In a breathtaking show, New Zealand pulled a jittery one-wicket win over four times champion Australia in a low scoring match of World Cup 2015 at Auckland

India's in-form seamer Mohammad Shami will miss Saturday's World Cup clash against the United Arab Emirates in Perth due to a knee injury, a media release from the team said.

India will approach Saturday's World Cup match against the United Arab Emirates in Perth with the same intensity as they do against established teams, key batsman Shikhar Dhawan said.

Heavy rain drenched Auckland on Friday, dampening Australia's mood just 24 hours before their crucial World Cup showdown against New Zealand and a week after torrential downpours wiped out their clash with Bangladesh in Brisbane.

With records being broken almost every other day in the World Cup, AB de Villiers was expected to join the bandwagon soon; and so he did. With 15 overs to go South Africa were poised around the 180-mark with seven wickets in hand yesterday. At that point they would have been thinking of something around 320, but that's when de Villiers stepped into the picture. It's difficult to name one stroke that he doesn't have in his armoury. From the powerful straight drives and the cross-batted slaps to his switch-hits and his trademark pull towards fine-leg, where he dances outside the off-stump to give a base-ball like thump, they were all put into action yesterday. 162 off 66; all the West Indies could was hold their ground and applaud.

Spinners haven't been enjoying the World Cup as much this year and that's what makes Imran Tahir's five-wicket haul against the West Indies all the more special yesterday. The bowler, whose quick bowling action and dramatic follow-through often makes him seem like a pacer, ran through West Indies's crucial middle order in quick time. The Carribean openers haven't been in form lately and it has been the likes of Darren Sammy, Andre Russel and Lendl Simmons who have been saving their blushes. However, yesterday they were bedazzled by Tahir's turners.

The number of teams taking part in the 2019 World Cup hasn't been finalised, the International Cricket Council told AFP on Friday as it responded to growing criticism that its proposed cut risked damaging the sport's development.

South Africa captain AB de Villiers was laid low by illness which gave him a sleepless night before he found the perfect cure by hitting a breathtaking 162 not out in Friday's 257-run World Cup rout of the West Indies.

Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad has been cleared to play in the team's third World Cup Pool B game against Zimbabwe on Sunday after suffering an ankle injury, an official said.

One of the World Cup's biggest games pits high-flying New Zealand against four-time champions Australia at Auckland's Eden Park on Saturday in a match that could well be a dress rehearsal for the final.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum vowed Friday his side will stick with their aggressive approach as they look to maintain their perfect record at this World Cup when they face arch-rivals Australia.

Australian captain Michael Clarke admitted Friday he is sick of discussing his hamstring injury and weary of the relentless spotlight on sledging ahead of the World Cup showdown against New Zealand.

Two worlds collide on Saturday when mighty India tackle the United Arab Emirates' team of shipping clerks and airline staff, with at least two of the Gulf amateurs relishing the World Cup showdown at the WACA.

West Indies batsman Darren Bravo was ruled out of the rest of the World Cup on Friday after failing to recover from a hamstring injury, the squad's players' association said.

It is no wonder why Anamul Haque is not Kumar Sangakkara. The Bangladesh opener was gifted as many chances as the Sri Lankan maestro during the two team's respective innings. However, the end result was very different. While Sangakkara made most of those early chances to score an unbeaten 76-ball 105, the Bangladesh opener huffed and puffed to 29 before being dismissed. His technique was severely tested throughout his innings, which was ended by a run-out.

South Africa overwhelmed West Indies by a whopping 257 runs in the 19th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Tigers turned up at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the first time to make a statement against the Lankan Lions yesterday.

"Like batting, bowling also needs partnerships to become successful."

At the end of Sri Lanka's tour of Bangladesh last year Mominul Haque was asked what he learnt from the series. He animatedly talked about Kumar Sangakkara's patience and the manner in which the veteran planned his innings.

In the 90,000-capacity stadium, more than half was vacant as only 30,000 fans turned up to watch the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka match of the ICC World Cup yesterday, but there was no shortage of festivity in and around the MCG -- the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.