Hardik Pandya (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: India put up another commanding all-round performance, thrashing Namibia by 93 runs in their T20 World Cup encounter on Thursday to register their second consecutive victory of the tournament. Powered by aggressive half-centuries from Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya, the defending champions piled up a daunting 209/9 before bowling Namibia out for 116 in 18.2 overs.After the match, Pandya reflected on his form and preparation, saying, “Yeah, definitely, just enjoying the sport. Had a good couple of months to prepare and, you know, get the rhythm and, you know, get the body right. Thus far everything is going well.” Highlighting how much his batting means to him, he added, “Yes, I’ve always taken pride in my batting as an all-rounder. So whenever I get an opportunity, I make sure that both the skills are managed rightly… batting is always close to my heart. And when that comes, it’s a, you know, if you add the more sugar to the cake.”

Pandya also elaborated on the effort that goes into staying in peak physical condition. “Body has been fantastic. I’ve always mentioned it takes a lot of hard work, which I cherish. But, you know, playing for the country has always been a pride, always been my number priority,” he said. “A lot of work goes behind the scene where I’m kind of out and kind of go into army, army sort of a camp where I do morning, evening sessions… make sure I eat well, make sure I sleep well, make sure my habits are good.”Put in to bat, India began in explosive fashion, with Kishan in particularly commanding form. The left-hander went on the attack from the outset, hammering 61 off just 24 balls and reaching his half-century in only 20 deliveries as India surged past 100 within the first seven overs.Pandya then anchored the middle phase with authority, striking a polished 52 off 28 balls and adding a vital 81-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Shivam Dube (23 off 16), allowing India to keep the scoreboard ticking despite periodic setbacks.Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus stood out with the ball, employing smart variations to return career-best figures of 4/20. His spell helped stem the flow late in the innings as India lost five wickets for just four runs, but the target remained well beyond Namibia’s reach.Chasing 210, Namibia failed to match the required tempo, even though a few batters showed promise at the start. Varun Chakravarthy was exceptional with the ball, finishing with impressive figures of 3/7 from two overs.India had opened their campaign with a win over the USA, followed it up with this emphatic victory against Namibia, and will now turn their attention to a high-voltage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday in Colombo.

Sri Lanka will have to iron out their batting inconsistencies, particularly in the middle overs, and rework their bowling combination in the absence of an injured Wanindu Hasaranga when they take on Oman in a Group B match of the T20 World Cup in Pallekele on Thursday (February 12, 2026).

The former champions were dealt a severe blow after Hasaranga, their most potent spin weapon, was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury sustained during their opener against Ireland.

Sri Lanka had a disappointing build-up to the ICC showpiece, entering the tournament on the back of a 0-3 drubbing by England at home. However, the co-hosts made a positive start to their campaign with a 20-run win over a tricky Ireland.

The victory, though, could not mask their batters’ struggle against spin.

The 2014 champions failed to hit a single boundary between the seventh and 15th overs after Ireland introduced spin, an area Oman will look to exploit.

Things could have turned messy but for Kamindu Mendis, who smashed a 19-ball 44 in the death overs to lift Sri Lanka to a competitive total.

While Kamindu provided the late acceleration, Kusal Mendis capitalised on reprieves to anchor the innings with a half-century.

The team will, however, expect more from openers Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara, who failed to convert their starts.

Hasaranga had put in a superb effort against Ireland, completing his four overs and claiming three crucial wickets despite discomfort.

In his absence, Dushan Hemantha, who has played just five ODIs and three T20Is, will have big shoes to fill after being named as replacement.

Fellow spinner Maheesh Theekshana, who also claimed three wickets in the opener, will have to shoulder added responsibility.

Oman, on the other hand, were well short of runs against Zimbabwe, slumping to an eight-wicket defeat.

Making their fourth appearance in the T20 showpiece, Oman struggled against pace and extra bounce, with their top five batters failing to reach double digits in Colombo.

They will need to quickly address those frailties if they are to spring a surprise like they did on debut in 2016, when they defeated Ireland.

Skipper Jatinder Singh knows his side will need to put up at least 150-160 runs to give their bowling attack, their stronger suit, something to defend.

Sufyan Mehmood impressed with two wickets in the previous outing, while Shah Faisal also bowled well.

Teams

Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Pramod Madushan, Dushan Hemantha.

Oman: Jatinder Singh (c), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Karan Sonavale, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Sufyan Mehmood, Nadeem Khan, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmed, Mohammad Nadeem, Jay Odedra, Ashish Odedara, Shafiq Jan.

Published – February 12, 2026 04:27 am IST

In a T20 World Cup game for the ages, South Africa somehow managed to get past a plucky Afghanistan after two wildly oscillating Super Overs on Wednesday (February 11, 2026).

Ryan Rickelton (61 off 28) and Quinton de Kock (59 off 41) put together a brilliant century stand with quickfire fifties to power South Africa to 187 for six.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (84 off 42) then singlehandedly kept Afghanistan in the run chase before some lusty hitting from the lower-order helped them tie the game in regulation time.

Also Read: T20 World Cup | One variation at a time, Mujeeb redefines the PowerPlay roles

What followed was an incredible sequence of two Super Overs with fortunes swinging either way after every ball. In the first Super Over, Azmatullah Omarzai struck Lungi Ngidi for two fours and a six to help Afghanistan post 17 runs, but Tristan Stubbs hit two sixes off Fazalhaq Farooqi including off the last ball to force another Super Over.

Coming in to bat in the second Super Over, Davis Miller and Tristan Stubbs struck three sixes to notch up 23 runs, a steep target which was made to look very gettable by Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The opening batter smashed seasoned left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj for three consecutive sixes before getting out to complete a sensational finish.

In regulation time, the Afghans started aggressively in the run chase before losing the plot but some brilliant hitting from Omarzai, Rashid and Noor Ahmad coupled with a disastrous final over from Kagiso Rabada, in which he gave away two no balls, cost South Africa dearly.

Also Read | From Afghanistan to Alandur: How Chepauk came alive for the T20 World Cup

Afghanistan made a bright start to their chase, with Gurbaz (84 off 42; 4x4s, 7x6s) smashing Ngidi for two fours in the opening over.

Gurbaz continued with his attacking approach, ramping Marco Jansen over the slips for aa maximum and then hitting Rabada over the third man fence.

George Linde gave away 17 runs in his opening over as Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran took the attack to the opposition to race to 50 in just four overs.

But Ngidi put brakes on the scoring, scalping two wickets in the fifth over in the form of Zadran, who was cleaned up, and then accounting for Gulbadin Naib a ball later with the pacer taking a brilliant return catch.

Gurbaz, however, was in ominous form as he dispatched Linde for two sixes in the eight over to bring up his fifty in 26 balls, lifting Afghanistan to 93 for 3 in 10 overs.

Gurbaz was going great guns before twin blows in the 13th over changed the complexion of the match. Omarzai (22 off 17) and Rashid (20 off 12) kept Afghanistan in the hunt before Noor Ahmed (15 not out off 9) struck two big sixes to bring down the bring the equation to 13 off the last six balls.

South Africa looked to have pocked the match in the first ball of the last over dismissing Ahmad, only for a ill-timed no ball from Rabada, and the batter punished the Proteas clearing the bowler for a maximum.

Rabada bowled another no ball in the fourth delivery before Ahmad was run out going for the winning run as the match finished on level scores, forcing Super Over.

Earlier, South Africa were dealt an early blow in the form off skipper Aiden Markram (5).

De Kock broke the shackles in the fourth over, clearing Mujeeb ur Rahman over the fence and then followed it up with a four. Rickelton then joined the party, hitting Omarzai (3/41) for two boundaries as South Africa managed just 43 for 1 in the powerplay.

Both De Kock and Rickelton pressed the accelerator button thereafter, taking on the spin duo of Mohammad Nabi and Rashid (2/28) with some lusty hits.

Ahmad was taken to task by the duo as the spinner gave away 23 runs in his first over.

The onslaught continued as De Kock brought up his fifth T20 World Cup fifty with a boundary off Mujeeb and then Rickelton added salt to the bowler’s wound with a maximum to score a quality fifty of just 23 balls.

It took some brilliance from Rashid and poor shot selection to break the dangerous-looking partnership with both de Kock and Rickelton departing in the 13th over.

Rashid first accounted for De Kock, caught at deep midwicket by Ibrahim Zadran and then a ball later the Afghan skipper trapped Rickelton plumb in front of the wicket with a quicker delivery that skidded on after pitching.

Scoreboard

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz c George Linde b Keshav Maharaj 84 Ibrahim Zadran b Lungi Ngidi 12 Gulbadin Naib c and b Lungi Ngidi 0 Sediqullah Atal c Marco Jansen b Kagiso Rabada 0 Darwish Rasooli run out (George Linde/Quinton de Kock/Keshav Maharaj) 15 Azmatullah Omarzai c Tristan Stubbs b Lungi Ngidi 22 Mohammad Nabi c Aiden Markram b George Linde 5 Rashid Khan c David Miller b Marco Jansen 20 Mujeeb Ur Rahman run out (Marco Jansen) 0 Noor Ahmad not out 15 Fazalhaq Farooqi run out (Marco Jansen/Kagiso Rabada) 0 Extras: (LB-1, W-11, NB-2) 14 Total: (10 wickets in 19.4 overs) 187 Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-51, 3-52, 4-121, 5-121, 6-139, 7-164, 8-169, 9-175, 10-187.

Bowling: Lungi Ngidi 4-0-26-3, Marco Jansen 4-0-42-1, Kagiso Rabada 3.4-0-38-1, George Linde 3-0-39-1, Keshav Maharaj 4-0-27-1, Aiden Markram 1-0-14-0.

Published – February 11, 2026 11:19 am IST

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav during a training session at Arun Jaitley Stadium, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

To cope with the comparatively sluggish pitches in the tournament, especially in Colombo, India want bowlers to up their game & batters to adapt faster…NEW DELHI: India’s pacers and spinners split into two separate nets on either of the centre square here at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Tuesday evening. For the next two hours, the bowlers bowled with full intensity, a rare scenario in the middle of a long and important tournament, in which players look to preserve energy for the big moments. The batters’ persistent assault has hogged headlines for over a month. Under the Kotla lights, the spotlight fell firmly on the bowlers going flat out two days out ahead of the game against Namibia here.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Only Abhishek Sharma, still recovering from a stomach illness, didn’t turn up for the rigorous session.The prep, expectedly, was for beyond just the match against Namibia. From the looks of it, the Indian team is carrying out a distinct change in their approach. With the match against Pakistan in Colombo on Feb 15 clearing all administrative and political hurdles late on Monday night, it’s time to put attention to detail. The scare against USA last Saturday notwithstanding, the tournament truly gets underway from Sunday for India. The conditions in Colombo, which have been distinctly different to what India have been playing in recently, are going to consume a lot of mind space.

“We understand the sentiments and the different politics between the two countries. But I think it’s really important for us just to focus on the cricket side of things. It’s going to be a challenge going to Colombo, where Pakistan have been (stationed) for the last two weeks. We are fully focused on bringing our best game to that fixture next week,” India’s straight-talking assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on Tuesday.The nature of pitches in the tournament in general has not encouraged big scores so far. The comparatively sluggish pitch at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo, in particular, definitely isn’t going to escape the attention of the Indian think-tank. Hence, there’s this urge to deviate from the all-out-aggressive brand of batting, with the pitches expected to get tired and slower as the tournament progresses.“Judging how the pitches have played in the first five or six days of the tournament, there might be a slight revision in strategy and how we go about that,” Doeschate said.“The pitches haven’t played quite the way we thought yet and again we want to be adaptive. We should have been a lot better than we were in Mumbai (against USA). We have been going all out but with the kind of pitches around, you want a bit of technique,” he added before shifting the focus on the bowling attack.“I don’t think our bowlers have fired yet,” Doeschate said. “It’s maybe a little bit easy to look at the USA game and say that was a really good bowling performance, but you have to analyse it objectively in terms of where we put the ball and how we used the ball. We expect a lot more from the bowlers as well.“Having the world-class bowlers that we have, it does give the batters that freedom to make mistakes in this format. If you’re shooting for 250 all the time, you’re going to make mistakes. But we need to react to situations as well,” Doeshcate said.Washington provides optionsWith Washington Sundar going through his first practice session after recovering from a rib injury he sustained a month ago, the team has started reviewing combinations based on pitch conditions. “You know the luxury of having four allrounders is that you can change the combination. This is where Washington fits in,” Doeschate said.

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq, left, celebrates with teammates (AP/PTI)

Sahibzada Farhan’s blistering fifty and a clinical spin attack propelled Pakistan to a convincing 32-run victory over the United States in their Group A T20 World Cup clash at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Tuesday. Farhan was the star with the bat, smashing 73 off just 41 balls to guide Pakistan to a competitive 190 for nine. His aggressive innings, which included multiple towering sixes, gave Pakistan the platform to post a strong total despite losing early wickets. Babar Azam (46 off 32) supported him well, adding 81 runs for the third wicket after Pakistan slipped to 56 for two in the Power Play.

The USA openers, Shayan Jahangir (49 off 34) and Andries Gous (13 off 13), offered a solid start, reaching 50 for one after five overs. But once Pakistan’s spin quartet – Abrar Ahmed (1/30), Mohammad Nawaz (1/21), Shadab Khan (2/26), and Usman Tariq (3/27) – was introduced, the US innings struggled. Seven of the eight wickets to fall were claimed by Pakistan’s spinners, preventing any sustained partnerships. Skipper Monank Patel fell cheaply to Shadab, and Jahangir’s lofted shot was well caught by Shaheen Afridi at mid-wicket. Shubham Ranjane (51 off 30) and Milind Kumar (23) fought back with a fourth-wicket stand of 66, but the required run rate proved too steep, leaving the USA short of the target. Earlier, Pakistan had lost Saim Ayub and captain Salman Agha to Shadley van Schalkwyk’s fiery spell (4/25) in the sixth over, but Farhan’s muscle-bound assault kept the innings on track. Even as wickets fell at the back end, Shadab’s 30 off 12 balls ensured Pakistan finished with a formidable total. The win marks Pakistan’s second straight victory, taking them to the top of Group A with four points. Brief Scores: Pakistan 190/9 (Sahibzada Farhan 73, Babar Azam 46; Shadley van Schalkwyk 4/25) beat USA 158/8 (Shubham Ranjane 51, Shayan Jahangir 49; Usman Tariq 3/27) by 32 runs.

United Arab Emirates’s Muhammad Zohaib plays a shot (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

NEW DELHI: The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Monday that all-rounder Muhammad Zohaib has been sent back from the squad due to disciplinary issues but did not share more details on the matter. “Muhammad Zohaib has been sent back due to disciplinary issues. More details will be provided in due course. ECB will at this stage not make any further comment on the matter,” the board said in a statement.

Meanwhile, UAE captain Muhammad Waseem made it clear that tensions around India-Pakistan matches do not affect his team ahead of their opening game in the T20 World Cup against New Zealand on Tuesday. He stressed that the UAE squad is united regardless of nationality. “No, to be honest, there is no India-Pakistan. We are playing for the UAE and we are always treating ourselves like a family,” Waseem said. He added, “We are living like a family, friends. We are spending time together, eating together. There is no Indian-Pakistani in the UAE team to be honest.”Waseem also praised Indian head coach Lalchand Rajput, who joined the team in 2024. He said Rajput’s experience has helped the players understand conditions better. “He has so much experience about India. He is working with the boys; he is telling everything about the pitches and the other things. So it helped us a lot and we are working on that and inshallah you will see tomorrow the same things he told to boys,” he added.Looking ahead to their match against New Zealand, Waseem said UAE would take confidence from their historic win over the Black Caps in 2023. “Our strategy is very simple. We beat them before in UAE but this time it’s a different venue, different tournament, different ground, and different game also,” he said. “So we came with the other plan right now… we prepared ourselves like a champion team. So inshallah, we will try to play a good cricket against them tomorrow.”He also said the team is well prepared, adding, “Yeah, preparation is going very good to be honest… we came here with a different mindset and mentality. So you will see tomorrow the way boys will play.”

Cricket fans at Chepauk watching the ICC T20 World Cup match between Afghanistan vs New Zealand
| Photo Credit: RAGU R

Thomas Draca (Image credit: Special arrangements)

NEW DELHI: When the legendary Sachin Tendulkar retired, he left the crowd with a piece of timeless advice: “Chase your dreams, they do come true.” For Italy allrounder Thomas Draca, one long-cherished dream is now within reach — meeting his idol, Hardik Pandya, during the T20 World Cup. On the field, whether with bat or ball, Draca strives to mirror Pandya’s intensity and fearless approach to the game.But his admiration doesn’t stop at cricketing skills alone. Draca also tries to emulate Pandya’s energy and demeanor off the field, reflecting the all-rounder’s professionalism and charisma in his own conduct.

“It’s my dream to play alongside him [Hardik Pandya]. I don’t really look forward to playing against him or bowling to him, but if we qualify and I get the chance to play against him or meet him, it would be an incredible experience. He’s someone I’ve always looked up to and model my game after. I’m an all-rounder too, and I really admire the way he approaches the game — the way he engages with the public and carries himself in the media. That’s something I try to emulate now,” Draca told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.

“Matching his energy is tough — he’s always on top of his game. If I can mirror that as I progress, I think I’ll be on the right path for a good career. I’d love to chat with him, get some tips. He seems like such a nice guy and has been one of my heroes growing up. I love how he plays fearlessly, takes on the contest with both bat and ball, and that’s what I’m trying to do myself. If I can do a little of that, I’ll know I’m heading in the right direction,” he added.Italy, a nation long celebrated for its football domination, is set to make its maiden appearance on the T20 World Cup stage. The Azzurri find themselves in a challenging group alongside Scotland, West Indies, Nepal, and England.Despite the stiff competition, 25-year-old Draca remains confident about Italy’s chances of progressing to the Super Eights, eager to make a mark on the global stage; meet his idol Pandya and ask him the questions he has already noted in his travel diary.

“One thing I’d ask him is how much his watch is worth — he’s wearing a Royal Oak! (laughs) Just kidding. I’d also ask about his variations, especially in the back end of the innings. I really like his off-cutter and knuckleball, so I’d probably ask him about those,” he said.“Then, I’d just have a chat and try to pick his brain. Whether it’s for five seconds or five minutes, I don’t care — we’ll see how long the conversation goes,” Draca added with a smile.A ‘SPECIAL’ PENDANTThe 25-year-old Draca has been honing his skills under the guidance of legends Dennis Lillee and Carlos Brathwaite.Lillee has been mentoring him in the art of pace bowling, while Brathwaite, famous for hitting four successive sixes off Ben Stokes in the final over of the 2016 T20 World Cup to secure the title for West Indies, has been shaping his all-round game.

“I was fortunate to meet Carlos Brathwaite during a franchise stint. Over the past year and a half, he’s really taken me under his wing. I’ve flown to Barbados multiple times to work out with his S&C coach, Jamar. He’s invested a lot of time in my cricket. Carlos always tells me to stay calm and be myself on the pitch. Don’t worry about the pressure — just enjoy the game. That mindset has really helped me stay relaxed, focus on my plans, and perform,” Draca said.“I’ve also got Dennis Lillee as a mentor. He guided me when I was 17, helping me through rehab and teaching me discipline both on and off the field. He even gave me his World Series chain to wear during the World Cup, which is an incredible inspiration. I know I’ll be emotional the first time I put it on,” he added.“Having that chain around my neck reminds me of the belief these greats have in me. It gives me the confidence to keep things simple, bowl fast, enjoy the game, and perform for my country,” Draca said.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram is in no mood to take Canada lightly in their T20 World Cup opener on Monday (February 8, 2026), insisting that he’s just looking for a positive start to their campaign in Ahmedabad.

The two teams will face each other in their opening Group B match.

They may be considered one of the favourites, but Markram said the close matches in the last two days already indicated that no team can take any opposition lightly.

“You don’t want to jinx anything. We’ve already seen some close games, and it doesn’t look like there will be any straightforward or easy matches. But I have faith in our team. If we put together a really good game of cricket, we give ourselves a strong chance of a good result,” Markram said at the pre-match press conference on Sunday (February 8, 2026).

“That’s something you want to do in a competition like this; you want to start well and carry that momentum forward. So that’s where a lot of the focus has been for us as a group, and hopefully we can put together a really good performance.” Markram said the gap in terms of performance in the T20 format between top teams and associate nations has narrowed considerably, resulting in upsets and that’s why there is no room for being complacent.

“If you look at the games that have already happened and at previous World Cups, there have been upsets. The gap between Associate nations and the other countries has become much smaller. In this format, it just takes one or two players having a really good day for an upset to happen. The Associate teams have been playing really well. Even at the start of this World Cup, we’ve seen some close games that could have gone either way. I think that, on its own, is quite exciting to watch,” he said.

The Protea skipper said though Canada is a relatively unknown entity for them, they have done their homework.

“I think it can actually feel a bit tougher. We haven’t played them; I certainly haven’t played them in my career. You’re not 100% sure what to expect, and that creates a new challenge. When you play teams regularly, you have a good idea of their approach, their plans, the players, and their abilities. But we don’t want to put too much emphasis on that. We’d rather focus on our own skills, our plans, and executing them well. If we do that, we give ourselves a good chance,” Markram said.

“I did a bit of homework yesterday, so I’ve got a decent idea now. Obviously, coming into the World Cup, I didn’t know too much. But it’s important to do that homework and research on their players — their strengths, weaknesses, and all those sorts of things. So I’ve definitely got a much better understanding now.”

Earlier considered as perennial chokers in ICC events, Markram feels the World Test Championship title has somewhat got the monkey off their back.

“…But it does feel that way — the belief, the confidence, the monkey off the back — all those things play a role in the language and behaviour within the camp.”

“It definitely helps. But having said that, you don’t come here thinking it’s suddenly going to be easy. We still have to be at our best. The WTC trophy definitely gave us belief and confidence within the group,” he said.

Markram refused to divulge his playing eleven but said veteran David Miller looks in great touch.

“He (Miller) got through most of the SA20 and was in a really good space. Unfortunately, he picked up a small niggle, and that would frustrate anyone. But now he’s in a good space. He’s been training hard, doing a lot of work with the physios and trainers to make sure his body is right,” Markram added.

“It’s looking really good, and the way he’s hitting the ball, as you mentioned, is a big positive for us. So I’d say he’s in a good space now — confident, excited — and it’s great to have David Miller in that kind of mindset.”

“We’ll announce the team at the toss. You want to combine the things you’re good at with the knowledge you have about the opposition. We have a fairly good idea of who the seamers will be, and hopefully they can start performing consistently,” he said.

Published – February 09, 2026 02:45 am IST