India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav holds the T20 World Cup trophy with teammates. (PTI Photo)

After India’s emphatic win over New Zealand in the final, the spotlight now turns to the tournament’s standout performers. TOI’s team reflects India’s dominance, with as many as four players in our XI. The picks were based solely on those who contributed in a big fashion throughout the World Cup. World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav, unfortunately, misses out…Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan) The tournament’s highest run-getter. Became the first batsman to score two centuries in a single edition of the T20 World Cup. Even surpassed Virat Kohli’s 2014 record of most runs in a single edition of the Cup.Inns: 5 | Runs: 383 | SR: 160.2 | Ave: 76.6 | 100s/50s: 2/2

Sanju Samson (India) (c & wk) Walks in. Played just five matches and still finished as player of the tournament. The Indian top-order’s struggles against off-spin opened the door for him. Three successive, careerdefining knocks in the knockout stages turned him into one of the central figures of the title run. Set a new record for the most sixes (24) in a single edition. Has captaincy experience too.Inns: 5 | Runs: 321 | SR: 199.3 | Ave: 80.2 | 50s: 3ALSO READ: Team India Report Card: Perfect finish to a not-so-perfect T20 World Cup campaignIshan Kishan (India) Obvious choice. Hammered brisk halfcenturies in the group stages against Namibia and Pakistan while opening. The 77 off 40 against Pakistan was one of the best knocks. Was shifted to No. 3 yet managed to deliver high impact innings through the business end. Scored a 25-ball 54 in the final.Inns: 9 | Runs: 317 | SR: 193.3 | Ave: 35.2 | 50s: 3Jacob Bethell (England) Left-handed phenomenon produced a string of bold, counter-attacking innings. Standout moment was the 48-ball 105 while chasing a tall total against India. Also got England out of jail against Nepal.Inns: 8 | Runs: 280 | SR: 152.2 | Ave: 35 | 100s/50s: 1/1Shimron Hetmyer (West Indies) Provides acceleration in the middle overs. Can tear through spin. Smashed 85 off 34 balls against Zimbabwe and 64 off 36 against Scotland. Cameos against England and India also stood out. Hit 15 sixes against spinners, the most.Inns: 7 | Runs: 248 | SR: 186.5 | Ave: 41.3 | 50s: 2Hardik Pandya (India)Two players in one. With the ball, shouldered heavy workload at the death, sending down 8 overs between the 17th and 20th, the joint most. Was equally effective with the new ball, bowling 10 overs in the Powerplay. Hammered 114 runs in the death overs, the second-highest in that phase. Scored a rapid 27 off 12 balls before and took 2/38 to keep England at bay.Inns: 9 | Runs: 217 | SR: 160.7 | Ave: 27.1 | 50s: 2 | Wkts: 9 | ER: 8.8Will Jacks (England) Delivered a string of matchwinning, late-innings assaults — unbeaten 39 off 18 against Nepal. Blistering 53* off 22 vs Italy. Nerveless 32* off 18 in a dramatic win over New Zealand. His crafty off-spin proved equally valuable. His match-turning 3/22 knocked Sri Lanka off course in the Super 8s.Inns: 8 | Runs: 226 | SR: 176.5 | Ave: 56.5 | 50s: 1 | Wkts: 9 | ER: 9.7Jason Holder (West Indies) Gets in ahead of Shivam Dube. Dismantled Scotland with figures of 3/30. Followed it up with 4/27 against Nepal. Launched a late surge with a 33 off 17 against England. The composed 49 off 31 against South Africa and 37 not out off 22 balls against India also stood out.Matches: 7 | Wkts: 10 | ER: 8.8 | Runs: 141 | | SR: 174 | Ave: 35.2Adil Rashid (England) The obvious spin choice. Figures of 2/16 even as the West Indies surged to 196 at the Wankhede stood out. Was equally effective during the Super 8s in Sri Lanka, exploiting the spin-friendly surfaces. Took 2/41 against India in the semis as other bowlers were taken to the cleaners.Matches: 8 | Wkts: 13 | ER: 8.1 | Ave: 19.23 | SR: 14.1Lungi Ngidi (South Africa) The ‘mystery’ pacer, if ever there was one. Set the tone early with a four-wicket haul against Canada. Followed it up with a 3/26 in the dramatic 187-all contest against Afghanistan. The 3/30 against Windies was impressive. Delivered four overs of masterful change-of-pace bowling, using his slower balls to choke India in the Super 8s.Matches: 7 | Wkts: 12 | ER: 7.1 | Ave: 15.6 | SR: 13Jasprit Bumrah (India) The genius in the mix. India’s cheat code. Makes the opposition feel they have only 16 scoring overs. Stood out even in the losing cause against South Africa with figures of 3/15 despite the opposition posting 187. Saved his best for last, taking 4/15 to dismantle New Zealand in the final. Economy rate in Powerplay 5.9, through the middle overs 6.3 and 6.6 at the death! Truly amazing stuff.Matches: 8 | Wkts: 14 | ER: 6.2 | Ave: 12.4 | SR: 1212th man: Finn Allen (New Zealand) Gave New Zealand flying starts at the top of the order. Alongside Tim Seifert, formed a high-octane pair. The 100 not out off just 33 balls against South Africa in the semifinal was the fastest century in T20 World Cup history.Inns: 8 | Runs: 298 | SR: 200 | Ave: 49.6 | 100s/50s: 1/1

Veteran comedian Johny Lever has entertained audiences for decades, but his family once went through a deeply challenging phase when his son Jesse Lever was diagnosed with a tumour in his neck at a young age. In a recent conversation, his daughter Jamie Lever opened up about the difficult period and how faith helped the family cope.Speaking to Vickey Lalwani, Jamie recalled that Jesse was still in school when the family first realised something was wrong.

‘He had a tumour when he was in school’

Recalling the early signs, Jamie said, “He had a tumour when he was in school. At first, we didn’t understand what it was, but then it became uncontrollable. It started making him uncomfortable. He even changed the way he dressed to hide the tumour.”She added that as an elder sister she felt extremely protective of him. “As a sister, I felt like I needed to protect him. We were in the same school, and I was always very protective about him.”Jamie said the diagnosis soon led to the possibility of a complicated surgery that changed the family’s life.“We had to go into surgery, and it was very difficult and complicated. During that phase, our life changed completely. We were always a God-fearing family, but after this incident, things became very spiritual and real for us.”

‘Money and fame will fade away’

The experience also made the family reflect on what truly matters, Jamie shared.“It suddenly taught us that money and fame will fade away. What truly matters is family, faith, and being there for each other. During that time, we came together as a family, prayed a lot, and completely surrendered our lives to God.”Watching her parents go through the crisis was particularly painful for her.“I saw my parents go through a very tough time caring for their son. Jesse was a very pampered child. To see him go through surgery and recovery was heartbreaking. But today, we are very proud of the person he has become. He is extremely strong. If you see him today, you would never guess that he went through something like that.”Also See: Jamie Lever opens up about brother Jesse Lever’s tumour battle: ‘The first surgery failed and that phase was extremely difficult for all of us’

‘The first surgery in Mumbai failed’

Jamie also revealed that Jesse underwent two surgeries during the treatment process.“We had one surgery in Mumbai which failed. Then we had another surgery in America, which was a very long one. So he went through two surgeries. It was a two-year process.”During that time, the family turned deeply to prayer.“When the first surgery failed, we started praying a lot. As a family, we would constantly pray. People would come to our house and pray with us. When my parents took Jesse to America for the second surgery, we stayed in India and prayed 24/7.”

‘My dad went down on his knees and prayed’

Jamie also recalled an emotional moment involving her father.“My dad went down on his knees and asked God if he should let his son go through the second surgery. At that moment, he felt as if he heard God’s voice telling him, ‘Go for it.’”Interestingly, the trip to the United States was not initially planned for treatment.“We had gone to the US for a summer holiday. My parents were just trying to fulfil every wish Jesse had because he was unwell.”According to Jamie, a chance encounter in a church led them to the hospital where Jesse eventually underwent surgery.“We were in a church when a priest noticed him and asked what had happened. When we told him about the tumour, he gave us the name of a hospital and said, ‘God is going to heal him.’ It felt like a sign from God, so we immediately followed up. The surgery happened there, and he came out fine.”

‘We would never return to that lifestyle’

Jamie said the experience changed the family’s perspective on fame and life.“After that, we decided we would never return to the lifestyle where fame got into our heads. My dad had gone through a phase where he became an alcoholic and was away from home a lot. It was a traumatic time for us. But that phase ultimately brought us closer as a family. Today, fame and money don’t affect us the way they once did.”She added that the siblings now remain connected to their faith through music at church.“Now we go to church every Sunday. Whenever I’m not shooting or performing, I sing in church. My brother plays the drums, and I sing. We absolutely love doing it.”

Former England batter Mark Butcher went on to praise Gautam Gambhir and team India‘s performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He not only praised the winners as a unit but also praised their strategy to move on from prioritizing individual milestones.

India won the second T20 World Cup in a row, but it seemed evident that they had moved ahead of the idea of just one player contributing to the run tally or the pile of wickets. This World Cup win for India was a combination of efforts from every member of that playing XI.

Ever since Gautam Gambhir took charge of the India team as their head coach, he had worked hard, tried several combinations, and then finalized the team for the ICC T20 World Cup, which, according to him, could secure all ends, and it did.

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India and Pakistan’s contrasting fortunes in ICC tournaments

The Men in Blue have been the best side in ICC tournaments over the last three years. The last time they lost an ICC tournament knockout game was back in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. India lost the finals against Australia, and since then, they have been unstoppable.

India, under Rohit Sharma, broke their World Cup jinx after winning the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup in Barbados. He then led them to the Champions Trophy triumph in 2025 in Dubai. With the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 win, India have now won three back-to-back ICC tournaments.

Pakistan, on the other hand, have been very unfortunate over the past four ICC tournaments. The last time they made it to the knockouts was back in 2022 against England in the T20 World Cup final. Since then, they have been knocked out of four ICC tournaments without making it to the semi-finals.

England star praises Gautam Gambhir’s farsightedness in T20s, mocks Pakistan over backdated mentality

Former England batter Mark Butcher praised Gautam Gambhir’s philosophy for moving away from the superstar culture and focusing on a more formidable team effort. Butcher also criticized India’s arch-rival, Pakistan, since the Men in Green are still stuck on personal milestones.

“There’s quite a stark contrast there in the way that their neighbours in Pakistan are still stuck in the idea of personal milestones and individual superstars. Gautam Gambhir, who’s had his detractors over his time in charge, has basically walked away from that mantra and has built a team,” Butcher said on India’s dominant run.

“The point is that in order to win a game of T20 cricket, no matter who the star is, whether it’s a bowling team who are brilliant defensively or a bowling team that knocks a team over for 120 and then you chase them down in 10 overs, it’s the whole that gets you the result,” he added.

Bumrah won that game for India- Mark Butcher declares

Butcher went on to claim that bowlers are the crucial axis of any team in any format of the game. He highlighted the massive scoring contest between India and England, where the Indian bowlers restricted them from securing the most thrilling World Cup semi-final win.

In that contest, while all bowlers were taken for runs, Bumrah secured an incredible show with just 33 runs in his 4 overs. He bowled the 18th over and gave away just 6 runs while England needed 45 runs in the last three overs.

“Look at India’s win over England in the semi-final, there were lots of complaints that there was nothing in it for the bowlers. Bowlers won that game –Bumrah won that game for India. His two overs in the final five… those two overs stopped England in their tracks and stopped England from pulling off the most extraordinary run chase you’ll have seen in a semi-final,” said Butcher (via the aforementioned source).

“That’s why I hold no truck with the idea that bowlers are not important in T20 cricket; they absolutely are, as they are in every format of the game,” he added.

ALSO READ: IPL 2026 fixtures revealed; RCB to play……

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has criticised ex-Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir for his remarks about India’s young opener Abhishek Sharma following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.Abhishek, who had been under heavy criticism for his poor form earlier in the tournament, bounced back in style in the final against New Zealand national cricket team. The youngster smashed a crucial half-century, giving India national cricket team a blazing start and laying the foundation for victory.

India went on to defeat New Zealand by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, clinching their third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title after earlier triumphs in 2007 and 2024.The road to the final, however, was far from smooth for Abhishek. The left-handed opener endured a difficult start to the tournament, registering three consecutive ducks at the beginning of the campaign.During that lean phase, Amir criticised the youngster and labelled him a “slogger”. However, the criticism proved premature as India went on to lose just one match in the tournament, with Abhishek playing a key role in the final.Basit Ali expressed disappointment over the harsh criticism directed at the young batter and said he would welcome players of Abhishek’s calibre in Pakistan’s team.“Even if he has scored three ducks, form is temporary, but class is permanent. When people start giving such a classy player names, it honestly feels disappointing to me. The kind of names being thrown around… I just wish we had two or three players like him in our country as well,” Ali said at TV show on ARY News.After India’s title-winning victory over New Zealand in Ahmedabad, Abhishek spoke about the difficult phase he experienced during the tournament and the support he received from the team management.“I mean, of course, but the one thing was very clear… the coach and the captain, they had the faith in me. And even I was doubting myself because it was not an easy tournament for me. I’ve never experienced this before, but still playing the first World Cup,” he said while speaking to the broadcasters after the final.The young opener added that the confidence shown by captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir played a big role in helping him stay focused despite his struggles.“Everyone was so, so much into me that you’re going to win one game, one big game, one big game. So I was just doing my process, but it wasn’t that easy as a young player… going through this phase.”Abhishek also spoke emotionally about the support he received from his teammates throughout the competition.“I think I just love this team, the way they treated me in those days. It was… I’ve never felt it before.”

MUMBAI/CHENNAI: Shockwaves from US and Israeli strikes on Iran may seem distant from India’s shores, but for Indian industry, the impact is already hitting home. Gas curbs, production cuts, export delays, and constantly rising operating costs are rippling through fertiliser plants, ceramic kilns, sanitary ware units, textile mills, and tyre factories. In Gujarat, Triveni Iron and Steel Industries is bracing for a 50% production cut, as its heavy reliance on West Asian liquefied natural gas (LNG) leaves it exposed to supply disruptions. Jindal Stainless expects delays in steel shipments as the conflict snarls trade routes and logistics. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) has temporarily suspended fuel exports while struggling to secure crude oil cargoes amid rising uncertainty. Industry executives warn that tensions in major oiland gas-producing regions can quickly disrupt global energy supply chains. MS Banani, joint managing director of Axiom Gas Engineering, recalls that similar disruptions during the Iraq war drove crude prices to nearly $140 a barrel, triggering sharp increases in LNG, LPG, petrol, and diesel. The current conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the US is again placing pressure on Gulf supply routes, creating procurement challenges, delays, and rising costs for Indian importers, Banani said.

To manage the crisis, India has invoked emergency powers to prioritise LPG supplies for households. Fertiliser plants, tea processors, and other priority sectors will receive LNG first. Energy giants like Reliance Industries (RIL) and ONGC have been ordered to maximise LPG output while restricting its use for petrochemical manufacturing. RIL said it is ramping up LPG production at its Jamnagar refining and petrochemical complexes to stabilise domestic supplies. Natural gas from its KG-D6 basin will be diverted to priority sectors, in line with government directives and national energy priorities, it added. V K Vijayakumar, chief investment strategist at Geojit Investments, said that while the situation is manageable for now, prolonged disruptions could lead to physical shortages affecting transport, hospitality, and industrial sectors. LPG supplies are being prioritised for households, but if Brent crude remains above $90 a barrel, businesses could face mounting cost pressures. Tyre manufacturers are also under strain, as crude-oil derivatives like synthetic rubber and carbon black account for nearly 70% of their raw materials. Erratic LPG supply is already affecting forging companies. “We are seeing some shortages in LPG, which is essential for running our operations, as private players are struggling with supplies,” said the CEO of a forging manufacturer. With 80–85% of LPG directed to domestic households, commercial and industrial users have a limited share, leaving them vulnerable during disruptions. Apparel exporters, already battered by months of punitive US tariffs, are grappling with rising costs. In Tiruppur, more than 450 small and medium dyeing units rely on gas-fired boilers and are now struggling to maintain production amid spiking raw material prices, including caustic soda, acetic acid, sodium sulphate, and ferroxide. Gandhi Rajan, head of the dyeing units’ owners’ association, said most units typically have gas reserves for about 15 days, beyond which shutdowns become inevitable.

NASHIK: The Kolgaon gram panchayat in Ahilyanagar’s Shrigonda on Sunday passed a resolution to penalise individuals using abusive language involving someone’s mother or sister. The idea emerged when a woman from an agricultural family and a self-help Group member suggested it during a felicitation programme organised to honour women achievers in the village on the occasion of the International Women’s Day.Kolgaon, a village of around 9,000 residents comprising diverse castes and religions, primarily relies on agriculture. On Sunday, in line with govt directives, a special women’s gram sabha was convened under the chairpersonship of senior anganwadi sevika (worker) Shakuntala Deshmukh.Sarpanch Purushottam Lagad told TOI that during the sabha, women who had made noteworthy contributions to agriculture and other fields were felicitated. “It was during this event that Puja Jagtap proposed taking action against villagers who use abusive expressions referring to someone’s mother or sister,” Lagad said.

The issue raised by Puja Jagtap prompted a detailed discussion at the gram sabha. “After considerable deliberation, it was decided to impose a fine of Rs 500 on anyone found using such derogatory language,” the sarpanch said.To prevent the misuse of the rule, it was agreed that fines would be levied only when digital evidence was provided. “Since the proposal originated from women, the panchayat urged them (and, if required, their children) to take the lead in identifying offenders,” Lagad said, adding that the collected fines would be used for village development.Jagtap told TOI, “Insulting someone by referring to their mother or sister has become extremely common. Girls grow up to become women who shoulder family responsibilities. Their identities should not be demeaned to the point where such abuses are accepted casually.”The gram sabha also passed a resolution regarding cleanliness, urging residents to maintain the cleanliness at their homes and commercial establishments. Anyone found violating this, based on photographic evidence submitted to the gram panchayat, would be fined Rs 100.Besides, Lagad said for the past year, following another resolution, village children study from 7pm to 9pm without any television or cellphone usage at home — a rule that even parents follow.

NEW DELHI: Exercising exclusive Art 142 powers, Supreme Court Tuesday ordered setting up of a tribunal comprising retired Chief Justice and ex-judges of Calcutta and neighbouring HCs to decide appeals against judicial officers’ orders rejecting claims for inclusion in the Bengal voter list post special intensive revision.A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi stuck to its order that no bureaucrat acting as ERO would sit in appeal against rulings of judicial officers drafted to scan documents of 60 lakh voters in ‘logical discrepancy’ and ‘unmapped’ category.Cal HC CJ to nominate ex-CJ, judges: SC SC gave a free hand to Calcutta HC CJ to nominate the former CJ and judges and directed EC to notify the tribunal in consultation with the HC CJ and the retired CJ.The CJI-led bench took exception to a raft of applications of TMC supporters and private persons relating to SIR work and process, dismissed the applications, and warned of contempt action if such attempts are made in future.SC was unhappy also over delay in creation of secure IDs for judicial officers by EC and said, “A stage has come where we have doubts about the bona fides of both the state govt and the EC.” It asked the EC to ensure that there was no delay in creating the IDs for the judicial officers to allow them to work without any delay.The CJI said Calcutta HC CJ had informed SC that more than 500 judicial officers from Bengal and 200 from Jharkhand and Odisha had been working seven days a week and have disposed of more than 10 lakh claim applications.At the commencement of hearing, senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy attempted to press for the applications in absence of an appellate forum for voters whose claims have been rejected by judicial officers. SC said, “As CJI, I will not permit anyone to dare question the work of judicial officers. I am issuing a warning.”It was advocate Kalyan Banerjee who articulated the grievances and said when 10 lakh claims have been decided, why EC is not publishing supplementary voter list, as was directed by SC, containing the names of those whose claims have been accepted?Banerjee also said that the rejection of claims must be accompanied by reasons to enable aggrieved person to appeal against it before a specified forum. The bench told both state govt and EC to facilitate the judicial officers, who are working as agents of SC, to carry out their work smoothly.“We have taken great risk in assigning the SIR work to judicial officers, who are working tirelessly. But the risk is worth it as it (preparation of voter list) is very important for free and fair elections. Citizens have a constitutional right to get included in voter lists, but not intruders and illegal migrants,” the CJI said.

Indian cricket fans have eagerly been waiting for the IPL 2026 schedule to be revealed, and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia provided an insight into that on Tuesday. Though the schedule is yet to be announced, the update brings along good news for the fans.

The BCCI were busy hosting the ICC T20 World Cup, and with Sri Lanka and Pakistan out of the equation ahead of the semi-finals, they hosted the semi-finals as well as the final on their soil. India also became the first-ever side to win the title on home soil.

Amid the ongoing positive environment in India after the World Cup triumph, the BCCI has announced the probable date for announcing the first half of the IPL schedule.

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IPL 2026 schedule to be announced in two halves

The IPL will be held from the 28th of March, which was officially confirmed by the official broadcasters of India’s most prestigious T20 franchise league, Star Sports, ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup final match between India and New Zealand.

However, due to the impending elections across several states in India, the release of the IPL schedule has been delayed for a long period. The elections will be held in the states of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the coming months.

The BCCI Secretary, Devajit Saikia, announced on Tuesday that the BCCI will be announcing the 20-day schedule of the IPL first, and the remainder of the schedule will be announced later. There might be adjustments needed to be made to venues due to the elections.

“We will announce the first 20-day schedule of IPL in 2 or 3 days after considering the election dates in a few states and will announce the rest of the tournament schedule later,” Saikia said to ANI.

Virat Kohli’s RCB to return to Chinnaswamy for IPL 2026

Indian cricketing legend Virat Kohli will be seen back on the field from the 28th of March, since RCB will mark the beginning of the proceedings after they lifted the IPL trophy for the first time in 18 seasons in 2025. They are the defending champions and will play the first game.

However, RCB faced a massive blow to their victorious season after their victory celebrations were ruined by an unfortunate incident at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. The stampede, which resulted in the death of RCB fans and injured many, led to the suspension of operations at the very venue.

The KSCA Secretary Santosh Menon went on to announce that RCB will return to their home ground in IPL 2026, and the Chinnaswamy, which is now operational, will host 5 of their home matches.

Chinnaswamy finalized as the venue for the IPL 2026 final

The KSCA President and the Secretary, Venkatesh Prasad and Santosh Menon, have worked very hard to meet several demands that were laid out in the report submitted to the Karnataka government to initiate proceedings at the stadium.

The secretary had confirmed that the venue will be hosting the IPL 2026 final, along with one of the playoff matches in the tournament. However, it is notable that two of RCB’s home matches will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

ALSO READ: NOT Rohit Sharma! Suryakumar Yadav credits MS Dhoni after ICC Men’s T20 WC 2026 glory