ICC announces umpires, officials for T20 World Cup

DUBAI, OCT 8: The International Cricket Council has announced the appointment of 16 umpires and four match referees for the Round 1 and Super 12 stages of the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021.

The selection of a 20-strong group effectively means that, for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be neutral umpires for all matches of the 16-team tournament, running from October 17 to November 14.

Three of the 16 umpires — Aleem Dar, Marais Erasmus, and Rod Tucker — will be officiating in their sixth T20 World Cup.

The first match of the tournament, between Oman and Papua New Guinea on October 17, will be officiated by Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena alongside New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney. 

ICC announces umpires, officials for T20 World Cup

Ranjan Madugalle will be the match referee, with Richard Kettleborough the TV umpire and Ahsan Raza the fourth official.

The rematch of the 2016 final between England and the West Indies — a Super 12 Group ‘A’ clash — will be overseen by Dar and Erasmus, with Australia’s David Boon the match referee and Chris Brown on TV duty.

The officiating personnel for the semi-finals and final of the tournament will be named in due course, ICC said.

Full list of match officials

Match Referees: David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Ranjan Madugalle, Javagal Srinath.

Umpires: Chris Brown, Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nitin Menon, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Langton Rusere, Rod Tucker, Joel Wilson, Paul Wilson.

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UAE stadiums to be at 70pc capacity for T20 World Cup

Abu Dhabi, OCT 4: Stadiums in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will operate at 70 per cent of their capacity for the Twenty20 World Cup, the organisers said, though conditions in Oman, where preliminary rounds are due to be played, have still to be fully assessed following a cyclone.

Tropical Cyclone Shaheen struck coastal areas of Oman, including the capital of Muscat on Sunday, two weeks before preliminary round matches of the tournament commence on October 17.

Some 3,000 fans would be accommodated at Al Amerat stadium in Muscat, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement on Sunday, though the cyclone left streets in the Omani capital under water, prompted evacuations from coastal areas and delayed flights in and out of the country.

The 16-team tournament was shifted to the Gulf states as a result of a surge of Covid-19 infections in India, but the Indian cricket board (BCCI) remains the event host.

The ICC said the BCCI and itself had worked closely with host authorities to ensure fans are welcomed in a safe environment and Covid-19 protocols are applied at all venues.

“The T20 World Cup is the largest sporting event to be held in the region and it will be the biggest global cricket event since the pandemic with fans in stadia,” the ICC said.

“In the UAE, all venues will be operating at approximately 70pc of maximum seated capacity, whilst Abu Dhabi has also introduced new socially distanced ‘pods’ of a maximum of four spectators on their east and west grass mounds,” it said.

Dubai, which hosts matches including the November 14 final, and Sharjah are the two other venues in the UAE.

The UAE is currently hosting the Indian Premier League (IPL) with fans at a reduced capacity.

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Chris Gayle pulls out of Indian Premier League citing 'bubble fatigue'

 

CHAGUARAMAS, OCT 1: West Indies cricket star Chris Gayle has pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with “bubble fatigue” and will instead focus on this month's T20 World Cup.

The big-hitting 42-year-old batsman played two out of three matches for Punjab Kings since the big-bucks tournament resumed in the United Arab Emirates last month.

Gayle left the team hotel because of “bubble fatigue” accumulated over the months playing franchise and international cricket during the coronavirus pandemic, Kings said in a statement.

Gayle said he wished to “mentally recharge and refresh myself”.

“I want to refocus on helping the West Indies in the T20 World Cup and would like to take a break in Dubai,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.

On Wednesday, Gayle released the music video of his new single “Punjabi Daddy” with the self-styled “Universe Boss” sporting traditional Indian dress and shaking a leg to the catchy tune.

Players in world cricket have often needed to restrict themselves to strict bio-bubbles because of the coronavirus.

They frequently have to stay within the confines of their team hotel and often cannot mingle with anyone outside, even on non-match days.

Some players have opted out, including Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and David Warner pulling out of The Hundred tournament earlier this year.

The IPL has also been hit by withdrawals, with Josh Hazlewood and Liam Livingstone staying away over similar reasons.

Kings head coach Anil Kumble said the team respected Gayle's decision and “desire to prepare himself for the T20 World Cup” starting on October 17 in the UAE and Oman.

Punjab, who were due to play Kolkata Knight Riders later on Friday, are sixth in the table in the eight-team IPL.

Gayle scored 193 runs from 10 matches this season at an average of 21.44.

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NZ coach urges players to block out hype around T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan

WALLINGTON, SEPT 26: New Zealand cricket team coach Gary Stead has urged his players to block out the hype around next month’s Twenty20 World Cup opener against Pakistan, which is likely to have far more attention than usual due to the Kiwis’ abrupt abandoning of their Pakistan tour earlier this month.

On Sept 17, the Kiwis had dropped a bombshell on Pakistan cricket by quitting their much anticipated tour of Pakistan minutes before the toss for first ODI, and cited a ‘security threat’. They angered Pakistan’s cricket fraternity even more by refusing to share the exact nature of the threat.

Their decision was followed by a similar one taken by England, denting Pakistan Cricket Board’s years worth of efforts to bring back top-level international cricket to Pakistan. With New Zealand and Pakistan set to meet in the UAE next month as part of the World T20, their coach has told his charges to block out the noise, reported Stuff.co.nz.

“Certainly, being that it’s Pakistan, people will hype that up, but for us it’s no different to any other match we play against them,” the website quoted the coach as saying.

The Kiwi team will begin their WorldT20 campaign against Pakistan on Oct 26 at Sharjah — a couple of days after Pakistan’s hotly-anticipated opener against its arch-rival India on Oct 24 at Dubai.

Stead admitted that the decision to abandon the tour was “disappointing” and “unsettling” for the Pakistan cricket fraternity and fans but explained that it was not the team’s decision to make.

“Sometimes you don’t get made aware of everything, either. It’s really hard for me to comment on” Stead said.

He insisted that the “decision was out of our hands”, adding “the guys are now in Dubai and getting ready, and there’s the IPL that they can have a good look at, which in many ways is good preparation for them as well.”

He said that the five players who were meant to be starting a five-match T20 series in Pakistan were in good spirits and had begun training in the UAE.

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Jonty Rhodes says Pakistan is safe country; requests New Zealand to review its decision

ISLAMABAD, SEPT 18: Former South African Top Class All Rounder Jonty Rhodes has said that in my opinion on New Zealand decision is this that they have tried to destroy Pakistan Cricket. But this cannot happen. Pakistan Cricket have to rise. It is necessary for World Cricket. World Cricket needs Pakistan. Pakistan Zindabad. Pakistan is safe Country.

Former South African Top Class All Rounder Jonty Rhodes said I have visited many countries but found Pakistan most peaceful country. I request New Zealand to review its decision. Stay Strong Pakistan.

He further said that I know this is a difficult time for my Pakistani Fellows. But i know their Leader is a Champion. He knows very well how to handle such situation. I believe he will make Pakistan Cricket greatest of all. Pakistan is safe for all.

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