BENGALURU: An SOS call from a Karnataka teammate a month ago prompted KL Rahul to join the former champions for their final Ranji Trophy league match against Punjab, as the side faced a must-win clash in Mohali after a heavy home defeat to Madhya Pradesh left them close to elimination.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Rahul was initially expected to link up only for the knockouts, but he advanced his return ahead of the Punjab fixture. In three matches, he has scored 457 runs, including two centuries and two half-centuries, at an average of 91.40.

His contribution extended beyond runs. In a dressing room that included five Test players, Rahul was the most experienced, and his calm authority, clarity of thought and willingness to engage with younger teammates added a different dimension to Karnataka’s campaign. Head coach Yere Goud pointed to Rahul’s influence within the squad. “Rahul has made a huge impact. We have young players like R Smaran and KV Aneesh, and he talks to them about handling certain situations. So him being there has given confidence,” Goud said.As Karnataka head into the Ranji Trophy final against Jammu and Kashmir in Hubballi starting Tuesday, the team will draw on Rahul’s consistency and record in previous title wins. He has struck tons in the last two finals that Karnataka have won.Players said Rahul’s everyday conversations left a mark, with many having watched his rise from age-group cricket to becoming an all-format international. Earlier this season, when he played a couple of Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, younger players described the experience as surreal.Wicketkeeper-batter Kruthik Krishna said Rahul’s versatility and approach offered invaluable lessons. “There’s so much to learn from him. He has done everything possible as a batter, opening, batting at No 6 or No 7, and he is also a keeper. So having him is a boost. I can learn how to plan and shape my innings, and that’s irrespective of the performance. That simplifies your game a lot rather than you thinking about the pitch, the opposition and all of that. I’ve had a lot of conversations with him,” Kruthik said.For younger cricketers, exposure to Rahul’s preparation methods and mental approach proved valuable, with an emphasis on temperament, understanding phases of a game, reading match situations and responding rather than reacting.Among those learning was the season’s top run-getter, R Smaran, who has logged 950 runs so far. He said Rahul’s guidance extended across formats. “We’ve had a lot of conversations about how you can go about the game, not only in the Ranji Trophy but also in the shorter formats. We were really glad that we had him in the team for a couple of matches during the Vijay Hazare as well,” Smaran said, adding with a smile, “Till the time that we have him in the Karnataka dressing room, I would like to keep picking his brains.”Smaran said Rahul shared inputs with players across roles. “He’s the kind of guy who prioritises the state when he’s playing for us. He has a lot of inputs to give to youngsters in the team, be it a bowler, keeper or batter.”

The rivalry between India and Australia in women’s cricket reached a fever pitch today as the three-match ODI series kicked off at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane.

On Tuesday, the opening clash of the India Women tour of Australia 2026 lived up to the hype, though not in the way the visitors had hoped. After electing to bat first, India struggled against a relentless Australian bowling unit, but the defining moment of the innings was undoubtedly a piece of individual brilliance in the field by Georgia Voll.

Georgia Voll pulls off a blinder to send Richa Ghosh packing 

The highlight of the first innings came in the 34th over, a moment that effectively broke the back of the Indian middle order. Richa Ghosh, known for her explosive power and ability to finish innings, was looking to rebuild alongside her captain after India had slumped to 103/5. Having reached 23 off 38 deliveries with two crisp boundaries, Ghosh looked set for a big score.

However, the introduction of Sophie Molineux changed the complexion of the game. In the first ball of the 34th over (33.1 overs), Molineux extracted significant bounce and turn from a good length, pushing the ball wide of the off-stump. Ghosh attempted a cut shot but failed to get on top of the bounce. The result was a thick slice that flew rapidly toward backward point.

Voll, patrolling the inner ring, reacted with feline reflexes. Launching herself horizontally to her left, she plucked a screamer inches from the turf while completely airborne. The Brisbane crowd erupted as Voll emerged from the grass with the ball firmly in hand. This spectacular dismissal left India reeling at 140/6 and robbed them of their primary late-innings aggressor.

Here’s the video:

Richa Ghosh had to depart after Georgia Voll dived for a beauty! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/exiCjYezlP

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) February 24, 2026

Also WATCH: Pratika Rawal’s return cut short by Megan Schutt’s unplayable inswinger during WODI series opener

Disciplined Australian attack restricts India to a low total

While Voll provided the flash, the Australian bowlers provided the fire. From the very first over, India found themselves under the pump. Megan Schutt set the tone by trapping Pratika Rawal lbw for a duck in just the second ball of the match. While Smriti Mandhana played a classy knock of 58 runs, she lacked a consistent partner at the other end.

The Australian spinners, led by Ashleigh Gardner, were clinical. Gardner finished with impressive figures of 3/33 in 7 overs, including the crucial wickets of Jemimah Rodrigues and the well-set Harmanpreet Kaur, who fought a lonely battle for her 53 (84 balls). The middle-order collapse was exacerbated by Alana King‘s tight spell (1/43) and Tahlia McGrath‘s useful breakthrough.

India’s tail showed some late resistance, with Kashvee Gautam contributing a gritty 43 to push the total past the 200-run mark. However, Australia’s discipline was reflected in the scorecard, as India was eventually bundled out for 214 in 48.3 overs. With a modest target on the board and the momentum of Voll’s blinder behind them, the Aussies head into the chase as clear favourites in this encounter.

Also READ: Australia vs India, Women’s ODI Series: Schedule, Team News, Broadcast and Live Streaming Details

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

The story of AI in business is not one of universal acceleration. (AI image)

Two stories from the past few weeks capture something essential about where we are with AI.The first concerns Salesforce, the enterprise software giant that aggressively embraced AI for customer service. CEO Marc Benioff proudly announced that AI deployment had allowed the company to cut support staff from 9,000 to roughly 5,000. Then reality intervened. Reports from late 2025 indicate that the company is now withdrawing from AI due to widespread failure. The AI agents confidently gave wrong answers, dropped instructions when given more than eight steps, and lost focus when users asked unexpected questions. Customers complained that AI support took longer than the simple old search function. Salesforce is now retreating to rigid, rule-based scripting–essentially admitting they were, in their own words, “more confident” than the technology warranted.The second story is a zeitgeist shift. Over the past couple of months, the conversation around AI and coding has transformed completely. People who were skeptical six months ago–senior developers who actually write code for a living–are now saying the age of human beings writing code is ending. Not in some distant future, but imminently. Entire features are being shipped by AI with minimal human intervention. The productivity gains are no longer incremental; they’re structural.How can both be true? How can AI fail comprehensively in customer service–seemingly straightforward–while revolutionising software development, which appears far more complex?The answer is that we’ve been thinking about AI wrong. We treat it as a single phenomenon that will sweep through the economy at roughly the same pace. However, AI in business is not a single story. It’s many parallel stories, moving at wildly different speeds. And the distinction has almost nothing to do with how intelligent the AI is.I’ve written about this tension before. A year ago, I argued that “the fact that a revolution is real doesn’t mean that every business claiming to be part of it will succeed.” More recently, I observed that “the gap between what AI demos well in controlled environments and what it actually delivers when confronting the messy real world remains enormous.” I now think there’s a more precise way to understand this gap. It’s not random. It’s structural.Consider what makes coding fertile ground for AI. Code is formally structured and machine-verifiable–it runs and passes tests, or it doesn’t. The feedback loop is immediate. When AI makes a mistake, a developer (or another AI agent) notices, fixes it, and moves on. Errors are private and reversible. Now consider customer service. Customers don’t speak in data schemas. Emotion, sarcasm, and cultural context matter enormously. One wrong answer can escalate to social media outrage or regulatory complaints. The failures are public and often irreversible.The difference isn’t intelligence. It’s what I’d call error economics. AI thrives where mistakes are cheap, private, and correctable. It struggles where mistakes are expensive, public, and permanent.We received a clear illustration of executive disconnect just a few days ago. During Bajaj Finance’s Q3 call, CEO Rajeev Jain announced that AI had listened to 2 crore calls and generated 100,000 new customer offers. “We’ll be able to listen to 100 million calls next year,” he said proudly. The response on social media was predictable hilarity. As the entire country, except apparently Mr Jain knows, Bajaj Finance’s incessant spam calls are the butt of countless jokes. Here was a CEO using sophisticated technology to optimize something customers actively despise. Machine learning works perfectly; the learning about customers is absent.For investors, the implications are significant. When you hear “AI” attached to a business function, ask: what happens when it’s wrong? If the answer involves customers, regulators, or reputations, progress will be slower than vendor PPTs claim. If the answer is “someone notices and fixes it,” that’s a different world entirely.The story of AI in business is not one of universal acceleration. It’s one of the selective escape velocities. Coding has left the atmosphere and gone into orbit. Customer service is still fighting gravity. Most other functions lie somewhere in between–mistakenly assumed to be closer to the rocket than they really are. The many worlds of AI are not converging. They’re diverging. And that divergence will determine which investments succeed and which disappoint.(Dhirendra Kumar is Founder and CEO of Value Research)

Mumbai: After two days of satisfactory air, Mumbai’s air quality deteriorated sharply on Friday, with the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) rising to 130 from 67 on Thursday and 70 on Wednesday — the steepest single-day spike recorded in the last three months. The reading pushed the city back into the moderate air category, undoing the brief mid-week gains. According to air quality standards, prolonged exposure at this level may cause breathing discomfort among sensitive groups.Within the city, Worli emerged as the most polluted locality at 278, slipping into the poor bracket. Bandra Kurla Complex followed at 160, while Kurla recorded 155. In contrast, Sion registered the cleanest air at 69, remaining in the satisfactory category. Byculla and Colaba recorded AQI levels of 79 each, and Mazgaon stood at 89, reflecting relatively better conditions than other pockets.The deterioration extended across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Navi Mumbai’s AQI rose to 112 from 88 on Wednesday and 93 on Thursday. Within Navi Mumbai, Sanpada was the most polluted at 129, while Kalamboli recorded the cleanest air at 77. Thane witnessed a pronounced spike, climbing to 132 after four consecutive days in the 80-90 range, thereby entering the moderate category. Despite wind speeds of 16.7 kmph — typically favourable for pollutant dispersion — air quality worsened across the region.Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at Enviroclysts, an environmental research organisation, said the pollution readings recorded on Friday were virtually double those seen on Wednesday and Thursday. “Across Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, wind speed and other meteorological conditions remained largely the same. What changed was the wind direction, with the early hours recording inland winds from the southeast, which are comparatively more polluted than winds from the west and north-west that originate from the sea,” he said, adding that another reason for particular pockets in the city is the “valley effect” created by clusters of skyscrapers which disrupts wind flow, preventing pollutants from dispersing and creating concentrated pockets of pollution in areas such as BKC and Worli, which routinely top AQI charts.

Mexico’s most wanted drug lord, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, was killed after a high-stakes military operation in the western state of Jalisco that triggered one of the most violent backlashes seen in the country in recent years.Also read: Who was ‘El Mencho’ and what’s next for Mexico’s fastest-growing cartel?The 59-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) was fatally wounded during a raid in the mountain town of Tapalpa and died while being flown to Mexico City for treatment, according to Mexico’s defence ministry.

The raid in Tapalpa

The operation was led and carried out by Mexican special forces, supported by aircraft from the Mexican Air Force and the National Guard. Authorities said the mission was “planned and executed” domestically, though it relied on “complementary information” provided by the United States.A US defence official told Reuters that a newly formed US military-led task force had played a role in providing intelligence. In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the United States had supplied intelligence to assist Mexico in the operation.

“The United States provided intelligence support to the Mexican government in order to assist with an operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, in which Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes… was eliminated,” she said. She described him as a top trafficker of fentanyl into the United States and noted that President Donald Trump had designated the CJNG as a Foreign Terrorist Organization last year.During the clash, troops came under heavy fire. Several cartel members were killed, others wounded, and two suspects were arrested. Authorities seized armoured vehicles and high-powered weapons, including rocket launchers capable of downing aircraft.

How the cartel struck back

El Mencho’s killing unleashed immediate retaliation. Gunmen blocked more than 20 roads across Jalisco with burning vehicles and trucks. The violence spread to neighbouring states including Michoacán, and smoke was seen rising over major urban centres, including Guadalajara.Public transport was suspended in parts of Jalisco, schools were closed and residents were urged to remain indoors. Governor Pablo Lemus described the state as living through “critical hours”.The unrest also affected tourism. Puerto Vallarta, a major coastal resort, saw flights cancelled as US and Canadian airlines suspended services. A flight bound for Guadalajara was diverted mid-air. The US State Department issued a shelter-in-place warning for American citizens in several states, including Jalisco and Tamaulipas.President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm, writing that in most parts of the country “activities are proceeding normally” and praising the armed forces for their actions.Christopher Landau, US Deputy Secretary of State and former ambassador to Mexico, described El Mencho as “one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins” and called his death “a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world”.

The fall of a fentanyl kingpin

El Mencho’s rise mirrored the expansion of the CJNG from a breakaway faction around 2009 into one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent criminal organisations. The cartel grew rapidly, battling rivals including the Sinaloa Cartel and establishing a presence across much of Mexico.US authorities had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture. He had been indicted multiple times in US federal courts on charges including drug trafficking, firearms offences and directing a continuing criminal enterprise.The CJNG became notorious for brazen attacks on security forces, including shooting down a military helicopter and launching explosives from drones. It earned billions from trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl, most of which entered the United States through Mexico’s south-western border.

After India’s crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad, the mood around the defending champions is understandably grim. The Net Run Rate has taken a brutal hit. Critics are sharpening their knives. Social media is in meltdown mode. But before you write off Suryakumar Yadav and his men, take a deep breath. Because something strange is happening. Something that feels like a glitch in the cricketing matrix. History isn’t just repeating itself — it’s practically copy-pasting from the 2007 archives.

🏏 The 2007 blueprint: A story fans have seen before

Back in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in South Africa, a young Indian side led by MS Dhoni walked into the tournament with minimal expectations. No seniors. No hype. Just raw belief. Fast forward to 2026. The baton has passed to Suryakumar — a modern-day T20 genius leading a team under immense pressure as defending champions. Different eras. Different captains. But the pattern? Almost identical.

🏏 The eerie parallel: 2007 vs 2026

1️⃣ The Giant-Killer Twist

• 2007: Zimbabwe stunned Australia in the group stage.
• 2026: Zimbabwe shocked Australia again — this time in Colombo.

✅ Australia falling early

2️⃣ The Arch-Rival Thriller

• 2007: India defeated Pakistan in a dramatic group-stage encounter.
• 2026: India beat Pakistan in another high-voltage clash.

✅ India winning the big emotional game early

3️⃣ The Super 8 Slump

• 2007: India lost their first Super 8 match (to New Zealand).
• 2026: India lost their first Super 8 game (to South Africa).

✅ Momentum broken. Critics loud. Qualification suddenly uncertain.

💫 The Super 8 Déjà Vu

In 2007, after that first Super 8 defeat, panic set in. Fans feared elimination. The team’s Net Run Rate wasn’t comforting either. What followed?

• The iconic Yuvraj Singh six-sixes game against England.
• A must-win victory over South Africa.
• A semi-final masterclass against Australia.
• And the unforgettable final against Pakistan.

From crisis to champions in a matter of weeks. Now look at 2026. India’s NRR stands at a worrying -3.800. They are at the third spot in the Group 1 standings. The equation is simple — and brutal. Win everything from here and with big margins in order to avoid NRR  complications creeping into the equation.

Also READ: 3 reasons behind India’s crushing defeat against South Africa in T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash

🧗 The mountain to climb

For India to lift the trophy on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, they need perfection:

• Beat West Indies – A clash against fearless power-hitters who thrive in chaos.
• Defeat Zimbabwe – Stay alert against a team that already shook Australia.
• Semi-final – Likely a heavyweight from Group 2
• Final – The ultimate showdown, back in Ahmedabad.
• Four matches. Four must-win battles. No margin for error.

Notably, in 2007, losing early wasn’t the end. It was the trigger. The defeat sharpened focus. It simplified the mission. It united a dressing room. Could the same be happening now? Suryakumar’s squad has explosive batting, versatile bowling, and the scars of this defeat. Sometimes, humiliation is the most powerful motivator.

📈 The Verdict: Math vs Destiny

• The math says qualification is difficult.
• The NRR says India are in trouble.
• The critics say the campaign is wobbling.

But history? It seems to be whispering something different. In 2007, the first Super 8 defeat marked the beginning of a miracle run. In 2026, the script looks eerily familiar. Is it merely a coincidence, or is Indian cricket preparing to deliver another sequel for the ages? The matrix has glitched before — and when it did, India lifted the trophy. Will history repeat itself? Only time will tell.

Also READ: Suryakumar Yadav reveals turning point in India’s Super 8 defeat to South Africa in T20 World Cup 2026

The petitioner approached the High Court seeking quashing of the appointment order and her own appointment based on merit. (AI image)

In a strongly worded decision that upheld the constitutional right to equality in the public employment, the Gujarat High Court ruled that refusal to employ an unmarried woman on the assumption that she might get married and relocate is arbitrary, discriminatory and violative of Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution. The Court set aside the appointment of a less meritorious candidate to the post of Administrator-cum-Cook in the district of Dahod, which it described as a “classic example of outright favouritism”, and directed authorities to take new measures strictly on the basis of merit, subject to verification of the petitioner’s educational qualification.Justice Maulik J. Shelat delivered the judgment on February 16, 2026, while partly allowing a writ petition filed by Sangada Hansaben Malabhai, who had challenged the legality of the appointment made by the Mamlatdar, Taluka Jhalod, in favour of another candidate despite the petitioner securing significantly higher marks.Background:The conflict originated when the Mamlatdar, Jhalod, initiated a recruitment process to fill the position of Administrator-cum-Cook. The respondent No. 3 and petitioner, as well as the other candidates, applied pursuant to the advertisement.The petitioner had secured 68% marks in graduation, whereas respondent No. 3 had secured only 48.94% in her final year examination, and there was uncertainty even regarding her graduate status at the time of application. However, in the merit list prepared by the Mamlatdar, respondent No. 3 was shown as having secured higher marks and was placed above the petitioner.The petitioner argued that despite being more meritorious, she was ranked low on the merit list and was refused appointment, whereas respondent No. 3 was appointed by manipulation and favoritism. She relied on documents obtained under the Right to Information Act, which demonstrated that she had submitted her educational certificates and possessed higher qualifications than the appointed candidate.Aggrieved by what she termed an arbitrary and illegal appointment, the petitioner approached the High Court seeking quashing of the appointment order and her own appointment based on merit.Petitioner’s Submissions:Mr. Japan V. Dave, who represented the petitioner, argued that the merit list was deliberately manipulated to favour respondent No. 3. He submitted that the petitioner had provided all the necessary educational certificates, such as her certificate of graduation and these were later obtained from the Mamlatdar’s office under the Right to Information Act.He also argued that the appointment violated the recruitment criteria and constitutional principles of equality because candidates having low qualification were preferred over more meritorious candidates without jusitification.Reliance was placed on documentary evidence showing that the petitioner possessed the highest marks among the candidates and ought to have been ranked first.State’s Defence:Opposing the petition, Assistant Government Pleader Mr. Siddharth Rami argued that the petitioner had not provided her graduation certificate and other supporting documents at the time of recruitment. In the absence of proof of qualification, the authority had selected another candidate. However, the State submitted that if directed by the Court, the petitioner’s certificate could be verified from the concerned university to determine its authenticity.The State further indicated that the Mamlatdar involved in the appointment had already retired and hence could not provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances.Respondent No. 3’s Submissions:Counsel for respondent No. 3 argued that the petitioner’s degree certificate appeared suspicious and might be fake. It was submitted that attempts to verify the certificate had not been successful, and therefore, the petitioner could not claim appointment based on questionable credentials.It was further argued that respondent No. 3 had been working on the post for more than eight years and her appointment should not be disturbed, especially when doubts existed regarding the petitioner’s qualifications.Court Finds “Classic Example of Favoritism”After examining the entire record, the Court discovered that the recruitment process had gross irregularities and that the appointment of the respondent No. 3 was unsustainable.The Court observed:“This is a classic example of outright favouritism shown by the Mamlatdar… whereby he appointed respondent No. 3 despite her being at serial No. 4 in the merit list.”The Court reviewed the list of merit and especially the comments column, and discovered that the more qualified candidates were dismissed based on some flimsy and unreasonable reasons. One of the most striking reasons recorded was that an unmarried village woman might get married in future and relocate.Condemning such reasoning, the Court held:“There is nothing on record to show and substantiate… that an unmarried village girl cannot be appointed because in near future she might get married and shift to some other village. Such a reason is not only arbitrary, fanciful, frivolous, but violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India.”The Court held that such reasoning clearly reflected arbitrariness and favoritism and manipulation with an aim of favoring a certain candidate. The Court also noted that the Court could have prosecuted the Mamlatdar on the grounds of such unlawful actions but did not because the officer had retired by the time the Court got to know about it.The High Court found that the petitioner’s educational certificates were indeed part of the official record, as they bore the seal of the Mamlatdar’s office and had been obtained under RTI. The Court held that the State’s claim that the petitioner had not submitted her qualification documents was not convincing.At the same time, the Court acknowledged that doubts had been raised regarding the authenticity of the petitioner’s degree certificate and held that its genuineness must be verified before granting appointment.In view of its findings, the Court quashed the appointment order dated April 21, 2018, issued in favour of respondent No. 3. However, instead of directly appointing the petitioner, the Court directed the authorities to first verify her graduation certificate from the concerned university.The Court held:“If such certificate will be found genuine, then there is no cavil that the petitioner, having secured 68% marks and would stand first in the merit list, then requires to be appointed.”The Court further clarified:“In a case where such degree certificate will be found not genuine and fake, the candidate who stood at serial No. 2 in the merit list shall be offered the appointment.”The Court instructed the authorities to accomplish this exercise within one month.The Court also provided wider guidelines to the State Government prior to the conclusion so as to make the recruitment processes transparent and free of fraud. The Court asked the State to put necessary protective measures and systems to stop such malpractices in future so that the purity of employment by the State could be upheld.In view of these findings, the Court quashed the appointment of respondent No. 3 and directed the authorities to verify the petitioner’s degree certificate and proceed with appointment strictly in accordance with merit. The writ petition was partly allowed. The writ petition was therefore granted in part.Before parting with the matter, the Court also directed the State Government to ensure that such malpractices are not repeated in future and to implement a robust mechanism to maintain transparency and purity in public employment.(Vatsal Chandra is a Delhi-based Advocate practicing before the courts of Delhi NCR.)