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Netherlands and Uganda record first wins

Published

12 months ago

2024/04/28

Priyan

Two more matches of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier were decided on Saturday afternoon in Abu Dhabi. Netherlands started their campaign in an emphatic manner, outplaying Vanuatu and winning by 100 runs at Tolerance Oval, while Uganda bounced back strongly from their opening day loss, beating United States of America (USA) by eight wickets at Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Sterre Kalis (70) dazzled with the bat for the Netherlands in their big win, while Uganda’s Immaculate Nakisuuyi (68 not out) led the charge in her team’s successful outing.

Vanuatu vs Netherlands

The Netherlands recorded a comprehensive win in their first appearance of the Qualifier by defeating Vanuatu by 100 runs.Netherlands’ opener and skipper, Heather Siegers, was the first to fall, bowled by Selina Solman for six runs.

The experienced Sterre Kalis and Babette de Leede ensured they rebuilt quickly, taking their side to 49/1 in the Powerplay with a 16-run sixth over.

The duo stitched together a 43-run stand before Nasimana Navaika dismissed de Leede caught and bowled for 18 (16).

Kalis continued to control the game from her end and brought up her sixth T20I half-century off 40 balls, adding another 20 in her next 11 deliveries to finish with 70 from 51. Kalis’ knock helped the Netherlands to a total of 154/6.

Vanuatu looked troubled from the start in their chase, losing wickets at crucial intervals. Rachel Andrew was the first wicket to fall at the hands of Iris Zwilling, who snared her wicket for six runs.

The Netherlands’ Silver Siegers (2/11) and Caroline de Lange (2/8) grabbed two wickets each, while Merel Dekeling finished with 1/7. With three run-outs of Valenta Langiatu, Maiyllise Carlot and Vanessa Vira, Netherlands bowled Vanuatu out for 54 with only Gillian Chilia (11*) going past double figures.

Kalis earned the Player of the Match award for her aggressive knock with the bat.

Uganda vs USA

Immaculate Nakisuuyi starred for Uganda with an unbeaten half-century in their first Qualifier win.

The USA, playing in their first match of the tournament, were helped to a stable start by opener, Disha Dhingra, who scored 25 off 24 balls.

However, Uganda bowlers Sarah Walaza and Sarah Akiteng, managed to snare a wicket each of the USA openers in the first eight overs to bring some momentum back in their favour.

A 40-run, third-wicket partnership between captain, Sindhu Sriharsha and Ritu Singh, laid the foundation for a strong finish.

Just as the USA were approaching the final five overs, Ritu’s (16) wicket was the first of a flurry to fall. Sriharsha was then dismissed in the 17th over to Concy Aweko, caught by Rita Musamali for 26 – USA’s highest score for the day.

The next over saw the back of Geetika Kodali who was run out by Rita Musamali while trying to steal a second run off an overthrow.

The USA managed to composed themselves to finish well in the final over, adding 11 runs thanks to Gargi Bhogle’s cameo of 19 runs off 16 balls, taking them to 110/5 in their allotted 20 overs.

In their chase, Uganda were put on the back foot by a wicket in the first over – Prosscovia Alako dismissed for a duck. The USA picked up another wicket in the Powerplay, Esther Iloku, who was caught behind for two off Isani Vaghela. Uganda ended the first six overs with 13/2 on the board.

The equation for Uganda to win the match read 98 runs from 84 balls with a required run rate of seven. At this point, they required an immaculate partnership for the match to turn in their favour and Immaculate Nakisuuyi and Stephani Nampiina delivered just that.

Nakisuuyi smashed her second T20I fifty, bringing it up in 53 balls. The pair continued to show nerves of steel, timing the chase to perfection and amassed 102 runs for the third wicket in 82 balls to bring up Uganda’s first win of the Qualifier.

Nakisuuyi finished with an unbeaten 68 off 64 balls to win the Player of the Match award while Nampiina scored an impressive 33 in 27 balls.

Scores in brief:

Match 5:

Netherlands beat Vanuatu by 100 runs

Netherlands 154 for 6 in 20 overs (Sterre Kalis 70, Babette De Leede 18; Nasimana Navaika 2-29, Selina Solman 2-35)

Vanuatu 54 all out in 19.5 overs (Gillian Chilia 11; Caroline De Lange 2-8, Silver Siegers 2-11)

Player of the match – Sterre Kalis

Match 6:

Uganda beat USA by eight wickets

USA 110 for 5 in 20 overs (Sindhu Sriharsha 26, Disha Dhingra 25; Sarah Akiteng 1-18, Sarah Walaza 1-19)

Uganda 111 for 2 in 18.2 overs (Immaculate Nakisuuyi 68 not out, Stephanie Nampiina 33 not out; Geetika Kodali 1-12)

Player of the match – Immaculate Nakisuuyi

(ICC)

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Venue announced for cricket’s Olympics return at LA28

Published

5 hours ago

2025/04/16

Priyan

The ICC have welcomed the announcement that the Fairgrounds in Pomona, Southern California, will host cricket at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Excitement around cricket’s Olympic comeback has been building since it was confirmed that the sport would return to the Games.

On 9 April, the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the player quotas and number of participating teams for cricket at the 2028 Olympics.

Both the men’s and women’s T20 competitions will feature six teams each, with a 90-player quota allocated per gender, allowing each nation to field a squad of up to 15 players.

The full tournament schedule will be finalised closer to the start of the Games.

“We welcome the announcement of the venue for cricket at Los Angeles 2028 as it is a significant step towards the preparation for our sport’s return to the Olympics,” ICC Chair Jay Shah said.

“Although cricket is a hugely popular sport, it will be a fantastic opportunity to expand traditional boundaries when it features in the Olympics in the fast-paced, exciting T20 format that should appeal to new audiences.

“On behalf of the ICC, I want to express my gratitude to LA28 and the International Olympic Committee for their support and look forward to collaborating with them and ICC Members in preparing for LA28 and making cricket a huge success there.”

Cricket’s return to the Olympics was confirmed in October 2023, alongside the inclusion of five additional sports for the Los Angeles Games – baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and squash.

The T20 format has previously featured in multi-sport events, with both men’s and women’s competitions held at the Asian Games in 2010, 2014 and 2023. The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham featured a women’s T20 tournament.

[ICC]

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Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) cautions all stakeholders of the Indian Premier League (IPL) of attempts to entice participants

Published

6 hours ago

2025/04/16

Priyan

[Representative image] BCCI's ACSU has issued a cautionary note [Cricbuzz]

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued a caution to all stakeholders of the Indian Premier League (IPL) about attempts to entice participants into potentially corrupt activities. The BCCI has cautioned the owners, players, coaches, support staff, and even commentators that a businessman with dubious credentials is actively seeking to trap individuals involved in the league.

The Anti-Corruption Security Unit (ACSU) seems to believe that a businessman from Hyderabad, with clear links to punters, bookies and past and proven records of involvement in corrupt activities, is trying to befriend participants. The ACSU has urged all IPL stakeholders to report any interactions with the businessman and also disclose any possible connections or engagements with him.

The ACSU is also understood to have urged all parties involved in the league to exercise caution. Teams and individuals have been asked to remain alert and report any relevant approaches. The individual’s modus operandi is said to involve luring unsuspecting targets with expensive gifts, including jewellery.

The individual in question is reportedly attempting to get himself close to the IPL participants by masquerading as a fan. He has allegedly been spotted at the team hotels and in the matches, making efforts to befriend players and staff, and inviting potential targets to private parties. There is also information of him offering gifts not only to team members but also to their families.

One of the methods reportedly employed by him involves approaching family members of franchise owners, players, coaches, support staff, and even commentators. He is said to have been offering to take them to jewellery stores and high-end hotels posing as a fan. There are also indications that he may have attempted to contact relatives living abroad, often through social media platforms.

Previously, the ACSU had told the teams that advancing technology has increased their challenges and urged all involved in the league to be alert. Seeking cooperation from all, the BCCI said it is determined and committed to taking every step in its power to prevent corrupt practices that undermine the integrity of the sport of cricket.

[Cricbuzz]

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Paramilitaries declare rival government in Sudan

Published

6 hours ago

2025/04/16

Priyan

A Sudanese woman cooks at a camp for displaced people in Port Sudan on Tuesday [BBC]

Sudan’s paramilitaries have declared the formation of a rival government to the country’s armed forces, two years into a war that has become the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

The leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, said the group was “building the only realistic future for Sudan”.

The announcement came as London hosted an high-level conference to mark the second anniversary of the conflict, where the UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy called for “a pathway to peace”.

Fighting raged on, with the army saying it had bombed RSF positions outside the city of el-Fasher, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the Zamzam refugee camp.

Hemedti said the RSF was building a “state of law” and not a state ruled by individuals.

“We do not seek domination, but unity. We believe that no tribe, region, or religion holds a monopoly over Sudanese identity,” his statement on Telegram read.

He added that his government would provide essential services such as education and healthcare to not only RSF-controlled areas, but the whole country.

More than 400 people have been killed in recent attacks by the RSF, according to the UN, citing “credible sources”.

Two years into the war, both the army and RSF have been accused of war crimes, including genocide and mass sexual violence.

Hemedti has been locked in a power struggle with Sudan’s army chief, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, since 15 April 2023, creating a humanitarian crisis that has claimed more than 150,000 lives and displaced more than 12 million people.

The latest fighting in the capital of North Darfur, el-Fasher, has forced tens of thousands of civilians from the Zamzam refugee camp to walk 70km (43 miles) to the town of Tawila, according to medical charity MSF.

Many arrived severely dehydrated and some children are reported to have died of thirst.

Humanitarian agencies have reported famine-like conditions facing more than 700,000 people in temporary camps around el-Fasher, with security threats and roadblocks thwarting the delivery of critical aid.

During an international meeting on Tuesday, the UK promised an extra £120m ($159m) worth of food and medical assistance, urging the world not to turn its back on Sudan.

“Many have given up on Sudan – that is wrong – it’s morally wrong when we see so many civilians beheaded, infants as young as one subjected to sexual violence, more people facing famine than anywhere else in the world… We simply cannot look away,” Lammy said.

The conference also called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, but the African Union has said it will not allow the country to be partitioned by the army and the RSF.

[BBC]