England win toss, bat on flat Abu Dhabi track

ABU DHABI: England captain Alastair Cook won the toss and chose to bat in the first day-night international against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi Stadium here on Monday. Routed 3-0 in the preceding Tests by Pakistan, England brought in new faces in Steven Finn, Samit Patel and Ravi Bopara for the four-match one-day series. Pakistan kept the same combination which beat Afghanistan by seven wickets in the only one-day played in Sharjah on Friday, resisting the temptation to play left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman. Teams: Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Wahab Riaz, Shoaib Malik. England: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Ravi...

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Ponting may replace injured Clarke as captain

SYDNEY: Australia captain Michael Clarke will miss Friday’s tri-series one-day international against Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury, Cricket Australia said on Monday. Clarke strained his right hamstring while fielding during Australia’s four-wicket ODI loss to India in Adelaide on Sunday. The Australia skipper said scans on Monday revealed that the injury was not too serious. “I have a grade one hamstring strain so will be out of Friday’s game,” Clarke posted on Twitter. Australia will name a replacement captain on Tuesday for the Sydney ODI against Sri Lanka, with wicketkeeper and vice-captain Brad Haddin and ex-skipper Ricky Ponting in the frame. Regular vice-captain Shane Watson only returned to club cricket last weekend...

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