Sports Bulletin

Aamir Ali Janjua Dubai:-Following the recent decision to expand the ICC Women’s Championship to ten teams, the ICC Board approved a recommendation that ODI status be extended to a number of Associate Member women’s teams to enable them to progress to global qualifying events based on ODI rankings. Governance The ICC Board received an update from the Afghanistan Working Group which recommended Mirwais Ashraf as the ACB’s appointed representative to the Board. The Working Group advised the Board that the ICC was continuing to support the Afghanistan Men’s team to play international cricket while monitoring the governance of the sport in the country including the development of the women’s game. The ACB confirmed their continued commitment to developing women’s cricket and will submit a full action plan and budget to do so to the Working Group which will continue to monitor the situation and receive regular updates on its progress. Cricket Following the recent decision to expand the ICC Women’s Championship to ten teams, the ICC Board approved a recommendation that ODI status be extended to a number of Associate Member women’s teams to enable them to progress to global qualifying events based on ODI rankings. The CEC were updated on the use of home umpires from July 2020 to February 2022 due to COVID. The Committee acknowledged that the performance of home umpires was strong and had not affected games. The use of home umpires had also led to 12 members of the International Panel umpires making their Test match debut. In line with a previous recommendation from the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee, the CEC agreed that more neutral match officials should be utilised as travel restrictions are lifted while building on the success of the use of home umpires. The ICC Board approved and ratified a number of appointments to the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee: Mahela Jayawardena – Past Player representative (reappointment) Gary Stead – National Team Coach representative Jay Shah – Member Board representative Joel Wilson – ICC Elite Panel Umpire Jamie Cox – MCC Representative ICC Events The qualification pathway for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 was confirmed with 12 teams qualifying automatically for the event. The top eight teams from the 2022 event will be joined by the two host Members, West Indies and USA plus the next highest ranked teams on the MRF ICC Men’s T20 rankings table as of 14 November 2022. If West Indies finish in the top eight in Australia later this year, three teams will progress based on rankings and if outside the top eight two teams will qualify from the rankings table. The remaining eight spots will be decided through a regional qualification process with Africa, Asia and Europe each qualifying two teams and Americas and EAP one each. The qualification pathway for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 was agreed. Eight teams will gain automatic qualification into the event, comprising the top three teams from each group of the 2023 event plus host (if not in the six) and next highest ranked teams on the MRF ICC Women’s T20 rankings table at a pre-determined date. The remaining two teams will be identified through the Women’s T20 World Cup global qualifier. The qualification pathway for the eight team ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup was also confirmed. The yet to be determined host of the event will automatically qualify along with the next five highest placed teams at the end of the 22-25 ICC Women’s Championship (IWC). The remaining two teams will be identified through a global qualifying event between the four bottom-placed teams in the IWC plus an additional two teams from the ODI rankings. South Africa was confirmed as the host of the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, to be staged in January next year as a 16-team, 41-match event.

Aamir Ali Janjua Dubai (UAE):-The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that Pakistan’s superstar skipper Babar Azam, and Australia’s run-machine Rachael Haynes have been named the ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for March 2022. Azam scoops the Men’s award following a number of thrilling batting displays in Pakistan’s multi-format series against Australia. Amassing 390 runs in the pulsating Test series, his supreme contribution was highlighted by his record-breaking innings of 196 in the second Test, salvaging a draw for his side against the odds on the final day in Karachi. At the forefront of his side’s batting outfit, his exploits during the subsequent ODI battles that took place in March also cemented his claim as the standout player in international cricket during the month. Scores of 57 and 114 – the latter helping his side chase down an imposing 349 set by Australia, saw him as a constant threat to an otherwise formidable bowling attack. Azam received the award ahead of fellow nominees Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies) and Pat Cummins (Australia), and in doing so, becomes the first player to win the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award on two occasions, after being crowned back in April 2021. Speaking about Babar’s phenomenal performances in March, member of the voting panel and former West Indies international Daren Ganga said, “Babar wins this award not only because of the significant glut of runs scored during the Pakistan v Australia tour, but also because his success with the bat across formats. Being able to fulfil the burden of expectation as a captain and batter for Pakistan as host to an Australian team visiting after 24 years is a monumental achievement.” Rachael Haynes celebrates becoming the ICC Women’s Player of the Month following a formidable set of displays on the road to Australia’s seventh ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup trophy. Scoring 429 priceless runs in eight matches at an average of 61.28, her extraordinary feats at the top of the order proved crucial to her side’s unbeaten run to the final, where they subsequently overcame England to cap a thrilling tournament. Her accomplishments at the crease throughout the month laid the foundations for her team to set imposing totals and chase down big targets, and were made even more impressive by her ability to perform during pivotal times. Her 130 against England in the opening game set the tone for a dominant unbeaten run to the final, while her other standout performance came in the form of a classy 85 during the semi-final win against the West Indies. In securing this month’s award, Rechael Haynes overcame the fellow nominees Sophie Ecclestone (England) and Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa) following their outstanding displays with both bat and ball in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. “Rachael Haynes has displayed tremendous consistency for Australia,” remarked Sana Mir, the former Pakistan international and ICC Player of the Month voting panel member. “She set the tone for the tournament with a big hundred in their first game and her contributions throughout the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup set a platform for the other batters to build on. Haynes is a quality batter and a leader in women’s game.”