Pakistan have dropped all-rounder Shahid Afridi and pace bowler Sohail Tanvir and called up three uncapped players ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka that begins in Karachi later this week (February 21st). There is also a recall for Asim Kamal, who last played a Test match in 2005.

India toppled Australia to achieve their highest-ever ranking of second in the ICC ODI Championship table courtesy the series victory in New Zealand and the world champions' recent dip in form.

Team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni extended his stay at the top of the ICC batting chart, while his pace spearhead Zaheer Khan broke into the top 10 in the bowlers' list in the latest ICC ODI rankings issued on Friday. Star middle order batsman Yuvraj Singh benefitted from West Indies' talismanic batsman Chris Gayle's mundane form to jump a rung to grab the fifth spot. Sachin Tendulkar is the only other Indian batsman in the top 20.

Sri Lanka's wounded and shaken cricketers returned home on Wednesday to tearful hugs from their relatives, saying they were lucky to be alive after a deadly attack on their team bus in Pakistan. "There were just these images of life flashing through my mind all the while bullets were being sprayed at our bus