Pushed to the bottom of the heap after three successive losses, it will take an extraordinary effort from Royal Challengers Bangalore to overpower table-toppers Rajasthan Royals when the two sides clash in an Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on Friday.
A patient half-century by Ajinkya Rahane and some disciplined bowling display helped Rajasthan Royal notch up a comfortable four-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL match in Abu Dhabi.
Australia will start favourites in Thursday's clash but a passionate Bangladesh are expected to make life tough for the holders.
New Zealand thrashed Australia by 53 runs in the first T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood received his reward for some fine domestic form on Wednesday when he was included in a pace-heavy 13-man squad for the first two One-Day Internationals against South Africa next month.
Australia may have made batting look easy while chasing 300-plus totals against India successfully twice, but opener Aaron Finch credited the team's inexperienced bowlers for it, pointing out that the current attack combined has played less ODIs than the now retired Mitchell Johnson.
Bangalore have been on a roll with skipper Virat Kohli enjoying one of the best phases of his career as he has four centuries under his belt.
Star batsman Virat Kohli's maiden T20 hundred went in vain as Gujarat Lions produced a clinical batting display to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets in an IPL match in Rajkot on Sunday.
India will be itching to avenge the thrashing they got in Guwahati when they take on an edgy but resilient Australia in the series-deciding third and final Twenty20 International in Hyderabad on Friday.
Rohit Sharma laid the foundation with a stylish half-century as Mumbai Indians romped home against Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets in an Indian Premier League encounter.
The Australians, led by Steve Smith, arrived in Chennai from Bangladesh after drawing a two-Test series and the match tomorrow would give them opportunity to at least switch to the One-day format.
India will eye revenge for their defeat in one-day series as they meet fierce rivals Australia in three Twenty20 Internationals, starting on Tuesday, January 26 at Adelaide Oval. Games will also be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (January 29) and Sydney Cricket Ground (January 31). The matches will see some of the world's explosive batsmen in action, while the series is also tipped as a much-needed preparatory ground ahead of the crucial World T20 scheduled to be held in March in India.
Images from Wednesday's World Cup mach between Australia and Pakistan, at The County Ground, in Taunton.
Martin Guptill smashed a quickfire half-century as New Zealand cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Australia at Wellington Stadium on Sunday in the fifth Twenty20 international and secure a 3-2 series win.
Former New Zealand opener Mark Richardson believes that the current Black Caps Test team have shown top improvement and a ton of spine, and will have to display it during the ongoing Nagpur Test against India.
India showed commendable character in Rajkot to level the series, proving that the panic buttons were pressed prematurely following the 10-wicket loss in Mumbai.
Images from the World Cup match played between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Oval in London on Saturday.
Having struggled in the past one year after suspensions of Steve Smith and David Warner, Australia finally seemed to have picked their pieces and playing exactly like a five-time champions ought to.
Rohit Sharma struck his second successive hundred of the series but once again the Indians were comfortably outclassed by Australia by seven wickets, in the second One-Day International in Brisbane, on Friday.
Images from Friday's second One-day International between India and Australia, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Rajkot.
A total of 62 players were sold at the auction for the 13th edition with the eight franchises spending a total of 1.403 billion rupees ($19.73 million). Australia's Pat Cummins became the most expensive overseas buy ever in the Indian Premier League when the Kolkata Knight Riders paid a staggering Rs 15.50 crore ($2.18 million) for the fast bowler in Thursday's auction in Kolkata on Thursday.
Young Karun Nair cracked a brilliant unbeaten half-century to guide Rajasthan Royals to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils in their IPL-7 match at the Ferozshah Kotla stadium in New Delhi.
The function was attended by Hon Grant Robertson, Minister for Sports and Recreation of New Zealand, ICC Chief Executive David Richardson, New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White and Event Brand Ambassador Corey Anderson among others.
All set to defend their cricket World Cup crown in less than a month, India will get their preparations underway with the aim of finding the right combination for the marquee event.
Todd Greenberg has asked its players to do their 'homework' and consider the risks involved before signing overseas T20 deals
The Australians are struggling against India's new spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal and the hosts would like to ensure that it doesn't get any easy as the series progresses.
Gujarat Lions would be looking to get back to winning ways when they lock horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Buoyed by their thrilling last-ball win against Delhi Daredevils, a confident Rajasthan Royals will take on a beleaguered Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League cricket encounter in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
Rajasthan Royals would be keen to adapt quickly to their new 'home ground' when they lock horns with last season's runner-up Kings XI Punjab in their campaign opener in the Indian Premier League in Pune.
The visitors will have to play out of their skins to arrest the slide and level the series ahead of the last T20I in Hyderabad on October 13.
There will be no let-up in intensity as a ruthless India look to inch closer to yet another series whitewash when they take on a beleaguered Australia in the fourth One-day International in Bengalurg, on Thursday.
Among the Indians, while Robin Uthappa was bought by Rajasthan Royals for 3 crore, Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari went unsold.
Cricket's global governing body has justified its crackdown on bowlers with illegal actions, vowing to only allow unorthodox deliveries like the doosra within the rules.
Injury-prone all-rounder Shane Watson has been named in Australia's 13-man squad for Twenty20 matches against South Africa next month as he recovers from a calf strain.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to outgun title-contenders, Gujarat Lions in a must-win Indian Premier League clash.
In an incredible power-hitting show, Steven Smith and James Faulkner rattled up a match-winning 85-run stand from nowhere as Rajasthan Royals pulled off a stunning five-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in an IPL match in Bangalore on Sunday.
Captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane struck sublime half-centuries before Australia staged a strong fightback to bowl India out for 252 in the second One-Day International, in Kolkata, on Thursday.
A confident India will look to pile the misery on the a struggling Australia and seal the five-match series when the teams clash in the third One-Day International, in Indore, on Sunday.
tung by the defeat in the series opener despite putting up a big score, India will have to plug their bowling loopholes when they take on Australia in the second One-Day International on Friday, fully aware that any slip-up will make their task of bouncing back difficult.
News of all that's transpired on and off the cricket field.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances