ICC announces three CSR partnerships to feature the ICC Champions Trophy

This year ICC Champions Trophy 2013 will be featured by three Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) organizations - Room to Read, UNAIDS and UNICEF. The ICC will be working with them to convey the global cricket AIDS awareness partnership ThinkWise.

They will be joined for this tournament by 'Chance to Shine', the Cricket Foundation's program responsible for getting cricket back into state schools across England and Wales.

While the tournament will kick off, the ICC will work with the partners to host a variety of coaching clinics and visits involving players from the eight participating teams. They will also provide tickets to matches and highlights each of the initiatives at various match days throughout the event.

This year ICC will celebrate its 10-year association with UNAIDS to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.  

India will select players based on IPL 2013 performance

The ICC Champions Trophy is coming soon. Ahead of this second biggest cricket tournament, Indian selectors have decided to pick up players based on the IPL 2013 performance. They might announce a 30-member probable squad on May 6 though IPL lasts till May 26.

The name of the players who are almost sure to be included in the squad are Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shikhar Dhawan.

There are still five players to be picked up in the squad. Of these, at least three fast bowlers will have to be taken along with a seventh batsman and a second spinner.

Dinesh Karthik may make his inclusion in the squad as an extra wicket-keeper batsman. Amit Mishra may get chance to play in the national team as a second spinner.

Vinay Kumar’s performance in the ongoing IPL should make him one of the two pacers to be included in the squad. He has taken 15 wickets at 20.60. However, Umesh Yadav will have to struggle hard with Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar and Ashok Dinda to be one of the two remaining bowlers.

Australia declares 15-member squad for ICC Champions Trophy

Australian selectors have announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy that will take place in England next month. There is no uncapped player in the squad. Players who played in the last ODI series against West Indies were selected in the squad.

Selectors have included all-rounder Mitchell Marsh in the squad. James Faulkner also has made his place in the squad by showing his impressive performance in the ODI series against West Indies in February this year. Even Tasmanian player has showed his good form in the on going Indian Premier League (IPL) by claiming five wickets so far.

Four pace bowlers- Clint McKay, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson, have been included in the squad. George Bailey has been named as the vice-captain.

Australia will start their campaign against the host nation England on June 8. The performance of the players will be observed strictly because Australia is scheduled to play the Ashes series after the ICC Champions Trophy.