Misbah Injured, out of last 3 ODIs
Karachi: Pakistan’s test and one-day captain, Misbah-ul-Haq has been ruled out of the remaining three one-day matches against New Zealand due to a hamstring injury. An official in the Pakistan Cricket Board said late on Saturday that MRI scans reports had confirmed that Misbah required proper rest to recover from his hamstring injury. “Shahid Afridi will now lead the side in the remaining three matches,” he said. Misbah sustained the injury while fielding during the second one-day international against the Kiwis in Sharjah. The official said Misbah would be returning from the UAE to rest and undergoes treatment for his hamstring injury to recover in time for next year’s World Cup.
Cook not secure as Wc captain
london: England coach Peter Moores has cast doubt on Alastair Cook leading the team at next year’s World Cup. Under Cook, England has lost four straight series in one-day internationals - the latest in Sri lanka where the hosts lead the seven-match series 4-2. The losses threaten Cook’s role as captain and his actual team place. Moores says “we will review at the end of the series not just Alastair’s captaincy but the whole team, and pick our squad (for the World Cup).” Moores says “I would have Alastair as captain for the World Cup” but adds that “nobody has got the guarantee of that.” England selected last weekend a provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup, in which Cook was named as captain. The tournament starts in February.
Kohli jumps to 16TH IN ICC RANKINGS
Dubai: Riding on his twin centuries in the first Test against Australia, India’s star batsman Virat Kohli has jumped 11 places to be 16th in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings while in-form Murali Vijay also gained eight places. Kohli has been rewarded with 85 ratings points for hitting 115 and 141 in the Adelaide Test. The 26-year-old Kohli dropped to 26th following the conclusion of the series against England in August. He now trails South Africa’s Faf du Plessis by four ratings points, while 14th-ranked New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is 14 ratings points ahead. Smith’s 162 not out and 52 not out has put him inside the top 10 for the first time in his career. Sri lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara comfortably sits on top of the batting table. In the rankings for Test bowlers, Australia off-spinner Nathan lyon has returned to the top 20 after the match figures of 12 for 286, including seven for 152 in the second innings, to gain four places that has put him in 19th position. The bowling table is headed by South African Dale Steyn.
legends All SET FOR T20 MATCH
Melbourne: West Indies cricket legend Brian lara will play alongside Adam Gilchrist, Dean Jones, Justin langer and other Australian legends in the Western Australia Festival of Cricket Twenty20 exhibition match Monday. The WA Festival of Cricket, held at Aquinas College in Perth’s southern suburbs, has revived the famous lilac Hill Festival match that finished in 2008. “The Festival of Cricket presents the public and corporates with a unique opportunity to not only watch a high-quality T20 match in a relaxed, social environment, but also to mix and mingle with many current and past greats of the game,” Gilchrist said. “The chance to run around with a bunch of old mates and pit ourselves against the current BBl Champions is exciting and sure to be entertaining for all.” WA legends Gilchrist and langer will play alongside some of their contemporaries from a golden era for Australian cricket, with Andrew Symonds, Andy Bichel, Michael Kasprowicz and Jimmy Maher among those confirmed. The star-studded legends XI will play a T20 exhibition match against KFC T20 Big Bash league side the Perth Scorchers. The reshuffle of the Australian cricket schedule in the wake of the death of Phillip Hughes also affected this match. The date change has ruled out Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting, and left Matthew Hayden juggling commitments in an attempt to make it.