Top order batsman Usman Khawaja has been omitted from Australia's annual list of 20 elite, contracted players in 2020 after falling out of favour with selectors midway through last year's Ashes. The 33-year-old lefthander has not played for the Test side since being dropped after the third match against England in Leeds last August.
Australia and West Indies are set to lock horns in five T20Is and three ODIs in July this year.
Rather than sweeping the ball, Australia's batters mainly attempted the front foot defence against the spinners besides stepping out to hit down the ground.
Australia's wretched run on the tour of India so far has been filled with "major, major mistakes", reckons former captain Michael Clarke.
The 32-year-old Test specialist featured in only one of the seven games that Delhi Capitals have played so far, finishing his four overs wicketless for 26 runs, against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Abu Dhabi.
Kane Richardson gets nod ahead of Josh Hazlewood as replacement
After left-armer Afridi's two early wickets, Australia could have been in even deeper trouble but Pakistan failed to capitalise on chances offered by Khawaja and Smith.
Steve Smith, David Warner, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler will arrive in the UAE late on Thursday night (UAE time) from the UK and on arrival will undergo RT-PCR test for COVID-19.
The Australian government on Wednesday granted travel exemptions for Aaron Finch and his men, Cricket Australia (CA) said while announcing a 21-member squad for the team's first international tour since the coronavirus outbreak began.
'...It's just nice to show I can score runs. I am happy to be out there and show the real me. I don't know why I threw my bat in the air, but that is me.'
Skipper Rohit Sharma would fancy a perfect culmination to Indian team's World Cup preparations as hosts eye a rare clean sweep of Australia in the third and final ODI in Rajkot on Wednesday.
'We leave it up to the players to decide whether or not they want to participate and request NOCs'
As much as Ishan Kishan has done his bit, India will need Iyer, the proverbial slayer of spin bowling in the middle overs during the World Cup.
Images from Day 3 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, on Saturday.
The incoming player, who will be allowed to bat and bowl, must be deemed a "like for like" replacement approved by the match referee.
Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah found his mojo as India got back to winning ways with a morale-lifting 13-run triumph over Australia in the third and final ODI in Canberra on Wednesday, salvaging some of the lost pride in a 1-2 series defeat.
India have already secured the Border-Gavaskar trophy and they will now be playing for a record-extending 16th straight series win at home
'And I think Pat really hit that home. Let's be calm. Let's go do the basics really well and when our chance comes let's be ruthless.'
'As a South African team, we know we're going to have that chip on our back, or that narrative that we have to get over'
The opening partnerships at this World Cup have been more prolific than at almost any time in the tournament's history.
'I'm in the team to take wickets and I've had two wicketless games, so we'll see how we go.'
Images from the second ODI between England and Australia, at Old Trafford in Manchester, on Sunday
Australia bundled out Sri Lanka for 212 but endured a top order wobble of their own before reaching 98/3 in reply after a frenetic, spin-dominated day one of the opening Test in Galle on Wednesday.
India's hopes of breaking their ICC trophy drought after 2013, remained unfulfilled as Australia handed them a crushing loss at the WTC Final.
Images from Day 3 in the fifth Test between Australia and England, in Hobart, on Sunday.
Following is the list of players who have been released by the different franchises ahead of the auction for the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League.
India showed commendable character in Rajkot to level the series, proving that the panic buttons were pressed prematurely following the 10-wicket loss in Mumbai.
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.
After R Ashwin led India's fightback with a six-wicket haul, India skipper Rohit Sharma at Shubman Gill took India to 36/0 at the end of Day 2 in Ahmedabad.
Australia wicketkeeper batter Matthew Wade on Thursday said he may "walk into sunset" after the T20 World Cup Down Under next year.
Australia were all out for 263 on Day 1 of the second Test at the Arun Jaitley stadium in Delhi, February 17, 2023.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the opening Ashes Test played between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday.
While form is important, Tim Paine's hopes of retaining his spot may ultimately rest on whether selectors feel he might be a major distraction amid the pressures of an Ashes series.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the WTC Final played between Australia and India at The Oval in London on Thursday.
England produced a brilliant comeback to beat Australia by two runs on the final ball of their first T20 international in Southampton on Friday after the visitors looked to be cruising to victory in their first competitive match for six months.
Australia concluded their World Cup preparation on an emphatic note, beating a struggling Sri Lanka by five wickets in their final warm-up game, in Southampton, on Monday. Usman Khawaja, who opened alongside skipper Aaron Finch in place of a rested David Warner, anchored the chase with 89 off 105 balls.
Australia vice-captain Alex Carey said the ODI series win against a top team like India 'will mean a lot' considering the hosts' struggles over the last 12 months.
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 Day 1 of the second Test between India and Australia, at the Arun Jaitley stadium, in Delhi, on Friday.
Images from Friday's second One-day International between India and Australia, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Rajkot.
