Local Organizing Committee to be formed by BCCI for 2023 CWC: Reports

The thirteenth edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup will be held in India next year. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) plans to form a Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the showpiece event.

As per a recent Cricbuzz report, the BCCI has already told the office bearers to form the LOC for next year’s event, which could be formed by the end of March 2022.

The governing board is discussing ways to appoint someone from the cricket body itself who can head the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s committee before the competition begins.

As India will be hosting next year’s event, a BCCI office-bearer need to be appointed to the post of ICC chairman as per the rule of law.

BCCI shares a healthy relationship with the current ICC chairman Greg Barclay so the board will not put any undue pressure on the International body to replace him.

Barclay was instrumental in helping the BCCI during the conduct of the T20 World Cup last year. The Indian cricket board played an essential role in appointing Barclay as chairman of the ICC. So, the BCCI will not go out of its way to remove the New Zealander from his current post.

Barclay’s two-year tenure is about to end this year. Still, it’s not sure whether his contract expires in December as he was appointed in December 2020 or in July when ICC’s annual conference is about to be healthy the current chairman can apply for two more tenures of two as per the laws.

However, as per the reports, office bearers have been asked to form the LOC. BCCI’s current CEO, Hemang Amin, and GM Gaurav Saxena might be appointed as the tournament’s directors.

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IND vs SL | Day-night Test: Game, set, series...India complete clean sweep

India continued their dominance at home as the Rohit Sharma-led side clinched a whitewash win in the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The hosts bundled out the Lankan Lions for 208 while chasing 447 in the second innings in Bengaluru to conclude the match within a span of three days. Sri Lanka had lost an early wicket in the chase after Lahiru Thirimane was trapped in front of the stumps by Jasprit Bumrah for zero. But Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis tried to steady the ship for the side as the two batters chipped in with a partnership of 97 runs for the second wicket. But Mendis was then shown the exit gate after he was stumped out by Rishabh Pant off Ashwin for 54 and his dismissal certainly broke the shackles as the visiting side lost wickets at regular intervals. While the skipper Karunaratne showed some mettle and held the fort at one end, he didn’t really get any support on the other side. The left-hander was pretty much patient during the course of his knock but didn’t shy away from putting away the deliveries that fell in his radar. The captain’s innings finally came to an end after he was cleaned up by a perfect ball from Jasprit Bumrah for 107 off 174, a knock that included 15 fours. The Sri Lankan team never really looked in control during the chase in Bengaluru. R Ashwin who has now become the 8th highest wicket-taker in Test cricket bagged a four-wicket haul while Jasprit Bumrah had three scalps to his name. Axar Patel also picked up two wickets. India had already won the first encounter in Mohali. “It's been a good run, enjoyed it personally and as a team, there were so many things we wanted to achieve and I think we did. No doubt about it (on Ravindra Jadeja), we have seen him grow as a batter, he seems to be getting better and better, at 7, he strengthens the batting, and he's a complete package, with his fielding and bowling, brings a lot to the team,” Rohit Sharma said after the match.

IND vs SL | Ashwin surpasses Dale Steyn to become 8th highest wicket-taker in Test cricket

India spinner R Ashwin has added another feather to his hat after he surpassed South Africa great Dale Steyn to become the 8th highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. Ashwin achieved the feat during the Day-night Test against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru after he dismissed Dhananjaya de Silva for 4 off 21. Ashwin bagged a total of four wickets in the second innings against the Lankan Lions to take his tally to 442 now. The right-hander first removed Kusal Mendis after he was stumped for 54 by Rishabh Pant and later removed De Silva to etch his name in history books. He then got rid of Lasith Embuldeniya after trapping in front of the stumps for 2 and Vishwa Fernando who played one from the spinner in the air and was caught by Shami for 2 to complete his four-wicket haul. Ashwin is one of the four Indian bowlers to have picked more than 400 wickets in the format with Anil Kumble topping the list. Kumble has 619 scalps to his name. Talking about the match, India wrapped up the Sri Lankan innings at 208 to win the match by 238 runs on the third day. Chasing 447, the visitors never really looked in control and lost wickets at regular intervals of Day 3 to eventually get bowled out. The home side had registered a massive win in the first Test as well in Mohali and has now completed a 2-0 whitewash.

IND vs SL | Day-Night Test: Dimuth Karunaratne scores fighting ton but SL remain on back foot

Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne was the lone warrior for his side in the second innings of the Day-night Test against India in Bengaluru after he notched up a hundred during the course. While the other batters thoroughly struggled to negotiate the Indian bowling unit and especially the spinners on Day 3, the skipper showed a lot of resistance and patience but also played his strokes as and when he could. Karunaratne eventually scored 107 off 174 deliveries including 15 boundaries before he was castled by Jasprit Bumrah. Talking about the game, the home side handed Sri Lanka a target of 447 runs after compiling 303/9 (D) in the second innings. Shreyas Iyer once again top-scored for the side with 67 while wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant notched up a brisk 50 off 31 deliveries. Earlier, the home side was bundled out for 252 despite a scintillating knock from Iyer who scored 92 in the first innings. But the Indian bowlers then got into the act and rattled the Lankan batting line up. Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah scalped a five-wicket haul while Ashwin and Shami had a couple of scalps each as India bowled out Sri Lanka 109, taking a massive lead. India are already leading the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first match in Mohali and are on course to complete a whitewash in Test fixtures.

Shreyas Iyer, Amelia Kerr voted ICC Players of the Month

India batter Shreyas Iyer and New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr have been voted as the ICC Player of the Month for February 2022. Iyer has been in brilliant form against Sri Lanka in the home fixtures after he scored three unbeaten fifties on the trot in the T20Is and has been among runs in the on-going Test series as well. “Iyer contributed a match-winning 80 against West Indies in the final ODI, before following it up with a 16-ball 25 in the final T20I of the subsequent series,” an ICC statement read. “Promoted in the order to bat at number three, Iyer made three unbeaten half-centuries for the series and amassed an outstanding 204 runs from three hits at a strike rate of 174,” it added. Former Sri Lanka batter and voting panel member Russel Arnold lavished praise on the right-handed batter and said that he showed a lot of consistency and during the course. "Throughout the month Shreya's showed tremendous consistency and control," Arnold said. "He totally dominated opposition bowlers and proved very hard to bowl at, scoring runs all around the wicket and attacking the bowlers at the right moments.” "What really stood out for me was his composure as he battles for a regular place in the India line-up,” he added.