South Africa claimed an emphatic 174-run victory to seal an ODI series triumph over Ireland ahead of the final game on Sunday in Abu Dhabi. 

Having cruised to a 139-run victory in the opening encounter, the Proteas continued to avenge their shock T20I defeat against the same opponents last week with another commanding display.

South Africa made a strong start with the bat before Ryan Rickelton (40) fell in the 13th over, with Temba Bavuma (35) retiring hurt from the contest soon after. 

Rassie van der Dussen (35) and Kyle Verreynne (67) also performed well, only for Tristan Stubbs to steal the show with 112 runs from 81 deliveries, handing the Proteas a strong grip on the encounter, with South Africa ending 343-4 from their 50 overs. 

Ireland then made a dismal start to their run chase, losing five wickets in the opening 10 overs as Lizaad Williams and Lungi Ngidi ripped through their opening attack and had Ireland 50-5 early on. 

Mark Adair (21) and Andy McBrine (10) momentarily halted the onslaught, but were soon sent on their way, with Gavin Hoey hitting 23 runs before he was bowled and caught by Ngidi (2-38). 

Graham Hume and Craig Young's 52-run stand frustrated South Africa, only for the former to be bowled out by Bjorn Fortuin (2-36) with just under 20 overs remaining as Ireland ended all out for 169. 

Data Debrief: Proteas on song

It was yet another strong display by South Africa, cruising to a comfortable victory in Abu Dhabi, with Stubbs and Williams starring with the bat and ball. 

Stubbs' knock of 112 saw him record a maiden century in international cricket, ending with an impressive strike rate of 138.27. 

Williams, meanwhile, continued where he left off from the first match, and now has seven wickets during the series so far. 

South Africa cruised to a 139-run win over Ireland in the teams' first ODI in Abu Dhabi, with Lizaad Williams tearing through their opponents' batting order.

The Proteas approached Wednesday's contest reeling from a shock T20I defeat to Ireland on Sunday, with Ross Adair's maiden international century ensuring the two-match series ended 1-1.

There was not to be a repeat in the 50-over format, however, with Ireland's batting order collapsing after Ryan Rickelton (91) and Tristan Stubbs (79) guided an otherwise shaky South Africa to 271-9.

The Proteas started miserably by losing three wickets for 39 runs, Mark Adair taking two of them on his way to figures of 4-50.

But opener Rickelton stayed cool while the wickets tumbled around him, lasting 102 deliveries and allowing Stubbs to join in on the act with comfortably his best ODI score, dragging South Africa to a respectable total.

Ireland might have harboured hopes of a successful chase, but Paul Stirling's fourth-ball dismissal for just two runs set the tone, and a spate of four more wickets in the space of six overs dropped Ireland to 61-5.

Williams finished with figures of 4-32 from his 10 overs for the Proteas, who needed just 32 overs to finish off the tail and bring some much-needed positivity to their tour of the United Arab Emirates, which started with an ODI series loss to Afghanistan.

Data Debrief: Williams wins it 

Rickelton and Stubbs carried South Africa to a score they were capable of defending despite no other batter scoring more than Bjorn Fortuin's 28 – seven scored 13 runs or fewer.

But it was Williams who made sure of the victory, taking three of the first four wickets to leave Ireland in a tailspin, then going on to record the best figures of his young ODI career.

In none of his previous five ODIs had Williams managed more than two wickets, while his 32 runs conceded were also his fewest in the format.

West Indies captain Shai Hope and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph have made big strides in the ICC Men’s One-Day International plyer rankings, announced on Wednesday.

Following the recent series in South Africa, Hope has moved up two places in the batting to 12th position. He made a match-wining 128 not out – his 14th ODI century – in his first match as captain which the West Indies defeated the home side at Buffalo Park in East London.

 Joseph made a giant leap of eight places to 11th spot after the two matches. He bowled with genuine pace and penetration and took 3-53 in East London which was followed up by 3-50 in the next match at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom. He now has an impressive record of 93 wickets in 56 matches at an average of 27 runs per wicket and strike rate of just under 31. Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein is the other West Indies bowler in the Top 20. He took 3-59 and 2-49 in the two matches to break into the top tier.

 West Indies and South Africa played to a 1-1 result in the series. The first match was washed out, West Indies won the second by 48 runs while the Proteas won the third by four wickets.

The series now moves to Centurion for the first T20 International which will be played at SuperSports Park on Saturday. First ball is 2pm (8am Eastern Caribbean/7am Jamaica

India captain Rohit Sharma backed Suryakumar Yadav after he suffered a hat-trick of golden ducks in the ODI series loss to Australia.

A 21-run Australia victory on Wednesday saw the tourists leapfrog India at the top of the 50-over rankings, with the series defeat India's first at home since 2019.

Suryakumar's display highlighted the hosts woes, facing just three balls over the course of the series without getting his bat to any of them.

He was trapped lbw by Mitchell Starc both in India's opening win and Australia's dominant subsequent response in the second match.

There was therefore immense pressure on Suryakumar ahead of the decider in Chennai, and he was bowled by Ashton Agar.

But the batter retained the support of skipper Rohit.

"He played only three balls in the series. I don't know how much you can look into it. He got three good balls," Rohit said after the match.

"Today [Wednesday] I didn't think it was that great a ball. He just chose the wrong shot. He should have, maybe, come forward. He knows best.

"He plays spin so well, which is why we wanted to hold him back and give him that role of last 15 to 20 overs.

"But it's really unfortunate that he could only play three balls in the series. That can happen to anyone. The potential, the quality is always there. He's just going through that phase right now."

Steve Smith's gamble to bat first in Chennai paid off as Australia's 21-run victory over India clinched their ODI series and the number one ranking.

Australia headed into Wednesday's third and final match with the series level at 1-1, looking to end India's best ever seven-series winning streak at home.

Brave captaincy from Smith was required to do that, with Australia batting first on a dry and soft surface and scoring 269.

No touring batsman was able to build on a strong start, but the same was then true of the India line-up – Virat Kohli leading the way on 54 but out cheaply – as their target proved just beyond them.

The two innings followed similar patterns, with Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh combining for 68 before the former was caught for 33 three balls after being dropped.

Marsh went on to score 47, but Smith was unable to contribute as he departed for a duck, while each of the next five batters passed 20 but did not reach 40.

It left Australia with a competitive score but one India would have been confident of matching after their own opening stand of 65.

Even after a pair of wickets, the home side rallied to 146-2 with Kohli in fine form.

But Adam Zampa (4-45) and Ashton Agar (2-41) worked through the middle order, meaning Kohli's surprise departure to the latter – picking out David Warner at long-off – represented a blow that ultimately cost India.

Australia bookend India's winning run

Australia's win in the second ODI had snapped India's nine-match winning run in home ODIs, and another sequence was ended on Wednesday.

This was India's first defeat in a multi-game ODI series at home since Australia beat them 3-2 back in March 2019.

Kohli's needless departure

After sharing a 69-run partnership with KL Rahul that set India back on track after two wickets, Kohli looked set to play a part in another strong stand for the fifth wicket.

But after combining for 34 with Hardik Pandya – who scored 28 of those runs off 20 balls – the great batsman gave Warner a simple, vital catch.

Heinrich Klaasen brilliantly took the third ODI away from West Indies with his unbeaten century to give South Africa a four-wicket win and tie the three-match series.

Klaasen scored 119 off just 61 deliveries, completing a routine victory with three consecutive boundaries.

There were still 123 balls remaining, with South Africa's number five batter having accelerated the scoring just as the tourists had recovered some hope at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom.

The Windies were all out for 260, losing their way after a strong start from Brandon King (72) lifted them to 110-1 in the 19th over.

King contributed to his team's downfall when he chose not to run and left partner Shamarh Brooks (18) stranded, slipping in the middle of the pitch for a run out that triggered a steady stream of Windies wickets.

It was still no sure thing the Proteas would chase down their target despite scoring at a good rate, losing four wickets inside 13 overs – including that of captain Aiden Markram for 25.

Yet Klaasen came to the fore, bringing up his hundred off just 54 balls to swiftly bring the finish line into sight.

A showstopping finale saw poor Yannic Cariah punished, conceding 49 runs off only three and a half overs as the Windies' hopes of a rare series win against South Africa were wiped out.

Windies' wait for series win goes on

West Indies have not beaten South Africa in a multi-game ODI series since April 1992, but this represented a real opportunity, leading 1-0 ahead of the final match after the opener was abandoned without a ball bowled.

A failure to capitalise on competitive starts to both innings extended that wait, although the Windies at least ended South Africa's run of seven straight series victories.

Klaasen crashes six after six

Coming into this match, South Africa had hit only 70 sixes in ODIs since the start of last year, compared to 143 for West Indies over the same period.

But Klaasen alone matched the Windies in that regard on Tuesday, smashing five maximums – as many as the entire touring team – to go with 15 fours in South Africa's fourth-fastest ODI century.

Steve Smith brushed off the personal plaudits and hailed the efforts of Mitchell Starc and Australia's openers after a 10-wicket trouncing of India on Sunday.

The tourists dominated in Visakhapatnam to level their three-match ODI series at 1-1, bowling out India for 117 in 26 overs before taking just 11 overs to pick off their target.

Victory at YS Raja Reddy Cricket Stadium sets up a decider in Chennai on Wednesday, with India's nine-match winning run in home ODIs having been brought to a halt.

Australia pace spearhead Starc took 5-53 in a dazzling display, before Mitchell Marsh (66 not out) and Travis Head (51 not out) made it a rout.

Smith made a stunning catch to dismiss Hardik Pandya midway through India's innings, diving away to his right at first slip to give Sean Abbott (3-23) a wicket.

That prompted Smith to be asked about whether it could be considered a "catch of the century", but he appeared slightly bemused by the suggestion.

"I don't know about catch of the century," he said at the post-match presentation. "It was nice I held on today.

"I had a couple of opportunities in the last game that were quite similar and they were just out of reach. I couldn't get my hand quite around it, but I was fortunate I was able to do that today.

"It was a big wicket, Hardik's an unbelievable player, so it was nice to hang on to it."

This match rapidly got away from India, who had won the series opener by five wickets.

"It was a quick one – 37 overs for the game, you don't see that too often," Smith said. "I thought our bowlers were outstanding this afternoon. Mitchell Starc in particular with that new ball swinging it back down the line and putting them under early pressure.

"He complemented really well with the rest of our bowling group and it was a nice start to the day. It was one of those days when every time they nicked it, it went to hand. Fortunately we were on the right side of it."

The batting went well too.

"The way that Heady and Mitch went out and went after against the bowlers, put them under pressure early. When you're chasing 118 you can break the back of it pretty quickly," Smith said. "It was a really good day, and I'm really proud we managed to bounce back after the last game."

India captain Rohit Sharma said his team let themselves down.

"We always knew that was not enough runs on the board," Rohit said. "Obviously it was not a 117 pitch at all. By no means. We just didn't apply ourselves and kept losing wickets. That didn't allow us to get the runs we wanted."

Australia hammered India by 10 wickets with 39 overs to spare in Visakhapatnam to level their three-match ODI series at 1-1.

The Baggy Greens lost badly in the opening match, being bowled all out for 188 runs, but they cruised to victory at YS Raja Reddy Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

India were bowled out for just 117 runs off 26 balls after being sent out to bat first, with Mitchell Starc (5-53) claiming a five-wicket haul in a truly dominant display from the tourists.

Australia's opening batters Mitchell Marsh (66 not out) and Travis Head (51 not out) remained unbeaten to confirm victory inside four hours.

The sides will reconvene in Chennai on Wednesday for the deciding match.

India had lost only one of their nine ODIs at this venue prior to Sunday, but Shubman Gill was sent packing for a duck off the third ball to set the tone for what was to come.

Returning skipper Rohit Sharma (13) started well with a couple of boundaries, but he did not last much longer and India never found any real rhythm.

Only four players reached double figures, with Virat Kohli (31), Ravindra Jadeja (16) and Axar Patel (29 not out) struggling to cause Australia any real problems.

Starc starred with the ball, responsible for the wickets of Mohammed Siraj (0), KL Rahul (9), Suryakumar Yadav (0), Shubman Gill (0) and Rohit.

India's target of 118 for victory was never going to trouble Australia, and so it proved as the explosive pair of Head and Marsh made light work of the hosts' bowlers.

Head smashed Siraj for four successive boundaries in a 50-run stand with Marsh for the first wicket, with the Aussies sealing an emphatic win in just 11 overs.

Marsh and Head blitz completes the job

The best India could hope for after a rather embarrassing batting effort was prolonging this second ODI for as long as possible for the paying spectators.

Marsh and Head clearly had other ideas as they put up an unbeaten partnership of 121 from 66 balls.

That strike rate of 183.33 is the highest for any opening stand in an ODI in India from a minimum of 10 balls.

Sensational Starc leads the way

Take nothing away from Marsh and Head, but the foundations for this incredible victory were laid by Starc, who got five wickets in an ODI for the ninth time.

The defeat was India's first in 10 ODI matches on home soil, ending what was the second-longest active winning streak of any nation in the format.

KL Rahul led the way in a superb match-winning partnership with Ravindra Jadeja as India prevailed by five wickets in the first ODI with Australia.

Despite reducing Australia from 129-2 to 188 all out, India looked in significant trouble at the Wankhede Stadium as their top order crumbled in reply.

They lost three wickets inside the first five overs and were 83-5 when Hardik Pandya fell to Marcus Stoinis.

But, on a pitch favourable to fast bowlers, Rahul (75 not out) and Jadeja (45 not out) masterfully guided India over the line to delight the Mumbai crowd.

It initially looked as if Mitchell Marsh might be the match-winner as he bludgeoned 81 off 65 balls for Australia, hitting 10 fours and five sixes.

However, after Jadeja drew a thick edge to end his innings, Australia never rediscovered their momentum, Mohammed Shami (3-17) ensuring their early platform was not built upon.

The swing of Mitchell Starc caused chaos as Australia sought to defend a disappointing total, Starc accounting for Virat Kohli (4), Suryakumar Yadav (0) and Shubman Gill (20).

Rahul counter-attacked with Hardik (25) for a stand of 44 but it was left-hander Jadeja who proved the perfect foil, their partnership one of supreme composure.

It was capped with a flourish, Jadeja getting India over the line with a pair of fours from an impressive but ultimately frustrated Starc as the hosts took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Sensational Shami

The exit of Marsh provided an opening for the India attack, and it was one Shami made sure they took.

Dismissing both Cameron Green and Stoinis with length balls, he allowed just one four and a single six while bowling 30 dot balls from 66 deliveries, two of his six overs being maidens.

India end Mumbai misery

India had previously lost their last three men's ODI matches at the Wankhede, their longest run at the venue in the format.

That streak is now over, and India are a victory away from making it 14 wins in 15 multi-game bilateral men's ODI series at home.

South Africa and West Indies were frustrated by rain as Thursday's first ODI at Buffalo Park was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

The day-night match in East London was in doubt once the toss was delayed, and conditions showed little sign of significant improvement.

Although rain briefly abated, showers soon returned and the contest was called off.

The second leg of the three-match series is due to be played at the same ground on Saturday.

India and Australia will renew their rivalry following a gripping Test series with a three-match One-Day International series starting Friday.

It offers an ideal precursor for this year's World Cup, hosted by India in October and November, with both nations eager to rip the title off 2019 winners England.

Australia have assembled a strong squad for the tune-up series, where Steve Smith will lead the tourists as skipper, with Pat Cummins remaining at home following the death of his mother last week.

David Warner returns from the fractured elbow that prematurely ended his Test series, while big-hitting all-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell are also back following long-term ankle and leg injuries.

They are two of several all-rounders in the squad as Australia search for the best mix for their World Cup side, with Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott and Ashton Agar in contention.

"We've gone in with a structure with eight batters to bat a little bit deeper, we've tried that," said Australia coach Andrew McDonald.

"There'll be a mix of combinations as we lead into the World Cup. A lot of all-rounders [have been] picked in the squad and they can all play in the one team, so we've got to answer a few of those questions."

India captain Rohit Sharma will miss the opening ODI at Wankhede Stadium due to family reasons, with Hardik Pandya to lead the side in his absence, while Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the series with a back injury.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will also be absent due to a long-term back injury.

It is difficult to establish any form lines given the disjointed nature of ODIs, but India have won their last seven matches against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, while the tourists have won nine of their last 10 (L1), including their last six on the bounce, having secured a 3-0 win against England in their last ODI series.

India's imposing home ODI record

India are always a difficult assignment at home, having won their last seven home multi-game bilateral ODI series, along with 13 of their last 14.

However, Australia are the side responsible for that one defeat, winning 3-2 in March 2019 in India where Usman Khawaja was Player of the Series.

Warner not a spent force

Warner may be in the twilight of his international career, with speculation about his future in the Test side, but he is not a spent force in white-ball cricket and is targeting this year's 50-over World Cup.

The 36-year-old is one century away from 20 ODI hundreds, with only Ricky Ponting (29) boasting more for Australia. The left-handed opener has scored 50 or more in six of his past eight ODIs against India.

South Africa will look to maintain their ODI momentum ahead of the Cricket World Cup, but they are set to contend with key injuries as they take on West Indies in a three-match 50-over series, which starts on Thursday. 

The Proteas wrapped up a convincing 2-0 Test series win against West Indies earlier in the month, having beaten world champions England 2-1 in an ODI series before that.

While Shukri Conrad has already taken charge of the Test side, this latest series will be the first for new white-ball coach Rob Walter having completed his term with New Zealand's Central Stags. 

Walter will be without important players, however, after Keshav Maharaj ruptured his left Achilles in the Test series. Wiaan Mulder is also unavailable with a left side strain, with Tabraiz Shamsi and Wayne Parnell replacing the pair.  

South Africa will be favourites given their form, but all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin is certain his side will take nothing for granted when they face off in the first ODI against West Indies since the 2019 World Cup. 

"We are going to need to be at our best in all three aspects of the game to beat them, and that's what we are working towards," Fortuin said. 

"They are a dangerous side on all fronts, whether with the ball or bat. We know they are supreme athletes on the field. 

"The boys are coming off a successful Test series, and we will be looking to build on that and build some momentum."

West Indies have also made leadership changes prior to the series, with Shai Hope taking over the captaincy from Nicholas Pooran.  

Pooran remains in the side and will look to form a key part of the middle order alongside Roston Chase and Shamarh Brook. 

Interim coach Andre Coley's side have won just one of their last eight ODIs and have brought in former leg-spinner Samuel Badree to serve as assistant coach as they look to improve before the World Cup in October. 

De Kock chasing milestone

Quinton de Kock may no longer play Test cricket, but the wicketkeeper's supreme batting talents are still a vital cog in South Africa's limited-over successes. 

The 30-year-old has played 137 ODIs and is just 99 runs away from becoming the seventh men's player to score 6,000 runs for South Africa in the format.

If he reaches the milestone in his first match of the series, De Kock will become the third-fastest player overall to that mark in the history of ODIs, behind only Hashim Amla and Virat Kohli. 

West Indies' ambitions rest on Hope  

New skipper Hope has been a bright spark in an otherwise drab period for West Indies in ODI cricket.  

The Windies will be relying on his top-order exploits as they look to turn around their form, with his average of 49 in men's ODIs the best of any batsman to play at least six innings for West Indies.

The role of head coach for the West Indies Senior Men’s teams will be split into two separate positions, Cricket West Indies has announced.

Recruitment start immediately for a Red Ball Head Coach for Test and ‘A’ Team cricket, as well as a White Ball Head Coach for One-Day Internationals (ODI) and T20 International (T20I) cricket, the governing body said in a statement released on Wednesday.

"After recently completing an independent review of our 2022 ICC World Cup performance, which included a closer look at the roles of the current Head Coach position, we believe it is now necessary to split the role and engage separate coaches for red and white ball formats,” said CWI’s Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams.

“The increased frequency of back-to-back multi-format tours combined with the specific demands of the respective formats no longer provides enough time for one individual to adequately plan, prepare and review across bilateral series and franchise itineraries that are so condensed.

“Separating the roles will also provide the head coaches with more time to oversee players’ ongoing development away from tours directly, and through increased engagement and planning with suitable high-performance programmes and coaches.”

According to Adams, the decision to separate the head coaching roles stems from the recommendation by the independent three-member World Cup Review Group that was appointed by CWI to conduct a comprehensive review of the West Indies Men’s team’s early exit from at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

The group was chaired by Justice Patrick Thompson Jr., a High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and included Brian Lara, the West Indies batting legend, along with former South African, Pakistan, and Sri Lankan international coach, Mickey Arthur.

The position of West Indies Men’s Head Coach became vacant when Phil Simmons resigned following the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, and subsequently relinquished the post following the end of the West Indies tour of Australia last December.

Andre Coley is the current interim head coach for the recent Test series in Zimbabwe and the current multi-format tour of South Africa.

Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith remains in the dark over which pitch will be used in Ahmedabad in the fourth Test against India starting on Thursday.

Ahmedabad's massive Narendra Modi Stadium will host the finale of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, but two pitches were being prepared and under covers when Smith and the Australian team trained at the venue on Tuesday.

Smith conceded he left the venue less than 48 hours out from the first ball of the Test uncertain which pitch they would be playing on, having been given no clarity by the curator.

"The short answer is no," Smith replied when asked he knew which pitch was going to be used in the fourth Test. "There's two prepared."

Smith added that situation, given the short turnaround prior to the game, was something he had never encountered before in his career.

"[There] might have been a couple of [pitches] prepared maybe a bit longer out than two days but I can't remember two days," he said.

It is the latest in a series full of controversies surrounding pitches used, with all three Tests completed within three days so far. The series is on track to finish with the fewest balls bowled in a four-match series in Test history.

India coach Rahul Dravid had more clarity on which pitch was going to be used, although he said both being under covers was unusual.

"I don't know why two strips are covered," Dravid said. "I never asked him why he covered the other one. But I don't know what that was. We're playing on this one, I have no idea about the other one."

Australia can secure a series draw with victory in Ahmedabad after an impressive nine-wicket win in Indore in the third Test.

The tourists have come in for constant criticism after falling 2-0 down in the series, with Smith responding that some of that had been "mind-boggling" particularly around their bowling selections.

Australia have deployed three spinners in their past two Tests in the series where fast bowlers have played a minor role and been far less fruitful. The five leading wicket-takers in the series are all spinners, with 78 of the 93 wickets taken by bowlers coming via spin.

"It's been weird with a bit of the commentary back home, people talking about us playing three quicks and one spinner," Smith said.

"It's kind of mind-boggling to me when we look at these surfaces and we see what we've had, 11 innings in six days or something like that, and spinners have taken the bulk of the wickets and you see how difficult it is to play the spin.

"It's kind of odd to hear that kind of commentary, but we've had faith in what we're trying to do and it's good that we are able to show that we can play with three spinners and win. We weren't too far away in Delhi either, outside of that hour of madness.

"Nice to know our plans and everything we are trying to do can work."

Pat Cummins will not return to India before the fourth and final Test, meaning Steve Smith will again captain Australia in Ahmedabad.

Cummins headed back to Sydney after the second Test – a second defeat – to be with his mother, who is in palliative care with breast cancer.

Former skipper Smith led the Australia team in the absence of the regular captain and oversaw a dominant nine-wicket win in the third Test in Indore.

That victory secured Australia's place in the World Test Championship final, but they need another result in the final match of the series to earn a draw.

Smith will again deputise for Cummins, Australia confirmed on Monday.

Cummins, who is also the ODI captain, has been included in Australia's 50-over squad, with no decision yet made on his involvement in the white-ball series.

Fast bowler Jhye Richardson has withdrawn from that ODI series due to a hamstring injury with Nathan Ellis replacing him in the squad.