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Coronavirus: Ireland confirm New Zealand and Pakistan postponements

The Black Caps were scheduled to visit in June and early July, playing a trio of Twenty20 fixtures in Bready before a three-match one-day series at Stormont.

A further two T20 contests were due to take place against Pakistan, listed for July 12 and 14 in Malahide, but those will also not go ahead as originally planned.

The latest update from Cricket Ireland follows on from the cancellation of the three ODIs against Bangladesh in May, though chief executive Warren Deutrom revealed there was no other option in the face of an ongoing global health crisis.

"We deeply regret that we can’t provide any international cricket at home to our fans this year, but we were always up against it with our entire home international programme coming in the first half of the season,” Deutrom said in a statement.

"We want to extend once again our sincere thanks to all those that worked so hard to facilitate what would have been 15 matches across seven venues over three months in Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and England.”

New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White remains hopeful the tour can be rearranged for a later date, adding: “I know our players, support staff and Black Caps fans were very much looking forward to the upcoming visit and are disappointed this decision needed to be taken."

Ireland are also set to travel to England for three one-dayers in September. It is possible that series is moved from the original dates, Cricket Ireland confirmed, with discussions still ongoing.

Coronavirus: Misbah says behind-closed-doors England series can lift 'depressed' fans

Pakistan are due to start a three-match Test series against Joe Root's side at Lord's on July 30, with three Twenty20 matches also on the itinerary

The coronavirus pandemic has left that schedule in doubt, with England's Test series versus West Indies already having been postponed.

Spectators appear unlikely to be allowed in to venues if and when cricket returns and although Misbah would be disappointed to see the tourists play at empty venues, he thinks international action can help to lift the gloom.

The Pakistan head coach and chief selector told Stats Perform: "It's not ideal obviously, you'd love to go there and perform in an atmosphere with spectators - they are the most important part of any sport.

"It's not ideal, but if you look at it another way, people are mostly locked down in their homes and no sport is going on at the moment.

"They have nothing to watch and mostly COVID-19 news everywhere and people are depressed. In that sort of situation, if we can start sports, if we can start cricket, at least fans can watch that cricket on TV sitting at home and they can enjoy it.

"If you look at in that way, I think if we can do that with proper safety barriers and nobody is in danger, I think we can just go ahead and start from somewhere."

Misbah expects Pakistan players to be ready to hit the ground running when they are able to take to the field again.

He said: "I think in this situation, it's more towards individual responsibility as professionals; what we can do, how we are working.

"We are obviously just trying to communicate to the players that whenever we hit the ground again, the basic thing we need would be fitness. Obviously if we are fit enough, if we maintain our fitness levels, we can regain our form or skill quickly.

"If we lose our fitness in these isolation periods then it's going to be tough because once we are back on the job it will be difficult for us to either work on the skill or fitness. it's important for the players to physically and mentally prepare yourself."

Coronavirus: Pakistan and Bangladesh postpone Test and ODI matches

Bangladesh, who visited Pakistan for Test and Twenty20 matches earlier this year, were due to arrive back in the country on March 29 to complete the final leg of their three-part, multi-format tour.

Those plans are now on hold, with the two boards set to discuss options for rescheduling the second Test that was due to begin in Karachi on April 5.

A standalone ODI had also been scheduled to go ahead in Karachi on April 1.

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement read: "The Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket boards have decided to postpone the upcoming One-Day International and Test in Karachi for a later date.

"The two boards will now work together to identify a future opportunity to complete the ICC World Test Championship commitment."

Pakistan beat the Tigers by an innings and 44 runs in the first Test in Rawalpindi in February.

The unusual fixture arrangements emerged as a compromise after the Bangladesh Cricket Board expressed concerns over security and player safety in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the PCB has also indefinitely postponed the domestic one-day Pakistan Cup tournament, which was scheduled to start on March 25.

Coronavirus: Pakistan announce initial 20-man squad travelling to England

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a statement to reveal the list of names who will be on the chartered flight to Manchester, as well as an update on the situations of those who had previously tested positive for COVID-19. 

Of the original 29-man squad, 18 received the all-clear following Thursday's checks, as well as 11 members of the support staff. 

They will be joined on the journey by fast bowler Musa Khan and wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir, who have also been tested twice in the past week. Zafar Gohar, meanwhile, will team up with the squad on their arrival in England.The left-arm spinner played a solitary one-dayer for Pakistan in 2015, though he will only be involved in pre-match preparations.

As for those not making the initial trip, they will not be able to travel until returning two successive negative results.  

Six players - Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan and Wahab Riaz – have done so once and will be tested again next week with a view to joining their team-mates.

Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Kashif Bhatti and Imran Khan, along with masseur Malang Ali, all tested positive again, however. The PCB medical team has instructed them to remain in quarantine, with their progress to be monitored. 

"I want to reassure the players and the official left behind that the PCB will provide them the best support and look after them during the quarantine period," PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said in a statement.  

"It needs to be remembered that these players were asymptomatic, which means their chances of regaining complete fitness are higher and brighter than most. As soon as these players test negative twice through the PCB testing process they will be flown to England to join the squad. 

"I am aware Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz took personal tests outside of our process prior to the second PCB testing. While their results came up negative, as per the PCB testing programme, they are deemed to have one negative test following a positive test.  

"Therefore, once they are retested and receive a second negative result under the PCB testing programme, they will be available to join the squad in England."

Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests and a trio of Twenty20 fixtures against England.

Pakistan squad travelling to England: Azhar Ali (captain), Babar Azam, Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Ahmad, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Yasir Shah. 

Coronavirus: Pakistan to travel to England despite COVID-19 positives

England are set to face Pakistan in three Tests and three T20 internationals across July and August but the tour was thrown into doubt over the past week as the initial 29-man touring party was struck by a raft of COVID-19 cases.

Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan and Wahab Riaz all tested positive.

The ECB said in a statement that players testing positive will not be allowed to travel with the advanced group, with Hafeez's status unclear after the all-rounder tweeted a picture of a negative test and claimed he had received the all-clear.

Test captain Azhar Ali, white-ball counterpart Babar Azam and the remaining players will use Worcestershire's New Road as their training base during their mandatory 14-day isolation period before transferring to Derbyshire's County Ground.

Bilal Asif, Imran Butt, Musa Khan and Mohammad Nawaz have been named as reserves for the Pakistan squad and could make the trip subject to returning negative coronavirus tests.

England's home season has been delayed by the global pandemic but they will host West Indies at the Ageas Bowl next month in the first of three Tests.

Coronavirus: Pakistan tour of England not yet in doubt, says Giles

Fast bowler Haris Rauf, all-rounder Shadab Khan and uncapped teenage batsman Haider Ali were tested on Sunday in Rawalpindi and found to have COVID-19.

According to a statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), all three have shown no symptoms and were advised to immediately enter isolation.

Another 23 players from the 29-man squad are due to receive test results on Tuesday, with Usman Shinwari and Imad Wasim having already returned negative tests and Shoaib Malik SET to join up with the squad at a later date after being given permission to spend time with his family.

Giles says the positive tests are undeniably a concern but is confident the tour, which is due to see three Tests and three Twenty20 Internationals take place from the end of July until September, will go ahead as planned.

"It is a concern – and we are most concerned about the welfare of those players who have tested positive," said Giles, who is managing director of men's cricket for England.

"At the moment, I don't think the series is in doubt. We are far enough away from the start of the Test series to be too worried and we are still hopeful the Pakistan team will be arriving in the country fairly soon.

"We are still waiting on the other test results but I think we are still far enough out even if a number of those results were positive."

Pakistan has recorded a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, with 3,946 more confirmed on Tuesday, taking the total number to just over 185,000. Nearly 3,700 people to test positive for coronavirus have died.

"The situation in Pakistan is not great at the moment and our thoughts go out to the whole country, so clearly it's important we get the team in the country and we can get on with our series," Giles said. "Anything that puts that at risk is clearly a problem.

"All of this has uncertainty still as we know how fast-moving the situation has been around the world. We have been very careful at every step, but do we really know what's around the corner? No.

"This is such a global and far-reaching issue and is affecting everyone and there are far more important things going on than sport.

"But we are hopeful that if we can get international sport on it will be a fillip for people around the world."

Coronavirus: Pakistan's tour of England 'on track' despite cancellation of Dutch ODIs

The Dutch government has banned all sports and cultural events until September 1 as part of measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Pakistan were meant to be play three ODIs in Amstelveen on July 4, 7 and 9, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Wednesday that the tour has been shelved.

As things stand Pakistan are due to play two Twenty20 matches in Ireland, before starting a three-Test series against England at Lord's on July 30, which precedes three T20 fixtures.

PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said via a news release that the tour is still on as things stand.

"It is sad that we have to postpone our July tour to the Netherlands, but in the prevailing circumstances, this is absolutely the right thing to do as human lives are far more precious and valuable than a cricket match or an event," he said.

"Netherlands has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and we offer our heartfelt condolences to all those who have lost their lives. Like any other country, the PCB stands firmly with the KNCB and hope they will be able to overcome this crisis.

"The Pakistan national cricket teams have always enjoyed touring the Netherlands and as soon as things return to normal, the PCB will engage with the KNCB to reschedule the tour so that we can fulfil our obligation.

"The Pakistan national men's cricket team's tours to Ireland, for two Twenty20 Internationals, and England, for three Tests and three Twenty20 Internationals, are on track at this stage. 

"We are keeping a watching brief and are in contact with our counterparts in Dublin and London, respectively. 

"As is always the case, the PCB will be happy to be guided by the hosts on the upcoming tours but without compromising on the health and safety of its players and team support personnel."

Coronavirus: PCB won't rush into decision over England tour

Pakistan are due to start a three-match Test series against England at Lord's on July 30, with three Twenty20 Internationals also on the schedule.

Yet there are doubts over whether the tour will be staged due to the coronavirus crisis, with spectators highly unlikely to be allowed into venues if matches can go ahead.

PCB chiefs and the counterparts at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will hold talks on Friday.

Wasim Khan, the chief executive of the PCB, says there will be no rush to make such a big decision, with Pakistan's trip to the Netherlands already having been postponed.

He told reporters: "Health and safety is paramount for our players and officials and we are not going to compromise on it.

"The situation in England is poor right now, and we will ask them about their plans. We are not making any decisions, but we will assess and decide in the next three to four weeks.

"This isn't an easy situation, and it isn't an easy decision to make, because things are changing every day in England. There are so many things to be considered - flights, hotels and they are talking about bio-security stadiums… so if people ask me, I will tell them to wait and be patient.

"The longer they stay there, the more our players will be exposed. So there is speculation that the tour might be extended, but I can confirm that this is presently not on the table.

"The West Indies tour to England is also uncertain, and we don't know what to expect. So we are looking forward to the May 15 meeting and will see what are the options."

Khan stressed that will not be influenced by whether England are prepared to make a long-awaited return for a tour of Pakistan when they make their decision.

He added: "It's a tough situation for everyone right now, and I don't think it's fair to take advantage of the situation.

"The most important thing for us is to revive the game for all countries. If we don't, we will be facing a lot of problems going forward.

"The next 12 months will be tough for cricket financially. Thankfully, the PCB is fine for the next 12 months but thereafter, in 18 months' time, we will also have problems.

"Hopefully, by then, cricket will resume and I don't think we are going to take our discussion with the ECB [with a tour of Pakistan a big factor], but we will definitely talk about it when we tour them.

"Look, the MCC toured Pakistan, an Australia delegation came as well, so there is no reason why England and Australia shouldn't be here in 2021 and 2022."

Coronavirus: Seven more Pakistan players test positive but England tour still on

The announcement of the positive results on Tuesday came a day after three others from Misbah-ul-Haq's squad were confirmed as having COVID-19. 

All 10 infected players have been ordered to self-isolate and will stay at home when the rest depart on a chartered flight, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said. 

England and Pakistan are due to play three Tests and three Twenty20 Internationals from the end of July until September. 

The PCB said the latest seven players to test positive were Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan and Wahab Riaz, along with masseur Malang Ali. 

In a statement, the PCB said its medical panel was "already in contact with these players and the masseur, who have been instructed to observe strict quarantine at their homes for their and their families' wellbeing". 

None showed any symptoms before being tested, the PCB added. They must each produce two negative test results before being allowed to travel to England to join up with the squad. 

Ashley Giles, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director of men's cricket, had said the first three positive tests were "a concern". 

Players and staff who have tested negative will gather in Lahore on Wednesday before undergoing a further round of coronavirus testing on Thursday. More tests will be conducted by the ECB once the squad arrives in England. 

PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said: "The tour to England is very much on track and the side will depart as per schedule on June 28. 

"Fortunately, all the first-choice red-ball squad, barring Mohammad Rizwan, are negative, which means they can start training and practicing immediately after they have been tested and given the all-clear when they arrive in England. 

"In the meantime, Misbah-ul-Haq is reviewing the training schedule in England and firming up plans for reserve players to be tested as a back-up."

Coronavirus: Sohail's Pakistan absence over COVID-19 fears as squad named

The middle-order batsman withdrew from selection for the three-match Test and Twenty20 series, with fixtures set to take place behind closed doors across August and September.

While Sohail's absence was made public on Thursday, it was only in naming the squad on Friday that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) offered a full explanation, having previously cited "family reasons".

A back injury has ruled out Hasan Ali, while Mohammad Amir is skipping the tour to be at the birth of his second child.

"Fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Mohammad Amir, and middle-order batsman Haris were not available for selection," read a statement from the PCB.

"Hasan is suffering from a back injury, Amir withdrew so that he can be at the birth of his second child in August, while Haris took the option of pulling out of the tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

Pakistan Under-19 batsman Haider Ali has earned a call-up, with Kashif Bhatti the other uncapped player included.

Chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said: "The selectors have picked a squad which gives us the best chance of success in England.

"It was a challenging process as the players have not played for an extended period of time, but nevertheless, with the month that we will have in England and the intense training we will undergo, we are confident we will get the players up to the mark to be ready for the three Tests."

Pakistan squad:

Squad: Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah.

Coronavirus: Three Pakistan players test positive for COVID-19

Fast bowler Haris Rauf, all-rounder Shadab Khan and uncapped teenage batsman Haider Ali were tested on Sunday in Rawalpindi and found to have COVID-19.

According to a statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), all three have shown no symptoms and were advised to immediately enter isolation.

Rauf, Shadab and Haider are considered white-ball specialists, meaning the three T20 internationals slated for August 29, August 31 and September 2 are their target.

Imad Wasim and Usman Shinwari took part in the same screening session and will travel to Lahore to join up with their team-mates on Thursday, having returned negative results.

The PCB expects to announce the outcomes of the tests carried out on the rest of the squad and backroom staff at local centres in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar on Monday within 24 hours.

Pakistan named a 29-man squad for the tour, which is set to begin with a three-Test series on July 30.

The travelling party is set to depart for England on Sunday, with Bilal Asif, Imran Butt, Musa Khan and Mohammad Nawaz named on a standby list.

COVID-19 fears could shift England-Windies series to the Caribbean

Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the England Cricket Board (ECB) have been trying to find a work-around so as not to delay the start of the three-Test series set to begin on June 4 at the Kia Oval.

COVID-19 cases are expected to peak in the United Kingdom in June, making it almost a certainty that the start of the English domestic season will be delayed.

The Caribbean, if it continues to remain relatively COVID-19 free, could become third-party hosts for other series, reportedly offering to provide the venues for England’s home fixtures against Pakistan in July.

There is also the possibility that the tour of England could be put off until September, after the West Indies host New Zealand in three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals from July 8 to July 19 and after South Africa visit for two Tests and five T20Is scheduled for July 23-August 16.

A delay could also mean that the Hero Caribbean Premier League could be pushed back all the way until December.

Crawley and Root leading England fight after Pakistan cement dominance

Just like on day one, the tourists struggled in the field as Pakistan racked up an impressive total of 556, before overcoming setbacks to steady the ship late in the day.

England were unable to build on their strong finish to day one, which saw them take three late wickets to halt Pakistan at 328-4, but Brydon Carse (2-74) got a wicket on his debut to end Naseem Shah's stand of 33.

Saud Shakeel's 82 put the hosts further out of reach, but it was Salman Ali Agha's unbeaten 104 off 119 balls that kept the momentum firmly with Pakistan, though it almost turned out differently.

Chris Woakes made a spectacular boundary catch with Salman on 15, but it was ruled not out as Woakes was judged to have stepped beyond the rope, denying England a chance to drop the hosts to 420-7.

Though England at one point took four wickets for 76 runs, it did little to end the onslaught, and they finished Pakistan's innings on a low note as opener Ben Duckett hurt his thumb taking the catch on the final wicket.

Ollie Pope then opened in his place, but the stand-in captain was taken for a duck on just his second ball.

However, Crawley (64 not out) and Root (32 not out) managed to calm any nerves as they reached stumps at 96-1, though they still trail by 460 runs.

Data Debrief: Pakistan race out of the blocks again

After making a flying start on day one, Pakistan caught England out with a similar tactic on Tuesday, adding 64 to the fifth wicket before Naseem was made to walk.

Jack Leach (3-160) was the pick of England's bowlers as they struggled in the heat, but for the most part, the tourists had no answers as Salman became the third centurion in the Test so far.

They will be hoping Crawley and Root can continue defying Pakistan with their stand on day three, with the latter now just 39 runs away from overtaking Alistair Cook as England's all-time leading run-scorer.

Crawley becomes youngest England batsman for 41 years to score Test double century

Crawley had reached his maiden international hundred on the opening day at the Rose Bowl and was raising his bat again at the venue on Saturday. 

Aged 22 years and 201 days, he is the youngest Englishman to reach 200 in the format since David Gower, who achieved the feat against India in 1979 at 22 years and 102 days. 

Only the great Len Hutton (22 years and 58 days) and the elegant Gower have made double hundreds for England at a younger age than Crawley, who had resumed in the morning on 171.  

Jos Buttler completed his second Test century, albeit only after using a review to survive on 99 having been given out caught behind.

The wicketkeeper-batsman combined with number three Crawley to put on a new record fifth-wicket stand for England against any opposition. 

Crawley and Buttler surpassed the previous best of 254 set by Keith Fletcher and Tony Greig against India in 1973, taking England beyond 400 for the loss of just four wickets and well on course to win the series.

Crawley lights up final day in weather-hit second Test in Southampton

Crawley made an entertaining 53 as the hosts – who remain 1-0 up in the three-match series – reached 110-4 before declaring on day five, a move that allowed an early finish to proceedings.

The combination of bad light and rain had decimated the game to such an extent over the course of the previous four days that the chances of a positive result had long disappeared.

Only 10.2 overs had been possible on Sunday, with England losing Rory Burns for a duck as they reached 7-1 in reply to Pakistan's total of 236.

They were made to wait to continue their first innings still further, though, as Monday's action was held up by a heavy storm in the early hours that left sections of the outfield heavily saturated.

Still, when play finally began at 15:20 local time (14:20 GMT), Crawley proceeded to hit seven boundaries to post a third Test half-century before falling lbw to the excellent Mohammad Abbas.

Dom Sibley, who had shared in a second-wicket stand worth 92, also fell to the same bowler, caught down leg by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan having battled hard to reach 32.

Yasir Shah also dismissed Ollie Pope for nine but Joe Root survived some tricky moments to finish unbeaten on the same score, while Jos Buttler had not managed to get off the mark by the time the innings was cut short.

Crawley shows further promise 

Returning to the XI in place of the absent Ben Stokes, who has departed the bio-secure bubble at the Rose Bowl for family reasons, Crawley offered a reminder of his talent with some eye-catching shots in a 99-ball knock. There was one slice of luck, though, as he should have been stumped on 37. 

England hold slender advantage

Both teams will hope for better fortunes with the conditions when the series concludes at the same venue, with the finale beginning on Friday. A better forecast, combined with a similar pitch on the south coast, could make for an entertaining finish to England's Test schedule on home soil in 2020.

Crawley stars alongside Buttler as England seize control in Southampton

Going into the third Test holding a 1-0 lead after rain ruined the previous encounter in Southampton, the home side were teetering when 127-4 midway through Friday's play.

However, Pakistan were unable to get another breakthrough in the remainder of proceedings, Crawley finishing up unbeaten on 171 as England progressed to 332-4 by the close.

The 22-year-old, who has made just three hundreds for Kent in his first-class career, shared an unbroken stand worth 205 with Jos Buttler, who will resume on the second morning on 87 not out.

The stunning fifth-wicket alliance completely changed the complexion of proceedings, as well as vindicating the decison by captain Joe Root to bat first.

Crawley had arrived at the crease midway through the fifth over after Rory Burns fell cheaply again, the left-handed opener edging Shaheen Afridi through to Shan Masood in the slips when on six. 

Dom Sibley (22) helped add 61 for the second wicket but also departed before lunch, given out lbw to leg-spinner Yasir Shah following a successful review by Pakistan. 

Naseem Shah produced a sublime delivery to end a promising start for Root (29), while Ollie Pope's decision to play back to Yasir resulted in his downfall, bowled for three to leave the hosts in a spot of bother. 

But, as was the case in the first Test in Manchester when his 75 helped England recover from 127-5 to reach a victory target of 277, Buttler emphatically tipped the balance in his side's favour.

The wicketkeeper-batsman will hope to reach three figures for a second time in the format on Saturday, while batting partner Crawley has a double ton in his sights.

Having been stuck at tea on 97, he made it to three figures with a drive on the up through the covers and, impressively, continued to pile on the runs after reaching the landmark, Pakistan becoming increasingly ragged as not even a second new ball helped them find a late breakthrough.

Crawley, Duckett, Pope and Brook all make centuries as record-hungry England seize control

A virus in the tourist camp threatened to delay England's first five-day game on Pakistan soil since 2005 but by stumps it was Pakistan who were feeling sick at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium as the visitors closed on 506-4.

Having reached 174-0 by lunch, the most runs scored in the first session of a Test, Crawley reached three figures early after the restart having overturned an lbw decision on review a few balls earlier.

His hundred came off just 86 balls, the fastest for an England opener, while Duckett – who returned at the top of the order for his first Test in six years – seized his opportunity to also reach three figures.

A missed sweep off Zahid Mahmood (2-160) sent Duckett (107) packing lbw and Crawley (122) soon became debutant Haris Rauf's (1-78) first Test victim.

Joe Root (23) fell cheaply after a swift half-century stand with Pope but that was Pakistan's only real spell on top as the latter piled on the runs with Brook.

Together, they made put on 176 for the fourth wicket as Pope (108) celebrated a third Test century prior to falling leg-before for Mohammad Ali's (1-96) maiden Test scalp.

Brook (101no) went on to make his first Test ton as England became the first team to make 500 runs on day one of a Test in what was a glorious display of what has become dubbed 'Bazball'.

CRAWLEY AND DUCKETT SET THE TONE

Crawley and Duckett were the perfect foil on admittedly ideal conditions for scoring, the former driving to the covers at will, while the latter swept with impeccable timing.

England have had well-documented issues at the top of the order and Duckett, playing in just his fifth Test, laid down a big marker on his return to the team.

POPE AND BROOK GO FOR THE JUGULAR

There was a very fleeting spell from Pakistan in the second session but all in all it was a day of toil for the hosts' bowling unit.

Pope was fluent throughout and Brook, who looks a star in the making, was rapid with his knock including six fours from as many balls off Saud Shakeel in the 68th over.

Brook had two maximums and 14 fours. He will return to the crease with captain Ben Stokes (34no) on Friday.

Cricket West Indies secures new media rights agreements for Pakistan, MENA, and SEA markets

CWI has entered into a partnership with Tapmad for the Pakistan market, granting exclusive digital rights. Alongside this, Ten Sports will sublicense the linear TV rights, ensuring extensive coverage of West Indies home internationals, including Pakistan’s tours of the Caribbean in 2025 for T20Is and ODIs, and in 2026 for Test matches.

In the MENA region, CWI has secured an agreement with Cricbuzz, owned by Times Internet, to broadcast West Indies cricket matches via CricbuzzTV channels. This deal will bring the excitement of West Indies cricket to one of the sport’s most vibrant markets, while also providing coverage in South-East Asia, where cricket enjoys a growing fan base. Cricbuzz will offer live streaming and coverage of all West Indies international and regional games to fans in these regions.

CWI’s Chief Executive Officer Johnny Grave expressed his excitement over the new deals, emphasizing their importance in expanding West Indies cricket’s global presence. "These new media rights agreements for Pakistan, MENA, and SEA are a vital step in ensuring that West Indies cricket continues to grow its global fan base," Grave said. "By partnering with Tapmad and Cricbuzz, we are securing broad coverage across critical markets, allowing fans in these regions to access top-tier cricket content on both linear and digital channels. Our goal is to make West Indies cricket more accessible to the world, striving to maximize and balance reach and revenue, and these deals are another significant step in that strategic direction."

The agreements, brokered by CWI’s media consultants Pitch International, reflect CWI’s commitment to enhancing the global visibility of West Indies cricket. These partnerships not only bolster fan engagement across key markets but also strengthen the global appeal of the West Indies cricket brand.

Fans across Pakistan, MENA, and South-East Asia can now look forward to uninterrupted access to all West Indies home internationals and regional tournaments, as CWI continues to grow its international footprint and bring its electrifying style of cricket to new audiences worldwide.

 

Crushing 120-run defeat leaves Windies facing unassailable 0-2 deficit against Pakistan

The hosts set the Windies a target of 276 after winning the toss and batting first.

Captain Babar Azam was the catalyst as he got his sixth consecutive score of 50 or more in ODIs with a 93-ball 77, including five fours and one six.

Imam-ul-Haq provided good support with a run-a-ball 72, including six fours.

Alzarri Joseph produced an excellent spell going for just 33 in his 10 overs while picking up two wickets. Akeal Hosein was also brilliant with 3-52 off his 10 overs.

The Windies reply got off to a bad start with Shai Hope, who got 127 not out in the previous game, being dismissed in the first over for just four.

Kyle Mayers and Shamarh Brooks then provided the innings with some stability reaching 71-1 before Mayers was dismissed for 33 at the end of the 10th over.

Brandon King fell shortly after for a duck to leave the Windies 72-3 after 10.4 overs.

After Brooks fell for 42, in the 19th over, with the score on 102, the West Indies lost their final six wickets for just 52 runs to be bundled out for 155.

Mohammad Nawaz produced a game-changing spell for the hosts with 4-19 from his 10 overs while Mohammad Wasim Jr supported well with 3-34 from 4.2 overs.

The third and final ODI will take place on Sunday.

Cummins and Starc rip through Pakistan to put Australia in command

Captain Cummins and fellow paceman Starc were lethal in the evening session as Pakistan collapsed from 214-2 to 268 all out in reply to Australia's 391 in Lahore.

The outstanding Cummins took 5-56 and Starc 4-33, with Babar Azam's side unable to contend with the reverse swing and pace they generated with the second new ball.

Abdullah Shafique (81), Azhar Ali (78) and Babar (67) had put Pakistan in a promising position, but they lost seven wickets in the final session before Australia closed on 11 without loss - leading by 134 runs.

Australia were unable to make a breakthrough in the morning session after Pakistan resumed on 90-1, Shafique and Azhar bringing up their half-centuries as they added 69 runs before lunch.

A second-wicket stand of 150 finally ended when Nathan Lyon got Shafique caught behind following a review, but Steve Smith was unable to take chances to remove Babar on 20 and Azhar, when he had 62 to his name, in the slips as the runs flowed more freely.

Azhar passed 7,000 Test runs, but Pakistan were 214-3 when Cummins took a brilliant catch off his own bowling to end his excellent knock.

Starc then cleaned up Fawad Alam and Mohammad Rizwan as the momentum swung dramatically in Australia's favour after tea, with the magnificent Cummins also conjuring up substantial reverse swing as he saw the back of Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali and Hasan Ali to claim a five-wicket haul.

Babar was trapped leg before by Starc, who then produced a searing delivery that crashed into Naseem Shah's off stump to end Pakistan's innings with a flash. Usman Khawaja and David Warner then saw off three overs as Australia took command.

Cummins and Starc produce pace-bowling masterclass

After spending much of the day toiling with wickets hard to come by once again, Starc and Cummins were at their brilliant best late in the day.

They got the ball swinging, while also bowling perfect lengths at pace to tear through the Pakistan order, taking seven wickets for 20 runs.

Cummins became the first paceman to take a five-wicket haul in the series and his seventh in the longest format, producing a peach of a delivery that Sajid chopped on before pinning Nauman leg before and getting Hasan caught by Smith.

Pakistan crumble after trio build strong foundations

It looked like a first-innings lead was there for the taking for Pakistan courtesy of fine knocks from Shafique, Azhar and Babar.

The trio batted superbly on a good pitch, but the middle order and tail was blown away by Cummins and Starc, with three batters falling without scoring and Rizwan only making one.