'That was a morning where if I wanted to fly, I would have flown as well.'
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq fell just short of his sixth Test century but his team clung on to their slim hopes of salvaging the second Test against Sri Lanka after a stirring rearguard action in Dubai on Saturday.
Pakistan have recalled all-rounder Muhammad Hafeez for their upcoming five match one day series against South Africa in the United Arab Emirates.
Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq are poised to end their storied careers on a winning note after Pakistan played their way into a strong position on day four of the third Test against West Indies on Saturday.
Sri Lanka require 153 runs for a series-levelling victory after Pakistan rode Azhar Ali's obdurate century before being all out for 329 on day four of the second Test on Sunday.
Yasir Shah promoted, Shoaib Malik retained in top category
Skipper Kane Williamson's brilliant 97 and Matt Henry's maiden five-wicket haul gave New Zealand a comprehensive 68-run victory over Pakistan in the final one-dayer in Abu Dhabi on Friday. New Zealand won the series 3-2.
For a team that started off disastrously, entering the quarter-finals of the World Cup is quite an achievement. Rediff.com analyses what could have been the case.
ICC president Zaheer Abbas has said that a Pakistan and India bilateral series is bigger than the Ashes and should be revived.
Australia's David Warner, on Friday, completed 1000 runs in 2014 en route his century in the second innings of the first cricket Test against India in Adelaide, becoming the first opener to achieve the feat since England skipper Alastair Cook in 2012.
Banned off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has been included in Pakistan's provisional World Cup squad of 30 players but it is subject to him clearing the informal biomechanics test in the United Kingdom.
Yasir Shah proved Pakistan's match-winner as they ended a six-Test losing streak to beat West Indies by seven wickets in the first Test in Jamaica on Tuesday.
Former Pakistan captain Muhammad Yousuf has urged the fact-finding committee of the PCB to not only blame the coach, captain and players for the national cricket team's dismal performance but also make the board officials accountable. "I told the committee that it is fine they are inquiring into the team's performances and those of the captain and coach but what about the board officials who are also responsible for the steep decline in our cricket," Yousuf told PTI to from Lahore. "Every time the team performs badly, the responsibility is put on the captain, coach and the players but I have never seen anyone in the board being held responsible," he added. The fact-finding committee was constituted by the Pakistan Cricket Board to probe into the team's poor performances in Asia Cup and World T20, as well as in earlier series against England and New Zealand. The committee includes Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq and senior batsman Younis Khan -- both of whom have not attended the first two days of the fact-finding committee's three-day meeting in Lahore.
Former PCB chairman and Pakistan's nominee for the post of International Cricket Council (ICC) President, Najam Sethi has disclosed how he had to take a firm stand to prevent Misbah-ul-Haq from being removed as captain this year.
Shehzad-Ali add 120 runs for second wicket as Pakistan trail by six runs with eight wickets in hand
'India owes us two home series and we want them to first fulfill this obligation to us'
Pakistan's national Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez has been dropped from the 12-member squad named for the two-Test series against South Africa to be held in UAE later this month.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq became the oldest player to score a Test century for 82 years, when he scored an unbeaten 110 runs against England at Lord's on Thursday. Pakistan were 282 for 6 at stumps on the opening day of the first Test in a four-match series.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan insisted that his country will not play its 'home' series in India and asked the BCCI to honour its commitment to play the proposed series in the UAE.
Pakistan were once again annihilated by arch-rivals India in a World Cup encounter and captain Misbah-ul-Haq credited the rivals for the clinical win.
At present, if an umpire has given 'not out' generally the system is too complicated for the decision of the field umpire to be overturned
Convicted spot-fixer Muhammad Aamir was selected in the Pakistan cricket team that will tour England for a four-Test series for the first time since the spot-fixing scandal broke in 2010. However the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still awaiting for Aamir's visa approval from the UK High Commission. 24-year-old Aamir has made an impressive comeback in shorter formats and ironically his probable return to Test cricket will happen in the same country where he was arrested for indulging in spot-fixing along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif. Chairman of selectors Inzamam ul Haq said that the board had given clearance to pick Aamir in the side as they had been told his visa would arrive on Monday.
Australia's hopes of winning back respect and moving on from a ball-tampering scandal that plunged the team into disgrace face their first test on Sunday when Tim Paine's rebuilding side meet Pakistan in the series-opener in Dubai.
This provided only the sixth such instance in Test cricket of the first six batsmen getting the past the half-century in an innings and four of them have have come against India.
Kraigg Brathwaite made a patient unbeaten 95 to lead West Indies to 244 for six at the close on the second day of the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah on Monday.
Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq will quit international cricket after the three-Test series in West Indies beginning later this month, the veteran batsman announced on Thursday.
A PCB official said the suspended off-spinner has been named in the preliminary squad as he was in the process of correcting his action and would soon appear for an ICC biomechanics test.
Veteran Younus Khan's majestic century helped Pakistan dominate the opening day of the second Test against West Indies on Friday, the hosts reaching on 304-4 on a punishing day for the bowlers in Abu Dhabi.
Looking back at his India career, Pathan fondly recalled the moments when he delivered for the team.
Former batting great Inzamam-ul-Haq says if Pakistani cricketers have to learn performing under pressure, they must play arch-rivals India on regular basis.
Opener Ahmed Shehzad has been recalled to Pakistan's Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka after being dropped for the April-May series against Bangladesh on disciplinary grounds. Besides Shehzad, the selectors also recalled southpaw Shan Masood, another out-of-favour opener, who was ignored for the last few series and tournaments.
Sri Lanka recovered from losing opener Upul Tharanga to reach 99 for one in reply to Pakistan's 451 at close on the second day of the first Test on Thursday.
Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir broke down during the national conditioning camp and offered to leave the game before being accepted by protesting players, who had reservations training with him.
The Indian think-tank has devised a plan whereby they will pepper Gayle with short-pitched deliveries and force him to go for the attack early on.
The raucous chants Jeetega bhai Jeeetega Hindustan Jeetega was met with the counter Jeetega bhai jeetega Pakistan Jeetega.
England skipper Eoin Morgan will go into the World Cup desperately seeking form after registering a third duck in his last four innings in the four-wicket loss to Pakistan in a warmup match on Wednesday.
Pakistan's suspended off-spinner Saeed Ajmal is of the view that his country will not make the semi-finals in the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Speaking on Geo Super channel, the seasoned campaigner tipped Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and India to be in the semi-finals.
Former Pakistan skipper Javed Miandad has refused to attend meetings of the fact-finding committee of the Cricket Board to probe into the national team's poor performance in the Asia Cup and World T20. "Every time we do badly in a big tournament, the board carries out this charade of appointing a probe committee," Miandad told PTI. "Why should I go running to attend their meetings on a call from a secretary. I have already said what I had to say in the media. First and foremost the top people in the board should step down," he added. Miandad, who has been extremely critical of the state of affairs in Pakistan cricket and the team's dismal show, said nothing comes out of such inquiries.
Mohammad Hafeez continued his rich vein of form and closed in on his maiden double hundred in Tests as Pakistan reached 281 for three against New Zealand at the close on the first day of the third and final Test on Wednesday.
Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah claimed his third five-wicket haul of the series but Sri Lanka took the upper hand on day two of the third and final Test by restricting the visitors to 209 for nine at Pallekele on Saturday.
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