Coming England series important for Pakistan ODI future

Pakistan and England will be entering the four-match one day international series starting in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday with an aim to compose one-day sides for the future. Pakistan despite winning the preceding three-match Test series 2-0 are in tough position as they need to improve their one-day rankings enormously in order to qualify for the 2019 World Cup to be held in England. Seven top-ranked teams besides the hosts England as of 30 September 2017 rankings will directly qualify for the World Cup.

 

Pakistan’s only option to rise in the rankings is by defeating the higher-ranked sides. Pakistan hope they do not repeat their average performance they displayed in 2012 when they were thrashed 4-0 in the United Arab Emirates. Head coach Waqar Younis considers the current series important one for Pakistan. Waqar said that we know that this series is important and we have to perform well to build up a side for the future particularly for the Champions Trophy 2017, rankings and the 2019 World Cup.

Sri Lanka wins rain-struck ODI thriller by one wicket

Sri Lanka defeated West Indies by one wicket in the rain-curbed first one-day international in Colombo on Sunday with Tillakaratne Dilshan’s knock of 59 off 32 balls. The hosts won with seven balls to go to take a lead at the Premadasa stadium  in the three-match series after they were given a target of 163 in 26 overs on Duckworth-Lewis rule. While chasing the revised target of 159-8 in 26 overs set by West Indies, Sri lanka were struggling when Dilshan struck six boundaries and three sixes. The tailender Ajantha Mendis struck the winning six off Johnson Charles after the hosts sailing at 104-2, lost 7 wickets for 48 runs.

 

The day-night match started an hour and 20 minutes late due to rain and was reduced to 26 overs-a-side because of bad weather during the West Indies innings. Sri lanka were given a brilliant start with Dilshan putting on 46 for the first wicket with Kusal Perera and 43 for the second with Lahiru Thirimanne. But a thrilling Sri Lankan collapse occurred at a time the West Indies seemed to lose when spinner Sunil Narine took three wickets and Carlos Brathwaite and Jonathan Carter claimed two wickets each.

  

Earlier West Indies sank to 24-3 before the rain break and then declined 42-4 soon after resumption but Andre Russell and Darren Bravo put on 58 runs off 37 balls to carry the West Indies to 159-8. Russel scored 41 off 24 balls hitting 3 sixes and 3 fours and left-handed Bravo entertained with fifth-wicket stand to retrieve the situation while scoring 38. The West Indies got 59 runs in the final five overs where skipper Jason Holder scored 36 off 13 balls with three sixes and two boundaries. Lakmal took first three wickets and spinner Mendis claimed two. The same venue will host the second one-dayer on Wednesday. The two Twenty20 games will be played after the one-day series.   

Virender Sehwag will play Tendulkar-Warne led Cricket All-Stars

India’s ex opening batsman Virender Sehwag who took retirement from international cricket last week, has decided to play Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne’s 3-match ‘Cricket All-Stars’ T20 series that will be played at Citi Field, Minute Maid Park and the Dodger Stadium on Nov. 7, Nov. 11 and Nov. 14 in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles respectively. Sehwag is the only player in the roster of the ‘Cricket All-Stars’ who is still playing the domestic cricket. Sehwag has been in good form in the Ranji Trophy.

There were rumors of his rejoining the Indian team especially when Harbhajan Singh has made his place in the national team for the T20 and ODIs. Tendulkar and Warne are happy at Sehwag’s joining their event that is going to be an annual tournament in the world. Ben Sturner who is CEO of Leverage Agency and is doing marketing for the ’ Cricket All-Stars’ said that it is delight to fetch one of the most amazing cricketers of the world and he is the best of the best. He added that Sachin’s Blasters and Warne’s Warriors team members will be selected in a draw ceremony that will take place next week in New York City.     

Cricket All Stars: Tendulkar and Warne bring T20 passion to USA

A three-match T20 exhibition tournament contested between two teams led by Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar will be played in the USA next month. New York, Houston and Los Angeles will host the matches and more than two dozen retired internationals from other Test nations will feature in the event titled "Cricket All-Stars Series 2015". The matches are scheduled on November 7, November 11 and November 14 at New York's Citi Field, Houston's Minute Maid Park and Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium.

 

The first two games will be played in the daytime while the third and final game is slated to be played in the lights. A total 26 other players are set to participate including Brian Lara and Wasim Akram besides the captains whose teams are named Sachin's Blasters" and "Warne's Warriors".

Three former Indian team-mates of Tendulkar: Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Ajit Agarkar also join him on the list. Four other Australians namely Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Glenn McGrath and Brad Haddin have also joined Warne on the list. Nine other players including Anil Kumble, Andy Flower, Sanath Jayasuriya, Shahid Afridi, Waqar Younis, Andrew Flintoff, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee and Michael Hussey were also tentatively included in the list.