Rubel & Shamim Hossain miss flight to Zimbabwe due to visa issues

He's finally worn me down: Justin Langer praises Dan Christian ahead of Windies clash

Veteran Australian all-rounder Dan Christian has returned to the national squad after a span of five years and will be hopeful of cementing his place ahead of the T20 World Cup slated to be played in UAE later this year. Australian head coach Justin Langer is hopeful that Christian can solidify his position in the team for the all-round attributes which he can lend balance to the relatively inexperienced team. "He's finally worn me down, Christo. I've been in the job three years and every time he gets some runs in any game or competition around the world, he texts me and says 'coach I'm ready to go, pick me I'm the best all-rounder in Australia'," said Justin Langer. "So he's so good to have around the team. He's a fantastic bloke, he's got an amazing set of hands in the field, he's, you know he's clever with the ball - his experience, and we've seen throughout the Big Bash and all around the world actually - he hits the ball as cleanly as anyone,” Langer was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. Christian scored a quickfire 47 of 31 deliveries in the intra-squad game and has been a consistent performer in T20 leagues across the globe. He was a star performer in the Big Bash League and the selector had no other options but to give him an opportunity to rediscover his international career at almost the twilight of his career. Langer is excited to have him in the squad and can’t wait to see him replicate his heroics in the international arena. “He's got an incredibly easy swing of the cricket bat - so I'd love to have him in the team. It's almost becoming an urban myth, isn't it? You know wherever he plays, we win, so yeah, it's great to have him in the team. It's a bit like having in the past we've had senior players like Brad Hogg, who have come in really late and had an impact, and I can't wait to watch Chris,” Langer said. Australia has named a new-look squad for the T20I series against West Indies after several of the first choice players opted out of the series citing fatigue issues. While Steve Smith is injured, Pat Cummins has been given rest by the board to manage his workload. Meanwhile skipper Aaron Finch has made it clear that the players missing out on this series won't make an automatic return to the squad and stands a chance of missing out on the World Cup ticket later this year.

ENG vs PAK | 2nd ODI: Left shell-shocked by English depth, Pakistan search for spark at Lord's

Two days time are a lot of time in Pakistan Cricket and the team in different eras have shown skills to go from one extreme to another in a matter of 48 hours. That’s what the team management led by the captain Babar Azam would be telling the side in mid of the ODI series against England. England came into the series with both hands tied with them in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis in the camp. They had to bring a completely new 18-man squad to face Pakistan and there were question marks if their rookie batsmen would be able to stand up against ever so impressive Pakistan bowlers. Turned out, Pakistan’s batsmen were found shell shocked against England bowling lineup comprising of players that establish nothing but the enormous depth of the England white-ball sides. Saqib Mahmood made sure that Ben Stokes, who otherwise wouldn’t have been rushed into leading the side after recovering for injury, did not the luxury of Chris Woakes and Mark Wood that the regular skipper Eoin Morgan enjoys. The likes of Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton also put their hands up with the new ball to keep Pakistan under check. With the bat in the hand, Zak Crawley, who has been struggling to put bat to the ball in the summer so far (apart from edging it) made a light work of the chase of 142 runs. He was fluent with his usual drives on the off side and along with Dawid Malan, who did not do his chances any harm with an unbeaten 68 to sink Pakistan on the very first day of the series. England vs Pakistan: Match Details Match No.- 2nd ODI Date and Time: July 10, 2021, 05:30 pm IST, 12:00 pm GMT, 01:00 pm Local Venue: Lord’s, London Broadcast and Livestream in India: Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV Pitch This will be the first ODI at the Lord’s after the iconic final of the ICC ODI World Cup 2019 and the pitch, with the help of the slope, and a possibility of some movement with this batch of Kookaburra ball will assist the bowlers more. The surface is not expected to be a green seamer or an absolute belter but there will some swing in the air on offer for both sides and Pakistan will be desperate to make good use of it after getting a proper hammering in the first ODI. Team News England There is no reportage of any injury or untoward incidents from the English camp and hence the hosts are unlikely to change their playing XI that walloped Pakistan at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. Phil Salt was the lone Englishman to fall in the last game and he would be desperate to earn some reckoning after earring a fortuitous opportunity in the England side. Matt Parkinson has another chance to showcase what he brings to the table one more time with his wrist spin and establish himself in the position to be looked at as someone Morgan can call onto in the absence of Adil Rashid. Strongest playing XI Philip Salt, Dawid Malan, Zak Crawley, James Vince, Ben Stokes (c), John Simpson (wk), Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Brydon Carse, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson Pakistan None except Fakhar Zaman stood up tall against Saqib Mahmood in the last game and the left-hander has been going strength to strength with one knock over another in crucial games. He has come into the series on the back of a rollicking series with the bat in South Africa and it appears the momentum has not been lost from one country to another. While the batting was an abject failure, the bowling department too appeared toothless in the face of counterattacks from Malan and Crawley. Experienced-pro Hasan Ali could not build pressure from the other end while Shaheen Shah Afridi was testing the inside and outside edges of the batsmen and went for plenty of runs. Come Saturday at the Lord’s, Babar Azam would be looking to get his side back in the groove in all the departments, or else the hosts will walk over them way before they will realise their state of the game. Pakistan too should field an unchanged playing XI. Strongest playing XI Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Sohaib Maqsood, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf England vs Pakistan 2nd ODI: Dream XI/fantasy XI Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Dawid Malan, Zak Crawley, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Ben Stokes, Shadab Khan, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Matt Parkinson, Shaheen Shah Afridi

After Grant Flower, Sri Lanka team analyst tests positive for COVID-19

A day after Sri Lanka’s batting coach Grant Flower tested positive for the novel coronavirus, team data analyst G T Niroshan has also tested positive just ahead of the white-ball series against India slated to kick off from 13th July. The news was made public by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLC) through their official Twitter handle. Niroshan is currently under isolation and is undergoing treatment. "The Data Analyst of the Sri Lanka National Team, G.T. Niroshan, has tested positive for Covid 19," Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement. "He was found to be positive, following a PCR Test carried out among the National Players, Coaches, and Support Staff yesterday, following the identification of Grant Flower as Covid Positive. Niroshan is now undergoing due medical protocols,” the statement further read. Grant Flower had tested positive for the deadly virus just 48 hours after landing from England. It is believed that Flower was not in close proximity of the players in the last few days. The players and support staff are currently isolating themselves separately and the board feels that the series against India will go as planned. However, the team had travelled together from England. Sri Lanka has been marred by controversies in the recent past with senior players Danushka Gunathilaka, Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis breaching the bio-bubble protocols in England. They were sent back from England and is serving suspension until the probe is over. Reports have surfaced that they could be out for a minimum of one year.

Ruturaj Gaikwad open to bat in middle order for India in Sri Lanka series