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Taskin, who suffered a side strain during the recent series against Zimbabwe, will receive treatment for the next few weeks

Mohammad Isam14-May-2024Taskin Ahmed has been named in Bangladesh’s 15-member squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup despite his injury. Taskin, who has also been named vice-captain, suffered a side strain during the recent series against Zimbabwe and will receive treatment for the next few weeks to get fit before the tournament starts next month.Taskin suffered the injury before the fifth T20I against Zimbabwe on May 12 and missed the match as a result. He was named Player of the Series for his eight wickets in four games. Bangladesh chief selector Gazi Ashraf said the BCB’s medical team is confident of Taskin’s recovery before the start of the tournament.Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the team that also includes Shakib Al Hasan, who has played every T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2007. Litton Das has also found a place in the squad despite his poor form in white-ball cricket this year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Bangladesh have also picked young right-arm pacer Tanzim Hasan over Mohammad Saifuddin, with Ashraf saying that the call was taken after assessing the duo’s performances in the Zimbabwe series. Saifuddin had taken 15 wickets in the BPL and eight against Zimbabwe, while Tanzim has 12 wickets in these two competitions. Ashraf said that Saifuddin’s lack of yorkers in the death overs against Zimbabwe was one of the reasons he was left out.”We kept Saifuddin in the squad that we submitted to the ICC on April 30,” Ashraf said. “We wanted to observe and analyse Saifuddin’s performance in the Zimbabwe series. But when we considered what the team needs at the moment, Tanzim was ahead of Saifuddin. It was a close call between the two.”We saw Tanzim against Sri Lanka. His dedication and hunger kept him ahead. He is also a good fielder. We didn’t see enough yorkers in the death overs from Saifuddin. He did it in domestic cricket but didn’t do it in against Zimbabwe. Some of his short-pitched balls went over the batters’ head. He was the only player who got changed from the squad we submitted to ICC on April 30.”Ashraf also backed Litton to return to form after he had scored just 79 runs in six T20Is against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.”We needed a wicketkeeper-batter to replace Litton,” Ashraf said. “We need two wicketkeepers in the squad, also considering the concussion sub situation. We discussed Anamul Haque Bijoy in this equation. But despite his poor form, we put our trust in Litton. He has been working on his batting.”Bangladesh are set to tour USA for a three-match T20I series in May to prepare for the big tournament. Taskin will not be part of the series.Bangladesh open their T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on June 8 in Dallas.

Bangladesh squad:

Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Taskin Ahmed (vice-capt), Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan
Traveling reserves: Hasan Mahmud, Afif Hossain

Lamichhane is currently out on bail, facing charges of sexual coercion

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Feb-2023Scotland’s players refused to shake hands with Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane after their three-wicket loss in Kirtipur on Friday, a silent protest to the spinner’s continued presence and participation in the ICC’s Cricket World Cup League 2 series. The team shook hands with every other Nepal player after the game, but pointedly refused to do so with Lamichhane.Lamichhane is currently out on bail, facing charges of sexual coercion. He was cleared to play in the series which also involves Namibia, after CAN (Cricket Association Nepal) lifted a suspension on the granting of his bail. The refusal to shake hands is the culmination of simmering tension among Scotland and Namibia’s players over Lamichhane’s presence. In an earlier game, Namibia’s players had chosen to fist-bump Nepal’s players – including Lamichhane – but refused to shake hands post-game.Related

• Sandeep Lamichhane joins Nepal in UAE as an injury replacement

• Lamichhane allowed to travel but participation in CWC League 2 tri-series subject to ICC approval

• Lamichhane not included in Nepal's squad for CWC League 2 tri-series in UAE

• Sandeep Lamichhane in Nepal's playing XI for tri-series opener

• Sandeep Lamichhane named in Nepal squad for Scotland, Namibia tri-series

Though there is understood to be anger among the players in those two teams, their boards – Cricket Scotland and Cricket Namibia – have only issued generic statements condemning gender-based violence before the tri-series began, also acknowledging that Nepal’s selection was not their concern. The ICC has not commented publicly on his selection.Scotland decided to keep their hands down for Lamichhane, believing that this would be a more powerful statement. It is believed Lamichhane had been made aware of the protest beforehand.Lamichhane took 3 for 27 in the win, as Nepal recovered from 77 for 5 and then 177 for 6 to chase down 275 with three overs to spare. In Tuesday’s opening game against Namibia, Lamichhane took 3 for 66 in a two-wicket win.Lamichhane’s presence at the pre-series training camp drew protests from fans in the country, as well as on social media. He was arrested last October on return to Kathmandu after an arrest warrant had been issued in his name while he was at the Caribbean Premier League. He has denied the allegations in a post on Facebook. Nepal next play against Namibia on Saturday.

With Rachael Haynes back and Tahlia McGrath’s form against India, there’s a battle for batting spots

Andrew McGlashan12-Jan-2022Ellyse Perry faces the prospect of being squeezed out of Australia’s T20I side at the start of the Ashes as the selectors look for continued evolution in the format and a focus on strike rates.Since her T20I debut in 2008, Perry has featured in 126 of Australia’s 144 T20Is but with the bat, her game is starting to feel out of place for the middle-order role she generally takes, and she has been used sparingly with the ball of late, with just three overs in three matches against India earlier this season.The return of Rachael Haynes, who missed the India matches through injury and is seen as Australia’s middle-order safety net in T20Is, and the outstanding performances by Tahlia McGrath mean there may not be a place for Perry against England next week.Related

• Perry: 'You've always got to push to get better or else someone comes along who is going to jump you'

• Women's Ashes walks Covid tightrope ahead of World Cup

• Alana King beats Amanda-Jade Wellington to place in Australia's Ashes squad

With the bat in T20Is over the last two years she has scored 152 runs at 16.88 and a strike rate of 103.40 while in this season’s WBBL, her 358 runs came at a strike rate of 91.32 – the slowest among the top 30 run-scorers – as she was shuffled around Sydney Sixers’ batting order. That followed a 2020 season where her strike rate was 96.53.Her overall bowling figures in T20Is are outstanding, with 115 wickets at 19.45 and an economy rate of 5.87, but she has been sparsely used since returning from the serious hamstring injury suffered at the T20 World Cup in March 2020.”We’ve got to work through that over the next few days and finalise that team,” national selector Shawn Flegler said. “We’ve been really clear with the type of cricket we do want to play and what our batters need to be doing in T20 cricket. We want to keep pushing the boat out with our strike rate, so we’ll work through it over the next week.”We’ve got a couple of intrasquad games [in Adelaide] on Tuesday, so if Ellyse does get the opportunity, I’m sure she’ll do well. She’s played for Australia for a long time and is highly experienced, but we always want our players to develop and evolve, and Ellyse is no different.”Speaking to ESPNcricinfo before the India series last year, Perry acknowledged that she needed to keep pace with the T20 game.”I think any format of the game, as time goes by it evolves like any sport, but maybe it’s faster-paced in women’s cricket at the moment, just because of how much change and development we’re undergoing,” Perry had said. “That’s not a new thing for me – I reckon that’s something that I’ve gone through for the best part of my career. I think that in sport, you’ve always got to push yourself to develop and get better, otherwise, someone always comes along who is going to jump you.”It has been the return of McGrath to international cricket that has added to the pressure on Perry’s role after she made her T20I debut against India, with scores of 42 off 33 balls and 44 off 31 batting at No. 6 below Perry.”Tahlia has really accelerated in her ability to have an impact on games,” captain Meg Lanning said. “We saw in the India series it wasn’t just easy conditions she was coming into, she was able to dig the team out of trouble a couple of times and that was a really good sign for a player who doesn’t have a lot of experience at international level. Nice to have an extra option in the middle order and with the ball as well she has some pretty good skills.”

Seamer tested for Covid-19 and cleared to fly to England on Saturday

Matt Roller18-Jul-2020Ireland have added seamer Stuart Thompson to their expanded squad that will travel to England on Saturday ahead of their three-match ODI series.The ECB had arranged for four Hampshire academy players to make up the numbers for Ireland’s training camp at the Ageas Bowl and for their intra-squad warm-up game on July 22.ALSO READ: Campher, Garth the new faces in Ireland squadBut one of those four has been ruled out through injury, and due to Covid-19 protocols, Hampshire were unable to provide a replacement. As a result, Thompson, who was a surprise omission from the original 21-man group, has been tested and cleared to join the squad.The three Hampshire academy players who will take part in the camp are Harry Petrie, Ollie Southon and James Trodd. Thompson’s inclusion means that Shane Getkate is the only centrally-contracted men’s player not to be making the trip.The squad will leave Dublin on a charter flight on Saturday, before travelling by bus to the Ageas Bowl where they will stay for two-and-a-half weeks. They will play an intra-squad practice match on July 22 and a warm-up against England Lions on July 26, after which a 14-man squad for the ODI series will be finalised.Ireland squad for England ODIs: Mark Adair, Andy Balbirnie (captain), Curtis Campher, Peter Chase, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Jonathan Garth, Tyrone Kane, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, Kevin O’Brien, William Porterfield, Boyd Rankin, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Stuart Thompson, Lorcan Tucker, Gary Wilson, Craig Young

“When I come here I don’t expect to play straight away,” he said on the eve of Sunrisers’ first home game of the season, against Rajasthan Royals

Hemant Brar in Hyderabad28-Mar-2019Imagine being one of the biggest names in world cricket, but still unable to find a place in the playing XI when it comes to the IPL. Dale Steyn is a prime example. Given that an IPL team can field a maximum of four overseas players each game, Steyn – arguably the greatest fast bowler of this era – has been left cheering his side from the dugout on many occasions in the past.Martin Guptill may not hold the same cult status as Steyn, but his T20I record is right up there with the very best. While he didn’t get any bids during the auction ahead of the 2017 season, Guptill, the second-highest run-getter in T20Is, was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for his base price of INR 1 crore (USD 140,000) this time around. Guptill, though, knows he might have to wait to make his Sunrisers debut.”It’s funny. When I come here I don’t expect to play straight away,” Guptill said on the eve of Sunrisers’ first home game of the season, against Rajasthan Royals. “It was the same when I was with Kings XI [Punjab in 2017]; I didn’t play straightaway. Just sit back and watch, and try to do as much as I can to help the guys who are playing.”I got an opportunity to play with Mumbai a couple of years ago and Kings XI the next year. I had the year off last year, and coming here this year, I am looking to forward to hopefully getting an opportunity when the time comes but it’s one of those things; you bide your time until you get selected.”However, Guptill doesn’t get too worried about what happens during auctions.”I have been up in the auction a few times and I have been picked up but when I go into the auction, I go in with reasonably low expectations. If I get picked up, that’s great and if I don’t get picked up, then I am not too disappointed.”Of late, Guptill’s form has been a bit up and down. During the ODI series against India at home, he managed just 47 runs in four innings. A disc injury then kept him out of the T20I series, before he regained fitness and struck form with back-to-back ODI hundreds against Bangladesh.Guptill revealed that a couple of flaws had crept into his batting which he ironed out with the help of his Auckland coach Mark O’Donnell.”I had a few issues with something in my game during the India series at home. There were a couple of balance issues. I wasn’t loading up properly in my sit up and that was causing me to play different lines than what I would have liked to. But I watched a lot of footage of what I was doing at that time and what I was doing previously that was working for me.”I managed to work on those hard and come on the other side and got a couple of centuries against Bangladesh. I am just looking to carry on that sort of rhythm and form that I had there and if I get an opportunity to play, hopefully I can translate that in the middle.”While he may or may not get a chance to play for Sunrisers soon, Guptill is looking forward to facing the likes of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi at the nets, which he believes will help him firm his plans for the World Cup.”I haven’t faced Rashid yet but I have played with him in the CPL a couple of years ago. He’s an amazing bowler, very hard to face because he bowls so quick. I am looking forward to batting against him in the nets and figuring out how to play him because we got them [Afghanistan] second [third] game at the World Cup this year. So I will be trying to face him in the nets so that I can put some plans in place before I face him at the World Cup.”

The opener was dropped after the selection committee said they were unaware of the “shoulder pain” due to which he had failed to report to the ground for the game against Mumbai on Thursday

Arun Venugopal09-Feb-2018M Vijay has been left out of the Tamil Nadu side for the remainder of the Vijay Hazare Trophy after he “failed to report” to the ground for the game against Mumbai on Thursday due to “shoulder pain”. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) made it clear in a press release that the state body, the selection committee and the team physio were unaware of Vijay’s injury.According to a top TNCA official, Vijay didn’t turn up to the SSN College ground, the venue of the match, on Thursday, and informed coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar about his injury at about 7.30 am, an hour and a half before start of play. With Tamil Nadu already hamstrung by an injury to opener Abhinav Mukund, Vijay’s unavailability was the last thing they needed. Ganga Sridhar Raju eventually slotted in as opener alongside Kaushik Gandhi.A source close to Vijay said the batsman was shocked by the development and was waiting to clear the air with the TNCA.Vijay, 33, played Tamil Nadu’s first two matches against Gujarat and Goa and scored 11 and 51. He has now been replaced by batsman Pradosh Ranjan Paul for the remaining matches.”How can we find a replacement at the last minute?” another TNCA official asked. “Vijay didn’t report to the ground and neither did he inform the selectors about his injury. It was very disappointing to say the least.”Vijay was unavailable for a comment on the matter.The TNCA is understood to have been unhappy with Vijay’s “attitude” over a period of time. “This isn’t the first time something like this has happened,” a top TNCA official told ESPNcricinfo. “The selectors weren’t even inclined towards picking him in the four-day squads [for the Ranji Trophy] in the first place because of issues with his attitude and general aloofness.”The official, however, confirmed the TNCA hadn’t initiated any disciplinary proceedings yet. “At the moment it’s only the decision of the selectors to not pick him,” he said. “In the future, once national players confirm their availability for a tournament they have to play the full competition. They can’t pick and choose matches. This issue might come up for discussion at the Executive Committee meeting of the TNCA.”India offspinner R Ashwin, who has picked up seven wickets in three matches so far, is also set to miss Tamil Nadu’s fixture against Andhra on Sunday. The official, however, clarified that Ashwin had sought the permission of the TNCA in advance, and the association, in consultation with the selectors, granted his request.

Dougie Brown has emerged as a front-runner for the Netherlands coaching role

George Dobell and David Hopps28-Dec-2016Dougie Brown has emerged as a front-runner for the Netherlands coaching role.Brown, the former England and Scotland all-rounder, was sacked as Warwickshire’s director of cricket at the end of the 2016 season despite the club lifting the Royal London One-Day Cup.After protracted discussions with Lancashire over compensation, Ashley Giles returned to Warwickshire in the role.Andy Moles, who has previously coached New Zealand, Afghanistan, Scotland, Kenya and Hong Kong, is also believed to be under consideration by Netherlands.While Chris Adams has enjoyed coaching success with the Netherlands – they won WCL Div 2 and the World T20 qualifier (shared with Scotland) in 2015 – he is understood to be reluctant to relocate to Holland.Adams will be in-charge for a tour to the United Arab Emirates in January in which the Netherlands will contest the Desert Twenty20I tournament, also involving Ireland, Scotland, UAE, Oman, Namibia and Hong Kong. They will then travel to Hong Kong for matches in the Intercontinental Cup and World Cricket League.He assumed the role of interim coach when Anton Roux stood down from the position in August this year to work with the Otago Volts. Roux worked with Netherlands cricket for three years from 2013 and was part of memorable wins, including the ones over England in the 2009 and in World T20 2014.Nottinghamshire, meanwhile, have also begun searching for a replacement for Wayne Noon as their assistant coach. Karl Krikken and Ben Smith are understood to be among those under consideration.

Australia’s pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson says he is at that stage of his career where every Test could be his last

Daniel Brettig at the WACA11-Nov-2015Like the WACA Ground he loves so much, Mitchell Johnson is contemplating the end. Having already spoken about pondering retirement at the back end of this year’s Ashes series, Johnson has made the frank admission that thoughts about finishing his playing career are more or less a constant companion these days.Ahead of the second Test against New Zealand, which is set to be one of the last major matches played at the storied WACA, Johnson said he was now at a phase of his career where every match might be his last. He also expressed hope about ending his time in the Australian Test team on home shores, a privilege denied to Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Shane Watson, Ryan Harris and Chris Rogers after all five senior men departed during the England tour.”I think about it most days I think,” Johnson said. “It’s probably getting to that time, but to be honest I’m just trying to go out there and play each game and enjoy it. Like I’ve said before, it could be after this game I might just go, I’m done but I’m still enjoying my cricket at the moment and I’m enjoying the challenges.”It’s a really good time for Australian cricket with these young guys in the team and I want to be a part of that. As long as I’m performing well and doing my job in the team then mentally I’m feeling pretty good. I’m not emotional or anything like that now, no, because I’m not retiring. It’s always special playing here so it does excite me.”I started my career in Australia, played my first Test at the Gabba, I think I’d like to finish my career in Australia if I have the choice. It’s whether I get that choice or not. Not many people get it, so who knows. I feel like I’m still performing pretty well. I’d like to get a few more wickets but I feel like I haven’t dropped off too much. Pace is still up there enough and I feel confident enough in myself.”The talk about retirement is not to say that Johnson has fallen out of love with the game. On the contrary he spoke warmly about his involvement with club cricket and his belief in the importance of maintaining a strong linkage between the grassroots of the game and the commercialised, glamourised top end. If there is anything that seems to have stuck in Johnson’s craw recently – evident in his thoughts on the looming day-night Test and other lost traditions – it is the increasing gap between the international arena and earlier, simpler times.”I enjoyed it, it was a great experience and the guys get a boost out of it, both teams,” he said of turning out for Wanneroo Districts at the outset of the summer. “I actually felt a fair bit of pressure on me to perform as I always do when I go back, but I try to go out there and enjoy it as much as I can and mingle with the young guys.”I stayed afterwards and had a chat with the guys. I love club cricket. At the last game I caught up with my club president from the Wanderers and it was really good to catch up with him and chat about how it all started. I am a firm believer in all that, I think grass roots cricket is so important. I’d love to play more [club] cricket. I actually wanted to play a few more games but it just wasn’t possible.”Among the reasons keeping Johnson from his club side is a highly regimented and grooved routine to get him as close to his best for Test matches. At the age of 34, Johnson knows his body very well, and thus realises that a uniquely powerful frame is starting to wind down.”It’s good but it’s not as good as ever,” Johnson said. “You have your niggles here and there, just like every other fast bowler that’s been before me. You have your little issues you have with your body and I’m no different, so it’s just about managing those things and I guess I’ve become pretty good at that over the years. That’s part of being a fast bowler is you’re going to be sore when you play.”I really like that feeling of having that soreness – it doesn’t probably sound great, but I like that feeling. It feels like I’m doing something out there and pushing my body to its limits. As long as I keep doing that maintenance and looking after myself after each game then I’ll be right to play on.”Johnson finished the Gabba Test level with Brett Lee on 310 Test wickets, a mark that was a source of considerable pride for the younger man. He has spoken often of his admiration for Lee and Dennis Lillee, the original WACA tearaway who matured into the most complete of all Australian fast bowlers. His mark of 355 Test wickets is tantalisingly near.”I was just trying to get past Brett Lee – I’m even with him now,” Johnson said. “You never know I could go a few Tests without wickets and that’d be the end of it. It wouldn’t be a bad thing, Brett was an idol for me. I remember saying when I first got into really serious cricket that I wanted to bowl as fast as Brett Lee and now I’m level with him. It’s pretty awesome.”Never thought I’d reach that target, especially a few years ago, I wouldn’t have even thought about getting close to 300 wickets. Dennis’ is a pretty remarkable career he had playing 79 Tests and getting 355 wickets at low 20s. That’s pretty awesome and I’m not sure. I’ll have a crack but if I get there or not, who knows.”

Quinton de Kock and Alviro Peterson scored half-centuries as Lions sealed their place in the final of the Ram Slam T20 Challenge

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Mar-2013
ScorecardLions romped into the final of the Ram Slam T20 tournament with a 54-run win over Dolphins. They will take on the winner of the semi-final between Warriors and Titans.Put into bat, Lions piled up a score of 195 for 4. Quinton de Kock led the way with a 61-ball 97 that had three fours and eight sixes, while Alviro Petersen scored an unbeaten 55. The pair shared a stand of 87 runs off 52 balls for the third wicket.In reply, Dolphins never got their chase moving after losing openers Divan van Wyk and Cameron Delport. A 49-run partnership between Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Cody Chetty steadied the innings before their dismissals and David Miller’s wicket in consecutive overs left the Titans reeling at 81 for 5. A 25-ball 41 from captain Daryn Smit helped Dolphins reach 141 for 9 at the end of their 20 overs.
ScorecardWarriors routed Cape Cobras by eight wickets to set up a semi-final clash with Titans. Opener Christiaan Jonker’s unbeaten 64 off 39 balls held the Warriors’ chase together after Ashwell Prince was dismissed for seven. Jonker shared an 82-run stand with Colin Ingram to take his side past the target of 129 with more than six overs to spare.Earlier, Cape Cobras scored 128 runs in their innings as the batsmen fell regularly to the Warriors bowling. Owais Shah was the topscorer for Cobras with an unbeaten 33, while Rusty Theron picked up two wickets for the Warriors.

The ICC has introduced a “special dispensation” to be made only in “exceptional circumstances” in order to ensure that bilateral series take place even if the ruling body has determined it “unsafe” to appoint its officials for such series

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Mar-2012The ICC has introduced a “special dispensation” to be made only in “exceptional circumstances” in order to ensure that bilateral series take place even if the ruling body has determined it “unsafe” to appoint its officials for such series. This would allow such series to be manned by “non-neutral match officials”, a departure from the ICC’s Standard Playing Conditions, pending permission from the ICC’s Executive Board.The dispensation, announced at the end of the ICC’s Chief Executive Committee (CEC)’s two-day meeting in Dubai, will have special significance for the proposed tour of Pakistan by Bangladesh, the planning for which is at an advanced stage.The CEC stated that it had limited powers to take a decision over safety issues as to whether tours should take place or not. It reiterated that the ICC’s role in bilateral series was “limited to considering the safety and security of the match officials after a tour had been confirmed and a security plan produced.” The decision as to whether a particular tour should take place or not was, the CEC stated, “one for the participating countries.”The CEC statement has ensured that the ICC’s own officials need not be appointed for Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan. That could be seen by Pakistan as a stumbling block towards hosting top-level international cricket; other nations would be wary of touring if the ICC deemed the situation was not safe for their officials.For Bangladesh, the seal of ICC’s approval would have ensured greater vigilance around security issues. Last week, a nine-member Bangladesh delegation, led by their cricket board president Mustafa Kamal, gave a nod to the security arrangements at various venues after a two-day visit. Both Kamal, and Zaka Ashraf, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, had said that they would approach the ICC to approve the tour.It is understood that the ICC dispatched individual letters to both the PCB and BCB on Monday, saying that it could not give the tour a go-ahead. The CEC’s introduction of this special dispensation around “non-neutral match officials” did not make a specific reference to the ICC’s disapproval of the series or that the tour had been deemed “unsafe” for its match officials to stand in. The dispensation however, creates the opportunity for the series to go ahead with Pakistani or Bangladeshi umpires and match-referees.There had been two itineraries proposed for the tour, one of which includes a three-match ODI series, and the other a series of two ODIs and one Twenty20 international, to be completed in one week in April. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and Karachi’s National Stadium are the venues expected to host the matches.ESPNcricinfo understands that Bangladesh’s security team had expressed its reservations in playing in Karachi, and instead hope to play all the proposed matches in Lahore. Earlier, Rawalpindi was dropped as a venue from the plan.”It is important the tour goes ahead for Pakistan cricket to show the country can host games again,” Subhan Ahmad, the PCB’s chief operating officer, told . “We will have the highest level of security possible.”Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, pointed out that special dispensations however should not become a norm. “Bearing in mind that safety and security is the sole responsibility of individual member boards for bilateral matches, the CEC regarded this as an exceptional circumstance in which the appointment of non-neutral match officials could be justified but stated clearly that it should not to be regarded as a preferred option or precedent if the dispensation were to be granted,” Lorgat said.There has been no international cricket in Pakistan for exactly three years now after masked terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus and the van carrying ICC match officials, who were on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 3, 2009, on what was the third day of the second Test.