Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said on Thursday his team's latest Test hero Saud Shakeel had stepped up his game and showcased new shots in his match-winning unbeaten 208 against Sri Lanka.

Opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq stood unbeaten on 50 as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by four wickets on the final day of the opening Test in Galle on Thursday.

Joy scored 100 off 114 deliveries, striking 12 fours and two sixes, while left-hander Zakir Hasan added 62 off 72 deliveries with the help of six fours and two sixes. Soumya Sarkar scored 48 off 42 while Sheikh Mahedi smashed a quick-fire 36 off just 19 balls with six fours and a six.

Saud Shakeel hit an attacking century and, along with overnight partner Agha Salman, helped Pakistan take the lead against Sri Lanka on the third day of the rain-hit first Test on Tuesday.

Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed his 100th Test wicket on his return from injury in the first match against Sri Lanka in Galle on Sunday.

Spinner Maheesh Theekshana took 4-31 as Sri Lanka claimed victory over Netherlands by 128 runs in the final of the 2023 Cricket World Cup qualifier tournament at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

Dhananjaya made 93, his best ODI score, to help Sri Lanka recover from 96 for six to make 213. And Theekshana then took three wickets in the space of two overs to derail the Dutch chase in a 21-run victory.

Hosts Zimbabwe and former champions Sri Lanka are in prime position to clinch the final two qualifying spots for this year's Cricket World Cup, while two-time winners the West Indies risk missing the tournament for the first time.

Bangladesh women’s team head coach, Hashan Tillakratne, believes patience is needed if the Tigresses are to find a foothold in international cricket.

Sri Lankan cricket team members visiting Zimbabwe to take part in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers were seen seated on the floor of their hotel, waiting to be allocated rooms on Sunday.

Nigar Sultana Jyoti struck an unbeaten 51-ball 75 as Bangladesh women’s team beat their Sri Lankan counterparts by six wickets in the first T20I in Colombo on Tuesday.

The last match of the series against Sri Lanka is scheduled to be played in Colombo on Thursday.

Sri Lanka will now look to earn their berth via a 10-team qualifying competition in Zimbabwe in June and July.

The two teams split the points which further damages Sri Lanka's designs on a place in the top eight of the Super League, who automatically qualify for the World Cup in India in October and November.

India and defending champions England are definitely in but former winners West Indies as well as South Africa and Sri Lanka could face a long, arduous road to reach the 2023 World Cup.

The tourists reached 113-2 in their second innings at stumps on day three but still trailed by 303 runs at Wellington's Basin Reserve

Devon Conway's blistering 78 helped hosts New Zealand race to 155-2 against Sri Lanka at the end of a rain-delayed opening day of the second Test on Friday in Wellington.

Sri Lanka would have qualified for the WTC final if they had swept New Zealand in their two-match series and Australia denied India victory in the ongoing fourth test in Ahmedabad.

Sri Lanka had claimed the initiative on the first two days of the Christchurch Test but were 83 for three in their second innings at stumps on day three, a lead of 65 runs.

The 54-year-old touched down at 10:36 pm and will start Tigers' training camp on Tuesday.