In a thrilling ODI match against South Africa, Kamran Ghulam's sensational 63 off 32 balls propelled Pakistan to a hefty total of 329 runs. Captain Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam also contributed with solid innings, while debutant Kwena Maphaka put up an impressive bowling performance for the Proteas. However, it was not enough to stop Pakistan from taking the lead in the series.
The third Test match between India and Australia ended in a draw due to persistent rain in Brisbane. Despite Australia dominating with both bat and ball, India's resilient performance in the second innings helped them avoid the follow-on. This result means that both teams earned 4 points each in the ongoing World Test Championship. However, India's and Australia's percentage points have dropped slightly, keeping them at the 3rd and 2nd positions respectively in the WTC points table.
Despite facing a daunting collapse in the first innings and the loss of key players due to injuries, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma did not give up hope in the third Test against Australia at the Gabba. After the match ended in a draw, with Australia failing to chase down the target, Rohit reflected on his team's resilient spirit and fighting mentality. Despite the challenges, the Indian team showed determination and never stopped fighting, leaving an indelible mark on the epic match.
In the ongoing third Test between India and Australia, star Indian youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal was caught out by Mitchell Starc just two balls into India's first innings. Earlier in the day, Jaiswal had been practicing a shot that seemed to have a plan to counter Starc's new ball threat. However, in a twist of fate, the ball ended up hitting the leg of a Cricket Australia cameraman. Former England captain Michael Vaughan took a sly dig at Jaiswal's dismissal, while former India coach Ravi Shastri couldn't believe the field placement that led to the downfall of the promising batter.
In what was supposed to be the first of three ODIs between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, the match had to be abandoned due to continuous showers throughout the day. After a delay in the toss and a brief period of clear skies, the game was reduced to 28 overs per side. However, after only 10 overs into the first innings, players were once again forced off the field due to rain. The second game of the series will now be played on the 19th of this month.
Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi is on the verge of breaking Wasim Akram's record for the most wickets by a Pakistani bowler against South Africa in international cricket. As the first ODI of the three-match series begins today, Afridi needs just four more wickets to surpass Akram's 48 wickets in 31 innings. This could be a significant milestone for Afridi, who has been in impressive form in ODIs and will play a crucial role in Pakistan's attempt to recover from their T20I series loss to South Africa.
On Day 4 of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India faced a difficult task as they tried to claw back after Australia's first-innings lead. KL Rahul's 84 runs kept them in the game, but Nathan Lyon's bowling caused regular wickets. Rain delayed the match with Ravindra Jadeja playing a strong role, remaining unbeaten at 52. As India looks for a strong partnership, Australia will strive to take control of the game.
As India hoped to close in on Australia's first innings total, Rohit Sharma's short-lived knock and subsequent gloves-throwing act became the talking point of Day 4. With his current form in question, cricket fans speculated if this was a sign of Rohit's potential retirement from the format. While teammate Cheteshwar Pujara blamed the change in batting position for Rohit's struggles, KL Rahul stepped up with a strong innings to keep India's fight alive in the third Test.
New Zealand cricket captain Kane Williamson made his comeback with a bang as he slammed his 33rd Test century in the ongoing New Zealand vs England 3rd Test at Seddon Park, Hamilton. His knock of 156, along with help from his team, put up a daunting target of 658 runs against England in the fourth innings. Williamson also became the first New Zealand player to reach 5000 runs in Test cricket, placing him among top players like Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, and Steve Smith.
Mitchell Starc's attacking approach paid off as he took six wickets on the opening day of the pink-ball Test against India, dismissing them for 180 runs. The left-arm pace spearhead's strategy of hitting the stumps worked well, with his first ball dismissing centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal. Starc warned that they would need to stay focused as Jaiswal had bounced back in the second innings of the previous Test.