​India puts its number-one ranking on the line - Series winner will be the Number 1 T20 Team !!!!

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India puts its number-one ranking on the line

ICC World Twenty20 2016 host India and defending champion Sri Lanka go head to head in a three-match T20 International series in Pune on Wednesday with the number-one ranking on the MRF Tyres ICC T20I Championship table up for grabs.

India, which vaulted seven places to first after sweeping aside Australia last week, needs to win the series against Sri Lanka to retain the coveted position. In contrast, Sri Lanka will also aim to win the series, which will help it leapfrog India and the West Indies into the top spot.

With the ICC World Twenty20 2016 starting in less than four weeks, this series is extremely crucial for both sides. India and Sri Lanka will not only aim to find the winning combination and momentum, but also target entering the tournament as the number-one ranked side, which will serve as an additional confidence-booster.

Following this series, India and Sri Lanka will feature in the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh before launching their ICC World Twenty20 campaigns on 15 and 17 March respectively. Sri Lanka will defend the title it won in Bangladesh in 2014 in the tournament to be staged from 8 March to 3 April, while India will try to repeat its ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 glory when it lifted the most prestigious trophy in the sport in front of its fans in Mumbai.

The following are the series permutations:

• If India wins 3-0 – India (1^st) 127; Sri Lanka (7^th) 112
• If India wins 2-1 – India (1^st) 122; Sri Lanka (4th) 116
• If Sri Lanka wins 2-1 – India (3^rd) 117; Sri Lanka (1^st) 121
• If Sri Lanka wins 3-0 – India (7^th) 112; Sri Lanka (1^st) 125

The MRF Tyres ICC T20I predictor function is available here here.

Meanwhile, India has rested number-one ranked T20I batsman Virat Kohli, which means his team-mate Suresh Raina will start as the highest-ranked batsman in 13^th position. Other batsmen featuring inside the top 20 include Tillakaratne Dilshan (14^th), Rohit Sharma (17^th) and Yuvraj Singh (20^th).

India captain MS Dhoni is 38^th, 108 points behind Yuvraj, while Shikhar Dhawan is 87^th and Ajinkya Rahane 89^th.

Among bowlers, India's Ravichandran Ashwin will start in second place, 81 points behind number-one ranked Sunil Narine of the West Indies, while Lasith Malinga is sixth, Nuwan Kulasekara is 10^th and Ravindra Jadeja is 18^th.

Bowlers outside the top 20 include Bhuvneshwar Kumar (38^th), Harbhajan Singh (56^th), Thisara Perera (59^th) and Dilshan (104^th).

In the all-rounders' list, Yuvraj will enter the series in seventh position, 15 points behind fifth-ranked Mathews, who has been rested. Australia's Shane Watson is ranked number one, 89 points ahead of Yuvraj.

Series schedule:

India v Sri Lanka

9 Feb – 1^st T20I, Pune

12 Feb – 2^nd T20I, Ranchi

14 Feb – 3^rd T20I, Visakhapatnam

MRF Tyres ICC T20I Championship (as of 7 February, before the start of India-Sri Lanka series)

RANK            TEAM                        POINTS

1          India                120

2          West Indies     118

3          Sri Lanka         118

4          England           117

5          New Zealand  116

6          South Africa   115

7          Pakistan           113

8          Australia          110

9          Afghanistan    80

10        Scotland          69

11        Bangladesh     64

12        Hong Kong     62

13        Netherlands     59

14        Zimbabwe       54

15        Ireland             54

16        UAE                14

(Developed by David Kendix)

MRF Tyres ICC T20I Rankings

Batsmen (top 10)

Rank      Player                   Team     Pts          Ave         HS Rating

   1           Virat Kohli            Ind          892         50.62     897 v Eng at Edgbaston 2014

   2           Aaron Finch          Aus         868         41.61     892 v Ban at Mirpur 2014

   3           Alex Hales            Eng         795         34.71     866 v Ind at Edgbaston 2014

   4           Faf du Plessis        SA           758         39.28     843 v Ban at Mirpur 2015

   5           Martin Guptill       NZ          741         34.70     793 v SA at Hamilton 2012

   6           Kane Williamson NZ          733         36.69     737 v Pak at Hamilton 2016

   7           Chris Gayle           WI          703         35.15     831 v Aus at Colombo (RPS) 2012

   8           H. Masakadza     Zim         699!       31.42     699 v Ban at Khulna 2016

   9           M. Shahzad          Afg         681!       30.86     681 v Zim at Sharjah 2016

  10         Kusal Perera         SL           678*      27.09     751 v SA at Chittagong 2014

Bowlers (top 10)

Rank      Player                   Team     Pts          Avge      Econ      HS Rating

   1           Sunil Narine          WI          773         17.75     5.69       817 v Pak at St. Vincent 2013

   2           R. Ashwin              Ind          692         26.45     7.27       717 v SA at Mirpur 2014

   3           Shahid Afridi        Pak         672         23.90     6.60       814 v SL at Colombo (RPS) 2009

   4           S. Senanayake     SL           671*      17.45     6.19       712 v Eng at The Oval 2014

   5           Graeme Cremer   Zim         669!       16.59     6.72       669 v Ban at Khulna 2016

   6           Lasith Malinga     SL           657         21.02     7.27       684 v WI at Colombo (RPS) 2015

   7           M. McClenaghan NZ          643!       25.80     7.68       643 v Pak at Wellington 2016

   8           Imran Tahir          SA           641*      15.77     6.45       675 v WI at Johannesburg 2015

   9           Dawlat Zadran     Afg         636!       18.83     7.35       636 v Zim at Sharjah 2016

  10         N. Kulasekara      SL           628         23.43     7.25       676 v Aus at Melbourne 2013

All-rounders (top five)

Rank      Player                   Team     Pts          HS Rating

   1           Shane Watson      Aus         363        557 v SA at Colombo (RPS) 2012

   2           Shakib Al Hasan Ban        349        408 v Pak at Mirpur 2015

   3           Shahid Afridi        Pak         330        413 v NZ at Dubai 2009

   4           M. Hafeez             Pak         303        441 v SL at Dubai 2013

   5           Angelo Mathews  SL           289!       289 v NZ at New Plymouth 2016

India looks stronger but Australia plans for a comeback revenge : Melbourne T20

Melbourne: High on confidence after winning the first Twenty20 International, India will look to press home the advantage and seal off the three-match series when they take on Australia in the second T20I here on Friday.

Having won the first of the three-T20I series by 37 runs to take a 1-0 lead, India find themselves ahead of the hosts for the first time on this tour, a position of confidence that they didn’t enjoy for the duration of the ODI series.

The ‘Men in Blue’ would be keen to close the series out early, so that they get a chance to experiment in the last match in Sydney.

However, that will be an after-thought at best, if at all. Right now, the Indian team management would want to keep this turn in fortunes going.

Winning the last ODI in Sydney provided some relief to the beleaguered travellers, and then the win in the previous match in Adelaide has given their last week on tour some impetus.

Hitting the right balance for the playing eleven has been the concern for the Indian team. They tried doing so earlier in the series, bringing in Gurkeerat Mann and Rishi Dhawan, and leaving out the additional spinner.

Two spinners in the team hadn’t provided captain MS Dhoni the control he needed in the middle overs, and though that change in selection didn’t bring about the desired results, the youngsters impressed enough to stay on for the T20Is.

Perhaps it provided the basis for the management to understand where their strength lies, and thus, when Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina joined the ranks for T20Is, there was no hesitancy in picking them for the Adelaide game straightaway.

Picking the duo allowed Dhoni the freedom to choose his bowling attack as per both experience and requirements, devoid of the baggage of the ODI series.

Ravichandran Ashwin duly returned to the side, and along with Ravindra Jadeja, gave a precursor of things to come in the sub-continent in the next two months.

And with Jasprit Bumrah impressing on debut, it gave the management further confidence to draft in Hardik Pandya as well, banking on extra overs that Yuvraj-Raina could bowl if need be.

Thus, it will take a major upheaval in their plans, or even a freak injury in the build-up to tomorrow’s game for India to break away from this combination.

With their bowling problems looking sorted at the moment, the batting order picks itself, given that Ajinkya Rahane is not yet back to full fitness.

The Mumbai batsman only took light throw downs in the nets near the end of the session. Thus, Dhoni would not be able to fit him in the eleven immediately.

The skipper had happily accepted a problem of plenty post the Adelaide win, but failed to specify just how he intended to sort this one. Given that he is expected to go in with the same eleven, the onus thus lies on Yuvraj and Raina to make sure he doesn’t need to.

Raina looked rusty in his 34-ball 41-run knock at the Adelaide Oval, and it was only Virat Kohli’s efforts that didn’t allow pressure to shift back to the Indian batting in the last 10 overs.

Raina did well enough to play a supporting role, but more is expected of the current Indian middle order.

Dhoni usually follows a left-right combination in his batting line-up during T20Is, and if Raina got a chance in the previous game, he could entertain thoughts of sending Yuvraj ahead this time around, if the match situation allows.

It is imperative for the Punjab all-rounder to get some proper game-time under his belt, never mind fielding for 20 overs (and bowling one of them) in the previous match.

This is the take-away India will be hoping for, in the backdrop of aiming for an early series win.

Meanwhile, Australia are under pressure, perhaps for the first time this summer. They have engaged with New Zealand and West Indies prior to this series, in different formats, but won against them without breaking any sweat.

Even the ODIs seemed like a walk in the park for them, despite the close finishes in a couple matches.

As compared to Tests and ODIs though, there is strangeness towards T20s when it comes to the Australian side, almost as if this is a burden for them.

Perhaps these bilateral contests do not excite them enough, and as such they are not able to zero down on the best combinations and suffer in World T20s as a result.

For a team that is constantly on top of the charts in the five-day format, and has won five ODI World Cups, this could be one of the few plausible reasons for their poor T20I record.

And once again, their attention is diverted towards the tour of New Zealand post this contest, and the World T20 comes about only as an after-thought.

Australia will certainly be boosted by the availability of Glenn Maxwell, but skipper Aaron Finch has bigger problems in his hands.

SQUADS

Australia: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Chris Lynn, James Faulkner, Matthew Wade, Nathan Lyon, Cameron Boyce, Travis Head, John Hastings, Scott Boland, Kane Richardson, Andrew Tye, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson.

India: MS Dhoni (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Hardik Pandya, Gurkeerat Mann, Rishi Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra, Umesh Yadav, Ajinkya Rahane.

Match timing: 2.08 PM Indian Time.

India spoil Australia Day and celebrate Republic Day in Australia with 37-run win : 1st T20I

India spoiled the hosts' Australia Day party but celebrated the 67th Republic Day in style with a dominating 37-run win to claim the first T20 international in Adelaide on Tuesday.

A charged-up Virat Kohli once again hammered the Australia attack, this time scoring 90 not out to take India to 188 for 3. It was then supported by MS Dhoni's famous choke-with-spin T20 strategy, where Ravindra Jadeja (2 for 21) and R Ashwin (2 for 28) played the lead roles, but the pick of the bowlers was debutant Jasprit Bumrah, who ended with figures of 3 for 23.

Australia were bowled out for 151 in 19.3 overs. Among the wicket-takers was also debutant Hardik Pandya but he gave away 37 runs for two wickets in his three overs, including six wides.

Returning to international cricket for the first time since the 2011 World Cup, Ashish Nehra ended with decent figures of 1 for 30 in four overs.

The win gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Skipper Aaron Finch's 33-ball 44 were the only notable numbers in the Australia batting line-up that failed to capitalise on the brisk 47-run opening stand.

ALSO SEE Raina scored 41 off 34 balls

Ashwin began in an expensive fashion, giving away 17 runs in the second over of the Australian innings. But once Bumrah separated the openers by dismissing David Warner for 17, the Indian spinners took over. Ashwin came back to give away just 11 runs and take two wickets in his next three overs.

Jadeja got rid of India's nemesis Steven Smith for 21 and Ashwin sent top-scorer Finch back as Australia's chase fell apart. Making his comeback, Shane Watson batted at No. 6 and could score only 12 before being dismissed by Ashwin.

ALSO SEE Bumrah took 3 wickets

Earlier, put in to bat, Kohli played a blinder of an innings to help India post a challenging total on the board. India were off to a flying start thanks to some powerful batting by opener Rohit Sharma.

The visitors were scoring at 10 runs an over in the first four overs but the comeback man Watson's opening over saw momentum swing in Australia's favour as the veteran allrounder dismissed the Indian opener openers - Rohit (31 off 20) and Shikhar Dhawan (5 off 8) - in quick succession.

While Dhawan struggled in his scratchy innings, Rohit played a cracking cameo at a strike rate of 155.00, including four boundaries and a six. That brought two new men in the middle with Suresh Raina partnering Kohli.

Kohli took some time to get his eye in but once he had done that, Aussie bowlers were taken to the cleaners by his bat. Raina, at the other end, played second fiddle to India's Test captain, but Kohli's stroke-making didn't let Raina's run-a-ball pace hurt the innings.

Raina did well by letting Kohli farm most of the strike. Together, the duo added 134 runs for the third wicket. However, Raina started opening up in the later stages of the innings. He was dismissed by James Faulkner for a 34-ball 41.

MS Dhoni walked out to bat in the final over and smashed the first ball he faced for a massive six and the next delivery for another boundary through the off side. Kohli remained unbeaten on 90, which included 9 fours and 2 sixes.

The much-anticipated return of Yuvraj Singh fell short of the batting crease as he didn't get a chance to bat.

For the Aussies, Watson was the pick of the bowler with 2 for 24 while Faulkner picked up one wicket. Shaun Tait was expensive in his comeback after four years, with figures of 0 for 45. Like Pandya, he too bowled six wides.

The second T20I will be played in Melbourne on Friday, where Australia must win to keep the series alive.

#AUSvIND T20 Trivia - All you need to know: Australia v India T20s

What is it?

Fierce rivals Australia and India will meet in three Twenty20 Internationals, starting on Tuesday, January 26 at Adelaide Oval. Games will also be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (January 29) and Sydney Cricket Ground (January 31).

Not only will some of the world's best male players be in action, the matches are double-headers also featuring the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars taking on the India women's team.

Who's playing?

Australia's selectors have included the 'Wild Thing' Shaun Tait and uncapped paceman Andrew Tye in a 17-man squad for the three T20Is, while Australia's Test off-spinner Nathan Lyon also gets the chance for his first T20 international cap in an enlarged squad picked to allow coaching staff and selectors to take a closer look at the stars of the KFC Big Bash League with an eye to picking a squad for the World T20 tournament.

Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out of the first match due to a hamstring injury but is expected to return for Friday's second match.

India have been forced to make two changes for the T20 leg of their tour of Australia, with Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar both suffering hand injuries.

Rahane split the webbing in his right hand during the fourth Victoria Bitter ODI in Canberra on Wednesday, with allrounder Gurkeerat Singh Mann named as cover for the T20 series, but the batsman will stay with the squad and is still a chance to play during the series. Bhuvneshwar has flown home with a hairline fracture in his left thumb and his place has been taken by allrounder Rishi Dhawan.

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), David Warner, Steve Smith, Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, James Faulkner, John Hastings, Shaun Marsh, Cameron Boyce, Nathan Lyon, Chris Lynn, Travis Head, Kane Richardson, Andrew Tye, Scott Boland, Shaun Tait

India squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane (Gurkeerat Singh Mann to act as cover), Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (c), Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishi Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra

What's the fixture?

Fixtures

Tuesday 26 January 2016

Australia v India Twenty20 Series 2016

Adelaide Oval19:38AustraliavIndia

Australia Women v India Women Twenty20 Series 2016

Adelaide Oval Australia WomenvIndia Women

Friday 29 January 2016

Australia v India Twenty20 Series 2016

Melbourne Cricket Ground19:38AustraliavIndia

Australia Women v India Women Twenty20 Series 2016

Melbourne Cricket Ground14:30Australia WomenvIndia Women

Sunday 31 January 2016

Australia v India Twenty20 Series 2016

Sydney Cricket Ground19:15AustraliavIndia

Australia Women v India Women Twenty20 Series 2016

Sydney Cricket Ground14:30Australia WomenvIndia Women

What's the head-to-head record? 

Australia and India have met nine times in T20I, with India winning five to Australia's four.

The last time they met was in Dhaka during the 2014 World T20, a match India won by 73 runs.

What's the form like?

Twenty20 Internationals have been a rare commodity for Australia of late. They played just one in 2015, suffering a five-run defeat to England. 

India's most recent T20 series resulted in a 2-0 defeat on home soil to South Africa last October.

Australia however will be buoyed by their 4-1 win in the Victoria Bitter ODIs, in a series that was dominated by the batsmen.  

How about the Southern Stars? What do I need to know?

The world's No.1 women's team will meet India in three T20s, which will help the Southern Stars prepare for their bid to win a fourth (yes, fourth!) Women's World T20 in a row.

Australia's squad features superstars Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy, alongside young guns including 17-year-old Lauren Cheatle. India's captain Mithali Raj is ranked in the top 10 batters in the world, while quick Jhulan Goswamy is the world's best ODI bowler.

Last time the teams met, in India in 2012, Australia won 3-0, but India claimed a 2-0 series win on Australian soil in 2009.

Southern Stars squad: Meg Lanning (c), Alex Blackwell, Lauren Cheatle, Sarah Coyte, Rene Farrell, Holly Ferling, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Naomi Stalenberg 

India squad: Mithali Raj (c), Jhulan Goswamy, Smriti Mandhana, MD Thirushkamini, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Shikha Pandey, Niranjana Nagarajan, Sushma Verma, Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, VR Vanitha, Anuja Patil, Deepti Sharma

Cricket Australia

Kohli excited to welcome his brother Yuvraj back

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He surpassed legends like Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest to reach 7000 runs and 24 ODI centuries but star Indian batsman Virat Kohli on Tuesday said as a cricketer he is "still very much a work in progress".

"I am very much a work in progress as a cricketer. Opponents are always trying to get you out, trying to outsmart you and you need to stay ahead of them. I feel like I am learning everyday, trying something new on the field," said Kohli in a Facebook video chat with his fans.

"That (mindset) keeps you grounded as well. We, as players, understand that not many are getting to play at the highest level and I am trying to make the most of it," he added.

Did he ever think about getting to 7000 runs faster than anyone else?

"I never planned it to be honest. The aim is to score as many runs for the team as possible. I did not focus on it (the record) but god has been my kind. When you look back you do feel it is special but you can't really plan these records," said India's Test captain, who took 161 innings to achieve the feat.

"It was also special to score the century with my brother watching it from the stands. He came to see me just for a day and I am glad his trip turned out to be a fruitful one," he added.

Not the one to be too affected by the conditions, Kohli said it doesn't matter where he is playing as long as he is contributing to the team's cause.

"I take every game the same way (whether in India or overseas). I want to score runs in every game I play and I want to win the game for my team. I feel it is just putting extra pressure in your head if you start categorising conditions. Cricket is a simple game and I try to keep it simple."

With the ongoing ODI series against Australia already lost, Kohli is eyeing redemption in the T20 series which follows the last two ODIs. Besides that, he is excited to play alongside Yuvraj Singh, who has made a comeback into the Indian team.

How does he describe his rapport with Yuvraj?

"I am very close to him. He is like an elder brother to me. I have always been very fond of him. He plays the game with a lot of passion. He is a wonderful human being, not many know that.

"There has been misconceptions about him but he is very hard-working, takes a lot of pride in playing for India. He has always guided me. I am very excited to be playing with him in T20s here," said Kohli.

What Kohli does with the bat is known to all but he can also bowl a bit of medium pace, albeit with a unique action.

Whatever the case may be, he does take his bowling seriously.

"Everyone laughs when I come on to bowl no matter what the situation is. I know my action is funny but I get the job done which is important," he said in a lighter vein.

Kohli also has 11 Test hundreds and he was asked to pick his top three.

"The century in Johannesburg (119 in Dec 2013) has to be at the top. We chose to bat on day one, the wicket was green, the bowling attack was challenging and I had not scored runs in the preceding one day series. 

There was a build up before that Test match. We were tagged as not being able handle to bouncy balls. Looking back, that century was special.

"Second one will be second innings at Adelaide (141 in Dec 2014). We went for the target and I did not plan to focus on the hundred. It was one of the best zones I have been in while batting.

"Wellington (105 in Feb 2014) is third. I wanted to finish the series on a high. So this has to be the order of top three," he said.

He was also asked some off the field stuff. Amir Khan is his favourite Bollywood actor and if there is a movie made on him ever, Kohli has the opening scene set in his mind.

"The opening scene would me hogging some fried food at home and some paranthas with a lot of butter. And a big can of colas and drinks that I don't even touch now. That would be the opening scene," quipped one of the fittest cricketers around.

Has he learnt a life lesson from cricket?

"Yes I have. And that is never stop working hard. Never take anything for granted. Never drift away from goals, your values and vision. Things can come down very quickly. Our sport teaches you that so well," he added.


IBN Cricket

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New Zealand vs Pakistan, 3rd T20I - Crucial Series Decider at Wellington

New Zealand and Pakistan wrap up their Twenty20 series today  and there is still all to play for in the third and final fixture.

Pakistan took the opening game by 16 runs in Auckland, only for their hosts to hit back with a resounding 10-wicket win in Hamilton.

Now they square off in a decider in Wellington, the same venue that will also host the first of three one-day internationals between the nations that follows on from the T20 fixtures.

 Date: Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

Time: 7 p.m. local (6 a.m. GMT)

Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand

Who knows what to expect at the Westpac Stadium.

New Zealand were bowled out for 155 in pursuit of a target of 172 in the series opener, but they responded by successfully chasing down 169 in the second match with 14 balls to spare.

Openers Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson shared an unbroken stand of 171—a new record in the shortest format at international level—as the Kiwis stayed alive with an emphatic triumph at Eden Park.

However, there is a bigger picture to the game than just the outcome of the series.

The ICC World Twenty20 looms large on the horizon. The tournament takes place in India in March, and there is a battle to make the Black Caps' squad.

Mitchell McClenaghan has boosted his hopes of selection, with the left-arm paceman having picked up combined figures of two for 45 from eight overs.

With Corey Anderson now able to bowl again after overcoming a back injury, the home side have plenty of options despite the absence of Tim Southee.

Southee won't feature at all against Pakistan, though New Zealand coach Mike Hesson is hopeful the seamer will recover from a foot injury in time to play in the home Test series against Australia, perESPN Cricinfo.

Pakistan's concerns over their seamers have nothing to do with health.

Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir and Umar Gul are all fit for the tourists, but they all have economy rates in excess of nine runs per over in the series.

Shahid Afridi's side have won only one of their last five T20 games. Another defeat would hardly be ideal preparation ahead of a global tournament, even if they will feel more at home in Indian conditions.

But, defeat in the last match should not lead to a state of panic. Per statistician Shiva Jayaraman of ESPN Cricinfo, it was only the second time Pakistan have failed to defend a total of 150 or more.

Team management must decide whether to pick an unchanged XI for the third match in a row. After only 18 runs in two knocks, SohaibMaqsood's place may be under threat for the game at a ground known as "The Cake Tin."

Key Players

New Zealand

Here is a list of Williamson's last four knocks in T20 cricket: 53, 32 not out, 70 and 72 not out.

New Zealand's skipper—who has formed an excellent opening partnership with Guptill—is now a consistent performer in all formats, but his team would like him to produce another significant knock to help them seal the series.

Pakistan

While Mohammad Amir's comeback has taken a lot of the headlines,Gul has also made his return to action for Pakistan on the tour of New Zealand.

Gul—who played just two matches for his country in all formats during 2015—has picked up two wickets, but he has also leaked plenty of runs. He was once regarded as one of the best white-ball bowlers in the world, yet he needs to recapture his old form before the Twenty20 World Cup.

Squads

New Zealand

Kane Williamson (capt), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, LukeRonchi (wk), Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, Todd Astle.

Pakistan

Shahid Afridi (capt), Aamer Yamin, Ahmed Shehzad, Anwar Ali, IftikharAhmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan, Saad Nasim, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Shoaib Malik,Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz.