Team India players celebrate with the trophy after winning the T20 World Cup 2026. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced a cash reward of Rs 131 crore for Team India following their historic victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India lifted the trophy after a dominant 96-run win over New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, successfully defending their title and becoming the first team in history to retain the T20 World Cup. With this triumph, India also became the first side to win the tournament three times, cementing their status among the most successful teams in the format.

In an official statement, the BCCI congratulated the players, support staff, and selectors for the achievement and wished them continued success. The board described the victory as a “powerful reflection of depth in the country’s cricket and the structures that nurture talent and sustain excellence at the highest level.”BCCI president Mithun Manhas hailed the achievement as a moment of immense pride for the nation. “To defend the title and achieve this feat on home soil makes it even more special,” he said. He lauded captain Suryakumar Yadav, head coach Gautam Gambhir, the squad, and the selectors for outstanding cricket throughout the tournament.ALSO READ: Team India Report Card: Perfect finish to a not-so-perfect T20 World Cup campaignBCCI secretary Devajit Saikia highlighted India’s golden phase in cricket, citing the team’s success at home in both the ICC Women’s World Cup last year and the T20 World Cup. He acknowledged former BCCI secretary Jay Shah for strengthening Indian cricket’s structures and global standing.Vice-president Rajeev Shukla, joint secretary Prabhtej Bhatia, and treasurer A Raghuram Bhat praised the team’s composure, unity, and determination, noting that meticulous planning and strong foundations contributed to the victory.India posted 255 for 5, the highest total in a T20 World Cup final, before bowling out New Zealand for 159 in 19 overs. With this win, India now holds 14 ICC trophies across senior and Under-19 formats, surpassing Australia’s 13, and has established itself as the most successful team in T20 World Cup history.

“We are a gun team.” These were Gautam Gambhir’s first words to a young and inexperienced Test team under greenhorn captain Shubman Gill in England last summer. That one sentence killed doubts in the dressing room as the team went on to tie the five-Test series 2-2.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Barring the high in England, Gambhir’s Test record as head coach has been abysmal. This T20 World Cup win, however, is another reminder that he has owned the T20 format since he took charge in July 2024. His past experience in franchise cricket and his power of conviction keeps him and his team a step ahead of everybody else in this format.

That India are now the undisputed power centre of T20 cricket has much to do with the proliferation of the Indian Premier League. Gambhir the coach too is a product of the IPL. Two strong seasons with Lucknow Super Giants, followed by a title-winning season with Kolkata Knight Riders, sprung him to the Team India post vacated by Rahul Dravid.

‘Transition’ was the buzzword when he took over. For Gambhir, though, it was never about forming a concrete template. He didn’t mind making wholesome changes to the T20 team which had just lifted a trophy in Barbados. His approach may seem regimented at the outset but he always leaves enough room for taking calls on the fly.ALSO READ: High risk, high reward: How ‘Total T20’ fuelled India’s march to World Cup gloryGambhir, unfailingly, invokes the “playing-for-140 crore-Indians” rhetoric in his media briefings. Form over reputation has been the underlining principle. Captain Suryakumar Yadav has been the sole exemption because Gambhir believes in having a person leading the team on the field who aligns with his thought process.Gambhir’s calls have often bordered on the whimsical. He wears his non-populist decisions like a crest. But then, that’s what the fickle nature of T20 demands. In hindsight, one may argue he is too consumed by this process. It works spectacularly well in T20s but may prevent him from maintaining the continuity demanded by the longer formats. Whether India need to split the thinktank across formats is still a debate but Gambhir has made his displeasure known about the suggestion. He is a proud nonconformist. He got the selectors to align with his ideas. Ignoring the likes of Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, the biggest young brands of Indian cricket, have been coldblooded calls. Gambhir has always maintained that T20 cricket is a different sport, demanding unique skills.Indian cricket didn’t seem to be ready for such a cultural shift at the start of his regime. Now, it has embraced the change. Sources close to the team management say Sanju Samson was given a strong message about the bad habits that had crept into his game just before the T20 World Cup. As Ishan Kishan bloomed at the top of the order, Gambhir worked overtime with Samson to eliminate the exaggerated shuffle deep in the crease and stabilise the batter’s stance.The lone blunder came when he sacrificed vice-captain Axar Patel for an undercooked Washington Sundar during the Super-8 defeat to South Africa.Now that he has delivered in his strongest format as a tactician, it will be interesting to see how he reboots when the focus shifts to the ODI World Cup in 2027 and World Test Championship. Will he be flexible enough to plan for the longer formats?

The reigning T20 World Champions are officially shifting back into high gear. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced a formidable squad for the upcoming five-match T20I home series against South Africa, headlined by the high-profile return of Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, and Lea Tahuhu.

This series marks a critical juncture for the White Ferns as they continue their journey under the permanent captaincy of Amelia Kerr. With the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup looming on the horizon in June, the return of these ‘Big Three’ veterans provides a blend of tactical depth and cultural leadership that head coach Ben Sawyer believes is indispensable for the team’s evolution.

The return of the veterans and squad logistics ahead of the grilling South African series

The availability of New Zealand’s most experienced players provides a massive boost following a mixed series against Zimbabwe. Devine, who is currently operating on a casual contract with NZC, returns to the fold after skipping the previous assignment. Joining her is the legendary Bates, who has successfully recovered from a quadricep injury that sidelined her recently.

The bowling department also sees the return of speedster Tahuhu. Following her retirement from the ODI format, Tahuhu’s absence from the Zimbabwe series was a strategic move by management to focus on physical preparation planning. However, fans will have to wait slightly longer to see her in action; she is scheduled to join the squad for the final three T20Is only.

In a similar logistical arrangement, left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Flora Devonshire returns from a broken finger but will also only be available for the latter half of the series. To cover the early stages, left-arm seamer Bree Illing and wicketkeeper-batter Polly Inglis have been named for the first two matches before making way for the returning senior stars.

Also READ: New Zealand pacer Lea Tahuhu retires from ODI cricket with record-breaking legacy

New Zealand building momentum for the World Cup defence

Beyond the veterans, the return of young opener Georgia Plimmer is perhaps the most significant tactical update. Plimmer, who missed the majority of the Zimbabwe tour due to a shoulder injury, is expected to resume her crucial opening partnership with Bates. Coach Ben Sawyer emphasized that her role at the top of the order remains “a key one” as the team refines its aggressive Powerplay strategy.

The squad also features Brooke Halliday, fresh off her maiden international century, and the spin-bowling talents of Nensi Patel and Jess Kerr. This series serves as the ultimate litmus test for the ‘Kerr Era,’ as Amelia looks to integrate the legends of the game with the rising stars who proved their mettle in the recent world championship run.

The five-match series kicks off on March 15 at Bay Oval in Tauranga. In a move designed to maximize engagement for women’s cricket, the matches will be played as double-headers alongside the men’s T20I fixtures, ensuring a high-octane atmosphere for the world-champion White Ferns.

New Zealand Women’s T20I squad against South Africa:

Amelia Kerr (c), Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Flora Devonshire, Isabella Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing†, Polly Inglis†, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Nensi Patel, Georgia Plimmer, Izzy Sharp, Lea Tahuhu

Also READ: Kayla Reyneke earns maiden ODI call-up as South Africa announce squad for New Zealand tour

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

A realtor from Bengaluru Rural was kidnapped and murdered, his body discovered in Tamil Nadu

BENGALURU: A realtor from Anekal in Bengaluru Rural district was allegedly kidnapped Sunday evening and later murdered, with his body found dumped near Denkanikottai in Tamil Nadu Monday morning.The victim, identified as Gopal, was travelling in his car with his friend Satish when a gang of car-borne miscreants intercepted them near Karpur on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border between 6.30pm and 7pm. According to police, the assailants rammed their vehicle into Gopal’s car, forcing it to stop.The gang then allegedly sprayed a chemical on Satish. As he struggled to see and ran for cover, the attackers dragged Gopal out of the car, bundled him into their vehicle and sped away.Satish alerted police, prompting a search operation. Officers were informed that the kidnappers had driven towards Tamil Nadu through the Denkanikottai route.Seven special teams were formed to trace the victim and track down the offenders. Police initially suspected that the kidnappers might have moved towards Shivamogga or Mangaluru, and two teams were sent to those regions while others combed areas on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. Monday morning, Denkanikottai police informed their Anekal counterparts about a body found by the roadside in their jurisdiction. The description matched that of the missing realtor, and officers later confirmed the identity.Police suspect the kidnappers transported him in a car and later murdered him using sharp weapons. Investigators suspect the involvement of Gopal’s former associate, Mohan Babu. According to police sources, the two had previously worked together but fell out several years ago following financial disputes.Sources said Mohan allegedly harboured resentment after Gopal started his own real estate business and began earning significantly more.Gopal’s wife, Swati, alleged that Mohan had assaulted her husband in the past. “Two years ago, Mohan Babu took my husband to his farmhouse and assaulted him. They are relatives and used to work together earlier. Their business dispute led to this incident. I suspect Mohan is behind the kidnapping,” she said.Efforts are on to trace Mohan and other suspects.

Airline stocks had previously come under heavy pressure as geopolitical tensions pushed oil prices sharply higher. (AI image)

Oil prices plunge, bring cheer to aviation stocks! Shares of airline operators IndiGo and SpiceJet surged by as much as 8 per cent on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump indicated that the conflict with Iran could soon come to an end. His remarks helped cool the sharp rally in crude oil prices and raised expectations of easing tensions in the oil-rich Middle East following several days of heightened hostilities.IndiGo’s stock climbed about 6 per cent to reach an intraday high of Rs 4,475 on the BSE, while SpiceJet rose nearly 8 per cent to touch a day’s high of Rs 14.1 per share. Airline stocks had previously come under heavy pressure as geopolitical tensions pushed oil prices sharply higher, with crude surging around 30 per cent on Monday.The rally in crude had taken prices past the crucial $100-per-barrel level for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, amid fears that the Strait of Hormuz could remain shut for an extended period.Speaking to CBS News on Monday, Trump said he believed the war with Iran “is very complete” and that the United States was “very far ahead” of the four- to five-week timeframe he had earlier projected. He also told reporters that his administration planned to lift sanctions on certain countries as part of efforts aimed at stabilising global oil markets.“So we have sanctions on some countries. We’re going to take those sanctions off until the Strait is up,” he said, without elaborating further. “It’s going to be ended soon, and if it starts up again they’ll be hit even harder,” he added.

US may consider easing oil sanctions on Russia

US President Donald Trump is weighing the possibility of relaxing oil sanctions on Russia and releasing crude from emergency stockpiles as part of a broader set of measures aimed at containing the surge in global oil prices linked to the conflict with Iran, according to people familiar with the matter. Trump has also said that he had a “very good call” with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the war in Ukraine.Following Trump’s remarks, oil prices dropped sharply on Tuesday after climbing to their highest level in more than three years in the previous session. Brent crude futures declined nearly 10 per cent to $89.32 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slipped more than 9 per cent to $86.07 per barrel.Shares of InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of India’s largest airline IndiGo, had fallen over 3 per cent on Monday and are down more than 14 per cent over the past month. The decline during the previous session came despite Kotak Institutional Equities upgrading the stock to a ‘Buy’ rating with a target price of Rs 5,500 per share, which implies an upside potential of more than 29 per cent from the previous closing level of Rs 4,251.2.Kotak noted that airlines’ significant exposure to fluctuations in crude oil prices and jet fuel spreads makes it difficult to accurately estimate cost structures or assess the price elasticity of near-term demand. However, the brokerage said investors should pay closer attention to the mounting losses among IndiGo’s competitors. It added that airline stocks should be viewed less as proxies for oil prices and more as a reflection of consumer spending trends.Shares of SpiceJet also faced heavy selling pressure, falling about 7 per cent on Monday and nearly 41 per cent over the past month.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)