Cricket Hong Kong, China set to host first ICC tournament in 14 Years
Burji Shroff, Chairperson of Cricket Hong Kong, China, was thrilled about the opportunity and shared his excitement.
'We are immensely proud to host the 2025 Cricket World Cup Challenge League B," he said.
"This tournament is not just a celebration of cricket but also a testament to the growth of the sport globally, with diverse teams taking part. We look forward to showcasing our hospitality and passion for cricket to teams and fans from around the globe."
The tournament will feature Uganda, Bahrain, Singapore, Italy, Tanzania, and hosts Hong Kong, China, as all teams vie for a chance to advance in the World Cup qualification pathway.
Matches will take place at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground and Kowloon Cricket Club, with all games broadcast live on ICC.tv.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Gulf Today
Pakistan, Bangladesh look to the future with WC on horizon
Next year's World Cup is in sight as a new-look Pakistan under Mike Hesson host a young Bangladesh team in Lahore in three Twenty20 internationals from Wednesday. The 2009 world champions Pakistan have endured a significant downturn in the last 12 months and crashed out in the first round of the World Cup in 2024. They have won only three of their last 13 T20Is, two against minnows Zimbabwe, and slumped to eighth in the T20I rankings. With a new head coach in New Zealand's Hesson they are looking to younger players with the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka just eight months away. Star batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, have all been axed. Salman Agha will lead the side, having lost a series in New Zealand 4-1 two months ago. 'We've been really clear around the style of play we want and then it's about picking players that can do that,' Hesson, who coached New Zealand from 2012-2018, said. 'We've got a good number of T20Is between now and the World Cup. 'We will develop a depth of squad playing the way we want and the rankings will come in time because it is about the way we want to play.' Bangladesh, ranked ninth, are in the same boat. They have won just four of their last 12 T20Is and lost series against lower-ranked United States (2024) and United Arab Emirates earlier this month. They also have a new coach in West Indian Phil Simmons, who will be missing senior players including Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim, all either fully retired or from the T20Is. 'We're aiming to improve our cricket by performing well in this series,' said Simmons, who took over in October. Frontline fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman are nursing injuries while new pace sensation Nahid Rana withdrew from the tour over security fears following the cross-border conflict between India and Pakistan. The conflict put the tour in doubt but Bangladesh finally agreed to play three T20Is instead of the scheduled five. The remaining matches are on Friday and Sunday, also in Lahore. Agencies


Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Ancelotti pledges to make struggling Brazil 'world champions again'
Carlo Ancelotti on Monday ruled injury-plagued Neymar out from Brazil's line-up for upcoming World Cup qualifiers and vowed to lead the team to a sixth title on his first day as Selecao coach. Former Real Madrid manager Ancelotti is the first non-Brazilian in six decades to coach the record five-time World Cup winners. "I'm very proud to lead the best team in the world. I have a big job ahead of me and have great hope that Brazil will become champions again," he said during his official presentation at a hotel in Rio de Janeiro. "The only goal is to win the 2026 World Cup," he said after receiving a green-and-yellow coach's jacket from Luiz Felipe Scolari, the manager who took Brazil to its last World Cup win in 2002. At 65, the Italian star manager, who has five Champions League titles under his belt, is taking the reins of a national team for the first time. Expectations are high in football-mad Brazil that he can revive the squad's fortunes. To that end, he announced the return of Manchester United midfielder and former Brazil captain Casemiro for June's qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay, alongside Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr and Barcelona winger Raphinha. Ancelotti is Brazil's fourth coach in two years, and he faces a formidable task. "Brazil was sort of decaying and needed that little light at the end of the tunnel. I think he is that light," said Jose Geraldo Da Silva, a 65-year-old retiree, who was waiting outside the Rio hotel to try catch a glimpse of the new trainer. Brazil has struggled for form in 2026 World Cup qualifying and sacked Dorival Junior in March after a humiliating 4-1 thrashing by regional arch-rivals Argentina. Ancelotti will cut his teeth on June 5 against Ecuador in Guayaquil and then on the 10th will host Paraguay in Sao Paulo. While ruling out Neymar for the fixtures, Ancelotti said that "obviously we're counting on him" for the future. In his last game for Brazil in October 2023, which ended in a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay, Neymar suffered a serious knee injury and has not worn his country's colors since then. Casemiro, 33, who has also not been called up since October 2023, did receive the nod to return, by contrast. Speaking in Spanish peppered with a few words of Portuguese, which he promised to quickly learn, Ancelotti said Casemiro would bring "charisma, personality and talent." New wunderkind Estevao, 18, who is set to join Chelsea from Sao Paulo's Palmeiras, was also called up. But injured Real Madrid forwards Rodrygo and Endrick did not make the list. Brazil is currently languishing in fourth place in the South American qualifying table for next year's tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The national football federation (CBF) spent two years wooing Ancelotti to try turn the page on years of disappointment for the national side and its fans. The Selecao have only made it as far as the World Cup semi-final once out of the last five tournaments -- in 2014 against Germany, who gave the World Cup hosts an historic 7-1 thrashing on home soil. Ancelotti's arrival also coincides with a period of turbulence for the CBF itself. On Sunday, it elected a new president, Samir Xaud, after the previous boss, Ednaldo Rodrigues was dismissed by a court over suspicions of forgery in his employment contract. "May Christ the Redeemer (Rio's landmark monument) bless the arrival of our Mr Carlo Ancelotti, so that he can secure... a highly coveted sixth world title," Xaud said by way of welcome to Ancelotti, to whom he vowed "total autonomy." Ancelotti's new role comes with a pay package of around 10 million euros ($11.4 million) a year, according to local media.

Int'l Cricket Council
3 days ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Newly crowned No.1 T20I bowler credits Pakistan legend
Iqbal played a pivotal role in Pakistan's flawless run at the recent ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier, helping the team punch their ticket to the marquee event in India later this year. Snapping nine wickets in five matches, Iqbal's efforts guided Pakistan to an invincible campaign at home - one she hopes they can repeat come the Cricket World Cup. 'World Cup is the biggest event, we've secured our qualification recently. Our goal is to play the way we did in the Qualifier. 'We'll look to pick from where we ended that tournament, and hope to finish the World Cup the same way. On her personal goal moving forward, she added, 'For me, the team always comes first. And that helps me as well as the team. My goal is to help my team win the World Cup.' Pakistan Women secured their qualification spot for the eight-team tournament alongside Bangladesh via the Qualifier at home. They'll vie for the top prize against defending champions Australia, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa and hosts India.