Indians and 163 are overseas players of which 8 players are from associate nations. The total capped players are 202, uncapped players are 199 and 8 from associate nations.

A maximum of 90 slots are available with the five teams, with 30 being slotted for overseas players.

“INR 50 Lakh is the highest reserve price with 24 players choosing to be slotted in the highest bracket. Team India Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma and India’s Under-19 T20 World Cup-winning captain Shafali Verma are amongst the few Indians who have slotted themselves in the highest bracket.

“13 overseas players have also slotted themselves under the INR 50 Lakh reserve price with the likes of Ellyse Perry, Sophie Ecclestone, Sophie Devine & Deandra Dottin to name a few. 30 players are in the auction list with a base price of INR 40 Lakh,” the BCCI said in a statement.

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It’s good for cricket if Asia Cup is shifted to Dubai: Abdul Razzaq

Amid the ongoing tussle over the venue for the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup, former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq believes that it’s the correct move to shift the continental event to Dubai.

Although the continental tournament is scheduled to be held in Pakistan in September this year, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), is adamant that the Indian team will not travel to the neighbouring country and has demanded that the event be moved to a neutral venue.

During the recent meeting of the ACC in Bahrain, which was attended by both BCCI secretary Shah and PCB chief Najam Sethi along with other ACC board members, no final call could be taken on the venue of the Asia Cup.

“It’s good for cricket. And for cricket promotion. India-Pakistan games only happen in ICC tournaments. If Asia Cup has been shifted to Dubai, then it’s the best option. It’s good for cricket and cricketers.

“It doesn’t happen like this. This has been on for years. If the two boards sit across the table and chat, it would be great. Both boards should solve this issue,” Razzaq told Geo News.

Pakistan and India do not play bilateral cricket and only meet in global tournaments or multi-team events since 2013 due to strained political tensions between the two countries.

India’s last trip to Pakistan was for the 2008 Asia Cup, while Pakistan’s last visit to India was for the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup. The two teams last played each other at the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.