IPL 2021 had many moments that made the tournament more special and fans asking for more.
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.
New Zealand have drafted in two debutants in the T20 squad besides all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijen, who has played just one T20
A Daryl Mitchell century and a brilliant 72 from Matt Henry helped New Zealand to an unlikely first-innings lead of 18 runs before the home bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 83/3 at the end of the third day.
New Zealand will enter the World Cup feeling optimistic of finally winning it after four and half decades of trying.
Full list of players released, retained and traded by all ten teams in the IPL.
KL Rahul retained his third position, while India captain Virat Kohli improved a rung to the seventh spot in the ICC men's T20I Batting Rankings.
The Test batting chart is headed by Australia's Marnus Labuschagne (915 points), followed by England captain Joe Root (900) while New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson (879) dislodged Steve Smith (877) from the No. 3 slot.
The trans-Tasman rivalry is fierce across all sports.
Colin Munro and Anton Devcich hit half-centuries, and Tim Southee grabbed three wickets, as New Zealand ended their Bangladesh tour with a 15-run victory in the Twenty20 match in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The Indian-born 29-year-old, New Zealand's top domestic wicket-taker in the past three seasons, replaces all-rounder Mitchell Santner who is still recovering from knee surgery.
Abhishek Sharma had gone about scoring runs meticulously and the game turned following his dismissal.
The opening day of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand was called off due to persistent rain, in Southampton, on Friday.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has admitted he is wary of the threat Indian bowlers could pose on a spin-friendly pitch.
Their opponents New Zealand, who effectively knocked India out of the World Cup, have reached Jaipur on a chartered flight from Dubai with little time to reflect on their loss to Australia in the title clash.
New Zealand's stand-in captain Tim Southee said long periods in bio-bubble takes a toll on the cricketers' physical and mental health and hopes that they don't have to play in protected environments for far too long.
Senior New Zealand opener Martin Guptill was ruled out of the three-match series after failing to recover from a back injury.
Let's see how much you remember of that amazing innings by Brendon McCullum's amazing innings of 77 from 25 balls against England.
The 33-year-old, who has played 70 Tests and 137 limited overs internationals since 2011, will continue to play for his country but have a "significantly reduced role", NZC said.
New Zealand paceman Kyle Jamieson is likely to play only in the opening pink ball Test against England in the two-match series as staff take a cautious approach with the recovering quick.
New Zealand thrashed Australia by 53 runs in the first T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
Afghanistan's premier leg-spinner Rashid Khan picked up his 400th wicket in competitive T20 cricket during the team's T20 World Cup match against New Zealand on Sunday.
IMAGES from the Day-Night Test, the first played between New Zealand and England at Auckland on Thursday
Brook has now scored four centuries in his past five Tests
New Zealand and Bangladesh enter their final group match of the ICC Champions Trophy, in Cardiff, on Friday, with the knowledge that even a win may not be enough to see either of them into the semi-finals.
India will look to clinch the series albeit with a more impactful batting performance from the middle-order in the second T20 International in Ranchi on Friday.
'He is definitely much more mature and he knows the value of his place in the Indian team, 2-3 years of not being there.' 'He will now look to take care of his body much more. He has developed from a youngster to a responsible person now.' 'He knows what he needs to do, to succeed at the highest level.'
England survived Glenn Phillips's late onslaught to beat group leaders New Zealand by 20 runs
England's hopes of reaching the semi-finals would suffer a heavy blow if the Brisbane weather refuses to play ball.
New Zealand pacer Tim Southee said their World Test Championship triumph will take at least a couple of weeks to sink in.
Jasprit Bumrah jumped six spots to fourth but struggling star batter Virat Kohli slipped to ninth
Ishant Sharma joined his pace partner Mohammed Shami in responding to those who have been critical of Bumrah's barren run that started during the ODI leg of the New Zealand tour.
IMAGES from the T20 World Cup match played between England and New Zealand in Brisbane on Tuesday.
The hosts, who won the first Test in Hamilton by an innings and 134 runs, scored 460 in their first innings with Henry Nicholls notching his highest Test score of 174.
'When you play on slower wickets, it's more important to play with the wrists and that comes naturally to me. I took on the extra pace (of Umran) today and it came off in this game, but in another game it might not'
'Why does Ashwin have to be that guy again?'
In the T20 batting chart, India batsman KL Rahul lost a place to be at the third spot but skipper Virat Kohli retained his sixth position.
Players from New Zealand and Australia made significant gains in the rankings updated after the first two matches of the ongoing series between the two sides.
Mumbai Indians face an uphill task against the firepower of Kolkata Knight Riders batters when the teams clash in Mumbai on Sunday in the Indian Premier League, with both former champions looking to get their campaigns back on track.
Ben Stokes, the England all-rounder who is currently playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, revealed his favourite young Indian batsmen.
