Welcome to Saturday’s live cricket blog!
The Sport360 team is in place bringing you the latest news from the world of cricket as we look ahead to the T20I series between India and the West Indies. We will also be bringing you reaction from the second T20 between Pakistan and New Zealand as we look ahead to the final match of the series.
6:00pm – PCB extend Ahmed Shehzad’s ban by six weeks
Ahmed Shehzad’s troubles show no signs of ending with the Pakistan batsman’s four-month initial suspension due to a doping offence now extended by six weeks after he was found to have violated the terms of his sanction.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) found the right-hander guilty of breaching the rules of his suspension after it emerged Shehzad had played club cricket in Lahore during his ban.
Read more on this story here.
Shehzad’s misery has been compounded.
5:00pm – Rohit Sharma wants India to develop bench options for 2019 WC
As India get ready to take on the West Indies in a three-match T20 series, stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma is hoping the hosts can make use of the opportunity to test their bench strength ahead of the 2019 World Cup in England.
India have called up the likes of Krunal Pandya, Shahbaz Nadeem, Shreyas Iyer and Washington Sundar for the series and Rohit is hoping the fringe men can stake their claims in the three matches.
Read Rohit’s pre-match quotes in full here. To take a look at the talking points ahead of Sunday’s T20 at the Eden Gardens, click here.
3:30pm – Pakistan aim for T20 series sweep over New Zealand
The series might already be decided but there will no loss in the competitive edge when Pakistan and New Zealand meet in the final T20 at Dubai on Sunday.
Sarfraz Ahmed’s men sealed their 11th straight T20I series win on the bounce when they beat the Kiwis by six wickets on Friday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
As the two sides get ready to lock horns one final time before the start of the ODI series, we look ahead to Sunday’s clash here in our preview.
Pakistan are on a roll in T20 cricket.
3:00pm – Trescothick backs England openers to shine in Sri Lanka
Marcus Trescothick hopes Keaton Jennings and Rory Burns can “forge their own path” as England prepare to begin life without Alastair Cook.
Cook brought the curtain down on his distinguished career with an emotional farewell at the Oval in September and will be absent from the Test XI for the first time in 12 years when England begin their three-match series against Sri Lanka in Galle on Tuesday.
Read what Trescothick had to say on Jennings and Burns here.
Keaton Jennings (l) and Rory Burns (r) will be in the spotlight.
2:00pm – Justin Langer hoping to bring back smiles to Australian cricket
With the infamous ball-tampering saga still hanging like a dark cloud above Australian cricket, coach Justin Langer has promised to put the smiles back on when his side take on South Africa in the ODI series.
When the two teams last met in the Test series in South Africa earlier this year, the Newlands match was rocked by Australia skipper Steve Smith’s admission to tampering with the ball.
Read what Langer and Faf du Plessis had to say ahead of the ODI series here.
Justin Langer is hoping to bring the smiles back.
1:00pm – Mohammad Amir not picked in Pakistan ODI squad
There was no place once again for Mohammad Amir as Pakistan announced its 15-man squad to take on New Zealand in the three-match ODI series in the UAE.
The left-armed pacer was dropped from the T20 and Test sides following his dismal showing in the Asia Cup and has now been overlooked in the one-day format too.
Read more on Pakistan’s 15-man ODI squad here.
No place once again for Mohammad Amir.
12:30pm – Kane Williamson lauds Pakistan’s T20 prowess
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has lauded Pakistan’s T20 credentials after they beat his men by six wickets in the second T20 at Dubai on Friday.
The win handed Pakistan their 11th straight T20 series win on the bounce and the Kiwi skipper was left in no doubt that they are fully deserving of their No1 status in the format.
Read what Williamson had to say here.
Williamson’s men fell to a six-wicket defeat on Friday.
12:00pm – Shaheen Afridi credits brother for rapid rise in cricket
Shaheen Shah Afridi turned heads once again as Pakistan beat New Zealand by six wickets in the second T20 at Dubai on Friday. The teenager posted a man-of-the-match display as he returned with figures of 3-20 to help Pakistan secure their 11th consecutive T20 series on the bounce.
The left-armer had plenty to say after the win including the role played by his elder brother Riaz in his development. You can read Shaheen’s full quotes here.
11:00am – Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma best partnership in ODI history?
India beat the West Indies 3-1 in the five-match ODI series with skipper Virat Kohli and deputy skipper Rohit Sharma playing key roles with the bat. The pair now have a staggering 59 ODI tons between them.
Our man Brendon Netto takes a closer look at how the duo is potentially the best partnership in the history of ODI cricket. You can read more on that here.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
