England proved devastating with both bat and ball on Saturday as they scored 400 runs in their first innings and then reduced sorry South Africa to 88 for six wickets at the close of play on the second day of the fourth Test at The Wanderers. Images from Day 2 of the 4th Test played between South Africa and England in Johannesburg on Saturday.
India will need another near perfect game to take the five-match series into the decider.
While coming at No. 5, Rahul's role as a batsman is not easy - he either has very few overs to make an impact after a top-order mayhem or he has to consolidate after a top-order malfunction.
The most interesting aspect of the contest is the form of batters from both sides which has been the reason of their success so far.
'... Obviously one of the best batsman in the world in Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni with his experience, so they pose a big threat. But the beauty of the game and the tournament structure is that, it doesn't matter where you are ranked or which team you are playing. It is about the performance of the day and that is the most important thing'
Pakistan needs to win all its matches and expect Australia to falter in at least two of their remaining four games.
Moeen Ali revealed that Jofra Archer is the fastest bowler he has ever faced after watching the England newcomer rip South Africa apart at The Oval.
Adaptability will be the key at the World Cup and England captain Eoin Morgan hailed his side's composure after they fought past South Africa on Thursday to open their home tournament in style.
In impressive form throughout the season, Lucknow Super Giants will look to bounce back from the reverse they suffered in their previous match and beat Rajasthan Royals in the IPL fixture at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday and confirm a berth in the play-offs.
While Rajasthan, placed second in the standings, have lost only two games and won six, Mumbai are already out of contention for a play-off berth
Two wrist-spinners, who are currently dominating the bowling charts will be itching to show their wares
Their confidence severely dented after two comprehensive defeats, last edition's runners-up side Kolkata Knight Riders will be looking to get their inconsistent campaign back on track when they face Rajasthan Royals in the IPL match in Mumbai on Monday.
A battle royale is on the cards when Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans take on the Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals, two line-ups armed with potent bowling units in a top-of-the-table IPL showdown at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index of World Cup 2023 after the first 12 games.
If their performance is any indication, Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals could make for a blockbuster Indian Premier League contest on Sunday evening, an iconic venue adding to its charm.
Mumbai Indians will have the returning Suryakumar Yadav's flamboyance in the middle-order as they look to bounce back against a confident Rajasthan Royals unit in the IPL at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.
They represent a new tribe whose grace and skill-sets lie well beyond my comprehension, notes Sreehari Nair.
Australia, who are searching for their maiden T20 title, enter the tournament on the back of a horrific run, losing bilateral series to Bangladesh, West Indies, New Zealand, India and England.
Debutants Gujarat Titans will start as favourites against spin-heavy former champions Rajasthan Royals when the two teams face-off in the first IPL Qualifier, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Tuesday.
Jos Buttler would be eagerly waiting to pounce on an inexperienced Chennai Super Kings attack in order to clinch a play-offs berth for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2022 match on Friday.
Delhi Capitals need to win all their remaining three matches to keep their hopes alive of making it to the IPL 2022 play-offs.
India will surely fancy their chances of an encore, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The 3-0 series win against the West Indies could be called a precursor and the real battle begins now against Quinton de Kock's Proteas who are also in the midst of a tough transition.
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.
Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, on Monday, criticised the national selectors for resting six senior players, including skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, for the upcoming ODI series against Australia, saying a good outing would have boosted their confidence ahead of the World Cup.
The problem with non-selection of an Indian player in the XI is more to do with lack of matches rather than poor show since they have won both the series that they played in 2021.
Images from the 3rd ODI between India and South Africa at the Boland Park Stadium in Paarl on Thursday.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma says "it wasn't ideal" to get a directive on taking the knee hours before the start of their T20 World Cup match against the West Indies and promised to be there for Quinton de Kock, who chose to withdraw from the game instead of following the order.
Chasing targets has been their Achilles heel throughout the tournament. The same batters who've plundered the bowling and scored daddy hundreds batting first, have resembled pale shadows of themselves chasing targets.
South Africa continued their rampaging form in World Cup 2023 as they thrashed Bangladesh by 149 runs to jump to second place.
Pics from the IPL 2022 match between Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals
Images from Sunday's World Cup match between Pakistan and South Africa, at Lord's.
A lot of grey areas are yet to be addressed, but a young Indian team, with an admirable collective temperament, will start as favourites in the series-deciding fifth T20 International against South Africa, in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after 37 World Cup 2023 games.
Coach Mark Boucher appears to have brought some steel back to the South African squad as they subdued an England side battling with illness and which has recently struggled to pick up wins on the road.
Whether he is batting in the middle or fielding at the boundary line, Virat Kohli's every move will be tracked, though some of that attention will now be on skipper K L Rahul.
Captain Virat Kohli led India to a resounding seven-wicket win over South Africa in the second T20 International with an unbeaten half-century, in Mohali, on Wednesday.
Rishabh Pant's form would be an important sub-plot when India look to seize the advantage against South Africa
South Africa have slipped to number six in the world, behind fifth-placed Sri Lanka, and have a host of questions to answer, not least around a brittle top six and the balance of the side.
Collingwood 'amazed' by questions about Root's captaincy
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