Women’s T20WC: Venues And Revamped Fixtures Announced
Now comes a big update when the ICC has come up with the updated schedule of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 that will be staged in the UAE. The event was moved from Bangladesh because of the ongoing political unrest but still labeled BCB’s event. Dubai and Sharjah will host the championship in October 2024. Composition of Group Stage and Important Teams The groups remain the same: six-time champions Australia will be placed in Group A against 2020’s runners-up India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, while Group B is prepared with South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, and Scotland. This also means that both groups promise cricketing action with a twist. Australia’s UAE Debut and India’s Opening Encounter Defending champions Australia will make their UAE debut on October 5 against Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka. India, on the other hand, will be starting their campaign on October 4 against New Zealand in Dubai. Two cities-Dubai and Sharjah-are scheduled to host the tournament, while the fixtures are divided equally. Australia will be playing most of their games in Sharjah, while India will be seen in action in Dubai. Exciting Encounters: India vs Australia and India vs Pakistan The most anticipated face-off of the championship will surely be between India and Australia on October 13 in Sharjah, a repeat of the 2022 semi-final. Just before that, India will also meet arch-rivals Pakistan on October 6 in Dubai during a day match. Meanwhile, there is South Africa against England during October 7, at Sharjah in Group B. Semi-Finals and Grand Finale The first semi-final, on October 17, will be given to Dubai if India qualifies for that. Sharjah will host the second semi-final, on October 18. The final is scheduled at Dubai on October 20. Both semi-finals and the final have reserve days to accommodate for weather delays-to avoid a situation the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 faced in June, when this door-closer was seen as a massive oversight. Scotland vs Sri Lanka: Recent Form Both Scotland and Sri Lanka go into this tournament fresh from their participation in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers 2024 in Abu Dhabi. Sri Lanka remained unbeaten in all the six games played, whereas Scotland chalked four wins en route. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 promises to be an action-packed one, with ten teams in contention for the title. All afternoon games will start at 2 pm local time and in the evening, during the semi-finals and final, games will start at 6 pm. With the shift of the venue now to the UAE, fans worldwide are looking forward to the tension and drama which this competition carries. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Steve Smith Keen On Representing Australia At LA 2028 Olympics
With the inclusion of cricket in the LA Olympics 2028, cricketers have been buzzing to be a part of the mega event. One of such cricketers is Australia’s Steve Smith. In a recent interaction with the media Smith revealed his intentions to feature in the Los Angeles Olympics which is to be held in 2028. Smith seems to be ready to prepare himself and walk in the Road To LA28 as he states to play the T20 format for a longer period of time. “I could still be playing T20 cricket in four years, so you never know. It’s a format I can see myself playing probably for a lot longer than some of the others, especially with the franchise stuff around the world. I’ve signed on here for three years so it’s only another year after that. It would be cool to be part of an Olympics,” Smith said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “I don’t have any plans. I’m just enjoying playing at the moment, I’m pretty relaxed and looking forward to this summer,” he added further. Steve Smith’s exclusion from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 came as a surprise to many, as Australia bowed out of the tournament in the Super 8 stage. Despite this setback, the Australian remains active in the Big Bash League, where he continues to represent the Sydney Sixers. Smith recently secured a three-year contract with the franchise, fueling his ambition to return to Australia’s T20I team ahead of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles—a milestone event as cricket makes its Olympic debut. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Bengal Pro T20 League: How State-Driven T20 Competitions Are Shaping Cricket’s Future in India?
‘This is a new era; T20 cricket is here to stay,’ says former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly during the launch of the Bengal Pro T20 League in Kolkata. While Test cricket remains the pinnacle, the impact of T20s cannot be overlooked, both in terms of unearthing talent and making money. The Bengal Pro T20 League is an eight-team franchise league of the Cricket Association of Bengal. The eight-team franchise league is the first state-based cricket league in India that will run both men’s and women’s competitions thereafter. The tournament will commence on June 11 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The complete schedule is yet to be announced. All eight teams are based in the cities and districts of West Bengal. Bengal Pro T20 League – Teams, Captains & Owners Team Name Owners Men’s Captain Women’s Captain Kolkata Royal Tigers Lux Industries & Shyam Steel Abishek Porel Mitali Paul Adamas Howrah Warriors Adamas University Anustup Majumdar Dhara Gujjar Rashmi Medinipur Wizards Rashmi Group Abhimanyu Easwaran Richa Ghosh Rarh Tigers Shrachi Group Shahbaz Ahmed Titas Sidhu Malda Sobisco Smashers Sobisco Limited Mukesh Kumar Hrishita Basu Murshidabad Kings Pritam Electricals & Jalan Builders Sudip Kumar Gharami Deepti Sharma Harbour Diamonds GD Mining Manoj Tiwary Sukanya Parida Servotec Siliguri Strikers ServoTec Power Systems Akash Deep Priyanka Bala Bengal Pro T20 League info & details The tournament targets unearthing young cricket talent across West Bengal. The state has given several great players to the country, be it the likes of Pankaj Roy, Dilip Doshi, Sourav Ganguly, and current Team India pacer Mohammed Shami. Dada, who represented India in 113 Tests and 311 ODIs, welcomed the Bengal Pro T20 League and said: “It’s(T20 Leagues) happening in every state. We are probably 5–6 years late on this. Any way of playing the sport will always be very helpful. T20 is an important part of cricket these days, and this will be a huge opportunity for everyone to perform,” Sourav Ganguly said at the function. Indian women’s team bowling great Jhulan also echoed the same words. “To be able to witness the Bengal Pro T20 League launch is truly amazing. I would like to thank the CAB for making this possible. I wish all the players who will be participating to give their best and win it for their team. This league will surely help bring forward more talent from Bengal who will represent IPL and Women’s Premier League in the coming years,” said Jhulan. Also read: And the Most Valuable IPL Franchise Is… The inaugural Bengal Pro T20 League has the backing of some top owners, associated across the eight teams, with the target of developing cricket in the state and contributing to the league’s success. Some prominent names like Lux Industries and ServoTec Power Systems continue their association with cricket, but the presence of some heavyweights like Shrachi Group, Rashmi Group, Sobisco Limited, and others shows the massive craze of cricket among top multinational companies. Rarh, a region involving Bardhhaman and Birbhum districts, has a team named the Rarh Tigers, with Shrachi Group as their sole owner. The men’s team will be led by current Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed, while Titas Sadhu, the young all-rounder who has represented Delhi Capitals in the WPL, will be in charge of the women’s team. Shrachi Group, a Rs 10 billion conglomerate, is involved in businesses as diverse as agro-machinery, engineering and EPC, real estate, and stationery. They have now ventured into cricket and would be expecting to give the established brands a run for their money. Can Bengal Pro T20 League blossom like TNPL & Co.? One of the major reasons behind state associations moving into T20 cricket is the identification of young talent and giving it the platform to blossom. The move can also benefit the state franchises in the IPL. For example, with the Kolkata Knight Riders, there is hardly any local talent associated with the franchise currently. With the Bengal Pro T20 League, there is a good chance that the talent is likely to be noticed by the IPL franchises. After all, the ultimate aim for any youngster picking up a bat or a ball today is to find a place in the IPL dugout. As Ganguly rightfully pointed out, the game is evolving thick and fast, and the administrators too need to evolve as per the needs of the cricketers and the audience. IPL has given a platform to several youngsters who have gone on to represent Team India across formats: Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and others, to name a few. Even the Tamil Nadu Premier League, or TNPL, has emerged as one of the top T20 state leagues in the country, where there has been a constant production of talented cricketers for some time now. B. Sai Sudarshan hasn’t done badly for the Gujarat Titans and has also gone on to represent India in T20Is. Some other states, like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Karnataka, have also benefited from the state-driven T20 leagues. With the onset of the Bengal Pro T20 League, it is time for the cricketers from the North-East to utilize the platform, show their potential, and make a name for themselves in the coming days.
