Images of the Day 1 of the first Test between Pakistan and England.
Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal flummoxed England's batsmen with his off-spin for a career-best haul in Tests of seven for 55 to dismiss the visitors for 192 on the first day of the opening Test in Dubai on Tuesday. In reply, Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez (22) and Taufeeq Umar (18) survived 15 overs from the number one-ranked Test side to finish on 42-0 at the close, 150 runs in arrears.
Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal took his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests as Pakistan completed a facile nine-wicket win within four days in the second Test against Sri Lanka on Saturday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Left-arm paceman Junaid Khan took his maiden five-wicket haul as Pakistan bundled out Sri Lanka for 197 in the first innings of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Saeed Ajmal captured four wickets on Thursday as Pakistan's spinners combined to reduce West Indies to 209 for nine at the close of the opening day of the first Test.
The release of Lashkar-e-Tayiba chief Hafeez Muhammad Saeed, hardcore Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdullah Aziz, and now Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammed chief Sufi Mohammad has cast serious doubts over Pakistan's claims that it is seriously acting against the Taliban and other home grown terror outfits, a senior US intelligence official has said.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has taken close to 60 per cent of the appearance money earned by the Lahore Lions team during the recently concluded Champions League T20 in India paying Muhammad Hafeez and Co only $100,000 out of the $500,000 for their hardwork.
Virat Kohli is the highest-ranked Indian batsman at joint-sixth, but there is no Indian presence in the top-10 of the bowlers' list in the latest ICC Twenty20 Rankings, issued on Wednesday. Suresh Raina, at No 8, is the second Indian batsman in the top-10, with Yuvraj Singh next best at a distant 16th.
Former Pakistan pace spearhead Shoaib Akhtar has said that current skipper Misbah-ul Haq needs to adopt Imran Khan's frontline approach employed by the captain in 1992 if the 2015 squad wants to win this year's Cricket World Cup.
Buoyed by their spectacular win over Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of this season's campaign, Kolkata Knight Riders will take on spirited qualifiers Lahore Lions in their second game of the Champions League Twenty20 in Hyderabad on Sunday.
Banned Salman Butt was asked by the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit to appear for a hearing.
Talented wicketkeeper-batsman Umar Akmal notched up a breezy century under pressure before the bowlers came to the party and guided Pakistan to a bonus-point 72-run victory over Afghanistan in the Asia Cup.
The Men in Blue also have kept their unbeaten streak against Pakistan in the World Cup as the side defeated them in the 2015 and 2019 50-over World Cup. ies.
Experienced Pakistan players Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Sami received surprise call-ups to the national side for the two T20 matches against the touring Zimbabwe team after spending close to three years in the wilderness.
Virat Kohli retained his second position to be the highest-placed Indian batsman, while skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan also maintained their respective sixth and 10th spots in the laTest ICC ODI rankings issued in Dubai.
Zimbabwe captured nine Pakistan wickets for 249 runs on the opening day of the first Test in Harare on Tuesday after a frustrating ninth-wicket partnership between Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan.
The talented but unpredictable side are not favourites.
India went on to maintain its 100 per cent winning rate against Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup after defeating them by 29 runs in the semi-final clash at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.
Junaid Khan as he has been ruled out of the World Cup after failing a fitness test.
The best they can do, in the event they defeat Australia and line up for the semi-final in Sydney, is summon spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi produced a brilliant performance with both bat and ball to lead his team to a thumping 126-run victory over West Indies in their first One-day International on Sunday.
Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said on Thursday that "there was no pressure on Pakistan at all regarding the release of Wing Commander Abhinandan."
Pakistan's top spinner Saeed Ajmal hopes to play in next year's World Cup after making his competitive return on Friday, three months after being suspended by the International Cricket Council for an illegal bowling action.
Pakistan has failed to take concrete action to keep a lid on banned militant outfits like Hafiz Saeed-led Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad which continuously resurface under new names challenging the government's authority, a media report said on Wednesday.
PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan has said that the option of flying out off-spinner Saeed Ajmal to Australia for the cricket World Cup was available if Pakistan reached the semi-finals.
Mahela Jayawardene, batting with three stitches in his left hand, ignored the pain to complete his 32nd Test hundred and put Sri Lanka firmly in the driving seat in the second Test against Pakistan in Dubai on Thursday.
Pakistan's most accomplished batsman Younus Khan completed an unbeaten double century on Friday to turn the course of the first Test against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club. At the close Zimbabwe, set 342 for victory when Pakistan declared their second innings closed at 419 for nine, were 13 for one after Tino Mawoyo was dismissed lbw for two by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Zimbabwe are still in with a chance of an upset victory, but Pakistan appeared in control at close on the fourth day of the second Test in Harare on Friday. Pakistan, needing 264 for victory, finished on 158 for five.
In a major crackdown against chucking, a senior official revealed that Pakistan on Thursday suspended 16 domestic bowlers with suspect actions following the ban of ace off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.
India paid the price for costly blunders at crucial junctures to suffer a nerve-wracking one-wicket defeat at the hands of arch rivals Pakistan, who rode on Shahid Afridi's brilliant cameo to virtually assure themselves a berth in the final of the Asia Cup in Mirpur on Sunday.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews was vindicated for surprisingly deciding to field after winning the toss when his fast bowlers skittled Pakistan for 165 in the first innings of the second Test in Dubai on Wednesday. Sri Lanka then lost opener Dimuth Karunaratne (32) before reaching 57 for 1 when bad light brought an end to the day's play.
The International Cricket Council released the provisional squads of the 12 teams for next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand on Friday. However, co-hosts Australia and minnows Ireland decided against releasing the provisional list although they submitted 30 names to the parent body within the stipulated deadline.
Sri Lanka won the just-concluded Asia Cup, but none of their players figure in Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji's most valuable player index. Check it out.
Two Indian batsmen are now in the top five of the ICC ODI rankings, with Virat Kohli remaining at number three and opener Shikhar Dhawan climbing up the ladder to fifth after earning four places in the latest list issued on Wednesday.
Pakistan pulled off a thrilling three-wicket victory over hosts Bangladesh to storm into the finals of the Asia Cup cricket tournament, knocking India out of the title race.
Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq steadied the Pakistan second innings with an unbroken 113-run stand after their team appeared to be heading for a heavy defeat by losing three quick wickets in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Dubai on Friday.
Lasith Malinga's brilliant five-wicket haul under pressure and opener Lahiru Thirimanne's second ODI century helped Sri Lanka script a thrilling 12-run win over Pakistan in a nail-biting opening match of the Asia Cup at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, in Fatullah, on Tuesday.
Flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi earned Pakistan a three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 international at Dubai stadium on Wednesday.
Debutant fast bowler Bilawal Bhatti dismissed experienced duo Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in consecutive deliveries as Pakistan strengthened their hold on the first Test against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
