Mexico have failed to progress beyond the Round of 16 for the last 32 years. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil, they hope to finally end the 'quinto partido' curse.
Merlin, a domesticated duck dressed in a miniature Mexico shirt and custom socks, has become an unexpected unofficial mascot for Mexico's World Cup team. After going viral during street celebrations, Merlin's popularity soared, with fans embracing the feathered supporter and his owner, Karla Gomez, expressing delight at his newfound fame.
Former India spinner Murali Kartik has emphasised the need for consistency and a clearly defined role for Kuldeep Yadav in the Test side, especially as Ravindra Jadeja approaches the end of his career. Kartik believes Kuldeep, despite being a match-winner, has not received the sustained backing needed to flourish in Test cricket under previous regimes.
Virat Kohli has added another landmark to his remarkable ODI career by becoming the Indian batter with the most half-centuries in SENA countries -- South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia.
The FIFA Fan Festival in Toronto was cancelled due to lightning risk, disappointing fans on the eve of Canada's first World Cup game.
South Africa coach Rob Walter blames shock defeat to Netherlands on his side's death bowling and poor start with bat
England have been largely rusty and inconsistent despite having a dangerous squad on paper.
They have looked more comfortable setting targets than chasing one though, and they will expect more penetration from their bowlers against a resurgent Australia.
Harmanpreet Kaur's rapid 56 helped India post 170 for four against Australia in a must-win Women's T20 World Cup match. Despite a strong start from openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, the middle order struggled for acceleration, leaving Harmanpreet to boost the total in the final overs.
Indian golfer Aditi Ashok secured a commendable third-place finish at the Hulencourt Women's Open, carding a final round of two-under 70. Fellow Indian Diksha Dagar also performed well, finishing tied seventh. Spain's Carolina Lopez Chacarra won the title, while Australia's Kelsey Bennett was runner-up.
Spain's national football team celebrated wildly in their dressing room after defeating France 2-0 to secure a spot in the World Cup final. The team's official social media shared a video of the joyous moments, highlighting their unity and confidence as they aim for another World Cup title.
Former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha has publicly questioned Hockey India's decision to switch the national team's jersey colour to orange, arguing that the team's identity and legacy have always been associated with blue.
Indian golfer Diksha Dagar has taken a joint lead after the first round of the Hulencourt Women's Open in Belgium, carding a bogey-free 4-under 68. She is aiming for her third Ladies European Tour title.
Indian golfer Diksha Dagar has taken a joint lead after the first round of the Hulencourt Women's Open in Belgium, carding a bogey-free 4-under 68. She is aiming for her third Ladies European Tour title.
India too can rise to the top if the 1.4 billion Indians back home are given better opportunities to use their innate talent and capacity to work hard, with right incentives in a more meritocratic rules-based system, asserts Ajay Chhibber.
India has made a confident start to their Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow, with Putul Sonowal stunning 2023 world champion Ryan Bester in the Men's Singles Lawn Bowls. Additionally, the Indian Women's Pairs team, comprising Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh, secured a hard-fought victory against Malta. These early wins highlight India's strong presence in the Lawn Bowls competition.
Sanju Samson became the first Indian to hit two consecutive hundreds in T20 Internationals to power the visitors to a thumping 60-run victory against South Africa.
Shafali Verma believes that keeping the game plan simple is the best way for India to get the better of Australia in their must-win Women's T20 World Cup clash at Lord's on Sunday.
Without belittling the poised run of the Proteas, Afghanistan have been the revelation of this ICC showpiece.
India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, will rely heavily on openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma to perform against a challenging Pakistan side in their ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign opener.
Bangladesh might not look too threatening in the World Cup but their record against the Proteas
Former captain Kane Williamson, batsman Tom Blundell and quick Kyle Jamieson, who all have hamstring issues, were selected despite doubts over their fitness.
The end of coach Didier Deschamps' Midas-like reign turned into a Tantalus torment as France suffered a comprehensive World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain before losing 6-4 to England in a wild third-place playoff, but those disappointments will not tarnish his legacy.
Indian women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur believes the team's performance against South Africa has come at the right time, allowing them to address shortcomings before the T20 World Cup.
South Africa's power-packed batting unit suffered a light-out against Australia, but they found enough support from the packed Eden Gardens crowd during the second semifinal of the World Cup in Kolkata on Thursday.
India skipper Shubman Gill has strongly rejected the idea of pruning ODIs to 40 overs, instead advocating for more triangular or quadrangular series to revive the struggling format amidst the rise of T20Is.
India has retained their top position in the ICC men's ODI team rankings following the latest annual update, with Australia securing the third spot. The update impacts direct qualification for the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already seen eight red cards, matching the combined total of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. This surge in dismissals, including six straight red cards, highlights a significant increase in disciplinary actions compared to recent editions, with Belgium's Nathan Ngoy being the latest player sent off.
Nasser Hussain believes the Women's T20 World Cup has arrived at the perfect time for Deepti Sharma and Smriti Mandhana, while warning that India's bowling combination remains the team's biggest concern.
The double Olympic medallist last competed in Brussels in the Diamond League Final in September and will spend 31 days in Potchefstroom.
Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof believes rookie pacer Gurnoor Brar could be the 'X-Factor' for India in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah during the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, suggesting he would be tempted to hand the 26-year-old his debut.
Steve Smith and fast bowler Mitchell Starc have been ruled out of the white-ball series in South Africa through injuries.
'The last time we were here, we were tested and challenged in all departments of our game and I think we replied to it quite well. So I expect a good, strong and competitive series.'
Fernando Alonso's main focus for the Belgian Grand Prix weekend will be making sure he gets home in time to watch Spain play Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.
'Think of the brain like a machine, and Alzheimer's is like rust.'
'Like a rusty machine breaks down, a rusty brain also breaks down. And when it breaks down, you have memory loss, cognitive issues and so on.'
Aiden Markram scored a superb century and Sisanda Magala claimed five wickets to lead South Africa to a 146-run win over the Netherlands in a one-day international on Sunday.
From staying under the radar in the lead-up to the World Cup to becoming high-flyers, South Africa have started playing to potential and are firm favourites against the Dutch.
Mandhana's sixth ODI century (117, 127 balls , 12x4s, 1x6) formed the fulcrum of India's competitive 265 for eight on a sluggish Chinnaswamy pitch.
South Africa's bid to lift a first major cricket trophy could come down to whether they can finally shed the unwanted tag of "chokers".
India's ODI captain Shubman Gill has voiced strong concerns over the recurring injury issues plaguing his bowlers, questioning their fitness commitment ahead of next year's World Cup. Following a 1-2 series loss to England, Gill highlighted that multiple key players were sidelined due to injuries, impacting team combinations and raising doubts about their ability to sustain performance through a long tournament.
