Sri Lanka announce 24-member squad for India series
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have confirmed a 24-member squad for the upcoming ODI and T20I series versus India. Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha and Bhanuka Rajapaksa are back in the squad after a long time. Dhananjaya de Silva has been named deputy to Dasun Shanaka, who replaced Kusal Perera as a new skipper.
Perera has been ruled out of both ODIs and T20Is after getting injured during a practice session. Binura Fernando will not be playing in the ODIs due to a shoulder sprain as well, though he will be available for the T20I series.
R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo will host all the matches. The first ODI of the three-match series will be played on 18 July, while the T20I series will get underway from 25 July.
India, Pakistan to meet in group stage of ICC T20 World Cup
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the groups for the T20 World Cup 2021. India and Pakistan are in Group 2, as are New Zealand and Afghanistan. Group 1 has England, Australia, South Africa, West Indies.
The top two teams from each group of qualifiers will complete the lineups for Super 12s. Bangladesh are pitted against Scotland, Papua New Guinea and Oman in Group B of the qualifier. Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands and Namibia complete Group A.
Oman Cricket Academy Ground will host all the matches of the qualifying stage. This will help in keeping the pitch in the UAE fresh for the Super 12s.
South Africa levels the series versus Ireland
South Africa rode on a 225-run opening stand between Janneman Malan and Quinton de Kock to post an imposing 346. Ireland were then bowled out for 276 in 47.1 overs.
De Kock, who was rested for the first two games, did not show rustiness on return. He smacked 120 off just 91 deliveries, while Malan remained unbeaten on 177.
Ireland got off an ordinary start, losing both openers for 19, and both were undone by Keshav Maharaj. From 92/6, there was no way they were going to chase down the total. However, Curtis Campher and Simi Singh did well to drag the game as far as they could. Simi notched up his first ODI century but Ireland still lost the game by 70 runs.
Bangladesh defeat Zimbabwe by 155 runs to go 1-0 up
Bangladesh registered a comfortable win to take an early lead in the series after Zimbabwe failed to chase down 276. None of the batters, barring Regis Chakabva (54), put up a decent show with the bat.
Chakabva was getting undone by Shakib Al Hasan, who ended with 5-30. The hosts were skittled out for 121 in 28.5 overs.
Early, Liton Das held the innings from one end for his 102. Afif Hossain (45) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (26) chipped in with valuable contributions as well, to take Bangladesh to a respectable total.