'India-Pakistan match, if it does not happen, no big deal. Honestly, for a long time now, the actual game has never lived up to the hype and the drama we built up before the match.'
England lost early wickets to slump to 16 for two at close of play against South Africa at Lord's on Sunday, as their pursuit of 346 to win the third and final Test and square the series started badly.
India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has continued his red-hot form, adding another fifer to his kitty to become the first Asian player ever to have 150 wickets in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) nations.
A clinical first-half performance from India saw them breeze past South Africa by 5-2 margin to qualify for the semi-final of the men's hockey competition at the 20th Commonwealth Games.
Australia pacer Michael Neser found day one of his maiden Boxing Day Test a dream come true.
Football giants Italy begin cricket World Cup's maiden campaign against Scotland
Andile Phehlukwayo delivered a superb final over as South Africa beat England by three runs in a thrilling Twenty20 international at Taunton on Friday.
South Africa will hope the new year brings about a change in luck as they seek to put behind them a disappointing 2015 and get back to winning ways against England in the second Test at Newlands starting on Saturday.
India joined Australia, England, and New Zealand as ICC Women's Cricket World Cup winners, and, like the latter two, achieved this feat for the first time on home soil.
South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel will retire from all formats of international cricket after the four-match home Test series against Australia
Third-placed India close in on England in latest Women's ODI rankings update
Pant, who will lead India A, is returning after a three-month absence because of a foot injury which he sustained in July in England, and now the 28-year-old southpaw is aiming to get back to the national fold during the two-match Test series against the Proteas.
How Mumbai Maidan coach Patwal's tough-love sessions gave Harmer his second wind
Rishabh Pant back in full flow as India step up nets ahead of SA opening Test
Spain cannot meet Argentina and France will not face England before the World Cup final - provided they win their groups - after FIFA on Tuesday announced the draw procedure.
Archer has not picked up a red cricket ball since May 2021 for Sussex after a series of injuries kept delaying his return.
Brits ton, Mlaba's four-for power South Africa to commanding win over New Zealand
'He (Pandya) can command a spot in the top five on his batting alone. He could also be one of the top three seamers in any team if he was just a bowler.'
South Africa can have absolutely no complaints with the result against India, says Jacques Kallis. 'They really didn't win much after the toss.'
Zak Crawley scored a maiden Test half century before South Africa fought back to restrict England to 192 for four when bad light stopped play early in the opening day of the fourth Test on Friday.
Advancing into the Super 10 stage for the first time in three attempts, minnows Afghanistan will face a formidable challenge when they clash with South Africa in the ICC World Twenty 20 Championship at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
We wanted India to grovel: SA coach Shukri Conrad creates a stir
Chris Gayle will return to the top of the batting order as West Indies look to continue their winning run and secure a semifinal berth when they take on South Africa in the ICC World Twenty20 in Nagpur, on Friday.
South Africa fought back in the afternoon session on the third day of the fourth Test on Sunday, reducing England to 138 for six in their second innings and restricting the hosts to a lead of 274.
Australia dropped batsman George Bailey from the squad for their three-Test tour of South Africa on Monday and brought uncapped Alex Doolan and Shaun Marsh into the 15-man party. Bailey made his debut in the first Test of the recently-concluded Ashes series, but scored only 183 runs at an average of 26 as an unchanged Australia romped to a 5-0 sweep of England.
Italy are gearing up for their Twenty20 World Cup debut, hoping a strong showing next month will help the sport break into popular culture in a soccer-obsessed nation that does not have a natural cricket pitch.
India scripted history, clinching its maiden Squash World Cup title to become the first Asian country to achieve the feat after overwhelming Hong Kong 3-0 in the summit clash in Chennai on Sunday.
The all-rounder captained South Africa at the age of 42 on their historic post-isolation limited overs tour of India in 1991, but was then controversially left out of the squad for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand the following year.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) have dismissed claims their players instigated the text-message row that led to batsman Kevin Pietersen being dropped by England. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive David Collier told BBC radio on Sunday that Pietersen's texts to South African players during the recent Test series were in response to messages from the opposition.
South Africa have included off-form opening batsman Hashim Amla in their squad for the Cricket World Cup in England and Wales starting next month, but there is no place for all-rounder Chris Morris.
India vice-captain Rishabh Pant is understandably delighted to have made a difficult comeback from the latest injury setback.
Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad ripped through South Africa's top order to put England on the brink of victory on the fourth day of the second Test on Tuesday.
Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar says Indian team's recent success at home and an in-form captain Virat Kohli gives him confidence that they will enjoy success during next year's overseas tours.
'I think we've seen on various stages around the world now that they are proper X-factor players and that they have taken to international cricket quite easily.'
England ended a well contested first day of the fourth and final Test against South Africa on 260 for six with the late loss of Ben Stokes giving heart to the tourists.
The five-match Test series against India at home will be a massive Test for England's 'Bazball' brand of cricket under skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
Proteas captain Faf du Plessis tells Harish Kotian/Rediff.com why they had to take the big call of dropping the experienced Steyn against minnows Afghanistan.
Mohammed Shami was once ignored for the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa, despite having proved his fitness in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.
Alviro Petersen scored 182, his highest in a Test match, to steer South Africa to a commanding 419 all out on day two of the second Test at Headingley on Friday. England safely reached 48 without loss when bad light and rain ended play with 22 overs still to be bowled.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances