All posts tagged: boycott

Former England captains Atherton, Hussain & Boycott blast ECB over lack of Ashes accountability

Former England captains Atherton, Hussain & Boycott blast ECB over lack of Ashes accountability

Published by Webster

3 min readMar 25, 2026 11:47 PM IST The England Cricket Board (ECB) continues to find itself at the receiving end of criticism after handing a clean chit to head coach Brendon McCullum, following a disastrous Ashes series in which England lost 4–1 in emphatic fashion during the five-match Test tour of Australia last summer. ECB chief executive Richard Gould recently confirmed that the positions of captain Ben Stokes, managing director Rob Key, and McCullum are safe following a thorough review conducted by the board. Former England captain Michael Atherton expressed surprise at the decision. He believes fans will find it “extraordinary” that no jobs were lost for the “mistakes” made during the Ashes defeat. “From the perspective of people out there, they will find it extraordinary that there’s been no accountability for the mistakes made in the Ashes,” Atherton said while speaking to Key on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast. “It’s not necessarily bloodlust people want, but I think they want genuine accountability. If there’s no change to key personnel, they will argue, ‘Well, …

Ireland cricketers can ‘boycott’ Afghanistan series amid ‘moral discomfort’ of hosting 5 home ODIs

Ireland cricketers can ‘boycott’ Afghanistan series amid ‘moral discomfort’ of hosting 5 home ODIs

Published by Webster

2 min readMar 24, 2026 08:09 PM IST Having decided to go ahead with their five-match home ODI series against the Afghanistan men’s cricket team, the Cricket Ireland board has said that it will leave it up to the players to commit to their participation. Amid calls for a boycott, Ireland had last week announced the five-match series slated to be held in August, despite carrying a ‘moral discomfort’ of playing against a board that has disregarded women’s cricket. Female participation in sports was barred in Afghanistan five years ago when the Taliban reassumed power in the country. Greame West, director of high performance at Cricket Ireland, said that the board will leave it up to the players to decide on their availability for the series to be played in Bready and Stormont. “I think you have to. We have had conversations with both the men’s and women’s teams to gauge opinion. There are concerns, as you would anticipate, but when we had similar conversations with the board and considered all the factors, there is …

‘Leopards don’t change their spots’: Geoffrey Boycott slams ECB over ‘worst Ashes tour’, warns England on sticking with Brendon McCullum | Cricket News

‘Leopards don’t change their spots’: Geoffrey Boycott slams ECB over ‘worst Ashes tour’, warns England on sticking with Brendon McCullum | Cricket News

Published by Webster

4 min readMar 24, 2026 12:21 PM IST Former England captain and legendary batter Geoffrey Boycott has slammed the ECB chief executive Richard Gould and managing director Rob Key for the review into England’s Ashes defeat earlier in the summer. The 85-year-old questioned the process behind concluding that head coach Brendon McCullum would continue in his role, adding that Gould and Key would not win too many supporters to keep the former New Zealand captain in the job. “The worst pre-planned Ashes tour in my lifetime, and nobody is held to account or to blame? In the famous words of John McEnroe: “You cannot be serious.” The review was done by Richard Gould, the England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive, who has never played county or Test match cricket, and he decided nobody is to blame.” “What planet is he on? Is he oblivious to what the majority of former England players and cricket journalists are saying? Gould says it will not be a popular decision to keep Brendon McCullum, and he is damn …

T.N. Assembly election: For second time, Pottalurani residents to boycott polls over fish waste processing units

T.N. Assembly election: For second time, Pottalurani residents to boycott polls over fish waste processing units

Published by Parlour News

A sign installed in Pottalurani village demanding the closure of the fish waste processing units. | Photo Credit: N. Rajesh For the second consecutive time, the residents of Pottalurani village, which falls under Ottapidaram Assembly constituency in Thoothukudi district, have announced that they would boycott the election, as their long-pending demand for the closure of fish waste processing units near the village remains unaddressed by the government. More than 900 people had boycotted the Lok Sabha election in 2024 over the same issue. The residents have been demanding the closure of fish waste processing units near the village since 2019, and have submitted multiple petitions in this regard. However, the protest intensified in early 2024 ahead of the Lok Sabha election. They have also raised several other demands. Panchayat bifurcation This includes bifurcation of the Ellainayakkanpatti village panchayat to form a separate Pottalurani panchayat and withdrawal of cases filed against the residents during the course of protest. According to the final electoral roll released in February 2026, the village has 912 voters — 422 men …

Kochi Corporation Budget approved amid Opposition boycott

Kochi Corporation Budget approved amid Opposition boycott

Published by Parlour News

The Kochi Corporation’s Budget for 2026-27 was passed with amendments suggested during the discussion even as the Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) staged a boycott, alleging that the changes had reduced the surplus into a deficit. Deputy mayor Deepak Joy had presented a ₹132-crore surplus Budget. Mayor V.K. Minimol said that proposals to address drinking water scarcity and to establish memorials for the late literary critic M.K. Sanoo and ghazal singer Umbayi had been incorporated. However, LDF Parliamentary Party leader V.A. Sreejith said the Opposition chose to boycott rather than endorse the Budget as he felt that the amendments had rendered it deficit in violation of the Municipal Act. For the Budget to be viable, the Corporation would need to collect property tax worth ₹78 crore in a single month, which, he termed, was “next to impossible.” He pointed out that while the Budget speech referred to projects such as the ₹200-crore renovation of the Pandarachira canal and two new waste treatment plants costing ₹40 crore, they were absent in the Budget estimates. Incorporating them, …

Moeen Ali on Pakistan players’ The Hundred boycott row

Moeen Ali on Pakistan players’ The Hundred boycott row

Published by Webster

3 min readUpdated: Feb 24, 2026 04:50 PM IST Former England international Moeen Ali said that the England and Wales Cricket Board must protect the Pakistani players’ rights to play the Hundred, adding that players will take appropriate actions if the Pak cricketers are boycotted by the Indian-owned franchises of the league. The Hundred, a format that has 100 balls in an innings, has four teams owned by Indian companies – Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group), MI London (Reliance), Southern Brave (GMR) and Sunrisers Leeds (Sun Group) and according to the reports in the British media, all of them would avoid Pakistani players. “In the UK, I’m not sure that can happen – and I hope it doesn’t happen. It just shouldn’t happen, hopefully it won’t happen. We just have to wait and see if it does, but I think it’d be a massive shame, and I’m sure the ECB will definitely keep an eye out,” Moeen said to The Telegraph. “There’ll be a group of players that will speak up. There’ll be things done …

Moeen Ali on Pakistan players’ The Hundred boycott row

Moeen Ali on Pakistan players’ The Hundred boycott row

Published by Webster

3 min readUpdated: Feb 24, 2026 04:50 PM IST Former England international Moeen Ali said that the England and Wales Cricket Board must protect the Pakistani players’ rights to play the Hundred, adding that players will take appropriate actions if the Pak cricketers are boycotted by the Indian-owned franchises of the league. The Hundred, a format that has 100 balls in an innings, has four teams owned by Indian companies – Manchester Super Giants (RPSG Group), MI London (Reliance), Southern Brave (GMR) and Sunrisers Leeds (Sun Group) and according to the reports in the British media, all of them would avoid Pakistani players. “In the UK, I’m not sure that can happen – and I hope it doesn’t happen. It just shouldn’t happen, hopefully it won’t happen. We just have to wait and see if it does, but I think it’d be a massive shame, and I’m sure the ECB will definitely keep an eye out,” Moeen said to The Telegraph. “There’ll be a group of players that will speak up. There’ll be things done …

Kochi Corporation Budget approved amid Opposition boycott

Uttarakhand education staff to boycott work over ‘assault’ of director by BJP MLA supporters

Published by Parlour News

Employees of the Uttarakhand education department will abstain from work on Monday (February 23, 2026) and Tuesday (February 24, 2026) following the alleged assault of director Ajay Kumar Naudiyal by supporters of BJP MLA Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’, demanding immediate arrest. The decision to boycott work was taken at a meeting held here between officials of various teachers’ unions, the Federation of Ministerial Services Association, the Employees Joint Council, the Uttarakhand Pharmacists Association, the Collectorate Union, the Diploma Engineers Union, and other employee organisations. The meeting also decided that if the accused are not arrested within two days, all offices in the State, from the Nagar Panchayat to the State Secretariat, will boycott work starting February 25. After the meeting, the president of the State Teachers’ Union, Ram Singh Chauhan, said that the meeting unanimously decided that all officers and employees of the education department would observe a complete strike on Monday and Tuesday. He said that a decision was also taken to request the State’s Chief Secretary to issue a special operating procedure for the …

Boycott ‘circus’ affected Pakistan, says Michael Clarke; predicts stars nearing end of T20I careers | Cricket News

Boycott ‘circus’ affected Pakistan, says Michael Clarke; predicts stars nearing end of T20I careers | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readFeb 17, 2026 11:39 AM IST India extended their dominance over Pakistan on Sunday with a 61-run win in the T20 World Cup group stage between the two sides. Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has said that there is now a significant gap between the two teams and that some of Pakistan’s stars may be in the last stages of their T20 international career. “I think now, there is a distinct gap between the two teams,” said Clarke on the ‘Beyond23 Cricket Podcast’. “India have been ahead for a long time now and there is a significant gap. I don’t know what Pakistan do. If you look through their list, there might be a few of their more senior players who have been good, but in regards to T20 cricket, this might be their final hurrah. They might look at the PSL and some young talent coming through there.” Clarke also felt that all the talk of Pakistan boycotting this match in the days leading up to it also affected their players. “I expected …

Villagers skip meeting convened by Odisha govt over Anganwadi boycott row

Villagers skip meeting convened by Odisha govt over Anganwadi boycott row

Published by Parlour News

The Anganwadi in Odisha’s Kendrapara district has not been functioning for nearly three months. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The nationwide outrage triggered by the three-month boycott of an Anganwadi centre following the appointment of a Dalit woman appears to have had little impact on the villagers, who skipped a meeting convened by the Kendrapara district administration in Odisha to resolve the crisis amicably on Wednesday (February 11, 2026). A team of district level officials led by Kendrapara Sub-Collector had visited Nuagaon village under Ghadiamal gram panchayat in Rajnagar block where villagers had stopped sending their kids to Anganwadi centre after Sharmista Sethy, a 20-year-old graduate from the Dalit community, was given appointment as helper-cum-cook. “We want villagers to send their children to Anganwadi centre as the absence is affecting their pre-school learning as well as healthy diets, as the government provides free of cost. However, only Sarpanch and ward member (elected representatives) and two villagers turned up for meeting,” said Deepali Mishra, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO). According to sources, villagers are not attributing …