THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016 ICC to conduct random dope tests in World T20

NEW DELHI: Cricket’s World T20 tournament organ- The organisers of the sixth edition of the World “The tests will be done by the International they want to see that the game is clean. Last year, isers said yesterday they will carry out random dope Twenty20 want to make sure that the event stays Cricket Council anti-doping committee as per the Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah and Sri Lankan wick- tests, following a series of drug scandals that have clear of the doping menace. WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) code,” Sridhar etkeeper Kusal Perera also saw suspensions by their blighted the sports world including Maria “Dope tests are already in place. Random tests will said. “Like in any bilateral series on the morning of respective boards and ICC after testing positive for Sharapova’s shock revelation. happen during the event,” tournament director M V the match the managers of the two teams will banned drugs. While Yasir was banned for three Doping has been rampant in the field of athletics Sridhar, who is Indian cricket board’s general manag- exchange the names of two players from their sides months in January for breaching ICC’s anti-doping and this week tennis’ poster girl Sharapova admitted er for cricket operations, told AFP. Boasting of being to be tested and their sample will be taken in the code, Perera faces a four-year ban after his provision- to being tested positive for the recently banned drug cricket’s biggest ever spectacle, the 27-day tourna- evening,” he added. The ICC has been a signatory to al suspension ends. meldonium at the Australian Open. ment is witnessing 16 teams play 58 matches, includ- the WADA code since 2006 and has been complying Controversial Pakistani pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Cricket saw the ugly face of doping when ing 35 men’s games and 23 women’s fixtures, across by the international agency’s program by upgrading Mohammad Asif had also faced bans after testing Australian spin legend Shane Warne tested positive eight Indian venues. the clauses every year. positive for a prohibited substance named nan- for a banned drug just ahead of the 2003 World Cup Organisers insist that the random checks will keep CEO Dave Richardson has previously said the ICC drolone just weeks before the ICC Champions and was suspended for a year. the players away from indulging in any dope activity. will continue random doping players of any team as Trophy event in 2006. — AFP Pakistan’s World T20 match against India moved to Kolkata

NEW DELHI: The most anticipated match Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David of the World Twenty20 between hosts India Richardson told reporters. “The safety and and arch-rivals Pakistan was shifted to security of the event is of paramount Kolkata yesterday over concerns about importance to the ICC and we’ve taken into security in the original venue for the March consideration the concerns shared with us 19 clash at Dharamsala. The marquee con- by our security advisors as well as the test between the neighbours ran into trou- Pakistan Cricket Board.” ble with Indian war veterans in the state of Richardson, however, all but ruled out a Himachal Pradesh, where Dharamsala is sanction against the state cricket associa- located, opposing the hosting of a match tion in Himachal Pradesh. “We had to make against Pakistan after militants killed seven this decision for safety and security rea- security personnel in a Jan. 2 attack on the sons. I don’t think it’s reasonable to suggest Indian Air Force base at nearby Pathankot. that we’ll be taking disciplinary action Pakistan said yesterday it had arrested sev- against the state association in that province.” The ICC official said the organis- ers were still awaiting an absolute assur- ance from Pakistan of their participation in the sixth edition of the tournament. “The decision has just been conveyed to them... We are now obviously very hopeful that they would now board the plane and come to the event.”

BITTER NEIGHBOURS Top cricket countries have refused to tour Pakistan since 2009 when gunmen attacked a bus carrying a visiting Sri Lanka team near Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, had said on Monday that there was no question of the country not playing in the tourna- ment but that other venues needed to be considered to replace Dharamsala. Pakistan and India have fought three wars since becoming separate countries in 1947, two of them over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. DHARMSALA: Oman’s Ajay Lalcheta, left and Munis Ansari react after they won the ICC World Twenty20 2016 cricket tournament against Ireland NEW DELHI: International Cricket Council Bilateral cricketing ties between the at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium in Dharmsala, India, yesterday. Oman won by two wickets. — AP (ICC) Chief Executive Officer Dave neighbours remain suspended after gun- Richardson addresses a press conference men killed 166 people in Mumbai in a three- in New Delhi. — AFP day rampage in 2008 which India blames on a Pakistani militant group. Pakistan’s cricket Oman stun Ireland eral members of the Jaish-e-Mohammad team have in the past received a hostile militant group, which is suspected of mas- reception in Mumbai, venue of the second terminding the attack near Dharamsala and semi-final of the World Twenty20 which got 25 km (16 miles) from the Pakistan border. underway on Tuesday, where members of a at World Twenty20 The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) regional political party dug up a pitch in delayed the departure of the men’s and 1991 on the eve of a test match. women’s teams and sent a delegation to Richardson said if Pakistan reached the review security at Dharamsala, which last four they would play their semi-final in Tamim heroics guides Bangladesh to win boasts one of India’s most beautiful stadi- New Delhi on March 30. “If Pakistan makes ums with snow-capped mountains in the the semi-finals, their semi-final won’t be DHARAMSALA: World Twenty20 debutants background. After Himachal Pradesh chief played in Mumbai,” Richardson said. “We’ve Oman stunned Ireland by two wickets in a minister Virbhadra Singh’s warning of pos- chosen the venues where Pakistan is due to thrilling last-over finish yesterday with lower- sible disruption, the organisers took the play very carefully, taking into account order batsman Aamer Ali’s 32-run blitz achieving “difficult decision” to shift the contest from safety and security issues.” Pakistan open the target with two balls to spare. the picturesque sleepy hill town to their tournament on March 16 against a Oman openers Zeeshan Maqsood and Kolkata’s usually boisterous Eden Gardens. qualifying team in Kolkata before the Khawal Ali provided a 69-run opening stand “We looked at the security situation and we match against India three days later. They only to see the middle-order give it away with agreed in the end that the level of uncer- will also face New Zealand on March 22 the side reeling at 90 for five after 14 overs. tainties that exist around that match was and Australia on March 25, with both of Aamer, who hit five boundaries and a six in too great to take a risk,” International those matches in Mohali. — Reuters his 17-ball stay, then stitched a crucial sixth- wicket stand with Jatinder Singh as Irish medi- um-pacer Max Sorensen failed to stop 14 runs Phangiso cleared from the last over. It was indeed a great achieve- ment for the Sultan Ahmed-led side, which mostly consists of Indian and Pakistani expats. ahead of World T20 “We were trying to get boundaries every over. We have done a lot of hard work before coming CAPE TOWN: Left-arm slow bowler African spin bowling coach Claude to the World Cup, and finally it has paid off,” 37- Aaron Phangiso will travel with the South Henderson and high performance man- year-old Ali told cricinfo.com through a translator. African team to the ICC World Twenty20 ager Vincent Barnes in an effort to correct Earlier, Bangladesh secured a narrow win against tournament today after his bowling his action. a spirited Netherlands. Opener Tamim Iqbal struck action was cleared following a second South African coach Russell Domingo an unbeaten 83 before the bowlers secured an independent assessment. said that although Phangiso had been eight-run win. Put into bat, Bangladesh suffered Cricket South Africa announced late cleared, he would not play in the third from a lack of partnerships but Tamim, with his on Tuesday that Phangiso’s action for all and final Twenty20 international against fourth T20 half-century, almost single-handedly deliveries had been found to fall within Australia at Newlands yesterday, South lifted the score to 153 for seven. DHARMSALA: Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman, right, tries to field a ball from Peter Borren of the parameters of international regula- Africa’s last match before leaving for It was a disappointing show of batting from a the Netherlands during the ICC World Twenty20 2016 cricket tournament at the Himachal tions. The new assessment after tests on India today. “While it is tempting to play side which sparkled in the recently concluded Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium in Dharmsala, India, yesterday. — AP Monday came a week after it was him, both Aaron and I feel it’s best that Asia Cup, where the hosts ended runners-up announced that he had been banned he takes a little more time to work on stay. The Dutch batsmen also put up a brave Bangladesh are favourites to top their group and after a keenly contested final against India. from bowling in domestic cricket after all and gain confidence with his new adjust- show to give Bangladesh a run for their money move into the Super 10 stage of the 16-team Tamin though remained unaffected with the his variations had been found to exceed ments,” said Domingo. “We have an but ultimately experience prevailed and the event. Scotland will play Zimbabwe, while wicket-fall as the left-hander smacked six the 15 degrees of tolerance allowed. important few weeks coming up in India minnows were restricted to 145 for seven in Afghanistan are slated to meet Hong Kong in the boundaries and three sixes during his 58-ball The first tests were conducted on so it’s going to be important to have him their 20 overs. Mashrafe Morataza-led two Group B matches on Thursday. — AFP February 27. Before undergoing the lat- in the right frame of mind both mentally est tests, Phangiso worked with South and physically.” — AFP Morgan hopes England stay brash and aggressive in India

MUMBAI: The current England squad has been is a huge step for us. We’ve scored 400 once. “It’s obviously worked for us, so why stop the most expressive in a long time and players “And it’s no coincidence. We have a lot of tal- doing it? We got a bit a criticism in South Africa are encouraged to be as brash and aggressive as ent within the side, we encourage our players to for the two (Twenty20) games we lost but we they can on the field, limited-overs captain Eoin go out and be as brash and aggressive as they won six before that.” Morgan said yesterday as he prepares his side can and take the game to the opposition.” Morgan said his players would probably be for the World Twenty20. England defeated Pakistan in a one-day series at a slight disadvantage for not playing in the England have looked a completely different and three Twenty20 contests on the slow pitches Indian Premier League but hoped they could proposition in one-day internationals and in United Arab Emirates in November and were make up for it with the recent experience of Twenty20 cricket in the 12 months since their also impressive in defeat against South Africa in touring the Middle East and Sri Lanka. “I think it humiliating group stage exit at last year’s 50- both formats last month. (not playing IPL) just becomes a different chal- over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. lenge,” Morgan said, while picking hosts India The team were then roundly criticised for FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION as his favourites for the World Twenty20. being too old fashioned in their approach to All-rounder Ben Stokes, a chief exponent of “Not only have our guys not played the IPL short-format contests but Morgan’s youthful England’s fearless cricket, assured the team will a lot of our guys have never been to India. side have since displayed the freedom and exu- continue to play the same brand of cricket dur- “But we have guys who have toured Sri Lanka berance England fans had craved for years. ing the World Twenty20 in India. quite a lot, been on a recent tour to Dubai “I would say, it’s the most expressive we’ve “I mean it’s worked. (coach) Trevor (Bayliss) and Abu Dhabi, where we had a little bit of been in a long time. The evidence is the signifi- and Morgan gave us that freedom and even (test success.” England open their campaign cant totals we have put with our bat,” the 29- captain Alistair) Cook in tests,” Stokes said. against 2012 champions West Indies in BANGALORE: Captains of women Twenty20 cricket teams, left to right, Sri Lanka’s year-old Ireland-born cricketer told reporters. “We are playing this attacking, positive brand Mumbai on March 16 before facing South Shashikala Siriwardene, India’s Mithali Raj, Ireland’s Isobel Joyce and Bangladesh’s “I think we’ve scored 350 twice or three times we have probably been talking about the last Africa, Sri Lanka and a qualifier in Group 1 of Jahanara Alam pose with the winners trophy during a media interaction ahead of their and we’ve definitely chased it down once. I think two-three years but we have only started doing the Super 10 stage. The top two sides will ICC World Twenty20 2016 cricket tournament in Bangalore, India, yesterday. — AP we had six consecutive times scoring 300, which that in the last 12-18 months. advance to the semi-finals. — Reuters