Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he hopes the historic cricket Test match between India and Afghanistan would strengthen ties between the South Asian neighbours and allies in the fight against militancy in the region.
Chasing 147 for victory, Afghanistan were 29 for one with Ihsanullah Janat batting on 16 and Rahmat Shah unbeaten on 11 at the close of play.
Their pre-tournament decision to fill the squad with five spinners drew a lot of flak from all corners, but it is now proving to be a masterstroke on the slow pitches in Dubai.
This is Ravichandran Ashwin's sixth stint at the top of the rankings. He first became number one in December 2015.
The BCCI isn't involved in this Test match. It was the Afghanistan Cricket Board's choice and the Greater Noida Authority was supposed to provide them with international standard facilities.
'It's a historic moment for them and an opportunity for us to be part of the occasion'
Bangladesh had Afghanistan a crushing defeat to bag the biggest Test win in the 21st Test Century.
Bumrah, who was named Player of the Match after helping India level the five-match series with a 106-run victory, ended Ashwin's 11-month long reign. Ashwin, on 499 Test wickets, is now third in the standings.
Here's a wrap of all major international episodes in 2024.
India enjoys close relations with Afghanistan and both accuse common neighbour Pakistan of not doing enough to stop Islamist militants operating on their territory.
The ICC Champions Trophy is set to kick off in Pakistan, marking the country's first ICC event since the 1996 World Cup.
In the ODI rankings, Sri Lanka's two ODI matches at home against Zimbabwe =saw a number of movers, most notably on the bowling side through spinner Maheesh Theekshana, who moved to a career high rating (634) and rank (11th) with four wickets across the matches.
Challenge for Test cricket is revenue-sharing model, not scheduling: Graeme Smith
The tourists will be without batsman Kane Williamson in Bengaluru after the former skipper opted out of the opener due to a groin injury, while paceman Ben Sears was ruled out of the series with a knee injury and replaced by Jacob Duffy.
Rashid Khan took three wickets as Afghanistan inched closer to victory against Bangladesh on the fourth day, in the one-off Test.
Hashmatullah Shahidi was appointed as new Test and ODI captain
Hobart will stage the fifth Ashes Test between Australia and England in place of Perth, which was stripped of the hosting rights on Monday because of Western Australia border controls, Cricket Australia said on Saturday.
'The ACB has launched the recruitment process for hiring a new head coach and is looking forward to having the services of another reasonable option to replace Lance Klusener as the head coach of Afghanistan for the upcoming events.'
Australia star allrounder Glenn Maxwell has said he has not yet 'given up' on his hopes for Test cricket following his spectacular performance in their ODI World Cup triumph.
Afghanistan cricket officials are in talks with four or five Test-status nations about playing more fixtures against the country after the ongoing ICC World Cup.
India's pace talisman Jasprit Bumrah's absence will certainly hurt India, but the team's quality batting and spin bowling make them title contenders alongside South Africa and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy.
New Zealand on Monday named a strong squad, which includes five spin bowling options
India will host Afghanistan for a three-match ODI series in March 2022, the Afghanistan Cricket Board announced on Monday.
India Test wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha on Thursday made it all but clear that he is out of India's Afghanistan Test match owing to a thumb injury.
Australia captain Aaron Finch says he is more likely than not to play in Friday's crunch Twenty20 World Cup Super 12 match against Afghanistan, despite suffering a hamstring strain on Tuesday.
'It's obviously a great challenge that's ahead and I guess it's something to look forward to.'
'At least 7 to 8 players, who are all Test team specialists will have to be in England in June'
The emerging nations compete against each other in the International Cricket Council's Inter-Continental Cup 2015-17 scheduled, with the winners getting a chance to play the bottom-ranked Test team on the Reliance ICC Test Team Rankings in the ICC Test Challenge in 2018.
Debutants Afghanistan were bowled out twice in a day to lose the one-off Test match against India by an innings and 262 runs, in Bengaluru, on Friday.
Will triple centurion Karun Nair be picked to counter the Afghan spinners?
Cricket Australia gave the day-night match against Afghanistan the green light on Thursday when it announced its summer schedule headlined by a marquee series against India.
Ashwin and Jadeja together have grabbed over 800 Test wickets, and are among the most experienced bowling pairs in world cricket at present.
A desperate Pakistan will be wary of a competent group of Afghanistan spinners' ability to strike hard on an often-gripping Chepauk pitch when the teams meet in the World Cup match in Chennai on Monday
Players from lower-ranked nations have limited opportunities to learn from competing with top-tier teams but franchise cricket has helped them develop their skills by rubbing shoulders with elite cricketers, Zimbabwe's T20 skipper Sikandar Raza has said.
All eyes will be on star India batter Virat Kohli, who is perhaps battling the biggest form crisis of his career.
Two games at the makeshift Nassau County Cricket Stadium, including India's opening fixture against Ireland, have got an "unsatisfactory" rating from the game's governing body which remains bullish on promoting cricket in the United States.
The T20 World Cup will be held in the United Arab Emirates and Oman from October 17.
David Warner's international career come to an anti-climactic end after Afghanistan's stunning victory over Bangladesh eliminated Australia from the T20 World Cup.
'More than one of England's finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world.'
New Zealand opener Devon Conway has opted for a casual rather than central contract for the upcoming 2024-2025 season.
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