For India, the battle is no longer about proving skill or form, but about crossing the elusive final hurdle that has so often tripped them -- including in this very tournament.
A summary of Friday's action in the FIFA World Cup 2026 UEFA Qualifiers.
With Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid at the helm, India bounced back from their heartbreak of losing in the final of 2023 ODI World Cup at home to Australia by winning the next two ICC events -- the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem said his side wanted to show their "caliber" after the heavy defeat against India by winning their Asia Cup match against Oman in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
IMAGES from matches played across European leagues on Saturday
South Africa will be eager to turn consistent recent form into a title-winning run when they open their women's ODI World Cup campaign against traditional powerhouses England in Guwahati on Friday.
Pakistan's women's team booked its berth in the marquee event by staying unbeaten in the ICC Women's ODI World Cup Qualifiers.
After winning the ODI World Cup title by beating South Africa in the final in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, November 2, 2025, Harmanpreet's advice to budding youngsters is: "Never stop dreaming. You never know where your destiny will take you."
Organised by TCM Sports, Cricket West Indies' long-term strategic partner, the the Golf Day brought together cricketing legends, global business leaders, and sporting icons on one stage, marking a celebration of West Indies cricket in the company of some of the formidable forces of the game such as Sir Vivian Richards, Brian Lara, and Sir Richie Richardson.
India went down fighting 1-2 to Qatar in their second Group H encounter of the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday.
India began their AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers campaign with a 2-0 victory against Bahrain in a Group H encounter at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Wednesday.
"I was born in this city and graduated from here. Constantly we were told that this city was freed by the British till somebody from the Historical Society knocked at my door one day and said that they have done a thorough research and found that it wasn't the British but the Indians who freed this city (from the Ottomans)," said the mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav.
Surya walks into a scenario where, in cricket-crazy India, losses to most teams are tolerated, but a defeat to Pakistan is rarely forgiven.
Indian Super League side FC Goa suffered a 0-2 defeat to FC Istiklol of Tajikistan in their second AFC Champions League 2 Group D match in Hisor, Tajikistan on Wednesday.
Names and names and names and names... 329 in all. Some Indian. Some Canadian. Some British. Berry. Gupta. Jain. James. Bhatt. Beauchesne. Chatlani. Enayati. Lougheed.... Vaihayasi Pande Daniel visits Ahakista, Ireland, home to the memorial for the worst terrorist atrocity in India's history.
Despite the threat of a pull-out over the fiasco involving match-referee Andy Pycroft, it is understood that PCB is trying to work out a respectable solution by which Pycroft doesn't officiate in their matches.
IMAGES from Premier League matches played on Saturday
It has been reliably learnt that late on Tuesday evening, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent another mail to the ICC reiterating the demand to remove Pycroft from all its games but as of now, it hasn't been obliged by the world body.
Skipper Litton Das led from the front as Bangladesh registered a comfortable seven-wicket win over Hong Kong in their Asia Cup opener in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Women's cricket is no longer a career option, it would be a calling for the millions of girls, whose parents have remained sceptical about their daughters dreaming about wearing India Blues.
Manchester City's Erling Haaland extended his remarkable scoring streak to 12 straight matches as his side recorded a comfortable 2-0 victory at Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday.
'On the very day the soldiers were dying for our country, we were playing the World Cup in England against Pakistan. We were shaking their hands even then because the spirit of the game is a different spirit from what goes on between countries, between Armies and so on.'
'What's amazing is that many of his fans are not Indians.' 'Even in countries where they don't speak or understand Hindi, Shah Rukh is hugely popular.'
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Saturday
Josh Hazlewood clinically dismantled a famed Indian top-order with a probing spell to kill the contest as Australia cantered to a four-wicket victory in the second T20 International.
Cash on target as Villa hand Man City their first defeat since August
Sri Lanka show exit door to Afghanistan, qualify for Super 4s alongside Bangladesh
Karnataka, Maharashtra register innings wins to go 1-2 in Group B of Ranji Tropphy.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
An excellent exhibition of spin and some fantastic death overs bowling by Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman took Bangladesh to a nail-biting eight run win over Afghanistan in their Asia Cup clash at Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Shubman Gill had a phenomenal Test series against England, leading a young Indian side in transition to a 2-2 draw and earning the Player of the Series award.
'This is a new India, we won't tolerate it.'
'Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep. I think that's the best thing.'
Tigres nearly forced extra time when Edgar Lpez's header rattled both posts late on.
A round-up of Ranji Trophy matches played on Monday.
Australia, who won the preceding T20 series between the sides, lost opener Travis Head and number three Marnus Labuschagne inside four overs.
The likes of Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel would all like to get some decent hit out there in the middle ahead of Sunday's clash against Pakistan.
Sweden's hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup are hanging by a thread after Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka scored from the spot to help the visitors win 2-0 in their qualifying Group B clash on Friday.
Sri Lanka ended on the wrong side of history, slumping to their second-lowest T20I total and lowest all-out total by a Test-playing nation against Zimbabwe in the second T20I at Harare on Saturday.
For too long has Pakistan gotten away with running with the terrorists and hunting with the forces. This duplicity needs to end, asserts Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
