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New Zealand’s premier T20 competition returns this Boxing Day as the Super Smash 2025-26 season gets underway. The campaign begins at Hamilton’s Seddon Park, where the Northern Knights will host the Auckland Aces to kick off a summer of high-octane cricket.

The Central Stags enter the tournament as the team to beat, looking to defend their crown in a competitive double round-robin format. The schedule features 32 matches across six regional sides, all vying for a spot in the finals weekend, which is set to take place at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on January 30–31.

Super Smash 2025-26: The competitors

The league features six teams mixing seasoned domestic veterans with potential international stars.

Here is a look at the contenders:

1. Central Stags: The title holders will be looking to replicate last season’s winning formula.
2. Auckland Aces: Known for their strong batting depth, they will look to dominate with the willow.
3. Canterbury Kings: With the finals scheduled for their home ground (Hagley Oval), they have a massive incentive to go deep.
4. Northern Knights: Have the honour of launching the season at home against Auckland on December 26.
5. Otago Volts: Face an early test in the schedule against Canterbury.
6. Wellington Firebirds: Will look to make their home games at the historic Basin Reserve count.

Super Smash 2025-26: Full squads

1) Auckland Aces

Sid Dixit, Cam Fletcher, Matt Gibson, Rohit Gulati, Bevon Jacobs, Harrish Kannan, Simon Keene, Ben Lister, Jock McKenzie, Angus Olliver, Dale Phillips, Samrath Singh, Sean Solia, Lachie Stackpole, Jordan Sussex

2) Canterbury Kings

Chad Bowes, Matt Boyle, Leo Carter, Jesse Frew, Scott Janett, Rhys Mariu, Cole McConchie, Angus Mckenzie, Cam Paul, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Michael Rae, Michael Rippon, Matt Rowe, Fraser Sheat

3) Central Stags

Doug Bracewell, Tom Bruce, Will Clark, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver, Toby Findlay, Dean Foxcroft, Curtis Heaphy, Jayden Lennox, Ajaz Patel, Brett Randell, Angus Schaw, Brad Schmulian, Blair Tickner, Ray Toole

4) Northern Brave

Xavier Bell, Josh Brown, Joe Carter, Katene Clarke, Kristan Clarke, Henry Cooper, Matthew Fisher, Zak Gibson, Brett Hampton, Scott Kuggeleijn, Robbie O’Donnell, Ben Pomare, Bharat Popli, Tim Pringle, Jeet Raval

Also READ: Super Smash 2025/26 Schedule – Broadcast, Live Streaming details | When and where to watch in India, New Zealand & other countries

5) Otago Volts

Matt Bacon, Jack Boyle, Max Chu, Mason Clarke, Jacob Cumming, Danru Ferns, Luke Georgeson, Jake Gibson, Andrew Hazeldine, Llew Johnson, Troy Johnson, Ben Lockrose, Jarrod McKay, Thorn Parkes, Jamal Todd

6) Wellington Firebirds

Liam Dudding, Nick Greenwood, James Hartshorn, Nick Kelly, Callum McLachlan, Samuel Morgan, Sam Mycock, Amogh Paranjpe, Tim Robinson, Gareth Severin, Michael Snedden, Jesse Tashkoff, Logan van Beek, Peter Younghusband, Yahya Zeb

Also READ: New Zealand announces white-ball squads for the India tour; no Kane Williamson and Jacob Duffy in ODIs

Prashant Sreekumar (Image/X@yegwave)

Prashant Sreekumar, a 44-year-old Indian-origin man died after waiting for hours in the emergency room of Edmont Hospital.He began experiencing intense chest pain while at work. A client drove him to Grey Nuns Hospital in southeast Edmonton, where he was registered at triage and asked to wait in the emergency room. His father, Kumar Sreekumar, arrived at the hospital shortly afterwards. “My son told me, ‘Papa, I cannot bear the pain,” Kumar recalled, as reported by Canadian news channel Global News.

According to the family, Prashant described his pain as “15 out of 10” and informed hospital staff about the severity of his condition.An electrocardiogram (ECG) was conducted to assess his heart, but the family said he was told that nothing serious was detected and that he would need to continue waiting. He was also offered Tylenol to manage the pain.As the hours passed, Kumar said nurses periodically checked his son’s blood pressure, which kept rising. “It went up, up, and up. To me, it was through the roof,” he said.More than eight hours later, Prashant was finally called into the treatment area. Kumar said his son had been seated for only a few seconds when he suddenly stood up, clutched his chest and collapsed.“Nurses called for help, but it was too late,” Kumar said. Prashant died of an apparent cardiac arrest.Prashant is survived by his wife and three children, aged 3, 10 and 14. Family members said he was deeply devoted to his children and known for his cheerful, playful nature. The family often travelled together and shared a close bond.“He lived for his family and his kids,” his father said. “Anyone who knew him would say they had never met someone as kind as him.”Friends and relatives are now seeking answers, questioning how someone reporting severe chest pain could remain untreated for so long in an emergency room.Family friend Varinder Bhullar, who had also used Prashant’s accounting services, said the death has deeply shaken the local Indian-origin community in Edmonton.“This is a huge loss,” Bhullar said. “We expect better from the hospital and from the health-care system.”Grey Nuns Hospital is operated by Covenant Health. In a statement, the organization said that the case has been referred to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.“We offer our sympathy to the patient’s family and friends. There is nothing more important than the safety and care of our patients and staff,” the hospital said in a statement.As the family mourns Prashant’s death, they say they are struggling to come to terms with how he died and without being seen by a doctor. “They took my baby for nothing,” his father said.

NEW DELHI: It has been a year bookended by elections. It started with the intense campaigning for the Delhi assembly elections and ended with the surprising results of Bihar. In between, there were parliamentary showdowns, infights and figures emerging and fading away from the centre stage.In 2025, while several heavyweights failed to live up to expectations, many asserted their place back in, proving themselves the dark horses of Indian politics.The year was also a reminder that power is rarely static — and that survival often matters as much as victory.So, who were the winners and losers in politics in 2025? Here’s a look.

Winners

Nitish KumarAhead of the Bihar assembly elections, the opposition was in a hurry to write the political obituary of chief minister Nitish Kumar. Throughout the campaign, Nitish’s former deputy and RJD scion Tejashwi Yadav claimed that the chief minister was “mentally unfit” and “too old” to govern the state.Additionally, political pundits were also skeptical about Nitish’s return. They flagged anti-incumbency and infighting within the NDA to argue that the odds were stacked against him.

However, the results presented a different picture. Bihar once again handed a sweeping mandate to the NDA, extending Nitish Kumar’s two-decade-long hold on power. The NDA secured a thumping majority, winning 202 seats in the 243-member House.Within the NDA, the BJP emerged as the strongest performer, securing 89 seats — its best-ever result in the state — followed by Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) with 85 seats.SiddaramaiahAs the Congress government reached the halfway mark in Karnataka on November 20, talk of a secret agreement became public. Several MLAs and MLCs from deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar’s faction camped in Delhi to press the party high command to honour the “deal” and make him chief minister for the next two and a half years.DKS added fuel to the speculation after he confirmed the “secret deal,” claiming that there had indeed been “a confidential understanding on leadership transition among five or six leaders” soon after the Congress won a landslide in the 2023 elections.

This triggered one of the most cordial tussles between chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy. The two leaders even sat down for breakfast meetings to reach an understanding, but the question over the chief ministerial post remained unanswered.For now, the standoff appears to have eased. Siddaramaiah seems to have bought more time from the high command, while DKS appears to have chosen to wait it out, with both leaders refraining from making any public remarks on the issue.Nitin NabinBihar MLA Nitin Nabin’s elevation as the working president of the Bharatiya Janata Party was a rise that few saw coming. While political pundits were speculating about the names of bigwigs with strong RSS links, Nabin’s appointment marked a major organisational shift at the top of the ruling party.Although he is only 45 years old, Nabin is a five-term MLA and has handled several key organisational responsibilities. He served as the Bihar president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha from 2016 to 2019 and managed the BJP’s Lok Sabha and assembly campaigns in Sikkim in 2019, before being appointed co-incharge of Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh in 2021.At a time when the Congress was considered the frontrunner to retain power in the 2023 Chhattisgarh assembly polls, Nabin’s inputs to the BJP leadership predicted victory, which ultimately came true.Caste arithmetic also aligns with Nabin’s elevation as party president. The choice of Nabin, an upper-caste Kayastha — a community that constitutes barely 0.6% of Bihar’s population and is considered politically insignificant in the state — is significant because Kayasthas are among the key castes in West Bengal, where assembly elections are scheduled for May next year.Welfare schemes targeting womenPolitical mobilisation of the women vote bank through welfare schemes saw its peak in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections. Just days ahead of the elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana, which credited Rs 10,000 to the bank accounts of 1.2 crore women. Additionally, social security schemes like free electricity up to 125 units and a pension increment were also announced by chief minister Nitish Kumar in the run-up to the elections. This translated into the polling booths as women voters outnumbered men and shattered turnout records. While the overall turnout stood at 66.91 per cent, an extraordinary 71.6 per cent of women cast their votes — nearly nine percentage points higher than the 62.8 per cent turnout among men.This overwhelming participation tilted the mandate toward the NDA, boosted by welfare schemes for women. The contrast between the two alliances was simple: the NDA had already delivered the benefit, while Mahagathbandhan’s offer remained a campaign promise. For many women, that difference — money already in the bank versus a promise of future help — mattered.Chirag PaswanAt a time when stars are not aligning for Dalit leaders like Mayawati and Jitan Ram Manjhi, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan emerged as the third hero in the NDA’s success in Bihar.LJP(RS) won 19 out of 29 seats, propelling the NDA past the 200-seat mark.Chirag’s dominance in Bihar and within the NDA was evident even during the seat-sharing talks, when his party got a fair share despite only one of its 143 candidates winning during the 2020 assembly polls. His bargaining power came from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when LJP(RV) won all five seats it contested.

Losers

CongressThe fortune wheels did not spin for Congress this year either, as 2024 was marred with poll routs and infighting for the party. Wounded by the defeats in Haryana and Maharashtra in 2024, the grand old party continued its lackluster performance in 2025.It began with the poll rout in the Delhi assembly elections, where Congress could not win even a single seat. In addition to the poll results, it also suffered an alliance breakup as collateral damage after the Aam Aadmi Party decided to walk away from the INDIA bloc.In the Bihar assembly elections, Congress experienced its steepest decline after it managed to win only six seats. Rahul Gandhi travelled over 1,300 kilometres to galvanise voter support but fell flat in comparison to the local issues that resonated more strongly with Bihar’s electorate.Meanwhile, the party encountered another crisis in Karnataka after a tussle broke out between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar over the chief ministerial post. Although the situation seems defused for now, the party is sitting on a ticking time bomb that may detonate soon.Moreover, several Congress leaders flagged serious problems within the party. One of them was former Odisha MLA Mohammed Moquim, who wrote to Sonia Gandhi, calling for an “open-heart surgery” in the party and flagging a growing disconnect between the leadership and its workers.

In his letter to Sonia Gandhi dated December 8, ex-Odisha MLA Mohammed Moquim highlighted six consecutive election losses in Odisha and three in the Lok Sabha while also questioning the selection of Mallikarjun Kharge as the party’s leader, claiming that the 83-year-old veteran “is unable to resonate with India’s youth.”Lalu clan2025 was a year of autumn for the Lalu clan. Lalu Yadav, along with his family and party, had to suffer setbacks throughout the year. In the Bihar elections, the party only won 25 seats in the assembly elections, registering one of its poorest performances.Soon, things went south on the family front as well. Just days after the poll results, Rohini Acharya — the second of RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s nine children and the donor of the kidney that saved him — announced that she was quitting politics and “disowning” her family.Reportedly, Rohini had a heated argument with her brother Tejashwi Yadav over RJD’s assembly election disaster. She also alleged she was accused of donating a “dirty kidney” to her father after “extracting crores of rupees and a Lok Sabha ticket.”Earlier, Lalu had expelled his eldest, Tej Pratap Yadav, from the party for six years after he shared a photo with a woman on Facebook and claimed he had been in a relationship with her for 12 years.Later, Tej Pratap went on to form his own party — Jan Shakti Janta Dal — which drew a blank in the assembly elections.Prashant KishorPrashant Kishor, once hailed as India’s top election strategist, entered the Bihar polls as a political aspirant and walked out as its biggest loser.After a two-year padyatra across Bihar and massive media hype around Jan Suraaj, Kishor positioned himself as a transformative alternative to both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. However, Jan Suraaj did not manage to win a single seat, losing security deposits in the majority of the constituencies where it fielded candidates.However, PK has repeatedly said that he won’t back down. His next test comes much sooner than 2030 — the panchayat elections in 2026 — where he may attempt to make a comeback.Arvind KejriwalAfter two sweeping victories in 2015 and 2020, Kejriwal’s AAP was swept out of power in the 2025 Delhi assembly elections. Of the 70 assembly constituencies, the BJP clinched 48 seats, while AAP managed to secure only 22.Adding insult to injury, Kejriwal also lost the New Delhi seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma.Rising to power as an anti-graft crusader, Kejriwal found himself embroiled in corruption cases days ahead of the elections.After walking out of jail on bail, Kejriwal resigned from the top post, seeking validation from the public of Delhi. The union territory, however, refused to give the stamp of ‘Mr Clean’ to Kejriwal.DK ShivakumarDespite pulling every trick in the book, DK Shivakumar failed to replace Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah. After the tussle came out in the open, DKS made several trips to Delhi, but the high command has not budged.

DKS checked all the criteria to become the Karnataka CM. He generated funds for the party during the elections, and Vokkaliga seers — one of the strongest sects in Karnataka — are also backing him. Additionally, the majority of Congress MLAs are on his side.Despite this, DKS has decided to take a step back, obey the party high command and wait for the right time to come as the high command huddles in Delhi to deliver an answer.Honorable mention: Shashi TharoorThrough his charm and “Tharoorosaurus,” Congress MP Shashi Tharoor remained in the headlines throughout the year. Another reason he grabbed eyeballs was his standoff with his own party on different occasions. Despite being a member of the CWC, the Thiruvananthapuram MP skipped several important party meetings and refused to toe the party line on multiple issues. This irked many senior leaders of the grand old party, leading to repeated to-and-fro exchanges on social media platforms and in media bites.It all began after Shashi Tharoor emerged as one of the prominent voices articulating New Delhi’s position following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s Operation Sindoor. Later, the Centre invited him to lead an Indian delegation as part of a global outreach after Operation Sindoor, even as the Congress was raising tough questions for the government. This did not go down well with his party colleagues, who accused him of cosying up to the BJP.However, just ahead of the Kerala assembly elections, the Congress is finding it difficult to take strict disciplinary action against a popular leader in the state, effectively giving Tharoor a free lane to drive on the wrong side.Now, it is yet to be determined whether Tharoor came out as a winner or a loser after the tug-of-war session with his own party.

Shayan Jahangir and Jordan Cox struck commanding half-centuries as defending champions Dubai Capitals sealed a playoff berth with a convincing six-wicket victory over Sharjah Warriorz at the Dubai International Stadium on Christmas Eve.Chasing a modest 135, the Capitals cruised to the target with ease. Jahangir set the tempo early, while Cox anchored the chase with an unbeaten 61 off 50 balls, laced with six fours and a six. His knock earned him the green belt and took him to the top of the tournament’s run charts.

After the early loss of Sediqullah Atal, Jahangir and Cox stitched together a decisive 76-run stand. Sikandar Raza briefly pulled the Warriorz back into the contest with two quick wickets in the 14th over, dismissing Jahangir and Mohammad Nabi, but the damage had already been done. Taskin Ahmed removed Leus du Plooy late, though Cox calmly finished the chase with five balls to spare.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Earlier, Dubai Capitals’ bowlers delivered a disciplined performance to restrict Sharjah Warriorz to 134/8. Haider Ali and Waqar Salamkheil claimed two wickets apiece, with Haider conceding just 13 runs in his four overs. David Willey, Mustafizur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi chipped in with a wicket each.

Shayan Jahangir in action for the Dubai Capitals

Sharjah’s innings never gained momentum despite a steady knock from Johnson Charles. A sharp run-out by Willey removed Monank Patel early, while Jahangir impressed behind the stumps to stump Tom Kohler-Cadmore. Late contributions from Adil Rashid and Harmeet Singh lifted the Warriorz to a competitive but insufficient total.Player of the Match Jordan Cox praised Jahangir’s aggressive intent. “It was quite tough against spin, but when the seamers came on, we tried to put them under pressure. Jahangir was very impressive. We’ve been encouraging him to be aggressive, and it was great to watch from the other end. For me, it was about not leaving it to the next man,” he said.

Haider Ali of Dubai Capitals celebrates the wicket of Tom Kohler-Cadmore

Sharjah skipper Tim Southee admitted his own over proved costly but insisted their playoff hopes remain alive.“My Over towards was defining. We had to keep taking wickets to be in with a chance. The nature of the wickets is keeping sides in it for long. Not over for us. One game left, we win that and give ourselves a chance.”

Brief Scores Sharjah Warriorz: 134/8 in 20 overs (Johnson Charles 43, Monank Patel 24; Haider Ali 2/13, Waqar Salamkheil 2/29) Dubai Capitals: 138/4 in 19.1 overs (Shayan Jahangir 51, Jordan Cox 61 not out; Sikandar Raza 2/15)

India’s IPO street is gearing up for one of the most bustling years ahead as 2026 is expected to see a wave of big-ticket listings. These initial public offerings will range from telecom and fintech to consumer internet and financial services. Regulatory data cited by ET shows that 84 companies have already received clearance from Sebi to tap the primary market, collectively seeking to raise about Rs 1.14 lakh crore. A further 108 companies are still awaiting approvals and together plan to raise nearly Rs 1.46 lakh crore, taking the potential fund mobilisation to over Rs 2.5 lakh crore from more than 190 issuers.Here are the most watched IPOs to look out for in 2026:

Reliance Jio

At the centre of market attention is Reliance Jio. The telecom and digital business of Reliance Industries is widely expected to make its public market debut in 2026, with estimates placing its valuation between Rs 11 lakh crore and Rs 12 lakh crore. If launched, the offering would be the largest IPO ever in India and is expected to have a significant impact on market liquidity and investor positioning.

National Stock Exchange

Another closely tracked candidate is the National Stock Exchange of India or the NSE. The exchange has stepped closer to listing after setting aside around Rs 1,300 crore to resolve pending issues with the regulator. Market participants are now watching for a no-objection certificate from Sebi, which could unlock one of the most anticipated IPOs in the country’s capital market history.

Flipkart

India’s consumer internet and technology space is also likely to contribute several large offerings. Flipkart is preparing for a listing in 2026 and is said to be eyeing a valuation of $60 billion to $70 billion. The Walmart-backed e-commerce platform, with a strong domestic footprint, is expected to be among the biggest tech IPOs to come out of India.

PhonePe

In the fintech space, PhonePe has already taken a step forward by filing confidential draft papers with Sebi. The company is planning a $1.5 billion IPO at an estimated valuation of $15 billion, marking a key moment for the digital payments segment as it tests investor appetite in public markets.

OYO

Hospitality firm OYO is also back on the IPO track. The SoftBank-backed company has begun groundwork for an issue that could raise up to $800 million. The move comes as OYO focuses on business stability and profitability, following delays to earlier listing plans caused by market volatility.

SBI Mutual Fund

SBI Funds Management, backed by State Bank of India and Amundi, is considering raising as much as $1.2 billion through an IPO in the first half of 2026, according to Bloomberg. As the country’s largest asset manager by assets, the listing would give investors a play on the expanding mutual fund industry.

Hero Fincorp

Hero Fincorp is also planning to tap the market with an IPO of Rs 3,668.13 crore. The issue will comprise a fresh issue of Rs 2,100 crore along with an offer for sale by existing shareholders, with investor focus likely to be on the company’s performance amid caution around unsecured lending.

Navi Technologies

Navi Technologies is targeting a public listing in the second half of FY26. Founded by Sachin Bansal, the company has been scaling its businesses across personal loans, home loans and insurance, and is expected to draw attention as one of the few large fintech players of its kind to approach the market.

Zepto

Quick-commerce firm Zepto is also gearing up for the public markets and is preparing to refile its draft offer documents. The company aims to raise between $450 million and $500 million, or about Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 4,440 crore, through a mix of fresh equity and investor exits as competition in the segment intensifies, ET reported.

Boat

Consumer electronics brand boAt is also lining up a listing. The company has appointed ICICI Securities, Goldman Sachs and Nomura as its bankers and is targeting a fundraise of $300 million to $500 million at a valuation exceeding $1.5 billion, with final details expected to be firmed up closer to the filing.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

NEW DELHI: “I wanted to kill myself then and there, but I stopped after thinking about my family,” those were the words of the Unnao rape survivor on Tuesday evening, as she sat on the lawns of India Gate hours after a Delhi high court order granted bail to former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 rape case.The survivor, accompanied by her mother and women’s rights activist Yogita Bhayana, staged a protest at the Delhi landmark, saying the court’s decision had left her feeling unsafe and betrayed by the system.

Speaking to news agency ANI, the survivor alleged that the timing of the bail was politically motivated, linking it to the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. “Injustice has been done to us. Elections are coming and he has been released on bail so that his wife can contest the polls,” she said. “If such a rape accused comes out, how will we be safe?”She demanded that the bail be cancelled, saying her family was living in fear since the order was passed. Despite her anguish, the survivor said she still believed in the judicial process and would approach the Supreme Court. “I have faith in the Supreme Court. We are scared that he has been released,” she said.Delhi Police later removed the protesters from the India Gate premises. Visuals showed the survivor, her mother and the activist being carried to a police bus as they pleaded with officers to allow them to continue their protest.Women’s rights activist Yogita Bhayana questioned the grounds on which Sengar was granted bail, saying the survivor and her family had been isolated throughout their long legal battle.“They have faced difficulties from the beginning. What has happened today that the accused was given bail?” she asked. “Rapists are getting bail, and innocents are being kept in jail. After his release, the family is under threat.”The survivor’s sister also spoke out against the bail order, claiming that unidentified men had been seen roaming near their house and threatening family members. “He killed my uncle and then my father. Then this happened to my sister,” she said, referring to the chain of cases linked to Sengar. “He has been released, but we are still in danger. At least if we were in jail, we would be alive.”On Tuesday, the Delhi high court suspended Sengar’s sentence in the rape case while his appeal is pending. A CBI court had convicted him for raping a minor and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The division bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar granted the relief on the condition that he furnish a bail bond of Rs 15 lakh.However, Sengar will remain in custody for now, as he has not been granted bail in a separate case related to the custodial death of the survivor’s father. He was sentenced to 10 years in that case and his appeal, along with an applicatin for suspension of sentence, is still pending before the Delhi high court.