India’s Lakshya Sen (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Lakshya Sen delivered a gritty performance to book his place in the final of the All England Open Badminton Championships, becoming only the second Indian shuttler to reach the title clash twice after defeating Canada’s Victor Lai in a demanding semifinal on Saturday. The 24 year old, who had previously reached the final in 2022, battled both a determined opponent and painful blisters on his right toe to seal a 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 victory in a contest that lasted one hour and 37 minutes. Sen’s achievement puts him in rare company alongside his mentor Prakash Padukone. The legendary Indian had reached the final in 1980 and 1981, famously winning the title in his first appearance in the championship match. Saturday’s semifinal turned into a test of stamina and resilience for both players. Sen and Lai were involved in several exhausting rallies, some stretching beyond 50 shots, as neither competitor was willing to give ground. The opening game remained closely contested until the score stood at 17-16 in Sen’s favour. The Indian then shifted gears, reeling off four consecutive points to take the first game. Lai responded strongly in the second game. The Canadian, who holds the distinction of being the first player from Canada to win a medal at the BWF World Championships, moved ahead 11-7 at the mid game interval and maintained his advantage despite Sen drawing level at 16-16 while dealing with blisters. Lai eventually forced the match into a deciding game. In the final game, Sen’s experience began to show. Mixing patience with calculated attacking shots, he built a healthy 15-9 lead. Lai continued to fight back and reduced the deficit to 17-15, but Sen finished strongly, claiming four points in a row to seal his place in the final. In the championship match, Sen will face Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei. The left handed shuttler, who recently won the India Open, advanced to the final after defeating Thailand’s second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-14, 18-21, 21-16 in a semifinal that lasted one hour and 18 minutes.

England’s head coach Brendon McCullum, centre, with players (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra)

Following England’s exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, head coach Brendon McCullum has stood by his coaching philosophy, insisting the team’s white-ball setup still has the ingredients to achieve “special stuff” if their talent is nurtured correctly.England’s journey in the tournament ended in the semi-finals after a thrilling contest against India national cricket team at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. The high-scoring clash saw England fall short by seven runs, bringing an end to a campaign that had earlier seen them advance through the Super 8 stage with a flawless record.

The 44-year-old coach has recently been under scrutiny, with critics suggesting the environment within the team under his leadership places too much emphasis on relaxation and off-field enjoyment instead of strict high-performance standards. McCullum, however, dismissed that notion, saying the perception does not reflect how the team actually operates.“It’s never been about that. That’s a perception that is not necessarily reality. I think there’s a perception that we run a casual operation. It couldn’t be further from the truth. We run an informal operation, but the work is done, and the preparation is put in place,” McCullum said as quoted by the BBC.He explained that while the team environment may appear relaxed, it does not come at the cost of preparation or discipline.“There’s an environment that operates in a certain way, but because you are relaxed around that doesn’t mean the work is not being done. That’s just an attitude to try to allow guys to be as free as possible to implement the skills and tactics that you’re trying to achieve. Look, I make no apologies for running an informal, positive environment, but to call it a casual environment is not fair,” He added.McCullum also reserved special praise for England’s white-ball captain Harry Brook, who led the side in his first major tournament as skipper.“I’m incredibly proud of him. He’s grown immensely in the last couple of months under difficult circumstances,” McCullum said.“There’s a real identity to how Harry Brook’s England white-ball side is going to play. It’s hugely encouraging because a couple of months ago, you probably didn’t have that. He has done an amazing job,” he added.England’s semi-final against India ultimately became the highest-scoring fixture of the tournament, ending in a narrow seven-run defeat. Earlier in the competition, England had also lost to the West Indies cricket team and were pushed in challenging encounters against Scotland national cricket team, Italy national cricket team and Pakistan national cricket team.Despite the disappointment of the World Cup campaign and a recent 4-1 loss in The Ashes, McCullum is expected to continue in his position as England’s head coach.

South Africa and West Indies cricket team (Agency Image)

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has criticised what he believes is unequal treatment of teams following their exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, pointing out that some sides are still stranded in India while others have already been allowed to leave.England were knocked out of the tournament after losing their semi-final to the India national cricket team on Thursday. According to Vaughan, the English side is set to return home on a charter flight soon after the defeat.However, the situation has been very different for other teams. The West Indies cricket team, who were eliminated last Sunday after a five-wicket loss to India in the Super Eights, are still waiting in Kolkata to travel back. The South Africa national cricket team are also stuck in the same city after their semi-final defeat to the New Zealand national cricket team on March 4.Taking to X, Vaughan questioned the disparity and suggested that influence at the global level of the International Cricket Council should not determine how teams are treated once they exit a tournament.“So England got knocked out on Thurs get a charter home today .. West Indies go out last Sunday and are still in Kolkata .. SA in the same position .. That’s where the power is all wrong .. All teams in this situation should be treated the same .. just because you are more powerful at the ICC table shouldn’t count ..,” Vaughan wrote.

Michael Vaughan post

The travel complications are largely due to charter flights arranged by the ICC being affected by international airspace restrictions linked to security concerns in the Gulf region amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran.Frustration over the delay has also been visible within the West Indies camp. Head coach Daren Sammy recently shared a short but telling message on X that reflected the team’s mood. The former West Indies captain posted, “I just wanna go home.”The tournament is now nearing its conclusion, with defending champions India national cricket team set to face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on Sunday in Ahmedabad. The competition began on February 7 across venues in India and Sri Lanka.

India’s Jasprit Bumrah (ANI Photo)

Ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final between the India national cricket team and the New Zealand national cricket team, former Australia captain Michael Clarke has showered praise on star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, describing him as the most crucial bowler in world cricket at the moment. Clarke also suggested that Bumrah could play a decisive role in the title clash and even emerge as the Player of the Match.Bumrah has been one of India’s standout performers in the ongoing tournament. He currently sits second on the team’s wicket-taking charts with 10 scalps from seven matches, only behind Varun Chakaravarthy, who has 13 wickets. The fast bowler has also maintained an impressive economy rate of 6.63, the best among Indian bowlers in this edition.

Speaking on the Beyond23 cricket podcast, Clarke highlighted Bumrah’s exceptional ability to deliver under pressure, saying his execution sets him apart from the rest.“One thing is having so many options (variations), but most importantly, having the skills to execute under pressure. This is what makes him the best in the world. He has been a defining factor for India. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is Man of the Match in the final. He’s just so dominant.”Clarke further emphasised Bumrah’s value across all formats of the game, calling him a rare match-winner who consistently delivers in high-pressure situations.“India are the standout team in this tournament. They have been absolutely brilliant. We probably haven’t spoken much about him throughout this World Cup campaign, because we now just expect it. Bumrah. He is just a freak. All three formats, he is, by a distance, the most important player in the world in all three formats. He is a match-winner. He bowls the most difficult overs. Run-saving machine, wicket-taker, execution under pressure is better than anybody in world cricket.“The former Australian skipper also reflected on the challenge of managing a bowler like Bumrah if he were leading a team. According to Clarke, deciding when to use the pacer during an innings would be the biggest tactical decision for any captain.“He’s got so many different skills. It’s like when you see the best batters, we always talk about how they make runs under pressure, but they do it in different conditions around the world. Bumrah does that. He wins games in all different conditions and at different stages of the game. If I was captaining him, my biggest challenge would be when to use him. That’s why they don’t look to open the bowling with him and you want two overs from him at the death.“

India vs New Zealand (Agency Image)

The spotlight shifts to Ahmedabad as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final between the India national cricket team and the New Zealand national cricket team is set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. With anticipation building for the title clash, the Indian Railways has stepped in to help fans reach the venue by introducing a special train service from New Delhi to Ahmedabad.On Saturday, the official handle of Northern Railway announced that the train had been arranged to assist supporters eager to witness the final in person. The move comes amid soaring flight fares and limited ticket availability for travel to Ahmedabad.

The special train is scheduled to depart from New Delhi at 11:45 PM on Saturday. Fans have been encouraged to secure their seats quickly to avoid missing the opportunity to travel.“A Special Gift from Indian Railways for Cricket Lovers! Considering the increased flight ticket prices and unavailability of tickets, Indian Railways has announced a special train from New Delhi to Sabarmati for passengers’ convenience, departing today, March 7, 2026, at 11:45 PM. Book your seat in this 19-coach train featuring 3rd AC and 2nd AC coaches.”Earlier, Western Railway had also revealed plans to run another special train for the final. This service will operate between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, offering fans an affordable and convenient way to travel for the highly anticipated contest.The Narendra Modi Stadium is expected to witness a packed house for the tournament decider. India sealed their place in the final after edging past the England cricket team by seven runs in the semi-final, while New Zealand secured their berth by comfortably defeating the South Africa national cricket team.Before the first ball of the final is bowled, spectators will also be treated to a vibrant closing ceremony. Puerto Rican Grammy-winning star Ricky Martin will headline the event alongside renowned Gujarati folk singer Falguni Pathak and Bollywood playback singer Sukhwinder Singh.The International Cricket Council has also planned a musical entertainment segment before the toss, where the crowd of nearly 1,32,000 spectators is expected to dance to Martin’s iconic hit Un Dos Tres (Maria).This will mark the second time that Ahmedabad hosts India in a World Cup final. The previous instance came during the 2023 Cricket World Cup, when Australia national cricket team stunned the hosts to lift the 50-over title.

T20 WC Final (Agency Image)

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to reach its climax on Sunday as India national cricket team take on the New Zealand national cricket team in the final in Ahmedabad. After nearly a month of gripping matches and dramatic turnarounds, the tournament will conclude with the much-anticipated title clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium.India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, sealed their place in the final after edging past the England cricket team by seven runs in a tense semi-final held in Mumbai. Meanwhile, New Zealand produced a commanding display in their last-four encounter, defeating the South Africa national cricket team by nine wickets in Kolkata to book their spot in the summit clash.

This will mark India’s fourth appearance in a T20 World Cup final, and the team will be chasing a record-extending third title. For New Zealand, it will be only their second appearance in the final of the competition as they continue their pursuit of a maiden T20 World Cup trophy.India will head into the contest with several factors working in their favour. They are playing at home, carry the confidence of being the defending champions, and have also enjoyed success against New Zealand in recent bilateral series. However, the historical record adds an intriguing twist, as New Zealand have never been beaten by India in tournament meetings.Both teams have had their share of ups and downs during the competition. At different stages, each side looked at risk of an early elimination before recovering strongly to reach the final of the global event.Before the highly anticipated final gets underway, the organisers have planned a special closing ceremony to celebrate the end of the tournament.The closing ceremony of the 2026 T20 World Cup will take place on Sunday, March 8, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The event is scheduled to begin at 5:30 PM.The ceremony will feature performances by international pop star Ricky Martin, popular Bollywood and Punjabi singer Sukhbir, and renowned Gujarati folk artist Falguni Pathak, adding a vibrant musical flavour before the final showdown begins.

Ahmedabad: Kajal, a worker, sprinkles water while cleaning seats at the Narendra Modi Stadium (PTI Photo/Gurinder Osan)

NEW DELHI: India will face New Zealand in the T20 World Cup 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, with Suryakumar Yadav’s side aiming to create history by defending their title. India reached the summit clash after beating England in the semifinal and became the third team after Pakistan and Sri Lanka to make back-to-back T20 World Cup finals.

However, New Zealand remain a tough opponent and have never lost to India in their previous T20 World Cup meetings.With such a big match ahead, fans are also curious about what happens if weather or other situations affect the final.

According to ICC rules, the organisers will first try to complete the match on the scheduled day, even if the game has to be shortened due to rain.If the match cannot be completed that day, a reserve day is in place.The game will continue from the same point where it stopped rather than starting again. However, if rain prevents any result even after the reserve day, both teams will be declared joint winners of the tournament.Another possibility is the match ending in a tie. In that case, the winner will be decided through a Super Over, where both teams get one extra over to bat and bowl.If the Super Over also ends in a tie, another one will be played.This rule was introduced after the controversial finish of the 2019 ODI World Cup final. Earlier, only one Super Over was played and if it was tied, the team that hit more boundaries won. Now, Super Overs will continue until a clear winner emerges.

Dubai international cricket stadium

England’s women’s cricket team has moved its T20 World Cup preparatory camp to South Africa after cancelling plans to train in Abu Dhabi due to security concerns linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.Around 30 players will now gather in Pretoria for the camp. They will be split into two squads of 15 each for a five-match intra-squad series scheduled from March 10 to 27.The two teams are named after former England players Jan Brittin and Rachael Heyhoe-Flint, who were part of World Cup-winning sides on home soil.England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt will lead Team Brittin. The side will be coached by former Durham batter and England Women assistant coach Jon Lewis. Vice-captain Charlie Dean will captain Team Heyhoe-Flint, with assistant coach Luke Williams in charge of the team.Head coach Charlotte Edwards will oversee both squads during the camp. She said the series will help players compete for places in the squad ahead of the T20 World Cup at home.“This is a big opportunity for every player involved to put their hand up and demonstrate that they’re an invaluable part of our World Cup plans,” Edwards said in a release, as cited by news agency PTI.“It’s the same chance for every player, whether they’re new to the team or they’ve played 100 games. We want to use this series as a chance to stretch ourselves and put ourselves under pressure in competitive match situations.“We’ve had two training camps this year, in Oman and Stellenbosch, which focused on skills. Adding a more competitive element is our next step and I’m really pleased with how the group is coming along ahead of a massive summer.”This will be England’s second training camp in South Africa this year after skill-focused camps in Oman in January and Stellenbosch last month.England are scheduled to host New Zealand and India in white-ball series before the T20 World Cup, which will be held from June 12 to July 5. They will then play India in a women’s Test at Lord’s.Team Heyhoe-Flint: Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Charlie Dean (capt), Sophie Ecclestone, Mahika Gaur, Dani Gibson, Jodi Grewcock, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Grace Potts, Grace Scrivens, Alexa Stonehouse, Danni Wyatt-Hodge.Team Brittin: Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley, Lauren Filer, Freya Kemp, Charis Pavely, Davina Perrin, Paige Scholfield, Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Linsey Smith, Rhianna Southby, Ellie Threlkeld, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong.

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has shared his views on Varun Chakravarthy’s bowling after the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, saying the spinner’s confidence drops when batters attack him early in his spell.India reached the final after beating England by seven runs in the semi-final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. Chakravarthy had a difficult outing in the match while defending a total of 253 runs.

The spinner conceded 64 runs and picked up one wicket. It became the joint second-most expensive bowling spell in a T20 World Cup match. He equalled the record of Sanath Jayasuriya, who had figures of 0/64 for Sri Lanka against Pakistan in Johannesburg in 2007.“What is happening with Varun is not that teams are attacking him or picking him. Everyone knows that Adil Rashid has a googly. Teams attacking or reading a bowler is normal — it happens to every cricketer. But if this happens, you have to be tactical. You cannot miss the lengths. Line and length variations with speed variations are important. Varun has to be spoken to,” Ashwin said on ‘Ash ki Baat’.“Every time he gets attacked upfront, the confidence is going down further, because he knows he is catching up. I am tired of saying this again and again. From the last few games, I am saying this. Do not bowl from round the wicket to the left-hander,” he added.The most expensive bowling figures in a T20 World Cup match were recorded in this edition when Saurabh Netravalkar of the United States returned 0/65 against India.Chakravarthy now has the joint second-most expensive bowling figures for India in all T20 internationals. Prasidh Krishna holds the record with 0/68 against Australia in Guwahati in 2023, while Yuzvendra Chahal also had figures of 0/64 against South Africa in Durban in 2018.India will face New Zealand in the final of the tournament on Sunday, March 8 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.The two teams had also reached the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and will again meet in the final of an ICC tournament nearly a year later.

File photo of Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte with Barcelona’s Dani Olmo during a La Liga match. (AP)

New Delhi: Athletic Bilbao face a daunting challenge as they host La Liga leaders Barcelona at San Mames, with the Catalan giants narrowly ahead in the title race. While Barcelona are battling Real Madrid at the top, ninth-placed Athletic are chasing European places in a tightly packed mid-table. For Aymeric Laporte, who spoke exclusively to TimesofIndia.com, the clash represents both a tactical test and a statement opportunity for Ernesto Valverde’s side.

The defender expects Athletic to spend long spells without the ball against Barcelona’s possession-heavy style but insists the team is preparing to treat the match “like a final”. Laporte also spoke about the Basque side’s season objectives and his personal focus with Spain’s World Cup campaign looming.Excerpts:Q. Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona is a big game. How has the preparation been like? What are some of the areas you’re focussing on as a team?Laporte: Barcelona is a big team. They play top gameplay, so they have a good style – possession ball, long time. We will have to run for sure, but I hope we will be preparing at San Mames to do something big. Q. You will be starting in defence. Against a team like Barcelona, what is the biggest challenge – one on ones, defensive line, what is it?Laporte: Yeah, it’s always a big challenge against big teams like this. We try our best, I try my best also. I try to manage the line, the defensive line, the pitch.It’s true that we are rotating, like we are playing different people nearly every single game. But yeah, we are trying to solve all the issues game by game and we will try to prepare this game as a final.

File photo of fans of Athletic Club at Estadio de San Mames. (Getty Images)

Q. Coming to Athletic, things have been a bit up and down this year. What is the goal for the team overall? Laporte: The ambition is to go game-by-game. I think it’s the most important thing for this season.I would like or love to say in that top-six. But right now we are not in the best position to talk about the first 6-7 of La Liga. Step by step, Barcelona first and after we will see if we can win many games. We will try our best to win as much as possible and try to find the places on top of the league.Q. With the World Cup also coming later in the year. For you personally, is there any goal fitness-wise or game-wise that you are looking to improve or build on as a player?Laporte: When you play for a team in La Liga and I have played for Spain for a few years, of course it is in my head. It is also why I’ve come back here to Spain. To play the big games during the season, to keep the rhythm, the highest level. First we have the Finalissima against Argentina and after we will think about the World Cup.WATCH: Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona will be LIVE at 1:30am IST on 8 March on FanCode.