LONDON: Medical experts are to examine whether it was right that the third and final Test match between India and Sri Lanka went ahead with hazardous smog causing players problems throughout the match in New Delhi.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) made the recommendation after Sri Lankan players criticized the decision to play the match. The controversy will also be discussed at an ICC meeting in February.
“The ICC has noted the conditions in which the Delhi Test was played and has already requested the issue is considered by the medical committee for guidance should the situation arise in future,” said an ICC statement.
Sri Lankan players wore masks while fielding during the match, which ended in a draw on Wednesday. Bowlers from both sides were seen vomiting on the ground.
At its peak, concentrations of the smallest and most harmful pollution particles were at 18 times the World Health Organization’s safe limit, according to the US embassy website.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has already said New Delhi could be dropped from hosting internationals during its peak pollution season in November and December.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have named Chandika Hathurusingha as their new head coach with the mission of ending the national team’s crisis run in international cricket.
The Sri Lankan resigned in October as Bangladesh’s coach after guiding the national team through their most successful period in his three years in charge, masterminding Test wins over England and Australia.
Moeen Ali claims England still have a lot of hope they can get back into the Ashes, despite being 2-0 down after two Tests.
The tourists lost by 120 runs in Adelaide and head into next week’s clash in Perth — where they haven’t won since 1978 — with many pundits predicting another series whitewash to go with the 5-0 thrashing they received four years ago.
But Ali says England are staying positive.
“Two-nil down isn’t great, but we’ve still got a chance,” the all-rounder said. “It’s a slight chance, but we’ve a good enough team and we’ve shown enough fight to show we can compete and get back into the series.
“We took a lot out of Adelaide. We were poor in the first couple of days, but then we started to fight back and that made us closer as a team. We started to believe a bit more. On the last day we couldn’t do it, but as a team we believe we can definitely fight.”
Meanwhile, Ali played questions about the big levels of sledging in the series so far with a straight bat.
“It happens in a big series,” he said. “I try not to get involved. Both sides have done a bit so you have to take it on the chin. It’s a big series and the opposition will try anything to get into your bubble.
“If it gets personal, it’s a shame, but you kind of expect it. It happens in England.”
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) will stage three games in Pakistan next season, with the final set to be held in Karachi.
That clash will be the most high-profile cricket match to be held in the country’s most populous city in nine years.
The PCB released an expanded 34-game schedule for the third edition of the competition — there were 24 matches last season — which will also see the entry of a sixth franchise, the Multan Sultans.
The tournament will last just over a month, beginning on Feb. 22 with the defending champions Peshawar Zalmi taking on Multan.
All teams are set to face each other twice before the top four progress to qualifiers and eliminators. As before, the bulk of the games will be played in the UAE, between Sharjah and Dubai. There had been talk of using Abu Dhabi as a venue, more so after the Zayed Cricket Stadium hosted two T20s and ODIs against Sri Lanka earlier this season, but the city will miss out once again on the PSL.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) made the recommendation after Sri Lankan players criticized the decision to play the match. The controversy will also be discussed at an ICC meeting in February.
“The ICC has noted the conditions in which the Delhi Test was played and has already requested the issue is considered by the medical committee for guidance should the situation arise in future,” said an ICC statement.
Sri Lankan players wore masks while fielding during the match, which ended in a draw on Wednesday. Bowlers from both sides were seen vomiting on the ground.
At its peak, concentrations of the smallest and most harmful pollution particles were at 18 times the World Health Organization’s safe limit, according to the US embassy website.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has already said New Delhi could be dropped from hosting internationals during its peak pollution season in November and December.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have named Chandika Hathurusingha as their new head coach with the mission of ending the national team’s crisis run in international cricket.
The Sri Lankan resigned in October as Bangladesh’s coach after guiding the national team through their most successful period in his three years in charge, masterminding Test wins over England and Australia.
Moeen Ali claims England still have a lot of hope they can get back into the Ashes, despite being 2-0 down after two Tests.
The tourists lost by 120 runs in Adelaide and head into next week’s clash in Perth — where they haven’t won since 1978 — with many pundits predicting another series whitewash to go with the 5-0 thrashing they received four years ago.
But Ali says England are staying positive.
“Two-nil down isn’t great, but we’ve still got a chance,” the all-rounder said. “It’s a slight chance, but we’ve a good enough team and we’ve shown enough fight to show we can compete and get back into the series.
“We took a lot out of Adelaide. We were poor in the first couple of days, but then we started to fight back and that made us closer as a team. We started to believe a bit more. On the last day we couldn’t do it, but as a team we believe we can definitely fight.”
Meanwhile, Ali played questions about the big levels of sledging in the series so far with a straight bat.
“It happens in a big series,” he said. “I try not to get involved. Both sides have done a bit so you have to take it on the chin. It’s a big series and the opposition will try anything to get into your bubble.
“If it gets personal, it’s a shame, but you kind of expect it. It happens in England.”
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) will stage three games in Pakistan next season, with the final set to be held in Karachi.
That clash will be the most high-profile cricket match to be held in the country’s most populous city in nine years.
The PCB released an expanded 34-game schedule for the third edition of the competition — there were 24 matches last season — which will also see the entry of a sixth franchise, the Multan Sultans.
The tournament will last just over a month, beginning on Feb. 22 with the defending champions Peshawar Zalmi taking on Multan.
All teams are set to face each other twice before the top four progress to qualifiers and eliminators. As before, the bulk of the games will be played in the UAE, between Sharjah and Dubai. There had been talk of using Abu Dhabi as a venue, more so after the Zayed Cricket Stadium hosted two T20s and ODIs against Sri Lanka earlier this season, but the city will miss out once again on the PSL.
