Statistical highlights from the second day's play of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka.
Experienced batsman Mahela Jayawardene and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath will return for Sri Lanka's three-Test series against Pakistan in UAE after skipping the ongoing one-day conTests due to personal reasons.
Skipper Angelo Mathews held his nerve under pressure and scored an unbeaten half-century as Sri Lanka recovered from a bad start to beat Bangladesh by three wickets in the concluding league match of the Asia Cup in Mirpur on Thursday.
In the first Test in Kolkata, Herath bowled only eight overs in seaming conditions, but was required to send down 39 overs in the only innings that India batted in Nagpur, after which he complained of back pain.
Rohit scored his third ODI double century, settled down most comfortably as India's stop-gap captain, and was India's most valuable player by a long mile. Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji list the most valuable players in the Sri Lanka ODI series.
Images from Day 2 of the 3rd Test played between India and Sri Lanka at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Sunday
Moeen Ali scored a majestic century as England amassed an impressive first-innings total by lunch on Day Two of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Durham.
Mathews missed the one-day series in South Africa, the tour of Australia and the home series against Bangladesh with a hamstring injury but is back in action for his Delhi franchise in the ongoing Indian Premier League.
Taskin Ahmed became the fifth Bangladesh bowler to claim a one-day hat-trick before incessant rain washed out the second match of the series against Sri Lanka in Dambulla on Tuesday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Monday said scheduling of matches in pollution-mired Delhi will be 'considered' in future after Sri Lanka's cricket team complained of poor air quality during the ongoing third Test against India in New Delhi.
Chasing an improbable target of 490 to level the series, the tourists finished day three on 139-5, their highest total in the spin-dominated series, at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club Ground.
The susceptible technique of Indian batsmen in seamer-friendly conditions was thoroughly exposed as Sri Lanka comfortably beat India by seven wickets in the first ODI of the three-match series.
Sri Lanka's slow bowlers spun a web around South Africa who collapsed for a meagre 126 to concede a significant first innings lead on a spin-dominated second day of the opening Test.
Sri Lanka batted the 16 overs during the final 85 minutes of play on the fourth day with an aim to survive rather than play positive cricket.
'The conditions were pretty tough for batting and what didn't really help us was we did not get an extended passage for play wherein you had 15-20 overs bowled at a batsman in a particular fashion. It didn't allow our batsmen to get into a rhythm'
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
While Sri Lanka will be fancying their chances against a lowly South African side, the Proteas would be more than keen to make a statement against the 1996 winners.
Concerted pressure from New Zealand's bowling attack pushed them to the brink of victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Saturday.
Trent Boult needed just 15 balls to change the complexion of the second Test against Sri Lank
Tim Southee rescued New Zealand with the bat then dragged his side back into the match
'We have seen the SLC statement, but are not privy to any information or intelligence report relating to safety of the SL team. The PCB reiterates its commitment to provide complete safety and security to the SL side and in this relation will continue to work with the SLC'
Pakistan Science and Technology Minister Fawad Hussain claimed that Sri Lankan cricket players opted out from the upcoming tour of Pakistan after India threatened them that they will be ousted from the Indian Premier League if they failed to do so.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka, at Mohali, on Friday.
Hashim Amla made a sparkling 154 and his opening partner Quinton de Kock a rapid 109 in a batting blitz that earned South Africa an 88-run victory over Sri Lanka at Centurion on Friday and a 5-0 whitewash in their one-day international series.
Anti-pollution masks hog limelight, again
Here is a factbox on the third and final Test between India and Sri Lanka beginning at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday:
Sri Lanka beat South Africa by 199 runs with more than a day to spare in the second and final Test to complete a 2-0 series sweep at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Monday.
Delhi's air pollution has left several Bangladesh players with sore throats and itchy eyes but coach Russell Domingo dismissed any health concerns.
It will be another test for the Indian batsmen if the hosts have to bat first in a must-win contest, in Wednesday's second ODI in Mohali.
Bangladesh made a perfect start to their World Cup campaign, posting their highest one-day international score of 330-6 during the 21-run win over South Africa.
Paceman Dushmantha Chameera took career-best figures with aggressive short-pitched bowling to give Sri Lanka a slight advantage at the close of play on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Saturday.
Ben Foakes marked his Test debut with a century and impressed with his glovework, too, as England bowled out Sri Lanka for 203 before stretching their lead to 177 runs on the second day of the opening Test in Galle.
Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh hit centuries but Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath picked up six wickets to restrict Australia's first-innings lead to 24 runs on the third day of the third and final Test on Monday.
Pakistan hosts its first Tests on home soil since the 2009 militant attack on Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore.
Eighteen wickets fell on the second day, the most at this ground since 1914
Kohli promoting Pandya ahead of Dhoni is an indication that the skipper is looking to use his former captain more as an accumulator -- in Javed Miandad mould who would rotate strike, frustrate bowlers and launch a furious counter-attack after getting his eye in.
Sri Lanka opener Kaushal Silva has recovered from a blow to the head he suffered while fielding last weekend to be named in the test squad for next month's tour of England.
Sri Lanka have included pace spearhead Lasith Malinga in their 15-man squad for the Cricket World Cup despite concerns over his fitness after ankle surgery, the country's cricket board said on Wednesday.
Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne missed individual centuries but forged Australia's highest partnership of the summer to earn the hosts a handy first innings lead against Sri Lanka on day two of the series opening day-night Test on Friday.
Seamer Nuwan Kulasekara picked up four wickets to help Sri Lanka register a comfortable 70-run win in the third and final one-day international against Bangladesh on Saturday and level the series at 1-1.
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