Former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener's rollicking knock of 91 went in vain as Lahore Badshahs stormed into the final of ICL Twenty20 tournament with a narrow 7-run win over Kolkata Tigers in the second semi-final in Panchkula on Thursday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has dropped fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami from the list of players who will get new central contracts this month. Board chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf announced on Friday that the two pacers and opener Imran Nazir had not been given an annual central contract because of fitness and performance issues.
Sachin Tendulkar, playing in his 142nd match, surpassed former Australian skipper Allan Border's aggregate of 11,174 runs when he reached 24 in the second innings on the fourth evening of the first Test against Pakistan.
Selectors also left out Mohammad Sami and included Moin Khan in a 17-member squad to be officially announced on Monday.
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik was ruled out of the second Test after failing to recover from an ankle injury and replaced by Faisal Iqbal.
Pakistan fought back from 142-8 to finish the opening day in the first Test against India on 210 without further damage.
The fast bowler was included in a preliminary squad for this year's England tour after undergoing knee surgery.
Pakistan were bundled out for 122, their lowest ever score against Sri Lanka.\n\n
India, who lead the series 2-1, retained the side which won the third one-dayer in Lahore.
Danish Kaneria and Mohammad Sami were dropped for the team for the first three one-day internationals against India.
Opener Phil Jaques scored an unbeaten half-century as Australia 'A' struggled to 120 for six on the opening day of a four-day unofficial Test against.
Makhaya Ntini became the third South African to take 300 wickets during the second Test against Pakistan.
The Pakistan all-rounder took five for 35 to help dismiss Sri Lanka for 208 on the opening day of the second Test.
New Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer has asked Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Shabbir Ahmed and Umar Gul to cut down their run-ups in the one-dayers.
India captain became the fourth Indian and eighth batsman to score over 9,000 runs.
The 30-year-old batting genius reached the landmark when he scored 51 runs during India's innings in the second ODI against Pakistan.\n\n
'I am only human and I do feel the pressure and tension of a comeback,' said the off-spinner.
England bowled out Pakistan for 185 in 44 overs in the second ODI.
The batting ace overtook Sunil Gavaskar as India's highest run-scorer by getting to 10,123 runs in his 123rd Test.
The 28-year-old's unbeaten 97 helped Sri Lanka reach 233 for seven on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan.
The wicket-keeper hit his fourth Test century to enable Pakistan avert the follow-on in the first Test against New Zealand.
Sri Lanka lost their last seven wickets for 22 runs as Pakistan won the tri-series match by 79 runs.
Indian captain MS Dhoni has backed the struggling Suresh Raina and said he deserves to be there at No.4 despite his string of poor shows.
March 29 doubly special for Sehwag, as four years later, in 2008, he went on score his second triple century, this time against South Africa in Chennai.
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.
