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At a buzzing Eden Gardens, West Indies delivered a clinical all-round performance to defeat Italy by 42 runs in the 37th Match of Group C in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. After being asked to bat first, the Caribbean side posted a competitive 165/6 in their 20 overs before bundling Italy out for 123 in 18 overs. Shai Hope’s elegant 75 earned him the Player of the Match award, while Shamar Joseph’s fiery four-wicket haul ensured there was no late twist in the tale.

Shai Hope guides West Indies to competitive total

Put into bat after Italy elected to bowl, West Indies had a shaky start as Brandon King fell early for just four runs. Shimron Hetmyer also failed to make an impact, departing for a solitary run, leaving the innings in need of stability.

Hope stepped up beautifully to the occasion. Calm under pressure, he stitched together crucial partnerships and paced his innings to perfection. His 75 off 46 balls, studded with six boundaries and four towering sixes, was a blend of composure and calculated aggression. He found able support in Roston Chase, who contributed a steady 24 off 25 deliveries.

Although Rovman Powell couldn’t convert his start, Sherfane Rutherford injected momentum into the innings with a brisk 24 off just 15 balls. The late flourish came from Matthew Forde, whose 16 off eight balls, including three crisp boundaries, pushed the total beyond the 160-mark.

For Italy, Ben Manenti and Crishan Kalugamage impressed with two wickets apiece, while Ali Hasan and Thomas Jack Draca chipped in with one each. Despite their disciplined spells at various stages, they struggled to contain Hope during his dominant knock.

Also READ: T20 World Cup 2026: India vs South Africa Super 8 Ticket Prices, Booking Details

Shamar Joseph-led West Indies bowling attack dismantle Italy’s chase

Chasing 166 on a surface offering some assistance to spinners and pacers alike, Italy never truly found momentum. Justin Mosca was dismissed cheaply, and although Anthony Mosca counter-attacked with 19 off 12 balls, the West Indies bowlers kept striking at regular intervals.

JJ Smuts tried to anchor the innings with 24 off 27 deliveries, but the required rate kept climbing. Manenti played a fighting knock of 26 from 21 balls, and Grant Stewart’s cameo of 12 off seven briefly raised hopes, yet Italy lacked sustained partnerships.

Shamar Joseph was the standout performer with the ball. His express pace and sharp variations fetched him four wickets for 30 runs in four overs, breaking the backbone of Italy’s middle and lower order. Matthew Forde complemented him brilliantly, claiming three wickets for just 19 runs. Gudakesh Motie also made vital inroads with two scalps, while Akeal Hosein chipped in with one. Italy were eventually bowled out for 123 in the 18th over, falling well short of the target.

West Indies beat Italy by 42 runs and maintain their 100% winning record in the 2026 T20 WC 🏏#WIvsITA #T20WorldCup2026 #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/6kCIqEE46g

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 19, 2026

Also READ: T20 World Cup 2026: Rashid Khan pays heartfelt tribute to outgoing coach Jonathan Trott

Canada’s immigration minister – Lena Metlege Diab, last night announced new Express Entry immigration categories for 2026. The writing on the wall is clear: the focus is on ‘bringing in the right people to help build a stronger future’. In this backdrop, immigration experts expect that Express Entry draws (the point-based pathway to enable skilled applicants to gain permanent residency) will focus on ‘category-based’ draws. With Canada’s continued emphasis on boosting Francophone immigration, several French-language proficiency draws are also likely to be held this year.The first Express Entry category draw for foreign medical doctors with Canadian work experience, will be held in the coming days. Diab also announced the addition of targeted Express Entry pathways for researchers and senior managers with Canadian experience, transport-sector workers such as pilots and aircraft mechanics, and skilled foreign military recruits for specialised roles (such as doctors, nurses and pilots).“By providing a clear path to permanent residence, we’re supporting the broader federal efforts to drive innovation and growth, including a $1.7 billion initiative announced in Dec by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to attract world-leading researchers to Canada,” said Diab.At the same time, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), will continue category-based draws for candidates with strong French-language skills and for workers in existing priority sectors, including healthcare and social services professions (such as nurse practitioners, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and chiropractors) and skilled ‘trades’ such as carpenters, plumbers and machinists and STEM-related occupations.“We’ll support education occupations: science, technology, engineering, and math. The STEM categories include engineers and cybersecurity specialists. Tomorrow’s economy will be driven by innovation and technologies like artificial intelligence. Growing these industries creates jobs and opportunities for the future,” said the Minister.For Indians aspirants from the tech sector, the continued encouragement to candidates in the STEM field is good news, however immigration experts are quick to point out that cooks no longer fall in the ‘trade’ category.However, in 2025, only one ‘trade’ occupation draw was held in September. Further, several cooks from India have been successful under the Canadian Experience Class draws. The route was: study in the hospitality stream in Canada, work as a cook under the post graduate work program, gain a year’s experience and qualify as eligible for CEC draws. This option remains open, but today such draws are subject to high cut-off scores.Under updated rules, the minimum work-experience requirement for occupational categories has been raised to one year within the past three years, compared with the earlier six-month requirement, though the experience no longer needs to be continuous.Also read: A guide to Canadian permanent residenceDiab stressed that, “IRCC’s effort to attract talent is part of our government’s International Talent Attraction Strategy. We’re not waiting for the right people to find us. We’re going out into the world to recruit the people our country needs, connect them with Canadian employers, and highlight why Canada is the best place in the world to build their careers and lives.”“Employers can plan, hire and invest with confidence, with an Express Entry program that functions effectively for them,” she added.The announcement comes as Canada recalibrates immigration levels following high inflows a few years ago, while this helped address labour shortages – especially during the pandemic – it also added pressure on housing, infrastructure and social services. The government has since moved to stabilise the system and reduce immigrant intakes.As of Jan 1, Canada had paused its start-up visa program. When asked about it, Diab mentioned that consultations are ongoing to determine how it should function, going forward.

South Africa’s Dewald Brevis (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India and South Africa are bracing up for a mouth-watering Super 8 clash in the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad on Sunday. With both sides having quite a few match winners, the game offers plenty of match-ups. One of them could possibly involve India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and South Africa’s rising batting star Dewald Brevis.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Asked about the tantalising battle ahead after his team’s six-wicket win over the UAE here, Brevis, who usually bats at No.4, sounded dismissive of the threat posed by Chakravarthy. “He is a spin bowler, so I will play him like a spinner. Watch the ball and react to it,” he said.

Though Brevis didn’t have an impressive run during South African team’s limited overs tour of India last year — scoring just 69 runs at an average of 17 — he never got out to Chakravarthy in the four T20I games.Ever since he burst on to the scene with his exploits in the U-19 World Cup in 2022, where he finished as the tournament’s leading run-getter (506 runs from six games), Brevis has had to live with the moniker of ‘Baby AB’, as he is often compared to Proteas great AB de Villiers. It’s a tag he enjoys. “It’s always been a very big privilege for me to be compared with AB. But it’s never been any pressure for me. It’s always been an honour,” said Brevis.

Against India, Brevis will hope to summon the experience of playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. The South African team’s special consultant, Albie Morkel, has labelled the 22-year-old as the team’s “X-factor” ahead of the highly-anticipated Super 8 clash.After scores of 6, 23 and 21 in the first three matches of the T20 World Cup, Brevis showed glimpses of his potential with a brief, entertaining innings of 36 off 25 balls, studded with three glorious sixes, against UAE on Wednesday. While he got out with his side seven runs short of the target, Brevis was unfazed.“It’s just about being myself and enjoying the game, and usually, the best things happen after that. Being consistent in that performance is not always guaranteed. We all go through ups and downs. It’s just about being positive and backing your style of play,” he said.

When a four-legged robot named “Orion” trotted onto the floor of the India AI Impact Summit, it was meant to showcase cutting-edge innovation from Greater Noida. Instead, within hours, it triggered a storm that forced Galgotias University to vacate its stall and issue a public apology — after social media users identified the machine as a Chinese-made product.

From ‘Orion’ to Unitree: How the controversy erupted

The row began when Professor Neha Singh, representing the university at the summit, introduced a robotic dog branded as “Orion” during a media interaction. In a clip aired by DD News, she said the robot “has been developed by the Centre of Excellence at Galgotias University” and described its surveillance and monitoring capabilities.

However, online users quickly pointed out that the robot appeared identical to the Unitree Go2, a commercially available quadruped manufactured by Unitree Robotics. The model is widely used in research and education globally and is available in India for roughly Rs 2–3 lakh.What followed was swift ridicule and political criticism. Critics alleged that an imported Chinese product had been presented as an in-house innovation at a summit designed to spotlight domestic AI capability.As scrutiny intensified, sources said that authorities asked the university to vacate its stall. Power supply to the pavilion was reportedly cut before the team cleared the premises.The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology made its position clear. Secretary S Krishnan said the government wanted “genuine and actual work” to be reflected at expos and that “misinformation cannot be encouraged”. Without directly assigning blame, he added that organisers did not want controversy surrounding exhibits and that a code of conduct was essential.Additional Secretary Abhishek Singh said the intention was not to stifle innovation but that displays should not be misleading, and the episode should not overshadow the efforts of other participants.

Damage control and shifting explanations

Faced with mounting backlash, the university’s response evolved over the course of the day.In an initial statement, it maintained that it had not claimed to have built the robot, arguing that exposure to global technologies was central to student learning. It described criticism as a “propaganda campaign” and said robotic programming formed part of its effort to help students develop real-world AI skills using globally available tools.Registrar Nitin Kumar Gaur later sought to clarify what he called a “jumble” between the words “develop” and “development”. Speaking to ANI, he said the university did not develop the robot but had “worked on its development” for academic and research purposes. The machine, he said, had been purchased to support student research.Professor Singh also issued a clarification, saying there had been a “misinterpretation” and that the university never claimed the robot was manufactured by it. She accepted that she may not have conveyed her point clearly in the flow of the interaction.By evening, the tone shifted decisively. In a formal apology, the university said the representative manning the pavilion had been “ill-informed” about the technical origins of the product and had given “factually incorrect information” in her enthusiasm on camera, despite not being authorised to speak to the press.The statement insisted there was “no institutional intent to misrepresent this innovation” and said the university had vacated the premises in line with the organiser’s sentiment.Meanwhile, opposition leaders seized on the episode. Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi described the summit as a “disorganised PR spectacle”, questioning why Chinese products were being showcased at an event meant to project India’s AI ambitions.

As the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 progresses into its high-stakes phase, the Indian cricket team find themselves in a paradoxical position. On one hand, Suryakumar Yadav’s men have been dominant, securing a perfect four-out-of-four record in the group stages to storm into the Super 8s. On the other hand, a glaring technical deficiency has sparked a nationwide debate. Following India’s recent 17-run victory over the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium, former Indian pacer Varun Aaron has sounded a loud alarm, suggesting that the team’s current trajectory in the field could be their ultimate undoing.

Varun Aaron highlights core issue affecting India’s performances at T20 World Cup 2026

Despite the celebratory atmosphere in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, Aaron highlighted a systemic issue that statistics can no longer hide. While India successfully defended 193 against the Dutch, the final over of the match served as a microcosm of their fielding woes. A near-collision between captain Suryakumar and Rinku Singh, followed by another spilled chance by Tilak Varma, left spectators and Aaron deeply concerned.

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Aaron didn’t mince words, labelling India as “by far the worst catching team” over the last 12 to 18 months. The numbers back his frustration: India has already dropped nine catches in this tournament alone, the second-highest tally behind Ireland. With a catching efficiency currently languishing below 70%, Aaron believes the “butterfingers” trend is a ticking time bomb.

“Massive problem, every match they drop at least 2-3 catches. I just hope that they don’t drop important catches come the Super 8 and the semifinals,” Aaron remarked.

This critique suggests that while individual brilliance with the bat (like Shivam Dube’s explosive 66) or ball (Varun Chakaravarthy’s 3/14) can mask flaws against Associate nations, the margin for error will vanish against elite opposition where “catches win matches” is more than just a cliché.

Also READ: Sunil Gavaskar reveals how Abhishek Sharma can rediscover his lost mojo in T20 World Cup 2026

India’s upcoming path in T20 World Cup 2026 is a gruelling Super 8 gauntlet

The luxury of the group stage is now over, and India’s path to the trophy becomes significantly steeper. The Men in Blue are slated to enter a powerhouse Group 1 in the Super 8s, where they will face South Africa, the West Indies, and a resilient Zimbabwe.

India’s Super 8 journey begins with a blockbuster rematch of the 2024 final against South Africa on February 22 in Ahmedabad. This fixture is expected to be the ultimate litmus test for India’s fielding unit, as the Proteas possess the power-hitting depth to punish any reprieve. Following the Ahmedabad clash, the team travels to Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium to face Zimbabwe on February 26, before concluding the round at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata against the West Indies on March 1.

With the knockouts scheduled for Mumbai and the grand finale returning to Ahmedabad, the familiarity of home conditions is a clear advantage. However, as Aaron pointed out, venue familiarity won’t matter if the basics of the game, specifically catching are not rectified. For India to lift the silverware, the coaching staff must ensure that the “poorest catching unit” tag is shed before they face the world’s most clinical finishers.

Also READ: Fans react as India complete flawless T20 World Cup 2026 group stage run after Shivam Dube stars vs Netherlands

Satellite imagery from Iran shows that the Khamenei-regime is accelerating efforts to fortify key nuclear and missile sites, as the United States ramps up its military presence in the region and warns that time for diplomacy is running out.The images, captured between late 2024 and February 2026, show new concrete shielding, buried tunnel entrances and reconstruction at missile bases previously struck during last year’s Israel-Iran conflict, as reported by Reuters.

The developments come amid renewed nuclear talks and increasingly blunt rhetoric from Washington. The United States has also deployed its largest military presence in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, heightening concerns over possible strikes against Iran as President Donald Trump considers his next move. According to sources cited by CNN, US forces could be prepared to act as soon as this weekend, though no final decision has been made. Trump is said to be consulting advisers and foreign leaders, balancing the risks of military action against the prospects for diplomacy.President Donald Trump convened senior advisers this week to discuss next steps following negotiations in Geneva. According to Axios, officials described the administration as closer to a potential military campaign than many Americans realise. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said “there are many arguments one can make in favor of a strike against Iran”, though she added that the president prefers diplomacy and that “Iran would be wise to make a deal”.Against that backdrop, satellite images offer a rare window into Tehran’s parallel strategy on the ground.

Concrete shield at Parchin raises fresh questions

At the sensitive Parchin military complex, around 30km south-east of Tehran, imagery shows the rapid evolution of a damaged structure into what experts describe as a hardened bunker.Israel reportedly struck Parchin in October 2024. Images taken shortly afterwards show extensive damage to a rectangular building. By November that year, reconstruction was under way. Satellite photographs from October 2025 reveal the skeleton of a large new structure, flanked by two smaller buildings. By mid-November, a metallic roof appeared to cover the main facility.However, images from December show the structure partially concealed. By 16 February 2026, it was no longer visible, hidden beneath what analysts say is a concrete overbuild covered in soil.The Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) described the development as a “concrete sarcophagus” around a facility it identified as Taleghan 2. In earlier analysis, ISIS said imagery indicated the presence of a long cylindrical chamber inside the building, possibly a high-explosives containment vessel approximately 36 metres long.“High-explosive containment vessels are critical to the development of nuclear weapons,” ISIS said, while noting they may also have conventional uses.William Goodhind, a forensic imagery analyst at Contested Ground, told Reuters the roof had likely been covered with dirt “to obscure the concrete colour”. ISIS founder David Albright wrote that burying the facility would provide “significant protection from aerial strikes”.Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons.

Tunnel entrances buried at Isfahan and reinforced near Natanz

Further west, at the Isfahan nuclear complex, satellite images show all three tunnel entrances to an underground complex have now been backfilled with soil.The site was among three enrichment facilities bombed by the United States during last year’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Diplomats say parts of Isfahan have stored enriched uranium.ISIS reported in late January that two entrances had been buried; by 9 February, a third had also been sealed. A 10 February image confirmed the tunnels were “completely buried”.According to ISIS, backfilling would help dampen the impact of airstrikes and complicate any ground raid aimed at seizing or destroying nuclear material.Near the Natanz nuclear facility, imagery also points to activity at a tunnel complex under a mountain roughly 2km away, known as Pickaxe Mountain. Analysts observed numerous vehicles, including cement mixers and dump trucks, suggesting ongoing efforts to “harden and defensively strengthen” the entrances.ISIS said Iran’s precise plans for the facility remain unclear.

MUMBAI: A thick, stubborn layer of smog blanketed large swathes of the city on Thursday and Friday, triggering a sharp deterioration in air quality levels within a single day. The Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to 127 from 94 recorded on Wednesday, officially placing the city in the “moderate” category but raising serious alarms due to the sudden spike. The haze, which usually dissipates by late morning, persisted well into the afternoon, severely reducing visibility and sparking health concerns among residents.The sudden drop in visibility turned the morning rush hour into a challenge for commuters, particularly on major arterial roads. Yash Tiwary, who travels daily by app bike from Borivli to Mira Road for work, described the atmosphere as “unusually grim”. He noted that the visibility on the road was so poor he initially mistook the heavy smog for an impending rainstorm, adding that the haze made navigating through the morning traffic far more hazardous than usual.While the city-wide average remained in the moderate range, localized monitors near the airport and redevelopment sites in Andheri (East) recorded “severe” spikes. An AQI monitor installed within the airport premises recorded a staggering reading of 300 at 8.30 am on Thursday. Nearby, another monitor located within a residential society undergoing redevelopment displayed an AQI of 260 on Friday morning, highlighting the hyper-local impact of construction activities.Experts point to a worrying trend where the city’s changing skyline is physically blocking the natural wind. Nivit Yadav, programme director at the Centre for Environment and Science, noted that dense smog is a relatively new phenomenon for coastal Mumbai and requires study. He explained that while sea breeze usually clears pollutants, the extensive construction of tall skyscrapers along the coast has disturbed natural wind flows, creating a barrier that prevents pollutants from escaping.This “skyscraper wall” effect was further aggravated by weather conditions. Wind speeds recorded on Thursday were just 11.1 kmph — nearly half of Wednesday’s 22.2 kmph — limiting the dispersion of pollutants. Additionally, the minimum temperature recorded at Santacruz was 22°C, which was 4.9 degrees warmer than normal, creating a stagnant atmospheric “lid” that trapped dust and smoke closer to the ground.Locals in Sahar village and Chakala reported that dust from nearby infrastructure work has become unbearable. Sabina D’Souza said the air has become so difficult to breathe that many are suffering from chronic coughs, forcing citizens to wear masks just to walk on the road.

MUMBAI: The Narendra Jadhav-led language committee submitted its final report to CM Devendra Fadnavis.Committee chairman Narendra Jadhav said the report went beyond recommendations on the language formula. “Along with the main report on the language policy, I submitted a supplementary report on the introduction of artificial intelligence and information and communication technology (AI and ICT) from Classes 1 to 12,” Jadhav said. He said he also made a presentation on implementation before the CM, school education minister Dada Bhuse, and minister of state for school education Pankaj Bhoyar. “I am confident that the language-related recommendations can be implemented from the coming academic year, starting June. However, the AI and ICT curriculum may take more time, as the govt will need to consult NCERT and other central educational bodies,” he said, adding that the reports are likely to be considered by the cabinet within one week.The committee was set up amid intense opposition to the state govt’s attempt to implement the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, based on recommendations of the Mashalkar committee, which was tasked with examining NEP implementation in Maharashtra. The controversy began on April 16, 2025, when the state issued a GR mandating Hindi as the third language from Class 1. The move triggered widespread criticism from educationists, civil society groups, and political parties, who accused the govt of attempting to impose Hindi. The govt, in response, issued a second GR on June 17, stating that if over 20 students in a class opted for a different third language, the state would appoint a teacher for that language. Opponents called it a “backdoor” attempt at Hindi imposition. On June 29, the govt scrapped both GRs.