Sri Lanka took the upper hand after the third day of the opening Test at Galle on Friday, reducing Pakistan to 118-5 after Kaushal Silva's second Test century took the hosts to 300 in their first innings.
A couple of losses for hosts England has only brightened the 1992 winners' prospects of a semi-final berth.
For the seventh time in a row, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court trying the seven accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks case adjourned the hearing on Wednesday till September 3 as the judge has gone on a summer vacation.
Opening batsman Khurram Manzoor, who has not played for Pakistan's Test team for three and a half years, is back in the squad for the tour of Zimbabwe that starts this month.
Australia romped into the semi-finals of the cricket World Cup, trouncing Pakistan by six wickets in the third quarter-final at the Adelaide Oval on Friday. They will meet defending champions India, who beat Bangladesh, in the second semi-final slated for March 26.
A fit-again Muhammad Irfan returned to the Pakistan cricket squad announced on Friday.
Pakistan will not only have to win the remaining three matches, starting with New Zealand, but also hope that the results in other matches favour them to salvage any hopes of a semi-final berth.
With both teams virtually out of the semi-final race, South Africa and Pakistan will be battling it out for a consolation win in their World Cup match at Lord's.
West Indies number 11 Jason Holder smashed 14 runs off the final over to earn his side a dramatic tie with Pakistan in the third one-day international at Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia on Friday.
Pakistan's Imad Wasim wasn't remotely fazed by guiding his side to victory over Afghanistan, simply saying it was his turn to be match-winner at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019.
Pakistan succumbed to a 41-run loss to Australia on Wednesday and are now in an increasingly precarious position in eighth place in the standings.
Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests and as many T20Is in a bio-secure environment in England amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having conceded a 121-run lead in the first innings, the Caribbean side began their charge in the final session on Day 4.
The T20 World Cup 2020 scheduled to be held in Australia later this year must not be postponed in haste since the mega-event is the best product to highlight cricket once activities resume in the post-coronavirus world, Pakistan head coach and chief selector, Misbah-ul-Haq said. Misbah said though logistics is a huge challenge due to the prevailing circumstances, the authorities must deliberate enough before arriving at a decision over the T20 World Cup to be held in October-November this year.
Convicted spot-fixer Muhammad Aamir was selected in the Pakistan cricket team that will tour England for a four-Test series for the first time since the spot-fixing scandal broke in 2010. However the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still awaiting for Aamir's visa approval from the UK High Commission. 24-year-old Aamir has made an impressive comeback in shorter formats and ironically his probable return to Test cricket will happen in the same country where he was arrested for indulging in spot-fixing along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif. Chairman of selectors Inzamam ul Haq said that the board had given clearance to pick Aamir in the side as they had been told his visa would arrive on Monday.
Rodrigues, Kaur, Mandhana and Sharma were also a part of the now-defunct Kia Super League (KSL) in 2019, the ECB's domestic T20 tournament that made way for the Women's Hundred.
Pakistan retained under-fire skipper Misbah-ul Haq and out-of-form Muhammad Hafeez, but dropped tall left-arm pacer Muhammad Irfan from the 28-man probables' list for the two-Test series against South Africa.
India on Thursday reacted strongly to release 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah took five wickets to help Pakistan crush England by 10 wickets in the final Test at The Oval on Sunday and level a fluctuating series 2-2.
Pakistan's Mohammad Amir got a muted reception at Lord's on the second day of the first Test on Friday as he bowled for the first time in a test since being banned for spot-fixing.
Sarfraz and his men must heed the advice from someone who famously galvanised a traditionally fractious side to World Cup glory in 1992.
India is working with its mission in Pakistan to prepare a strong response against granting of bail to LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, one of the masterminds of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
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.
Saeed's release has virtually 'boosted up the morale' of the six suspects facing the trial in Pakistan for the last eight years, believe Saeed's supporters.
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.
Images from the World Cup match between New Zealand and Pakistan, at Birmingham, on Wednesday.
Factbox on the third World Cup quarter-final between Australia and Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
A cricketing rivalry that transcends beyond the realms of 22-yards will be reignited when India and Pakistan square off in a World Cup encounter that could have fascinating sub-plots with rain gods threatening an anti-climactic twist.
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.
Joe Root went serenely past 150 as England moved on to 427 for five at lunch on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan in Manchester on Saturday.
The witness, Bhalol Khan, recorded his statement in the anti-terrorism court (Islamabad), which is holding the trial of seven Mumbai attack accused, including LeT operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi.
Mumbai attacks mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, whose detention under a public security order was suspended by a Pakistani court, submitted his Rs 1 million (Around Rs 6.2 lakh) surety bond on Monday and is likely to be released anytime now.
Muhammad Hafeez led from the front with a blazing 67 as Lahore Lions trounced Sri Lanka's Southern Express by 55 runs in their penultimate Oppo Champions League Twenty20 qualifier, in Raipur on Tuesday, to keep alive their chances of making the main draw of the tournament.
A Pakistani court, holding the trial of seven Mumbai attack case accused, on Wednesday adjourned the hearing till June 3 as the judge was on a "judicial course".
Ending days of speculation on whether the Lahore Lions would play in the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 in India, the Pakistan Cricket Board said the team has been issued visa and clearance for the tournament.
For the eighth time in a row, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court trying the seven accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks case adjourned the hearing after a government witness and prosecution lawyers did not show up on Wednesday.
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi claims Pak government detained him on "illegal grounds".
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.
Pakistan's Yasir Shah claimed five wickets to put the breaks on England's scoring on Day 2 of the 1st Test at Lord's in London on Friday.
Tamim Iqbal scored a double century and Imrul Kayes 150 in a record opening stand of 312 as Bangladesh overhauled a huge first innings deficit to force a draw with Pakistan in the opening Test at Khulna on Saturday.
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