Amid Taliban situation Afghanistan Cricket Board add new teams, hopes to host extended Shpageeza T20 league

Even as the entire world is coming to terms with the Taliban take over of Afghanistan administration, the Afghanistan Cricket Board decided to hold an auction for team ownership rights for their domestic T20 league known as the Shpageeza Cricket League for sponsorship reasons.

The ACB added two more teams to now convert the earlier six-team league to an eight-team tournament. The two new teams added to the league are Hindukush Stars and Pamir Zalmi representing two more reasons of Afghanistan.

Speaking on the occasion of the franchise rights selling, ACB CEO Dr Hamid Shinwari said, “ This time around, SCL will provide audiences and fans with a new experience. It will also be great financially for players.” He also was confident about getting the senior Men’s side ODI series against Pakistan in Sri Lanka to be completed on time as well.

With the inclusion of the two teams, now the eight franchises are Hindukush Stars, Pamir Zalmiyan. Speenghar Tigers, Kabul Eagles, Amo Sharks, Bost Defenders, Band-e Amir Dragons and Mis-e Ainak Knights.

The eighth edition of the SPL will begin on September 10th at Kabul Cricket Stadium and will conclude on the 25th of the same month at the same venue.

It would however be interesting to see whether the Afghanistan players taking part in foreign leagues at the moment including the likes of Rashid Khan, Qais Ahmad and Naveen-Ul-Haq be able to participate in the SPL or not.

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Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das back as Bangladesh announce squad for New Zealand series

Prominent figures like Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das made a comeback into the Bangladesh squad announced to face New Zealand in a five-match series at home. The two missed out when the Tigers created history by defeating Australia 4-1 in the five-match series in August. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the squad on Thursday, August 19. The Blackcaps are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on August 24 and all the matches of the series will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. A major missing in the squad is Mehedi Hasan Miraz who is considered as one of the top players of Bangladesh and represents the team in all three formats. Along with him, Tamim Iqbal, who has been advised rest by the doctors because of his elbow injury would also miss out on two series continuously. This would also be the last international affair for Bangladesh before the T20 World Cup 2021 as their series against England, scheduled for mid-September was postponed indefinitely and the Bangladesh players will be free to participate in the Indian Premier League. Among the new entities in the team is Aminul Islam Biplob. Biplob, the 21-year-old brings in an altogether new prospect for Bangladesh as he would be in leg memory the first leg spinner at the national level after Alok Kapali. Mohamad Mithun was unable to find a place in the squad. He has so far played seven T20Is for the team, picking up at 17.60 per wicket. The first match is scheduled for 01 September 2021 with every game being played at 04:00 pm Bangladesh Standard Time. SQUAD Mahmudullah (Captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Kumar Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Afif Hossain, Naim Sheikh, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shamim Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Saifuddin, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Aminul Islam Biplob, Nasum Ahmed

Punjab Kings rope in Nathan Ellis for second half of IPL 2021

Nathan Ellis has been rewarded for his brilliant T20I debut where he became the first bowler to bag a hattrick on a T20I debut. Punjab Kings have now signed the Australian and the decision has come after Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith were ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2021 scheduled to take place in the UAE from September 19 as per a Cricbuzz report. Punjab Kings team's Satish Menon confirmed the news that the franchise has included Ellis in the squad. "We were not aware of the fitness status of Jhye and Riley till yesterday (August 18). That they cannot be part of the IPL was known only after the Cricket Australia press conference. We have signed Elis as a replacement player. We will announce the second replacement in a day or two," the franchise CEO told Cricbuzz. "We are in talks with a few players. Anil (Kumble, the head coach) will finalise soon." Ellis was earlier included as the reserve in Australia’s squad for the upcoming World T20 slated to be played in the UAE and Oman from October 17, a couple of days after the conclusion of the IPL.

R Ashwin blames sudden change in weather for not playing second Test at Lord's

As soon as Shardul Thakur was ruled out of the second Test, there were speculations that India will opt for a three pacer-two spinners combination that will see the return of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. However, the team management had different ideas as they played a quartet of pace bowlers comprising of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami and Ashwin kept on warming the benches outside. Now, Ashwin himself has given the details of the behind the scenes conversation and tactical game that led to his exclusion. He blamed the sudden change in weather conditions in London on the day of the Test match behind the team management overlooking him for the second Test. He has said that the team had asked him to prepare for the Test keeping in mind the predicted heatwave that were to sweep London through the course of the match but just on the brink of the start of the Test when Indian players were having their breakfast it started pouring in at Lord’s. “What was the weather forecast for the match? Heatwave. The funny thing was, before the match, they were telling me, Heat wave, neenga readya irunga (there's a Heat wave. You please be ready mate. You might play) When we came to have breakfast, it was pouring...," he said on his YouTube show 'KuttyStory'. The decision to drop Ashwin for Ishant Sharma was criticised heavily till the third day of the game as the pacers were failing to extract too much purchase off a sower surface at Lord’s. However, the triumph on the final day on the back of strong performance from all four pacers doused the fire Kohli otherwise would have had to contain in case of Test loss.

IPL 2021 can help in preparing for World T20: Shakib Al Hasan

Bangladesh will host New Zealand in a five-match T20I series from September 1 in Dhaka. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has said that playing on “better wickets” would help the side in preparing for the upcoming World t20 slated to take place in the UAE and Oman in October-November. "Wherever T20s are played, it is usually played on a good wicket. Maybe it would benefit us more (preparation-wise for ICCWT20) if we could play on a better wicket against New Zealand," Shakib was quoted as saying by the Daily Samakal. The left-hander further added that it is up to the team management as to what kind of wickets should be made. "It is up to the team management to decide on what type of wicket they want to play before going there. Whatever it is, we have to adapt. Since the game is in our country, there is no chance to make excuses," he added. Talking about the remainder of the IPL 2021 which will commence on September 19 in the UAE and conclude a couple of days before the start of the World T20, Shakib said that the cash-rich league can help in preparing for the World T20. "Yes, there will be that possibility (of preparing at the IPL) but now I have to see how many matches I can play and that is the challenge.” Bangladesh have been in some good form in the T20Is after they clinched a 4-1 victory in the five-match series against Australia at home. The Asian side will begin their World T20 campaign against Scotland on the first day of the competition in Al Amerat. This would be the second clash of the day. Co-host Oman will be up against PNG in the tournament opener.