12 Tuesday, May 26, 2020 Sports

T20 World Cup should not be Woods-Manning triumph postponed in haste: Misbah Agencies Karachi in star-studded match, The T20 World Cup 2020, scheduled to be held in Aus- tralia later this year, must not be postponed in haste since the mega-event is the best prod- raise $20mn for charity uct to highlight cricket once activities resume in the post- Pakistan head coach and chief AFP steadily throughout the major- coronavirus world, Pakistan selector Misbah-ul-Haq. Miami ity of the round. head coach and chief selector, Woods helped offset the Misbah-ul-Haq said. “The idea is to first have Tiger Woods says while his difficult playing conditions Misbah said though logis- one to one training then in- surgically repaired back may Sunday by taking advantage of tics is a huge challenge due to crease the number of players to never be 10-out-of-10 again, competing on his home course, the prevailing circumstances, groups. We need to get together it won’t stop him from being the Medalist Golf Club in Hobe the authorities must deliberate and train to be prepared for a healthy and ready to go when Sound. enough before arriving at a de- comeback to cricket. the PGA Tour starts up again. “I am just trying to hit it in cision over the T20 World Cup “It is not going to be easy The 44-year-old Woods the right spots. I kind of know to be held in October-Novem- also getting used to new rules says he’s been able to use the this place,” he told a television ber this year. like not applying saliva sweat down time during the corona- interviewer early in his round. “The logistics of hosting 16 to shine the ball. I am hoping virus pandemic to get himself The entertaining match fea- teams is not easy but the au- a three-week camp in Pakistan in shape for an expected con- tured plenty of friendly banter thorities should give it time and and then more practice in quar- densed fall golf season. and trash talking going back wait for a month or more before antine in England should get “It is going to be interest- and forth between four of North taking any decision,” Misbah the players prepared.” ing,” said Woods during a four- America’s biggest sport stars. said in an interview to Youtube The Pakistan coach had man charity golf tournament in Brady, who recently signed channel Cricket Baaz. no doubt the players will face Florida on Sunday. “I am used with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers “Everyone wants to see the difficulties adjusting to the to trying to peak for majors in after winning six Super Bowl ti- T20 World Cup. It would be the new laws and bio-security April, May, June and July, for- tles with the New England Pa- best product to highlight cricket environment. ever. Now this (COVID-19) has triots, made the shot of the day once activities resume interna- “We will be taking a group changed everything. It is fluid. Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning beat Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson by one shot in the $20m charity golf match. on the par-five seventh. tionally,” he said. Misbah also of 25 to 27 players to England It is on the fly.” said that their upcoming tour because we can’t ask for re- Asked to rate how his back Manning, showed no rust as The charity match was the ment on it and get onto a rou- Wardrobe malfunction to England will not be easy for placements and we all have to feels on a scale of one to 10, they held off a back-nine rally first competitive golf for Woods tine basically. Brady had been strug- either the players, coaches or be together from start to end so Woods said, “Well, let’s just say from Mickelson and Brady for since the Genesis Invitational “With this pandemic and gling for much of the first anyone as circumstances are that no one catches the virus.” 10 is not what it used to be.” a one-up victory in the 18-hole on February 16, where he shot everything that has happened, round, but his approach on not ideal for cricket. He confirmed that former PGA stars Woods and Phil match play format. weekend rounds of 76-77 to fin- we (have) all been very careful No. 7 landed just past the “But there is a feeling of de- captain Sarfaraz Ahmed would Mickelson and two NFL quar- Sunday’s event, called “The ish in 68th place at the Riviera and try to stay at home,” he said. hole before spinning wildly pression right now all over the be the second wicketkeeper in terback legends Peyton Man- Match: Champions for Char- Country Club course. Woods says he has enjoyed to the right and rolling into world because of this COVID-19 the touring squad after Rizwan. ning and Tom Brady squared ity,” was a rematch of sorts for He said the forced break spending more time with his the centre of the cup. problem and with sports sus- “Yes it makes sense to off in an entertaining made-for- Mickelson and Woods, who has been refreshing and de- family and has added tennis to “When the going gets tough, pended there is no entertain- take two keepers on this tour television charity golf event on faced off in a similar charity scribed his health as surpris- his workouts. the tough get going,” an obvi- ment. People want to move on because where will we find a Sunday that raised $20 million event last year in Las Vegas. It ingly good considering he has “It has been good in that re- ously relieved Brady said of his so I think we must give it a try,” replacement in those condi- for coronavirus relief efforts. also marked a return to the golf been taken out of his regular gard because I have been able to first good shot of the day. he said. tions. Sarfaraz is obviously our The 18-hole match included course for the both PGA stars training regime. spend a lot of time with my kids. The shot was notable for Pakistan and England choice,” he said. nine holes of four-ball and nine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We had a lot of fun. This is the another reason: it included a Boards have discussed a tour The Pakistan head coach holes of modified alternate shot, The PGA Tour is on hiatus Fun with family most amount of tennis I have wardrobe malfunction. Brady by the green shirts from July to insisted he had no personal mo- with on-course challenges for until June 11, when the Charles “It is to nice be at home played ever.” also split his pants on the play three Tests and three T20 tive in seeing Sarfaraz ousted charitable funds. Schwab Challenge at Colonial is training each and every day,” The start of Sunday’s match shot, resulting in a hasty cos- matches in bio-security envi- as captain and player from all Woods, who paired with scheduled to begin in Texas. Woods said. “I get some treat- was delayed by rain that fell tume change. ronment. three formats.

I’m ready to play T20Is for India: Bhajji Indian hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr passes away Agencies Punjab Sports Minister Rana Gurmeet Singh forever remain an inspira- New Delhi tion! A grateful State bids Sodhi declared the Mohali Hockey Stadium you farewell,” Singh added. Ace spinner Harbhajan Singh Harbhajan Singh is will be named after the legendary player The three-time Olympic believes that he is fit and ready to the joint third-highest gold medallist was in a semi- play T20I cricket for India. Agencies sent at the funeral, said that comatose state since May 18 The off-spinner had last wicket-taker in the IPL Chandigarh Singh’s demise is a big blow and had developed a blood played for India in 2016 in a with an economy rate not just for the sporting clot in his brain after being T20I game in the Asia Cup. Indian hockey legend Bal- world, but also for the nation first admitted to the hospi- “I am ready. If I can bowl of just more than bir Singh Senior, who died as a whole. tal for bronchial pneumonia well in IPL, which is a very seven runs per over at 96 after battling multiple He said the Mohali Hock- with high fever. He was test- difficult tournament for bowl- health issues, was on Mon- ey Stadium will be named af- ed for COVID-19 but reports ers because the grounds are day cremated in Chandigarh, ter Singh. came out negative. smaller, and all the top play- India with full state honours. Former Indian hockey Singh suffered three ers in world cricket play in the Punjab Sports Minister team captain Pargat Singh cardiac arrests during the IPL. It is very challenging to Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi was also present. course of his treatment. bowl against them and if you declared that the Mohali Senior officials of Punjab One of the country’s can do well against them in Stadium will be named after government and Chandigarh most accomplished athletes, IPL, you can do well in inter- Harbhajan the legendary player. administration laid wreaths India hockey legend Balbir Singh was the only Indian national cricket. I have bowled Singh The mortal remains of on Singh’s mortal remains. Singh Senior: Having a lofty among 16 legends chosen by predominantly in the power- the three-time Olympic gold Singh’s body was ear- place in history of Olympic the International Olympic play and middle overs and got medallist was consigned to lier brought from the For- hockey record books. Committee across modern wickets,” ESPNCricinfo quot- flames at an electric crema- tis hospital at Mohali to his Olympic history. ed Harbhajan as saying. torium, with his maternal residence at Sector 36 from remain an inspiration for His world record for most “In international cricket, them in international cricket? the IPL with an economy rate grandson Kabir performing where it was taken to the generation of players. goals scored by an individual not all teams have quality But it is not in my hands. No of just more than seven runs the last rites in the presence crematorium in a bedecked “Saddened to learn about in the men’s hockey final of players like IPL teams, where one comes and talks to you in per over. of Sikh priests. vehicle. the passing away of Hockey the Olympics still remains every team has a top-six this present Indian set-up,” Harbhajan played for The legendary centre- Punjab Chief Minister legend Balbir Singh Sr. A unbeaten. which is good. Yes, Australia, he added. Mumbai for ten seasons, and forward is survived by a Amarinder Singh on Mon- Triple Olympic Gold med- He had scored five goals England, India have all got Harbhajan has represented then after that, he was picked daughter and three sons. day expressed his deep sor- allist,” Amarinder Singh in India’s 6-1 victory over very good batting line-ups,” Mumbai Indians and Chennai up by CSK for his base price of He had been living in row on the death of Balbir tweeted. the Netherlands in the gold Harbhajan said. Super Kings (CSK) in the In- INR 2 crore. Chandigarh with his daugh- Singh Sr, saying the hockey “He exemplified qualities medal match of the 1952 “But if I can get Johnny dian Premier League. In the 2019 IPL, he scalped ter Sushbir and grandson legend exemplified qualities of perseverance, dedication Helsinki Games. He was Bairstow and David Warner in The off-spinner is the joint 16 wickets from 11 matches at Kabir. of perseverance, dedication & sportsmanship. Sir, you conferred with the Padma IPL, don’t you think I can get third-highest wicket-taker in an economy of 7.09. Sodhi, who was also pre- and sportsmanship and will will be dearly missed & will Shri in 1957. Four key questions that face cricket in 2020

AFP tion £380 million ($463 million). their visit to later in the season after Council guidelines issued last week. view per innings. South African director of cricket London Below AFP Sport looks at the key seeing how the West Indies and Pa- Umpires have also been in- Meanwhile, Chris Broad, the Graeme Smith has called for India’s issues confronting cricket amid the kistan series pan out. structed to wear gloves to minimise only Englishman on the ICC’s elite Sourav Ganguly, a fellow former The coronavirus may have struck pandemic. “Obviously we won’t jeopardise the risk of infection, with bowlers no panel of referees, may have to of- Test captain, to become the next ICC shortly before the English cricket the safety of the players,” Cricket longer handing their cap and sweat- ficiate in matches involving his son chairman. season was due to start but it threat- Tours of England? Australia chief executive Kevin er to officials for the same reason. Stuart, the England fast bowler. The Proteas, hard hit by the low ens to have major implications for West Indies and Pakistan, two Roberts told the Sydney Daily Tel- Another ‘interim’ measure, value of South Africa’s rand, hope the game worldwide. of crickets less well-off major teams, egraph. which still requires approval at Fate of T20 WC, IPL? to host a three-match T20 series English officials still believe have both made encouraging nois- “But the best test of that is the a June vote, would see bowl- What will happen to the Twen- against India in August. they can fit a full international pro- es about touring England, subject West Indian and Pakistan tours ers banned from using saliva ty20 World Cup and IPL?-- An ICC gramme of three-Test series against to health concerns and appear to of England before we’re due to to shine the ball to aid swing, board meeting on Thursday May Women’s cricket? both the West Indies and Pakistan, ready to factor a 14-day quarantine tour. We hope they go off without although they will still be al- 28, could see the men’s Twenty20 The women’s game was riding as well as one-day internationals on arrival in Britain, because of UK a hitch.” lowed to apply their own sweat. World Cup, due to held in Australia the crest of a wave after a crowd with Australia and Ireland, into a government regulations, into their Travel restrictions could from October 18, postponed. of over 86,000 in Melbourne saw season that won’t start until July 1 at planning. What will cricket look like? see two umpires from a home Problems over flying in 16 teams hosts Australia beat India in the fi- the earliest. Matches are set to be played at Even if a rescheduled series be- nation stand in a Test for the to Australia may be reason enough nal of the T20 World Cup in March, But there is now an expectation ‘bio-secure’ venues such as Hamp- tween England and the West Indies first time since 1994 when the to delay the event by a year. shortly before global sport went matches will have to be played be- shire’s Ageas Bowl or Old Trafford starts in July, the ICC started moving That would allow the already into lockdown. But Clare Connor, hind closed doors, in the short-term that have onsite hotels. game itself will look towards neutral postponed franchise Indian Premier the ECB’s managing director of at least, as a way of stopping the “We are trying to get to Eng- very different. officials to counter League, the world’s wealthiest T20 women’s cricket, has accepted her spread of COVID-19. land early July so that we can get Not only will accusations of bias. competition, to go ahead in its place. side of the game may have to be That would, however, still al- the quarantine done,” said Paki- there be no spectators The ICC’s Manoj Badale, a part-owner of sacrificed completely in order for low the England and Wales Cricket stan Cricket Board chief executive but wicket celebra- cricket committee the Rajasthan Royals, told the Lon- more lucrative men’s matches to Board to honour lucrative broadcast Wasim Khan. tions such as ‘high also said last week don Daily Telegraph last month: go ahead this season. contracts and avoid the nightmare Australia were meant to play fives’ are set to be each team should “No IPL (in 2020) would be a big But there are hopes a series scenario of a completely wiped out three Twenty20s and three one-day banned according to be awarded an ad- $600 million loss for the global with South Africa could still take season that could cost the organisa- internationals in July but may delay International Cricket ditional DRS re- cricket economy.” place in September.