Shikhar Dhawan finds himself out of the Indian team less than three months after captaining the ODI side, but the 37-year-old opener has not yet given up on a strong desire to play the World Cup at home later this year.
Russia forward Denis Cheryshev said he got quite emotional after his team upset the odds to eliminate highly fancied Spain at the World Cup and move unexpectedly to the last eight, sending football fever to sky high levels in the host country.
"Commonwealth Games in India would leave lasting impact by boosting tourism, and creating jobs, the Government said in a statement.
'There will be guys that get opportunities. We've obviously got a few guys missing for this series (for) a well-earned rest.'
Here is a lowdown of all the lighthearted, fun news from around the ICC World Cup.
Shivam Dube remains a vital cog in India's T20 set-up and bowling coach Morne Morkel wants the Mumbai all-rounder to step up as a back-up medium pacer ahead of the T20 World Cup, in line with head coach Gautam Gambhir's philosophy of packing the XI with multi-skilled cricketers.
'Mission XI Million is the most ambitious football engagement programme to date in India.'
New Zealand are placed in Group B along with Turkey, Paraguay and Mali.
Australia's David Warner showed little of his menacing hitting and brash in-your-face approach as he made his return to the international arena at the World Cup on Saturday. But he has evidently lost none of his match-winning form.
The 22-year-old seemed to pull up with a muscle problem in the first half, with Fabian Delph getting ready to come on, but Alli managed to continue until being taken off after 80 minutes.
Neuer made the squad despite playing in just one official game, a friendly against Austria on Friday, since breaking a bone in his foot in September but talented 22-year-old Sane was the biggest name to miss out.
Goa on Saturday joined Kochi and Navi Mumbai as one of the venues to host next year's FIFA U-17 World Cup after it received the green signal from a high-level delegation of football's world body. A 13-member FIFA delegation alongwith the Local Organising Committee (LOC) today made an inspection to ascertain the readiness of Goa to host matches and training sessions at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017. Following the visit, LOC and FIFA experts expressed their satisfaction with the work which has been put in at the venue and ratified Goa as the third venue to host the event after Kochi and Navi Mumbai.
Kuldeep Yadav grabbed 3/18, while Axar Patel played a vital role getting 2/18 besides bowling 15 dot balls in the game to power India to an emphatic seven-wicket victory.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has asked FIFA why the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was not used to review two key decisions they believe hindered their side during Sunday's 1-1 draw with Switzerland.
Playing in a "false nine" role, Messi capped a disappointing tournament with another subdued display at Kazan Arena as Argentina bowed out of the last 16 with a 4-3 defeat.
World Cup sidelights: All the fun news from Brazil right here...
Former Pakistan batsman and current Under-19 head coach Ejaz Ahmed feels that his side can beat defending champions and arch-rivals India in the forthcoming ICC Under-19 World Cup, beginning in South Africa on January 17. Ejaz, who has played 60 Test and 250 ODIs, was head coach of the Pakistan Emerging side which beat India before eventually winning the title in Bangladesh last year.
A global trade union for construction workers that has criticized labour conditions in Qatar will inspect soccer stadiums being built for the 2022 World Cup in the Gulf Arab state.
Host nation Qatar is happy to accommodate a change in the dates for the 2022 World Cup, while insisting it can still stage the tournament in summer.
From idolising Neeraj to upstaging him at Worlds, Sachin Yadav gains global recognition
Ross Taylor, who had become the first New Zealand player to play 100 T20Is in February this year during a series against India, will turn 37 when India hosts the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Dortmund's Mario Goetze has suffered with muscular problems in recent months, prompting a comprehensive internal investigation into the possible causes, the club said on Monday.
India secured their first ever series win in South Africa across formats when they beat the hosts by 73 runs in the fifth ODI on Tuesday.
Kylian Mbappe believes Les Bleus have what it takes to win the title in Russia if they all stick together.
It was all thanks to a shooting range in their village Sasroli. The facility that was run by Kargil war veteran Anil Jakhar, was very close to their house and came as a blessing in disguise when Suruchi had to halt her Bhiwani sojourns due to the pandemic in 2020.
Jeakson Singh worried quite often but the midfielder shoves it away by focussing on the pride he feels in representing India at the FIFA under-17 World Cup.
Australia's retiring one-day captain Michael Clarke has urged his players to put 'skill over emotion'.
An ankle injury will keep the veteran goalkeeper out of the matches against Israel and the Faroe Islands.
N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli sealed India's place in the Davis Cup World Group I with a convincing straight sets victory in the doubles for an unassailable 3-0 lead against Togo in the play-off tie in New Delhi on Sunday.
The final inspection will take place later this year following which the venue of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020 will be named.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Wednesday became the first Indian city to be officially declared as one of the venues for hosting the 2017 FIFA Under-17 World Cup after it received a green signal from a high-level delegation of football's world body.
De Matos was appointed head coach in March this year and in a short span of time, he has tried to build a team ready to fight the best.
'Everyone now has the technology and the information to prepare games down to detail. Many years ago you used to go to a World Cup and it was a surprise on the day and talent and decisions on the pitch made a bigger difference'
Father Time finally caught up with poor old Italy on Thursday when they were deposed as world champions after suffering a dramatic and shocking 3-2 defeat at the hands of World Cup debutants Slovakia.
Publicly labelled 'soft' by former Test bowler Shane Warne only a few months ago, paceman Mitchell Starc has come of age.
'We won the last World Cup and the Champions Trophy on the all-round performance -- so the Jajedas, Binnys, Ashwins could play a role in India defending the title' 'Stuart Binny could come in very handy in those surfaces with the seam bowling, as a lower order batsman also or as a floater' 'Yuvraj must be motivated to try and make a comeback'
Zoo director Vladimir Gerasimov believes Cleopatra might have a little better understanding of soccer than other animals.
Sasikumar Mukund will aim for a winning return to the Davis Cup fold as India faces Togo in the World Group I Play-off.
'I am happy that we are not favourites'
