India can rise with SA fall in ICC ODI Rankings

South Africa's defeat would be India's gain as MS Dhoni's men stand to get back the 2nd spot in ICC one-day rankings if England beat the Proteas in a 5-match ODI series starting Friday in Johannesburg.

India had tripped to 3rd after losing a 7-match ODI series against Australia 2-4 a few weeks ago.

In individual rankings, South African Skipper Graeme Smith has the opportunity to put pressure on top ranked Indian foil MS Dhoni and 2nd-placed Michael Hussey in the list for ICC ODI batsmen.

An all-out triumph for the 6th-placed England would see them rise to 3rd and leave the 2nd-placed hosts 5th.

But if Graeme Smith's side manages to win the ODI series 5-0 it will close the gap with Australia to just two points. However, if the Proteas win 3-2, their triumph margin will not be enough to maintain 2nd place and they will slip to 3rd behind India.

If Andrew Strauss' side win the ODI series 3-2, it would rise to 5th in the ICC ODI rankings and South Africa would drop to 3rd, again providing India with 2nd place.

No victory situation can see either team putting any pressure on the current table toppers Australia.

In the Rankings for ODI batsmen, Graeme Smith is still the highest-ranked player of either side at the 3rd spot.

Afridi stars in a clinical Pakistan win

Shahid Afridi hits an aggressive half-century and getting two wickets to cap Pakistan's 138-run win over New Zealand in the 1st ODI day-night international here on Tuesday.

Afridi's 49-ball 70 supplemented by Kamran Akmal's undefeated 43-ball 67 and Khalid Latif's steady maiden fifty lifted Pakistan to an impressive 287-9 before they shot New Zealand out for 149 in the 40th over.

The victory, which gave Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the 3-match one-day series, was also cute revenge for the winners who lost to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2009 semi-final last month.

The remaining two matches will be played here on Friday and Monday, before the two teams move to Dubai for two Twenty20 internationals on November 12 and 13.

Pakistan v New Zealand in UAE 2009

Date	Match Details	Time (GMT)	Venue
Nov 3 - Tue	Pakistan v New Zealand, 1st ODI Pak won by 138 runs	11.00	Abu Dhabi
Nov 6 - Fri	Pakistan v New Zealand, 2nd ODI NZ won by 64 runs	11.00	Abu Dhabi
Nov 9 - Mon	Pakistan v New Zealand, 3rd ODI NZ won by 7 runs	11.00	Abu Dhabi
New Zealand won by ODI Serice 2-1
Nov 12 - Thu	Pakistan v New Zealand, 1st T20i Pak won by 49 runs	16.00	Dubai
Nov 13 - Fri	Pakistan v New Zealand, 2nd T20i Pak won by 7 runs	16.00	Dubai

Pakistan won the T20i Series 2-0

Dhoni Stars India's 99-run victory over Australia

A quickfire century by Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni set up India's 99-run victory over Australia on Wednesday as the home team leveled the one-day series 1-1.

MS Dhoni hit 124 runs off just 107 balls, putting on 119 for the 4th wicket partnership with Gautam Gambhir (76) and 136 for the 5th wicket with Suresh Raina (62) to push India to 354 /7 after they lost the toss in the day-night game.

After India amassed their highest ODI total against Australia, pacer Praveen Kumar took two early wickets including Captain Ricky Ponting for 12, to help India bowl out the visitors for 255 in 48.3 overs.

Michael Hussey (53) scored his 2nd consecutive half-century for Australia but young left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja took 3 for 35 to trigger a middle-order fall down and fast bowler Ishant Sharma claimed 2 for 37.

"We lost Sachin Tendulkar early but Virender Sehwag (40) and Gambhir gave us the start we needed," said Dhoni referring to a second-wicket partnership of 46.

"They set the platform for me and I was able to play my own innings," he said at the prize-giving service.

Gambhir struck his 2nd consecutive half-century as he and MS Dhoni turned the heat on an Australia attack weakened by the absence of injured pair Brett Lee and James Hopes.

Gambhir was run out by a direct hit at the bowler end after being sent back by Dhoni but the Captain and Raina tear into the bowling, smashing 108 runs in the final 10 overs.

Dhoni cracked 9 fours and 3 sixes and reached his fifth one-day international century with a straight six off medium-pacer Shane Watson before falling in the final over to Mitchell Johnson (3-75).

Praveen Kumar then clean bowled Australia opener Tim Paine for (8) before Sharma forced Watson (19) to edge to Tendulkar at the 1st slip with his 1st delivery.

Ponting was trapped lbw in the 11th over before Hussey bogus useful partnerships with Cameron White (23) and Adam Voges (36).

Jadeja, though, dismissed Mike Hussey, Shaun Marsh (21) and Voges to end Australia's chances.

"Full credit to India, they outplayed us in every aspect of the game tonight," said Ponting.

"It was always going to be a hard run-chase."

The 3rd game of the 7 match ODI series will be in New Delhi on Saturday.

Man of the match : MS Dhoni

Zimbabwe in Bangladesh 2009 Schedule

Date	Match Details	Time (GMT)	Venue
Oct 27	Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, 1st ODI Zim win by 5 wickets	07.30*	Mirpur
Oct 29	Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, 2nd ODI Ban won by 7 wickets	07.30*	Mirpur
Oct 31	Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, 3rd ODI Ban won by 4 wickets	07.30*	Mirpur
Nov 3	Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, 4th ODI Ban won by 6 wickets	03.30	Chittagong
Nov 5	Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, 5th ODI Ban won by 1 wickets	03.30	Chittagong

* - Day Night Match


Bangladesh won the ODI Series 4-1