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☆ Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan captain after World Cup exit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 15 (Reuters) - Babar Azam stepped down as Pakistan's cricket captain on Wednesday, days after a group stage exit from the World Cup. Azam captained Pakistan in all three formats starting October 2019, and led them to number one in ICC One Day International (ODI) rankings for the first time in May. Pakistan slid from the spot after finishing fourth in Asia Cup and fifth in the World Cup. Batsman Shan Masood has been announced by the PCB as the new test captain while pacer Shaheen Afridi will be the T20 captain. Azam is ranked by ICC as a top five batsman in all three formats, and is Pakistan's most successful captain in T20 Internationals with 42 wins.

Persons: Babar Azam, Azam, Morne Morkel, Babar, Shan Masood, Shaheen Afridi, Chiranjit, Christian Radnedge Organizations: ICC, Asia, Pakistan Cricket Board, Thomson Locations: Pakistan, Bengaluru

☆ Pakistan's Fakhar has no regrets over missed hundred
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Fakhar led Pakistan's chase with a freewheeling 81, which earned him player-of-the-match award, but fell short of a hundred trying to wrap up their chase early. Sri Lanka and the Netherlands can also join them in a mid-table logjam should both win their next games. Fakhar said the mood was upbeat in the dressing room despite the uncertainty around the 1992 champions making the last four in the showpiece 50-overs tournament. "In the World Cup, each win gives you confidence and we were waiting for this win. "We are in the ifs-and-buts (zone) right now - but we will try to win both the remaining matches with good run rates.

Persons: Pakistan's, Zaman, Sri Lanka's Pramod Madushan, Christopher Pike, Fakhar Zaman, Fakhar, Amlan Chakraborty, Michael Perry Organizations: Asia, United Arab Emirates, Sri, Sri Lanka's Pramod Madushan REUTERS, Rights, Bangladesh, England, Thomson Locations: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Dubai, United Arab, Rights KOLKATA, Eden, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Zealand, New Delhi

☆ COVID lockdown training base kept Shami sharp for World Cup comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Shami claimed 5-54 in Dharamsala on Sunday to help the hosts to a four-wicket win and a 5-0 unbeaten record at the tournament. Shami said he would rather be training at the home pitch than taking a break from the game. "Sometimes it happens that when you are busy for 12 months, you get relaxed after going home," said the 33-year-old. Shami replaced Pandya, who injured his left ankle during India's seven-wicket win over Bangladesh last week. Shami said he had not minded sitting out India's first four World Cup matches.

Persons: India's Mohammed Shami, Rohit Sharma, Zealand's Daryl Mitchell REUTERS, Adnan Abidi, Mohammed Shami, lockdowns, Shami, Pandya, India's, Chiranjit, Robert Birsel Organizations: Cricket, ICC Cricket, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, New Zealand, West Indies, September's Asia, Bangladesh, Caps, England, Thomson Locations: India, New Zealand, Himachal, Dharamsala, Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, Bengaluru

Quite a few of the hospitals have seen a sudden influx of patients booked in for check-ups involving a night's stay to coincide with the most anticipated match of the World Cup. The Ahmedabad Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association has discouraged its members from accommodating such fans. India and Pakistan head into the showdown having both won their opening two matches at the tournament. The city has been declared a 'no-drone zone' on Saturday, and 11,000 security personnel will be deployed for the high-profile match, Ahmedabad police commissioner GS Malik said. On their first tour of India since the 2016 T20 World Cup, Pakistan were accorded a warm welcome in Hyderabad, where they played their first two matches.

Persons: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi, Amit Dave, Tushar Patel, Bharat Gadhavi, Hemish Patel, Patel, Airfare, Narendra Modi, Donald Trump, Anthony Albanese, GS Malik, Shaheen Afridi, Jasprit, Liyakat Khan, Samiya, Hasan Ali, Khan, Amlan Chakraborty, Ken Ferris Organizations: Cricket, ICC Cricket, Pakistan cricket team, India, India REUTERS, Ahmedabad Medical Association, Reuters, Nursing Homes Association, THREE, Control, BCCI, Australia, Pakistan, Asia, Indian Express, Thomson Locations: Ahmedabad, India, DELHI, AHMEDABAD, Pakistan, Indian, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Sri Lanka, New Delhi

But on Saturday, for the first time in seven years, these two rivals will play each other on Indian soil in the opening stages of Cricket World Cup, which India is hosting. As Pakistan’s cricket team arrived in India’s southern city of Hyderabad last month, they were met with rapturous applause from Indians waiting at the airport for the star players. Even the Pakistan cricket team were only able to obtain visas at the eleventh hour, after complaints of a delay in the process which the Pakistan Cricket Board said disrupted the team’s preparation for the event. Chaudhry Abdul Jalil, popularly known as Chacha Cricket, waves after crossing the India-Pakistan border in Wagah on March 29, 2011, on the eve of the India-Pakistan Cricket World Cup semi-final match. “The World Cup is the one with the history and the legacy, it’s the one you want to win,” Shah said.

Persons: Farees Shah, ”, Vijay Hazare, Pakistan's Amir Eliah, Babar Azam, Azam, Abdul Jalil, Chaudhry Abdul Jalil, Narinder Nanu, “, ” Hadeel Obaid, Asif Hassan, Punit Paranjpe, Mukerji, Imran Khan, “ Ajay Jadeja, Waqar Younis, Venkatesh Prasad, Amir Sohail, Divya Bakhshi Bhatnagar, It’s, Narendra Modi, Money Sharma, Modi, Modi –, Shah, ” Shah Organizations: Islamabad CNN —, Indian, Pakistan cricket, Cricket, Keystone, Hulton, Sri, Pakistan Cricket Board, CNN, India’s Sports Ministry, Ministry, Pakistan Cricket, Getty, Gaddafi, Pakistan, Pakistan …, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Western, India, Pakistani, team, – Locations: Delhi, Islamabad, Pakistan, Republic of India, Lahore, Amritsar, Hindu, India, New Delhi, India’s, Hyderabad, Sri Lanka, Wagah, AFP, Australia, Chennai, Gurgaon, Kashmir, UAE, Ahmedabad, India's, Gujarat, China

☆ Onus on Pakistan batters to paper over bowling cracks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Amlan Chakraborty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pace spearhead Naseem Shah injured his bowling shoulder against India and was ruled him of the World Cup disrupting his potent new-ball partnership with Shaheen Afridi. Although this is not the first time Pakistan would enter a World Cup looking slightly unsettled, they will have their work cut out in India. Thanks to a soured political relationship between the Asian neighbours, bilateral cricket remains suspended between India and Pakistan, who meet only in multi-team events. Pakistan last toured India for the T20 World Cup in 2016 and their players do not feature in the Indian Premier League either. Pakistan begin their campaign against the Netherlands on Oct. 6 and face India in a soldout Oct. 14 game in Ahmedabad.

Persons: Babar Azam, Pace, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Afridi, Shadab Khan, Babar, Amlan Chakraborty, Ed Osmond Organizations: Asia, India, Indian Premier League, Thomson Locations: DELHI, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Chennai, Netherlands, Ahmedabad, New Delhi

☆ India out to end decade of hurt at home World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Amlan Chakraborty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

India won the Asia Cup last month, beating former world champions Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the tournament, and have all their frontline players available after welcoming back Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer from injury. Rohit has spoken frequently about his desire to win a global title and even as firecrackers were going off in Colombo after the Asia Cup final the opener told fans to put their celebrations on hold until they win the World Cup. HOME ADVANTAGEHome comforts could prove crucial at the World Cup. Kohli may not get another chance to win the World Cup as he will be almost 39 by the time the next edition rolls in 2027. Perched on his team mates' shoulders on a victory lap of the world's largest cricket stadium after the Oct. 19 final would be a fitting World Cup farewell for another Indian batting great.

Persons: Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Rohit, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Bumrah, wristspinner, Pandya, Kohli, Mahendra Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Amlan Chakraborty, Peter Rutherford Organizations: India, Asia, Pakistan, Australia, Thomson Locations: DELHI, India, Sri Lanka, Colombo, Mumbai, New Delhi

☆ Sri Lanka omit injured Hasaranga and Chameera for World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COLOMBO, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Dasun Shanaka will lead a depleted Sri Lanka at the 50-overs World Cup in India after fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera and all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga were left out of the 15-member squad on Tuesday. Chameera sustained a pectoral muscle injury during the Lanka Premier League last month, while Hasaranga picked up a hamstring injury that kept him out of the Asia Cup where Sri Lanka lost to India in the final. "Wanindu Hasaranga has not been included in the 15-member squad as the player is still in the process of recovering from an injury," Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement. Sri Lanka have called up leg-spinning all-rounder Dushan Hemantha, while Chamika Karunaratne will be the travelling reserve player. The team leaves for India later on Tuesday and begin their World Cup campaign against South Africa on Oct. 7.

Persons: Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chameera, Hasaranga, Hemantha, Chamika, Dasun Shanaka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Pathum, Dimuth, Sadeera, Charith, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan, Maheesh, Dunith, Kasun, Matheesha, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan, Amlan Chakraborty, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Lanka Premier League, Asia, Sri, Sri Lanka Cricket, South, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, New Delhi

☆ Visas issued for Pakistan team for World Cup in India
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Amlan Chakraborty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Visas have been issued for the Pakistan team for their participation in the 50-overs World Cup in India, the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday, following complaints of a delay in the process. "Visas have been issued to the Pakistan team," an ICC spokesperson told Reuters without elaborating further. "There has been an extraordinary delay in getting clearance and securing Indian visas for the Pakistan team for ICC World Cup," Farooq said in the statement. "It's a matter of disappointment that Pakistan team has to go through the uncertainty ahead of the major tournament." Pakistan will play two warm-up matches before beginning their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on Oct. 6.

Persons: Umar Farooq, Farooq, Amlan Chakraborty, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Pakistan, International Cricket Council, ICC, Pakistan Cricket Board, Reuters, Asia, Thomson Locations: DELHI, India, Islamabad, Pakistan, Netherlands, Ahmedabad, Sri Lanka, New Delhi

☆ Ruthless India rout Sri Lanka to win Asia Cup as paceman Siraj shines
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Hardik Pandya bagged three wickets while Jasprit Bumrah claimed one as Sri Lanka registered their second lowest total in one-day internationals, lasting only 92 balls. India needed 6.1 overs to achieve the target for a timely boost before their home World Cup beginning next month. "It's like a dream," Siraj, who became only the fourth bowler to take four wickets in an over in ODIs, said after the Sri Lanka innings. "I got four early wickets last time I played Sri Lanka (earlier this year) but unfortunately I could not register a five-wicket haul. Bumrah removed Kusal Perera in the first over to trigger a collapse and the Sri Lanka batters looked helpless as Siraj breathed fire with the new ball.

Persons: Mohammed Siraj, Siraj, Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera, Charith, Dhananjaya de Silva, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dushan Hemanta, Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Kishan, Gill, Chris Silverwood bemoaned, Amlan Chakraborty, Ken Ferris Organizations: Asia, Sri Lanka, Sri, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Chennai, New Delhi

☆ Sri Lanka's Theekshana out of Asia Cup final due to injury
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 16 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana will miss the Asia Cup final against India after sustaining a hamstring injury during their win over Pakistan, the country's cricket board (SLC) said on Saturday. He bowled three more overs before being helped off the field during Sri Lanka's thrilling two-wicket win on Thursday. "If we didn't have a World Cup coming up, we would have somehow tried to get him ready for tomorrow's match. Washington Sundar is expected to join the India squad as cover for Axar Patel after the all-rounder sustained an injury in Friday's six-run loss to Bangladesh, cricket website Cricbuzz reported. He is expected to re-join the Asian Games camp after the Asia Cup final, the Cricbuzz report said.

Persons: Maheesh Theekshana, Sahan Arachchige, Arjuna de Silva, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Cricbuzz, Sundar, Hritika Sharma, Kim Coghill Organizations: Asia, India, Pakistan, ESPN, Asian Games, Thomson Locations: Sri Lanka, Colombo, India, Washington, Friday's, Bangladesh, Hangzhou, Hyderabad

☆ Injured Naseem doubtful for Pakistan's early World Cup matches
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COLOMBO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Pakistan speedster Naseem Shah could miss their early Cricket World Cup matches in India next month having injured his bowling shoulder at the Asia Cup. He missed Thursday's defeat by Sri Lanka after flying to Dubai to undergo scans. "He's just got a little bit of a side strain, but he's recovering before the World Cup." He added that he did not know how long Naseem's recovery would take but was confident he would be able to take part in the World Cup at some stage. Pakistan, 1992 World Cup champions, begin their campaign against the Netherlands on Oct. 6 in Hyderabad.

Persons: Pakistan speedster Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Babar Azam, He's, Amlan Chakraborty, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Cricket, Asia, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, Pakistan, India, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Netherlands, Hyderabad, New Delhi

☆ Bangladesh upset India despite Gill ton
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Put into bat, Bangladesh overcame a top order wobble to post a competitive 265-8 with skipper Shakib Al Hasan topscoring for his side with a breezy 80. After Rohit Sharma elected to field, Bangladesh slumped to 59-4 before Shakib and Towhid Hridoy (54) steadied the ship. When they returned to defend the total, Tanzim Hasan Shakib claimed two wickets in his first two overs in international cricket to put India immediately under pressure. While wickets kept tumbling at one end, Gill stood tall amid ruins to keep India in the hunt. Mahedi Hasan ended Gill's 133-ball knock but Axar kept India on course until his dismissal in the penultimate over.

Persons: Shakib Al Hasan topscoring, Gill, Axar Patel, Virat Kohli, Jasprit, Kuldeep Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Towhid Hridoy, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan Shakib, Axar, Amlan Chakraborty, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Sri, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, Bangladesh, Asia, India, Sri Lanka, Sunday's, New Delhi

☆ Afghanistan recall fast bowler Naveen for World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KABUL, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has returned to the Afghanistan one-day squad for the upcoming World Cup in India more than two years after playing his last ODI. Omarzai missed the ongoing Asia Cup with a side strain but has recovered to reclaim his place in the 15-member squad announced on Wednesday. Rashid Khan will spearhead a spin attack that also includes Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Noor Ahmad. All-rounder Gulbadin Naib, who led the team when they finished bottom at the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales, is one of three reserve players. Afghanistan will kick off their World Cup campaign on Oct. 7 against Bangladesh in Dharamsala.

Persons: Naveen, Haq, Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naib, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Riaz Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Ikram, Azmatullah Omarzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ul, Amlan Chakraborty, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Ireland, Bangladesh, Thomson Locations: KABUL, Afghanistan, India, Abu Dhabi, Asia, England, Wales, Dharamsala, New Delhi

☆ Sri Lanka pip Pakistan to make Asia Cup final v India
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Cricket - Asia Cup - Final - Pakistan v Sri Lanka - Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates - September 11, 2022 Sri Lanka players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Aisia Cup REUTERS/Christopher Pike Acquire Licensing RightsCOLOMBO, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka kept their Asia Cup title defence alive as they beat Pakistan by two wickets in an edge-of-the-seat thriller on Thursday to book their place in Sunday's final against India. Electing to bat in the rain-marred contest, Pakistan posted 252-7 in 42 overs following half-centuries by Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique. Kusal Mendis kept Sri Lanka's chase on track but it was Charith Asalanka's unbeaten 49 which helped them clinch the last ball thriller. Electing to bat, Pakistan lost Fakhar Zaman early while skipper Babar Azam (29) fell just when he was looking set. Shadab Khan caught Pathum Nissanka off his own bowling and then ran out Kusal Perera to peg back Sri Lanka but the collapse Pakistan wanted did not materialise.

Persons: Christopher Pike, Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka's, Charith, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Samarawickrama, Shaheen Afridi, Iftikhar, Dasun Shanaka, Afridi, Zaman Khan, Asalanka, Amlan Chakraborty, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Asia, United Arab Emirates, Sri, Aisia, REUTERS, Rights, India, Thomson Locations: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Dubai, United Arab, India, New Delhi

☆ India in Asia Cup final after beating Sri Lanka
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dunith Wellalage (5-40) wrecked India's top order while Charith Asalanka (4-18) mowed down the tail to restrict India to a below-par total. "It was a good game," India captain Rohit Sharma said after their victory. The target was modest but Sri Lanka were soon grappling with a collapse of their own. Kuldeep Yadav (4-43) struck in successive overs and Ravindra Jadeja removed home captain Dasun Shanaka to reduce Sri Lanka to 99-6. Wellalage and de Silva combined in a 63-run partnership to revive Sri Lanka but once Jadeja separated them, Sri Lanka collapsed in a heap.

Persons: India's Rohit Sharma, Peter Cziborra, Dunith Wellalage, Charith Asalanka, Sri Lanka's, Dhananjaya de Silva, Rohit Sharma, Rohit, Shubman Gill, Wellalage, Virat Kohli, Kohli, Ishan Kishan, Asalanka, Axar Patel's, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, de Silva, Amlan Chakraborty, Toby Davis Organizations: Trent, Rights, Asia, Sri Lanka, Sri, Pakistan, 241st, KL, Thomson Locations: England, India, Nottingham, Britain, Pakistan, Lanka, Sri Lanka, New Delhi

☆ Pakistan call for back-ups after injuries to Rauf and Naseem
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COLOMBO, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Pakistan are set to draft in back-ups for Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah with the pace duo looking doubtful for the remainder of the Asia Cup having sustained injuries during their Super Four stage defeat to India. Shahnawaz Dahani and Zaman Khan will come into the squad in Sri Lanka but no decision had been made yet regarding Rauf and Naseem, the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement. Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat against their arch-rivals in a rain-hit Super Four contest played over two days. Rauf bowled five overs on Sunday before experiencing discomfort in his right side and sat out the reserve day's action. Rauf and Naseem did not bat and are likely to miss Thursday's Super Four match against Sri Lanka, with their participation in the Sept. 17 final also in doubt should Pakistan make it.

Persons: Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zaman Khan, Rauf, Naseem, Amlan Chakraborty, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Asia, Pakistan Cricket Board, ICC, Sunday, Sri, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, New Delhi

☆ Kohli, Rahul fire as India thump Pakistan in Asia Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Sept 11 (Reuters) - India beat rivals Pakistan by 228 runs after Virat Kohli passed 13,000 in one-day internationals en route to his 47th century and KL Rahul marked his return from injury with a ton in a lopsided Asia Cup Super Four clash in Colombo on Monday. India spinner Kuldeep Yadav (5-25) ripped through Pakistan's lineup following a brief rain interruption after Jasprit Bumrah removed Imam-ul-Haq and Hardik Pandya castled the dangerous Babar Azam. Kohli and Rahul saw off the threat of Pakistan's pace attack, missing Rauf due to a right flank problem, and the duo targeted the spinners to post 356-2 in 50 overs. Rahul and Kohli's unbeaten 233-run partnership for the third wicket was the highest stand in the Asia Cup. India, whose group meeting with Pakistan in Pallekele this month was abandoned due to rain, take on Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Persons: Virat Kohli, Rahul, Kohli, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Kuldeep Yadav, Bumrah, Haq, Pandya, Babar Azam, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rohit, Rauf, Kohli's, It's, we've, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shreyas, carting Faheem Ashraf, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ken Ferris Organizations: Pakistan, Asia, Thomson Locations: India, Colombo, Pallekele, Sri Lanka, Bengaluru

☆ Pathirana comes up trumps for Sri Lanka at Asia Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 1 (Reuters) - Mahendra Singh Dhoni is known to have a keen eye for talent and the match-winning display by Sri Lanka pacer Matheesha Pathirana against Bangladesh at the Asia Cup on Thursday shows the former India captain's reputation is well earned. His Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Dhoni predicted in May the 20-year-old would prove a "great asset" for Sri Lanka provided he was used sparingly and only in key white-ball tournaments. Vindicating his Chennai captain, Pathirana claimed a career-best 4-32 to rout Bangladesh and set up Sri Lanka's five-wicket victory with 11 overs to spare at Pallekele. "I think this performance has been coming for a while now," Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood told reporters. "Easy to see why Sri Lanka Cricket, CSK and MS Dhoni are valuing Matheesha Pathirana so highly," former West Indies bowler Ian Bishop wrote on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.

Persons: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Pathirana, Lasith Malinga, Dhoni, Chris Silverwood, He's, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Ian Bishop, Amlan Chakraborty, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Sri Lanka, Asia, Chennai, IPL, World, Sri Lanka Cricket, Thomson Locations: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Chennai, West Indies, New Delhi

☆ India captain Rohit plays down hype around Pakistan blockbuster
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

COLOMBO, Sept 1 (Reuters) - India captain Rohit Sharma played down hype around Saturday's Asia Cup blockbuster against Pakistan, saying their focus is on using the tournament to fine-tune their preparations for the home World Cup later this year. For us, we don't want to look into all those things," the opener deadpanned in the pre-match press conference on Friday. "What is going to help us is - keep doing the right things on the pitch and make the right decisions that take us forward as a team." The six-team tournament assumes more importance for India as they chase their first global title in more than a decade at the home World Cup in October-November. "When we finish the tournament, hopefully we can achieve that and go into the next one and half months of the World Cup."

Persons: Rohit Sharma, Rohit, Shaheen Afridi, Amlan Chakraborty, David Holmes Organizations: Asia, Pakistan, India, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, India, Pallekele, Pakistan, New Delhi

The company already owns digital streaming rights to the popular Indian Premier League Twenty-20 (IPL T20) tournament. Ambani snatched away the rights from the Disney Plus Hotstar streaming service in a $2.9 billion bid last year, and then streamed games for free. This prompted Disney subscribers to flee - out of 61 million users in October 2022, about 21 million had left by July this year. Last year, Disney renewed its media rights to show International Cricket Council's tournaments in India from 2024 to 2027 after winning a bid for $3 billion. It later licensed the TV broadcast rights to India's Zee Entertainment (ZEE.NS) and only regained the digital streaming rights, a source told Reuters.

Persons: Mukesh Ambani, Francis Mascarenhas, Mukesh Ambani's, Walt Disney, Viacom18, Ambani, Karan Taurani, Aditya Kalra, Nandan Mandayam, Biplob Kumar Das, Sonia Cheema Organizations: Reliance Industries, REUTERS, Walt, Control, Cricket, BCCI, Indian Premier League, Disney, Elara, Reuters, Asia Cup, ICC Cricket, India's Zee Entertainment, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, India's

But Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani snatched IPL rights away in a $2.9 billion bid last year, and then streamed games for free. Soon, Disney subscribers fled - out of 61 million users in October, roughly 21 million had left by July. It retains digital streaming rights but last year licensed the TV broadcast rights to Indian's Zee Entertainment (ZEE.NS) for around $1.5 billion, a source said. In the United States, ad-free Disney+ streaming service subscription rates are set to rise by 27% to $13.99 per month. By contrast in India, Disney+ Hotstar service costs $3.62 a month.

Persons: Anushree, India's Ambani Hotstar, Walt Disney, Disney, Mukesh Ambani, That's, JioCinema, Sivanandan, Daoud Jackson, Bob Iger's, Nancy Lee, Ambani, Aditya Kalra, Munsif, Dawn Chmielewski, Muralikumar Organizations: ICC Men's Cricket, REUTERS, Companies Disney India, Century Fox, Indian Premier League, Disney, Reuters, Asia, Cricket, Indian's Zee Entertainment, IPL, Blume Ventures, Hotstar, Staff, Media Partners, Netflix, JioCinema, Thomson Locations: Gurugram, India, Burbank, Disney India, United States, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Dawn, Los Angeles

☆ Kohli is the solution to India's No 4 concerns, says Shastri
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Fielding Virat Kohli at number four could address India's long-standing concerns about a settled batter at that crucial position, former coach Ravi Shastri has said. Kohli has amassed the lion's share of his 12,898 runs, which include 39 hundreds, batting at number three in 212 of his 275 innings. In his 42 appearances at number four, Kohli averaged 55.21, slightly below his overall 57.32, and has scored seven hundreds. Shastri, who was coach of the India team when Kohli was captain, and lost to New Zealand in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup, said those were impressive numbers for a number four batter. Shastri said during the 2019 World Cup, he considered changing Kohli's place "just to break that top heavy line-up".

Persons: Fielding Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri, Rohit Sharma, Kohli, Shastri, Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah, Amlan Chakraborty Organizations: India, New Zealand, Star Sports, Asia, Thomson Locations: DELHI, India, New, Ireland, Dublin, Multan, Sri Lanka, New Delhi

☆ Inzamam expects second stint as Pakistan chief selector to be even better
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pakistan's cricket playerspay respect to Inzamam-ul-Haq (C) on the fifth day of their second test cricket match against South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore October 12, 2007. REUTERS/Zahid Hussein/File PhotoLAHORE, Pakistan, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq hopes his second stint as chief selector of the men's team will prove more successful than his first when the team won the 2017 Champions Trophy in England. With the Asia Cup and the 50-overs World Cup looming this year, the 53-year-old would play a crucial role as Pakistan eye continental and global titles this year. "But, I know I can deliver in this role and I will try to do better than I did the last time. "I am delighted that Inzamam-ul-Haq has agreed to head our national men’s selection committee at a crucial juncture.

Persons: Ul, Haq, Zahid Hussein, Inzamam, Zaka Ashraf, Amlan Chakraborty, Lincoln Organizations: South, Gaddafi, REUTERS, Former, Asia, Pakistan Cricket Board, Thomson Locations: South Africa, Lahore, LAHORE, Pakistan, Former Pakistan, England, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Delhi

☆ Pakistan to send its cricket team to participate in World Cup in India
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Charlotte Greenfield | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Cricket - Asia Cup - Final - Pakistan v Sri Lanka - Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates - September 11, 2022 Pakistan players stand during the national anthems as the Asia Cup trophy is displayed before the match REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File PhotoISLAMABAD, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Pakistan has decided to send its cricket team to India to participate in this year's 50-over World Cup, the foreign office said on Sunday. The neighbouring countries, who share fraught relations, have played each other only in multi-team events at neutral venues over the last decade. India has ruled out travelling to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, which is scheduled to begin on Aug. 31. Pakistan's foreign office said it had concerns about its cricket team's security during the tournament and would convey them to the International Cricket Council and Indian government. Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Alex Richardson and Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Christopher Pike, Pakistan's Bilawal Bhutto, Zardari, Charlotte Greenfield, Alex Richardson, Ed Osmond Organizations: Asia, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, International Cricket Council, Thomson Locations: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Dubai, United Arab, ISLAMABAD, India, ., Goa, Kashmir

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