Australia have drawn inspiration from former World Cup-winning captain Steve Waugh in how to handle big-match pressure ahead of Friday's quarter-final against Pakistan.
The prospect of placid pitches and soaring temperatures present a formidable challenge to South Africa's hopes of verifying their status as the world's top team when their Test series against Pakistan begins in the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
Australian opener Matt Renshaw, became the talking point after he was forced to take a 'toilet break'.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Statistical highlights on day two of the third cricket Test between India and New Zealand, in Indore, on Sunday.
'Whichever team starts well, they will have always the advantage because it will be tough for the other team to bounce back in a three-match series.'
'If Richie Benaud was born to play cricket and born to lead, he was also born to commentate on the game he graced with his inspirational presence.'
When South Africa lost to India on Sunday, they cemented their reputation for 'choking' in ICC tournaments. Rajneesh Gupta tells us why South Africa's record for freezing in important ICC contests is, alas, well deserved.
The top posts on social media from your favourite Bollywood celebrities.
Former Australian captain Allan Border is extremely critical of senior batsman Shane Watson's inconsistent performance and fears that time might just be running out for the 33-year-old all-rounder, rated as one of the best players of his time.
After picking up pretty much every individual honour on offer in a spectacular 2015, Australia captain Steve Smith has a more collective goal in his sights this year -- restoring his country to the top of the Test rankings.
How many of these will you include in your travel list for 2016?
Normally the candidates for goal of the season are spread throughout the 10 months of the campaign, but this weekend's Premier League matches produced six memorable strikes in little over 24 hours.
In-form Naman Ojha struck his third successive century while No.10 batsman Umesh Yadav smashed a quickfire 90 to give India 'A' the upperhand against Australia 'A' on Day 3 of the second unofficial Test match.
Watson used to take flak for his inability to convert half centuries to centuries but recently his problem has been progressing from scores in the 20s and 30s.
- Mahela Jayawardene struck his seventh double hundred and Kithuruwan Vithanage reached his maiden century as Sri Lanka toyed with Bangladesh's toothless attack before declaring their first innings on a mammoth 730 for six in Dhaka on Wednesday.
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Star Australian opener David Warner has labeled the International Cricket Council's crackdown concerning on-field player behaviour "a bit of a joke". In the lead-up to the 2015 World Cup, the ICC made it clear they would be adopting a firmer stance on player behaviour, particularly exchanges between opponents as well as over-zealous wicket celebrations. But Warner, who was Wednesday night crowned Allan Border Medallist as Australia's player of the year, believes the crackdown has diminished the entertainment value of the sport. "It's been tough with the crackdown of the ICC at the moment - I'm not going to have a pot shot at them but it's becoming a bit of a joke," he told cricket.com.au. "The players can't celebrate as much. "Back in the day I used to love watching Glenn McGrath bowl to the West Indians, and them bowling to us, and (the bowlers) getting in the faces of the batsmen.
The shocking death of batsman Phillip Hughes on Thursday has cast doubts on whether the first Test between Australia and India will go ahead in Brisbane next week.
Australia's three World Cup-winning captains are unified in their belief that under-fire skipper Michael Clarke is the right man to lead the team to a potential fifth tournament victory next March.
Defending Indian cricket team's often-criticised character of crumbling under pressure, former captain Sourav Ganguly claimed that the current side under Mahendra Singh Dhoni is much better in responding to difficult situations than the other Indian teams in the past.
Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres applied the gloss to a workmanlike 2-0 victory at Hull City that lifted Chelsea ominously to the top of the Premier League on Saturday.
The amazing high of confidence and the sober knowledge of cricket mortality have combined to inspire Australia batsman Adam Voges to the astonishing feats of his golden summer, according to his coach Justin Langer.
Clarke now averages 16.71 for the series, the worst performer among Australia's recognised batsmen who have played more than two Tests in the series.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged his 18th five-wicket haul as India dominated the first day of the second test against West Indies in Jamaica on Saturday.
Arsenal ended their away hoodoo against Premier League title challengers with a 2-0 victory at Manchester City on Sunday that left Chelsea five points clear at the top.
Chelsea and Manchester City tightened their stranglehold on the Premier League title race on Saturday, recording victories over struggling clubs to stretch further clear of their increasingly forlorn pursuers.
The tri-series in Australia, India's final ODI engagement before the World Cup, gets underway on January 16, says Chandresh Narayanan, casting a fascinating look at the survivors from earlier World Cups.
The Proteas are working overtime to devise a strategy to get the better of the right-hander and they believe the best way to dismiss Rohit is to get him early before he gets his eye in.
England seamer Stuart Board said he has learned a few tricks from former India pace spearhead Zaheer Khan on how to excel on the sub-continent pitches.
There's been no place like home for Australia and New Zealand on their respective paths to the World Cup final but just one of the co-hosts will enjoy that particular advantage when they meet in Sunday's title decider.
A Curtis Davies own goal gifted West Ham United a point after Hull City had twice taken the lead in a frenetic 2-2 draw in the Premier League on Monday.
A summary of Thursday night's UEFA Champions League matches.
'It is easy to criticise the fast bowlers, but do they have the support they need to grow as bowlers? No!'
In what turned out to be one of the most one-sided matches in recent times, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's young side outclassed the hosts in all departments, first bowling them out for 123, their lowest total in the series, and then romping home in 21.5 overs.
The Argentinian becomes the first brand ambassador of the company in its 70-year history.
Steve Smith led the way with another good knock as Australia raced to 251 for 6 and a lead of 348 over India before rain stopped play at the end of the fourth day in the fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday. Statistical highlights from the day's play.
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Following the hard-earned four-wicket victory against West Indies on Friday, Mahendra Singh Dhoni became India's most successful captain in One-Day Internationals played away from home.
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