The International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Sunday that strategic oil reserves will be released “immediately” in Asia and Oceania, while supplies from member countries in the Americas and Europe will begin flowing from the end of March, as governments move to cushion the oil shock caused by the ongoing West Asia war.As per news agency AFP, the IEA said member countries had already submitted their individual implementation plans, with Asia-Oceania set to receive stocks immediately and America-Europe releases scheduled to start from late March.The agency said a total of 271.7 million barrels of government-managed stocks would be released worldwide under the emergency action.

Asia-Oceania to get oil first

The IEA said the first wave of emergency reserves will be made available fastest in the Asia-Pacific region, where supply stress has become particularly acute.“Individual implementation plans have been submitted to the IEA by Member countries. These plans indicate that stocks will be made available by IEA Member countries in Asia Oceania immediately,” the agency said, according to AFP.“Stocks from IEA Member countries in the Americas and Europe will be made available starting from the end of March,” it added.The announcement provides the clearest timeline yet on how the emergency stock release will actually be phased across regions after the agency agreed earlier this week to tap strategic reserves.

Biggest oil shock in market history, says IEA

IEA members agreed on Wednesday to draw down oil stockpiles in response to the war-driven price surge, in what is by far the largest-ever coordinated intervention of its kind.Calling the disruption unprecedented, the IEA said: “The war in the Middle East is creating the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.”It described the latest emergency stockpile release as the sixth in its history and the first since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, calling it a “significant and welcome buffer”.

Oil prices still near $100 despite reserve move

Despite the record intervention, oil prices have not cooled significantly.The announced releases have not had a major impact on crude prices so far, with oil still hovering around $100 a barrel, the highest level since 2022 and sharply above the sub-$70 levels seen before the war.That reflects market concerns that even a historic reserve release may not fully offset the loss of supply caused by the disruption of shipping routes in the Gulf.

Strait of Hormuz remains the key problem

The IEA made clear that the real solution lies not just in reserve releases, but in restoring normal tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz.“The most important factor in ensuring a return to stable flows is the resumption of regular transit of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” the agency said.It added that adequate insurance mechanisms and physical protection for shipping would be critical for the resumption of flows.Iran has effectively blocked the strategic strait since the war began on February 28 with US-Israeli air strikes on Iranian targets.The waterway is one of the most important chokepoints in the global energy system and typically carries about one-fifth of gobal oil shipments.

S&P says reserve release may offer only limited relief

S&P Global Energy has warned that the IEA’s broader plan to release 400 million barrels of emergency oil stocks may provide only limited relief if the Strait of Hormuz remains shut.S&P said the release would help markets adjust to the current imbalance, but flagged uncertainty over whether the oil would reach the regions that need it most, especially Asian markets, where inventories are running down, news agency ANI reported.According to Jim Burkhard, vice president and global head of crude oil research at S&P Global Energy, “There is too much oil that cannot be exported via the Strait of Hormuz and not enough in Asia, where stocks are running down. The market is seriously unbalanced and that will continue until the Strait is reopened and upstream and downstream operations return to normal. It will not happen quickly”.It would take months for the 400 million-barrel release to offset the roughly 430 million-barrel reduction in global supply in March alone.

Global reserve push gathers pace

The Paris-based IEA had earlier agreed to make 400 million barrels available from members’ strategic reserves, far more than the 182.7 million barrels released after the Ukraine war began in 2022.IEA member countries currently hold over 1.2 billion barrels of public emergency oil stocks, plus another 600 million barrels of industry stocks held under government obligation.It also said countries such as Germany and Austria have already confirmed they will release parts of their strategic reserves, while Japan said it would begin drawing down stocks from Monday.The IEA’s latest update signals that the emergency release is now moving from announcement to implementation. But with oil still near $100, tanker flows still disrupted and the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, markets appear to be betting that reserve barrels alone may not be enough to stabilise global energy supplies quickly.

BENGALURU: A 23-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her live-in partner at Ramdas Layout, Kodathi, in the wee hours of Thursday. The accused allegedly tried to make the crime appear like a suicide. However, a police investigation led to his arrest.The deceased has been identified as Ranjitha HG, and the accused as Ayyappa KB. The couple had been living together in a rented house. Ayyappa worked in a dry fruit shop, while Ranjitha was employed as a domestic help. Both are natives of Kodagu district.According to a complaint filed by Ranjitha’s mother Rani, her daughter had fallen in love with Ayyappa. On Dec 31, 2025, she took him home and introduced him to the family as her boyfriend, telling them that she intended to marry him. Ayyappa reportedly told the family that he had already been married but was living separately from his wife due to marital issues. He allegedly promised to marry Ranjitha after obtaining a divorce.

Two weeks before her death, Ranjitha had called her mother and complained that Ayyappa would assault her frequently over trivial issues. She also alleged that he often partied with friends at home and harassed her. On March 1, he allegedly assaulted her, abused her over her caste, and wished that she would die.In the early hours of March 12, Ayyappa called Ranjitha’s sister and claimed that she had attempted suicide. He said he had taken her to a private hospital on Sarjapura Road, where the doctors declared her brought dead. The family, however, suspected foul play and alleged that Ayyappa had killed her and tried to portray it as suicide.During the preliminary investigation, police found that Ayyappa had strangulated Ranjitha with a wire before attempting to fabricate a suicide scene by tying a rope to the ceiling fan. During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed to the crime.A senior officer said a case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 103 (punishment for murder) along with provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Former India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has highlighted a potential weakness in the Gujarat Titans (GT) squad ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. According to Chopra, the franchise may face challenges due to its heavy dependence on the top-order batters, particularly if one of their key players fails to deliver consistently.

The Gujarat-based franchise enjoyed a solid campaign in IPL 2025, reaching the playoffs after impressive performances from Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler at the top of the order. However, their journey ended in the Eliminator after a defeat to the Mumbai Indians, with Buttler unavailable for the match due to national commitments. As the team prepares for the upcoming season, Chopra believes their reliance on the top three could become a vulnerability.

Aakash Chopra explains weakness of Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2026

The success of Gujarat Titans last season was largely built on the consistency of their top-order batters. Captain Gill led from the front, while Sudharsan continued to grow into one of the most reliable young batters in the tournament. Meanwhile, Buttler provided the explosive firepower expected from him in the shortest format.

Chopra noted that the team performed best when the top three managed to bat deep into the innings. When at least one of them stayed at the crease until the middle overs, the Titans were able to build strong platforms for competitive totals.

Chopra explained that the team’s approach worked well last season but could become risky if the top order fails to fire regularly. He pointed out that the ideal scenario for Gujarat Titans is when the top three occupy the crease until the 14th or 15th over, ensuring stability and momentum in the innings. However, relying too heavily on this strategy could leave the middle order exposed if early wickets fall.

“What are their weakenesses? They can be called weaknesses or challenges. A slight overdependence is still seen on the top three. It’s great if they replicate what they did last year, which means the top three together bat till the 14th or 15th over, and at least one of them should 100 percent be there till the 15th over,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Also READ: IPL 2026: 3 players who can replace injured Harshit Rana in Kolkata Knight Riders squad

Star batter’s recent form raises concerns

Another factor Chopra highlighted was Buttler’s recent dip in form during the T20 World Cup 2026. The England star had an unusually quiet tournament, scoring only 87 runs in eight innings at an average of 10.88.

For a player known for dominating bowlers across conditions, the numbers were surprising. Chopra remarked that it was rare to see Buttler struggle to such an extent in a World Cup tournament. He also noted that the right-handed batter appeared uncomfortable even on batting-friendly pitches, which raised questions about whether the slump could carry into the IPL season.

According to Chopra, Gujarat Titans would ideally want Buttler to provide explosive starts alongside Gill. However, if the English wicketkeeper-batter continues to struggle, the team might face difficulties at the top of the order.

“However, the truth is that Jos Buttler’s current form is very, very pedestrian. We have not seen Jos Buttler playing more ordinary than this in any World Cup edition. He was seen struggling in good conditions this time. So will that be a bit of an issue for the Gujarat Titans? You want to start with Jos Buttler, but what if the form doesn’t remain good? Both openers can’t score runs every time,” Chopra added.

Also WATCH: MS Dhoni repairs his bat using an electric sander during IPL 2026 practice session

BENGALURU: Edtech firm Upgrad has signed a term sheet to acquire rival Unacademy in an all-stock transaction, founders of the two companies said in separate posts on X on Saturday, marking a significant consolidation move in India’s education technology sector.“We at Upgrad have signed a term sheet to acquire Unacademy in an all-stock deal,” Upgrad founder Ronnie Screwvala wrote. He added that Unacademy cofounder and chief executive Gaurav Munjal will continue to lead the company and focus on building online education products.Screwvala also said the agreement includes a break fee clause if the transaction does not close, signalling that the companies have moved beyond early exploratory discussions to a more formal stage of negotiations.Munjal separately confirmed that the companies have agreed to a 100% share-swap transaction, adding that valuation details will be disclosed only after the deal closes and regulatory filings are completed.The development comes after earlier discussions between the two companies had stalled over valuation differences. Screwvala had earlier indicated that preliminary talks were called off after both sides were unable to agree on valuation expectations.

Reset after edtech boom

In his post, Munjal said the past year had seen significant changes at Unacademy as the company sought to refocus its operations. These included consolidating offline learning centres with franchise partners and concentrating efforts on building core online education products.He added that the company completed a Rs 50 crore ESOP buyback, with nearly 40% of former employees participating, and that Unacademy’s global product Airlearn is gaining traction in markets including the US, UK, Germany and Canada. Munjal also said the company currently holds more than $100 million in cash reserves.Founded in 2015, Unacademy was among the startups that expanded rapidly during the pandemic-driven edtech boom but has since narrowed its focus to its core test-preparation business. The company also went through leadership restructuring in recent months, with cofounders stepping back from operational roles and management attention consolidating around its main revenue-generating vertical.The startup had also undertaken multiple rounds of layoffs and other cost-cutting measures as funding conditions tightened across the sector. Munjal said last year that the company had become “default alive” after significantly reducing its cash burn, while maintaining reserves of around Rs 1,200 crore.

Different paths in edtech

If completed, the transaction would bring together two companies that built scale in different segments of the education market. According to Tracxn, Unacademy has raised about $880 million in funding across multiple rounds and was last valued at around $3.5 billion in 2021. Upgrad, also founded in 2015, has raised roughly $329 million and was last valued at about $2.25 billion in 2024, the data platform shows.Both companies have also pursued acquisition-led expansion strategies. Tracxn data shows Unacademy acquiring companies including PrepLadder, CodeChef, NeoStencil, Mastree and SwifLearn, while Upgrad has bought startups such as Harappa Education, Talentedge, KnowledgeHut, Centum Learning and Internshala as it expanded into professional skilling, higher education and career services.Screwvala said the combined entity could build a broader learning platform spanning K-12 education, higher education and lifelong professional learning.“They disrupted the sector once, and now with AI they plan to do it again,” he wrote, referring to Unacademy’s early role in shaping India’s online test-preparation market.If the transaction closes, the deal would mark one of the most notable consolidation moves in India’s edtech industry since the funding slowdown that followed the pandemic-era boom.

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Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav (PTI)

Former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid on Sunday said the country’s vast cricketing potential is finally translating into consistent success, with a series of victories in global tournaments reflecting the immense talent long present in Indian cricket. India have enjoyed a remarkable run in ICC events, winning both of the last two men’s T20 World Cups, the women’s ODI World Cup, the men’s U-19 World Cup and the women’s U-19 T20 World Cup over the past two years.

Dravid, who was honoured with the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual awards function of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, spoke about the team’s success in an interaction with Star Sports. “It just kind of feels right, right? “Almost everything coming together at this point of time where Indian cricket has always had great potential and it’s (about) realising that potential on the field as well. Off the field, I think we’ve always had everything we needed and on the field, it’s been great to see that potential being realised.” Dravid said the sustained success is the result of several elements aligning, from players and administrators to coaches and fans. “It’s been phenomenal. It’s just been amazing to see the way Indian cricket has grown over these three decades,” he said while reflecting on the journey since making his international debut in 1996. “Indian cricket has always had amazing talent. We’ve always had really good administrators. We’ve always had really good coaches (and) we’ve been able to back that up with incredible infrastructure. We’ve always had a fantastic domestic system, (a) very good junior cricket system.” “Some of the most incredible fans in the world. The kind of supporters and fans that we have, deserved all of this to come together, to have success on the field. It’s amazing to see how that all of that is coming together now.” Dravid, who guided India to the T20 World Cup title in 2024, also credited the current team for handling the weight of expectations and delivering on the big stage. “It was just lovely to see… Just the performance of the world T20 side, the expectations were immense. They started off as favourites, and it’s not always easy,” Dravid said. “Yes, of course, they’re a very good side, but it’s not always easy to start off as favourites and be there right at the end and lift a trophy. It comes with its own pressures, its own challenges. It was just really good to see Surya (Suryakumar Yadav) and Gautam (Gambhir) and the team really do that,” he said.

The decision to push Babar Azam down to No.4 during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup created plenty of debate in Pakistan, and the experiment ultimately failed to deliver. The former Pakistan captain endured a difficult campaign as he struggled to accelerate in the middle order throughout the 20-team tournament.The situation worsened as the competition progressed. Babar was not sent out to bat in Pakistan’s must-win group-stage clash against Namibia. Later, he was also left out of the Super 8 fixture against Sri Lanka, a match where the Green Shirts had to secure a victory by at least 65 runs to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has now criticised how the situation was handled, saying Babar should have strongly opposed the decision to move him down the order. According to Basit, the batter should have challenged head coach Mike Hesson rather than accepting the role.Speaking on the ‘Game Plan’ show, Basit also cited Virat Kohli as an example while discussing how top players sometimes take strong stands.

“Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman don’t have a voice. How come they agreed to bat in the middle order?” said Basit on the ‘Game Plan’ show.“I just have one example. Virat Kohli was not made the captain, he said, ‘Okay bye’. Virat Kohli. He took the retirement; he should have been made the captain for the England series. He was told that you are not in our scheme of things as far as captaincy goes. He said, ‘Okay, tata, bye-bye.’ He doesn’t have a shortage of money. Babar should not have accepted the decision to bat at No.4. If I were his close aide, I would have told him to refuse. You just threw him under the bus,” he added.Kohli had announced his retirement from Test cricket in May last year. However, there has been no official confirmation that the decision was linked to captaincy matters. Following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Kohli, Shubman Gill was appointed India’s Test captain. Under his leadership, India went on to draw the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England.Meanwhile, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal disagreed with Basit’s view, arguing that players rarely challenge team management, especially when they are struggling for form.“No player dares to go against the team management. I have just seen Younis Khan being adamant about his position. As a player, you just cannot say that. You will be thrown into the sidelines if you say such things,” said Akmal.“When the form is not there, no player says such things. Before the Champions Trophy, his form was not there. He had left the captaincy. Big players even agree to such things. The form is very important. When form is not there, a batter would even agree to bat at No.8,” he added.

On the occasion of their fifth wedding anniversary, ICC Digital Insider Sanjana Ganesan melted hearts across social media with a loving tribute to her husband, Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. The couple, who tied the knot on March 15, 2021, in a private ceremony, has since become one of the most adored pairs in the cricketing world, and Sanjana’s heartfelt post offered fans a rare glimpse into their enduring bond.

“My favourite story, always and forever”: Sanjana Ganesan’s heartfelt Instagram post

Taking to Instagram on their fifth marriage wrote: “no matter where life takes us,
no matter how loud the world gets, there’s always this – you, me and a hug that feels like home. Five years married to my best friend. My favourite story, always and forever. A Love Story Born on the Cricket Field.”

Sanjana and Bumrah’s love story has its roots in the game that brought them together. The couple first met during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in England, where Sanjana was working as a presenter and Bumrah was starring for India. Their professional paths crossed repeatedly over the following months, with their connection blossoming into romance.

After nearly two years of dating, the couple surprised fans by announcing their engagement in February 2021. They followed up with an intimate wedding ceremony on March 15 that same year at a resort in Goa, attended only by close family members due to COVID-19 restrictions. The low-key affair stood in stark contrast to the grand cricketing weddings the sport has often witnessed, reflecting the couple’s preference for privacy.

In September 2023, the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Angad. Bumrah, who had been recovering from a back injury at the time, took a brief paternity break before returning to international cricket. Since becoming parents, both Sanjana and Bumrah have occasionally shared glimpses of their family life, carefully balancing public affection with their desire to keep Angad away from the spotlight.

Also: Explained – Why Michael Vaughan called South Africa ‘the stupidest team’ of T20 World Cup 2026?

Bumrah’s stellar form: From T20 World Cup glory to personal milestones

The anniversary celebration comes at the peak of Bumrah’s professional career. Just one week ago, the 32-year-old pacer delivered a match-winning spell of 4/15 in the T20 World Cup 2026 final against New Zealand at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, earning the Player of the Match award and cementing his legacy as one of India’s greatest match-winners. He also finished as the tournament’s joint-leading wicket-taker alongside Varun Chakravarthy, with 14 scalps at an astonishing average of 12.43.

Meanwhile, for Sanjana, the past year has been equally eventful. She has established herself as one of the ICC’s most prominent presenters, covering major tournaments worldwide while also hosting her own cricket podcast. Her professional commitments have occasionally overlapped with Bumrah’s playing schedule – most notably during the 2025 tour of Australia, where Sanjana conducted several on-field interviews with her husband, much to fans’ delight.

Also READ: Former RCB coach takes blind rank challenge, puts Virat Kohli at No. 5 among 6 IPL captains