The Business | SPOTRhursdTay , SMarch 260, 26020 Forms of cricket you can play while staying at home he novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has halted every major sporting activ - ity, including cricket, as the world figThts to counter the spread of the infectious disease. The pandemic has completely upended lives across the planet, restricting movement, shut - ting schools and forcing millions to work from home. An estimated 900 million people are now confined to their homes in 35 countries around the world — including 600 million hemmed in by obligatory government lock - down orders — according to an AFP tally. So how can cricket fans quench their thirst for the game during these testing times? Here are four forms of cricket you can eas - ily paly with your family members and, more importantly, within the confines of your home. Backyard Cricket: As the name suggests, you can play cricket in your backyard with a given set of rules that matches your physical environment. A well-known rule of this form of cricket is ‘one hand, one bounce’ where a batsman who has hit the ball into the ground, but it has only bounced once, can still be given out caught, but only if the fielder catches the ball with one hand. You can also be given out if you hit the ball over the fence. If both teams have even number of players and there is one extra person, he is considered Jack player. Jack is part of both teams. Jack is required field in both innings, but he is not allowed bowl. However, he is allowed to bat on both side of the team. French Cricket: French Cricket is more popular among kids and is an ideal form of cricket that can include children of varied ages. There is only one batsman, and their ob - jective is to not be dismissed by the other par - ticipants — who are fielders, or a bowler if they have possession of the ball — for as long as possible. The objective of the other partici - pants is to dismiss the batsman. There are only two methods of dismissal, being caught or being "Leg Before Wicket", but as there are no stumps, this method of dismissal is effected by a bowled ball hitting the batsman's legs typi - cally below the knees. Once the batsman is popular with school children in India, Pakistan digit of the right-side (even-numbered) page is can resort to playing video games on your per - hand rub. Maintain at least 1 metre distance dismissed, the other participant who took the and Sri Lanka, especially the backbenchers oc - counted as the number of runs scored. 0 (and sonal computers, PlayStation, X-Box, Nin - between you and people coughing or sneezing. catch or effected the LBW typically replaces cupying the last few rows, who most often play sometimes 8) are assigned to special rules, typ - tendo, Atari or even your cell phones. Avoid touching your face. Cover your mouth them as batsman, and the game-play begins it sneakily during the ongoing class, a favorite ically a wicket is lost when a person scores 0 Important Reminder: Additionally it goes and nose when coughing or sneezing. Refrain again. childhood nostalgia of adults to reminisce and scoring 8 would be substituted for a No without saying, to prevent infection and to from smoking and other activities that weaken Book Cricket: If you want to enjoy cricket about. It has several variants and is mostly ball run and an additional chance. slow transmission of COVID-19, do the fol - the lungs. Practice physical distancing by from the comfort of your couch, then Book played by two players. The runs are scored by Cricket Video Games: If the aforemen - lowing: Wash your hands regularly with soap avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away Cricket can be a good option to consider. It is flipping the book open at random and the last tioned options aren’t your cup of tea, then you and water, or clean them with alcohol-based from large groups of people. —AFP Heptathlon Twitter reaction: Pakistan celebrates champ Dean Jones opens up on coaching relieved Babar Azam, Sharjeel’s fitness 28th anniversary of 1992 WC win by Tokyo postponement BRUSSELS: Olympic heptathlon champion Nafi Thiam of Belgium says she is relieved that the Tokyo Games were put back by a year but disappointed too, after focusing for the last four years on defending her gold medal from Rio de Janeiro. arachi Kings’ the upcoming T20 World compare Babar with Pak - The 25-year-old told Bel - Head Coach Dean Cup in Australia. “I have istan’s young batting sensa - gian media she supported the Jones has shared spoken to Babar about this. tion Haider Ali, who postponement of the Games his experience of coaching How he should set up to each represented Peshawar Zalmi in the wake of the coron - K Pakistan’s batting maestro team. They his team needs to during PSL 5, Jones said: avirus health scare. “It was Babar Azam, during the fifth evolve/change to suit each “Different styles. Babar is good that we have now got edition of Pakistan Super opponent. Working out game the glue in the batting. an answer,” she told League (PSL). plans etc,” said Jones. Haider wins momentum.” Wednesday’s Het Nieuws - While answering ques - The International Cricket The former Islamabad blad newspaper. “It’s good tions during a Twitter ses - Council (ICC) will decide United head coach also the uncertainty is cleared up. sion, the former Australian the fate of the seventh edition spoke about the fitness of But as an athlete I find it sad, cricketer heaped praise on of T20 World Cup on March opener Sharjeel Khan, which because since 2016 all my Babar by stating that it was a 29, after consulting with its has been the talk of the town focus has been on Tokyo international member boards in the recent past. “Sharjeel The Business Report Melbourne. Imran Khan led a team wicket of the encounter was taken by ‘pure joy’ to coach the Pak - 2020. “As an athlete you is sending me videos every - which was down and out during the Imran Khan himself, which also went istan Twenty20 International through a teleconference, dream of these sort of com - (T20I) captain. Jones also bearing in mind the coron - day on his fitness. He knows akistan celebrated the 28th earlier stages of the tournament and on to be the last ball of his illustrious petitions. But it is a good de - gave his opinion about Pak - avirus (COVID-19) pan - what I expect and he is doing anniversary of their improba - their progression towards the knock - career as he was bound to retire from cision and I have to accept istan team’s captaincy during demic. When asked to it,” he said. ble 1992 World Cup win on out round of the event seemed un - international cricket after this match. it." Thiam’s clash with WePdnesday. The Imran Khan-led Pak - likely. But Imran's inspirational Twitter users remembered their re - Britain's Katarina Johnson- istan side defeated England to lift their captaincy turned things around in Pak - actions after the impeccable triumph Thompson, who beat her at maiden world title on March 25 at the istan's favour as they went on to bag of the Men in Green over a game the World Athletics Champi - Trump supports Olympic Brighton say Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the elusive trophy. Fittingly the final England side. onship last October in Doha, thank you to would have been one of the delay '100%': says Japan Games’ hotly anticipated medical events. Thiam struggled last year with an elbow injury but ‘heroes’ with UEFA formally postpones May’s said she had recovered well: “My ambition has not disap - match tickets peared now that the Games Champions League, Europa League finals have moved back.” LONDON: Brighton & NYON: UEFA announced on Monday that this season’s Champions League, Europa League and women’s Champi - She has continued training Hove Albion are donating a ons League finals scheduled for May have been formally postponed, an inevitable move with European football in total in Belgium through the coro - minimum of 1,000 tickets for shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. All three competitions are currently suspended along with almost every Eu - TOKYO: US President Donald Trump fully supports a navirus crisis, posting pic - workers from Britain's Na - ropean domestic league because of the coronavirus while UEFA last week postponed the Euro 2020 tournament until next delay in the Tokyo Olympics agreed between Japan and the tures on social media of tional Health Service (NHS) year. The shutdown has no end in sight though UEFA and European football leaders said last week they hope to com - international Olympic panel, a Japanese government home gymnasium workouts. to thank them for their role plete the club season by June 30. The Euro 2020 for national teams was postponed for one year to clear space in the fix - spokesman said on Wednesday, citing comments made to “And as an athlete I’m cer - fighting the coronavirus. The ture calendar for clubs to win titles in domestic leagues and cups, and UEFA’s competitions. “No decision has been taken Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a telephone call. "President Premier League is currently on rearranged dates,” European football’s governing body UEFA said in a statement. It also did not say whether it would tainly not complaining about Trump repeatedly said the postponement is an excellent and my situation. I can still train,” suspended until at least April be able to complete the competitions in the current format or would have to shorten them.