Sports

New Delhi: The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 continues, and today, February 10, Pakistan faces the USA in a group-stage match in Sri Lanka. In this game, three American players could prove to be a major threat to Pakistan. Back in the 2024 T20 World Cup, the USA had stunned Pakistan by defeating them in a Super Over. Here’s a look at the three key USA players who could once again cause Pakistan trouble. Mohammed MohsinBorn in Mingora, Pakistan, Mohammed Mohsin is now a leg-spinner for the USA. He impressed with his bowling in the USA’s first match against India, conceding only 16 runs and picking up one wicket. On spin-friendly pitches like those in Sri Lanka, Mohsin could be a nightmare for his birth country, Pakistan. Saurabh NetravalkarMumbai-born fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar has t...

New Delhi: The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 witnessed a major controversy that shook the cricketing world, involving India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the ICC. The dispute went beyond the cricket field, touching on politics, diplomacy, and historical sensitivities. Here’s a detailed look at the situation and its impact on India. How the Controversy Began and Its OutcomeThe drama began when the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to play matches in India, citing security concerns. Shortly after, Pakistan aligned with Bangladesh and threatened not to play their match against India. After weeks of tension, a tripartite meeting in Lahore resolved the issue—but India and the BCCI bore the brunt, while the opposing boards benefited. 5 Reasons Why BCCI and ICC Faced a Setback 1. Bangladesh’s...

New Delhi: Relations between India and Pakistan remain tense, yet discussions about cricket matches continue to make headlines. Before the start of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan stirred controversy by initially refusing to play against India, citing support for Bangladesh. However, the team has now agreed to face India in the group-stage match on February 15 in Colombo. Michael Vaughan Advocates India-Pakistan Test SeriesFormer England captain and cricketer Michael Vaughan has expressed his desire to see a full-fledged Test series between India and Pakistan. Vaughan took to X (formerly Twitter) after Pakistan agreed to play against India, stating that such a series would be great for competition and cricket. He suggested that the United Kingdom would be a suitable venue to host a...

New Delhi: The ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which began on February 7, is underway, with Pakistan scheduled to play all its matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka. However, a video showing the hospitality extended to the Pakistan cricket team has gone viral on social media, with fans mocking the treatment the team received. Fans Take Jabs at Pakistan TeamThe viral video has left cricket fans amused, with many joking about Pakistan’s experience in Sri Lanka. The clip highlights unusual or lackluster arrangements for the team, which has become a trending topic on platforms like X (formerly Twitter). Pakistan Scrapes Through Against NetherlandsPakistan’s campaign started with a nail-biting encounter against the Netherlands. The match was closely contested, with Pakistan barely securing a three-wicket...

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced its annual central contracts for the 2025-26 season, awarding contracts to a total of 30 players. While stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been placed in Grade B and only Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah feature in Grade A, several deserving players were left out. Here’s a look at five such unlucky cricketers who missed out on a BCCI central contract. Mohammed ShamiVeteran pacer Mohammed Shami has not been awarded a central contract this time. Shami last represented India in the 2025 Champions Trophy before being dropped. Despite consistently performing in domestic cricket, he was overlooked for the 2025-26 contract list. Rajat PatidarRajat Patidar has also missed out on the central c...

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the central contracts for the 2025-26 season. Only three players have been placed in Grade A this year. For the 2025-26 season, the BCCI awarded central contracts to 30 male cricketers. The A+ category has been removed this time. Grade A includes only Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. Meanwhile, Indian cricket stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been demoted to Grade B. India’s T20 World Cup vice-captain Axar Patel has been placed in Grade C, a decision that former Indian cricketer and current commentator Akash Chopra has criticized. Akash Chopra Questions Axar Patel’s GradeChopra took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disappointment. He wrote, “What more does Axar Patel have to...

LAHORE: Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam came under intense scrutiny after a disappointing performance against the Netherlands in the T20 World Cup 2026. His slow innings of 15 runs off 18 balls nearly derailed Pakistan’s chase, which was salvaged only by a late flourish from Faheem Ashraf, who scored 29 runs off 11 deliveries. Following the match, the debate over Babar’s place in the T20 side has intensified. Basit Ali Criticizes Babar in Strong TermsFormer Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali openly criticized Babar during a television show. “He may be fine in ODIs and Tests, but for T20s, he is not the right fit,” Ali said. He also questioned the team management for not ensuring Babar bats in his preferred position. “There are several players in the team—Shadab, Usman Khan, Nawaz, Faheem—w...

MUMBAI: Nepal came agonizingly close to defeating two-time champions England in the T20 World Cup 2026, falling short by just four runs. Despite their spirited performance, former Indian opener and renowned commentator Aakash Chopra expressed frustration over the way smaller teams like Nepal are treated by cricketing powerhouses. Aakash Chopra Calls Out Big TeamsNepal nearly pulled off a historic upset but fell short in the final over, needing 10 runs to win. Chopra argued that if bigger cricketing nations played consistently against emerging teams like Nepal, the outcome might have been different. “I’m going to talk about what we do with associate or slightly lower-ranked teams. It’s just token participation. It’s performative,” Chopra said. “They do good work, you praise them, and the...

NEW DELHI/COLOMBO: The highly anticipated India-Pakistan T20 World Cup match, scheduled for February 15, 2026, is back on track thanks to ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja. In a tense situation where cricketing politics threatened to overshadow the sport, Khwaja emerged as the crucial behind-the-scenes mediator ensuring the blockbuster fixture went ahead. A Key Figure Behind the CurtainRepresenting the Singapore Cricket Association and serving as ICC Deputy Chair, 64-year-old Imran Khwaja is widely regarded as a neutral and trusted voice in world cricket administration. A lawyer by profession, Khwaja has been part of ICC’s internal workings since 2008 and enjoys the confidence of both the Indian and Pakistan cricket boards, as well as associate nations. His immediate mission during the curr...

NEW DELHI/LAHORE: The controversy surrounding the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 clash scheduled for February 15 appears to be moving toward resolution. On Sunday, a key meeting took place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and ICC officials, with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chairman Aminul Islam also specially invited. Following the talks, Pakistan indicated readiness to play the match but has put forward three major conditions. ICC Pushes Pakistan to ParticipateAfter Pakistan initially announced it would boycott the match, ICC sent top officials to Lahore to mediate. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, BCB’s Aminul Islam, and ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja attended the meeting. Sources revealed that ICC made it clear to Pakistan that selective partic...