Ricky Ponting (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has praised the India national cricket team after their dominant victory in the T20 World Cup 2026, calling the current Indian side one of the strongest T20 teams ever. India secured their third T20 World Cup title with a convincing 96-run win over the New Zealand national cricket team in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The win also made India the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup.

Ponting praises India’s depth and consistency

Ponting highlighted India’s impressive performances in recent ICC tournaments and their strong record in white-ball cricket. According to him, the team’s combination of talent, experience and depth makes them extremely difficult to beat.“It’s really hard to argue a point against that. If you look at this, not just the T20I team but their white-ball record in ICC events over the last five or six years, it’s quite remarkable,” Ponting said on International Cricket Council’s The ICC Review.“A lot of people probably identified before this tournament started the depth and the strength that this current Indian team had, and also the experience that they have.“This is a very, very strong Indian white-ball team, not just a T20 team. Back-to-back World Cups, hats off to them.”

Experience and IPL influence

The former Australian captain believes the players’ experience from both international cricket and the Indian Premier League has helped them handle pressure situations better.“The one thing that’s probably overlooked with this current team is the amount of experience and the amount of cricket a lot of these guys have played, whether it’s international cricket or even just the IPL,” said Ponting, who is also head coach of Punjab Kings.“The IPL games are every bit as big as international games anyway, so this Indian team came in well primed with great balance and a great squad.”

Learning from a rare defeat

India had suffered a defeat against the South Africa national cricket team during the Super Eight stage, but Ponting felt the loss actually helped the team refocus.“You win 12 matches on the trot, there’s bound to be an off day. And I am glad it’s come early. It might just be the shake-up India needed,” he said. “They would have learned from that experience and won’t take things for granted.”After that loss, India bounced back strongly with powerful batting displays, scoring over 250 runs in three matches, including the semifinal and the final.“Maybe it just allowed them to regroup, get together and talk about the things that are important to them as a team,” Ponting added. “They solidified what they felt was their strongest playing XI and didn’t make many changes at the back end of the tournament.”

NEW DELHI: Team India’s left-handed batter Ishan Kishan is the frontrunner to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming IPL 2026 season, as there is yet no clarity on when Pat Cummins will link up with the squad. TimesofIndia.com reliably understands that the SRH management has had a discussion in this regard, and Kishan has been identified as the most suitable candidate to have the armband in the Australian fast bowler’s absence.

Ishan’s stocks are on a bull run at the moment. The 27-year-old has had a brilliant T20 World Cup campaign, where he became the toast of the nation for his performances, initially as a top-order batter and then at No. 3 when Sanju Samson returned to the Playing XI.

Ishan Kishan’s performance in last IPL

Kishan has established himself as one of the most explosive wicketkeeper-batters in the IPL. Across 119 matches in the tournament, playing for three franchises including Sunrisers Hyderabad, he has scored 2,998 runs from 112 innings at an average of 29.10 and a strike rate of 137.64. His tally includes one century, 17 half-centuries, 288 fours and 134 sixes, underlining his aggressive batting style. Behind the stumps, Kishan has also contributed with 59 catches and five stumpings. In the 2025 season, his first after being picked for Rs 11.25 crore in the auction, he scored 354 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 152.58, including a century and a fifty.

Kishan’s heroics in T20 World Cup 2026

Kishan played a key role for the India national cricket team during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, finishing as India’s second-highest run-scorer with 317 runs in nine innings at an average of 35.22 and a strike rate above 193. His campaign included three half-centuries, including one in the final, helping India clinch the title. Speaking after the victory, he said, “Our team won, obviously, it is a very good thing, not only for us, but for the whole nation. We hope to continue playing cricket like this and keep winning.” He added, “It feels great because I believe the better I perform, the more motivation it will be for the young kids here who want to grow. I always try to ensure as many players as possible emerge from every corner. Now that we’ve played the World Cup, it shows that with hard work, you can succeed from anywhere.” On his future goals, Kishan said, “Nothing much, just keep scoring runs, keep playing, and keep winning.”

Harshit Rana and Mustafizur Rahman (Agency Photo)

NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders have run into multiple problems ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season. The team first lost Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked the franchise to release him from the squad.KKR had bought Mustafizur for Rs 9.20 crore during the auction after a bidding battle with Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals. The team had hoped the experienced left-arm pacer would strengthen their bowling attack.

However, the move sparked controversy amid political tensions, leading the BCCI to intervene.BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the board had asked KKR to release the player because of the sensitive situation surrounding the signing.

Injury concerns for Harshit Rana

KKR then suffered another setback with young Indian pacer Harshit Rana. His participation in IPL 2026 is uncertain after he appeared on crutches during the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 in Mumbai.Rana was supposed to receive the Best International Debut (Men’s) award but could not walk to the stage due to his injury, prompting Arun Dhumal to step down and present the award to him.The fast bowler later underwent knee surgery on February 9 and is expected to need two to three months for recovery, which raises doubts about whether he will be fit for the upcoming IPL season. His possible absence could weaken KKR’s pace attack, where he has played an important role in recent years.

Possible boost with Matheesha Pathirana

Despite the setbacks, there may be some positive news for KKR. Player agent Amila Kalugalage recently posted a “person fencing” emoji on X, which many believe hints at good news regarding Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana.Matheesha Pathirana suffered an injury while playing for the Sri Lanka national cricket team during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, forcing him to miss the remainder of the tournament and raising doubts about his availability for the Indian Premier League 2026. The pacer had taken two wickets in three matches with an economy of 6.05 before being sidelined. The post, however, confirms that he may’ve fully recovered and is fit to play, and he is expected to play a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ pace attack.KKR have also added Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani as a backup option. Even so, replacing Rana’s role, especially in the crucial death overs, could still be a challenge for the team as they prepare for the new season.

Jasprit Bumrah and Usman Tariq (AP Photos)

NEW DELHI: Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed on Saturday sparked debate after making a surprising comparison between Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq. His remarks came after India’s strong campaign in the T20 World Cup, where Bumrah played a key role in the team’s success.Bumrah was one of the standout players of the tournament, finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets alongside Varun Chakravarthy.

His best performance came in the final against New Zealand national cricket team in Ahmedabad, where he produced a brilliant spell of 4/15 in four overs. The performance helped India secure a dominant 96-run victory and defend their title, earning Bumrah the Player of the Match award.Explaining his comparison, Javed said Bumrah’s bowling style is rare because of his unusual action and the difficulty batters face in settling against him. “In today’s era, across this entire World Cup, there is only one bowler like that – Bumrah. Because he is different. He is not a normal bowler. Even his action is unusual. When he comes in to bowl, I always say he is like the Usman Tariq of fast bowlers,” he told reporters.He further explained that Bumrah’s pace and unique rhythm make him extremely hard to face. “He bowls so quickly and in such a unique manner that a batter never really finds any flow or rhythm against him. He simply doesn’t allow it,” he added.Javed also argued that bowlers with the aura of past greats are becoming rare in modern cricket. “Other than him, tell me one more bowler in this entire World Cup – from any team – whom you can look at and feel satisfied that he carries the reflection of a Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, or anyone like that. You won’t find one anymore,” he further noted.

T20 World Cup 2026: MS Dhoni arrives in Ahmedabad ahead of India vs New Zealand final

Former India captain MS Dhoni arrived in Ahmedabad on Sunday ahead of the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where India will face New Zealand national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The 44-year-old had earlier watched India’s semi-final win over England in Mumbai and is likely to attend the title clash as well.Dhoni was present at the semi-final at Wankhede Stadium along with his wife Sakshi and several celebrities, including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Anil Kapoor.

Cricketers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma were also among those who watched India beat England in a thrilling contest.India, now led by Suryakumar Yadav, will be aiming to defend their title and create history by becoming the first host nation to win the T20 World Cup and the first team to claim three titles. Dhoni had famously led India to their first T20 World Cup triumph in 2007, when they defeated Pakistan national cricket team in the final.Watch Dhoni arriving in Ahmedabad:New Zealand, meanwhile, are chasing their maiden T20 World Cup title after finishing runners-up in 2021. Both teams come into the final after impressive semi-final wins. New Zealand hammered South Africa thanks to a stunning 33-ball century from Finn Allen, while India posted 253/7 against England and secured a narrow victory.Historically, the Black Caps have had the upper hand in T20 World Cup meetings against India, winning in 2007, 2016 and 2021. However, India head into the final in strong form after a recent 4-1 T20I series win over New Zealand at home.

General view as players from the Indian cricket team and the West Indies cricket team shake hands after the match. File
| Photo Credit: Reuter

Jammu & Kashmir (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir scripted history by winning their first-ever Ranji Trophy title after their final against Karnataka ended in a draw on Saturday. They were declared champions because of a massive first-innings lead, which proved decisive in the summit clash.In terms of prize money, the BCCI had increased domestic rewards in April 2023. The Ranji Trophy winners will now receive Rs 5 crore, runners-up get Rs 3 crore, and losing semi-finalists earn Rs 1 crore.

J&K had put themselves in a strong position by scoring a huge 584 in their first innings. In response, Karnataka were bowled out for 293 in 93.3 overs. Pacer Auqib Nabi led the bowling attack brilliantly. The right-arm pacer picked up five wickets for 54 runs and handed his team a commanding 291-run lead.Despite having the option to enforce the follow-on, J&K chose to bat again and bat Karnataka completely out of the contest. On the fifth and final day, they resumed their second innings at 186 for four. Qamran Iqbal, who was unbeaten on 94 overnight, and Sahil Lotra, who was on 16, turned the game firmly in their side’s favour with superb centuries.Iqbal remained unbeaten on 160 while Lotra stayed not out on 101 as J&K reached 342/4, stretching their overall lead to a massive 633 runs. With no realistic chance for Karnataka to chase the target, the two captains agreed to shake hands.The triumph is a landmark moment for Jammu and Kashmir, coming 67 years after they began competing in the tournament.