India will host South Africa and Australia for three T20Is each in Sept-Oct before going into the T20 World Cup in Australia, which will kick off from Oct 16, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said after a meeting of the board’s apex council.
“South Africa will come to India after concluding their ongoing England tour (in September). All those venues which didn’t get to stage a game against SA, like Ranchi, Nagpur, Hyderabad. Lucknow, Indore and Mohali, will host the T20Is against SA and Australia,” Ganguly said. Ganguly said the Asia Cup, which will start on Aug 27 and end on Sept 11, has been shifted from Sri Lanka to UAE. “It’s the only place where it won’t be raining,” he said. In a busy calendar, India are also playing three ODIs in Zimbabwe in August. Post the T20 World Cup, India will travel to New Zealand for a limited-overs series in Nov, and then Bangladesh for a two-Test series and three ODIs in Dec, before returning to play a four-Test series against Australia in Jan-Feb. In March, Australia and South Africa will play a One-day series each in India, Ganguly confirmed.
Mithali hints at playing a part in WIPL
Legendary India batter and former captain Mithali Raj has hinted at coming out of retirement to play in the inaugural edition of the women’s IPL. The inaugural edition of the women’s IPL, which could be a six-team event, will be launched next year. Mithali, who had announced her retirement in June this year, is keeping all her options open for a possibility of featuring in the first edition of women’s IPL. “I’m keeping that option open. I’ve not yet decided. There are a few more months to go before the women’s IPL happens. It would be lovely to be part of the first edition,” said Mithali. While looking back at her 23-year-old career, from making international debut as a 16-year-old to handing the reins over to the next generation, especially Shafali Verma, Mithali elaborated on how the youngster left an impact on her mind.
Team India’s flight to WI worth £350,000
The BCCI spent around £350,000 on booking a chartered flight for Team India to reach the West Indies for three ODIs and five T20Is against the hosts. The reason a chartered flight was booked for the team was not Covid-19. It’s difficult to book so many tickets in a commercial flight - the Indian contingent includes 16 players and members of the support staff, including head coach Rahul Dravid. There are players’ wives who have travelled to the Caribbean too,” the source said. Since the onset of Covid-19 in 2020, the BCCI has mostly flown the Indian cricket team in chartered flights for tours. “Normally, in a commercial flight, this expense would’ve been much lesser, say around £200,000. A business class ticket from Manchester to Port of Spain would be around Rs 200,000. A chartered flight is more expensive, but given the logistics, it’s a logical option.
Two Indian athletes to miss CWG over doping
In a setback to India’s medal aspirations at the upcoming CWG, the women’s 100m and 4x100m relay specialist, Dhanalakshmi Sekar, and triple jumper Aishwarya Babu, have failed dope tests just a week before the start of the Birmingham Games. According to sources, Dhanalakshmi’s sample was collected out-of-competition by the World Athletics’ Athletes Integrity Unit (AIU) from her training base in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Aishwarya was tested in-competition during the National inter-state athletics meet in Chennai last month by the National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada) officers. Both have been ruled out of the Birmingham CWG, scheduled from July 28 to August 8.
IOA sets date for 2028 LA Olympic Games
The Opening Ceremony of the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games is set for July 14, 2028, with the Games running through July 30, organisers of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic events announced. In addition, the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games will kick off August 15, 2028, and close August 27, said LA28, the Los Angeles Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028. “Today marks the official countdown to the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said five time Olympic medallist and LA28 Chief Athlete Officer Janet Evans in a statement.
