Sachin Tendulkar has reportedly undergone an MRI scan on his knee at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, and has been cleared of any injury. “The MRI scan is clear. There is no problem,” a spokesman from the hospital was quoted as saying by PTI. India’s next game in the World Cup is against England in Bangalore on February 27. They began the tournament with a comprehensive win against Bangladesh.

Tickets for the semi-finals and the final of the World Cup are going to go online for sale on Monday, 1pm IST (0730 GMT) on the tournament's official ticketing website www.kyazoonga.com. While both the quarter-finals in Mirpur have already been sold out, there is a possibility that a section of the tickets for the other two quarter-finals in Ahmedabad and Colombo, ones that had been set aside as an 'option to buy' for the boards, the ICC and sponsors, may also become available within a few days to be set up for sale online. Ticket sales in all three countries have been varied, with Bangladesh being sold out and most of India's attention focussed around India's five group games at home.

Chaminda Vaas and Sanath Jayasuriya did not make Sri Lanka's final World Cup squad © AFP

Aravinda de Silva, now Sri Lanka's chief selector, has admitted it was a tough and emotional decision to leave out his former team-mates Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas from the squad for the World Cup. The two experienced hands had been included in the 30 probables for the tournament but were left out from the final fifteen.

"It was a very difficult decision and a very emotional moment for me when it was decided that Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas have to be left out from the World Cup squad," de Silva wrote in the Times of India. "They've been my team-mates for such a long time and they are such fabulous players with great records."

de Silva played alongside both Vaas and Jayasuriya in Sri Lanka's successful World Cup campaign in 1996, but in his new role as selector, said he had to do what was best for the team. "At the end of the day, as a selector, I have to do the right thing. I have to pick 15 of the best available players on current form. Taking that into account, I don't think it would have been possible to include them."

Sri Lanka’s preparations have been affected by the deaths on Thursday of Chamara Silva’s sister Nelum and team manager Anura Tennakoon's father, PB Tennakoon. Silva left the team hotel in Colombo early on Thursday while Tennakoon is currently in Dhaka attending the opening ceremony of the World Cup and will return to Sri Lanka on Friday.

"These are difficult times, for the boys. They are one family, and feel sorry for the loss of their team-mate's sister and manager's father," Brian Thomas, the Sri Lanka media manager, told AFP. "Despite the bereavement, the team remains focused on the World Cup and preparing for their first match on Sunday.” Sri Lanka face Canada in their first match in Hambantota.

Thomas said it was immediately unclear if Silva will feature in the first game, as his sister's funeral arrangements have been tentatively fixed for the weekend.

Pakistan seamers Shoaib Akhtar and Wahab Riaz have been fined 3000 Bangladeshi taka (US$ 42) each for returning to the team hotel late after a private dinner on Wednesday night. "We want players to follow team rules," team manager Intikhab Alam said. "The two have been warned not to keep late nights in future."

Earlier in the day, Shoaib, along with Kamran Akmal and Umar Gul, was made to undergo a random dope test by the ICC’s drug inspectors. Shoaib had tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone in 2006.

Pakistan play England tomorrow in Fatullah in their second and final warm-up match. Shoaib missed the first match due to fitness issues, and Pakistan coach Waqar Younis admitted that he was “not in touch”.