Bollywood celebrities have backed the Indian Cricket Team after they lost the final of 2017 ICC Champions Trophy against Pakistan.
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.
Rohit Sharma-led India's main aim would be to settle their middle-order combination and also find a perfect batting position for Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
India have won the Asia Cup on seven occasions, Sri Lanka on five occasions, with Pakistan winning it twice.
Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq steadied the Pakistan second innings with an unbroken 113-run stand after their team appeared to be heading for a heavy defeat by losing three quick wickets in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Dubai on Friday.
Scathing in its criticism after Pakistan's loss to India in a World Twenty20 match, the media here came down heavily on national coach Waqar Younis and skipper Shahid Afridi for their "faulty gameplan" and team selection. In a low-scoring rain-curtailed 18-over-a-side showdown t the hallowed Eden Gardens last night, India first restricted Pakistan to 118 for five and then overhauled the target in 15.5 overs on a turning track. With a moisture-laden pitch on offer following rains, Pakistan went by their strength and included four seamers in the playing eleven, leaving out left-arm spinner Imad Wasim. But the plan backfired as, to the surprise of all and sundry, the wicket turned from the first over itself. In a sarcastic article, the 'Express Tribune' newspaper criticised the Pakistan team's tactics and questioned the logic behind including four seamers on a turning wicket.
Misbah had the dubious honour of becoming the first player from his country to finish on 99 not out during their first innings of last week's seven-wicket first test victory in Jamaica.
An unbeaten 136 from Mohammad Hafeez laid the platform for Pakistan as they beat Zimbabwe by 90 runs in the second one-day international in Harare on Thursday.
Off-spinner R Ashwin, who has been phenomenal in home conditions, has made it to the Test team as the 12th man, while pacer Mohammed Shami has been included in the ODI team.
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.
He also wants the ICC to consider changes to ensure 'doosra' stays in the sport
At least five people, including some football players were killed and 11 injured on Sunday in a bomb attack in Pakistan's restive north western tribal region during a match, officials said.
Paceman Trent Boult took four wickets as New Zealand beat Pakistan by an innings and 80 runs to win the third and final Test within four days and level the series 1-1.
Sri Lanka lost early wickets in their second innings but extended their lead to 220 runs over Pakistan in the third and final Test in Sharjah to boost their chances of a series victory.
Pakistan's seam attack dragged their side back into the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday by capturing seven wickets before lunch, bowling the hosts out for 200 on the third day. Sohail Khan, Rahat Ali and Mohammad Amir shared the wickets as the hosts were bundled out with a lead of 67 runs. New Zealand had bowled Pakistan out for 133 before tea on Friday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The Asia Cup to be played in Bangladesh from February 24, will be played in the T20 format for the first time in the tournament's history. The tournament which precedes the vital World T20 to be held in in India in March, has a rich history with India and Sri Lanka winning it five times each. Pakistan have been victorious on two occasions while Bangladesh's best finish has been their runner-up performance in the 2012 edition. Team India will be led by MS Dhoni and the tournament will also see Virat Kohli returning after taking a break from the recently concluded three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Dhoni will be chasing history to become the most successful skipper in the tournament history. The Indian skipper and former Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga have both recorded same number of nine victories and four defeats in the Asia Cup All the matches will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur. The qualifying rounds involving Afghanistan, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Oman has begun from Friday.
A defiant fifth-wicket stand of 74 between Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq ensured Pakistan secured a draw in the second Test against New Zealand on Friday to maintain a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Another twist in the tale was that there were some undercover Pakistan intelligence officials who were sent to keep an eye on the players as the side has suffered badly because of spot-fixing and match-fixing in the past few years.
Experienced Pakistan players Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Sami received surprise call-ups to the national side for the two T20 matches against the touring Zimbabwe team after spending close to three years in the wilderness.
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.
Mohammad Hafeez struck his maiden Test double hundred as Pakistan feasted on Bangladesh's limited bowling resources to post a commanding 537 for five wickets on day three and take charge of the opening match at Khulna on Thursday.
'Countering Yasir is Australia's number one priority'
Mitchell Starc shone with bat and ball as Australia dismissed Pakistan for 163 to secure an innings and 18 run victory in the second Test on Friday, the win giving the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
hree run outs cost Zimbabwe dear as they slumped to a 108-run loss and a 2-1 series defeat to Pakistan in the third one-day international at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
Australia's Matthew Wade struck his maiden one-day century to help secure a comprehensive 92-run victory over a disjointed Pakistan in the first one-day international in Brisbane on Friday.
New Zealand secured their third straight win to book a spot in the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 after beating Pakistan by 22 runs at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali in their Super 10 stage match on Tuesday.
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.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kedar Jadhav claimed three wickets each followed by Rohit Sharma's quickfire half-century as India registered a comprehensive eight-wicket victory against Pakistan.
Uncertainty arose following reports that the Afghanistan Premier League would be played in UAE in October, coinciding with Pakistan's home series against Australia and New Zealand.
Pakistan were once again annihilated by arch-rivals India in a World Cup encounter and captain Misbah-ul-Haq credited the rivals for the clinical win.
Babar Azam scored an impressive hundred while Shoaib Malik smashed a quickfire half century to help Pakistan thump Sri Lanka by 83 runs in the first one-day international in Dubai on Friday.
Kraigg Brathwaite made a patient unbeaten 95 to lead West Indies to 244 for six at the close on the second day of the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah on Monday.
Cadets at a police training academy in Pakistan awoke to the horror of suicide bomb-wielding terrorists in an attack late Monday that killed 61 and injured 117.
Penpix of the Pakistan squad for the 2015 cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hierarchy is not happy with the timing of the disclosure made by Federal Minister for Information, Pervez Rasheed about an alleged foiled suicide bomb attack near the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore on Friday night.
Chief selector Moin Khan, recalled from the World Cup for visiting a casino, returned to Pakistan to a hostile reception as cricket fans staged angry demonstrations on Thursday.
Pakistan have made a number of changes in their ODI squad for the short home series against Zimbabwe, recalling seniors such as Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Sami in the 16-member side.
Australia's hopes of winning back respect and moving on from a ball-tampering scandal that plunged the team into disgrace face their first test on Sunday when Tim Paine's rebuilding side meet Pakistan in the series-opener in Dubai.
India launched their campaign in the Champions Trophy with a resounding 124-run victory over Pakistan, in Birmingham on Sunday, extending their dominance over the arch-rivals in major International Cricket Council tournaments.
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