Mustafizur Rahman and Shashi Tharoor

NEW DELHI: India and Bangladesh are once again at the centre of a cricket and political row. This time, it involves the T20 World Cup and the Indian Premier League.Bangladesh has asked that their matches at next month’s T20 World Cup not be played in India. Instead, they want the games moved to Sri Lanka. The request came after Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was released from his IPL team following advice from the BCCI.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reacted sharply to the development. He took to social media and criticised India’s role in the situation.“Hardly surprising. We have brought this embarrassment upon ourselves,” Shashi Tharoor wrote on X.The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) held an emergency meeting on Sunday. After the meeting, the board said it had “formally requested” the ICC to shift their World Cup matches out of India.“The Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,” the BCB said in a statement.The board explained that the decision was taken because of “growing concerns regarding the safety and security” of its players. It also said the move was based on advice from the Bangladeshi government.The issue escalated after Mustafizur Rahman was released by the Kolkata Knight Riders. The IPL franchise was “advised” by the BCCI to do so amid rising tensions between the two countries.Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul reacted strongly. He said the country would not tolerate any disrespect.“will not accept any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers and Bangladesh under any circumstances.”“The days of slavery are over,” he added.“Where a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being contracted, the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe going to play in the World Cup,” he wrote.The T20 World Cup begins on February 7 and is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh were scheduled to play all four of their group matches in India. Pakistan, meanwhile, will play their matches in Sri Lanka as part of a neutral-venue agreement.Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam Bulbul said that “the dignity and security of our cricketers are our top priorities”.Mustafizur had been bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for over $1 million at the IPL auction in December. But BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that “considering recent developments” the franchise had been “advised to release” him.Nazrul also threatened further action.“I have requested the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to stop the broadcasting of the IPL tournament in Bangladesh,” he said.Kolkata Knight Riders later said Mustafizur’s “release has been carried out following due process and consultations”.The controversy comes at a sensitive time. Political relations between India and Bangladesh have been strained since a mass uprising in 2024 removed Sheikh Hasina from power. Bangladesh will also hold elections on February 12.

Unsold housing inventory across India’s top seven cities increased by 4 per cent last year, as the supply of new homes continued to exceed buyer demand, according to data released by real estate consultant Anarock.The total number of unsold residential units in the primary market stood at 5,76,617 at the end of 2025, compared with 5,53,073 units a year earlier. Anarock said the rise was mainly driven by slower sales momentum and higher additions to new supply during the year.“Annually, unsold inventory in the top seven cities rose 4 per cent by 2025-end, largely because of tapered demand and increased new supply in the year,” Anarock said, explaining the trend.Housing sales across these major urban markets declined sharply over the year. As per the data, home sales fell 14 per cent year-on-year to 3,95,625 units in 2025. In contrast, the launch of new homes edged up by 2 per cent to 4,19,170 units, widening the gap between supply and absorption.City-wise data showed a mixed picture. Unsold inventory declined in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Hyderabad, while other key cities saw a build-up in stock.In Delhi-NCR, unsold housing stock rose 5 per cent to 90,455 units at the end of 2025, up from 85,901 units in the previous year. Bengaluru recorded one of the sharpest increases, with unsold homes jumping 23 per cent to 64,863 units from 52,807 units.Pune also saw a rise, with inventory increasing 3 per cent to 83,491 units from 80,672 units a year earlier. Chennai posted an 18 per cent rise in unsold units, which stood at 33,434 at the end of last year compared with 28,423 units at the end of 2024.Kolkata’s unsold housing stock grew by 9 per cent to 29,007 units from 26,542 units over the same period, the data showed.On the other hand, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region saw a marginal improvement. Unsold homes in MMR dipped by 1 per cent to 1,79,228 units at the end of 2025, down from 1,80,964 units a year earlier. Hyderabad also recorded a small decline, with unsold inventory falling 2 per cent to 96,140 units from 97,765 units.Looking ahead, Anarock said the outlook for housing demand could improve if borrowing costs soften. The consultant noted that lower interest rates on home loans could help revive buyer interest, provided residential property prices remain within reasonable limits.The data suggests that while select markets are beginning to see some easing in inventory, overall pressure on unsold stock remains, largely due to the imbalance between new launches and actual sales, as per PTI.

In a strategic move ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season, Delhi Capitals (DC) announced the signing of Australian leg-spinner Alana King as a replacement for all-rounder Annabel Sutherland, who has withdrawn due to personal reasons. The JSW-GMR co-owned franchise recently confirmed the development, signaling a notable tactical shift just few days before the new season.

Perennial finalists in all three editions of the WPL so far, Delhi Capitals are once again shaping their squad with the clear aim of going one step further and lifting their first title.

Excitement builds as Alana King joins Delhi brigade

The announcement sparked immediate excitement within the Capitals camp. Team captain Jemimah Rodrigues welcomed Alana with an enthusiastic social media post, highlighting her big-tournament pedigree and recent form. The franchise’s official handle followed suit, unveiling a vibrant graphic of Alana in Delhi Capitals colours, skateboarding through graffiti-laced visuals that symbolised her dynamic on-field personality. The caption, “Dilli ki Queen,” quickly caught on with fans.

Hashtags such as #DilliKiQueen and #AlanaKingDC began trending, reflecting the buzz around the signing and the expectations surrounding King’s role in the upcoming season.

Annabel Sutherland exit forces tactical pivot

Annabel Sutherland’s withdrawal is a significant loss for Delhi Capitals. The 23-year-old Australian all-rounder had been an important part of the squad over the past two seasons, offering pace bowling options and late-order hitting. Retained for ₹2.2 crore ahead of the auction, Sutherland’s unavailability forced the franchise to rethink its balance.

Rather than seeking a like-for-like seam-bowling all-rounder, Delhi opted to strengthen their spin department. Alana King comes in at a reserve price of ₹60 lakh, representing a clear shift in strategy from seam-heavy depth to spin variety – an approach that could prove decisive on Indian surfaces.

Alana King’s credentials and experience in Indian conditions

Now 30, King brings an impressive resume to the Capitals. She rose to global prominence with a sensational spell of 7 for 18 against South Africa at the Women’s Cricket World Cup, one of the finest bowling performances in tournament history. Across 27 T20Is, King has claimed 27 wickets at an economy rate of just 6.58, underlining her control and wicket-taking ability.

Her recent Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) campaign with Perth Scorchers further showcased her value, as she picked up 12 wickets in 13 matches and helped the Scorchers reach the final as runners-up. Although she went unsold at the WPL 2026 auction, Alana is no stranger to Indian conditions, having previously featured in one match for UP Warriorz last season.

Also READ: Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland pull out of WPL 2026 due to personal reasons

Delhi Capitals looking forward to Mumbai Indians clash and maiden WPL title

Delhi Capitals will begin their WPL 2026 campaign against Mumbai Indians (MI) on January 10 at the DY Patil Stadium, a fixture that revisits memories of past final heartbreaks. Alana’s arrival could prove pivotal on spin-friendly tracks as Delhi once again chase the elusive title after three runner-up finishes.

As other franchises also adjust their squads, the Capitals appear spin-enriched, energized, and hungry. With Alana’s flair and experience added to the mix, Delhi’s quest for WPL glory in 2026 looks more compelling than ever.

Also READ: 3 reasons why Gujarat Giants will excel under the leadership of Ashleigh Gardner in WPL 2026

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

NEW DELHI: World chess champion D Gukesh will not be playing in the 2026 Tata Steel Chess India tournament in Kolkata. The organisers confirmed the news on Friday. The tournament begins on January 7, and Gukesh will be replaced by fellow Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin.This event was expected to be Gukesh’s first tournament of the new year. Fans were excited to see the reigning world champion play in India once again.

His absence means they will now have to wait longer to watch him in action.Gukesh was last seen competing at the World Rapid and Blitz Championship. His sudden withdrawal has surprised many, especially because no detailed reason has been shared so far.The organisers said that Gukesh pulled out due to personal reasons.“Due to personal reasons, D. Gukesh will be unable to participate in Tata Steel Chess India this year,” tournament Director Dibyendu Barua said.Barua admitted that Gukesh’s decision is a major blow for the tournament. “This is definitely a big setback for the organisers and for the chess fans in Kolkata. All the chess lovers were eagerly waiting to watch Gukesh play in their city as a world champion for the first time,” Barua told The Indian Express.Tata Steel Chess India has been held every year since 2018. The tournament features rapid and blitz games and attracts top players from around the world. Magnus Carlsen is the defending champion, but he will not return this year to defend his title.Despite Gukesh’s absence, the tournament still boasts a strong line-up. Big names like Viswanathan Anand, Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, and Nihal Sarin will compete in the Open section. The Women’s event will feature top stars such as Aleksandra Goryachkina, Kateryna Lagno, Divya Deshmukh, and R Vaishali.

In 2008, Tesla was on the brink of a financial collapse and CEO Elon Musk had just surveyed an ‘army’ of rejected cars. Frustrated by the revelation, an angry Musk said “I want names named. so if someone’s always on the hide seat and is always the root cause for problems, they will not be a part of this organisation for long term. It’s not okay to be a part of this company”. “If somebody can’t get happy, get divorced,” he continued, adding “Speak(ing) from personal experience”. Notably, Musk himself was going through his divorce with his first wife, Justine Musk.

Elon Musk’s three divorces with two wives

Elon Musk has been married and divorced twice, involving two marriages and three divorce proceedings. He married Justine Musk in 2000. The couple had six children together, including one child who died in infancy. The duo divorced in 2008, the same year Musk had his companies Tesla and SpaceX close to bankruptcy.In 2010, Musk married British actress Talulah Riley. The couple divorced in 2012 but remarried in 2013. Their second marriage ended in divorce in 2016.Musk has not married since. He was later in a long-term relationship with musician Grimes, with whom he has children, but the two were never married.

When Elon Musk said Tesla is ‘screwed’

The above comments were made during a tense internal meeting where Colette Niazmand, Tesla marketing executive, told Musk that people found faults with the Tesla Roadster and the company realised that the car “had substandard parts”. Video from the meeting has surfaced online recently. In the video, one of Tesla executives can be seen telling Musk “What’s going on here is the team has been doing a little bit of rework today. I got a message last week that if Roadster can’t sustain the company by March, then…That’s it. And that scares me”. Musk, who became angry by that point, said, “We need to get the company to cash flow positive in six to nine months. Well, we’re screwed. It’s really pedal to metal here. Each month it passes literally costs us tens of millions of dollars”.

A sharp increase in taxes on cigarettes, along with a new excise duty structure on tobacco products, could trigger a surge in illicit trade and lead to significant revenue losses for the government, experts have warned.Earlier this week, the finance ministry notified amendments to the Central Excise Act, introducing a fresh excise duty ranging from Rs 2,050 to Rs 8,500 per 1,000 cigarette sticks, depending on their length. The new excise duty, which comes into effect from February 1, will be levied in addition to the existing 40 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST).This change implies an overall tax hike of around 60–70 per cent, varying by cigarette length, compared with the current overall tax incidence of about 50–55 per cent. The move marks a transition from the GST compensation cess to an excise-based regime for demerit goods.The unexpected nature of the tax increase has raised concerns about higher smuggling and illegal trade in tobacco products. According to news agency PTI, Ranganath Tannir, secretary general of Think Change Forum, said the steep rise could prove counterproductive. “Public finance theory is clear that excessive taxation of inelastic goods fuels illicit trade, not compliance,” he said, adding that cigarettes in India are already among the least affordable globally based on World Health Organization affordability indicators. Making them more expensive is unlikely to curb demand, but could push consumers towards illegal and smuggled products, undermining tax collections, he noted.Brokerage reports have echoed similar concerns. According to JPMorgan’s Asia Pacific Equity Research, a higher tax rate for the King Size Filter Tip (KSFT) segment increases the risk of consumers downtrading to cheaper options and may also lead to higher consumption of illicit cigarettes.Illicit tobacco already accounts for about 26 per cent of India’s total tobacco market, making the country the fourth-largest market globally for smuggled tobacco, PTI reported.Nomura, in its research note, said that while higher taxes are aimed at reducing consumption, they often have unintended consequences. “High taxes on cigarettes… fuel the growth of illicit cigarettes and push consumers towards cheaper, non-tax paid smuggled cigarettes,” the brokerage said.Jefferies, citing a report by the Tobacco Institute of India (TII), said the industry body has urged the government to review the proposed excise structure. A wider gap between legal and illegal prices could benefit non-duty-paid cigarettes and result in higher tax leakage, the report noted.Experts also pointed to international experience to underline the risks. Australia’s repeated tobacco tax hikes between 2012 and 2020 led to a sharp rise in cigarette prices and were followed by a jump in illicit tobacco consumption from under 2 per cent to around 14 per cent of the market.Calling the proposed excise levies “unprecedented”, an analyst said there is still time to reassess the decision before it comes into force. “Since they take effect from February 1, 2026, the government has an opportunity to revisit and rectify them before they spawn a much larger problem of uncontrollable illicit networks,” the analyst warned, as per PTI.

Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ has been rampaging the box office since its release in theaters. The movie has crossed the Rs 1160 crore mark at the worldwide box office. And the second part of the movie will be arriving in theaters in March this year. Amidst the massive success of the film, a report has surfaced stating that Shah Rukh Khan‘s ‘King’ and Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s ‘Love and War’ may follow in the footsteps of ‘Dhurandhar’, releasing them in two parts.

‘King’ and ‘Love and War’ will release in two parts?

According to the Bollywood Hungama report, discussions in the film teams of Shah Rukh Khan’s film and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Love and War’ over the release of the projects are going on. A source told the website, “Both ‘King’ and ‘Love And War’ are big-budget spectacles and have gone beyond what was on paper when it comes to the cost of production. As ‘Dhurandhar’ has set a trend, both SRK and Bhansali are individually contemplating splitting their epics into two parts and releasing them in a gap of less than 6 months.“

The report further stated that the SLB’s film might arrive in August 2026 and January 2027. On the other hand, SRK’s action flick is considering September 2026 and March 2027. The report added that these discussions are just at the initial stages, and no final decision has been taken as of now. As per the report, the dissection of movies into two parts will take place only if the makers have enough footage to do so. The final call will be taken after editing of the films.

Why two parts?

As per the report, if the makers come up with two parts, it would not just mean more financial returns through satellite and digital rights but also more “creative freedom to explore sub-tracks.”The insider further told the publication, “‘Dhurandhar’ has infused a fresh perspective in all creators as well as business honchos. The next few months will be exciting.”

More about ‘King’ and ‘Love and War’

Directed by Siddharth Anand, ‘King’ stars Shah Rukh Khan, Suhana Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Arshad Warsi, Anil Kapoor, Raghav Juyal, Abhay Verma, and more.On the other hand, ‘Love and War’ features Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles.

More about ‘Dhurandhar’

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the cast of the espionage thriller includes Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun. The film was released in theaters on December 5, 2025. The next part will be out on March 19, 2026.

The release of Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad ahead of IPL 2026 has snowballed into a major administrative dispute between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Mustafizur, who was bought by KKR for ₹9.2 crore at the mini-auction, was officially released on January 2, following a directive from the BCCI. The decision cited “recent developments” amid rising political tensions and reported violence against minorities in Bangladesh, raising broader concerns about player security and diplomatic sensitivities.

BCCI confirms directive behind Mustafizur’s IPL exit

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that franchises were instructed to release the Bangladeshi pacer, while clarifying that KKR would be allowed to sign a replacement. He also stated that, as of now, the BCCI has not received any official communication from the Indian government regarding restrictions on foreign players.

Despite this clarification, the move has been perceived in Bangladesh as a signal that Bangladeshi cricketers may face uncertainty when playing in India – an interpretation that has escalated the issue beyond the IPL.

Bangladesh pushes for the movement of T20 World Cup matches

In response, the Bangladesh Sports Ministry stepped in. Adviser Asif Nazrul instructed the BCB to formally approach the International Cricket Council with a request to move Bangladesh’s Group A matches of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 from India to Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh are scheduled to face England, Italy, Nepal and West Indies in the group stage.

Nazrul, writing in Bengali on Facebook, stated that if a Bangladeshi player under contract cannot play in India, then the national team cannot feel assured about safety while travelling there. He added that the matter must be formally documented and placed before the ICC, along with a clear request to stage Bangladesh’s matches in Sri Lanka instead.

BCCI rejects feasibility of venue shift

The BCCI has responded firmly, calling the proposed venue shift impractical with the tournament less than a month away. A senior BCCI source dismissed the demand, highlighting the logistical complexity involved in altering a World Cup schedule at such a late stage.

According to the source, match-day logistics – including international travel, hotel bookings, broadcast arrangements, and venue coordination – have already been finalized. With three matches scheduled on most days across India and Sri Lanka, relocating fixtures would disrupt not just Bangladesh’s plans but also those of multiple opposition teams and broadcasters.

“You can’t just change games at someone’s whims and fancies. It is a logistical nightmare. Think about opposition teams. Their air tickets, hotels are booked,” the BCCI source was quoted as saying by NDTV.

“Also on all days there are three games each which means one game is in Sri Lanka. There is broadcast crew. So it will be easier said than done,” he added.

Also READ: Amid Mustafizur Rahman row, BCB urge ICC to relocate Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 matches from India

Growing tension ahead of marquee ICC event

The controversy has cast an unexpected shadow over preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026, raising questions about how geopolitical issues intersect with global sporting events. While the BCCI maintains that Mustafizur’s IPL release does not automatically translate into national-team safety concerns, Bangladesh officials appear unconvinced.

With the ICC yet to respond publicly, the standoff places the governing body in a delicate position. Any decision will need to balance logistical realities with diplomatic sensitivities, all while ensuring player safety and tournament integrity.

As things stand, Bangladesh’s matches remain scheduled in India, and BCCI sources remain confident no changes will be made. However, the Mustafizur Rahman episode has already ensured that the lead-up to the T20 World Cup 2026 will be closely watched—both on and off the field.

Also READ: Bangladesh name squad for T20 World Cup 2026; no place for Jaker Ali