Records have tumbled for the Twenty20 Big Bash League, with Cricket Australia saying Sunday the enormous crowds and viewership for the fast-paced format this season has surpassed expectations.

Australia opener David Warner has wrested the top spot in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen with a stupendous run in recent matches that is a warning for other teams in the year of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, which will be held in the United Kingdom from 1-18 June.

Pakistan one-day international captain Azhar Ali has been suspended for one contest and fined 40 percent of his match fee for the team's slow over-rate in Thursday's game against Australia, cricket's world governing body (ICC) has said.

Australia captain Steve Smith has been ruled out of the upcoming one-day international series in New Zealand after he picked up a minor ankle injury in the ODI victory over Pakistan in Adelaide on Thursday.

David Warner blasted a career-best 179 and dominated Australia's highest one-day partnership with fellow centurion Travis Head to power the hosts to 369 for seven in the fifth and final match against Pakistan on Thursday.

Australia's player of the year David Warner has welcomed a rest before touring India next month saying it's tough preparing for sub-continental conditions.

Venus Williams continued her astonishing late-career revival by felling Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4 7-6(3) on Tuesday to reach her first Australian Open semi-final in 14 years and become the oldest woman to reach the last four at Melbourne Park in the professional era.

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has called for a review of run-out rules following the bizarre dismissal of Neil Wagner in the second Test against Bangladesh.

Test greats David Boon, Matthew Hayden and the late Betty Wilson will be inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame this week, Cricket Australia said on Sunday.

The first Australia squad to win the World Cup in 1987 were presented with medals during the innings break at the fourth one-day international against Pakistan in Sydney on Sunday.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) joined forces with Cricket Australia (CA) on Sunday to recognise Australia’s World Cup winners of 1987.

Uzbek Denis Istomin pulled off an Australian Open upset for the ages when he sent reigning champion Novak Djokovic tumbling out of the year's first grand slam in a near five-hour epic on Thursday.

Pakistan set Australia a target of 264 to win but squandered the opportunity to post a big score in the third one-day international at Perth's WACA Ground on Thursday.

Third seed Milos Raonic continued his machine-like advance through the Australian Open on Thursday, easing past Gilles Muller 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) to reach the third round.

Former Indian bowler Sriram Sridharan will work with Australia as a "spin consultant" on the upcoming tour of India, Cricket Australia announced Tuesday.

Rafael Nadal powered into the second round of the Australian Open with a commanding straight-sets win over Germany's Florian Mayer on Tuesday.

Serena Williams exploded any doubts about her form on Tuesday as she swept into the Australian Open second round on her return to Grand Slam action.

Venus Williams survived a rocky start to reach the second round of her 17th Australian Open on Monday, putting her 7-6 7-5 victory over Kateryna Kozlova down to hard-earned experience.

Pakistan beat Australia by six wickets in the second one-day international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, their first ODI win on Australian soil for 12 years.

Australia beat Pakistan by 92 runs in the first one-day international at the Gabba on Friday.