The development follows a meeting between Phil Simmons and the WICB Human Resource Committee after his public outburst in which he questioned the make-up of the One-Day International squad. (Source: Reuters)

Phil Simmons will be reinstated as head coach of the West Indies Cricket team weeks after his suspension, according to a media report.

The report quoted “well-placed sources” within the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) as confirming that Simmons will resume his post as head coach, reports CMC.

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The development follows a meeting between Simmons and the WICB Human Resource Committee after his public outburst in which he questioned the make-up of the One-Day International squad.

WICB sources were quoted as saying Simmons was warned about his outburst and was told that comments like those would not be tolerated in the future.

Simmons was suspended for saying there was “too much interference from outside” in the selection of the ODI squad.

The former Windies all-rounder was upset that all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, whose services are in high demand in Twenty20 leagues around the world, failed to make the West Indies one-day international squad.

WICB selection panel member Eldine Baptiste is acting as coach for the current series in Sri Lanka.

Simmons is expected to take the West Indies to Australia for three Test matches starting in early December.

Lionel Messi is out of action since September. (Source: AP)

Following their 2-0 win at Getafe, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has said his side has grown even more stronger without star striker Lionel Messi.

Barcelona continue to pick up wins despite Messi’s injury-enforced absence, losing just once since the 28-year-old limped off in September, and Enrique maintained that their collective strength has seen them cope without the Argentina captain.

“I never ask them to give more just because of injuries. Everyone gives a little more but a player always wants to do his best. It’s not because we are without a player that they play better,” Enrique told reporters after the match on Saturday.

“We played a very complete match. It is difficult to compare it with other games as today, in general, we were able to enjoy a complete game on a pitch where that does not happen easily. We didn’t suffer much, we attacked well, we were organised and we pressed very well,” he said.

Andres Iniesta made his return from injury to ease their injury woes, although Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto have performed admirably in Messi’s absence over recent weeks.

“He is a unique player for us. He’s the best midfielder, not only in Europe, but in the world,” Enrique said when asked about of Busquets.

“He stands out for his intelligence, how solid he is both offensively and defensively, as well the pressure he crates. He’s a key footballer who I try to rest whenever I can,” he added.

The Board recently fined Mohammad Aamir 150 per cent of his fees for bad behaviour during a domestic match . (Source: PTI)

The Pakistan Cricket Board is facing resistance in its attempts to rehabilitate tainted pacer Mohammad Amir with most of the players in the national side being averse to sharing the dressing room with him.

A well-informed source in the Board told PTI that just before the national team left for the Test series against England, skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez had complained to the Board about the behaviour of Amir.

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“Misbah was upset that while he crossed paths with Amir several times in the national cricket academy when the team was training there before going to UAE not once did the youngster acknowledge him,” the source disclosed.

“In another case when the National cricket academy head coach Muhammad Akram asked Amir to bowl to the Pakistani players in the nets, Hafeez backed out stating he was not going to play with a tainted player,” the source said.

He said even Pakistan’s national T20 captain Shahid Afridi had made his feelings clear to the Board about allowing Amir and the two other tainted players Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt back into the team.

The trio completed a five-year ban for spot-fixing last September and since then while Aamir is allowed to play first-class cricket under a special relaxation rule by the ICC, Butt and Asif are yet to be given a chance to play first-class cricket.

The Board has designed a reintegration and rehabilitation process for the three before it considers allowing them back into mainstream cricket.

“But the initial reports about the behaviour of particularly Aamir and Asif is not very good and the PCB is concerned,” the source said.

He said the PCB had received some negative comments about the behaviour of Aamir in domestic matches.

“The board is concerned since its first priority is to be sure the three are repentant and have learnt from their bans and this does not appear to be the case so far,” the source said.

“Amir and Asif in particular don’t seem to realise the seriousness of the matter and have shown lot of attitude since their bans expired,” the source confirmed.

The Board recently fined Aamir 150 per cent of his fees for bad behaviour during a domestic match and PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan made it clear that with this behaviour the youngster would be allowed back into the team until he is there.

The trio last week as part of their reintegration process gave an anti-corruption lecture to players in domestic cricket.

Nov 1 (Infostrada Sports) - Line-ups for the first One Day International between Sri Lanka and West Indies on Sunday in Colombo, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka won toss and decided to bowl Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews (capt), Suranga Lakmal, Shehan Jayasuriya, Lasith Malinga, Sachithra Senanayake, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana West Indies: Carlos Brathwaite, Andre Fletcher, Johnson Charles, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, An

Virat Kohli attended Harbhajan’s reception in Delhi. (Source: PTI)

India Test captain Virat Kohli wished off-spinner Harbhajan Singh as the latter recently got married to long-time girlfriend Geeta Basra a couple of days ago in Jalandhar.

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“What a lovely get together Harbhajan Singh paji, God bless you & Geeta Basra always. Congratulations to both of you. Rab rakha!” read the caption of a picture that Kohli posted on Facebook where he was seen along with the India spinner.

Harbhajan threw a reception party in the national capital on Saturday and a slew of VIPs and VVIPs were invited.

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Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis bagged another title in the year-ending event. (Source: AP)

Indo-Swiss tennis combine of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis struck gold one more time this year by clinching the women’s doubles title of the WTA Finals here on Sunday.

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The top seeds beat Spanish eighth seeds Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-3 in an hour and seven minutes on the hard courts of the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The WTA Finals is an annual event played by the top-8 players/pairs of the year who are divided into two round robin groups — red and white. The top two of each group progress to the semi-finals and the winners to the finals.

The championship is generally considered the fifth most prestigious event on the women’s tour after the four Grand Slam tournaments. It also has the largest prize money and ranking points after the Grand Slams.

Nov 1 (Reuters) - James Anderson spoiled Azhar Ali's comeback as Pakistan lost both their openers to reach 87 for two wickets at lunch on the opening day of the third and final test against England on Sunday.