Manu Sawhney resigns after months of leave, Geoff Allardice to continue as ICC Acting CEO

ZIM vs BAN | Only Test, Day 2: After Mahmudullah, Taskin historic partnership, Zimbabwe start cautiously

The second day of the only Test between hosts Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, taking place in Harare truly belonged to the visiting pair of Mahmudullah and Taskin Ahmed. The duo had a memorable outing with the bat, creating history by threading together the second-highest partnership for the ninth wicket in Test cricket's 144-year-old history. They added 191 runs and were only five runs shy of breaking the record for the highest ninth-wicket partnership, currently held by South Africa's Mark Boucher and PL Symcox who had had a partnership of 195 for the ninth wicket against Pakistan in 1998. Thanks to their partnership, Bangladesh posted 468, a largely competitive total in Test cricket. Replying to that, Zimbabwe started on a cautious note with its openers adding 61 runs in the first 28 overs. The partnership was broken by Shakib Al Hasan when he got Milton Shumba plumb in front of the stumps on 41. After Shumba's departure, captain Brendan Taylor joined debutant Takudzwanashe Kaitano in the middle. The two then made sure that no more wickets fell on the day as Zimbabwe remained 114-1 at the end of Day two. While Taylor remained unbeaten on 37 from 46, the 27-year-old Kaitano played 117 balls for his 33 and would like to continue his boring but effective style of play on Day three as well. Earlier, starting from their overnight score of 294-8, Bangladesh were helped by some shabby fielding as both Taskin and Mahmudullah were given unnecessary chances and they took them merrily, notching up their personal best score in international cricket. While 35-year-old Mahmudullah fetched his 5th Test ton, remaining not out on 150, Taskin was up to the task as well, scoring his maiden international fifty and adding 25 more to it before getting out to a Milton Shumba delivery.

Watch: Saud Shakeel’s emotional video call to mother after being confirmed of Pakistan debut

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel made his international debut against England in Cardiff in the first match of the three-match ODI series. Although it wasn't a memorable debut by any stretch of the imagination for Shakeel with his team getting humbled by a second-string English side by nine wickets and him getting out in single digits, but debuts are something no player forgets. But the 25-year-old Shakeel was given such a memorable gift by PCB ahead of the start of the first game for him, that he would remember it forever. In a rare moment of emotional appeal, the PCB made a video of Shakeel calling his mother back home and telling her about his imminent debut. The reaction of the mother is priceless and might just wet a few emotional eyes with pride and happiness oozing out of her voice. In Punjabi mixed Urdu, she gives her blessings to Shakeel saying that she is praying for his success. She even asks one of the persons in the house to call her husband and let Shakeel seek his father's blessings as well. As the call ends, even Shakeel has moist eyes, most probably with tears of joy as he said, "It is the most memorable day of my career so far and I would like to enjoy it." The Karachi born was given his debut cap by Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.

It's selector's call to not send any openers to England says Sourav Ganguly

BCCI President and former India skipper Sourav Ganguly have finally given his opinion about the controversy surrounding the selector’s decision to decline the request made by Kohli and Ravi Shastri to send Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal to England as a replacement of the injured Sbubman Gill who has been forced to return home. Ganguly said that it was a matter of the selection panel to decide what they feel good for the team. It was learnt that the Indian team management via administrative manager Girish Dongre requested for a couple of openers as replacements preferring Shaw and Padikkal. However the chairman of selectors, Chetan Sharma hadn’t replied to the mail. It is believed that the selectors want Abhimanyu Easwaran who is a part of the extended squad to be included in the main team. With already four opening options available, the selection panel didn’t feel necessary to send either Prithvi Shaw or Devdutt Padikkal who are currently in Sri Lanka preparing for six white-ball matches. Speaking on the same Ganguly said, "That is the selectors' call.” Speaking on conducting tournaments amidst the pandemic the former Indian skipper said, "Nothing can be done with this Covid-19 situation, so it is closed doors only. Cricket is obviously started, India is in England, then we will have IPL and then there is T20 World Cup. Cricket won't stop and it will go on." "These are exceptional circumstances. Last year World Cup got cancelled. This year if again it gets cancelled because of Covid, then it is a massive loss for the game. That is why it is being taken to a safer place," he added.

ENG vs PAK: Mahmood, Malan and Crawley shine as second string England blanks Pakistan

It was a shambolic display of batting and bowling by Pakistan but a terrific one by their opponent England, who were playing with a second-string team after the entire first-team squad had to be replaced due to the Covid-19 outbreak in the camp. The second string though turned out to be more than enough for Babar Azam's men who were blanked by nine wickets in the series opener, much to the disbelief of their fans. It wasn't just the batting that flopped for Pakistan, the bowlers turned out to be equally ineffective. Chasing a lowly total of 142, England lost Phil Salt early as he was removed for seven by Shaheen Afridi. However, that remained the only wicket that England would lose in their entire chase as debutant Zak Crawley and experienced Malan saw England home, without even the slightest bit to bother about. The duo chased down the total in only 22 overs and ended a miserable day for the visitors, who disturbed the woodwork just once when a Hasan Ali Yorker was too hot to handle for Crawley. Unfortunately, though it came off a free hit. While Crawley remained unbeaten on 58, Malan, the number one T20I batter scored 69 balls 68. Earlier in the day, Pakistan got off to the worst possible start after being asked to bat first by Ben Stokes at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. After losing Imam ul Haq and Babar Azam in the very first over of the innings, Pakistan could never recover, eventually getting all out for 141 in the 36th over. Fakhar Zaman was the highest run-scorer for the Men in Green with his 67 balls 47. Saqib Mahmood who bamboozled the Pak batting order with his four-wicket haul (4-42) was rightfully awarded Man of the Match. Stokes, the English skipper was might pleased by his team's efforts. "Any game where you get the opposition out so early, you're always ahead of the game," Stokes said in the post-match interview. "I just told the boys to do what they've been doing all summer for their counties. Don't change anything," added the winning captain. For Babar, though it was a day to forget, both as a batter and captain. As he said in the post-match interview, he could do nothing else but look forward to the next game. The second ODI would take place at Lord's on July 10.