The 24-year-old is leading Pakistan's spin attack that has come under severe criticism for not taking wickets in the middle overs

The 2015 World Cup winner was certain that the likes of opener David Warner would be raring to go when their tournament starts against hosts India in Chennai on Oct. 8.

Arthur, Pakistan's head coach at the 2019 World Cup when they failed to make the semi-finals, is confident the team can bounce back from recent disappointments

Kishan, 25, has an ODI best of 210 in 25 matches, but a recent 82 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup won him rich praise from the cricketing fraternity including former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar who called him a "big match player"

Over the course of the last 12 months, the highest stand by a Bangladesh opening pair had been 102 that Liton Das and Tamim Iqbal had notched. Without Tamim in the World Cup squad, and amidst the ongoing form concerns of openers ahead of the World Cup, youngster Tanzid Hasan and the formidable Liton finally found the runs they needed under their belt ahead of a huge tournament during the first warm-up fixture against Sri Lanka in Guwahati yesterday.

The Tigers are playing without their regular skipper, Shakib Al Hasan.

The match will start at 2.30pm Bangladesh Standard Time.

Both aged 20, fast bowler Pathirana and all-rounder Wellalage are undeterred by facing childhood heroes at the tournament that opens on October 5

Rashid believes the more spin-friendly Indian wickets at this World Cup will give him the stage to shine and he hopes he can inspire the next generation of Afghan cricketers.

Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, set to become the first Bangladeshi to umpire a World Cup match, said his breakthrough appointment was due to years of facing negative commentary with quiet determination.

Ashwin is the only specialist off-spinner in India's 15-man squad.

Maxwell missed the recent tour of South Africa with an ankle injury, but he has since bounced back and was adjudged player-of-the-match on Wednesday.

"I used to come home after training and he would take my pads and somehow wear them to bed," said elder brother Riaz, a decent player himself with one Test cap to his name.

Bangladesh team on Wednesday departed for India's Guwahati to play the ICC Cricket World Cup, hoping to put behind the drama that has unfolded back home following the exclusion of veteran opener Tamim Iqbal from the India-bound squad.

“I request everybody to keep faith in this team. We have a very exciting team with a blend of youth and experience. We have a dream and we have to materialise it. I believe everybody will try their best to uplift the image of the country,” said Khaled Mahmud.

Bangladesh team management went for a mix of youth and experience as they named the World Cup squad yesterday, with the biggest fallout from the announcement being the absence of veteran Tamim Iqbal due to injury concerns.

Indian ministries have yet to approve visas for spectators hoping to attend the seven week mega-event starting October 5, according to Pakistan media reports

Pakistan's first warm-up match ahead of the ODI World Cup in arch-rival India will be held behind closed doors due to security issues, the hosts said on Monday.

Less than six months after knee surgery threatened to rule him out of next month's ODI World Cup, the goal of captaining New Zealand in India has been the key driver in getting Kane Williamson through his recovery.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had written to the governing body complaining about a visa delay which, it said, had disrupted the team's preparation for the showpiece event across the border