South Africa will need to knock off just 41 runs on Sunday to beat Pakistan in the second Test and take a winning 2-0 lead in the three-test series despite Pakistan providing gallant resistance on the third day at Newlands.
Opening batsman Fakhar Zaman became Pakistan's first double centurion in one-day internationals, when he smashed 210 off 156 deliveries against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on Friday.
Azhar, who finished the day unbeaten on 62 off 169 balls, helped Pakistan recover from the loss of two early wickets to trail New Zealand by 135 runs with seven wickets remaining.
Six of the 10 Pakistan cricketers bound for England who tested positive for COVID-19 have now registered negative results on re-testing, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday. Mohammad Hasnain, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz, however, must return a second negative result before they can join the main squad of 20 players who will leave for England on Sunday.
Virat's captaincy may have come of age in this competition.
Images from Friday's World Cup match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, at Lord's.
David Warner scored a sparkling, unbeaten triple hundred after before being reprieved by another no-ball as Australia declared their first innings closed at 589 for three before the dinner-break on Day 4 of the second Test against Pakistan, at the Adelaide Oval, on Saturday.
Batsman Fawad Alam, who was also named in the 20-member squad along with two specialist spinners could make a comeback to Pakistan's Test team after 11 years.
Sarfaraz says Pak ready for World Test Championship challenge
Hasan Ali and Yasir Shah claimed five wickets each against New Zealand to put Pakistan on the brink of victory on day three of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah marks his return to the national men's team as Pakistan on Wednesday announced an 18-member squad for next month's two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
Debutant Pakistan off-spinner Bilal Asif ripped through the Australian middle-order with six wickets as the visitors were bowled out for 202 on the third day of the first Test, in Dubai, on Tuesday.
Veteran all-rounder Hafeez, playing in his first Test since 2016 and his 51st overall, frustrated Australia en route to his 10th century before being trapped in front of the wicket for 126 by pace bowler Peter Siddle in the final session.
India are eyeing a place in the final after three wins in as many matches, while Pakistan will look to step up their game in the Super Four match, after a scare against Afghanistan.
Chasing a competitive 258 for victory, Pakistan overhauled the target with just three balls to spare with former captain Shoaib Malik (51 off 43 balls) getting the winning runs.
Shinwari rattled the top order as he scalped three of the opening five wickets.
Ireland lost their maiden Test match to Pakistan by five wickets on Tuesday, but went down fighting at Malahide in Dublin. Starting the day on 319 for seven with Kevin O'Brien resuming on 118, Ireland were only able to add 20 runs to their overnight total to set Pakistan a target of 160.
Azhar Ali and Haris Sohail scored half-centuries as Pakistan overcame a shaky start to reach 207-4 against New Zealand on day one of the second Test in Dubai on Saturday.
England's makeshift one-day international team put the COVID-19 issues that hit the previous squad behind them to bowl out Pakistan for 141 runs before cruising to a clinical nine-wicket win in the series opener in Cardiff on Thursday.
'I'm very disappointed with our fielding, it is not up to the mark or standard expected'
'He is a really exciting talent and probably the guy I am looking forward to seeing the most this summer. I have seen the Aussies a lot and I have seen a lot of the Kiwis, but I am really excited to see him'
Vernon Philander took two wickets in as many balls to leave Pakistan on 17 for two wickets at the end of the first day of the third Test after they had rallied earlier on Friday and bowled hosts South Africa out for 262.
Pakistan's teenage fast bowler Naseem Shah led the hosts' recovery against Sri Lanka on a riveting opening day as Test cricket returned to the country on Wednesday for the first time since a militant attack in 2009.
A couple of losses for hosts England has only brightened the 1992 winners' prospects of a semi-final berth.
Captain Kane Williamson cracked an unbeaten century as New Zealand took a valuable 198-run lead against Pakistan on day four of the third and final Test in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas claimed three quick wickets as Australia hobbled their way to 136-3 on Wednesday, chasing a mammoth target of 462 in the first Test in Dubai.
Pakistan have dropped out-of-sorts pace bowler Mohammad Amir from their 17-man squad for next month's two-Test series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates, with left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz earning a recall.
Captain Aaron Finch scored a century as Australia beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the opening One-Day International between the countries at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday. Chasing 281 to win, the tourists reached their target with an over to spare and took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, with Finch making 116 and Shaun Marsh unbeaten on 91.
'They have got so much talent. And in the last 10 years when they have not been playing home Test matches (for security reasons), they have done a remarkable job to be as competitive as they have and continue to bring on the level of talented players they have.'
The 16-man squad includes batsmen Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan and fast bowler Jake Ball, who have 11 Test caps between them, as well as three uncapped players in paceman Craig Overton, spinner Mason Crane and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.
Dale Steyn become South Africa's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket
Pakistan succumbed to a 41-run loss to Australia on Wednesday and are now in an increasingly precarious position in eighth place in the standings.
Debutant spinner Ajaz Patel claimed five wickets in the second innings as New Zealand beat Pakistan by four runs on a dramatic fourth day of the opening Test in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Jonny Bairstow's magnificent century helped England make light work of chasing down a whopping 359-run target to beat Pakistan by six wickets in the third one-day international.
Arthur described coaching the Pakistan team as a fulfilling period of his career.
Waqar Younis said that he is worried that players in Pakistan might face mental health issues if cricket continued to be played for more time in the COVID-19 situation.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam was named the International Cricket Council's ODI Cricketer of the Year following his exploits in 2021 when he scored 405 runs in six games at an average of 67.50.
Three-time former champion and last tournament's losing finalist Australia and dark horse Afghanistan progressed from Group B to the next round of the ICC U19 World Cup on the final day of the first round matches on Wednesday.
Sarfaraz Khan's superb all-round showing and a five-wicket haul from Deepak Hooda helped India outclassed Pakistan by 40 runs in the Group A match of the ICC Under-World Cup in Dubai.
Kohli had achieved his highest rating after the Southampton Test against England earlier this year.
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