Australia skipper Pat Cummins believes Saturday's World Cup clash with New Zealand will be a battle between "mates" as the push for semi-final places enters a critical phase.

Five-times champions Australia started this edition with consecutive defeats, by unbeaten hosts India and title contenders South Africa.

It was left to the last pair of Keshav Maharaj (seven not out) and Tabraiz Shamsi (four not out) to score the last 11 runs for South Africa's fifth win in six games.

Bangladesh's Kolkata chapter of this World Cup could not have come at a better time with the Tigers, desperately needing a win to keep their slim semifinal hopes alive, hoping for an uplift in their mood after losing four of their five encounters.

England's Cricket World Cup title defence has gone close to as badly as it could have done, with Jos Buttler's side slipping to a fourth defeat in five matches on Thursday against Sri Lanka.

In terms of points collected and the magnitude of stakes remaining for making it into the semifinal, Bangladesh and the Netherlands are in similar positions.

Pakistan slipped to a one-wicket loss at the hands of South Africa, their fourth defeat in six games in India.

The event that runs from October 5 to November 19 has seen fans in India through global broadcast partner Disney Star consuming more Men’s Cricket World Cup cricket than ever before. 

South Africa survived a late charge from Pakistan to pull off a thrilling one-wicket win and move closer to the semi-finals of the World Cup on Friday.

Left-arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi grabbed four wickets as South Africa bowled out Pakistan for 270 in their World Cup match in Chennai on Friday.

Theekshana credited Mathews and player of the match Lahiru Kumara (3-35) for getting them back on track after England made a good start

England's hopes of retaining their World Cup crown are over and they will be playing for pride in the rest of the tournament, coach Matthew Mott said after Thursday's humbling eight-wicket defeat by Sri Lanka left the holders ninth in the standings.

Bangladesh ace paceman Taskin Ahmed said that he will have to manage his shoulder injury going forward. The speedster missed the last two World Cup matches against India and South Africa.

Australia captain Pat Cummins on Friday hailed fast bowler Mitchell Starc as a "rare" talent for his record of taking a wicket in every World Cup match he has played.

Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat against South Africa in Chennai today.

Shakib had come back to Dhaka on October 25th, a day after Bangladesh’s defeat to South Africa left the team’s semi-final dreams on the brink of being extinguished. The ODI skipper yesterday re-joined the side at Kolkata after completing two sessions with his mentor Nazmul Abedeen Fahim at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium indoor nets.

England are certainly doing their best to prove their arch-rivals' point at the World Cup in India.

De Kock is currently the tournament's leading batter with 407 runs, including three hundreds, from just five matches at an average of over 81 heading into South Africa's game against Pakistan in Chennai on Friday.

Defending world champions England's hope of clearing the group stage of the ongoing World Cup was all but dashed when Sri Lanka claimed a dominating eight-wicket victory at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru yesterday.

If Pakistan envisage reaching the semifinals at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup then they simply must find their best form and defeat a surging South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai today.