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ICC T20 World Cup

Sunil Gavaskar breaks silence on Pakistan–India group draw

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Sunil Gavaskar

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has revealed the reason behind placing Pakistan and India in the same group for major international tournaments.

In a column written for a digital platform, Gavaskar said the primary objective of grouping the two arch-rivals together is to ensure at least one high-profile clash between them during the event.

He explained that, similar to previous mega tournaments, Pakistan and India have not only been placed in the same group but also in a comparatively easier pool to increase the likelihood of both teams progressing to the next round — setting the stage for further high-intensity encounters.

In the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin next month, Pakistan and India have been drawn in Group A alongside Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Gavaskar further noted that the United States could emerge as a competitive side in the tournament, having gained valuable experience through participation in Major League Cricket (MLC).

Sri Lanka make big move ahead of ICC T20 World Cup

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Sri Lanka

Colombo: Ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the Sri Lankan cricket team has made a significant leadership change by replacing Charith Asalanka with Dasun Shanaka, who has been reinstated as the T20 team captain.

According to Cricinfo, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board announced that Shanaka will lead the team for the tournament scheduled in February next year and will continue as captain until the conclusion of the event.

The decision on captaincy was delayed due to the expiration of the former selection committee, which was chaired by Appul Tharanga.

Upon announcing the preliminary squad for the World Cup, Sri Lanka’s new chief selector, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, confirmed that Shanaka would helm the team. The choice was made in consultation with head coach Sanath Jayasuriya.

The chief selector stated that the 25-member squad prepared by the previous selection committee has been retained as the initial squad.

After detailed discussions with high-performance head Jerome J. Ratnayake and the coaching staff, this squad was deemed optimal for the tournament.

Wickramasinghe added that Dasun Shanaka is considered as an all-rounder, and his role will be finalized in consultation with the coaching staff in the coming days.

It is noteworthy that Shanaka had been appointed vice-captain during the tri-nation series in Pakistan last month, as Charith Asalanka had to leave the series midway due to illness.

During that tournament, Sri Lanka suffered a defeat against Zimbabwe but managed to reach the final, where they lost to hosts Pakistan.