Cricket Buzz: ICC refuses to recognise USACA events involving India

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday refused to give recognition to two bilateral series being planned by the expelled United States of America Cricket Association (USACA) with India.

The USACA, which was expelled by the ICC in June 2017, recently announced plans to host the Indian women's and men's team for a bilateral T20I series each in April and May respectively.

"Both the series are unsanctioned events within the ICC's regulatory framework and neither is recognised by the BCCI or ICC," an ICC media release said.

ICC also stated that the participants of the event may be subject to disciplinary action.

"In accordance with the ICC's regulations on sanctioning events, no person affiliated to a National Cricket Federation is permitted to participate in any disapproved cricket.

"This prohibition applies to players, match officials, coaching or management staff affiliated to a National Cricket Federation or any team affiliated to a National Cricket Federation," the release added.

WI to play T20 series vs Pakistan in Karachi next month

International cricket's slow trickle back into Pakistan continues with West Indies set to play a three-match Twenty20 series in Karachi in the first week of April, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has announced.

The south Asian country has remained largely starved of international cricket since the 2009 attacks on a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore, wounding six players and a British coach and killing eight Pakistanis.

The incident forced Pakistan to play nearly all of their home matches in the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan have since hosted Zimbabwe, a World XI, and a Sri Lanka team for limited overs matches, all at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.

"Good news! West Indies have agreed to play 3 T20 matches in KARACHI on 1, 2 and 4th April," Sethi tweeted.

Karachi will also host the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on March 25.

"Lahore had Zimbabwe, PSL2 Final, ICC XI and Sri Lanka. Now it is Karachi's turn to rise and shine with PSL3 Final and WI," Sethi added.

International Cricket Council's security consultant Reg Dickason will visit Karachi during the PSL final to assess security arrangement for the Twenty20 series.

"Their expert will stay back for seven days and conduct the security for West Indies series. This is part of our agreement with the West Indies board," Sethi told reporters, adding PCB was unlikely to make any profit from the series.

"This will be a one-off series... it will be a loss-making enterprise. The idea wasn't to make money, it was to bring cricket back, so this is a step in that direction."

England national selector to step down amid scouting revamp

James Whitaker will leave his role as England's chief national selector at the end of the month as part of a revamp of the team selection process, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said.

Whitaker has been an England selector for 10 years and his departure is linked to the ECB's introduction of a formalised scouting network to pick its test, Twenty20 and one-day sides.

The system includes a three-strong selection panel consisting of Whitaker's replacement as national selector, a full-time independent England selector and the England head coach.

This panel will receive information on players from a team of designated discipline-specific scouts in a bid to give selectors deeper insights into the available talent pool.

"The new approach will allow us to see more players throughout the county game, more often, and simplify the selection process," England cricket director Andrew Strauss said in a statement.

Whitaker has overseen four Ashes series wins, victory in the 2010 World Twenty20 in 2010 and Test series triumphs in India and South Africa.

"It has been an immense privilege and an honour for me to have been an England selector for the last 10 years," he said.

"I have been involved for a decade now and it feels that the time is right, with this new approach, for me to move on."

The ECB aims to appoint Whitaker's replacement by mid-May, when the squad for the home Test series against Pakistan is named.

IMAGE: The West Indies cricket team

Photograph: BCCI