Pakistan will be desperately looking to ensure the painful defeat to India becomes a distant past when they run into an in-form New Zealand in Mohali on Tuesday with an aim to bounce back into the World Twenty20 and pacify their bitter fans back home. Pakistan are coming into the Group 2 Super 10 game having suffered their 11th defeat to the arch-rivals in ICC's world events. The 2009 champions entered the tournament after an early elimination in the Asia Cup. On the other hand, the New Zealanders are on a roll with two massive wins over hosts India and Australia, making them one of the strong contenders to lift the coveted trophy on April 3. Another win and they will be in the knockout stages of the mega-event. New Zealand have emerged as the team to beat after the stunned tournament favourites India first up, before getting the better of traditional rivals Australia in a trans-Tasman battle.
The Deen Bachao, Desh Bachao conference in Patna on April 15 was attended by lakhs of Muslims. Will the electoral dividends from this rally be reaped by Nitish Kumar, the BJP (through Hindu consolidation), by both Nitish and the BJP or will it be reaped more by the anti-BJP forces, asks Mohammad Sajjad.
Tainted fast bowler Mohammad Amir was named in Pakistan's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup and the Twenty20 World Cup even as seasoned opener Ahmed Shehzad and veteran bowler Umar Gul were shown the door.
A brace from Jorge Ortiz helped FC Goa script a 3-0 win over Jamshedpur FC in an Indian Super League match at the Fatorda Stadium, in Margao, on Thursday.
Images from the ICC World Cup match played between Zimbabwe and The United Arab Emirates on Thursday
Spinner Akshar Patel did the star turn for India as they fought their way back from a tough situation to set up a title clash with Pakistan after a 46-run victory over United Arab Emirates in the semi-finals of the ACC Under-23 Emerging Teams Cup, in Singapore, on Friday.
Sean Williams ensured Zimbabwe would not become the first top tier side to lose to United Arab Emirates when his counter-attacking half century secured a four-wicket victory in their World Cup clash in Nelson on Thursday.
Their arrival itself was mired in drama and a mercurial Pakistan would look to bring the focus back on their cricket when they take on an enigmatic Bangladesh.
Rashid Khan took a big leap towards becoming the quickest bowler to 100 ODI wickets when he grabbed his fourth five-wicket haul as Afghanistan overcame a top-order batting collapse to prevail over the United Arab Emirates in a Super Six fixture of the ICC World Cup Qualifier, in Harare, on Tuesday.
The South African opener took only 108 innings to reach the milestone, beating the previous record held by India's Virat Kohli, who took 133 innings for the same.
'I think one moment that would have changed the game was I think Kevin O'Brien's catch that got dropped. If that catch would have been taken, I think we would have definitely won that game'
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.
'At the end of the day, an India-Pakistan game has got more to do with pressure than anything else. The team that handles the 'P-factor' better on the day is more likely to win' 'Shoaib Malik is the danger man in the Pak squad'
Pakistan opener Sarfraz Ahmed''s belligerent 76 not out secured a comprehensive seven-wicket victory against New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International in Dubai on Thursday.
Zimbabwe, chasing a target of 297 to win, were 62-0 at the end of the eighth over when a power failure in a floodlight tower and a heavy sandstorm forced the players to walk off the field at Gaddafi Stadium.
Images from the World Cup Pool B game between India and the United Arab Emirates in Perth.
'Temperamentally, they are quite alike.' 'Ahmed Patel avoided the limelight and was not a power seeker.' 'The Gandhis too are not power wielders, but trustees of power.'
Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by five wickets to qualify for the final of the Asia Cup.
A Pakistani court on Thursday rejected an appeal against the formation of a special court to try former military ruler Pervez Musharraf on a charge of high treason.
Jolted by the shock loss to New Zealand in the opening game, India will be fighting a survival battle quite early in the tournament when they take on arch foes Pakistan in what is being seen as the marquee clash of the ICC World Twenty20 in Kolkata on Saturday. The hosts, who started clear title-favourites, were in for a blow in the first match itself when New Zealand's spinners bamboozled their famed batting line-up on a turning Nagpur track. As a result, the world No.1 side is staring at an early elimination should it lose to Pakistan in the high-voltage game at the Eden Gardens. As is the case with most India-Pakistan contests, this game too has been preceded by its share of drama. The match was originally scheduled to be held in Dharamsala but was shifted here after the Himachal Pradesh government expressed inability to provide security to the Pakistan team owing to protests by ex-servicemen and their families.
'The more emphatic denial of any proposal for an OIC foreign ministers meet in Islamabad appears aimed at keeping Pakistan on a leash,' notes Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
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.
India spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved up one place to take a career-best second position in the ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings after grabbing two for 26 in the final match against New Zealand.
The court also refused to suspend the conviction in the case until the appeals were decided.
We take a look at Team India's dominating performance against Pakistan in the World Cup
The UAE team is a mix of local players as well as players of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan origin. The skipper feels that having a number of Indians pitted against India isn't a problem at all.
No Indian cricketer figures in the ICC's World Cup XI, which is dominated by runners-up New Zealand rather than champions Australia.
Kane Williamson hit a brilliant 123 as New Zealand staved off Pakistan's spirited challenge to eke out a series-levelling seven-run victory in the fourth one-day international in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Newly appointed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Shaharyar Khan criticised Ahmed Shehzad for offering religious advice to Sri Lankan player Tillakaratne Dilshan during an ODI last week, saying it was a "stupid statement" on part of the Pakistani batsman.
South Africa skipper AB de Villiers led from the front with an all-round show to help South Africa thrash minnows UAE.
Pakistan's Test stalwart Younis Khan, who led the national team to its only World T20 title in 2009, remained unsold while captain Misbah-ul Haq was snapped up by the Islamabad franchise on the first day of the Players' Draft for the Pakistan Super League, on Monday.
In the second phase on April 18, 97 seats,spread across 13 states and one Union Territory, will go to the polls.
Take a look at the United Arab Emirates squad.
The win at Edgbaston was not the first time an Indian team had vanquished Pakistan in an ICC competition. Rajneesh Gupta surveys the landscape of India-Pakistan encounters in ICC contests.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday.'
Rajneesh Gupta gives us all the dazzling numbers.
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.
Rediff.com takes a look at the enthralling spectacle that is the month of Ramazan.
