A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
Mumbai Indians will be fretting over their team combination as they take on a marauding Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League encounter, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
With a new captain in place, Rising Pune Supergiants would look to make amends for a poor last season but have a tough opening battle at hand against two-time former champions Mumbai Indians.
Their pride bruised following disastrous campaigns, Kings XI Punjab and Rising Pune Supergiants will look for a graceful exit from the ninth edition of the IPL when they square off against each other for one last time in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. Supergiants are coming into the contest after a victory over Delhi Daredevils at the same venue, their home ground, while Punjab have lost their last two outings -- against RCB and table-toppers Sunrisers Hyderabad. Punjab's fourth and last win this season had come at this very ground, when they had got the better of Mumbai Indians.
A misfiring Rafael Nadal had trouble hitting the mark but the third seeded Spaniard still had enough to beat American Donald Young 6-4, 6-2 on Tuesday and advance to the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open.
South Africa batsman AB de Villiers became the first player in the history of Test cricket to score a half-century in 12 consecutive Tests after he crossed 50 in the first innings on the opening day of the second Test against Australia, at St George's Park, on Thursday.
James Pattinson will replace fellow-quick Mitchell Starc in the Australia team for this week's opening test against West Indies, captain Steve Smith said on Wednesday, reviving a promising career that had stalled because of injury.
Photos of the World Cup Pool A game between Australia and New Zealand being played in Eden Park
Bangladesh collapsed to a 2-0 series defeat against West Indies, losing the second and final Test by 296 runs with a day to spare on Tuesday.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann on Wednesday said the home side is liking the charged up atmosphere created by the newly-appointed Indian captain.
The Barmy Army, also paid homage to the late left-hander by chanting "There's only one Phillip Hughes" to the tune of 'Winter Wonderland' during the opening session of the fifth day of the match.
Shaun Marsh's sensational strokeplay helped Kings XI Punjab edge past Rajasthan Royals via the Super Over after the match had finished in a tie in the Indian Premier League, in Ahmedabad, on Tuesday.
Joe Burns will bat at number six when he makes his debut for Australia in the third Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting on Friday. The 25-year-old, regarded as one Australia's most promising young batsmen, replaced injured all-rounder Mitch Marsh in one of two changes to the Australian team that won last week's second Test in Brisbane. Paceman Ryan Harris, who missed the second Test because of a thigh problem, returns at the expense of Mitchell Starc.
British Sports business magazine SportsPro has named Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli as the six most marketable athlete of this year ahead of the likes of sprint king Usain Bolt and football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of this week's third Test against India in Melbourne with uncapped batsman Joe Burns coming into the 13-man squad to replace him.
Injured pacer Harris sidelined; Siddle dropped.
Tiger Woods remained unbeaten at this week's Presidents Cup as the United States maintained a one-point lead over the Internationals after the weather-delayed foursomes ended on Saturday morning.
Injured captain Michael Clarke has been named in Australia's 15-man squad for the World Cup in February and March.
IMAGES from matches played at the Miami Masters in Key Biscayne, Florida
The squad also sees the return of proven Test and one-day bowler James Pattinson, who joined Australia A in India after recovering from a string of injuries
Two-nil down and with a harried captain insisting his team was neither dead nor buried, there was an unnerving sense of deja vu at the WACA as England made their final preparations on the eve of the third Ashes Test on Wednesday.
Australia have named Michael Clarke in a 12-man squad for the first Test against India starting in Brisbane next week, but the hamstrung captain must prove his fitness in a tour match starting on Friday.
Former champions ATK suffered a 0-2 defeat to two-time runners-up Kerala Blasters in the opening match of the fifth Indian Super League (ISL) at the Saltlake Stadium, in Kolkata, on Saturday.
Australia's world champion one-day team could face a major overhaul after they slumped to a 10th loss in 11 games, according to chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns.
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar will join Australia's squad for the fourth and final Test against India in Sydney, captain Steven Smith said on Tuesday.
Kerala Blasters put up a dominating performance to beat table toppers FC Pune City 2-0 and notch up their first win in seven matches in the Indian Super League football tournament, in Kochi, on Wednesday.
Croatian ninth seed Marin Cilic reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the third year running after Kei Nishikori quit with a rib injury midway through their fourth round match on Monday.
Australia's Steve Smith scored a brilliant century to help wrest control of the third Ashes Test back from a revitalised England on a sweltering opening day at the WACA on Friday. When stumps were drawn for the day, Australia were 326 for 6 after 87 overs.
Scans reveal early stage stress fracture in Starc's right foot after he was forced from field for treatment
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Australia have named swashbuckling batsman Aaron Finch captain of the Twenty20 cricket team, replacing George Bailey, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Monday.
Australia, the World's No. 1 One-Day International side, need to work on a number of aspects to improve ahead of next year's ICC Champions Trophy, captain Steve Smith said after they won a triangular series win in the West Indies.
Steven Smith scored a brilliant century (192) as Australia recorded a massive 530 in the first innings as Indian bowlers were hammered all over the park. Losing the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan (28), India ended the day on 108 for 1 in their reply. Check out some of the images from the second day's play of the 3rd Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Hard-hitting left-hander Chris Gayle will return to the West Indies squad for their tour of South Africa after recovering from a back injury.
Photographs of the Day 4 play of the second Test between India and Australia being played in Brisbane.
Going into the final Test against South Africa, Australia are staring at the lowest ebb in their 140-year cricketing history.
David Warner's third consecutive Test century could not stop Pakistan from taking control of the first Test against Australia on Friday after the tourists squandered a strong start and were all out for 303 in their first innings.
The Australian media were united in their view that the Mitchell Johnson-inspired humiliation of England at Lord's marked a decisive shift in the balance of power in the Ashes series.
Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali led England's charge to a 169-run victory over Australia with a day to spare in the first Test in Cardiff, on Saturday to make a flying start in their bid to regain the Ashes
West Indies have said they are embracing their underdog status for the three-Test series against Australia, which starts in Hobart on Thursday, but the reality is they have very little choice in the matter.
While Shaun Marsh gets another go at resurrecting his career
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