BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirms as much; also says it’s mandatory for centrally contracted players to play domestic cricket when fit

PTI and ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2024

Rohit Sharma will lead India at the 2024 men’s T20 World Cup. BCCI secretary Jay Shah said as much on Wednesday, while speaking to the media at an event in Rajkot, adding that Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach of the team will also run till the global tournament*.This will be the second time Rohit leads India at a T20 World Cup, having done it in 2022 as well. In that tournament, played in Australia, India lost the semi-final to eventual champions England. Rohit did not feature in T20Is after that, not playing a single T20I in 2023. But he was called back in January 2024, to lead against Afghanistan. That move from the selectors seemed to signal Rohit was all but certain to lead at the World Cup, which will be played in the USA and West Indies in June. Shah, today, confirmed the same.Related

Hardik takes over from Rohit as Mumbai Indians captain

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“The fact that he was returning after a year to lead in the Afghanistan series recently meant he was obviously going to [lead in the T20 World Cup],” Shah said at an event to rename the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot the Niranjan Shah Cricket Stadium.Under Rohit, India lost last year’s ODI World Cup final at home, and days later Suryakumar Yadav was leading the T20I side against Australia. Suryakumar also led India in the shortest format in South Africa in December, and Mumbai Indians announced that Hardik Pandya would be taking over captaincy of the franchise from Rohit. Then, Rohit made his comeback against Afghanistan in January. After bagging ducks in the first two matches, he scored 121 not out, becoming the first man to five T20I hundreds.Shah said that while Rohit will lead India at the World Cup, Hardik – who had led India in the shortest format in several series in 2023 – remains the primary long-term option. Shah said Rohit’s recall in the short term was necessitated by Hardik getting injured during the ODI World Cup. “In T20s, Hardik will be the captain for certain [in the future].”Rohit has the ability, we know. As he showed in the ODI World Cup where we won 10 matches in a row until the final. I am confident that India will lift the 2024 T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy in Barbados.”Will Virat Kohli play 2024 T20 World Cup?Like Rohit, India’s selection committee, led by former pacer Ajit Agarkar, had also recalled Virat Kohli for T20I series against Afghanistan. And like Rohit, Kohli, too, was back for the format for the first time since the 2022 T20 World Cup.Asked today whether Kohli will be part of the showpiece event in June, Shah merely said: “We will talk about him [soon].” Kohli had opted out of the first match of the Afghanistan series for personal reasons, but played the final two games, scoring 29 and a duck.Since then Kohli has not played, having opted out of the England Test series too for personal reasons. Shah said the BCCI will continue to support Kohli but offered no other details on his absence. “If a person, for the first time in a 15-year career, asks for personal leave, it’s his right. Virat is not a player who will ask for leave for no reason. We need to trust our player and back him.”Dravid to remain head coach till T20 World CupDravid’s contract ended after the ODI World Cup final last year, but he was asked to continue in his role along with other support staff for the December-January tour to South Africa without finalising the tenure. But Shah said that he had held an initial talk with Dravid before arriving at the decision to retain him.”After the [2023 ODI] World Cup, Rahul had to leave for the South Africa tour immediately. We did not get to meet in between which finally happened today,” Shah said in Rajkot. “Why are you worried about a contract for such a senior person like Rahul Dravid? Rahul will remain the coach in the T20 World Cup.”Shah, however, indicated that the BCCI will hold a few more rounds of discussions ahead of the event. “I will speak with him whenever there is time, there are back-to-back series happening right now,” Shah said. “They were in South Africa, then there was a [T20I] series against Afghanistan and now England. We did not get to speak in between at all.”Will India travel to the Champions Trophy in Pakistan?Shah was also asked whether India would travel to Pakistan next year to play the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be between February and March. Shah said that was not for the BCCI to decide but for the government of India.”India’s position [on travelling to Pakistan] would be based on what the government decides,” he said.Pakistan travelled to India for the 2023 World Cup but, just before that, in August-September last year, the Asia Cup – hosted by the PCB – was played across Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with India playing all their games in Sri Lanka. With political ties between the two countries being strained, India have not travelled to Pakistan for a cricket series since the 2008 Asia Cup.Mandatory for contracted players to play domestic cricketShah also said that it is mandatory for centrally contracted players, as well as those in the wider India pool as shortlisted by the national selectors, to play domestic cricket tournaments as directed. Shah said he spoke with Agarkar recently and gave him a “free hand” to take calls on the matter.Shah’s opinion on this was sought specifically because there has been questions surrounding wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who has not been playing the Ranji Trophy for Jharkhand despite being left out of the India squad for the ongoing England Test series.Shah said while he would not draw attention to Kishan specifically, he would be sending out a directive soon that all fit centrally contracted players need to make themselves available for selection in domestic cricket. “I am going to write a letter tomorrow that if the chairman of selectors, coach or captain tell you that you have to play red-ball cricket, then you have to play. We will follow the NCA [National Cricket Academy] medical staff advice on player fitness. If you are fit then no excuse [for not playing] will be entertained.”This applies to all centrally contracted players, they have to play. The player cannot decide his future, the selectors need to decide that. If the player is good in red-ball, he has to play [the format].”

Inter are pursuing Parma’s 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni but face strong competition from both English clubs and several Italian sides.

• Inter interested in Parma's Leoni
• Face competition from Italian and English clubs
• Player wants maximum game time ahead of World Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Parma have set a €40 million (£34m/$46m) price tag on Italian talent Leoni, a target for Inter. They are counting on manager Christian Chivu, who coached Leoni last season at Parma, to tip the scales in their favour in the battle to convince him to move to San Siro. Inter are also proposing a development plan that would see Leoni play alongside experienced defenders Francesco Acerbi and Stefan de Vrij to help ease his transition.

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  Leoni’s impressive form at Sampdoria convinced Parma to spend €4m (£3m/$5m) to bring him to Serie A. Since then, his performances have drawn attention from Italy’s top three clubs. AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri is a big admirer and reportedly wants Leoni to be a key figure in his backline, but they must sell players before making a move. Juventus are also interested and see him as a long-term partner for Gleison Bremer, though they first must raise funds by offloading the likes of Dusan Vlahovic, Timothy Weah, and Weston McKennie.

• ENGLISH INTEREST AND WORLD CUP FACTOR

  English clubs are also interested in Leoni, with Liverpool viewing him as a long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk, Tottenham eyeing him as a successor to Cristian Romero and Newcastle looking to add stability to their backline. However, Leoni has turned down a move to the Premier League, as he has no intention of leaving Italy. His priority is to secure regular playing time next season to strengthen his case for a spot in Italy’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INTER AND LEONI?

  Still in his development phase Leoni will carefully evaluate all proposal and choose a club which will aid his growth. Inter will hope that Leoni will make the move to the Nerazzurri as they look to infuse some much needed young blood into their backline.

India Women’s five-match T20I tour of Bangladesh will start on April 28, with Sylhet to host all five matches.The three night games will be played in the main stadium, and the two day games will be held at the outer venue. The night games will start at 6.30pm local time and day games at 2pm.India will see this series as a preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will also be played in Bangladesh, in September-October.This is India’s second tour of Bangladesh in two years, and their third overall. In 2023, they had played three T20Is and as many ODIs. They won the T20I series 2-1, while the ODI series was tied 1-1.That tour had ended on a bitter note with India captain Harmanpreet Kaur criticising the umpires after the third ODI, which was tied. After being given out caught behind, Harmanpreet had smashed the stumps with her bat, and called the umpiring “pathetic” at the post-match presentation.”The next time whenever we are coming to Bangladesh, we’ll have to make sure we have to deal with this kind of umpiring and accordingly, we’ll have to prepare ourselves,” she had said. For her outburst, she was banned for two matches by the ICC.Smriti Mandhana, India’s vice-captain, had also hoped for neutral umpires for the next tour.The Indian team will arrive in Bangladesh on April 23.Fixtures

• April 28 – 1st T20I (night)
• April 30 – 2nd T20I (night)
• May 2 – 3rd T20I (day)
• May 6 – 4th T20I (day)
• May 9 – 5th T20I (night)

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Depois de anunciar na última semana o retorno do zagueiro Tiago Pagnussat, o setor de meio-campo do Ceará foi reforçado com a chegada de Arthur Rezende, jogador que estava desde 2020 no Vila Nova.

O acordo entre as partes foi firmado até o fim da próxima temporada em negociação onde o aspecto de versatilidade do uso de Arthur foi o elemento mais atrativo para o Vozão pensando em reduzir custos diante do rebaixamento para a Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. Ponto esse, inclusive, que foi abordado pelo Diretor de Futebol, Albeci Júnior, em palavras para o site oficial do clube.

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>Primeiro catari assumido gay diz que ‘não sabe o que vai acontecer’ após revelação

-O Arthur Rezende é um atleta versátil, que pode fazer a função de segundo volante ou jogar mais à frente. Essas características fizeram com que a gente chegasse ao nome dele. Também é um jogador de uma ótima bola parada e que tem um ótimo poder de construção. Sem dúvidas vai nos ajudar bastante – apontou.

Revelado no Goiás, o atleta de 28 anos de idade jamais havia atuado no futebol cearense. Entretanto, conhece bem as características do futebol nordestino por ter passagens em Santa Cruz e Bahia nos anos de 2018 e 2020, respectivamente.

Além das equipes citadas no Brasil onde se incluem Boavista-RJ e Guarani, Arthur Rezende também angariou experiência no futebol europeu onde defendeu Gil Vicente-POR e AEL Limassol, do Chipre.

From 16 for 5, there was no chance for Gladiators to stage a strong enough comeback

Associated Press16-Mar-2024Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim claimed 3-12 on the back of brilliant powerplay bowling as Islamabad United sunk Quetta Gladiators and advanced in the Pakistan Super League playoffs on Friday.United, two-time former champions, will meet Peshawar Zalmi in Eliminator 2 on Saturday and the winner will progress to Monday’s final against Multan Sultans.After United posted 174-9, Gladiators were all out for 135 in the 19th over of their first playoff game in four years. Islamabad won by 39 runs.Omair Yousuf’s fighting 50 wasn’t enough to overcome the damage inflicted in the first six overs by Wasim, whose three wickets helped to reduce Quetta to 16 for 5.Saud Shakeel gloved a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Azam Khan in the first over; captain Rilee Rossouw was caught at deep square leg; and Khawaja Nafay offered a tame catch at mid-off.Jason Roy’s woeful season with the bat ended without joy when he was caught at first slip on 1 off Naseem Shah, and Laurie Evans was run out in a mix-up with Akeal Hosein as Quetta lost half of its side in the powerplay.Earlier, Martin Guptill made 56 on a two-paced pitch in his first game of the season. Guptill featured in two half-century stands with Alex Hales (23) and Agha Salman (31). Quetta came back strong in the last four overs, claiming six wickets in the space of 15 balls for 12 runs. But 175 was too much Quetta to run down.

كشف الجهاز الطبي للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، عن تعرض نبيل عماد دونجا لاعب وسط الفريق، للإصابة، أمام المقاولون العرب.

وتعادل فريق الزمالك مع المقاولون العرب بدون أهداف في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما على استاد القاهرة الدولي في الجولة الثانية لمسابقة الدوري الممتاز.

طالع| محمد مكي: المقاولون ظهر جيدًا أمام الزمالك رغم الحضور الجماهيري

وأعلن الزمالك إصابة دونجا بكدمة على مستوى الركبة خلال مباراة المقاولون العرب التي أقيمت اليوم في مسابقة الدوري الممتاز.

ويخضع دونجا لفحوصات طبية جديدة، غدًا، الأحد، للوقوف على حجم الإصابة وتحديد موقفه من المشاركة في تدريبات الفريق.

وبهذه النتيجة يحتل الزمالك المركز الرابع في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 4 نقاط، بينما يتواجد المقاولون العرب بالمركز السابع عشر برصيد نقطة.

Scottish champions Celtic have joined Fulham and Atalanta in the race to sign out-of-favour Liverpool star Federico Chiesa. The Italian winger has been linked with a move away from the Anfield this summer in order to get more game time. Celtic are monitoring the situation of Chiesa at the Reds and could place a loan bid for the Italy international.

Celtic join race to sign ChiesaAiming to secure a loan moveFulham and Atalanta are also in contentionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Celtic have emerged as the latest contender to secure a transfer for Liverpool winger Chiesa. Fulham were earlier keen on signing the Italian, while Atalanta want to bring back Chiesa to Serie A. 

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The report adds that Fulham and Celtic had earlier sent scouts to watch Chiesa in action, while they monitored his situation at Anfield. The winger appeared in just six league matches in his debut campaign with the Reds, and he is unlikely to regularly feature in the starting lineup under Arne Slot in the 2025-26 campaign. While the Premier League champions see Chiesa as part of their long-term plan, they might consider sending him out on a loan move.

DID YOU KNOW?

Chiesa is also linked with a move to Real Betis as the Italian reportedly is inspired by Antony's success at the Spanish club in the second half of the 2024-25 campaign after his struggles at Manchester United. 

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

After returning from their Asia tour, Arne Slot's side are now all set to host Athletic Club in back-to-back friendlies at Anfield on August 4.

MatériaMais Notícias

A formação de elenco do Internacional para 2023 deve contar com, pelo menos, três adições a atual lista de opções disponíveis para o técnico Mano Menezes. Neste momento, o plantel do Colorado tem 29 jogadores.

Duas posições devem ser reforçadas no setor de meio-campo, local onde o Inter perdeu Edenílson para o Atlético-MG e Gabriel, que segue no clube, mas se recupera de lesão grave no joelho. Inicialmente, a previsão é de que ele retorne aos gramados somente no segundo semestre de 2023.

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O nome de Lucas Romero foi aquele que mais se aproximou de acerto no setor e de características semelhantes a Gabriel. Todavia, o Independiente-ARG acabou se acertando para negociá-lo com o León-MEX.

A posição de centroavante deve ser reforçada com a saída de Braian Romero, também para o futebol mexicano, onde atualmente estão Alemão (artilheiro da última temporada na equipe com dez gols em 42 partidas) e Mikael, que só fez um jogo no Colorado na temporada recém-finalizada.

Outra parte do plantel que pode ser incrementada em caso de saída é a defesa, já que o Inter entende a complexidade de prolongar seu vínculo com Vitão, emprestado pelo Shakhtar Donetsk-UCR. Entretanto, neste momento, a ideia é de insistir nas tratativas por já ter um atleta adaptado ao elenco e ao estilo de jogo implementado por Mano.

Australian’s 4 for 12 helps Lancashire to 57-run victory

ECB Reporters Network02-Jun-2024

Lancashire Lightning inflicted a second defeat in three matches on Derbyshire Falcons when they eased to a comfortable 57-run victory in the Vitality Blast match at Emirates Old Trafford.After posting 179 for 7 in their 20 overs, Lightning restricted the Falcons to 122 all out, with highly-rated Australian signing Chris Green taking 4 for 12 to add to his rapid 22 in 11 balls late in Lancashire’s innings.Asked to bat first, Lancashire made a fine start, Josh Bohannon taking 14 off three successive balls from Pat Brown and 42 runs being scored in the first four overs. However, Luke Wells was bowled by Daryn Dupavillon for 5 and Bohannon caught at mid-off by Mitchell Wagstaff off Zak Chappell for 39 to leave the home side on 50 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.Lancashire skipper, Keaton Jennings, restored to fitness after a back spasm, made a breezy 16 before being dismissed in similar fashion to Wells off the bowling of Brown and the experiment of promoting Luke Wood up the order ended when he came down the wicket and was stumped off Samit Patel for 1.Tom Bruce and Matthew Hurst then put on 39 for the fifth wicket, their progress aided by a high full-toss from Chappell, who redeemed himself two balls later when he had Bruce caught at deep midwicket by Ross Whiteley for a 28-ball 35.Lancashire were 121 for 5 after 15 overs and in the remainder of the innings both Hurst and Steven Croft perished at deep midwicket off Chappell and Brown respectively, Hurst making a 25-ball 27.Lightning were 157 for 7 at the start of the last over but Green heaved two leg-side sixes off Dupavillon’s last set of six, which cost 22 runs and ruined the South African’s figures. He finished with 1 for 35 whereas Chappell took 3 for 38, Brown 2 for 37 and Patel 1 for 29.Derbyshire’s reply got off to a poor start when Luis Reece played on to Green in the second over for six and worse was to come in the fifth when Mitch Stanley yorked David Lloyd for 10. And despite scoring 48 runs when the initial field-placing restrictions applied, the powerplay ended on a low note for the visitors when Patel pulled Green straight to Jack Blatherwick at deep square leg.Nearly two overs later, Harry Came was bowled by Blatherwick for a 22-ball 26 and the visitors reached the midpoint of their innings needing 111 runs off 60 balls. Things got worse in the next over when Anuj Dal miscued a pull off Wells and was caught by Bohannon for 9 and though 15 runs came off Wells’ last over, the leg-spinner ended his spell by having the dangerous Ross Whiteley caught at deep midwicket by Blatherwick for 9.Brooke Guest’s attempt to hold the Falcons’ innings together ended when he was caught by Jennings off Tom Aspinwall and Green then removed Chappell and Dupavillon with successive deliveries in his next over before last man Brown was run out for nought to end what had become a one-sided contest.

تفاعلت صحيفة “آس” منذ قليل على قرعة نادي ريال مدريد في دوري أبطال أوروبا مرحلة الدوري، والتي أقيمت في وقت سابق من اليوم الخميس في مدينة موناكو بفرنسا.

وأسفرت قرعة دوري أبطال أوروبا مرحلة الدوري عن وقوع ريال مدريد في مجموعة صعبة للغاية مع مانشستر سيتي وليفربول، إلى جانب يوفنتوس كذلك.

أقرأ أيضًا .. مواجهات ريال مدريد في مرحلة الدوري من دوري أبطال أوروبا 2025/2026.. 3 معارك

ورحب توماس رونسيرو، الصحفي بـ”آس” والذي يعتبر من أكبر مشجعي ريال مدريد بقرعة الفريق الملكي في دوري أبطال أوروبا مرحلة الدوري.

ووصف رونسيرو قرعة ريال مدريد في دوري أبطال أوروبا مرحلة الدوري بمجموعة الموت ، نظرًا لقوة ليفربول وكذلك مانشستر سيتي.

ويرى رونسيرو أنه لا توجد أعذار لريال مدريد في نسخة البطولة الحالية، بالرغم من صعوبة القرعة في دور المجموعات، إذ يرى رونسيرو أن الفريق الملكي قادر على الذهاب بعيدًا في دوري الأبطال.

وأشار رونسيرو إلى أن ريال مدريد تحفزه هذه المواجهات الصعبة على مدار تاريخه في البطولة، وتجعل لاعبيه يخرجون أفضل ما لديهم إلى جانب المساندة الجماهيرية.

ريال مدريد سبق أن واجه مانشستر سيتي خلال الموسم الماضي في ملحق دور ال16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا، ونجح في الفوز عليه ذهابًا وإيابًا بنتيجة 6-2.

كما لعب ريال مدريد ضد ليفربول في مرحلة المجموعات بدوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم الماضي في ملعب أنفيلد وخسر بهدفين مقابل لا شيء.