Category: Sports

Lionel Messi put aside his aversion to politics Thursday and walked alongside Donald Trump at the White House to commemorate his club championship with Inter Miami, handing the US president a rare photo-op.

Soccer legend Lionel Messi put aside his aversion to politics Thursday and walked alongside Donald Trump at the White House to commemorate his club championship with Inter Miami, handing the US president a rare photo-op. Presidents have welcomed champions for decades to capitalize on the winning optics. But Messi’s visit stands apart as he’s long avoided presidential visits, and sports media speculated for days whether he’d actually go this time. In January 2025, Messi declined President Joe Biden’s invitation to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, citing schedule conflicts.

Trump reveled in receiving a VIP his predecessor couldn’t.

“It’s my distinct privilege to say what no American president has ever had the chance to say before: ‘Welcome to the White House, Lionel Messi,'” Trump said.

When Argentina won the World Cup in 2022 – Messi’s crowning moment – the team ghosted Argentine leader Alberto Fernandez, who invited them all to celebrate from balcony of the presidential palace. Messi even dodged Fernandez’s minister as he descended from the plane in Buenos Aires, shielded by his entourage. Argentina’s victory parade got so chaotic in Buenos Aires, with millions of fans, that Messi and others had to be airlifted by helicopters.

Even Argentina’s current President Javier Milei, who is a top Trump ally in Latin America, can’t get a selfie with the nation’s most famous man, with 512 million Instagram followers. Even after praising Messi in an event they both attended last November in Miami, Milei left without the photo any Argentine politician would move mountains to make happen.

To be sure, Messi is in an awkward spot in Argentina a few months before what stands to be his final World Cup when the albiceleste plays in the US. Milei is publicly bashing Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia, the head of the country’s powerful soccer association known as AFA, who’s been loyal to Messi. Milei and Tapia have been at odds for years as Milei wants to privatize the ownership structures of Argentina’s club teams, an overhaul AFA opposes. Messi hasn’t commented on that situation.

Tapia is also under investigation in Argentina over corruption allegations linked to an opulent property with a helipad outside of Buenos Aires. Last December, he declared annual income of about $584,000 from multiple roles he holds. Tensions have flared so much between the two that Milei decided not to show up to Trump’s World Cup event in Washington last December because Tapia was going too.

Messi has crossed paths with world leaders, but often only at World Cup games and not at presidential palaces. He did go with the national squad in 2014 to meet then-President Cristina Kirchner after the team lost in the final against Germany.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/football/lionel-messi-who-turned-down-joe-bidens-invite-a-year-ago-meets-donald-trump-at-the-white-house-11175025

India capitalised on England’s mistakes to post a massive total, with Sanju Samson leading the charge with a commanding knock.

England captain Harry Brook admitted that crucial fielding lapses, including dropping Sanju Samson’s catch, proved costly as his side went down to India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final. Speaking during the post-match presentation, Brook admitted that England misread the conditions early on and failed to execute their plans effectively in the field. “We thought there might have been hold, spin in the first innings, slid onto the bat nicely, and India batted well. I’ll hold my hands up and admit I made a big mistake dropping Samson. We weren’t good enough in the field. We misexecuted, and can’t afford to do that against India,” Brook said.

India capitalised on England’s mistakes to post a massive total, with Samson leading the charge with a commanding knock. The dropped chance proved particularly significant as the Indian batter went on to anchor the innings and guide his side to a formidable score on Thursday.

Despite the defeat, Brook praised young England batter Jacob Bethell for his fearless approach during the chase, highlighting his ability to take on the Indian bowling attack from the very first delivery.

“Bethell was absolutely unbelievable, he’ll earn some serious money. To see him taking it from ball one showed the world what he can do. We had a good tournament; we should be extremely proud of how we played. We stuck to it the whole game; unfortunately, we were on the wrong side,” Brook added.

Put to bat first, a fiery knock from Sanju Samson (89* in 42 balls, with eight fours and seven sixes) and cameos from Shivam Dube (43 in 25 balls, with a four and four sixes), Ishan Kishan (39 in 18 balls, with four boundaries), Hardik Pandya (27 in 12 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Tilak Varma (21 in seven balls, with three sixes) took India to 253/7 in 20 overs.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/made-a-big-mistake-england-captain-harry-brooks-honest-confession-after-defeat-in-semifinal-11174649

Unbeaten till the semi-final, South Africa were knocked out of the T20 World Cup by New Zealand. The Aiden Markram side failed with both bat and ball and ended up losing at Eden Gardens by 9 wickets.

It all slipped away so quickly through the fingers of South Africa that they stood there at the end of the match, heads sunken to the ground in disbelief. A team that had huffed and puffed their way into the semi-final of the T20 World Cup crushed them by nine wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

South Africa, pitch-perfect till the semi-final of the competition, bombed badly on Wednesday, March 4, failing with both bat and ball. Defending a total of 169 runs, the Proteas were pummelled by New Zealand openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, who helped chase down the target in just 12.5 overs.

Edges flew to the boundaries, scoop shots connected cleanly from the middle of the bat, and catches either dropped short or landed in no man’s land – Lady Luck did not favour South Africa at all on the night. And there might be good reason for it.

South Africa made a jittery start to the game, losing Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton early in the powerplay. Aiden Markram and David Miller, two of the most senior campaigners in the South African side, had the responsibility of rescuing the Rainbow Nation from crisis, but they failed to make their chances count as well. Batting first after losing the toss, Markram, who had played exceptionally well in the tournament, ended up hitting straight to Daryl Mitchell at long-on, 13 balls after being dropped by Rachin Ravindra at mid-wicket.

Miller, South Africa’s knight in shining armour against India earlier in the tournament, ended up handing a simple high catch only two balls after Glenn Phillips had dropped a sitter at deep cover.

Luck does not favour those who make the occasion bigger than it is. Luck does not favour those who retreat into their shell the moment an important day arrives. Luck does not favour those who refuse to play the brand of cricket that has made them successful, especially on days of consequence.

If not for a sensational counter-attack from Marco Jansen and Tristan Stubbs at the back end of the innings, South Africa would not have crossed 160. Jansen, who has had a complicated relationship with the Eden Gardens in the past, scored 55* off just 30 balls, helping the Proteas reach a respectable total.

But Eden – where Jansen had leaked runs at eight per over in a low-scoring 2023 World Cup semi-final – came back to haunt him again. With the ball, Jansen conceded 29 runs in his first two overs in the powerplay, at a time when South Africa were desperately searching for early wickets.

There was no luck to be had for Jansen, who managed to find the edge twice, but one flew away for four while the other dropped just short of Ryan Rickelton at slip.

Those two overs set the tone for South Africa on Wednesday, as they failed to exert any pressure at all in the semi-final at the Eden Gardens.

FINN ALLEN, SEIFERT DEMOLISH SOUTH AFRICA

Finn Allen and Tim Seifert’s drives, pulls and scoops came straight off the middle of the bat. With every blow, the South African shoulders sank a little lower, with the misery finally ending in the 13th over through a lofted drive from Finn Allen – fittingly – which took him to 100* in the game.

Seifert hit 58 off 33 balls, taking New Zealand to 117 in the 10th over. By the time star pacer Kagiso Rabada finally breached Seifert’s defence, the game was effectively done.

Finn Allen, on the other hand, dominated both pacers and spinners to hit a match-winning century off just 33 balls, helping New Zealand book their first T20 World Cup final since 2021.

It was a telling indictment of the mental assurance that New Zealand possess, despite enduring several difficulties throughout this World Cup campaign.

First, they were nearly knocked out of the tournament after their loss to England in the Super 8s. Their presence in the semi-final depended on Pakistan not securing a win by a sufficient margin. The way Pakistan began their final Super 8s game against Sri Lanka, half the Kiwi team might have started packing their bags. But destiny intervened, and they were eventually able to board a flight to Kolkata.

To go from such severe uncertainty and then produce this kind of destructive performance requires immense mental resilience, and New Zealand showed that they had plenty of it.

The loss on Wednesday, marked yet another defeat for South Africa at the Eden Gardens, extending their horrible record since 2023.

The last time South Africa won a limited-overs match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata was against Ireland during the ODI World Cup 2011. They lost both their matches at the venue during the ODI World Cup 2023. Overall, the Proteas have won two out of six ODIs played at the venue and failed to win their first over T20I in Kolkata today.

MARKRAM MISSES THE TRICK

South Africa captain Aiden Markram, who was so meticulous in planning things against India, perhaps missed a trick or two at the Eden Gardens today.

Bowling against two right-handers, who love to hit pace, neither did Aiden introduce Keshav Maharaj early, nor did he give the ball to Lungi Ngidi instead of Jansen.

Maharaj, left-arm off spin bowler and one of the smartest guys in the international circuit, might have done well today.

Allen, who targetted the V both front and back of the pitch against pacers, could have been neutralised early on by the introduction of spin. However, by the time Maharaj came to bowl in the 9th over, a set Finn Allen hoicked him for a six over the cow corner. He tore into Maharaj once again in the 12th over, putting the final nail in South Africa’s coffin.

A rampaging Allen then looked in hurry, hitting Marco Jansen for 4,4,6,6,4, finishing the match off in a matter of moments. Allen needed 4 to complete his hundred when New Zealand needed 1 to win the game. A lofted drive through the V earned him the deserved century, taking the Kiwis to the final of the tournament.

DID PLAYING IN SRI LANKA HELP NEW ZEALAND?

All-rounder Rachin Ravindra, who stood on the other side when Finn Allen finished the game spoke to the broadcaster in the on-field interview. Rachin said that the experience of playing in slow turners really helped New Zealand as they were glad to receive flatter wickets and shorter dimensions in the semi-final today.

The Kiwis finally had a perfect game, bar their catching (which almost never happens), on Wednesday. They will take massive confidence from the win as they fly to Ahmedabad, after causing one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

As they prepare to fly back, the coach and captain duo will once again sit down and revisit the fateful night at Eden. What went wrong will be analysed in detail — the toss, the strategy, the match-ups, the dropped chances. But deep down, they will know that this defeat was not about one moment.

It was about a night when their intensity dipped, when New Zealand surged ahead without hesitation, and when the pressure of the occasion returned to haunt them once more.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/south-africa-vs-new-zealand-match-report-highlights-finn-allen-t20-world-cup-2877447-2026-03-04

P V Sindhu has now returned to the country after pulling out of the All England Championships in Birmingham.

New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medal-winning Indian badminton star P V Sindhuconfessed on Tuesday that she struggled to remain calm during the three-day ordeal in Dubai, wishing it to be the first and last such experience in her life.

Sindhu was stranded in Dubai due to closure of airspace in the Gulf region following the US and Israeli bombing of Iran and the subsequent retaliation by Tehran.

She has now returned to the country after pulling out of the All England Championships in Birmingham. She was to travel to Birmingham via Dubai but could not do so due to travel disruptions.

“Obviously, there was a lot of stress. And it was scary. I think the only thing maybe was to stay calm. I know that’s not the ideal situation where you say we are calm, but we’re not inside,” Sindhu said during a media interaction facilitated by Sports Authority of India (SAI).

“Actually, it is very stressful. But I think it is an experience, I must say. And I hope it’s the first and the last experience like this way. But yeah, I think we were calm, the whole team was calm.”

Sindhu and her team, including Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, had a narrow escape after an explosion near the Dubai airport. She was scheduled to face Thailand’s Supanida Katethong in the opening round but was forced to pull out of the tournament.

She said she explored every option to travel to the UK to take part in the prestigious tournament, including going to Oman by road or to India and take a circuitous route to reach Birmingham.

“I tried every possible way but there were no flights. And (if I had even taken circuitous route), maybe I would reach on Thursday, so you can’t do anything.”

“I got a call from Emirates last evening that there are flights to India. I was sad that I couldn’t play the tournament. But my safety was very important. My life was very important. So, it’s okay now.”

“It is a bit sad that I couldn’t play. But again it’s important to be safe.” Sindhu expressed her gratitude to civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Raksha Khadse, who serves as the minister of state (MoS) for youth affairs and sports, and the Indian consular general in Dubai for helping her return to the country safely.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/badminton/i-hope-its-the-first-and-last-experience-like-this-way-sindhu-on-dubai-ordeal-3918976-3918976

The entire Tendulkar family, dressed in traditional outfits, appeared delighted on the occasion of Arjun Tendulkar and Saaniya’s mehndi-sangeet ceremony.

Former cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar’s son, Arjun Tendulkar, is all set to start a new chapter in his life as he is getting married to Saaniya Chandhok. While the Ambanis hosted Arjun and Saaniya a few days ago, fans can’t keep calm but are excited to catch a glimpse of the couple from their mehndi ceremony that is happening today. As the pre-wedding festivities officially begin, the pair posed for the cameras alongside Sachin, Anjali, and Sara Tendulkar.

The entire Tendulkar family, dressed in traditional outfits, appeared delighted on the occasion of Arjun and Saaniya’s mehndi-sangeet ceremony. The bride-to-be looked stunning in a shimmery silver-grey lehenga. From heavy beadwork to sequins, her outfit appeared classy. For the accessories, Saaniya went for a silver and pearl maan tikka, a multi-layered stone choker, and bangles with kaleeras. Speaking of Arjun, his outfit reflected extravagance. He wore a knee-length, structured Achkan and paired it with a jacket with matching slim-fit trousers, creating a monochromatic silhouette.

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Sara Tendulkar turned heads in a rose-toned lehenga choli. The sweetheart neckline blouse with thread work and high-waisted, voluminous skirt adorned with multi-colored floral motifs, proving modern-traditional fusion is the best one can wear when it comes to pre-wedding festivities. Talking about Sachin Tendulkar, the former Indian cricketer wore a rich Emerald green silk kurta. He paired it with a sleeveless waistcoat and matching bottoms.

His wife, Anjali, opted for a timeless look that was all things elegant and royal. For her son’s sangeet. She styled herself in a navy blue silk kurta and flared sharara. The contrasting pink dupatta featuring a thin gold border added an elegant touch to her look.

Source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/sports-life/arjun-tendulkar-and-saaniya-chandoks-mehendi-ceremony-sachin-tendulkar-poses-with-anjali-and-sara-watch-1401217

 

Pakistan Cricket Board officials felt that since the players are rewarded for good show, they should also pay penalties for poor results.

Pakistan cricketers have reportedly been punished by their cricket board in the wake of their disappointing performance at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. The Salman Ali Agha-led outfit exited in the Super 8 round of the tournament, failing to qualify for the semi-finals.

According to The Express Tribune, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has fined each player Rs 5 million Pakistani Rupees (PKR). The decision to impose the financial penalty is said to have been taken following their first-round defeat to India in Sri Lanka last month.

The publication further reported that PCB officials felt that since players are rewarded for good performances, they should also face penalties for poor results.

PCB Central Contracts

According to reports, centrally contracted Pakistani cricketers receive annual remuneration based on the category they are placed in, divided into four tiers.

A player in Category A earns a monthly salary of 4.5 million PKR, in addition to 2.07 million PKR as a share of ICC revenue.

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is set to miss the All England Championships starting on Tuesday after being stranded in Dubai amid the US bombing of Iran.

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is set to miss the All England Championships starting on Tuesday after being stranded in Dubai amid the US bombing of Iran and the resultant air space closure in the Gulf region. Travel disruptions have marred the build-up to the Super 1000 event, with Sindhu stuck in Dubai since Saturday after flights were suspended amid following US and Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent retaliation by Tehran. Sindhu and her team, including Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, had a narrow escape after an explosion near their place of stay. They were subsequently moved to a secure location as tensions flared across the Gulf.

The Indian ace was scheduled to face Thailand’s Supanida Katethong in the opening round but with Dubai airspace and airport continuing to be closed, she will be forced to pull out of the tournament.

BWF is also keeping a close watch, maintaining “real-time oversight of the situation and stand ready to assist delegations experiencing delays or route changes.” “This includes reviewing and preparing potential contingencies within the competition schedule should any players experience delayed arrival,” it said.

While Sindhu’s participation remains uncertain, some of her fellow shuttlers have managed to reach Birmingham via alternate routes of Singapore and Africa. However, it remains to be seen how the long and taxing travel will impact their preparations.

India’s top men’s singles contender Lakshya Sen and rising youngster Ayush Shetty, have reached without any travel issues. While Lakshya has drawn world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi of China, Ayush is up against Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan in the opening round.

For Lakshya, a former semifinalist and runner-up here, it will be another tough test against Shi, against whom he has lost four of his five previous meetings against the Chinese.

Ayush, the US Open Super 300 champion, will look to turn the tide against Farhan, having lost three of their five encounters, including the most recent one at the Indonesia Masters in January.

In women’s singles, Malvika Bansod faces a stiff opening challenge against Tokyo Olympics champion Chen Yufei of China.

Unnati Hooda, whose flight was cancelled on Sunday forcing her to travel via Africa, will need to overcome jet lag when she takes on Thailand’s eighth seed Pornpawee Chochuwong in her opener.

In men’s doubles, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, a former world No. 1, will spearhead India’s challenge against Malaysia’s Kang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai in the first round.

The women’s doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, who registered back-to-back semifinal finishes at the event in 2022 and 2023, will face Japan’s Sayaka Hirota and Ayako Sakuramoto.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/badminton/pv-sindhu-stranded-in-dubai-set-to-miss-all-england-championship-in-birmingham-11157151#pfrom=sports_morelisting_2026

Sanju Samson’s sparkling unbeaten 97 kept alive India’s dream of retaining the T20 World Cup at home as they knocked out the West Indies with a five-wicket win in Kolkata on Sunday to set up a semi-final against England.

Sanju Samson’s sparkling unbeaten 97 kept alive India’s dream of retaining the T20 World Cup at home as they knocked out the West Indies with a five-wicket win in Kolkata on Sunday to set up a semi-final against England. Samson hit 12 fours and four sixes in his superb 50-ball knock in the winner-takes-all final Super Eights match to thrill a capacity 67,000 fans at a pulsating Eden Gardens. After the West Indies smacked 70 off the last five overs to score 195-4 after being asked to bat, India lost two early wickets but were always up with the required rate.

Samson, opening for the second match in succession, led the way.

When India slipped to 41-2 he was joined by captain Suryakumar Yadav (18) and the pair added 58 for the third wicket.

Tilak Varma was next to join Samson and scored 27 off 15 before departing in the 15th over with the score 141-4 and India still needing 55.

Samson stood firm and though Hardik Pandya fell for 17 India reached the target with four balls to spare to spark celebrations and fireworks.

Jason Holder and Rovman Powell earlier put on an unbroken stand of 76 for the fifth wicket to help the West Indies set the defending champions a target of 196 to stay alive.

The West Indies sprang a surprise at the top of the order, promoting Test captain Roston Chase to open alongside T20 skipper Shai Hope.

That enabled them to bring in an extra spinner, Akeal Hosein, with regular opener Brandon King left out.

In their defeat to South Africa last week the West Indies slumped to 83-7 but the new-look opening partnership was more assured.

Spinner Varun Chakravarthy got the first breakthrough, bowling Hope for a sluggish 32.

Shimron Hetmyer raced to 27 off 12 balls before falling to the faintest of edges off Jasprit Bumrah to make it 102-2.

After Chase fell for 40 and Sherfane Rutherford followed, Powell and Holder launched their brutal late assault.

Powell finished on 34 not out from 19 balls with two sixes and three fours while Holder was unbeaten on 37 off 22 balls with three sixes and two fours.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/samsons-97-puts-india-into-t20-world-cup-semi-final-against-england-11155604

Pakistan bowed out of the T20 World Cup on Saturday despite beating Sri Lanka by five runs in their Super 8 clash in Kandy.

Pakistan bowed out of the T20 World Cup on Saturday despite beating Sri Lanka by five runs in their Super 8 clash in Kandy. After posting 212/8, Pakistan needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less to qualify for the semi-finals. With Sri Lanka making 207/6 in the chase, Pakistan missed out on a place in the Knockouts by 60 runs. The result allowed New Zealand to join table-toppers England in the semi-finals from Group 2 of the Super 8.

It looked achievable when Pakistan reduced Sri Lanka to 101-5 in the 12th over. But its hopes were foiled when Pavan Rathnayake and captain Dasun Shanaka led Sri Lanka to 148 in the 16th over.

But then Pakistan found itself in danger of failing to defend its highest ever T20 World Cup total, 212.

Shanaka began the last over against Shaheen Shah Afridi by slamming 4-6-6-6. Sri Lanka could pull off a heist with six runs needed off the last two balls.

But Shanaka missed trying to scoop the fifth ball and left the sixth, a yorker, thinking it was wide. It was not.

Pakistan won by five runs and bowed out of the tournament, a point behind New Zealand.

Sri Lanka were already out of semifinals contention but finished to applause from their home crowd after going down swinging.

Earlier, Pakistan posted 212/8 riding on Sahibzada Farhan’s record-breaking century and a quickfire 84 from Fakhar Zaman.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/pakistan-eliminated-from-t20-world-cup-the-crucial-margin-that-ended-their-dream-11151358

India put behind its 76-run loss to South Africa in style as the Suryakumar Yadav-led side slammed 256/4 in its second T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match against Zimbabwe

India put behind its 76-run loss to South Africa in style as the Suryakumar Yadav-led side slammed 256/4 in its second T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match against Zimbabwe. This is the second-highest team total in T20 World Cup history. India hit 17 sixes in the innings – one more six and they would have shattered Sri Lanka’s world record of 260/6 (vs Kenya, Johannesburg, 2007). This is also India’s highest total in all T20 World Cups, surpassing the 218/4 they scored against England in Durban in 2007. India’s 256/4 is also the highest total in this edition of the T20 World Cup.

The 17 sixes by India in the innings is the joint-most by the side in a T20 World Cup match surpassing 15 vs Australia in Gros Islet in 2024.

Highest Totals in T20 World Cups

260/6 – Sri Lanka vs Kenya, Johannesburg, 2007

256/4 – India vs Zimbabwe, Chennai, 2026

254/6 – West Indies vs Zimbabwe, Wankhede, 2026

235/5 – Ireland vs Oman, Colombo SSC, 2026

230/8 – England vs South Africa, Wankhede, 2016

229/4 – South Africa vs England, Wankhede, 2016

Since returning from a stomach bug, Abhishek looked a distant shadow of his dominating self, registering three ducks in a row.

But on a smooth Chepauk pitch, the left-hander found his bearings, also easing the worries of the Indian team management over the sudden slump in his form.

The 25-year-old was involved in two excellent partnerships— a 48 for the opening wicket with Sanju Samson and then a 72 off 42 balls with Ishan Kishan (38) for the following wicket — that gave the hosts a strong platform.

Re-drafting Samson into the eleven and pairing him with Abhishek proved a good move eventually as the Kerala right-hander smoked 24 off 15 balls to ease any nerves that his partner had.

Once Samson departed, lofting Blessing Muzarabani to Ryan Burl in the deep, Abhishek took charge of Indian innings.

He hammered Tino Maposo, Brian Bennett and Richard Ngarava for sixes as India stormed to 80 for one in the Power Play segment, their second best after the 86/1 made against Namibia in a group match.

The bat flow, feet movement and eye-hand coordination, which were missing in this interim, was back. He fetched his first fifty off just 26 balls with a single off spinner Sikandar Raza.

Abhishek’s belligerence and the largesse of Zimbabwe fielders helped India maintain the tempo even after the Power Play overs, scoring 81 runs between overs seven and 14.

The tourists were also guilty of modest catching effort — dropping Kishan (26) and Suryakumar Yadav (4) However, Abhishek could not further extend his innings, skying Maposa to Raza in the deep, much to Zimbabwe’s relief.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/india-shatter-records-post-highest-total-of-t20-world-cup-2026-after-abhishek-sharma-hardik-pandya-heroics-11141352

Lionel Messi recently opened up about his regret at not learning English when he was young, saying it makes him feel ‘half-ignorant’ when interacting with famous people. Messi’s comments came during an interview with a Mexican podcast. The Argentine is currently gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and he wrapped up a sensational season with Inter Miami.

Speaking on Miro de Atras, he said, “I regret many things. Not having learned English as a boy. I had the time to have at least studied English, and I did not do it. I deeply regret it.”

“I experienced situations where I was with incredible and spectacular personalities to be able to talk and have a chat, and you feel half ignorant. I always thought: ‘What an idiot, how I wasted my time.”

Messi also revealed that now he tells his children to take advantage of the education offered to them. “I always tell my children to take advantage of it. They have a different situation from the one I had, although I never lacked anything,” he said.

Opening up on his life as a student in school, he said, “It [my last year of school in Argentina] was a disaster. I knew that I was leaving for Barcelona. At Barcelona, I finished my high school with the other children who went to [FC Barcelona’s youth academy] La Masia.”

After leaving Barcelona, Messi didn’t have a good time in France and was often jeered by PSG fans. “I was able to do everything and reach the top [in football], but along the way, there are many experiences and lessons learned,” he said.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/sports/football/lionel-messi-reveals-language-regret-says-inability-to-speak-english-left-him-feeling-halfignorant-101772069854568.html

Despite the recent slump, Abhishek Sharma vows to stick with the same mindset that has made him the most feared T20I batter currently.

Abhishek Sharma, India’s new-age batting prodigy and a cornerstone of their recent T20I dominance, finds himself in the midst of an untimely slump – in the thick of a World Cup, no less. Arriving at the marquee event as the world’s top-ranked T20I batter, he has since endured three consecutive innings without scoring. With India now stepping into the Super Eights, the pressure to end that streak is mounting.

A defining trait of the 25-year-old’s game has been his intent to attack from the very first ball. More often than not, that approach has handed both him and India the perfect launchpad to seize control. Yet, while exhilarating, such high-risk aggression can misfire – as it did in the group stage, where he survived just eight deliveries across three innings.

The numbers underline the dip. He has registered five ducks in his last seven outings. Overall, six of his 40 T20I innings have ended without a run, the first coming on debut in July 2024.

Shubman Gill gave Google CEO Sundar Pichai a batting masterclass at Google’s Gurugram office, explaining how to play the short ball using wrists and hips instead of arm extension.

In a rare overlap between the tech and cricketing worlds, India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill shared the stage with Google CEO Sundar Pichai at the tech giant’s Gurugram office for a Google India event on Saturday, February 21, where the prolific batter gave an impromptu masterclass on one of cricket’s more nuanced skills: playing the short ball.

Gill was seen addressing a question on the topic, with Pichai even having a go with the bat himself, making for an unlikely but entertaining exchange between two giants of their respective fields. The setting was a fitting one, given Google’s growing presence in India and cricket’s status as the country’s most beloved sport.

Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan enters wedlock for the second time as he gets married to Sophie Shine in Delhi NCR.

Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has entered wedlock once again, marrying entrepreneur Sophie Shine in a wedding ceremony filled with festive fervor. The official announcement was made by the couple through a shared post on social media.

Shikhar Dhawan marries Sophie Shine in Delhi NCR

Taking to their official social media handles, Shikhar and Sophie wrote, “Mr. & Mrs. Dhawan.” Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal also shared pictures from the wedding, captioning them, “Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai.”

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The couple wore outfits crafted by Manish Malhotra. Dhawan was seen in a traditional sherwani featuring a monochromatic white-on-white palette with delicate tonal embroidery that added texture without overwhelming the look, evoking a royal aesthetic. His ensemble also included a layered emerald mala with deep forest-green stones that provided a striking contrast against the ivory fabric, along with a classic white turban.

On the other hand, Sophie wore a contemporary lehenga choli that blended traditional silhouettes with a romantic, ethereal color palette. The lehenga was embellished with soft coral, peach, and sage green floral motifs, creating a “blooming garden” effect against the ivory silk base.

The choli featured a high neckline and long sleeves adorned with cascading pearl strands, giving the appearance of built-in jewelry and adding a touch of vintage glamour. Sophie’s styling beautifully fused cultures: her hands were adorned with intricate mehendi, and she wore a delicate maang tikka. Meanwhile, her voluminous blonde waves and soft, dewy makeup lent a modern, red-carpet finish to the ensemble.

A video has hit the internet in which Hardik Pandya is seen blowing flying kisses towards Mahieka from the boundary line during the India vs Netherlands clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

Indian star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been spotted on various occasions displaying his love for his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma in full public view. Another video has hit the internet in which Hardik Pandya is seen blowing flying kisses towards Mahieka from the boundary line during the India vs Netherlands clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

The video is being widely shared on social media and Hardik Pandya is praised for his love towards his girlfriend. There have been several occasions where the couple is spotted walking hand in hand in public, hugging and looking towards each other with affection.

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🚨Hardik Pandya giving a flying kiss to his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma during the India vs Netherlands match.

He is literally the Neymar of cricket when it comes to romance. 😄🏏 pic.twitter.com/mrPI40gmDB

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) February 19, 2026

The viral video shows Hardik Pandya staring at his girlfriend while standing on the boundary line and Mahieka being present in the stands. He also blew flying kisses towards her. He also sent flying kisses towards her while he was batting in the clash against Netherlands.

Hardik Pandya played an important knock of 30 runs against Netherlands. After the innings also he was seen in a brief interaction with his girlfriend.

Birthday Post for Mahieka

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi delivered a stinging rebuttal to Shadab Khan’s criticism of past players, after the all-rounder highlighted their failure to defeat India in World Cups.

One of the greatest players ever to represent Pakistan, Shahid Afridi, was not pleased with the criticism he and some of his contemporaries received from Shadab Khan. After Pakistan’s defeat against India in the T20 World Cup 2026, Shadab became one of the targets for former players, who questioned the all-rounder’s place in the side. Shadab, in response, hit back, saying that at least he had been part of the Pakistan team that defeated India once in ICC events, something the previous generation had failed to achieve. Afridi, however, was unimpressed to see Shadab responding with words rather than with the bat and ball.

Speaking on a Pakistani news channel, Afridi said that the Pakistan team, which defeated India in the 2021 T20 World Cup could not handle the success they achieved.

“Shadab ne bilkul theek kaha. Hum nahi jeete, wo jeete. Unhe izzat mili par wo izzat sambhaal nahi paaye. 2021 ke baad unhone jab kar diya, tab unke aapas ke problems sambhaal nahi paaye, as an individual nahi sambhaal paaye, as a team nahi sambhaal paaye. (Shadab said absolutely right. We didn’t win, they won. They got respect, but they couldn’t handle that respect. After 2021, when they achieved something, they couldn’t manage their internal problems-neither individually, nor as a team),” he said on Samaa TV.

Afridi also pointed out that he had supported Shadab when the all-rounder’s place in the team was under scrutiny, but Shadab seems to have forgotten that now.

“Shadab ko ye bhi pata hona chahiye ki jab usse performances nahi ho rahi thi, tab team se bahar kiya jaa raha tha, hum hi TV channels pe baith kar bolte they ki Shadab backbone hai, Shadab ke overs bohot important hain, batting bhi kar leta hai. Honestly bataun, Shadab is a very good boy. Bohot acche se sabse milta hai. (Shadab should also know that when he wasn’t performing, he was being dropped from the team. At that time, we were the ones sitting on TV channels saying that Shadab is the backbone, his overs are very important, and he can also bat. Honestly speaking, Shadab is a very good boy. He meets everyone very nicely),” Afridi remarked.

Answer Through Performances: Afridi to Shadab

Pakistan managed to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s despite some questionable performances. Afridi reminded Shadab that his only notable contribution came against Namibia, while sterner challenges lie ahead.

“Hum bhi jab cricket khelte they, hamare baare mein bhi bohot baatein ki hain ex-cricketers ne. Lanat hai tak bola gaya tha. Hamne unko bardasht kiya aur performances ki, choti team ke khilaaf nahi, badi team ke khilaaf. Hum performance se jawaab dete they. (Even when we used to play cricket, ex-cricketers said a lot of things about us too. They even said ‘Lanat hai’ (curse). We tolerated it and responded with performances, not against small teams, but against big teams. We answered through performance),” the former Pakistan captain continued.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/beta-perform-karo-shahid-afridis-stinging-2-minute-rant-on-shadab-khans-criticism-of-ex-stars-11099039?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

Mohsin Naqvi, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, was present in Colombo during the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match

Mohsin Naqvi, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, was present in Colombo during the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match. The much-hyped game took place after a long-drawn drama that saw Pakistan making a boycott threat and then taking a U-turn. The drama ended late on February 9, after the Pakistan government allowed its cricket team to take the field against India on February 15. Before the U-turn, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief Aminul Islam Bulbul requested Pakistan to play the match. Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also called Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif.

After the match, Naqvi met Dissanayake and called him the “actual hero”.

“First of all, warm greetings from the President of Pakistan (Asif Ali Zardari) and the Prime Minister of Pakistan (Shehbaz Sharif). They specially asked me to convey their greetings to you. Actually, in yesterday’s match, you were the actual hero because 2 billion people were entertained because of you. So, it is only because of you that we played the match,” Mohsin Naqvi told Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in a meeting.

“We were having several issues regarding playing with India, but as soon as the Prime Minister received your call, he called me up and said, ‘There is no more issue… we have to play the match. That’s it.’ I am very thankful to you that you played a very critical role in this.”

India secured a dominant 61-run victory over Pakistan on Sunday, marking the team’s third straight win in the tournament. India’s victory was built on a superb 77-run knock from Ishan Kishan, who once again proved his value at the top of the order.

What Happened Before the U-Turn

The boycott crisis got resolved on February 9 after negotiations between International Cricket Council (ICC), PCB and the BCB. Pakistan had earlier said it decided to boycott the India game showing solidarity with Bangladesh, who were axed from the tournament after refusing to tour India for the event.

First, BCB chief Islam issued a statement in Dhaka expressing his gratitude towards Pakistan for backing his country but requested that the team show up for the high-profile game for the greater good of the sport.

“We are deeply moved by Pakistan’s efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period. Long may our brotherhood flourish,” Islam said. “Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem,” he added.

Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also called Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif. “The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse,” the Pakistan government said in its statement.

“During their warm and friendly conversation, they recalled that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood shoulder to shoulder, especially during challenging times.”

Soon after, the ICC issued a statement in Dubai saying it would not penalise Bangladesh for refusing to play in India. The country has already been replaced by Scotland in the tournament roster.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/you-were-the-actual-hero-not-bangladesh-mohsin-naqvi-reserves-praise-for-somebody-else-for-india-boycott-u-turn-11045704

Australia hit an all-time low after failing to qualify for the Super Eight stage of the 2026 T20 World Cup. The 2021 champions lost to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka in the group stage. The Men in Yellow’s exit is an unprecedented moment in cricket history.

The Australian cricket team has sunk to an embarrassing low after they were knocked out of the 2026 T20 World Cup as the game between Zimbabwe and Ireland at the Pallekele International Stadium on Tuesday (February 17), which ensured that the two teams shared points. This means that the Sikandar Raza-led team has sealed their spot in the Super eight spot of the tournament, which means that neither Australia nor Ireland were knocked out of the tournament, while Sri Lanka had already qualified for the second round.

The 2021 champions came into the tournament as pre-tournament favourites alongside India and South Africa, but have had a campaign to forget, which was troubled with several injuries. Australia were beaten by Zimbabwe in their second game of the tournament by 23 runs before losing by seven wickets to co-hosts Sri Lanka yesterday.

The owner of Ukrainian football club Shakhtar Donetsk has donated more than $200,000 to skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych after the athlete was disqualified from the Milano Cortina Winter Games before competing over the use of a helmet depicting Ukrainian athletes killed in the war with Russia, the club said on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old Heraskevych was disqualified last week when the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation jury ruled that imagery on the helmet — depicting athletes killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 — breached rules on athletes’ expression at the Games.

He then lost an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport hours before the final two runs of his competition, having missed the first two runs due to his disqualification.
Heraskevych had been allowed to train with the helmet that displayed the faces of 24 dead Ukrainian athletes for several days in Cortina d’Ampezzo where the sliding centre is but the International Olympic Committee then warned him a day before his competition started that he could not wear it there.
“Vlad Heraskevych was denied the opportunity to compete for victory at the Olympic Games, yet he returns to Ukraine a true winner,” Shakhtar President Rinat Akhmetov said in a club statement.

“The respect and pride he has earned among Ukrainians through his actions are the highest reward. At the same time, I want him to have enough energy and resources to continue his sporting career, as well as to fight for truth, freedom and the remembrance of those who gave their lives for Ukraine,” he said.
The amount is equal to the prize money Ukraine pays athletes who win a gold medal at the Games.
The case dominated headlines early on at the Olympics, with IOC President Kirsty Coventry meeting Heraskevych on Thursday morning at the sliding venue in a failed last-minute attempt to broker a compromise.

 

Source: https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/skeleton-shakhtar-boss-pays-ukrainian-racer-200000-after-games-disqualification-2026-02-17/

Pathum Nissanka turned a tricky chase into a walk in the park with a belligerent 52-ball 100 to power Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket win over Australia and secure their place in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup.

Opener Pathum Nissanka turned a tricky chase into a walk in the park with a belligerent 52-ball 100 to power Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket win over Australia and secure their place in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup on Monday. Set a record target of 182 at this venue, Sri Lanka rode on Nissanka’s unbeaten knock and Kusal Mendis’s 38-ball 51 to complete the task in 18 overs and leave Australia’s qualification hopes hanging by a thread.. Pavan Rathnayake remained not out on 28 off 15 balls. Nissanka smashed 10 fours and five sixes during his match-winning knock.

Australia will now need to win by a massive margin against Oman in their final match and rely on both Sri Lanka and Ireland to beat Zimbabwe to have any sort of outside chance whatsoever. In fact if Zimbabwe manage to beat Ireland on Thursday, then Australia will be knocked out even before meeting Oman in their last group league game.

Earlier, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head blazed away to explosive fifties before Sri Lanka rallied to bowl out Australia for 181..

Coming back into the playing XI after missing the team’s first two matches of the tournament due to an injury, Marsh got into the act straightaway, clobbering 54 in 27 balls.

Head was equally brutal during his 29-ball 56, as the opening duo added 104 runs in less than nine overs to set Australia up for a 200-plus total.

But the Sri Lankans did much better in the back 10, with leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha (3/37 in 4 overs) emerging as the most successful bowler for the home team. The last four wickets fell for only six runs.

In the chase, Sri Lanka copped an early blow when Kusal Perera failed to connect properly with a Marcus Stoinis ball and ended up slicing it to the deep backward point fielder.

The packed stands at the Pallekele International Stadium went quiet, but the duo of Nissanka and Mendis had other ideas as they added 97 runs for the second wicket to keep Sri Lanka ahead at the halfway stage of their innings.

With 89 needed from 60 balls and with nine wickets in hand, Sri Lanka fancied their chances of overhauling the target..

But Stoinis struck again, as Kusal Mendis hit one straight to the fielder at deep mid-wicket to give Australia an opening. However, there was no stopping Nissanka..

Earlier, the move to field first backfired on the Sri Lankans as Australia got off to a rollicking start with Marsh and Head marking their reunion with a flurry of fours and sixes.

Following their 23-run defeat to Zimbabwe, Australia began the game in earnest, collecting as many as 16 runs in the very first over by Dushmantha Chameera.

Marsh started his innings in great style as he punched one beautifully off the back foot through the off-side.

Head clipped a Chameera half-volley off his pads to get off the mark with a four before Marsh pulled the pacer for a six over midwicket.

Head got two fours against Maheesh Theekshana to maintain the momentum..

If the early onslaught by Head and Marsh was not enough, Sri Lanka suffered a massive blow in the third over when Matheesha Pathirana, the 23-year-old slinger, hobbled off the field after suffering a hamstring injury, leaving Dasun Shanaka to complete the over.

Shanaka was whacked through point for a boundary by Head in his first ball, and then the left-handed power-hitter clobbered the bowler over deep square leg and into the stands for a big maximum.

Marsh smashed Maheesh Theekshana for five successive boundaries as Australia raced to 70 for no loss in the power play.

Hoping to arrest the free flow of runs, skipper Shanaka introduced leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha into the attack, and Head welcomed him with a six and a four, and in the next over, Marsh plonked left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage for a four and a maximum.

Marsh brought Australia’s hundred with a six off Hemantha.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/pathum-nissanka-special-takes-sri-lanka-to-t20-world-cup-super-8-with-win-against-australia-11012249

Shoaib Akhtar made a desperate attempt to change his stance after calling the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi “incompetent and illiterate”.

Pakistan pace great Shoaib Akhtar did not even wait 24 hours before making an embarrassing U-turn on the comments he had made against Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi. Speaking on an Indian news channel, Akhtar had called Naqvi “incompetent and illiterate”. However, the Rawalpindi Express had a dramatic change of heart when he appeared as an expert on a Pakistani news channel, where he made a desperate attempt to retract his statement but struggled to do so.

Speaking on Pakistani outlet ARY News, Akhtar explained that his usage of the words “incompetent and illiterate” was in the larger context of the game in Pakistan and not directed towards Mohsin Naqvi “bhai”.

“The words ‘incompetent and jaahil (illiterate)’ that I used were not meant for Mohsin Naqvi bhai. It looked like I said those words for him. The incompetency topic I spoke about was from a broader perspective: that such a person can destroy any institution. My hint was not towards Mohsin Naqvi (said while fumbling repeatedly) but the top brass that is running international cricket. But the television channel twisted it. In the same programme, I also said that we should not say wrong things about Mohsin Naqvi, he is a good guy. He wants to help Pakistan cricket but does not get the right advice,” Akhtar said on the show.

The former Pakistan pacer also admitted that he is indeed angry with Naqvi, but for the U-turn he made on the boycott stance against India in the T20 World Cup, and not for the way he is running the PCB.

“I am angry with him as he took a stand but did not stick with it. The entire community was with him. He could have asked me about taking the U-turn,” Akhtar further said.

What Shoaib Akhtar First Said on Mohsin Naqvi

During a chat on ABP News, Akhtar had said that a person like Mohsin Naqvi is not fit to hold the position of chairman in the PCB.

“If you make me the chairman of a channel, how would I know how to run it? Now there is a person who does not know, and he is the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board. So what can be done now? How will the team function like this?”

“Do you know what the biggest crime in the world is? Giving a big job to an incompetent and illiterate person,” he had further said.

Shoaib Akhtar on Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi

During the chat on ARY News, Shoaib Akhtar also spoke about the criticism Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi – two of the team’s superstar players – are receiving after the India match. He said Babar is not even built to play T20 cricket while Shaheen seems to be unfit at the moment.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/shoaib-akhtars-embarrassing-u-turn-after-calling-mohsin-naqvi-illiterate-11013087?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

T20 World Cup: The 61-run win is India’s ‘biggest’ in terms of run-margin over Pakistan in T20I format

Ishan Kishan merged power with finesse for a fifty before Jasprit Bumrah destroyed Pakistan top-order with his malevolently talented right-arm, powering India to a T20 World Cup Super Eight berth clinching one-sided 61-run win in Colombo on Sunday. Kishan’s supersonic 77 (40b) on a tacky Premadasa pitch was worth its weight in gold, carrying India to a competitive 175 for seven after they were asked to bat first. It was easily one of the most entertaining T20I knocks by an Indian batter if one factors in degree of difficulty. The 61-run win is India’s ‘biggest’ in terms of run-margin over Pakistan in T20I format.

Pakistan needed a strong Power Play segment to chase 176 on this surface. But Bumrah (2/17) and Hardik Pandya (2/16) jettisoned big-hitting Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha to bowl out them for 114, reducing the much-anticipated match into a no-contest. India now lead 8-1 in all T20 World Cup encounters.

Pandya started the bedlam in the first over of Pakistan’s chase, as his snorter got big on Farhan and he could only sky it to Rinku Singh.

Entered the irrepressible Bumrah. The premier pacer unleashed himself on Pakistan batters in his first over itself.

Ayub could not handle a devilish inswinging yorker to get caught in front of the wicket.

Agha was as clueless as an exchange student in a foreign country against Bumrah’s back of length delivery, scooping it to Panyda at mid-wicket.

Pakistan was in all sorts of trouble at 13 for three, and which soon became 34 for four after Babar Azam’s horrendous slog sweep off Axar Patel saw his stumps getting rearranged.

Their Powerplay produced 38 for four compared to India’s 52 for one, and that massive difference continued to widen as the match progressed.

Pakistan did not have either skill or resolve to get out of the marshy land, and continued to perish against Indian spinners through the middle overs as Kuldeep Yadav, Axar, Tilak Varma and Varun Chakravarthy kept them under an unbreakable spell.

Earlier, Kishan shared an 87-run alliance with Tilak for the second wicket in which the latter’s contribution was a princely 11.

The match, which had several preceding dramatic weeks because of the admixture of sports and politics, started off on an unusual note as Pakistan skipper Agha brought himself on for off-spin and accounted for Abhishek Sharma.

The off-spin continued through Ayub (3/25) in the power play and it fetched the desired result.

Abhishek went for a loft off Agha but could not clear Shaheen Shah Afridi at the edge of the circle in the final ball of the first over.

But for the next 7.4 overs, Kishan converted the Premadasa into his own little kingdom, shots flying all around the vast corners of this venue.

The left-hander started with an arrogant chin-high pull off pacer Afridi that thundered into the hoardings beyond the mid-wicket fence.

But that was a mere appetizer. The Jharkhand man soon dismantled an armada of Pakistan spinners.

Agha and Ayub were dispatched for a four each, while leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was carted for a six and four off successive deliveries.

The four was a spectacular shot. Despite the slowness of the deck, Kishan lent power and placement to the late cut through his malleable wrists, forcing the ball sped to the third man fence.

Later, leg-spinner Shadab Khan too was clobbered for a six as Kishan raced to his fifty in just 27 balls, impressive considering the less than ideal conditions for shot-making and an opposition, who has already played a couple of matches in this part of the world.

Tilak did not precisely struggle, but did not look entirely comfortable either as Kishan took it upon himself the duties of pushing the score ahead.

But Kishan’s attempt to give himself space and carve Ayub over mid-wicket had disastrous consequences.

He missed the ball altogether to lose the bails as Pakistani players heaved a sigh of relief.

From there, they clawed back, and Ayub was at the forefront of their revival.

The offie jettisoned Tilak (25, 24b) and Hardik Pandya (0) off consecutive deliveries as India suddenly slipped to 126 for four from 126 for two in the 15th over.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/india-bowlers-run-riot-set-up-biggest-ever-win-over-pakistan-in-t20-world-cup-11007860

US-born Winter Olympics star Eileen Gu has reportedly been paid a staggering $6.6 million by China.

The 22-year-old skiing sensation has apparently been paid a huge sum after switching her allegiance away from Team USA.

Gu was “paid $6.6 million” by the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau in 2025, as per the Wall Street Journal.

A public budget appeared to accidentally expose Gu’s name as a recipient from the Sports Bureau.

She was named alongside American-born figure skater star Zhu Yi before their names were promptly scrubbed from the record.

Freestyle skier Gu has divided opinions after switching to compete for China at the Winter Olympics.

The rising star made this controversial decision as a 15-year-old before ever competing in the Olympics.

This is despite her being born in San Francisco, California, to a Chinese mother.

However, Gu has since revoked her United States‘ citizenship.

Gu won two gold medals for China as a teenager at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The 2022 Games saw Gu walk away with golds in the big air and halfpipe events.

She also picked up silver in the slopestyle competition.

The fiscal report has showed that Gu has been given $14 million over the past three years by the Sports Bureau.

This equates to nearly 100 million yuan for qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Gu is the fourth-best paid female athlete in the world thanks to her lucrative sponsorships.

This includes deals with Victoria’s Secret and Vogue.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15942827/eileen-gu-paid-china-after-switching-allegiance/

ILIA MALININ has been hailed for the “poise” and “class” he showed after choking the men’s free skating gold medal he was tipped to win.

Malinin, 21, had held a stranglehold on the discipline and arrived at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on an unbeaten streak dating back to 2023.

 

The American has also embraced his ‘Quad God’ nickname, born out of the mind-boggling quad axel he became the first skater to land four years ago.

But two shock falls in the free skate wiped out the five-point lead he had built up in the short program – and dropped him all the way down to EIGHTH.

Despite appearing close to tears at the end of his routine and missing out on a medal, Malinin swiftly regained his composure and showed his class.

The skating megastar firstly congratulated Kazakhstan‘s surprise winner, Mikhail Shaidorov, who had been a 100-1 shot leading up to the Games.

And then he faced the media, where he was peppered with tough questions.

Malinin said, “It’s a lot to handle. The pressure of the Olympics really is something different.

“I felt like I was ready, but it just went by so fast. Mentally, it was a weird feeling.

“I had so many thoughts and memories flood in right before I got into my starting pose. It might have overwhelmed me a little bit.

“I’m still so grateful that I was able to put in this work and effort to get to where I am. But it was not the skate that I wanted.

“I just blew it. It just didn’t happen for me. I just need to look to the future and make sure this never happens again.”

A medal may have slipped through Malinin’s fingers but he earned a boatload of new admirers.

Impressed fans flocked to social media to praise his conduct in a highly emotional aftermath.

One X user wrote, “Big kudos to Malinin for answering with such poise and grace after one of the worst moments of his young life.”

Another posted, “That was impressive to watch. Incredible poise for a 21-yr-old.”

A third commented, “That kid can wear the American flag with pride. He is just 21, had a lifetime heartbreaking moment in front of the entire world, and showed immense class in immediately congratulating the champ AND stepping up for an interview.”

A fourth replied, “Credit him for manning up for an interview afterwards. That had to be difficult.”

And another chimed in with, “All class from the Quad God.”

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15942412/ilia-malinin-interview-figure-skating-winter-olympics/

Mohammad Hafeez has claimed that the chatter around Usman Tariq is a psychological win for Pakistan over India ahead of their T20 World Cup clash on Sunday, February 15. Hafeez feels that the spinner has created panic within the Indian camp.

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez feels that the chatter around Usman Tariq is already a psychological win for Salman Ali Agha and his side over India ahead of their T20 World Cup clash on Sunday, February 15. Tariq and his unorthodox bowling style have been the talk of the town ever since he made his international debut and especially in the build-up to the India vs Pakistan match.

Both Agha and India captain Suryakumar Yadav were asked questions about the spinner during the pre-match press conferences, with fans and pundits on both sides commenting on the impact he could have on the game. Tariq has played just four T20Is for Pakistan and has 11 wickets to his name, averaging 7.9. While previewing the India vs Pakistan game, Hafeez pointed out how there is panic within the Indian camp about the spinner, and special practice is being done to tackle him.

“If we go inside the cricketing aspect, the hype created around Usman Tariq is another psychological victory for us. Right now, no one is talking about Babar Azam or any other player. People are talking only about Usman Tariq. He has played just one or two games for Pakistan, but just imagine the amount of panic he has created in the Indian camp. They are specifically practicing against him in their sessions.”

“How many times have you seen so much discussion about just one player? The entire media, the hype, the world — they are not only thinking about the match result, but about what Usman Tariq will do tomorrow,” said Hafeez.

HOW SHOULD PAKISTAN USE TARIQ VS INDIA?
Hafeez claimed that Tariq is a strong character and can single-handedly win matches for Pakistan. He urged Agha to only use the spinner as an attacking option, where he feels the 28-year-old can create the best impact during the clash against India.

“Now I want to see how positively Salman Agha makes decisions as captain and how he uses Usman Tariq. If he uses him defensively, nothing will work for Pakistan. You need an attacking mindset when you use Usman Tariq. It could even be the sixth over, which I believe is always a very important over for a bowling unit — usually bowled by your most impactful bowler.”

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/usman-tariq-india-vs-pakistan-mohammad-hafeez-t20-world-cup-2868464-2026-02-15

 

As India prepares to face Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026, airfare from Delhi to Colombo has surged by 500%, with economy tickets now costing around Rs 1,10,000. The R.Premadasa Stadium, with a capacity of 35,000, is sold out for this highly anticipated match on February 15, 2026.

IND vs PAK, T20 World Cup 2026, Colombo: As the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian side gears up to take on Salman Ali Agha’s Pakistan in the much-anticipated, high-voltage clash at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the airfares from Delhi to Colombo seem to have hit a record high with a 500 per cent hike in plane tickets. The normal ticket fares from India to Sri Lanka roughly range from Rs 16,000 to Rs 17,000, which has now touched Rs 1,10,000 in economy. Goes without saying that it will be a full house, with every ticket officially sold out in the 35000-capacity stadium.

While the prices are expected to only rise from here on, with the match scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 15, 2026, the business class fares have soared to approximately Rs 2,00,000, and with every passing moment, the chances of getting on a plane to reach Colombo as a last-minute arrangement to watch the match are out of the question. The Indian team and the Pakistan team are reportedly staying in different hotels, and all nearby hotels have been booked to capacity.

The Group A encounter between the two sub-continental giants has been valued at approximately USD 250 million, and India, historically, has been the better team by a country mile in the ICC events. On Sunday, it won’t be any different as the Men in Blue, having defeated the Men in Green, on as many as three occasions when they last met in the Asia Cup 2025, will again start as outright favourites to win the match.

T-shirts on the Olympics online store commemorating past venues include one for the 1936 Games in Berlin. Nazi Germany hosted both the Winter and Summer Olympics that year, as it was starting to ramp up its repression.

A commemorative T-shirt on the Olympics online store marking the 1936 Games in Berlin under Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist, or Nazi, government caught the eye of German media on Wednesday.

The shirt shows a man wearing a laurel wreath, the quadriga chariot drawn by four horses atop the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and core details like the dates and location of the Summer Games in the capital.

It’s part of a collection of shirts for each of the modern-era Games, but, nonetheless, references probably the most politically contentious ones.

There are no references to Hitler’s government or its symbols and iconography on the shirt.

Early TV and radio-era games, first Olympic torch relay
The Games had already been awarded to Germany before the Nazis came to power, but hosting both the winter and summer events in 1936 provided Hitler’s regime with a stage to showcase the government and country internationally.

Technological advancements like television and radio enabled the propaganda-reliant regime to double down on these efforts, with Joseph Goebbels paying particular attention to the event.

The 1936 Games included the first Olympic torch relay of the modern era, a fact that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) commemorated online in 2020 to considerable public backlash because it used Nazi propaganda footage to recall the event.

Berlin Games took place as repression was starting to scale up
The Nazis tried to put a respectable foot forward for the event, removing antisemitic slogans and graffiti from Berlin’s streets and shop windows, moving those it deemed “undesirables” out of the capital, and toning down the rhetoric in its racist newspaper Der Stürmer.

But, nevertheless, the first signs of the coming Holocaust and of Hitler’s ambitions for wars of conquest were starting to materialize for those watching Germany closely.

In the run-up to the Berlin Olympics in 1936, Nazi Germany remilitarized the Rhineland area on its western border, which its forces had been ordered to vacate after defeat in World War I. It implemented the “four-year plan” designed to prepare the economy and the military for war.

It stripped Roma and Jews of their voting rights that March, a month after the Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The leader of the SS black shirts, Heinrich Himmler, was named the chief of German police a few weeks before the summer’s Berlin Games.

Internationally, Hitler’s government signed its first treaties with future “Axis” allies Japan and Italy in 1936, and provided support to the nationalists under General Francisco Franco in Spain’s civil war.

Only a partial propaganda success for Hitler
The event did not prove satisfactory for Hitler.

Although Germany led the overall medal tally, the United States dominated some of the highest-profile track-and-field events at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Hitler had wanted to attend and award all German winners with their gold medals, but only the German winners. He was reprimanded by the IOC when he left the stadium to avoid shaking the hand of high jumper Cornelius Johnson as he won the first US gold medal.

The head of the IOC at the time told Hitler he could either congratulate all the gold medalists, or none, so the dictator elected to honor none for the remainder of the Games.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/olympics-t-shirt-marking-1936-berlin-games-raises-eyebrows/a-75909285

 

In a late night development PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi requested the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to withdraw the boycott.

The India vs Pakistan marquee clash in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 scheduled to be held on February 15 will go ahead as per schedule after Pakistan decided to reverse its earlier decision to boycott the game.

In a late night development Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi requested the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to withdraw the boycott of their T20 World Cup match against India after being persuaded to do so by his Bangladesh counterpart.

Bangladesh were ousted from the World Cup after refusing to play in India citing security concerns with Scotland replacing them.

“In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” the Pakistan government stated in a press release.

It was clear that the country would withdraw the call after Bangladesh Cricket Board chief Aminul Islam issued a statement urging Pakistan to take the field for the greater good of the game.

“…this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations,” the statement from Pakistan government added.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also received a call from Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who urged him to withdraw the boycott call.

“The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse.”

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/icc-t20-world-cup-pakistan-makes-a-u-turn-agrees-to-play-marquee-match-against-india-after-bangladeshs-nudge-3892604

 

India-Pakistan cricket row: Pakistan had earlier decided to boycott the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 clash against arch-rivals India, despite being warned by the ICC regarding the potential consequences.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has put forward three demands to end its ongoing impasse with the International Cricket Council (ICC), according to NDTV sources. Pakistan had earlier decided to boycott the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 clash against arch-rivals India, despite being warned by the ICC regarding the potential consequences. According to sources, the PCB placed three demands to break the deadlock during a meeting with ICC officials in Lahore on Sunday: (1) increased compensation for Bangladesh, (2) a participation fee for Bangladesh despite its T20 World Cup ouster, and (3) hosting rights for a future ICC event.

1. Increased compensation for Bangladesh: Bangladesh is seeking a higher financial share from the ICC to reflect its growing contribution to global cricket. The board argues that enhanced funding is essential for improving infrastructure, talent development, and the national team’s competitive standards.

2. Participation fee despite T20 World Cup ouster:  Even though Bangladesh exited early, the board wants the ICC to grant a guaranteed participation fee. They argue that teams invest heavily in preparation and deserve baseline financial security regardless of tournament performance.

3. Hosting rights for a future ICC event: Bangladesh is pushing for the opportunity to host an upcoming ICC tournament to boost its cricket economy and global visibility. The board believes the country now has the facilities and fan support necessary to successfully stage a major international event.

Mohsin Naqvi To Meet Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif

Sources also revealed that while some PCB officials are open to playing the match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, board chairman Mohsin Naqvi remains uncooperative on the matter. Naqvi is set to meet with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday to consult him once again before a final decision is reached.

The ICC removed Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup last month following its refusal to travel to India, citing security concerns. Despite the ICC’s assurance that there was no verifiable threat to the team, the BCB maintained its stance, forcing the ICC to replace them with Scotland.

Since then, Pakistan has thrown its weight behind Bangladesh. In addition to the ICC meeting, Naqvi and other PCB officials held a dialogue with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief Aminul Islam Bulbul regarding the impasse.

This sudden change in tone follows the ICC’s request for an explanation on how the force majeure clause could justify a refusal to play, especially after the PCB attempted to shift responsibility onto its government.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/pakistan-icc-deadlock-3-demands-placed-by-pcb-to-end-t20-world-cup-boycott-row-10971062?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

Siraj admitted he was left stunned when Suryakumar Yadav first called to tell him to get ready for a last-minute link-up with India’s T20 World Cup squad.

Mohammed Siraj justified his late inclusion in India’s T20 World Cup squad, drafted in after Harshit Rana’s injury, with a sensational spell in the tournament opener against the USA, giving the team management instant returns on their call. There was no hint of rustiness from Siraj, who returned figures of 3/29 and once again proved he’s always prepared to step up for the side. Drafted straight into the XI after Jasprit Bumrah missed out due to illness, he made an immediate impact, striking early blows to derail the USA’s chase.

Meanwhile, Siraj admitted he was left stunned when skipper Suryakumar Yadav first called to tell him to get ready for a last-minute link-up with India’s T20 World Cup squad. Recounting the whirlwind behind his sudden inclusion, the pacer spoke about initially brushing off Surya’s message as a joke — only for a follow-up call from the selectors to confirm that his unexpected return to the national setup was very real.

“Two days Surya bhai said: “Miyaan bags pack kaar aur aaja (Pack your bags and come (to Mumbai)). I told him “Bhai mazaak maat karo kyon ki yeh to honewala hain nahi (Brother please don’t joke as this won’t happen). But he said ‘mai sach keh raha hoon, ready ho ja’ (I am telling you the truth, get ready).

“Then (India selector Pragyan) Ojha bhai called me… Whatever the almighty has written, no one can change that,” an elated Siraj narrated his comeback story in the post-match presentation.

When asked about how he had planned for the break in February after playing a couple of Ranji Trophy matches for Hyderabad, Siraj said, “There is a Real Madrid game on 15th and I was going to watch it and after that Ramzan, but whatever the almighty has written…”

In fact, when the team’s S&C coach, Adrian Le Roux, had messaged him asking “what’s the plan”, Siraj had replied: “‘Don’t message me right now because I have played two four-day games and I need rest. I will see after this what the plan is.”

“I had understood that I won’t be a part of T20 WC squad”

Siraj admitted his late entry into India’s T20 World Cup squad still felt surreal, as he reflected on boarding the flight without ever expecting to be part of the tournament after being out of the T20I plans for much of the past year.

“It was feeling like a dream when I was on the flight, because I had not thought about playing in the World Cup,” Siraj said.

“The planning was going on for the last one year, those who were bound to play in this were getting the chances and since I had not played T20Is, I had understood that I won’t be a part of it,” he added.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/bhai-mazaak-maat-karo-mohammed-siraj-s-february-15-real-madrid-plans-flipped-after-dramatic-t20-world-cup-call-101770513577963.html

A warming climate and the use of artificial snow is making it more dangerous and difficult to compete at the Winter Olympics.

In the Italian Dolomites, snow machines will pump out a total of 50,000 cubic metres (1.76 million cubic feet) of artificial snow over the next two weeks, to ensure pristine conditions for the skiing and snowboarding events at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.

Situated at an altitude of 1,816m (5,958ft), Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites, has plenty of snowfall. Despite this, event organisers tell the BBC that artificial snow will account for 85% of total snow at the Games, “to guarantee athletes the highest-quality surface, ensuring fair and safe competition conditions throughout the entire event”.

But coaches, athletes and researchers have expressed concerns about the use of artificial snow, which they say is making snow sports more unpredictable and dangerous, increasing their risk of injury and making training more difficult and expensive.

It’s the difference between falling on the pavement and falling on grass – Madeleine Orr

The Indian U19 team led by Ayush Mhatre defeated England in the final of the 2026 World Cup to win their sixth title, the most in the history of the tournament.

Ayush Mhatre and his boys created history by defeating England in the U19 World Cup 2026 final at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe. India now have a record six U19 World Cup titles under their belt, the most in the history of the tournament. The Indian team, led by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s monumental 175, put on an epic show as they marched on to win the silverware.

India won the toss for the final and opted to bat first. They lost the hero from the semi-final, Aaron George early, but that did not stop them from blazing away to a dashing start. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi took the onus on himself to take India ahead in the competition.

Mhatre provided support to Sooryavanshi’s destruction

Sooryavanshi’s fireworks left the English team clueless, with the captain Thomas Rew looking for different plans to bring back some sanity into the progression of the game. But there was no stopping Sooryavanshi as he kept tumbling records while playing a destructive knock. The Indian captain, Ayush Mhatre played the perfect supporting role scoring 53 runs off 51 deliveries.

After the dismissal of Mhatre, Sooryavanshi unleashed hell on the English batters as he upped the scoring rate further. With the teen sensation at the crease, it looked like India would go past 500 by the end of their 50 overs. Things look all settled for Sooryavanshi to score a double hundred and take down many more records. However, Manny Lumsden ultimately ended Sooryavanshi’s craziness in the middle as the batter walked back after scoring 175 runs off just 80 deliveries.

After the departure of Sooryavanshi, there was another 50 runs partnership strengthening India’s position further in the game. However, soon after that England made a comeback and picked up three wickets in a span of just six runs. But the lower order batters in the Indian line-up showed enough resistance to take India’s score to a record 411/9 at the end of the 50 overs.

The chase was always going to be challenging given the scale of the chase. But England drew inspiration from how easily India chased down the 310 runs against Afghanistan in the semi-final at the same venue.

Ambrish provided India the first breakthrough, with England stationed at just 19. It looked like Mhatre and his boys would make light work of Rew and his mates. But Dawkins stood tall at one end, while Ben Mayes and Thomas Rew provided the firepower at the other end. However, the biggest positive for India was that they managed to pick up the key wickets at the correct stages.

Caleb Falconer stood tall under pressure

It was the 21st over of the chase that provided the swing in momentum in India’s favour. At the start of the over England were competing with the score past 170 and seven wickets still in the bank. But they lost the set Dawkins and Ralphine Albert in that over and India sensed the opportunity. The Boys in Blue picked up two more wickets conceding only three runs and took the punch out of England’s chase.

With seven wickets down for 177, India could see the end of the tunnel. It was at this stage that Caleb Falconer and James Minto decided to test India’s patience. While Falconer played some delightful shots, Minto kept rotating the strike. Their partnership increased the annoyance of the Indian team, with Falconer bringing up a brilliant half-century under pressure.

Source :https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/india-win-sixth-under-19-world-cup-after-vaibhav-sooryavanshi-s-once-in-a-lifetime-knock-destroys-england-101770386483027.html

Displaying absolute dominance, a Smriti Mandhana-inspired Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their second Women’s Premier League title with a six-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals

Displaying absolute dominance, a Smriti Mandhana-inspired Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their second Women’s Premier League title with a six-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals, who once again failed to seize the moment on the biggest stage despite playing in their fourth final, in Vadodara on Thursday. RCB captain Mandhana looked in imperious touch on her way to a magnificent 87 off 41 balls, while Georgia Voll smashed 79 off 54 deliveries during a 165-run stand for the second wicket with her skipper – a partnership that paved the way for a memorable title triumph.

This came after Delhi captain Jemimah Rodrigues rose to the occasion with a scintillating half-century and Chinelle Henry blazed away to a 15-ball 35 to lift DC to an imposing 203 for four.

Laura Wolvaardt (44 not out off 25) and Lizelle Lee (37 off 30) also scored briskly after DC were put in to bat. Rodrigues top-scored with 57 off 37 balls.

In reply, RCB completed the record chase with two balls to spare, joining Mumbai Indians as the most successful teams in the WPL. This is the highest target successfully chased in a WPL as well as Indian Premier League final.

In the stiff chase, RCB lost the big wicket of Grace Harris (9) early, but skipper Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll kept them in the contest by scoring freely and maintaining the required run rate.

Both Mandhana and Voll drove anything pitched up with ease and pulled and cut the short balls with authority as RCB reached exactly 100 at the halfway mark, requiring 104 runs off the remaining 60 balls.

Mandhana, having just struck two sixes, raced to her fifty in 23 balls with a sublime boundary off Sneh Rana.

Voll was also at her best at the other end, dispatching anything in her arc with utter disdain.

The equation came down to 54 off 36 balls after Mandhana smashed Shree Charani for two boundaries to take RCB to 150 in 14 overs.

The two continued to dominate until Voll gave her wicket away to Minnu Mani, raising DC’s hopes. However, RCB held their nerve to emerge winners.

Earlier, the Royal Challengers were on the money in the first three overs, with Lauren Bell and Sayali Satghare conceding just nine runs as Shafali Verma and Lee struggled to get enough width to free their arms.

However, the fourth over, bowled by Satghare, released the pressure as Lee clobbered a half-volley and a half-tracker for two successive sixes – one over long-off and the other over mid-wicket.

There was then an appeal for a stumping, thanks to Richa Ghosh’s sharp work, followed by Satghare failing to latch on to a tough caught-and-bowled chance – ending an eventful over that yielded 20 runs and gave the Capitals much-needed momentum after a sluggish start.

With DC reaching 36 after five overs, skipper Smriti Mandhana introduced Arundhati Reddy into the attack and Shafali immediately collected two fours. However, Reddy hit back with the wicket of Shafali, who gloved a short ball that Ghosh smartly held behind the stumps.

The classy Laura Wolvaardt began with an exquisite boundary before Lee welcomed off-spinner Shreyanka Patil into the attack with two fours and a six on the trot, lifting DC to 72 for one in seven overs.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/wpl-2026/smriti-mandhana-led-rcb-clinch-2nd-wpl-title-after-record-chase-vs-jemimah-rodrigues-delhi-capitals-10955137

 

The Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) has appealed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reconsider its boycott of the upcoming T20 World Cup match against India, scheduled for February 15, 2026. SLC President Shammi Silva expressed concerns over potential financial losses and broader economic impacts related to the event.

Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) has reportedly written to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), urging them to reconsider their decision to boycott the high-voltage India clash in the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on Sunday, February 15, 2026. It is learnt that the Sri Lanka Cricket President, Shammi Silva, reached out to PCB through a letter, stating that the board has been informed through several media reports about Pakistan’s selective participation in the marquee event, a decision that will directly impact the Sri Lankan Cricket Board and may have far reaching consequences, including huge financial losses, and a broader economic fallout.

The letter, as reported by newswire.lk, also went on to remind Pakistan that Sri Lanka didn’t hesitate to tour their country under “challenging and sensitive circumstances, including periods marked by serious security incidents, when other cricketing nations were hesitant to do so.” It further went on to highlight their long-standing relationship built on the foundations of mutual respect, and expected “the same spirit of reciprocity to prevail,” adding that security, neutrality, and professionalism will be of the highest standard.

An India vs Pakistan match is valued at approximately USD 250 million, and Sri Lanka, having made all the arrangements, including ticket sales and hotel booking, was expecting a huge tourism boost during that period, but that seems to have taken a significant hit after Pakistan decided to boycott the much-anticipated clash against India. Sources close to the development suggest that ever since the news broke out, there has been a significant rise in hotel cancellations, directly impacting the tourism industry.

According to a report by newswire.lk, the Sri Lankan board and the government understand the widespread impact a boycott could have, “affecting not only Sri Lanka Cricket but a broad range of stakeholders involved in ensuring the successful conduct of the tournament.”

The Sri Lankan Cricket Board concluded by stating that it expects Pakistan to keep in mind the stakeholders, millions of cricket fans worldwide, and the sanctity of the tournament, and requested the PCB to participate in all the matches in the T20 World Cup in Colombo. It also took into account the “unprecedented public interest and major commercial expectations” out of the India vs Pakistan match that saw a strong demand for tickets, all of which were subsequently sold out.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cricket/sri-lankas-appeal-to-pakistan-is-simple-amid-t20-world-cup-india-boycott-we-toured-when-rest-were-hesitant-article-153567144

India and Pakistan are scheduled to play the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group A match in Colombo on Sunday, February 15.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday (February 4) confirmed that the Pakistan men’s cricket team will not play their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against India. Archrivals India and Pakistan are scheduled to face each other in a Group A match of the upcoming T20 World Cup on February 15 in Colombo. But according to Sharif, Pakistan will not play against the Indian team because they (Pakistan) stand with Bangladesh, and there should be no politics on the sports field.

“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because Pakistan said this a field of sports, not politics. There should be no politics on the sports field. We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision,” Shehbaz said while addressing the cabinet in Pakistan on Wednesday.

Shehbaz’s statement comes a couple of days after it was reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused to formally inform the International Cricket Council (ICC) about their decision to boycott the Group A match against India.

“Pakistan will not send any formal email to the ICC regarding boycotting the T20 World Cup match against India,” sources told NDTV.

If PCB does not formally inform the global cricket body about their government’s decision, then the India-Pakistan match will remain active, and the drama over the boycott will go on for the coming days as well.

It was reported that the ICC is waiting for an official communication from the PCB, and the absence of any official communication will mean that the ICC may also have to wait before deciding its next course of action.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/well-not-play-against-india-pakistan-pm-shehbaz-sharif-on-ind-pak-t20-world-cup-2026-match-9880095.html

Hardik Pandya’s social media reflects his vibrant life, showcasing his journey from struggles to cricket stardom, highlighting his impact as a key all-rounder

Let’s start with Instagram because Hardik Pandya’s social media handle is a mirror to his everyday life. Whether it is him gyming, training, being out for a swim, playing with his son or chanting a bhajan, when Hardik is not on the field, he’s sharing his real life with the virtual world.

His fans love him for that. At last count, Hardik’s Instagram following of 45 million was nearly as strong as Rohit Sharma’s and only behind Virat Kohli among current cricketers. His package of tattoos, blonde hair, tank tops and self belief is tantalising to say the least.

Not everyone in Indian cricket appreciates his in-your-face persona though. Just the way it holds true in any corporate ladder, the flashy one is perceived not to be the responsible one. Hardik’s stint as India T20I captain proved to be short-lived. It may have hurt him, but Hardik has tried to stay true to himself. It’s a lesson he has learnt the hard way in his roller-coaster journey.

A lot of the Baroda all-rounder’s on-field success comes from his uninhibited approach to life. That’s also the way he plays his cricket. Hardik was so fond of hitting sixes in his younger days that they often ran out of balls at the Kiran More academy. Sticking to this template, Hardik grew to become India’s No 1 power hitter.

Returning to social media, Hardik is among the few public figures who uses his widely followed handle to revisit his early struggles. Last month, celebrating completion of a decade in international cricket, Hardik posted an old interview of him in dishevelled hair, reminiscing about his aspiration to play for India. “Ek Sapnu hatu (It was a dream), but I never thought it was going to happen,” he would say.

Now living his dream, Hardik does not want to let go of his past. Back then, he wanted to break free. Now, it fuels his desire to continue to excel. His past hardships keep him grounded. Hardik has often spoken in interviews how sport has given him an outlet of expression. When he was scouted by Mumbai Indians and picked in the 2015 IPL auction as a base price buy for ₹ 10 lakhs, he had never seen that much money. Cricket to him became a way to change his and his family’s life.

At 32, Hardik has been through so many twists and turns, from being disciplined for a faux pax at a talk show to being booed by his home IPL fans, that pressures of sport such as tense run chases and defending low totals do not faze him. His redemptive spirit was for all to see in the manner in which he was able to execute what he was tasked to bowl in the final over against South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final.

Hardik has polished his bowling skills on the job. That he can bowl across phases of a T20 game is down to his ability to upskill, a trait that often gets lost to his off-field gloss.

Batting came the most naturally to him. It’s when his batting sharpness saw a fall a few years back, that there were genuine fears, he may have been past his best. When Hardik was being given a hard time by Mumbai Indians fans’ his once batting partner and now coach Kieron Pollard predicted, “the world would sing Hardik’s praises when time comes”. Soon enough with Pollard watching from the opposition dug out for England, Hardik giving him a hard time in the 2024 World Cup semi-final. Hardik bowling the final over and completing a title triumph for India at Barbados was just the karmic cycle playing out.

Every few years, Hardik’s career has thrown up some curveballs. For a good couple of years in 2017-18, the all-rounder was caught up being the next Kapil Dev. When he delivered a 5-for in a Test match in England, India, starved of a pace all-rounder, became fully invested. Hardik’s body could not take the workload and after a few injury setbacks, he was firm he would be a white-ball cricketer, henceforth. So much so that when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play the World Test Championship final came up in 2021, he nipped the conversations in the bud. The only white-ball specialist to hold a Grade A national contract, and even the selectors have recognized that India does not have a dual-skilled cricketer of Hardik’s calibre.

If the last T20 World Cup was all about redemption for Hardik, the upcoming tourney could be his stage to stamp his authority as the format’s premier all-rounder.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/washington-blinks-new-delhi-benefits-101770134711120.html

Australian Open 2026 Men’s Singles Final Highlights, Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic: World World No. 1 Alcaraz handed Djokovic his first defeat in an Australian Open final to become the youngest men’s player to win a Career Grand Slam.

Carlos Alcaraz vs Novak Djokovic, Australian Open 2026 Men’s Singles Final Highlights: World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz defeated 10-time winner Novak Djokovic to win the Australian Open 2026 men’s singles crown at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Sunday. Alcaraz bounced back from a set down to beat Djokovic in four sets: 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. The Spaniard created history with the win, becoming the youngest-ever men’s player to win a Career Grand Slam (all four Grand Slam singles titles), at the age of 22. It is the seventh overall Grand Slam of his career. After 10 titles, Djokovic suffered defeat for the first time in an Australian Open final. The 38-year-old’s hunt for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam continues.

Pakistan will take part in this month’s men’s T20 World Cup – but will not play their scheduled match against tournament co-hosts India.

The country had been considering boycotting the competition after Bangladesh withdrew citing safety fears over travelling to India.

Political tensions have meant Pakistan and India have not faced each other outside men’s major tournaments since 2013, while India have not played in Pakistan since 2008.

The sides are scheduled to play in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in accordance with an agreement signed last year stating that the two countries will play at neutral venues whenever one of them hosts an ICC event.

In a statement, the Pakistan government said it “grants approval” to their team’s participation, but added “[the] Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India”.

However the International Cricket Council (ICC), which governs the sport, said Pakistan’s stance was “difficult to reconcile” and called on the country’s cricket chiefs to explore a “mutually acceptable resolution”.

In a statement, it said it was awaiting official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) but said “this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule.

“Selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.”

It said it “respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy” but continued: “This decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.”

It added that it hoped the PCB “will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country” and that it “expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution”.

The ICC has yet to publish its playing conditions for the tournament so it is not known what sanction Pakistan could face for boycotting the game.

However, the rules for the previous tournament stated: “If the match is decided by one side conceding defeat or refusing to play, the result shall be stated as Match Conceded or Match Awarded, as the case may be.”

Pakistan had previously announced their squad for the 20-team tournament, which begins on 7 February, but maintained participation was subject to government approval.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/c1klx44kjr2o

Novak Djokovic created history and broke multiple world records after a five-set thriller against Jannik Sinner to reach the final of the 2026 Australian Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion will play in his first major summit clash since the 2024 Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic pulled off one of the greatest performances of his career to reach his first major final since the 2024 Wimbledon after beating the double-defending champion Jannik Sinner at the Rod Laver Arena in a dramatic five-set thriller during the 2026 Australian Open semi-final in a match that lasted over four hours and nine minutes by a margin of 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

The Serbian extended his record and played a 38th Grand Slam final, which is the most by any player. He will aim to win a 25th Grand Slam title against Carlos Alcaraz, which will make him the most decorated singles player in tennis history (men or women). The Serbian will play a 11th Australian Open final and won on all 10 occasions in the past.

Pakistan could end up facing a USD 38 million legal battle with the broadcaster if they decide to boycott the India match in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.

While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, may succeed in the arena of appeasement politics, potentially garnering support for his role as the country’s Interior Minister, speculation regarding a potential boycott of the T20 World Cup, or specifically the match against India, remains futile. Although Pakistan has already announced its squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, the management is currently awaiting government clearance for participation in the biennial event. Naqvi held a meeting with the Pakistan Prime Minister on Monday to deliberate on this participation. However, any form of boycott, whether of the tournament or the individual fixture against India, would likely result in the PCB being sued by the broadcaster.

Consistent with all other participating boards, the PCB has formalised its commitment to International Cricket Council (ICC) events through the Member Participation Agreement. As this is a legally binding document, any breach would trigger significant sanctions from the sport’s governing body. Furthermore, should Pakistan forfeit the fixture against India, it is highly probable that the host broadcaster will initiate legal proceedings against the PCB to seek substantial compensation.

According to a report by RevSportz, approximately $38 million is directly contingent upon that specific match through advertising slots, branded programming, and sponsorship integrations. Ultimately, the PCB would be forced to navigate severe legal repercussions should it decide to skip the India match.

Meeting with the Prime Minister

In an effort to finalise Pakistan’s stance on T20 World Cup 2026 participation, Naqvi met with Shehbaz Sharif on Monday. However, the PCB Chairman later stated via social media that a final decision will be reached either this Friday or next Monday.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/pakistan-staring-at-38-million-lawsuit-over-india-match-boycott-talks-in-t20-world-cup-10892185

Manoj Tiwary reckons that the BCCI will take the tough call of sacking Gautam Gambhir if the T20 World Cup title defence doesn’t go according to plan.

Former India batter Manoj Tiwary reckons the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will take the tough call of sacking head coach Gautam Gambhir if the T20 World Cup title defence doesn’t go according to plan and the side fails to win the title on home soil. Under Gambhir, India are yet to lose a single bilateral series in the T20 format; however, the pressure is firmly on the former India opening batter considering the team’s dwindling returns in the other two formats – Tests and ODIs.

Ever since Gambhir took over as the head coach in July 2024, India have lost two home Test series against New Zealand and South Africa. Not just this, India recently went down to a depleted Kiwi lineup in the three-match ODI series. Hence, the T20 World Cup is of utmost importance to Gambhir, and a campaign that goes south may not yield good results for the current coach’s future.

Tiwary, who has been a vocal critic of Gambhir and his coaching methods, said that the two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champion might be axed if Suryakumar Yadav and his team are unable to win the 20-team competition, which gets underway on February 7.

“If India doesn’t win the T20 World Cup, then I think that the BCCI should take a big and difficult decision regarding Gautam Gambhir. The BCCI secretary has already stated that Gambhir will continue until his contract expires, and there is no question of removing him,” Tiwary told InsideSport.

“But I think the 2026 T20 World Cup, if the result doesn’t come in this and then the BCCI will remove him and take a big call,” he added.

India are placed in Group A for the T20 World Cup alongside Pakistan, Namibia, Netherlands and the USA. The hosts will begin their title defence on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium against the US.

BCCI should convince Laxman

Tiwary also believes that the BCCI should look to convince former India batter VVS Laxman to take up the role of the head coach if Gambhir is shown the door in the future. It is worth mentioning that Laxman used to accompany the senior men’s team on tours whenever the previous coach, Rahul Dravid, was unavailable.

Tiwary reckons Laxman has all the experience in the world hence he should be the ideal man to take the reins over from Gambhir.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/bcci-will-remove-gautam-gambhir-if-india-doesnt-win-t20-world-cup-head-coach-handed-ultimate-challenge-101769514892816.html

 

Cricket Scotland’s chief executive, Trudy Lindblade, expressed her sympathy for Bangladesh after the International Cricket Council (ICC) removed Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup 2026.

Cricket Scotland’s chief executive, Trudy Lindblade, expressed her sympathy for Bangladesh after the International Cricket Council (ICC) removed Bangladesh and added Scotland to the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, starting February 7 in Sri Lanka and India. “We certainly have (sympathy) for the Bangladesh team,” Trudy Lindblade said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “Obviously, this is not how we wanted to go to a World Cup. There is a qualification process, and nobody wants to qualify or attend or be invited to a World Cup in the way that we have done. We acknowledge it is certainly unique circumstances by our participation, and we do feel for the Bangladesh players,” she added.

When asked about receiving criticism after qualifying for the T20 World Cup, Lindblade said, “I wouldn’t use those words. People will have their views, and they are entitled to their views. All we know is that we have been invited to participate in the World Cup. We are a team that is ranked 14th in the world. We are also a strong team that plays consistently throughout the year.

“That World Cup [qualifier] for us was not how we normally play, and therefore we are just pleased to be at this World Cup… We are happy to step in, although it is unique and challenging circumstances, and we absolutely recognise that,” she added.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday announced that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, following the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) refusal to participate in the tournament per the published match schedule.

The announcement came after the ICC, in the absence of any credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team in India, rejected the BCB’s demand to move its matches from India to Sri Lanka, in the 20-team tournament to be played from February 7 to March 8, a release said.

The decision followed an extensive process undertaken by the ICC to address concerns raised by the BCB regarding the hosting of its scheduled matches in India. Over a period of more than three weeks, the ICC engaged with the BCB through multiple rounds of dialogue conducted in a transparent and constructive manner, including meetings held both via video conference and in-person.

As part of this process, the ICC reviewed the concerns cited by the BCB, commissioned and considered independent security assessments from internal and external experts, and shared detailed security and operational plans covering federal and state arrangements, as well as enhanced and escalating security protocols for the event. These assurances were reiterated at several stages, including during discussions involving the ICC Business Corporation (IBC) Board, the release said.

The ICC’s assessments concluded that there was no credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team, its officials, or its supporters in India. In light of these findings, and after careful consideration of the broader implications, the ICC determined that it was not appropriate to amend the published event schedule. The ICC also noted the importance of preserving the integrity and sanctity of the tournament schedule, safeguarding the interests of all participating teams and fans, and avoiding the establishment of precedents that could undermine the neutrality and fairness of ICC events.

Following its Wednesday meeting, the IBC Board requested that the BCB confirm, within 24 hours, whether Bangladesh would participate in the tournament as scheduled. As no confirmation was received within the stipulated deadline, the ICC proceeded in line with its established governance and qualification processes to identify a replacement team.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/not-how-we-wanted-to-go-scotland-break-silence-on-bangladeshs-removal-from-t20-world-cup-2026-10889237

Nazmul Islam was removed as the finance committee chairman in the Bangladesh Cricket Board over his ‘India agent’ dig at former captain Tamim Iqbal.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have reinstated director M Nazmul Islam as finance committee chairman, according to The Daily Star. The development comes after the International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh with Scotland for the upcoming T20 Men’s World Cup 2026, which starts on February 7. “We had given our observation to the board, and the board made the call,” BCB disciplinary committee chairman Faiazur Rahman informed The Daily Star. Earlier, on January 18, Nazmul replied to the board’s show-cause notice a day after the deadline. The BCB disciplinary committee had previously found his reply to be positive and satisfactory but did not divulge its contents, according to The Daily Star.

Earlier, BCB Media Committee Chairman Amzad Hussain confirmed that the board will not challenge the ICC decision to replace them with Scotland in the T20 World Cup 2026.

Amzad Hussain made the announcement following a board meeting in Dhaka on Saturday. The news comes after reports stated that the BCB had requested the ICC’s dispute resolution committee to look into the matter, but Hussain cleared the air, stating that no such measures had been taken.

“We have accepted the decision of the ICC board. Since the ICC has said that we cannot go and play or they cannot shift our games to Sri Lanka, in this case we cannot go and play in India. Our position remains the same. We are not going to any separate arbitration or anything here,” Amzad said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/bangladeshs-dramatic-u-turn-after-t20-world-cup-exit-controversial-director-nazmul-islam-reinstated-10884612?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories

Mohsin Naqvi said a final decision will be announced by Monday, but a boycott of the T20 World Cup is unlikely to materialise.

After days of chaos and boycott threats from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in purported solidarity with Bangladesh, the issue now appears to be losing momentum. PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has said a final decision will be announced by Monday, but media reports suggest that a boycott of the T20 World Cup, or even the high-profile match against India, is unlikely to materialise.

Naqvi met Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday and placed all options on the table, with a final decision expected by the start of next week.

“Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options open. It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday,” the PCB chief said in a social media post.

Hours before the post, speculation was rife in Pakistani media that the government was unlikely to allow the team to participate in the World Cup, in retaliation for the ICC’s handling of Bangladesh earlier this month. Multiple reports also suggested that, should Pakistan take part, the board could resort to symbolic gestures — including a possible boycott of the February 15 Group A match against India.

However, according to a Cricbuzz report, the prevailing view is that such steps are unlikely, with Pakistan having been made aware of the severe sanctions that could follow. Any boycott would constitute a breach of the participation agreement signed with the ICC, potentially inviting punishments such as suspension from global and Asia Cup tournaments, as well as the withdrawal of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for overseas players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Moreover, Pakistan have little ground to justify a boycott of either the World Cup or the India match, given that they are scheduled to play at a venue of their own choosing.

The other factor working against Pakistan is that the ICC is reportedly contemplating the option of recalling Bangladesh for the World Cup should the Salman Ali Agha-led side not travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/pakistan-unlikely-to-boycott-t20-world-cup-or-india-clash-as-icc-agreement-corners-pcb-report-101769478186467.html

The International Cricket Council has warned Pakistan of total isolation over its threat to withdraw from T20 World Cup in solidarity with Bangladesh. Sanctions like no bilateral series, Asia Cup exclusion, no NOCs for PSL overseas players could be handed.

As the deadline for the 2026 T20 World Cup approaches, the relationship between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has reached a breaking point. Following inflammatory comments from PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and a potential boycott in solidarity with Bangladesh, reports suggest Pakistan could face unprecedented sanctions that would alter the landscape of its international cricket. The friction began when Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, accused the ICC of “double standards.” Naqvi’s comments stem from the ICC’s refusal to relocate Bangladesh’s matches out of India, despite having previously allowed a “hybrid model” for Pakistan’s matches.

Sources have told NDTV that the ICC is “unhappy” with Naqvi’s confrontational approach, which includes an alleged solidarity pact with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). By publicly challenging the ICC’s authority and suggesting Pakistan may withdraw from the T20 World Cup, Naqvi has miffed the sport’s global governing body.

If Pakistan follows through with its withdrawal, the ICC is reportedly prepared to impose unprecedented sanctions that could result in total cricketing isolation. These measures include a potential suspension of all bilateral series, exclusion from the Asia Cup, and a coordinated “No NOC” policy among member boards to prevent foreign stars from participating in the PSL. Such sanctions would not only cripple the PCB’s primary revenue streams but also devastate the commercial value of Pakistan’s domestic cricket, leaving the national team with no international fixtures outside of major ICC events.

What Mohsin Naqvi Said on Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup Exit

While Pakistan has not yet pulled out of the T20 World Cup in solidarity with Bangladesh, Naqvi has stated that a final decision will be made by Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. In fact, he even urged other cricket boards to back Bangladesh’s stance the way Pakistan did.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/icc-warns-pakistan-with-total-isolation-over-t20-world-cup-threats-sources-10880899

Bangladesh’s inability to feature in the T20 World Cup 2026 has received a strong reaction from the World Cricketers’ Association.

Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 exit was confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday, with the sport’s global governing body announcing the inclusion of Scotland as a replacement team. This bold decision was taken by the ICC after the Bangladesh cricket team failed to receive approval from its government to travel to India for the tournament. The Bangladesh government refused to budge on its stance, requesting that the team’s matches be moved to Sri Lanka; however, with the tournament only a couple of weeks away, the ICC turned down the request.

Bangladesh’s refusal to play in India came despite the players adopting a clear position, expressing their willingness to participate in a T20 World Cup for which the national team had been preparing for months, if not years. The development, consequently, has left the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) in a sorry state.

In a statement, the WCA said:

“The withdrawal of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup, and the resulting absence of a valued cricketing nation from cricket’s pinnacle international T20 event, is a sad moment for our sport, the Bangladeshi players, and the fans. It is a situation that requires deep reflection.

“Cricket is at its strongest when every team and every player is treated with respect, supported appropriately and consistently, and able to participate on fair terms. The game is at its best when all participants are genuine contributors to its success.

“In recent times, the WCA has become increasingly concerned by broader trends in the sport, including agreements not being honoured, rights being eroded, and a lack of meaningful consultation with players and their representatives. All of this amounts to a careless approach to people that should not belong in cricket. It also highlights significant issues with the game’s existing operating model at a global level. These issues, if left unaddressed, will weaken trust, unity, and ultimately the health and future of the game we love.

“This moment provides an opportunity for reflection across cricket. Rather than allowing division or exclusion to take hold, we call on the game’s leaders to work with all stakeholders-including governing bodies, leagues, and players-to unite the sport, not divide it, in the shared interest of the game’s long-term health and success.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/bangladeshs-t20-world-cup-axe-requires-deep-reflection-world-cricketers-association-10881084

Delhi Capitals notched a comprehensive seven-wicket win over table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru to stay in contention for the playoffs of the Women’s Premier League in Vadodara on Saturday.

Delhi Capitals notched a comprehensive seven-wicket win over table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru to stay in contention for the playoffs of the Women’s Premier League in Vadodara on Saturday. After opting to field, Delhi produced a clinical bowling show to dismiss RCB for 109 in 20 overs, and chased down the modest target with 26 balls to spare to hand their opponents first defeat of the season. Laura Wolvaardt top scored with a 38-ball 42 not out while captain Jemimah Rodrigues chipped in with 24, as Delhi Capitals reached 111 for 3 in 15.4 overs.

DC did not start the chase so well as they were reduced to 24 for 2 in the fourth over with openers Shafali Verma (16) and Lizelle Lee (6) getting out cheaply.

But a 52-run partnership for the third wicket between Rodrigues and Wolvaardt took DC towards the win. Rodrigues faced 26 balls for her 24 and hit four boundaries. Wolvaardt hit four boundaries and one six in her 38-ball unbeaten knock.

Marizanne Kapp, who struck 19 not out off 15 balls, hit a four off Shreyanka Patil for the winning runs.

Sayali Satghare was the most successful RCB bowler with 2/18 while Radha Yadav got one wicket.

After Saturday’s win, DC jumped to second spot with six points while RCB remained on top with 10 points.

Earlier, Delhi Capitals produced a disciplined bowling show to bowl RCB out for 109.

Sent in to bat, captain Smriti Mandhana top scored for RCB with a 34-ball 38 with the help of six fours and one six, but all her other teammates struggled.

Radha Yadav was the next highest scorer with 17-ball 18 as eight batters fell for single-digit scores with the DC bowlers stifling them all through.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/wpl-2026/delhi-capitals-beat-royal-challengers-bengaluru-to-jump-to-second-spot-in-wpl-2026-10879942

Thomas Frank’s job is under renewed threat after Tottenham dropped more points in a 2-2 draw at relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday as Manchester City cut the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to four points.

Thomas Frank’s job is under renewed threat after Tottenham dropped more points in a 2-2 draw at relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday as Manchester City cut the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to four points. Disgruntled Spurs fans vented their anger at their manager after last week’s damaging 2-1 defeat against West Ham, chanting: “You’re getting sacked in the morning.” The former Brentford boss breathed a sigh of relief after a 2-0 midweek win against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

But Tottenham travelled to Turf Moor in desperate need of a win in the Premier League after just two victories in 13 league games.

The visitors dominated the first half and deservedly led when Micky van de Ven produced a powerful left-footed strike after Burnley failed to clear.

But they conceded moments before half-time when defender Axel Tuanzebe side-footed home a Kyle Walker cross and worse was to follow for the visitors when Lyle Foster put Burnley ahead in the 76th minute.

In a nail-biting finale, Xavi Simons rattled the crossbar for Spurs before captain Cristian Romero headed home a leveller in the 90th minute.

The draw leaves Spurs 13th in the table.

City close gap

Pep Guardiola’s City came into the match at the Etihad without a win in four league games in 2026 and smarting after an embarrassing 3-1 Champions League defeat at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt.

Erling Haaland was left on the bench after just one goal in five league matches, with Guardiola explaining his star forward needed to “clean a little bit his mind and body”.

Centre-back Marc Guehi made his debut five days after his move from Crystal Palace, easing City’s crippling defensive crisis that has claimed John Stones, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol.

Egypt forward Omar Marmoush put the home side ahead in the sixth minute, finishing sharply from a Matheus Nunes cross for his first Premier League goal of the season.

City made it 2-0 shortly before half-time when Antoine Semenyo scored his third goal for the club in all competitions since arriving at the Etihad from Bournemouth earlier this month.

The win lifts City to 46 points — four behind Arsenal, who host Michael Carrick’s Manchester United on Sunday.

But bottom club Wolves, 14 points from safety, appear to be doomed despite a recent uptick in results.

Fulham came back from a goal down to beat Brighton 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

Samuel Chukwueze cancelled out Yasin Ayari’s spectacular first-half strike for the visitors and Harry Wilson grabbed a winner in stoppage time.

Earlier, West Ham blew Sunderland away 3-1 to make it two wins out of two and climb to within two points of Premier League safety.

The home side effectively had the game sewn up by half-time after Crysencio Summerville’s opener, Jarrod Bowen’s penalty and a long-range rocket from Mateus Fernandes.

Nuno Espirito Santo said West Ham still needed new signings in the January transfer window to maintain their survival bid.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/english-premier-league/tottenham-hotspur-slip-at-burnley-increases-pressure-on-thomas-frank-manchester-city-win-10879876

Bangladesh will boycott next month’s men’s T20 World Cup and have been replaced by Scotland.

Scotland, ranked 14 in the world, have been called up by the International Cricket Council (ICC) by virtue of being the highest-ranked team not already at the tournament and will take Bangladesh’s place in Group C.

Bangladesh had asked for their games to be switched from India citing safety concerns amid growing tensions between the countries and demanded to play them in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament, instead.

This week the ICC rejected Bangladesh’s request, saying there was an “absence of any credible security threat” before the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) subsequently reaffirmed its position.

In a statement released on Saturday, the ICC said it had “engaged with the BCB through multiple rounds of dialogue conducted in a transparent and constructive manner”.

The ICC board said the BCB was given a final 24 hours to confirm its team would travel to India.

That deadline passed and ICC officials decided to press ahead with an alternative plan to invite Scotland to participate instead.

“In light of these findings, and after careful consideration of the broader implications, the ICC determined that it was not appropriate to amend the published event schedule,” the statement added.

The ICC also said it was keen not to establish “precedents that could undermine the neutrality and fairness of ICC events”.

Cricket Scotland officials had been closely monitoring developments for the past few weeks and it is understood that internally they have taken some operational steps to prepare for this scenario.

Scotland’s players were already back in training as they had been preparing for a one-day international tri-series with Namibia and Oman in Windhoek in March.

Nevertheless it will be a tight turnaround for Scotland’s players to obtain visas to enter India with their first match scheduled to be on the opening day of the tournament, against West Indies in Kolkata on 7 February.

Also in Scotland’s group are England – who they face in Kolkata on 14 February – plus Italy and Nepal.

A fourth-place finish at last summer’s Europe Qualifier had looked to have cost Scotland a place at the 2026 T20 World Cup as the Netherlands and Italy secured the two spots on offer for the region.

Zimbabwe withdrew from the 2009 T20 World Cup – then known as the World T20 – in England for political reasons and were replaced by Scotland who were the ‘next best’ team in a pre-tournament global qualifying event.

But with qualifying for T20 World Cups, which were expanded to 20 teams in 2024, now done on a regional basis it is not quite so straightforward and this was a discretionary decision by the ICC based on rankings.

Trudy Lindblade, Cricket Scotland chief executive, said: “We are grateful to the ICC for extending this invite. This is an exciting opportunity for Scotland’s players to compete on the global stage in front of millions of supporters.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/cp801njpr8zo

Bangladesh have decided not to travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, citing security concerns.

Bangladesh have decided not to travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, citing security concerns. They took the decision after the International Cricket Council (ICC) denied their request to shift their matches out of India. Bangladesh wanted their games to be moved to Sri Lanka, who are co-hosts of the tournament. After the ICC’s response, Bangladesh remained firm on their stance. As they stay hopeful and expect the ICC to reconsider their request, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has given a big statement.

He said that Pakistan should come in support of Bangladesh and skip the T20 mega event, even if it costs them dearly.

“If Pakistan and India don’t happen, 50 per cent of your World Cup is gone. This is a great opportunity to challenge the existing cricket order. Pakistan should say they stand with Bangladesh and refuse to play the T20 World Cup. This is the time to take a stand. You need a strong heart to do it,” Latif said on the YouTube channel CaughtBehindShow, as quoted by The Indian Express.

Last year, India decided not to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. As a result, their matches were shifted to Dubai. The ICC concluded that both sides will play their matches at neutral venues during its tournaments until 2028.

Latif backed Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup stance and added that Pakistan would not get a better opportunity.

“It doesn’t feel like a good decision. Today, the ICC says there is no danger to Bangladeshi players in India. No agency in the world can say there is no danger – how can the ICC say that? Even in the most secure places, no one can give such a guarantee. Hopefully, nothing happens to any team,” he said.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/pakistan-advised-to-pull-out-of-t20-world-cup-after-icc-rejects-bangladeshs-request-for-venue-change-10831696

Bangladesh on Thursday refused to travel to India for the marquee tournament, a day after the ICC rejected their request to shift their matches to a neutral venue.

Bangladesh has accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of double standards after the governing body rejected its request to shift its T20 World Cup matches from India. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday refused to travel to India for the marquee tournament, starting February 7, citing security concerns. Speaking at a press conference in Dhaka, BCB President Aminul Islam revealed that the ICC presented them with past instances of teams like Australia, the West Indies, New Zealand, and England forfeiting their games by refusing to play at certain venues during the 1996 and 2003 ODI World Cups.

He added that the BCB countered this by citing the example of the 2025 Champions Trophy, where India played its matches in Dubai after refusing to travel to Pakistan, also due to security concerns.

“The ICC tried to tell us about incidents in 1996 and 2003, but we pointed out their recent steps in a similar matter. When a country refused to travel to another country for the Champions Trophy last February, the ICC organized a neutral venue for them. That team played all its Champions Trophy matches in that neutral venue. They played at one ground and stayed in one hotel. It was a privilege,” said Aminul.

Aminul argued that since Sri Lanka is a co-host under the hybrid model, Bangladesh should have also been given the privilege of playing its matches at a neutral venue.

“We are calling Sri Lanka co-hosts, but they are not truly co-hosting. Sri Lanka is part of a hybrid model where only one country is scheduled to play. We indicated to the ICC that since our government is reluctant [to let us play in India], we want to exercise that same option. Still, they denied our request. We will communicate with the ICC today. We are ready to play the World Cup in Sri Lanka; we simply do not want to play in India,” he added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/icc-accused-of-double-standards-bangladesh-sends-india-privilege-reminder-10837220

Bangladesh T20 World Cup Participation Controversy: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday rejected Bangladesh’s request to move their T20 World Cup match from India.

Bangladesh T20 World Cup Participation Controversy Highlights: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday rejected Bangladesh’s request to move their T20 World Cup match from India. According to NDTV sources, the ICC, led by Jay Shah, has given the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) a 24-hour deadline to confirm their participation. If the BCB doesn’t confirm their participation by tomorrow, they will be removed from the tournament and replaced by Scotland. The decision was taken following an ICC board meeting on Wednesday.

Bangladesh sports advisor Asif Nazrul warns ICC against BCCI pressure, rejects venue conditions for T20 World Cup.

Bangladesh’s sports advisor Asif Nazrul on Tuesday said that if the International Cricket Council ‘bows to pressure’ from BCCI and tries to impose pressure on the Bangladesh Cricket Board by setting unreasonable conditions, the country will not accept those.

Asif also dismissed speculation that Scotland could replace Bangladesh in the showpiece if they opt out, reiterating that the team is refusing to play in India over security concerns and has asked the ICC to move its games to co-host Sri Lanka.

Over the weekend, the BCB held talks with ICC officials in Dhaka to resolve the impasse, but no agreement was reached after the board requested a venue change, citing the BCCI’s directive to IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman amidst prevailing political tensions between the two nations.

According to a report in Cricbuzz, ICC has set January 21 as the deadline to resolve the matter, as they are running out of time.

If Bangladesh were to be replaced by Scotland, the highest-ranked team that couldn’t qualify, they would need to be given at least 15 days to prepare.

“I am not aware that Scotland will be included in our place (in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup). If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian Cricket Board and tries to impose pressure on us by setting unreasonable conditions, we will not accept those conditions,” Nazrul said while speaking to the media.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/bangladesh-stand-firm-on-t20-world-cup-participation-stance-we-will-not-accept-ws-l-9844180.html

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not held any talks with Scotland about possibly replacing Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup 2026, according to a report.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has not held any talks with Scotland about possibly replacing Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup 2026, according to a report by BBC. Media reports claimed that the ICC has asked Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on decide on their World Cup participation by January 21, and if they refuse to travel to India, Scotland will be included as the replacement. Earlier, Bangladesh requested the ICC to shift their matches from India to Sri Lanka citing ‘security concerns’. Scotland are the highest-ranked side not taking part in the competition and according to the media reports, they will be the ones who can replace Bangladesh if the ICC decides to take that step.

However, BBC reported that the ICC has not contacted Cricket Scotland regarding any such decision. Sctoland cricket officials are also not planning to initiate any talks with ICC “out of respect to their counterparts at the Bangladesh Cricket Board”.

Back in 2009, Zimbabwe withdrew from the T20 World Cup in England for political reasons and were replaced by Scotland who were the ‘next best’ team in a global qualifying tournament.

Despite the back and forth between ICC and BCB, no solution has been found to the crisis that was triggered by the removal of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the 2026 Indian Premier League on BCCI’s instructions for unspecified “developments all around.” “The BCB officials have been told to decide on the participation by January 21. If they refuse to travel to India, then they should be ready to be replaced by another team as per rankings,” said an ICC source.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/scotland-react-to-possibly-replacing-bangladesh-in-t20-world-cup-2026-amid-ongoing-controversy-10788541

Saina Nehwal opened up on her plans and broke her silence on her absence from the badminton court for three years. The London Olympics bronze medalist opened up speculation over her retirement. Nehwal last played a competitive match in June 2023.

Saina Nehwal ended the speculation over her playing future amid rumours of her retiring from the sport, following a long hiatus from the sport. The Indian sporting legend has not stepped on the court for a competitive match since June 2023 during the Singapore Open, but has not made any announcement on her plans for the future.

Saina finally opened up about her absence and confirmed that she has retired from the sport. The 35-year-old explained that injuries had made it difficult for her to continue playing despite her best efforts. She claimed that she had informed her close ones that her playing career is over and did not feel the need to make a public announcement.

“No, no, I have stopped playing. I have stopped playing 2 years back actually. I used to think that I entered with my own will and left with my own will, so there is no need to announce much. You are not capable of playing anymore, that’s it, it’s fine. Your cartilage has totally degenerated. Arthritis has happened. That’s what my parents needed to know that. My coaches needed to know that. And I just told them that I might not be able to do it. It’s difficult and slowly people will also know when I am not in the circuit that Saina is not playing,” said Saina in an interaction with Subhojit Ghosh.

“Obviously, but I didn’t think that it is such a big matter to say that I am retiring or anything. But I just thought that my time is up because I can’t push much. My knee is not able to push as much as before. You train for 8-9 hours to be the best in the world. Now my knee was giving up in 1-2 hours because it was swelling and it was very tough for me to push after that. So I thought that it’s enough, I can’t push it anymore,” she added.

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Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/badminton/saina-nehwal-breaks-silence-on-3-year-absence-amid-retirement-talk-makes-shock-not-capable-anymore-confession-article-153474362 

The Pakistan Cricket Board paused T20 World Cup 2026 preparations, backing Bangladesh’s demand to move matches from India. ICC’s decision on Bangladesh’s request is awaited.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has halted its team’s preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held next month in India and Sri Lanka, in line with its threat to withdraw from the tournament in support of Bangladesh’s demand to move its matches out of India.

Following Pakistan’s threat to pull out of the T20 World Cup if Bangladesh’s demand to relocate its matches was not met, the PCB instructed its team to ease up on preparations for the event.

“All preparations for the national team ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 have been put on hold, with the team management being briefed about the plans,” top PCB sources told www.telecomasia.net.

On Saturday, during a discussion between Dhaka and Islamabad, Pakistan expressed its full support for Bangladesh’s decision not to travel to India due to security concerns. Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chairman, who also serves as Pakistan’s Interior Minister and a Senator, played a key role in these talks.

“Naqvi participated in the discussions between the Pakistani and Bangladeshi governments, affirming that Pakistan fully supports Bangladesh and would reconsider its own participation in the event if Bangladesh’s demands are not met,” sources told www.telecomasia.net.

Sources indicated that the PCB has informed the government that withdrawing from the tournament would be challenging, as it would require presenting the government’s advice and a valid reason. Failure to provide a valid reason could result in a fine of up to two million dollars for breaching the Member’s Participation Agreement, which all members sign with the ICC.

The PCB has also offered to host Bangladesh’s fixtures if Sri Lanka’s venues are unavailable.

Bangladesh has requested that its matches be relocated to Sri Lanka after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked the Kolkata Knight Riders to release pacer Mustafizur Rahman from his contract for the upcoming IPL 2026.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to make a final decision on Bangladesh’s request by January 21. This follows a meeting between the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board, where both parties maintained their positions.

Bangladesh also proposed swapping places with Ireland, which plays its group matches in Sri Lanka, to move to Group B. However, the ICC has reportedly assured Ireland that no such move will occur.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/mohsin-naqvi-ensures-full-support-to-bangladesh-pakistan-pakistan-halts-world-cup-preps-report-ws-l-9842591.html

Shubman Gill’s captaincy received criticism from former India player Ajinkya Rahane, as New Zealand posted 338 in the third ODI.

Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips smashed spectacular centuries as New Zealand piled up a massive total of 338 against India in the third ODI in Indore on Sunday. Despite taking two wickets in the first two overs, India failed to capitalize on the early momentum, as Mitchell and Phillips stitched a 219-run partnership, batting together for nearly 30 overs. At the mid-innings break, former India Test captain Ajinkya Rahane criticised Shubman Gill’s captaincy, stating that he had missed a trick on the field. In an interesting turn of events, India spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja only bowled six overs each, with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy bowling eight overs in the middle despite not picking up a wicket.

“Personally, I think Shubman missed a trick by bowling only three overs of Kuldeep in the middle overs, and then he was waiting till the 37th-38th over. Even Jadeja being held back till the 30th over, those are the guys who can get you the wickets. That is where India went slightly wrong,” Rahane said, speaking on Cricbuzz.

Legendary India pacer Zaheer Khan expanded on Rahane’s criticism, stating that Jadeja, in particular, should’ve been bowled earlier.

“More than Kuldeep, it is Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion in the bowling attack very late that was the problem. Maybe the thought was to give Nitish Reddy a bit more game time and overs under his belt in a match situation, but because of that, you get a bit hamstrung with your options,” Zaheer added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-new-zealand-2026/former-india-captain-ajinkya-rahane-tears-shubman-gill-apart-points-out-major-mistake-in-3rd-odi-missed-a-trick-10775040

Turkish qualifier Zeynep Sonmez paused her opening-round match at the Australian Open to help a fainting ball girl, before securing a three-set win on Sunday, January 18. Sonmez created history with her win, but it was her selfless act that won hearts of the fans.

Turkiye’s Zeynep Sonmez progressed to the second round of the Australian Open after a dramatic first-round encounter that saw her provide immediate assistance to a ball girl who collapsed during the match. In a contest marked by soaring temperatures in Melbourne, Sonmez, ranked 112th in the world, stopped play in the second set to help the unwell ball girl, drawing widespread appreciation from both the crowd and the tennis community.

The Turkish player ultimately prevailed over Russia’s 11th seed, Ekaterina Alexandrova, with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 scoreline, becoming the first woman from Turkiye to reach the second round of the year’s opening Grand Slam.

As play paused, spectators watched as Sonmez ran towards the ball girl when she fell beside the chair umpire. The girl tried to regain her footing but stumbled again. Sonmez placed the girl’s arm over her own shoulder and guided her to a seat for medical attention. The intervention was met by applause from the crowd, who witnessed both competitive spirit and sportsmanship.

Despite the interruption and losing the second set, Sonmez kept her composure to secure the match. Her reaction to the incident was clear.

“I always say it’s more important to be a good human being than a good tennis player. It was just my instinct to help her and everyone would do the same. I’m happy I got to help,” told Sonmez to BBC.

Organisers later confirmed the ball girl had returned home after treatment.

Sonmez’s victory capped a milestone moment, as she waved to supporters and left the court wrapped in the Turkish flag, with fans celebrating her achievement in the stands of the 1573 Arena at Melbourne Park. When asked about the ball girl, Sonmez added,

“If I see her tomorrow or later in the tournament I’d love to speak to her.”

“She was really struggling. She said she was fine but it was really obvious she was not fine,” and, “So I went to grab her and said ‘sit down and drink something, you’re not fine’. As we were walking she fainted so luckily I grabbed her. She was really shaking.”

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/tennis/story/turkiye-zeynep-sonmez-aids-ball-girl-advances-australian-open-second-round-2853926-2026-01-18

Controversy erupted during the U-19 World Cup 2026 match between India and Bangladesh when the two captains did not shake hands after the toss.

Controversy erupted during the U-19 World Cup 2026 match between India and Bangladesh when the two captains did not shake hands after the toss. India captain Ayush Mhatre and Bangladesh vice-captain Zawad Abrar, who attended the toss in place of captain Azizul Hakim, did not shake hands. There was a lot of chatter on social media over the incident considering the political tensions between the two teams. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said that the absence of a handshake was “completely unintentional and resulted from a momentary lapse in concentration”.

“The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has taken note of an inadvertent and unwarranted action that occurred at the toss prior to the opening match of the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2026, Zimbabwe & Namibia, between Bangladesh and India,” the official press release read.

“Due to illness, regular captain Azizul Hakim was unable to attend the toss, and vice-captain Zawad Abrar represented the team on the occasion. The BCB wishes to clarify that the absence of a handshake with the opposition captain was completely unintentional and resulted from a momentary lapse in concentration. There was no intent whatsoever to show discourtesy or disregard towards the opposition.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/icc-u19-world-cup-2026/bangladesh-break-silence-on-no-handshake-with-india-during-u-19-world-cup-10770924

Senior Bangladesh cricketer Mohammad Mithun, who has led the boycott protests against the country’s cricket board following disparaging remarks by top official M. Najmul Islam, has revealed that he has received life threats amid the unrest

Senior Bangladesh cricketer Mohammad Mithun, who has led the boycott protests against the country’s cricket board following disparaging remarks by top official M. Najmul Islam, has revealed that he has received life threats amid the unrest. He added that throughout the episode – which saw two Bangladesh Premier League matches and several Dhaka League fixtures postponed due to the boycott – he never said anything offensive. “It’s true (that I received life threats), and I’ve never had an experience like this. It’s the first time in my life. I don’t remember ever being involved in any controversial talk. It’s going over my head – when have I ever spoken against the country?” Mithun, president of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), told Cricbuzz.

“I don’t know how to take this or describe it, as it has happened to me for the first time. I haven’t used any word that goes against the country; I only spoke in the interest of cricket and the players. There is no personal issue here. Since I’m the president of an organization, if I don’t talk about players’ rights, what’s the point of me being in this position? No one is above the country.”

He added that the threats came through voice notes. “To be honest, I am not picking up calls from unknown numbers on my mobile. But I can’t stop messages or voice notes on WhatsApp. I was asked about this there. It’s not just me; my number is available to people because it goes to the press on behalf of CWAB. That’s why I receive more calls and messages. But I’ve heard from other players too that they have received threats – different kinds and in different ways,” he said.

What Is Bangladesh Cricket Board’s Stand

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has promised to investigate the threats and the claims made by the protesting players and CWAB president Mohammad Mithun, who said he received threatening calls.

BCB director Iftekhar said he had instructed the board’s security team to assist Mithun and others who received such calls. “Everyone knows we have a security department. I have just heard about the concerns from players, the calls and so on – we will tell the security department to handle it. We are taking this seriously.”

Why Are Bangladesh Cricketers Protesting

The BCB director added that the board was reviewing the comments made by M. Nazmul Islam after he labelled former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent.”

Tamim Iqbal was derided as an “Indian agent” by M. Najmul Islam after Iqbal called for dialogue to resolve tensions in cricket ties between the two nations, following Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s release from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/life-threat-given-to-mohammad-mithun-voice-of-bangladesh-cricketers-in-protest-against-m-najmul-islam-board-reacts-10766921

The internet user never expected a reply from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, to his surprise the PCB emailed back asking for his KYC documents.

What started as a harmless prank has now turned into an unexpectedly serious cricket business moment. A social media user jokingly applied to bid for the controversial Pakistan Super League (PSL) team Multan Sultans. The internet user never expected a reply from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, to his surprise the PCB emailed back asking for his KYC documents.

PCB sent a formal acknowledgement expressing delight at receiving his Expression of Interest, along with KYC forms and a request for official documents needed to continue the bidding process. Suddenly, a light-hearted prank was one KYC form away from becoming a real PSL franchise conversation. The incident left the prankster stunned, amused and borderline panicking.

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Yesterday, I applied to bid for the PSL team Multan Sultans jokingly Today, I actually got a reply from the Pakistan Cricket Board 😭😭😭🙏 pic.twitter.com/rA4iTRbFEe

— Noah (@PantasticNoah) January 15, 2026

The user identified as “@PantasticNoah” on social media platform X shared the screenshot of the email conversation between him and the Pakistani cricket board. He shared the post with the caption, “Yesterday, I applied to bid for the PSL team Multan Sultans jokingly Today, I actually got a reply from the Pakistan Cricket Board.”

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Yesterday, I applied to bid for the PSL team Multan Sultans jokingly Today, I actually got a reply from the Pakistan Cricket Board 😭😭😭🙏 pic.twitter.com/rA4iTRbFEe

— Noah (@PantasticNoah) January 15, 2026

The user also attached the KYC form which included sections for registering a bidding entity, trading names and supporting identification proofs – the kind of serious stuff that makes you rethink your own joke.

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Yesterday, I applied to bid for the PSL team Multan Sultans jokingly Today, I actually got a reply from the Pakistan Cricket Board 😭😭😭🙏 pic.twitter.com/rA4iTRbFEe

— Noah (@PantasticNoah) January 15, 2026

He also admitted that he never expected the prank to go past the “send email and laugh about it” stage. Instead, he accidentally walked straight into the world of franchise cricket ownership, which is a world usually filled with businessman, corporates and investors, not fans pulling pranks for a laugh.

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Yesterday, I applied to bid for the PSL team Multan Sultans jokingly Today, I actually got a reply from the Pakistan Cricket Board 😭😭😭🙏 pic.twitter.com/rA4iTRbFEe

— Noah (@PantasticNoah) January 15, 2026

The most hilarious part of the conversation is how formal the reply was from PCB. It did not suspect that it was a joke and they processed it like a legitimate application. This shows that in modern cricket leagues, new franchise bidders can come from all corners of the world.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/prank-gone-too-far-fan-applies-to-buy-psls-multan-sultans-as-joke-gets-official-reply-from-pakistan-cricket-board

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has issued a revised schedule of the country’s flagship T20 league – BPL – after players’ boycott led to cancellation of matches on Thursday.

The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2026 has been thrown into a scheduling disarray following a high-profile player boycott that forced the removal of a senior board official, M Nazmul Islam. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed a revised fixture list on Thursday after matches were abandoned when players refused to take the field, demanding a public apology from Nazmul along with his resignation.

Under the new arrangements, the Bangladesh board issued a notice, highlighting the revised schedule of the country’s top T20 league.

In the release, the BCB said: “The BPL 2026 matches scheduled for 15 January 2026 will now be played on Friday, 16 January 2026. The matches originally scheduled for January 16 and 17 will be shifted by a day and will be held on 17 and 18 January respectively. The Eliminator and Qualifier 1, scheduled to be held on 19 January, have been shifted to January 20.”

The crisis was ignited by shock remarks made by Nazmul Islam, the BCB’s Finance Committee Chairman and a Board Director. Islam sparked outrage across the cricketing community after calling Tamim Iqbal, the country’s former captain, an ‘Indian agent’ over his comments urging on the importance of dialogue with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the T20 World Cup 2026 venue row.

Led by the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), senior internationals, including Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, launched an immediate boycott. The impact was felt instantly at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday, as teams for the scheduled afternoon and evening fixtures failed to arrive for the toss.

Facing a total collapse of its flagship T20 tournament, the BCB held an emergency meeting and announced that Islam had been “released from his responsibilities” as Chairman of the Finance Committee.

“The decision is aimed at ensuring the continued smooth and effective functioning of the board’s affairs,” the BCB stated. “The board remains fully committed to upholding the honour and dignity of all players under its jurisdiction.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/bangladesh-premier-league-rescheduled-as-players-boycott-league-over-top-officials-resignation-10761327

Despite M Najmul Islam’s removal from the key BCB post, two matches of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) scheduled for the day were postponed

Bangladesh cricket is on the boil. If the controversy surrounding the country’s cricket board refusing to travel to India for the T20 World Cup was not enough, its now-sacked finance committee head M. Najmul Islam added fuel to the fire by calling former captain Tamim Iqbal an “Indian agent” for advocating dialogue between the BCCI, ICC, and the BCB. He did not stop there, stating that Bangladesh players would not be compensated if they missed the T20 World Cup, as they had “not justified the support so far,” having failed to win a single ICC event.

Following outrage over the comments, the BCB removed Najmul as chairman of the board’s finance committee, though he remains a board director-a position that can be taken away on disciplinary grounds.

Despite Najmul’s removal from the key BCB post, two matches of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) scheduled for the day were postponed, and the tournament itself appeared in disarray due to the players’ firm stance. In fact, the BPL may be indefinitely postponed if the official does not issue a public apology.

“We have informed the BCB that if he apologises publicly and the process regarding his directorship continues, we will be ready to return to cricket from Friday,” a Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) press release said.

“We are continuing discussions among ourselves regarding the ongoing complications in Bangladesh cricket. Through our discussions, we, the cricketers, have realised that our women’s national team are currently playing in the World Cup qualifiers in Nepal, the men’s national team have the T20 World Cup ahead of them, and the men’s Under-19 team are currently taking part in the World Cup. The impact of suspending all forms of cricket could affect all these teams.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/bangladesh-players-threaten-bpl-boycott-demand-public-apology-from-official-who-called-tamim-iqbal-indian-agent-10760168

An unverified video from the IND vs NZ 2nd ODI in Rajkot has gone viral, claiming the stadium DJ played the meme track “Krrish Ka Sunega Gaana?” during the drinks break. Though unconfirmed by officials or broadcasters, the clip appears light-hearted and has gained widespread attention online, entertaining fans as an amusing but unverified moment.

An unverified video circulating on social media has sparked amusement among cricket fans, claiming to show the stadium DJ playing the popular meme track “Krrish Ka Sunega Gaana?” during the drinks break of the IND vs New Zealand 2nd ODI at the Rajkot stadium.

The short clip, which has not been officially confirmed by match authorities or broadcasters, appears to capture a light-hearted moment as the song plays over the stadium speakers.

While the authenticity of the video remains unverified, it has quickly gained traction online, with users sharing and commenting on the DJ’s alleged pop-culture-inspired song choice. Until official confirmation emerges, the video continues to be viewed as a fun but unconfirmed moment from the match.

IND vs NZ, 2nd ODI: Virat Kohli Gets Dismissed For 23 Runs By Kristian Clarke, Rajkot Fans Hold Their Heads In Disbelief; Video

USA cricket official says India did not deny visas to their four players for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

A United States cricket official has refuted claims that India has denied visas to four Pakistani-origin players ahead of the 2026 Twenty20 World Cup, clarifying that the visas are delayed, not denied.

In a social media video, USA pacer Ali Khan stated that he, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin, and Ehsan Adil were refused visas to travel to India for the Men’s 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted with Sri Lanka starting February 7. However, an official from USA Cricket, speaking anonymously, clarified that the visa issue is being managed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and that the refusal was mistakenly conveyed by one player.

According to reports, the four players were born in Pakistan but are now US citizens. Under India’s visa regulations, individuals born in Pakistan must apply for visas using their country of birth passports. One of the players named by Ali Khan confirmed to the publication that their visas are delayed and in process, not rejected.

As India and Sri Lanka prepare to co-host the Twenty20 World Cup from February 7 to March 8, the visa delays are expected to garner significant attention. This issue could affect players from eight other countries besides the US, including the UAE, Oman, Nepal, Canada, England, Zimbabwe, and the Netherlands, and potentially Italy.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/indian-visa-delayed-not-rejected-usa-cricket-official-denies-pakistan-born-cricketer-ali-khans-viral-claim-ws-kln-9831760.html

The BCCI selection committee made some bold changes in the squad as the T20 World Cup roster was announced.

India is blessed with immense cricketing talent but there aren’t many specialist finishers the team can put its faith in. Then emerged Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicket-keeper batter Jitesh Sharma, who brought plenty of promise with his selection in India’s T20I team. But, for some reason, Jitesh was sidelined as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) picked the India squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. While Jitesh refrained from sharing an immediate reaction on social media, he claimed that there was no prior communication from the selectors about his snub.

In a chat with CricTracker, the wicket-keeper batter revealed that he was heartbroken seeing his name not being included in the squad. It was only when Ajit Agarkar, the selection committee chief, explained the reason behind the changes in the squad, did Jitesh come to know what had happened.

“I wasn’t aware of my omission until the squad was announced. After that, I agreed with the explanation given by the selectors in the press conference; it was a valid reason. Later, I had discussions with the coaches and selectors, and I felt their reasoning was fair. I completely understood what they wanted to explain to me, and I agreed with it.”

Along with Jitesh, the selection committee also left out Test and ODI skipper Shubman Gill from the team while handing returns to Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan. Jitesh said that he spoke to former India and RCB star Dinesh Karthik to help himself move on.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/i-was-numb-couldnt-process-rcb-star-jitesh-sharma-breaks-silence-on-harsh-t20-world-cup-snub-10752821

 

The statement comes amid growing backlash from cricketers, with the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) issuing an ultimatum demanding the resignation of BCB Director M Nazmul Islam over his remarks.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has expressed regret over controversial remarks made by director, M Nazmul Islam, clarifying that the comments do not reflect the Board’s official stance and warning of disciplinary action for conduct that disrespects players or harms the reputation of Bangladesh cricket. According to a release, the statement comes amid growing backlash from cricketers, with the Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB) issuing an ultimatum demanding the resignation of BCB Director M Nazmul Islam over his remarks targeting senior players, including former captain Tamim Iqbal.

“The Board expresses its sincere regret for remarks that may be deemed inappropriate, offensive, or hurtful. Such comments do not reflect the values, principles, or official position of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, nor do they align with the standards of conduct expected from individuals entrusted with the responsibility of serving Bangladesh cricket,” the release stated.

“The BCB reiterates that it does not endorse or take responsibility for any statement or remark made by any director or Board member unless issued formally through the Board’s designated spokesperson or the Media & Communications Department. Any statements made outside these authorised channels are personal in nature and should not be interpreted as representing the views or policies of the Board,” it added.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board also assured that it will take appropriate disciplinary action against any individual whose conduct or comments show disrespect towards cricketers or cause harm to the reputation and integrity of Bangladesh cricket.

“The Board unequivocally reaffirms its full support for and respect towards all cricketers, past and present, who have represented the country with dedication and pride. Players remain at the heart of Bangladesh cricket, and their contributions and welfare continue to be a top priority. The BCB remains committed to protecting the interests, dignity, and well-being of its players and to upholding professionalism, accountability, and mutual respect across all levels of the game,” as per the release.

Earlier, former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal was derided as an “Indian agent” by none other than BCB director M Najmul Islam after Iqbal called for a dialogue to resolve current tensions in cricketing ties between the two nations due to the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Amid uncertainty about Bangladesh’s visit to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, former men’s team captain Tamim Iqbal said the BCB should resolve the issue through dialogue, keeping the country’s cricketing interests and future at the forefront. Tamim made this statement on the sidelines of the trophy-unveiling ceremony of the Zia Inter-University Cricket Tournament at the City Club ground on January 9.

“Since I am not involved [with the BCB], like any other regular person, I am finding things out through the media. But I am sure those dealing with these matters have a lot more information. So in that regard, I should not suddenly be making comments. What I am saying, however, is that Bangladesh cricket’s interest, future and everything else must be considered before making such a decision. There is nothing better than if something can be resolved through dialogue,” Tamim had earlier said as per The Daily Star.

Bangladesh’s visit to India for their T20 WC fixtures is uncertain as of now, with the BCB putting forth a request to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate its matches outside India due to keeping “safety, security concerns” of players in mind. This request came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release pacer Mustafizur from their IPL 2026 squad, and the move was carried out, amid atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Tamim Iqbal said that sensitive issues should be discussed internally within the board before any public comments, as statements can be hard to retract. He again emphasised that Bangladesh cricket’s future takes priority, and since most funding comes from the ICC, decisions should focus on what benefits the sport in the country.

“What I feel, and I think I would have done the same if I were there, is that since this is a sensitive issue, before making public comments, we would discuss the matter ourselves [within the board]. Because when you make a public comment, right or wrong, it becomes difficult to step back from that position. Bangladesh cricket’s future comes before everything else, and 90 to 95 per cent of the finances come from the ICC, so decisions have to be made based on what will help Bangladesh cricket,” Tamim added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/bangladesh-cricket-board-distances-itself-from-directors-remarks-assures-action-amid-cricketers-outrage-10752331

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has remained firm in its stance to not play its T20 World Cup matches in India following a video conference with the International Cricket Council officials on Tuesday.

“The BCB reaffirmed its position regarding the decision not to travel to India, citing security concerns,” the BCB said in a media release. “The board also reiterated its request for the ICC to consider relocating Bangladesh’s matches outside India.”

The BCB said its position remains unchanged despite the ICC highlighting the tournament itinerary has already been announced and requested the board to reconsider its stance.

“Both parties agreed that discussions will continue to explore possible solutions. The BCB remains committed to safeguarding the well-being of its players, officials and staff while engaging constructively with the ICC to address the matter.”

The T20 World Cup is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from Feb. 7-Mar. 8. Bangladesh is scheduled to play three T20 World Cup group matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.

Bangladesh requested that the ICC shift its World Cup venue from India after the Board of Control for Cricket in India instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from its squad for this year’s tournament.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/bangladesh-icc-t20-world-cup-50012cca873d7bb47dcf2a3a57398121

The lack of gametime for all-rounder Nitish Reddy has led to former India cricketer Aakash Chopra raising a question mark on whether the selection committee is aligned with the coaching staff.

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has questioned whether the Indian team management – led by captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir – are not aligned with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee, which is headed by Ajit Agarkar. Chopra brought up the curious case of all-rounder Nitish Reddy to raise his concern, stating that the 22-year-old gets picked in nearly every India squad, but hardly gets an opportunity. Even when he does, Chopra stated that he isn’t utilised to his full potential.

“Are selectors and coaching staff not aligned? I don’t understand what is going on with Nitish Reddy. He is selected in every format. When he plays, he does not bat, and gets very few deliveries to bowl,” Chopra said, in a video on his official X account

“In white-ball cricket, selectors are selecting him, but he is not getting any games. In the South Africa series, there was plenty of dew. Fast bowlers were being used, but still no Nitish Reddy,” he added.

Chopra questioned whether there is a difference in perspective between the selection committee and the team management.

“Why do selectors think that Nitish Reddy provides a balance to the team, and want to make him ready for the future in case Hardik Pandya gets injured, but the team management does not think the same? What exactly is going on? If he has to sit outside, it’s better he plays the Vijay Hazare Trophy,” Chopra further said.

Since impressing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test series Down Under, Reddy’s chances have been few and far between. The all-rounder’s performances in Test cricket waned in 2025.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-new-zealand-2026/bcci-selectors-gautam-gambhir-and-co-not-aligned-ex-india-star-aakash-chopra-provides-glaring-example-what-is-going-on-10744801

Xabi Alonso’s exit from Real Madrid sent shockwaves across the sporting spectrum.

Xabi Alonso’s exit from Real Madrid stunned the world of football, with reactions coming from top athletes in other sports too. Khabib Nurmagomedov, an MMA icon, couldn’t hold back his frustration seeing Alonso, a man he called one of the ‘top three coaches’ in the world, being let go from the manager’s position at Real Madrid after just 6 months in charge. Khabib, in an epic rant on social media, asked for “capricious players” behind this mess at Real Madrid to be let go from their contract and not Alonso.

“I think Xabi Alonso is one of the three best coaches in the world today. If this team did not work well with him, we have to change the players not the coach. I’m sure no coach can handle this lineup at Real Madrid. We have to get rid of the capricious players,” he said.

Khabib, who also remains an ardent football fan, feels the sacking of a coach like Alonso shows that all isn’t well at Real Madrid.

“If you come to the gym or the field, it doesn’t matter if they are fighters or football players, the boss is the head coach. But if you have such an aura in your team that not everyone meets your requirements, then you are definitely not on the right track,” he concluded in the first story he uploaded to his profile.

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🚨 UFC LEGEND KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV ON IG:

“If you walk into a gym or onto a pitch, it doesn’t matter whether they’re fighters or footballers, as the head coach, you are in charge.

But if there’s an environment in your team where not everyone follows your demands, then you’re… pic.twitter.com/7GMHRs1dfH

— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) January 13, 2026

Alonso was unarguably the most wanted to coach in world football last summer, after he led German club Bayer Leverkusen to an almost unbeaten season in all competitions. The likes of Liverpool and Bayern Munich were also reportedly after the former Spain midfielder. Hence, his early exit from Real Madrid has shocked world football.

“There is nothing like loyalty. A year ago they were begging him, and now they are sacking him for the spoiled children. Xabi you are the best,” he said.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/football/theres-nothing-like-loyalty-khabib-nurmagomedovs-rant-as-real-madrid-sack-xabi-alonso-10745834

 

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc made a heartwarming post on social media after his wife Alyssa Healy announced her retirement from international cricket.

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc made a heartwarming post on social media after his wife Alyssa Healy announced her retirement from international cricket. Wicket-keeper batter Healy, who has won six T20 World Cups, two 50-over World Cups and a Commonwealth Games gold in women’s cricket, announced that she would retire following Australia’s series against India in February and March. Starc captioned his post with a three-word phrase. The two have been married for nearly a decade, having tied the knot in April 2016.

“Proud of ya,” wrote Starc in a post on his Instagram story, along with a heart emoji. The 35-year-old pacer also made a separate post, celebrating Healy’s Australia career.

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Healy made the announcement on the Willow Talk podcast she co-hosts, drawing curtains on a 16-year international career.

Healy has also been one of the most productive all-format run-scorers, with her 7,106 behind only Meg Lanning (8,352) and Ellyse Perry (7,607) for Australian women.

“It’s with mixed emotions that the upcoming India series will be my last for Australia,” Healy said in a statement. “I’m still passionate about playing for Australia, but I’ve somewhat lost that competitive edge that’s kept me driven since the start, so the time feels right to call it a day.”

“Knowing I won’t be going to the T20 World Cup this year and the limited preparation time the team has, I won’t be part of the T20s against India, but I’m excited to have the opportunity to finish my career and captain the ODI and Test side at home against India – one of the biggest series on the calendar for us,” she added.

Healy’s retirement from the shortest format is immediate; she won’t take part in the three T20Is that kick off India’s multi-format tour in February. It means she will miss the chance of a hometown farewell with the first T20I the only match of the series to be played in Sydney.

Healy had frequent battles with injury in the twilight of her career, most recently a fractured thumb that sidelined her at the start of the WBBL season, while she also missed Australia’s final two ODI World Cup group games with a calf strain.

“The last few years have been probably more mentally draining than anything else. A few injuries, (I had) to dive into the well a couple of times and that well was getting less and less full of water, so it was getting harder to dive back in there.

“I’ve always felt like I’ve had a competitive edge in that I want to compete, I want to win and I want to challenge myself on the park. I’ve felt as I’ve got a little bit older, I’ve not necessarily lost all of it, but I’ve lost some of that,” Healy said.

She continued, “I never really wanted to do it like this; I never wanted to announce it. I just wanted to get to the end of the Test match and hang up my boots and celebrate.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/mitchell-starc-wins-internet-with-3-word-post-after-wife-alyssa-healy-announces-cricket-retirement-10744897

 

The Gautam Gambhir-led team management was severely criticised for risking Washington Sundar in the 1st ODI against New Zealand.

An injured Washington Sundar came out to bat in the 1st ODI between India and New Zealand on Sunday, leaving many questioning the Gautam Gambhir-led management’s approach. Sundar remained unbeaten on 7 off 7 in the series opener, as KL Rahul finished off the tricky chase of 301 runs in Vadodara. But, soon after the game concluded, the spin-bowling all-rounder was ruled out of the series and replaced by Ayush Badoni. Seeing Sundar being risked despite the injury, former India batter Mohammad Kaif slammed the management for its double standards, citing Shubman Gill’s recent example.

Kaif reminded Gambhir and the Indian team management that Gill was ‘protected’ when he sustained an injury during the South Africa Test series. Surprisingly, however, the approach in Sundar’s case was different.

“You will remember when Shubman Gill was injured, he did not come out to bat in that Test match, the Kolkata Test. It was a high-scoring game and people thought that even 20 or 30 runs from him could help India win, but he still did not bat. That was done to give full protection to the player so the injury would not aggravate. But the same approach was not applied with Sundar. That is why I feel it was a wrong call. KL Rahul’s running between the wickets was affected. Even though India won the match, I feel there were higher chances of aggravating the injury in yesterday’s game,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Though the Sundar stunt paid off and India won the match, Kaif feels the decision was risky as it could prolong the player’s absence from the team.

“If he is injured and you need runs at a run-a-ball, you should first try someone else. When a player is injured and you send him in under pressure, the injury can worsen. He couldn’t run doubles even though the ball was going to deep point or square leg, and he was only managing singles. Although the required run rate was around a run-a-ball and the match was under control, I felt that sending an injured player was risky. What might have been a one-week or ten-day injury could stretch to 20, 25, or even 30 days,” he added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-new-zealand-2026/gautam-gambhir-sent-shubman-gill-reminder-over-unfair-treatment-of-washington-sundar-10739484

Virat Kohli broke yet another massive record of Sachin Tendulkar during the first ODI against New Zealand at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara.

In the aftermath of the Mustafizur Rahman controversy, the BCB has already showed its unwillingness to send the senior national team in India for its T20 World Cup matches.

In the aftermath of the Mustafizur Rahman controversy, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has already showed its unwillingness to send the senior national team in India for its T20 World Cup matches. Notably, Indian Premier League (IPL) side Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur from their squad on the advice of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last week. The decision led to a massive row and the BCB decided to request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift their T20 World Cup 2026 games from India to Sri Lanka due to security concerns.

Bilateral tensions between India and Bangladesh has escalated over the past few weeks after a Hindu man was lynched and burned to death. Since the first incident a few weeks ago, a number of Hindu minorities have been attacked and killed in Bangladesh. Since the first incident was reported, KKR and their co-owner Shah Rukh Khan were being targeted on social media, with the BCCI finally taking the decision to release Mustafizur.

It was the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia who announced the big decision on Saturday. He said: “Due to the recent developments that are going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, from their squad.”

Now, a report in Geo Super has claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has now shown its interest in hosting the Bangladesh games, in case the matches are not arranged in Sri Lanka. Quoting a PCB source, the report added that all the venues in Pakistan are fully prepared to stage World Cup matches.

Earlier, Bangladesh government sports advisor Asif Nazrul cited image of the country and security of its players as the reasons behind the move of seeking a venue shift from India.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/pcbs-big-move-as-bangladesh-demand-to-move-their-t20-world-cup-matches-out-of-india-report-10668898

The ICC head Jay Shah will meet BCCI officials on Sunday, hoping to find a solution to the immediate problem of Bangladesh’s reluctance to travel to India for the T20 World Cup

The ICC Chair, Jay Shah, will meet BCCI officials on Sunday, hoping to find a solution to the immediate problem of Bangladesh’s reluctance to travel to India for the T20 World Cup. Jay Shah will meet BCCI officials in Vadodara on the sidelines of the first India vs New Zealand ODI. He is in the city as a special invitee of the Baroda Cricket Association. What started as a standard request has steadily escalated into a sensitive standoff. In its first communication to the ICC, the Bangladesh Cricket Board asked for a change of venue, preferring that its matches be shifted out of India, with Sri Lanka mentioned as a possible alternative. The second letter, however, altered the landscape.

What Is Bangladesh’s Demand From ICC

Bangladesh made it clear that the issue now went beyond logistics. The board spoke of national pride being hurt – a sentiment widely linked to the fallout surrounding Mustafizur Rahman’s abrupt ouster from the IPL – and demanded man-to-man security for every member of its World Cup contingent if travel to India was unavoidable. Players, coaches, support staff, and officials were all included. The subtext was unmistakable: this was no longer just about safety, but about dignity.

That is the challenge now sitting on Jay Shah’s desk. The ICC has still not officially responded to the Bangladesh Board.

His first task will be internal – reviewing the existing tournament and security plan with the BCCI and the ICC’s operations team. That means identifying where Bangladesh feels ignored or inadequately reassured, and whether the ICC’s responses so far have sounded procedural rather than empathetic.

But a paper review alone will not solve this.

Why An Easy Solution Is Not In Sight

The harder work lies in engaging directly with the Bangladesh board to shape a plan they can accept without feeling pressured. Any solution must allow Dhaka to claim agency – whether through clearly defined security guarantees, transparent communication, or limited flexibility in match logistics – while still preserving the integrity of the World Cup.

Bangladesh’s importance in this equation cannot be overstated. They have qualified for the tournament, and excluding them would open a legal and political maze. Such a decision would require a vote of the ICC Board and risk destabilising equations within both the ICC and the Asian Cricket Council. It would also set a dangerous precedent for future tournaments.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/jay-shah-to-meet-bcci-amid-t20-world-cup-venue-mess-but-tackling-bangladesh-wont-be-easy-10602329?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

Strikers Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams grabbed second-half goals as Nigeria powered to a deserved 2-0 victory over Algeria in Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final to set up a meeting with hosts Morocco in the last four.

Osimhen steered home a long cross from the left by Bruno Onyemaechi two minutes into the second half as Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane made a bizarre jump to try and stop the effort but ended up getting his angles wrong and conceding an easy goal.

Adams increased Nigeria’s lead 10 minutes later as Osimhen unselfishly fed him the ball ‌and he took it round Zidane before placing it into an empty net.

It was an ‌impressive performance by Nigeria, who two months ago missed out on World Cup qualification, as they overwhelmed their opponents from the start at the Grand Stade de Marrakech, looking more determined, quicker around the field and stronger in the challenges, and denying their opponents a single scoring chance.

“The victory was deserved. The match was fantastic, and I am very happy with the win,” said Nigeria coach Eric Chelle.

Algeria were already hanging on grimly in the first half with Nigeria having good chances to be ahead at ‍the break.

Algeria centre back Ramy Bensebaini cleared off the line in the 29th minute from Calvin Bassey after the depth of Ademola Lookman’s free kick was misjudged by Zidane and the Nigeria full back was able to steer an effort goalward from a tight angle.

NIGERIA MISS CHANCES TO SECURE BIGGER VICTORY

Bensebaini hooked it clear, although television replays looked to show the whole circumference of the ball had ​crossed the line. A VAR check in the absence ‌of goalline technology, however, did not award a goal.

In the 37th minute, a poor clearance from Zidane to full back Aissa Mandi was intercepted by Alex Iwobi who quickly fed the ball to Adams, but the Sevilla ​striker‘s left-footed effort missed the target with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Adams also headed against the upright in the 82nd minute as Osimhen’s ⁠enterprise and persistence again set him up with a clear ‌chance.

Algeria had been forced to play extra time before winning their last-16 clash against the Democratic Republic of Congo on ​Tuesday and the exertion could have been the reason many of their key players turned in listless performances. In contrast, Nigeria had a comfortable 4-0 win over Mozambique on Monday.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sport/impressive-nigeria-outplay-algeria-book-semi-final-spot-5850721

Mary Kom and fellow Manipuri Onler were married for over two decades, and their divorce in 2025 shocked close family and acquaintances.

“What’s the point of all that I achieved?” wondered MC Mary Kom as she opened up to PTI about the “darkest phase” of her life, which included a painful divorce, near bankruptcy, and a quiet emotional collapse. A six-time world champion, an Olympic bronze medallist, and the owner of numerous global titles and accolades, the 43-year-old Mary Kom said she has decided to speak up as the “slander has gone too far” on social media and in news reports, making a “mockery” of her situation.

“I have been called greedy by people who know nothing about what I went through. Yes, I am now separated from my husband Onler, and it all happened more than two years ago,” she told PTI in a telephonic interview from Ahmedabad, where she was attending an IOA event.

Mary Kom and fellow Manipuri Onler were married for over two decades, and their divorce in 2025 shocked close family and acquaintances.

“Things were fine till I was competing and had very little involvement in my finances, but when I got injured before the 2022 Commonwealth Games, I realised I was living a lie.

“I was bedridden for several months and needed a walker after that. It was then that I realised that the man I had trusted was not what I believed him to be. I did not want it to be a spectacle for the world, so I sought a divorce after several attempts to resolve it between us.

“I informed my family and his family that it could not continue, and they understood. I was hoping that it would stay private, but then a concerted attempt has been made to slander me for the last year. I thought I would not respond, but then my silence was being misread and the attacks kept increasing,” she recounted.

The former Rajya Sabha member, who now lives in Faridabad, alleged she has been cheated of crores and lost possession of land she bought with her own hard-earned money.

“He kept taking loans, mortgaging my property, which he transferred in his name. He borrowed money from locals in Churachandpur, and to recover it from him, they have seized the land through underground groups,” she said.

When contacted, Onler denied the charge and said he has “not been involved in any wrongdoing.”

Mary Kom expressed her anguish at being slandered in the media.

“…there are news reports that call me the greedy one, who forced him to contest elections (2022 in Manipur). I did not do any of it. Things which were only discussed between me and him are being fed to tabloids to paint me as the villain, and my character is being questioned. I had to react at some point.

“What is the point of my achievements? Kya fayda, I have been left broken, but I can’t even afford to grieve. Because I have four kids to take care of, parents who are dependent on me,” she said.

“I haven’t and don’t wish to take any police action, but just leave me alone, stop slandering me.” Mary Kom has three sons, including twins, and a daughter, who is the youngest.

The diminutive flyweight boxer, who also heads the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) Athletes Commission, said she has managed to gather herself for her children and is now busy rebuilding her finances through endorsements and commercial appearances.

“I work hard for my kids. God knows how difficult it has been, but can you afford to stay down when you have children? You have to pick yourself up,” she said.

Nicknamed ‘Magnificent Mary’ by the international boxing body back in 2012, Mary Kom is arguably the most successful Indian boxer of all time.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/boxing/mary-kom-finally-opens-up-on-divorce-with-onler-he-mortgaged-my-property-took-loans-10607346

Virat Kohli was unable to control his smile after meeting a young fan who closely resembled him. Watch the video here.

Virat Kohli is leaving no stone unturned in being prepared to the best of his ability for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, beginning January 11. The 37-year-old experienced batter has been sweating it out in the nets as he looks to build on his form in the 50-over format. In his last four ODIs for India, Kohli has smashed two centuries and two fifties, and he’ll look to march on against the Kiwis. However, amid the build-up for the first match of the three-game series, the former India captain was involved in a heartwarming moment with a young fan in Vadodara.

Taking a break from a training session, Kohli managed to make some time to interact with his fans and sign autographs. It was then that a young fan made his presence felt as he had an uncanny resemblance to a young Kohli.

Pictures and videos from the session showed Kohli smiling as he interacted with the kids, and it was clear that he, too, was amused by the uncanny similarity of the young fan to a Kohli from childhood.

The internet is now filled with reactions, and several fans are calling the youngster a “mini Kohli.” Many users are comparing the child to Kohli’s old childhood picture.

Reacting to the pictures, one fan wrote, “19-20 ka bhi farak nahi hai. (There is very little difference between the images).”

Another fan commented, “Really looking like same to same.”

“Mini VK,” wrote another user.

“Very funny, King Kohli. Same to same copy,” commented another user.

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Virat Kohli smiled after seeing his childhood look-alike kid ❤️ pic.twitter.com/QHMh1cDuBU

— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) January 9, 2026

Kohli’s recent form

After the ODIs against South Africa, Kohli also played for Delhi in the first two matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring a century and a half-century. He was also expected to play the fixture against Railways on January 6, but at the last minute, he was deemed unavailable for the contest.

After retiring from Tests, questions were raised about Kohli and whether he would be able to make the trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia for the 2027 World Cup. However, after the failures in the first two ODIs against Australia, Kohli roared back, hitting two centuries and two fifties.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/virat-kohli-runs-into-his-childhood-lookalike-fans-can-t-keep-calm-19-20-ka-fark-bhi-nahi-hai-101768017999089.html

 

Bangladesh requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift its T20 World Cup games out of India after the BCCI instructed IPL franchise KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman from its roster

The BCCI top brass on Friday took stock of operations at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, while also discussing the streamlining of India U-19 and India A tours going forward, board secretary Devajit Saikia told PTI. Following the meeting, Saikia was asked about Bangladesh requesting the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift its T20 World Cup games out of India after the BCCI instructed IPL franchise KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman from its roster, given the prevailing relations between the two countries.

Saikia replied: “The meeting was about CoE and other cricketing matters. It’s not our domain to talk about that (as the ICC has the final say on Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup).”

The meeting in Mumbai was also attended by BCCI president Mithun Manhas, vice-president Rajeev Shukla, and head of cricket at CoE VVS Laxman. Key technical posts remain vacant at the CoE, which became fully operational in April last year. The positions include head of education and head of sports science.

“We assessed the vacancies at CoE and decided to go ahead with the recruitment process soon. There is an acute shortage of technical personnel worldwide, but we are trying to fill the positions at the earliest,” said Saikia.

Reviewing the operations at CoE and the way forward, Saikia added: “We thought it was an appropriate time to review the preparations and activities of CoE.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/bcci-breaks-silence-on-bangladeshs-demand-to-move-its-t20-world-cup-matches-out-of-india-10567421

Neymar has extended his stay with Santos until the end of 2026. Neymar’s Santos secured its survival in Brazil’s Serie A with a 3-0 win over Cruzeiro, and the 33-year-old soccer star later confirmed he will undergo surgery on his left knee. Playing its last league match of the season, Santos – which achieved a global following with all-time great Pele – avoided what would have been the club’s second relegation in its history. Santos was relegated in 2023 for the first time, almost a year after the death of Pele.

Recently, Neymar also flaunted his luxury fleet, which included a replica of the Batmobile used by the DC Comics superhero in The Dark Knight Returns (valued at 1.3 million euros), a Dassault Falcon 900LX private jet with his initials engraved on it (market value around 40 million euros), and an Airbus H145 helicopter (8 million euros). According to Spanish publication Marca, the total cost of the fleet is 50 million euros (approximately Rs 525 crore). The video was shot at his luxury mansion in Mangaratiba (Rio de Janeiro).

Neymar underwent minor surgery on his left knee, his club Santos said on Monday.

The 33-year-old Neymar previously said he wanted to address the pain that has sidelined him from several matches this year. The arthroscopy was performed by Rodrigo Lasmar, who also works with the Brazil squad. The procedure was minimally invasive and treated problems inside the joint.

Last weekend, the striker said during a music event in Sao Paulo that he still hoped to play in the World Cup and score in the final. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, appointed in May, has yet to pick Neymar.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/football/neymar-flaunts-rs-525-crore-luxury-fleet-a-batmobile-replica-private-jet-airbus-helicopter-video-viral-10478056

The International Cricket Council has rejected Bangladesh’s demand of moving its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, NDTV sources have confirmed.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected the venue change demand from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in the wake of the pacer Mustafizur Rahman controversy.. The BCB, upset over Mustafizur Rahman’s release from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign this year, decided to ban IPL telecast in the country this year, while also requesting ICC to shift its T20 World Cup 2026 matches to Sri Lanka. The top cricket body, chaired by Jay Shah, however, has rejected Bangladesh’s request, NDTV sources have confirmed

Sources have told us that a virtual call took place on Tuesday, where the ICC told BCB that it was rejecting its request to play Bangladesh’s matches in Sri Lanka due to security concerns. The ICC is said to have warned the BCB that the Bangladesh men’s national team is obliged to travel to India to play the T20 World Cup. A failure to do so could see them forfeit points in the showpiece event.

An official notification on Tuesday’s call is yet to be issued by either the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the BCB or the ICC.

The T20 World Cup this year is set to take place across India and Sri Lanka, spanning from February 7 to March 8. Bangladesh, competing in Group C, will begin their campaign with a three-match stint in Kolkata, facing the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14. They will then travel to Mumbai to wrap up the group stage against Nepal on February 17.

The entire controversy started after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia revealed that the Knight Riders have been instructed to release Mustafizur from his Rs 9.20 crore contract amid the volatile political situation between the two countries.

It has also been reported that IPL Governing Council and other top officials in the BCCI never met to discuss the matter of Mustafizur’s release. The decision, in fact, is said to have been relayed from the absolute top of the BCCI management.

What Happened In BCB Emergency Meeting

A BCB emergency meeting was held following the announcement by KKR that they had removed Mustafizur from their IPL 2026 roster in response to a directive from the BCCI regarding atrocities committed against minorities in Bangladesh.

“An emergency meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was held this afternoon to discuss recent developments related to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka,” the BCB release said.

“The Board reviewed the situation in detail, taking into account developments over the last 24 hours, and expressed deep concern over the overall circumstances surrounding the participation of the Bangladesh National Team in matches scheduled to be played in India,” it added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/jay-shahs-icc-takes-stringent-stance-on-bangladeshs-t20-world-cup-demand-issue-warning-sources-10438333

6 teams, including the USA and the UAE, have approached ICC with help of getting an India Visa for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Pakistan-origin players have a history of facing delays in getting visas. Fearing the same, the associate nations have approached the ICC to intervene. In the past, England’s Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir, while Australia’s Usman Khawaja have all faced visa delays.

Several teams participating in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 next month has reached out to the ICC to secure India Visa. The reason – presence of Pakistan born players in their roster for the tournament. Countries such as Oman, UAE, Italy, Canada, USA and the Netherlands all have players with Pakistan passports in their ranks.

Historically, players with Pakistan origin have faced delays in getting their India Visa. As per Indian External Ministry rules, despite having another country’s nationality, if someone is born in Pakistan or their parents or grandparents were born in Pakistan, they have to apply for a visa on a Pakistani passport.

The report by Telecom Asia Sport states that UAE have taken the lead in asking ICC for help on the matter. The Emirati side have as many as 6 players of Pakistani origin in their squad including captain Muhammed Waseem. Players from UAE and Oman have applied for Visa, but the report states they fear their request will be rejected unless the ICC intervenes.

Players of Pakistani origin have often faced visa delays or rejections for India. In 2024, England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, UK-born, saw his visa delayed due to his father’s roots in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. A similar issue affected spinner Rehan Ahmed last year. Reports also said Australia’s Pakistan-born batter Usman Khawaja faced a visa delay during the 2023 Test tour of India. Netherlands-born brothers Sikander and Saqib Zulfiqar had their visas stalled because of their Pakistani heritage in 2019.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/t20-world-cup-2026-pakistan-origin-players-from-usa-netherlands-uae-seek-icc-help-to-secure-india-visa-report

BCB president Aminul Islam states that Bangladesh’s participation in T20 World Cup 2026 depends on ICC’s response regarding security concerns in India.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam on Monday said the board’s next move on the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will hinge on the International Cricket Council’s response, after Bangladesh formally asked for their matches to be shifted out of India, citing security concerns.

“You know that we, along with all the directors of the cricket board, held two meetings before taking this decision, and at this moment we do not feel secure sending our team to India to play the World Cup,” Aminul said as quoted by Cricbuzz.

The BCB’s request to the ICC comes in the aftermath of a flashpoint involving Bangladesh pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who was released from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad ahead of the Indian Premier League as a directive from the BCCI. The episode, in Bangladesh’s reading, sharpened concerns around the travel and participation logistics for an ICC event hosted in India.

Aminul said Bangladesh had put its position to the world body in writing and is now waiting for formal engagement.

“So we wrote a letter to the ICC, and in the letter we clearly stated what we wanted to say. Because to us, security appeared to be a major concern, and that is what we are following. We have sent an email to the ICC, and we are expecting them to tell us to have a meeting with them soon, where we will express our concern,” he said.

He added that the BCB isn’t treating this as a bilateral matter with India’s board. “But what our next step will be depends on the reply to the email we have sent. We do not know what feedback will come, but the clauses we have given are within the MPO. We are not communicating with BCCI because this is an ICC event. We are communicating with the ICC,” he said.

The development also lands amid expectations that India may be reluctant to tour Bangladesh for a scheduled white-ball series in September, given strained relations between the two countries. Aminul, however, sought to separate cricketing ties from Bangladesh’s stated security concerns around the World Cup.

“Look, cricket between two countries, like playing a bilateral series or playing in the World Cup, is one thing, and security concern is another matter. So for now, we are thinking about the World Cup issue,” he said.

Separately, the Bangladesh Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has instructed broadcasters to stop airing the IPL, with Aminul indicating the board would not overstep a government directive.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/bangladesh-do-not-feel-secure-sending-team-to-india-participation-in-t20-world-cup-depends-on-icc-feedback-101767632008414.html

 

Novak Djokovic, has decided to pull out of next week’s Adelaide International, the build-up event for the year’s first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open.

Former World No.1 and the world’s most successful player, Novak Djokovic, has decided to pull out of next week’s Adelaide International, the build-up event for the year’s first Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open. Djokovic, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles so far, claimed he is not physically ready to compete in the Adelaide International and therefore has pulled out of the event. “To all my fans in Adelaide, unfortunately, I’m not quite physically ready to compete in the Adelaide International next week,” said Djokovic in a statement issued via social media on Monday. “It’s personally very disappointing as I have such great memories of winning the title there two years ago. I was really excited about returning as it truly felt like playing at home,” Djokovic further said in his statement.

Djokovic said his focus now is on getting ready for the Australian Open. The 38-year-old Serbian has won the Australian Open title 10 times, lifting the crown in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023.

“My focus is now on my preparation for the Australian Open, and I look forward to arriving in Melbourne soon and seeing all the tennis fans in Australia,” said Djokovic in his statement on social media.

Earlier in the day, Djokovic said he has “stepped away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association, which he co-founded, citing concerns regarding “ongoing transparency and governance.

Djokovic and Canadian tennis player Vasek Pospisil founded the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) as a not-for-profit corporation to ensure players have a unified, independent voice in shaping the future of professional tennis.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association. This decision comes after ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way my voice and image have been represented,” Djokovic posted on X.

“I am proud of the vision that Vasek and I shared when founding the PTPA, giving players a stronger, independent voice – but it has become clear that my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organisation,” the post read.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/physically-not-ready-novak-djokovic-pulls-out-of-adelaide-international-10356733

Explaining his decision to quit PTPA, Novak Djokovic said: “my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organization.”

Novak Djokovic is cutting ties with the Professional Tennis Players Association, a group he co-founded that sued the sport’s governing bodies last year, writing on social media Sunday that “my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organization.” The 24-time Grand Slam champion announced at the 2020 U.S. Open that he and now-retired Canadian player Vasek Pospisil were launching the PTPA. They said they were aiming to offer representation for players who are independent contractors in a largely individual sport.

One of the goals made clear along the way was to become a sort of full-fledged union that negotiates collective bargaining agreements like those that exist in team sports, although that sort of thing hasn’t happened.

Djokovic said Sunday on X that he had “ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way my voice and image have been represented.”

The PTPA filed a class-action lawsuit in March against the women’s and men’s tours, the International Tennis Federation and the sport’s integrity agency, accusing the organizations of “systemic abuse, anti-competitive practices, and a blatant disregard for player welfare.” The four Grand Slam tournaments were later added as defendants.

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After careful consideration, I have decided to step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association. This decision comes after ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way my voice and image have been represented.

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 4, 2026

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I am proud of the vision that Vasek and I shared when founding the PTPA, giving players a stronger, independent voice – but it has become clear that my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organization.

— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) January 4, 2026

Djokovic was not listed as a plaintiff when the suit was filed; Pospisil and other players were.

That’s because, Djokovic said in March, “I want other players to step up.”

The lawsuit says players should gain access to more earnings, arguing that the governing bodies that oversee the four Grand Slam tournaments — Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the French Open and the Australian Open — and other professional events “cap the prize money tournaments award and limit players’ ability to earn money off the court.”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/novak-djokovic-drops-bomb-announces-decision-to-quit-tennis-body-he-co-founded-10314166

 

Kolkata Knight Riders asked by BCCI to release Mustafizur Rahman amidst India-Bangladesh tensions, with Shah Rukh Khan and KKR facing political criticism.

In what might come as a major blow to the Kolkata Knight Riders, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on Saturday said that the board has asked the franchise to release Mustafizur Rahman, the Bangladesh pacer, with tensions soaring between India and its neighbour.

KKR bagged Rahman for Rs 9.2 crore, up from a base price of Rs 2 crore, after a fierce bidding battle with the Chennai Super Kings and the Delhi Capitals at the December players’ auction.

The BCCI said that KKR will be permitted to name a replacement cricketer if needed.

“The BCCI has asked Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from its squad. They can ask for a replacement if needed. And upon request, BCCI will allow a replacement player,” Saikia said while speaking to the media in Guwahati.

Asked why the BCCI has asked Kolkata Knight Riders to do so, he replied, “Because of recent developments all across.”

Pressure on the BCCI had been mounting over Rahman’s participation after the recent killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh and India’s raised concerns about the safety of minorities in the nation.

Criticism has also targeted KKR co-owner and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, with some BJP politicians questioning the decision to include Rahman, given the current circumstances.

Rahman has featured in eight IPL editions since 2016, missing the tournament only in 2019 and 2020.

Rahman has represented teams including the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings and the Rajasthan Royals. The upcoming edition would have marked his debut for three-time IPL champions KKR.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/bcci-asks-kkr-to-release-mustafizur-rahman-as-india-bangladesh-tensions-soar-9807115.html

Shreyas Iyer was provisionally named in India’s squad on Saturday for the home one-day international series against New Zealand starting Jan. 11.

India will host the Black Caps in a white-ball engagement — three ODIs and five T20s — in the build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Iyer returns to the international fold after sustaining a spleen injury during an ODI against Australia in Sydney last October.

His selection is subject to fitness clearance from BCCI’s medical team and he will return as India’s vice-captain for the three-match series.

Skipper Shubman Gill also returns, after he missed the ODI series against South Africa in December. He had a neck spasm in the test series earlier, and subsequently played in the T20s against the Proteas.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Verma missed out. Gaikwad had scored a maiden ODI hundred against South Africa in Visakhapatnam.

Rishabh Pant is retained as second keeper-batter behind Lokesh Rahul, who had stood in as captain against the Proteas.

Star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had both participated in the domestic List A tournament — Vijay Hazare Trophy — and return to the international stage for the ODIs.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya is fit, but not sufficiently enough to bowl 10 overs in an ODI. Thus, he has been rested further ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup (in India and Sri Lanka) starting Feb. 7. Nitish Kumar Reddy is included in the squad.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/india-squad-odi-new-zealand-iyer-b356d878c50a82e47e2d2a94bf592cd1

BCCI asks IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman amid controversy.

In a significant move that highlights the intersection of sport and geopolitics, the BCCI has formally requested that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) release Bangladesh pace spearhead Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the upcoming IPL 2026 season. The announcement was made by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, who confirmed the board’s directive to the franchise following a period of intensifying public and political pressure. While the BCCI had initially maintained a “wait and watch” policy, Saikia noted that the decision was taken in light of “recent developments all across.” This appears to be a direct reference to the deteriorating diplomatic situation and reported civil unrest in Bangladesh, which has sparked widespread protests within India.

The pacer recently became a lightning rod for controversy after KKR secured him for a record Rs 9.20 crore at the December auction, making him the most expensive Bangladeshi player in the league’s history.

“Due to the recent developments that are going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, from their squad,” Saikia said in a chat with news agency ANI. BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement.”

What BCCI’s Directive Means For KKR

The BCCI’s directive to release Mustafizur represents a significant tactical and financial setback for Kolkata Knight Riders. By committing Rs 9.20 crore to the Bangladeshi pacer, KKR had clearly designated him as their premier death-overs specialist. His world-class “cutters” and ability to exploit the slower nature of the Eden Gardens pitch provided a unique left-arm angle that is difficult to replicate. Losing him this close to the season leaves a gaping hole in their bowling attack and places immense pressure on Matheesha Pathirana to shoulder the burden of the final overs alone.

From a strategic perspective, KKR’s overseas balance has been thrown into disarray. The franchise had likely planned to rotate their international slots around a core featuring Sunil Narine, Cameron Green, and Pathirana, with Mustafizur acting as the bowling anchor.

Without him, the team may be forced to rely more heavily on their Indian pace battery, including Harshit Rana and Umran Malik, or pivot their strategy to include an extra overseas batsman like Rachin Ravindra.

Financially, the situation is equally complex. KKR will be desperate for the IPL Governing Council to credit the Rs 9.20 crore back into their purse to facilitate a high-quality replacement. If they are unable to recoup these funds, they may be forced to obtain a replacement at a ‘bargain’ price. The BCCI has already agreed to give KKR a replacement player, but there’s no clarity on the return of funds yet.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/ipl-2026/bcci-asks-kkr-to-release-mustafizur-rahman-amid-bangladesh-ipl-row-10232260

AN NFL star has been diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung and will play no further part in this season.

The terrifying discovery brings an end to New Orleans Saints star Chris Olave’s excellent campaign.

Olave, 25, had been due to play the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18 to close out a relatively positive year for the 6-10 Saints.

However, he has now been immediately ruled out as first revealed by Saints beat reporter Nick Underhill.

Underhill also clarified that the star wide receiver’s shock diagnosis was caught early and he ‘will be fine’.

Per Underhill on X, “Chris Olave will be out this week, per source.

“A blood clot was detected in his lung. Got caught early before anything bad could happen and will be fine. But not playing this week.”

Olave’s season ends with 100 receptions for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns.

These are all career highs for the wideout out of Ohio State, who was taken with the 11th overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft.

Olave recently posted a picture of himself in hospital on Instagram with a caption explaining his situation.

It read, “Thank you God for everything! Right where I need to be, life is full of unexpected twists & turns & I’m grateful to experience it.

“Chin up, chest out & keep it pushin. I don’t want ya sympathy just talk to God for me. Bounce back otw!”

There is a strong chance that the only way is up for Olave and the Saints next season.

They have exceeded expectations in Kellen Moore’s first year as head coach despite missing the playoffs.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15720183/nfl-chris-olave-saints-blood-clot-lung-rules-out-season/

Algeria kept up their winning run at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, making it three out of three in Group E as they beat Equatorial Guinea 3-1 on Wednesday to affirm their status among the tournament favourites.

Goals in the first half from Zineddine Belaid, Fares Chaibi and Ibrahim Maza saw a second-string side register a comfortable victory at the Stade Moula El Hassan, with veteran Emilio Nsue pulling one back for Equatorial Guinea ‌after the break.

Algeria were already confirmed as group winners after beating Burkina ‌Faso on Sunday to set up a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo, enabling them to make nine changes for Wednesday’s game.

In spite of key players rested, the depth at Algeria’s disposal looked impressive as Belaid had them ahead in the 18th minute with a glancing header from Anis Hadj Moussa’s corner.

Maza was the provider six minutes later with a pass from deep to Chaibi who cut ‍inside and rifled home from close range.

The 20-year-old Maza netted Algeria’s third in the 32nd minute to popular acclaim as he got a head to Hadj Moussa’s cross.

Equatorial Guinea goalkeeper Jesus Owono made a superb stop on the stroke of halftime to deny Moncef Bakrar and then a minute later another difficult save at the ​base of the post.

NO MORE GIANT-KILLING ‌HEROICS

The 36-year-old Nsue, who had been top scorer at the last Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast two years ago, scored from long range in the 50th minute to ​pull one goal back for Equatorial Guinea. They finished last in the group without any points, unable to ⁠reprise their giant-killing heroics of the last Cup ‌of Nations.

Equatorial Guinea were without three suspended players on Wednesday – Basilio Ndong after a red card ​in their first game and Carlos Akapo and Josete Miranda banned for swearing at the referee after their last outing.

Wednesday’s result helped expunge a bitter memory for Algeria, who ‍as defending champions at the 2021 edition in Cameroon had suffered a shock loss to Equatorial Guinea and ⁠went on to finish last in their group.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sport/stylish-algeria-win-third-game-cup-nations-finals-5771706

A New Year brings new possibilities. All around the world, people are celebrating the start of a new year with the hope that it brings joy and peace

A New Year brings new possibilities. All around the world, people are celebrating the start of a new year with the hope that it brings joy and peace. Virat Kohli also rang in the New Year 2026 with wife Anushka Sharma by his side and a special post. “Stepping into 2026 with the light of my life @anushkasharma,” he posted on Instagram. The post received close to four million likes in less than an hour. Kohli is spending some quality time with his family currently, before he returns to action with the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the India vs New Zealand ODI series.

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Kohli is just 25 runs away from breaking a sensational world record held by Sachin Tendulkar. He needs 25 runs to complete 28,000 runs in international cricket, and he could become the fastest cricketer to achieve this milestone. The star batter will be in action for India in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, starting January 11. Kohli will become only the third batter to reach the feat, after Sachin and legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara. While Sachin achieved it in 644 innings and Sangakkara in his 666th, Kohli has already scored 27,975 runs in just 623 innings. As a result, he has ample opportunity to surpass Sachin’s record, and it is expected that the Indian star will reach the milestone during the ODI series against New Zealand.

Kohli was in good form in the first two games for Delhi, smashing 131 and 77 respectively.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/virat-kohli-steps-into-2026-with-the-light-of-his-life-superstars-last-post-of-2025-with-anushka-sharma-goes-viral-10154839

 

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has injured his left knee, the Spanish club said on Wednesday. Madrid said in a brief statement the France superstar had been diagnosed with a sprain but did not provide a timeline for his recovery.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has injured his left knee, the Spanish club said on Wednesday. Madrid said in a brief statement the France superstar had been diagnosed with a sprain but did not provide a timeline for his recovery. French sports daily newspaper L’Equipe said Mbappe would be unavailable for at least three weeks, without quoting a source. L’Equipe added that Mbappe had been suffering for several weeks from an issue with the lateral ligament in his knee, and an MRI carried out on Wednesday morning revealed a lesion that requires treatment and rest.

The striker has been in great form. Earlier this month, Mbappe scored his 59th goal for Madrid in 2025, tying the club record for the most in a year held by Cristiano Ronaldo.

Source: https://sports.ndtv.com/football/real-madrid-star-kylian-mbapp-sidelined-with-knee-injury-10155040

Arjun Erigaisi made history at the World Blitz Championship in Doha after securing a bronze medal, becoming only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand in 2017 to achieve a rare feat. After leading the standings before the semi-final, Arjun lost to Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Indian Grandmaster (GM) Arjun Erigaisi created history at the World Blitz Championship and emulated legendary Indian chess player Viswanathan Anand by securing the Bronze medal on Tuesday (December 30) in the event taking place in Doha, Qatar, after settling for a bronze medal post a defeat to Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

The 22-year-old looked in prime form for a gold but faced disappointment in the semi-finals. In the three games, the two players played, Abdusattorov won two games, while one ended in a draw. This meant the Indin star lost by a 0.5-2.5 mag margin. He shared the bronze medal with Fabiano Caruana, who lost to Magnus Carlsen in the semi-final by a 3-1 score.

The Norwegian won the title by beating Abdusattorov in the final 3-1 to add yet another feather to his endless list of achievements.

Novak Djokovic, the undisputed king of men’s tennis with a record 24 Grand Slam titles, opened up in a refreshingly honest manner about the challenges of breaking into the sport’s elite level during the height of the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal rivalry.

Novak Djokovic, the undisputed king of men’s tennis with a record 24 Grand Slam titles, opened up in a refreshingly honest manner about the challenges of breaking into the sport’s elite level during the height of the Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal rivalry. Speaking at the World Sports Summit in Dubai, the 38-year-old Serbian shared insights into his journey, emphasising resilience, self-acceptance, and an enduring love for the game. One of the most striking admissions came when Djokovic reflected on his early years on tour. “In the Federer-Nadal era, there was no room for a third,” he said on Monday.

The Serb elaborated on how he initially tried to fit in-doing impersonations of other players for laughs and attempting to be more likeable-only to realise that authenticity was his true strength. Djokovic described the pressure of inserting himself into what felt like an exclusive duopoly, but ultimately, he carved out his space and helped create the legendary Big Three era.

Djokovic also spoke profoundly about how adversity has shaped him. He explained that “challenges strengthen you,” drawing directly from his upbringing in war-torn Serbia, where resources were scarce and nothing came easily. This belief underscores his entire career: obstacles are not roadblocks but opportunities to build mental and physical toughness.

He expanded on this idea by noting that “if everything is handed to you, you get comfortable. If you’re forced to solve problems, you grow.” For Djokovic, the constant need to innovate-whether adapting his diet, refining his technique, or overcoming injuries-has been the driving force behind his longevity and dominance, preventing the complacency that can derail even the most talented players.

On handling defeat, Djokovic revealed a deeply introspective side: “When I lose, I need to be alone and reflect on how to improve.” He illustrated this with his 2024 Wimbledon final loss to Carlos Alcaraz, describing it as a humbling experience that forced him to confront weaknesses and emerge stronger. This solitary reflection has been a hallmark of his approach, turning painful setbacks into catalysts for improvement.

Looking to the future, Djokovic remains defiantly motivated, stating simply: “As long as my body holds up and I keep loving hitting the ball, why not?” At an age when most players have long retired, he continues to compete at the highest level, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in his sights as a potential guiding star. There is no fixed retirement date; he is still pushing his limits and reinventing himself in a post-Federer-Nadal era.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/novak-djokovics-candid-reflection-felt-like-third-wheel-in-roger-federer-rafael-nadal-era-10092392

Mohammed Shami’s long, uneasy absence from India’s white-ball plans may finally be nearing an end

After months of speculation over his fitness, form, and future, the 35-year-old fast bowler is back on the selectors’ radar, with the 2027 ODI World Cup now emerging as a clear reference point for his potential return. According to NDTV’s conversation with a BCCI source, Shami’s domestic performances are being “closely tracked”, and a recall is no longer a distant possibility.

“Mohammed Shami is being discussed on a regular basis. He is not out of reckoning. The only concern is about his fitness. A bowler of his calibre will get wickets. It is wrong to say he is out of the selection radar. He is looking good for the New Zealand One-Day series. Do not be surprised if he is picked, given his experience and ability to take wickets at will. Even the 2027 World Cup is a possibility.”

It is a significant shift in tone for a player who has not represented India since the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025, despite finishing that tournament as India’s joint-highest wicket-taker with nine scalps. His last ODI came against New Zealand in that competition, while his most recent Test appearance dates back even further – the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023.

Shami’s case has refused to fade away, largely because his numbers have kept the conversation alive. He has taken 17 wickets in his last six matches (three Vijay Hazare Trophy games and three in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy). In the Ranji Trophy, he picked up 20 wickets in just four matches this season, underlining that his ability to strike remains intact.

Former India cricketers have also questioned his continued exclusion. Mohammad Kaif publicly expressed surprise at Shami being left out of recent ODI squads, particularly when senior quicks Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were rested. With India experimenting in their pace department, Shami’s absence stood out more sharply given his proven record in high-pressure tournaments.

The issue, however, has never been skill. It has been fitness.

Shami has battled recurring ankle and knee injuries since the 2023 World Cup, undergoing surgery and long rehabilitation spells that disrupted his rhythm and availability. That uncertainty has been central to the selectors’ caution, even as Shami insisted he was fit enough to play, pointing to his availability for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy.

That tension spilled into the open earlier this year when Shami took a public dig at the selection panel after being ignored for India’s white-ball tour of Australia. He argued that it was not his responsibility to keep updating selectors about his fitness if he was already playing domestic cricket.

Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, responded to those remarks at the NDTV World Summit 2025 in October, striking a measured but firm tone.

“He has been an incredible performer for India,” Agarkar said. “If he said something, maybe that is a conversation for me to have with him or him to have with me. But even before England, we said if he was fit, he would have been on that plane. Unfortunately, he wasn’t.”

Agarkar underlined that the selectors had been eager to bring Shami back, including during the Australia tour, but fitness concerns repeatedly stalled those plans.

“Our domestic season has just started, so we will see if he is fit enough,” he added. “This is the first round of Ranji games that is going on. We will find out in a couple more games. If he is bowling well, why would you not want to have someone like Shami?”

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/mohammed-shamis-uneasy-absence-from-team-india-to-end-soon-as-world-cup-2027-looms-source-10102235

Deepti Sharma trapped Nilakshika Silva leg-before in the 14th over to become the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is with her 152nd dismissal.

Bowlers produced a spotless effort after skipper Harmanpreet Kaur led the way with a doughty 68 as dominant India defeated Sri Lanka by 15 runs in the fifth T20I to complete a 5-0 whitewash in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. Harmanpreet’s first fifty of the series came at an important juncture in the game when India were left struggling at 77 for five, as her 43-ball knock took the hosts to 175 for five. Sri Lanka responded with half-centuries from opener Hasini Perera (65) and Imesha Dulani (50) but failed to find the flourish towards the end, finishing at 160 for seven. India thus capped an exceptional World Cup-winning year on a bright note.

Despite losing their skipper Chamari Athapaththu (2) early in the chase, Sri Lanka responded with a second-wicket partnership of 79 runs between Perera and Dulani which kept them in hunt.

Both Perera and Dulani batted with conviction to regularly find boundaries and rotated the strike well, but the failure to clear the ropes during their 56-ball association also meant that Sri Lanka remained slightly behind the asking rate.

Sri Lanka No. 3 Dulani cracked eight fours in her 39-ball innings and Perera held one end strongly with her 42-ball knock, but a slip-up in the form of wickets in cluster saw the required run rate moving past 13 per over.

Sri Lanka needed a big finish in the second half which they could not produce, as Indian spinners Deepti Sharma (1/28) and Vaishnavi Sharma (1/33) bowled stifling spells.

Amanjot Kaur (1/17) dismissed Dulani in the 12th over to give India the opening and Deepti capitalised on it.

Deepti trapped Nilakshika Silva leg-before in the 14th over to become the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is with her 152nd dismissal in 134 matches at 18.62, going past Australia’s Megan Schutt (151 wickets in 123 matches at 16.57).

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🚨 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗗 🚨

Deepti Sharma now holds the record for most wickets in women’s T20 internationals 👏

TAKE. A. BOW 🙇‍♀️

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/E8eUdWSj7U#TeamIndia | #INDvSL | @Deepti_Sharma06 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/2iXluIEijT

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 30, 2025

Perera’s fall in the 17th over shut the doors on the Islanders.

Earlier, a resolute knock from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (68) and a late assault from Arundhati Reddy (27 not out) took India to a competitive 175 for seven.

India were left tottering at 77 for five after 10 overs, but Harmanpreet stood tall with her first impactful knock of the series.

Later, Arundhati smacked four fours and a six to make a vital 11-ball 27 not out to push the hosts past the 150-mark.

Harmanpreet struck nine fours and a six in her 43-balls knock and dazzled with some powerful hits on both sides of the wicket, while her 61-run sixth wicket stand with Amanjot Kaur (21) was equally important.

For the large part of her knock, Harmanpreet kept losing partners which also dented India’s hopes for a bigger total but with Amanjot, the Indian skipper ensured her bowlers had a total on board to defend.

Using the long handle to a good effect, Harmanpreet also pierced the field deftly on the off-side for a few boundaries.

It wasn’t an ideal start for India with the new opening pair of debutant G Kamalini and Shafali Verma falling cheaply after vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was rested from this match.

Coming off three consecutive fifties, Shafali (5) looked to attack from the beginning but she was caught at long-on by Imesha Dulani off Nimasha Meepage in the second over.

Having hit a couple of fours in her maiden outing, Kamalini (12) missed connecting on an attempted sweep off Kavisha Dilhari (2/11) and was pinned in front, as an attempt to overturn the decision through DRS proved futile.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/india-women-vs-sri-lanka-women-2025-india/deepti-sharma-shines-with-world-record-as-india-women-register-5-0-t20i-series-sweep-over-sri-lanka-10107917

 

Gautam Gambhir has managed to win only 7 out of 19 Tests played so far as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not planning to part ways with Gautam Gambhir despite India’s poor show in the five-day format of the game since his appointment for the top job. The former left-handed batter from Delhi took charge of the Indian team in July 2024 after Rahul Dravid’s tenure came to an end, but since then Gambhir has only managed to win seven out of 19 Tests played so far as India’s head coach.

Under his guidance, India won one Test in Australia last year and two in England this year but also suffered humiliating 0-3 and 0-2 defeats against New Zealand and South Africa, respectively, in front of home fans.

Gambhir has lost five home Tests so far, which is the most for any India head coach, and he is also the only Indian head coach to get whitewashed twice in a home Test series.

Since India suffered humiliating defeats in both the Tests against South Africa last month in front of home fans, there are calls for Gambhir’s removal as head coach of Team India, at least from the five-day format of the game. But the BCCI is not looking to part ways with Gambhir.

A day after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia dismissed the reports of the board planning to line up VVS Laxman as Gambhir’s replacement in Tests, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has also denied reports of Gambhir’s exit.

According to Shukla, there is no plan to remove Gambhir or bring in a new head coach for India.

“I want to make it very clear regarding the speculation circulating in the media about head coach Gautam Gambhir. The BCCI secretary (Devajit Saikia) has also made it very clear that there is no plan to remove or bring in a new head coach for India,” Shukla told ANI.

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#WATCH | Delhi: Dismissing reports that the BCCI board is considering replacing or appointing a new head coach in the Test format in place of Gautam Gambhir, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla says, “I want to make it very clear regarding the speculation circulating in the media… pic.twitter.com/PKNQYpilP5

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2025

Gambhir’s current contract as head coach of Team India runs till November 2027, and it looks like he will remain in charge of the team till then.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/bcci-to-sack-gautam-gambhir-rajeev-shukla-gives-big-update-on-indias-head-coach-future-ws-klno-9799185.html

 

The Dubai Sports Council, led by Vice Chairman Khalfan Belhoul, is focusing on building a sustainable, community-driven sporting culture with cricket as a central pillar.

The Dubai Sports Council has long been at the forefront of transforming the United Arab Emirates into a global sporting hub. Under the leadership of Vice Chairman H.E. Khalfan Belhoul, the council is now shifting its focus towards deeper community integration and long-term sustainability. By leveraging Dubai’s world-class infrastructure and its unique cultural mix, the council aims to move beyond hosting major spectacles to fostering a homegrown sporting culture that resonates locally and internationally. During the World Sports Summit in Dubai, Belhoul spoke to NDTV in an exclusive interview where he outlined how important cricket is to the Dubai Sports Council’s ultimate objective.

Central to this strategy is the recognition of cricket’s unparalleled popularity among the city’s vast South Asian population. Rather than viewing regional competition as a hurdle, Belhoul sees an opportunity to “connect the dots” between passionate fans, aspiring young athletes, and the professional stage, ensuring that Dubai becomes the beating heart of global cricket.

Considering the significant South Asian population residing in Dubai, how vital is cricket to your overall strategic objectives at the Dubai Sports Council?

It is massive. Cricket is absolutely massive here. The fan base is huge, and the athletes residing in Dubai are constantly participating in various events. Our primary objective at the Dubai Sports Council, particularly through the World Sports Summit, is to establish a comprehensive talent development scheme and a robust grassroots system for the sport.

One of the great advantages of cricket is that we don’t need to manufacture a connection between the sport and the fans; that bond is already there in abundance. Our current focus is to build the right infrastructure to convert that fan passion into a structured pathway. We want to connect grassroots talent with professional opportunities, developing more athletes while simultaneously ensuring Dubai remains a premier home for major international cricket matches.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/collaboration-over-competition-in-asian-cricket-dubai-sports-council-vice-chairman-khalfan-belhoul-to-ndtv-10065052

Mandhana has played a total of 32 international matches for India in 2025 and, with the help of 6 centuries and 7 fifties, has amassed a total of 1703 runs.

Smriti Mandhana was on fire for Team India on Sunday (December 28) against Sri Lanka. In the fourth T20I of the ongoing five-match series, the left-handed batter from Sangli opened the innings for the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram and scored 80 runs from 48 balls. During her stay at the crease, the 29-year-old top-order batter hammered 11 fours and 3 sixes and also added 162 runs in 92 balls for the first wicket with Shafali Verma (79 runs from 46 balls; 12 fours and 1 six).

The 80-run knock by Smriti on Sunday helped her win the Player Of The Match award, and it also helped her enter her name in the history books by becoming the first player in the world to score more than 1700 runs in a calendar year in women’s cricket.

The previous record of scoring the most runs in a calendar year in women’s cricket was also in the name of Mandhana. The vice-captain of the Indian women’s cricket team amassed a total of 1659 runs in 35 matches across formats last year, and in the ongoing calendar year 2025, she has scored 1703 runs in 32 matches played so far.

In 2025, Mandhana has scored 1362 runs in 23 ODIs and 341 runs in nine T20I matches. She is the only cricketer in the world to score more than 1000 runs in a calendar year in women’s ODIs.

Smriti Mandhana in 2025

In 2024, Smriti amassed a total of 149 runs in one Test, 747 runs in 13 ODIs and 763 runs in 23 T20Is.

In the list of batters with the most runs in a calendar year in women’s cricket, Smriti is followed by South Africa’s captain, Laura Wolvaardt. Wolvaardt, who finished as the highest run-getter in the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 and also slammed a century in the semifinal and final of that tournament, scored 1593 runs in 37 matches played across formats last year.

In addition to breaking her own record of scoring the most runs in a calendar year in women’s cricket on Sunday, Mandhana also broke Harmanpreet Kaur’s record of hitting the most sixes for India in the 20-over format of the game.

Source : https://www.news18.com/cricket/smriti-mandhana-breaks-her-own-record-of-most-runs-in-a-calendar-year-in-womens-cricket-ws-klno-9797133.html

Since the Asia Cup in September, the Indian men’s and women’s teams have refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts in international matches, in solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has opened up regarding India’s “no-handshake” policy, stating that Pakistan is fine with not reciprocating gestures if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continues its current stance. Since the Asia Cup in September, both the Indian men’s and women’s teams have refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts during international matches. This gesture is reportedly a show of solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. India maintained this stance most recently during the U19 Asia Cup earlier this month.

Speaking to reporters in Lahore, Naqvi-who also serves as the Interior Minister of Pakistan-clarified that the PCB has no intention of forcing handshakes or other formal gestures with India.

“Our belief remains the same even today, and believe me, the Prime Minister himself has told me twice that we shouldn’t let politics come into all of this. From day one, our stance has been that cricket and politics should remain separate. On that day, Sarfaraz must have told you what kind of attitude was shown, and what it was like,” said Naqvi.

Naqvi suggested that while Pakistan will respect whichever path India chooses to take, they will compete with their neighbors on an equal basis.

“If they don’t want to shake hands, then we have no particular desire to do so either. Whatever happens, it will happen on an equal footing with India. And you will see, this approach will continue going forward. It’s not possible for them to do one thing and for us to back down – that simply won’t happen,” he added.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/pcb-chief-mohsin-naqvi-gives-blunt-take-on-indias-no-handshake-policy-against-pakistan-10050482?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories