Rohit Sharma and Wasim Akram (Image credit: X)

A warm hug between Rohit Sharma and Wasim Akram stole the spotlight in Colombo — and it came amid the ongoing no-handshake row between India and Pakistan. As the two icons embraced and shared a laugh before Sunday’s high-voltage clash, the moment quickly went viral, standing in sharp contrast to the frostiness that has defined on-field protocol between the two teams.Rohit was present at the venue in his capacity as a brand ambassador for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Ahead of the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan encounter, he spent time around the Indian camp, exchanging smiles, hugs and handshakes with players and members of the support staff. The former captain appeared relaxed, soaking in the build-up to cricket’s biggest rivalry while offering encouragement before the big night.

The highlight, however, was his interaction with Akram. The Indian great and the Pakistan pace legend had the ceremonial duty of walking out with the T20 World Cup trophy. Before stepping onto the field at the R Premadasa Stadium, the two chatted briefly, posed for photographs and embraced warmly — a gesture that triggered mixed reactions online.The hug was particularly striking because it unfolded against the backdrop of India’s continued no-handshake stance with the Pakistan team. At the toss, India captain Suryakumar Yadav once again refrained from the customary greeting with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, in line with the approach the Indian side has maintained since the Asia Cup. While the policy has been a talking point in recent meetings, Rohit and Akram’s exchange offered a reminder that respect between players transcends contemporary tensions.Amid the charged atmosphere and packed stands bracing for another fierce chapter in the rivalry, the embrace provided a softer image — two legends from opposite sides of the border united by their shared history in the game.Once the match began, though, the warmth gave way to ruthless efficiency from the defending champions. India crushed Pakistan by 61 runs in their Group A encounter, a result that sealed their progression to the Super Eights.HOW INDIA TROUNCED PAKISTANIshan Kishan’s explosive 77 set the platform as India posted 175. The target of 176 always looked steep under pressure, and India’s bowlers ensured it remained that way.Hardik Pandya set the tone with a wicket-maiden opening over, dismissing Sahibzada Farhan for a four-ball duck after inducing a mistimed pull. Jasprit Bumrah then struck twice in quick succession — first deceiving Saim Ayub with a sharp inswinger and then removing Salman Agha with a tame chip to mid-on. At 13/3 inside two overs, Pakistan’s chase was already in tatters.Babar Azam’s dismissal soon after left Pakistan reeling at 34/4. Usman Khan attempted to mount resistance with an enterprising 44, striking boundaries to briefly lift spirits. However, the required rate kept climbing, and India’s spinners tightened the screws.Kuldeep Yadav delivered a crucial, economical spell that built pressure before Axar Patel produced the breakthrough, stumping Usman just as he threatened to rebuild. From there, wickets fell in a procession. Kuldeep removed Mohammad Nawaz, Tilak Varma struck with his very first ball to dismiss Shadab Khan, and Varun Chakaravarthy chipped in with two scalps.Pandya eventually knocked back Usman Tariq’s middle stump to wrap up proceedings as Pakistan were bowled out for 114 in 18 overs — their third-lowest total in T20 World Cup history.

England’s Jos Buttler (AP Photo)

Jos Buttler etched his name into the record books on Saturday, becoming the first wicketkeeper-batter in history — and the quickest overall in terms of balls faced — to reach 4,000 runs in T20 Internationals. The England star achieved the landmark in just 2,670 deliveries, surpassing the previous benchmark held by Rohit Sharma.The milestone came during England’s Group C clash against Scotland in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Kolkata. Needing only three runs to get to the mark while chasing 153, Buttler reached 4,000 on the fourth ball of the second over. The occasion was doubly special as it also marked his 150th T20I appearance for England, making him the only English player — and one of just five worldwide — to feature in 150 or more matches in the format.His stay, however, was brief. Soon after reaching the landmark, Buttler was dismissed for three off four balls, chipping a catch to Brandon McMullen off Brad Currie.Buttler is only the fourth cricketer to breach the 4,000-run barrier in T20Is, joining Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Babar Azam. Kohli was the first to achieve the feat, getting there during the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England at the Adelaide Oval.Since making his T20I debut against India in 2011, Buttler has amassed over 4,000 runs at an average above 35 and a strike rate of 148. His tally includes 28 fifties and a highest score of 101. Notably, he remains the only designated wicketkeeper in T20I history to cross the 4,000-run mark.A former England captain, Buttler stands comfortably as his nation’s leading run-scorer in T20Is, well ahead of Eoin Morgan, who accumulated 2,458 runs in 115 matches. Widely regarded as one of England’s finest white-ball players, Buttler is also a prized asset in T20 leagues around the world.

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli (Getty Images)

The captaincy handover from Rohit Sharma to Shubman Gill in 2025 sparked plenty of debate in Indian cricket. Nearly eight years earlier, a similar shift had taken place when MS Dhoni made way for Virat Kohli as India’s full-time captain across formats in 2017.Dhoni had already stepped down as Test captain in 2014, but 2017 marked the complete transition. It has now come to light that the move was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India selection committee, who informed Dhoni of their intention to make a change. He was also asked to formally communicate his decision via email.

Former selector Jatin Paranjpe, speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show, recalled how he and then chief selector MSK Prasad approached Dhoni about the matter.“Mahi (Dhoni) was batting. He kept batting for an hour, and MSK and I were just looking at each other. We had prepared how to tell him in the most respectful way. So we went to him and said, ‘You know, Mahi, I think it’s the right time to move on’,” Paranjpe said.According to Paranjpe, Dhoni accepted the proposal without resistance.“He told MSK, ‘Anna, this is the perfect decision. Let me know what you want from me’. MSK told him that he will have to put it in writing that you are ready to move on. He said, ‘Alright, I will do it’.”“Late at night, we received an email: ‘I would like to step down’. We had to make this decision. We were criticised for it as well, but these are the tough decisions that you have to take,” he added.Paranjpe further revealed that Dhoni assured complete support to Kohli.“He also said, ‘Don’t worry. I will work completely with Virat. He is like my brother. I will do everything that is required of me for him. Whatever experience I have, I will give it to him. And we’ll make a good team’,” Paranjpe shared.At the time, Dhoni was 35 and had already achieved everything in white-ball cricket, guiding India to the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, the ODI World Cup in 2011 and the Champions Trophy in 2013.

Mohammed Shami and Ishan Kishan (X-Cricbuzz)

Several familiar names have been left out as the BCCI announced its central contracts for the 2025–26 season on Monday, with Mohammed Shami, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Mukesh Kumar and Ishan Kishan missing out despite being part of the previous cycle. The Board awarded annual retainers to 30 men and 21 women cricketers, categorising them into Groups A, B and C. Notably, the A+ category has been scrapped, a move that has reshaped the contract hierarchy.

Senior stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been placed in Group B, a downgrade that was largely expected following their retirement from Tests and T20Is respectively, effectively making them one-format players. Under the current criteria, which factors in performances and the number of matches played in the preceding season, they were no longer eligible for the top bracket. For the first time in his career, Shubman Gill finds himself in the highest pay grade, as the two-format captain was retained in Group A alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja. While the BCCI has not officially disclosed the retainership amounts, Group A was previously valued at Rs 5 crore annually, with Group B and C fetching Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore respectively before the A+ category was abolished. The decision to do away with A+ stems from the fact that Bumrah is now the only player who remains an automatic selection across all formats. The category, introduced during the COA era for all-format excellence, previously featured only Kohli, Rohit, Jadeja and Bumrah. The men’s list has been trimmed from 34 to 30 players, with Shami’s exclusion seen as a strong signal that he may be out of the selectors’ immediate plans. Kishan, Mukesh and Sarfaraz were also dropped after failing to play a single international match during the evaluation period. While Kishan has returned to the T20I setup, that comeback falls in the new cycle. One notable inclusion is Sai Sudharsan, the only new entrant in the senior men’s contract list. On the women’s side, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma retained their Group A status, while Jemimah Rodrigues earned a promotion following her standout World Cup performances.