India’s Jasprit Bumrah (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

India’s premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah reached a historic milestone during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi final against England at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. The right arm pacer completed 500 international wickets with the very first ball of his spell, striking in the fifth over of England’s chase.Bumrah, who made his international debut against Australia in Sydney on January 23, 2016, has now entered an elite list of Indian bowlers to reach the landmark. He became the eighth Indian to achieve the feat, joining legendary names such as Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Kapil Dev, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath.

The 32 year old from Ahmedabad has built a remarkable record across formats. Bumrah has taken 234 wickets in 52 Tests, 149 wickets in 89 ODIs and 117 wickets in 94 T20Is, underlining his consistency and impact in all three formats of the game.His form in the ongoing T20 World Cup has also been impressive. Coming into the semi final with nine wickets from six matches for the Suryakumar Yadav led side, Bumrah took his tally to ten after dismissing England captain Harry Brook in the knockout clash.Earlier in the tournament, Bumrah played a key role in India’s Super 8 victories against South Africa and the West Indies, finishing as the team’s leading wicket taker in both games. He had also made an early impact in the group stage match against Pakistan in Colombo, where he dismissed Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha in his very first over at the R Premadasa Stadium.Reaching the 500 wicket milestone places Bumrah among the finest bowlers in India’s cricketing history and further strengthens his reputation as one of the most formidable fast bowlers of the modern era.Bumrah is also India’s leading wicket taker in T20 World Cup history. In the semi final against England, he delivered a disciplined spell of 4 overs for 33 runs and 1 wicket. His control in the death overs played a crucial role in helping India seal the win and book a place in the final.

India vs Pakistan (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Ahmed Shehzad has sparked controversy by accusing the Board of Control for Cricket in India of not allowing the International Cricket Council to directly conduct doping tests on Indian players. His comments came during the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, after India national cricket team had reached the semi-finals.Speaking on a Pakistani channel, Shehzad claimed that India handles its own anti-doping checks instead of relying on the ICC’s testing system.

He alleged that the Indian board prefers to conduct the tests itself because it does not trust outside technology. “ICC does the dope tests [sic] for the entire world except India. Their own board does it for them. Sir, they don’t give it to the ICC; they say we have our own board, which would determine. The Indians have said that we don’t trust any technology outside, we have good technology, so we would do the dope test for our own players,” Shehzad said.However, international cricket follows strict anti-doping rules based on the standards of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The ICC has been a signatory to the WADA Code since 2006, meaning players across the world are subject to strict testing rules.The ICC conducts both in-competition and out-of-competition tests, often without prior notice. Specially trained officers collect blood or urine samples, which are split into two parts called “A” and “B” samples and tested at WADA-accredited laboratories. If the first sample shows a banned substance, the player is provisionally suspended and can request the second sample to be tested. If the result is confirmed, the player can face a long ban from cricket.Meanwhile, the BCCI’s anti-doping system works under National Anti-Doping Agency, which the board joined in 2019. Since NADA also follows WADA rules, Indian players are still tested under the same global anti-doping standards used in international sport.

England cricket team (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has made a bold prediction ahead of the high-stakes semifinal between India national cricket team and England cricket team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.Speaking on a Pakistani television show, Latif backed England to defeat India and progress to the final. The winner of Thursday’s clash will take on New Zealand national cricket team, who booked their place in the title clash after defeating South Africa national cricket team in the other semifinal.

Historically, India hold a slight edge over England in T20 World Cup meetings, leading the head-to-head record 3–2. Their first encounter came in the inaugural 2007 edition when India secured an 18-run win in a memorable contest. That match is best remembered for Yuvraj Singh smashing six sixes in an over.England responded two years later in the 2009 tournament, edging past India after the latter fell three runs short while chasing 154. India regained the upper hand in the 2012 edition with a dominant 90-run victory. A decade later, England produced a commanding performance to defeat India in the 2022 tournament and advance to the final. However, India turned the tables again in the 2024 T20 World Cup under the leadership of Rohit Sharma.Despite India’s favourable record, Latif believes England have the edge this time.“England will win the semifinals,” said Latif.“They are coming from difficult conditions, and 2-3 batters have succeeded. That’s what they need and their middle order is strong,” he said.“England know these conditions very well. Even if just one England player performs, that will be enough for India to lose,” he further added.England’s journey to the semifinals has been marked by resilience. They have had to recover from challenging situations in multiple matches, including tight contests against Nepal and Pakistan where they showed composure under pressure. The team also secured a crucial win over New Zealand in the Super 8 stage and remain unbeaten in the competition.Looking ahead to the semifinal, England captain Harry Brook emphasised the value of winning close matches in a global tournament.“We’ve won tight games, which in World Cups prove to be very important, and we’ve got a lot of confidence going into the deeper parts of the game,” Brook said.“We’ve won games, which we probably shouldn’t have won, and it just feels like we’ve never really been out of any game so far, which holds you in good stead in these world competitions.”Squads:India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Rinku Singh, Washington SundarEngland: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Harry Brook(c), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Ben Duckett, Luke Wood, Josh Tongue, Jamie Overton

Arjun Tendulkar and Saaniya Chandok (X)

Arjun Tendulkar, the son of legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar, has officially tied the knot with entrepreneur Saaniya Chandhok. The wedding ceremony took place on Thursday, March 5, bringing an end to a week of celebrations attended by several well known personalities from the cricketing world.The couple had earlier announced their engagement in August 2025 in a private ceremony attended by close family members and friends. Since then, preparations for the wedding had been underway, with celebrations beginning earlier this week in Mumbai.

The festivities included traditional functions such as mehendi and sangeet, where a number of former and current cricketers joined the Tendulkar family for the celebrations. The events created a festive atmosphere as friends and family gathered to mark the special occasion.Arjun’s wife Saaniya comes from a prominent business background. She is the granddaughter of industrialist Ravi Ghai, chairman of the Graviss Group. Based in Mumbai, Saaniya has built her own career in the pet care and animal welfare space. She is known for her work as a veterinary technician and entrepreneur and has been actively involved in initiatives related to animal care.While the wedding celebrations have now concluded, Arjun will soon turn his focus back to cricket. The 26 year old left arm pacer has so far made five appearances in the Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians. In those matches he picked up three wickets while conceding 114 runs and also scored 13 runs with the bat.At the domestic level, Arjun currently represents the Goa cricket team after making his debut for the Mumbai cricket team in 2021.Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, Arjun was traded from Mumbai Indians to Lucknow Super Giants. He is expected to feature for the franchise in the upcoming season as he continues to build his career in professional cricket.

India’s Lakshya Sen celebrates (Bradley Collyer/PA via AP)

NEW DELHI: Lakshya Sen delivered a determined performance to defeat Ng Ka Long Angus and advance to the quarterfinals of the All England Open Badminton Championships on Thursday.The world No. 12 Indian shuttler won a tough round-of-16 clash 21-19, 21-23, 21-10 after an intense three-game battle filled with long rallies and physical exchanges. Lakshya, who finished runner-up at the 2022 edition of the tournament, showed strong mental resilience to overcome his opponent, against whom he had previously lost all three matches.

“It was a very solid game, I think both the sets and also credit to him, he made a solid comeback in the second. I think I just didn’t play freely towards the end of the second set and gave too many easy shots for him to kill,” Lakshya said.The match started with Lakshya trailing early in the opening game, but he gradually found his rhythm. Using sharp smashes and precise placement, he recovered from a 4-6 deficit and built a solid lead before sealing the first game after a tense finish.Lakshya looked in control in the second game and even built a comfortable lead midway through. However, Ng Ka Long mounted a late comeback and saved multiple match points to force the contest into a deciding third game.“But yeah I think I was prepared again in the third set to just go all out and happy with the way I played in the third,” he added.“Tactically I was playing the right game both the sets and yeah it’s just the last few points I didn’t stick to the plan, just gave too many easy errors. But again, it was important to just switch off, forget the second set, forget the first set and just play the third set with the same game plan which was working.”In the decider, Lakshya quickly regained control, taking an early lead and dominating with strong defence and fast attacking shots. His opponent struggled to keep up as Lakshya pulled far ahead and comfortably closed out the match.“I’m feeling pretty good on court especially, the last two matches and yeah now it’s time to again recover, another tough match tomorrow so just have 24 hours and then just go all out,” he added.

Team India (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

TimesofIndia.com in Mumbai: 40 overs, 499 runs, 34 sixes, a last-over finish and the entire Wankhede Stadium on its feet singing “Maa Tujhe Salaam” in unison. One could not have asked for a more entertaining game of T20 cricket as India held their nerves to beat England by just seven runs and set a date with New Zealand in the summit clash of the 2026 T20 World Cup.The hosts had long yearned for a perfect game in the tournament. While this win too was far from it, it was enough for India to reach their fourth straight white-ball final. The bowlers had the cushion of runs and even when they leaked plenty, their early intent to look for wickets, something they could not do against the West Indies in Kolkata, was evident.Varun Chakravarthy was creamed for three sixes by Jacob Bethell but he responded by taking Jos Buttler’s wicket. Axar Patel was dispatched for back-to-back sixes by Tom Banton but the wily customer had the last laugh, taking the right-hander’s wicket off the third delivery. Before the emphatic response by the two spinners, India broke England’s back during the powerplay of the huge chase by picking three wickets: Phil Salt, Harry Brook and Jos Buttler.

Hardik Pandya struck off the first delivery of his spell and Jasprit Bumrah did the same. The two demonstrated their experience. The former achieved good movement in his first over while Bumrah stunned Brook with a slower ball, and then Axar took a blinder to dismiss the England skipper. When it looked like India were firmly in command, Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks, England’s best cricketer in this tournament, combined to put India under pressure. But even as England got close, it was wickets that kept India in control. Another one came just when they badly needed it and it again took a spectacular effort from Axar and Shivam Dube.Arshdeep was reintroduced to break the momentum after the spinners lacked control and the left-armer bowled three wides on the trot. His last legal delivery was set to go for at least a boundary before Axar pulled off another stunning effort, with Shivam Dube completing the relay catch to get the Wankhede roaring again.

Bethell special

The pitch was a paradise for batting and while every bowler struggled to contain the batters, Varun’s meek surrender raised significant concerns. Throughout his four-over spell, the mystery spinner lacked control and penetration, consistently erring with shorter lengths. The true bounce allowed batters to comfortably sit back on the back foot and muscle deliveries into the stands without course correction. He leaked 64 runs from four overs, his most expensive outing in the format and the second most expensive in the tournament’s history.

Jacob Bethell of England celebrates reaching his century during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Semi-Final match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

With Bethell keeping England hanging by a thread, the required run rate boiled down to 61 from the last four overs. With two southpaws in the middle, India made the bold call to bowl Arshdeep early. While he kept things quiet initially, he conceded a six and a boundary off the last two deliveries, resulting in 45 runs needed from the last three overs.Arshdeep was reintroduced to break some momentum after spinners lacked control and after the left-armer bowled three wides on the trot, his last legal delivery was set to go for at least a boundary before Axar pulled off another stunning catch, with a neat assist from Shivam Dube, to get the Wankhede roaring again. The pitch was a dream to bat on and while every bowler struggled to contain the batters, Varun’s meek surrender raises significant concerns.Throughout his four-over spell, the mystery spinner lacked control and penetration, consistently erring with shorter lengths. The true bounce allowed batters to comfortably sit back on the back-foot and muscle deliveries into the stands, without course correction. He leaked 64 runs from four overs – his most expensive outing in the format and the second most in the tournament’s history. With Bethell keeping England hanging by a thread, the required run rate boiled down to 61 from last four overs. With two left-handers in the middle, India made the bold call to bowl Arshdeep early. While he kept things quiet initially, he conceded a six and a boundary off the last two deliveries, resulting in 45 runs from the last three overs.

Magical Bumrah

Then came the over that could well have decided which way the match was headed as Surya threw his last roll of the dice and handed Bumrah the ball to bowl the 18th over. And he delivered.

Jasprit Bumrah of India celebrates the run out of Jacob Bethell of England during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Semi-Final match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

Six deliveries around the toes resulted in only six runs, making the equation 39 off the last two overs. Hardik was on top of his mark to bowl the crucial over. Even after conceding a six off the first ball, he took the wicket of Sam Curran and ended the over with a dot, leaving Shivam Dube 30 runs to defend off the last six balls.Wankhede was on its feet. A mini conference was underway between Dube, Hardik and Surya and the tension was palpable. Centurion Bethell was on strike and his first hit went straight to Pandya, patrolling the long-off. England needed Bethell at the strike and the youngster tried to steal a second but Pandya’s rocket arm caught the 22-year-old short, ending England’s hope. Archer kept the scoreboard interesting with three sixes but it was too late as England fell short by seven runs.

Another Samson masterclass

The 14th over of the Indian innings was the only one in which England did not concede a boundary. On an evening when many boundaries and sixes were hit, Will Jacks’ third over was an anomaly. Boundaries and sixes flew thick and fast in the overs bowled around the off-spinner as India, riding on another Sanju Samson masterclass, demolished England by posting a mammoth total, batting them out of the game before they even came out to bat.

Sanju Samson of India bats watched by England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Semi-Final match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on March 05, 2026 in Mumbai, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

The bounce was true and with nothing happening off the surface or in the air, India feasted with a clinical batting display. It was Samson again who put on a real show of attractive strokeplay to score back-to-back half-centuries. If the unbeaten 97 in the stiff chase against West Indies at the Eden Gardens was a picture of calm, the 89 at Wankhede had domination written all over it. He never looked to slow down, even when Abhishek Sharma threw his wicket away to Jacks’ off-spin, and the manner in which he took down the predictable Jofra Archer was pure class.Samson did get a reprieve on 15 when Harry Brook dropped a dolly at mid-on off Jofra Archer’s bowling, but he made the most of it and from there onwards played a chanceless knock.England played the matchups card well but the bowlers’ execution was far from satisfactory. All of them had an economy rate in double digits, with Archer leaking 61 runs in his four overs.The 30-year-old kept digging in short to Samson, who came well prepared and stood deep in his crease to counter the extra bounce. The only occasion when the right-armer went a bit full brought an opportunity, but Harry Brook missed the sitter, handing the in-form Samson an early life. Samson then added 74 runs from the next 35 deliveries he faced.India were cruising and Wankhede was roaring. The chants of “Sanju Samson” grew louder with every big hit and Ishan Kishan ensured the momentum did not dip from the other end as he smashed an 18-ball 39. When the dangerous southpaw was dismissed in the tenth over, India controlled the situation at 117/2. Since spin was expected to play a part, they demoted Surya and sent Shivam Dube to pile on more misery on the opposition.

Dube did not disappoint. Even after Samson was dismissed 11 short of a well-deserved hundred, he aced his role to perfection by using his long levers to full effect and kept 250 within reach. For Surya, it was another ordinary outing in a knockout or must-win fixture of a multilateral tournament but Hardik Pandya covered up for the Indian skipper’s early departure as both he, and, later, Tilak Varma played strong cameos to push the side over the 250-run mark.India’s innings mirrored their training session two days before the match as the batters operated with significant intent. The Men in Blue hit 19 sixes and the sixathon made them the only side in men’s T20 history to have six totals in excess of 250 in the format. India have already hit 88 sixes in the tournament, the most in a single edition, and they are set to flirt with the century mark when they take the field in the title clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.Brief score:India: 253 for seven in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 89, Shivam Dube 43, Ishan Kishan 39; Will Jacks 2/40, Adil Rashid 2/41).England: 246 for 7 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 105; Jasprit Bumrah 1/33, Hardik Pandya 2/38).

England’s Sam Curran, right, and captain Harry Brook (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

India piled up a huge total of 253/7 against England in the T20 World Cup semi-final at Wankhede, thanks mainly to a brilliant knock from Sanju Samson. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 89 off just 42 balls, hitting eight fours and seven sixes, after already scoring an unbeaten 97 in the previous match. He built strong partnerships with Ishan Kishan (39 off 18) and Shivam Dube (43 off 25), putting England’s bowlers under pressure early in the innings.

England captain Harry Brook had won the toss and chose to bowl first, but India started aggressively. Samson attacked from the first over, taking on Jofra Archer and other bowlers with powerful shots across the ground. He also got a lifeline early when Brook dropped a simple catch at mid-on. After that, Samson continued to dominate and reached his fifty in just 26 balls, adding 97 runs with Kishan for the second wicket.The momentum slowed slightly toward the end as England picked up a few wickets. Samson fell while trying to reach his maiden T20 World Cup century, caught by Phil Salt off Will Jacks. Suryakumar Yadav scored only 11, and Dube was run out after a mix-up with Hardik Pandya, who contributed a quick 27 off 12 balls. Tilak Varma also chipped in with a late cameo, hitting 27 off just seven balls.During England’s fielding struggles, former England captain Michael Vaughan joked on social media about their poor catching. “My fielding academy might have to open again,” Vaughan said on X.Despite the late wickets, India’s massive total left England with a very challenging target in the high-pressure semi-final clash.

Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana has been named in Barbie’s first-ever Dream Team, becoming the first cricketer in the world to receive a one-of-a-kind Barbie doll inspired by her journey. The announcement was made on Thursday, March 5.Toy manufacturer Mattel aligned the recognition with International Women’s Day, which is observed every year on March 8. According to the company, the initiative aims to honour women who have broken barriers in their respective fields. The doll created in Mandhana’s likeness has been specially designed to celebrate her achievements and will not be available for retail sale.Mandhana features in the Dream Team alongside several prominent global personalities. The list includes tennis great Serena Williams, astronaut Kellie Gerardi, racing driver Regina Sirvent Alvarado, England footballer Chloe Kelly, singer Helene Fischer, climber Zoja Skubis and surfer Stephanie Gilmore.“The dream is real and we have the team to prove it,” Mattel said in a statement while unveiling the initiative. “Ahead of International Women’s Day, Barbie is proud to announce our first-ever Barbie Dream Team, honouring eight women from across the globe who have led the way for future generations of girls by accomplishing breakthrough firsts in their chosen paths.”Mandhana later shared pictures of her personalised Barbie doll on Instagram, admitting that the moment still feels surreal.“Still processing this moment… Seeing a one-of-a-kind @Barbie doll inspired by my journey is something I never imagined growing up. Cricket has given me so much, and if my story helps even one girl believe she belongs on the field, that means everything. Honored to be part of Barbie’s Dream Team alongside incredible women from around the world who are breaking barriers in their own fields. When girls see what’s possible, they dream bigger,” Mandhana said.Mandhana currently serves as India’s vice-captain across formats and is widely regarded as one of the side’s most dependable batters. She recently climbed back to the No. 1 position in the ICC ODI batting rankings. Earlier this year, she also captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second title in the Women’s Premier League. At the peak of her career, Mandhana continues to shine both on and off the field.

The Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) is set to return with its eighth edition, celebrating the inspiring journeys and achievements of India’s finest athletes across multiple disciplines. The much-anticipated TOISA 2025 ceremony will take place on March 21, 2026 in Lucknow, bringing together sporting icons and emerging stars who made the nation proud over the past year.This edition will recognise athletes across more than 45 sporting categories, honouring performances during the evaluation period from January 1 to December 31, 2025. From global championships to major international tournaments, Indian sport witnessed a remarkable year filled with memorable victories and record-breaking performances.Sport has a unique ability to unite people, cutting across barriers and bringing millions together in moments of pride and celebration. The Times of India Sports Awards aim to recognise not just victories on the field, but also the determination, sacrifices and relentless effort behind those triumphs. A distinguished jury comprising eminent Indian sporting personalities will select the winners across various categories.The past year produced several landmark achievements. Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra continued his remarkable run on the global stage with outstanding performances in the Diamond League, while shooter Samrat Rana clinched three medals at the World Shooting Championships.Indian cricket also enjoyed a historic year. The India women’s national cricket team lifted their maiden ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title on home soil, while the India national cricket team captured both the ICC Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup. In another remarkable feat, the India women’s blind cricket team became the first-ever champions of the Women’s Blind Cricket T20 World Cup.Beyond cricket, the India men’s national field hockey team triumphed at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup, securing qualification for the FIH Hockey World Cup in 2026. Indian para-athletes also shone brightly at the World Para Athletics Championships, returning home with a rich medal haul.Young talents made headlines too, with promising athletes like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in cricket, Divya Deshmukh in chess, and Tanvi Sharma in badminton emerging as stars of the future.Through these honours, TOISA continues its mission of celebrating India’s sporting heroes — the athletes whose grit, dedication and excellence inspire a nation.