Ben Foakes out of New Zealand Test series, Sam Billings, Haseeb Hameed earn call up

Umar Akmal pays PKR 4.5 million fine to PCB, could rejoin professional cricket

Pakistan’s controversial kid Umar Akmal, after several attempts to get any rebate in paying his 4.5 Million Pakistani Rupees fine to the Pakistan Cricket Board for breaching the anti-corruption code, has finally submitted the amount in total. With this, the Lahore born would now be able to join PCB’s Anti-Corruption rehabilitation program and get back to professional cricket. Earlier in February this year, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) had shortened his 18-month ban, imposed on him by PCB in February 2020, to just 12 months on the condition that he paid PKR 4.5 Million to the board. "Umar has deposited the full amount of 4.5 million rupees with the board which means he is now eligible to start the rehab program of the Anti-Corruption code of the board," a source close to PCB was quoted as saying by Cricket.com However, the junior Akmal who celebrates his 31st birthday today, May 26, would have to wait sometime before he begins to play professionally. "Practically it will take some time before Akmal can resume his cricket career as his rehab program would take a while to be completed as the anti-corruption unit of the PCB is presently busy with the Pakistan Super League matches to be held in Abu Dhabi next month," the source revealed. Umar, who debuted in 2009, has so far played 221 matches for Pakistan, scoring 7887 runs across all formats.

2nd England vs New Zealand Test at Edgbaston to have 18,000 spectators at ground

The seating capacity at the Edgbaston ground for the Test match between New Zealand and England scheduled to start on June 10 has been upgraded to 75 per cent of overall seating capacity, Warwickshire county said. The approved seating limit has been approved as the Test match has been recognised as a pilot event of the UK government. As per the approved limit, as many as 18,000 fans will be watching the game live from the stadium while the booking for the last two days will open shortly. The minimum age of spectators to enter the stadium has been capped at 16 years while they will also have to carry negative Rapid Lateral Flow Test, completed within 24 hours in advance of the day they are looking to enter the stadium. This will be the first instance of England international games to be played in front of the crowd and the Chief Executive at Edgbaston is ecstatic at cricket’s return to some sort of normalcy. “Whilst public health is the priority, the first stage pilots have shown how people can safely start to enjoy the things they love; live sport and music. It will be great to welcome cricket fans to Edgbaston and give the England team a huge boost as nothing beats the atmosphere that crowds create here,” Stuart Cain, Chief Executive at Edgbaston said. ECB chief executive Tom Harrison also welcomed the development and said that the ECB can’t wait any longer to see the fans coming back to the stadiums in the country. "Having crowds back into cricket grounds is so important for the game and for our fans too. The last 15 months have shown just how big a role cricket plays in many people's lives, and we cannot wait to welcome a growing number of fans back to our stadia over the coming months,” Harrison said. The Test series between England and New Zealand will commence on June 02 at Lord’s followed by one in Southampton.

If I stood up against racism then, I wouldn’t have been a successful cricketer: Michael Holding

West Indies and county cricket great Michael Holding has come up with a scathing but layered attack on the international cricket community for its racist attitude and white supremacist approach towards the game. The Sky Sports commentary panel member revealed how he had to sustain racist slurs and attitude all his career. "As a black person, when you hear certain people say certain things it burns inside,” the 67-year-old told on The Cricket Show of Sky Sports on the eve of Gorge Floyd’s death anniversary and one year of the Black Lives Matter Movement (BLM). “I have had many occasions when people have said something or treated me a particular way when I think to myself 'are they just rude or are they racist? Is it because I am black that they are treating me this way or is it because they don't know any better because they are rude?” an emotionally charged Holding said. The Jamaican cricketer represented two counties of Lancashire and Derbyshire in the County Championship, Tasmania in Sheffield Shield and Canterbury in Plunkett Shield across white majority countries of England, Australi and New Zealand. Reasoning why it was necessary for him to just ignore all the racism he felt and remain bottled up, Holding said, "As a young man growing up and playing the game, whenever I came across any racism, I was quite selfish, I just brushed it off. I am glad I had that attitude because if I was to rebel against it, demonstrate against it, I wouldn't be sitting here now. I would not have had as long a cricket career as I had because we see what happens to the people who talk about injustice and racial prejudice.” Giving examples of Olympians Tommy Smith and John Carlos and how many other people of colour in the past were punished with their careers shitting down post any show of rebel against and solidarity towards racial abuse, Holding narrated the story of American Footballer (American style Rugby) to indicate how the discrimination is still relevant in modern times. "A picture of Colin Kaepernick is on the front of my book. Look at his career. He stood up and said he is tired of this because it is wrong and his career came to an end. It is obvious if I had stood up and done anything to signal my disgust my career would have ended. That is just the world we live in," Holding, who took more than 1500 professional wickets concluded.

Henry Nicholls rates Indian trio of Ishant, Bumrah, Shami on par with Southee, Boult and Wagner trio

New Zealand middle-order batsman Henry Nicholls said that the World Test Championship final against India will an ‘exciting challenge that the Blackcaps are looking forward to as it will be a contest of two equally dominating bowling attack. Nicholls also commended the variety of the Indian bowling lineup that is comprised of ‘proven’ seamers and ‘experienced seamers. He also rated the Indian pace trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah at par with the trio of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner. "India have a very good seam attack and also have the experienced spinners like Ashwin and Jadeja. They have been consistent in all parts of the world (of late) and bring quality (to attack)," Nicholls, told PTI in an interview. "Mohammed Shami along with Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma have proven their quality over the years which is similar to our seamers (Tren Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner) on whom we really pride ourselves on. "So if you are facing that kind of a line-up, it’s an exciting challenge and as a group we are expecting it to be tough but also looking forward to the challenge,” Nicholls added. India’s last game in whites against New Zealand came in early 2020 when Virat Kohli-led team were decimated by Kane Williamson-led Blackcaps. India’s number three in Tests, Cheteshwar Pujara recently downplayed the outcome of the series and had said that as the WTC final will be played at a neutral venue, it will not give an extra advantage to either India or New Zealand. Nicholls agreed to Pujara’s sentiment but with some exception and said that the neutral venue for the WTC final has neutralised any sort of advantage for teams and they will compete in a ‘level playing field.’ "It’s an exciting challenge as finally, we will be playing a Test match at a neutral venue. So that for both sides kind of levels the playing field,” Nicholls said. He differed from Pujara’s assertion on the point of confidence and said the Blackcaps will carry a lot of confidence from their series win against India in 2020. He also acknowledged that the Indian team have been on an upward curve and a contest between the top two sides are bound to be closer and riveting. "We beat them 2-0 a season back (2019-20). But we know and accept that it’s a different challenge but as a group, we take a lot of confidence from that series win against India. Obviously, Number one and two playing the final is a challenge too," he said. New Zealand have arrived in England early as they have to play a two-match long Test series against hosts England starting June 02 before competing against India in the WTC final in Southampton from June 18.