IPL 2021 | Delhi Capitals rope in Kulwant Khejroliya as replacement for injured Manimaran Siddharth

Hanuma Vihari parts ways with Andhra, to return to Hyderabad after five years

Hanuma Vihari has parted ways with his domestic Ranji side Andhra Cricket Association after a period of five years, the Indian cricketer said on his Twitter account. He also informed his next destination and said that he will be returning to the Hyderabad team from the next year. Vihari was in England with the Indian squad albeit he could make it into the playing XI for the World Test championship against New Zealand and four Test matches against England. Vihari made his first-class debut way back in 2010 against Jharkhand and has gone to amass a truckload of runs to claim a place in the Indian Test side. His international debut against England in 2018 at the Oval. He has played 94 first-class matches and has piled on 7,261 runs at an outstanding average of 55 with the help of 21 hundred and 37 half-centuries. He rose to prominence with a staggering 752 runs from just six games in the 2017-18 season of the Ranji trophy and the number of runs was enough for the Indian selectors to give him his maiden call up. He doesn’t have a superlative set of numbers to show at the international level with just 624 runs from 12 Tests but his batting exploit has come in to rescue India in various circumstances. Earlier this year, he battled with a hamstring injury and formed an unshakable partnership with Ravichandran Ashwin to save the third Test of the series against Australia which paved the way for India’s series win at the Gabba in the final Test.

PCB offers retainers domestic to 191 cricketers, top category players to earn up to 5 Million PKR

Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to raise the retainers fee of its domestic cricketers and has thereby offered central contracts to 191 domestic players divided into five categories, with the top category players earning as much as 5 Million Pakistani Rupees if they play all the matches of the upcoming domestic season starting from September 15. “The cricket board confirmed the list of 191 players who will be offered the enhanced packages for the 157-match six senior men’s events from 15 September to 30 March,” PCB said in a release. “As such, a Category A+ player, featuring in all matches, can earn up to PKR5million,” it added. The new retainer has increased all the pay slabs by PKR 1 Lakh on the suggestions of the new PCB chief Ramiz Raja. According to the 1new retainer list, the 10 players in the A+ category of the list will receive a monthly retainer of PKR250,000 each, followed by PKR185,000 each for the 40 cricketers in Category A, PKR175,000 each for 40 players in Category B, PKR165,000 each for the 64 players in Category C and PKR140,000 each for the 37 players in category D. It is important to note that the retainers are in addition to the match fees, daily allowances, share in prize money and PCB-arranged lodging, boarding and travelling fee that they already receive. PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja while speaking on this major change said, “It is extremely important that our domestic cricketers are paid well-enough so they continue to focus on upgrading their skills and fitness levels without worrying about how they have to take care of their families, loved ones and careers.”

Former head of Afghanistan Women's cricket pleads continued support for men's cricket

The former head of women’s cricket at the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), Tuba Sanga has called on the international cricketing nations to stand with Afghanistan men players even while the new Taliban regime is most likely to ban women’s game in the country. His comments come in the wake of a threat from Cricket Australia that if the new system in Afghanistan will bar women’s participation in the game, the first and only Test scheduled between the sides later this year will be cancelled. Sanga, who had fled the country for Canada in the wake of the Taliban takeover of the country, said that boycotting the male team will be a killing blow for the overall game in the country and that they should be supported for the game’s preservation in the war-torn country. "It's not a good idea to boycott the male team. They did a lot for Afghanistan -- they introduced Afghanistan to the world in a positive way. If we don't have a male team any more, there would be no hope for cricket overall, Sanga told AFP. The Taliban has not given a clear indication of their policy with respect to women’s participation in sports overall and cricket but past precedents are suggestive that the future of women’s cricket is all but doomed in the near future.

Sanju Samson puts IPL opportunities over disappointment of missing out from India World T20 squad

Explosive Indian batsman Sanju Samson missed out of place in India’s World T20 squad but that’s not at all in his mind as he is heading back to lead the Rajasthan Royals in the remaining part of the IPL 2021. He called the idea of playing the IPL while having mind and heart over selection into the Indian team a “wrong mindset”. He rated IPL as “the most viewed tournament in the world” and hence emphasized that performances in the tournament will anyway lead to the selection into the senior side. Samson has attracted criticism for not being consistent with the bat while his swashbuckling ability and fearless attitude have also earned him many supporters. He said that receiving both aspects of the game are “natural” and not necessarily associated with him only. “First of all, when you’re playing for an IPL team and thinking about Indian selection, then it’s a wrong mindset. People do talk a lot about Indian selection and cementing your place but that is actually a by-product – if you perform, you get opportunities,” Samson told TOI. “I think IPL is the most viewed tournament in the world. It will get you noticed. People do say good things about me and they also say other things as well. It’s natural for me now. Everyone is having that kind of pressure. And every one goes through that kind of pressure, knowing that so many people are waiting outside anyway. That’s the reason behind Indian cricket’s success.” Samson was leading the Rajasthan Royals’ charge for the first time in his career after the franchise elevated him to captaincy before the tournament. He was looking in terrific touch and score a masterful hundred to go with other notable contributions before Covid-19 pulled the plug on the tournament. He could well have amassed runs in excess of 500 runs if the tournament would have run its course got into the Indian team but the factor of inconsistency in the previous editions would have gone against him in terms of selection in the squad for the T20 World Cup.