England's Joe Root conquered his final frontier with a first Ashes century in Australia as the tourists pushed past 300 on day one of the second Test in Brisbane on Thursday despite a six-wicket haul from pace spearhead Mitchell Starc.
England skipper Jos Buttler expressed delight in Ben Duckett's record-breaking knock even as he hailed Australia for chasing down a massive total of 352 runs in the ICC Champions Trophy Group B match in Lahore on Saturday.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title. The 10th edition of the 20-overs global showpiece event will run from February 7 to March 8.
Spinner Todd Murphy has been called into the Australia squad in place of the injured Nathan Lyon for this week's fourth Ashes Test, while captain Pat Cummins will skip the rest of the series as his back issue is managed.
Krunal Pandya is also the first player to win 4 IPL titles -- three with Mumbai Indians and one with RCB.
Glenn Maxwell was ruled out of the three-match T20 series against New Zealand with a fractured wrist after being hit in the nets.
A versatile and dynamic Australian unit, without key pacer Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who is likely to miss the early stages of the tournament, will be going into the T20 World Cup with hopes of going deep in the tournament.
Smith dislocated his right little finger in last month's World Test Championship final and will be required to wear a splint for five weeks, Cricket Australia said.
Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya slammed half-centuries as Punjab Kings humbled Mumbai Indians by seven wickets.
Australia's stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh continued his fine run of form on Sunday, scoring 46 not out and leading his side to a seven-wicket triumph over India in the weather-affected first one-day international at Perth Stadium.
David Miller's 100 came off 67 balls. Virender Sehwag took 77 balls for his century.
Formidable India have their tails up as they head to the gargantuan MCG for the second T20I against Australia here on Friday, thanks to the influx of young talent and the return to form of skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 3rd Ashes Test played in Adelaide on Wednesday
IMAGES from the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings at the Chinnaswamy stadium, in Bengaluru on Friday
Patel stayed unbeaten on the crease in India's innings, scoring 21 off 11 balls to power his side to 167 and then took two wickets, removing Matthew Short and Josh Inglis.
Australia will also welcome Matt Short back into the side at No.3, forming part of a refreshed middle order alongside Renshaw, Owen, Cooper Connolly, and wicketkeeper Josh Philippe, who replaces the injured Josh Inglis (calf).
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League Qualifier 2 match played between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad, on Sunday.
Konstas, 20, misses out after a poor tour with the bat in the West Indies, while Weatherald has been included after topping the Sheffield Shield runs list
Australia have dropped Marnus Labuschagne for next week's first Test against West Indies in Barbados
Jadeja consolidates as world No 1 Test all-rounder, Abhishek Sharma is top ranked T20I batter
Suryakumar Yadav-led India ready for Aussie challenge as T20 World Cup preparation begins.
Taking aim at senior players like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, among others, he said that if their aim was to prolong their send-offs till after the Ashes, it was a wrong mindset.
Punjab Kings have come a long way in a matter of one season, so much so that co-owner Ness Wadia feels his 'settled' team doesn't even need to go into the IPL auction next month.
Australia, who won the preceding T20 series between the sides, lost opener Travis Head and number three Marnus Labuschagne inside four overs.
Tim David, Dwarshuis shine as Australia beat Proteas by 17 runs in T20 series opener
Australia may opt to continue with a four-prong pace attack at Adelaide and even add another part-time seamer in all-rounder Beau Webster, who could replace batter Josh Inglis in the lower middle order.
India will look to overcome batting inconsistencies and finish the tour of Australia with authority when the two sides clash in the fifth and final T20 International in Brisbane on Saturday.
Shubman Gill's form in the series is a concern for India as he has now gone six games without a half-century.
Shreyas Iyer's tactical call to promote Josh Inglis to No 3 to counter Lucknow Super Giants' tearaway pacer Mayank Yadav proved vital in Punjab Kings' victory.
Bazball is in the firing line, with former players and pundits decrying the high-risk game on Australia's spicy pitches.
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.
Images from Day 2 of the 3rd Ashes Test in Adelaide on Thursday
Australia and South Africa, two teams renowned for their batting prowess, will go head-to-head in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, aiming to secure a place in the Champions Trophy semifinals.
Selectors have recalled pace stalwart Hazlewood for the second ODI after he missed the MCG match to play Sheffield Shield cricket.
'There will be guys that get opportunities. We've obviously got a few guys missing for this series (for) a well-earned rest.'
The Bellerive Oval is one ground where the side boundaries are smaller in size, hence hitting the right lengths would be paramount considering anything short would be flying over cover, point, square leg or mid-wicket on either side of the fence.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj produced a career-best 5-33 to dismantle Australia and bowl South Africa to an emphatic 98-run victory in the opening one day international in Cairns on Tuesday.
Skipper Pat Cummins, who missed the tour of Sri Lanka due to the birth of his second child in February and was also ruled out of the Champions Trophy campaign with an ankle injury, will take the reins against South Africa.
Ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled to be held in Doha on December 26, the 10 franchises have released their list of retained and released players.
Australia have tried and tested five openers in the format since David Warner had his last dance after last year's Caribbean World Cup. Marsh remained tight-lipped about the appearance of the rest of the batting unit but confirmed there were discussions about Tim David's place.
