Strangely, despite four wins on the trot, none of India's players have even figured in the top 20 of the MVPI table.

The West Indian has blasted his way to the top of Rediff.com's Most Valuable Players ratings for the World Cup with the South African skipper close on his heels.

Gary Wilson and Kevin O'Brien struck brisk half-centuries as Ireland held their nerve to clinch a thrilling two-wicket victory in their World Cup Pool B match against United Arab Emirates in Brisbane on Wednesday.

To combat defending champions India in Sunday's World cup match, the South African team management has brought in Gary Kirsten, Mike Hussey and Allan Donald.

Five players who excelled at the World Cup, but did little of note otherwise.These players were so impressive in a particular World Cup, but did so little otherwise.

Australia's former British Open winner Kel Nagle died on Thursday, aged 94

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called on the Football Association (FA) to ban players who dive in order to rid the game of play acting to win free kicks or penalties.

Chelsea's unbeaten start to the season ended with a dramatic 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United; Champions Manchester City took full advantage of Chelsea's surprise reverse to cut the gap at the top.

Newcastle United's Papiss Cisse struck twice in a 2-1 victory against English Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Photos from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Tuesday.

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.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Juventus consolidated their top-flight leads at the weekend while Paris St Germain proved too strong for Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Marseille.

Carlos Tevez scored a solo goal after a run that started inside his own half to cap an emphatic 7-0 win for Serie A leaders Juventus over hapless Parma on Sunday.

Chelsea were declared the "autumn champions" by coach Jose Mourinho as they maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-1 win at Anfield on Saturday that kept them four points clear of Southampton at the top of the Premier League.

James Milner, set to win his 50th England cap against San Marino on Thursday, believes his international captain Wayne Rooney has a good chance of reaching another significant landmark in the coming days.

It's jobs and not more welfare that people want, says Republican gubernatorial challenger Neel Tushar Kashkari, who posed as a homeless job seeker for 7 days. Aziz Haniffa reports

Seeking to continue their winning momentum and take an unassailable 2-0 lead, India were dealt a blow ahead of the third one-dayer against England at Trent Bridge on Saturday as opener Rohit Sharma was ruled out of the remainder of the tour because of injury.

The last wicket pairing of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami produced a stunning rearguard century partnership as India recovered from a dramatic middle-order collapse to post a commendable 457 in their first innings on Day 2 of the opening Test match against England, in Nottingham, on Thursday.

Opener Sam Robson hit his maiden Test century before Sri Lanka fought back with four late wickets on the second day of the second Test at Headingley, on Saturday.

Number 11 Nuwan Pradeep survived five dramatic balls from Stuart Broad to help Sri Lanka avoid defeat after James Anderson ripped through the visitors to almost force an England win in the first Test at Lord's in London.

A combination of brutal batting and aggressive bowling ensured England beat Sri Lanka by 81 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method in a rain interrupted first one-day international at the Oval on Thursday.

Dale Steyn produced a ferocious spell of fast bowling to inspire South Africa to a crushing 231-run victory over Australia in fading light on day four of the second Test on Sunday.

Ireland added the West Indies to their list of giant-killing victories after scoring a six-wicket victory over the World Twenty20 champions in the first T20 international at Jamaica's Sabina Park on Wednesday.

He's created soluble protein biosensors to detect bacteria in water!

Four-time world champion John Higgins of Scotland reigned supreme on the green baize as he thrashed England's Joel Walker 4-0 to enter the second round of the Indian Open World Ranking Snooker tournament in New Delhi.

The due date for the birth of Prince William and Kate Middleton's first child may have come and gone this weekend but the frenzy around the eagerly anticipated news continues to build up.

Reaction to former England captain David Beckham's announcement on Thursday that he is retiring at the end of the French league season:

The 41-year old Dutchman has worked with some of the best tacticians in the business like Guus Hiddink, Dick Advocaat and Frank Rijkaard, tasting success at both international and club level.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit his second double century and Denesh Ramdin struck an unbeaten 126 as the West Indies took command of the first Test against Bangladesh on Wednesday.

A late goal by Fernando Torres drove Chelsea to their second successive victory of the new season when they came from behind to beat promoted Reading 4-2 on Wednesday.

Nigeria's dreaded Islamist militant group Boko Haram on Monday claimed responsibility for three deadly attacks on churches, that led to reprisal killings, leaving at least 75 people dead and 120 others wounded.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul completed his 25th Test century on Sunday to put West Indies in a strong position against Australia at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Sunday.

Celtic hammered Kilmarnock 6-0 away to clinch the Scottish league title on Saturday and end the three-year reign of Glasgow rivals Rangers, who were deducted 10 points in February for entering financial administration.

Fans around the world have been asked by the fiancee of Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba to pray for him as he remains in a critical condition in hospital after collapsing during Saturday's FA Cup tie against Tottenham.

Before he came to the US, he also held senior positions internationally for Levi-Strauss & Co, Unilever and the Colgate-Palmolive Company.

Statistical highlights of the second day's play in the first cricket Test between India and Australia in Melbourne, on Tuesday.

High-flying Chelsea stumbled in the Premier League title race when a rare mistake by goalkeeper Petr Cech cost them a late goal in a 1-1 draw at lowly Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

Sergio Aguero opened the floodgates as unbeaten Manchester City thrashed promoted Norwich City 5-1 Saturday to power seven points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Images from English Premier League matches played on Sunday.

Manchester City failed to win in the Premier League for only the second time in 13 matches this season when they drew 1-1 at Liverpool on Sunday and finished with 10 men after substitute Mario Balotelli was sent off for two yellow cards.