India v West Indies

MS Dhoni slammed three fours

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India v West Indies

Virat Kohli raises the bat after reaching his fift

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India v West Indies

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma added 133 for the second wicket

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Marlon Samuels was bowled off a ball that kept really low, 1st ODI, Kochi, November 21, 2013

Johnson Charles takes the aerial route, India v West Indies, 1st ODI, Kochi, November 21, 2013

West Indies 161/5 (34.0 ov)

India

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat
   DJ Bravo 7* (10)
    DM Bravo 50* (69)
    SK Raina 10-1-34-3
    RG Sharma 1-0-2-0

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Chris Gayle was in pain after his run out, India v West Indies, 1st ODI, Kochi, November 21, 2013

Chris Gayle was taken off the field on a stretcher, India v West Indies, 1st ODI, Kochi, November 21, 2013

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Sri Lanka vs. New Zealand, 2nd T20: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

New Zealand face Sri Lanka in the final match of their limited overs tour, and there is hope of uninterrupted play after a desperate, weather-affected series.

What: Sri Lanka vs. New Zealand, 2nd Twenty20

Where: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium

When: Thursday, 21 November 2013, 13:30 GMT

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Australia Vs England

 Stuart Broad follows through after removing David Warner, Australia v England, 1st Test, Brisbane, 1st day, November 21, 2013

Australia 201/6 (72.0 ov)

England

Australia won the toss and elected to bat

Day 1 - Session 3

    BJ Haddin 45* (91)
    MG Johnson 39* (96)
    GP Swann 22-4-58-0
    SCJ Broad 17-3-54-4

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India vs West Indies: Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Co. eye ODI domination over Dwayne Bravo-led side

Kochi:  After demolishing the West Indies in Sachin Tendulkar's farewell Test series, the Indian cricket team will look to extend its supremacy in the ODIs as well when the two sides face off in a three-match series starting in Kochi on Thursday.

The 2-0 whitewash against the Caribbean outfit was the perfect send off for the legendary Tendulkar, who called it quits after serving Indian cricket for nearly a quarter of a century.

The emotional curtain call left everyone, including the man of the moment, in tears even taking the focus away from the cricket that was played.

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Pakistan batsmen are likely to face a barrage of short balls now that the two teams will play in South Africa

The South African half of the four-match Twenty20 home and away series between these two teams has arrived but the promise it could have been accompanied with, has not. Pakistan were outplayed in the UAE, in both matches, although the result of the second's suggested it was much closer than it really was.
Batting collapses at the top and tail of their innings have left Pakistan with plenty of repair work to do. They spent two days after their arrival in South Africa training at the Wanderers but decided to take the day before the match off. Still, they've had more preparation time than South Africa, who only regrouped on Tuesday.

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Uthappa returns to boost Karnataka

Robin Uthappa missed the first two games due to injury the Karnataka opening batsman who missed the first two Ranji Trophy games due to a hamstring strain, has been named in the squad for the next two matches. However, allrounder Stuart Binny, who scored a century in the drawn match against Gujarat, is set to miss the next two after injuring his right knee.

The team will be captained by the wicketkeeper CM Gautam, filling in for the regular captain Vinay Kumar, who has been called up to the India ODI squad for the home limited-overs series against West Indies.

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South Africa vs. Pakistan, 1st T20

South Africa vs. Pakistan, 1st T20: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

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Disgraced Sreesanth to tie knot on December 12

Banned Indian pace bowler cricketer S. Sreesanth will tie the nuptial knot on December 12 with a girl from a royal family in Rajasthan at the famous Sri Krishna temple at Guruvayoor.

The disgraced pacer will be marrying Nayan next month at the Guruvayoor Sri Krishna temple, Sreesanth's mother Savithri Devi said on Monday.

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Pakistan focus on batting improvement

For a batting line-up that is struggling and just arrived to play a series in what is widely acknowledged one of the toughest places to make runs, Pakistan have an unusual amount of confidence. Mohammad Hafeez, their T20 captain, said their showing on this soil earlier this year will serve as inspiration for the upcoming series.

"We put up a good show in the shorter formats and we believe in this part of the world, we've done reasonably well.," Hafeez said ahead of the team's first practice session at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Pakistan won the only Twenty20 that was played - the first was a washout - by 95 runs and came back twice in the ODI series to level it at two-all going into the final match, which they lost.

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Shane Watson delivered linking spells usefully in England

"It will just depend on how I continue to go over the next few days and get a gauge on what capacity I'll be able to play. Everything's progressing really well at the moment, but I'm not putting a huge expectation on me being able to bowl a huge amount in the first innings, it is more seeing how it progresses to get the balance right between getting as close to full capacity as I can without heightening the risk of re-injury."

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Rahul Bose and a lot of CELEBRITIES in the crowd BREAK DOWN in happiness. This is undoubtedly the GREATEST FAREWELL TO A CRICKETER!!

Sachin Tendulkar's MARCH is over now. The GOD OF CRICKET goes all the way in the middle of the ground and BOWS DOWN on the pitch. He TOUCHED IT TO HIS EYES and walks back in TEARS again. He takes the FINAL WALK towards the DRESSING ROOM!!

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Sachin Tendulkar broke down in tears at the Wankhede

West Indies were bowled out for 187 runs in the second innings against a superb bowling performance by India. A comprehensive win for India in the end as expected. Tendulkar took his hat off to acknowledge the crowd's cheer before going off. West Indies were already 3 down at the end of Day 2. They were not expected to survive long today and that is exactly what happened. It wasn't all that a bad pitch to bat on, but some poor shot selection by Samuels, Deonarine early on opened the floodgates. Ojha and Ashwin ran through the West Indies lower-order at will. Chanderpaul and Ramdin fighted for a while but the former misread a Ashwin slider which hurt the visitors badly. Ramdin went on to make a fine fifty,

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Tendulkar's last match:

Eminent scientist Prof C.N.R. Rao is the other recipient of the Bharat Ratna.

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Sachin Tendulkar with his children

Sachin Tendulkar with his children, India v West Indies, 2nd Test, Mumbai, 3rd day, November 16, 2013

Sachin Tendulkar was given a lap of honour on the shoulders of his team-mates.


 The curtain came down on Sachin Tendulkar's storied Test career with one of India's most comprehensive victories, as a hapless West Indies crumbled on the third morning in Mumbai. Tendulkar walked off the field with a tear in his eye and to a fluid guard of honour from his team-mates, soaking in the cheers of the Wankhede crowd one last time.

Pragyan Ojha took his second five-for of the match, and Ashwin finished with seven in the match, but the only spin bowling Indian fans wanted to see was the all-sorts of Tendulkar. Ten minutes before the scheduled close of the first session, by when West Indies had lost eight wickets in another inept batting performance, Tendulkar was brought into the attack. Though the crowd was desperate for a wicket, Tendulkar's final two overs produced no breakthrough. MS Dhoni brought back his main bowlers and within a handful of overs, the Test was brought to an end with Mohammed Shami flattening the middle stump of the West Indies No. 11 Shannon Gabriel.

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The crowd at the Wankhede played its part in Sachin Tendulkar's emotional send-off

Sachin Tendulkar is given a guard of honour

The Indian players line up for a team photograph

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West Indies 182 & 187 (47.0 ov) India 495 India won by an innings and 126 runs

The crowd at the Wankhede played its part in Sachin Tendulkar's emotional send-off, India v West Indies, 2nd Test, Mumbai, 3rd day, November 16, 2013

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india vs west indies 2nd test

Darren Sammy was out for a two-ball duck, India v West Indies, 2nd Test, Mumbai, 1st day, November 14, 2013

Kieran Powell punches the ball through the off side, India v West Indies, 2nd Test, Mumbai, 1st day, November 14, 2013 

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel presents Sachin Tendulkar with a portrait, India v West Indies, 2nd Test, Mumbai, 1st day, November 14, 2013
West Indies 182

India 86/2 (15.1 ov)

India trail by 96 runs with 8 wickets remaining in the 1st innings

Day 1 - Session 3
    CA Pujara 8* (6)
    SR Tendulkar 1* (3)
    S Shillingford 4.1-1-18-2
    ST Gabriel 4-0-26-0

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Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th Test Live Score: India vs West Indies, Day 1

WEST INDIES OVERS: 14.over II SCORE: 45/1

Darren Bravo is the new man in the middle. Bhuvi comes round the wicket to Powell in the seventh over. Just a couple off the fifth delivery from the over. Shami continues and facing him is Bravo. And a cold welcome follows as Shami forces the southpaw to duck after pitching the first short. Bravo gets off the mark with a flick to long on boundary for his first four. Just four from the over. The ninth, by Bhuvi, is a maiden. Powell flicks the penultimate delivery of the 10th over, by Shami, to deep midwicket region for his second four. Five runs from it.

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Live Cricket Score: Pakistan vs South Africa, ICC T20 World Cup 2012 Super Eights match at Colombo

Both South Africa and Pakistan will look for a winning start, when they clash in the Super Eights round of the ongoing ICC World Twenty20 tournament on Friday in Colombo.

There is very little to separate the two teams as South Africa lock horns with Pakistan in what is expected to be a battle of attrition in their ICC World Twenty20 Super Eight match on Friday.
Both teams will be equally confident after their emphatic showings in the group stage of the tournament, and it will be interesting to see who emerges winner at the R Premadasa Stadium stadium.

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Sri Lanka 117/1 (20.4 ov) New Zealand

Tillakaratne Dilshan plays the pull, Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 2nd ODI, Hambantota, November 12, 2013



Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat

Match delayed by rain

    TM Dilshan 51* (65)
    KC Sangakkara 55* (52)
    AP Devcich 4.4-0-30-0
    RJ Nicol 2-0-12-0

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South Africa beat Pakistan by 117 runs in the fifth ODI in Sharjah to take the series 4-1

AB de Villiers poses with the winner's trophy, Pakistan v South Africa, 5th ODI, Sharjah, November 11, 2013

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5th ODI: South Africa sets Pakistan target of 269 runs

South African captain AB de Villiers (R) plays a shot during the fifth and final day-night international at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on November 11, 2013. South Africa are winning the five-match series with an unbeatable 3-1 lead
South Africa 268/7 (50.0 ov)

Pakistan

South Africa won the toss and elected to bat

Innings break

    AB de Villiers 115* (102)
    WD Parnell 8* (4)
    Sohail Tanvir 8-0-58-0
    Junaid Khan 9-0-57-2

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Pakistan v South Africa 5th Odi Match

South Africa 46/1 (10.1 ov)

Pakistan

South Africa won the toss and elected to bat

    Pakistan v South Africa ODI Series - 5th ODI
    ODI no. 3433 | 2013/14 season
    Played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium (neutral venue)
    11 November 2013 - day/night (50-over match)

   

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Jaffer hits yet another hundred, Sehwag's dismal run

Wasim Jaffer is only one hundred away from hitting 50 hundreds in first-class cricket
Sehwag's poor run, Venugopal Rao's first hundred in six seasons, Akshar takes maiden five-for
Gujarat v Delhi, Surat
Virender Sehwag scored 1 and 15 in the two opportunities he got in this match; he has now gone 13 first-class innings without hitting a half-century.

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Carberry gains from Flower's ruthless call

path towards an opening batting position in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba highlights how quickly fortunes can change. After launching Australia tour with scores of 78 and 153 not out it seems inevitable that he will now walk out with Alastair Cook having usurped two other men who have held the position this year.

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Sachin Tendulkar's 200th Test: Ticket sales delayed as website crashes

The Kyazoonga website which was supposed to sell the tickets for Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th and final test crashed on Monday morning. The ticket sales were scheduled to start at 11am.
Tickets will be available for Rs 500, Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,500. Only 2 tickets per person can be booked online. According to the instruction issued in the press release, “Redemption/Ticket pick-up counters will be open at the Mumbai Hockey Association starting November 12, 2013. In order to facilitate easy and convenient pick-ups, counters will be open from 8am to 3pm. It is recommended that tickets be picked up before match days to avoid rush and potential delays on match day.”

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Pakistan vs. South Africa, 5th ODI: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

After winning the fourth ODI by 28 runs, South Africa wrapped up a series win, meaning the final match in Sharjah is a dead rubber. This provides an interesting conundrum for the visitors, who might be tempted to rest some of their senior players and field some of their youngsters instead.

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India vs West Indies Stats: Mohammed Shami records best match figures by an Indian pacer on debut

Statistical highlights at the end of the first cricket Test between India and West Indies in Kolkata:

# India have recorded their 15th win vs West Indies (lost 30 and drawn 44 out of 89 contested) - winning % 16.85.

# India and West Indies have won three Tests each out of ten played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata (drawn four).

# Overall, India have won eleven and lost 9 out of 39 played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata (Drawn 19).

# Of the last four Tests played by India at Eden Gardens, they have won three by an innings margin - two vs West Indies (November 2011 andFebruary 2010). In between India lost to England by seven wickets at this venue in December 2012.

# Having won the series vs Australia by 4-0 this year, India have won five Tests in a row for the first time.as become the first Indian skipper to register 25 Test wins - winning % 52.08 (lost twelve and drawn eleven out of 48 played).

# Under Dhoni's captaincy, India have won eight Tests by an innings, emulating Mohammad Azharuddin's feat.

# Mohammed Shami is the third Indian speedster to capture five wickets or more in an innings on Test debut.

# Shami's excellent figures of five for 47 are the second best by an Indian fast bowler on Test debut, next only to Abid Ali's 6 for 55 vs Australia at Adelaide in December 1967. Mohammad Nissar is the only other Indian fast bowler to take five wickets on Test debut - 5 for 93 vs England at Lords's in June 1932.

# Shami's match figures of 9 for 118 are the best by an Indian speedster on Test debut, outstripping Munaf Patel's seven for 97 vs England at Mohali in March 2006.

# Shami's match figures are the second best by an Indian bowler on Test debut, next only to Narendra Hirwani's 16 for 136 vs West Indies at Chennai in January 1988.

# Shami's break-up of his 26 international wickets are - caught 12, bowled 11 and lbw 3.

# Rohit Sharma, with his 177 off 301 balls, has established a record for the highest individual innings by a number six batsman on Test debut, outstripping Australia's Doug Walters' 155 off 315 balls vs England at Brisbane in December 1965.

# Rohit's aforesaid innings is the second highest by an Indian batsman on Test debut, next only to the 187 by Shikhar Dhawan vs Australia at Mohali in March this year.

# Rohit is the fifth Indian player to be adjudged the Man of the Match on Test debut - the other four being Pravin Amre, R.P.Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin and Shikhar Dhawan.

# Ravichandran Ashwin (124 off 210 balls) has recorded a career-best score - his second century in Tests - both against the West Indies - his first was 103 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai in November 2011.

# Ashwin's aforesaid innings is the third highest by number eight batsman for India in Tests - the top two being Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 144 vs West Indies in November 2011 and 132 not out vs South Africa in February 2010 - both at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

# Ashwin is now the fourth Indian batsman to register two centuries as number eight batsman in Tests - the first three being Kapil Dev, Harbhajan Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

# Overall 14 hundreds at number eighth position have been recorded for India in Tests.

# Ashwin's match figures of 124 and five wickets are his second best as an all-rounder in Tests, next only to the 117 (103 + 14) and 9 for 190 runs vs West Indies in the 2011-12 Mumbai Test. His other instance of 100 runs and five wickets in the match being - 112 (21 + 91*) and five for 214 vs England at Kolkata in December 2012.

# Besides being the Indian only all-rounder to post a hundred in an innings and claim five wickets or more in the same match twice, four other all-rounders have accomplished the feat once each for India in Tests - Vinoo Mankad, Polly Umrigar, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.

# Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, with their 280-run stand, have established a seventh-wicket partnership record for India in Tests, obliterating the 259 (unbroken) between VVS Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni vs South Africa at Kolkata in February 2010.

# Overall, five partnerships of 200-plus have been registered for India for the seventh wicket in Tests. The tally includes three vs West Indies. Dhoni and Laxman had recorded 224 in the 2011-12 Kolkata Test - the previous highest seventh-wicket partnership for India vs West Indies.

# The 280-run partnership is now the highest by any pair for the seventh wicket vs West Indies in Tests. In fact, all three 200-plus stands for the seventh wicket against West Indies have been recorded by the Indian pairs.

# A new record has been established by India's number 6, 7 and 8 batsmen in the same innings - their combined tally of 343 is an Indian record, obliterating the 295 vs Pakistan at Bangalore in 2007-08.

# The tally of 343 is now the joint-fourth highest by number 6, 7 and 8 in the same innings in the history of Test cricket - the highest being 428 by Australia vs England at Melbourne in 1936-37.

# Shane Shillingford has captured five wickets or more in an innings five times in Tests - his first instance away from home.

# Shillingford's figures of 6 for 167 are his third best in Tests, next only to the 6 for 49 vs Zimbabwe at Bridgetown in March 2013 and 6 for 119 vs Australia at Roseau in April 2012.

# Shillingford is the eighth West Indian spinner to take five wickets in an innings vs India - the last to do so was Carl Hooper at Nagpur in December 1994. Lance Gibbs has achieved the feat four times vs India in Tests.

# Shillingford's figures are the best by a West Indian spinner at Eden Gardens, eclipsing Lance Gibbs' figures of five for 51 in the 1966-67 Test.

# Apart from two West Indian spinners, three other West Indian bowlers have claimed five wickets or more in an innings against India at Eden Gardens - Roy Gilchrist, Malcolm Marshall and Andy Roberts.

# Shillingford (55-9-167-6) has earned a dubious distinction by conceding most number of runs by a West Indian bowler vs India in a Test innings, eclipsing Dave Mohammed's figures of 29.5-3-162-3 at St.John's in June 2006.

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India Vs West Indies

West Indies 234 & 168 (54.1 ov)

India 453

India won by an innings and 51 runs

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West Indis Vs India

Rohit Sharma acknowledges the crowd after making a ton on his Test debut, India v West Indies, 1st Test, Kolkata, 2nd day, November 7, 2013 

R Ashwin celebrates his half-century, India v West Indies, 1st Test, Kolkata, 2nd day, November 7, 2013

West Indies 234

India 354/6 (102.0 ov)

India lead by 120 runs with 4 wickets remaining in the 1st innings

Stumps - Day 2

• RG Sharma 127* (228)
• R Ashwin 92* (148)
• V Permaul 20-1-54-0
• S Shillingford 41-8-130-4

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Bangladesh v New Zealand, 2nd ODI, Mirpur, October 31, 2013

 Mahmudullah clips one off his hips, Bangladesh v New Zealand, 2nd ODI, Mirpur, October 31, 2013

Bangladesh 247 (49.0 ov)
New Zealand  Bangladesh 247 (49.0 ov)  New Zealand  Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat  Innings break      Abdur Razzak 4* (4)     Corey J Anderson 9-1-40-4     JDS Neesham 10-0-53-4  Mahmudullah clips one off his hips,
Innings break
    Abdur Razzak 4* (4)
    Corey J Anderson 9-1-40-4
    JDS Neesham 10-0-53-4

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India vs Australia, 6th ODI highlights: Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawa n tons help India draw series level 2-2

Virat Kohli after the match: "I told Shikhar to bat through and decided to take a few chances. Once he got out, I took over and it was important to finish the game. Plan was to play out Mitchell Johnson, we knew he was going for wickets. I always plan my game. It will be good game in Bengaluru."
honi the ultimate finisher, does it again for India. After hitting a four on the second ball, Dhoni drills it towards extra cover, who parries it and Dhoni takes two runs to finish things off. India (351/4 in 49.3 overs) snatch romp to a 6-wicket win. Kohli is unbeaten on 115 from 66 balls. Dhoni 25* off 23 balls.
Virat Kohli smashes his 17th ODI century, in just 61 balls, the third fastest by an Indian. India 331/4, need 20 runs from 12 balls.

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6th ODI: India v Australia at Nagpur

Shane Watson struck three sixes, India v Australia, 6th ODI, Nagpur, October 30, 2013

 George Bailey and Shane Watson gave India a lot of worries, 6th ODI, Nagpur, October 30, 2013
 

Australia 317/4 (46.2 ov)

India

India won the toss and elected to field

    GJ Bailey 143* (104)
    AC Voges 26* (26)
    Mohammed Shami 7.2-1-60-1
    RA Jadeja 9-0-61-0

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India vs Australia 6th ODI Match Details, Nagpur 30 Oct, Wed

 In this post we will give you, India vs Australia 6th ODI Match Details, Time Tables, Weather Report, Stadium Condition, Pitch Report, Teams Squad, Series Schedule, Ticket Price, Rate of Ticket, points table, advance booking online of match tickets and much more what are you expecting with us. 6th ODI match will be play between Ind vs Aus, rest details of match and series results are also available below:

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Sehwag 219 For 149 Balls Vs West Indies Highlights From Er..

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Chris Gayle Fastest Century!! - Ball by Ball

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Ricky Ponting 140* - 2003 World Cup Final Vs India

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De Villiers back to No. 1 spot in Tests

South Africa batsman AB de Villiers has regained the No. 1 spot in the Test rankings for batsmen, overtaking team-mate Hashim Amla, who missed the second Test against Pakistan. De Villiers, who last held the top spot in April 2012, earned 27 rating points for his 164 in Dubai to finish at a career-best 909. Amla had been at the top since February, when he overtook Australia captain Michael Clarke.

Graeme Smith jumped seven places to eighth position, returning to the top ten for the first time since April 2012 courtesy his double-hundred in South Africa's first Test series since February. Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq also moved up the rankings, gaining one place to a career-best sixth after he scored a hundred in the first Test and 88 in the second in Dubai. Middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq's 130 took him up eight places to 17th.

Bangladesh batsman Tamim Iqbal jumped up by nine places to 31st, and Mominul Haque leapt up 17 places to land just behind Tamim after a hundred in each of the Tests against New Zealand.

There were no changes in the top 10 Test bowlers, with Dale Steyn and Vernon Phiander leading the table.

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McCullum, Taylor to miss SL tour

   

Brendon McCullum, the New Zealand captain, and Ross Taylor will miss the limited-overs tour to Sri Lanka, which starts on November 10, in order to prepare for the home series against West Indies. Kane Williamson will lead New Zealand in the three ODIs and two T20Is in Sri Lanka. Luke Ronchi and Ian Butler will replace McCullum and Taylor in the squad.

Bruce Edgar, New Zealand Cricket's general manager - national selection, said the pair will not travel to Sri Lanka so that they can have "red-ball preparation" ahead of the home series against West Indies. New Zealand are scheduled to play three Tests, five ODIs and two T20Is against West Indies, between December 3 and January 15, 2014. This will be followed by a home series against India, comprising five ODIs and two Tests, between January 19 and February 18, 2014.

"Ross and Brendon need red-ball preparation to be at their best for the summer," Edgar said. "Both players are vital to our success and fine-tuning their red-ball skills before the West Indies series starting in early December is paramount."

McCullum and Ross will play in the Plunket Shield, New Zealand's first-class competition, and are also likely to feature in a few games for New Zealand XI before the first Test against West Indies on December 3.

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India vs Australia, 5th ODI: Rain threat over Barabati as India seek to clinch series

Cuttack: Fear of another washout looms large as India take on Australia in the fifth ODI here on Saturday, faced with the challenge of winning the remaining three games to clinch the seven-match bilateral cricket series.

The visitors held on to the 2-1 lead as rain had the final say in the fourth ODI in Ranchi and it could well be a similar result on Saturday given the bad weather.

The ground reality here is in fact grimmer due to torrential rains for the last four days following the formation of a low-pressure area in the the Andhra-Telengana region. The Met department has forecast more showers in the next couple of days.

The pitches in the centre are under a three-layer cover with certain patches in the ground still damp and water-logged to deny both the teams practice on the eve of the match.

The groundsmen were the ones in action working overtime to make the stadium ready as hosts Odisha Cricket Association were fearing a repeat of 1996, when a match between both the teams was washed out without a ball being bowled.

"It rained heavily the pitches are covered with a width of 30ft and are intact. If the rain stops today, we can get the ground ready," local curator Pankaj Patnaik said.

The OCA, which is hosting an ODI for the first time since November 29, 2011 when India won against the West Indies by one wicket, has grand plans of drying up the field using choppers but more rain could hamper that.

Despite the non-stop showers for the last four days, tickets for the 45,000-capacity stadium have almost been sold out.

Starved of International cricket, the excitement was palpable in this part of the country as large number of fans gathered both at the airport and team hotel yesterday to catch glimpse of the stars.

After being thrashed 0-4 by India in the Test series earlier this year, Australia have come back strongly in the ongoing ODIs and their batsmen have shown they are not intimidated by big totals.India`s wayward bowling and fielding has only helped the visitors` cause.

After India's resounding victory chasing down 360 by nine wickets, the home side while defending a stiff 304 was severely let down by a disastrous 30-run 48th over by Ishant Sharma in Mohali, something that has become the talking point of the series.

The lanky pacer was omitted along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and replacement Shami Ahmed showed fine promise bowling consistently around the 140kph mark extracting excellent swing and recording a career-best 3/42 haul in Ranchi.

It was for the first time in the series the dangerous Aussie top-order was troubled by pace as Shami's fine in-swing castled Aaron Finch and Shane Watson.

The performance would certainly guarantee Shami a place in the remaining matches of the series but other bowlers' performance is something to ponder about.

Left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, the second replacement in the fourth ODI, hardly troubled the Aussies with his slow pace but an economical Bhuvneshwar should be a better ploy in the pace attack.

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