Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan picked Virat Kohli as India's key player, but asserted that his team cannot take the other batsmen lightly when the teams meet in the ICC World T20 match in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
An "emotional" and "overwhelmed" Virat Kohli has termed his exceptional 82-run knock against Australia as his best in Twenty20 internationals.
Australian Simon Taufel will officiate in Sunday's World Twenty20 summit clash between Sri Lanka and West Indies -- his last assignment as an ICC Elite panel umpire.
Virat Kohli helped India survive a top-order collapse and beat Pakistan by six wickets in a tight game on Saturday to revive their World Twenty20 campaign and maintain their impeccable World Cup record against the arch-rivals.
South Africa coach Russell Domingo has vowed his side won't play "fancy" cricket in their search for an elusive ICC trophy as they depart for the World Twenty20 in India on Thursday in confident mood. South Africa head to the tournament ranked as the third best team in the 20-over format and on the back of recent series wins in Bangladesh and, crucially, India. Domingo believes they will be able to quickly put behind them the 2-1 home loss to Australia, confirmed on Wednesday with a six-wicket loss in Cape Town, which he didn't think diminished from an excellent 14 months for his side in the shortest format. "We are all pretty chilled. I don't think there is a weight of expectation around our team or any of the teams because of the nature of the competition," he told reporters. "You can't get too fancy, you can't get too funky. There is no magic wand to wave. The sides that do the basics really well in high-pressure games, they usually come out on top."
Not too intimidated by the prospect of a Chris Gayle onslaught, Sri Lankan coach Graham Ford said his bowlers have the plans in place to neutralise the threat posed by the marauding West Indian batsman in Sunday's World Twenty20 clash.
The ICC has set September 10 as the deadline for participating nations to submit their final 15 players and eight officials, including coaches and support staff.
Flamboyant Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has said he is ready to retire from international cricket the day he feels he is a burden on the team.
Lendl Simmons was a late replacement, but he led a charmed life to blast an unbeaten 82 and carry the West Indies to a thrilling seven-wicket victory over India in the second semi-final of the World Twenty20, the Wankhede Stadiumin Mumbai, on Thursday.
Factbox on the World Twenty20 in India from March 8-April 3.
The BCB said it has often given additional incentives to its cricketers, topping up what has been due to them from the ICC prize money.
Australian explosive batsman David Warner has become the second player of his country and fourth overall to enter cricket's most exclusive 6000 runs club in Twenty20 format.
Australia take on West Indies in a three-match T20 series starting in Hobart on Friday as part of their preparations for the June 1-29 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States.
The ICC also confirmed the women's 50-over World Cup that was scheduled to be held in New Zealand in February-March next year has been postponed to 2022.
Afghanistan has shown great promise in taking its game to the next level, as its journey from the lower divisions to competing on cricket's biggest stages testifies. Since the ICC World Cup 2015, Afghanistan has won 25 of 44 games across formats. That includes 11 Twenty20 Internationals wins in 13 matches. Those statistics, and the fact that it has never lost a T20I to Scotland, will give Afghanistan a mental boost when the two sides lock horns in Tuesday's (March 8)second Group B match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. Afghanistan certainly has all the ingredients to beat Scotland and this contest should be a keenly fought one.
Yet another semi-final exit from a big ICC event but New Zealand captain Kane Williamson refuses to call it a jinx, saying that the loss to England in the World Twenty20 last-four stage was just a case of going down to a better team on the given day.
They dampened the local spirits by knocking out India but a resurrected West Indies cricket team will bring its own brand of joie-de-vivre to the ICC World Twenty20 summit clash when they take on a transformed England in what promises to be a battle of power-hitting at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.
It's a record he is proud of but Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni feels the unbeaten run against Pakistan in ICC world events also adds to the pressure on his team, which is mindful of the fact that the streak is bound to end some day.
Dhoni, who is hailed as the best finisher in the world by many, brought many laurels to the country.
Bangladesh batsman Mahmudullah said it was his 'senseless mistake' that led to the team's defeat in the heart-stopping game.
The ICC announced plans to stage a Twenty20 world championship in September 2007.
The IPL franchises are now expanding their bouquet of teams across leagues in the West Indies, UAE, South Africa and now the US is another untapped market that wasn't explored despite the Asian diaspora craving for some cricket.
A modest New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has said his team was "fortunate" to be playing on similar wickets after pulling off a dramatic victory over Australia in the ICC World Twenty20 in Dharamsala on Friday.
There was never an iota of doubt over Joe Root's class since his 2012 Test debut against India but the 25-year-old Yorkshireman's latest heroics have left many wondering if he is England's best ever batsman across the three formats of the game.
West Indies all-rounder Dwanye Bravo on Monday said trying out different variations is key to his success as a death bowler. "I focus on my bowing a lot because most teams that I play for in T20 cricket rely on my bowling. Yes my batting is important but they (the teams) rely on my bowling in the tough times and in death overs. Variation is key for my success. As a bowler." he told PTI. Talking about the ICC World Twenty20, the 32-year-old cricketer said the West Indies is definitely eyeing a semifinal berth from their group, which also has Sri Lanka, South Africa, England and Afghanistan. "The World Cup is always a great tournament to be in. I am very excited to be part of yet another World Cup. I was lucky enough to win one (World T20 in 2012). We lost in the semifinals in the last one (World T20 in 2014). "For us as West Indies team we want to take one game at a time and want to obviously qualify from our group and take it from there," he said.
Disappointed but not demoralised by the thrashing India got in the Twenty20 Internationals against South Africa, Team Director Ravi Shastri promised a strong comeback in the ODI series and said the experience from recent losses would be handy during next year's ICC World Twenty20.
Accept ICC's World Cup decisions.
Stadiums in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will operate at 70% of capacity for the Twenty20 World Cup, the organisers said.
'This team was incredibly difficult to select over such a highly competitive tournament. Selections were based predominantly on the Super 12 onward to the final.'
Unfazed by the uncertainty that looms over the World Twenty20 clash between India and Pakistan in Dharamsala, the International Cricket Council on Monday said it is confident of the marquee game going ahead as scheduled and has no plans of shifting the venue.
Hong Kong overcame a disastrous start to beat Papua New Guinea by 29 runs at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday and secure a historic berth in the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014.
'All these stories about the ICC threatening us with legal action or the Prime Minister having cleared the tour are not correct'
Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell celebrated Holi, the festival of colours, ahead of their match against Pakistan in the ICC World Twenty20 on Friday.
Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Sami is a doubtful starter for his side's ICC World Twenty20 opener against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday after injuring his toe during a practice session. Sami, who was hit on the toe by a local bowler during their first practice session on Sunday, failed to recover from the injury and missed Pakistan's warm-up match against defending champions Sri Lanka. "There's still no word on his fitness and we're not sure whether he would be available for the first match," Pakistan team's media manager told reporters.
There seems to be no end to the troubles of West Indies Cricket Board as former coach Ottis Gibson accused the board of sacking him over a "telephone call".
"The ebbs and flows of the game made it such a good one for the spectators. It was just unfortunate we came out on the other side of it."
Tragedies and snubs are nothing new for Veda Krishnamurthy as she has seen it all in the last three years, but the out-of-favour India cricketer is desperate to make a fresh start and has pinned her hopes on the upcoming WPL to regain her spot in the national women's side.
It took Australia seven attempts but under Aaron Finch they finally laid their hands on a maiden Twenty20 World Cup title on Sunday with an eight-wicket triumph over New Zealand.
The Black Caps will be the third major side to tour Pakistan this year after Australia played a full series in March-April and England featured in seven T20Is in September-October.
After leading England to their maiden ICC tournament title by winning the Twenty20 World Cup in Bridgetown, captain Paul Collingwood said the triumph as important as Ashes victory.
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