Oct 11(ABC): Pakistan’s batting coach Mohammad Yousuf has ruled out changing the national side’s opening pair — skipper Babar Azam and wicket-keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan — ahead of the T20 World Cup. “For the last two years, the pair have been playing at the top. No talk has taken place about it, and with the World Cup ahead, there shouldn’t be …

Oct 11(ABC): New Zealand Cricket’s Chief Executive David White on Tuesday said that he is hopeful of fielding a full-strength team for the first leg of the Pakistan tour. The Kiwis will play two Tests and three one-day internationals (ODIs) in the first phase from December 27 to January 15 and five ODIs and five T20I from April 13 to May 7. …

NEW DELHI, Oct 11(ABC): India are under pressure to win their first global title since 2013 at the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia but they must do so without injured pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Rohit Sharma’s team open their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 23 in Melbourne in a hotly anticipated clash that could set the tone for their …

ROME, Oct 11(ABC): Lionel Messi will headline a star-studded lineup for a ‘match for peace’ in tribute to fellow Argentina soccer great Diego Maradona on November 14 in Rome, organisers announced on Monday. In addition to Messi, former Brazilian star Ronaldinho, Italian World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon and Roma’s Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho confirmed their presence in a video published …

LAHORE, Oct 11(ABC): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced match schedule of New Zealand men’s cricket team’s dual tours of Pakistan. The BLACKCAPS will play two Tests as part of their ICC World Test Championship title defence and three ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League fixtures from 27 December to 15 January, before returning for five T20Is …

SYLHAT, Oct 11(ABC): Pakistan’s women’s cricket team Tuesday defeated Sri Lankan side by five wickets in a thriller to advance in the Women’s T20I Asia Cup. The Sri Lankan team won the toss and decided to bat first. Before their dismissal, Lanka’s Chamari Atapattu scored 41 runs, while Oshadi Ranasinghe 26. Sri Lanka gave Pakistan a target of 112 runs …

Oct 11(ABC): Finn Allen showed his form ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup by top-scoring for New Zealand with a disciplined batting display in their nine-wicket romp over Pakistan in Christchurch on Tuesday in the tri-series. Allen blasted six sixes in a tally of 62 off 42 balls as the Black Caps chased down 130-7 with ease at Hagley Oval …

Christchurch, New Zealand, Oct 9 (ABC): Devon Conway showed why he will be New Zealand’s key batter at the Twenty20 World Cup by top-scoring in an eight-wicket tri-series win over Bangladesh in Christchurch on Sunday. Conway batted with control for his unbeaten 70 off 51 balls as the Black Caps chased down 137-8 at Hagley Oval with 13 balls to …

HARARE, Oct 9(ABC): Former South Africa all-rounder Lance Klusener has quit as Zimbabwe s batting coach with immediate effect after reaching a mutual agreement with the board. “According to his agent, the decision follows Klusener s desire to pursue professional engagements around the globe which will impact his full-time availability for the national team s programmes,” Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) said in a …

LAHORE, Oct 9(ABC): Pakistan white-ball vice-captain Shadab Khan is now the joint second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is for the Men in Green. The 24-year-old made his T20I debut in 2017 and has bowled in 69 innings, bagging 85 wickets at an average of 21.55. The leg-spinner reached to the milestone during Pakistan’s 21-run win over Bangladesh at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, in …