WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017 SPORTS

India arrests villagers for cheering Pakistan cricketers

NEW DELHI: Indian police said yester- state on Monday after police received a told AFP. The accused have also been particularly when it comes to arch-rival Last year a Pakistani man was arrested day they have arrested 15 Muslim vil- complaint that they set off firecrackers charged with criminal conspiracy, the Pakistan. fans in both countries for waving an Indian flag after his idol lagers and charged them with sedition- and shouted slogans following officer said, adding the celebrations con- have been arrested in the past for sup- Indian batsman Virat Kohli made a punishable by life in prison-for celebrat- Pakistan’s dramatic win on Sunday. tinued for hours in the sensitive locality. porting the rival teams or players. match-winning century. The nuclear- ing Pakistan’s victory over India’s crick- “We received a complaint from a local The village has a large Muslim popu- Around 60 students from India were armed have a history of animosity dating eters in the Champions Trophy. Hindu man who accused them of cele- lation and a history of communal clash- arrested on sedition charges after they back to independence from Britain in The villagers were arrested in the brating after India lost the match,” es between the two communities. were accused of celebrating Pakistan’s 1947 and partition of the subcontinent. Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh Burhanpur police chief Raja Ram Parihar Passions run high over cricket in India- victory over India in 2014. They have fought three wars. — AFP

ICC could axe Champions Trophy for more World Cups

LONDON: The Champions Trophy could be tion has been given to changing to two scrapped in favour of staging the World T20s in a four-year cycle which would mean Twenty20 every two years, according to swapping the Champions Trophy for a International Cricket Council (ICC) chief World T20.” He added: “The fact is that executive David Richardson. World T20s do attract a lot of interest, they Pakistan thrashed India by 180 runs to generate significant revenue for the televi- win this year’s edition of the Champions sion companies, but most importantly from Trophy at The Oval on Sunday, with a our point of view they provide us with an worldwide television audience of millions opportunity to give more opportunities to watching the stunning final. more teams. But some officials believe the eight- “A 16-team World T20 — even a 20-team team event is now too similar to the World World T20 — down the line is something Cup which the ICC, controversially, has that we would like to look at. “With a 10- decided should be contested by just 10 team World Cup we’re hoping to increase teams from the 2019 event in England. the competitiveness of matches and the India are due to stage the next standard of the tournament as a whole. Champions Trophy in 2021 but Richardson “It might not be necessary to continue warned Monday it was by no means certain with two 50-over tournaments going for- the event would go ahead, with the former ward.” This week’s ICC gathering at The Oval South Africa wicketkeeper saying future is also set to decide whether to grant Test World could feature up to 20 status to Ireland and Afghanistan, with an teams. “What we want to do is differentiate announcement expected on Thursday. our global events from each other so that “It’s never wise to try and make a call too they can be standalone and create maxi- early, but certainly the applications of both mum interest every time the event hap- are very well founded,” said Richardson. pens,” Richardson told reporters via tele- “They both, on the face of it, meet the phone on the eve of the ICC’s annual con- majority, if not all, of the full member crite- ference in London. ria that has been set. “At this stage, the next Champions “I’m optimistic that they’ll be given seri- Trophy is still scheduled for India in 2021. ous consideration to have every chance of Whether that gets changed, the considera- succeeding.” — AFP

Pietersen has no regrets KARACHI: Pakistani cricket team’s skipper Sarfraz Ahmed raises Champions Trophy for a crowd gathered to welcome him outside his residence in Karachi, Pakistan, yesterday. Thousands of fans stayed up late to welcome home members of new Champions Trophy winner Pakistan in vari- over T20 pioneer role ous cities across the country yesterday. — AP

LONDON: Kevin Pietersen has insisted he bad guy and I’m totally cool with it because was happy to have paved the way for cur- the public can see the picture that is now rent England stars to play in Twenty20 fran- being rolled out,” the 36-year-old Pietersen Pakistan cricketers chise cricket even if it helped curtail his added. own international career and saw him “It is nice to see the youngsters, (Chris) labelled the ‘bad guy’. Woakes going out there, Stokes going out Pietersen, one of the outstanding bats- there. It was absolutely fantastic.” warmly welcomed home men of his generation, has not played for England since being frozen out following ‘WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE’ the team’s return from a 5-0 Ashes thrash- Former England team-mate Stephen ISLAMABAD: Even after the special convoy tunity to take selfies with their heroes. League), but I’m sure with this victory our play- ing in Australia in 2014. Harmison said in his recently published escorting Sarfraz Ahmed from the airport got Pakistan stunned the cricketing world on ers will get more opportunities.” Messages such Having once held out some hope of a autobiography that Pietersen had been within sight of his Karachi home in the early Sunday when it beat archrival and hot favorite as “Champion of champions. Team Pakistan! return to England duty, Pietersen has spent “hung out to dry” by the ECB. Pietersen, a hours of the morning, it took the Pakistan cap- India by 180 runs in the final. Welcome back after such a tremendous victory” most of the intervening period playing in former England , was grateful for tain nearly a half-hour to get from the vehicle to Ahmed’s squad overcame a terrible start in were emblazoned on banners erected at Allama the growing number of Twenty20 franchis- the support of the one-time fast bowler. his house as a throng of adoring cricket fans the event - beaten by 124 runs in the first group Iqbal International Airport in Lahore when the es around the world, having been a early “I spoke to him after and said ‘that is clamored for photographs. match by India - to beat South Africa, Sri Lanka team landed. Television footage showed sup- overseas star in the Indian Premier League. really kind, thank you’ and he said it was Fans decorated the street and waited and England on the way to the championship porters chanting “Pakistan Zindabad” when four Monday saw Pietersen announced as just a pity no one else has come out and through the night to welcome their hero, with match. “Players came under pressure in the first of the players entered the public area at 2:30 one of eight international marquee players said it. “But it is water under the bridge, it some carrying children on their shoulders to get match, but credit goes to the team management a.m. Player-of-the-tournament Hasan Ali, for South Africa’s T20 Global League that is was a long time ago,” said Pietersen, who a glimpse of the man who led Pakistan to an the way they motivated the players,” Ahmed Faheem Ashraf, Babar Azam, and Ahmed due to start later this year. reckoned he was now “fitter than I ever was unlikely win in the Champions Trophy in said. “It was a very big victory ... it will be remem- Shehzad were presented with bouquets by The England and Wales Cricket Board when I played for England”. South Africa- London. Supporters unfurled a 70-foot (21- bered for a long time and we are enjoying every Punjab provincial ministers. Punjab chief minis- once had little time for events such as the born Pietersen, asked if England had meter) long national flag and carried it in the moment of it.” ter Shahbaz Sharif was due to receive the crick- IPL but has recently softened its stance, missed out on a few years of international street as Ahmed drove in, as police tried to clear Raees said he didn’t sleep for two days eters, but Geo Television reported he couldn’t with the likes of all-rounder Ben Stokes cricket from him replied: “I don’t want to go a path. Ahmed waved the trophy from the bal- because of all the excitement following travel to the airport at the last minute because named player of the tournament at this over old stories and old stuff because it’s cony of his house as he was showered with rose Pakistan’s first win in a major cricket tournament of security reasons. Ali took three in the year’s edition. Officials are now even pre- gone, it’s done and dusted. “But I’ve petals as the crowd chanted “Pakistan Zindabad,” since the 1992 World Cup. “I dedicate the win to final and finished as the tournament’s leading pared to let players miss England games to enjoyed some of my best batting days in meaning long live Pakistan. the whole nation and we enjoyed the victory a bowler with 13 wickets in five matches. take part in the IPL, something once Australia at the Big Bash, playing in the PSL “This is your trophy and we won it just lot, congratulations to the whole country,” Raees Fans surrounded Ali’s car and showered it unthinkable, with Pietersen’s desire to play (), playing for Surrey. because of you,” Ahmed said. Thousands of fans said. Provincial governor Mohammad Zubair with rose petals, while the fast bowler smiled in the lucrative event leading to a major I got that triple-hundred for Surrey, I’ve had stayed up late across the country to welcome said he was proud of “son of Sindh” Ahmed and and waved from inside the vehicle. falling out with then England coach Andy some of my real good days of batting. But home members of the Pakistan squad. hoped the victory will ignite more energy into A similar reception was accorded to man-of- Flower. Pietersen said he was proud of his it is what it is.” Ahmed and fast bowler Ruman Raees arrived youngsters playing the sport. the-match in the final, , who pioneering role, for all the criticism that Pietersen revealed this could be his last in Karachi at 4:45 a.m. with the trophy that “He is the son of Sindh province and we are smashed 114 off 106 balls, when he landed in came his way at the time. season in the English game as he looks to Pakistan had won for the first time. here to accord him warm welcome,” Zubair said. Peshawar. Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan and Junaid “I’m lucky to have these T20 tourna- life away from cricket. Both cricketers were presented with tradi- “We have not hosted any international team Khan arrived in Islamabad where a fleet of ments where I can still produce on the big “Next year I’m building a house in the tional Sindhi shawls and caps at the lounge as for the last 8 or 9 years, Pakistani players are policemen a gave guard of honor to the three stage,” Pietersen told reporters art the Kruger national park so all of next summer I fans, and airport officials, didn’t miss an oppor- barred from playing in the IPL (Indian Premier players at the airport. — AP Global League launch in London on will be at my house in South Africa-so I Monday. “This is the environment I have won’t be playing in England. I think this will been in since 2008. “It is the environment be my last stint in England.” Meanwhile that got me in trouble with all the big boss- Pietersen backed Joe Root to succeed as Du Plessis hopes Global League es, this is the environment where it is now England’s new Test captain ahead of the being applauded and they are willing to upcoming home series with South Africa. risk injuries for players to participate for the “He is the only man to take England for- can halt S Africa talent exodus experience. “I came back from that first IPL, ward,” he said. “I don’t see anyone else that second IPL and I was promoting it, and doing it. Everything Joe has done so far in saying ‘we’ve got to get more English guys his career has been A-grade, absolutely A- LONDON: is optimistic the cre- overseas and look for other stuff. “This is going () and Imran Tahir () into these set-ups’. “I was painted as the grade.” — AFP ation of a new Twenty20 Global League in South to be really important to keeping most of the are the players who fall into this category. Africa will help prevent the country’s top crick- players in the country.” The November- Meanwhile there will also be eight interna- eters leaving in search of greater financial December time frame for the new event will also tional marquee players, with England (Eoin opportunities. mean South Africa’s leading players are available Morgan, Kevin Pietersen and Jason Roy) and the The combination of a relatively weak econo- for the whole of a domestic Twenty20 competi- West Indies (Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle and my and the lure of the English county game has tion. “We’ve always come back from long tours Kieron Pollard) providing three apiece in a list seen a number of Proteas cricketers all call time and there was a lot of important cricket coming that also includes Sri Lanka paceman Lasith on their international careers. up so we haven’t always been around to play as Malinga and former New Zealand captain South Africa has a trade agreement with the much domestic cricket as was needed,” said du Brendon McCullum. European Union which means players in Plessis, a veteran of 40 Tests. Their teams have yet to be assigned. “You are England are regarded as ‘home’ selections under “For the whole South African team to be starting to see different T20 leagues taking up the Kolpak rule. The likes of , Rilee available to play in this tournament is the most different gaps during the year and current inter- Rossouw, , , Simon important thing.” Each one of the teams, six of national players can’t participate in all of them- Harmer, Hardus Viljoen and have whom have overseas owners, has been assigned it’s just not possible,” said du Plessis. all opted to play rather than con- a ‘marquee’ South Africa player, based on a con- “What that does is bring in your ex-players, as tinue to represent South Africa, sparking fears of nection with the city concerned. Brendon (McCullum) talked about, your ‘merce- a mass exodus. Hashim Amla (Durban), naries’. “South Africa is no different to any other While financial security has been the often (Benoni), AB de Villiers (Pretoria), du Plessis place. The fans would love to see Brendon cited reason, there have been concerns transfor- (Stellenbosch), JP Duminy (Cape Town), David McCullum, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and all mation targets designed to correct the legacy of Miller (Bloemfontein), Kagiso Rabada those players.” —AFP apartheid, when non-white players were effec- tively barred from representing South Africa, could have played a part too. But Test and Twenty20 captain du Plessis, who played for Lancashire under the Kolpak rule and has appeared in Twenty20 leagues around the world, said he hoped the new tournament would help provide opportunities currently only available outside of South Africa. “I spoke about it when the Kolpak thing start- ed happening in South Africa it was probably important that South Africa looked at different ways to try and keep players in the country,” explained du Plessis at the eight-team Global League’s launch in London on Monday. “I think this is a huge step towards that,” the 32-year-old batsman added. SOUTHAMPTON: The South African cricket team work out during a nets session at The Ageas “Players don’t have to look outside anymore, Bowl, Southampton England, yesterday. South Africa will play against England in a Twenty20 from an opportunity point of view and from a Kevin Pietersen cricket match at the ground today. — AP financial point of view-they don’t need to go