Indian activists storm BCCI over Pak talks – ICC exploring cricket inclusion in Olympics 

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MUMBAI, Oct 19, (AFP): Dozens of activists stormed the Mumbai offices of India’s cricket board on Monday to disrupt planned talks on resuming matches against Pakistan, the latest protest by hardline Hindu activists in the city. Around three dozen supporters of the Shiv Sena party barged into the headquarters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and shouted anti-Pakistan slogans at its president, Shashank Manohar. “Ten people have been arrested and bailed,” Mumbai Police Deputy Commissioner Dhananjay Kulkarni told AFP, adding that an offence of “rioting” had been registered. He said 35 demonstrators had been involved in the morning protest. The demonstrators demanded that Manohar cancel talks with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan that were planned in Mumbai on Monday. Khan had arrived in the city on Sunday to discuss the possibility of an India-Pakistan series, which is in doubt due to strained political relations.

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Cricket’s governing body will explore the prospect of the game’s inclusion in the Summer Olympics during a meeting next month, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson said on Monday. Richardson said the meeting with the International Olympic Committee would be “exploratory in nature”. “The plan is to meet them at this stage in mid-November, we are still trying to finalise a date but the invitation has come to meet,” Richardson told media in a briefing. “Multisport federations like the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics have expressed an interest in cricket being part of those Games.

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Cricket’s governing body on Monday said it was considering the use of non-red coloured balls in Test matches to avoid the scenario that arose in the first match between Pakistan and England in Abu Dhabi last week. England were denied a dramatic win on the fifth and final day on Saturday, falling short by 25 runs in chasing 99 when umpires called off play eight overs earlier due to bad light. England captain Alastair Cook had shown frustration on not moving 1-0 up in the three-match series but head coach Trevor Bayliss accepted that it was according to the rules. Under the rules on-field umpires have the sole right of calling off play if they deem light unfit for play.

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In Colombo, West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels has been reported for a suspect bowling action for the third time in his career, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said Monday. Samuels, 34, who was reported previously in 2008 and 2013, was hauled up this time during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, the governing body said in a statement. The off-spinner is required to undergo testing within 14 days, but is allowed to bowl in international cricket until the test results are declared. Samuels bowled 27 overs in Sri Lanka’s only innings in Galle and picked up the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne. The hosts won the Test by an innings and six runs.

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