The standoff is over. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken a U-turn over their boycott of the February 15 game against India at the T20 World Cup. The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash at the T20 World Cup will go ahead as scheduled.
While Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2026 squad was announced, fast bowler Haris Rauf was notably absent, sparking online debate. A video of Rauf flying kites surfaced amidst this, drawing criticism. Head coach Mike Hesson cited the versatility of the selected pace attack as the reason for Rauf's omission. Pakistan secured a narrow win in their opening match.
Gautam Gambhir hosted a special dinner for the Indian cricket team at his New Delhi residence ahead of their T20 World Cup match against Namibia on February 12, with BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla also attending. India began their campaign with a 29-run win over the USA, scoring 161/9 thanks to Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 84. The USA were restricted to 132/8 by Indian bowlers
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has dismissed rumors of any tension between head coach Gautam Gambhir and star batter Virat Kohli, describing their relationship as cordial. Despite past IPL run-ins and speculation surrounding Kohli's career phases, Saikia stated he's never witnessed them fighting. Their successful partnership in India's 2025 Champions Trophy win further underscores unity.
Suryakumar Yadav's heartwarming gesture towards Rohit Sharma preceded his match-winning 84, rescuing India from a collapse against the USA. A disciplined bowling performance, led by Siraj, secured a 29-run victory in their T20 World Cup opener.
Washington Sundar last played a competitive fixture nearly a month ago during the ODI series vs New Zealand. The all-rounder injured himself while bowling in the 1st ODI in Vadodara and went on to miss the remainder of the series, and the five T20Is which followed
Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's record-shattering 175 powered India to a sixth U-19 World Cup title, defeating England by 100 runs. The 14-year-old's breathtaking innings, featuring 15 sixes, set a daunting target. Sooryavanshi also secured Player of the Tournament, showcasing his immense talent and dedication.
Usman Tariq has lately grabbed attention for his bowling action despite being cleared of any wrongdoing by the ICC. The Pakistan spinner has had a life worthy of a Bollywood movie: lost his father early, struggled to survive as a youngster and turned to cricket inspired by MS Dhoni's biopic.
Still two-years younger than what Sachin Tendulkar's age was at the time of his India debut, he has a bat-swing that reminds of Brian Charles Lara, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Yuvraj Singh, and like footballer Lamine Yamal, who has emerged as a teenage sensation at the highest level, Sooryavanshi’s age has rarely matched the stage he performs on.
The 2026 T20 World Cup will showcase 30 players of Pakistani origin representing 10 different nations, underlining how modern cricket transcends borders. From UAE’s Muhammad Jawad Ullah to Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza and England’s Rehan Ahmed, it shows how cricket has moved beyond rigid ideas of nationality and has become more inclusive and diverse by embracing migrants.
Chasing 204, RCB were led by captain Smriti Mandhana, who scored 87 off 41 balls, and Georgia Voll, who made 79 off 54 deliveries. The pair added 165 runs for the second wicket, a partnership that decided the contest. With this win, RCB drew level with Mumbai Indians (MI) as the most successful teams in the WPL.