Karachi, Mar 31:

Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq has suggested extending the time span of the ICC World Test Championship with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing all cricketing activities to a halt and potentially throwing the international schedule haywire.
“I just think that all teams must get equal opportunities in the championship even if matches are rescheduled,” he said during a video conference with the media on Tuesday.

“Whenever cricket resumes all teams should get equal opportunity in the ICC World Test Championship to try to play in the final. The tournament can be extended beyond 2021,” he said.

According to the original schedule, the inaugural competition runs from 2019-2021.

Pakistan had to postpone a Test of the championship against Bangladesh at home following the coronavirus outbreak earlier this month.

Misbah also said that if teams didn’t get equal opportunity to play in the championship, results would not be fair.

The ICC has indicated that it would talk to member boards to find a solution to the matches of the championship which will be hit by the pandemic and one option which will be discussed would be awarding points for cancelled matches.

“The tournament should be extended that is my view. That is the only way we can find and end the event in a balanced way. Matches can be rescheduled if the event is extended,” he said.

After the Test against Bangladesh, Pakistan’s next assignment of the ICC Championship is a Test series in England in July.

Misbah said since that series was very important, he had already asked all the players who are in isolation to keep working on their fitness and also study the strengths and weaknesses of the England team.

“I have been in touch with most of the players including centrally contracted players…even trainer is in touch with them…we are giving them and sending them plans according to their equipment at home to remain in shape as a team.

“I want the physical condition of players to be what is required in Test cricket whenever cricket resumes,” he said.

Misbah said this was the best time for Pakistan to do its homework for the series in England and analyse their players.

Asked about Pakistani players and officials having to take pay cuts if the coronavirus pandemic continues for a long time, Misbah said when the contracts of players expire in June, the board and players will sit down and decide what to do.

“When new contracts come we will see situation and take the right decisions and players will have to understand and it will not be a one-way decision…everyone is mentally ready for this situation,” he said. PTI

New Delhi, Mar 25: The postponement of Tokyo Olympics to next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic has given India”s table tennis squad more time to prepare and given the current scenario, the sport”s governing body TTFI is looking to fill the head coach”s position locally rather than hiring a foreign coach.
The head coach position has been lying vacant since the 2018 Asian Games due to multiple factors.
The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) had tried to rope in Canadian Dejan Papic last year but things did not work out as the latter decided to undergo a knee surgery when he was expected to join the squad.
“We can only look at an Indian coach now. There is no activity happening at the moment but when things get better, I doubt a foreign coach would like to come here considering the global situation (due to coronavirus),” TTFI secretary general M P Singh told PTI.
“Indian coaches anyway have been working with the men and women team over the past one year. Most likely, we would stick with them.”
Former national champions Soumyadeep Roy and Arup Basak have been working with men and women respectively for more than a year.
With the entire world sporting scene coming to a standstill due to the pandemic, there is lack of clarity over the Olympic qualification events.
The Asian qualifier was supposed to take place next month but world body ITTF has suspended all activity until the end of April.
“We are waiting for the ITTF for more details on the future. The Olympic qualifying events need to be rescheduled and may be fresh rankings will have to be considered for qualification,” Singh added.
India”s highest-ranked player G Sathiyan, who is in line to qualify alongside veteran Sharath Kamal, said it is still too early to talk about the game.
“Decision could only be made after the world is able to contain the virus. Indian coach is an option but will have to discuss with TTFI and SAI when the time comes and take a call,” said Sathiyan.
Among the women, Manika Batra has the best chance of making the Olympics cut. PTI

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola have each donated one million euros ($1.08 million) towards the fight against coronavirus.
Argentina international Messi’s donation will be split between Hospital Clinic in Barcelona and another medical centre in his home country, according to a report in Marca.
“Leo Messi made a donation to the clinic to fight the coronavirus,” Hospital Clinic wrote on Twitter. “Thank you very much, Leo, for your commitment and your support.”
Former Barcelona player and manager Guardiola made his contribution to a campaign launched by the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation and Medical College of Barcelona.
“Pep Guardiola has made a donation of one million euros to the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation for the acquisition and supply of health equipment to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic,” said a statement from the College.
“The donation campaign promoted by the Medical College of Barcelona and managed through the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation aims to collect medical materials and financial contributions from collegiate doctors and the general population, for the purchase of medical equipment and equipment that is currently lacking in health centres in Catalonia.
“It will also help finance the alternative production, through 3D printing and other methods, of respirators and personal protection equipment for healthcare staff.”
Before Guardiola made his donation, the campaign had raised 33,000 euros in three days.
Spain is the country worst affected by the disease in Europe outside of Italy, with 2,696 deaths and almost 40,000 positive cases.
The region of Catalonia, where Guardiola is from and where Messi has lived since joining Barca aged 13, is one of the worst-affected parts of the country.

New Delhi, Mar 25:The cancellation of this year’s IPL looks inevitable with the BCCI under tremendous pressure after the declaration of a 21-day nationwide lockdown to contain the the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

When the BCCI postponed the IPL to April 15 earlier this month, it said conducting the tournament would only come into the picture if the pandemic subsides. However, there hasn’t been any remarkable change in the situation with positive cases crossing the 500-mark in India, including 10 deaths.

Speaking to PTI, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly did not have much to say on the current scenario, which was made worse by the postponement of Tokyo Olympics to the summer of 2021, on Tuesday. The global COVID-19 death toll is nearing 19,000.

“I can’t say anything at the moment. We are at the same place where we were on the day we postponed. Nothing has changed in the last 10 days. So, I don’t have an answer to it. Status quo remains,” Ganguly’s helplessness was palpable.

Kings XI Punjab owner Ness Wadia was more forthright.

“The BCCI should really consider postponing the IPL now. As a premier event, we need to act with great responsibility. Contemplation of IPL is inhuman right now. We need to save lives, not IPL,” KXIP co-owner Wadia told PTI.

“Let’s say even if the situation improves by May and I hope it does, who is going to come and play? Will the (foreign players) be even allowed to enter the country?” he asked.

Earlier on Tuesday, a conference call between BCCI officials and team owners was postponed.

The star-studded eight-team league was originally scheduled to start on March 29 in Mumbai. It seems the BCCI is deferring the announcement hoping against hope for things to improve.

“If Olympics can be postponed by a year, IPL is a much smaller entity in that regard. It is becoming increasingly difficult to organise. At this point the government is not even thinking about allowing foreign visas,” a BCCI official, in know of things, said.

Currently, each stakeholder is discussing ways to limit the financial damage with insurance companies as well as broadcasters.

“With a 21-day lockdown, it is virtually impossible that things will return to normal by April 14. It might improve but a lot of restrictions will be in place. So it will be foolish not to cancel the league,” a BCCI veteran said.