A clean-cut image was crucial for Australia in the aftermath of the notorious 2018 ball-tampering scandal in South Africa so he was the ideal candidate to succeed Tim Paine as Test skipper in the light of Paine's 'sexting' controversy in 2021

Vice-captain at an unhappy 2015 World Cup, Buttler played a starring role in the final four years later -- making 59 off 60 balls in a vital stand with Ben Stokes, before adding crucial runs in the Super Over and sealing victory by completing the run-out of Martin Guptill

In ODI cricket, Shakib shone at the 2019 World Cup where he scored 606 runs in eight matches, surpassing the record of Sachin Tendulkar for most runs in a group stage.

One of the criticisms of ODIs, once the economic driving force of the global game, is that they are too often reduced to 'meaningless' bilateral series.

Rohit is the only man to have made three double centuries in ODI cricket -- 208 against Sri Lanka in 2017, 209 against Australia in 2013 and the all-time highest of 264 facing Sri Lanka in 2014.

Factfile on Pakistan captain Babar Azam ahead of the Cricket World Cup which gets underway in India on Thursday:

"Shakib [Al Hasan] is 100% fine and ready for the first match,” Shanto said during the toss for their second warm-up match against defending champions England at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati today.

Steyn revealed the names of five fast bowlers, speaking on a video released by ICC on their Instagram page, "who could do some damage at 2023 World Cup." 

The Bangladesh team will play their second warm-up match against England today before moving to Dharamsala, where they will play their first match of the World Cup against Afghanistan on October 7.

The epic tournament features 10 nations playing 48 matches over 46 days at 10 different venues

The 24-year-old is leading Pakistan's spin attack that has come under severe criticism for not taking wickets in the middle overs

The 2015 World Cup winner was certain that the likes of opener David Warner would be raring to go when their tournament starts against hosts India in Chennai on Oct. 8.

Arthur, Pakistan's head coach at the 2019 World Cup when they failed to make the semi-finals, is confident the team can bounce back from recent disappointments

Kishan, 25, has an ODI best of 210 in 25 matches, but a recent 82 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup won him rich praise from the cricketing fraternity including former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar who called him a "big match player"

Over the course of the last 12 months, the highest stand by a Bangladesh opening pair had been 102 that Liton Das and Tamim Iqbal had notched. Without Tamim in the World Cup squad, and amidst the ongoing form concerns of openers ahead of the World Cup, youngster Tanzid Hasan and the formidable Liton finally found the runs they needed under their belt ahead of a huge tournament during the first warm-up fixture against Sri Lanka in Guwahati yesterday.

The Tigers are playing without their regular skipper, Shakib Al Hasan.

The match will start at 2.30pm Bangladesh Standard Time.

Both aged 20, fast bowler Pathirana and all-rounder Wellalage are undeterred by facing childhood heroes at the tournament that opens on October 5

Rashid believes the more spin-friendly Indian wickets at this World Cup will give him the stage to shine and he hopes he can inspire the next generation of Afghan cricketers.

Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, set to become the first Bangladeshi to umpire a World Cup match, said his breakthrough appointment was due to years of facing negative commentary with quiet determination.