Kolkata Knight Riders captain Eoin Morgan attributed the team's massive reversal in fortunes in the second leg of IPL-14 to his bowlers' aggressive approach.
Persistent rain forced the abandonment of the first day's play of the first cricket Test between New Zealand and Pakistan at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday. Play had been expected to begin at 1100 (2200 GMT), but heavy rain overnight ensured it did not begin as scheduled. While groundstaff, who had said earlier they would need two hours to prepare the venue once rain stopped, worked to prepare the ground during brief interludes of fine weather throughout the day, umpires decided at their second pitch inspection at 1600 there was no chance of any play.
Aggressive batsman Jesse Ryder has returned to the New Zealand side after a doping suspension and an absence of nearly two years when he was included on Thursday in the limited overs squad for matches against West Indies later this month.
Lauding Chennai Super Kings opener Brendon McCullum's unbeaten 100 in his side's second consecutive win in Indian Premier League-8, SunRisers Hyderabad mentor VVS Laxman said the New Zealender's first ton of the season was a 'special innings'.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir believes his former IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders doesn't have enough back-up options and the team management could have gone for all-rounders in the players' auction to provide the squad more depth. Gambhir said KKR don't have the bench strength to deal with any injury crisis in the top order.
'A lot of our recent success has been based on the value of our number six batsman bowling some overs and we're comfortable continuing in that vein'
South Africa will play Friday's vital World Twenty20 Group 1 match against West Indies without all-rounder JP Duminy who has been ruled out with a hamstring strain.
Pakistan are two wickets away from a comprehensive victory over New Zealand in the first Test after the tourists slumped to 174-8 in their second innings at stumps on the fourth day in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Gujarat Lions coach Brad Hodge claimed there are quite a few 'areas of concern' in his team. He was particularly miffed with the tendency of his spinners to bowl no-balls at crucial junctures and also his top order giving away wickets cheaply in the early overs.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the rescheduled 5th Test between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Saturday.
Team combination a worry for India
Australia beat New Zealand by 44 runs in their historic Twenty20 international at Eden Park in Auckland on Thursday.
Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Eoin Morgan has hailed his bowlers as 'superstars' of the team, saying their outstanding performance in the first two games of the second leg of IPL in the UAE has allowed the openers to play with freedom.
The New Zealand wicketkeeper made 143 to help his team take control after day three of the first Test against Bangladesh.
Rookie all-rounder Mitchell Santner and veteran Grant Elliott have been rewarded for their recent strong performances by being included in New Zealand's list of centrally contracted players on Wednesday.
'Rather than worrying too much about results, it's about trying to stick to a brand of cricket that we want to be proud of playing. I guess that's something that came out in the 2015 World Cup and it's flowed on from there.'
The New Zealand captain was dismissed three runs short of a century as England fought their way back into the second Test at Headingley.
India's limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, along with his teammates Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin, among others, will be up for grabs for the two new IPL teams in the draft to be held in Mumbai.
The wicketkeeper, promoted to number three, ensured New Zealand remained on equal terms with England on the third day of the first Test with a mature unbeaten 72. \n\n\n\n
As the clock ticks down on Brendon McCullum's international career, the New Zealand captain will achieve one more milestone on Friday in the first Test against Australia at the Basin Reserve.
Pace bowler Jackson Bird has been recalled by Australia for the first Test against New Zealand after James Pattinson was deemed not quite ready to stand up to the rigours of a full workload, captain Steve Smith said on Thursday.
'I feel No. 3 is my batting position because that's the position I love to bat and have been batting for very long'
Images from Day 5 of the second Test between England and New Zealand at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Tuesday.
At close of play on Day 3, New Zealand were 361 for seven, with Oram on 49 and Daniel Vettori 21.\n\n
Pakistan beat New Zealand by six wickets to level the five match series 1-1.
West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle has had a scan and a painkilling injection to alleviate a back injury and should be ready to take on New Zealand on Saturday, according to all-rounder Darren Sammy.
New Zealand will not be shelving the aggressive game that has taken them through the pool stage.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum refused to blame third umpire Nigel Llong's controversial review decision for his team's loss in the third and final Test against Australia but said the "frustrating" ruling had a major bearing on the game.
If MI have their problems to sort out, having lost at the death in all three games so far, RCB too have their own shortcomings to address with only one win in three games under their belt.
The batting was a big letdown for the Indians with Virat Kohli, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer failing in both innings, while Shardul Thakur's selection over Ravichandran Ashwin turned out to be a big mistake.
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow slammed majestic centuries as England pulled off their highest-ever successful run chase in the longest format for a convincing seven-wicket win over India in the rescheduled fifth Test in Birmingham on Tuesday.
New Zealand had produced 'almost the perfect performance' to destroy England in a World Cup match that lasted less than 50 overs on Friday.
BJ Watling will be retiring from international cricket after the tour of England.
Kane Williamson and BJ Watling produced a world record sixth wicket partnership of 365 runs to guide New Zealand to 524 for five before captain Brendon McCullum declared their second innings closed after tea on the fourth day of the second Test.
India's pace spearhead was hit on his knee by the ball while fielding in the Supermax match.\n\n\n\n\n\n
The BCCI issued a showcause notice to out-of-favour India player Dinesh Karthik for attending a promotional event of the Caribbean Premier League.
Chennai Super Kings' future in the Indian Premier League may be uncertain following the two-year suspension, but South Africa's Twenty20 captain Faf du Plessis feels the five seasons he played under 'Captain Cool' Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the Indian Permier League transformed him as a cricketer.
