Pakistan and Sri Lanka aim for improvement in Test Championship table

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be aiming to make an upward movement in the Reliance ICC Test Championship table when they go head to head in a three-Test series which starts at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.Sri Lanka is currently sitting in fifth position on 103 ratings points, while Pakistan is nine ratings points behind in sixth position.However, all this can change depending how the series pans out. While Sri Lanka only needs to win the series to leapfrog fourth-ranked Australia, Pakistan needs to win by 2-0 or better if it wants to move ahead of Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka's 1-0 or 2-1 series win will put it one ratings point ahead of Australia, a 2-0 win will place it on 107 ratings points, while a 3-0 win will give it a lead of four ratings points over Australia.On the other side of the coin, if Pakistan wins by a 2-0 margin it will move to 100 ratings points while relegating Sri Lanka to 97 ratings points whereas in case of a 3-0 win, Pakistan will rise to 102 ratings points - just two behind Australia - and Sri Lanka will drop to 96 ratings points. If Pakistan wins 1-0, it will narrow its gap with Sri Lanka to just one ratings point.If the series ends in a draw, then Sri Lanka will drop a ratings point while Pakistan will gain a point.Meanwhile, Bangladesh also takes on West Indies in a two-Test in Chittagong from Friday.Seventh-ranked West Indies leads ninth-placed Bangladesh by 81 ratings points and as the rankings system is weighted to reflect this difference, the West Indies' failure to win the series comfortably will mean it will drop points.If the series ends in a one-all draw, Bangladesh will gain eight ratings while the West Indies will drop five ratings points, but if the West Indies wins both the Tests, then it will earn only one ratings points whereas Bangladesh will concede only two ratings points.To find out exactly how Pakistan-Sri Lanka and Bangladesh-West Indies Test series will affect the Championship table, please click here. The Test Championship table, unlike the ODI Championship table, is updated only after the end of the series.In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen, former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara will be targeting to regain the number-two position which he last held in May before slipping from that position after the first Test against England in Cardiff.Sangakkara is currently in fifth position but trails England's pair of Ian Bell and Alastair Cook, who jointly share the second spot, by only 17 ratings points. Number-one ranked Jacques Kallis of South Africa is 77 ratings points ahead of the left-handed Sri Lankan.The other batsmen from either side who will be eyeing return to the top 10 include former captains Mahela Jayawardena and Younus Khan. Both the batsmen are currently in 14th and 15th positions, respectively but require less than 40 points each to break into the top 10.Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq is enjoying a career-best ranking of 17th and if he manages to produce the same form he showed against South Africa in Dubai and Abu Dhabi last year (he had scores of nine, 79 not out, 77 and 58 not out), then he has a good chance of moving further up the order.Other batsmen inside the top 50 and hoping to move up the order include Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan (29th), Azhar Ali (34th), N.T.Paranavithana (42nd), Imran Farhat (48th) and Prasanna Jayawardena (50th).In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for Test bowlers, Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath is the highest-ranked bowlers from either side in 17th position, followed by Umar Gul (22nd), Saeed Ajmal (23rd), Abdul Rehman (35th) and Aizaz Cheema (50th).The bowling table is headed by Dale Steyn of South Africa, who is followed by England's James Anderson and Graeme Swann.

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Aussies win toss, bat against Proteas

JOHANNESBURG : Australia won the toss and decided to bat in the second and final Twenty20 international against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.Both teams showed one change following the first match, which Australia won by five wickets in Cape Town on Thursday.South Africa picked left-arm seam bowler Wayne Parnell ahead of left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, while Mitchell Marsh earned his first cap for Australia in place of fellow all-rounder Shane Watson.Australian captain Cameron White said Watson had a minor hip injury but would be fit for the first one-day international at Centurion on Wednesday. Marsh, 19, will be playing along side older brother Shaun. They are the sons of former Australian opening batsman Geoff Marsh.Conditions looked ideal for batting on a hot afternoon.South Africa: Hashim Amla (captain), Graeme Smith, Colin Ingram, JP Duminy, David Miller, Heino Kuhn, Johan Botha, Wayne Parnell, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne Morkel, Rusty Theron.Australia: Cameron White (captain), David Warner, Matthew Wade, Shaun Marsh, David Hussey, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Steve O'Keeffe, James Pattinson, Pat Cummins, Doug Bollinger.Umpires: Johan Cloete and Shaun George (both RSA), TV umpire: Marais Erasmus (RSA)Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)

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Sri Lanka keen to end 11-match losing streak

ABU DHABI : Pakistan-Sri Lanka three Tests cricket series starts with first match on Tuesday here at the Sheikh Zayed International Stadium. Sri Lanka players had training session on Saturday afternoon at Zayed Stadium. Dilawar Mani, CEO of Emirates Cricket Board said admission to first Test will be free. "We expect two sides that have some world class players to dish out an exciting series and it is great opportunity for fans in the UAE to witness high class cricket."The second Test will be played in Dubai from October 26-30 and third in Sharjah from November 3-7. Sri Lanka squad for subsequent five one-day international matches and a T20 international will be named later.Sri Lanka will be keen to end a 11-match losing streak since their last win against India at Galle in July 2010. This year, they lost an away series against England 1-0, before being beaten by Australia by a similar margin at home.Sri Lanka's Test squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan (captain), Angelo Mathews (vice-capt), Tharanga Paranavitana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Prasanna Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Rangana Herath, Suraj Randiv, Chanaka Welegedara, Suranga Lakmal, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep, Kaushal Silva, Kosala Kulasekara.

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Pakistan, Sri Lanka teams arrive in UAE

ABU DHABI : Pakistan and Sri Lanka cricket teams arrived here on Saturday for playing a series of three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 match.The matches of the series will be played at three venues - Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.The first Test of the series between the two countries will begin on October 18 at Abu Dhabi..This is for the first time that a Test match will be played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates, and this is also the first time the two teams are meeting for an all out series since the 2009 tour of Pakistan during which the Sri Lankan team became victim to a terrorist attack in Lahore.

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New Zealand put Zimbabwe into bat

HARARE : New Zealand won the toss and sent Zimbabwe in to bat in the first of two Twenty20 internationals at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.Teams Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor (captain, wk), Hamilton Masakadza, Chamu Chibhabha, Forster Mutizwa, Charles Coventry, Elton Chigumbura, Malcolm Waller, Regis Chakabva, Prosper Utseya, Raymond Price, Kyle JarvisNew Zealand: Ross Taylor (captain), Brendon McCullum (wk), Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder, Kane Williamson, James Franklin, Nathan McCullum, Jacob Oram, Doug Bracewell, Kyle Mills, Luke Woodcock

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McCullum leads N Zealand to 10-wicket win over Zimbabwe

HARARE : Brendon McCullum slammed an unbeaten 81 as New Zealand raced to a 10-wicket win in the first Twenty20 international against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.The New Zealand bowlers set up the victory by restricting Zimbabwe to 123 for eight in their 20 overs after being sent in, with home skipper Brendan Taylor the only batsman to shine, making 50 not out. Opening bowler Kyle Mills and off-spinner Nathan McCullum took two wickets each in a steady New Zealand bowling performance.Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill (40 not out) made the target look ridiculously easy, needing only 13.3 overs to score the required runs.McCullum thrashed six sixes and five fours off 46 balls as he confirmed his reputation as one of the world's most destructive hitters in the shortest form of the game. Guptill hit two sixes and two fours and faced 30 balls.Zimbabwe were hit by the late withdrawals of two key players, experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Tatenda Taibu because of injury and batsman Vusi Sibanda,whose mother died early on Saturday.Tall seam bowler Mills struck two early blows for New Zealand, dismissing both opening batsmen inside the first five overs. Hamilton Masakadza holed out to mid-off after hitting Doug Bracewell for six in the previous over and Chabu Chibhabha edged an attempted drive to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.Taylor and Forster Mutizwa added 28 for the third wicket before Mutizwa was leg before to left-arm spinner Luke Woodcock. Malcolm Waller tried to lift the scoring rate, hitting Nathan McCullum for six, but was caught at deep square leg in the same over. Charles Coventry also fell playing an ambitious shot against McCullum caught at cover.Hopes of a late flurry were dashed as three wickets fell off the final seven balls of the innings.Mills finished with two for 15 and Nathan McCullum took two for 17 but with the exception of one over from James Franklin which yielded ten runs, all New Zealand's bowlers proved difficult to score off.

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Taylor fights lone battle for Zimbabwe

HARARE : Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor fought virtually a lone battle against New Zealand's bowlers in the first of two Twenty20 internationals at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.Taylor made 50 not out off 46 balls as Zimbabwe limped to 123 for eight in their 20 overs after being sent in.Zimbabwe were hit by the late withdrawals of two key players, experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Tatenda Taibu because of injury and batsman Vusi Sibanda, whose mother died early on Saturday.Tall seam bowler Kyle Mills struck two early blows for New Zealand, dismissing both opening batsmen inside the first five overs. Hamilton Masakadza holed out to mid-off after hitting Doug Bracewell for six in the previous over and Chabu Chibhabha edged an attempted drive to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.Taylor and Forster Mutizwa added 28 for the third wicket before Mutizwa was leg before to left-arm spinner Luke Woodcock. Malcolm Waller tried to lift the scoring rate, hitting off-spinner Nathan McCullum for six, but was caught at deep square leg in the same over.Charles Coventry also fell playing an ambitious shot against McCullum, caught at cover.Hopes of a late flurry were dashed as three wickets fell off the final seven balls of the innings.Mills finished with two for 15 and Nathan McCullum took two for 17 but with the exception of one over from James Franklin, which yielded ten runs, all New Zealand's bowlers proved difficult to score off.

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Bangladesh reach 220 after dismal start against Windies

DHAKA : Mushfiqur Rahim hit a gutsy half-century under pressure as Bangladesh recovered from a horror start to post a competitive 220 against the West Indies in the second one-day international on Saturday.Bangladesh were struggling at 18-4 in the opening five overs after birthday boy Ravi Rampaul and Kemar Roach bagged two wickets apiece, but skipper Rahim led his team's recovery with a 109-ball 69.Wicket-keeper Rahim, playing his 100th one-day international, added 40 runs for the fifth wicket with Alok Kapali (20) and 57 for the next with Naeem Islam (30) to steady the innings.The Bangladeshi captain hit one six and two fours before being caught by Marlon Samuels at deep square-leg off seamer Andre Russell while going for a big shot in the 40th over.Nasir Hossain scored a useful 54-ball 50 and Abdur Razzak contributed 25 off 19 balls to help Bangladesh cross the 200-mark.The hosts made a dismal start after winning the toss when they lost three wickets for one run in the first two overs, with paceman Roach taking two wickets in the space of four balls and Rampaul one.Fast bowler Rampaul, who turned 27 on Saturday, struck with his fourth delivery when he had opener Imrul Kayes caught by wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin for no score.Roach got two wickets in his first over, having opener Tamim Iqbal caught by Russell at third-man and then Mohammad Ashraful by skipper Darren Sammy in the slips to send Bangladesh reeling at 1-3.Former skipper Shakib Al Hasan (12) began aggressively when he hit Roach for three fours in an over but his flourish did not last long as he fell in the next over, caught behind off Rampaul.But Rahim received valuable support from Kapali and Naeem to prop up the innings and keep alive his team's hopes of levelling the three-match series.The West Indies made one change from the side that won the opening one-dayer by 40 runs in Dhaka on Thursday, with fit-again Sammy replacing opener Adrian Barath.Bangladesh retained their team.

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Bangladesh elect to bat in second Windies ODI

DHAKA : Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim elected to bat after winning the toss against the West Indies in the second one-day international on Saturday.The West Indies made one change from the side that won the opening one-dayer of the three-match series by 40 runs in Dhaka on Thursday, with fit-again skipper Darren Sammy replacing opener Adrian Barath.Bangladesh retained their team.Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Abdur Razzak, Alok Kapali, Imrul Kayes Mohammad Ashraful, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal.West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Danza Hyatt, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons.

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Pakistan cricket team leaves for UAE

LAHORE : The Pakistan cricket team led by Misbah-ul-Haq left for the UAE Saturday to play against Sri Lanka starting with the first Test on Tuesday, October 18 at the Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium,While talking to media at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport, team coach Mohsin Khan said that the current team is balanced with junior and senior players, and it will try to give optimum results in the upcoming series. He said that the team has worked on different areas to improve performance as tough game is expected between the two teams.Captain Misbah-ul-Haq expressed his hopes to deliver good performance and said that he is satisfied with the players combination.The team is scheduled to play 5 ODI, 3 Test and one Twenty20 matches against Sri Lanka.The Sri Lankan cricket team is led by Tillakaratne Dilshan.

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Dhoni inspires India to 126-run win over England

HYDERABAD :  India: Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni led from the front as beleaguered India redeemed themselves with a 126-run win over England in the first one-day international here on Friday.Dhoni smashed an unbeaten 87 off 70 balls to power the injury-ravaged world champions to 300-7 after he won the toss and chose to bat on a sluggish wicket at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.England, fresh from their overwhelming success over India at home, were shot out for 174 in 36.1 overs to hand India the early lead in the five-match series.Captain Alastair Cook top-scored with 60, but England lost their last eight wickets for 63 runs after being comfortably placed at 111-2 in the 23rd over.Left-arm spinner Ravinda Jadeja and off-break bowler Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed three wickets each and seamer Umesh Yadav claimed two in front of 25,000 delighted home fans.India, playing their first international at home since the World Cup triumph in April, were without star batsman Sachin Tendulkar and at least six other regulars, due to injury or poor form.The hosts defended the total with a new-look bowling attack in which three specialists, Vinay Kumar, Yadav and Ashwin, had played only 25 one-dayers between them before Friday's match.England were reduced to 40-2 by the 10th over before Cook and Jonathan Trott (26) put on 71 for the third wicket.Jadeja turned the match around by removing both batsmen in successive overs, Cook holing out in the deep and Trott being bowled to make England 120-4.The tourists slipped further to 134-7 as Ashwin dismissed Ravi Bopara and Tim Bresnan and Jadeja took care of the highly-rated Jonathan Bairstow.Yadav bowled Graeme Swann and Samit Patel, before Ashwin signalled India's emphatic win by shattering the stumps of last man Jade Dernbach.Earlier, Suresh Raina made 61 off 55 balls and added 72 for the fifth wicket with Dhoni after India were reduced to 123-4 by the 29th over.Jadeja chipped in with 27 off 22 balls at the end as India hammered 91 runs in the last 10 overs.The second one-dayer will be played in New Delhi on Monday.

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Cricket: Pakistan and India to play blind series

KARACHI : While India and Pakistan await a breakthrough in reviving main cricketing ties, they will field blind teams in a limited over series next month, a Pakistani official said Friday.We have arranged a three Twenty20 and three one-day international match series with India late next month and hope that with that blind series both the nations will play more and more, Syed Sultan Shah, president of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Association, told India stalled cricketing ties with Pakistan after Islamist gunmen killed 166 people in Mumbai in 2008, attacks that New Delhi blamed on Pakistani militants and which Islamabad conceded were planned at least partly on Pakistani soil.India and Pakistan now insist relations are back on track and peace talks have since resumed. But despite an agreement in principle to resume the hugely popular bilateral cricket series, there has been no break through.Pakistan and India are slotted to play a series in the Future Tours Programme of the International Cricket Council next year but a date and venue have yet to be finalised.Shah said the Indian blind team would be accorded a warm welcome on November 16 at the Wagah border crossing, near Lahore."We want to give a message that people of India and Pakistan are friends and through this series we will also project the message that cricket should not suffer," said Shah, also Pakistan's first blind team captain.The three Twenty20 matches will be played in Lahore on November 18, 19 and 20, while the three one-day matches are scheduled for November 22, 24 and 26.Pakistan have won two of the three World Cups held in blind cricket, the last one at home in 2006.A blind team comprises of four totally visually impaired players, three partially blind and four partially sighted players.Totally blind players are helped by a runner whose one run is counted as double, two as four and four as eight.The ball has a bell to help the batsmen, bowlers and fielders sense its approach.Pakistan has not hosted international cricket since militants attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009, killing eight Pakistanis and wounding seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach

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