Daily Round Up | January 3: India on verge of losing hosting rights for World T20 2021

BBL10 | Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Sixers: SS make light work of Strikers

The Sydney Sixers romped past Adelaide Strikers in an utterly dominating performance to win the 26th game of the KFC Big Bash League to register their 5th win of the tournament. The Sixers are currently at the top of the table with 21 points looking comfortable to finish in the top three. Despite a brilliant partnership between Jonathan Wells and Jake Weatherald the Strikers could only post 150 on the board and at the end of the day, it didn’t prove to be enough as a solid batting performance from the Sixers saw them overhauling the target with two overs to spare. Chasing the target of 151, the Sixers got off to a perfect stat courtesy a free-flowing partnership between the opening duo Joshua Philippe and Jack Edwards. The duo shared a 47-run stand in 4.1 overs before the dismissal of Jack Edwards. Philippe’s stroke-filled knock was studded with 5 fours and a six which helped them lay the foundation for the run chase. Yet again it was Rashid Khan who wrecked the top order by removing Edwards and Philippe in quick time. The run rate came down a bit but it was well within the reach despite the loss of 3 wickets. The 5th wicket partnership proved to be the final nail in the coffin as far as the Strikers were concerned. James Vince and Jordan Silk shared an unbeaten stand of 71 runs to ensure that they reached the target without any more hiccups. Vince looked in ominous touch from the outset and his unbeaten knock of 45 came in just 33 deliveries including 3 fours and a six while Silk continued his good run in the tournament remaining unbeaten on 38 of 28 deliveries which were laced with 6 classy boundaries. Earlier in the day, it was Sydney Sixers skipper Daniel Hughes who won the toss and put the Strikers in. They were jolted with two early blows in the first two overs as Ben Dwarshuis and Ben Manenti accounted for Philip Salt and Matt Renshaw in their very first overs. With the score reading 7/2, the Strikers needed to steady the ship before going for the big shots. Alex Carey and Jonathan Wells shared a 64 runs stand but were unable to up the scoring rate. Carey departed after scoring a run a ball 31 but the Strikers still needed a big finish to post something substantial. Following the wicket of Carey, Wells was joined by Jack Weatherald and the duo shared an unbeaten 79 runs stand but could only get their side to a score of 150 in their allotted 20 overs. Wells struck the ball well but the fall of wickets in the initial phase didn’t really allow them to press on the accelerator. While Wells scored 66 of 56 deliveries which included 8 fours, Weatherald looked in good touch and eventually remained unbeaten on 34 of 24 deliveries studded with a four and a couple of sixes. Some mighty blows in the final few overs propelled them to a score of 150 but it was always going to be a difficult proposition to defend that total in front of a star-studded Sydney Sixers batting line-up.

Rohit and four other isolated Indian players to travel to Sydney

The five Indian players who have been isolated due to an alleged breach in the bio-bubble protocol will be travelling with the team to Sydney, while the investigation into the matter continues. The news agency PTI reported it saying that Rohit Sharma, Subman Gill, Navdeep Saini, Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw will reach Sydney Cricket Ground for the third Test. The players will be going to Sydney in a chartered flight on Monday. The controversy emerged after a certain Indian fan posted photos and videos of Indian players dining in a Melbourne restaurant and claimed that he paid their bills and hugged Rishabh Pant as well. The fan later on apologised for his lie and said that he never hugged Pant. The Indian team had beaten the hosts by eight wickets at Melbourne under the captaincy of stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane. Buoyed by that confidence it was heading to a favourable Sydney before the drama involving the new entrant in the team Rohit Sharma unfolded. The third Test begins on 7th January and the series is levelled at 1-1 with Australia winning the Pink Ball game in Adelaide.

CSA holds on transformation plans

Cricket South Africa’s interim board has gone back on its promise of appointing black and brown consultants exclusively despite committing to the same to the government. The matter had emerged after Jacques Kallis was appointed as the England’s batting specialist after working with South Africa at the same post. "The entire [transformation targets] document adopted by the previous board has been put on hold," interim board member Judith February told reporters on Sunday. "We are taking legal advice [regarding] the document and whatever obligations CSA had in terms of it." On August 1, CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said, "If you're asking me whether Jacques Kallis was one of the best batting coaches and batting cricketers we've ever had, I'd tell you yes. Do I feel he has a role to play in South African cricket? Jeez, it would be stupid of us not to involve our most successful cricketer, and the batting experiences he could bring to our young batters." The CSA on August 31 had told the South African sports minister Nathi Mthethwa that it would have only black and brown consultants unless none suitable could be found. But on September 10, CSA named Neil McKenzie as its high-performance batting lead and Dillon du Preez as assistant coach of the women's team.

India’s hosting rights for 2021 T20 WC in jeopardy over tax exemptions

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Government of India are at loggerheads over tax exemption issues at the international cricketing authority has served up last warning to the BCCI regarding obtaining a full tax exemption certificate for the world event. The BCCI, if not granted full tax exemption by the Finance Ministry of Government of India, would have to pay 906 crores in taxes for hosting the T20 World Cup in the nation this year. However, a partial exemption could cut down the money to Rs 227 crore tax. AndIf the Indian board wishes not to pay the tax money, it would have to forgo the chances of hosting the tournament as ICC has kept UAE as a backup venue. The matter was discussed at the 24th AGM of the BCCI held recently. One member who attended the AGM told IANS on conditions of anonymity that the issue was discussed at length and most members were in favour of hosting the tournament even if it meant paying the taxes. The BCCI has sent an application for text exemption to the Indian govt. but hadn't really had any reply from them as it has missed the 2019 and 2020 deadlines of the ICC. "The matter was discussed for 10 to 15 minutes, after which the house authorized the BCCI office-bearers to deal with the issue. But what was evident was that all the office-bearers were not on the same page vis-a-vis the question of whether the BCCI should forgo the hosting rights if the government doesn't grant full tax exemption. Some members said it was a matter of prestige - izzat ka sawal hai -- that India should pay the tax and host the World Cup if it comes to that," the official told IANS. The matter is of grave importance as ICC has withheld $23.75 million from the share that the BCCI was entitled to receive from the 2016 T20 World Cup as the Indian board was unable to procure a full tax exemption from the Union Government and had got only 10% exemption from Modi govt. Experts believe that it would therefore not be easy for the board to get full tax exemption this time around too. Although in 2011, the Manmohan Singh govt. Had given a full exemption to the World Cup. "So, the question is simple: If the government had not given full tax exemption in 2016, how can it give it for the 2021 World Cup? And, if it grants a full exemption for 2021, it will have to, by the same token, give a full exemption for the 2016 tournament retrospectively," said one expert. The ICC and the host country usually sign an agreement in which the host country has to get a full tax exemption certificate from the government which is mainly for the broadcasters as in that way the broadcaster’s taxes are saved and it is able to pay the full amount to ICC. But this did not happen in 2016 and in the case of 2021 too, the conditions seem similar to the same govt. is in power.