Sports events that are lined up for 2020

2020 promises a range of exciting sporting events. 

2019 had seen many things in sports but 2020 promises a new experience with many major events like cricket and football lined up for the opening year of the new decade. 

Let’s take a look at what the New Year has in store for those who crave competition.

The return of Conor McGregor Photo: File

Conor McGregor did not throw any punches in all of 2019 — at least not in the octagon. The year was poor without him. 2020, however, will start with a McGregor fight in its very first month. The silver-tongued Irishman will take on Donald “The Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC 246, and with both the men’s penchant to stand and trade, the fight has the makings of a true slugfest.

Date: Jan 18

Entire Pakistan Super League at home Photo: File

The Pakistan Super League is an annual competition so there is nothing new here. However, the 2020 edition of the T20 league will be held entirely in Pakistan for the first time ever. The matches will take place in places beyond just Karachi and Lahore, meaning that the whole country will get a taste of the spectacle.

Date: Feb 20 - March 22

ICC Women's T20 World Cup Photo: File

The seventh World T20 of the women’s game will be held in Australia this year, with 10 teams competing for the grand prize.

Pakistan’s women’s team is too early in its development stage that it could be realistically expected to go all the way, but it has enough firepower to spring a few surprises and display individual moments of brilliance.

Unfortunately, India and Pakistan have been placed in different groups so their clash would only take place if both qualify for the knockout stages.

Date: Feb 21 – Mar 8

Wilder v Fury II Photo: File

American knockout artist Deontay Wilder and British boxing genius Tyson Fury had produced a fight for the ages when they had first met in Dec 2018. The bout had sweet science, a devastating knockdown, resurrection and a decision few saw coming.

The undefeated pair meets again this year in Las Vegas for the WBC, lineal, and vacant The Ring heavyweight titles. Expect fireworks.

Date: Feb 23

European Championship 2020 Photo: File

Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal will put their European title on the line this summer. The thing of note about 2020 UEFA European Football Championship is that the tournament will not be hosted by any one single nation but multiple countries.

Date: June 12 – July 12

Tokyo Olympics 2020 Photo: File

The year’s grandest sport spectacle will undoubtedly be the summer Olympics in Tokyo. The Japanese capital will be hosting the Games for the second time — the first Asian city to be bestowed with such an honour.

Several Pakistani athletes will also be competing at the Games this year, including equestrian Usman Khan, javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and shooter Ghulam Mustafa Bashir.

Date: July 24 to Aug 9

ICC Men's T20 World Cup Photo: File

Towards the end of the year, the ICC will stage the T20 World Cup in Australia. The event will be the first of the two T20 World Cups scheduled to take place in back-to-back years.

Pakistan, still the top-ranked team in the format, should be among the contenders.

Date: Oct 18 to Nov 15

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England support call to reduce Test cricket days from five to four

Test cricket could be poised for a radical change from England and Australia to permanently reduce the days from five to four. Photo: AFP

Five-day Test matches could become a thing of the past from 2023 after England supported calls to cut them by a day, according to Tuesday's Daily Telegraph.

A spokesperson for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) told the British newspaper that four-day Tests could help ease the strain on players' busy schedules.

"We believe it could provide a sustainable solution to the complex scheduling needs and player workloads we face as a global sport," they said.

"We're definite proponents of the four-day Test concept, but cautiously so, as we understand it's an emotive topic for players, fans and others who have concerns about challenging the heritage of Test cricket."

Read more:  South Africa see off stubborn England to claim 107-run victory

The ECB's comments come a week after Kevin Roberts, the chief executive of Cricket Australia, said mandatory four-day tests were "something that we have got to seriously consider".

Four-day Tests have been sanctioned since 2017 by the sport's global governing body the International Cricket Council (ICC), but only outside of their inaugural World Test Championship.

In order for four-day Tests to replace the five-day format from 2023, when the new ICC broadcasting rights cycle begins, it would need to be approved by the ICC's cricket committee in 2020 and then voted through by the chief executive's board, which is made up of representatives from member nations.

"One of our top priorities is to underpin a healthy future for Test cricket while we continue to build accessible ways for new fans to enjoy our sport," added the ECB spokesperson.

"We are strongly behind a thorough and considered consultation where all opinions are explored."

Read more:  Australia push for Test series washout against New Zealand

Tony Irish, the head of FICA — the global players' association — said he feared extra days gained from scrapping five-day Tests would be used to fill them with other forms of cricket.

"It would take pressure off the schedule but our concern would be that the ad hoc way the schedule currently works and that countries would simply plug in more cricket into the time freed up," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"If introduced, it therefore has to be part of a more coherent structure.

"In the past, many players have been against a change to four days but it would also be important for players to understand any benefits of time freed up.

"Unfortunately, with the ICC there is a history of introducing these types of changes in an unstructured way.

"That would need to change if there is to be any player buy-in."

Figures published by the Telegraph suggest the percentage of Test matches annually that have gone to the fifth and final day have declined from 66 percent in 2014 to 33 percent this year.

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Misbah reviews national cricket team's performance for 2019

Chief selector cum head coach Misbah-ul-Haq. Photo: Screen grab from YouTube 

Head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has said that the national team was "on the right track" despite the troubling times the team faced in Test cricket and added that improvements would be made for the coming year.

"Pakistan ended 2019 on a high note with victory against Sri Lanka, but, overall, it was a tough year for Pakistan in Test cricket," Misbah said.

Speaking about T20I cricket, the head coach expressed mixed emotions and said that the team’s performance did not meet expectations despite maintaining the top rank in the format.

The reason, Misbah cited was declining performances by players, namely batsman Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan, which saw the win ratio drop in the format.

"In white-ball cricket our mainstays like Fakhar [Zaman], Hasan [Ali] and Shadab [Khan], lost form at a crucial time which saw us suffer in the World Cup and T20I format, though, we managed to stay number one in the format throughout the year, our win ratio in T20I cricket has fallen," he said.

He continued, "Retaining number one position in T20Is was a big positive for us. No doubt, we did not perform up to the set standards, but this is something we look to build on."

He, however, hailed T20I captain Babar Azam for retaining his top spot in T20I as well as ranking third place in terms of batting in ODI cricket.

"The emergence of Babar [Azam] across all formats is very good news. He remained number one in T20I cricket and is in the top ten batsmen in the ODI cricket. He played some brilliant innings in the World Cup and ended the year by establishing himself as a Test batsman," Misbah said.

In addition, Misbah praised teen pacers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi and expressed that the duo hold a promising future. He also highlighted the performances by batsman Mohammad Rizwan and bowler Iftikhar Ahmed.

"Some of the new bowlers like Naseem [Shah] and Shaheen [Afridi] have arrived at the scene and they have been impressive in Test cricket," he said. "We will hopefully bank on these two promising fast-bowlers in the future."

"[Mohammad] Rizwan performed very well for us in Australia, which was very good for us. Iftikhar [Ahmed] joined the team in the latter part of the year and the way he has put up performances in the T20I performances was certainly a plus for us."

The head coach held an optimistic view for the future and emphasised on the utilising fresh talent in the upcoming year.

"We need to do a lot of work in white-ball cricket ahead of the all-important T20 World Cup next year. We can go a long way with a few more additions in the side and the present players maturing."

"Going further we have to improve a lot of things in both red-ball and white-ball cricket. This team has enough potential and new boys are also making their way in international cricket. There’s certainly a bright future ahead for us," he added.

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Ehsan Mani reviews Pakistan cricket's performance in 2019

PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani. Photo: Screen grab from YouTube  

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani has said the year saw major changes for the sport and said the return of Test cricket to the country was the year's achievement.

"The biggest achievement for me was the two Tests we played against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi and Karachi. It has sent out a message that Pakistan is safe and ready for international cricket and we will now build on it," Mani said in an interview.

For Mani, the achievement was not an easy feat to accomplish and he hailed the Sri Lankan cricket team for their effort. "The biggest challenge for me was to get Sri Lanka to tour Pakistan. They took small steps in their return to the country by playing white-ball cricket here first," he said.

Speaking about the major happenings for Pakistan cricket, Mani said the revamping of domestic structure led to riveting cricketing action on-field which renewed the fans’ interest in domestic events.

"The genesis of better on-field performances in international cricket is in domestic cricket. We made massive investment in the revamping of our domestic structure in a very short time which has resulted in a very successful Quaid-e-Azam Trophy," the PCB chairman said. 

"The first-class matches have entered fourth day, which was previously missing. The pacers were not getting undue assistance anymore and this has brought spinners into play, which will address the issue of the lack of spinners," he added.

Ethics, accountability, transparency

In terms of the board's governance, Mani said the constitution had been revamped in order to promote more ethical practices however, he added that accountability and transparency remains an aim for the board.

"We had to reform our constitution, make the structure of the board transparent, introduce corporate practices through clear delegation of duties and fully restore international cricket in Pakistan.

"We have to make cricket board more efficient and look forward at how we have to progress where there is value for money. We have to bring in more transparency and accountability and create an environment where we can work effectively," he aimed.

Mani also reflected on the positive aspects of the year and stated that the PCB was involved in five committees, which was formerly unheard of.

"The PCB now enjoys unprecedented representation at international level as we became part of as many as five ICC committees this year," he said.

Light at the end of the tunnel

In terms of performance, the year had not seen much to celebrate and instead saw defeat in four Tests in South Africa and Australia along with a marginal loss to losing finalists New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup 2019.

In light of the consistently inconsistent performances, Mani admitted to the difficulty of the challenge but remained hopeful for the prospect of the game, stating that the youngsters would fill in the gaps.

"Our challenge is to bring consistency in our performances and deliver the results. Our players are professionals and the more they play the better they will deliver," he said.

"These youngsters are extremely talented and they are the light at the end of tunnel, which has been evident by the recent performances," he added.

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Premier League battle heats up as teams look to avoid relegation

Liverpool appear to be sailing to the Premier League title but the battle against relegation is developing into a nail-biter. Photo: AFP

Liverpool appear to be sailing to the Premier League title with a 13-point advantage as Leicester has been placed second but all eyes turn to the imminent dogfight as teams look to avoid relegation.

Just nine points separates ninth-placed Crystal Palace and third from bottom Aston Villa.

Here are the three pivotal matches in Wednesday's action:

Arteta needs to get Gunners firing

The old adage 'too good to go down' should apply to Arsenal, who have been a fixture in the top tier since 1919/20. However, they are just six points above the drop zone and new boss Mikel Arteta would probably have preferred an easier opponent than Manchester United as he bids to win his first game after a draw and defeat in his opening two matches in charge.

The United attack will be licking their lips at the thought of giving the weak Gunners defence a thorough test with goalkeeper Bernd Leno and defenders Skohdran Mustafi and David Luiz far from reliable. Arteta will want to see more of what his side produced in the opening half hour of the 2-1 defeat by Chelsea if they are to avoid a fifth successive home loss in all competitions — their present run of four is their worst since 1959.

"Individual errors cost you games but I can't fault the effort, commitment and for putting in place what we practised," said Arteta.

However, with confidence at a low ebb defeat for Arsenal on Wednesday and victory for third from bottom Aston Villa at Burnley would suck them deeper into the relegation battle.

Hammers pray Moyes delivers in second coming

David Moyes may not be welcomed back universally by West Ham fans but if the 55-year-old saves them from relegation for a second time like he did in the 2017-18 season, before being dispensed with, then all will be forgiven. A home game for the side fourth from bottom against Bournemouth, who are just a point above them in 16th, represents a seemingly ideal first challenge.

However, their home form has been as woeful as Arsenal's with four successive defeats — equalling their worst run in the Premier League since November 2005 — and it would not be a surprise to see Moyes energise their attack by selecting both Michail Antonio and Sebastien Haller.

The Cherries have largely escaped attention in their terrible run — just one win in nine — but the pressure may begin to mount on Eddie Howe with a defeat.

"It feels great to be home," said Moyes. "I feel like I've got unfinished business."

Watford's revival faces stern Wolves test

Nigel Pearson engineered a remarkable rescue act for Leicester in the 2014-15 season — at the time they were only the third side to escape the drop having been bottom at Christmas — arguably laying the foundations for their even more miraculous title win the following campaign.

The 56-year-old — who was relieved of his duties prior to the league winning season — could be on course to do the same for second from bottom Watford. Their third manager this term has guided them to two wins and a draw in four matches since taking over.

This new found confidence was reflected in easing to a 3-0 win over third from bottom Aston Villa on Saturday — scoring two of their goals after they had been reduced to 10 men — and this will be a much needed weapon when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wolves arrive sitting pretty in seventh place and on the back of an impressive win over champions Manchester City and considered unlucky to have lost to Liverpool on Sunday.

Pearson for his part will be looking for more of the same of what he witnessed against Villa: "We showed good intensity. We showed incredible unity on the pitch and bench. We have to make sure that remains high on our agenda — to keep the players together."

Fixtures

Wednesday

Brighton v Chelsea, Burnley v Aston Villa, Newcastle v Leicester, Southampton v Tottenham, Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester City v Everton, Norwich City v Crystal Palace (1730), West Ham v Bournemouth, Arsenal v Manchester United

Thursday

Liverpool v Sheffield United 

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British PM John Major sidelined '96 Olympics for cricket match

The cricket-loving premier stuck to his guns despite the high-profile guest list namely Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela. Photo: AFP

Declassified files shown on Tuesday revealed that British Prime Minister John Major sidelined the Atlanta 1996 Olympics to stay in London and watch cricket instead.

Major weighed up the pros and cons of going to the Games, with his advisors pushing him to attend, insisting he had "street cred" in sport and it would make for great pictures of him in "relaxed, jacket-off mode".

But the cricket-loving premier stuck to his guns and missed seeing Britain´s only gold medal -- to watch England lose to Pakistan instead in the first Test at Lord´s.

The files were released after 23 years in the vaults at the National Archives.

Major seemed keen on Atlanta when the idea was raised in February 1996 and flight plans were drawn up.

In a memo to Major on June 7, his private secretary Rachael Reynolds said she understood he was thinking of going to Lord´s rather than Atlanta and "it would be a pity" if he missed the Olympics.

The adviser told him US president Bill Clinton, South African president Nelson Mandela and French president Jacques Chirac were all going, and "even the King of Finland is turning up!"

The draft programme would have seen him witness oarsmen Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent win Britain´s only gold medal of the Games.

´Street cred´

In a further memo to Major on June 19, Reynolds said decision time was fast approaching and spelled out the advantages and disadvantages.

"You will be very tired at the end of July," she wrote, of the negatives. "It is a long flight and the weather will be hot in Atlanta.

"Second, you will miss the Lord´s Test and you are unlikely to be able to pick up a satellite channel in America which carries cricket."

As for the advantages, she said it would likely be his last chance to attend an Olympics as prime minister, and there might be "snide remarks" if he did not show up to support the British team.

"Some of the best pictures we see of you are in relaxed, jacket-off mode and there would be plenty of opportunity for that," Reynolds insisted.

"You cannot do too much of associating yourself with winners."

She said Major was strongly linked with sport in a way "no other politician" was and "you should capitalise on this".

"I do think it is worth doing, if you can bear it. You have established your street cred in this area so well, it would be a pity to miss an opportunity which only comes up every four years."

"The prime minister has decided that his programme at the end of July is too heavily committed for him to be able to travel to Atlanta," Reynolds wrote to the British Olympic Association on June 28.

Pakistan beat England by 164 runs.

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Sharapova returns to action in Brisbane

PARIS: Former world number one Maria Sharapova will open her 2020 campaign in Brisbane after being awarded a wild card by organisers, the five-time major winner announced on Monday.

The 32-year-old Russian hasn´t played since a first round loss to career-long rival Serena Williams at the US Open in August.

"Hi Brisbane, I have missed you so much and I am so excited to start my season at your tournament and in your city," Sharapova said in a video message on her Instagram account.

"I´m looking forward to seeing you all in a couple of days."

Sharapova has slipped to 133 in the world rankings after a 2019 season plagued by a shoulder injury which limited her to just 15 competitive matches.

She won the Brisbane title in 2015.

This year´s tournament in the Australian city gets underway on Monday.

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