Hosts England will kick off their 2026 Women's T20 World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on 12 June while holders New Zealand begin their title defence against the West Indies a day later, the International Cricket Council said on Wednesday.

Group 1 includes record six-times champions Australia, two-times runners-up South Africa, 2020 finalists India and Pakistan, as well as two teams from the Global Qualifier tournament.

New Zealand, 2009 champions England, Sri Lanka, 2016 winners West Indies and the other two teams from the Global Qualifier are in Group 2.

The top two teams from Group 1 and Group 2 will advance to the semi-finals of the biennial T20 international tournament, which will be contested by 12 teams for the first time.

"World Cups are always special, but this one already feels different – it has the potential to be truly game-changing," England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said in a statement.

"Playing on home soil, for the biggest prize, against the best players in the world, it's going to be unmissable. I can't wait to be a part of it."

Edgbaston will also host a clash between Asian rivals India and Pakistan on 14 June.

Hampshire Bowl, Headingley, Old Trafford, The Oval, Bristol County Ground and Lord's are the other venues.

The final will take place at Lord's on 5 July.

Ireland coach Heinrich Malan said on Tuesday that this summer's T20 World Cup would be special but it was a "Catch-22 situation" that his team would be playing India in their opening match.

Ireland, who won their first ever test against Afghanistan last week, will play all their group matches in the United States, taking on India and Canada in New York before moving to Lauderhill, Florida to face USA – co-hosts with the West Indies – and Pakistan.

"If you go back a couple of years and said we are going to play cricket in America, no one would have believed you," Malan told reporters in a video conference ahead of his side's first one-day international against the Afghans in Sharjah on Thursday.

"It's an exciting opportunity for us but we've got a bit of work to do to tick all the boxes before we jump on that plane.

"If you look at who we are going to play, Pakistan and India, ask any T20 cricketer, these are two of the teams you want to play. To know that we are going to play them in stadiums that take 25 or 30 thousand people will be even more special.

"Hopefully we can play some consistent cricket and a brand of cricket that will be exciting and hopefully get us across the line."

Ireland face the daunting prospect of taking on India, with its wealth of stars all fresh from the Indian Premier League, on a 'drop-in' pitch in their opening match in New York on 5 June.

"From our point of view, it's a bit of a Catch-22 because they'll have a lot of players that'll come straight out of IPL and be battle-hardened.

"At the end of the day we can't control who's in front of us, but we can try and control the way we go about our business and our preparation.

"And hopefully we can play a good brand of cricket for 40 overs and they'll take us a little bit lightly... I don't think they will.

"The good part is they play so often there's a lot of information around so we can be clear about our tactics. You look at their numbers and their amount of games, it shows that they are quality players.

"But at the end of the day it's a bat versus a ball. We've shown as individuals that we can compete with these big names, hopefully those performances dovetail once we hit that June period in America."

'FANTASTIC' TEST WIN

The current tour still has three ODIs followed by three T20Is, all of them in Sharjah, but last week's six-wicket win in the only test will mean it goes down already as a success.

Victory came in only Ireland's eighth test although Malan said it had been difficult to gauge the enormity of the achievement at the time.

"It's tough to do that but when you're sat around afterwards and once we got our phones back, people just highlighting the amount of text messages, of support, congratulations from around the world, from past players, from past coaches. That really summed it up for me," said the South African who took over Ireland in January 2022.

In spite of being away from home, the Irish celebrated accordingly.

"I don't think they (the players) were asking for permission to be honest," said Malan.

"It was a great evening. There's a time and a place for celebration and to get across the line in our first ever test win, there were obviously a couple of brews that went down.

"It was a fantastic day but we're on tour with two more formats to come and that's where our mind is right now."

The International Cricket Council on Wednesday said the schedule for this year's T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies had been "the most complicated ever to draft".

The tournament will feature a record 20 teams, up from 16 in the 2022 edition, and be staged at nine venues across North America, including New York, which will have a 34 000-seater stadium in Nassau County.

The Long Island ground was unveiled Wednesday by the ICC and is due to host the hotly-anticipated India-Pakistan clash on June 9 among its eight scheduled World Cup games.

It will be a temporary modular stadium with drop-in pitches but will not be equipped with floodlights.

"We are in New York because there is a hotbed of cricket fans in New York and we are bringing some of the most eagerly anticipated cricket matches including possibly the most eagerly anticipated cricket match of all to that venue," Chris Tetley, the ICC's Head of Events, told reporters in an online media roundtable.

"So I expect the venue to be full and I expect the atmosphere to be World Cup amazing.

"Yes, the time of the day is a factor that we take into account. But what we are talking about is world-class cricket with the best players in the world and they are going to put on a great show at a world class venue."

The USA face neighbours Canada in the opening game on June 1 in Dallas, while the West Indies begin their campaign against Papua New Guinea in Guyana. The final takes place in Bridgetown, Barbados, on June 29.

"For this tournament in my experience, has been the most complicated match schedule ever to draft... the number of matches and the number of teams which is the largest ever T20 World Cup," said Tetley.

CRICKET IN BREAKFAST CHAT SHOWS

Indian websites have put up the timings of the matches starting between 1400 and 1600 GMT to suit the sub-continent fans, but Tetley said they are yet to finalise the fixtures.

"We haven't released the start time of the matches yet," he said.

The United States hosted its own T20 franchise league, Major League Cricket, last year with MI New York winning the inaugural title.

"I look at it (T20 World Cup) as an amazing opportunity to harness the interest that exists within the US," said Tetley.

"What is this thing called cricket that's now being played in my backyard? Major League Cricket got a bit of interest in its first season. World Cup cricket coming to New York has been featured in breakfast chat shows that would never have happened not so long ago."

The New York stadium has been designed by Populous, a company that has designed some of the world's most iconic venues, including Yankee Stadium in New York and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Of the nine venues, six are in the Caribbean. Florida is the third US base.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled a 34 000-seat modular stadium in New York on Wednesday to stage eight matches of this year's T20 World Cup and the sport's governing body hopes the facility will help it crack the lucrative sports market in the United States.

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York has been awarded the blockbuster 9 June match between India and Pakistan, the tournament's most anticipated contest, underlining the ICC's keenness to break into a new market.

Sustainability would be a key feature of the "cutting-edge" facility, ICC's Head of Events Chris Tetley said during an online interaction with select media.

The World Cup venue would repurpose the grandstands used for the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas, and have drop-in pitches.

Once completed, he said, it would be bigger than any cricket venue in England and even bigger than the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which hosted the final of the 50-overs World Cup in 2011.

"I think we need to do something on this scale to make an impact in a country like the US, with the sports market it's got," Tetley said.

"It's a clearly defined target market for ICC. As we all know, it's the largest sports market in the world.

"It's already our third biggest broadcast market, and we've identified at least 30 million cricket fans in the US."

The US is co-hosting the tournament with West Indies and Tetley promised a memorable experience for the American fans.

While much of the venue, including the pitches, would be taken away once the World Cup was over, the "world class facility" would remain for the local community to use, Tetley said.

With much of the infrastructure rented and not bought, Tetley shot down cost concerns.

"Safe to say that it more than pays for itself, and so it's a viable project for us to be run without it costing ICC anything."

Rohit Sharma's undefeated India will look to end a 10-year global title drought in front of 130 000 fans in the World Cup final against five-time champions Australia on Sunday.

India have racked up 10 straight wins at the tournament as they seek a third World Cup triumph to add to their 1983 and 2011 victories, the last of which came on home soil.

Despite the country's cricket riches, India are without a major international title since the 2013 Champions Trophy and expectations in the cricket-crazy nation of 1.4 billion people have reached fever pitch.

However, the hosts are up against an Australian side who have won eight matches in a row and will be playing in their eighth World Cup final.

"We've won before," Australia captain Pat Cummins said on Saturday.

"I think one of the pleasing things is I still don't feel like we've played the complete game."

- 'REAL CHALLENGE' -

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, told TV channel India Today, "This is going to be an unbelievable game".

"You are playing against the five-time champions, a team that knows how to come back from almost impossible situations, who know how to play finals, how to win finals."

"So I believe it will be a real, real challenge for the Indian team but I do believe that Rohit Sharma's men are up for it."

Apart from their five World Cup titles, Australia clinched their maiden T20 crown in 2021 and also beat India convincingly in the World Test Championship final earlier this year.

India handed Australia a six-wicket mauling in the group stage in Chennai four weeks ago where Cummins' side were bowled out for 199.

Australia also slumped to a 134-run defeat by South Africa in pool play but avenged that loss with a tense three-wicket semifinal win over the Proteas in Kolkata on Thursday.

- RED-HOT KOHLI -

India made the final by hammering New Zealand by 70 runs in Mumbai with a red-hot Virat Kohli hitting a record 50th ODI century.

Kohli, who surpassed compatriot Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 tons, leads the tournament batting with 711 runs including three hundreds.

Rohit is the next best Indian batsman with 550 runs and his leadership has been widely praised – former England captain Nasser Hussain called him a "real hero".

India also boast the tournament's leading bowler with Mohammed Shami taking 23 wickets in six matches, including 7-57 against the Kiwis on Wednesday.

Despite losing to India and South Africa in their first two matches of the tournament, Australia have bounced back.

They won seven league games on the trot with a hobbling Glenn Maxwell authoring a performance for the ages with his undefeated 201 not out against Afghanistan, rescuing his team from 91-7 and carrying them to their victory target of 292.

Legspinner Adam Zampa is their top bowler with 22 wickets with pacemen Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who both played in the 2015 World Cup winning side, peaking at the right time.

The new-ball duo reduced South Africa to 24-4 in Kolkata, with their performances key to setting up a repeat of the 2003 World Cup final – where Australia thrashed India by 125 runs in Johannesburg.

Sunday's meeting will be the eighth between the two teams in ODIs in 2023.

"We have played them a lot of times so we know them inside-out," Hazlewood told reporters.

"Same for them, with us. They have been a quality team, they have been on the march the whole tournament. No real weaknesses in their team, so looking forward to Sunday."

India rode on the back of an explosive start from opener Rohit (47) and Shubman Gill (80 not out after retiring hurt) as they racked up 397-4 against New Zealand in the first semifinal.

But Hazlewood preferred to focus on the early stages of India's pool chase against Australia, when the hosts were three down for two runs in pursuit of a modest 200 to win.

"Hopefully similar to last time we played them," Hazlewood said on tackling the Indian top-order.

"We got them out cheaply. I think we made them 3-3 maybe so that would be ideal."

Pat Cummins may be undecided about his future as Australia's one-day international captain after the World Cup but few of his compatriots will be urging him to stand down after his efforts in India.

Australia have had no shortage of contributors through the tournament, with Adam Zampa taking 22 wickets and David Warner scoring a pile of runs.

Cummins's courage under fire and unlikely heroics with the bat, however, have been vital in his team's revival following back-to-back defeats at the start of the campaign.

An unbeaten 14 against South Africa in Thursday's semifinal saw Cummins walk off the ground with bat in hand and victory secured for the second time in the tournament.

In the first, he teamed up with Glenn Maxwell to save Australia against Afghanistan, hanging tough in an epic knock of 12 not out from 68 balls to allow his allrounder teammate to thrash a double century for victory.

Australia has had its fair share of serious skippers, from "Captain Grumpy" Allan Border to the stone-faced Steve Waugh.

Cummins, by contrast, has kept the mood light in the dressing room and out at the crease, where the banter flows freely with batting partners no matter how high the stakes.

"I think it's easier out there than sitting in the dugout," Cummins said of batting in a tense finish.

Having led Australia to their first World Test Championship triumph in June, Cummins could become the fourth Australian captain to secure the global 50-over title on Sunday, joining Border, Waugh and Ricky Ponting.

SCEPTICISM

For all Australia's success in the test arena since Cummins replaced Tim Paine as skipper two years ago, his captaincy has not always been universally admired.

He has leant heavily on former captain Steve Smith and coach Andrew McDonald, while battling scepticism in Australia that a fast bowler can – or should – juggle leadership duties.

Australia's failure to win the Ashes in England earlier this year after leading 2-0 saw him come in for stiff criticism from former players and pundits who nit-picked at tactical decisions.

Even his place in the World Cup squad was questioned given his relatively modest bowling figures in ODIs compared to fellow quicks Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.

Former captain Michael Clarke dropped a bombshell that Cummins was set to be dropped after the opening defeats to India and South Africa.

It proved a red herring.

Cummins took two vital wickets in the next match against Sri Lanka, ran out another batsman with a sensational piece of fielding, and set Australia on its path to eight successive wins.

With Cummins in charge, victory over hosts India in Ahmedabad on Sunday would mark Australia as one of the great cross-format teams of the modern era.

"The team has done really well and if you win a World Cup that's a real feather in your cap as a leader," Steve Waugh told News Ltd media on Friday.

"That's a legacy you can leave. You can never have that taken away from you.

"It's a big moment for him and the team."

India may be the outstanding team at the Cricket World Cup but New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has insisted both sides will "start from zero again" when they meet in Wednesday's semifinal in Mumbai.

Tournament hosts India head into the knockout match having won all nine of their group game, with star man Virat Kohli the event's leading batsman with 594 runs and captain Rohit Sharma not far behind on 503.

Meanwhile, India boast a formidable fast-bowling line-up in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami.

If successful teams are fortunate as well as good, then India certainly had a lucky break when an injury to allrounder Hardik Pandya paved the way for Shami's return, with the experienced seamer having since taken 16 wickets in five matches at a stunningly low average of under 10.

In addition spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav are also capable of taking wickets without being flogged for runs.

And yet the fact remains India have been waiting since a 2011 triumph over Sri Lanka in Mumbai to win a third World Cup title, while their last major piece of silverware was the 2013 Champions Trophy.

New Zealand, losing finalists at the last two 50-over World Cups, won their opening four games of this edition only to lose their next four.

But fast bowler Ferguson told reporters ahead of a training session in Mumbai on Monday: "We kind of all start from zero again. So come Wednesday, it'll be a good challenge."

Four years ago, New Zealand defeated India by just 18 runs in a rain-affected World Cup semifinal in Manchester that spanned two days.

"That was obviously very pleasing for us at the time but four years have gone past, we've played a lot of cricket in between," said Ferguson.

Five of the India side who featured in the 2019 semifinal – Rohit, Kohli, Rahul, Bumrah and Jadeja – are set to be involved again on Wednesday.

"You're at a pointy end in a tournament now," admitted India coach Rahul Dravid.

"There is going to be a certain amount of pressure but I think the way we have responded to the pressure so far gives us a lot of belief."

Dravid's argument is supported by the manner of India's four-wicket win against New Zealand in the group stage at Dharamsala last month.

Despite Daryl Mitchell's 130, India held New Zealand to 273, with Shami taking 5-54 before Kohli made 95 and Jadeja, demonstrating his big-match temperament, a valuable 39 not out.

- 'Awesome' Ravindra -

Wednesday's match takes place at Rohit's Wankhede Stadium home ground, where India bowled out Sri Lanka for just 55 to win by 302 runs in the group stage, with the aggressive 36-year-old opener leading from the front at what could be his last World Cup.

"Rohit has certainly been a leader, without a doubt," said India batting great Dravid. "He's cracked open games for us."

New Zealand, however, have a proven world-class batsman of their own in captain Kane Williamson who, following an injury-plagued tournament, returned to form with 95 on his comeback against Pakistan.

Trent Boult and Tim Southee lead an experienced pace attack featuring the lively Ferguson, with miserly left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner (16 wickets at under 25) an often under-rated threat.

New Zealand also boast a break-out star in left-handed batsman Rachin Ravindra, with the 23-year-old son of Indian-born parents having already scored 565 runs, including three hundreds, in his debut World Cup.

"You dream of playing against India and a full crowd at the Wankhede, a ground with so much history," said Ravindra.

Meanwhile, an admiring Ferguson said of his teammate: "I've seen Rachin progress from the domestic stage and played some New Zealand A games with him.

"He's got an exceptional attitude... He's a huge fan of cricket, but also works hard extremely on his batting and bowling."

Ferguson added: "It's been awesome to see him develop through this World Cup."

Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott on Friday said the "future is bright" for his team after enjoying their most successful World Cup.

Afghanistan's campaign finished in a five-wicket loss to South Africa which ended their slim hopes of making the semifinals.

Needing to win the game by a mammoth 438 runs to stay in contention, Afghanistan were 244 all out with Azmatullah Omarzai top scoring on 97 before the Proteas, already assured of a semifinal place, chased down the target with 15 balls to spare.

But the team, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, had definite highs in the tournament with two of their four wins coming against defending champions England and former winners Pakistan.

"I had confidence in the players, but sometimes until somebody does it or they do it themselves, you're never quite sure," Trott, a former England batsman, told reporters.

"I said numerous times before the tournament that we just need to win a couple of games to get that belief and the buzz around the side...We've won games and found ways to win games."

Known for their world class spin attack including Rashid Khan, who claimed a team-best 11 wickets, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Afghanistan saw their batsmen make an impact as well.

Ibrahim Zadran became the first Afghan to hit a World Cup century albeit in the heartbreaking defeat against Australia.

Zadran ended the tournament as his side's top scorer with 376 runs and an average of 47. That is enough to give him a spot in the current top 10 of run-makers at this World Cup, a list dominated by players from India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

"Normally, with the side, you'd say bowling would be the strength," said Trott.

"But to be able to knock off targets in pretty comfortable and responsible fashion shows that we're not sort of one way inclined to win cricket games."

Teenage wrist spinner Noor Ahmad and fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq also made their presence felt in the team.

"There's certainly a bigger pool than in the past to be able to select from, or certainly experienced players or well-known names to be able to call upon, like Naveen coming in and playing ODI cricket," said Trott.

"The future's bright, it's our job as a side and us as management coaches to make sure we nurture that and make sure that we're going in the right direction."

Afghanistan also defeated former champions Sri Lanka and the Netherlands at the tournament but their biggest celebration came with the Pakistan triumph.

Many of the Afghanistan players learnt their cricket in refugee camps in Pakistan and to beat them was a huge achievement especially at a time of strained political relations between the two neighbours.

Until this World Cup, Afghanistan had only won one match across two editions. In 2019, they lost all nine games they played.

"There have been tough, testing times for sure, but these four wins in this World Cup, the joy on their faces beating Pakistan for the first time, that makes everything worthwhile," said Trott.

"So that's really a moment I won't forget along with a lot of the other guys as well."

New Zealand will relish a semifinal clash with India after they thumped 1996 champions Sri Lanka by five wickets to put one foot in the knockout stage of the World Cup, seamer Trent Boult said on Thursday.

Boult bagged 3-37 to help restrict Sri Lanka to 171 before New Zealand made short work of the chase to snap a run of four straight defeats, finishing their pool stage campaign with 10 points from nine games.

Barring a miracle when Afghanistan face already-qualified South Africa on Friday and Pakistan take on outgoing champions England on Saturday, New Zealand should progress to the last four and meet unbeaten India in Mumbai on 15 November.

"I can't speak on what they're thinking but from our point of view to play the World Cup in India and come up against the hosts, a team that's red hot playing good cricket at a great ground - you couldn't script it any better," Boult said.

"Excited if that happens, I feel like we've done all we can from our point of view and we'll wait and see what happens."

India lost to New Zealand in the 2019 semifinal but beat them earlier in this edition in Dharamsala and Boult said he was not sure how the conditions would be at the Wankhede Stadium.

"But history suggests it's a good wicket," Boult said. "Nice to have come up against them in Dharamsala. Different ground and different facilities but we'll turn our focus to that challenge.

"Very good players, but pressure does things to the best of players at any time. So look forward to taking that on.

"It still has to be ticked off but yeah, I think there'll be a lot of excitement... Doesn't get any bigger than taking on India in front of 1.5 billion people. It's very exciting."

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson on Wednesday praised "an incredibly special knock" by Australia's Glenn Maxwell which took his team into the World Cup semifinals.

Maxwell played through pain including cramps and back spasms to hit an unbeaten 201 as Australia chased down their victory target of 292 after tottering at 91-7.

Maxwell put on 202 for the eighth wicket with skipper Pat Cummins, who made just 12, to leave Afghanistan in shock in Mumbai on Tuesday.

"An incredibly special knock," Williamson told reporters on the eve of their match against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru on Thursday.

"Not just the runs specifically but the situation. He was clearly struggling physically and to be able to pull that off and in a partnership with Pat Cummins is without a doubt one of the great World Cup victories for Australia and probably for any team to witness."

Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran struck an unbeaten 129 to become the first player from his country to hit a World Cup century in his team's 291-5.

The bowlers then had Australia on the ropes before Maxwell single-handedly took the match away from the Afghans.

"At the same time, a tough one for Afghanistan. They've been excellent and probably won sort of 80-90 per cent of that game," said Williamson.

"As we know in white ball cricket, it can change quickly. And that was an amazing example of that and a special knock to watch."

New Zealand are locked in a three-way battle with Pakistan and Afghanistan for the last remaining place in the semifinals.

They are currently fourth in the table behind already qualified India, South Africa and Australia.

Pandya's aggressive batting was forged in the heat of the Indian Premier League, with the 29-year-old leading the Gujarat Titans to a title and two straight finals.

Although a back injury has hampered his career, Pandya has become a consistent and reliable performer with both bat and ball, always maintaining a calm and assured presence out in the middle when tensions run high.

Primarily a middle order batter, Pandya can be promoted if India need to accelerate their innings or become the anchor in times of trouble. As a bowler, he is the man India turn to when they need some medium pace in the middle overs.

MITCHELL MARSH (AUSTRALIA)

Marsh has become the first name on Australia's team sheet after he became their de facto opener alongside David Warner following the injury to Travis Head.

The 31-year-old has averaged nearly 75 in five matches on Indian soil this year and was Australia's lynchpin in the three-match series in March which the visitors won 2-1, claiming the player of the series award having scored 194 runs.

Evolving from a middle-order finisher to an explosive opener, Marsh can also be a handy bowler when called upon with 54 wickets in 79 ODIs.

SHAKIB AL HASAN (BANGLADESH)

Bangladesh's elder statesman, 36-year-old Shakib is still going strong and sits top of the ICC rankings for allrounders in ODIs as well as T20s.

Shakib has been leading they way for his side since making his World Cup debut in 2007. In the 2019 edition he set the record for most runs in the group stage (606 in eight games) while he also took 11 wickets.

RASHID KHAN (AFGHANISTAN)

Rashid has become one of the sport's biggest icons despite growing up in the war-torn country. Whether he is outfoxing batsmen with his 'googly' or going after the bowlers with a healthy strike rate lower down the order, Rashid always promises entertainment.

With 139 IPL wickets, which included 27 in the 2023 season, Rashid knows Indian conditions better than most. Once the record holder for the fastest to reach 100 ODI wickets, Rashid has 172 in 94 games with a healthy economy rate of just over four.

CHRIS WOAKES (ENGLAND)

Woakes was not viewed as a key member of the Ashes squad when the series began earlier this year but by its end he had played three matches and was named England's Player of the Series after helping the home side tie it at 2-2.

He underlined his importance with the white ball in the 2019 World Cup when he was England's third-best wicket taker (16) and contributed 134 runs as England won the title.

With Jofra Archer sidelined, Woakes has been England's go-to bowler with the new ball, with the 34-year-old still clocking over 140 km/hr.

South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj had little hope of competing at the World Cup in India when he first came out of surgery in March after rupturing his Achilles tendon, but he is now heading to next month’s tournament with renewed confidence.

The 33-year-old suffered the injury while celebrating a wicket in a test against the West Indies in Johannesburg and had to be taken off the pitch on a stretcher.

"After I came out of surgery, I said I must I give myself every chance, but when you see how slow the initial phases of rehab are, you have negative thoughts," he told reporters on Thursday.

"Three or four months after surgery I wouldn't have said I would have gotten here, but with my medical team we plotted the journey and they gave me the best chance."

Maharaj returned to the side for the on-going one-day international series against Australia, and has played in two of the three matches as both countries prepare for India.

"I put my head down and sacrificed a lot, from a diet point of view, from a rehab point of view, from a recovery point of view, making sure I was getting eight to 10 hours of sleep every night.

"I might not have got there but it was about giving yourself the best chance to get back to a place where you feel you belong.

"My forefathers are from India so I want to go back there and try to do something special for my country. That was the motivation that I needed.

"The 50-over format is very hard on the body but that's something I wanted to experience. I always like to challenge myself."

Maharaj was still in a 'moon boot' hobbling around four months after surgery.

"Then at five months, I started to believe once I started to run again. That’s when I realised that dream is a reality and we can push (to be fit)."

Maharaj was one of the stars on Tuesday as South Africa beat Australia by 111 runs in Potchefstroom to reduce the deficit in the series to 2-1.

"There's obviously some room for improvement but it's building up towards something. The main thing is that I can execute my skills," he added.

India are a class outfit but they will go into this year's World Cup with a soft underbelly having failed to settle on a No 4, former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar told Reuters in an interview.

With the experienced partnership of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan locked in as openers and captain Virat Kohli coming in at first drop, the twice champions have a top order the rival of any in the game.

Selectors continue to fret over who bats after the second wicket falls, however, with a series of candidates having fluffed their auditions.

Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Lokesh Rahul and Dinesh Karthik have all been trialled for the No 4 spot and been found wanting.

Ambati Rayudu emerged as the most likely choice to fill the berth but scores of 13, 18 and two in the first three matches of the recent home series against world champions Australia damaged his cause.

The hosts ended up losing the series 3-2 and Manjrekar felt India were back to square one with no more ODIs scheduled before the May 30-July 14 World Cup in England and Wales, where India will be looking to add to their 1983 and 2011 triumphs.

"There was only one little gap that needed to be filled which is No 4 and getting some exciting options at four, five, six," Manjrekar said.

"They tried quite a few people and I don't begrudge them that. I don't think that was wrong. It's just disappointing that the players have not used the opportunity to cement their places.

"Like, Ambati Rayudu had a great opportunity. He got a 90 in New Zealand and I thought that's done. But then he fails in the next few innings and then a good ball will suddenly get him out and you sort of lose faith in him as the No 4."

Vijay Shankar's rise as a handy, nerveless allrounder was one definite gain from the Australia series.

With India's first choice pace-bowling allrounder Hardik Pandya injured, Shankar proved he could float in the batting order and hold his nerve in the death overs with ball in hand.

Manjrekar, who played 37 tests and 74 ODIs for India before turning his hand to media punditry, said that Shankar was his pick to fill the No 4 spot.

"Your No 4 has got to have a little bit of class because in England it's perfectly possible that you are 20-2 so you got to have somebody who will just weather the storm and then take India close to 300 runs," he said.

"That perfect No 4 India still haven't found and I don't think they will find it now.

"So when India goes into the World Cup, it's a class team with genuine class in bowling and batting but with a soft underbelly which will be their middle order.

"Vijay Shankar is my current No 4 – not the ideal No 4 but from the candidates that we have, he is my No 4."

AUSTRALIA REVIVAL

Manjrekar, speaking on the sidelines of the launch of ESPNcricinfo's Superstats which uses data science to analyse cricket, said he expected the usual suspects to be challenging for the World Cup.

Five-time world champions Australia arrived in India as clear underdogs for the recent short format tour, having endured a wretched couple of years in ODIs during which they lost six series in a row.

That form slump was exacerbated by the ball-tampering scandal that robbed them of Steve Smith and David Warner for 12 months.

Without their two best batsmen as well as frontline pace duo Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, they still managed to win a five-match series from 2-0 down for the first time.

"I am delighted that Australia is coming into their own," Manjrekar said.

"Because you don't want a World Cup where there are one or two teams clear leaders and others are really struggling.

"And don't forget they know what it takes to be champions. So if they have one or two good games, they will be thinking about only the title, nothing else."

Manjrekar did not have the same optimism about the chances of hosts England, who top the ODI world rankings but have yet to win the World Cup.

"I want to see England on a global sort of platform, when the entire world is watching," he added.

"I want to see how they cope with the pressure that comes with it. I have a big question mark over their temperament as a team."