Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report London (UK): The Pakistani duo of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, Australia's Grace Harris and India's Harmanpreet Kaur were some of the big names snapped up at The Hundred Draft, powered by Sage. Sophia Dunkley and Tom Abell were the first picks of the men’s and women’s competitions, both for Welsh Fire, where Abell will be joined by Afridi and Rauf, who will both be making their first appearances in The Hundred. The women’s competition was staging a draft for the first time, with Laura Wolvaardt moving to Manchester Originals, Kate Cross crossing the Pennines to Northern Superchargers and Sarah Glenn signing for London Spirit three of the other stand-out stories of the day. The Hundred Draft saw 64 spots filled across the men’s and women’s competitions, with the eight teams taking it in turns to select players – the order for selections is based on last year’s finishing positions. The open market process will see the remaining 56 places filled in the women’s competition, while 16 spots remain up for grabs in the men’s competition by virtue of The Vitality Wildcard Draft, which will be held in the week commencing 3 July. Following players were signed: Birmingham Phoenix: Sophie Devine, Hannah Baker, Eve Jones, Katie Levick, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, Miles Hammond. London Spirit: Grace Harris, Sarah Glenn, Sophie Munro, Sophie Luff, Mitchell Marsh, Olly Stone, Michael Pepper. Manchester Originals: Laura Wolvaardt, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Kathryn Bryce, Katie George, Laurie Evans, Ashton Turner, Josh Tongue. Northern Superchargers: Kate Cross, Georgia Wareham, Alice Davidson-Richards, Reece Topley, Tom Banton, Michael Bracewell, Bas de Leede. Oval Invincibles: Suzie Bates, Dane Van Niekerk, Mady Villiers, Paige Scholfield, Heinrich Klaasen, Ross Whiteley, Ihsanullah. Southern Brave: Danni Wyatt, Anya Shrubsole, Chloe Tryon, Maitlan Brown, Leus du Plooy, Tim David, Devon Conway. Trent Rockets: Harmanpreet Kaur, Lizelle Lee, Kirstie Gordon, Grace Potts, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sam Hain, Brad Wheal. Welsh Fire: Sophia Dunkley, Shabnim Ismail, Georgia Elwiss, Freya Davies, Laura Harris, Alex Hartley, Tom Abell, David Willey, Shaheen Afridi, Glenn Phillips, Haris Rauf, Roelof van der Merwe, Stevie Eskinazi, Daniel Douthwaite. Haris Rauf said: "I’m very excited about being picked by Welsh Fire. The Hundred is a really good competition and I’m looking forward to getting to Cardiff and working with Mike Hussey. It looks like we’ve built a good squad, and I'm excited about meeting the rest of the team and helping us win games of cricket."

Tariq Hameed Houston (USA): Harmeet Singh inked a new history in Houston by being named the first pick of the Major League Cricket (MLC) draft when the six MLC franchises converged at Space Center Houston to make their domestic picks and announced big international signings as the historic 2023 season ready to roll into action. Singh was selected by the Seattle Orcas, who unveiled their name and logo earlier this week. Singh, a 30-year-old all-rounder who bowls left-arm off spin, has played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and was on the India Under-19 squad that won the 2012 World Cup, along with leading the Seattle Thunderbolts to the 2022 Minor League Cricket championship. “I’m really excited to be here,” Singh said. “And also nervous at the same time. I played in Seattle in the Minor League. Now Major League Cricket. It can’t get better for me.” The Seattle Orcas, Washington Freedom, San Francisco Unicorns, Los Angeles Knight Riders and Texas (team name still to be announced) each made nine picks with some teams announcing major international signings during the two-hour event. Former Australia one-day international captain Aaron Finch and Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis will join San Francisco, South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje and Sri Lanka leg-break bowler Wanindu Hasaranga will play for Washington and former South Africa captain and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock as well as hard-hitting Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh signed for Seattle. Washington selected wicketkeeper Andries Gous with the second pick. Gous recently played in Abu Dhabi’s T10 league. MI New York selected USA international batter Steven Taylor with the third pick, San Francisco selected former New Zealand international and batsman Corey Anderson fourth, Los Angeles Knight Riders selected star USA Cricket bowler Ali Khan and Texas picked fast bowler Rusty Theron, who has played for multiple IPL teams, with its first pick in the first round. Several other big names were selected in the Major League Cricket draft: Unmukt Chand, who captained the India U-19 team to the 2012 World Cup, joined Los Angeles in the second round; Liam Plunkett, a star bowler for the England team that won the 2019 World Cup, joins San Francisco, and former Pakistan international Hammad Azam was taken by MI New York. The 2023 MLC season starts July 13 in a brand-new cricket-specific venue – Grand Prairie Stadium – in Grand Prairie, Texas. Teams will play the explosive Twenty20 (T20) format of the game, with matches typically lasting three hours. The regular season will consist of five games, with each team playing each other once, followed by a playoff round and the championship on July 30.

Sports Bulletin Report New York (USA): Mumbai Indians, owned by Reliance Industries Ltd, is expanding into the United States with a Major League Cricket (MLC) franchise, Mumbai Indians (MI) New York, United States of America (USA). The team is set to compete in the historic inaugural season of MLC this July following the completion of necessary customary due diligence; negotiation, and execution of definitive binding agreements, and receipt of required corporate, regulatory, and third-party approvals and compliances. MI New York unveiled its name and logo on Monday with a graphic featuring the iconic MI logo followed by NY, featured on the New York skyline. Nita. M. Ambani, the owner of the Mumbai Indians, said: “I am thrilled to welcome our New York franchise to the growing MI Family! With our entry into the first T20 franchise cricket league in the US, I hope we are able to establish Mumbai Indians as a global brand of fearless and entertaining cricket! This is another new beginning for MI and I look forward to the exciting journey ahead.” The roster for MI New York will start to be filled out over the next week. Select marquee overseas players will be announced soon, while the best American domestic players will be selected at the inaugural MLC Domestic Player Draft on Sunday, March 19, in Houston, Texas. MI New York will be one of six teams to take the pitch for the first time at a new MLC venue built in Grand Prairie, Texas. The season is set to open July 13 and end with the first MLC championship final to take place on July 30. MI New York joins teams from Texas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington in MLC and will play the explosive Twenty20 (T20) format of the game, with matches typically lasting three hours.

Sports Bulletin Report Houston (USA): A new era in American cricket will launch in when six teams set to compete in the inaugural season of Major League Cricket (MLC) this summer will select their rosters for the historic competition. The first-ever draft will be held Monday at the Space Center Houston, located at the NASA Johnson Space Center. Multiple Indian Premier League team owners have invested in or partnered with Major League Cricket teams, including the Kolkata Knight Riders (Los Angeles), Chennai Super Kings (Texas) and Delhi Capitals (Seattle). Several MLC teams have unveiled their team names and logo ahead of the draft, along with high- performance partnerships with some of the world’s leading cricket entities. Select overseas star players for each time will also be announced soon. Teams will select nine domestic players to form the backbone of their rosters. The draft will be conducted in a “snake order” format, meaning the team that picks last in the first round will get the first pick in the second round. The draft will last nine rounds. No trading of picks is allowed. Each team has three minutes to make their selections in rounds one to five and two minutes in rounds six to nine. The league’s historic opening match will take place on July 13, 2023, at the newly-constructed Major League Cricket venue, Grand Prairie Stadium, in Grand Prairie, Texas. The 2023 season will feature 19 matches to be played over 18 days, building up to the first-ever MLC championship final to take place on July 30, 2023. More information on the MLC schedule and broadcast details will be announced later.

Sports Bulletin Report Doha (Qatar): Asia Lions roared past India Maharajas with a clinical all-round performance in the Skyexch.net Legends League Cricket (LLC) Masters eliminator held at the Asian Town Cricket Stadium in Doha. They revenged their ten-wicket defeat to India Maharajas in their last match to register an emphatic 85-run victory. Batting first, and posting a whopping total of 191 for 5 in 20 overs, Asia Lions bowled out India Maharajas for a paltry 106 runs in 16.4 overs. India Maharajas supporters had nothing to cheer except for their skipper Gautam Gambhir’s elegant knock of 32. The architects of Asia Lions’ victory was opener Upul Tharanga, who cracked 50 off 31 balls with seven boundaries and a six, and his partner Tillakaratne Dilshan contribution, who scored a run-a-ball 27 runs.  Together they put on an 83 runs partnership in 8.5 overs to set the base for a huge total. Brief scores: Asia Lions beat India Maharajas by 85 runs. Asia Lions 191 for 5 in 20 overs India Maharajas 106 in 16.4 overs Player of the Match: Upul Tharanga Final: Asia Lions and World Giants on Monday, March 20, 2023.

Sports Bulletin Report Doha (Qatar): The World Giants, riding on Chris Gayle’s commanding knock of 57, recorded a three-wicket victory over India Maharajas in the 5th match of the Skyexch.net Legends League Cricket (LLC) Masters at the Asian Town Cricket Stadium in Doha. The West Indies’ legendary hard-hitter, who has Gayle Force as one of his many nicknames, hit nine powerful boundaries and a six in this 46-ball knock.  So dominating was Gayle’s knock that after he fell, World Giants struggled to reach the target and but, in the end, won with eight balls to spare. World Giants won the toss and elected to field. India Maharajas had a different set of openers as Robin Uthappa opened with Manvinder Bisla. Gautam Gambhir, who had opened with Uthappa and put on an unbeaten 159 runs match winning opening partnership against Asia Lions in the fourth match, was rested. In his absence, it was Harbhajan Singh who led the team. Gayle raced to his half century in 26 balls with nine boundaries and a six. Watson became the second wicket to fall when Tambe clean bowled him for 26 with the second ball of the ninth over. Harbhajan also had Finch who went for a sweep and top edged to Tambe for 5. In the last ten overs, World Giants needed 38 runs. Tambe bowled a brilliant 11th over giving away just one run beating a well-set Gayle repeatedly. Ross Taylor, going for a slog shot off Yusuf Pathan, fell to a brilliant catch by Raina in the deep for 7. Samit Patel hit back to back boundaries off Raina in the 15th over but he struck to trap Gayle leg before with the last ball of the over for 57. Yusuf Pathan clean bowled Patel for 12 when 12 runs were needed. Ricardo Powell got run out for 3 and in the end Morne van Wyk hit the winning boundary off Irfan Pathan. Brief scores: World Giants defeated India Maharajas by 3 wickets. India Maharajas 136 for 9 in 20 overs World Giants 139 for 7 in 18.4 overs Player of the Match: Chris Gayle

Sports Bulletin Report Doha (Qatar): World Giants posted a thrilling two-run win over India Maharajas in the second match of the Legends League Cricket (LLC) Masters at the Asia Town Cricket Stadium in Doha, Qatar. The edge-of-the-seat thriller followed after World Giants had posted 166 for 8 in 20 overs riding on skipper Aaron Finch’s 53 off 31 balls with seven boundaries and three sixes and Shane Watson’s 55 runs off 32 balls with five boundaries and three sixes. A captain’s knock of 68 from Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh’s four-wicket spell for 13 runs for Indian Maharajas, unfortunately, went in vain.  It was Gambhir’s second consecutive half-century after his 54 against Asia Lions in the opener and his 68 in this match came off 42 balls with nine boundaries and one six. With eight runs needed off the last over, Brett Lee gave away just five runs to give the defending champions World Giants a winning start. Earlier, World Giants won the toss and elected to bat. ‘The Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle, who opened with his skipper Aaron Finch, smashed the second delivery from Irfan Pathan to the extra cover boundary. Pathan kept Gayle quiet with the rest of his deliveries.  Harbhajan Singh, who bowled the third over struck with his first delivery clean bowling Gayle with a beauty that spun in to hit the leg stump. Gayle trying to play a paddle shot, missed the turn and fell for 4. Shane Watson greeted Harbhajan with two consecutive boundaries – the first an elegant sweep to fine leg and another a pull to backward square leg. World Giants went past the 100-run mark through a classy square-driven boundary from Watson off Irfan Pathan in the 10th over. Tambe bowled a brilliant 11th over giving away just five runs. Watson raced to his half-century hitting Pathan for two sixes in the 12th over. Tambe removed Watson too by having him caught at long-on by Murali Vijay. Jacques Kallis got out, caught by the agile Mohammad Kaif at mid-wicket off Pathan for 8. Ross Taylor, who had played some lovely knocks in the second edition of this league, and Kevin O’Brien pushed the score to 135 for 4 in 15 overs when Kaif produced another flying catch, diving forward to get Kevin O’Brien out for 4 off Harbhajan Singh. Two balls later, Harbhajan trapped Ross Taylor for 1.  One ball after, Harbhajan also had Morne van Wyk sweep and edge his pad to get caught by wicketkeeper Uthappa for 1. Tino Best and Chris Mpofu picked 18 runs off Yusuf Pathan, who bowled the 19th over and World Giants ended up at 166 for 8 in 20 overs. Chasing a run rate of 8.30, Robin Uthappa opened with his skipper Gautam Gambhir. Brett Lee bowled a tight first over giving away just four runs. The 50-run partnership came in 5.2 overs. Gambhir was severe on Chris Mpofu and hit him for a six over the covers and also scored three boundaries to pick 20 runs off the over. In the last over, India Maharajas needed eight runs off six balls. Stuart Binny pulled Lee to Powell for 2 to make it seven runs off three balls.  With five runs needed off the last ball, Pathan could get only two runs. Lee gave just five runs in the last over to seal his team’s victory.

Sports Desk ISLAMABAD: Indian tennis star, Sania Mirza has been roped in as mentor of Royal Challengers Bangalore for the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL), to be played in Mumbai from March 4 to 26. Mirza, the first Indian woman to win a major title - she finished with six across women's doubles and mixed doubles - is expected to join the squad following the conclusion of the ATP Dubai Open, which is likely to be her last professional tournament. Mirza, 36, announced her decision to retire from professional tennis prior to the Australian Open, where she and her partner Rohan Bopanna finished runners-up in the mixed doubles.

Sports Bulletin Report Kuala Lumpur: The first ever Malaysian T20 League will take place in June-July 2023, it will huge step to boost the popularity of cricket in South Asian countries. After the rousing success of the three editions of the Lanka Premier League, the IPG Group has another big mission on its mind and will start a T20 league in Malaysia with the aim to take cricket in the country to new heights.  As many as five teams will take part in the Malaysian T20 League with four Malaysian players will be playing in the starting XI. IPG Group has signed a long term agreement with Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA). Anil Mohan, Founder & CEO of IPG, said: "We are really excited to start a T20 league in Malaysia. In the recently concluded T20 World Cup, we saw the potential of associate nations as they caused many upsets against top teams and our aim is to take the Malaysian cricket team to those heights. We believe that a T20 league like this can unearth some of the best cricketing talents in the country and help strengthen the Malaysian cricket team,”. He added, "A lot of top cricketers in the world will come to Malaysia to play in the upcoming Malaysian T20 league and it will a great opportunity for the local players to learn from them. We want to bring Malaysian players together with some of the highly skilful players in world cricket. They can learn about different aspects of the game from them which will eventually take cricket in this country to new heights." Malaysia are currently ranked 28th in the ICC Men's T20I Team Rankings and will look to climb up the ladder by finding some of the best talents in the country with the help of the Malaysian T20 league. The president of the Malaysian Cricket Association, Mohammed Iqbal Ali bin Kassim Ali lauded IPG Group for bringing the league to his nation. Mohammed Iqbal Ali bin Kassim Ali said: "The Malaysian Cricket Association appreciates the IPG Group's vision and willingness to host their T20 league in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. IPG Group has successfully delivered many leagues in different countries including the Lanka Premier League and we are confident the Malaysian T20 league will be a huge success as well,". “At MCA we constantly work hard to raise the standard of our cricket, I am sure that Malaysian T20 league will help our players to increase their skills level in order to compete with the higher tier teams in the world of cricket. The tournament will be a great boost to cricket in Malaysia and we hope it will be a significant step on the journey as we reach new heights in the future,” he concluded.