South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

South Africa captain Aiden Markram admitted it was simply a night where very little went his side’s way as a rampant New Zealand national cricket team stormed into the T20 World Cup final with a crushing nine-wicket win at Eden Gardens.New Zealand’s charge was led by a breathtaking 33-ball century from Finn Allen, the fastest hundred in T20 World Cup history, as they chased down 170 in just 12.5 overs. For Markram, the damage was done early.

“I think you look at conditions early and they bowled really well up front. Ball didn’t quite feel like coming on, some were just stopping on the wicket and some were hitting quite low on the bat and they made scoring really tough and through that pressure builds and you lose wickets unfortunately,” Markram said.He credited the Kiwi bowling unit for squeezing his side during the powerplay, where scoring never quite flowed. “So give credit to their bowling unit and obviously with the bat, someone plays an innings like that, don’t think you will come out on the right side of the result many times as a fielding team.”South Africa eventually posted 169 for 8, thanks largely to Marco Jansen’s unbeaten 54 off 30 balls and a crucial stand with Tristan Stubbs after they had slumped to 77 for 5. Markram felt there was still hope at the break.“To get to 170 was a great effort to be fair. At the halfway point we really felt like we had a sniff,” he said.That optimism quickly faded as Allen and Tim Seifert tore into the bowling. “But then, as it goes in T20 cricket.. (in) the powerplay (they) got off to a flyer and can’t protect every boundary unfortunately, and yeah they got away and then from there it was really hard to pull it back.”Markram reserved special praise for the openers who killed the contest inside the first six overs. “So we give massive credit to Finn Allen’s knock, Tim Seifert’s knock to kill the game as early as they did, and yeah unfortunately, it was just that bad night for us tonight.”Reflecting on what could have been done differently, the skipper suggested a quicker tactical adjustment with the bat might have helped.“It’s hard to say right now. We’ll reflect as the group. I think we expected the wicket to play really well. It looked pretty good to the eye, so potentially just adapt a bit quicker with the bats and go back to maybe a bit more old school approach, set it up and try to scrape your way to 190, and maybe you’ll be in the game from there.”Despite the disappointment of falling short of another final, Markram stood firmly behind his squad. “So yeah, we’ll reflect as a group. Obviously disappointed with the result, but very proud of this group of guys who have played some really good cricket throughout this comp, and it’s just an unfortunate evening really.”

Dominiq Ponder’s cause of death: Colorado QB’s sudden death at 23 leaves the NFL world stunned

Colorado football faced a painful moment on March 1, 2026. QB Dominiq Ponder died in a tragic car crash at just 23. HC Deion Sanders confirmed the news later that evening, sending shockwaves through the college football community.As tributes poured in, one detail became central to the story. Fans and teammates wanted clarity about Dominiq Ponder’s cause of death. Authorities released those answers Sunday night, turning grief into a stark reminder of how quickly life can change.

Dominiq Ponder’s cause of death confirmed after a fatal single-car crash in Colorado

Per reports, Dominiq Ponder’s cause of death was a single-vehicle accident early Sunday morning, March 1, 2026. According to a Colorado State Patrol press release issued later that day, Ponder lost control of the Tesla Model 3 he was driving. The vehicle struck a guardrail, hit an electrical line pole, and then rolled down an embankment. The car later caught fire. Officials confirmed he died at the scene. No other vehicles were involved.Ponder had spent the past two seasons as a walk-on quarterback with the Colorado Buffaloes. He appeared in two games during the 2024 season, logging two rush attempts and one pass attempt. His on-field opportunities were limited, but teammates often spoke about his energy during practice.HC. Deion Sanders reacted publicly on March 1, 2026, through a post on X. “Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord, you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us, Lord, Comfort us,” Sanders wrote on his official account Sunday evening. His message reflected the bond inside the locker room.Fellow QB Colton Allen also wrote his heartfelt note, “Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” Allen wrote. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life. What happened feels so final. It feels heavy. It hurts.”One fan wrote, “This is heartbreaking 💔.” Another said, “Praying for everyone, my brother!!!! So heartbreaking!!!!”Before transferring to Colorado, Ponder played at Bethune-Cookman. He attended Miami Carol City and Naples High School in Florida, then Myrtle Beach Collegiate Academy in South Carolina. His career showed persistence. He kept working, kept transferring, and kept chasing a chance to prove himself.Spring practice in Boulder was scheduled to begin March 2, 2026. Instead, the program entered the week in mourning. Dominiq Ponders’ sudden demise now stands as a tragic footnote to a young career that teammates say still held promise.