A new-look Indian team, led by Shikhar Dhawan, will be hoping to make a statement and be in the reckoning for next year's 50-over World Cup when the three-match ODI series against South Africa begins in Lucknow on Thursday.
Strong contenders South Africa inched closer to a semi-final berth in the Twenty20 World Cup after a convincing 20-run victory over giant-killers West Indies in a Super Eight match at the Kensington Oval on Saturday.
Chasing 144, South Africa was teetering at 42 for 4 before Jonty Rhodes (53 not out) and Albie Morkel (54 not out) took the West Indies bowlers to the cleaners in Wednesday's Road Safety World Series match, in Navi Mumbai.
Bollywood actress and IPL Kings XI Punjab team co-owner, Preity Zinta, has been confirmed as the owner of the Stellenbosch franchise team in the South African T20 Global League.
"He's so inventive ... he can play a touch game or a power game. Then, he can also keep wickets. I think he's the most valuable cricketer around," reckons former Australian great Adam Gilchrist.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock is in a race against time to be fit for the World Cup.
Reader Abhilash Nair sent us this picture from South Africa.
Herschelle Gibbs's international career could be over after Cricket South Africa (CSA) said the 36-year-old batsman's contract had been cancelled by mutual consent.
South Africa's batsmen were strangled by India's wrist spinners, slumping to 134-5 with Kuldeep Yadav the pick of the bunch.
Elgar's tactics and decision-making were terrible, says Simon Katich
South Africa has become the latest team to pull out of a scheduled Test tour to Pakistan because of security concerns.
To witness over 100,000 people sitting in stunned silence is not a sight one can forget easily.
Jayant Yadav will replace off-spinner Washington Sundar, who tested positive for COVID-19 during the camp in Bengaluru.
Centuries by Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul were in vain as the West Indies lost the second Test by an innings and 65 runs.
During India's training session ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, Rishabh Pant appeared more measured, both in body language and intent, seemingly heeding the advice of head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock will be available for the ODI series after his abrupt retirement from Test cricket on Thursday, while all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius earns a recall.
Realising that just two Tests in the next 11 months endanger India's stay at the top of ICC rankings, the BCCI has requested South Africa to play a couple of five-day games when they visit the country early next year.
Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan says lack of regular matches against top teams hurt their T20 World Cup campaign after close defeats to New Zealand and South Africa left them on the brink.
Scans have shown the 27-year-old tore muscles in his thigh during Saturday's final one-day international against West Indies.
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir predicts India will not reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, despite their strong group stage performance.
Eliminating the inconsistent bowling South Africa produced while Australia openers Shane Watson and Phil Hughes were batting was the key to their fightback in the second and final Test, paceman Dale Steyn said on Friday.
Reader Sudhindra Haribhat sent us a picture of Sunil Gavaskar from South Africa.
A number of their leading players are contracted to play in the Indian Premier League, which is due to start next month.
South Africa, already qualified for the Super Eights, will face the United Arab Emirates in their final Group D fixture of the T20 World Cup. South Africa would expect big-hitting youngster Dewald Brevis to regain his form against a struggling United Arab Emirates.
The Men in Blue have never beaten the Proteas in a World Cup game.
With this thrilling win, Pakistan has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
Penpix of the South Africa squad for the 2015 cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi was fined 15% of his match fee and given a demerit point for breaching the ICC Code during the T20 clash against South Africa.
'Apart from Bumrah, nothing much stood out in the bowling, except for the new spell bowled by Arshdeep.'
Australia's push to win their first ever T20 World Cup remains firmly on track, a 97-run thumping of South Africa in Cape Town handing the Australians four consecutive T20 series wins for the very first time.
The pressure is likely to be on South Africa in the return series against Australia, said visiting captain Ricky Ponting when his squad flew in on Monday.
South Africa have named an unchanged squad for the remaining two Tests against England as AB de Villiers prepares to lead the five-day team for the first time in Johannesburg on Thursday.
Chris Gaffaney and Allahuddien Paleker will be the two on-field umpires for the T20 World Cup semi-final between India and England in Mumbai on Thursday.
India overpowered South Africa by 16 runs in a high-scoring contest in the second T20 International in Guwahati on Sunday to register their first-ever T20 home series victory against the Proteas.
Pacer Jasprit Bumrah earned his maiden call-up to the Test squad, while Parthiv Patel made a comeback for the three-Test series in South Africa.
Mandhana led the Indian charge at the top, and her partnerships with opening batter Pratika Rawal created quite a buzz in the showpiece event.
With both teams virtually out of the semi-final race, South Africa and Pakistan will be battling it out for a consolation win in their World Cup match at Lord's.
Unceremoniously dethroned as the world's top-ranked Test team, an embarrassed South Africa are in a race against time to find answers to their steady decline before they begin the final Test against England on Friday.
The tour will start with the first ODI in Johannesburg on December 5, while the two-Test series will begin on December 18 at the same venue.
