Sports

New Delhi: Following its boycott of India in the T20 World Cup 2026, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken another controversial step by blocking the broadcast of the Pakistan Super League 2026 (PSL 11) in India. The decision comes despite the PSL 11 global media rights being sold internationally, with the Indian market now excluded. Analysts note that this move may backfire on Pakistan, as most advertisers are Indian, and India represents the largest cricket audience, with over 80% of the country’s 1.4 billion population being cricket viewers. Rights Sold to Pakistani Company According to reports, PCB invited bids for global media rights of PSL 11, and Vali Technologies, a company promoting “Made in Pakistan” technology, emerged as the highest bidder. PCB awarded the rights ...

New Delhi: Pakistan has announced that it will not field a team against India in the T20 World Cup 2026 match scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. The announcement, made by the Pakistan government via social media, has raised the likelihood of ICC action within the next 48 hours. According to media reports, the International Cricket Council (ICC) could take action against Pakistan in the coming days. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has yet to officially communicate its decision to ICC, which has delayed any immediate response. Sources indicate that by refusing to play, Pakistan may be violating its signed ICC contracts, opening the door to possible penalties. Agreement Signed to Play at Neutral Venue Reports suggest that Pakistan is accused of breaching the contract it signed wi...

Navi Mumbai: Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, the Indian cricket team will play its only warm-up match against South Africa. The match will serve as the final opportunity for both teams to fine-tune their line-ups and strategies before the tournament officially begins. Match Details Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 Venue: DY Patil Stadium Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai Time: 7:00 PM IST Live Streaming: Fans can watch the match live on Jio Cinema / Disney+ Hotstar In warm-up matches, all players have the chance to bat, but the innings ends after 10 wickets fall. Teams can also rotate bowlers freely to test combinations. Playing XIs India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, A...

New Delhi: Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has predicted that Pakistan will eventually play against India in the T20 World Cup 2026. Scheduled to clash on February 15, Pakistan had announced it would boycott the match, but Ashwin believes history suggests a reversal is likely. Pakistan has a track record of changing its stance under pressure, and Ashwin warns that not playing could bring significant consequences. Here are five notable occasions when Pakistan took a U-turn: 1. Asia Cup 2025 – Match Against UAE During the Asia Cup 2025, India refused to shake hands with Pakistan. In response, Pakistan threatened not to play against UAE unless the match referee was changed. Despite their warning, Pakistan ultimately played the match as scheduled. 2. Champions Trophy ...

New Delhi: The India Under-19 cricket team will face Afghanistan in the semifinal of the U19 World Cup 2026, aiming to secure a spot in the final for the sixth consecutive time. The match will be played at the Harare Sports Club. India has been unbeaten in the tournament so far, winning all their matches convincingly. Afghanistan, on the other hand, suffered a defeat against Sri Lanka but won all their other games to qualify for the semifinals. With six players in their squad, India enters the tournament as one of the most successful U19 sides historically, having reached the final in each of the last five editions. India vs Afghanistan U19 – Head-to-Head Record India and Afghanistan have faced each other 12 times in Youth ODIs between 2010 and 2024. India leads the head-to-head w...

New Delhi: Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to begin on February 7, teams are taking part in warm-up matches. Today, four warm-up matches will be played featuring eight participating teams, including India and Pakistan. India to Face South Africa The defending champions India will take the field against South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM IST. This warm-up fixture offers India an opportunity to fine-tune their strategies before the tournament officially begins. Pakistan to Play Against Ireland Amid controversy over its refusal to play India in the tournament, the Pakistan team has arrived in Sri Lanka, where it will play all its matches. Pakistan will face Ireland today in a warm-up match at the Singhalese Spor...

New Delhi: Pakistan has decided to boycott its T20 World Cup 2026 match against India, scheduled for February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not issued an official statement regarding the match. However, the Pakistan government announced on social media that while Pakistan will participate in the World Cup, it will not take the field against India. ICC May Take Action Against Pakistan The decision to skip the India match could attract action from the International Cricket Council (ICC). Pakistan could face financial penalties for losses incurred due to the abandoned match and might even be banned from future tournaments. Initially, Pakistan had agreed to play all its group matches in the tournament but has now chosen to withdraw only fro...

Vadodara: The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 title showdown will see Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) take on Delhi Capitals on February 5 at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara. The final is scheduled to start at 7:30 PM IST, with the toss at 7:00 PM. RCB earned a direct entry to the final by finishing at the top of the league points table. Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals secured their spot in the final by defeating Gujarat Giants by 7 wickets in the eliminator match under the leadership of Jemimah Rodrigues. This will be Delhi’s fourth appearance in a WPL final, while RCB will be playing their second title match, led by captain Smriti Mandhana. Delhi Capitals are yet to win a WPL title, while RCB had defeated Delhi to clinch the championship in the 2024 season. This se...

In a thrilling first semifinal of the ICC U19 World Cup 2026, England captain Thomas Rew played a spectacular innings to steer his team to a competitive total against Australia. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, England struggled initially, losing 3 wickets for just 60 runs. However, Thomas Rew showcased why he is regarded as one of England’s brightest young talents. The 18-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman played an aggressive, match-defining innings, scoring 110 runs off 107 balls, including 14 fours and 1 six. His century ensured England crossed the 277-run mark for the loss of 7 wickets in their allotted 50 overs. Rew was eventually run out on 236 in the 43rd over while attempting a quick single, but his innings laid a strong foundation, with the next highest scorer contributing...

The Indian cricket team is set to defend its title in the T20 World Cup 2026, beginning February 7. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India will kick off its campaign against the USA. Co-hosting the tournament with Sri Lanka, India enters the event as the reigning champion, having defeated South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. No team has yet won back-to-back T20 World Cup titles. India has been placed in Group A, alongside Pakistan, USA, Namibia, and the Netherlands. The team’s group-stage schedule is as follows: DateMatchVenueTime (IST)February 7, 2026India vs USAWankhede Stadium, Mumbai7:00 PMFebruary 12, 2026India vs NamibiaArun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi7:00 PMFebruary 15, 2026India vs PakistanR. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo7:00 PMFebruary 18, 2026India vs NetherlandsNarendra Modi Stad...