Cricket

The ICC World Test Championship standings are heating up, with India and Australia neck-and-neck at the top. India currently holds a slim lead with 62.82% of possible points, while Australia trails closely behind with 62.50%.India's remaining schedule includes a home Test against New Zealand and a five-Test series in Australia. Despite recent setbacks against New Zealand, India can still finish with a maximum of 74.56% of points. The upcoming series against Australia will be crucial for their chances of reaching a third consecutive World Test Championship final.Australia, the reigning champions, need to win at least four of their remaining seven Tests to defend their title. They have the advantage of playing two Tests in Sri Lanka next year, which could potentially allow them to draw 2-2 with India and still remain in contention for the final. However, their immediate focus will be on regaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home, where they have struggled against India in recent years.Sri Lanka, South Africa, and New Zealand are also in the mix for a top-two finish. Sri Lanka's victory over England has given them hope, but they face challenging series against South Africa and Australia. New Zealand's historic series win in India has put them back in contention, but they will likely need to win all four of their remaining Tests. South Africa's success in the sub-continent has boosted their chances, and they have the advantage of playing four matches at home.England, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the West Indies are currently out of contention for the final, but they will be looking to finish the cycle on a positive note with strong performances in their remaining matches.

The third and final ODI between Sri Lanka and West Indies commenced with West Indies captain Shai Hope electing to bowl first. The West Indies made two changes to their lineup, bringing in Evin Lewis and Matthew Forde, while Sri Lanka remained unchanged.Matthew Forde opened the bowling for West Indies and immediately impressed, conceding only 1 run in his first over. However, Jayden Seales struggled at the other end, conceding 14 runs in his first two overs. Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando got Sri Lanka off to a solid start, scoring 24 runs in the first four overs.Seales finally found his rhythm in the fifth over, bowling a maiden. However, Nissanka broke the shackles in the next over, hitting a boundary off Alzarri Joseph. Fernando joined the party in the seventh over, smashing a glorious four off Seales.Forde continued to impress, bowling another maiden in the eighth over. Nissanka and Fernando kept the scoreboard ticking, adding 20 runs in the next three overs. Seales returned to the attack in the 12th over and conceded another boundary to Nissanka.The West Indies bowlers struggled to contain the Sri Lankan openers, who reached 50 runs in the 13th over. Nissanka and Fernando continued to dominate, scoring boundaries at regular intervals. Seales finally broke the partnership in the 17th over, dismissing Nissanka for 32.Fernando continued to play aggressively, hitting another boundary off Joseph in the 18th over. However, he was dismissed in the next over by Seales, caught by King for 24. Sri Lanka reached 80 runs in the 20th over, with Charith Asalanka and Dinesh Chandimal at the crease.

In the third and final ODI of the series in Pallekele, West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran elected to field first after winning the toss. Sri Lanka, who hold an unassailable 2-0 lead, will bat first for the first time on a surface expected to favor spin.Sri Lanka has made two changes to their lineup, bringing back opener Pathum Nissanka and seamer Dilshan Madushanka. Nishan Madushka and Dunith Wellalage have been omitted, resulting in Sri Lanka fielding two frontline seamers for the first time in the series."He impressed me a lot," said Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka of Madushka. "He didn't play as a debutant, he played as a mature player. I think he'll do a lot of things for the country."West Indies, on the other hand, has made three changes, with batters Evin Lewis and Jewel Andrew, and fast-bowler Matthew Forde joining the team. Seventeen-year-old Andrew will make his international debut, while Lewis returns to ODI cricket for the first time since July 2021. Alick Athanaze, Romario Shepherd, and Hayden Walsh have been dropped.The match will be played on a fresh pitch with relatively even square boundaries. Spin will be a factor, but it is expected to be slower, with the ball potentially sliding onto the bat as the evening progresses. There is a possibility of rain during the game.

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka LIVE Updates: India-Pakistan Final Looms in ACC Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia CupThe stage is set for a potential India vs Pakistan final in the ACC Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup on Sunday. However, both teams must first overcome their respective semi-final opponents, Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan, on Saturday.Pakistan Shaheens, the defending champions, will face Sri Lanka A in the first semi-final at the Al-Amerat Ground in Oman. The two teams have met twice in the tournament so far, with Pakistan winning both encounters.Sri Lanka A, led by Charith Asalanka, will be looking to avenge those defeats and reach their first final in the competition. They have been in impressive form throughout the tournament, winning four of their five matches.Pakistan Shaheens, captained by Mohammad Haris, will be confident of continuing their winning streak. They have a well-balanced team with a strong batting lineup and a potent bowling attack.The second semi-final will see India A take on Afghanistan. India A, led by Yash Dhull, have been the most dominant team in the tournament, winning all five of their matches. They will be the favorites to reach the final.Afghanistan, led by Noor Ahmad, will be hoping to cause an upset. They have shown glimpses of their potential in the tournament, but they will need to play their best cricket to beat India A.The winner of the two semi-finals will meet in the final on Sunday. A repeat of last year's final, when Pakistan beat India to win the Emerging Asia Cup title, is a possibility.

Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka led his team to a convincing five-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second ODI at Pallekele, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Chasing a revised target of 190 in 44 overs due to rain, Sri Lanka lost early wickets but recovered through a 62-run partnership between Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama. Asalanka then took charge, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 62 off 61 deliveries, including seven fours and a six. He shared a crucial 55-run stand with Janith Liyanage to guide Sri Lanka home with 34 balls to spare.Earlier, the West Indies were in dire straits at 58-8 after being put in to bat. However, a record-breaking ninth-wicket partnership between Sherfane Rutherford and Gudakesh Motie rescued them. Rutherford, dropped twice, smashed 80 off 82 balls, while Motie contributed an unbeaten 50. Their 119-run stand eclipsed the previous highest ninth-wicket partnership for the West Indies in ODIs.Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, claiming 4-40 on a challenging pitch.Asalanka's match-winning knock marked his second consecutive half-century in the series, following his 77 in the first ODI. The victory extended Sri Lanka's impressive home record, with this being their tenth consecutive home series win.The third and final ODI will be played at the same venue on Saturday, with Sri Lanka aiming to complete a clean sweep.

Sri Lanka Opt to Bowl First in Rain-Shortened Second ODI Against West IndiesIn a rain-affected second ODI, Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and elected to bowl first against West Indies. The toss was delayed by over two hours due to drizzle, and the match was reduced to a 44-overs-a-side affair.Asalanka explained that his decision was based on his team's preference to chase, especially in a match where Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculations could come into play. West Indies captain Shai Hope also indicated that he would have chosen to bowl first.West Indies, trailing 1-0 in the series, fielded an unchanged lineup from their previous loss. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, replaced legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay with mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana.Sri Lanka Team:* Nishan Madushka* Avishka Fernando* Kusal Mendis (wk)* Sadeera Samarawickrama* Charith Asalanka (capt)* Janith Liyanage* Kamindu Mendis* Wanindu Hasranga* Dunith Wellalage* Asitha Fernando* Maheesh TheekshanaWest Indies Team:* Alick Athanaze* Brandon King* Keacy Carty* Shai Hope (capt, wk)* Sherfane Rutherford* Roston Chase* Romario Shepherd* Hayden Walsh* Gudakesh Motie* Jayden Seales* Alzarri JosephThe match commenced with West Indies batting first, aiming to level the series. Sri Lanka's bowlers will be tasked with containing the West Indian batters and building on their advantage in the series.

Mitchell Santner has been appointed as New Zealand's interim captain for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, scheduled for November. The 15-man squad includes two debutants: bowling allrounder Nathan Smith and wicketkeeper-batter Mitchell Hay.Smith, 25, has impressed with his performances for Wellington in domestic white-ball competitions, earning him the NZC's Men's Domestic Player of the Year award in March. Hay, who made his New Zealand A debut last year, has also shown promise.The pace attack will be led by Lockie Ferguson, supported by Smith, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, and Josh Clarkson. Tim Robinson, who excelled on his maiden international tour to Pakistan, has also been included.Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips will provide spin-bowling allround support, while Dean Foxcroft offers offspin options. Legspinner Ish Sodhi, with 117 T20I appearances, brings experience to the squad.Glenn Phillips, Will Young, and Henry Nicholls will bolster the batting lineup. Nicholls had a strong Ford Trophy campaign last summer, scoring 301 runs in six games.Six members of the New Zealand Test squad in India will join the white-ball team in Sri Lanka after the conclusion of the third Test in Mumbai. The New Zealand-based players will depart for Sri Lanka on November 4 ahead of the first T20I in Dambulla on November 9.Chief selector Sam Wells emphasized the importance of building depth for future events, including the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025 and the 2027 ODI World Cup.Head coach Gary Stead will lead the group, assisted by bowling coach Jacob Oram. Former England international James Foster will rejoin New Zealand as their batting coach, while Luke Ronchi focuses on the start of the New Zealand home summer.

West Indies' tour of Sri Lanka has been marred by controversy over the state of the pitches, with the visitors expressing dissatisfaction with the turning tracks prepared for the T20I series. Coach Daren Sammy claimed a "moral victory" for his team, suggesting that their performance forced Sri Lanka to produce more favorable conditions for the second and third matches.However, in the first ODI in Pallekele, West Indies faced another challenging surface, compounded by unfavorable weather conditions. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the team's innings was interrupted by rain in the 39th over. The delay not only prevented Sri Lanka's bowlers from bowling with a wet ball but also forced West Indies to contend with a slippery ball throughout the second innings.Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka acknowledged the impact of the wet ball on his team's victory, while debutant Nishan Madushka, who played a crucial role in the match-winning partnership, echoed this sentiment. He noted that the West Indies bowlers struggled to grip the ball, resulting in reduced turn on the wicket.Despite the challenging conditions, West Indies' bowlers initially dominated, taking three wickets in the first three overs. However, Madushka and Asalanka's partnership turned the tide in Sri Lanka's favor. The batters repeatedly hit the ball into waterlogged areas, significantly altering the condition of the ball. West Indies' bowlers appealed to the umpires to change the balls, but their requests were denied.Sri Lanka's strategy of prolonging the game until bowling became more difficult proved effective. Madushka revealed that Asalanka instructed the team to drag the game to 20 or 25 overs before reassessing. This positive mindset contributed to his own performance and the team's eventual victory.With the remaining two ODIs also scheduled to be played in Pallekele, conditions are likely to continue playing a significant role in the outcome. From West Indies' perspective, they have faced a substantial disadvantage thus far on the tour.

West Indies Opt to Bat First in ODI Series Opener Against Sri LankaIn the first of three ODIs at Pallekele, West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka. The decision came after Sri Lanka's 2-1 victory in the T20I leg of the tour.Hope expressed his team's determination to put the T20 series disappointment behind them, while Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka also indicated his preference for batting first.Sri Lanka's team features three spinners in Wanindu Hasaranga, Jeffrey Vandersay, and Dunith Wellalage, along with Asitha Fernando as the lone seamer. Janith Liyanage provides additional medium-pace options. Notably, star opener Pathum Nissanka is absent due to a quadricep injury, with Nishan Madushka making his ODI debut in his place.West Indies have also opted for an additional spin option in leg-spinner Hayden Walsh, joining Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase. Alick Athanaze offers another spin option, while Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph, and Romario Shepherd provide seam bowling.The Pallekele pitch has traditionally favored seam bowling, but its current dry condition with visible tracks suggests that spin will play a significant role. However, the slow turn expected may encourage batters to work the outfielders on the spacious ground.Sri Lanka XI:* Nishan Madushka* Kusal Mendis (wk)* Avishka Fernando* Kamindu Mendis* Charith Asalanka (capt)* Sadeera Samarawickrama* Janith Liyanage* Wanindu Hasaranga* Dunith Wellalage* Jeffrey Vandersay* Asitha FernandoWest Indies XI:* Brandon King* Alick Athanaze* Shai Hope (capt, wk)* Keacy Carty* Sherfane Rutherford* Roston Chase* Romario Shepherd* Hayden Walsh* Gudakesh Motie* Jayden Seales* Alzarri Joseph