ITV

Tag: ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

  • “ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will attract TV audience of 1 billion”: Andrew Robb

    “ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will attract TV audience of 1 billion”: Andrew Robb

    MUMBAI: The countdown to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 has already begun with fans gearing up to watch the matches either on television or at the stadiums. Buoyant about the event, Australian Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb is of the opinion that it will engage one fifth of the world’s population. Robb said, “India and Australia are both blessed with the love for cricket. The upcoming World Cup will attract a TV audience of one billion!”

     

    Robb was speaking at the ‘Match Australia’ programme, which is part of the ongoing Australia Business Week being held in India. He had great admiration for the ‘God’ of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, who sadly will be missed at this year’s World Cup. “Tendulkar is not the God of Cricket just in India but also Australia,” he added.

     

    Post his revelations, a panel discussion brainstormed and analysed on the current form of the Indian and Australian cricket teams slated to participate for the World Cup. Joining the panel were cricket expert and commentator Harsha Bhogle, former cricketer and current Cricket Australia board member Michael Kasprowicz and former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar. The session was moderated by sports columnist Ayaz Memon.

     

    Posing a question to Kasprowicz, Memon said, “Michael Clarke, who is recovering from a series of hamstring injuries, will be leading the Australian squad. From a fitness point of view, is it a wise decision?” In his reply, Kasprowicz said, “While that could be a concern, one needs to look at it at an overall point of view. It is a great, experienced and in my opinion a very balanced squad.” Manjrekar interjected saying that he found the overall game scenario in Australia changing, from a team that was earlier precise in decision making to today not being able to take a concrete call as in Clarke’s case. Kasprowicz didn’t differ with him as he agreed that the current scenario in Australian cricket was changing but only a bit, not more.

     

    Memon with his insights of the game took to another parallel of the game by asking, “With Dhoni announcing his retirement from test cricket, is the state of mind of the current squad going to be crucial? Will the decision and the World Cup redefine the role for MS Dhoni ahead?” Manjrekar was all praise for ‘captain cool’ by speaking about his prowess for the game. He found Dhoni to possess a unique character wherein he, with his decision-making and on-field abilities, was able to make up for half of the overall team. “Dhoni is not someone who is concerned about the history of the game. In fact he will not be able to name even five captains of the Indian cricket teams from the past, if questioned.” Not stopping there, he went on to mouth his own version of the famous ‘Mere Paas Ma Hai’ dialogue from Bollywood movie ‘Deewaar’ by looking at Kasprowicz teasingly and saying, “If you guys have Steve Smith and Mitchell Johnson, we have Mahendra Singh Dhoni.” While the audience cackled, Kasprowicz, not surprisingly, was unable to comprehend the humour.

     

    Memon then quizzed Bhogle about his biggest concern with regards to India’s squad for the upcoming event. The expert lamented, “India’s bowling skills are weakening a bit. If the bowling skills improve, we will have a great game. You don’t need to take many wickets but just bowl well.”

     

    The panel then moved to discussing whether India’s celebrity cricketer Virat Kohli could become the biggest pivot at the World Cup this year? Manjrekar said it was a treat to watch both Kohli and Steven Smith bat at the last India versus Australia test series. “Kohli will be a great contributor at the World Cup after Dhoni,” he expressed.

     

    The statement led to Memon asking the panel if India’s squad had the right balance of experienced as well as young players? Bhogle was the first to reply, saying, “With Tendulkar and most of the well known bowlers from the previous squad now gone, it looks very much younger but I know from the talent that was available to us, the best were picked.” Manjrekar added that one important feature of the World Cup was holding up one’s nerves even during the most testing times. He therefore was of the opinion that India’s squad had a balanced mix of young players as well as those who were not only experienced but also temperamentally strong.

     

    While the panel picked up their home teams as favourites to win for the World Cup, Kasprowicz concluded by saying, “I wish to see the finals being played between India and Australia at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) stadium with both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbot in attendance.”

     

    Prior to the discussion Bhogle was honored with the ‘Friends of Australia’ award for his contribution to the game and helping foster better relations between the two countries. As part of the ‘Match Australia Programme,’ the gentlemen’s game will be used as an opportunity for investors to visit Australia, enjoy the game and also help boost commerce with a three day weekend programme. As part of the initiative, businessmen can attend investment roundtables on Fridays, followed by sight-seeing tours on Saturdays and by watching cricket matches at the stadium on Sundays.

     

  • Team India’s new World Cup jersey unveiled in Melbourne

    Team India’s new World Cup jersey unveiled in Melbourne

    MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) along with the official apparel sponsor Nike has unveiled the new jersey for ‘Team India’ at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. With the tri-series knocking at the door, which will lead the team to the all important World Cup 2015, this effort from BCCI will surely help the cricketers to start fresh.
     
    The new kit has a different shade of blue and is said to be an improvement from the previous version. The improvisation is not limited to colours but also inputs from players were regularly taken in order to make the jersey as comfortable as possible. Additionally, apart from inputs from the Indian cricketers, Team India’s uniform was designed by listening to the voice of the athletes and collecting data on the form and movement of today’s players on the field.

     

    Following extensive research and athlete driven insights, Nike designers created a new dynamic fit using a unique four way stretch fabric ideal for cricket, enhancing comfort for the players and allowing the body to move naturally within the kit. The Nike Dri-FIT technology and Nike Pro Baselayer helps regulate the player’s body temperature through increased venting and breathability for players to stay focused on their game.

     

    Besides all, one of the key significance of the kit is its environment friendly quotient. It is made out of 100 per cent recycled polymers, which means one complete kit takes away 33 thrown plastic bottles away from the atmosphere.
     
    “The new Team India uniform is light, comfortable and packed with innovation to help minimise distractions on the field of play and that’s critical when millimeters make a difference between a game winning innings or wicket. 2015 is a massive year for Team India as the best teams in the world compete for cricket’s greatest prize. The Team India jersey truly symbolizes the passion for cricket in our nation; wearing this jersey is a matter of pride for every player,” said Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

     

    BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel emphasised on the emotional attachments. “This is more than just a jersey; this is the passion of a billion hearts, the colour that unites the entire nation. We are pleased that Nike has used its global expertise to adopt innovative technologies from different sports and craft them to the specific needs of Team India players. The new kit is a perfect testimonial to Nike’s dedication in delivering nothing but the best,” he said.
     
    After a disappointing series in whites, it is time for Team India to conquer new heights and winning the tri-series will be perfect beginning for the team in the new kit.

  • Will test retirement impact ‘Brand Dhoni’?

    Will test retirement impact ‘Brand Dhoni’?

    MUMBAI: Mahindra Singh Dhoni’s achievements suddenly seem to be a thing of the past. What immediately comes to mind is Dhoni’s stupendous victory as hugely popular ‘Captain Cool’ of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. 

     

    Dhoni recently announced his impending retirement from the test cricket format,  to supposedly concentrate better on ODI and T20 formats.  Close on the heels of this news, came the announcement that Dhoni had been declared the team’s captain of the Indian squad, at the forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

     

    His on-field, cool ‘dude’ charms and his exciting and varied hairstyles, have hitherto made him quite the favourite with various Indian brands. Not surprisingly, late last year, he was the only Indian sports person to figure on Forbes list of the world’s most valuable athlete brands. Ranked at the fifth position, with a mammoth brand value of $20 million, he was darting ahead of sprinter Usain Bolt and even edged football giants like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who were placed at the sixth, seventh and ninth position, respectively. But will the recent announcement grossly affect his brand value or his new signings? Only time will tell…

     

    Celebrity and sports management firm, CAA KWAN’s COO, Indranil Das Blah, feels his retirement from test cricket will definitely impact his erstwhile huge brand value. “Being the captain of the Indian test cricket team, he is pretty much the statesman of Indian cricket, but now brands will see him retiring slowly as he winds down his career.” When questioned if his performance at the ICC World Cup 2015 could impact his brand value, he goes on to say, “If the team manages to do well and even win, Dhoni’s brand value could be bigger than ever before. Therefore, if the team is not successful, the captain’s brand value will simultaneously diminish rapidly. So, all rests on the World Cup.”

     

    The cricketer currently endorses close to 20 different brands in categories ranging from FMCG, telecom to real estate. He also co-owns the Chennaiyin FC team of the Hero Indian Super League, a fitness chain called SportsFit and the Ranchi team for the Hockey India League, along with Sahara India Pariwar. He is the face and his wife Sakshi Singh Rawat, holds a 25 per cent stake in Amrapali Mahi Developers, which is a joint venture between the sports personality and the firm.

     

    According to Eureka Mobile Advertising’s senior vice president Ganapathy Viswanathan, the move won’t see any impact on his brand fees. “I do not see his brand value being affected. For the simple reason that at the end of the day, cricket has become an entertainment-based game. He is still in the exciting part of the game like ODIs and Twenty20s.  Therefore, I do not see his brand value being diluted. Maybe, it will not go up phenomenally, but it will remain stable.”

     

    GroupM ESP India entertainment sports and live events national director Vinit Karnik, on the other hand, opines that Dhoni’s brand value will not be impacted in the short term this year, as he will still be playing the game’s marquee events like the World Cup and the Indian Premiere League (IPL). “But subsequently, in 2016, there could be an impact. Post 2015, there will definitely be some correction, even if he does well at the World Cup.”

  • Tata Sky launches India’s first 4K set top box

    Tata Sky launches India’s first 4K set top box

    MUMBAI: Leading the innovation cycle, direct-to-home (DTH) operator Tata Sky begins the new year with the launch of India’s first 4K set top box (STB) in India. The set top box will be available for existing and new subscribers to enjoy the forthcoming cricket matches in ultra HD 4K picture clarity.

     

    Prospective subscribers can now book their Tata Sky 4K set top box at just Rs 6,400 while existing subscribers can avail the box at Rs 5,900. Subscribers can enjoy it as their first connection or an additional STB at home with the Tata Sky Multi TV connection option. Apart from relaying 4K content, the box will also showcase Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) channels. The 4K set top boxes can be pre-booked through the Tata Sky 24X7 helpline, Tata Sky website and dealers.

     

    Tata Sky 4K is a new generation set top box with the capability of delivering Ultra High Definition picture quality and Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 surround sound. 4K at 8.3 megapixels (3840×2160) has approximately four times the pixels as that of 2K (1920×1080) the current HD standard, thus brings far greater clarity and more vivid colors on screen for viewers.

     

    The launch of the Tata Sky 4K set top box has been timed just before the cricket matches. This will ensure that cricket and sports enthusiasts are well in time to own Tata Sky 4K STBs to witness the cricketing extravaganza for the first time in 4K picture quality.

     

    The launch plans were unveiled in July last year when Tata Sky showcased the first ever live FIFA World Cup quarter final match in 4K. Believing in taking innovation and customer needs to newer summits, Tata Sky has always been a step ahead of the industry, with launches such as the HD PVR (Personal Video Recorder), Video-On-Demand (VOD) service, unique interactive services, Everywhere TV, the Karaoke service and now the 4K set top box.

     

     

  • M S Dhoni to lead team for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

    M S Dhoni to lead team for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

    MUMBAI: The wait is finally over for cricket fans as the list of the Indian squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup has been finalised.

    The all-India senior selection committee, which met today, selected the Indian team for the tri-series between India, Australia and England to be played in Australia from 18 January 2015, as well as the final Indian team for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup 2015. It will be played in Australia and New Zealand from February 2015.

    The Indian squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will be led by MS Dhoni while Virat Kohli has been appointed as the vice captain. Others in the squad include Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Md. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma.

     

    On the other hand, the squad for the tri series will see Dhoni taking charge as the captain. Kohli will again come into play as the vice captain. The others who made it to the list are Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Md. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni.

     

  • 2015: ICC World Cup, IPL: Airtel’s ad and marketing expenses likely to increase in FY-2015-16

    2015: ICC World Cup, IPL: Airtel’s ad and marketing expenses likely to increase in FY-2015-16

    BENGALURU:  With the 11th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup (World Cup) around the corner and IPL season soon thereafter, it is quite obvious that most major media planners must have already booked or are in the process of booking spots on anything and everything that has something to do with cricket. Bharati Airtel Limited (Airtel) has been increasing its advertising and marketing spends (A&M exp) during each edition of the game along with other communication players in the country.

    Notes: (1) All figures mentioned in this report are standalone and NOT consolidated, unless stated otherwise.

    (2) 100,00,000 = 1000,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore

    In 2003, the year of the 8thedition of the World Cup, the company had more than doubled its A&M exp to Rs 166 crore (5.43 per cent of standalone Total Income or TI) from Rs 82.88 crore (5.51 per cent of TI) in FY-2002. In both FY-2002 and FY-2003, Airtel reported loss of Rs 180.53 crore and Rs 176.42 crore respectively. TI in FY-2003 was more than double (up 2.03 times) at Rs 3054.44 crore versus the Rs 1504.12 crore in FY-2002.

    In FY-2004 the company continued its growth path and reported 64.9 per cent increase in TI to Rs 5036.94 crore, A&M exp of Rs 198.77 crore (3.95 per cent of TI) and a PAT (Profit After Tax) of Rs 584.91 crore (11.6 per cent of TI). The company has always been in the black since then, with PAT growing in absolute value as well as in terms of percentage of TI to peak to Rs 9426.15 crore (26.5 percent of TI) in FY-2010.

    Circa 2007, the year of the 9th edition of the World Cup, which started towards the fag end of fiscal 2007 and overlapped to the beginning of fiscal 2008, Airtel’s A&M exp in FY-2007at Rs 402.47 crore (2.26 per cent of TI) was just 0.5 per cent more than the Rs 400.33 crore (3.55 per cent of TI) it had spent in FY-2006. But then 2008 was also the first season of the Indian Premiere League (IPL) Cricket and the company’s A&M exp hiked by 40.7 per cent in FY-2008 to Rs 566.47 crore (2.2 per cent of TI).

    In FY-2007 and FY-2008, Airtel reported PAT of Rs 4033.23 crore and Rs 6244.19 crore respectively. TI in FY-2008 at Rs 25703.51 crore was 44.4 per cent more than the Rs 17944.34 crore in FY-2007.

    In FY-2011, the year of the 10th edition of the World Cup, Airtel spent its highest A&M within a 10 year period starting FY-2005 (FY-05) till FY-2014 (FY-14) at Rs 721.50 crore (1.88 per cent of TI). Corresponding TI and PAT numbers were Rs 38338.90 crore and 7716.90 crore (20.1 per cent of TI) respectively.

    Growth in TI which was in single digits at just 4.7 per cent in FY-2010 versus the previous year, and 7.7 per cent in FY-2011 versus FY-2010, spurted by 10.1 per cent in FY-2012 to Rs 42285.00 crore.

    FY-2014 has again witnessed single digit growth of 8.5 per cent to Rs 50771.90 crore, but that could be attributed to huge 70 per cent mobile subscription penetration attained in the country with 88.63 crore subscriptions (The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India -TRAI claims 93.3 crore mobile subscriptions) against a population of 125.58 crore reported in July 2014.

    Though Fig 1 above indicates that Airtel’s A&M exp has been going up in absolute rupees, it shows a declining trend in A&M exp in terms of percentage of TI.

    Further, as mentioned above, Airtel reported its highest PAT in FY-2010 at Rs 9426.15 crore (26.5 per cent of TI). Since then, PAT dropped steadily to Rs 5096.30 crore (10.9 per cent of TI) in FY-2013, before registering an increase of 29.5 per cent to reach Rs 6600.20 crore (13 per cent of TI) in FY-2014 (Please refer to Fig 2 above).

    Considering the scenario, – sagging PAT and a very aggressive competition in a market place that is reaching saturation in subscription, it is inevitable that the company increase its A&M spends, and the coming World Cup followed by IPL in the early part of fiscal 2016 seem to be the most obvious vehicles for a resurrection of sorts.

    Also post Cricket World Cup years (2003, 2007, 2011), the company’s A&M spends have increased, so FY-2017, FY-2018 should show the company spending more towards A&M.

    In Q2-2015 results, Airtel has indicated a growth of 10.1 per cent in consolidated TI for H1-2015 versus H1-2015. In case the company maintains the same growth rate in H2-2015, extrapolating the 10.1 per cent growth to standalone TI, Airtel’s FY-2015 TI should be in the range of Rs 56,000 crore. Assuming that it maintains A&M spends at 1.2 per cent of TI, its A&M exp for FY-2015 should be at least Rs 670 crore.

  • Jayawardene, Afridi, the most experienced players in ICC Cricket WC 2015

    Jayawardene, Afridi, the most experienced players in ICC Cricket WC 2015

    MUMBAI: Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene and Shahid Afridi of Pakistan are in line to become the most experienced players in ICC Cricket World Cup history, after they were named in provisional squads for the tournament that starts on 14 February.

     

    The two players made their World Cup debuts at the ICC Cricket World Cup 1999, and have appeared in every event since then.

     

    While Jayawardene featured in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and 2011, as well as the semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, Shahid Afridi was a member of the Pakistan side that played the final at Lord’s in 1999. He captained Pakistan at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 where Pakistan reached the semi-final.

     

    If the two players are named in the final line-ups, likely to be announced around 8 January 2015, then they will join the exclusive company of Wasim Akram, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Aravinda de Silva, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Sanath Jayasuriya, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Brian Lara, Muttiah Muralidaran, Thomas Odoyo, Ricky Ponting, Arjuna Ranatunga and Steve Tikolo, who have each played in five ICC Cricket World Cups to date.

     

    Pakistan’s Javed Miandad and India’s Sachin Tendulkar, with six ICC Cricket World Cups each, share the record for the most appearances at ICC’s pinnacle event.

     

    Interestingly, this will be the first ICC Cricket World Cup which will be held without either Javed Miandad or Sachin Tendulkar. Javed Miandad played from 1975 to 1996, while Tendulkar represented his country from 1992-2011.

     

    Miandad featured in semi-finals in 1979, 1983 and 1987, final in 1992 and quarter-final in 1996, while Tendulkar appeared in the 1996 quarter-final, and 2003 and 2011 finals.

    Besides Jayawardene and Shahid Afridi, seven other players are in line to appear in their fourth World Cup: James Anderson, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Younis Khan, Robin Peterson, Kumar Sangakkara and Daniel Vettori.

     

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is returning the ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time since 1996, has named the oldest and youngest players of the tournament in its 30-player provisional squad. Khurram Khan at 43 is the oldest players (born 21 June 1971) while Yodhin Punja, who turned 15 on 24 April 2014, is the youngest player.

     

     

    The provisional squads are:

     

    Australia (squad submitted but has opted not to release the names)

     

    Afghanistan – Afsar Zazai, Aftab Alam, Amir Hamza, Asghar Stanekzai, Dawlat Zadran, Fareed Ahmad, Fazal Rahman, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Izatullah, Javed Ahmadi, Karim Sadiq, Merwais Ashraf, Mohammad Mujtaba, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, Najeeb Tarakai, Najibullah Zadran, Nasir Jamal, Nawroz Mangal, Noor Ali Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Samiullah Shinwari, Shabir Noori, Shafiqullah, Shapoor Zadran, Sharafudin, Usman Ghani and Yamin Ahmadzai.

     

    Bangladesh – Abdur Razzak, Abul Hasan Raju, Al-Amin Hossain, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Arafat Sunny, Imrul Kayes, Jubair Hossain, Liton Kumar Das, Mahmudullah, Marshall Ayub, Masrafe Bin Mortaza, Mohammad Elias, Mohammad Mithun, Mohammed Sahid, Mominul Haque, Muktar Ali, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Shabbir Rahaman, Shafiul Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Shamsur Rahman, Shuvagata Hom, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Taijul Islam, Tamim Iqbal and Ziaur Rahman.

     

    England – Alastair Cook (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Gary Ballance,

    Ian Bell, Sam Billings, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jack Brooks, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Eoin Morgan, Stephen Parry, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Boyd Rankin, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, James Tredwell, James Vince, Chris Woakes and Luke Wright.

     

    Ireland (squad submitted but has opted not to release the names)

     

    India – Varun Aaron, Ravichandaran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Ashoke Dinda, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Virat Kohli, Dhawal Kulkarni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Manish Pandey, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Parveez Rasool, Ambati Rayudu, Wriddhiman Saha, Sanju Samson, Ishant Sharma, Karn Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Manoj Tiwary, Robin Uthappa, Murali Vijay, Kuldeep Yadav and Umesh Yadav.

     

    New Zealand – Corey Anderson, Hamish Bennett, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Neil Broom, Dean Brownlie, Colin de Grandhomme, Anton Devcich, Grant Elliott, Andrew Ellis, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Ronnie Hira, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, James Neesham, Rob Nicol, Luke Ronchi, Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori, BJ Watling and Kane Williamson.

     

    Pakistan – Ahmad Shahzad, Anwar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Ehsan Adil, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Junaid Khan, Kamran Akmal, Misbah Ul Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Talha, Nasir Jamshed, Raza Hasan, Saeed Ajmal, Sami Aslam, Shahid Afridi, Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Tanvir, Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Younus Khan and Zulfiqar Babar.

     

    Scotland (24 player announced) – Preston Mommsen (captain), Kyle Coetzer (vice-captain), Richie Berrington, Frederick Coleman, Matthew Cross, Joshua Davey, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Gordon Goudie, Majid Haq, Moneeb Iqbal, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Gavin Main, George Munsey, David Murphy, Safyaan Sharif, Ruaidhri Smith, Robert Taylor, Andrew Umeed, Craig Wallace, Iain Wardlaw, Mark Watt

     

    South Africa – AB de Villiers (captain), Hashim Amla (vice-capt), Kyle Abbott, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock, Marchant de Lange, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Andrew Puttick, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Mthokozisi Shezi, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk and David Wiese.

     

    Sri Lanka – Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Shaminda Eranga, Lahiru Gamage, Rangana Herath, Mahela Jayawardene, Dimuth Karunaratne, Tharindu Kaushal, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Jeevan Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Kusal Perera, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Dhammika Prasad, Seekkuge Prasanna, Ashan Priyanjan, Lakshan Sandakan, Kumar Sangakkara, Sachithra Senanayake, Ramith Rambukwella, Lahiru Thirimanne, Upul Tharanga and Kithuruwan Vithanage.

     

    United Arab Emirates (UAE) – Ahmed Raza, Ahsan Ali, Amjad Ali, Amjad Javed, Andri Raffaelo, Asadullah Shareef, Chirag Suri, Fahad Alhasimi, Faizan Asif, Fayyaz Ahmed, Irfan Sajid, Kamran Shahzad, Khurram Khan, K. Karate, Manjula Guruge, Mohammad Naveed, Mohammad Shahzad, Mohammad Tauqir, Nasir Aziz, Noor Ul Amin, Rohan Mustafa, Rohit Singh, Salman Farooq, Saqib Ali, Saqlain Haider, Shaiman Anwar, Swapnil Patil, Usman Mushtaq, Umair Ali and Yodhin Punja.

     

    West Indies – Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Miguel Cummins, Narsingh Deonarine, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Imran Khan, Evin Lewis, Marquino Mindley, Nikita Miller, Sunil Narine, Ashley Nurse, Veerasammy Permaul, Keon Peters, Keiron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Devon Smith and Jerome Taylor.

     

    Zimbabwe – Sikandar Butt, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Brian Chari, Elton Chigumbura, Justice Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Neville Madziva, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Hamilton Masakadza, Winstone Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Timycen Maruma, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Natsai M’shangwe, Solomon Mire, Peter Moor, Tawanda Mupariwa, Cuthbert Musoko, Richmond Mutumbami, John Nyumbu, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams and Cephas Zhuwao.

     

  • Starsports.com to show ICC WC 2015 in four languages

    Starsports.com to show ICC WC 2015 in four languages

    MUMBAI: As the year comes to an end, cricket fans are eagerly awaiting for 2015 to begin. Cricket mania is set to take over as ICC Cricket World Cup will begin in February next year. And waiting to cash in on the opportunity is starsports.com.

     

    According to Star India EVP and new media head Ajit Mohan, the portal will be following a three step strategy ahead of the mega event. “Firstly, we will create an immersive experience by launching a video timeline that will be available to all fans of starsports.com fans. It will allow them to catch up very quickly on a match, when they come to witness the action on the website. We were the first to introduce the video timeline and we will now take it to every fan,” he says.

     

    “Secondly, we will provide the option for users to switch between languages. Currently we are looking at four languages; Hindi, English and two regional languages,” he adds.

     

    “Thirdly, we are going to have a lot more data and analytics on our site. Apart from this, there will be original stories written by a stellar list of writers like Harsha Bhogle,” he informs.

     

    The website currently is in a celebratory mood. According to data, recently released by comScore, the portal which was launched in June 2013 has beaten the dominant 20 year-old market leader ESPNcricinfo, by a slender margin. For the month of October, the website garnered 4.242 million traffic versus 4.233 million of ESPNcricinfo.

     

    The data also suggests that sports viewership in India is going through a rapid change due to a shift in viewership patterns. Consumers are moving away from basic text and scorecards to a more immersive sports experience on digital. The explosion in the sale of smart phones and increase in access to 3G and broadband explains this trend, says the study.

     

    When questioned what have been the ingredients that have helped starsports.com achieve this recent feat, Mohan explains that the portal has always focused on three areas – enhancing video experience, engaging data and analytics and lastly, storytelling.

     

    “We want to create a video experience that surpasses all constraints of data access and works even at low bandwidths,” says Mohan while adding that sports fans are avid consumers of statistical data too.

     

    Mohan credits his digital team for the website’s way forward. “The DNA of this company is that we are story tellers. We turn data and analytics into sports telling, in a way that can’t be done on television.  For example, we have short clips of matches that are curated to tell a story,” concludes Mohan.

  • ICC releases news access regulations for Indian news broadcasters ahead of WC

    ICC releases news access regulations for Indian news broadcasters ahead of WC

    MUMBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its news access regulations for broadcasters in India intending to report on the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and its warm-up matches which will be staged across 14 venues in Australia and New Zealand from 10 February to 29 March 2015.  

     

    The regulations are solely for bona fide news broadcasters registered under the category of News and Current Affairs channels according to Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s downlinking guidelines. The regulations have been based on and reflect the current law in India governing news access. The regulations will remain in full force and effect until 24 hours after the end of the last match of the event.  

     

    To ensure complete fulfillment of the news access regulations, the council will be appointing a media agency to monitor compliance with the regulations. In the event of any non-compliance it will take legal action against the non-compliant party; such action may include issuing proceedings and/or seeking injunctive relief.

     

     Some of the guidelines state that a designated broadcaster may telecast a maximum total of five and half minutes of footage per news day during its news and other programmes. The broadcast of any footage may be repeated during a news day and any permitted repeat shall not count towards the maximum total allowed.

     
    Use of live footage by a news broadcaster is not permitted at any time under any circumstances. There must be a minimum of at least thirty minutes delay following the broadcast of any live footage by the official/host broadcaster before any extract of such footage may be used by the broadcaster. However they are permitted to interrupt regular news programmes and/or other news programmes to broadcast footage using the caption ‘breaking news’ or such equivalent, only for a period not exceeding fifteen seconds and for no more than one exhibition of footage within thirty  minutes following the broadcast of such live footage by the official host to report the achievement of an important personal milestone by a player (for example, a hat-trick of wickets falling, 100 wickets being taken, or  1000 runs being scored) or other exceptional events that may occur during any match of the mega event.

     

    No use of any footage is permitted in any circumstance for any commercial purposes. In the event that the official event or the logo of its appointed broadcast licensee in India (i.e., Star India) should be covered by the logo of the broadcaster. It must include a courtesy line extended at the bottom of, or elsewhere, on the screen.

     

    Click here for the PDF

     

  • ICC Cricket WC 2015 sees a 20 per cent jump in total prize money

    ICC Cricket WC 2015 sees a 20 per cent jump in total prize money

    MUMBAI: The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 is set to get bigger. The ICC Board under the chairmanship of Narayanaswami Srinivasan which met recently at its headquarters has approved total prize money of USD 10 million, an increase of approximately 20 per cent from the last World Cup which was held in 2011.

    The board which met to receive an update on the 2015 World Cup expressed satisfaction with the preparations for the Council’s pinnacle 50-over tournament. The board has also decided that if a team wins the tournament without losing a single match it will receive atotal prize money of USD 4,020,000, while a team that loses one match on the way to winning the tournament will receive USD 3,975,000.

    The breakdown of the prize money is given below:

    The board has approved the cut-off dates for qualification to the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The top eight sides on the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings on 30 September 2015 will qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, which will be hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The cut-off date for the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019 also to be played in England and Wales was set for 30 September 2017. The top eight ranked sides on that date will automatically qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, while the ninth and 10th ranked teams will play in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier to be held in Bangladesh in 2018.
    The board also accepted the revised ICC Anti-Doping Code, ICC Anti-Corruption Code and Code of Ethics. While the Anti-Doping Code, which is in line with the 2015 World Anti-Doping Code, will come into effect from 1 January 2015, the revised Anti-Corruption Code and the Code of Ethics will come into effect immediately.
    ICC chairman N. Srinivasan speaking about the revision of the ICC Anti Corruption Code said: “The process for the revision was exhaustive and has been based on our learnings and experiences over the past few years. This Code is now even more robust and comprehensive and it provides clarity on jurisdictional issues, gives options to the charged participant and offers more choices to the Anti-Corruption Tribunal.”
     ICC chief executive David Richardson commented, “The battle against corruption remains one of cricket’s biggest challenges and we remain committed to eliminating this menace from our sport. Although the final outcome is likely to be presented at the January meeting, I have been heartened with the progress the Integrity Working Party has made.”
      Also, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s nomination of Najam Sethi who was the former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, for the ICC Presidency has been accepted. He will be taking over from Mustafa Kamal as the ICC President for a period of 12 months.