Colombo - Government troops pushed Tuesday into the last few strongholds of the Tamil rebels in north-eastern Sri Lanka, the military said, amid growing concern over civilians caught in the conflict.

Troops were moving in the Mullaitivu district, 395 kilometres north-east of Colombo, after capturing the main town in the area Sunday, military officials said.

Fresh concerns were being expressed both within Sri Lanka and internationally about the plight of civilians in rebel-held areas.

Chennai, Jan. 26 : Indian Cricket team on Monday left on a 14-day tour to Sri Lanka to play a five day one-day international (ODI) series besides a Twenty-20 cricket match.

Team India is being led by master blaster Mahendra Singh Dhoni to play in the tour, which was arranged after India cancelled its visit to Pakistan in the wake of the November 26 Mumbai terror attacks last year.

The new face in the Indian cricket team, Ravindra Jadeja expressed hope that Indian team will be able to win the series beginning Jan. 28 and lasting till Feb. 10.

Islamabad, Jan. 26 : Pakistan's humiliating defeat against Sri Lanka in the last one day international has prompted the Senate Standing Committee on Sports to call a meeting demanding an explanation behind the defeat from the team's skipper Shoaib Malik, coach Intikhab Alam, and the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) chief selector Abdul Qadir.

The Standing Committee on Sports has called the meeting on February 9 to discuss the Pakistan's debacle in the home series.

Dubai, Jan. 25 : Pakistan has slipped one place in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Championship table following its 2-1 series defeat at home to Sri Lanka.

Although Shoaib Malik's team won the first ODI of the series in Karachi thanks to a brilliant unbeaten century by Salman Butt, it then proceeded to lose the second and third matches after impressive displays by the visitors.

That means Pakistan loses three ratings points and drops below New Zealand into fifth place on the table, an ICC press release said.

A blasting knock of 137 runs by opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan saw Sri Lanka mauling Pakistan team by 235 runs in the third and the final match of the series. With this win, Sri Lanka also lifted the ODI series by 2-1. This is considered as one of the worst performances by Pakistan against Sri Lanka on its home soil.

The final day-night international against Pakistan on Saturday saw Sri Lanka making 309 for 5 wickets with the help of makeshift opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, who struck a career-best hundred.

Dilshan, who is 32-years-old, impressed the onlookers when he made 132 runs for his second one-day hundred and shared in three important partnerships. Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat on a docile Gaddafi Stadium pitch.