Bangladesh cricketers (AP Photo)

In a dramatic turn, the Bangladesh government has decided to launch a fresh probe into whether the country’s withdrawal from the just-concluded ICC Twenty20 World Cup amounted to a failure of sports diplomacy, a day after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested the sports ministry to shut down an earlier investigation panel.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!State minister for youth and sports Aminul Haque confirmed that a new inquiry committee will be constituted, focusing specifically on whether Bangladesh’s absence from the global showpiece reflected deeper diplomatic shortcomings. Bangladesh had pulled out citing security concerns, with Scotland stepping in as their replacement.As per a Cricbuzz report, the move is seen as a significant setback for BCB’s top brass, particularly board president Aminul Islam, who played a central role in the decision to skip the tournament.“I have already spoken about these issues — why we could not participate in World Cup cricket and where exactly our shortcomings in sports diplomacy lay. These are matters we must thoroughly examine,” Aminul Haque said, underlining the seriousness of the government’s stance.Focus on sports diplomacy and accountabilityHe added that the committee is likely to be formed after Eid and will aim to identify the root causes behind the controversial withdrawal. “Perhaps after Eid, I will form an inquiry committee… and based on its findings, we will take the necessary steps,” he stated.Emphasising the larger implications, Aminul Haque said, “In my view, we need to further strengthen our sports diplomacy because sports is a platform where, beyond all divisions and political ideologies, we can unite as a nation.”The minister also linked the broader probe to governance concerns within the BCB, revealing that multiple complaints had been received regarding irregularities in the board’s recent elections. “During the previous government’s tenure, there was direct interference in the cricket board elections… After we assumed responsibility, various complaints came in from stakeholders,” he said.Election irregularities also under scannerAccording to him, the inquiry committee has been directed through the National Sports Council to consult all stakeholders, including election officials, board members, the CEO, and even district administrators. “These are allegations and questionable issues… In my opinion, these matters require a completely impartial investigation,” he added.Aminul Haque confirmed that the government will also engage with the International Cricket Council before taking any final decision. “Once the report is submitted, we will review it carefully and then, after speaking with the ICC, take the next course of action,” he said.

Gautam Gambhir and Arshdeep Singh (Image credit: Instagram)

NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir has strongly defended pacer Arshdeep Singh following his on-field altercation with Daryl Mitchell during the final of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, saying he would have been “absolutely fine” even if the bowler had not apologised after the incident.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The flashpoint occurred in the 11th over of New Zealand’s innings at the final in Ahmedabad. After Mitchell smashed Arshdeep for two consecutive sixes, the Indian pacer fielded the ball on his follow-through and threw it back towards the batter, with the ball striking Mitchell on the pads.

Although Arshdeep apologised to the New Zealand vice-captain after the match, the International Cricket Council later fined the pacer 15 per cent of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct. One demerit point was also added to his disciplinary record.Arshdeep was found guilty of breaching Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to throwing a ball at or near a player in an inappropriate or dangerous manner during an international match. The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf, along with third umpire Allahuddien Paleker and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock. Match referee Andy Pycroft imposed the sanction, which Arshdeep accepted, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.However, Gambhir played down the controversy and insisted the bowler’s reaction was a natural expression of competitive spirit.“That is okay. You’re representing your country. You’re bound to show aggression. There’s nothing wrong with that. No bowler likes to get hit for two sixes. And that is the kind of response I want to see from my players. And that there is nothing wrong. Or in fact, even if sorry is not said, I was absolutely fine with it. I was absolutely fine. He doesn’t need to say sorry. Yes, it’s good on him that he apologised. But on a cricket field, there are no friends. Neither are there any enemies,” Gambhir said in an interview to ANI.He also suggested that such moments are often exaggerated in the modern era due to social media scrutiny.“Your job is to represent your country. Your job is to win a game of cricket for your country. And you don’t want to get hit for two sixes. And that was fine. I thought we should not blow all these things out of proportion because these things used to happen before. Today, because of social media, things escalate a lot,” he added.The incident came in a match that ultimately ended in historic fashion for India, as the hosts crushed New Zealand by 96 runs to lift their third T20 World Cup title — becoming the first side to defend the trophy and win it on home soil.

West Indies and South Africa players during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday addressed the travel disruption affecting several teams after the conclusion of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, saying the delays were caused by a major crisis in the Gulf region that has severely affected international air travel.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In a detailed statement, the ICC acknowledged the frustration among players and support staff who have been unable to return home after completing their campaigns in the tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.“We understand that players, coaches, support staff and their families who have completed their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaigns are anxious to return home,” the ICC said.“That they have not yet been able to do so is a source of genuine frustration, and the International Cricket Council shares that frustration.”

According to the global governing body, the delays stem from ongoing instability across the Gulf region that has led to widespread disruption of international aviation.The crisis has resulted in airspace closures, missile warnings, flight rerouting restrictions and last-minute cancellations of both commercial and charter flights. These developments have significantly complicated travel arrangements for teams leaving the subcontinent after the tournament.“These are conditions entirely outside the ICC’s control, and they have made each travel solution significantly more complex and time-consuming than under normal circumstances,” the statement said.ALSO READ: Reset or continuity? Gambhir & Agarkar face big calls after T20 World Cup triumphThe ICC confirmed it has been working continuously with airlines, charter operators, airport authorities, ground handlers and government agencies across several jurisdictions to secure safe travel arrangements for all affected teams.Among those impacted are the contingents from South Africa and West Indies. The ICC said members of the South African group will begin departing for South Africa on Wednesday night, with all expected to leave within the next 36 hours.Meanwhile, nine members of the West Indies contingent are already travelling back to the Caribbean, while the remaining 16 are scheduled to depart from India within the next 24 hours.The ICC also rejected suggestions circulating on social media that the travel decisions were influenced by factors other than safety and logistics.“The ICC rejects any suggestion that these decisions have been driven by anything other than safety, feasibility and welfare. Suggestions otherwise across a variety of media platforms from people uninformed of the situation are as unhelpful as they are incorrect,” the statement said.It further clarified that the arrangements made for South Africa and West Indies had no connection with travel arrangements earlier made for England or other nations, noting that each situation involved different routes, travel conditions and logistical challenges.Reiterating its stance, the ICC said the safety of players and their families remains the top priority.“Throughout this period, the ICC’s overriding priority has been the safety and welfare of everyone affected, including players travelling with spouses and young children. We will not move people until we are satisfied that the travel solution in place is safe.”The governing body thanked players, boards and partners for their patience and said teams remain in constant communication with officials as efforts continue to bring everyone home safely.

Women’s T20 World Cup (Pic Credit – X)

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council on Tuesday announced the full schedule for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, setting the stage for the biggest edition in the tournament’s history, with 12 teams competing for the coveted title from June 12 to July 5 in England.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Hosts England will launch the tournament against Sri Lanka on June 12, marking the beginning of a nearly month-long spectacle that will culminate in the final at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 5. India will open their campaign against Pakistan at Edgbaston on June 14.

This edition will feature the largest field ever assembled in the competition. Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands secured the final four spots through the qualifying tournament in Nepal, joining defending champions New Zealand, six-time winners Australia, 2016 champions West Indies, hosts England, ODI world champions India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.The group stage promises several high-profile clashes.

ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta described the schedule release as a significant moment for the global game.“The release of the schedule is an important milestone in the run-up to the global, premier sporting event,” Gupta said, emphasising the governing body’s continued investment in women’s cricket through expanded participation, improved pathways, enhanced production standards and increased commercial opportunities.He added that recent global events had helped elevate the women’s game and expressed confidence that the upcoming tournament would further strengthen its popularity and global reach.“The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India served as a force multiplier for the sport – breaking records, capturing imaginations and inspiring communities – and our ambition is to carry the momentum into the event in June-July,” he added.

Full Schedule of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

Shivam Dube, left, captain Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya (AP Photo)

AHMEDABAD: The T20 World Cup has entered the Super 8 stage. The tournament, designed to soothe commercial nerves by pre-seeding teams, has lost some of its organic charm along the way. The finalists from the last edition, India and South Africa, have reached Ahmedabad for a fresh bout. Unlike second rounds of World Cups in other sports, they have had the luxury of planning for this day, at this venue, since the ICC released the fixtures in late Nov. All they had to do was avoid an upset against Associate and lower-ranked teams in the first fortnight of the tournament. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Now that both sides have had at least one scare in the group stage, they will turn up on Sunday evening in front of a packed crowd with little room for excuses and an unforgiving weight of expectations. The tournament is in its ‘no let-up zone’. “If I am in that situation (to decide tournament fixtures), I will definitely try and tweak it,” was India captain Suryakumar Yadav’s honest confession on the teams being pre-seeded. The financial scars from the ODI World Cups in 2003 and 2007 still haunt the caretakers of the sport. In trying to guard against that, the format has reduced the element of surprise in a global event.

The familiarity factor Familiarity with conditions and opponents will be the last of the concerns in either camp, having played each other India barely a couple of months ago. South Africa, for instance, come into this match having already played three matches at this venue with another to go after Sunday. “I think almost all the players have played N number of games in Ahmedabad. Even the Indian team has played a lot of games here. It’s going to be a good 50-50 competition,” Surya stated on match eve. But he was also prompt to mention that the overseas players’ exposure to franchise has anyway negated that home advantage to a great extent. “We know what teams we are playing. And we also had a good number of days in between previous games. So, we got good time to prepare for every team,” Surya highlighted the benefits of being pre-seeded. South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock suggested this familiarity could be a double-edged sword. “That’s what’s going to make for quite a good game tomorrow because we’ve played against each other quite a bit over the last two months. And to be honest the teams haven’t really changed much. We’ve played against each other a lot in the IPL. So, it’s just a matter of being out there, who crumbles under pressure first,” De Kock claimed.Treading cautiously Surya, since the beginning of the campaign, has never denied the pressure of playing a World Cup at home, let alone defending the title. For once, since becoming India’s T20I captain, he eschewed his characteristic quips in media briefings on Saturday evening. “I never said we don’t have any fear. I only said that we are not worried about anything,” he firmly corrected the media. He didn’t deny whispers about the law of averages catching up with India’s rampaging run in ICC white-ball tournaments in the last two years. Neither did he downplay the fact that the collapse against USA at the top of the tournament had shaken the core strategy of the team. That jailbreak in Mumbai grounded Surya’s high-flying bunch of T20 hitmen. “Since that USA game, we have not been thinking too much about how we plan to start our Super 8 campaign. We started thinking more about the next day, taking one step at a time. There will be pressure. If there is no pressure, there won’t be any fun in playing this game,” Surya stated. The black soil pitch South Africa deflated Indian cricket’s ego, sweeping the two-Test series in India in Nov. They bare open India’s fragility against the turning ball, which has interestingly continued to dominate discussions even during this World Cup. De Kock was blunt in mentioning that he has seen no turn at this venue in the three previous games. On Sunday, the curators will roll out the 22-yard surface made of black soil. The red-soil pitches have stayed under the lush green layer of grass. TOI understands that the team had identified that playing on a red-soil pitch, which usually offers better bounce than a black-soil pitch, in the second Test in Guwahati worked in favour of the South Africans. The murmurs suggested that the SENA teams are much more comfortable with greater bounce even if the pitch took turn or played slow. The Indian team has practiced on black soil pitches at the centre square here for two days. Surya has entered the most crucial week of his captaincy career. The preparations could not have been any better. Now, as De Kock said, it’s down to who blinks first!