The bond between Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Karachi-born Mohammad Bashir aka 'Chacha Chicago' blossomed during the 2011 World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan and has only grown stronger since then. Such is the attachment that Bashir has flown to Manchester from Chicago (approximately 6000 kms) for Sunday's high-octane Indo-Pak contest without a match ticket.
Going from a defeat to playing the old rivalry against India isn't going to be easy for Pakistan, says former captain Waqar Younis.
Sarfraz Ahmed celebrated his promotion with a breezy 77 and leg-spinner Yasir Shah claimed a career-best 4-29 to help Pakistan crush Sri Lanka by 135 runs in the second one-day international and go 2-1 up in the five-match series.
Opener Ahmed Shehzad has been recalled to Pakistan's Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka after being dropped for the April-May series against Bangladesh on disciplinary grounds. Besides Shehzad, the selectors also recalled southpaw Shan Masood, another out-of-favour opener, who was ignored for the last few series and tournaments.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
Rohit Sharma produced an elegant hundred before Kuldeep Yadav flummoxed the Pakistani batsmen as India inflicted a humiliating 89-run defeat via the Duckworth-Lewis method on their arch-rivals.
The 21-year-old left-hander has gained 21 slots and reached 17th place, the joint-highest by a specialist India wicketkeeper along with Farokh Engineer, who did so in January 1973.
However the final decision to shift the tournament will be Asian Cricket Council's prerogative.
Kohli conceded that the tournament will see a run-fest but pressure of playing in a World Cup will make even 260-270 hard to chase.
Uncapped left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar has joined the test squad from the Pakistan A team currently in Hamilton.
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed is confident that his team will be able to maintain their superior record in the Champions Trophy against arch-rivals India as they gear up for a showdown on June 4.
A dominant Indian team routed Pakistan at Old Trafford.
A cricketing rivalry that transcends beyond the realms of 22-yards will be reignited when India and Pakistan square off in a World Cup encounter that could have fascinating sub-plots with rain gods threatening an anti-climactic twist.
He idolises Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a cricketer and Pakistani wicketkeeper batsman Sarfraz Ahmed on Sunday said he would love to play the role of a finisher like the celebrated Indian skipper. "I follow him a lot. The way he's making a difference with wicket-keeping and batting, I try to learn a lot from him. He's a very good cricketer for India, and I idolise him. Hope I too will be able to finish the match like him," Sarfraz said in an Open Media Session. Having impressed both with the bat and as a wicketkeeper, Sarfraz wants to be an utility player like the star Indian skipper. "It's great to be here. About my batting order, I play according to my team's need, be it up or lower down the order. I've been doing well," said the Pakistani U-19 World Cup winning skipper. However, Sarfraz rued their forgettable outing at Asia Cup but said they've plugged the loopholes and hoped to make an impact in the World Twenty20. "The condition was difficult in Bangladesh. Every team faced the situation in initial six overs. We have sorted this out. The condition will be similar to Pakistan here. Hope we will do well here," he said.
A 27-member Pakistan cricket contingent left for India to take part in the Twenty20 World Cup, finally ending days of uncertainty over their participation in the mega event. The team will be reaching Kolkata via Abu Dhabi. The Pakistan squad including 15 players, 12 officials and support staff reached the Allama Iqbal international airport amidst tight security and boarded a flight hours after the Pakistan government finally gave the PCB the green signal to fly to India to take part in the ICC event. Due to a long stay in Abu Dhabi the squad will reach Kolkata later this evening. Head coach Waqar Younis, before departing for India, left a message on his Twitter account calling for unity in the team. "Come on together we can do it," he tweeted a message aimed at motivating the players. He told the media that though the departure of the team for India had been hit by uncertainty and security issues, the focus of the players now would only be on cricket and doing well in the world event.
'Random displays of anger will end in punishment from the IOC and the loss of points in the World Cup, without achieving what we seek,' says Aakar Patel.
Munaf Patel joins Kandy Tuskers in LPL; Sarfaraz pulls out, Malinga unsure
All that's transpired on and off the cricket pitch on Monday.
Out-of-favour Pakistan cricketers Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik minced no words in making it clear that they are not happy with the treatment meted out to them.
Pakistan showed yet again on Monday why it's always a good idea to predict the unpredictable when it comes to their cricketing fortunes. As far as the early stages of their ICC Men's World Cup 2019 campaign are concerned, it has been a case of well beaten one minute, dynamic the next for Sarfaraz Ahmed's team.
Tainted fast bowler Mohammad Amir was named in Pakistan's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup and the Twenty20 World Cup even as seasoned opener Ahmed Shehzad and veteran bowler Umar Gul were shown the door.
Former captain and senior batsman Younis Khan caused a stir in the Pakistan cricket circles by openly suggesting that he is not happy with the behavior of Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq and head coach Waqar Younis.
Rajneesh Gupta profiles the cricketers playing the World Cup 2019.
The West Indies Cricket Board has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India to work for a "mutually agreeable solution" over its demand for 26.2 million pounds as compensation for the former's decision to abandon its tour to India.
Pakistan have axed senior batsman Younis Khan for next month's One-day series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates as they announced their ODI and Twenty20 squads on Wednesday.
It remains to be seen if he gets a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the BCCI, which has maintained a tough stance in not allowing Indian cricketers to participate in T20 leagues such as BBL, CPL and BPL.
The 16-man squad includes batsmen Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan and fast bowler Jake Ball, who have 11 Test caps between them, as well as three uncapped players in paceman Craig Overton, spinner Mason Crane and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.
Pakistan retained under-fire skipper Misbah-ul Haq and out-of-form Muhammad Hafeez, but dropped tall left-arm pacer Muhammad Irfan from the 28-man probables' list for the two-Test series against South Africa.
'Warner overstepped the line a lot in his early career. He then changed into a more placid player but was then told by Cricket Australia to be the enforcer and was doing what he was told'
Akram slams PCB for calling back Sarfaraz from South Africa
Former Pakistan players are throwing their weight behind senior batsman Younis Khan in the World Cup quarter-final against Australia in Adelaide on Friday.
For a team that started off disastrously, entering the quarter-finals of the World Cup is quite an achievement. Rediff.com analyses what could have been the case.
Desperate to break their title jinx, Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore will be hoping for a positive start to their campaign in the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League, when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday.
India launched their campaign in the Champions Trophy with a resounding 124-run victory over Pakistan, in Birmingham on Sunday, extending their dominance over the arch-rivals in major International Cricket Council tournaments.
Rajneesh Gupta presents all the fascinating career numbers of players in the World Cup.
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