Mustafiz leaves for IPL

Bangladesh speedster Mustafizur Rahman on Tuesday flew off to India to play in the Indian Premiere League for franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad.

“I am not at all edgy. I am going to play for IPL for the first time in my life. I hope everyone will put me in their prayers. I hope they will pray for Shakib as well,” said Mustafiz prior to his departure.

But he regrets that he and Shakib Al Hasan will not be in the same team. “It would have been great if I could play in Shakib’s team,” he said. Sunrisers Hyderabad hired Mustafiz, who had the best bowling figure in the just-concluded World T20, for Rs 1,40,00,000.

ICC names teams of World T20

The ICC on Monday announced the teams of the tournament for the men’s and women’s ICC World Twenty20 2016, which finished at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.

A story published on the cricket body's website read, "The teams were chosen by a select group of former cricket stars and highly respected commentators who were given the task of picking a balanced side for all conditions on the basis of performances in the tournament. Statistics were used but were not the sole basis for selections."

The men’s team, including 12th man, contained four players from England, two players each from India and the West Indies, and one each from Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand and South Africa, while the women’s team comprised four players from New Zealand, two players each from Australia, England and the West Indies, and one player each from Pakistan and South Africa.

The experts chose India’s Virat Kohli as captain of the men’s side while Stafanie Taylor of the West Indies was named to lead the women’s line-up.
Both teams include the respective players of the tournament, Virat Kohli of India and Stafanie Taylor of the West Indies. The two players, for their achievements, won glittering trophies as well as ICC World Twenty20 Gold limited edition watches from ICC Timing Partner, Hublot.

Men's Team (as per batting order): Jason Roy (England), Quinton de Kock (South Africa / wicketkeeper), Virat Kohli (India / captain), Joe Root (England), Jos Buttler (England), Shane Watson (Australia), Andre Russell (West Indies), Mitchell Santner (New Zealand), David Willey (England), Samuel Badree (West Indies) and Ashish Nehra (India). 12th Man: Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)

Women's Team (as per batting order): Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Charlotte Edwards (England), Meg Lanning (Australia), Stafanie Taylor (West Indies / captain), Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Rachel Priest (New Zealand / wicketkeeper), Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Megan Schutt (Australia), Sune Luus (South Africa), Leigh Kasperek (New Zealand) and Anya Shrubsole (England). 12th Player: Anam Amin (Pakistan)

Announcing the squads, ICC general manager cricket Geoff Allardice who chaired the meeting, said, “The experts had an extremely difficult task to select the men’s and women’s squads from around 400 cricketers who represented the 26 teams, thanks to outstanding performances by all the players at this hugely successful event.

“In the end, I believe the selectors have chosen two very well balanced sides which are capable of beating any opposition under any conditions.”

The selection panel, led by Geoff Allardice, also consisted of Ian Bishop (former West Indies fast bowler), Nasser Hussain (former England captain), Mel Jones (former Australia women’s batter), Sanjay Manjrekar (former India batsman) and Lisa Sthalekar (former Australia women’s all-rounder).

Aussies to play first Lankan Test tour in 5-year

Australia on Wednesday announced their first Test tour of Sri Lanka in five years, with the world’s number one team embarking on a two-month series from July.

Steve Smith’s side will play three Tests-in Kandy, Galle and Colombo-along with five one-day internationals and two Twenty20s, Cricket Australia said on its website, with the team departing on July 11.

Only three members of Australia’s most recent Test side-Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle and Usman Khawaja-have experienced the five-day game in Sri Lanka, when Michael Clarke’s team won their last series 1-0 in 2011.

Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka:
July 26-30 - 1st Test, Kandy
August 4-8 - 2nd Test, Galle
August 13-17 - 3rd Test, Colombo
August 21 - 1st ODI, Colombo
August 24 - 2nd ODI, Colombo
August 28 - 3rd ODI, Dambulla
August 31 - 4th ODI, Dambulla
September 4 - 5th ODI, Kandy,
September 6 - 1st T20, Kandy
September 9 - 2nd T20, Colombo

Kiwi Radio jockeys suspended over Stokes prank

A pair of New Zealand radio presenters were suspended Wednesday for broadcasting a heated conversation with England all-rounder Ben Stokes’ mother without her knowledge.

Radio Hauraki shock jocks Jeremy Wells and Matt Heath had been mocking Kiwi-born Stokes’ role in England’s loss to the West Indies in the World Twenty20 final on Sunday before the on-air incident.

Stokes, who moved from Christchurch to England as a child, conceded four consecutive sixes in the final over to give the Windies victory, making him a target for some New Zeal

His mother Deborah called the radio station to take issue with her son’s treatment and found herself talking to Heath, unaware she was on air.

She subsequently realised she had been broadcast live and complained to station owner NZME, resulting in Heath and Wells being suspended for a day.

“Matt and Jeremy are famous for identifying where the line is and then ignoring it,” NZME group program director Mike McClung said in a statement.

anders.

“However putting Ben’s mum to air without her knowledge, albeit defending her son, was obviously well over that line. They’ve been suitably reprimanded, and are off-air tomorrow.”

Stokes moved to England so his father Gerard, a former rugby league international, could take a coaching role.
Both his parents have since moved back to Christchurch.

Windies name cricket stadium after Sammy

Darren Sammy’s success in captaining the West Indies to the World Twenty20 title has been recognised by his native St Lucia after it was announced that the island’s main cricket ground would be renamed in his honour.

The Beausejour Cricket Ground will now be known as the Darren Sammy National Cricket Ground, with one of the stands to be named in honour of fellow St Lucian and Twenty20 winner Johnson Charles.

According to the West Indies Cricket Board, the announcement was made by the Prime Minister of St Lucia, Kenny D. Anthony, at a “welcome reception” on the island on Tuesday.

“The West Indies Cricket Board would like to congratulate West Indies captain, Darren Sammy and opener, Johnson Charles for the honour their home country St Lucia has bestowed on them,” the WICB added in a statement, issued from their St John’s, Antigua, headquarters.

Sunday’s victory over England, in a thrilling Kolkata final where Carlos Brathwaite hit four successive sixes in the last over, meant the West Indies became the first team to win the World Twenty20 title twice.

Sammy, 32, was also the West Indies’ captain when they beat then hosts Sri Lanka in the 2012 final in Colombo.
But immediately after the team’s latest triumph at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens ground, the all-rounder slammed the WICB for a “disappointing” lack of support, saying the team felt “disrespected” by their own officials.

Sammy’s comments came on the back of a bitter pay dispute that has dogged West Indies cricket for several years.
Dave Cameron, the WICB president, responded by calling Sammy’s remarks “inappropriate”.

However, Cameron added the board would meet players after the end of the Indian Premier League (IPL) next month to persuade them to play for the West Indies, rather than opt for lucrative franchise Twenty20 leagues.

“We want to see how we can find common ground in ensuring that the best players in the region are available for selection for West Indies teams,” Cameron said.

A pay dispute two years ago led to the team flying home in the middle of a tour of India and the players only reluctantly agreed to sign contracts for the World Twenty20 a few weeks before the tournament began.

Samuels takes a dig at Warne

Man of the match Marlon Samuels taunted Australia spin legend Shane Warne after his unbeaten 85 set the West Indies up for a sensational World Twenty20 title triumph on Sunday.

The right-handed batsman's 66-ball knock kept the Windies in with a chance of successfully beating England's 155-9 total after openers Johnson Charles and Chris Gayle fell early for a combined five runs.

Samuels' scintillating 85 included nine boundaries and two sixes and laid the foundations for Carlos Brathwaite to dramatically hit four consecutive sixes as the Windies won with two balls to spare in Kolkata.

The 35-year-old cheekily dedicated the Windies' historic second World T20 title to Warne, who has clashed with Samuels on a number of occasions in the past.

The pair had an infamous run-in during Australia's Big Bash League in 2013 and Warne rekindled the feud when he criticised Samuels following his dismissal against India in Thursday's WT20 semi-final.

"I woke up this morning with one thing on my mind, said Samuels.

"Shane Warne has been talking continuously and all I want to say is this is for Shane Warne."

Samuels made just eight in the Windies' seven-wicket victory over India in the last-four, but his monumental innings on Sunday was reminiscent of his contribution in the final four years ago.

The West Indies won their first World T20 title in 2012 with Samuels scoring 78 against Sri Lanka in the final.

"I don't worry about semi-finals because when it comes to finals I always turn up for the team," he boasted.

Brathwaite fires Windies to title

Carlos Brathwaite hit four sixes in the first four balls of the last over as West Indies beat England by four wickets in a thrilling World T20 final at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.

The winners needed 19 off the last over with Brathwaite, who is in the team mainly as a bowler, on strike and Marlon Samuels, who was unbeaten on 85, on the non-striking end, as most of the cricket world thought England had all but won their second World T20 title.

But Brathwaite had other ideas as he hit Ben Stokes for maximum in each of the first four balls to once again prove his side's 'unpredictable' tag. It was indeed Brathwaite's day as he was also the most successful bowler, picking up three wickets for only 23 to help his side restrict England to 155.

However, it was Marlon Samuels who single-handedly kept the Caribbean hopes alive, keeping on fighting at a time when his fellow batsmen played suicidal shots one after another.

The Caribbean batsmen were flirting with danger from the very beginning of their innings, as part-time bowler Joe Root, sent on by Eoin Morgan in the second over, picked up Johnson Charles and danger-man Chris Gayle in his first three balls, leaving the West Indians on five for two.

The facts that last match's heroes Lendl Simmons and Andre Russell scored zero and one respectively while skipper Darren Sammy managed only two only shows how terrific Samuels was standing against the tide. He was supported by DJ Bravo for a while in the middle, who hit a valuable 25 in 27 balls, and the rest was done by Brathwaite's 10-ball 34.

Earlier, Joe Root hit a beautiful fifty while Jos Buttler and David Willey played quick-fire cameos as England posted 155 for 9 after West Indies skipper Darren Sammy, winning the toss for the 10th straight game, sent England to bat first.

Samuel Badree baffled in-form Jason Roy in the very first ball of the innings, but his appeal for LBW was turned down. Roy was bowled in the very next delivery though, as Sammy's team took early control.

Andre Russell picked up Roy's opening partner Alex Hales in the next over and Badree struck again three overs later to leave England on 23 for 3. Root and Buttler then repaired the damage by adding 61 in the fourth wicket as the Englishmen very much returned to the game.

Brathwaite then put an end to both these batsmen's innings while Bravo also struck twice in three balls to strengthen their hold on the game.

Wiley fired 21 off 14 and Chris Jordan added 12 in the end to take England past 150.

Like Brathwaite, Bravo also bagged three wickets while Badree bragged a brace.
It could not get any better for the West Indians who also saw their female colleagues lift the women's trophy earlier on the day. And with Under-19 title also grabbed by the youth side a few months back, the Caribbean islands have every right to dream of having their glory days back.
For the time being, there is no end to their dancing to the Calypso tune.

Root leads England to 155

Joe Root hit a brilliant fifty while Jos Buttler and David Willey played two quick-fire cameos as England posted 155 for 9 against the West Indies in the World T20 final on Sunday.
Winning the toss for the 10th straight game, West Indies skipper Darren Sammy sent England to bat first and his bowlers vindicated his decision by striking thrice in the first five overs.
Samuel Badree baffled in-form Jason Roy in the very first ball of the innings, but his appeal for LBW was turned down. Roy was bowled in the very next delivery though, as Sammy's team took early control.
Andre Russell picked up Roy's opening partner Alex Hales in the next over and Badree struck again three overs later to leave England on 23 for 3. Root and Buttler then repaired the damage by adding 61 in the fourth wicket as the Englishmen very much returned to the game.
Windies' most successful bowler Carlos Brathwaite then put an end to both these batsmen's innings while DJ Bravo also struck twice in three balls to strengthen their hold on the game.
Wiley fired 21 off 14 and Chris Jordan added 12 in the end to take England past 150.
Both Brathwaite and Bravo bagged three wickets each while Badree bragged a brace.

WICB slams Sammy's remarks

The bitter divisions in Caribbean cricket were laid bare Sunday as the West Indies board publicly reprimanded captain Darren Sammy just hours after his team's stunning victory in the World T20 final over England.

It should have been a day of unalloyed joy for the West Indies, with the women's team winning their Twenty20 final against Australia on the same Eden Gardens ground where the men later downed England by four wickets in a last-over thriller.

But in a post-match interview, Sammy gave vent to months -- possibly years -- of frustration with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

In a reference to the lengthy and bitter pay dispute that had put their World Twenty20 participation in doubt, the all-rounder said his team felt "disrespected by our board".
- 'No uniforms' -

"We had a new manager in Rawle Lewis, who has never managed a team before. We had no uniforms, no printing," said Sammy.

"The trouble he went through to just get us in this uniform. I got to give credit to the entire team here."

Sammy also had another swipe at the board as he thanked Grenada Prime Minister Keith Mitchell for a good luck message received hours before the final.
"I really want to thank him. He sent a very inspiring message for the team this morning and I'm yet to hear from our own cricket board. "That's very disappointing," added the 32-year-old.

Several hours later, in a statement curiously headlined "WICB President has high praises for World Twenty20 Organisers," from the board's Antigua headquarters, the sting came lower down.

"The president would like to however apologise for what could be deemed inappropriate, comments made by the West Indies' male captain, Darren Sammy in a post-match interview and would like to apologize on behalf of the WICB, to the millions of fans who witnessed (sic).

"The President has pledged to enquire the reason and will have the matter addressed."

WICB president Whycliffe 'Dave' Cameron had already appeared to take offence at Sammy's remarks by tweeting: "When is the last time a critic paid one of your bills? Always remember that when you start to give them your energy."

Last year, Cameron had to apologise after retweeting a comment from a supporter that West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle should be given a "retirement package" after a run of low scores.

For many years the relative weakness of Caribbean economies and the often cash-strapped condition of the WICB have led to a series of pay disputes.

Recently, the situation has been exacerbated by the rise of lucrative domestic Twenty20 tournaments such as the Indian Premier League, where West Indies players can earn significantly more from appearing in franchise cricket than they can from the international game.

Recognising this, the WICB statement, said it wanted to meet with players after the end of this year's IPL in a bid to seek "common ground", with officials adding they would seek help from the International Cricket Council.

"We are fully aware of the financial rewards on offer in the lucrative international T20 leagues, but we believe deeply in the importance of cricket to the people of the region and of West Indies cricket's place in world cricket. It is therefore a priority to have all of our players competing and available for selection."

It's ‪‎world cup T20‬ final day!

History wait for England and west Indies