Jasprit Bumrah of India celebrates the wicket of Shimron Hetmyer of West Indies during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Super 8 match between India and West Indies at Eden Gardens on March 01, 2026 in Kolkata, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

TimesofIndia.com in Mumbai: The mercury reached uncomfortable levels on Wednesday, with weather forecast apps flashing a “danger of dehydration and heatstroke if outside for extended periods of time” warning. There were occasional moderate breezes, but they were not strong enough to make it a pleasant afternoon. The pitch baked under the harsh sun for most of the day, and the ground staff gently rolled it to keep it game-ready for the semi-final between India and England.From a distance, it seemed to have a nice green tinge, but it was the typical misleading sub-continent green. Its only role was to bind the surface together and prevent it from deteriorating and drying more than normal. The centre strip naturally drew the most attention when the two teams trained on the eve of the match, and both camps hummed similar tunes as they expect it to offer plenty of runs. When India trained two days before the match, light dew started settling on the outfield, but it was not alarming. However, the sudden shift in the weather pattern could make it another talking point.

India bowling coach Morne Morkel delved deeply into the subject, explaining at length why the extra bounce at the venue is a double-edged sword. Having played and watched a lot of cricket at the Wankhede, Morkel asserted that margins here are smaller than at most venues because the “ball travels.”“Look, I think the dew is always a big concern. But that’s again something you can’t control, which is the toss. I think here at Wankhede there’s always that extra bit of bounce. Guys can trust the bounce and hit through the line. But in saying that, that can also, as a bowler, bring you into the game. I just felt, or feel, that the margins here are a lot smaller, the ball travels. It’s quite a small ground. So, yeah, you just need to be really fighting for that over, stay in the moment and compete every ball because, like I said, a batter’s strength can also be his weakness on this surface. So it’s sometimes not to go too defensive and to keep attacking, because opportunities can come,” said Morkel in the pre-match presser.The last time India played England at this venue, they won by 150 runs. In that game, Abhishek Sharma smashed a 54-ball 135, including 13 sixes and seven boundaries, and the opener later picked up two wickets to seal an emphatic win. The stakes, however, are different this time because this is not an inconsequential bilateral fixture but the semi-final of the T20 World Cup.Harry Brook-led England have aced different conditions to progress to the semi-final stage, and Morkel is wary of the challenges they bring to the table. The former South African cricketer felt that the team which holds its nerve, reads the conditions well and is quickest will probably be the one that flies to Ahmedabad.“Playing against England, they’re a team that’s street smart. Obviously, there’s a lot of quality in their side, batting quite long and deep, which makes them a very dangerous side. And then with the ball also, they’ve got wicket-taking options. I think the way they approach a T20 game, fearless and trying to take the game on, will give you opportunities and makes them a dangerous side. So I feel tomorrow is going to be a good shootout between two aggressive teams. And the side that can hold its nerve, play the conditions, read some of the conditions quite well and be the quickest, I reckon, will come out on top,” added Morkel.Neither team has had a perfect game in the tournament so far. The two-time champions will collide in front of a capacity crowd, and the outcome will depend on who aces the challenge. India have had their moments, sealed important junctures in games and managed to win all matches except the fixture against South Africa.The heavy defeat in Ahmedabad set them back, making their remaining games virtual knockouts, and Suryakumar Yadav and Co. have responded well to the challenges they faced. Against Zimbabwe in Chennai, there were signs of the batting unit coming together, but there were early hiccups against the West Indies in Ahmedabad before Sanju Samson dropped anchor, and what a performance it was.The focus, however, will not be the batters but on India’s x-factor Varun Chakravarthy, who single-handedly destroyed England in the five-match T20I series. Varun returned with a haul of 14 wickets, and England’s batters remained clueless against the mystery spinner. The tournament began strongly for Varun, but he seemed to lose his rhythm in the Super 8 stage. The habit of picking up a wicket in every game has continued, but the penetration has not been the same, especially since the hammering he received from South Africa in Ahmedabad.The day before the match, he returned to his routine of bowling at a single stump, and the entire support staff rallied around him as the spinner completed his drills. The coaching staff had normal conversations with Varun, ensuring he walked away feeling good about his bowling. He is an important player who could be the difference between the two sides in the high-pressure fixture on Thursday.

“I keep telling him that in our bowling lineup, with the skill and variation Varun has got, he has the ability to take a wicket almost every ball. So if he goes for a boundary, he has not executed as well as possible. For him it is just about moving on to the next one and making sure he commits to that next ball. I think he’s a highly skilful guy, hard to pick once you walk to the crease. So for him it is just about getting that confidence with the ball, getting his speed, length and control right, and not trying to overthink it. I think with Varun at times, to his credit, he wants to be a big performer for the team, so he puts a little pressure on himself. But, yeah, he’s a match-winner for us, and for him it is just to stay and bowl every ball and make sure it is his best ball,” said Morkel.India have managed to deal with pressure in their last two must-win games. They must embrace that same approach for two more matches if they are to become the only side in the world to win a T20 World Cup at home and defend the title. The shootout at Wankhede is the first challenge.

Israel launched pre-dawn strikes on Lebanon Thursday and said it was intercepting fresh missiles from Iran, as a war launched by the United States and Israel widened across the Middle East.The escalation comes as a US submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean and the US Senate voted down a War Powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military action, ‘Operation Epic Fury’, against Iran.The conflict entered its sixth day after US and Israeli strikes on Saturday killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other key figures, triggering retaliation from Tehran across the region.More than 1,000 people have been killed in Iran, more than 70 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials. US and Israel said they targeted Iran’s leadership, missile arsenal and nuclear program, while suggesting that toppling the government is a goal. However, shifting statements on objectives and timelines have pointed to what could become an open-ended conflict.Follow US-Israel-Iran War Live Updates

Iran launched a fresh round of missiles at Israel early Thursday, triggering alerts in several areas including Tel Aviv, according to the Israeli military and Tehran’s state media. There were no immediate reports of casualties.Iran has been hitting sites across the region in retaliation after the United States and Israel launched strikes against it on Saturday. Iran also fired on Bahrain, Kuwait and Israel as the conflict spiraled.Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards claimed to have closed the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that “The Americans’ mischief and deceit could lead to the collapse of the entire military and economic infrastructure of the region.” IRGC claimed Wednesday “the Strait of Hormuz is under the complete control of the Islamic Republic’s Navy.”A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria was destroyed by Nato air defense systems, Turkish officials said. The Saudi ministry of defense announced that it successfully intercepted and destroyed three cruise missiles outside the city of Al-Kharj.

An airstrike hit the Hezbollah stronghold of south Beirut early Thursday, after Israel had issued a warning to residents.Elsewhere, three people were killed in a pair of Israeli strikes on vehicles along Beirut’s airport highway, Lebanon’s health ministry said. Prior to these strikes, officials had said 72 people had been killed and more than 83,000 others displaced since the start of a new round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.Israel also traded fire with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.Israel said it also hit buildings associated with Iran’s Basij, the all-volunteer force of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard whose bloody crackdown on protesters in January left thousands dead.

US submarine sinks Iranian warship

A US submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, as Washington and Israel intensified their bombardment of Iran’s security forces and other symbols of power.US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a torpedo from an American submarine sank the vessel Tuesday night. Sri Lankan authorities said 32 people were rescued from the ship, while the country’s navy said it recovered 87 bodies.The tempo of the strikes on Iran was so intense that state television announced the mourning ceremony for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the start of the conflict, would be postponed. Millions attended the funeral of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1989.The US Senate voted down a War Powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military action, ‘Operation Epic Fury’, against Iran, with the measure failing 47-53 on mostly party lines, Fox News reported.Only Senator Rand Paul voted in favour of the resolution, while Jon Fetterman was the lone Democrat to cross the aisle in support of a move that helped the GOP defeat the measure. Democrats argued that Trump’s actions were another instance of him disregarding Congress’ authority to use military force, that they lacked a clear strategy going forward and, further, that they were yet another campaign promise he had broken, Fox News reported.Polls showed that eight in 10 Republicans approve of the current US use of force, while nearly eight in 10 Democrats disapprove and six in 10 independents disapprove. Among voters who have served in the military, 59 per cent approve of the US strikes on Iran.President Donald Trump hailed the US performance in the war and said Iran’s leaders were rapidly being killed. “We’re doing well on the war front, to put it mildly. Somebody said on a scale of 10, where would you rate it? I said about a 15,”

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard issued its most-intense threat yet, saying the strikes against it would result in “the complete destruction of the region’s military and economic infrastructure.”Tanker traffic through the strait has fallen by around 90% compared to prewar levels, shipping tracker MarineTraffic.com said. Oil prices have soared and global stock markets have been hammered over worries that the spike in oil prices may grind down the world economy.A tanker anchored off the coast of Kuwait was hit by a “large explosion” on Thursday, causing an oil spill in the Persian Gulf. The British maritime security agency UKMTO said the incident took place in the Mubarak Al-Kabeer area. The vessel’s Master reported hearing a loud blast on the port side, after which a small craft was seen leaving the area. The tanker has taken on some water but there are no fires onboard, and all crew members are safe.

Iran’s leaders are scrambling to replace Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years. It’s only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen.Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement. Mojtaba Khamenei, Khamenei’s son, has long been considered among them — though he has never been elected or appointed to a government position.In a sign that Iran’s leadership will only seek to consolidate its power as it faces its biggest crisis in decades, the head of the judiciary warned that “those who cooperate with the enemy in any way will be considered an enemy.”Israel’s defense minister, Katz, said on X that Iran’s next supreme leader, if he continues to threaten Israel, the US and others, “will be a target for elimination.”

Diplomatic reactions and mediation efforts

Spain doubled down on its opposition to Washington’s use of its bases against Iran, after Trump’s threats of trade reprisals. The White House said Madrid had now agreed to cooperate, but Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares said its stance on “bases, on the war in the Middle East, on the bombardment of Iran, has not changed at all.”China will send a special envoy to mediate in the Middle East, foreign minister Wang Yi said. Beijing is a close partner of Iran and has said it backs Tehran in defending its sovereignty, while urging the United States and Israel to cease their attacks.

Weeks after Trump’s tariffs were invalidated by the US Supreme Court, the administration has suffered another setback, with a New York federal judge ruling that the companies which paid the now-struck-down duties are entitled to refunds.Judge Richard Eaton of the US Court of International Trade, on Wednesday (local time), announced that “all importers of record” are “entitled to benefit” from last month’s Supreme Court decision that struck down the double-digit import taxes imposed by President Donald Trump under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Back in February, US Supreme Court had declared the tariffs unconstitutional, including the sweeping “reciprocal” duties applied to nearly every country. The majority held that the US president does not have the authority to independently impose or alter tariffs, noting that taxation powers lie with Congress.Providing direction on how refund disputes will be handled, Eaton said he alone “will hear cases pertaining to the refund of IEEPA duties.” The Supreme Court’s previous ruling had not addressed the mechanics of refunds, leaving uncertainty that the trade court order now seeks to resolve. Trade lawyer Ryan Majerus, a partner at King & Spalding and a former US trade official, told AP that the administration is likely to challenge the ruling or “seek a stay to buy more time for US Customs to comply.”Data from the Penn Wharton Budget Model shows the federal government had collected more than $130 billion in the scrapped tariffs through mid-December and could ultimately face refund obligations of about $175 billion.The latest order stems from a case brought by Atmus Filtration, a Nashville, Tennessee-based maker of filtration products, which argued it was entitled to recover the duties it had paid.Under US Customs and Border Protection procedures, imported goods undergo a “liquidation” process, during which the agency issues its final calculation of duties owed. Importers then have 180 days to challenge those duties; after that, the assessment becomes legally final.Eaton directed customs authorities to halt collection of the IEEPA tariffs on shipments still in the liquidation pipeline. For goods that have already passed that stage, the agency must recalculate the duties without including the invalid tariffs.“This is a great decision for importers and consumers who paid,” said Barry Appleton, a law professor and co-director of New York Law School’s Center for International Law. “It will make customs brokers busy. It should make things easier for the courts, and get a process underway for those importers who paid within the last 180 days.”The ruling follows another setback for the administration earlier this week, when a separate federal court refused its bid to slow the refund process. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has since moved the matter forward by sending it to the New York trade court to work out the details.Attention now turns to the US Customs and Border Protection agency, which must design a system capable of handling the payouts. While the agency routinely issues refunds in cases of error, trade lawyer Alexis Early, a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, noted that its framework was “not designed for a mass refund.” She added, “The devil will be in the details of the administrative process.”

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South Africa is facing New Zealand in the semi-final 1 of the T20 World Cup 2026, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The Kiwis have not won a single game in the men’s T20 World Cup against the Proteas. South Africa have a 4-0 record against the Black Caps, dating back to the inaugural edition in 2007.

Mitchell won the toss and elected to field first, with just one change in their side; Jimmy Neesham came back in the side, replacing Ish Sodhi. During the match a unusual sight was seen with Glenn Phillips dropping a catch.

Glenn Phillips drops David Miller

During the 9.1 overs of the match, Rachin Ravindra bowled to David Miller, as the latter mistimed the shot, and it went up in the air with Glenn Phillips running from the deep extra cover area towards the long on, dropping the important catch.

Your daily dose of cricket!

Here’s the video

Wait, What? Glenn Phillips Dropped a Catch 😱. Nobody would’ve believed, if it wasn’t caught on camera.

That’s a sitter of a catch to his standards#NZvsSA pic.twitter.com/L7USWbSk2E

— Vitamin K(ohli) (@manga_varun) March 4, 2026

However, Phillips would be relieved as Miller was dismissed on the score of six runs in the same over’s last bowl, handing an easy catch to Daryl Mitchell to long on. Coming to the match, the Proteas were in deep trouble after being invited to bat first, as they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals.

Even Glenn Phillips can make mistakes

Glenn Phillips has been one of the finest fielders in world cricket at present. He takes catches from impossible angles and shocks the batter and the fans with his fielding efforts. He has been an absolute lightning in the field with his catches and fielding abilities. The moment proved that even the usually flawless Phillips can have an off day in the field.

However, New Zealand did not have the best of days while taking catches, as previously, Rachin Ravindra put down a sitter of Aiden Markram. But eventually, the South Africa captain was dismissed by the Kiwi all-rounder, with Darly Mitchell taking a catch which initially looked controversial but was given out.

Catching has been difficult at Eden Gardens, as when India faced the West Indies, last Sunday, there were three drop catches combing of two teams, with two of them being a sitter, and there were even misfields as well. So it has been a hard ground to field.

South Africa recover well from a collapse

The Proteas were struggling with the score of 77/5, as Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen put up a partnership of 73 runs for the 6th wicket. The former has been dismissed on the score of 29 runs off 24 balls. However, Jansen has just brought up his fifty, hitting back-to-back sixes to Lockie Ferguson.

The South Africa National team posted a target of 169/8 in their 20 overs. They would have been very happy with the score as they were nearly struggling, at one stage, and even 130 was looking impossible. But Jansen’s crucial 55* off 30 deliveries helped the side to go past the 150-run mark.

Also Read: WATCH: Daryl Mitchell takes CONTROVERSIAL catch to dismiss Aiden Markram

CLSA maintains an outperform rating on Reliance Industries, citing improved confidence in its new ventures. HSBC has a reduce rating on Avenue Supermart, noting its pricing advantage is not substantial. Morgan Stanley raises Delhivery’s target price, expecting strong volume growth and margin expansion due to a favorable industry environment.

CLSA has an outperform rating on Reliance Industries with the target price at Rs 1,800. Analysts said the market’s worry about value erosion from holdco discount after the Jio IPO are overdone. After the IPO, investors will get an option to buy Jio separately which may bring back the holdco discount on the value of RIL’s 67% stake in Jio. However, Jio’s starting free float of just 2.5% may see liquidity limitations. Improved confidence in Reliance’s FMCG, digital OTT and AI forays as well as the ramp-up of new energy and quick commerce businesses are other tailwinds for its sum of the parts (SOTP) value.HSBC has a reduce rating on Avenue Supermart (D-Mart) with the target price at Rs 3,500. Analysts said the company’s pricing differential is marginally better, but not substantial, and pricing is the only moat Dmart has versus other retailers. The company’s store addition trend is on track to touch about 60, but expectations were of an acceleration (post analyst day in July 2025). Analysts await clarity on initiatives from the new CEO, who took over in January 2026.Morgan Stanley has an equal weight rating on Delhivery with the target price raised to Rs 470 from Rs 445 earlier. Analysts said a favourable industry environment would support the thesis of strong players gaining market share and improving volume growth numbers. The company has strong operating leverage in its business model that should allow for healthy margin expansion. The company’s management did reiterate in the last earnings call that industry volumes could grow 15-20% on the year and the company could grow even faster in the medium term.Macquarie has an outperform rating on L&T with the target price at Rs 4,910. Analysts said that 37% of L&T’s order book was directly from West Asia at the end of Oct-Dec quarter (Q3FY26) along with 33% order intake in FY26 till Dec. The total exposure to the Gulf region has increased materially for L&T over years. Further, 55% of the Gulf order book is based on fixed price contracts. They see risk to L&T’s margins due to evolving scenarios in the Gulf region. They have already flagged geopolitical and commodities along with AI-led disruption as key risks for the company. While it is difficult to put a number on margin impact currently as the situation is evolving, margin drop is certain as a possible fallout of the Gulf conflict.JP Morgan has an overweight rating on Cyient with the target price at Rs 1,500. Analysts said the company announced an organizational change with the appointment of a new CFO and creation of a COO role. Shrinivas Kulkarni, ex-CFO of Cyient DLM, has been appointed as the new CFO of Cyient. Prabhakar Atla, the current CFO of Cyient, now becomes the new COO at Cyient. See this change as positive given Shrinivas brings his experience of running business finance and M&A functions, while Prabhakar in his new role can leverage his experience of running Aerospace, Communication, Rail and Utilities businesses.(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)

New Zealand’s Finn Allen produced a power-hitting masterclass, blasting the fastest century in T20 World Cup history as he powered the Kiwis to a nine-wicket win over South Africa in Kolkata on Wednesday, securing their place in the final.Chasing 170 in the first semi-final, Allen smashed an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls, shattering Chris Gayle’s previous record of 47 deliveries, as New Zealand raced to victory with 7.1 overs to spare.

Allen finished in style, hitting a four, two sixes, and another four off successive balls to seal the win and celebrate his record-breaking hundred at Eden Gardens. Tim Seifert also starred with 58, sharing a 117-run opening stand with Allen in just 9.1 overs. Seifert struck seven fours and two sixes, while Allen unleashed eight sixes and 10 fours in an awe-inspiring display of controlled power.“Just tried to get in good positions and perform for the team. [The plan for the opening partnership] We wanted to start well and put them on the back foot early. Easy for me when Timmy is going like that. I can just watch and get him on strike. He batted on a flyer. Huge game for us. Timmy and I just kept ensuring we’re looking straight and going hard,” Allen, who was named Player of the Match, said after the game.“[On adapting to different pitches and being aggressive] You adapt to the wicket. Training is really important to get a feel of the wicket. We knew it would be black soil, we had that intel. Shows how important that series was before the World Cup,” he added.New Zealand, who had edged into the semi-finals on net run rate, will face either India or England in Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad as they chase their first World Cup title. “[On getting to the final] You take the positives from the game and celebrate a little but you have a final to look forward to on Sunday,” Allen said.Earlier, spinners Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie claimed two wickets each to restrict South Africa to 169-8 after New Zealand chose to field first. The 2024 runners-up, led by Aiden Markram, had been unbeaten in seven matches but were reduced to 77-5 before Marco Jansen’s unbeaten 55 restored some respectability.Seifert reached his fifty off quick bowler Lungi Ngidi, while Allen brought up his half-century off just 19 balls. Kagiso Rabada accounted for Seifert in the 10th over, but that was South Africa’s only success in the chase.Earlier in the innings, McConchie struck in the second over, removing Quinton de Kock for 10 and Ryan Rickelton on the next ball, though Dewald Brevis avoided the hat-trick. Ravindra trapped Markram for 18, caught in the deep by Daryl Mitchell, and five balls later, David Miller fell for six, also to Ravindra and Mitchell.South Africa lost half their side inside 10.2 overs when Jimmy Neesham dismissed Brevis for 34. Tristan Stubbs contributed 29 before falling to Lockie Ferguson, while Jansen smashed two fours and five sixes in his 30-ball unbeaten knock, including a six off Ferguson to reach his fifty.Fast bowler Matt Henry, who returned only on Tuesday night after going home for the birth of his child, finished with 2-34, providing timely support for the Kiwis.

MUMBAI: After seven years, state BJP politician Vinod Tawde is all set to return to electoral politics. Tawde, who found himself out of Maharashtra politics in 2019 and was accommodated as party general secretary thereafter in New Delhi, was on Wednesday named one of the BJP’s four candidates from Maharashtra for the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections.The other three on the list of candidates released by the BJP’s central election committee are ally Ramdas Athawale from RPI (A), currently Union minister of state for social welfare; Maya Ivnate, former Nagpur mayor and sitting corporator; and Ramrao Wadkute, who joined the BJP in 2019 and is from the Dhangar community.Political observers said Tawde has been rewarded for BJP’s performance in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, where he had been placed as party in-charge. BJP emerged as the single largest party in Bihar, winning 89 of the 243 seats in the state.Tawde, who rose steadily in the BJP Mumbai unit from president to opposition leader in the legislative council, saw his fortunes slide in 2019 when he was denied a ticket to contest the assembly elections that year. In his first term as MLA (2014-2019), he was elected from Borivli, a BJP stronghold. He was in 2019 replaced by Sunil Rane, a close associate of CM Devendra Fadnavis. Tawde was also a minister in the first Fadnavis-led govt.During the assembly elections in 2024, there was once again talk that Tawde may come back to state politics. However, he was caught in a major controversy on the eve of the elections, with workers of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi detaining him in a Vasai hotel and accusing him of distributing cash. The Hitendra Thakur-led VBA however lost all assembly seats in the Vasai-Virar belt.Observers said that the BJP recognised Tawde’s talent for political strategy and placed him in charge of five states that went to the polls in 2022: Goa, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Manipur. Except for Punjab, the party won all other states.Now, after Bihar, he has been placed in charge of the Kerala assembly elections.Seven Rajya Sabha seats from Maharashtra are set to fall vacant in April. With over 230 MLAs in the assembly, the BJP-led Mahayuti is in a position to ensure the election of all its six nominees.While BJP is filing nominations for four seats, the other two nominations are to be filed by candidates from the Shiv Sena and NCP, who had not announced their names till late Wednesday evening. Thursday is the last day for filing nominations.Tawde expressed gratitude to his party leadership and said he is committed to “fulfilling this new responsibility with complete dedication and loyalty.”