Category: Games

Dubai, April 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):The International Cricket Council is celebrating the achievements of cricket’s emerging nations in 2021 this International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, as the global nominees for the ICC Development Awards 2021 are announced.

Across 29 awards, 24 Members have been crowned regional winners in six categories for their part in inspiring and empowering communities through cricket and providing access for people to enjoy the sport.

The 2021 awards shine a light on the inspiring and passionate approach to make cricket a sport for all, through the dedicated work of Associate Members and in partnership with the ICC to get more people involved with the game.

The 29 regional winners will now be put forward as the nominees for the global awards across the six categories to be announced in the coming weeks.

ICC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

The ICC Development Initiative of the Year acknowledges the outstanding development initiative delivered by an Associate Member for 2021 the regional winners are Argentina, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Namibia and Netherlands.

In Argentina where there is a short supply of cricket equipment, organisers wanted to give local children the chance to play with a wooden bat from an early age so enlisted the help of a local carpenter to produce a trial set of 30 bats used by 150 young people.

Hong Kong’s ‘Cricket for All’ programme was awarded as it created more opportunities for minority communities to get involved in sport and give them a greater sense of belonging in Hong Kong.

Indonesia claimed the honours in the EAP region after ensuring cricket was part of the country’s biggest national multi-sport event, the PON Games Papua 2021. It saw the first cricket stadiums of their size to be developed in the country to showcase the sporting spectacle.

Namibia’s Ashburton Kwata Mini-Cricket Programme was recognised for increasing participation by a remarkable 71% despite the impact of COVID-19. The programme involved cricket being played anywhere by anyone on beaches and in car parks, to keep communities engaged during the pandemic.

In the Netherlands, the KNCB became the first Dutch sports federation to receive the ‘Partner in Versatile Movement’ certificate for the Cricket4Kids programme which enables it to compete alongside other popular sports in the Netherlands, and opens doors to significant additional participants through multisports clubs, educational organisations and events organized by the NOC*NSF.

100% CRICKET FEMALE CRICKET INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

The 100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative of the Year acknowledges the outstanding female cricket focused initiatives delivered by Bahrain, Germany, Sierra Leone, Vanuatu and the USA in 2021.

In Bahrain, the Federation embarked on the historic task of setting up the country’s first-ever women’s cricket team. A heart-warming response saw almost 200 registrations and the BCF Women’s League was formed in December 2021, with the national women’s team coming as a direct result of the initiative.

In Europe, Germany took the award after forming the Winterwunderliga to give females who have never played the sport before a chance to get involved in the winter indoor season in Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart, Munich and Frankfurt with experienced national team players assigned to each as mentors.

The pandemic recovery efforts in Vanuatu were boosted by the launch of the Women’s Island Cricket Program (WICP). In October, 175 women from Port Vila and Tanna took part in the launch that was followed by a full week of competition and social impact activities empowering women and girls through cricket.

The Sierra Leone Female Leadership Criiio Cricket Programme has been recognised as 80 women and girls, predominantly schoolteachers, were trained in event management, cricket umpiring, scoring, coaching and reporting and are now coordinating entry-level programmes to try and bring thousands of school children into the sport.

A new league has been set up in the USA, who earned the Award in the Americas. The new Intra-Regional Women’s Competition for aspiring female hard-ball cricketers launched in June 2021 and featured 12 teams playing a mixture of T20 and 40-over matches within four geographic regions.

ICC ASSOCIATE MEMBER MEN’S PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

The ICC Associate Member Men’s Performance of the Year Award acknowledges the outstanding men’s on-field performance of the year by an Associate Member team with Argentina, Namibia, Scotland, PNG and the UAE all being recognised.

Argentina’s impressive performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup regional qualifier earned them two victories and saw them compete to the last over in a tight fought match against Bermuda, producing some of the best memories of the tournament. This included a hat-trick by captain Hernan Fennell and showcased great improvement in the men’s Argentinian side on the field.

Namibia have claimed the Africa regional winner award for their victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 against Ireland. The Eagles chased down 126 for victory thanks to a sensational display of power-hitting from David Wiese and left-arm spin bowling from Bernard Scholtz, guaranteeing a Super 12 spot at the next World Cup.

The same tournament brought a memorable win for Scotland, defeating Bangladesh with Chris Greaves starring with bat and ball, scoring 45 from 28 balls and then taking a magnificent 3-24 from four overs to bring down the ninth-ranked team in the world and ensuring qualification to the Super 12 stage of the tournament.

The East Asia Pacific Award went to Papua New Guinea, who played their first-ever senior ICC World Cup – and the first of any Associate Member in the East Asia Pacific Region – when they opened up the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against Oman, even though they did not come out on top there were several notable displays.

Finally, the UAE T20 win over Ireland in October in Dubai was part of their first series win against a Test nation, ensuring they secured the Asia regional award.

ICC ASSOCIATE MEMBER WOMEN’S PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Brazil, Namibia, Scotland and Thailand have all been awarded for their outstanding women’s on-field performances in the year.

In the Americas, Brazil won the Award following an incredible performance against Canada in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier. Canada needed three runs from the final over to win, only for Brazil to take five wickets in as many balls and seal victory, with two run-outs sandwiching a Laura Cardoso hat-trick to send the crowd into a frenzy.

For Namibia, the Capricorn Eagles delivered a thrilling performance against Tanzania in Gaborone in the second semi-final of the Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier to secure a fourth consecutive victory which will live long in the memory despite the side going on to lose the final.

Scotland was awarded for their five-wicket win over Ireland in the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Europe 2021.The win, inspired by 16-year-old Katherine Fraser (3-14) and a captain’s innings of 46 not out from Kathryn Bryce, was pivotal in securing Scotland women’s place at the global qualifying tournament.

The best performance of the year by an Associate Member in the women’s game in Asia was awarded to Thailand’s win over Full Member Bangladesh at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Nattaya Boochatham took five wickets to restrict Bangladesh to 176 from their 50 overs and a 90-run opening stand between Sornnarin Tippoch and Natthakan Chantham laid the foundations for a 16-run win. The historic victory was a significant step forward for Thai cricket and showcased their development in the 50-over format, as well as T20.

ICC DIGITAL FAN ENGAGEMENT OF THE YEAR

Canada, Estonia, Kuwait, PNG and Uganda all have been recognised in the ICC Digital Fan Engagement of the Year category which celebrates the outstanding innovative use of digital platforms, campaigns or technology to drive engagement with fans and the wider community.

In the Americas, Canada’s impressive social media campaign and dedicated approach to fan engagement leading up to the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022, saw a month on month increase of 358% in Facebook reach.

Uganda also used the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup to engage with fans through the #Cheer4BabyCricketCranes going viral. A mix of daily challenges, video profiles and messages from star names in other sports helped grow Uganda’s audience on Twitter and TikTok in the lead up to the tournament, including significant increase in the number of visits to their Twitter profile.

Kuwait led the way in Asia with the launch of the KCC Mobile Application, featuring live ball-by-ball scoring from domestic matches, live streaming of Premier League matches and statistical analysis.

Papua New Guinea came out as winners for East-Asia Pacific region after maximising the opportunities presented by opening the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 against Oman with a dedicated marketing and social media push.

Elsewhere, the Estonian Cricket Association went viral for their donation to India’s fight against COVID-19, using their relationship with Australia legend Brett Lee to spread the word. Resulting in an increase in audiences across all platforms, with their YouTube following increasing significantly to 52,800 and Instagram to 77,568.

ICC CRICKET 4 GOOD SOCIAL IMPACT INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

The ICC Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative of the Year Award recognises an outstanding project where cricket is used as a platform to deliver and impact on wider social development issues during the year. For 2021, Samoa, Bhutan, Peru, Nigeria and Italy have all been selected as regional winners.

In Asia, Bhutan’s delivery of cricket programmes scaled new heights, a three-day journey from the capital Thimpu into the remote rural settings of Merak and Sakteng saw them introduce cricket to a brand new audience who, given the remote location, would not have had the opportunity to experience before. The programme was supported by UNICEF Bhutan and involved 484 students and 26 teachers, reinforcing the vision that cricket truly is a sport for all in the country.

In Europe, Cricket Italy claimed the Award as they continue their environmentally friendly initiatives. Following the success of their Treedom Project in 2020, Cricket Italy launched the #Borracceblu (water bottles) initiative which saw events organised by the Italian Cricket Federation become plastic-free, with the support of all teams.

Nigeria have been using cricket programmes as a tool for engaging and assisting in the development of internally displaced refugees as a result of violence within the country. Over 2,000 children are involved in the programme, which deploys coaches to teach cricket skills, as well as provides humanitarian aid to the significant number of people impacted by these issues.

Cricket Peru won the award in the Americas by expanding their free development classes to the indigenous, rural communicates of Cusco, to target school-age children in communities in the Sacred Valley, with a particular emphasis on female participation, where access to physical education is limited.

In the East-Asia Pacific region, Samoa won the award for their Disability Cricket Programme; a 12-week initiative engaging 460 people with a disability from six villages and four disability schools, inspiring people and children living with a disability to become their best, bringing positive changes to their lives.

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, April 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):The International Cricket Council has thanked hosts New Zealand Cricket for the successful delivery of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022.

The event, which has been one of the most competitive Cricket World Cups ever, saw Australia crowned as champions after 31 games. With eight teams competing across six host cities, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton, Dunedin and Tauranga, the event was brilliantly and safely delivered with Australia lifting the trophy for a record fifth time.

ICC Chair Greg Barclay said: “We are delighted with the way the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 has been staged. It has been the most wonderful advertisement for cricket with closely fought competitive matches on superb pitches at beautiful venues.

“I’d like to thank New Zealand Cricket and the Local Organising Committee for their commitment and dedication, often in challenging circumstances with COVID impacting on all areas of the event. Thanks too, to the ICC staff for once again delivering such a high-quality global cricket event and to the Match Officials for doing such a great job.

“The New Zealand cricket loving public have done our sport proud, packing the Hagley Oval to make the final a great spectacle. Of course, our biggest thanks must go to the players who have made this event so memorable.”

“Finally, congratulations to Australia for winning the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 in outstanding fashion.”

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, April 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):Men’s Test captains Babar Azam (Pakistan), Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies) and Pat Cummins (Australia) have all been shortlisted for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for March 2022 following their supreme efforts during a month which was packed with outstanding individual performances around the globe.

The women’s shortlist for March is comprised of stars from the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. England bowler Sophie Ecclestone, and run-machines Rachael Haynes (Australia) and Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa) are in the running to scoop the award following stellar performances during the month against the world’s best.

The ICC Player of the Month nominees for March were announced on Wednesday, based on performances across formats and including matches from the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup held in New Zealand, amongst others.

An independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world can now vote to decide the winners, which will be announced next week. Fans can register via icc-cricket.com/awards and are invited to cast their votes until Sunday 10 April.

ICC Men’s Player of the Month Nominees for March:

Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Pakistan’s skipper played an integral part in his side’s batting during the recent series against Australia. Despite not ending the World Test Championship (WTC) three-match series victorious, Babar amassed 390 runs during the month in Tests, including a record-breaking 196 in the second Test to salvage a draw against the odds.

In addition, his efforts at the crease in the two ODI matches during the month saw Babar score 57 and 114 respectively, with the latter helping his side chase down an imposing target of 349 set by Australia. This is the second time he’s featured on the shortlist for the ICC Player of the Month award, after winning in April 2021.

Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies)

The West Indies’ Test captain and opening batter led from the front during the recently concluded successful WTC series against England, scoring 341 runs at an average of 85.25. Brathwaite’s resolve and determination at the crease was best characterized by his monumental 160 from 489 balls in the second Test in response to England’s big first innings total. This mammoth innings ensured a drawn second Test and provided the platform for his side to clinch the series by winning the final showdown in Grenada.

Pat Cummins (Australia)

In a WTC Test series which was dominated by run scoring, Cummins stood out for his bowling performances in unforgiving conditions. He led his side, and the bowling attack, to victory in Pakistan playing a pivotal role in clinching the series thanks to a match-winning spell, taking 5 for 56 in the first innings and following up with 3 for 23 in the second innings of the final test. Taking 12 wickets at an average of 22.50 helped him secure his first nomination in the ICC Player of the Month awards.

ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees for March:

Sophie Ecclestone (England)

Ecclestone’s outstanding bowling performances during the month helped steer her side to the Women’s Cricket World Cup final in New Zealand. Her spin bowling caused problems throughout the tournament for opposition batters, taking 20 wickets during the calendar month at an average of 12.85. Her prowess was capped by a magnificent spell in the victory over South Africa in the semi-final, taking 6 for 36 to ensure a 137-run victory. This is the second time she has been nominated for the ICC Player of the Month accolade (previously shortlisted in June 2021).

Rachael Haynes (Australia)

Scoring 429 runs in the eight matches she played during the month, Haynes was at the forefront of Australia’s unbeaten run through to the Women’s Cricket World Cup Final. Averaging 61.28 during the month, along with a healthy strike rate of 84.28, her stellar performances came at crucial times – 130 against England in their opening match and 85 in the semi-final victory over the West Indies.

Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)

Wolvaardt’s endeavours for South Africa were critical to her team reaching the semi-finals of the Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. Up to the end of the semi-finals, she was the tournament’s leading run-scorer, amassing 433 runs at an average of 54.12, passing 50 on five occasions and proving a thorn in the side of many opposing teams.

The ICC Player of the Month Voting Process:

The three nominees for either category is shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month. The shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world. The ICC Voting Academy comprises prominent members of the cricket fraternity including well-known journalists, former players, broadcasters, and members of the ICC Hall of Fame. The Voting Academy submit their votes by email and hold a 90 per cent share of the vote. Fans registered with the ICC vote via the ICC website, accounting for the remaining 10 per cent. Winners are announced every second Monday of the month on ICC’s digital channels.

Voting Academy for ICC Player of the Month March 2022*:

Afghanistan: Hameed Qayoomi and Javed Hamim; Australia: Melinda Farrell and Lisa Sthalekar; Bangladesh: Sayeed Zaman and Mohammad Isam; England: Elizabeth Ammon and Holly Colvin; Ireland: Ger Siggins and Clare Shillington; India: Rica Roy and Irfan Pathan; New Zealand: Mark Geenty and Craig Cumming; Pakistan: Faizan Lakhani and Sana Mir; South Africa: Firdose Moonda and JP Duminy; Sri Lanka: Neville Victor Anthony and Russel Arnold; West Indies: Daren Ganga and Merissa Aguilleira; Zimbabwe: Tristan Holme and Mpumelelo Mbangwa; Others: Paul Radley and Dirk Nannes.

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, April 06, 2022 (PPI-OT):The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 has today unveiled its ‘2022 Champions’, with 38 industry leaders signing on to support a global celebration of Australia’s cultural diversity through the event.

With less than 200 days to go until the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 gets underway, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) has unveiled its ‘2022 Champions’, who will aim to inspire a legacy of inclusion and belonging long after the winner is crowned at the MCG on Sunday 13 November.

An inspirational group of 38 leaders from a broad cross-section of communities around the country have committed their support as a ‘2022 Champion’, to advocate for inclusion and diversity using the powerful platform of a home T20 World Cup.

With 16 international teams, featuring 45 matches being played across seven host cities, the T20 World Cup will provide a unique opportunity to connect cricket-loving communities together, showcasing multicultural Australia.

Champions include current Australian Test batter, Usman Khawaja, Adelaide Strikers’ Fawad Ahmed and Jason Gillespie, former Australian Women’s players Mel Jones OAM and Lisa Sthalekar, as well as chefs and restaurateurs, Adam Liaw, Diana Chan and Kishwar Chowdhury, and the Chair of UNICEF Australia, Ann Sherry AO.

Of the 38 ‘2022 Champions’, 18 have returned for the men’s event having supported the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup initiative in 2020. Their support helped create a groundswell of momentum for women’s sport in Australia, which culminated in a record 86,174 fans packing the MCG for the Final between Australia and India on International Women’s Day.

Current Australian cricketer and 2022 Champion Usman Khawaja said: “Sport breaks down barriers, I couldn’t speak English when I came to Australia and sport was the one thing that always enabled me to communicate and engage with others even though I couldn’t speak the language,” Khawaja said

“There’s no better place to celebrate cultural diversity than Australia, so at the T20 World Cup we just want to see people having fun, no matter where you are from or who you support.”

Chair of UNICEF Australia, Ann Sherry AO, said: “Seeing our cultural diversity on the pitch is key to how we see ourselves and how we engage with all cultural groups who are part of the broader cricket community – it is a powerful symbol of inclusion,” Sherry said.

“Sport gives visibility to capability, so the fact that it comes in many different backgrounds and profiles, in front of a wide audience, makes diversity visible and positive.”

Local Organising Committee CEO, Michelle Enright, said: “On behalf of the ICC and the entire LOC, we are incredibly grateful to each and every Champion who has joined our team to embrace and celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity through the shared love of cricket,” Enright said.

“After the success of the women’s program and seeing the positive impact it made on women’s and girls’ sport in this country, I’m excited to see what we can achieve this year as people start reconnecting with their community and look forward to new experiences together.

“We know sport has an unparalleled power to unite people, so we want to harness this energy to ensure the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is a truly inclusive event where fans of all ages, backgrounds and generations can come together and celebrate.

“This Champions program goes to the heart of Cricket Australia’s philosophy of being a sport for all Australians, so once again I’d like to thank our Champions for their support and I can’t wait to work alongside them to share stories, learn about different cultures and connect through cricket.”

See the full list of the 2022 Champions for the Men’s ICC T20 World Cup:

Fawad Ahmed, Pakistani-born Australian Cricketer

Shaniera Akram, Social worker and wife of Pakistani cricket legend Wasim Akram

Russel Arnold, Former Sri Lankan Cricketer and Commentator

Molina Asthana, President Elect – Law Institute of Victoria and Founder of Multicultural Women in Sport

Alex Blackwell, ICC T20 World Cup Winning Captain

Karina Carvalho, ABC News Presenter

Diana Chan, Former winner Masterchef Australia, TV and Podcast Host and Restaurateur

Kishwar Chowdhury, MasterChef Australia Finalist, Chef and Writer

Kamrul Hossain Chowdhury OAM, Businessman and Social Worker

Jeff Cook, Men’s National Indigenous Cricket Team Head Coach and Former Cricketer

Preeti Daga, Global Head – Corporate Communications, CHL Group and Chair of AIBC’s Sports Chapter

Sonia Sadiq Gandhi, Director Gandhi Creations, Board Member Multicultural NSW, Australia Day Ambassador 2022

Daren Ganga, Former West Indian Cricketer and Commentator

Jason Gillespie, Former Australian Cricketer and Adelaide Strikers Coach

Marina Go, Chair, Super Netball

Giles Gunesekera, Founder and CEO of Global Impact Initiative

Jodie Hawkins, GM of Commercial and Marketing, Swimming Australia

Rana Hussain, Champions of Change, Program Director of the Sports Coalition

Johann Jayasinha, National Operations and Media – SNNI Australia

Mel Jones OAM, CA Director, Former Australian Cricketer and Cricket Broadcaster

Usman Khawaja, Australian Cricketer and Founder of the Usman Khawaja Foundation

Mary Konstantopoulos, Founder of Ladies Who Leg Spin

Kath Koschel, Former Cricketer, Founder of Kindness Factory Australia and Kindness Factory USA

Adam Liaw, Cook, Writer and Television presenter

Pawan Luthra, CEO of Indian Link Media Group

Morne Morkel, Former South African Paceman

Sheba Nandkeolyar, Founder and CEO MultiConnexions Group

Tanya Oziel, Chief Executive of the Trans-Tasman Business Circle, Singapore Business Circle and Founder and Managing Director of SportsConnect

Dipen Rughani, CEO of Newland Global Group

Gonul Serbest, CEO of Global Victoria

Anupam Sharma, Filmmaker and Chair of Australia India Film Council

Ann Sherry AO, Chair of UNICEF Australia

Gurnam Singh, Founder of Australian-Indian Sports Educational and Cultural Society

Giri Sivaraman, Chair of Multicultural Australia

Lisa Sthalekar, Former captain of the Australian Women’s Cricket Team, Cricket Commentator

Bharat Sundaresan, Cricbuzz Journalist

David Talalla, Former Cricketer for Malaysia and Match Referee

Gus Worland, Triple M Broadcaster and Founder and Chair of Gotcha4Life

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com