The IPL version of the Impact Player Rule will be used in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, the BCCI Apex Council has approved. The rule was introduced in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy last season but the player had to be brought before the end of the 14th over and had to be named before the toss.
However, this will change from next season. Like IPL, the teams will be allowed to name four substitutes before the toss. Out of the four substitutes, only one can be used as an Impact Player. “Both teams are allowed to use one Impact Player per match. It is, however, not compulsory,” read one of the guidelines on the rule. The Apex Council also approved the participation of the men’s and women’s teams at the Asian Games.
A second-string Indian team will participate in the men’s competition, beginning September 28, while a full-strength side will be picked for the women’s event, beginning September 19.
Cricket has been included only thrice in the Asian Games history. The last time it was held, in 2014, India did not participate.
PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen in quarters
Star Indian shuttlers PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen progressed to the quarterfinals of the women’s and men’s singles competitions, respectively, at the Canada Open Super 500. While Sindhu advanced to the last-eight after her opponent Natsuki Nidaira of Japan gave her a walkover, Sen notched up a 21-15 21-11 win over Brazil’s Ygor Coelho in 31 minutes. Sindhu will face 2022 Indonesia Masters champion Gao Fang Jie, who had played an important role in China’s win at the Asia Mixed Team Championships this year. Sen, a CWG gold medallist, takes on Belgium’s Julien Carraggi. Sen has been slowly regaining his touch after going through a lean patch early in the season. On Thursday, July 6, Sen faced a tough battle against Coelho, who erased a 0-2 deficit with a four-point burst and then kept it tight. The duo moved neck and neck till 13-13 but Sen managed to march ahead and sealed the contest after jumping to 20-15 with a five-point burst. In the second game, Sen galloped to 12-2 and kept Coelho at bay.