Sangakkara's Ton helps to draw 3rd Test - Sri Lanka won the series by 2-0

Third test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan drawn thanks to brilliant unbeaten century by Sri Lankan captain Kumara Sangakkara with 130 runs and batted almost 4 sessions. Sri Lanka lost only 1 wicket on the final day and scored 208 runs and at one time they are looking for a record chase while Pakistan lost an opportunity as the unable to take 10 wickets in 5 sessions. Sri lanka won the 3 match series by 2-0 and Kulasekara awarded Man of the Series.

Match Summary:

Pakistab 299 (Khurram 93, Yusuf 90, Tushara 5-83) and 425 for 9 dec.(Misbah 65, Malik 134, Akmal 74, Herath 5-157) drew with Sri Lanka 233 (Jayawardhane 79, Kaneria 5-62) and 391/4 (Paranavitana 73, Sangakkara 130*, Samarweera 73, Mathews 64*)

Watch the complete score card Here.

Read full story

West Indies and Bangladesh Squads for ODI Series - WI & Ban ODI Squads

Despite the strike ended by senior players and made them available for ODI's West Indies board has decided to go with the second string team and announced the 15 members team for the first 2 ODI's of of 3 match series led by Floyd Reifer. Bangladesh after first overseas test series win and now eying ODI series will be led by test series hero Shakib Al Hasan.

Bangladesh ODI Squad:

Shakib Al Hasan (Cap)

Abdur Razzak

Tamim Iqbal

Imrul Kayes

Junaid Siddique

Mahbubul Alam

Mahmudullah

Mehrab Hossain jnr

Mohammad Ashraful

Mushfiqur Rahim

Naeem Islam

Raqibul Hasan

Rubel Hossain

Syed Rasel

West Indies Squad for 1st and 2nd ODI's:

Floyd Reifer (Cap)

Darren Sammy (vice-cap)

David Bernard

Travis Dowlin

Andre Fletcher

Andre Fletcher

Rawl Lewis

Nikita Miller

Nelon Pascal

Kieran Powell

Dale Richards

Kemar Roach

Devon Smith

Devon Thomas

Gavin Tonge

Read full story

Kevin Pieterson out of Ashes 2009, Kevin's Achilles Heel injury keeps him away from ENG v Aus Test Series

Kevin Pieterson undergoes a surgery on his Achilles Heel injury which will keep him away from the Ashes series

Kevin Pieterson had geared up for the Ashes series with pain killing injections but it is not helping him any longer. He limped around in the recently concluded Lord’s Test match against Australia. A leading health specialist consulted for an immediate surgery for the Kevin’s condition which means he will be out of action for the next 6 weeks.

The surgery seemed to be minor one with a small incision to trim the blood vessels and nerves around the inflamed tendon, but it is painful for the payer who has a limp.

Kevin is not happy to miss out on the ashes tour and is raring to get well to at least make it towards the end of the long series.

He says” I was pleased with the previous course of treatment as it allowed me to take part in this Ashes series but unfortunately the injury has recently deteriorated. To leave a winning dressing room at this time is heart breaking but it wouldn't be fair to the team or myself to continue given the severity of the injury. I'll be supporting the team closely and wish them the best of luck as they look to build on the brilliant win at Lord's and reclaim the Ashes."

England will have to replace him with someone of his caliber which is tough to find but the closest who can make it into the side as his replacement is Ian Bell.
Bell getting an opportunity due to the injury of Kevin says ” "I am desperate to play," said Bell. "Having faced the Aussies before I know what to expect from them, and once you have appeared at Test level you want to carry on playing against the best players in the world."

Read full story

West Indies vs Bangladesh ODI Series Schedule - WI v Ban ODI Timing

Bangladeh won the 1st ever overseas series against 2nd string West Indies team and now they are looking forwars for ODI series but they will face toigh competition as West Indies playesr strikes ended and fill fledge West Indies is available for 3 match ODI series and one off T20.

ODI Series Schedule:

1st ODI:

Sunday, 26th July, 2009

West Indies vs Bangladesh

Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica

Timing: 09:30 local, 13:30 GMT, 7.30 PM Bangladesh Time

2nd ODI:

Tuesday, 28th July, 2009

West Indies vs Bangladesh

Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica

Timing: 09:30 local, 13:30 GMT, 7.30 PM Bangladesh Time

3rd ODI:

Friday, 31st July, 2009

West Indies vs Bangladesh

Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts

Timing: 09:30 local, 13:30 GMT, 7.30 PM Bangladesh Time

One Off Twenty20 International Schedule:

Only Twenty20:

Sunday, 2nd August, 2009

West Indies vs Bangladesh

Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts

Timing: 14:00 local, 18:00 GMT, 12.00 mid-night Bangladesh Time

Read full story

West Indies Senior Players End Strike, Available for ODI Series

After a humiliating whitewash 2-0 defeat by Bangladesh, West Indies cricket board and the senior players committee have agreed upon the appointment of former Commonwealth secretary general Shridath Ramphal as arbitrator for the contractual issues which had forced the senior players to go on a strike and boycott the Test series. The second-string team couldnot handle the spin wizardry of Bangladesh and handed them their first overseas series victory.

West Indies board had been in such situation many a time and should have learnt some lesson by the loss of a home test series against minnows like Bangladesh.

The senior players have made themselves available for the ODI series against Bangladesh, which will make it interesting how the Bangladesh team tackles the task of facing Gayle and company. West Indies might come on heavily on Bangladesh to avenge the Test loss, and Bangladesh have come out chest thumping, with confidence full to the brim and it should provide an interesting short series of ODI matches.

Follow the ODI Series Live starting this Sunday 26th July 2009

Read full story

Shakib Al Hasan sizzle as Captain, Best Player of the Series

Shakib Al Hasan - "Man of the Series"

Shakib Al Hasan is the latest buzz making rounds in the Bangladesh cricket fraternity for his all round performance in the recently concluded Test Series (captain, spin bowler & batsman, agile fielder). His performance as a standing captain in place of the injured Mashrafe Mortaza, paid rich dividends with a team well handled resulting in a clean sweep of the West Indies.

Shakib's statistics of the West Indies series:

Shakib Al Hasan's Batting statistics :
2 Test Matches (4 innings)
159 runs with the bat (96* highest)

Shakib Al Hasan's Bowling statistics:
2 Test Matches (4 innings)
13 wickets
109.1 overs
31 maidens
Gave away 244 runs
5/70 best bowling figure in an inning
8/129 best bowling figure in a Test

These figure suggest the all round effectiveness of the player and thus rightly deserves the "Best Player of the Series"

Read full story

Bangladesh Win its First Test Series against West Indies – BAN defeat WI

Bangladesh celebrate their first ever Series win on foreign soil

Match synopsis:
Bangladesh 232 (Rahim 48, Raqibul 44, Roach 6-48) and 217 for 6 (Shakib 96*, Raqibul 65, Sammy 5-55) beat
West Indies 237 (Dowlin 95, Richards 69) and 209 (Bernard 69, Shakib 5-70) by four wickets

Bangladesh tasted first blood of a Test series win in the history of Bangladeshi Test Cricket. Standing Captain Shakib Al Hasan along with Raqibul Hasan saw Bangladesh through to outscore the 215 runs that were required to lift the match and the series. Bangladesh needed to win / draw this match to win its first ever series and that they did in style not missing out on an opportunity and pounced on the second string West Indies team like a hungry Tiger.

Darren Sammy tried to stop the Bangladeshi chase with his 5 wicket haul Raqibul and Shakib Al Hasan were unstoppable. Shakib scored an unbeaten 96 runs to lead Bangladesh to a memorable Test series victory.

This victory will be more memorable as Bangladesh wins its first test series victory on foreign soil and not at home.

Read full story

Bangladesh vs West Indies 2nd Test Photo Highlight, Pictures, Images

Watch the photo highlights of historical series win of Bangladesh against West Indies.

Read full story

Thushara takes 5 wickets to halt Pakistan at 299 – Day 2 3rd Test Match PAK v SL

Thilan Thushara the sensational fast bowler of Sri Lanka, takes 5 Pakistan wickets and restricts Pakistan to get a big score for the first innings. Pakistan as usual again showing it brittleness in the batting as they suddenly laid down 6 wickets by scoring just 14 runs towards the death of the innings. Pakistan managed to score 299

Pakistan had a steady start but then regular fall of wickets made a slow progress in terms of runs. Khurran Manzoor and Mohammad Yousuf both falling in the nineties gave a sad display for the Pakistani fans and even worse was the collapse of the lower order in the first session of day 2.

Follow the match live here:

Read full story

4 Million USD Prize Money for 2009 Champions Trophy

ICC has increased the prize money of 2009 Champions Trophy almost 4 times to US$4 million for the tournament from September 22 to October 5 in South Africa. The format of the tournament has also been revised from the last tournament as only 8 top team will participate instead of 10 teams with no qualifying rounds.

8 teams has been divided into 2 groups of 4 teams each and the top 2 teams from each group will qualify for the semi finals. India and Pakistan will be in the same group along with Australia an West Indies. In the other group South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and England will fight for the top place.

15 games short tournament which was initially planned last year in Pakistan will host at Centurion and Wanderers.

Read full story