ICC on alert after explosions rock Manchester Arena
Sachin Tendulkar and Javagal Srinath feels T20s have helped India
Speaking at a special screening of his movie for sports journalists on Tuesday, Sachin Tendulkar made an interesting observation on how Twenty20 cricket had changed the mindset of batsmen, giving them the belief that no total is big enough.
Looking back at the 2003 World Cup final, where the India batsmen got buried under the avalanche of runs piled up by Australia, Tendulkar said if they had the chance to replay that game, they would have approached the chase differently because of the belief gained from playing T20 cricket.
The impact of T20 on the 50-overs format is there for all to see. It has made the game more challenging for the bowlers. But one could sense things changing in this edition of the IPL where bowlers got a boost.
In the final, it was brilliant to watch Jasprit Bumrah hold his nerve to deliver a match-winning performance with a low total to defend.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the outstanding bowler of the tournament, walking away with the plaudits as the highest wicket-taker. Umesh Yadav was the main weapon for Kolkata Knight Riders, the highlight being how he knocked out defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in the playoffs.
Looking at the gains from India’s point of view, captain Virat Kohli will be pleased with the form of his pacers, Bhuvneshwar, Bumrah, Umesh, Mohammed Shami and Hardik overall performance, all these guys (Bhuvneshwar & Co) are doing a great job. It’s about game preparation and they have been playing continuously, which will help them (in the Champions Trophy),” said Srinath.
“The challenge (to adjust) is when you bowl in different formats with a different ball, but in the Champions Trophy it will be a continuation of what they have been doing, playing with a white ball.
“In fact, the conditions will only help because the wickets will be lively (in UK). It has been a good preparation for them,” observed Srinath.
While it remains to be seen whether they will be affected by fatigue after the non-stop travelling in IPL, the 15-day gap ordered by the Committee of Administrators should help them recover.
WE WILL CONTINUE toworkwith aut hor it ies and r eview our secur it y inlinewiththe t hr eat l evel s.
The ICC will continue to review its security procedures ahead of next month’s Champions Trophy and the Women’s World Cup in England and Wales, insisting safety is its top priority following the explosion at the Manchester Arena.
Twenty-two people were killed and 59 injured, including children, in an explosion at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.
The Champions Trophy runs from June 1-18, with matches set to be played at Edgbaston, Cardiff and The Oval. England will also host the Women’s World Cup from June 24 to July 23.
A statement from the ICC, world cricket’s governing body, on Tuesday read: “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the horrific attack in Manchester. The ICC and ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board] place safety and security at the ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Women’s World Cup this summer as the highest priority.
“We operate on advice from our Tournament Security Directorate - in conjunction with the ECB and relevant authorities - to ensure that we have a robust safety and security plan for both tournaments.
“We will continue to work with authorities over the coming hours and days and review our security in line with the threat levels. “The security situation has been very much front and centre of our preparations and we constantly review our procedures to guarantee they are as effective as possible to keep everyone safe.”
The BCCI has raised concerns about the Indian team’s security in the wake of the terrorist strike, acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhry said on Sunday.
“We sent out a message raising our concerns about security of the Indian team’s travel, accommodation and the playing (arena). Thankfully ICC has responded to it within two hours. They have been sensitised about our concern,” Choudhary said.
Acting BCCI president, C K Khanna, told HT, “The BCCI anti-corruption and security officer Neeraj Kumar has left for England tonight. He and the Board officials concerned are in touch with ICC.”