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The West Indies cricket team has announced its 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7 and will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Shai Hope has been appointed as the captain of the Caribbean side. The squad sees the return of experienced players Jason Holder, Rovman Powell, and Romario Shepherd, who were recently rested. Jason Holder, a former captain of the West Indies team, is considered one of the Caribbean cricketing greats. Holder has played 69 Tests, 138 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 86 T20 matches for the West Indies. In Tests, he has scored 3,073 runs and taken 162 wickets; in ODIs, 2,237 runs and 159 wickets; and in T20s, 746 runs alongside 97 wickets. Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph and all-rounder Evin Lewi...

New Delhi: Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, the BCCI has made it clear that it will not rush any players’ return from injury. As part of this approach, Tilak Varma has been given extra time to regain full fitness. Originally expected to join the squad by the fourth T20 against New Zealand, Tilak may now make his return directly through warm-up matches in Mumbai. Return-to-Play (RTP) Report PendingAccording to the Times of India, Tilak Varma is currently pain-free, but the Bengaluru-based Centre of Excellence (CoE) has not yet cleared him to return to competitive play. A BCCI official stated, “Tilak is progressing very well, but we want him 100% ready for the World Cup. Since he was playing continuously before the injury, he hasn’t missed match practice. We are simply waiting for him to ...

New Delhi: While Team India secured an unassailable 3-0 lead against New Zealand in the T20 series, one player’s campaign has turned into a nightmare. Wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson, who was handed a golden opportunity to prove himself ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, has struggled to make an impact. With the anticipated return of young sensation Tilak Varma, Sanju’s place in the playing XI appears increasingly uncertain. Struggles Across Three MatchesSanju Samson’s performance in the series has been disappointing. He managed just 10 runs in the first T20, 6 in the second, and failed to open his account in the third, departing for a duck. His poor form has raised concerns within the team management, as the World Cup demands consistent performers in key positions, especially in the mi...

Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is facing renewed controversy after reinstating M. Nazmul Islam as Finance Committee Chairman, weeks after he was removed following protests from national players. Nazmul Islam had previously sparked uproar by referring to several current and former Bangladesh cricketers as “India agents” during the debate over Bangladesh’s refusal to play T20 World Cup 2026 matches in India. His remarks came in the wake of the ICC’s decision to remove Bangladesh from the tournament and replace them with Scotland, which many players had criticized. The Bangladesh Cricket Players Association (CWAB) had subsequently called a strike, disrupting matches in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL 2025). Reinstatement After ICC DecisionReports indicate that the ICC form...

Mumbai: Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, India is considering a warm-up match on February 4 at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium. Initially, the team was set to start the tournament without any formal practice match, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is now exploring a fixture either against South Africa or an intra-squad match featuring India A players. Fitness Concerns for Sundar and Tilak VarmaAll-rounder Washington Sundar and batsman Tilak Varma remain key fitness concerns for the team. Sundar is recovering from a side strain affecting the muscles near his ribs and back, which could rule him out of the initial World Cup matches. Tilak Varma’s recovery is reportedly on track, with expectations that he will be fully fit by India’s second match on February 12. The selectors...

Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has clarified that it will not challenge the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to exclude Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup 2026. ICC had removed Bangladesh from the tournament after the team declined to travel to India and replaced them with Scotland. Reports suggesting that Bangladesh intended to appeal the decision through the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) have been dismissed by the BCB. Amjad Hussain, Chairman of BCB’s Media Committee, confirmed that the board has accepted the ICC’s ruling and will not take any further action. “Our Position Is Clear and Unchanged”Hussain stated, “We respect the ICC board’s decision. Previously, when we informed the ICC that our matches could not be shifted to Sri Lanka, we also could...

Lahore: Pakistan has announced its 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka next month. However, despite the squad announcement, doubts loom over the team’s participation in the tournament due to ongoing political tensions surrounding Bangladesh’s exclusion from the event. Earlier, Pakistan had threatened to boycott the tournament in protest of Bangladesh’s exclusion, drawing a reprimand from the International Cricket Council (ICC). In the latest development, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has advised the team to keep preparations on hold until the government gives final instructions. Key Points on the Situation: Players Meet PCB Chairman After Squad AnnouncementThe squad was announced on Sunday afternoon, after which Naqvi met the play...

Guwahati: In the third T20 against New Zealand, India’s young opener Abhishek Sharma set the stage ablaze with a scintillating knock, scoring 68 off just 14 balls to guide India to a dominant win. Captain Suryakumar Yadav also impressed with 57 from 26 deliveries, as India chased down a target of 154 in a mere 10 overs, sealing a 3-0 lead in the five-match series. Close to Yuvraj Singh’s RecordSharma’s explosive innings nearly challenged the historic record of his mentor Yuvraj Singh, who holds the fastest T20I fifty in just 12 balls against England in 2007. Sharma fell just two deliveries short of matching the milestone. In a light-hearted exchange on X (formerly Twitter), Yuvraj congratulated his protégé with a playful note: “Still can’t get 50 in 12 balls, huh? Well played, stay stro...

New Delhi: Just ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav has sent a strong message to his critics with back-to-back destructive innings against New Zealand. Scoring 82 runs in Raipur and an unbeaten 57 in Guwahati, Yadav has regained his rhythm, signaling that India’s middle order has a potent weapon in the upcoming mega-event. The Return of ‘Mr. 360’In the shortest format of the game, when Suryakumar Yadav is in full flow, boundaries shrink and bowlers are left visibly unsettled. Against New Zealand, Yadav showcased his lethal batting alongside leadership skills. In Raipur, he scored a fiery 82 off 37 balls, while in the third T20 in Guwahati, he hammered 57 runs off just 26 deliveries. These performances reaffirm why he is regarded as one of the world’s premier...

New Delhi: India continued their dominant form in T20 cricket by winning the third match of the five-match series against New Zealand at Barasapara Stadium, Guwahati. With this victory, India secured an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series and equaled a record previously held by Pakistan for eight years. India’s Dominant PerformanceAfter winning the toss, India opted to bowl first, restricting New Zealand to 153/9 in 20 overs. The Indian chase was a masterclass in power-hitting, as the team reached 155/2 in just 10 overs to seal a commanding win. The win showcased India’s formidable form ahead of the T20 World Cup, impressing cricket fans worldwide. Pakistan’s Record in DangerWith this victory, India has equaled Pakistan’s record of the most consecutive T20 series wins by a full-membe...