Gary Kirsten not looking to make a comeback as India coach

IPL 2021 | Great to be together as a team says old RCB guard AB de Villiers

IPL star and one of the most followed international cricketers in India, AB de Villiers has said that he liked being back in the miz and getting reunited with his teammates. The IPL had to be postponed after it was marred by Covid-19 in May this year during its India leg. Now that the league is restarting in UAE once again from where it had left India, de Villiers, who has travelled all the way from South Africa is getting ready to face the heat. "I have covered a couple of guys tonight and it's nice to hear all the stories and what they got up to in the last couple of months. There's some interesting stuff that has happened and, it's great to be together as a team again,” the former South Africa captain said in a video posted by RCB at their official Twitter handle. “I have missed the guys. I have caught up with a couple of individuals and I will get to meet up with the older guys over the next few days,” he added talking about meeting the likes of RCB skipper Virat Kohli who is still in isolation having travelled from England after early after the cancellation of the fifth Test. The 37-year-old de Villiers was speaking on the sidelines of a bet session and he said that although he enjoyed it a lot, but is getting old to be batting in such humid conditions. “Bowlers bowled very well and it's humid here, we are gonna sweat a lot which is good for losing a bit of weight but for an old man like me, I need to stay fresh as much as I can," he said. RCB, who are currently placed third in the points table, open their campaign in UAE against Kolkata Knight Riders, who are placed seventh.

We offer ECB two extra T20Is to cover up losses from Old Trafford Test: Jay Shah

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has offered two extra T20Is to be played between England and India when the Indian team travels to England next year, so as to cover the losses that have been incurred to ECB due to the cancellation of the Old Trafford Test, which was also the fifth and final Test of the five-match series. "It is correct that we have offered to play two extra T20Is when we visit England next July (only for the white-ball games). Instead of three T20Is, we will play five T20Is,” BCCI Secretary Jay Shah was quoted as saying to Cricbuzz. However, there is a condition that if India plays two extra T20Is or a one-off Test in July 2022, it wants ECB to not ask for forfeiture of the fifth Test (which was cancelled in 2021). “Alternately, we will be willing to play a one-off Test as well. It is up to them to choose either of the offers,” Shah added. The fifth Test between the two sides was cancelled after Team India decided not to field a playing XI due to increasing Covid-19 cases in its camp. It is reported that ECB had to incur losses of up to 40 Million Pounds due to this decision by BCCI and Virat Kohli lead Indian side.

Ireland level series courtesy Joshua Little and Andy McBrine stellar bowling performances

In a rain-marred game at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Stormont, Belfast, the Irish team pulled up a brilliant bowling performance to level the series and secure 10 crucial Super League points. Joshua Litte and Andy McBrine picked three wickets each to gobble up the Zimbabwean batting and later some steady batsmanship from Paul Stirling and skipper Andrew Balbirnie meant that Ireland were able to chase down the target easily. After a delayed toss, the game was reduced to 42 overs and the home team won the toss and decided to send Chevorns to bat first. Playing his last international innings, Brendan Taylor was bowled by Little for only seven and soon Regis Chakabva departed as well. Skipper Craig Ervine, who hit the second consecutive fifty in the series, then partnered with young Wesley Madhevere to stabilise the innings. The duo added 59 for the third wicket before Madhereve played a nothing short on a shoulder height bouncer from Shane Getkate to get caught at mid-on by Stirling for 16. That was the last legitimate partnership as, after it, Sean Williams and Ervine departed in quick successions to leave the red and yellow brigade reeling at 105-5 when the rain once again disrupted the proceedings. When the match began, the team lost its last five wickets for only 26runs with McBrine being the wrecker in chief. After a Duckworth-Lewis and Stern method being applied, the Irish were given a target of 118 to chase in 32 overs. Without any early strike from the Zimbabwean bowlers, the chase became too easy for the hosts. Even though they lost three wickets on the course, they never looked like deviating from the target. With this win, the Irish team levelled the series and would now get ready for the T20 World cup as Zimbabwe travels down south to Scotland for a three-match T20I series.

Afghan Board Chairman takes a U-turn from Taliban policy, says nation to soon have women’s team

In a very dramatic set of events, only days after deputy head of the Taliban's cultural commission Ahmadullah Wasiq confirmed that no Afghanistan woman would be participating in any sport, Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Azizullah Fazli has said that soon the board will be fielding its women’s team to avoid losing its Test status. "We will give you our clear position on how we will allow women to play cricket. Very soon, we will give you good news on how we will proceed,” Fazli was quoted as saying by SBS Radio Pashto’s English website. Suggesting that all the 25 women selected last year as possible central contract awardees are still living in Afghanistan, Fazli said, "The women cricket coach Diana Barakzai and her players are all safe and living in their home country.” "Many countries have asked them to leave Afghanistan, but they have not left Afghanistan, and at the moment, they are in their places,” he added. Earlier, after Cricket Australia’s threat of cancelling the Hobart Test between its national team and Afghanistan, the ACB had pleaded to not isolate them as they are "powerless to change the culture and religious environment of Afghanistan". "Do not isolate us and avoid penalizing us," the board had said.