Sports Bulletin

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Rawalpindi:-Four city-based sides, each comprising 12 local and six foreign players, will compete in the inaugural Women’s Cricket League (WCL) at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan Cricket Board revealed the details of event on Thursday. The final will be a standalone fixture between the top-two sides following 12 league matches and will take place a day before the HBL PSL 8 final. The HBL PSL 8 is scheduled from 9 February to 19 March 2023. PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said: “I am delighted to announce the women’s league. This league will attract young women cricketers to this great sport and help our current players further enhance their skills when they will get to share dug-outs with the overseas players. The league will feature present and past trailblazers in women’s cricket in what promises to be an exciting 13-match event. “To amplify the coverage and promotion of this initiative, some of the matches will precede the HBL Pakistan Super League 8 matches. “This event is aligned to our strategy of making Pakistan a stronger cricket playing nation across all formats and genders. We are not only creating attractive brands to strengthen our cricket economy, but through this tournament are also providing career opportunities to our women cricketers. The more our women cricketers will participate in high-pressure events, the more they will learn. “The PCB is a strong proponent of empowering women to shine brighter. By engaging our women, which form 49 per cent of the country’s population, we will enhance the economic and social prosperity of our country.”

BIPIN DANI Sandeep Lamichhane is becoming the first Nepalese cricketer who will be spending at least the three nights in police custody. The 22-year-old legbreak googly bowler, who has been facing the rape allegations by a 17-year-old minor girl, was arrested immediately after he landed from the Qatar Airways flight at the Tribhuvan Internationbal Airport in Kathmandu on Thursday at around 10 in the morning. Sandeep surrendered himself and was handcuffed from the airport to the police station, though he had requested not to be hand-cuffed. "He has been sent to the Gaushala Jail, which is near to Nepal's most sacred Hindu Temple, Pashupatinath", one of the cricket sources in Nepal revealed. "He will remain in police custody until he is produced before the court on Sunday. We have Dussehra holidays till Friday and the court is closed on Saturday. We will come to know only on Sunday whether the court extends the police custody or grants bail. He is under trial now", the source further added. Shortly before his arrest Sandeep Lamichhane had promised on social media that he would fully cooperate in the investigation. He has hired the services of a prominent lawyer Saroj Ghimire, who is known to be a Lawyer for justice and committed to break all forms of conspiracy and plot and maintain high profession. Speaking exclusively, he said, "our court will hear the case on Sunday. The case has not reached a bail stage. The person is innocent till proven guilty". There was no anticipatory bail applied, confirmed the lawyer. "No anticipatory bail was applied and in this country the anticipatory bail on these types of allegations is not granted".  "Our primary concern was why Sandeep was hand-cuffed. He is not an individual but a player of an institution (Cricket Association of Nepal). He had himself surrendered and there were a number of police officials escorting him", the lawyer, who met Sandeep for about 10 minutes before being detained, added. Sandeep can be detained in this police custody maximum for a period of ten-days and then police has to apply for additional detention every time till the investigation is not over. 

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Sylhet (Bangladesh):-Thailand beat Pakistan by four wickets to hand Pakistan their first loss in the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium (SICS) on Thursday morning. Chasing a modest 117-run target, Pakistan bowlers kept Thailand batters in check as Thailand chased down the target on the penultimate ball of the match. Requiring 16 runs from two overs, the 19th over went for only six runs bowled by Nida Dar and she picked the prized scalp of Natthakan Chantham who top-scored with a 51-ball 61, which included five fours and two sixes. With 10 runs required of the last over, Rosenan Kanoh struck Diana for a four on the second ball to help her side achieved the target with four wickets in hand. Nida and Tuba Hasan bagged two wickets apiece, while Nashra Sandhu and Kainat Imtiaz took a wicket each. Earlier, after opting to bat first, Sidra Amin continued her fine form in the tournament, she top-scored with a 64-ball 56, smashing six boundaries. Pakistan scored 116 for five in their 20 overs at a slow and low track. This was Pakistan’s first loss in the tournament. In three outings in the tournament, Pakistan have won last two matches played against Malaysia and defending champions Bangladesh. The team will now take on arch-rivals India tomorrow at the SICS. The match will be broadcast live on PTV Sports, with toss taking place at 12 and first ball to be bowled at 1230pm PKT. Scores in brief: Thailand beat Pakistan by four wickets Pakistan 116-5, 20 overs (Sidra Amin 56; Sornnarin Tippoch 2-20) Thailand 117-6, 19.5 overs (Natthakan Chantham 61; Nida Dar 2-26, Tuba Hasan 2-18) Player of the match - Natthakan Chantham (Thailand)

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Rawalpindi:-Valiant knocks by Imam-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq helped Balochistan secure a draw against Central Punjab at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on the fourth and final day of the second round of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022-23. The other two matches between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Southern Punjab at Abbottabad and Sindh and Northern at Faisalabad also ended in draws. Northern – with 33 points – are at the top of the table, followed by Balochistan (30). Central Punjab have 28 points, Sindh 21, Southern Punjab 16 and the title defenders Khyber Pakhtunkhwa find themselves at the bottom with 13. Balochistan began the day at 137 for one and were 213 runs behind Central Punjab’s mammoth 535 for six with Imam not out on 72. The left-handed opener converted his overnight score into his 10th first-class century before he was run out for 108. The 26-year-old smashed 13 fours in his 231-ball innings. Following Imam’s dismissal, Asad, the Balochistan captain, took the lead role in the fightback and added 63 runs for the fifth wicket with Ali Waqas (25 off 64), depriving Central Punjab bowlers any further inroads. Asad was unbeaten on 62 off 140 balls and had dragged Balochistan to 303 for six in 118 overs at the close of play. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kamran Ghulam missed what could have been his second century in as many matches by 14 runs. The right-handed middle-order batter made 86 off 175 (10 fours and two sixes) before Ahmed Bashir curtailed his stay at the crease. Kamran began the fourth and final morning of the match at 41 not out. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were 275 for seven at the start of the day and were all out for 334. Southern Punjab were 101 for two in 44 over with opener Zain Abbas top-scoring with 32 off 51. Pakistan Test teammates Nauman Ali, captain of Northern, and Fawad Alam, Sindh’s middle-order batter, scored half-centuries at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad. Northern began the day on 363 for six and were all out on 417 with the highlight of the day being Nauman’s 123-ball 65 (nine fours and two sixes). Starting the second innings with a 40-run lead, Sindh made 160 for four. They had their first three wickets down for 23, but Saad Khan and Fawad Alam, with 72 and 60 not out, respectively, ensured there were no further dramas and Sindh finish the match as a draw. Scores in brief: Balochistan v Central Punjab at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: Balochistan 185 all out, 47.2 overs (Hussain Talat 43, Asad Shafiq 34, Haseebullah 25, Azeem Ghumman 21; Ahmed Daniyal 3-41, Mohammad Ali 3-49, Umaid Asif 2-39) and 303-6, 118 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 108, Asad Shafiq 62 not out, Ali Waqas 25; Ahmed Daniyal 3-73) Central Punjab 535-6d, 143.3 overs (Tayyab Tahir 137, Azhar Ali 107, Qasim Akram 92, Aamer Yamin 50 not out, Mohammad Saad 38, Abdullah Shafique 36, Abid Ali 30; Hussain Talat 2-75, Akif Javed 2-116) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Southern Punjab at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 240 all out, 69.2 overs (Waqar Ahmed 134 not out, Sahibzada Farhan 44; Mohammad Ilyas 4-76, Ahmed Bashir 3-31, Hasan Ali 2-42) and 334 all out, 108.5 overs (Kamran Ghulam 86, Sahibzada Farhan 83, Waqar Ahmed 75, Khalid Usman 22; Hasan Ali 4-82, Ali Usman 3-83, Ahmed Bashir 2-76) Southern Punjab 308 all out, 91.2 overs (Umar Siddiq 112, Salman Ali Agha 64, Yousuf Babar 23; Ihsanullah 3-45, Arshadullah 2-73, Arshad Iqbal 2-87) and 101-2, 44 overs (Zain Abbas 32, Usman Salahuddin 31 not out, Salman Ali Agha 26 not out) Sindh v Northern at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Sindh 457-8d, 138.5 overs (Saud Shakeel 158, Sarfaraz Ahmed 70 not out, Khurram Manzoor 58, Omair Bin Yousuf 36, Saim Ayub 35, Mohammad Asghar 29 not out, Asif Mehmood 21; Mubasir Khan 4-140) and 160-4, 56 overs (Saad Khan 72, Fawad Alam 60 not out; Mubasir Khan 2-57, Mehran Mumtaz 2-84) Northern 417 all out, 143.3 overs (Faizan Riaz 119, Umar Amin 105, Nauman Ali 65, Sarmad Bhatti 46, Mohammad Huraira 42; Mohammad Asghar 4-138, Zahid Mehmood 4-138)

Aamir Ali Janjua Dubai (UAE):-The shortlists for the ICC Player of the Month awards for September have been revealed, and the lineups include some of the most exciting talent from the shorter formats of the game, as the excitement builds for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in just eleven days’ time. The candidates for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month crown all excelled across ODI and T20I cricket during the month. Australia’s Cameron Green was an instrumental figure in notable victories over New Zealand and India, Axar Patel is nominated following a series of impressive and restrictive bowling displays, while Mohammad Rizwan is nominated for the first time after a glittering run of performances with the bat. The shortlist for the women’s award features the star of Bangladesh’s successful campaign in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in the United Arab Emirates, Nigar Sultana, who captained her side to seal their place at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2023. Completing the nominations are India heroes Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana. Both are shortlisted for the very first time, and are vying to be crowned the first ever India player to win the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award thanks to stellar performances in both ODI and T20I series in England. ICC Men’s Player of the Month Nominees for September: Cameron Green (Australia): Australian all-rounder Green receives his first nomination for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month Award after producing a string of fine displays during September. After striking an unbeaten 89 to seal a dramatic two-wicket victory over New Zealand, in the first of three ODIs, attention then shifted to the T20I series against India, where Green continued his momentum. A thrilling knock of 61 from 30 balls helped his side clinch the opening match, and despite failing to win the series, Green topped the run scoring charts for his team with 118 runs at an average of 39.33. Axar Patel (India): So often a key threat in India’s bowling attack, Patel enjoyed a prolific September to earn his first nomination for Player of the Month. Claiming a total of nine wickets at an average of 11.44 and with a superb economy rate of just 5.72, he most notably excelled in the home series against Australia, where he took three for 17 in Mohali, two for 13 in Nagpur, and three for 33 in Hyderabad to underline his significant credentials as a key asset for India in the shorter format. Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan): Rizwan lies atop the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings for Batters and his form throughout September helped illustrate why he sits at the summit. The Pakistan ace registered three half-centuries in the latter stages of his side’s Asia Cup campaign which led them to the final, before continuing his rich vein of form in the subsequent T20I series against a visiting England side. Four further half-centuries followed, with the highlight being an unbeaten 88 during the dominant ten-wicket victory in the second T20I chasing down an imposing 199 set by the tourists. Rizwan’s month ended with him having amassed 553 runs at an average of 69.12 from his ten fixtures. ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees for September: Harmanpreet Kaur (India): Despite a disappointing T20I series in England at the start of the month, Kaur was in imperious form during the subsequent ODI series which followed. Scoring 221 runs across the three matches, she guided her side over the finishing line in the first match with a controlled 74 not out, before she clinched the series for her team in style in the second match, striking an unbeaten 143 to seal a historic first ODI series victory for her side in England since 1999. Smriti Mandhana (India): Another of the leading lights of India’s batting lineup, and last year’s winner of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year, Mandhana also excelled during her time in England in September. She scored consistently across both white-ball series, highlighted by her unbeaten 79 during the first T20I in Derby and 91 in the first ODI in Canterbury – both match winning contributions. Mandhana also ended the month averaging over 50 in both formats, and with a strike-rate of 137 in the T20Is, underlining the scale of her successes during the month. Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh): Sultana led from the front during her side’s successful ICC Women’s T20 World Cup qualification campaign in the United Arab Emirates, scoring 180 runs at an average of 45 across five T20Is. The Bangladesh captain opened her account with a crucial score of 67 in her side’s first outing – a victory over eventual finalists Ireland, before registering an unbeaten 56 against the USA en route to clinching a spot in South Africa. In being nominated for the award, Sultana becomes the first female Bangladesh international to be shortlisted since Nahida Akter back in November 2021.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Rawalpindi:-Faizan Riaz stroked his 14th first-class century while Umar Amin registered his 25th career century to steer Northern to 363 for six against Sindh on day three of the four-day Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Faizan was batting on 106 when stumps were drawn for the day after Umar Amin, who had started the day at 60, was dismissed after scoring 105 as Northern were still 97 runs behind Sindh’s 457 for eight declared. Faizan’s 252-ball innings included eight fours and a six, while Umar belted 14 fours and a six in a 209-ball knock. After resuming the third day at 129 for two, Umar added 85 runs for the third wicket with Faizan, who has put on 71 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket with skipper Nauman Ali (36 not out). For Sindh, Mohammad Asghar added the scalp of Umar Amin to finish the day with figures of three for 109. At the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Test opener Imam-ul-Haq was leading Balochistan’s fightback against Central Punjab. The left-hander was batting on 72 as Balochistan ended the day at 137 for one after Central Punjab had declared their first innings at 545 for six to secure a 350-run lead. Imam has hit eight fours in a 157-ball innings and provided his side a 132-run first wicket start with Imran Butt (53). Earlier, Central Punjab commenced their first innings at 417 for four in reply to Balochistan’s 185 with Tayyab Tahir on 118 not out and Qasim Akram batting on 59. Tayyab was dismissed after scoring 137 (244 balls, 12x4, 1x6), while Qasim Akram was unfortunate to missed his maiden first-class century when he fell to Amad Butt at the score of 92. Qasim’s 136-ball innings included 13 fours and a six. Aamer Yamin was the other Central Punjab batter amongst runs, when he scored 50 not out from 30 balls with seven fours and a six. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Southern Punjab match was heading for an exciting finish after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa led by 207 runs with seven wickets standing. After conceding 68 runs first innings lead and resuming at four for one, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw off the third day’s play at 275 for seven with Kamran Ghulam (41) and Sajid Khan (12) at the crease. Sahibzada Farhan was the top-scorer to date with 83 (147 balls, 12x4, 1x6) and Waqar Ahmed scored 75 (152 balls, 11x4, 1x6) as the two batters put on 162 runs for the third wicket after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had slipped to eight for two. For Southern Punjab, fast bowler Hasan Ali (three for 67) and Ali Usman (three for 82) shared wickets. Scores in brief: Balochistan v Central Punjab at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi: Balochistan 185 all out, 47.2 overs (Hussain Talat 43, Asad Shafiq 34, Haseebullah 25, Azeem Ghumman 21; Ahmed Daniyal 3-41, Mohammad Ali 3-49, Umaid Asif 2-39) and 137-1 (Imam-ul-Haq 72 not out, Imran Butt 53) Central Punjab 535-6d, 143.3 overs (Tayyab Tahir 137, Azhar Ali 107, Qasim Akram 92, Aamer Yamin 50 not out, Mohammad Saad 38, Abdullah Shafique 36, Abid Ali 30; Hussain Talat 2-75, Akif Javed 2-116) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Southern Punjab at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 240 all out, 69.2 overs (Waqar Ahmed 134 not out, Sahibzada Farhan 44; Mohammad Ilyas 4-76, Ahmed Bashir 3-31, Hasan Ali 2-42) and 275-7 (Sahibzada Farhan 83, Waqar Ahmed 75, Kamran Ghulam 41 not out; Hasan Ali 3-67, Ali Usman 3-82) Southern Punjab 308 all out, 91.2 overs (Umar Siddiq 112, Salman Ali Agha 64, Yousuf Babar 23; Ihsanullah 3-45, Arshadullah 2-73, Arshad Iqbal 2-87) Sindh v Northern at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Sindh 457-8d, 138.5 overs (Saud Shakeel 158, Sarfaraz Ahmed 70 not out, Khurram Manzoor 58, Omair Bin Yousuf 36, Saim Ayub 35, Mohammad Asghar 29 not out, Asif Mehmood 21; Mubasir Khan 4-140) Northern 363-6, 127 overs (Faizan Riaz 106 not out, Umar Amin 105, Sarmad Bhatti 46, Mohammad Huraira 42, Nauman Ali 36 not out; Mohammad Asghar 3-109)

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Lahore:-The Pakistan Cricket Board and Beaconhouse, Pakistan’s largest network of private educational institutes, have entered a three-year partnership for the PCB Pathway Scholarship Programme. Through this alliance, Beaconhouse will provide 100 academic scholarships annually to the players enrolled in PCB’s Pathway Programmes. The initiative is aimed towards the education and development of the future stars of Pakistan cricket who will be provided access to free education at the Beaconhouse campuses across the country enabling them to ultimately become well rounded professional cricketers. The partnership will provide invaluable support to PCB’s mission of providing young players from all socio-economic backgrounds the necessary education to reach their full potential of becoming wholesome individuals through the creation of pathways from PCB’s entry-level programmes, schools and clubs to representative competitions leading up to the national team. The initiative will also help trigger the sustainability of school cricket and will consequently open up the supply chain of cricketing talent in the country, whilst also increasing the talent pools for junior cricket leagues. PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said: “The PCB Pathway Programme has the potential to change the fortunes of Pakistan cricket. The investment we have made for our upcoming stars will reap rich rewards in the years to come. The partnership with Beaconhouse is another major milestone in our quest of providing a holistic platform to our players for their cricketing and educational needs and requirements. “We hope to make them well-rounded ambassadors for Pakistan who can represent the country at international platforms with dignity and pride. “The partnership will also provide comfort to the parents and families of the players involved in the PCB Pathway Programme as the players will have quality education in tandem with their cricket coaching and training, it is an investment that will positively shape the lives of the players.” Chief Executive Beaconhouse Kasim Kasuri said: “We are delighted to work with the PCB in this important initiative. Beaconhouse strongly promotes sports at all its schools and believes in encouraging young people to explore their unique interests. Through this partnership, we hope to offer talented young cricketers the opportunity to pursue their passion and talent for cricket while also becoming accomplished individuals, equipped to take on the unique challenge of becoming future ambassadors of Pakistan.”

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Rawalpindi:-Central Punjab, thanks to centuries from Azhar Ali and Tayyab Tahir, were in a strong position against Balochistan at the close of second day’s play of round two of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022-23. Central Punjab have already accumulated 10 points from the first two innings. Central Punjab were 417 for four after starting the day on 91 for two as Azhar brought up his 44th first-class century and Tayyab stroked his second century on the bounce. Central Punjab currently lead Balochistan by 232 runs. Azhar made 107 off 196 with 11 fours and a six and Tayyab was unbeaten on 118 off 205 and had hit 10 fours and a six. Tayyab will resume his innings with young all-rounder Qasim Akram, who made 59 not out off 77 (eight fours and a six). At Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium, Northern were 129 for two in reply of Sindh’s 457 for eight. Umar Amin top-scored with an unbeaten 60 after he added 92 runs for the second wicket with Mohammad Huraira, who missed half-century by eight runs. Sindh captain Saud Shakeel, who stroked his 12th hundred at this level yesterday, converted his overnight 112 into 158. He batted for 319 balls and hit 14 fours and two sixes. Sarfaraz Ahmed scored his second half-century in as many matches with a 70 not out off 136 (eight fours).  Sindh were 309 for five at the completion of 100 overs and pocketed three batting points, while Northern got one point.  Umar Siddiq’s 13th first-class century lifted Southern Punjab to 308 at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had made 240 yesterday. Southern Punjab began the day at a precarious 48 for three before Umar smashed 19 fours in his 199-ball innings. Salman Ali Agha was the next best batter in the innings with 64 off 88 (10 fours). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Ihsanullah (three for 45), Arshadullah (two for 73) and Arshad Iqbal (two for 87) shared seven wickets. Batting second, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are four for one and have a trail of 64 to surmount. Scores in brief: Toss uncontested – Central Punjab bowl first against Balochistan at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi Balochistan 185 all out, 47.2 overs (Hussain Talat 43, Asad Shafiq 34, Haseebullah 25, Azeem Ghumman 21; Ahmed Daniyal 3-41, Mohammad Ali 3-49, Umaid Asif 2-39) Central Punjab 417-4, 114.5 overs (Tayyab Tahir 118 not out, Azhar Ali 107, Qasim Akram 59 not out, Mohammad Saad 38, Abdullah Shafique 36, Abid Ali 30; Akif Javed 2-98) Innings points – Balochistan (one), Central Punjab (10) Toss uncontested – Southern Punjab elect to bowl against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 240 all out, 69.2 overs (Waqar Ahmed 134 not out, Sahibzada Farhan 44; Mohammad Ilyas 4-76, Ahmed Bashir 3-31, Hasan Ali 2-42) and 4-1, 1.1 overs Southern Punjab 308 all out, 91.2 overs (Umar Siddiq 112, Salman Ali Agha 64, Yousuf Babar 23; Ihsanullah 3-45, Arshadullah 2-73, Arshad Iqbal 2-87) Innings points – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (four), Southern Punjab (eight) Sindh choose to bat against Northern at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad Sindh 457-8, 138.5 overs (Saud Shakeel 158, Sarfaraz Ahmed 70 not out, Khurram Manzoor 58, Omair Bin Yousuf 36, Saim Ayub 35, Mohammad Asghar 29 not out, Asif Mehmood 21; Mubasir Khan 4-140) Northern 129-2, 41 overs (Umar Amin 60 not out, Mohammad Huraira 42; Mohammad Asghar 2-56) Innings points – Sindh (three), Northern (one).

Aamir Ali Janjua Dubai (UAE):-The top 10 teams in the world will begin their bid for the ultimate prize in T20 cricket when South Africa take on Sri Lanka in the opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at Newlands on 10 February, as the match schedule for the biggest ever women’s sporting event in Africa was announced. Fans can now buy tickets for the 23 matches that will be played across Cape Town, Paarl and Gqeberha in 15 days. The world’s best cricketers will take centre stage for a uniquely African celebration of cricket culminating in a Finals weekend at Newlands Cricket Ground with the winner being crowned on Sunday, 26 February. Tickets prices start at R60, with scholars and pensioners able to avail discounts. Families can make the most of the action with kids under six coming in for free across all the venues. Bangladesh and Ireland complete the list of participating teams, joining Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies in the eighth edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup, which will be a spectacular celebration for everyone to be a part of. The final match schedule was released on Monday in a uniquely African event at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town with ICC Ambassador Mithali Raj attending the launch. The T20 World Cup, which is a ground-breaking opportunity for cricket in South Africa, will look to be the most inclusive and accessible cricket tournament ever played in the country, forming part of back-to-back World Cups that will leave a legacy to grow girls’ and women’s participation. The Western Cape will play host to a bumper opening weekend of the Women’s T20 World Cup. Boland Park will host the first double-header, with England and the West Indies in action in the early match, followed by defending champions Australia taking on New Zealand. The four sub-continent sides will headline the second double-header at Newlands on Sunday as India take on Pakistan and Bangladesh face Sri Lanka. ICC Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said: “We are thrilled to be announcing the match schedule for the next ICC Women’s T20 World Cup as we look to build on the success of Australia 2020 and host a uniquely African celebration of cricket. “As a key strategic priority for the sport, women’s cricket continues to build momentum and engage more fans than ever before. With T20 as the growth vehicle for cricket we are confident that this event and the inaugural U19 Women’s T20 World Cup preceding the senior event will leave a lasting legacy to grow girls and women’s cricket around the world.” Former India captain Mithali Raj, who is an ICC Ambassador, said she was really excited about the tournament being held in South Africa. “The announcement of the schedule takes us one step closer to the Women’s T20 World Cup. This has been a fantastic period for the growth of the women’s game, and I am sure fans in South Africa will be out in huge numbers to support the players. “I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in ICC tournaments over the years and know what they mean to players globally. I can’t wait to watch some fast-paced, high-energy cricket and closely-fought, exciting matches.”

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Shane Watson has used the latest episode of The ICC Review to reveal which pace bowler he thinks India should include if star quick Jasprit Bumrah is ruled out of the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup through injury. Bumrah is battling an ongoing back concern that caused him to miss the recent Asia Cup and has already been ruled out of the current three-match T20I series at home against South Africa. While India is still hoping Bumrah can prove his fitness and feature at the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, it remains unclear whether the right-armer will remain in India’s squad for the event. Experienced seamers Mohammad Shami and Deepak Chahar are among the players already on India's standby list for the T20 World Cup, while Mohammad Siraj is also in the mix to feature given he received a call-up to replace Bumrah for the remainder of the South Africa T20 series. Watson is adamant that Siraj is the best option for India to include if they receive the dreaded news that Bumrah will be forced to miss the 20-over showcase Down Under. "The player I would put in if Jasprit’s not available is Mohammad Siraj, because of the firepower he presents," Watson told host Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review. "Without Bumrah, that’s the one thing India won’t necessarily have, which is vital on Australian wickets on the bigger grounds with the pace and bounce. "Siraj is great with the brand new ball. He is fast, he swings the ball away but also his defensive skills are pretty good. "And he’s got better over the last couple of years, with what we’ve seen in the IPL. "So, for me he’s probably going to be the one who is going to have the most impact." Watson thinks India's chances of claiming a second T20 World Cup title will be severely hampered should Bumrah not make the trip to Australia. Bumrah took more wickets than any other India pacer at last year's T20 World Cup and it’s the 28-year-old’s versatility to bowl superbly with the new ball and at the death that Watson thinks India will miss most. "Honestly, I think it’s going to have a huge impact on India’s chances of winning the T20 World Cup,” Watson noted.