Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed was understandably proud of his inexperienced team following their unexpected and emphatic eight-wicket victory over hosts England in the Champions Trophy semi-finals on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old, born in Barbados and who represented West Indies at Under-19 level, was not in England's provisional squad and only made his ODI debut little over a fortnight ago.
One of Indian cricket's best chairmen of selectors, the 'Colonel' is confident that Virat Kohli's men will have a smooth ride to the semi-finals and can take it from there on.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravi Jadeja are under consideration for an India recall against Bangladesh, as the two-time winners look to shake-up their team following a first World Cup defeat.
Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie feels the current Indian bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah makes the team one of the favourites for the upcoming ICC World Cup, along side hosts England.
'Unmatchable' duo of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli could help India lift their third World Cup
India clinched the ICC Champions Trophy, in its last edition, with a nerve-wracking five-run victory over hosts England in a rain-hit final at Edgbaston, giving their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the unique record of being the first captain to win three world titles.
India have not devised any "special plans" for the ICC Champions Trophy final against hosts England, according to captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who said his team will just go in with the same approach like they did in the previous matches.
Putting behind the turbulent phase of the past few weeks, a red-hot India are standing on the threshold of winning their second straight world title as they take on hosts England in the summit showdown of the ICC Champions Trophy in Birmingham on Sunday.
The New Zealand's cricket board will continue to support Jesse Ryder during his rehabilitation from personal issues after the burly batsman ruled himself out of playing against England in the upcoming series.
Sri Lanka, the 1996 winners, kick-started their bid for a place in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup semi-finals in dramatic fashion with a 20-run win against hosts England at Headingley. It took them to six points and off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva insists they can still finish in the top four of the group despite suffering a pair of washouts in Bristol.
Sri Lanka stunned tournament hosts England by completing a 20-run victory at Headingley. Lasith Malinga was player of the match after taking 4/43 to rip through England's batting attack.
According to reports, the incident took place in a restaurant in Manchester on Monday when some of the players took objection to being filmed by a man in the public and confronted him.
So while going for a series win against Australia can be construed as 'positive mindset', hopes of a revenge win, a 4-0 whitewash might just backfire, says Bikash Mohapatra.
The BCCI has sought an explanation from the Mumbai Cricket Association for hosting England's Performance Programme squad's practice session at its D Y Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai without seeking the parent body's permission.
The Faf du Plessis-led side would be aiming to win their third match to stay alive in the 50-over tournament.
Captain Eoin Morgan said that the recent talk had resonated well with the players.
Steve Smith's brilliant hundred and a clinical show by the bowlers at the death helped Australia beat England by 12 runs in their World Cup warm-up match, in Southampton.
Uncapped left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar has joined the test squad from the Pakistan A team currently in Hamilton.
United Arab Emirates secured a surprise three run win via the Duckworth/Lewis method to end Zimbabwe's hopes of reaching the 2019 World Cup on Thursday.
Sri Lanka's squad will receive a bonus of almost $1 million if they win the World Cup.
A source said that the transfer is a "tripartite agreement" between Oppo, Byju's and the BCCI and will be signed on Thursday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Kedar Jadhav claimed he never lost faith in India's bowlers to deliver victory in a last-over thriller with Afghanistan. Jadhav's careful half century, alongside captain Virat Kohli's 67, were the two highlights in a difficult day at the crease for India's batsmen in their latest ICC Men's Cricket World Cup clash at the Hampshire Bowl.
Images from football friendlies played on Wednesday.
The Hussain family from Sopore and Iqbal household in Kashmir's Anantnag are eagerly waiting for their cell phones to buzz. It's been 11 days since 20-year-old Amir Hussain Rather and 25-year-old Wasim Iqbal last spoke with their folks back home.
'Challenging yourself against the world's best batsmen, seeing how they go about it, seeing what works in these conditions will be pretty transferable to the World Cup'
India have extended their lead at the top of ICC Test rankings courtesy to second-placed Pakistan's defeat in the third and final Test against West Indies on Thursday. Kraigg Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich struck unbeaten half-centuries to guide West Indies to a first Test victory in 14 matches as the Caribbean side beat Pakistan by five wickets in Sharjah.
Mithali Raj will lead the 14-member Indian squad in the next month's ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers which brings together 10 sides in their quest to claim the remaining four places in the main event to be held in June next year. The tournament will run from February 7 to 21 at four Colombo venues and the sides finishing in the top four of the Super Six stage will join defending champion Australia, host England, former winner New Zealand and reigning ICC World Twenty20 champion West Indies in the ICC Women's World Cup 2017 from June 26 to July 23.
Mithali Raj is predicting plenty of runs at Lord's where India take on hosts England in a mouth- watering Women's World Cup final in London.
India will meet England in the final of the ICC Women's World Cup on Sunday at Lords.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis picked hosts England and 2011 champions India as the title favourites for this year's ICC ODI World Cup.
'I believe whichever bowlers will play -- like Umesh (Yadav) is doing well, Ishant (Sharma) is a senior bowler and has to take more lead (role) and Mohammed Shami has a good record - I believe their (Bhuvi and Bumrah's) absence will be felt, but still India's bench strength is very strong'
Rain pushed the first semi-final of the ICC World Cup to the reserve day after dominant Indian bowlers excelled yet again to restrict New Zealand to a below-par 211 for five, at Old Trafford in Manchester, on Tuesday.
Two balls, instead of one, will be used in each innings of a match when India will host England in the upcoming One-day series, as the new amendments to playing conditions will be implemented from October 1.
Pakistan came out buzzing on Sunday as they kept alive their Cricket World Cup hopes with a morale-boosting 49-run win over South Africa.
India will be using the Decision Review System (DRS), comprising the audio tracker and Hot Spot infra-red cameras, for the first time in all the 13 home international games later this year.
Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, on Monday, criticised the national selectors for resting six senior players, including skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, for the upcoming ODI series against Australia, saying a good outing would have boosted their confidence ahead of the World Cup.
1983 and 2011 champions India begin their campaign on June 5 against South Africa at Southampton.
The BCCI on Wednesday refused to react to widespread criticism about the lack of preparation by the Indian team in the run-up to the Test series against England, which the Indians are currently trailing 0-2.
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