Mumbai

Harmanpreet, Smriti, Veda to lead teams in Challenger Trophy

Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Veda Krishnamurthi will lead the India A, B and C teams, respectively, in the women’s T20 Challenger Trophy to be played in Cuttack from January 4 to 11. The selection committee named 14 players each in all three squads.

Squads: (India A): Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Taniya Bhatia (WK), Shivali Shinde (WK), Jasia Akhtar, Priya Punia, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Sneh Rana, Mansi Joshi, Meghna Singh, Komal Jhanjhad, Meenu Mani, Radha Yadav, Bharati Fulmali; (India B): Smriti Mandhana (C), Sushma Verma (WK), R Kalpana (WK), Vanitha VR, Jemimah Rodrigues, Anuja Patil, Poonam Yadav, Pooja Vastrakar, Shikha Pandey, Renuka Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Sushri Dibyadarshini, TP Kanwar, Richa Ghosh; (India C): Veda Krishnamurthy (C), Nuzhat Parween (WK), Shafali Verma (WK), Yastika Bhatiya, D. Hemlatha, Harleen Deol, Manali Dakshini, Jincy George, Arundhati Reddy, Monica Patel, Vrushali Bhagat, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Tanushree Sarkar, Madhuri Mehta. PTI

Johannesburg

Philander announces international retirement

Seasoned South Africa pacer Vernon Philander will retire from international cricket following the upcoming Test series against England. Philander was an important part of the Proteas pace troika, comprising Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, both of whom have retired from Tests. Philander, 34, mainly represented South Africa in the longest format, and has played 60 Tests in comparison to 30 ODIs and seven T20Is. He has taken 216 wickets at an impressive average of 22.16, including 13 five-wicket hauls. Philander did not have the pace of Morkel and Steyn but troubled the batsmen by swinging the ball both ways. He also took a record-breaking 51 wickets in his first-seven Test matches which earned him the 2012 SA Cricketer of the Year accolade.

Shubman to lead in First-Class cricket

Hanuma Vihari will captain India in the First-Class games in New Zealand and Shubman Gill in the 50-overs format. Test specialists like R Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma will get much-needed game time in New Zealand ahead of the two-Test series, beginning in Wellington on February 21. The second Test will be played in Christchurch from February 29. “Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Mayank Agarwal will play the second A game,” said MSK Prasad.

Kohli, Rohit end year on top of ICC ODI rankings

Dubai: India skipper Virat Kohli and his limited-overs deputy Rohit Sharma will end the year as No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen, having maintained their places following a fine showing against the West Indies.

Pak 200% safe

It was 200 percent safe. The security was really good. They were like fathers for us. They kept talking to us and they were right behind us every time. When we were going out to eat or something, they were there. We were feeling secure and safe here. They’ve done a really good job. Pakistan fans are really good – they kept supporting us. What I can say is that it’s really safe here and that all the other countries playing cricket — they can come and play Tests, T20Is or One-dayers — it’s safe to play in Pakistan.

Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka, captain

Siddle treated for bushfire smoke inhalation

Sydney, December 23

Australia Test bowler Peter Siddle was treated for smoke inhalation after a Big Bash League match in Canberra was abandoned at the weekend because of toxic bushfire haze. Organisers decided to press ahead with Saturday’s Sydney Thunder clash Twenty20 clash against the Adelaide Strikers but players were forced off with the Thunder 40/1 after four overs chasing 162 to win when the field was enveloped in a thick soup of smoke. “It was pretty unsafe out there” said Strikers captain Alex Carey. “We had a couple of cases after, the doctor had to come in and assess him (Siddle). We have a few asthmatics in the team as well, luckily they did not stay out there too long. Sids’ is back to Melbourne and joining the Australian squad for the Boxing Day Test against New Zealand. There are bushfires around the country and as players, there is a bigger picture than just cricket,” said Carey, entertaining the idea that an air quality meter could be introduced.

The Australian Cricketers Association has said it is working with Cricket Australia to develop guidelines for when smoke affects matches and the International Cricket Council is developing an “air quality policy.”

Pollution has also been a problem on the Indian sub-continent. In 2017 play was stopped during a Test between India and Sri Lanka in New Delhi. — AFP