Fast bowler Duanne Olivier has been recalled for South Africa's home Test series against India, a reward for excellent domestic form from a player who shot to prominence four years ago before taking up a Kolpak contract.
It may be an inconsequential game on paper but Indian bowlers await another tough test against South Africa ahead of the T20 World Cup when the two teams meet in the final game of the three-match series in Indore on Tuesday.
Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj ran through the Bangladesh batting order to lead South Africa to an emphatic 333-run victory in the first test as the visitors capitulated meekly on the final morning on Monday.
SunRisers Hyderabad has the biggest purse while Kolkata Knight Riders has the slimmest purse.
Stoinis gave DC the start they were looking for, then picked two wickets in the powerplay, and, most importantly, got Kane Williamson to end SRH's challenge.
South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma revealed that Quinton de Kock's withdrawal over Cricket South Africa's directive to take the knee in a way also inspired the team in their T20 World Cup match against the West Indies, in Dubai, on Tuesday.
Pakistan had been reduced to 76 for five in their second innings as South Africa's spinners made inroads through the top order having been bowled out for 201 in another shambolic display with the bat.
Images from the IPL match between Delhi Capitals and SunRisers Hyderabad, in Chennai, on Sunday.
Delhi Capitals' South African pacer Anrich Nortje was a delighted man after finally getting out of his hotel room for his first nets session, in Dubai, on Sunday. Nortje, who spent the last six days in his hotel room, says he felt like being "locked in prison" during the quarantine period.
It could well be the last mega auction the BCCI may conduct, as most of the original IPL franchises want it discontinued.
Dravid said that he doesn't want to reveal his side to the opposition before the main day.
Delhi Capitals hardly broke a sweat in the run chase, cantering to victory in 17.4 overs, their sixth win in eight matches.
Royal Challengers Bangalore have beaten Delhi Capitals 14 times in the IPL.
He came out with a plan and that plan was to use his brute force to smash bowlers all around the park to take his team home to victory.
IMAGES from the opening T20I played between India and South Africa in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
The match, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, will also be a face-off between skippers KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, both seen as future India captaincy material.
Images from Day 3 of the third Test between South Africa and India, in Cape Town, on Thursday.
Images from the Indian Premier League Qualifier 1 between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings, in Dubai, on Sunday.
India's formidably consistent match-winners have a date with history in the New Year when they take on an out-of-sorts South Africa in the second Test in Johannesburg from Monday in pursuit of a coveted first-ever series win in the Rainbow Nation.
Images from Day 2 of the first Test between New Zealand and South Africa in Christchurch on Friday.
Having shown exceptional consistency in both red and white-ball cricket for Team India, Pant will now look to recreate the same magic for his franchise.
Matt Henry produced a career-best seven for 23 in a spectacular display of pace bowling as New Zealand skittled out South Africa for 95 in two sessions to take charge of the opening Test in Christchurch on Thursday.
Opener Mayank Agarwal stamped his authority on a struggling South African attack with a second successive hundred as India gained the upperhand on the opening day of the second Test.
Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Eoin Morgan said his team produced its most 'complete performance' of the season so far when it upstaged the fancied Delhi Capitals by 59 runs to bolster their hopes of making it to the IPL play-offs.
'At the end of the day, we also had to look at players who will figure in the playing XI.'
New Zealand are better organised and clinical in terms of execution and hence could start as the favourites in the first semi-final against Pakistan on Wednesday.
Eyeing a maiden IPL title, the fancied Delhi Capitals will face another litmus test in the form of a Kolkata Knight Riders unit brimming with optimism when the two sides lock horns in the Qualifier 2 match in Sharjah on Wednesday.
Bolstered by the arrival of Ben Stokes, Rajasthan Royals will hope for a better showing from its misfiring top order as they try to settle scores against second-placed Delhi Capitals in their return leg IPL match, in Dubai, on Wednesday.
Not focusing on mistakes and weaknesses has helped Delhi Capitals remain positive in the ongoing Indian Premier League, feels pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada.
Mayank Agarwal believes that the franchise has built a title-winning squad for the IPL beginning March 26.
'The wicket did not seem to get slower, visually it looked a really good wicket, Warner and Bairstow played the conditions really well, they ran the twos really well. I think the wicket got slightly better in the second innings, which is disappointing for us. We wanted to chase, we felt there will be dew, but no excuses from us, we were just outplayed.'
South Africa have named six uncapped players in their 17-man squad for the first two Tests of the four-match series against England as new coach Mark Boucher seeks to revive the fortunes of the ailing side. Batsmen Pieter Malan and Rassie van der Dussen, fast bowlers Dane Paterson and Beuran Hendricks, all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius and wicketkeeper Rudi Second will all hope to make their debuts in the first Test starting in Pretoria on December 26.
The unbeaten Mumbai duo added 185 runs for the fourth wicket to rescue the hosts who looked in dire straits at 39 for three in the morning session after opting to bat in Ranchi.
Philander admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Andy Pycroft.
In other big movements, Punjab Kings have released their last edition's captain Mayank Agarwal, while West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
South Africa will need to knock off just 41 runs on Sunday to beat Pakistan in the second Test and take a winning 2-0 lead in the three-test series despite Pakistan providing gallant resistance on the third day at Newlands.
Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, have done an excellent job in restricting the oppositions but KKR's top-order batting has hurt them the most.
Delhi Capitals have gone from strength to strength in the last few years -- finishing third in 2019 before finishing runners up last year to Mumbai Indians.
Up against Delhi Capitals, RCB will need to address their middle-order woes, to return to winning ways, in what could be touted as a battle of equals.
Images from the Indian Premier League match between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Sharjah, on Wednesday.
