With the T20 World Cup underway, let us takes a look at interesting facts and trivia about the tournament from its previous editions.
Pat Cummins proved the catalyst for an huge change in fortunes for Australia as he halted a South African charge and left the hosts reeling at the close on the opening day of the third Test on Thursday.
Racing against time to get fit for the Test series against South Africa, starting November 5, Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says he is close to regaining full fitness and is confident of bowling well in the four-match series.
India remained third, while star batsman Virat Kohli maintained his second spot in the latest ICC ODI rankings released on Sunday.
India's 3-0 whitewash of South Africa in the four-match Test series has surprised former captain Sunil Gavaskar even though he feels that the Proteas were incapable of playing on Indian pitches.
England opener Alex Hales fell one short of a second one-day International century as his team completed a comfortable five- wicket victory over South Africa on Saturday. The hosts won the toss in the second game of the series and posted 262 for seven in their 50 overs on a slow wicket that produced nothing like the run-fest of Bloemfontein three days earlier. Hales took England close to their target with a patient 99 from 124 balls as they reached 263 for five from 46.2 overs. - Scorecard The touring side now lead the five-match series 2-0 with the third game in Pretoria on Tuesday. AB de Villiers returned to form as he top-scored for South Africa's with 73 from 91 balls, supported by Faf du Plessis (46) and JP Duminy (47).
The countries will pin their hopes of victory on their quicks with seamer friendly wickets on order for the Tests in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg, and the contests set to be dominated by fiery exchanges of fast bowling.
The Pretoria wicket is likely to be similar, with perhaps not the same sideways movement of Newlands, and will provide another test of the Indian batsmen's bravery against a seam bowling barrage.
The number one ODI status will be on the line when second-placed India and table-toppers South Africa clash in a six-match series, starting in Durban on Thursday.
Having made it to the final of the World Cup, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum says his team is confident of winning the Cup.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the stunning numbers about Rohit's dazzling feat.
Steve Smith accused South Africa wicketkeeper Quniton de Kock of setting off a heated dispute by making a personal remark to David Warner
Kagiso Rabada regained his top spot among bowlers crossing the coveted 900-point mark in ratings even as Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin climbed up a couple of notches to be placed fourth in the ICC Test Player Rankings, released on Tuesday.
Virat Kohli became only the second batsman in the history of the game to cross the 900-point mark
South African skipper Faf du Plessis ratcheted up the rhetoric on the eve of the much-anticipated opening Test against India, saying they have a 'score to settle' with the World No 1.
South Africa named two new caps on Tuesday and recalled spinner Nicky Boje in their 13-man squad to play England in the first Test on December 17.
'I'm prepared for any kind of Bangalore wicket' 'South African teams are known for bouncing back and their resilience. I'm expecting the boys to be very upbeat for the second Test match'
India's new record-holder wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has described Mahendra Singh Dhoni as 'the hero of the country' and said the former skipper taught him to be patient and handle pressure situations.
Captain Steve Smith scored a breezy 44 to guide Australia to a six-wicket win over South Africa in the final Twenty20 International on Wednesday and a 2-1 series victory.
Riding on his stupendous performance in the series against South Africa, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, on Thursday, rose to a career-high first in the International Cricket Council's Test rankings for bowlers.
Root relies on trademark style to rescue England
Stokes now holds the record score for an England number six, beating Graham Hick's 187 against India in 1993, and became the first English centurion at Newlands for 50 years.
'We have just got to play very good cricket. The T20 series is in the past. It is a whole new story now. India will try to bounce back and hopefully we will stop them' 'We have got a very balanced bowling attack. But we don't lean too much on the spinners or the seam bowlers. We have got firepower in all the departments of our bowling'
Cheteshwar Pujara's unbeaten 63 gave India a firm hold on the opening Test against South Africa after off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked up his 13th five-wicket haul to restrict the touring side to 184 on the second day on Friday.
Currently placed at number three behind South Africa and Australia, India have an opportunity to jump to the top in the ICC ODI team rankings if they win the upcoming five-match one-day series against Sri Lanka 4-1 or better.
India will meet Bangladesh in the semi-finals in Birmingham on Thursday.
India will need to win at least a game in the upcoming one-dayer series against Australia to retain their current second position in the ICC ODI Team Championships, even as second-placed Virat Kohli looks to close in on AB de Villiers in the batting chart. World champions Australia go head to head with former winner India in a five-match series in Perth on Tuesday. Australia (127) lead second-ranked India (114) by 13 points and even if they lose all the five matches of the series, they will drop points but still finish a point ahead of India.
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is set to start a new innings after marrying childhood friend Shakshi Singh Rawat in Dehradun on Sunday night, continued to top the ICC ODI batsmen chart released in Dubai.
South Africa's vice-captain Hashim Amla on Sunday backed AB de Villers' appointment as skipper of the ODI and Twenty20 side, saying the wicketkeeper-batsman is the right man to shoulder the 'huge responsibility'.
Virat Kohli became only the fourth Indian captain to pile up 4000 runs in One-Day Internationals, during the fourth ODI against Australia, in Ranchi on Friday.
Tillakaratne Dilshan hit an unbeaten 74 off 51 deliveries to take Sri Lanka to a six-wicket consolation win in the third and final Twenty20 match over South Africa which has secured the series 2-1.
The Indian pacers' focus as of now has been on bowling multiple long spells, which they will need to bowl in the series starting with first Test at Newlands from January 5.
Jos Buttler struck a rapid century as England beat South Africa by 39 runs via the Duckworth/Lewis method in a high-scoring first One-day International marred by rain on Wednesday.
This is the second time Quinton de Kock has won the Cricketer of the Year in CSA's virtual awards
Batting ace Sachin Tendulkar was on Wednesday named 'Cricketer of the Year' at the ICC's awards function in Bangalore. Cricket's highest run-getter, who has 13,973 Test and 17,598 ODI runs to his name, also won the ICC People's Choice award.
Virat Kohli will be facing the toughest battle of his nascent ODI captaincy career when defending champions India take on South Africa in a do-or-die match of the ICC Champions Trophy, in London, on Sunday.
With the South African team keen to shrug-off the chokers tag, opening batsman Hashim Amla has said the experienced campaigners in the squad will need to step up their performance when they take on Sri Lanka in the World Cup quarter-finals at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith's inspirational leadership and prolific batting in the season gone by fetched him the twin honours of 'Cricketer of the Year' and 'Test Cricketer of the Year' at the country's annual cricket awards in Johannesburg.
Chahal finished with 5-22 in 8.2 overs, ripping through the middle-order as India won the toss and skittled their hosts for 118, South Africa's lowest total in home ODI matches.
Dhoni returns to the Indian dressing room after three months and for him the series will be start of the preparation for next year's World Twenty20, that will be hosted by India.
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