TimesofIndia.com in New Delhi: After the heartbreaking defeat against South Africa, the Afghanistan team converged in the manager’s room for dinner. The team sat down, just hours after going down in twin Super Overs, and talked positively about their effort.There was very good reason to be downbeat after such a loss. They could have won in regulation time. They could have won in the first Super Over but for a last ball six by Tristan Stubbs. And then a hat-trick of sixes wasn’t enough in the second Super Over.

Rashid Khan, a leader in the dressing room and one of the most experienced players in the format, stressed the need to keep their heads up or they would go “one or two years back.”The dinner helped as well. The squad devoured Peshawari food, including Dal Bukhara (Dal Makhani) and Tandoori Chicken, to “vent their anger.” It is understandable that the Afghan squad misses home food as they travel from country to country and are stationed away from home.Ever since becoming a Full Member of the ICC, Afghanistan have never played at home and have used different training facilities to prepare for major events such as the T20 World Cup. From Dehradun at start to Sharjah now, Afghanistan have never found a home footing.

“What we miss a lot is the home food, to be honest. We go around everywhere, we’re not getting that Afghani home food, and that’s something which we struggle with,” said Rashid on the eve of their contest against the UAE at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.“Other than that, I feel we have enough people around the team who give us the best company and we don’t really miss home. And also, wherever we go, we get so much love from everyone, and that’s something which doesn’t even let us to feel like we are not home.“But sometimes you do feel, you do miss your home. You want to be having your own crowd, people cheering for you, but unluckily we are not having that opportunity where we can play in front of that crowd. But still, it’s harder.“Professional cricket, you have to manage yourself with all these and not too much think about all those other stuff. I think what we’re here for; we have to put that thing first. And there are people who don’t go home for five, 10 years. We’re lucky. We go after the tour to home, and we have a good time with the family,” he continued.

Delhi, which hosted Afghanistan’s most recent match in the ongoing T20 World Cup, has a sizeable Afghan population. There are pockets in the national capital – such as Lajpat Nagar and Bhogal – which the refugees have called home for many years now.Some of them made the trip to the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday morning carrying flags and some wearing the traditional attire. Their presence, and noise, became even more important in the aftermath of the heartbreak that the team suffered less than a week ago.As it transpired, the Afghan team needed every ounce of that positive energy to go past the UAE — winning by 5 wickets with four balls remaining — and keep their T20 World Cup Super Eight hopes alive. New Zealand are still favourites to seal the second spot from the group, alongside the already qualified South Africa, if they beat Canada on Tuesday. That would render Afghanistan’s final contest against Canada as a dead rubber.

“Hoping for the best. Yes, (we) still have a little bit of hope, we can make it to the next stage and we just need to come up with a positive mindset (against Canada),” said Rashid after beating the UAE, once again stressing on the need to remain upbeat. “Next game, you never know, it’s a T20 game, we’ll have to come up with a good brand of cricket. Even if we don’t make it to the next round, we want to play with the same brand of cricket and make the country and our people proud and happy.”Having already faced heartbreak of gigantic proportions, as the ask got tougher in the 161-run chase vs UAE, the nerves started to climb.Coach Jonathan Trott expressed pride in how the team turned things around, especially after the suffering in Ahmedabad. “We were under pressure (and) that’s the pleasing thing for me as coach. I would have liked it (if it was a) lot easier. But at the end of the day when you come out on the right side of pressure situations… like we were having the history of the last game, I’ve certainly seen a shift. We’ve lost tight games like that and then after that it’s very much – been hard to pull it back, the confidence. So I see a bit of an improvement in the resilience, cricketing-wise, but also mentally,” said Trott in the post-match press conference.In the aftermath of a win, their first of the tournament, the mood in the team hotel would be a bit more upbeat. However, a trip to Lajpat Nagar for some home style food would be unfathomable, despite the suggestions of a reporter. For now, all the Afghans can do is stay positive and hope their stay in the Indian sub-continent gets longer.

NEW DELHI: India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan credited the fans and his teammates after delivering a match-winning performance against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup on Sunday, saying the Player-of-the-Match honour was not his alone.Kishan said he approached the high-voltage clash with a calm mindset, treating it like any other fixture. He focused on watching the ball closely, assessing the pitch and target, and backing his natural game. There was no sense of panic, he noted, and he drew confidence from the plans discussed within the group. However, he stressed that the job is far from complete and that his focus has already shifted to the next game.

Continuing his rich vein of form in T20s, Kishan countered Pakistan’s spin strategy with authority, striking his second consecutive T20 World Cup fifty. His fluent knock of 77 powered India to a commanding 61-run victory in Colombo. Behind the stumps too, he made a significant impact, highlighted by a sharp stumping to dismiss the dangerous Usman Khan, who was attempting to rebuild with a measured counter-attack.In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Ishan Kishan said: “Not only for me, I feel this is for all the supporters who were supporting us throughout the game, throughout the tournament, when we were preparing very hard. So credit goes not just to me, but to the whole of India. “I think I was just keeping it simple, like I said in the press conference earlier that day it’s just another game. You have to watch the ball and play your shots, which you believe in, which are on. You have to assess the wicket, how is it playing, what’s the good total for all of our teammates, I think they had that in plan and that was giving me much confidence. There was no panic about anything before the match or in between the games. I was just keeping it simple and playing my shots. No, I think the job is not over. So I wouldn’t say I’m very satisfied we need to forget this one and move on to the next game,” he said.After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bowl. India suffered an early setback when Abhishek departed for a duck, but Kishan’s aggressive 77 and Tilak’s composed 25 steadied the innings. The Men in Blue slipped to 126/4, losing their set batters along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya (0). Skipper Suryakumar, along with Shivam and Rinku, then ensured a strong finish, timing their acceleration well under challenging conditions. India posted 175/7, with Saim Ayub (3/25) emerging as Pakistan’s most successful bowler.In reply, Pakistan were rocked early, reduced to 34/4 by strikes from Hardik, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel. Usman Khan fought back with 44 off 34 balls, including six fours and a six, but lacked substantial support as India bowled Pakistan out for 114 in 18 overs to seal their third straight win and advance to the Super 8 stage.Axar (2/29) led the bowling effort, while Hardik (2/16), Bumrah (2/17) and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/17) also chipped in with crucial wickets. India sit atop Group A with three wins from three matches. Pakistan are third with two victories and a defeat, while the USA hold second place with two wins and two losses. India’s head-to-head record against Pakistan in T20 World Cups now stands at eight wins and one loss.

Australia vs Sri Lanka Live Score, T20 World Cup 2026: Skipper Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head scored fifties, but a clinical bowling display from Sri Lanka reduced visitors to 181 all out in 20 overs in the 30th match of the ICC Men’s World Cup 2026 at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy on Monday.

Asked to bat first on a pacy wicket, skipper Marsh, who returned after an injury break, went all around the ground with opener Travis Head, stitching an opening partnership of 104 runs off 52 deliveries. Australia recorded their fourth-highest Power-play total in T20 World Cup history, scoring 70/0 in the first six overs.

Marsh (54) and Head (56) showcased their power-hitting skills, taking all the bowlers to cleaners, including a 20-run sixth over that put pressure on the co-hosts. This aggressive play not only lit up Pallekele but also left Sri Lanka struggling, with Matheesha Pathirana having to leave the field due to a left leg injury.

Head, being the aggressor, brought up his fifty in 27 deliveries but soon lost his wicket to Dushan Hemantha, carving it to long-off in an attempt for a maximum. However, Marsh continued his demolishing act, and he too brought his fifty in 25 deliveries and followed Head’s suit as he was trapped in front by Hemantha again after Dunith Wellalage removed Cameron Green for mere 3 runs.

Sri Lankan spinners were key, including Hemantha, Wellalage, and Kamindu Mendis, who removed dangerous Tim David (6) with a flighted delivery.

The momentum changed quickly as the hosts applied pressure with steady spin bowling. Australia fell behind and reached 136/4 at the end of 14 overs. With each dot ball and wicket, the crowd supported Sri Lanka, cheering loudly and boosting the energy in the stadium.

Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell looked to counterattack and managed to get some, but Maxwell was undone by Pathum Nissanka’s screamer after he had dropped a sitter off Dushmantha Chameera in the previous over. Guiding the backward point, Nissanka jumped on his left to take a blinder after Maxwell (22) looked to play it over him. Hemantha ended his spell with figures of 3/37, which is now his best in T20Is.

Australia completely lost their ground in the last overs, losing the last eight wickets for 72 runs.

NEW DELHI: India’s march in the T20 World Cup 2026 gathered further momentum in Colombo as they outclassed Pakistan by 61 runs, reinforcing their dominance in the tournament’s most intense rivalry. It was India’s eighth win in nine T20 World Cup meetings against their neighbours, and the comprehensive result ensured qualification for the Super Eight stage with room to spare.Yet, while the scoreline reflected control and authority, the talking point after the final ball had little to do with numbers.

Moments after Pakistan were bowled out at the R. Premadasa Stadium, television cameras captured an animated exchange involving Hardik Pandya, captain Suryakumar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav. As players lined up for the customary handshakes, Hardik appeared visibly charged up, gesturing toward Kuldeep in what seemed like a heated discussion. Tilak Varma watched on with concern before Rinku Singh stepped in, seemingly attempting to cool tempers.Speculation quickly swirled on social media, with fans debating whether frustration had spilled over despite the comfortable win.Suryakumar, however, moved swiftly to diffuse the narrative. The India skipper shared a light-hearted video on social media in which he is seen walking up to Kuldeep and hugging him warmly. He captioned it: “Gussa chodh do bhai”. The post instantly went viral.India had earlier set the tone through Ishan Kishan’s explosive 77 off 40 balls, an innings studded with boundaries that lifted the total to 176. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar ensured stability through the middle overs.The bowlers then dismantled Pakistan with clinical precision. Hardik struck in the opening over, while Jasprit Bumrah’s incisive spell derailed the chase. Axar Patel and Kuldeep tightened the screws as Pakistan’s middle and lower order folded under pressure.

Will Jacks produced a blistering all-round display as England cricket team defeated Italy national cricket team by 24 runs to book their place in the Super Eights of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, in their Group C fixture at Eden Gardens on Monday.Asked to bat first, England surged past the 200-mark for the first time in this edition, finishing on 202 for 7. The charge was led by Jacks, whose explosive unbeaten 53 came off just 22 balls and included four sixes and three fours. His late assault rescued England after they had slipped to 105/5. Sam Curran added a valuable 25 from 19 balls as the pair combined for a rapid 54-run partnership off only 25 deliveries for the sixth wicket.

Earlier, Phil Salt had set the tempo with 28 off 15 balls, helping England cross 50 inside five overs. However, Jos Buttler’s lean run continued as he departed for three, dismissed by Grant Stewart. Salt later fell to Ali Hasan, while Jacob Bethell (23 off 20) and Harry Brook (14 off 9) also failed to convert starts. Tom Banton contributed a fluent 30 off 21 before holing out to Manenti.Italy’s chase began in dramatic fashion. Jofra Archer’s searing opening over at 146kph reduced them to 1/2, soon becoming 22/3. Anthony Mosca fell first ball, while JJ Smuts edged to first slip. Harry Manenti followed, leaving Italy reeling.Yet the debutants responded bravely. Ben Manenti launched a stunning counterattack, smashing 60 off 25 balls, including a 22-ball fifty — the joint-fifth fastest of the tournament and joint-second fastest by an Associate batter in its history. He hammered five sixes and four fours, taking 21 runs off one Jacks over. Justin Mosca supported well with 43 off 34 as the pair added 92 in 48 balls to revive hopes.Jacks broke the stand by dismissing Ben, caught by Banton, before Adil Rashid removed Justin. Grant Stewart then reignited the contest with 45 off 23, striking two sixes off Archer and three against Rashid.However, Curran halted the surge with two wickets in two balls on his way to 3/22, while Jamie Overton claimed 3/18. Italy were bowled out for 178 in 20 overs, and England advanced with their Super Eights spot secured.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar lauded skipper Suryakumar Yadav for bringing sharp match awareness into India’s game after their commanding 61-run victory over Pakistan in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Colombo.Gavaskar underlined how Suryakumar stepped up in contrasting pressure situations. He recalled the game against USA, where India were reeling at 77 for 6 before Surya guided them out of trouble. Against Pakistan, he walked in at 88/2 and anchored the innings through to the 19th over, compiling 32 from 29 balls with three boundaries as India posted 175/7 in 20 overs to seal a Super 8 berth.

“You have to play according to the situation, and that is what Captain Suryakumar Yadav has done. He has led from the front. In the match against the USA, when India were in trouble at 77 for 6, Surya bailed the team out and here against Pakistan, when he came out to bat, India were at 88-2, and then he batted till the 19th over, scoring 32 runs. Yes, he didn’t bat at a high strike rate, but he ensured that the wickets didn’t fall, keeping hold of one end.““So, the rest of the team understands that in T20 cricket, you don’t want dot balls. You want to reduce them, but you also don’t want to throw your wicket away trying to hit sixes. Being aware of the match situation, ground conditions, and even which way the wind is blowing is important, and Suryakumar Yadav has brought that awareness into this Indian team,” Sunil Gavaskar said on JioStar.The win extended India’s dominance over Pakistan in T20 World Cup contests to 8-1.After opting to bowl first, Pakistan struck early when Abhishek fell for a duck. Ishan’s explosive 77 and Tilak’s composed 25 steadied the innings, but India slipped to 126/4 with Hardik Pandya departing for nought. Suryakumar then combined with Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh to ensure a strong finish despite testing conditions. Saim Ayub’s 3/25 was the standout bowling effort for Pakistan.Pakistan’s reply never gathered momentum. Early breakthroughs from Hardik, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel reduced them to 34/4. Usman Khan fought with 44 off 34 balls, striking six fours and a six, but India dismissed Pakistan for 114 in 18 overs.Axar returned 2/29, while Hardik (2/16), Bumrah (2/17) and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/17) shared the wickets.India sit comfortably atop Group A with three wins from three, Pakistan are third with two wins and a defeat, and USA occupy second place with two victories and two losses.

Afghanistan kept their Super Eights hopes alive with a five-wicket win over UAE on Monday, but qualification is still out of their hands. After the victory, South Africa moved into the Super Eights from Group D with six points from three matches. New Zealand, who have four points from three games, can seal the second spot if they beat Canada in Chennai on Tuesday. In that case, Afghanistan, currently on two points from three matches, will be knocked out even if they defeat Canada in their final group match on February 19 in Chennai.

Captain Rashid Khan remained hopeful despite the uncertainty. “Hoping for the best. Yes, (we) still have a little bit of hope, we can make it to the next stage and we just need to come up with a positive mindset (against Canada),” Rashid said at the post-match presentation. “Next game, you never know, it’s a T20 game, we’ll have to come up with a good brand of cricket. Even if we don’t make it to the next round, we want to play with the same brand of cricket and make the country and our people proud and happy.” Rashid said he was pleased to get points on the board after the heartbreaking loss to South Africa in a match decided in the second Super Over. “Happy to finish with a win, it’s important to have points in a T20 World Cup. To restrict them (UAE) under 160 was a good effort, we pulled things back, but we didn’t do well in the first 10 overs. That’s been a problem for us in all the games and something we need to work on,” he said. “We know how aggressive he (Rahmanullah Gurbaz) is. He goes out with a positive mindset – it doesn’t always work, but it’s good for the team when he gets going. We’ve quite a lot of experience, Azmat (Azmatullah Omarzai) has played a lot, (Mohammad) Nabi is the most experienced guy in the team. It’s always good to have experience and that’s something most important.” Player of the Match Azmatullah Omarzai, who returned figures of 4/15 from four overs and struck 40 not out off 21 balls, explained his approach. “I was trying to bowl in the hard length and hit the pitch hard. “It was funny, first ball was a wicket, but the ball didn’t didn’t carry. I took four wickets again. That first wicket got the momentum for us. “When I went to bat, I looked at the scoreboard. There were a lot of balls (left) for us. We needed to play straight and rotate the strike and I was speaking to my partner, (to) just play straight and we were waiting for the bad ball. “It was a good game where everyone did really well and everyone did hard work (on the South Africa game), but the result did not work our way, but we came back really well and hope we will do it again in the next match.

India’s commanding 61-run win over Pakistan in the 2026 T20 World Cup made headlines for all the right cricketing reasons. But by the end of the evening, the spotlight had gently shifted from Colombo’s turning pitch to a heartwarming development off it. Opener Ishan Kishan is now making news not just for his bat, but for his blossoming relationship with Jaipur-based model Aditi Hundia.During a visit to his ancestral village in Bihar’s Aurangabad, Kishan’s grandfather, Anurag Pandey, spoke candidly about the cricketer’s personal life, effectively putting years of speculation to rest.“Whoever Ishan chooses to marry, I fully accept- his decision is mine. We are ready to accept whoever Ishan Kishan wants to marry. Aditi is his girlfriend. She is a model. One should accept what makes children happy,” Pandey told ANI.The remarks have fuelled talk that wedding bells may not be far away, although neither Ishan nor Aditi has made any formal announcement. Reports suggest that if anything is planned, it is likely to take place after the conclusion of the World Cup.

Who is Aditi Hundia?

Aditi, daughter of a Jaipur businessman, rose to prominence after winning Miss Diva 2018 and later finishing as a finalist at Femina Miss India. She first grabbed public attention among cricket fans during the 2019 IPL season, when cameras frequently caught her cheering from the stands. Social media exchanges between the two only strengthened rumours over time. According to Pandey, she shares a warm bond with the family and once even praised him for looking youthful and energetic after watching one of his interviews.Meanwhile, on the field, Kishan delivered a performance to remember. On a tricky Colombo surface, he smashed 77 off 41 balls, striking at 193. Pakistan attempted to choke India with spin early, but Kishan countered with authority. He slog-swept, reverse-swept and pierced gaps with confidence, scoring 77 of India’s first 88 runs before falling in the ninth over. India finished on 175 for 7, before bundling Pakistan out for 114 to seal a comprehensive 61-run victory.

TimesofIndia.com in New Delhi: How many days do you think one needs to recover from a heartbreak of going down in a double Super Over? Five days, is that enough? Well, Afghanistan flirted with the possibility of another Super Over, or even a defeat, but eventually went past the finish line by five wickets, with four balls remaining, against the UAE at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.At one point, it looked as if Afghanistan were headed for the exit door. Needing 28 runs from 18 balls, the ask looked too big even if they had six wickets in hand.

An over later, which saw a six and a wicket, the equation changed to 17 needed from 12 balls. A couple of singles later, the tension was visible in the dugout and at a venue where quite a few Afghanistan flags could be spotted.Muhammad Jawadullah, who had just produced three valuable dot balls, darted in and sent one outside off, into the fourth stump line, and Azmatullah Omarzai got underneath it and smashed it into the crowd.Next ball, a back of length delivery, luck came to Omarzai and Afghanistan’s rescue with a thick inside edge running off to the boundary rope.With just four needed off the last over, the 25-year-old all-rounder kept Afghanistan’s slender hopes of making the Super Eight alive with a boundary that went over the cover region.Afghanistan, who have Canada next, don’t control their fate in the competition anymore. If New Zealand beat Canada on Tuesday, the last edition’s semi-finalists will be knocked out.

UAE post 160/9, suffer in last two overs

Sohaib Khan produced a fine half-century, but Azmatullah Omarzai’s four-wicket haul helped keep UAE to 160/9.After choosing to bowl, Afghanistan struck early to leave UAE reeling at 13 for 2, before Sohaib anchored the innings with a composed 68 off 48 balls, studded with six fours and four sixes.He put on a 57-ball 84-run stand for the third wicket alongside Alishan Sharafu (40 off 29), helping the side recover from the early blows.Afghanistan, however, fought back in the middle overs with a flurry of wickets, reducing UAE to 121 for 6 by the 16th over.Sohaib then added a further 31 runs with Haider Ali, but Omarzai returned in the 19th over to remove him and claim his fourth wicket.

Earlier, UAE suffered an early setback when the previous match hero Aryansh Sharma was dismissed for a four-ball duck, under-edging a pull to wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz off Omarzai. Captain Muhammad Waseem (10) hit two boundaries before being trapped lbw by Mujeeb Ur Rahman, as UAE slipped to 13 for 2. Afghanistan’s replacement pacer Ziaur Rahman, who came in for left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi, and spinner Noor Ahmad both proved costly.Rahman conceded 16 runs in his first over, with Sohaib striking three boundaries.UAE’s batters negotiated the Afghan spinners well in the Powerplay, cashing in on anything loose. Sharafu struck two boundaries off Mujeeb as UAE moved to 55 for 2, before taking on Rashid Khan for a six to raise the half-century stand.Noor endured a difficult outing, with Sohaib hitting him for two sixes over cover and mid-wicket as UAE reached 93 for 2 in 10 overs.Mujeeb eventually broke the stand, with Sharafu finding Ibrahim Zadran at long-off. Omarzai then struck twice in his third over, dismissing Syed Haider (13) and forcing an edge from Harshit Kaushik (0).Sohaib reached his fifty off 37 balls with a six, but Muhammad Arfan (0) was out attempting a reverse hit, knocking over his own stumps. Omarzai, the Man of the Match, finally ended Sohaib’s resistance in the 19th over, capping off an impressive spell.

NEW DELHI: India’s emphatic 61-run demolition of Pakistan in the T20 World Cup has triggered an extraordinary outpouring of anger and anguish from former Pakistan great Mohammad Yousuf, who described the current phase as “the darkest period in our cricketing history.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The defeat extended Pakistan’s dismal World Cup record against India, who have now won eight of nine T20 World Cup meetings and all eight ODI World Cup clashes between the rivals. On Sunday night, Suryakumar Yadav’s side piled up 175/7, powered by a blistering 77 from Ishan Kishan, before bowling Pakistan out for 114 in 18 overs to storm into the Super Eights alongside the West Indies.

Soon after the defeat, Yousuf vented his frustration on social media, writing, “Time’s up for Shaheen, Babar, and Shadab, Pakistan’s T20 squad needs new performers, not empty wins against weaker sides.” A day later, his criticism deepened. “Unless we remove political influence and personal agendas from Pakistan cricket, we cannot return to the team we once were. This is the darkest period in our cricketing history, and my heart bleeds for it. Incompetent individuals must be removed from office and from the team,” he posted on X.Pakistan’s collapse was swift and brutal. Chasing 176, they were 13/3 inside three overs after early strikes from Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. When Axar Patel bowled Babar Azam for five, the scoreboard read 34/4 and the contest was effectively over. Usman Khan’s 44 provided brief resistance, but a reckless charge at Axar ended his stay and triggered another collapse.Earlier, Kishan had set the tone with fearless strokeplay, bringing up his fifty in just 27 balls. “I was just keeping it simple and watching the ball,” Kishan said, while Suryakumar added, “After we were 0-1, someone had to take responsibility and the way he took it was amazing.”For Pakistan, however, the conversation has shifted beyond one defeat. Yousuf’s stinging words have framed it as something deeper.