Mumbai: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the deadline for submitting the online application form for NEET-UG 2026 up to 9 pm on March 11, 2026. The payment of fees can be made up to 11.50 pm on the same day. The notice added that no further extension will be granted. Several students were facing difficulties in filling the online form in the last 48 hours. The earlier deadline was till Sunday, March 8.
Prithvi Shaw announced his engagement to his long-time partner Akriti Agarwal on Sunday, sharing the happy news with fans through a series of photos on social media. The Indian batter posted glimpses from the intimate ceremony, and the pictures quickly gained traction online as fans and well-wishers flooded the comments with congratulatory messages.Agarwal, an actress and social media influencer, has previously been seen with Shaw on several occasions. Their relationship had often drawn attention online, and the engagement announcement sparked excitement among followers of the cricketer.Also See: IND vs NZ Live Score T20 World Cup Final 2026 Along with the photos, Shaw posted a heartfelt caption reflecting on the new chapter in his life. “From sixes on the field to a lifetime of hits off it. She’s is my perfect innings! #justengaged,” Prithvi wrote on Instagram.The engagement comes shortly after Shaw’s childhood friend Arjun Tendulkar tied the knot with Saaniya Chandhok earlier this week.With the celebrations behind him, Shaw will soon shift his focus back to cricket as the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League approaches. The right-handed batter will represent the Delhi Capitals, who picked him up for Rs 75 lakh during the auction. Whether he secures a regular spot in the playing XI, however, remains to be seen.Shaw’s return to Delhi is noteworthy as he went unsold during the IPL 2025 auction before being brought back by the franchise that has been his home since the start of his IPL journey. He made his league debut in 2018 and has spent his entire IPL career with the Capitals.Across 79 matches in the tournament, Shaw has scored 1,892 runs at an average of nearly 24 and a strike rate of 147.46, including 14 half-centuries. Despite those numbers, inconsistent form over the past few seasons saw him struggle for momentum, which eventually resulted in him going unsold last year.However, Shaw has shown signs of revival in domestic cricket while representing Maharashtra cricket team. That improvement helped him secure another IPL contract, and he will now look to make the most of the opportunity and re-establish himself in the league.
India’s young opener Abhishek Sharma etched his name into the history books with a sensational knock in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand. The left-hander blasted a brilliant fifty in the summit clash, reaching the landmark in just 18 balls at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8. His explosive innings provided India with a dream start in the final and set the tone for a massive total.
Abhishek delivered one of the most electrifying knocks seen in a World Cup final. Walking in with intent, the Indian opener attacked the New Zealand bowling attack from the very beginning, unleashing a flurry of boundaries and sixes.
The 24-year-old reached his half-century in only 18 deliveries, surpassing the previous record held by Australia’s Mitchell Marsh. Marsh had scored a 31-ball fifty against New Zealand in the 2021 T20 World Cup final, a benchmark that stood for five years before Abhishek rewrote the record books.
Abhishek eventually departed after scoring 52 runs off just 21 balls, a blistering knock that included powerful strokes all around the ground. His fearless batting ensured India maintained a stunning run rate during the powerplay. Despite this historic feat, the fastest fifty in the overall history of the T20 World Cup still belongs to his mentor and a legend of the game Yuvraj Singh, who smashed a legendary 12-ball half-century against England in the 2007 edition of the tournament.
Fastest fifties in T20 World Cup finals
| Player | Team | Balls | Year | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | India | 18 | 2026 | New Zealand |
| Mitchell Marsh | Australia | 31 | 2021 | New Zealand |
| Kane Williamson | New Zealand | 32 | 2021 | Australia |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 33 | 2009 | Pakistan |
| Joe Root | England | 33 | 2010 | Australia |
Also WATCH: MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma walk out with T20 World Cup trophy at Narendra Modi Stadium during IND vs NZ Final
India produced a breathtaking batting display in the final, piling up a mammoth 255/5 in 20 overs against New Zealand. Leading the charge was Sanju Samson, who continued his spectacular form in the tournament. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter played a stunning innings of 89 runs off 46 balls, smashing five fours and eight towering sixes. Samson’s aggressive approach kept the scoreboard ticking and put the Kiwi bowlers under constant pressure.
Abhishek’s explosive cameo at the top perfectly complemented Samson’s innings. The duo ensured India dominated the powerplay and middle overs with fearless stroke play. Adding further firepower was Ishan Kishan, who chipped in with a brilliant 54 off just 25 deliveries. His quickfire knock in the latter stages of the innings helped India accelerate even further and push the total close to the 250-run mark.
With contributions coming from multiple batters, India registered one of the highest totals ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final, putting New Zealand under immense pressure in the title clash.
TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad: On Saturday evening, Rajkumar Sharma was watching his son, Abhishek Sharma, train at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Pranav Pandey, father of Ishan Kishan‘s father, had similar plans, too, had similar plans but instead of being in Ahmedabad to watch his son train and later smash a sparkling 25-ball 54 while taking three catches in the field, he was sitting in a morgue in Siliguri.On Friday, just when Pranav Pandey was on his way to the Patna Airport to catch his flight to Ahmedabad, he received the wretched news of a car accident that took the lives of two of his relatives. The young family was on their way to attend a wedding.
“Anarth ho gaya. Hum log bahut badi musibat mein hain (Something terrible has happened. We are in a very big problem),” he told TimesofIndia.com on the eve of the match.In the accident, Ishan lost his cousin sister and brother-in-law. Miraculously, the couple’s two children — aged six months three years old — survived.“We are all in shock. Ishan wanted to visit us, but he couldn’t return because of the final. He is absolutely distraught,” said Pranav Pandey.
Ishan Kishan of India celebrates reaching his half century during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)
When Ishan Kishan scored his third half-century of the T20 World Cup, he gave the customary bat raise towards the dressing room but also took a moment to point towards the heavens. He does not do it often.Even on the eve of the match, Kishan was not his usual chirpy self when the rest of his teammates trained under the ring of fire. The batting hit was not the usual long one and even during fielding drills with coach T Dilip, he was not the Ishan who usually brought life to the team’s training sessions.However, the work continued. He took catches from different angles and from various parts of the ground to get used to the ring of fire. The session paid off as he took a stunning catch off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling to send Rachin Ravindra back to the hut and later juggled the ball near the ropes to dismiss Tim Seifert. Daryl Mitchell followed soon after.
Ishan Kishan of India celebrates after taking the catch to dismiss Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)
Throughout the session, different teammates came and put their arms around his shoulders, trying to lighten the mood for the youngster who had just lost a close family member.There were regular cries of “Ishan bhaiya autograph” and his attempts to deflect the requests by raising his hand while keeping his back to the little ones were unsuccessful. They only grew more restless and Ishan eventually walked to the sightscreen near the home dugout to sign blank papers and pose for selfies.“Baccho ko dene do,” he would politely request the others who were using their reach to tower over the kids, ensuring no child left without the memory they wanted to create with the wicketkeeper-batter.A boy full of life was struggling to hold himself together on the eve of the biggest night of his career but still stood out, first with the bat and then in the field, to win his first ICC title.His sister would have hoped for nothing but this. Unfortunately, he would not be able to celebrate the biggest moment of his career with one of his biggest cheerleaders.
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India national cricket team produced a record breaking batting display to post the highest total ever in a final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, smashing 255 for five against New Zealand national cricket team in the 2026 summit clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday.Defending champions India were ruthless after being invited to bat, with Sanju Samson leading the charge with a stunning 89 off 45 balls. The wicketkeeper batter attacked from the very first over and combined with Abhishek Sharma to dismantle the New Zealand bowling attack.Also See: IND vs NZ Live Score T20 Word Cup Final 2026The opening pair stitched together a blistering 98 run stand in just 7.1 overs, laying a perfect platform for a massive total. Abhishek struck a quickfire 52 before Ishan Kishan continued the onslaught with an explosive 54 from only 25 deliveries.Batting with authority and relentless aggression, India raced past the 200 run mark inside just 15 overs, leaving the Kiwi bowlers struggling for answers.Samson’s knock also created history as his 89 became the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final. The Indian star surpassed the previous best of 85 not out by Marlon Samuels in 2016 and 85 by Kane Williamson in 2021.
260/6 – SL vs KEN, Johannesburg, 2007256/4 – IND vs ZIM, Chennai, 2026255/5 – IND vs NZ, Ahmedabad, 2026 Final254/6 – WI vs ZIM, Mumbai WS, 2026253/7 – IND vs ENG, Mumbai WS, 2026 SF246/7 – ENG vs IND, Mumbai WS, 2026 SFNew Zealand briefly pulled things back in the 16th over when James Neesham struck three times in the span of six balls, dismissing Samson, Kishan and captain Suryakumar Yadav to halt India’s charge.However, Shivam Dube ensured India finished strongly with an unbeaten 26, hammering 24 runs off the final over from Neesham. India plundered 52 runs in the last five overs to push the total to a daunting 255 for five.The score is now the highest ever posted in a T20 World Cup final and ranks among the biggest totals in the tournament’s history.India’s dominance with the bat has also been evident in the overall T20 landscape. The team now holds the record for the most 250 plus totals in men’s T20 cricket with seven, ahead of teams such as Sunrisers Hyderabad and the West Indies cricket team.Notably, India also became only the second side to register three 250 plus totals in a single T20 competition, matching the feat achieved by Sunrisers Hyderabad during the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League.With their explosive batting display on the biggest stage, India once again underlined their dominance in the shortest format of the game.
NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to make a statement in the Lok Sabha on Monday regarding the evolving “situation in West Asia”, amid rising regional tensions and security concerns linked to the ongoing conflict in the Gulf.Jaishankar will brief the House on developments in the region and India’s position, including the government’s diplomatic outreach and the safety of Indian nationals living and working in West Asian countries.The statement comes as tensions in West Asia have intensified in recent weeks following missile and drone exchanges across the Gulf region, raising concerns globally about a wider escalation and its potential impact on energy markets, regional stability and expatriate populations.India has been closely monitoring the situation.Jaishankar recently said New Delhi was maintaining “very close contact” with governments across the region while prioritising the safety of Indian citizens. He noted that the government was assessing developments carefully and remained prepared to take necessary steps if the security situation deteriorated.MEA was in touch with Indian missions across West Asia to track the situation on the ground and provide assistance if required.Jaishankar has also previously emphasised India’s broader diplomatic stance on the crisis.Speaking on the escalating tensions, he reiterated the need for restraint and dialogue, warning that further escalation could destabilise an already fragile region.
NEW DELHI: A passenger has been booked for allegedly smoking a beedi inside the lavatory of a Delhi-Goa flight, police said on Sunday.The incident occurred on Saturday when the accused, identified as Ashish, a Delhi resident, was travelling on an Akasa Air flight from the national capital to Goa, reported PTI.According to police, the passenger allegedly smoked a beedi inside the aircraft toilet during the journey. He was also found carrying a lighter.In its complaint, the airline said the passenger’s actions posed a potential safety risk to the aircraft and those on board.“During the flight, the passenger allegedly smoked a beedi inside the aircraft lavatory and was also found in possession of a lighter, which could pose a risk to the safety of the aircraft and passengers on board,” the airline stated in its complaint, a police official said, as quoted by the agency.Police added that the act endangered the safety of fellow passengers and crew members during the flight.Following the complaint, a case was registered against the passenger at the Mopa airport police station.Officials said the case has been filed under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as well as the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act.Further investigation into the incident is underway, police said.
After witnessing sharp swings last week, gold prices are expected to remain volatile in the coming days as investors track escalating tensions in the Middle East and key global economic data releases, analysts said on Sunday.Market participants are likely to track developments in the conflict involving Israel and Iran, as any escalation could support safe-haven demand for bullion, while signs of easing tensions may trigger sharp profit booking in the market.“Focus will again be on developments in the Middle East. Any further escalation could be positive for gold prices, but signs of de-escalation may lead to sharp selling,” Pranav Mer, vice president, Commodity and Currency Research at JM Financial Services, told the news agency PTI.Silver is also witnessing heightened volatility, though it is currently in a consolidation phase, analysts noted.“Silver is trading with high volatility but remains capped due to consolidative movements in gold and industrial metals such as copper and zinc,” Mer added.In the domestic market, bullion futures saw sharp swings during the past week. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), silver plunged by Rs 14,359, or 5.08 per cent, while gold slipped Rs 470, or 0.3 per cent.According to Prathamesh Mallya, deputy vice president, Research (Non-Agri Commodities and Currencies) at Angel One, gold traded within a broad range of Rs 1.59 lakh to Rs 1.70 lakh per 10 grams last week.Geopolitical tensions, strong demand from Asian markets, continued purchases by central banks, elevated US Treasury yields and a firm US dollar are among the key factors currently shaping bullion prices, he said.Globally, silver futures on Comex dropped by USD 8.98, nearly 10 per cent, during the week, while gold prices declined by USD 89.2, or 1.7 per cent.Analysts noted that gold ended the week in negative territory as investors shifted towards alternative safe-haven assets such as the US dollar, Swiss franc and government bonds, even as ongoing geopolitical tensions helped limit deeper losses.Investors will also monitor key economic indicators in the coming week, including inflation and trade data from China, inflation readings from the US, Germany and India, as well as US consumer sentiment and the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, which could influence global growth expectations and monetary policy outlook.
NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee trained guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, accusing it of humiliating President Droupadi Murmu on caste grounds and ceding India’s strategic autonomy to the United States.Speaking at a party event, the Diamond Harbour MP said, “TMC National General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee says, “When Manipur was burning for 3 years, the President was silent. When the Ram Mandir was inaugurated, she wasn’t invited because of her caste. The same happened when Parliament was inaugurated.”He further remarked that while the President is the one who is the supreme commander of the armed forces, it is the US President who is “dictating” the orders.“The Indian Armed Forces are under the President. When Pakistan and India fight, all orders are supposed to be given by her. But the US president is dictating these orders instead.”Banerjee’s comments come after a political scuffle broke out between the Centre and Bengal CM on Saturday. It followed the President’s displeasure regarding administration decisions made around the International Santhal Conference in Bengal.President Murmu on Saturday expressed her disapproval of the event venue being shifted at the last moment, which turned out to be a location far away from the convenience of the Santhal people.“I don’t know what went through the administration’s mind that they chose a place for the conference where the Santhal people couldn’t go. I am very sad that the people here were unable to reach the conference because it was held so far away,” she said on Saturday.She also added that the absence of the Bengal CM at the event while the President was present there was a departure from the usual protocol.“If the President visits a place, the Chief Minister and the Ministers should also come. But she did not. I am also a daughter of Bengal. Mamata Didi is also my sister, my younger sister. I don’t know if she was angry with me, that’s why this happened,” she said.Echoing the same, PM Modi also attacked the Bengal CM for breaching the protocol.“By showing utter disregard for protocol, they have insulted the President of India. This incident has laid bare the deep rot within the Trinamool government. This affront to the President at an event organised by our tribal brothers and sisters is an insult to our nation and the values of our constitutional democracy,” he said.
