Skipper Tom Latham's joy knew no bounds after leading New Zealand to historic 3-0 clean sweep over India in the three-match Test series
New Zealand batsman Tom Latham admitted that his team missed out on a "historic moment" by cancelling the Pakistan tour, but asserted that the decision was based on players' safety.
Opener Tom Latham struck his second consecutive hundred to keep New Zealand on course for a big first-innings total on the opening day of the second Test against Pakistan on Monday. Opting to bat first after winning the toss at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the visitors, trailing 1-0 in the three-Test series, reached 243 for three wickets at the close.
It means the inaugural World Test Championship winners face a tough ask to qualify for next year's one-off Test in June 2025, with two wins against England and several other results also needing to go their way if they are to reach the Lord's decider.
IMAGES from the Day 1 of the third Test played between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday.
New Zealand batter Martin Guptill announced his retirement from international cricket, though the 38-year-old will continue to play in T20 leagues around the world.
Tim Southee has stepped down as Test captain of New Zealand after struggling for form and has been replaced by opening batsman Tom Latham ahead of the India series.
Washington Sundar justified his selection with a career-best 7/59 to bowl out New Zealand for 259 on Day 1 of the second Test in Pune.
A seemingly invincible India will be eager to sharpen their game against spin and give a run to second-line players ahead of the semi-final when they take on New Zealand in their last group match of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday.
Australian legends Adam Gilchrist and David Warner have little doubt that Indian players' psyche would have been scarred after the recent whitewash at home by New Zealand,
New Zealand on Monday named a strong squad, which includes five spin bowling options
Veteran England pacer James Anderson went past the landmark of 650 wickets in Test cricket during Day 4 of the second Test match against New Zealand at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Monday.
New Zealand were 129 for no loss at the end of the second day's play.
New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips played down any talks of India getting an advantage by playing all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai.
Sri Lanka stayed on course for victory against New Zealand in the opening test in Galle despite Rachin Ravindra's unbeaten 91 on Sunday.
India's spinners were the key architects of the bowling performance. Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) were the standout performers, while Jadeja (1/30) and Axar Patel (0/29 in 8 overs) kept the pressure on with their economical spells.
Brook's innings was by no means chanceless -- Tom Latham and Tim Southee both missed one good chance to take a thick edge in the slips -- but he rode his luck to bring up his 10th Test half century with a six.
Mohammed Shami's dazzling seven wickets powered India into the World Cup 2023 final.
Rohit becomes first India captain with unwanted record
India arrived in Bengaluru seeking a big win over the 2021 champions to improve their chances of making a third successive final in June 2025, but will now need to battle to keep alive their run of 18 straight home series victories since 2012.
IMAGES from Day 4 of the first Test played between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru, on Saturday.
After his fifty, social media was abuzz that this could be Rohit's final appearance in an ODI.
Australia skipper Pat Cummins bowled Kane Williamson in the final hour of play on the second day of the second Test in Christchurch on Saturday, just as the master batsman threatened an innings that would put New Zealand on top.
Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson picked up three wickets each as New Zealand trounced Afghanistan by 149 runs.
India captain Shikhar Dhawan was of the view that his bowlers failed to execute their plans and bowled too short to an attacking batter like Tom Latham, who cashed in on the opportunity to register his career-best ODI score in the first One-Day International against New Zealand, in Auckland, on Friday.
New Zealand opener Tom Latham on Tuesday backed underfire batsman Ross Taylor, who is battling poor form in the ongoing tour of India and and has also faced criticism from former captain Brendon McCullum. In his autobiography 'Declared', McCullum derided Taylor for being uninspiring during his captaincy and someone who failed to communicate with the team. "We haven't seen anything about that at the moment," Latham said when asked whether the book 'Declared' has affected Taylor off the field.
Expecting the conditions in the first Test against India to be drastically different from those in the ongoing warm-up tie against Mumbai, New Zealand opener Tom Latham said it was a positive development that several batsmen of his side got to spend substantial time in the middle.
India will look for the right balance as they aim for a series-levelling victory against a spunky New Zealand in the must-win second Test.
Kamindu Mendis maintained his red-hot form and struck a majestic 114 to power Sri Lanka to 302/7 on the opening day of the first Test.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy justified his selection with a five-wicket haul and bowled India to a 44-run victory against New Zealand.
Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin chipped away at the wickets to leave New Zealand reeling on 171/9 in their second innings at stumps on Day 2.
New Zealand Cricket dropped the latest threads their team will don at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, starting October 5.
'So there was some good fight there and they got some rewards late in the day. So yeah, I think both teams will be pleased with their efforts.'
India captain Rohit Sharma is confident that his team will bounce back from the eight-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the first Test in Bengaluru.
New Zealand made 152 for 1 in their first innings, when play was called off early because of rain, on Day 2 of the first cricket Test against India in Kanpur on Friday.
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy final played between India and New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday.
Seifert smashed six sixes in his 43-ball blitz as New Zealand romped home
A confident New Zealand side will be eager to seal a semi-final spot when they take on Bangladesh, who will be fighting for survival, in their Champions Trophy Group A match in Rawalpindi on Monday.
With an unprecedented 3-0 Test series whitewash on home soil, 'Master Blaster' Sachin Tendulkar stepped forward and admitted that maybe it is time for India to have an "introspection."
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