After veiled boycott threat, Pakistan name 15-member squad for T20 World Cup.
'The moment was right': Head floors England with match-winning hundred
Australia's two-time World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting says senior batsman Usman Khawaja was axed from the national team due to his inconsistency but he is not willing to write him off yet. The 33-year-old Khawaja was recently left out of the Australia's annual list of contracted players after he was dropped midway through last year's Ashes.
The 31-year-old was out of action since undergoing a surgery on a torn meniscus which he had sustained during their Test series against Pakistan in October in the UAE.
'I think it's a huge credit to (head coach) Andrew McDonald, the coaching staff and the medical staff that we feel like we've got a big squad that we can draw on.'
Australia's selectors chairman George Bailey defended sticking with the Test side's veteran core for the Ashes on Wednesday following criticism from former captain Steve Waugh about the team's ageing profile.
The ICC has barred Usman Khawaja from displaying messages of equality and freedom
A century stand from Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja propelled Australia to a nine-wicket victory over Ireland in their one-off One-Day International played at Willowmoore Park on Tuesday. Ireland won the toss and elected to bat but were bowled out for 198, a target that never looked enough against the Australians, who posted 199 for one for the loss of opener David Warner (48), with almost 20 overs to spare.
Australia must avoid defeat in Melbourne to keep their hopes alive of taking back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Usman Khawaja scored his second century of the match to help Australia to 265 for six declared on the fourth day of the fourth Ashes Test on Saturday, handing England an unlikely victory target of 388.
Usman Khawaja's marathon 160 and Alex Carey's career-best 93 helped Australia rack up 505 for eight against Pakistan on Day 2 of the second Test in Karachi on Sunday.
Following the retirements of Chris Rogers, captain Michael Clarke and all-rounder Shane Watson, Smith will lead a team in transition into the three-match series which wraps up with cricket's first day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Pat Cummins on Saturday rated himself a "half chance" to play the day-night Test against England in Brisbane from December 4.
Now 29, Renshaw is hopeful of having another run in Test whites and believes being father to two young children has helped give him a sense of perspective.
England and Pakistan lock horns in a crucial T20 World Cup Super Eights clash in Pallekele, as Brook's side eye momentum while Pakistan seek comeback.
The contest between England's dialled-down "Bazball" approach and Australia's more methodical batting could determine who prevails in the Ashes series beginning in Perth on Friday.
Shaheen Shah Afridi returns from injury and Babar Azam is recalled as Pakistan name their T20 squad for the home series against Australia in Lahore.
Michael Clarke feels the Australian selectors have erred by dropping Nathan McSweeney mid-series against India
Australia, on their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years, finished day three 205 behind but scored freely after resuming on five for no loss.
The Ashes could be decided within days at an Adelaide Oval furnace where England's hopes of wresting back the urn will fire anew or flame out entirely against a strengthened Australia.
Khawaja and Smith steadied the ship batting through the second session.
New Zealand's middle-order faces a stern test against Pakistan's spin attack in their T20 World Cup Super Eight Group 2 match. The ability of the Kiwi batters to counter the spin will be crucial for their success.
'I like to think we're starting to move on from that, but there's definitely still that undertone ...'
Steve Smith said the decision to drop Nathan Lyonwas taken to strengthen the pace-bowling department.
Pakistan's chances of reaching the T20 World Cup semifinals depend on a dominant win against Sri Lanka and a significant victory for England against New Zealand. The team's batting woes and reliance on individual performances pose a challenge.
His loss for even part of the series would be a huge blow to a team already missing so much batting experience because of the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.
The second Test hangs in the balance after West Indies speedster Jayden Seales dismissed Australia's openers in a damaging late spell on Day 2 of the second Test.
Nathan McSweeney, who opened in the first three Tests with little success, has been dropped.
Virat Kohli fell victim to a well-directed short ball from Josh Hazlewood.
Smith dislocated his right little finger in last month's World Test Championship final and will be required to wear a splint for five weeks, Cricket Australia said.
Out-of-favour opener Usman Khawaja, who clashed with Justin Langer during Australia's tour of UAE in 2018, has backed the embattled coach to continue in the position through the Ashes and urged the payers to stop undermining him.
Despite the overcast conditions seemingly favouring the bowlers, the decision proved to be a gamble that didn't pay off immediately.
In-form batsman Usman Khawaja has been selected to play his first one-day international in three years when Australia meet New Zealand in the second match of their series in Wellington on Saturday.
Usman Khawaja along with three others was suspended for one Test during Australia's tour of India in 2013 for not submitting a 'homework' assigned by the coach.
'Completely acted wrong': Kohli shock as star avoids ban for 'ridiculous' clash with Aussie teen'
Former captain Tim Paine has been appointed coach of the Australia 'A' team for this season with the country approaching a transition to a new generation of players as a handful of Test stalwarts near retirement.
'You hear things like 'the players are playing afraid' or whatnot, but that's what happens when you drop players all the time. We've been doing that a fair bit lately'
Batting under lights on a lively track, Australia then suffered a collapse of their own and finished day two on 99-6 for an overall lead of 181 as they look to complete a series sweep.
Top order batsman Usman Khawaja has been omitted from Australia's annual list of 20 elite, contracted players in 2020 after falling out of favour with selectors midway through last year's Ashes. The 33-year-old lefthander has not played for the Test side since being dropped after the third match against England in Leeds last August.
Having recovered from a hamstring strain, Usman Khawaja celebrated his recall with a glittering 144, with Queensland team mate Joe Burns making 128 in front of a festive Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd to drive Australia to 345-3 at stumps.
