Panaji: Indian football is experiencing a strange season.Five days before the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL) is scheduled to kick off, one team has not yet started pre-season training, four are yet to confirm their home venues, and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has called for an executive committee meeting on Monday to decide on the “proposal of Churchill Brothers FC” who are fighting for their inclusion in the top league.The ISL is being organised for the first time without a commercial partner after the end of Reliance-subsidiary FSDL’s 15-year contract. Last week, AIFF announced the fixtures with two home venues for the first round yet to be confirmed.Now, nobody is really convinced that all first-round games will be played as scheduled.Mumbai City FC and Odisha FC are yet to confirm their home venues for the first round games. While Mumbai are locked in discussions with local authorities for use of the Mumbai Football Arena, Odisha have made no headway with the state govt and have now sought a postponement of their first-round home clash against Punjab FC on Feb 16.“Odisha planned to call the players on Monday morning to Bhubaneswar and start pre-season training later in the day, but that has now been put on hold since the club does not have confirmation on the training ground,” a senior official told TOI. “Tickets have not yet been booked; players don’t have accommodation either.”There is uncertainty over Chennaiyin FC and Inter Kashi home venues too, while East Bengal have to choose between Salt Lake stadium and Kishore Bharati Krirangan, also the home venue for Mohammedan Sporting.According to sources, Inter Kashi are exploring options in Odisha, Goa and Uttarakhand, which hosted the National Games last year. Chennaiyin’s first home game – initially scheduled for March 13 – has now been postponed and the former ISL champions are drawn to play at the Nehru Stadium in Chennai only on March 22.Punjab FC and SC Delhi will also play their home games from mid-March due to unavailability of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi.“There are many loose ends that need to be tied but it’s good that the league will finally kick off on Saturday,” said another official, adding that they are still waiting for League rules and commercial guidelines.Meanwhile, AIFF has called for an executive committee meeting on Monday to discuss a proposal of Churchill Bros, approve the ISL Governance Charter and approve the name change of the second-division league from I-League to Indian Football League.In a notice to its executive committee on Sunday, AIFF said “a meeting with regard to a matter of Churchill Brothers FC has been convened on the request by three executive committee members.”ISL kicks off with a high-profile clash between champions Mohun Bagan SG and Kerala Blasters FC on Saturday.

Sri Lanka star and former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) bowler Wanindu Hasaranga becomes the most successful bowler for his nation in the history of the T20 World Cup. The spinner achieved the milestone during their encounter with Ireland for the 6th match of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

The experienced Sri Lankan spinner now has the most number of wickets in his pocket in the prestigious tournament. Only Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh is in front of him.

Sri Lanka’s easy win over Ireland

As the co-host of this year’s T20 World Cup, the island nation is among the favorites to qualify for the semi-finals. Though, to confirm a ticket for the round of four, they will have to cross a long road ahead. Through the match against Ireland, they have begun their campaign on a strong note.

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Ireland tried their level best to challenge Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Ireland actually bowled well on the home soil of the Sri Lanka national cricket team. The Irish cricketers are not habituated to the subcontinental conditions, but still, their bowlers did an appreciable job restricting Sri Lanka to 163. To claim the respective total, the island nation had to lose 6 of their batters.

Sri Lanka vs Ireland T20 World Cup 2026 match summary

While Kusal Mendis was the most successful batter for Sri Lanka by scoring an unbeaten 56, Kamindu Mendis supported him well at the end of the innings with a stormy 44-run knock off 19 balls. Until the attacking batting of Kamindu, Ireland bowlers were looking on top of their game. Barry McCarthy and George Dockrell claimed a brace each for Ireland.

Ireland’s batting was pretty ordinary. In a different way it can be said that the Sri Lankan bowlers did not allow them to bat freely. Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana utilized the surface very well. The spinner duo picked a total of 6 wickets together. With the match-winning 3-wicket spell, Hasaranga refreshed the record tally.

Against Sri Lanka’s 163, Ireland manageed to accumulate only 143 runs in exchange for all ten wickets. Sri Lanka on their first match of the T20 World Cup 2026 by 20 runs.

Record for Wanindu Hasaranga

Hasaranga took the scalps of opener Ross Adair, Ireland’s number three batter Harry Tector, and middle-order batter Curtis Campher. The Lankan spinner struck thrice during his four-over spell at an economy rate of 6.25. Wanindu Hasaranga has 40 wickets, the second most by an individual in the T20 World Cup. The 28-year-old surpassed Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga in the record tally as well.

Most wickets in the T20 WC history:

50- Shakib Al Hasan

40- Wanindu Hasaranga *

39- Shahid Afridi

38- Lasith Malinga/Rashid Khan

Sri Lanka will play their next match on February 12 against Oman before locking horns with Australia and Zimbabwe simultaneously.

Read More: Team India in Gautam Gambhir’s house ahead of their next T20 World Cup 2026 fixtures, watch video

NEW DELHI: A steep cut in NEET-PG qualifying standards has led to postgraduate medical seats in govt colleges being filled at shockingly low scores – including in high-risk clinical specialties – triggering alarm across the medical fraternity, reports Anuja Jaiswal. The impact was stark in third-round PG counselling, where candidates secured seats in govt medical colleges with scores ranging from single digits to double digits, spanning both clinical and non-clinical disciplines. Even premier institutions and core clinical branches saw seats being allotted to candidates with such scores. An MS orthopaedics seat at a govt institute in Rohtak was allotted to a candidate with just 4 marks out of 800, while obstetrics and gynaecology at a premier Delhi medical college went to a candidate who scored 44 marks. A general surgery seat was filled at 47 marks.

Removing cut-offs altogether risks patient safety, says doc

This signals a serious breakdown in medical education and workforce planning,” said a senior faculty member at a govt medical college. “Orthopaedics has traditionally been among the most demanding surgical specialties. Filling it at near-zero scores is a sign not of weaker students but a system under severe strain.”This happened following the sharp lowering of NEET-PG qualifying standards by Union health ministry for the 2025–26 academic session, with drastically reduced cut-offs across categories allowing candidates with extremely low — and even negative — scores to qualify.

The effect was visible across disciplines. Seats were filled at 10 marks in transfusion medicine, 11 marks in anatomy, and minus 8 marks in biochemistry, many under reserved and PwD categories. While the revised cut-offs ensured that seats did not remain vacant, doctors warn the policy risks trading competence for convenience.“Allowing surgical and clinical branches to be filled at zero or near-zero percentile represents a serious erosion of standards,” said a senior doctor at a govt medical college. “Marks as low as 4, 11, 44 or 47 out of 800 point to a lack of basic aptitude. Removing cut-offs altogether directly risks patient safety.”The current policy marks a sharp shift from govt’s earlier stand. In July 2022, opposing a plea to lower NEET-PG cut-offs in Delhi HC, Centre had argued that minimum qualifying percentiles were essential to maintain education standards. The court agreed, warning that lowering medical education standards could “wreak havoc on society”, as medicine involved matters of life and death.Defending the present framework, a senior health ministry official said PG seats are allotted strictly under revised eligibility rules, and competence is intended to be ensured through training and exit exams, not entry cut-offs alone. Colleges are certified by regulators and are responsible for failing unsuitable candidates, the official said.Medical educators, however, say the trend reflects deeper structural problems — rapid seat expansion without a matching rise in trained faculty, overcrowded classrooms and eroding bedside skills. “Without strong faculty, robust exit exams and a system to weed out unsuitable candidates, anyone who enters medicine eventually gets a degree,” said a senior academician.Faculty members say the consequences are already visible. Many postgraduate students arrive without strong theoretical foundations, clinical skills or discipline. Pressure to pass students, weak exit mechanisms and over-reliance on online learning have further diluted training quality.“Easy entry has reduced seriousness even at top institutions,” said another doctor on condition of anonymity. “Numbers are rising, but training quality is falling — and that poses long-term risks to patient care.”Doctors caution that the branch of medicine does not reveal its failures immediately. Gaps in training today may surface years later, when these doctors practise independently — with serious implications for patient safety and public trust in the healthcare system.

Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus. (Photo/TimesofIndia.com)

NEW DELHI: In less than 24 hours, three Associate teams came close to springing an upset in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The Netherlands, the USA, and Nepal had victories in their grasp before they slipped away due to dropped catches and individual brilliance from the leading superstars of the game.Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus says it is high time the tags ‘Associate’ and “minnows” be removed from parlance attached to smaller cricketing nations.

“Teams should not tag themselves in that way,” he said after Namibia’s first training session in the national capital on Sunday.“You should not limit yourself with labels. Everyone is human, playing with the same white ball. We have enough proof to back ourselves. We beat Sri Lanka, a proper Sri Lankan team, in the 2022 T20 World Cup that had just won the Asia Cup, in good conditions in Australia. That was not a fluke. Against Ireland and Zimbabwe, we have had a positive record. So I do not believe in that tag,” he adds.The 30-year-old, who will be leading his country in a fourth straight T20 World Cup, bats for more exposure for countries like Namibia, the Netherlands, the USA, and Nepal.“Many games are decided by small moments, like a single catch. Skill levels are very close. More exposure through such games will help level the playing field. If teams across the world get that exposure, the global game will become stronger, and that will benefit everyone,” says Erasmus.Namibia’s estimated population is around three million, and in a few days they will be playing against India in Delhi. After the fight shown by the USA on Saturday evening at the Wankhede Stadium, the Namibians will back themselves to test the defending champions.“We have nothing to lose when playing against India. You can go out and enjoy it because those teams are the best in the world for a reason. They are world champions for a reason. It is about enjoying the moment and appreciating that you have earned the right to play against them,” he says.“If you approach it positively, you often get the best results.”

Limited exposure

The representation in a fourth straight T20 World Cup is a testament that cricket in Namibia is on the right path.Last October, they made history by beating their neighbours South Africa for the first time in any international format.Yet, Erasmus agrees that limited exposure, tight resources, and infrequent games against top teams remain Namibia’s biggest hurdles in international cricket.“I think it becomes difficult at a certain level because you don’t get to play the big teams very often. Because of that, the exposure is limited, and every two years when you come back to a World Cup, it feels like a big step up. That is the toughest thing to recreate,” he says.“We try to play against teams like Zimbabwe and some South African franchise sides in between to maintain that level of cricket. In that sense, it is actually a remarkable story that we can still come and compete against some of the top nations. We have beaten Sri Lanka and the Proteas, as well as Zimbabwe and Ireland. Those are Test nations.“So I think it is a great story for us, given our limited exposure and resources, to have achieved that. That is mainly down to hard work from the group of players, the backroom staff, and people investing in cricket,” he says.

Cricketing culture in Namibia

Erasmus says that although there is no first-class structure in Namibia and there are only four clubs that play in the top division in men’s cricket, the game is still growing in the country.“These days, a lot more people follow cricket. In a sense, we have overtaken rugby, which is culturally a big sport in South Africa and Namibia. Soccer is still the most participated sport, so in terms of numbers we are probably not there yet.“But the brand we have created with Namibia, the fact that people see us on streaming platforms and on TV every two years on the world stage, has created real anticipation around cricket. Getting South Africa to play in winter was a massive thing. Our ground opening, for example, was sold out.“Indian investors, streaming deals, and all of that create a brand around the game. It creates a cool stadium and good vibes, with music and live entertainment at the grounds. I think the growth over the last five years has been phenomenal,” he says.But he feels it will require a lot to improve the grassroots structure in Namibia.“The grassroots structure mainly runs through school cricket, followed by Namibia’s age-group teams: under-13, under-15, and under-19. We have tried to set up an academy and a high-performance setup over the last three or four years. That has also been difficult because it is tough to get inbound tours or go outbound due to financial constraints. Setting up a viable high-performance structure is the next step for us,” he says.When asked if there is any effort to play more red-ball cricket in Namibia, the captain gave a candid answer. “The ICC structure has changed. In the past, we used to play four-day cricket through the Intercontinental Cup, but that structure was removed around 10 or 12 years ago.”“There is no incentive for us to play red-ball cricket now because it does not feature in qualification pathways. It also does not make financial sense for us to invest in red-ball cricket,” he adds.Namibia are placed in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, and the USA. They will lock horns against the Netherlands at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Malaysia joined India on Sunday in strongly condemning cross-border terrorism, signalling a greater understanding of India’s position on the issue, with PM Modi saying after a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Anwar Ibrahim that message from both sides on terror was clear: no double standards, no compromise. Modi’s visit to Malaysia saw close to a dozen agreements being signed and announcements for cooperation in areas spanning defence and security, semiconductors, social security for Indian workers, UN peacekeeping, disaster management and the fight against corruption. While similar joint statements issued after summit meetings in 2015, 2017 and 2024 had condemned terror in all forms, the latest one specifically mentioned cross-border terror, an expression that helps India flag Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. The statement also reaffirmed commitment to boost bilateral and multilateral cooperation in countering terror, including in UN and FATF, radicalisation and violent extremism.India, Malaysia will chart a path of economic transformation: PM ModiIn the field of security, we will strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and maritime security. We will also further expand defence cooperation, said PM Modi, thanking his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim for his strong condemnation of Pahalgam terror attack and the Red Fort blast.The PM underlined the significance of growing friendship between both the countries in the current climate of global uncertainty, saying the leaders backed all peace efforts and agreed that reform of global institutions was essential to address today’s challenges.While there was no official word from either side on whether the extradition sought by India of fugitive Zakir Naik was discussed at the meeting, official sources said India remains in touch with Malaysia to address legal issues related to the request.Modi and Ibrahim also participated in a CEO Forum that, he said, opened new avenues for trade and investment. “Alongside AI and digital technologies, we will advance our partnership in semiconductors, health and food security. Guided by strategic trust, we will chart a pathway towards economic transformation,” the PM said. According to the joint statement, the two expressed satisfaction over the robust defence relationship between Malaysia and India, underscored by “regular exchanges, visits, staff talks, exercises, training courses and defence industry collaboration”. While there was no mention of it in the statement, India is considering sale of Dornier aircraft to Malaysia and also supply of naval platforms by Indian shipyards. “The PMs encouraged growing maritime cooperation between India and Malaysia, including through regular goodwill and operational deployments,” said the joint statement.

England‘s opening fixture in the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium proved to be more than just a standard group-stage match. Facing a disciplined Nepal side on February 8, 2026, the defending champions relied on a blend of youth and leadership to navigate a high-pressure environment.

While the senior stars provided the foundation, the spotlight was stolen by Jacob Bethell, a newcomer who looked remarkably composed under the Mumbai heat. His clinical approach and ability to dismantle the opposition’s spin attack signaled a significant shift in England’s tactical depth. This standout performance didn’t just help secure the points; it etched Bethell’s name into a very exclusive chapter of English cricket history, alongside the legendary Kevin Pietersen.

Jacob Bethell joins Kevin Pietersen in elite list for England during T20 World Cup 2026 game against Nepal

In a performance that combined raw power with technical finesse, Bethell announced himself on the T20 World Cup stage by becoming only the second England player in history to score a half-century on his Men’s T20 World Cup debut. Batting at number three, the 22-year-old all-rounder smashed 55 off just 35 balls, featuring four massive sixes and four boundaries. Bethell reached his milestone in the 12th over with a pair of consecutive sixes off Kushal Bhurtel, showcasing the fearless ‘ultra-aggressive’ brand of cricket England prizes.

By crossing the fifty-run mark, he joined an exclusive club previously occupied only by the legendary Pietersen. Pietersen’s record of 79 off 37 balls, set during his own debut against Zimbabwe in the inaugural ODI World Cup 2027, has stood as the gold standard for England debutants for nearly two decades. While Bethell fell short of Pietersen’s total after holing out to long-on, his 157.14 strike rate and ability to rebuild the innings alongside Harry Brook proved he is the rightful heir to England’s middle-order throne.

Also READ: ICC–PCB talks in Lahore as Pakistan rethinks India match boycott at T20 World Cup 2026

T20 World Cup 2026: Bethell, Harry Brook and Will Jacks fuel England in high-octane Wankhede game against Nepal

The clash at the Wankhede Stadium was anything but a one-sided affair, as Nepal’s ‘Rhinos’ pushed the former champions to their limits. After Harry Brook won the toss and opted to bat, Nepal’s Sher Malla produced a dream start, dismissing Phil Salt for just 1 with his very first delivery in international cricket. England found themselves in early trouble at 57/3 after Sandeep Lamichhane trapped Tom Banton LBW, but the game shifted during a vital 71-run partnership between Bethell and skipper Brook.

Brook matched Bethell’s intensity with a captain’s knock of 53 off 32 balls, ensuring the run rate never dipped below nine an over. Despite a late-innings collapse where England lost three wickets for just 15 runs, Will Jacks provided the finishing touch with a cameo of 39 off 18 balls*, including three sixes in the final over to propel England to a total of 184/7. Nepal’s bowlers, led by Nandan Yadav (2/32) and Dipendra Singh Airee, remained disciplined throughout, setting the stage for a massive chase in front of a raucous Mumbai crowd.

Also READ: From Suryakumar Yadav to Tim Seifert: 5 fastest batters to 2000 T20I runs among full-member nations (by balls faced)