The Indian team management is unlikely to tinker with its playing XI for the inconsequential final group league Asia Cup game against Oman except for resting pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in Dubai on Friday.
The clash was a record-breaking one. Right from individual pieces of glory to team milestones, India opener Smriti Mandhana's records to Australia once again re-writing history books to justify the seven titles in their trophy cabinet, this match had it all.
Former BCCI president and batting great Sourav Ganguly on Monday side-stepped the debate surrounding Indian players' refusal to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after their Asia Cup clash in Dubai but said terrorism must end "all around the world, not just India and Pakistan."
Defeat will severely dent both the teams' dreams of a semi-final berth in the tournament, as South Africa and Australia have already notched two points.
IMAGES from the ICC Champions Trophy Group B match between Afghanistan and England at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Wednesday.
Rahmat Shah registered a Test record score for an Afghanistan cricketer with an unbeaten double century
India pacer Arshdeep Singh linked his success in the Super Over against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup Super 4s match to his ability to nail the wide yorkers.
'I hear that there are some 10,000 Indians stuck in Iran, including nearly 4,000 students from Kashmir. But, I do not know any of them. Here I am all by myself and the embassy has asked me not to venture out far from my hotel. People here are going about their daily lives despite the bombings'
A flawless maiden hundred from opener Ryan Rickelton helped South Africa crush Afghanistan by 107 runs.
The 2026 T20 World Cup is likely to be played from February 7 to March 8 with matches spread across at least five venues in India and two in Sri Lanka.
Steyn feels playing four-day first-class cricket could teach the Afghanistan players how to build their innings, which will also help them improve their game in the 50-over format.
India face hosts Tajikistan on August 29 followed by matches against Iran on September 1 and Afghanistan on September 4.
India face hosts Tajikistan on August 29 followed by matches against Iran on September 1 and Afghanistan on September 4.
Afghanistan may be faced with some off-field distractions in Pakistan with Group B rivals England and South Africa being urged to boycott their matches.
Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh on Friday etched his name into the record books by becoming the first Indian bowler to claim 100 wickets in T20 internationals.
With stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan sidelined, it will be a test of character for the Salman Agha-led Pakistan side.
'...all we were looking for was a leg spinner and Rishad has done very well'
After days of off-field drama, Team India was back on the field in Dubai at the ICC Academy, sharpening their skills ahead of the final Group A clash against Oman.
The entry of other Arab countries in the mutual defence deal between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is not ruled out, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said, adding that 'doors are not closed' for such developments.
Players from the other teams who could push the Men in Blue to the limit.
'What the Americans want is to destabilise Iran. For destabilising Iran, you need access. 'One access is through Iraq. The other access is through Pakistan.'
A new book reveals former Congress MP Amarinder Singh's mission to arrange a meeting between Rajiv Gandhi and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the 1980s, along with other anecdotes.
Debutants Afghanistan will aim to continue their impressive rise in white-ball cricket, while South Africa will once again attempt to shed the 'chokers' tag when the two sides kick-off their Champions Trophy campaign in Karachi on Friday.
Despite the big loss, Shahidi said he had full faith in his batters to take the team towards the business end of the tournament.
The just-concluded Asia Cup was deeply saturated with off-field drama. But even amidst the bedlam, there were sparks of brilliance, emergence of new stars and tears of failure.
Rajaneesh Gupta lists the amazing numbers that make Rohit Sharma one of the finest ODI batters of his time.
This is a historic first-ever bilateral series victory for Afghanistan in Test cricket.
Pakistan has urged India to fully adhere to the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), expressing concerns about the level of detail in flood information shared through diplomatic channels.
South Africa Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie said he supported calls for a boycott of Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next month.
There has never been a moment in India's history when it has been so adrift in the world, so confused about what it stands for and against and so humiliated, asserts Aakar Patel.
Arshdeep Singh prepared for the Asia Cup opening match against UAE by closely watching their batters practice in the nets in Dubai on Tuesday.
His composure in the middle overs proved crucial, as Bangladesh sealed a comfortable win to open their campaign on a positive note.
'I noticed a nine-year-old child hugging another child every few minutes.' 'The two were sisters and were playing in their village when an armed gang attacked their village and set fire to it.' 'They hid together, only to witness their mother and father being killed.' 'Now, the older child is constantly comforting the younger one.'
Unless a player picks up an injury in training, India's team is expected to wear the same look against a Pakistan squad that are without top stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, lending it a look of youth and experience.
With the much-anticipated Group A clash against arch-rivals Pakistan looming, India is sparing no effort in their training sessions, honing skills and strategising tactics.
Firing the first salvo ahead of high profile Asia Cup clash against arch-rivals India, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson on Thursday termed left-arm spinner Mohammed Nawaz as the "best spinner in world cricket".
Tickets for the match on September 14 are in huge demand than for any other match. Most journalists are also arriving only in time for this match, even skipping India's opening match against the UAE on September 10.
Sunday's final can be called the ultimate stress-test day for every cricket fan's heartbeat.
US President Donald Trump met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House to discuss bilateral ties. This was the first formal bilateral interaction between Trump and Sharif.
Fourteen players, including Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri, are not immediately joining the preparatory camp for next month's Asian Cup qualifying round matches against Singapore as three clubs have delayed the release of their players, which will be a cause of concern for head coach Khalid Jamil.
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