India's preparations for the cricket World Cup suffered a jolt as Australia thrashed the defending champions by 106 runs with Glenn Maxwell and David Warner striking blistering centuries in their first warm-up game in Adelaide.
Kevin Pietersen felt like a "clown" after getting out in the first innings of the second Test but maintained he has been in prime form during England's heavy defeats in the opening three Ashes matches.
Outplayed in the ODIs, a faltering India will look to get the balance right as they eye redemption in a three-match Twenty20 series against Australia starting in Adelaide on Tuesday which also kicks off their build-up for the World T20 Championships in March-April.
Penpix of the Australia squad for the 2015 World Cup, which they are co-hosting with New Zealand.
After bagging back-to-back man of the match awards in the ongoing cricket tri-series, left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc said he is relishing the opportunity of leading Australia's bowling attack in the absence of pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson.
Here's your weekly digest of odd photos from around the world.
Rediff.com brings you the second instalment of the Best Sports Photos of the Year!
David Warner blasted a quickfire half-century before Sunrisers Hyderabad survived a sensational onslaught from David Miller to register a thrilling five-run victory against Kings XI Punjab and keep themselves in the hunt for a place in the play-offs of the Indian Premier League, in Hyderabad, on Monday.
Kolkata Knight Riders will aim for their third win on the trot and end the home leg on a high.
Half-way through the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League, the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament has witnessed some top quality catches. Rediff.com takes a look at some memorable ones.
Half-way through the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League, the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament has witnessed some top quality catches. Rediff.com takes a look at some memorable ones.
A rampant Australia sealed a 5-0 Ashes series sweep by skittling England out for 166 to claim a 281-run victory with more than two days to spare in the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Former champions Mumbai Indians take on last year's runners-up Kings XI Punjab at the Wankhede Stadium in a a game that promises plenty of action while offering a chance for both teams to get into winning ways after losses in their lung-openers.
Publicly labelled 'soft' by former Test bowler Shane Warne only a few months ago, paceman Mitchell Starc has come of age.
Images from the fifth One-Day International between Australia and India in Sydney, on Saturday.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that he never thought his spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will have such a 'bad day' but also praised Australian skipper Steve Smith and George Bailey for playing exceptionally well in the middle overs. Ashwin (2/69 in 9 overs) and Jadeja (0/61 in 9 overs) together gave away 129 runs in 18 overs as India lost the opening ODI by five wickets. "When I was speaking about sharing the load before the match, I was speaking about when the fast-bowlers don't have a very good day then I will have to use the spinner. "I never thought it will be the spinners who will have a very bad day and the others will have to share that responsibility," Dhoni said at the post-match press conference.
Rising Pune Supergiants will stand in the way of Kolkata Knight Riders's revival when they clash in an Indian Premier League T20 match?
Yuvraj Singh made a sensational return to international cricket, blasting his way to an unbeaten 35-ball 77 as India beat Australia by six wickets in a high-scoring one-off T20, in Rajkot, on Thursday.
Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are India's highest-ranked batsman and bowler in third and 13th positions respectively.
Australia are the unsurprising favourites to clinch a fifth World Cup.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh blamed his opening bowlers for the four-wicket loss against Australia in their cricket tri-series match in Melbourne.
Former England Test captain Sir Ian Botham has backed Ashes heroes England to win 5-0 in the return series in Australia as he believes that England has the players to win again, especially a match-winning bowling attack.
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.
Back on their favoured quick and bouncy pitches, Australia's failings against spin bowling are unlikely to figure at the World Cup and the co-hosts have an excellent opportunity to win a fifth trophy, according to former batsman Mike Hussey.
Piyush Goyal is leading a delegation to deliberate with Australia.
A clinical Kings XI Punjab crushed Cape Cobras by seven wickets for their fourth win in a row as they ended their Group B engagements with a flourish in the Champions League Twenty20 in Mohali.
Factbox on the third World Cup quarter-final between Australia and Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Captain Elton Chigumbura hit a fluent half-century as Zimbabwe secured a shock three-wicket win over Australia in the triangular series on Sunday.
A dominant Australia looked firmly on course for a 5-0 Ashes series sweep when they reached 140 for four, a lead of 311, at close of play after skittling England for 155 on the second day of the fifth Test on Saturday.
Steve Smith scored a sparkling century and put on 128 for the sixth wicket with Brad Haddin to rescue Australia and push the hosts to 326 all out shortly before close of play on the first day of the fifth Ashes Test against England on Friday.
The players auctions for this year's IPL is scheduled for this weekend. Rajneesh Gupta looks at the players retained and released by the teams for IPL 2017.
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David Warner punished a depleted and dispirited England with a brilliant century to help drive Australia to 235 for three and a dominant lead of 369 after the third day of the third Ashes Test on Sunday.
Australia captain Michael Clarke said he was not going to promise his country "the world" on the eve of the first Ashes test on Wednesday.
Glenn Maxwell produced yet another blazing innings with the bat before Lakshmipathy Balaji returned a four-wicket haul as Kings XI Punjab registered a crushing 72-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
Pre-tournament favourites Australia currently occupy third spot in Pool A.
Australia beat India by four wickets in a nail-biting finish after wicket-keeper Brad Haddin and James Faulkner held their nerves to help Australia go past India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Earlier, paceman Mitchell Starc captured a career-best 6-43 and Rohit Sharma hit a century as India put up a total of 267 for 8. Check out the images from the match...
Mitchell Johnson electrified a world record Test crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with a searing new ball spell to capture two late wickets and leave England a rocky 226 for six at the close of the opening day of the fourth Test on Thursday.
Battered and bruised after four successive defeats, India will make a last-gasp effort to avoid the embarrassment of being whitewashed by an unrelenting Australia when the two sides clash in the fifth and final One-Day International in Sydney, on Saturday.