A half-century by Imran Nazir and three wickets from Umar Gul helped Pakistan beat New Zealand by six wickets in the first semi-final.
Pakistani cricket authorities have decided to rush fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar to South Africa to join the team before the first Test in Johannesburg which starts on Thursday.
The Pakistan A team, which will take on India in a three-day warm up game, includes seven Test cricketers.
In-form Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez returned to Pakistan's 15-member squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka, starting in the United Arab Emirates, next week. Hafeez scored three centuries in four One-Day Internationals in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka.
In a major move, the selectors inducted a number of uncapped players in the squad for the West Indies tour, including wicketkeeper Mohammad Salman, batsman Usman Salahuddin, all-rounder Hammad Azam and fast bowler Aizaz Cheema.
Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has said the pace trio of Umar Gul, Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan played a crucial role in Pakistan's first ODI series win in India since 2004-05.
Pakistan's speed merchants Mohammed Irfan, Junaid Khan and senior pro Umar Gul went full throttle at the team's nets session on Tuesday as they bowled aiming at one stump under watchful eyes of bowling coach Mohammed Akram.
Having conceded a 146-run first innings lead, England collapsed to 160 all out in their second innings, failing to recover after Umar Gul had wrecked their top order with a three-wicket burst.
Statistical highlights of the World Twenty20 match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Pallekele.
Pacer Mohammad Amir claimed a wicket on his return to international cricket following a five-year ban as Pakistan registered a 16-run victory over New Zealand in the first Twenty20 International in Auckland on Friday.
# Sachin Tendulkar has become the first Indian batsman to amass 400 runs in the 2011 World Cup -- 464 at an average of 58.00 including two hundreds and two fifties in eight games.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Monday patted his teammates for their all-round show in the seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe to qualify for the quarter-finals of the cricket World Cup.
In-form Pakistan will have to guard against complacency and their tendency to implode when they take on New Zealand in a World Cup Group A match in Kandy on Tuesday.
Afridi, who led Pakistan to their first one-day series win since late 2008 with victory over New Zealand on Thursday, will have Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq as his deputy.
Shakib Al Hasan became the first Bangladeshi to hit a century and take five wickets in an innings in the same Test but his efforts look like being in a losing cause after Pakistan seized control of the second Test. All-rounder Shakib followed his first-innings 144 with the bat by snapping up six for 82 with the ball as the hosts bowled out Pakistan, already 1-0 up in the two-match series, for 470 on the fourth day on Tuesday.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was adjudged 'Asian Cricketer' and 'Asian Batsman of the Year' at the Castrol Asian Cricket Awards in Karachi on Friday. Sachin Tendulkar was named 'Best ODI Batsman' while Gautam Gambhir grabbed the honour in Twenty20.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat against India in their Asia Cup ODI.
"They (Pakistanis) are the enemies of the entire nation and we have been opposing their playing here for many years now," Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray told reporters in Mumbai.
Five foreign players, including West Indies opener Chris Gayle figure in the 14-member Kolkata Knight Riders squad for the Indian Premier League lung-opener against Bangalore Royal Challengers on April 18. The squad announced on Wednesday has New Zealander Brendon McCullum, Australian captain Ricky Ponting, David Hussey and Pakistani Mohammed Hafiz.
The International Cricket Council confirmed that its anti-corruption officer interviewed Pakistani cricketers Younis Khan, Danish Kaneria and Umar Gul in Lahore to gain "specific information". It, however, did not say whether the officer also quizzed banned fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.
Mark Boucher's stumping of Umar Gul was his 396th dismissal (378 catches, 18 stumpings) in his 103rd Test match, surpassing Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy's tally of 395 dismissals.
New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat in the Twenty20 World Cup first semi-final in Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday.
Indian opener Virender Sehwag and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Wednesday completed their 1,000 runs against Pakistan in One-day Internationals during the high-octane second semi-final of the World Cup.
It will be hard to catch up with Afridi now! After another incredible bowling performance on Wednesday at Mirpur (9.3-1-30-4), Afridi is now over 200 'runs' clear of Yuvraj Singh in the MVPI list.
Pakistani leg-spinner Danish Kaneria spun a web around the Australian batsman to reduce the hosts to 286 for 8 on Day 3 of the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Pakistan's newly-appointed fielding and bowling coach Waqar Younus expressed confidence that the team has the potential to beat Australia on its upcoming tour.
Dope-tainted pacer Mohammad Asif and opening batsman Imran Farhat will return to the Pakistan Test side after over two years in the first Test against New Zealand starting on Tuesday in Dunedin.
Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field against Pakistan in the rain-delayed opening match.
Kolkata Knight Riders began preparations for season four of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by signing lanky Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Irfan on the recommendation of their bowling coach Wasim Akram, it was reported on Tuesday.
Pakistan, bowled out for just 72 on Friday before England replied with 251, were 291 for nine at stumps, a lead of 112, with two days remaining in the second Test.
England birthday boy James Anderson and rookie pace bowler Steven Finn ripped through Pakistan's batting to reduce them to 90 for six at tea on the second day of the first Test at Trent Bridge on Friday.
Pakistan ended their 15-year wait for a test win over Australia on Saturday, a feat captain Salman Butt put down to having possibly the best pace attack in the world.
Pakistan scrambled the 40 runs they required to beat Australia by three wickets in the second Test at Headingley on Saturday to level the series at 1-1.
The left-hander was fined 20 per cent of his match fee for showing dissent at the umpire's decision during the fifth ODI against Pakistan.
Thilan Samaraweera scored his second successive double hundred and Tillekaratne Dilshan stroked a fluent century as Sri Lanka amassed 606 on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan. Pakistan were 110 for one in reply at close on Monday. Samaraweera scored a majestic 214 and Dilshan 145, overshadowing career-best Test figures of six for 135 by Umar Gul.
With the current situation not conducive for Pakistan players, Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday said the team is not too keen on retaining Shoaib Akhtar and the Pakistani pacer is "up for trade".
Pakistani pacer Sohail Tanvir will consult a specialist in Australia for the treatment of his injured knee, next week.
Skipper Daniel Vettori (99) missed out on a well-deserved hundred but together with Brendon McCullum steered New Zealand to 404 for eight on a rain-marred second day of the first Test against Pakistan in Dunedin on Wednesday.
Left-arm fast bowler Thilan Thushara claimed three wickets to steer Sri Lanka to a 36-run win over Pakistan in the first one-day international on Thursday. The hosts piled up a modest 232 runs but went on to frustrate Pakistan with some tight bowling to skittle them out for 196 in 44.4 overs.
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