Daryl Mitchell and Matthew Wade were the heroes for their respective teams as New Zealand and Australia set up a Trans-Tasman final in the T20 World Cup.
Kane Williamson scored his fifth century in eight Tests in 2015 to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka before lunch on the fourth day of the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Monday.
Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus lamented the inability to execute plans with the ball in the death overs, saying it cost his side the T20 World Cup Super 12s match against New Zealand, in Sharjah, on Friday. He was, however, hopeful of an improved show against India in the teams' concluding league fixture.
Martin Guptill on Saturday bludgeoned his way to the record books with the highest individual World Cup knock as New Zealand beat West Indies by 143 runs
A second-string Indian team will play against Ireland in two T20 Internationals in Malahide on June 26 and June 28.
India and New Zealand will lock horns for the inaugural WTC title from June 18-22, four days after the Test series against England
Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem (4/39) and leg-spinner Karn Sharma (4/58) shared eight wickets between them in a very impressive display of spin bowling.
India will hope the return of regular captain Virat Kohli proves to be the difference for the hosts against New Zealand when the world's two top-ranked Test sides clash in the second and final match at the Wankhede Stadium from Friday.
India's bowlers highlighted the balance of their side as they set up an easy seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the second Twenty20 international at Eden Park in Auckland on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. KL Rahul (57 not out) and Shreyas Iyer (44) then marshalled the run chase as they helped their side to reach 135-3 with 15 balls to spare, chasing New Zealand's 132-5.
Virat Kohli reached the landmark in his 202nd innings, making him the fastest to get to the landmark.
New Zealand Cricket has defended the under-fire national team's head coach Gary Stead, who is drawing flak for taking a break in the middle of the ongoing home series against India, saying his "week off was planned six months ago".
A desperate Indian team will pray for a rain-free third and final ODI against New Zealand on Wednesday in its bid to finish on an even keel in a series that neither had context nor any major takeaways.
His side's passage to the final was in large due to the work put in both in the field and at the crease, with few players reading conditions quite like the Kiwi skipper.
IMAGES from the 2nd T20 International played between New Zealand and India in Auckland on Friday
'I do believe India is very strong because lately we have been winning outside the country. I think our batting is stronger, in bowling they are at par.'
Captain Virat Kohli admitted that India were at least 30 runs short while lauding the application shown by New Zealand's batsmen, especially Tom Latham, in the first One-Day International at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
New Zealand could climb to number ranking in ODIs if they can win their next two series at home to Sri Lanka and Australia.
It sure did for New Zealand pace legend Richard Hadlee who had to offer his teammates a week's holiday to take one home back in 1986.
As the clock ticks down on Brendon McCullum's international career, the New Zealand captain will achieve one more milestone on Friday in the first Test against Australia at the Basin Reserve.
New Zealand pace bowler Kyle Jamieson enjoyed a dream start to his Test career on the opening day of the first match against India as he captured three wickets and also took a catch in the deep as the tourists limped to 122-5 after rain washed out the entire post-tea session. Ajinkya Rahane was on 38 at stumps at the Basin Reserve on Friday, while the recalled Rishabh Pant was 10 not out, with the 2.03m tall Jamieson tormenting batsmen with his ability to get the ball to rear off a length.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson on Thursday described his hamstring injury a 'minor' one but admitted that an elbow niggle is affecting his grip.
India regained the No 1 ranking in One-Day Internationals after Australia lost the fourth ODI in their ongoing series against England by 57 runs on Friday.
Shreyas Iyer on Friday earned the right to invite his coach Pravin Amre for dinner at his home, having fulfilled a condition the former India player had imposed on his protege, by scoring a hundred on Test debut.
New Zealand made as many as six changes for the ongoing second Test, some forced and some rotated ahead of the World Test Championship final against India in Southampton from June 18.
Ashwin said Kohli only expressed his opinion that the WTC final should be a best of three series but never demanded the format to be changed.
'We wish (England) well, see what unfolds. It's out of our hands but we'll be watching on with interest.'
Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme made themselves unavailable for selection due to the prospect of further time in bio-secure bubbles and Managed Isolation.
The 29-year-old Conway clobbered 10 fours and three sixes during his 79 minutes of stay in the middle.
Sri Lanka's Akila Dananjaya spun a web around New Zealand's batsmen, picking up all five wickets on a rain-shortened opening day of the first Test in Galle on Wednesday. Experienced batsman Ross Taylor held firm with an unbeaten 86 against the guile of Dananjaya to take the touring side to 203 for five when rain forced early stumps.
New Zealand pace spearhead Trent Boult has recovered from a broken hand to be included in the 13-player squad to face India in the two-Test series, as selectors swung the axe following the dismal tour of Australia. Left-armer Boult broke his right hand in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in December but is fit for the first Test against India starting at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Friday.
New Zealand head coach Mike Hesson has confirmed that senior batsman Ross Taylor has vision problems and will be soon seeing an eye specialist before the second Test of the ongoing two-match series against Pakistan. Taylor, who has been under the scanner owing his recent Test form, did not bat at his usual number four spot in the second innings of the Christchurch Test which the Black Caps comfortably won by eight wickets. The New Zealand head coach said the 32-year-old had his eyes checked before the start of the match and "it certainly showed he needed to see a specialist."
New Zealand pacer Tim Southee said their World Test Championship triumph will take at least a couple of weeks to sink in.
New Zealand are looming as the popular dark horses for the cricket World Cup.
Half centuries from Colin de Grandhomme and B J Watling gave New Zealand a first-innings lead of 138 against Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the second and final Test in Colombo on Sunday.
New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner on Saturday said that the hosts will not be hitting the panic button just yet as they are confident of taking remaining Indian wickets needed for victory in the first Test, in Auckland.
Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is returning to Kolkata Knight Riders but this time in a coaching role after being signed by the IPL side as the assistant coach.
New Zealand last toured Pakistan in 2003 for a white-ball series and since then have avoided touring the country because of security reasons.
