The series already in their pocket, India would aim for a clean sweep against the hosts and end the tour of Australia on a high when the two teams clash in the third and final Twenty20.
When he received his maiden call-up to India's T20I squad for the tour of Zimbabwe, 21-year-old Andhra all-rounder Nitish Reddy felt he has achieved only 50 percent of his goal to make his "Nanna" proud.
'It's been a love-hate relationship'
Hasan Mahmud grabbed the spotlight with a three-wicket burst in the first session, which rocked a famed batting line-up comprising heavyweights Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill.
After a 50 against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy opener, Yuvraj did nothing notable -- his last seven ODI innings fetched him only 162 runs.
Soon after retaining Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India captain till the World Twenty20 Championships, chief selector Sandip Patil said the Board wanted to end speculations and "send a signal" to players as to who would be their leader at the mega-event to be held in India from March 8 to April 3.
India batsman Suresh Raina says he is hoping to continue his strong showing in the Twenty20 International series against South Africa in upcoming tournaments, including the Indian Premier League, in his bid to make a comeback into the One-Day International squad.
Coach Jonathan Trott rued the missed chances, but took pride in the way Afghanistan were able to win matches in this World Cup with not just their bowling and hoped to have a bigger pool of players going forward.
Fringe players have a chance to prove their worth when India 'A' takes on Sri Lanka in the tourists' only warm-up match ahead of the hastily scheduled One-Day International series, in Mumbai on Thursday. The tour game, at the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium, also provides Rohit Sharma, who is recovering from a fractured finger and shoulder injury, an opportunity prove his fitness and return to the side for the last two games in the best-of-five ODI series.
Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan, who has just retired from ODI cricket, suggested he did not have enough support from his team-mates during his 10-month stint as captain and was "hurt" by the manner in which he was removed from the post. Addressing the post-match press conference after the loss to Australia in the third ODI last night, Dilshan lamented that two former captains gave him no support when he assumed captaincy in 2011.
Kane Richardson will take his place in the 15-man squad for the tour, which starts with two Twenty20 matches later this month and is being used a warm-up for their World Cup title defence in England.
Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Thisara Perera will be part of the World XI in the Twenty20 International against the West Indies, at Lord's on May 31, the ICC announced on Thursday.
Do you think India should go with an extra spinner in Harbhajan Singh or continue with all-rounder Hardik Pandya? Select your Indian team for their opening World T20 match against New Zealand.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson believes India, with several match winners in their squad and the advantage of playing in home conditions, are definitely one the favourites at the World T20.
India captain Rohit Sharma advised young batters aspiring to represent the country to keep scoring runs in Ranji Trophy and not worry about selection as opportunities are bound to arise.
Middle-order batsman Kedar Jadhav and speedster Shardul Thakur were back in the 17-member India squad for the six-match ODI series in South Africa but KL Rahul failed to make the cut despite back-to-back half- centuries in the T20 series against Sri Lanka.
The 40-year-old Pietersen said a win against India is similar to a victory against arch-rivals Australia and urged the selectors to play both Stuart Broad and James Anderson in the same XI.
Unlike Asia's other populous giant China, India have never made much of a splash at the Olympics, their seven-medal haul at the Tokyo Games a record for the nation. Adding cricket to the Olympic programme -- as is expected for the 2028 Los Angeles Games -- could help boost the tally.
Rajneesgh Gupta salutes Captain Cool.
Want a game against SL to impress Hardik, says Shivam Mavi after maiden India call-up
A desperate Sunrisers have hit the reset button this season, bringing in Australia's World Cup winning captain Pat Cummins.
For India, who are considered as title contenders, a good showing in the Asia Cup will give them the much-needed boost going into the World T20.
George Bailey stepped down as Australia's Twenty20 captain on Sunday, saying that he wants to focus on his Test career.
Australia and West Indies have played just six ODIs since the World Cup Super League began last year.
India have recalled fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav for the first three One-day Internationals against Australia while they continue to rest their frontline spinners.
According to SKY, the team atmosphere is very relaxed.
India will aim to take an unassailable lead in the three-match series when it faces a below-par West Indies in the second ODI, in Barbados, on Saturday.
A good performance in the ODI series against England will pave the way for a place for the ICC Champions Trophy later this year.
The second World Twenty20 semi-final is likely to hinge on who emerges on top in the battle between the big-hitting West Indian batsmen and India's wily spinners when the former champions clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
Starting January 24, India will be playing five T20 Internationals, three ODIs and two Test matches, and squads for the tour will be picked on Sunday.
Hardik Pandya bowling during an intra-squad game is a 'good sign', feels dashing India batsman Suryakumar Yadav, who believes that the bowler and the team management would take a call on his workload during the upcoming limited-overs series against Sri Lanka from July 13.
Former World Cup-winning coach Dav Whatmore said fast bowler Umran Malik is a breath of fresh air in the world of pace bowling and expressed hope that the 22-year-old goes from strength to strength.
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and senior batsman Ross Taylor will skip next month's limited overs series in Sri Lanka to prepare for December's home tests against West Indies, the country's cricket board said on Saturday.
'Shaheen's absence big setback for Pakistan'
Pooran was last seen in action for Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in the IPL, scoring 353 runs from 14 matches.
Navdeep Saini didn't get a chance to share the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah in his six international games and no wonder he is excited at an opportunity to pick the brains of India's pace spearhead during the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. Saini, has so far played an ODI and five T20 Internationals but Bumrah has either been rested or was out due to his stress fracture on lower back during these games.
Pakistan have axed senior batsman Younis Khan for next month's One-day series against Australia in the United Arab Emirates as they announced their ODI and Twenty20 squads on Wednesday.
Pacer Mohammad Shami, who is recuperating after shoulder surgery, and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, back with a re-modelled action, are among 30 players named by the Board of Control for Cricket in India's senior selection committee for a preparatory camp ahead of the South African team's upcoming tour of India.
New Zealand were dealt a setback in the ongoing ODI series against India after pace sensation Adam Milne was ruled out owing to a torn abdominal muscle.
Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has been appointed as the new head coach of Indian Premier League team Mumbai Indians for the 2017 season.
