Reality TV star Digvijay Singh Rathee, a well-known face previously seen in shows like Roadies, Splitsvilla, and Bigg Boss 18, is finally back on TV with the new reality show ‘The 50’. The much-awaited show, which is scheduled to air on from February 1st, represents a significant turning point in his life and, in Digvijay’s opinion, shows how much he has changed over the years.Talking about his journey so far, Digvijay Rathee sees it as much more than just moving from one show to another. “I see it as growth, not just progression. Roadies gave me courage, Bigg Boss gave me so many learnings, and now The 50 show feels like a space where experience meets clarity. I’m more aware of who I am and why I’m here,” he shared.

When asked how different he is today compared to his Roadies days, Digvijay admitted that the change has been massive. “A lot has changed since then; it even surprises me sometimes, the way this journey has been and the way I’ve evolved over time. That boy was fearless but reactive. Today, I’m calmer, more conscious, and more rooted. The fire is still there, but now I feel I’m much more controlled,” he said.Also See: The 50 Grand Premiere & Contestants List Live UpdatesSpeaking about his mindset going into The 50, Digvijay kept things honest and straightforward. “No specific mindset, but I have to give my 100 percent every second,” he stated.Digvijay also hinted that audiences will see a new side of him this time. “Even I’m excited about it because a lot has changed over the past year. But people will be surprised, I feel,” he added.Explaining why The 50 felt like the right comeback project, Digvijay concluded, “It’s the format, its intensity, and the space it gives personalities to unfold naturally.”

India vs Pakistan (Agency Image)

New Delhi: Pakistan will not take the field against India at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the Government of Pakistan confirmed in an official statement on X.While granting permission for the national team to travel to Sri Lanka for the tournament, the government said Pakistan would boycott the group-stage match against India scheduled for February 15 2026, without specifying the reason for the decision.

Both sides were set to clash in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in a Group A fixture.“The government of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the World T20 2026, however the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take field in the match scheduled on 15 February 2026 against India,” read the statement.TimesofIndia.com understands that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has yet to inform the International Cricket Council (ICC) of its decision not to play the February 15 fixture.Although the Pakistan government has not issued an official explanation for this reason, the TimesofIndia.com believes it is linked to the recent terrorist attack in Balochistan. Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, who also serves as PCB chairman, has publicly attributed the attack to India. According to ISPR statements, counter-terror operations resulted in the deaths of 92 terrorists, while 18 civilians and 15 security personnel were killed in the violence.However, pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup came under a cloud after PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi raised doubts following Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament on January 24 due to security concerns in India.Pakistan was the only nation to support Bangladesh’s request for a neutral venue and accused the ICC of applying double standards in India’s favour. Naqvi had maintained that the final decision would be taken by the government.Two days later, after meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Naqvi said he had been advised to keep all options open, with a call expected by “Friday or next Monday.”

As the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 reaches its crescendo, the 20th match at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara features a high-stakes encounter between Delhi Capitals (DC) and UP Warriorz (UPW) this February 1. With the playoff race coming down to the wire, every tactical shift is under the microscope. However, the biggest talking point before the first ball was even bowled was the radical reshuffling of the UP Warriorz lineup, as three mainstays, Amy Jones, Chloe Tryon, and Shweta Sehrawat were noticeably absent from the playing XI.

Why Amy Jones, Chloe Tryon, and Shweta Sehrawat are missing the all-important WPL game?

The exclusion of Jones, Tryon, and Sehrawat isn’t due to injury but rather a strategic “all-or-nothing” gamble by the UP Warriorz management. Speaking at the toss, skipper Meg Lanning provided clarity, noting that while the team remains competitive, they chose to inject “fresh energy” into a squad that has struggled for consistency.

The Warriorz have opted to bring in Shipra Giri, Deandra Dottin, and Charli Knott to replace the trio. For Jones and Tryon, the decision appears to be a performance-based rotation. Despite their international pedigree, neither has managed to provide the explosive finishing the Warriorz desperately needed in their recent defeats. By bringing in the veteran Deandra Dottin—a player known for her “see ball, hit ball” philosophy—UPW is banking on raw power to overhaul their flagging Net Run Rate (NRR).

Sehrawat’s absence is equally tactical. The youngster has struggled to find her rhythm at the top of the order, and the promotion of Giri as the designated wicketkeeper-batter allows the team to balance their overseas slots more effectively. As Lanning explained during the toss, “We want to give people opportunities to see what they’ve got.” In a season where their backs are against the wall, the Warriorz have decided that sticking to the status quo was no longer an option.

Also READ: Ashleigh Gardner reveals her favourite women cricketer in fun rapid-fire challenge 

The battle to the eliminators between UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals

The WPL 2026 table is currently a mathematical puzzle. While Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have already cruised into the finals and Gujarat Giants (GG) have secured their spot in the Eliminator, the third and final playoff berth is a three-way tug-of-war between Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians (MI), and UP Warriorz.

• Delhi Capitals: Their path is the most straightforward. If Jemimah Rodrigues’ side wins tonight, they move to 8 points, leapfrogging Mumbai Indians to claim the third spot. For them, it is a “win-and-in” scenario. A loss, however, leaves them stranded on 6 points with a negative NRR, likely handing the spot to Mumbai.
• UP Warriorz: The Warriorz are currently at the bottom of the table with 4 points and a dismal NRR of -1.146. For them to qualify, they don’t just need a win; they need a miracle. They must defeat Delhi by a margin of approximately 117 runs (assuming a first-innings score of 160) to swing their NRR ahead of both DC and MI.
• Mumbai Indians: The defending champions are the silent observers tonight. Sitting on 6 points with a positive NRR (+0.146), they need the Warriorz to win, but only by a small margin. If UPW wins narrowly, both DC and UPW will stay below Mumbai on the NRR ladder, allowing the champions to sneak into the playoffs.

Playing XI of both the teams

UP Warriorz Women: Meg Lanning (c), Simran Shaikh, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Shipra Giri (wk), Deandra Dottin, Charli Knott, Sophie Ecclestone, Asha Sobhana Joy, Shikha Pandey, Kranti Gaud

Delhi Capitals Women: Shafali Verma, Lizelle Lee (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Marizanne Kapp, Chinelle Henry, Niki Prasad, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma

Also READ: WPL 2026: Fans react after Harmanpreet Kaur’s brave knock in vain as Gujarat Giants ends losing streak vs MI to seal playoff spot

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

LUCKNOW: The Union Budget 2026-27 on Sunday drew mixed reactions from the top echelons of Uttar Pradesh politics, with chief minister Yogi Adityanath terming it a welfare-oriented blueprint for building a ‘Viksit Bharat’, and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav rebuking it as an “invisible ledger” of the BJP’s corruption.In a post on X in Hindi, Adityanath said, “On the auspicious occasion of Maghi Purnima and the birth anniversary of Sadguru Ravidas Ji Maharaj, the Union Budget 2026-27, presented today by the Hon’ble Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman under the visionary guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is an inspiring blueprint for building a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

“This Budget will provide opportunities to the youth, security to farmers, encouragement to entrepreneurs, relief to the middle class, and respect to the labourers.” This was the third Budget of the BJP-led NDA government in its third term in office.The chief minister said the Budget announcements would give a new impetus to innovation, manufacturing and employment, while strengthening agriculture, rural development, infrastructure, tourism, culture and the country’s knowledge traditions, “thus realising the mantra of ‘Development with Heritage'”.“Under the guidance of the prime minister, the foundation for an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat‘ has been further strengthened by supporting MSMEs, startups and indigenous production. We are confident that this Budget, through social justice, inclusive development and good governance, will pave the way for the India of today and tomorrow,” Adityanath said, thanking the prime minister and the finance minister for a “visionary” “welfare-oriented” Budget.Samajwadi Party chief president Akhilesh Yadav, however, launched a sharp attack on the Centre, saying the Budget is meant to aid the BJP’s own people and commissions, calling it an “invisible ledger” of its corruption.Taking to X, Yadav said, “The result of the BJP’s Budget is out – the stock market has crashed. We already said that the question was not whether the stock market would open on Sunday, but how much more it would fall.” Reiterating that there was no reason to expect anything positive from the Budget, the former chief minister said, “When there is no hope from the BJP government, what can be expected from its Budget?” Yadav also said the Samajwadi Party considers every BJP budget as a “1/20th Budget” as it caters to only 5 per cent of the population.“The BJP’s Budget is meant for its own people and commissions. It is an invisible ledger of its corruption,” he alleged.Yadav also said the Budget neither mentioned nor cared for the common people, flagging the “failure” to provide tax relief to the public despite soaring inflation as “tax exploitation”.In a lengthy post, Yadav claimed that while multiple concessions have been given to the businesses and leisure activities of the rich, the plate of expectations of those struggling with joblessness and unemployment remained empty.“This is a disappointing and condemnable Budget,” he claimed.Reacting to the Budget, Uttar Pradesh Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said, “It focuses on youth and women empowerment, job creation, and strengthening education and healthcare. With sound policies and a results-oriented vision, the Budget firmly propels us towards the goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.” “From manufacturing to infrastructure, healthcare to tourism, rural economy to AI, sports to pilgrimage – the Budget opens up vast opportunities in every sector.“The allocation of two crucial high-speed rail corridors to Uttar Pradesh – Varanasi-Delhi and Varanasi-Siliguri – out of the seven planned corridors, will give a new direction to the state’s connectivity, investment and development,” Maurya said.

India’s Ishan Kishan (PTI Photo)

Thiruvananthapuram: Opportunity in international cricket rarely arrives gift-wrapped. More often, it comes on the back of someone else’s misfortune, demanding to be seized without hesitation. Tilak Varma’s injury did precisely that for Ishan Kishan. Given a full series to press his claim, Kishan turned every outing into a statement. A brutal 76 off 32 in Raipur set the tone, a whirlwind 28 off 13 in Guwahati kept the momentum, and then came the crescendo at Thiruvananthapuram — a thunderous 103 off 43 balls — his maiden T20I century on Sanju Samson’s home turf. By the time the series against New Zealand was wrapped up, Kishan wasn’t auditioning anymore; he was occupying the role.

In a format where hesitation is fatal, Kishan’s decisiveness is his biggest strength. There is, of course, a caveat. If he opens with Abhishek Sharma at the showpiece event, it would mean two left-handers at the top, potentially leaving India with six left-hand batters in the top eight if Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel all play. On paper, that imbalance matters. In practice, the gulf between Kishan and his competitors has grown too wide for it to be a deal-breaker. The subtext told its own story. In the fifth T20I, Kishan walked out wearing the wicketkeeper’s gloves. Captain Suryakumar Yadav clarified it was pre-planned. “We had decided before the series that Sanju would keep in three games and Ishan in two,” he said. But optics matter in elite sport. Kishan had an off day behind the stumps, but it didn’t hurt India in Thiruvananthapuram. In contrast, Samson’s walk back after a six-ball stay on Saturday had a familiar air of disbelief — the bat dangling, the eyes searching for answers. Over time, his footwork has drifted into a pattern that is now being ruthlessly exposed. Where modern greats like Rohit Sharma press forward — a subtle front-foot trigger that keeps both sides of the field in play — Samson does the opposite. Instead of going back and across, he goes back and towards the leg side. This movement narrows his options. By setting up so leg-side dominant, Samson is effectively preparing for one half of the field. Anything on his pads, anything he can whip or flick. But when the ball is delivered on middle and off, he’s suddenly chasing it, bat fishing outside the line of his body. That’s when timing deserts him. Control goes missing. And the outside edge comes into play. Lockie Ferguson didn’t need trickery. Extra pace, a hard length, and a ball angled outside off. Samson, already moving leg-side, had to manufacture a shot. The result was predictable: a thick edge and a forlorn walk back to the pavilion. Forty-six runs from five games tell a sorry tale. Kishan, meanwhile, has marched straight through, having all but sealed the wicketkeeper’s slot for the T20 World Cup.

The government has unveiled a targeted manufacturing push centred on seven strategic and frontier sectors, positioning them as key drivers of job creation, domestic value addition and long-term industrial competitiveness.Presenting the proposals, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the strategy is anchored in accelerating growth through focused industrial interventions.

“Under our first kartavya to accelerate and sustain economic growth, I propose interventions in six areas, including scaling up manufacturing in seven strategic and frontier sectors,” she said.The seven sectors identified for focused scaling include biopharmaceuticals, semiconductors, electronics components, rare earth magnets, chemicals, capital goods manufacturing and textiles.

Biopharma SHAKTI programme

Announcing a major healthcare manufacturing push, the finance minister said, “To develop India as a global Biopharma manufacturing hub, I propose the Biopharma SHAKTI with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crores over the next five years.”The programme will focus on building domestic biologics and biosimilars manufacturing, expanding pharmaceutical education capacity and creating a network of over 1,000 accredited clinical trial sites.

Semiconductors: Expanding mission to full supply chain

Building on existing semiconductor efforts, she said, “We will launch ISM 2.0 to produce equipment and materials, design full-stack Indian IP, and fortify supply chains.”The plan also includes industry-led research and training centres to build technology and workforce capabilities.

Electronics components: Outlay expansion to build domestic ecosystem

The government will expand support for electronics component manufacturing, with the finance minister noting, “The Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme… already has investment commitments at double the target. We propose to increase the outlay to Rs 40,000 crore to capitalise on the momentum.”

Rare earth magnets: Dedicated corridors planned

The government will support mineral-rich states to develop domestic rare earth ecosystems.“We propose to support… dedicated Rare Earth Corridors to promote mining, processing, research and manufacturing,” she said.

Chemicals: New chemical parks through cluster model

To cut import dependence in industrial inputs, the government will launch a new chemical manufacturing push.“We will launch a Scheme to support States in establishing three dedicated Chemical Parks… on a cluster-based plug-and-play model,” she said.

Capital goods: Tool rooms, equipment manufacturing and container ecosystem

The Budget outlines multiple measures to deepen industrial equipment manufacturing. “Strong capital goods capability is a determinant of productivity and quality across different sectors,” the finance minister said.The plan includes hi-tech tool rooms, construction and infrastructure equipment manufacturing support, and a container manufacturing ecosystem with Rs 10,000 crore outlay over five years.

Textiles: Integrated programme across fibre, clusters and skills

For labour-intensive job creation, the government has proposed a multi-part textile push covering fibre self-reliance, cluster modernisation, sustainability and skilling through Samarth 2.0 and Mega Textile Parks.

Champion MSMEs: New growth fund and risk capital support

The government announced a targeted MSME growth financing strategy.“Recognising MSMEs as a vital engine of growth, I propose a three-pronged approach to help them grow as ‘Champions’,” the finance minister said.As part of this, the government will launch a Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund aimed at supporting high-potential MSMEs and incentivising enterprises based on defined performance and scale criteria.The government will also strengthen micro enterprise funding support. “I also propose to top up the Self-Reliant India Fund set up in 2021, with Rs 2,000 crore to continue support to micro enterprises and maintain their access to risk capital,” she said.The overall manufacturing strategy, the finance minister said, reflects the government’s broader reform direction.“The Reform Express is well on its way and will maintain its momentum to help us fulfil our kartavya,” she said.

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