Kane Williamson, leading New Zealand in a Test for the first time at home, scored his 24th half century to guide the hosts to an eight-wicket victory in the first test against Pakistan in Christchurch on Sunday. Chasing a target of 105 for the win, Williamson was dismissed on 61 with the hosts just a run shy of victory. Jeet Raval (36 not out) hit a four to push New Zealand over the line on 108 for two shortly after lunch on the fourth day. New Zealand had bowled the visitors out in their second innings for 171 about an hour into the day's play at Hagley Oval.
New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond has shaken off a serious back injury and is raring to take on the touring Pakistan and South Africa sides over the summer.
'Talent has no religion. There will be people who will criticise me, but if I take them seriously, I won't be able to do a lot of things in my career.' Pakistani actress Humaima Malick gets ready for Bollywood success.
Skipper Rashid Latif was banned for five ODIs after being found guilty in a complaint about an unfair catch in the third Test against Bangladesh.
'This team was incredibly difficult to select over such a highly competitive tournament. Selections were based predominantly on the Super 12 onward to the final.'
Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com looks on the lighter side of things after India beat Pakistan in Adelaide for their sixth straight win over their arch rivals in a World Cup clash.
Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gopal Baglay and registered a protest over what it described as "Indian aggression" on the LoC.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday began his engagements in Moscow by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and is scheduled to meet Vladimir Putin, hours after the Russian president ordered a special military operation in eastern Ukraine, ignoring last-minute appeals and warnings from the West.
Pakistan made a tactical error in not investing enough in L K Advani, former R&AW chief A S Dulat tells Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com
'The credit (for the nuclear bomb) goes to me and my team because it was a very difficult task, which was next to impossible. But given the US and European pressure on our programme, it is true that had the Afghan war not taken place at that time, we would not have been able to make the bomb as early as we did,' Khan told the Aaj News Television.
South Africa's pursuit of a series-levelling victory against Pakistan was marred on the third day of the second Test in Dubai when they were penalised five runs for ball tampering on Friday.
Cyclone Biparjoy made landfall near Jakhau Port in Gujarat on Thursday evening with a wind speed of 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph as heavy rains lashed the coastal region, where several areas plunged into darkness due to power cuts and a large number of trees, electric poles and hoardings got uprooted.
Floored by the praise showered on him by Brian Lara, pacer Wahab Riaz has invited the West Indian legend to Pakistan.
The intelligently conceptualized show does more for nationalistic pride than a dozen jingoistic series, applauds Deepa Gahlot.
Following the terror attack in Gurdaspur on Monday, Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Anurag Thakur sent a stern warning to neighbours Pakistan, saying there is no scope for cricket between the two nations till the cross-border terrorism stops.
The Pakistan army on Wednesday claimed "unprovoked" Indian firing across the Line of Control in Kashmir had killed one of its officers and injured a soldier.
Ten Sports has now moved the Indian Supreme Court for a stay on the Indian guidelines on sharing the feed with Prasar Bharti.
'For a long time Pakistan dreamt that India would break up and that it would be the predominant power in the region,' says Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Two of his allied parties also withdrew their support and joined the ranks of the rejuvenated Opposition.
Haryana Police have arrested a woman who allegedly harboured Amritpal Singh and his associate Papalpreet Singh at her home in Kurukshetra district, an indication that the pro-Khalistan preacher might have fled Punjab.
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.
There is a heightened security presence and barricades have been erected outside the Indian High Commission in London on Wednesday due to a planned demonstration called by some British Sikh groups.
New Delhi must indicate to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that it has a long-term strategy for his country. It should point out that Pakistan's present Afgan policy will destabilise Afghanistan and help Islamic State, says Gautam Sen.
'Syed Salahuddin and Muhamed Sayeed would not have survived so long if they were in the cross-hairs of Mossad,' says Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd).
Oppenheimer is a very politically significant film for our time, observes Utkarsh Mishra.
The six-grader, Muhammad Sabeel Haider, through his father Naseem Abbas Nasir, approached the Islamabad High Court, filing a petition against the presidency for "stealing" the text of his speech and giving it to someone else without his consent.
'India has to understand that the permanent state of war that exists between India and Pakistan has to be expected,,' says Colonel Anil A Athale (retd). 'The only way to ensure peace or absence of war is to maintain a militarily-dominant position over Pakistan.'
There are reports that the government may try to physically prevent opposition members and nearly two dozen PTI dissidents from reaching the Parliament House through protestors.
The leaders of the two countries "discussed the main aspects of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on current regional topics, including developments in South Asia," said a brief statement issued by the Russian President's office - Kremlin.
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.
Tendulkar's sterling performances, his fascinating duels for supremacy with contemporaries -- Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Inzamam-ul Haq, Jacques Kallis among batsmen; Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Wasim Akram among bowlers -- embellished modern cricket and globalised the game, asserts Ayaz Memon who has observed the cricketing colossus from the day he made his Test debut in November 1989.
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar said it's possible that Lahore receives some snowfall but a bilateral series between India and Pakistan is unlikely to take place in the present circumstances. Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar had proposed a made-for-television three-match ODI series between India and Pakistan to raise funds for the fight against the pandemic in both the countries.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan on Wednesday said that the broadcast rights issue will not be a hindrance for the proposed India-Pakistan cricket series and exuded confidence that the two boards will sort out the matter soon.
Pakistan fast bowlers Junaid Khan and Bilawal Bhatti scythed through Sri Lanka's batting during an exciting afternoon session to restrict their opponents to 204 on the first day of the opening Test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
The clichd path of conducting 'uninterrupted and uninterruptable' bilateral dialogue with Pakistan to improve ties remains unimplemented and un-implementable under prevailing circumstances that are unlikely to alter in the near future, says Rahul Bedi.
'A collapsing Pakistan may well unleash its nuclear weapons as the last throw of the dice. With a nuclear arsenal of over 50 bombs, even a regional nuclear exchange can devastate the world.'
The incident took place after some slogans were raised after the match on Sunday night.
With the Afghanistan government in Kabul approaching Islamabad for help in opening "reconciliation" talks with the Taliban, a Pakistani role in shaping the political landscape in Afghanistan is now an uncomfortable likelihood for New Delhi.
Shoaib Akhtar had proposed a made-for-television three-match ODI series between India and Pakistan to raise funds for the fight against the pandemic in both the countries. Kapil slammed Akhtar's idea.
