Allah Ghazanfar for MI Emirates in action

MI Emirates secured a top-two finish with a dominant eight-wicket victory over Dubai Capitals at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Saturday, booking a Qualifier 1 showdown against Desert Vipers on Tuesday. Skipper Kieron Pollard led from the front with an unbeaten 44, peppered with five sixes, as MI Emirates made light work of the chase.Earlier, the MI Emirates bowlers, led by young spinner Allah Ghazanfar (3/28) and Shakib Al Hasan (1/11), strangled the Capitals to 122/8. Consistent pressure through the middle overs left Dubai struggling to gain momentum despite a brief cameo from James Neesham.

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Chasing a modest target, openers Muhammad Waseem and Andre Fletcher provided early impetus before Pollard and Tom Banton calmly steered the innings. Pollard’s decisive assault on Waqar Salamkheil in the 14th over, which yielded 30 runs, effectively sealed the contest. The chase was completed comfortably, with Pollard and Banton adding an unbeaten 67-run stand.

Tom Banton and Kieron Pollard of MI Emirates during Match 29 of the World ILT20 between the MI Emirates and the Dubai Capitals

The result also confirmed that the winner of Sunday’s league finale between Gulf Giants and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will meet Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator on January 1.Player of the match Allah Ghazanfar said, “I bowled with the same confidence and stayed true to my plans. As a finger spinner, executing variations isn’t easy, but the work I put in behind the scenes really pays off. On the caught-and-bowled dismissal, I knew there was a chance I could be hit for six, but I backed my best delivery, stayed committed, and it created the opportunity.”

Haider Ali of Dubai Capitals bowls during Match 29 of the World ILT20 between the MI Emirates and the Dubai Capitals

Dubai Capitals skipper Mohammad Nabi said, “We didn’t put enough runs on the board on this surface, and credit to the MI Emirates — they bowled very well. As a bowling unit, we gave it our best, but Pollard took the game away from us. The conditions in Dubai suit us, and hopefully we can bounce back with a strong performance in the next match.”

Brief ScoresDubai Capitals: 122/8 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nabi 22 not out, James Neesham 21, Shayan Jahangir 17; Allah Ghazanfar 3/28, Shakib Al Hasan 1/11)MI Emirates: 126/2 in 16.4 overs (Kieron Pollard 44 not out, Tom Banton 28 not out, Muhammad Waseem 27; Haider Ali 1/14)

Did an OTT hit leave you feeling the pull of northeastern India? You’re not alone. A growing number of travellers are turning that screen-inspired wanderlust into real journeys, as the country’s entertainment and travel trends intersect. According to an ixigo report, popular OTT series are now playing a clear role in nudging travellers towards the Northeast. According to the travel booking platform, destinations such as Imphal, Dimapur and Agartala saw a sharp rise in flight bookings over the year, coinciding with the release of popular shows that featured the region prominently. These series include: The Family Man (Season 3), Paatal Lok (Season 2) and Delhi Crime (Season 3). The OTT hits have brought the northeast’s landscapes and cultural depth to mainstream audiences, triggering interest in places that have traditionally remained off the tourist radar, PTI reported. This interest translated into travel demand in 2025. Ixigo reported strong year-on-year growth in flight bookings to several northeastern cities, including Dimapur, Agartala, Guwahati, Imphal and Itanagar. The trend was also highlighted in ixigo’s The Great Indian Travel Index 2025, which noted a significant surge in bookings to key cities across the region, reinforcing the growing influence of screen exposure on travel choices. The report also revealed broader shifts in Indian travel behaviour during the year. Internationally, Japan and South Korea emerged as the most-booked destinations for Indian travellers on ixigo in 2025. A wider preference for East and Southeast Asia was evident, with Vietnam and Thailand gaining popularity alongside steady demand for Sri Lanka and Indonesia. At the same time, destinations beyond Asia, including Oman, Kenya, Kazakhstan, the UAE, Uzbekistan and Qatar, also saw rising interest, reflecting an appetite for newer and less conventional global destinations. Domestically, spiritual tourism recorded a strong upswing, driven largely by younger travellers. Maha Kumbh-related travel led to a spike in bookings to Prayagraj, with Gen Z bus bookings jumping nearly 20 times year-on-year. The intensity of demand during the Kumbh period was underscored by the most expensive domestic flight booked on ixigo in 2025, a Mumbai–Prayagraj ticket costing Rs 92,644. Commenting on the findings, Aloke Bajpai, Group CEO, and Rajnish Kumar, Group Co-CEO, ixigo, said, “What truly stood out in The Great Indian Travel Index 2025 was the scale and diversity of travel demand across the country. Faith-led travel emerged as a powerful driver, with destinations like Varanasi alone witnessing nearly 147 million visits in 2025. At the same time, rising disposable incomes and better connectivity are helping expand the travel ecosystem beyond existing travellers”. They further noted, “We’re also seeing Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities increasingly shape India’s travel narrative.” Cities like Rishikesh, Indore, Nagpur, Bhopal, Lucknow, and Assam are driving strong demand across flights, trains, and buses, with several metro-to-emerging city bus routes experiencing YoY growth of nearly 80%. “Together, these trends reflect how travel in India is deeply rooted in culture, belief, and aspiration, cutting across age groups, geographies, and travel modes”.

Based on reports that US tech majors, including Meta, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Google, added 32,000 employees in India, social media influencers concluded that the H-1B crackdown has actually backfired and instead of creating more jobs for Americans, these jobs actually exited America as big companies offshored these jobs to India. The figure has been reached according to data from Xpheno, a specialist staffing firm. The link between the visa fee and the offshoring of the jobs can be a little stretched as all these big tech majors can easily pay the $100,000 H-1B fee.

“As US H-1B visa rules tightened this year with higher fees and wage requirements, Big Tech responded predictably: they hired offshore instead. Meta, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, and Google pushed their combined India workforce to 214,000, the fastest growth in three years. That’s 32,000+ new hires that could have gone to Americans. These aren’t call center jobs. They’re AI, machine learning, cloud engineering, data science, and cybersecurity roles,” entrepreneur and podcast host Mario Nawfal posted. “The irony is brutal: visa curbs designed to prioritize American workers just made it cheaper and easier for corporations to offshore the same jobs remotely. No visa required. No wage floor. No American hired. This is the loophole nobody closed. You can restrict who comes here to work. You can’t restrict who works from there. Until policy addresses corporate offshoring directly, companies will keep doing the math and choosing the cheaper option overseas. American workers keep losing,” Nawfal wrote. Another influencer James Blunt commented that he got to know about this offshoring directly from the executives who confirmed that they moved towards offshoring because of the uncertainty in the administration’s visa rules. “I’m hearing this directly from executives, the uncertainty was the final shove. Offshoring offers certainty + scalability and zero U.S. regulatory risk. If the goal was to keep jobs in America, this did the opposite,” James Blunt wrote.

3 big H-1B changes introduced by Trump administration in 2025

The SA20 2026 will deliver an immediate blockbuster rematch on Sunday as Durban’s Super Giants host MI Cape Town at Kingsmead. Thee two sides kicked off the tournament just days ago in Cape Town, producing a high-scoring thriller that set an electrifying standard for the 2025-26 season.

In that curtain-raiser, the Super Giants were imperious with the bat. A masterclass in foundation-laying from Devon Conway and Kane Williamson allowed the middle order, led by Aiden Markram and Evan Jones, to explode late and post a mammoth 232/5.

MI Cape Town’s response was equally ferocious. Ryan Rickelton played a blinding knock, smashing a breathtaking century that threatened to steal the game away, supported by a spirited cameo from Jason Smith. However, the pressure of the massive chase eventually took its toll. Despite being in the hunt until the dying moments, critical wickets saw MI Cape Town fall just 15 runs short.

Now, the scene shifts to Durban. With the wounds of that narrow defeat still fresh, MI Cape Town will be desperate to flip the script on enemy territory, while the Super Giants look to prove their opening win was no fluke.

DSG vs MICT, SA20 2026: Match details

• Date and Time: December 28; 7:00 pm IST / 1:30 pm GMT / 3:30 pm Local
• Venue: Kingsmead, Durban

DSG vs MICT Head-to-Head Record in SA20 

Matches played: 07 | Durban’s Super Giants won: 05 | MI Cape Town won: 01 | No result/Tied: 01

Kingsmead Pitch Report

Kingsmead has a reputation for being a bit of a grind for batters; don’t expect a flat highway where one can just hit through the line effortlessly. The golden window for scoring is definitely against the new ball while it’s still hard. Once that shine wears off, the pitch tends to slow down, offering plenty of grip for the spinners to dictate terms in the middle overs.

Given these conditions, scoreboard pressure is king here. The average first-innings score sits at a gritty 143, suggesting that the captain winning the toss will almost certainly look to bat first, put runs on the board, and let their slow bowlers squeeze the opposition in the chase.

Squads

Durban’s Super Giants: Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Jos Buttler, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Evan Jones, David Wiese, Eathan Bosch, Simon Harmer, Kwena Maphaka, Noor Ahmad, Sunil Narine, Taijul Islam, Dayyaan Galiem, Daryn Dupavillon, Tony de Zorzi, Marques Ackerman, Gerald Coetzee, David Bedingham, Andile Simelane, Gysbert Wege

MI Cape Town: Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Jason Smith, Nicholas Pooran, Dwaine Pretorius, George Linde, Rashid Khan (c), Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Tristan Luus, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Tom Moores, Karim Janat, Thomas Kaber, Jacques Snyman, Tiaan van Vuuren, Daniel Lategan

Also READ: SA20 2026 – Full list of commentators and presenters at South Africa’s explosive T20 cricket league

DSG vs MICT, SA20 2026: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Durban’s Super Giants wins the toss and bats first
• Durban’s Super Giants’ powerplay score: 50-60
• Durban’s Super Giants’ total score: 170-180

Case 2:

• MI Cape Town wins the toss and bats first
• MI Cape Town’s powerplay score: 40-50
• MI Cape Town’s total score: 160-170

Match result: Team batting first to win the contest.

Also READ: IND-W vs SL-W, 4th T20I Match Prediction- Who will win today’s game between India Women and Sri Lanka Women?

NEW DELHI: Congress on Sunday stopped short of agreeing with its senior leader Digvijay Singh after he gave example of Rashtriya Swayamseva Sangh (RSS) to call for organisational reforms within Congress.Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, reacting to former Madhya Pradesh chief minister’s remarks said that an organisation known for Godse can not teach anything to a organisation founded by Gandhi.

“There’s nothing to learn from the RSS. What can an organisation known for Godse teach an organisation founded by Gandhi?” Khera said.‘Power of the organisation’Earlier on Saturday Digvijay praised the organisational strength of RSS and shared a black-and-white photograph from a social media platform that showed Prime Minister Narendra Modi seated back on the ground while BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani sat on a chair in the background, acknowledging how the RSS shapes leadership within the organisation.“I found this image on the Quora site. It’s very impressive. How an RSS grassroots swayamsevak and Jan Sangh BJP worker sat on the floor at the feet of leaders and became the state’s Chief Minister and the country’s Prime Minister. This is the power of the organisation.”However, he issued a clarification, saying, “I’ve been saying this from the beginning: I am opposed to the ideology of the RSS. They neither respect the Constitution nor the country’s laws, and it’s an unregistered organisation.”“But I admire their organisational capacity because an organisation that isn’t even registered has become so powerful that the Prime Minister says from the Red Fort that it is the world’s largest NGO. If it’s an NGO, then where have your rules and regulations gone? But I admire their organisational capacity,” he added.Earlier this week, Singh had also praised Rahul Gandhi for his stance on socio-economic issues, giving him “full marks” while calling for internal reforms within the Congress. Drawing a parallel with Rahul Gandhi’s push for Election Commission reforms, Singh argued that the party itself needed similar changes.In another post on X, he wrote, “Rahul ji you are absolutely ‘Bang On’ in matters of Socio-Economic Issues. Full Marks. But now please look at Congress also. Like Election Commission needs Reforms, So Does Indian National Congress. You have started with ‘संघटन सृजन’ But we need more Pragmatic Decentralised Functioning.”He added, “I am sure you would do it because I know you can do it. Only problem is that it is not easy to ‘Convince’ you!!”BJP attacks Rahul GandhiMeanwhile, BJP alleged that Digvijay’s praise for the organisational power of the BJP and the RSS was an “open dissent” against Rahul Gandhi’s leadership in the party.BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi alleged that Rahul was bringing his party “upside down” because he had been sidelined in the party.“It’s because our Narendra Modi is ‘guddri ke lal’ (diamond in the rough) and their leader is ‘Jawahar ke lal’ (great-grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru). Since our Narendra Modi has risen to top from bottom, he is taking the party (BJP) also to the top from bottom,” Trivedi told a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.In a swipe to Rahul, he said, “Since their leader is ‘Jawahar ke lal’ who is now ‘side down from up’, he is bringing his party upside down.”This comes after the Congress held the CWC meet in Delhi on Saturday under the chaimanship of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge — first after the party suffered a huge loss in Bihar assembly elections.After the CWC meet, Kharge announced that the grand-old-party launch a nation-wide protest against the Centre for replacing rural employment scheme – MGNREGA – with VB G-RAM-G law from January 5.“In the meeting, we took an oath. We decided to launch a massive movement across the country, making the MNREGA scheme the central point. Indian National Congress party, taking a leading role, will launch the Save MNREGA Campaign from January 5th,” Kharge said.

MUMBAI: Most global cities have regulations to control micro-skylines within precincts. These are conscious decisions taken to ensure that the ‘look’ of the city is managed in a controlled and planned manner, while simultaneously permitting development to take care of people’s needs. But unlike many global cities, Mumbai is perhaps the only one where the entire city (except areas governed by aviation rules) can go vertical without considering basic factors like infrastructure, design or density. So, a squat bungalow could sit next to a highrise, like two freaks in a circus, with little thought to aesthetic consistency within a neighbourhood.“Today, planning has been reduced to an arbitrary and ad hoc level with no correlation to infrastructure,’’ says Atul Kumar, founder trustee, Art Deco Mumbai Trust. “And there is no attempt to make it aesthetically viable.” Urban planners suggest that behind the emerging Dubai-like bling lies a vision that allows profit to override planning. A real estate-obsessed wave fuelled by what architect and urban planner Rahul Mehrotra calls “impatient capital”.There are many who caution against this approach that allows floor space index (FSI) to jump up “in leaps and bounds without any logical justification that takes into account the bigger plan”. Architect and urban planner Chandrashekhar Prabhu says, “There is no control on the height or shape of buildings coming up on threshold spaces like waterfronts, open spaces, prominent vistas etc. Ad hoc decisions are taken mostly to benefit builders.” No thought is given to ensuring proportionate public open spaces or adequate roads, leading to traffic snarls across the city. And this despite sufficient precedents within the city itself that placed a premium on organic town planning.In 1912, the Bombay City Improvement Trust formulated stringent norms that mandated adequate widths between so that they are spaced out equally. The rule which was finally implemented in 1919 was based on the concept that the right to light and air must be equal to the resident on the ground floor and those living on the top floor.“This was determined by the 63.5-degree rule; the minimum open space between two buildings and the maximum height,” says Kumar. The city’s first development plan in 1967 introduced the concept of FSI, unlike previous by-laws that regulated built development by the number of floors and footprint limits.Urban designer and architect Harshad Mehta points to areas like Cumballa Hill and Malabar Hill, where the skylines were once marked by crowns of treetops. “Buildings like Usha Kiran, Woodlands and Kanchanjunga rose higher than the treetops and were called ‘skyscrapers’ then. Nonetheless, they were also spaced apart by a prescribed distance from their immediate neighbours. Today, it can be said that building development in Mumbai is rising up, both literally and liberally. What were once considered iconic skyscrapers, seem lost amid newer taller neighbours,’’ said Bhatia.According to him, the current rising twinkling skyline appears attractive from afar, even portraying a mirage of growing prosperity —say when seen from the new coastal road. “But come up close and what you saw is not what you get. “Therefore, this present trend of indiscriminate high-rise development, though policy-driven, is foolhardy. Continuing this mindless building spree will be a self-induced disaster in the years ahead,” he warns.New York-based architect Arzan Sam Wadia points out that the Manhattan skyline is shaped by strategic zoning laws.“For instance, when it comes to very tall towers going up next to low-rise buildings or neighborhoods, the city relies on ‘contextual zoning’. “This helps manage height and bulk to make sure new developments fit in better with their surroundings,” he explains.In New York, there are special rules in place, like “tower setbacks,” which require taller buildings to be set back from the street. This keeps them from overwhelming the lower buildings nearby and helps maintain light access. As Wadia says, “It’s all about balance”. Currently, Mumbai appears to be challenging the idea of balance, in more ways than one.

Jake Weatherald is bowled by Ben Stokes during day two of the fourth Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: Melbourne Cricket Ground head curator Matt Page admitted he was left in a “state of shock” after witnessing the carnage during the two-day fourth Ashes Test, an outcome that has left Cricket Australia staring at a revenue shortfall running into millions of dollars.Page and his team had left 10 millimetres of grass on the pitch, a decision that resulted in excessive seam movement and bounce, making batting extremely difficult throughout the match.

A total of 36 wickets fell in just 142 overs, including 20 on the opening day, with the contest wrapped up in the evening session of day two as England sealed a four-wicket win — their first Test victory in Australia since January 2011.The premature finish dealt a major blow to Cricket Australia’s finances. More than 90,000 spectators were expected for day three, with significant crowds also anticipated for days four and five. However, ticket sales for those days had to be refunded, compounding the financial impact after the series opener in Perth had also ended within two days.It marked the first time in 129 years that the same Ashes series has featured multiple two-day Tests, a scenario last seen in the era when pitches were left uncovered and exposed to the elements.“I was in a state of shock,” Page said.“I’ve never been involved in a Test match like it and hopefully never involved in a Test match like that again.“We know this hasn’t gone as we planned. We will look at what we need to do to improve.”Page pointed out that last year’s Test at the venue had produced a vastly different contest after the grass on the pitch was trimmed to seven millimetres, resulting in a thrilling match that went down to the final session of day five as Australia defeated India.He added that cool and wet conditions in the lead-up to this year’s Test, combined with forecast heat on days three and four, forced him to adopt a different approach.– Pitch ‘a joke’ –“We’re trying to balance that contest between bat and ball throughout, over the four or five days, to provide that captivating Test for all,” he said.“We left it longer because we knew we were going to get (hot) weather at the back end that we knew we needed our grass (for).”International Cricket Council referee Jeff Crowe is yet to deliver his assessment of the pitch, pondering whether to give it an “unsatisfactory” rating which would see the venue slapped with a demerit point.England captain Ben Stokes and Australia counterpart Steve Smith were both critical of the surface, as were a string of former greats.“Being brutally honest, that’s not really what you want,” Stokes said.“Boxing Day Test match, you don’t want a game finishing in less than two days. Not ideal.”Smith said: “It was tricky. No one could really get in. When you see 36 wickets across two days, that’s probably too much.”Former England captain Michael Vaughan labelled the pitch “a joke”.“This is selling the game short, the players, broadcasters and more importantly the fans,” he said.Despite the controversy, MCG chief executive Stuart Fox backed Page and his ground staff to continue.“We bought Matt on eight years ago because he’s considered one of the best in the country, if not the best,” Fox said. “I still believe that, and I always will. “You can see he’s disappointed. He carries that responsibility and my job as a leader is to support people. “When you believe in your people, you get behind them and support them and I know he’ll respond.”(With AFP inputs)

Both sets of fans sang chants in Jota’s name in the 18th and 20th minutes — the shirt numbers he wore during his spells at Molineux and Anfield respectively. (Getty Images)

Florian Wirtz’s first Liverpool goal fired the Reds into the Premier League‘s top four despite an unconvincing 2-1 win over Wolves on a day both clubs paid tribute to Diogo Jota. Jota, who was killed in a car accident alongside his brother Andre Silva in July, won four trophies after joining Liverpool from Wolves in 2020.Two of his children led the teams out as mascots, while his wife Rute Cardoso watched on from the sidelines.

Both sets of fans sang chants in Jota’s name in the 18th and 20th minutes — the shirt numbers he wore during his spells at Molineux and Anfield respectively.“After the tragedy happened until now, I have seen so many special moments — where the fans remembered him or our players conducted themselves unbelievably in the circumstances,” said Liverpool boss Arne Slot.“Not only our fans but the fans of away teams have shown the respect both Diogo and his brother deserved. It was special to see his children being the mascot and how emotional it was before the game and then in the 20th minute.”On the field, both clubs have suffered this season with Wolves staring down the barrel of relegation after taking just two points from their opening 18 league games.Liverpool’s form has improved of late and Wirtz is beginning to show flashes of the brilliance that lured the English champions into paying Bayer Leverkusen £100 million ($135 million) for the German international.The 22-year-old registered his first Premier League assist last weekend for a goal that came at some cost to Liverpool as Alexander Isak suffered a broken leg in opening the scoring against Tottenham.Shorn of the most expensive player in English football history for the coming months, there is even more pressure on Wirtz to deliver on his hefty price tag.“He’s been very important for us throughout the season. But in football it is about results, you are mainly judged on results or on goals and assists,” added Slot.“I think today he showed much more than just the goal he scored; he was special for us in many parts of the game.”Wirtz finally opened his account in his 23rd Liverpool appearance by prodding home Hugo Ekitike’s pass to double the home side’s lead.Just 90 seconds earlier, Liverpool had made the breakthrough when Ryan Gravenberch slammed in Jeremie Frimpong’s cross.Yet, even with a 2-0 half-time lead against a side on course to become the worst in Premier League history, Slot could not relax.Santiago Bueno exposed Liverpool’s frailty from set-pieces to pull a goal back just six minutes into the second half.Slot’s men have made a habit of late collapses at Leeds and Tottenham in recent weeks and needed a perfectly-timed tackle from Conor Bradley to deny Jhon Arias a late equaliser.

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