Tendulkar wants more opportunities for minnows

LONDON: Scotland’s historic win over England has led to praise from Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar, who has called for the sport’s second-tier teams to get more opportunities to prove themselves against top sides.

Scotland, who failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup after the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to limit the tournament to 10 teams, recorded their biggest vic- tory when they beat England, the top-ranked one-day international team, by six runs on Sunday.

“Cricket has all the ingredients to become a global game,” Tendulkar said on Twitter.

“Teams with massive potential like Afghanistan, Ireland, Scotland, along with many others, have to be given more opportunities to play against the more experienced teams. Best way to provide great exposure.”

The former batsman’s com- ments also follow Afghanistan’s dominant Twenty20 series win over Bangladesh earlier this month and Ireland’s narrow defeat by Pakistan in a solitary Test match in May.

Scotland can continue their fine form when they face Pakistan in a two-match Twenty20 international series, starting today.

England will be keen to bounce back from the defeat when they begin their fivematch ODI series against Australia tomorrow.