Umran Malik's raw pace and Bhuvneshwar Kumar's consistency will be put to test against Dinesh Karthik's explosive batting and the finesse of Faf du Plessis when Sunrisers Hyderabad clash with Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Virat Kohli's return to form and a rather dramatic entry into the IPL play-offs will make Royal Challengers Bangalore a more confident unit when they meet a top-heavy Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2022 Eliminator match in Kolkata on Wednesday.
IMAGES from the IPL 2022 game between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Mumbai, on Tuesday
Batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson's woeful form will be in focus when Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad meet in a return IPL fixture at the Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
Sukanya Verma gives us her OTT recommendations for the week.
Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford has branded the International Olympic Committee's decision not to impose a blanket ban on Russia at next month's Rio Games as "spineless" and expressed surprise that more athletes were not speaking out.
Their winning streak halted by defending champions Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore will hope Harshal Patel returns to the playing eleven and contribute in bringing their campaign back on track when they face Delhi Capitals in the IPL match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
IMAGES from Sunday's IPL match played between Delhi and Bangalore in New Delhi
The Zika virus outbreak in Brazil has led Britain's Greg Rutherford to have his sperm frozen before heading out to defend his long jump title at the Rio Olympics.
The two players decided to pull out in favour of playing for their provinces in the Plunket Shield, New Zealand's domestic first class championships.
Bolstered by Shreyas Iyer's return, Delhi Capitals will look to maintain the form they showed in the first half of the season as they resume their IPL campaign against a struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Rodrigues, Kaur, Mandhana and Sharma were also a part of the now-defunct Kia Super League (KSL) in 2019, the ECB's domestic T20 tournament that made way for the Women's Hundred.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, India A declared their first innings after some useful contributions from the lower-order batsmen. The visitors were 340 for five at stumps on the opening day at the Bay Oval.
Skipper Sanju Samson will look for support from his batsmen as Rajasthan Royals aim to return to winning ways against laggards Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai on Monday and keep their play-offs hopes alive.
If Kolkata Knight Riders beat Rajasthan Royals on Thursday, then Mumbai Indians may find it very difficult to qualify for the play-offs even if they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in their final league match.
Pacer Ishant Sharma became the 12th Indian to take 150 Test wickets when he dismissed opener Hamish Rutherford on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand, in Auckland, on Thursday.
If RCB win their remaining two games, they will move to 20 points and have a chance of finishing in the top two.
Openers Hamish Rutherford and Peter Fulton capitalised on the cheap dismissal of England by guiding New Zealand to 131 without loss at close of play on the second day of the first Test on Thursday.
Almost out of reckoning for a place in the play-offs, bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to play party-poopers when they take on an equally struggling Punjab Kings in the battle of laggards in the IPL in Sharjah on Saturday.
Following is the list of players who have been released by the different franchises ahead of the auction for the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League.
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop believes that the Indian Premier League has democratised cricket for many countries by providing players from smaller nations an opportunity to lock horns with the top cricketers from around the world.
With nine defeats from 11 matches, the Sunrisers are languishing at the bottom, while KKR, in fourth place with 10 points from 12 matches, still have hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stage.
Virtually out of the play-off race, bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad will hope to keep their new-found momentum intact when they face table toppers Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, in Sharjah, on Thursday.
Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga claimed four wickets in four balls for the second time in his international career to rip through the New Zealand batting order in a Twenty20 International at Pallekele on Friday.
Rahul Chahar (2/53) and his cousin Deepak (2/39), alongwith pacer Navdeep Saini (2/31) -- all of whom made the cut for India's limited over squad on Sunday -- picked up two wickets each to help India A dismiss West Indies A for 236 in 47.4 overs.
Skipper Brendon McCullum led from the front, smashing an unbeaten 83, as Otago Volts from New Zealand beat Pakistan's Faisalabad Wolves by eight wickets in a qualifying round match of the Champions League Twenty20 in Mohali on Tuesday.
"We started off really well with the bat. Powerplay was outstanding and then I got going, but me and AB (de Villiers) getting out to balls that you don't get out to. That's how the game goes some times. Delhi played better than us in the crunch moments," Kohli said after his side lost by 16 runs.
Kunal Kapoor's bland portrayal cannot bring out Babur's fascinating persona or self-deprecating temperament, feels Sukanya Verma.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday.
Shubman Gill's run-a-ball 83 was the only high point for India 'A' as New Zealand 'A' grabbed the opening day honours in their first unofficial Test, in Christchurch, on Thursday. The Indians were all out for 216 in their first innings before the hosts responded strongly as they reached 105 for two at the close of play.
A win for Mumbai Indians will virtually seal them a spot in the play-offs while a loss for KXIP could send them out of contention.
Mumbai Indians pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult could be the key in the most sought-after contest of this IPL.
Mumbai Indians will play a majority of its matches on the slow tracks of Abu Dhabi (8) and adapting to that challenge would be the key to its fortunes.
New Zealand named an unchanged squad that beat West Indies 2-0 in December for the two-match Test series against India starting February 6.
Besides KL Rahul, another individual who would like to answer his critics with solid performances is Pant.
A win against Mumbai Indians should be enough to send Sunrisers into the final-four.
Mumbai Indians have been in ominous form and the varied bowling attack could prove a challenge for the CSK batters, who are low on confidence.
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is in sublime form and he can pummel any attack into submission on his day.
Coming off heartbreaking losses, the Indian Premier League game between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab will be a test of character for both sides as they look to get back to winning ways, in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.
After scores of 14 and 1, Virat Kohli is due for a big one and will be hoping to spend more time in the middle when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Mumbai Indians in the IPL in Dubai.