After a 117-day absence, international cricket returned in familiar fashion on Wednesday as rain and bad light restricted the first Test between England and West Indies to 17.4 overs and the hosts closed a frustrating day on 35-1.
Equity indices gave up early gains to close in the red for the third session on the trot on Wednesday, weighed by selling in banking and finance counters amid inflationary pressures and persistent foreign fund outflows. A weak rupee and lacklustre global cues also kept buying sentiment in check, traders said. The 30-share BSE Sensex opened on a firm footing but failed to hold on the momentum, finishing 237.44 points or 0.41 per cent lower at 58,338.93. On similar lines, the broader NSE Nifty dipped 54.65 points or 0.31 per cent to close at 17,475.65.
The country's leading wicket-taker with 575 Test wickets, is targeting a return when they tour South Africa for a four-Test series starting at the end of December.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said overseas players would, from January 1 2019, become eligible to play for England after living in the country for three years rather than a previous seven.
Play was abandoned without a ball being bowled on the third day of the second Test between England and the West Indies as rain fell persistently over Old Trafford on Saturday.
Under-fire England head coach Chris Silverwood has tested positive for COVID-19 while quarantining in Melbourne with his family but he is expected to join the team ahead of the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart.
Images from the opening day of the third and final Test between England and Pakistan in Southampton, on Friday.
India would be hosting the global T20 event in October and given the tense diplomatic ties between the two neighbours, the PCB has sought assurances that the visa process of their players and support staff would be dealt with by the ICC.
The novel coronavirus shutdown has allowed cricketers to recharge their batteries and could help prolong their careers by a few years, England wicket-keeper Jos Buttler said. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last month extended the suspension of the professional game in the country until July 1 and Buttler believes the extended break will prove beneficial in the long run.
Virat Kohli stepped down as India's 20-overs skipper and lost ODI captaincy too with Rohit Sharma taking over as their sole white-ball leader.
England's Jofra Archer is likely to miss the Indian Premier League as national team coach Chris Silverwood wants the fast bowler to play cricket with Sussex to get up to speed before the home Test series against West Indies in June. Archer, who has a contract with the Rajasthan Royals franchise in the IPL, has been out of action since January with an elbow injury.
India women will play Pakistan women on July 31.
The three-match series is in jeopardy after a number of COVID-19 cases in the bio-secure environment at the hotel both teams share, including a South African player, two hotel staff and potentially two members of the England party.
Ben Stokes returned to practice with England on Wednesday after the condition of his critically ill father improved, but three others missed out as illness continue to plague the tourists, 24 hours ahead of the first Test against South Africa at Centurion. Stokes spent Tuesday at the bedside of father Ged, who was hospitalised the day before due to a "serious illness".
The proposed event, to be hosted by India, England and Australia on rotational basis from 2021, has divided opinions as it is likely to increase revenue of the boards involved. The ICC doesn't approve tournaments involving more than three teams, which are not part of its own multi-lateral roster.
The custom WWE Championship Title will remain with the ECB as a permanent fixture at Lord's.
Australia and Pakistan are currently playing the second match of a two-Test series in the UAE, with Tim Paine's side seeking their first series win in Asia since 2011 after a battling draw in the last match.
ECB will review his progress next month
'The last time we played each other, they won, so they're no slouches certainly'
India 'A' began their UK tour on a promising note, thrashing England Cricket Board XI by 125 runs following half centuries from captain Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw and Ishan Kishan.
The England players are all set to be allowed to take part in the remainder of the cash-rich Indian Premier League after the postponement of their limited overs series in Bangladesh in September.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the 2nd Test played between England and West Indies at Manchester on Sunday.
West Indies have won this year's Spirit of Cricket award after sending both their men's and women's teams to tour England during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) announced.
IMAGES from Day 5 of the 3rd and final Test played between England and Pakistan played at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday.
Images from the first ODI between England and Australia, at Old Trafford in Manchester, on Friday
Jofra Archer was supposed to link up with the England team, who are going into isolation head of their Test series against West Indies, in Southampton on Tuesday.
In awe of India's in-form bowling attack, England batsman Dawid Malan on Tuesday said the "well-led" visiting team has got the firepower to win Tests in all conditions. The two teams will clash in the third Tests starting in Leeds on Wednesday with India leading 1-0 in the five-match series.
The complainant must file the complaint within three months from the date of the incident and the Internal Committee will give seven working days to the accused to respond to the allegations. The respondent gets 10 days to respond.
Malan enjoyed a fruitful series against Australia, scoring 66, 44 and 21 in three games to guide England to a 2-1 series victory.
Australia and West Indies have played just six ODIs since the World Cup Super League began last year.
Both Stokes and Archer were rested for the ongoing two-match Test series in Sri Lanka
England Test captain Joe Root is keen to play international cricket this summer but not by compromising on quality of the game or its intensity, the 29-year-old has said. With professional cricket suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is considering playing the series against West Indies and Pakistan behind closed doors.
As regards India, FIIs have pumped in over Rs 34,400 crore in the Indian stocks in calendar year 2021.
England are committed to making cricket more inclusive after confronting "ugly truths" in the past week about offensive historical tweets from their players, captain Joe Root said on Wednesday.
Roy was struck on the neck during training on Tuesday and although the 29-year-old passed required concussion protocols on Wednesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to have an extra option at the top of the order.
Ben Stokes will join his England team mates in New Zealand later this week after the cricketer appeared at a magistrates' court on Tuesday to indicate a plea of not guilty to a charge of affray.
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