New Zealand vs South Africa Live cricket score, ICC Women’s World Cup 2017

South Africa will look for their second win in a row when they face New Zealand in ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 match at Derby. All eight participating teams will play each other once, with the top four then going on to semi-finals. The final will take place at the Lord’s on July 23. Get live cricket score of New Zealand vs South Africa ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 game here


Suzie Bates, who already started the series on a flying note with her second World Cup century, has further reasons to celebrate. Suzie, who began her cricketing career at the age of 18 against India at Lincoln, will become the 8th New Zealand cricketer to complete 100 ODIs. Along with her, Amy Satterthwaite also started off the tournament on bright note with a fifty. However, the youngster Amelia Kerr is slowly building her name and making the opportunity count. She was the one who broke the growing partnership between Chamari Atapattu and Chamari Polgampola in the first match of the tournament. Along with her, Holly Huddleston grabbed the eyeball with her maiden World Cup 5-for. With a strong team in place, the White Ferns will hope to continue the momentum against stiff competitors like South Africa.

The Protea women, on the other hand, had shaky start to the year. They ended up as runners-up against India on two occasions – in the final of World Cup Qualifiers and final of the quadrangular series at home. However, South Africa would want to avoid another last-minute thriller as seen against Pakistan. Their power-packed openers like Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt along with all-rounder Shabnim Ismil as well Ayabonga Khaka and Moseline Daniels will look to maintain their consistency against the big three teams – New Zealand, England and West Indies this week.

Squads: 

New Zealand Women: Suzie Bates (c), Rachel Priest (wk), Erin Bermingham, Sophie Devine, Maddie Green, Holly Huddleston, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin, Thamsyn Newton, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite and Lea Tahuhu

South Africa Women: Dane van Niekerk (c), Trisha Chetty (wk), Moseline Daniels, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Shabnim Ismail, Nadine de Klerk, Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus, Raisibe Ntozhake, Mignon du Preez, Andrie Steyn, Chloe Tryon and Laura Wolfvaardt.

India vs Bangladesh Live Cricket Score, Champions Trophy 2017

India won the toss and chose to bowl in the second semi-final against Bangladesh in Edgbaston. This is the first encounter between these two sides in the tournament and Virat Kohli’s side are unchanged. Yuvraj Singh is playing his 300th ODI. The winner of this match will play Pakistan in the final. Catch live cricket score of India vs Bangladesh semi-final here.

18:20 hrs IST: Bangladesh end on 264/7 in 50 overs

18:16 hrs IST: Bhuvneshwar is down! He has hurt his leg in his follow through in the last over. Bangladesh, meanwhile, has crossed 260.

18:11 hrs IST: FOURS! Turning out to be a costly over for India as MOsrtaza goes after Bumrah. BAN 258/7 in 49 overs

18:10 hrs IST: FOUR! Lucky there! Tasking edges to Bhuvneshwar as the flies away to boundary. BAN 248/7 in 48 overs

18:04 hrs IST: FOUR AGAIN! Bumrah Yorker is edged by Mortaza and goes left of Dhoni to boundary. BAN 244/7 in 47 overs

18:01 hrs IST: FOUR! Mortaza gets some crucial runs as his mistimed pull gets the ball over Dhoni’s head towards four. BAN 231/7 in 46 overs

17:57 hrs IST: WICKET! Mahmudullah (21) out. BAN 229/7 (45)

Bumrah strikes again! He comes up with a gem of a yorker and rattles Mahmudullah stumps.

17:51 hrs IST: FOUR! Mashrafe Mortaza goes for the big one against Bhuvneshwar Kumar. BAN 226/6 in 44 overs

17:46 hrs IST: WICKET! Mosaddek Out, BAN 218/6 (42.3)

Bumrah gets his first wicket as Mosaddek mistimes pull is caught y the bowler himself.

17:42 hrs IST: FOUR! Now Mahmudullah reverse sweeps Ashwin for a boundary.

17:38 hrs IST: Bumrah is back in the attack and gets hit for a four by Mosaddek Hossain at mid-off. BAN 212/5 in 41 overs

17:35 hrs IST: Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain have handled the collapse pretty well. BAN 206/5 in 40 overs

17:30 hrs IST: DROPPED! Mahmudullah is let off by Ashwin at third man off Pandya. BAN 197/5 in 39 overs

17:26 hrs IST: Ravindra Jadeja now has 16 wickets . Most by any Indian bowlers in ICC Champions Trophy. BAN 191/5 in 38 overs

17:24 hrs IST: FOUR! Mosaddek cuts Jadeja to ease the pressure a bit. BAN 188/5 in 37 overs

17:19 hrs IST: WICKET!Rahim (61) out! BAN 179/5 in 35.2 overs

Bangladesh feels the heat as Jadhav gets his second. Rahim tries to take the spinner through mid-wicket but is caught by Kohli, who is excited and is not shy of expressing it. he makes a funny face and the crowd the love it.

17:13 hrs IST: WICKET! Shakib (15) departs! BAN 177/4 in 34.2 overs

Jadeja gets his first wicket as Shakib tries got for a cut against the spinner and is caught behind by Dhoni. A brilliant attempt.

17:10 hrs IST: FOUR! A boundary after a long time for Bangladesh. Shakib slashes Jadeja for a four. BAN 175/3 in 33 overs

17:07 hrs IST: Jadhav continues from the other end. He has essayed the role of the third spinner pretty well. But Bangladesh have a deep batting line-up. BAN 167/3 in 32 overs

17:04 hrs IST: Jadeja has been miserly so far. He has given 33 runs in seven overs so far. BAN 164/3 in 33 overs

17:00 hrs IST: The drying up of boundaries mounted the pressure on Bangladesh. Still, Tamim looked set but a wild drive did him in. Shakib Al Hasan is the new batsman at the crease. BAN 161/3 in 30 overs

16:57 hrs IST: WICKET! Tamim Iqbal (70) departs! BAN 154/3 in 28 overs

The set batsman goes a wild drive but misses Kedar Jadhav’s line. He tried to take him over mid-wicket but is bowled.

16:54 hrs IST: The Edgbaston is basking in sunlight after a long time. No boundary for Bangladesh in the last three overs.

16:50 hrs IST: Rahim scores 26th half-century as Bangladesh reach 150-run mark in 26.2 overs

16:46 hrs IST: Jadeja bowls his fourth over as Mushfiqur Rahim is just four runs short of his half-century. BAN 142/2 in 25 overs

16:42 hrs IST: Tamim and Rahim’s stand has now crossed 100 run mark. They have handled the spin duo Ashwin and Jadeja pretty well. BAN 137/2 in 24 overs

16:37 hrs IST: THREE STRAIGHT FOURS! Tamim is on fire! He goes after Ashwin. First the left-hander cuts four a boundary, then hits through the covers and then flicks towards leg. BAN 123/2 in 22 overs

16:34 hrs IST: HUGE APPEAL! Rahim goes for a slog sweep and misses the line of the delivery as Dhoni removes the bails. Replays show he was inside the line. BAN 110/2 in 21 overs

16:32 hrs IST: Ashwin gives away just one run! BAN 105/2 in 20 overs

16:31 hrs IST: FOUR! Tamim gets to his 38th half-century with a reverse sweep off Jadeja. BAN 104/2 in 19 overs

16:26 hrs IST: Raviundra Jadeja into the attack now.

16:24 hrs IST: Ashwin continues from the other end. This partnership is like a thorn for India. The earlier they get one of them out, the better for Kohli’s men. BAN 96/2 in 18 overs

16:20 hrs IST: It’s the drinks break. Both teams have something to take from the first hour of play. Bangladesh have shown the confidence and playing to a plan.

16:18 hrs IST: SIX! Tamim Iqbal takes Pandya over square leg. He has moved to his 40s. BAN 90/2 in 17 overs

16:16 hrs IST: FOUR! Tamim directs Ashwin delivery towards third man!. This is intelligent batting by Bangladesh’s most senior batsman. BAN 83/2 in 16 overs

16:12 hrs IST: Ashwin starts his second over on a poor note as he bowls a wide. He covers quickly and goves away just three more runs. BAN 66/2 in 14 overs

16:08 hrs IST: Meanwhile, India’s squad for West Indies limited overs series has been announced. Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant included in the squad while Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested.

16:04 hrs IST: Hardik Pandya gets an inside edge off Tamim, as the ball hits the stumps. No danger, however, as it’s called a no ball. Tough luck! BAN 62/2 in 13 overs

16:02 hrs IST: Hardik Pandya comes from the other end. His no ball gives Bangladesh a free-hit. Only two runs from it .  

16:00 hrs IST: First bowling change for India! R Ashwin comes in to bowl the 12th over and gives away two runs. BAN 49/2 in 12 overs.

15:58 hrs IST: Bhuvneshwar continues from the other end and gives away just one run. BAN 47/2 in 11 overs

15:57 hrs IST: Bumrah bowls another tight over. He is keeping up the pressure from one end. BAN 46/2 in 10 overs

15:48 hrs IST: RAHIM ON FIRE! The ex-skipper continues his attack as he gets straight fours. First he produces an elegant cover drive and then cuts through point. BAN 45/2 in 9 overs

15:47 hrs IST: THAT WILL HURT! Rahim goes for a wild heave against Bhuvneshwar, the ball gets an inside edge but misses the stumps and goes past Dhoni for a boundary.

15:41 hrs IST: Mushfiqur Rahim is the new batsman. This partnership will be crucial for Bangladesh. The duo is their most in-form batsmen. Bumrah gives away just one run in the eighth over. BAN 32/2 in 8 overs

15:39 hrs IST: WICKET!Sabbir (19) gone! BAN 31/2 in 6.5 overs

Bhuvneshwar strikes again! Sabbir goes for a cut against a wide delivery and is caught by Ravindra Jadeja at backward point.

15:35 hrs IST: A Maiden over after a long time. Bumrah’s over will give Kohli’s India breathing space after the mayhem by Sabbir. BAN 31/1 in 6 overs

15:33 hrs IST: Bangladesh have so far got boundaries in every over except the first one. Indian pacers need to find a quick answer to their onslaught.

15:31 hrs IST: FOUR! Bhuvneshwar gets a leading edge off Tamim. But the ball flies away from the fielder at second slip. Bangladesh fans are rejoicing. BAN 31/1 in 5 overs

15:27 hrs IST: FOUR AGAIN! Sabbir is ripping apart the Indian pacers. He is taking full advantage of the powerplay overs as there are no fielders in the outfield. This time he hits over long off against Bumrah. BAN 26/1 in 4 overs

15:22 hrs IST: MORE FOURS! Rahman is essaying his pinch-hitting role pretty well. First he lofts Bhuvneshwar over mid-off and then gets another boundary with a beautiful cover drive. BAN 21/1 in 3 overs

15:16 hrs IST: FOURS! Bangladesh makes a strong comeback Tamim and No.3 Sabbir Rahman goes after Jasprit Bumrah. First Tamim directs the ball towards square leg and then Rahman gets off the blocks with an elegant square drive and then BAN 11/1 in 2 overs

15:14 hrs IST: WICKET! Soumya Sarkar gone. BAN 1/1 in 1 over

Bhuvneshwar Kumar rattles Soumya stumps.

15:12 hrs IST: Bangladesh get off the mark as Tamim Iqbal takes a single off Bhuvneshwar. The Indian pacer is bowling a tight line!

15:11 hrs IST: Action starts!

15:03 Time for the national anthems. India and Banglesh, both anthems composed by Rabindranath Tagore. Huge moment for Bangladesh and their legions of fans.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Mosaddek Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman

India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(c), Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni(w), Hardik Pandya, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah

Live Cricket Score of England vs Pakistan ICC Champions Trophy 2017

When the experts had settled down to try and figure out which would be the sides in the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, two teams would not have been listed in their estimates. They would be anticipating hosts England, defending champions India, World No. 1 South Africa and the resurgent Australia as the last-four contestants. As it turns out, they are only half right. We have Pakistan and Bangladesh to thank for that. Pakistan began with a massive loss to India, and things began looking bleak immediately. As always, the Pakistani team and fans invested too much into the India match and were left struggling after that.

Live Cricket Updates between England and Pakistan

15:57 IST: Good comeback from the Pakistani leggie. He dragged the length back a little and was much more difficult to get away.

15:56 IST: Four!! Full and flighted for Shadab and Bairstow bludgeons it straight down the ground. That was hit with some power!

15:55 IST: Just two runs from the Imad Wasim over. England are 67/1 in 13 overs.

15:50 IST: Four!! Half-tracker from Shadab, Root hops on to the backfoot and smashes it to mid-wicket.

15:48 IST: Imad Wasim easily picked off for singles. England are 58/1 in 11 overs.

15:44 IST: Dropped!! Azhar Ali gets a hand to Bairstow's pull shot but fails to hold on to it. Good try nevertheless! It was a difficult chance.

15:41 IST: LBW shout from Imad, but going down the leg. He is causing Bairstow a few problems.

15:38 IST: Four!! Raees drifts on to the pads of Root, who flicks it to deep mid-wicket for his first boundary. England are 44/1 in 8 overs.

15:34 IST: Short and wide from Imad Wasim and Bairstow gets it past backward point for a double.

15:31 IST: Joe Root is the next batsman in for England.

15:28 IST: WICKET!!;Pakistan draw first blood as Hales departs for 13. England 34/1 in 5.5 overs

15:27 IST: Four!! Full and straight from Raees and Bairstow drives it beautifully. 

15:22 IST: Things going England's way early on. England are 29/0 in 5 overs.

15:19 IST: Big shout for LBW! And the umpire raises the finger. However, Hales has taken the review. Replays show that the ball is pitching outside the leg stump. Not out is the decision! Good review from England. 

15:14 IST: Four!! This time a little shorter but gets the same treatment. Back to back boundaries for Bairstow. England are 20/0 in 3 overs.

15:13 IST: Four!! Junaid drifts on to the pads of Bairstow and is picked off.

15:10 IST: Good start from Raees, concedes only two runs in his first over.

15:08 IST: Debutant Rumman Raees introduced into the attack. 

15:07 IST: At the end of the first over, England stand at five for no loss.

15:06 IST: Four! Full from Junaid and Hales punches the ball straight down the ground for the first boundary of the innings.

15:03 IST: Not Out! Bairstow survives an early scare as Pakistan loses their review in the first over of the match.

15:02 IST: Huge shout for leg before from Junaid Khan as Bairstow misses the ball. On-field umpire turns down the appeal. Sarfraz Ahmed goes for a review.

15:01 IST: First ball - Yorker from Khan and Bairstow negotiates it nicely. 

15:00 IST: Junaid Khan leading the bowling attack for Pakistan.

14:59 IST: Alex Hales and Jonny Bairstow to open the batting line-up for England. 

14:55 IST: The national anthems of the two countries.

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed wins toss, elects to field.

Mohammad Amir is not playing due to back spasms." Morgan says they would have batted first anyway and they have replaced Jason Roy with Jonny Bairstow. 

England playing XI: Eoin Morgan (captain), Alex Hales, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root,  Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wicket-keeper), Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Mark Wood, Jake Ball

Pakistan playing XI: Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper/captain), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Rumman Raees, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan



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Upul Tharanga suspended for two matches after four-hour innings

Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Upul Tharanga has been suspended for his team's next two matches in the Champions Trophy because of a "serious" over-rate offence in their first group B match against South Africa at The Oval.

Sri Lanka took more than four hours to bowl 50 overs, and match referee David Boon ruled they were short of the target by four overs, even after making time allowances. Tharanga had been filling in as captain for Angelo Mathews, who did not make it through a fitness test on the morning of the match, and received two suspension points for the slow over rate.

"Tharanga pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing," the ICC said. "As two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player, Tharanga has been suspended from his side's upcoming matches against India and Pakistan, while each of his players have received a fine of 60 per cent."

Tharanga admitted he had been warned on-field that Sri Lanka were falling well behind the over-rate. "I think we were too slow to change over between overs. The umpires had told us that we were lagging, after 10 overs that we were two overs behind. In the last few overs it's hard to catch up, because you need some time at the death. "

He was Sri Lanka's top scorer against South Africa, making 57 off 69 balls as they fell short by 96 runs in the chase of 300. His suspension now makes it even more imperative that Mathews is fit to face India at The Oval on June 8 as Sri Lanka aim to keep their tournament alive.

Speaking before the sanction against Tharanga was confirmed, Dinesh Chandimal, who would be the likely captain if Mathews wasn't fit, said he had been close to make the opening match.

"He just missed this game, but the thing is you can't risk playing the first game and making it worst," he said. "He's got four or five days before the next game to get ready."

Cricket Australia announces Australia A squads for South Africa Tour

Usman Khawaja will captain Australia A's four-day team and Travis Head will lead the one-day side for a series of matches in South Africa in July and August. Glenn Maxwell, who scored his maiden Test century on the recent tour of India, will be vice-captain to Khawaja in the first-class games and will have the chance to push his case for retention in the Test side when Australia next play.

Moises Henriques was initially named in the one-day squad but the selectors later stated that the allrounder will continue his county stint with Surrey, instead of playing the tri-series.* CA said the selection panel had "considered both Henriques' experience along with future Australian tours in making this decision", and that a replacement player will be named in due course.

South Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey has been chosen in both squads after a remarkable summer in which he broke the record for most dismissals in a Shield season, while also scoring nearly 600 Shield runs. Queensland all-rounder Jack Wildermuth has also been named in both squads, his first call-up for Australia A, while New South Wales batsman Daniel Hughes has the chance to debut for Australia A in the one-day format.

The selectors decided against choosing the experienced batsmen Ed Cowan and George Bailey, who were two of the top three Shield run scorers last summer, as well as Cameron White, who topped the Ryobi Cup run tally. However, national selector Trevor Hohns said that while some senior players had missed out, it would "certainly not detract from their chances of representing Australia in the future".

Also absent from the squads were the opener Marcus Harris, who had a prolific Shield season for Victoria and finished fourth on the run tally with 808 runs, and the spinner Jon Holland, whose 50 Shield wickets placed him second only to swing bowler Chadd Sayers on the competition list. Ashton Agar and Mitch Swepson, both of whom toured India with the Test squad this year, were preferred as spin options in both formats.

"We have opted for a well-balanced squad featuring some experience blended with younger players, with an emphasis on building our depth for the future," Hohns said. "This is a great chance for these players to experience foreign conditions against quality international sides and really test their skills.

"With an upcoming Test Series in South Africa early next year it is also an opportunity to impress with their performances and put their names forward for consideration. Khawaja is a proven leader and has captained Australia A before, he will gel nicely with Glenn who recently had some captaincy experience in the IPL and we believe will respond well to this extra responsibility."

Australia A will play two four-day games against South Africa A from July 12 to 22, and then a one-day tri-series involving South Africa A and India A from July 26 to August 8.

Four-day squad Usman Khawaja (capt), Glenn Maxwell (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Jackson Bird, Alex Carey (wk), Hilton Cartwright, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Chadd Sayers, Mitch Swepson, Chris Tremain, Jack Wildermuth.

One-day squad Travis Head (capt), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Hilton Cartwright, Sam Heazlett, Daniel Hughes, Kane Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Swepson, Chris Tremain, Jack Wildermuth.

Australia A tour of South Africa
Four-day matches
12-15 July: Australia A v South Africa A, Tukkies
19-22 July: Australia A v South Africa A, Senwes Park

One-day tri-series
26 July: Australia A v India A, Tukkies
30 July: Australia A v South Africa A, Groenkloof
1 August: Australia A v India A, Tukkies
5 August: Australia A v South Africa A, Tukkies
8 August: Tri-Series Final, Tukkies

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Dinesh Karthik replaces injured Pandey in Champions Trophy squad

India has included Dinesh Karthik in their Champions Trophy squad for the replacement for Manish Pandey, who has been ruled out with a left side strain. Pandey sustained the injury during a Kolkata Knight Riders practice session ahead of their IPL Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Karthik has played 71 ODIs since his debut in 2004 - keeping wicket in 24 of them - scoring 1313 runs at 27.93. He was part of India's victorious 2013 Champions Trophy campaign and last played international cricket during the 2014 Asia Cup in Bangladesh.

In recalling Karthik, the selectors have rewarded his excellent domestic form across formats. He scored 704 runs in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy at 54.15, with one hundred and five fifties, and was a vital cog in Tamil Nadu's run to a 50-overs title double, scoring a combined 854 runs at 85.40 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Deodhar Trophy. In the IPL, Karthik was Gujarat Lions' second-highest run-getter with 361 at a strike rate of 139.38.


India squad for Champions Trophy 2017

Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (wk), Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthik(wk), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah.

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Indian Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2017

15-man India squad, for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, announced on Monday (May 8) - a day after the BCCI gave the all-clear to participate in the tournament.

Mohammed Shami, who hadn't played a One-Day International since the World Cup 2015 semifinal, was recalled to the 15-man Indian squad, for the Champions Trophy.

It was also the first time that standbys were named.

Rohit Sharma, the opening batsman, too, returns to the set-up after having been ruled out for four months in November last year due to a thigh injury. He has played all of Mumbai's games so far this season in the IPL after returning to competitive cricket in March.

While KL Rahul hasn't sufficiently recovered from his shoulder injury, Ravichandran Ashwin, the ace offspinner, who missed the ongoing IPL with a sports hernia injury, was named, along with Ravindra Jadeja, with the duo to share spin responsibilities.

Ashwin, who played a crucial role in helping India hoist the Champions Trophy in 2013, picking up eight scalps at an average of 22.62, was rested for the duration of the IPL - something that was confirmed by MSK Prasad. "Ashwin's selection was not a difficult decision. He's had rest, isn't out of form. We've been preparing him for the Champions Trophy" said MSK Prasad, the chairman of selectors after the announcement.

One of the major talking points prior to the announcement was whether Ajinkya Rahane would retain his place in the set-up. The elegant batsman has been in average form in the ongoing IPL, evidenced by the fact that he has compiled just 248 runs at an average of 20.66. However, the Prasad-led selection panel showed their faith in the veteran batsman by naming him for England as the backup opener (Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan being the primary ones), along with Yuvraj Singh, whose one-day career was revived after being picked for the series against England in January.

Manish Pandey was also named in the 15-member squad. The enterprising batsman hasn't played for the national side in the 50-over format since the series against New Zealand in October last year despite being selected for the subsequent ODI series against England.

MS Dhoni was the lone wicketkeeper named in the squad. When asked about the decision and concerns with his form, Prasad didn't stop short of lavishing praise on the former Indian skipper saying that the experienced campaigner has been a fine performer for India under pressure situations in the abridged versions of the game, also commending his glovework.

"We all believe that MSD is still the best wicketkeeper in the world," said Prasad. "Focussing on his batting form, he is an invaluable asset to the team when it comes to crunch situations. His inputs... and he has got one of the best brains. He is the best person to guide Virat. Not many people realise that in the last 10-12 years that MS has played, he has never had a bad day as far his gloves are concerned. We always treat him as a batsman but the phenomenal stuff that he does behind the wickets, not many people appreciate."

Rishabh Pant, the dashing wicketkeeper-batsman, was also considered for selection but missed out. The 19-year-old had plundered 972 runs at an average of 81 to go with an astonishing strike rate of 107 in the 2016-17 Ranji season.

"We are completely impressed with Rishabh Pant. But he missed out because of squad combination. We will groom him for the future," noted Prasad. The former wicketkeeper-batsman also pointed out that the selectors had pondered over whether to select Kuldeep Yadav, the slow left-arm unorthodox bowler, who he said "missed out narrowly".

The chinaman bowler took a four-wicket haul on his Test debut against Australia in Dharamsala. He has also picked up nine wickets at an average of 31.22 in the IPL 2017.

In addition, apart from Pant and Kuldeep, the others who were considered and will be kept as stand-by options are Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina and Shardul Thakur, for who visas are being sorted out. They will, in the meantime, train at the NCA in Bangalore.

Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shami will form a formidable pace attack. The team, as Prasad stressed, had been picked on the basis of "performances in the last year or so and not just the IPL".

The Indian selectors went in with a tried and tested side, banking on the right mix of experience and youth, playing it safe with no surprise inclusions. Virat Kohli will lead the side that will kickstart their title defence against Pakistan on June 4 in Edgbaston.


Squad: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit, Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami.