Sri Lanka players refuse to sign contracts, put tour of England in doubt

Sri Lanka’s tour of England is under some dark clouds after the players who are expected to be picked in the squad have refused to sign the tour contracts that have been offered by Sri Lanka Cricket.

The players have refused to sign the contract citing a lack of transparency in the new payment structure made by the board. "Because of the problems with the transparency of the ratings system devised by SLC, the players will not sign the [tour contract]," the release signed by 38 top players said.

"In addition, the players have decided they will not sign the contracts until players who have performed well in past years are looked after fairly," the statement added.

Further, there is also a legal objection to the contracts as per the statement of their lawyer Nishan Premathiratne to ESPNcricinfo.

"The tour contract also refers to matters of the annual [main] contract for 2021, which is yet unsigned," he said. "In the event, the annual contract is not settled and a dispute is pending, the validity of the tour contract referring to an unsigned contract is also an issue."

List of players who are not ready to sign the tour contract: Kusal Perera, Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Dananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lasith Embuldeniya, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Oshada Fernando, Ramesh Mendis, Lahiru Kumara, Danushka Gunathilaka, Ashen Bandara, Akila Dananjaya, Chamika Karunaratne, Asitha Fernando, Binura Fernando, Shiran Fernando, Avishka Fernando, Ishan Jayaratne, Charith Asalanka, Dananjaya Lakshan, Nuwan Pradeep, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamil Mishara, Praveen Jayawickrama, Roshen Silva, Minod Bhanuka

Discover more

Amir is a valuable player for us: PCB CEO looks for course correction

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO Wasim Khan has hinted that left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir who had hung his boots from international cricket in December 2020 as he was "mentally tortured" by the team managementmight return back to the national side. "I also made it clear to him that the path he adopted was not right as a senior player," he said on the Cricket Baaz channel on YouTube. "I think Amir is a valuable player for us even now and we will now make efforts to bring about rapprochement between him and the coaches." Earlier, captain Babar Azam had also stated that he is ready to speak to the fast bowler and discuss his issues. "When we talk, we'll discuss what his issues [with the national side] are," Azam said. "He's one of the best left-arm bowlers and I really admire him. The way he's performed in the PSL so far, I just hope he performs the same way again, and that's what we are focused on so far." Amir was one of the three players apart from Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif who was banned from international cricket for being involved in a spot-fixing scandal in England in 2010. While Butt and Asif were banned for ten years and seven years respectively, Amir was slapped with a five-year ban. Amir had played 36 Test matches for Pakistan picking up 119 wickets during the course while was capped 61 times in ODIs and 50 times in T20Is respectively before retiring.

WTC final | Ajit Agarkar picks Bumrah, Ishant, Shami as certainties, doesn't rule out 4th seamer

Former Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar has said that India will certainly play the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma as the three pacers in the playing XI for the World Test Championship against India. "The seamers will play a part and India has got as formidable an attack as any in the world. I think that's been their strength over the last few years. Whether it is a Bumrah, Shami - the No.1 bowler for me for a Test line-up for India and Ishant Sharma, he has gotten better over his career as he has played," Agarkar told Star Sports. He also said that the number of pacers in the playing XI can only increase if India will be presented with a green surface in Southampton for the big clash against New Zealand. He cited a lack of clarity on the likely conditions but said that a dry pitch is unimaginable in the month of June in England for the WTC final. Also, he said that the Duke balls will enable bowlers with some sort of assistance all the time and hence a fourth seamer can’t be a far-fetched possibility. "So, those three certainly will start and if it is a green seaming wicket, you might see a fourth one for all you know. We still don't know what the conditions are likely to be but we presume in England, with the Dukes ball in particular, there will always be help for the seam bowlers. You can't imagine a pitch being very dry in mid-June," he added. India have Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur as backup seamers behind the trio Agarkar picked in his first-choice pace attack. The World Test Championship final will be played from June 18 and the challenge is likely to a stiff one for the Virat Kohli-led side against a New Zealand bowling attacks that is comprised of Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson and Neil Wagner.

World T20 set to move out of India

The World T20 which was slated to take place later this year in India is set to be shifted to the UAE and Oman due to the Covid-19 situation in the country. The BCCI had intimated ICC internally about the same. While the UAE has been the first choice, the capital city of Oman, Muscat has been a new addition to the list of venues which also includes Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. "Yes, the BCCI, during the ICC board meeting, has formally asked for a four-week window to take a final call but, internally, they have said that they would like to keep the hosting rights and wouldn't mind the tournament being held in UAE and Oman," a senior board official, privy to ICC board developments, told PTI on the condition of anonymity. The source further added that if the IPL is concluded by October 10 then the UAE leg can go ahead in November. "If IPL finishes by October 10, then the UAE leg of World T20 can start off in November which would give three weeks' time to the pitches to be spruced up for the global event. In the meanwhile, the first week can be held in Oman," he said. The IPL 2021 which was earlier suspended on May 4 after there were instances of Covid-19 cases within the franchise teams has now moved to the UAE. The schedule of the tournament, which would take place in September-October is yet to be announced.

India will start as favourites in WTC final: VVS Laxman

Former India batsman VVS Laxman has put his weight behind the Indian side and has said that the Virat Kohl-led team will start as favourites in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship against New Zealand. The former right-handed batsman further added that both the teams are pretty good and balanced but the Indian team has played a different brand of cricket over a period of time. "I believe that both teams are evenly matched. I believe that because this is a one-off match - and not a series - whichever team bats well in the first innings, will have the edge and that side will dictate the terms throughout the match. Both the teams are good, but I think India will start as favourites because of the way the Indian team has played - not only over the last couple of years, but over a period of time," Laxman told Sportstar. Mentioning about the four-match series against Australia where India made a fine comeback after getting bundled out for 36 in the first encounter to eventually win the series 2-1, former India Test mainstay lavished praise on the youngsters and the kind of fight back they unleashed during the tour Downunder. "They have embraced the challenges and have overcome whatever obstacles they faced - as recently as the Australia series - and there's a lot of talent and depth in this Indian line-up,” he said. The Indian team has landed in the UK and will play the WTC final against New Zealand in Southampton which will be followed by a five-match series against England scheduled to begin in August. New Zealand on the other hand are battling it out against England in a two-match Test series.