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Csas Director Of Cricket Graeme Smith Empathises With Bcci After Ipl 2021 Controversy

CSA's director of Cricket Graeme Smith empathises with BCCI after IPL 2021 controversy

Former South Africa captain and now the Cricket South Africa Director, Graeme Smith has empathised with the BCCI after episodes of covid-19 outbreaks in biosecure bubbles of teams leading to an abrupt end of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League.

He, however, stressed that South African players he had words with confirmed that the biosecure environments they were in were quite safe, but that the nature of Covid-19 does not leave them to as full proof as it appears from the outside.

"In no way would we judge. Having spoken to the players, they felt safe. They felt the BSE [Bio-Secure Environment] was a really good experience in India. They never felt at risk. But that's the nature of what Covid brings,” Smith said in an online press conference.

“Sometimes you can do whatever you want but the BSE - as we've said to everyone - is never foolproof. When Covid is raging in your country there's always a risk. Unfortunately, once it gets inside it's very difficult to predict what's going to happen."

Notably, CSA too had to deal with the issues of biosecure bubble breach when England were touring South Africa last year which led to the abandonment of the tour and then Cricket Australia cancelling a complete tour to South Africa altogether.

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Learnt things I didn't know about me from Kumar Sangakkara: Riyan Parag

The Indian Premier League has worked as a medium for young cricketers to show their talent and skills and Rajasthan Royals player Riyan Parag is one of them. Parag has made a good name for himself in a short period of time. The aggressive batsman recently posted a picture with RR’s Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara that said, “Spent just a few weeks with him, but had sooo much fun and learnt things I didn't know about me! See ya soon @KumarSanga2 you're a LEGEND.” The IPL 2021 was suspended with immediate effect earlier this week after few players had tested positive for COVID-19. SRH’s Wriddhiman Saha, KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrior, DC’s Amit Mishra and CSK’s bowling coach L. Balaji were few names in the list to be tested positive. Former Sri Lanka captain Sangakkara supported BCCI’s decision. “It has been a good decision by the BCCI, and of course, the governing council of the IPL to postpone the tournament. Hopefully, we will all be back together soon when the tournament does restart. I wish everyone well," said Sangakkara. RR had a disappointing tournament so far having won only three matches out of the 7 they had played. Parag has played 26 matches in the IPL and has scored 324 runs so far at a strike rate of over 126.

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.

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.