NEW DELHi: India’s commanding win in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final has sparked strong reactions worldwide, especially from neighbours Pakistan. Former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar controversially said that India’s dominance has “ruined cricket.”India dominated New Zealand in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium, winning by 96 runs to claim their third T20 World Cup title. While most cricket experts praised India’s flawless performance, Shoaib Akhtar criticised the team on the Tapmad show Game On Hai, saying India was like a “rich kid” dominating a neighborhood game.

“It’s like when there’s one rich kid in a neighbourhood who calls all the poor kids and says, ‘Come, let’s play cricket.’ That’s exactly what India is doing with us. Out of eight teams, they keep four, and out of those four they call three again and move forward, and then they say, ‘See, I’ve won.’ They have ruined cricket entirely,” Akhtar said.

Interestingly, Akhtar had spoken differently before the final. While calling India the favourites, he said he hoped New Zealand would win “for cricket’s sake.”“I feel New Zealand might be bogged down in front of India, but India also have the pressure of 1.5 billion people. They have already lost a match in the World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad. I see India as the winner out of all this, but for cricket’s sake, it’s high time New Zealand won this World Cup,” he had said earlier.Despite his criticism, Akhtar admitted one reason for India’s success. He praised coach Gautam Gambhir for supporting players during tough times, saying that this kind of trust can make a big difference in major tournaments.India made cricket history on Sunday by beating New Zealand by 96 runs at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. They became the first team to defend the Men’s T20 World Cup title, the first to win three T20 World Cups, and the first to lift the trophy on home soil.

Australia Women have unveiled their squad for the upcoming white-ball tour of the West Indies, with wicketkeeper-batter Tahlia Wilson receiving her maiden international call-up. The 15-player squad will be led by Sophie Molineux, who is set to captain the side in both the T20I and ODI series during the Caribbean tour scheduled from March 19 to April 2.

The tour will feature three T20 Internationals followed by three One-Day Internationals, with matches to be played in St Vincent and St Kitts. Notably, the ODI leg of the tour will form part of the ICC Women’s Championship, adding extra significance to the series as teams continue their qualification race for the next Women’s World Cup.

Tahlia Wilson rewarded for consistent domestic performances

Wilson’s selection marks a major milestone in her cricketing journey. The young wicketkeeper-batter has impressed consistently in domestic competitions and now gets the opportunity to step onto the international stage with one of the strongest teams in women’s cricket.

Her inclusion adds depth to Australia’s wicketkeeping options alongside experienced campaigner Beth Mooney. Selectors believe Wilson’s recent performances and ability to contribute with both bat and gloves made her a deserving candidate for the Caribbean tour.

This call-up also highlights Australia’s continued focus on grooming new talent while maintaining their strong core of senior players.

Sophie Molineux set to lead Australia across formats

Molineux will captain the side for the full tour, marking her first series as Australia’s leader across both limited-overs formats. The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder previously stepped in as captain during the T20I leg of Australia’s recent series against India.

Although Molineux missed the final two ODIs of that series due to a back issue, selectors confirmed that she has made encouraging progress in her recovery. While she is expected to lead the side, the management may monitor her workload carefully and allow her to choose the matches she participates in if required.

Her leadership will be supported by several experienced names including Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner and Megan Schutt, giving the squad a strong balance of youth and experience.

Also WATCH: Ashleigh Gardner and Ellyse Perry lift Alyssa Healy on their shoulders as Australia legend bids farewell to international cricket

Annabel Sutherland rested as Grace Harris misses T20 selection

One of the most notable absentees from the squad is all-rounder Annabel Sutherland, who will miss the tour as part of Cricket Australia’s workload management plan. Sutherland has been a key figure across formats in recent seasons, but the team management has opted to provide her with a break amid a packed international schedule.

Grace Harris is another big name missing from the squad. The powerful batter was part of the T20I team that recently faced India, but she has not been included for the West Indies tour.

Meanwhile, Lucy Hamilton and Nicola Carey have retained their places after being involved in the India series, indicating the selectors’ confidence in their recent performances.

Australia women squad for West Indies: Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham, Tahlia Wilson.

Also READ: Australia hand Alyssa Healy a winning farewell with 10 wickets win over India in the one-off Test

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

For over four decades, Shiamak Davar has shaped the language of contemporary dance in India, blending global techniques with theatrical storytelling. His latest production, Tesseract – The Geometry of Truth , brought to audiences by The Times of India , is among his most ambitious theatrical explorations yet. The visually immersive musical play merges dance, theatre, music, dialogue and artificial intelligence, inviting audiences to reflect not on where humanity has been, but on what kind of future we are choosing to build.Mounted on a scale reminiscent of grand Broadway and West End spectacles, the production brings together lead performers Megan Murray and Pia Sutaria alongside nearly a hundred dancers, weaving movement, narrative and technology into a sweeping stage experience. As Shiamak Davar takes on the dual role of director and choreographer, he reflects on the challenge of translating an abstract, philosophical idea into rhythm, movement and visual spectacle – while continuing to push the boundaries of what Indian dance theatre can be.To begin with, tell us about your collaboration with The Times of India for Tesseract .I love the fact that this is literally like a tribute to The Times Of India . Being the director and the choreographer, I have tried to keep the script alive. What I really enjoyed was the process. I also thoroughly enjoyed designing the costumes and props, because that’s my forte for all my shows. For me, it’s been a wonderful climb.

The show is anchored by lead performers Megan Murray and Pia Sutaria along with 100 dancers that will bring the narrative to life. The production blends movement, dialogue and storytelling at a scale associated with major Broadway and West End spectacles. As a director and choreographer, what excited and intimidated you about mounting a production of this magnitude?I’m always daunted. I cannot be content or look at projects and think that I’ve arrived. I’m always pushing – pushing myself, the crew, the dancers and choreography. I believe that I am always a work in progress. Every project is as important to me – whether it’s a small project with eight dancers or a thousand dancers for big events. There’s always a lot of work to be done. I’m never really satisfied till the production is entirely done.Read Also | Interstellar, Einstein and the strange elasticity of timeThe theme itself – moving from humanity to science and AI – is philosophical and layered. How do you choreograph something like that?That was the difficult part, to direct and choreograph it because the script weaves into the songs and the songs weave into the script with the audio visuals. My associate director Anahita Oberoi worked with me a lot in blending the scenes with the actors. The script by Zaveri is unusual. It’s literally like another fourth-dimensional script. I like to push boundaries. I want the audience to think, ‘What is this and what are we talking about?’ It’s not a usual love story. It’s something really different from our space. Tesseract will put you on a quest to find the purpose of truth.How did you approach creating choreography which is fluid and simple and connects with the audience,while making it visually dynamic?I had to keep the choreography simple but effective and powerful visually. Since I love designing my costumes and props, I try to blend that with the whole theme of each song. Everything has to become one – the visuals, theme, costumes, acting and the songs. The violin will tell me what to do, the drums will tell me what to do, the script will tell me what to do. You’ve also incorporated ballet and tap – forms that are not as widely explored in India.I have flown in two dancers from LA – Matisse and Aaron – because one does tap dance and the other does ballet. So, there’s ballet, tap, jazz, funk, Shiamak style and contemporary. The script required all of this. Do you see ballet as a dance form growing in India?Ballet is key for all dancers. If there’s no ballet training, it’s very difficult for dancers to push their potential. Even if you’re doing hip-hop, jazz, funk, house – any form requires ballet. When Timothée Chalamet said ballet and opera are not his thing, I think he’s misinformed about the arts. Without ballet, opera and the arts, you won’t understand the discipline. The arts are something else. It’s like God comes within you. Dance, song, acting, poetry, painting – the arts are alive, far more than before.“Tesseract: The Geometry of Truth” is produced by The Times of India, with concept and visualisation by Meera Jain.Experience “Tesseract: The Geometry of Truth”, running from 16 to 22 March 2026 at NCPA Mumbai. Book here

US President Donald Trump said Monday (local time) that Cuba could face a “friendly takeover” of its communist government, but warned that it could also happen in a less friendly way if the island did not make a deal with the United States.Speaking at a news conference that largely focused on the ongoing US military campaign against Iran, Trump said, “It may be a friendly takeover, it may not be a friendly takeover.” Trump said Cuba’s leadership was under pressure because the country was facing a serious economic and humanitarian crisis.“They’re really, they’re down to, as I say, fumes. They have no energy. They have no money. They’re in deep trouble on a humanitarian basis,” Trump said.Trump further argued that Cuba had depended for years on support from Venezuela. That support, he said, has weakened after the United States captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro earlier this year on charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism.“Venezuela sends them no energy, no fuel, no oil, no money, no nothing. Without Venezuela, they couldn’t have made it,” Trump said, adding that the United States had also increased economic pressure on the island. “We cut them off from everything else. So yeah, they’re going to make either a deal or we’ll do it just as easy anyway,” he said.According to Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was handling discussions with Cuba’s leadership in an effort to avoid military confrontation.Reports suggest that talks may involve areas such as ports, energy and tourism. Discussions have also included possible arrangements for Cuban President Miguel Diaz‑Canel and members of the Castro family if political changes took place in the country.After the news conference, Trump visited a Venezuelan restaurant in the area where he met an elderly man who said he hoped to travel to a free Cuba with him. Trump replied that they would go to Cuba together.Relations between the United States and Cuba have remained tense since Fidel Castro overthrew a US-backed government in 1959 and established a communist regime. Some efforts were made to improve ties, especially during the presidency of Barack Obama, when diplomatic relations were partly restored. However, many of those steps were later rolled back under Donald Trump. Soon after beginning his second term, Trump reinstated Cuba on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.

ULHASNAGAR: Differences between ruling allies resurfaced in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) on Sunday when corporators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) boycotted a Women’s Day programme organised by the civic body. The boycott came after the invitation card for the event allegedly did not carry the name of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.The event was organised by the UMC’s Child Welfare Department under the guidance of Mayor Ashwini Kamlesh Nikam, who was elected on a Shiv Sena ticket. The programme was held to mark International Women’s Day and to honour women from the city who have made a distinct contribution to society.According to BJP leaders, the invitation card mentioned the names of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and Member of Parliament Shrikant Shinde. However, they claimed that the name of CM Devendra Fadnavis was missing, which they said was mandatory as per protocol.The invitation cards were reportedly distributed to several women achievers in the city, corporators, and party office-bearers. While the card included the names of the Deputy Mayor and BJP MLA from the city, Kumar Ailani, BJP leaders said the omission of the chief minister’s name was a matter of concern.BJP district president and party group leader in the UMC, Rajesh Vadhrya, alleged that the omission was deliberate. “If the name of the Deputy CM was mentioned on the invitation, it was mandatory as per protocol to include the name of the CM as well. Since this was not done, we decided to boycott the programme,” he said.Vadhrya also demanded action from UMC Commissioner Manisha Awhale against the civic officials responsible for issuing the invitation without following protocol.Responding to the controversy, Mayor Ashwini Nikam said the programme was not political in nature. “This was not a political event. As a woman mayor, along with the woman municipal commissioner, we organised this programme to honour women who have contributed to society and created their own identity. It is not right to politicise such an event,” she said.Meanwhile, UMC Public Relations Officer Ajay Sable said he was not aware of any issue regarding the invitation card.

NEW DELHI: India’s push into human spaceflight is drawing the country’s top medical institute into the mission. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Human Space Flight Centre on Monday signed an agreement to collaborate on space medicine, opening the door for research on how the human body behaves in space — and how those insights could improve healthcare on Earth.The collaboration establishes a framework for ground-based and space-based research in areas including human physiology, cardiovascular and autonomic regulation, musculoskeletal health in microgravity, microbiome and immunology, genomics and biomarkers, and behavioural health.Explaining the medical significance of such studies, Prof K K Deepak, former head of physiology at AIIMS, said research on how the human body behaves in space can also help doctors better understand diseases on Earth. “In microgravity, astronauts experience muscle loss, bone weakening and fluid shifts in the body — changes that resemble accelerated ageing. Studying these processes helps scientists understand how ageing affects muscles, bones and circulation in people on Earth,” he said.Technologies developed to counter these effects in astronauts, such as devices that improve blood flow in the legs, could also help treat patients with circulation problems and help maintain muscle strength, he added.AIIMS director Prof M Srinivas said the collaboration would open new frontiers in medical research. “This MoU will give us the escape velocity to venture into space medicine. Research between AIIMS and ISRO will benefit patients, the nation and ultimately humankind,” he said.Addressing the gathering, Narayanan highlighted the journey of India’s space programme from its early days—when rockets and equipment were transported using bicycles and bullock carts—to its present position as a global leader in space technology. He said partnerships with institutions such as AIIMS will play an important role in strengthening India’s human spaceflight capabilities.The programme also included an overview of AIIMS’ ongoing work in space medicine research presented by Prof Deepak. Officials said the partnership marks a step toward strengthening India’s capabilities in human spaceflight and biomedical research as the country advances its space ambitions.The memorandum of understanding was signed by AIIMS director M. Srinivas and Dinesh Kumar Singh, director of ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre, in the presence of ISRO chairman and secretary, department of space, V. Narayanan, along with senior faculty and students from the institute.

US military has released a video showing a strike on a concelaed Iranian missile launcher. The footage was posted on social media by United States Central Command (CENTCOM). The video shows a missile launcher hidden under a bridge-like structure before being targeted in the strike.CENTCOM shared the video with a caption saying: “The Iranian regime can try to hide their missile launchers, but US forces won’t stop looking. When we find them, we’re taking them out.”The strike comes during the ongoing Iran war, which began on February 28 after joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel targeted Iranian military sites, leadership and infrastructure.

Iran Unleashes Missiles Across Middle East, US Bases Hit As Regional War Threat Rapidly Grows

The attacks killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with several senior officials. The strikes were followed by retaliatory attacks on US assets in the Middle East and on residential areas in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. After Khamenei’s death, his son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen as his successor.US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the war against Iran could be short-lived, but he did not rule out the possibility that it could escalate further. “I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” the president said, speaking from his golf club in Doral, Florida, according to CBS News. “(Iran has) no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones.”In response to Trump’s remarks, a spokesperson for Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Iran, not Trump, would decide when the conflict ends. “Iran will determine when the war ends,” he said, according to Iranian state media.The war has also disrupted global energy supplies, reducing major oil and gas shipments to world markets and pushing fuel prices higher world over.

AHMEDABAD: There have been subtle changes for the better in Sanju Samson’s game. The T20 World Cup’s player of the tournament now has a remarkable steadiness when he plays his shots or is charging the bowler. The fidgety, twitchy version of Samson we saw earlier is gone.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The changes can be attributed to the lean run prior to the World Cup in the T20I series against New Zealand, which led to his omission from the squad and prompted serious introspection.With opposition teams targeting India with off-spin early in the Powerplay to neutralise left-hander Abhishek Sharma’s power hitting, and with Rinku Singh being under-utilised down the order, India rejigged their lineup and brought in Sanju.

Suddenly, the pieces seemed to fit and India had the perfect batting order for the occasion. Samson smashed three crucial, consecutive half-centuries, was India’s leading scorer with 321 runs from five innings and has probably hit upon the kind of consistency which eluded him for long periods of his career.Now, Samson is also the leading Indian run-scorer in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.ALSO READ: Team India Report Card: Perfect finish to a not-so-perfect T20 World Cup campaign“As soon as we brought him (back), the game changed completely (for us),” captain Suryakumar Yadav said.“He started batting differently. That was a positive call for him. I saw him working very hard. When someone doesn’t play, what he does (outside the playing field) is more important. He did everything he could for the team when he was not playing. The last three to four innings he has batted for the team, it is a result of all the hard work he has put in,” said Surya, highlighting the hard yards in the nets by the opener.One of Samson’s earliest coaches, Biju George, told TOI, “Every batsman over a long tournament brings in minute adjustments. He just kept faith in his ability and backed himself. He kept hitting straight and strong.”Sanju’s batting now has the distinct clarity it lacked earlier. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said Samson had changed his approach from the bilateral series earlier.“Unfortunate for us, he was saving his runs for the World Cup. In a few of those games, he looked like he was trying to hit from ball one. Now, he gave himself a chance, gave himself a few balls. On these wickets, when you’re in, you can really cash in,” Santner said.