After being comprehensively thrashed by 79 runs in the opening ODI of the three-match series, India, for the first time, are staring at the ignominy of series defeat against the proverbial minnows of world cricket.
Fast bowler Dale Steyn claimed four wickets for 16 runs in eight overs to help steer South Africa to victory by 61 runs in the first one-day international against Bangladesh on Friday.
Afghanistan will take on Bangladesh in a three-match T20 series, starting Dehradun on Sunday, dividing their focus ahead of the historic Test debut against India in two weeks' time.
For the Gujarat Lions to roar, their top-heavy batting order must first win in unison against a consistent KKR bowling attack.
Afghanistan's Rashid Khan came up with a brilliant all-round effort as Sunrisers Hyderabad scored a 13-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the second qualifier and made the final of the Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens on Friday.
Elton Chigumbura smashed his eighth one-day half-century before taking a key wicket to help Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 38 runs in the opening match of the tri-series tournament on Saturday.
Skipper Mohammad Ashraful hit an unbeaten half-century as Bangladesh batted defiantly in pursuit of a massive victory target in the first test against Sri Lanka at Mirpur on Tuesday.
Bangladesh continued their giant-killing exploits with a nine-wicket victory over South Africa in Wednesday's rain-hit final one-day international to clinch the three-match series 2-1.
For Kohli, what matters is applying himself according to the demands of the situation.
India may be the outright favourites in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against Bangladesh but the defending champions will be under more pressure, former captains Mohammad Ashraful and Habibul Bashar said on Wednesday.
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin surged to the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers after a superb outing in the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua which the visiting side won by an innings and 92 runs.
India captain Virat Kohli reclaimed the top batting spot, while Australia's pace ace Josh Hazlewood has achieved the number-one position in the bowlers' rankings for the first time in his career in the latest MRF Tyres ICC ODI Player Rankings.
South Africa paceman Dale Steyn took three wickets for four runs to reduce Bangladesh in their second innings, to 54 for five at close of play on the third day of the second Test on Sunday. Bangladesh, replying to South Africa's record-studded score of 583 for seven declared, were dismissed for 259 and were asked to follow on just after tea.
Rain prevented a result at Oval during the ICC Champions Trophy match, in London, on Monday.
The number one ODI status will be on the line when second-placed India and table-toppers South Africa clash in a six-match series, starting in Durban on Thursday.
Opener Jamie How scored a fine 88 as New Zealand scored a six-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first match of their one-day international series in Auckland.
Sunrisers Hyderabad mentor VVS Laxman, on Monday, said the franchise would wait for Cricket Australia's decision David Warner
Former wicketkeeper Brad Haddin says Australia missed the experience and skills of senior spinner Nathan Lyon during their unsuccessful World T20 campaign in India. Lyon was kept out in favour of young spinners Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar, while allrounder Glenn Maxwell also chipped in with his part-timers. Rookie leg-spinner Zampa was a revelation for the Aussies, claiming five wickets in four matches in the tournament. But Australia's other spin options were used sparingly throughout the tournament; Agar bowled just one over in his only match against New Zealand, which went for 18, while Maxwell sent down eight overs in four matches, taking two wickets and conceding 7.6 runs an over. Australia suffered defeats to New Zealand and hosts India to be knocked out in the group stage and on wickets the supported spin bowling, Haddin says Lyon was sorely missed.
India picked up three Bangladesh wickets in the morning session after declaring their first innings on 462 for six but rain washed out the rest of the fourth day as the one-off Test headed for an inevitable draw in Fatullah, on Saturday.
Maiden centuries by Shamsur Rahman and Imrul Kayes took Bangladesh past the follow-on mark but late strikes from the spinners put Sri Lanka in the driving seat in the second and final Test in Chittagong on Thursday.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the numbers from the T20 series against England.
India captain Virat Kohli remained in second spot behind Steve Smith while Alastair Cook jumped nine places to be eighth in the latest ICC Test rankings after his unbeaten double century in the ongoing Ashes.
India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin slipped a place to take the third position in the latest ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers in Dubai on Thursday.
For the first time, India claimed all ten wickets of their opponents.
New Zealand's pace bowlers ripped through Bangladesh's top order to leave the visitors staring at almost certain defeat at the close of play on the second day of the second Test on Sunday.
Their arrival itself was mired in drama and a mercurial Pakistan would look to bring the focus back on their cricket when they take on an enigmatic Bangladesh.
'If we keep bowling like this, we will win as many as Tests as possible.'
Team India may have had decent run in the World Cup reaching semi-final but there is no such good news as far as the longer version is concerned where Virat Kohli's men are currently languishing at seventh place in the 10-team table.
India's Kedar Jadhav had six career wickets in one day internationals before Thursday's Champions Trophy semi-final against Bangladesh but it was his very occasional off-spin proved to be decisive in his team's win.
'It's a tournament of the top eight teams and more challenging than the World Cup'
New Zealand and Bangladesh enter their final group match of the ICC Champions Trophy, in Cardiff, on Friday, with the knowledge that even a win may not be enough to see either of them into the semi-finals.
Thousands of people took to the streets in cities across Bangladesh as the perennial under-achievers beat England by 108 runs on Sunday to post one of their most momentous cricketing victories. It was Bangladesh's first win in the game's long form against a full-strength major Test-playing country. It was also only the eighth Test victory in 95 matches since the country secured Test status in 2000.
Bangladesh won the Champions Trophy warm-up match by seven wickets.
Axed from England's squad for the Tests against Pakistan, all-rounder Moeen Ali says his Indian Premier League stint will make him a better One-day player and improve his game.
India became the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20 after a thumping eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a Group 2 match, in Mirpur, on Friday. After restricting the hosts to 138 for 7, courtesy yet another dominating performance by the spinners, their batsmen hit up the required runs easily, with nine balls to spare.
A 3-0 result against hosts Bangladesh in the three match ODI series will not be enough for second-placed India to claim the number one spot in the ICC rankings.
India may have slipped to fourth in the Test rankings following the drawn Test in Fatullah, but its openers, Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, achieved career-best rankings for batsmen.
He could be overtaken by Sunrisers Hyderabad Captain Kane Williamson (760) or Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Sunil Narine (703) or even the intrepid Ambati Rayadu (675) of the Chennai Super Kings.
Sohaib Maqsood spared Pakistan's blushes by hitting an unbeaten 93 to secure the team's three-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their first World Cup warm-up match on Monday.
New Zealand wrapped up their two-Test series against Bangladesh when they bowled the visitors out for 113 just before lunch on the third day of the second Test.
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