Australia captain Aaron Finch expects New Zealand to fight and scrap in their remaining games to seal a place in the semis.
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has said hosts India will be the toughest team to beat in next month's World Twenty20 Championship due to their familiarity with the conditions.
'I'm very disappointed with our fielding, it is not up to the mark or standard expected'
Young all-rounder Cameron Green scored a confident century for Australia 'A' on day two of the tour match against India 'A' in Sydney on Monday to put his hand up for selection in the Test series starting next week.
Kohli (886 points) and Rohit (868 points) have gained two and three ratings points, respectively to occupy the top two positions in the batting rankings.
Images from the IPL 2022 match between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.
They endured a disastrous run the last time around to finish at the bottom of the heap and Kings XI Punjab would be aiming to make amends this season when they begin their campaign against newbies Gujarat Lions in their IPL opener in Mohali on Monday. Kings XI Punjab did not make any big buys this year and have a new captain in South African David Miller in place of Australian George Bailey who was released after leading the side to the last place in the previous season. Virender Sehwag has also retired and he will serve as team mentor this season. The Preity Zinta-owned side continues to lack the team balance as it has not added any significant player, only snapping the likes of all-rounders Farhaan Behardien and Marcus Stoinis, seamer Mohit Sharma and left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh. Last season, their batsmen lacked consistency and whenever they did well, the bowlers let the side down. On the other hand, debutants Gujarat Lions have a balanced side with top-class performers in both batting and bowling. They have explosive batsmen in Brendon McCullum, captain Suresh Raina, Aaron Finch and a plenty of top-notch all-rounders in Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja and James Faulkner.
Their confidence severely dented after two comprehensive defeats, last edition's runners-up side Kolkata Knight Riders will be looking to get their inconsistent campaign back on track when they face Rajasthan Royals in the IPL match in Mumbai on Monday.
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya bowled in top-flight cricket for the first time since returning from a back surgery more than a year ago, with his team under pressure against Australia during the second ODI in Sydney on Sunday.
With 762 points, Kohli is behind England's David Malan
IMAGES from the IPL 2022 game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Mumbai, on Friday.
A scrappy India will have to lift their game by several notches against an improving Australia when the two fierce rivals clash in a virtual quarter-final cricket match of the ICC World Twenty20, in Mohali, on Sunday.
Back to winning ways, a resurgent Sunrisers Hyderabad will be forced to tinker their successful combination following all-rounder Washington Sundar's injury as they face Kolkata Knight Riders.
The two groups will unite late on Thursday night and with the opening ODI slated for Friday, the players will have no scope to wriggle in a practice session as one unit.
There is no change in the top three of the all-rounders' table which is headed by Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh.
New Zealand will have their tails up and eye another upset when they resume the trans-Tasman rivalry with a strong Australian side.
The ever-consistent Steve Smith continued his rich vein of form,scoring an unbeaten 79 in Rajasthan Royals' easy seven-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians, in the IPL match in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night, and immediately declared he "never gets tired of batting".
A series win in Australia will certainly put Kohli on a higher pedestal even though the quality of the home team's batting line-up suffered adversely due to the bans of former skipper Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner.
'England against Australia at Lord's, it doesn't get much bigger than that.'
Kolkata Knight Riders are expected to continue with their risk-taking approach despite mixed returns when they on Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai on Friday.
'We got off to a good start and kept (going) on with that adrenaline''
An fine all-round display by Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler's late assault with the bat ended England's long losing streak against Australia as the visitors won the fourth One-Day International by 57 runs in Perth.
Usman Khawaja struck his second century in three matches as Australia thumped India by 35 runs in their final one-dayer to seal a come-from-behind 3-2 series victory at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, on Wednesday.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has surpassed India's Virat Kohli in becoming the world No.1 T20I batter for the longest period of time after he maintained his top spot in the latest ICC T20 batting rankings.
Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell may be rested from the first One-day international against Pakistan as the tourists recover from a stomach bug that has hit the team in the United Arab Emirates.
Australia captain Tim Paine has cast doubt over his One-Day International future after his touring side were thumped 5-0 by England, who sealed the series whitewash with a one-wicket victory in Manchester on Sunday.
Chilling at home after coming back from a coronavirus-forced "hotel arrest" in Pakistan, South African pacer Dale Steyn believes it's a pity that sporting events are being cancelled en masse due to the crisis. Steyn, who returned from Pakistan due to the virus outbreak, said it's indescribable how the situation changed in a matter of hours.
Hazratullah Zazai (162 not out off 62) and Usman Ghani (73 off 48) set a new record for the opening-wicket partnership with a 236-run stand as Afghanistan surpassed Australia's 263 for 3 posted against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2016.
The Indian team management are 'not confused' about the composition of the World Cup squad despite their ODI series defeat against Australia as only one slot is up for grabs, said skipper Virat Kohli.
SunRisers Hyderabad has the biggest purse while Kolkata Knight Riders has the slimmest purse.
Australia beat India by four wickets in a nail-biting finish after wicket-keeper Brad Haddin and James Faulkner held their nerves to help Australia go past India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Earlier, paceman Mitchell Starc captured a career-best 6-43 and Rohit Sharma hit a century as India put up a total of 267 for 8. Check out the images from the match...
India captain Virat Kohli wasn't perturbed by his team's shoddy batting performance in the first T20 International as he is looking to give more chances to youngsters KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant looking ahead at the World Cup in England.
'Over the last 12 months Virat's averaged 133, Shikhar 75, and Rohit 50; so there's a lot of runs and balls faced from their top three. It's important to get them as early as you can because once they get in, they score fast and they don't seem to get out too easily'
Australian wicket-keeper-batsman Matthew Wade has been ruled of the ongoing Chappell-Hadlee series against New Zealand.
Kings XI Punjab skipper K L Rahul, who scored a hundred against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL match in Dubai on Thursday, said he was lacking confidence in his skills as a batsman heading into the team's second fixture in the tournament.
Sri Lanka will have to produce something special to halt England's juggernaut at Sharjah.
Wade will instead head to New Zealand with Australia's Twenty20 squad for a five-match series starting on Feb. 22 in Christchurch.
Gujarat Lions would look to better their debut season's success and aim for a winning start against two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League match, in Rajkot on Friday.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting began his new innings as the head coach of the Mumbai Indians who commenced their training at the Wankhede Stadium ahead of the Indian Premier League season 8, scheduled to start on April 8.
Australia opener Aaron Finch believes off-spinner Nathan Lyon will play an important role considering the amount of bounce on offer in the pitch in the ongoing second Test in Perth.
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