South Africa batter Zubayr Hamza has been banned from all cricket-related activities for nine months by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for doping.
Hamza in March agreed a voluntary suspension after testing positive for banned substance Furosemide – which is not a performance-enhancing drug – in an out-of-competition sample on January 17.
The 26-year-old admitted the violation and, after establishing no significant fault or negligence on his part, the world governing body banned him until December 22.
Hamza's performances between January 17 and March 22 this year have been disqualified.
During that time, he scored 25 runs in the first innings and six in the second of the Proteas' innings-and-276 run defeat to New Zealand in the first Test in Christchurch.
He also made three appearances for Western Province, with a highest score of 30.
Alex Marshall, ICC general manager – integrity unit said: "The ICC is committed to keeping cricket clean and has a zero-tolerance approach to doping.
"It is also a timely reminder to all international cricketers that they remain responsible for anything they put into their bodies, to know exactly what medication they are taking so as to ensure it does not contain a prohibited substance and does not result in an anti-doping rule violation."
Stokes out of first Pakistan Test through injury
England captain Ben Stokes is out of their first Test against Pakistan having failed to recover from a hamstring tear in time.
Stokes suffered the hamstring injury in August playing in The Hundred and has not played since, missing England's three-match series against Sri Lanka last month.
England said last week that the 33-year-old was "on track" to participate in the tour and trained away from the rest of the team in their first session.
Stokes confirmed he will miss the first Test, which begins on Monday in Multan, and Ollie Pope will continue to deputise as captain in his absence.
"I tried my hardest to get myself fit for this game but have taken the call to miss this one because I've not quite managed to get game-ready," Stokes told BBC Sport.
"There is a lot that has to go into my rehab programme. We got to a certain point, but looking at the picture of what we've got coming up and physically where I'm at, I'm not quite ready to play.
"It's always frustrating to miss out. I've got some good things to focus on, so even though I'm not playing, I've got a goal in mind."
The second Test starts on October 15, but the all-rounder admitted he was not sure whether that was a realistic target for his return.
"I've pushed myself incredibly hard and worked really hard with the medical team to get to where I'm at now. I think I'm further ahead than what we expected," he added.
"I'll be working just as hard over the next 10 days to try to get myself fit for the second Test."
In his absence, Durham seamer Brydon Carse will make his England Test debut.
He has previously played 19 ODIs and four T20s for England and will make his red-ball bow just over a month after completing a three-month ban for historical gambling offences.
England XI for first Test against Pakistan: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Bryson Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.
Warriors through to final after dominant eight-wicket win over Royals un Qualifier 2
Reigning champions Guyana Amazon Warriors booked their spot in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) final by inflicting an eight wicket defeat over Barbados Royals in Providence.
Imran Tahir won the toss and decided to field first, himself and his fellow bowlers working as a well oiled unit to restrict and run through the Royals who eventually posted a total of 148 runs.
The Royals batting card was full of starts but no one grabbed the innings by the scruff of the neck and went on to post a decisive score as wickets continued to fall. Quinton de Kock chipped a simple caught and bowled chance back to Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd picked up the key wicket of Rahkeem Cornwall with a reviewed lbw decision that went the Warriors way.
Cornwall was looking in fine form and the reversal of the on field decision put the Royals under real pressure that they never really recovered from.
The Warriors bowling line up shared the wickets between them, Shepherd finishing with 3/35 and Moeen Ali once again bowling a decisive spell with the ball in hand, spearing in 13 dot balls and picking up two wickets to end with 2/24 for his efforts. Some chaotic running in the scrabble for late runs also saw two run outs as the Royals innings spluttered to a close.
The Warriors set about the total with confidence and managed to win the match and secure their place in Sunday's final inside 15 overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Moeen Ali flayed the ball to all parts at the top of the order, Gurbaz departing for a rapid 40 off 18 balls with four sixes and Ali finishing unbeaten on 44 off 35 balls to cap a fine all round performance in a crucial match.
Shai Hope made a classy half century before being yorked by Ramon Simmonds with just two runs needed for victory, Player of the Match Moeen Ali clipping the decisive single off his pads just a couple of balls later to land the telling blow.
The winning run struck with 33 balls left unused saw the Barbados Royals title hopes left in tatters and Guyana Amazon Warriors cruising to a comprehensive victory that gives them an opportunity to land back to back CPL titles. Saint Lucia Kings lie in wait in what promises to be an enthralling end to the 2024 competition.
Andrew, Hinds, Springer earn maiden call-ups as Windies squads for white ball tour of Sri Lanka named
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the squads selected for the eagerly anticipated West Indies Senior Men’s T20 International (T20I) and One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka. The teams are set to compete in three (3) T20Is and three (3) ODIs from 10 to 27 October 2024.
T20I Squad
The T20I squad will take on Sri Lanka from 10 to 17 October 2024. After a resounding 3-0 series sweep against South Africa earlier this year, the West Indies have climbed the rankings, moving to fourth place, and established themselves as serious contenders on the world stage. Several senior players, including Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Akeal Hosein and Shimron Hetmyer have opted out of the tour for personal reasons, opening the door for newer faces and returning players. Captain Rovman Powell will lead the side, with Roston Chase continuing in his role as Vice-Captain.
Head Coach Daren Sammy, who now leads on selection under the revamped selection system, noted the importance of this series in evaluating players for key roles and understanding the conditions ahead of future ICC Tournaments.
On the T20 squad, Coach Sammy said, “the tour of Sri Lanka gives us a chance to test our depth and assess players in different situations, especially with several senior players missing out for various reasons, including a need for rest and rehabilitation from injury. We are confident in the squad’s ability to compete strongly.”
West Indies T20I Squad:
The series will begin on 13 October 2024, with the first match at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, followed by two more matches on 15 and 17 October.
ODI Squad
The ODI squad is set to face Sri Lanka in a three-match series from 20 to 27 October 2024. Shai Hope will continue as Captain, with Vice-Captain support from Alzarri Joseph. This series provides an opportunity for CWI to focus on building its ODI team ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
A notable inclusion is Jewel Andrew, the young Antiguan wicketkeeper-batsman who has impressed and earned his place in the squad. The squad also sees the return of several key players, including Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford.
Head Coach Sammy, remarked on the ODI squad’s balance and potential for growth: “As we continue to build our ODI team, this tour offers a valuable opportunity to evaluate strategies and give opportunities to emerging talent. We are excited to see young players like Jewel Andrew, who has earned his place as an exciting prospect for the future.”
West Indies ODI Squad:
Team Management:
Team management remains the same across both squads.
The ODI series will start on 20 October 2024, with the first match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, followed by matches on 23 and 26 October.
Tour Schedule:
T20I Series:
All matches 7:00pm local time/9:30am Eastern Caribbean/8:30am Jamaica Caribbean fans can catch the action on Rush Sports, the Bluu App and Sports Max App.
ODI Series:
All matches 2:30pm local time/5:00am Eastern Caribbean/4:00am Jamaica
Caribbean fans can catch the action on Rush Sports, the Bluu App and Sports Max App.
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