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India Women Cricketer Veda Krishnamurthy Loses Mother Sister In A Fortnight To Covid 19

India Women cricketer Veda Krishnamurthy loses mother, sister in a fortnight to Covid-19

After the death of her mother a fortnight ago, the Indian Women’s cricket team represent Veda Krishnamurthy lost her elder sister on Wednesday, May 5 to Covid-19. Veda’s sister Vatsala Shivakumar, 42, breathed her last in a hospital in Chikmagalur, around 245 kilometres from Bengaluru. She was believed to be suffering from a severe lung infection caused by Covid-19-induced pneumonia.

While her 67-year-old mother Cheluvamaba Devi died in Kadur and sister in Chikmagalur, Veda has been away from the family in Bengaluru.

"With the help of the hospital staff, Veda's sister had even begun FaceTiming with Veda and some of her other near and dear ones earlier this week. It is shocking to learn that after losing aunty, we couldn't save didi either,” Reena Malhotra, a former India player and a close aide of Krishnamurthy was quoted as saying to ESPNCricinfo.

“I can only request everyone to give Veda and her family the time and privacy they need to bear this immense loss," Malhotra added.

The 29-year-old Karnatak player has played 48 ODIs and 76 T20Is for India and was recently seen playing for Karnataka in the domestic tournament, Women’s ODI Cup. Veda, who has 1704 international runs and three wickets, last played for India during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final in Australia in March 2020.

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Four English counties extend offer to host remaining part of IPL 2021 in September: Report

A group of four English counties have written to England and Wales Cricket Board to extend an opportunity to the BCCI on hosting the remainder of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League, ESPNcricinfo reported. The group of counties include the MCC, Surrey, Warwickshire and Lancashire and they are eying a window in September for the completion of the marquee event which was cancelled in the aftermath of episodes of Covid-19 cases in franchises. Apart from the offer to provide a finishing opportunity for the IPL, these counties have made the case of helping top-quality players from all international teams just before the ICC World T20 which is likely to be shifted to the UAE from India. It remains to be seen if the proposal can shape into something substantial for all the stakeholders such as the BCCI, the ECB and other cricket boards as there will be limited time in the second half of September. Notably, India’s final Test against England is scheduled to end only on September 14 and England are slated to travel to Pakistan for a series within a month time. BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has said that the BCCI will have to bear a huge loss of approximately Rs 250 crore if the board fails to complete this year’s edition of its most rewarding tournament in terms of bringing financial benefits.

Shafali Verma on radar of The Hundred teams as replacement candidate

Indian eves’ dynamic T20I opener, Shafali Verma might be the fifth woman cricketer from the country to play in the inaugural edition of The Hundred. The 17-year-old is being looked upon as a replacement for South African cricketers, five of whom have been signed up for the eight-team tournament. Four Indians in T20I skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, all-rounder Deepti Sharma and middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues have already been signed by Manchester Originals, Southern Brave, London Spirit and Northern Superchargers respectively for the tournament that begins on July 21. South Africa’s Chloe Tryon, Mignon du Preez and Lizelle Lee, skipper Dane van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp have contracts from various sides of The Hundred. However, since flights from the rainbow nation have been suspended to the United Kingdom since December 2020, it would be very tough for the players to make it to the competition. Although India is also on the red list for travel to the UK due to the deadly second wave of Coronavirus, the Indian Men’s and Women’s teams are scheduled to tour England in June according to ICC’s Future Tour Programs. Hence it would be easier for Indian women to be available for the tournament than the South African contingent. Verma, the number one T20I batter in ICC'S rankings for Women, has so far played 22 T20Is scoring 617 runs at an average which is touching 30 and a dangerous strike rate of 148. The youngest Indian T20I debutant has three fifties and a best of 73 in her kitty as well.

IPL 2021 suspension | Players from Bangladesh, Australia, South Africa begin their journey back home

After the abrupt end of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League, players across the world have departed from their destinations. As confirmed by the Cricket Australia acting CEO Nick Hockley, all Australian contingent that includes players, commentators, coaches and other officials have left India for the Maldives, where they will stay put till the time they become eligible to gt back into Australia as per the new guidelines. Cricket Australia had confirmed that the BCCI will arrange a chartered flight for Australian individuals in the league to reach their homes safely. However, CSK batting coach Michael Hussey has been taken to Chennai in an air ambulance by his franchise and the Australian will be going home after recovering from Covid-19. The Bangladesh duo of Mustafziur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan have also left for their nation Bangladesh from New Delhi. Mustafizur was was already in Delhi with his franchise the Rajasthan Royals while Shakib was in Ahmedabad with the Kolkata Knight Riders. Both of them will undergo quarantine straightaway after arriving in Dhaka. The South African players and staff including Quinton de Kock, AB de Villiers, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and others are travelling to Johannesburg via Mumbai and Doha and under the guidance of Cricket South Africa. The 14th edition of the IPL was suspended for an indefinite period following episodes of Covid-19 cases in the biosecure bubbles of various franchises.

Biggest Abu Dhabi T10 edition yet to be held in Nov-Dec this year

The Abu Dhabi T10, a franchise-based 10 overs a side tournament will have its biggest edition this season in terms of duration. The management announced that the fifth edition of the league would be held from November 19 to December 4 in the United Arab Emirates’ capital. The 15-day tournament to be held at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, would be the longest in duration. The tournament has been stretched due to the extended weekend holiday caused by UAE's 50th National Day Celebration, which falls on December 2. Speaking at the time of the announcement, Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman of Ten Sports Management (TSM), owners of the T10 League, said."It is most heartening to see the world's top cricketers in this hugely popular format.”The upcoming cricketers can seize the advantage of the platform to rub shoulders with the best in the business," he added. The fourth edition of the tournament, held after a lot of rescheduling caused by the pandemic in 2020, ran from January- February this year. Northern Warriors defeated Delhi Bulls to emerge as champions. The idea behind keeping the league in October-November is the fact that the T20 World Cup, scheduled in 2021, to be originally hosted by India, might be shifted to UAE as well and it is supposed to be finished by November 15.