With Kane Williamson likely to miss the Test, New Zealand will have a lot of work to do in the 3rd Test in Sydney.
England were in a strong position to win the second Test against New Zealand and level their two-match series as they extended their lead to 231 runs when bad light stopped play three overs early on the third day at Hagley Oval on Sunday.
South Africa captain AB de Villiers became the fastest man to score 9,000 one-day international runs as he led his side to a 159-run victory over New Zealand in the third one-day international on Saturday.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson struck a quick-fire half-century as his team registered a comfortable six-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first T20 of the three-match series at the McLean Park here on Tuesday. Opting to bat first, Bangladesh made a slow start to their innings, losing opener Tamim Iqbal (11) and Imrul Kayes (duck) cheaply. Although Mahmudullah did provide his side with some resistance with his 52-run knock, Bangladesh were restricted to a score of 141 runs in their stipulated 20 overs.
IMAGES from the 1st Test played between Australia and New Zealand in Melbourne on Thursday
India win fifth ODI to seal 4-1 series victory in New Zealand
New Zealand eye top spot and a first series win over South Africa.
New Zealand opening batsman Martin Guptill has been dropped for the Test series against Pakistan and the uncapped Jeet Raval is poised to make his debut.
Royal Challengers Bangalore pacers blew away the Mumbai Indians' top order before shining in the death overs to set up a much-needed 14-run win, which kept them alive in the Indian Premier League Play-offs race, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday.
Seam-bowling all-rounder ideal for conditions in New Zealand, said Sanjay Bangar
South Africa will need their bowlers to step up to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
Fast bowler Tim Southee will lead the Black Caps in the five matches against England starting in Christchurch on November 1.
At stumps on Day Four, New Zealand's second innings score read 62/2 and the visitors have extended their lead to 165 runs. For the Kiwis, Tom Latham (30*) and Neil Wagner (2*) are unbeaten at the crease.
Pakistan's bowlers showed controlled aggression and intelligence to skittle out New Zealand for 153 on day one of the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Images from the first One-Day International between New Zealand and India in Hamilton, on Wednesday.
New Zealand, who beat England by 12 runs in their previous match, advanced to the February 21 final on net run rate. They had only needed to score 175 to have the superior run rate.
Mohammed Shami inspired India's fightback with a superb showing with the ball, on Day 5 of the World Test Championship Final.
The first half an hour saw only 5 runs being scored and that showed the determination in both Taylor and Williamson's approach. While Jasprit Bumrah could have bowled slightly better in the conditions, Shami and Ishant kept trying to add to the tension as they maintained a disciplined approach. It was about who breaks first.
The West Indies are currently lying seventh in the 10-team standings with just three points in their kitty and they can't afford any further loss to stay in the mix for a semifinal spot.
Chasing a record 468 for victory, New Zealand were teetering at 31 for two at the break with Tom Latham 10 not out and Ross Taylor unbeaten on five. Images from Day 4 of the first Test between Australia and New Zealand in Perth on Sunday.
Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga claimed four wickets in four balls for the second time in his international career to rip through the New Zealand batting order in a Twenty20 International at Pallekele on Friday.
They pushed themselves hard to win the title and it was only fair that the newly-crowned world Test champions New Zealand pushed the 'boat out a little bit' more while celebrating their momentous triumph before heading back home.
'If you have Nicholls and Tom Latham in the middle order they can hopefully score freely off these spinners as they can sweep and reverse sweep'
A number of top cricketers have expressed concern about being confined to biosecure bubbles for months on end to keep international schedules on track.
'From our perspective, we have to change the way we play but also sticking to some of the key principles of Test cricket. We will try to be competitive for long, long periods of time.'
Neither side will be at full strength, as a string of first-team players will be missing due to injuries, when India and New Zealand meet in the opening match of the ODI series on Wednesday in Hamilton.
Despite the win against KXIP, RCB remain at the bottom of the points table and remain to win all their remaining league games to have any hopes of progressing in the tournament.
Rookie batsman Rahul Tripathi played a breathtaking knock of 93 to single-handedly power Rising Pune Supergiant to a four-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.
Images from Day 5 of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand, at The Hampshire Bowl, in Southampton, on Tuesday.
Southee had Kamrul Islam trapped in front for two in the 85th over, shortly after the game had been delayed for about 10 minutes when Rubel Hossain received medical treatment after being hit on the elbow by Trent Boult.
Former New Zealand fast bowler Shane bond reckons all teams will now identify Jasprit Bumrah, who went wicket-less in the just-concluded T20I series, 'as a risk and attack others'.
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.
Pakistan will not only have to win the remaining three matches, starting with New Zealand, but also hope that the results in other matches favour them to salvage any hopes of a semi-final berth.
Shikhar Dhawan and stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma made a steady start and added 21 runs before Boult hit his rhythm.
'There cannot be a batsman in the world less liable to panic than Kane Williamson'
Opting to field after Rohit Sharma won the toss, Mumbai bowled out Kolkata for a paltry 107 in 18.5 overs, and then chased down the target with 33 balls to spare at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
On the back of some great all-round performance, Australia thumped New Zealand by 247 runs to win the Boxing Day Test and take a 2-0 series lead. Images from Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test played at the MCG on Sunday.
Tight bowling and fifties from Shikhar Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik helped India secure a series-levelling six-wickets victory against New Zealand in the second One-Day International in Pune on Wednesday.
Tim Southee picked up five wickets as India suffered another batting failure to lose the opening Test against New Zealand by 10 wickets, on Day 4, in Wellington, on Monday. Needing just nine runs for the win, New Zealand eased to victory in just 1.4 overs to finish the game with one full day and a half to spare and take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
An unwell Trent Boult skipped the New Zealand cricket team's training session at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Monday, staying away from the squad as a precautionary measure. The left-arm pacer is among eight players including Ross Taylor, Colin de Grandhomme, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner, who are attending the first half of the camp that started on Sunday.
