Kolkata: With the Indian cricket board allowing its players a day off on the New Year’s eve, the proposed joint New Year celebration by the India and Pakistan cricket teams ahead of their game at the Eden Gardens here has been cancelled, a cricket official said yesterday.
“Though we had planned the joint celebrations, the same has been cancelled as team India players will be enjoying a much-deserved day off with their families in their respective homes on the New Year’s eve,” said Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) treasurer Biswarup Dey.
Both the squads were slated to arrive in the city today for the second One-Day International to be played Janaury 3, but now the hosts would arrive in batches tomorrow.
The Pakistan team would arrive as slated.
“They will remain confined to hotel tomorrow as there are some private parties organised to usher in the New Year. The CAB is not organising any party,” CAB joint-secretary Subir Ganguly said.
Besides there will be a host of former cricketers from both the countries and among them will be retired India batsman VVS Laxman who will be felicitated by the CAB for his exploits at the Eden Gardens.
Meanwhile, West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine has broken into the top 10 of the latest International Cricket Council Twenty20 player rankings.
The wily Trinidadian bowler rose three spots in the rankings released Saturday, to be joint tenth with South African speedster Dale Steyn, reports CMC.
Narine’s last T20 International was against Bangladesh earlier this month when he finished wicket-less from three overs. He has so far taken 16 wickets from 13 T20s in his fledgling international career.
There is no Indian bowler in the top 10 while there are two batsmen in the top 10. Virat Kohli with 730 points is in fifth position and Suresh Raina is in eighth.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy is the second highest-ranked West Indies bowler at 24th. Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has maintained his stranglehold on the number one spot in the rankings.
In the batting, West Indies Marlon Samuels has risen one spot to sixth while Chris Gayle remains unmoved on third.
Australian Shane Watson tops the rankings ahead of New Zealander Brendon McCullum.
IANS
