The Congress was fighting the elections in a pre-poll alliance with National Conference and had fielded 32 candidates, mostly in Jammu region, compared to 51 by the regional party.
Their path to the semi-finals looking relatively easier in comparison, Australia will fancy their chances when they lock horns with a struggling Pakistan side whose hopes hangs by a thread in the ICC World Twenty20, in Mohali, on Friday.
Pakistan are dangerous opponents for the best of teams in major tournaments but they could face a rocky road in their quest
Thirty-four-year debutant Zulfiqar Babar took three key wickets then struck a six off the final ball of the match to give Pakistan a two wicket victory over West Indies in the first Twenty20 international on Saturday.
Pakistan's World Cup winning captain Imran Khan took to a social networking site to console the crestfallen Pakistanis after Sunday's defeat to India in Adelaide.
I-League: Rajasthan United beat Namdhari 3-1 with comeback win; Dempo overcome Lajong
Looking back at his India career, Pathan fondly recalled the moments when he delivered for the team.
India and Pakistan meet in their opening World Cup match at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. Ahead of what promises to be a thrilling contest here's a fact-file on the teams.
If you drop a batsman of the calibre of Hashim Amla, you are surely bound to suffer big time and it happened to Pakistan, who were made to pay dearly for their lapse on the field.
They could be breathing down each others' necks in their marquee World T20 clash on Saturday, but a few of Indian and Pakistani cricketers, on Thursday, showed great camaraderie.
Batsman Sharjeel Khan has been banned for five years by his country's cricket board (PCB) for his involvement in a spot-fixing scandal in the Pakistan Super League, local media reported on Wednesday.
Legendary cricketer Imran Khan has called for improved sporting and political relations between India and Pakistan and believes the two neighbouring countries could co-exist peacefully and in cooperation in the region.
Middle-order batsman Umar Akmal hit an unbeaten 38 from 28 balls as Pakistan wrapped up the two-match Twenty20 international series against Zimbabwe with a 15-run victory at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.
Confirming the news, PCB lawyer Taffazul Rizvi revealed that the bat grips that a bookmaker had given to Khalid were seized from his bag.
Umar Akmal has been dropped from the Pakistan Twenty20 squad to face England as he is under investigation for bringing the sport into disrepute in an off-field incident, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reported on Thursday.
Since the 76-run defeat to India at the World Cup gloom has descended on the Pakistanis. It seemed as if the team had left the Inter-Continental hotel in Adelaide after the match.
Former Pakistan cricketers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar have expressed dismay over the national team's meek surrender in the Twenty20 series in New Zealand and said the crisis before the ICC World T20 in India was 'worrisome'.
'It was a wonderful all-round effort by Afghanistan'
Sania Mirza and her Pakistani cricketer husband Shoaib Malik seem to have finally got the time to celebrate their respective recent victories.
Drafted into the team for the first time in the ongoing cricket World Cup, Pakistan wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed made an instant impact with a record-equalling six catches and 49 runs in the team's upset win over South Africa in Auckland.
Batting at No. 9, Wahab Riaz struck a quickfire half-century before he returned to claim four wickets with the ball to lift Pakistan to a narrow 20-run victory.
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.
Coach Waqar Younis said the leg-spinner is being considered as a replacement for injured fast bowler Mohammad Irfan for the World Cup quarter-final match against Australia.
Pakistan youngsters are keen to make an impression against the arch-rivals in their opening fixture at the Adelaide Oval.
South Africa will have to dig deep if they are to avoid defeat in the first Test after being reduced to 72 for four wickets in their second innings, still trailing Pakistan by 121 runs, in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Fast bowler Sohail Khan earned a surprise recall while Pakistan selectors ignored senior players Shoaib Malik and Kamran Akmal in their final 15-member squad for the World Cup.
Jamshed, who has played 48 one-day internationals for Pakistan, was suspended from all forms of cricket in February for violating the PCB's anti-corruption code.
A PCB official said the suspended off-spinner has been named in the preliminary squad as he was in the process of correcting his action and would soon appear for an ICC biomechanics test.
Supremely confident of his pace attack, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Friday said his fast bowlers are capable of sending the Indian top-order packing in the first six overs itself when the two teams lock horns in the Asia Cup T20 group league match, in Fatullah on Saturday. "Pace bowlers are the main form of attack in these conditions. We have got four pacers and they are just cricketers who are considered to be wicket-taking. Our fast bowlers will try to utilise the opening six overs by removing their batsmen as that is considered to be their strength," Afridi said at the pre-match press conference. Afridi though acknowledged that Indian batsmen do play spinners very well. In the spin department, Afridi will be supported by left-arm spinner Muhammad Nawaz, who has done well in the recently concluded PSL. "Indian batsmen usually play spinners very well and they have in-form players in their squad as they have come here playing some good cricket. I think apart from me there is Mohammad Nawaz who performed really well in the domestic cricket as well as in the PSL. The fast bowlers are also in good shape whether it is Amir, Wahab or Irfan.
Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has included Mishaal Hussain Malik, wife of jailed terrorist and Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik, in his cabinet.
The charge-sheet claimed that the accused had formed a terrorist gang to take revenge on Kolhe after he shared a WhatsApp post.
'Stay home, pray for healthcare workers'
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.
Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir broke down during the national conditioning camp and offered to leave the game before being accepted by protesting players, who had reservations training with him.
The ban has been implemented in more than 10 villages of Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur districts.
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.
South Africa Test captain Graeme Smith has been withdrawn from their last three one-day internationals against Pakistan because of "post concussion syndrome", team manager Mohammed Moosajee said on Wednesday.
Former players Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel believe pace bowler Mohammed Shami will the hold the key for India with the ball in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship against New Zealand.
'Cape Town once again showed cricketers with limited first class experience will always struggle against the red ball.'
It has traditionally been a battle between India's batting and Pakistan's bowling whenever the arch-rivals have met on a cricket field and Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi reckons the trend will continue in their World Twenty20 contest on Saturday. The Pakistan captain is looking to bank on his team's winning record against India the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Pakistan have defeated India in all four matches that have played at the Eden Gardens. "We have good memories of the ground," Afridi said. "We have played well at this ground, we know the conditions and the pitch suits us as well." Pakistan were the last team to land in India, putting aside safety concerns that led to the switching of their match against India from Dharamsala to Kolkata's Eden Gardens.
