Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has tested positive for COVID-19 and he will not depart for Lahore with his side later on Wednesday evening.
Legendary West Indies batter Brian Lara has picked his 'GOATs' (Greatest Of All Time) in cricket, placing Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah among three other legends of the sport.
The just-concluded Asia Cup was deeply saturated with off-field drama. But even amidst the bedlam, there were sparks of brilliance, emergence of new stars and tears of failure.
Former Pakistan cricketers and the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, Mohsin Naqvi came down heavily on the team management and the players, after their six-run loss to India on Sunday.
Dominant Pakistan took charge of the second Test against Sri Lanka after bundling out the hosts in two sessions for a paltry 166.
IMAGES of the Asia Cup Final played between India and Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday
Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya hit fifties to rally India in the rain-hit Asia Cup match in Pallekele on Saturday.
Pakistan cannot dwell on their defeat by England in the first Test at Old Trafford as it would make it tougher for them to respond in the next two matches, coach Misbah-ul-Haq said.
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali "missed a trick" several times in the opening Test against England and their three-wicket loss will hurt the team and their fans, according to bowling great Wasim Akram. Ali and his men held the upper hand for most part of the series opener and had England, chasing 277 for victory, reeling at 117-5 at Old Trafford before England fought back.
Keeping in mind the forecast for rain and overcast conditions, Pakistan team management is likely to field a pace-heavy bowling unit against Bangladesh in the first Test scheduled between August 21 and 25 at Rawalpindi.
Hyderabad U-19 pacer Nishanth Saranu, who stands at six feet nine inches, attracted a lot of attention in Pakistan's opening net session ahead of the World Cup in Hyderabad on Thursday.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 2nd Test played between Pakistan and England in Multan on Tuesday.
Team Director Mickey Arthur accepted that Pakistan's batters lacked aggression against India during their first defeat in three matches at the ICC World Cup.
Australia make solid start to Boxing Day Test in rainy Melbourne
IMAGES from Day 3 of the opening Test played between Australia and Pakistan in Perth on Saturday.
Home captain Williamson also praised the "special effort from" team man Wagner.
'Pakistan have a lot to think about. The captaincy needs to sharpen up a bit.'
The role of outside elements including agents of players and some former players who ran social media campaigns also have not helped ease the simmering tensions in the team.
India steamrollered Pakistan by seven wickets in a lopsided blockbuster match at a heaving Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday to maintain their unblemished 50-overs World Cup record against their arch-rivals.
A fiery century by Hasan Nawaz and top-class performances from pacers helped Pakistan keep the series alive
Naqvi previously mentioned that a "major surgery" was required in the team after Pakistan's defeat to India
England captain Jos Buttler has inched up to seventh position, Jonny Bairstow is up eight places to 36th while Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman has advanced from 57th to 51st.
A couple of losses for hosts England has only brightened the 1992 winners' prospects of a semi-final berth.
It was India's worst performance on a cricket field in recent times as it went down by 10 wickets against Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup game in Dubai on Sunday, October 24, 2021.
Brandon King finally departed in the 16th over a well-made 67 and West Indies was left in a spot of bother, needing 55 to win from 28 balls. The visitors kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and in the end, Pakistan registered a win.
Before the two spells of rain interrupted play, Virat Kohli and K L Rahul were batting on 8 and 17 respectively after openers Rohit Sharma (56) and Shubman Gill (58) struck fine half-centuries.
England became the first team to win a Test by an innings after conceding more than 500 runs in their first innings.
'Why do I have this feeling... why India could not pick their XI in last two years. It's a very strange thing to me that your squad is not settled. Who is your No. 4, where will Virat (Kohli) play 3, 4 or 5?'
Pakistan left-handed batter Fawad Alam and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi have achieved career-best positions in the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings after helping Pakistan win the second Test against the West Indies in Kingston to draw their two-match ICC World Test Championship series 1-1.
Opener David Warner brushed aside any doubts about his Test match pedigree on Thursday with a brutal 164-run assault on Pakistan's bowlers.
Images from Day 4 of the second Test between England and Pakistan at the Rose Bowl, in Southampton, on Sunday.
Pakistani bowlers failed to put pressure on the hosts and failed to pick wickets.
Unless a player picks up an injury in training, India's team is expected to wear the same look against a Pakistan squad that are without top stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, lending it a look of youth and experience.
The onus will be on Pakistan's top batsmen to post competitive totals against England but batting coach Younis Khan said the team will need "a fighting tail" to win the series. Given the team is prone to inexplicable batting collapses, Pakistan roped in former captain Younis to help their batsmen for the three-Test series beginning in Manchester on Wednesday.
Loss to Bangladesh was a huge setback
'First 34 overs in the field cost us. We dropped Warner and such batters ensure they cash in'
'Shaheen's absence big setback for Pakistan'
Zaman was devastated, realising that luck had abandoned him when he needed it most.
Inzamam-ul-Haq announced his decision to step down as Pakistan's chief selector when his contract expires on July 31.
Lyon celebrates 500 wickets as Australia thrash Pakistan by 360 runs
