Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has clarified that the absence of several senior players from the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh national cricket team should not be interpreted as punishment following the team’s disappointing campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Pakistan crashed out before the knockout stage of the tournament, which was eventually won by India national cricket team in Ahmedabad. In the aftermath, the selectors opted to leave out experienced names such as Babar Azam, Saim Ayub and Naseem Shah from the squad for the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh. Hesson insisted the decision was purely about experimentation and providing opportunities to emerging players rather than dropping established stars. “I wouldn’t say anyone was dropped. We just see this series as an opportunity to give these promising players a chance to prove themselves,” he said. The former New Zealand coach explained that Pakistan have had limited opportunities to assess new talent in the 50-over format and the Bangladesh tour offers a timely platform, especially with the next ODI World Cup approaching. “Sahabzada Farhan has forced himself into the ODI squad because of his exceptional performances in T20s and then young players like Shamyl Hussain or Maaz Sadaqat have been doing well in domestic cricket and junior sides. “The series will not be easy as Bangladesh have been playing a lot more one-day cricket then us. I see this series as a big opportunity for these new players,” Hesson said. Meanwhile, tensions within Pakistan’s cricket setup have also come to light. Former Pakistan Test pacer Sikander Bakht revealed that disagreements had occurred between Hesson and members of the selection panel regarding squad decisions during the World Cup. Speaking on Geo News, Bakht claimed that every player selected for the tournament was Hesson’s choice and said the coach often overruled the selectors. “I was involved in an argument with him. Aleem also spoke up but the rest of the selectors just sat quietly and didn’t question Hesson’s decisions,” Sikander said. Bakht also disclosed that he and former international umpire Aleem Dar had both challenged the coach’s views during selection meetings. Dar recently stepped down from his role amid reports that he was unhappy with Hesson’s involvement in selection matters. According to Bakht, the selectors had initially provided a pool of 20 names, but Hesson finalised the squad on his own terms. Sikander further criticised the influence of Pakistan’s T20 captain Salman Ali Agha in selection discussions, adding another layer of controversy around the team’s decision-making process following their World Cup exit.

As celebrations from India’s historic T20 World Cup 2026 triumph continue across the country, attention is now shifting to Thiruvananthapuram, where one of the team’s biggest heroes, Sanju Samson, is set to receive a grand welcome. The Kerala government has announced plans for a special civic reception to honour the wicketkeeper-batter, who was named Player of the Tournament after playing a decisive role in India lifting their third T20 World Cup title.

For fans in Kerala, Samson’s success is more than just a cricketing achievement—it is a moment of immense pride for the state and especially for his hometown of Vizhinjam, where his remarkable journey began.

Kerala Government plans grand reception for Sanju Samson

The Kerala government has decided to organise an official reception for Samson in Thiruvananthapuram to celebrate his contribution to India’s World Cup victory over New Zealand in the final. The announcement was made by State General Education and Labour Minister V. Sivankutty, who described Samson as one of the key figures behind India’s triumph.

“Samson, who hails from the coastal town of Vizhinjam here, has brought immense pride to Keralites with his outstanding performance in the tournament,” the minister said in a statement.

While the exact date of the felicitation ceremony has not yet been finalised, government officials confirmed that the proposal has already been communicated to Samson. The event will be organised once the cricketer confirms his availability.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also praised Samson’s performance, calling it a proud moment for every Malayali. The Chief Minister highlighted the batter’s consistency throughout the tournament and the crucial role he played in the final, describing him as the “backbone of the Indian team.” Vijayan added that Samson’s journey is a powerful reminder that dedication and perseverance can turn even the biggest dreams into reality.

Also WATCH: Ishan Kishan celebrates T20 World Cup title win with girlfriend Aditi Hundia

Sanju Samson’s journey: From Vizhinjam’s beaches to the world stage

For the people of Vizhinjam, a coastal fishing village located about 20 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram, Samson’s success carries deep emotional significance. On the night of the final, residents gathered on the beach and in local grounds to watch the match on large screens. Fireworks lit up the sky as India sealed the victory, and celebrations continued well into the early hours of the morning.

Many locals also visited the church playground where Samson had practised as a young boy, remembering the days when he would train tirelessly with dreams of playing for India.

His remarkable performances during the T20 World Cup 2026 justified that perseverance. Samson scored 321 runs in just five innings, averaging over 80 while striking at nearly 200. His three consecutive match-winning fifties in the knockout stages – including 97 not out against West Indies, 89 against England in the semi-final, and another 89 in the final against New Zealand – cemented his place among India’s World Cup heroes.

After receiving the Player of the Tournament award, Samson dedicated the honour to his wife Charulatha Ramesh, thanking her for supporting him throughout the ups and downs of his career. Images of Charulatha holding the trophy on the team bus quickly went viral, capturing an emotional family moment.

Also READ: Sanju Samson’s wife – All you need to know about star batter’s pillar of strength Charulatha Remesh

India’s Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Sanju Samson (ANI Photo)

Four members of the title-winning India national cricket team — Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah — have been selected in the official Team of the Tournament for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after India secured a record third title.Leading the Indian contingent is Player of the Tournament Samson, who enjoyed a remarkable campaign at the top of the order. The wicketkeeper-batter amassed 321 runs in just five innings. Despite not starting the tournament in India’s playing XI, Samson made an immediate impact once introduced, producing Player of the Match performances against the West Indies national cricket team and the England national cricket team.

He capped his tournament in style by smashing 89 in the final against the New Zealand national cricket team — the highest individual score in a men’s T20 World Cup final.Kishan was another key performer in India’s batting line-up. The left-hander scored 317 runs, the fourth-highest tally in the tournament, while maintaining a striking rate of 193.29. Batting at the top of the order, Kishan delivered a standout 77 against the Pakistan national cricket team before shifting to number three later in the competition. He also played crucial innings against England and New Zealand, including a half-century in the final.All-rounder Pandya earned his place for contributions with both bat and ball. He struck two fifties during the tournament, highlighted by a blistering 52 off 28 balls against the Namibia national cricket team. With the ball, Pandya claimed nine wickets, often delivering breakthroughs at key moments.Bumrah, who was named Player of the Match in the final, completed India’s representation in the XI. The pace spearhead ended the tournament as the joint-leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets from eight matches and maintained an impressive economy rate of 6.21. His best performance came in the final where he produced figures of four for 15.The team’s opening slot is occupied by Sahibzada Farhan of the Pakistan national team, who finished as the leading run-scorer in the competition with 383 runs at an average of 76.60. His tournament featured two centuries, including knocks against the Sri Lanka national cricket team and Namibia.South Africa’s Aiden Markram has been named captain of the side, which also includes England’s Will Jacks, West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder, South African pacer Lungi Ngidi, England spinner Adil Rashid and Zimbabwe quick Blessing Muzarabani.Namibia’s Shadley van Schalkwyk has been named as the 12th player in the squad.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament:

Sahibzada Farhan, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Aiden Markram (c), Hardik Pandya, Will Jacks, Jason Holder, Jasprit Bumrah, Lungi Ngidi, Adil Rashid, Blessing Muzarabani12th player: Shadley van Schalkwyk.

NEW DELHI: With nearly 40% of India’s LNG flow hit due to the West Asia conflict, govt is working on an “optimisation plan” for industries, including priority segments such as fertiliser. Those familiar with the discussions said the petroleum ministry could work out the arrangement as early as Tuesday, with a reduction in supply to fertiliser sector not ruled out.“Fertiliser units will be given enough supply for them to operate at optimum level,” said a person in the know.Some of the fertiliser units are said to be advancing their maintenance shutdowns, and the lower gas availability won’t be so much of a concern for now due to the lean season. Besides, with sufficient urea stocks at its disposal, the industry is not overly worried. Fertiliser Association of India (FAI) said that India is entering agricultural lean season and kharif sowing will begin in June. “During this phase, fertiliser consumption typically remains moderate, allowing the industry to replenish inventories and undertake routine maintenance operations at production facilities.”Amid concerns over a possibly sharp cut, an industry executive said that fertiliser is a priority for govt and the reduction will not be drastic.The non-priority sectors will, however, need to make do with lower supplies and make alternate arrangements to meet their fuel requirements, insiders indicated.

Company executives said India continues to get 60% of its LNG supply from sources other than West Asia and efforts are underway to tie up more supplies, including from countries such as Australia and Canada. One of the challenges will be arranging for tankers that can ship the gas as well as ensuring that new sources of gas have surplus capacity to liquify the gas before it is loaded onto vessels.According to official data, there is sufficient stock of fertiliser, estimated to have increased 36.5% to 17.7 million tonnes as of Friday, compared with nearly 13 MTs a year ago. DAP and NPK inventories are 70-80% higher than last year, FAI said, adding that in case of phosphatic fertilizers India has diversified supplies, which offset the risk from one region.“Fertiliser reserves, which are significantly higher than last year, provide a vital operational cushion, ensuring that international logistics bottlenecks do not translate into domestic farm-gate shortages,” the fertilisers department said in a statement on Friday. It added that agencies had imported the soil nutrients in large quantities, which added up to 9.8 MTs till the end of Feb. Import of another 1.7 MTs has been tied up for the next three months. Some of this, however, may face disruption due to the conflict in West Asia.Currently, 60% of LNG used in urea manufacturing is imported from Qatar, which has been forced to stop production after a hit on the QatarEnergy facility by Iran.

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NEW DELHI: Young Indian cricketers Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma spoke candidly about their journeys of struggle, criticism and self-belief after playing key roles in India’s triumph at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Both batters struck half-centuries in the final as India defeated New Zealand national cricket team by 96 runs on Sunday to clinch their third T20 World Cup title. India had earlier won the tournament in 2007 and 2024.Kishan was one of India’s standout performers throughout the tournament, scoring three half-centuries. Abhishek, however, had a far more difficult journey leading up to the final.

The left-handed opener faced heavy criticism after failing to score in his first three matches of the tournament, registering ducks against the USA, Pakistan and the Netherlands. He finally broke the streak against South Africa but managed only 15 runs. A knock of 55 against Zimbabwe briefly lifted his confidence, but he struggled again in the following games, scoring just 10 and 9 against West Indies and England.Despite the poor run of form, the team management continued to back him. Their faith paid off in the most important match of the tournament. In the final, Abhishek delivered a stunning performance, smashing 52 off just 21 balls, including eight sixes, to provide India with a blistering start.Kishan’s journey to the World Cup was also far from easy. He had spent a long period out of the national team and was even left out of the central contracts list. However, he continued to work hard and waited patiently for his opportunity.The wicketkeeper-batter eventually earned his place back in the side after leading Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title earlier this year.After India’s victory in Ahmedabad, both players addressed the media and spoke about overcoming difficult phases in their careers.When asked about dealing with setbacks, Abhishek began responding before Kishan interrupted him, joking that his own struggles had lasted much longer, triggering laughter in the room.“I can also answer that. You were in bad form for a month, I spent two years out of team,” Kishan said as the duo broke into laughter.Reflecting on how he managed to stay mentally strong, Kishan stressed the importance of belief and resilience.“I think for me the most important thing is self belief. Because once you go into that self-doubt zone then that puts pressure on your game. That does not help individually and you are not also helping the team. So, self belief, hard work and when you help others in their bad time, it returns to you as well,” Ishan said.He added that his time in domestic cricket helped him change his perspective and focus on contributing more to the team environment.“So, this is what i learned in domestic. Instead just focussing on myself, I thought why should not I take the whole team forward…. Have good company, do hard work, be happy and never lose confidence in yourself. And you definitely have to improve your game,” Kishan, who led Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this year, said.After Kishan finished, Abhishek — who had dominated the bowlers in the final — took the microphone to share his thoughts.“Your company matters a lot in these times. If you are surrounded by people who are there to make you happy and make you feel that you have achieved something. Everyone (in the team) was so supportive and so happy. All the players, coaches and support staff, I never see any doubt on anyone’s face even though I was doubting myself,” Abhishek said.