&w=3840&q=100)
No RCB, No Lahore Qalandars: Big Teams Snubbed From World Club Championship, Heres Why
RCB recently claimed their maiden IPL title after an 18-year wait. However, according to PTI reports, no IPL franchise will participate in the first edition, despite the tournament having the support of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Similarly, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will have no representation in the championship.
The exclusion of Pakistani teams appears to be linked to the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) failure to attend a key meeting in London. According to sources, 'The Pakistan Cricket Board was invited to send its CEO of the PSL for a meeting held on the sidelines of the cricket connect meeting in London last month but no one showed up.'
The meeting was organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and had the backing of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its chairman, Jay Shah. Top executives from leading T20 franchise leagues including the Emirates League, Big Bash League, The Hundred, SA20, Major League Cricket (MLC), and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) were all present.
'Discussions were held on the proposed World Clubs Championship, its window, format, schedule etc. CEOs of the Emirates League, Big Bash League, The Hundred, SA20, MLC, Caribbean Premier League etc attended the meeting. Pakistan was also invited,' the source confirmed.
Lahore Qalandars, who are the current champions of the PSL, now find themselves sidelined due to administrative non-participation. Reports further suggest that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has also been absent from several ICC meetings, further complicating Pakistan's engagement at the global level.
Why The Rush To Launch The World Club Championship?
The fast-tracking of the tournament is seen as a strategic move to counter the potential rise of the Saudi Cricket League, which has attracted major private investment. The proposed Saudi league, backed by $400 million in initial funding, is reportedly aiming to align its matches with Tennis Grand Slam events annually. However, this plan has faced pushback.
The recent meeting also covered crucial logistical issues such as fixed windows for each league and the availability of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for international players.
'The PCB didn't show up and strangely Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has also not regularly attended ICC meetings," the source added.
As planning for the World Club Championship gains momentum, the absence of key teams like RCB and Lahore Qalandars due to board-level decisions has sparked debate within the cricketing community.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
5 minutes ago
- India.com
ICC Womens ODI Rankings: Smriti Mandhana At Top, Deepti Sharma Makes MASSIVE Jump; Harmanpreet Kaur Drops Down
England and India players made significant gains in the latest ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings following strong performances in the first two matches of the ongoing series. With the series level at 1-1 and everything to play for in the decider, the first two ODIs between England and India delivered thrilling contests, with standout performances reflected in the latest ICC Women's Player Rankings released on Tuesday. Deepti Sharma was one of the biggest movers in the batting rankings after her unbeaten 62 in the first ODI, which earned her the Player of the Match award and guided India to a successful chase of 259. She followed it up with another unbeaten 30 in the second ODI, which, despite coming in a losing cause, helped her climb 10 spots to No.23 in the ICC Women's ODI Batting Rankings. On the other hand, Harmanpreet Kaur faced the heat of her ordinary form with scores of 17 and 7 in the first two ODIs, dropping five places to No. 21 in the batting rankings. Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana remained steady at the top of the rankings after registering scores of 28 and 42 in the first two matches while maintaining her rating of 727. Sophia Dunkley's 83 off 92 balls in the first ODI played a key role in taking England to a strong total and earned her a jump of 24 places to No.52. On the other hand, Alice Davidson-Richards, who contributed with a solid 53, rose 40 spots to No.118. In the ICC Women's ODI bowling rankings, world No.1 Sophie Ecclestone strengthened her position at the top with four wickets in the series so far, including a Player of the Match-winning 3/27 in the second ODI. Her rating jumped from 747 to 776, further extending her lead over Aussie duo Ashleigh Gardner (724) and Megan Schutt (696), who round out the top three. Notably, finger spinners have dominated the series so far, with England's Charlie Dean and India's Sneh Rana picking up three wickets each. Dean broke into the top 10, climbing two places to No.9 with a career-best rating of 625 while Rana jumped 12 spots to No.21, also reaching a personal best rating of 515. Dean also made progress in the ICC Women's All-rounder Rankings, moving up to joint 14th alongside Australia's Ellyse Perry. Ecclestone's quick unbeaten 23 off 19 balls in the first ODI, combined with her four wickets in the series, helped her climb three spots to 18th in the all-rounders list.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
5 minutes ago
- First Post
Shooting League of India: NRAI hopes for IPL-like impact with new
Indian shooting has consistently made the country proud at the Olympics but shooters have never received the same attention as the cricketers. Will Shooting League of India change that? read more Indian shooters will compete with top foreign athletes in the Shooting League of India. Image: PTI Indian shooters, like most Olympic athletes in the country, are accustomed to being the poor cousins of their cricket counterparts but a new franchise-based league wants to change that. The Shooting League of India (SLI) will start on the outskirts of Delhi in November with six to eight teams, each an eclectic mix of the sport's global stars and local talents. 'Despite our consistent performance in the Olympics and other events, shooting does not have the kind of visibility it should have here,' National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) President Kalikesh Singh Deo told Reuters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The league will, hopefully, give some visibility to our shooters, popularise shooting overall and increase our mass appeal.' Will SLI give deserved visibility to Indian shooters? Each franchise will have a 12-member squad – six men and six women – with up to four foreigners in their ranks. More than 70 shooters from 25 countries have registered for next month's auction, Deo said without disclosing any names. 'This is a first of its kind league in shooting and we'll ensure that the best shooters come here and put up a great show,' he said. Similarities with the Indian Premier League (IPL) are uncanny and Deo acknowledged the influence of cricket's most lucrative T20 competition. 'Of course, IPL is a major, successful league for any sport and we've borrowed certain elements from it. But we understand that shooting is different from cricket,' Deo said. 'We are not competing with cricket, but we believe that shooting needs to be recognised for being one of the most successful sports in the country. 'It's a long-term venture and it's going to be fast, fun, and exciting. We'll make sure our franchises and our sponsors get a bang for their buck.' SLI looks to create IPL-like impact India remains a minor force at the Olympic Games but shooters have enjoyed consistent success, winning three of the country's six medals in Paris last year. The league, which requires franchises to include at least two shooters aged under 21, should go a long way to establishing India as a shooting powerhouse, Deo said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We have identified the youngsters, who will potentially compete in the 2032 and 2036 Olympics,' he said. 'This league will give the opportunity to all those shooters, who may not be part of the current national squad, to compete with the best and learn from them.' The NRAI will announce the league's franchises and broadcast partners in due course. The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) has thrown its support behind the league. 'Innovative formats like this have the potential to bring Olympic shooting to new audiences, offer more competitive opportunities for athletes, and enhance the visibility of our sport on a national and international level,' ISSF secretary general Alessandro Nicotra di San Giacomo told Reuters. 'We commend NRAI for taking this initiative and wish the league every success in its inaugural season.'
NDTV
12 minutes ago
- NDTV
Is It Too Hot To Play Cricket In India? Experts Say: "12 Per Cent Danger Of Heat Stroke"
Even before the experts from British Association for Sustainability in Sport (BASIS) came up with the report- Hit For Six, The Danger Zone, former Australian legend Shane Warne spoke about it. He said on the impact of Climate Change on Cricket. "I think we all have to admit now that climate change is a huge issue. Before I'd seen the report I hadn't really thought about how it would impact the game of cricket. I was really taken aback. I'm more than happy to put my hand up. I have got three children - 22, 20 and just about to turn 18 - it's a different world for them. People want to put their head in the sand, and say I'm not going to be around in 50 years. That's just wrong." A bunch of climate scientists and researchers, having analysed the IPL's 18th season or 2025 say that this year's matches were played under "Extreme Caution" or "Danger" on the Heat Index - a measure that combines air temperature and humidity to assess heat-related risk. More than 36% of 2025 IPL games took place under "Extreme Caution" conditions, where heat exhaustion becomes a serious threat, with a further 12% reaching a "Danger" classification where the risk of heatstroke becomes significant. Is it too hot to play cricket in India? What are experts saying? NDTV's @cheerica brings you this report — NDTV (@ndtv) July 22, 2025 The findings come from a report produced by the British Association for Sustainability in Sport (BASIS), Climate Central, Frontrunners and The Next Test. A total of 65 IPL matches were assessed for the study. Scientists are saying that they are witnessing a clear trend towards more frequent and more intense heat conditions for key cricketing nations. Players are now being asked to perform in environments that are not just uncomfortable, but potentially dangerous, with rising temperatures and humidity levels pushing human physiology towards its upper limits. This isn't just about performance - it's increasingly a question of player safety. The report charts a sharp rise in hazardous heat days at almost every major cricket stadium in India since 1970. In Mumbai, the number of these high-risk heat days has jumped by 125%, while Thiruvananthapuram recorded more than 100 hazardous heat days in 2024 alone. These are days when temperatures exceed safe limits for human health, dramatically increasing the risk of heat-related illness. And it is not just India, nations like Pakistan, Australia, and South Africa also seeing a significant surge in extreme heat days. Several elite sports like Wimbledon, the Club World Cup have also been impacted. When in comes to cricket, no major nation has been spared- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Caribbean and the UK are all facing a variety of climate extremes that are impacting the professional and grassroots game. Cricket stars and cricketers of all generations tell Hit for Six: the danger zone of the impacts to the game they love. Daren Ganga, former West Indies Captain (48 Tests) 'There is no doubt in my mind that today cricket faces its ultimate test. Forget concerns around different formats, TV deals or the battle for eyeballs in a multi-screen age. This challenge is an existential one and it comes in the form of a rapidly changing climate. I have played in blistering heat and vividly recall the nausea, the dizziness, the cramps that come with feelings of heatstroke. I have witnessed the disruption, despair and uncertainty sown by extreme and unpredictable weather. And things are only expected to deteriorate for the next generation of players, fans and clubs.' Ashton Turner, Australia (28 Tests), Rajasthan Royals, Lucknow Super Giants, "We can't separate cricket from the places we play in - under open skies, on natural turf, in conditions that are changing faster than ever. As players, we've seen firsthand how weather extremes are already impacting the game. It's time cricket wakes up to the reality of climate change - not just for the future of our sport, but for the communities and countries we represent. We can't afford to sit on the sidelines." 2025 is set to be in the top 3 warmest years on record, says the UN's WMO weather agency, a phenomenon that scientists say is overwhelmingly due to the burning of three fossil fuels: coal, gas and oil. The report takes into account the psychological and physiological responses from cricketers of all the major test playing nations. The report says," Cricket is a game that requires its players to have a wide range of physical and psychomotor skills, including concentration, hand-eye coordination, agility, fast decision making, fast reaction times, sprinting and endurance. These technical skills, cognitive and physiological capabilities, must be maintained at the highest of levels over the course of often long periods. Many of these functions are adversely affected by the heat and high body temperatures. The implications for cricket matches being played in very hot conditions are many and varied." This extreme heat threatens to affect the cricketers and fans. Perhaps time for policy makers to act on it.
