England's batsmen failed to take full advantage on a first day of swinging fortunes in the second Test against Sri Lanka, finishing on 310 for six after outstanding catching kept the touring side in contention on Friday.
Their bowling attacks struggling to find form, Kings XI Punjab and SunRisers Hyderabad will look towards their power-hitters to do the job when the two erratic teams go head to head in an IPL match, in Dubai, on Thursday.
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is in sublime form and he can pummel any attack into submission on his day.
With the T20 World Cup round the corner, Australia's former fast-bowling star Brett Lee is looking forward to India's latest pace sensation Mayank Yadav's progression with great anticipation, describing him as the "talk of the town."
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's on Day 2
With SRH's reputation of leaking runs in the death overs, CSK would have fancied their chances of posting a challenging total. But the SRH bowlers came back strongly.
Images from Saturday's IPL match between SunRisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Abu Dhabi.
England opener Michael Carberry looks set to make his Ashes debut next week after being included in the team to face an Invitational XI in a warm-up match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Despite a well-tuned 48 from local hero Riyan Parag, Rajasthan Royals struggled against an array of accurate bowlers on a rather slow pitch, meandering to a sub-par 144 for nine against Punjab Kings in their IPL match in Guwahati on Wednesday.
'These guys are not thugs'
Punjab Kings skipper Mayank Agarwal was disappointed with the poor showing of his batters after losing to Lucknow Super Giants by 20 runs in the IPL match, at the MCA International Stadium in Pune, on Friday, saying they were below par.
The Aussies will spend the quarantine in the Maldives before heading home.
Hardik Pandya has quit Gujarat Titans to rejoin his former team Mumbai Indians, following a trade between the two franchises.
Roy was fined for breaching Level One of the ICC Code of Conduct during the match at Edgbaston on Thursday.
Abhishek returned with figures of 2-24 from his four overs
Ollie Pope and Tom Hartley scripted a remarkable turnaround and set up England's thrilling 28-run victory against India in the opening Test at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are India's stormtroopers at home, tossing over opponents like pioneer dolls and their numbers validate their supremacy too.
Bairstow replaces jaded Buttler in England squad while Australia rope in Hastings, and call-up Handscomb after injury glut
Images from Day 4 of the third Test between India and England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Sunday
Adversities can make people see the lighter side of life, and that's what Virat Kohli is doing at the moment while trying to figure out how he is getting dismissed in every possible manner during this IPL, said skipper Faf du Plessis after Royal Challengers Bangalore lost to Punjab Kings by 54 runs.
Ravindra Jadeja struck a career-best 70 not out as he and his lower order colleagues earned India a substantial 71-run first innings lead by lunch on the third day of the third Test against England on Monday. - Scorecard: The hosts were 354 for seven at the break with Jayant Yadav batting on 26, the pair having already amassed 53 runs for their flourishing eighth-wicket partnership.
Having endured the frustration of a long lay-off due to injury, Chris Woakes felt "incredible" after realising his "boyhood dream" of scoring a Test hundred at the 'Home Of Cricket'.
England named all-rounder Chris Woakes and batsman Ollie Pope on Tuesday in their squad for the final Test against India which will be Alastair Cook's last international appearance.
Rishabh Pant's brute power will be put to test against Rashid Khan's bagful of tricks in an IPL encounter where Delhi Capitals will start as favourites against SunRisers Hyderabad due to their better bowling resources.
Suryakumar Yadav, who scored a 44-ball 76 in the third T20 International against the West Indies on Tuesday, moved within two rating points of top-ranked Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
He did bowl once during the limited overs series in Australia but that was that.
Shamsi's wrist spin accounted for Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran and David Willey, who was bowled first ball to set up a hat-trick chance that Chris Jordan denied him.
Joe Root's classy unbeaten century led England to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over West Indies in a one-sided World Cup match in Southampton.
He, along with teammate Alex Hales, could yet be fined and suspended, however it will be some time before that conclusion can be reached.
'A stunning display from England's man of the summer makes him the inaugural winner of The Wisden Trophy, awarded for the outstanding Test performance of the year,' Wisden Cricket announced on their Twitter handle.
Teenaged opening batsman Haseeb Hameed was one of the three uncapped players named on Friday for England's forthcoming tour to Bangladesh.
Sri Lankan paceman Dushmantha Chameera will return home from England with a lower back injury, his country's cricket board announced on Tuesday, compounding the team's woes on the tour.
Punjab Kings have hired former England first class cricketer Julian Ross Wood as their batting consultant, with emphasis on power-hitting, ahead of the Indian Premier League, starting on March 26.
England captain Joe Root sought to draw a line under the litany of off-field incidents that have dogged the team throughout the Ashes on Wednesday, even as a senior player admitted they would continue to haunt the side during the third Test in Perth.
Jason Holder and Nkrumah Bonner shared an unbeaten 75-run partnership as West Indies recovered from a mini collapse and advanced to 202 for four on the second day of the first Test against England on Wednesday.
Against England on Monday and then Wednesday's game versus Australia, the Indian team management would look to give the players who are still not automatic choices in the playing XI, more overs to bat or bowl to get a better idea about their current form.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji list the Most Valuable Players in the India-England ODI series.
Jonny Bairstow kept his head with a fine century for England but Steve Smith showed a captain's poise to guide Australia to 203 for three at the close of day two of the third Ashes Test on Friday.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and England at Visakhapatnam.
Images from the World Cup second semi-final between England and Australia in Birmingham, on Thursday.
