D Gukesh and Vladimir Kramnik (Photos by agencies)

World chess champion D Gukesh has spoken out strongly against cheating allegations that have been floating around the chess world, especially those made by former world champion Vladimir Kramnik. Ahead of the Prague International Chess Festival, the 19-year-old made it clear that while he is completely against cheating, he does not agree with how accusations are being made publicly without proof.

“Obviously, I’m against any kind of unfair play or unethical play. I have never done that, and I really hope nobody does that, and it’s a kind of problem that we have been seeing lately. About Kramnik exactly, I think what he has been doing is obviously, I’m not supportive of that,” the 19-year-old added in pre-tournament press conference. Gukesh said that in recent years, players and fans have become overly suspicious, turning cheating into a bigger issue than it really is.“Many people has been paranoid for last couple of years. I think people are making bigger problem that it actually is,” he added.He added that Kramnik’s repeated allegations are harmful to the sport and called for a calmer atmosphere.“And yeah, specifically about Kramnik’s allegations, I don’t support most of it. And I think there should be more harmony and peace in chess.”The controversy comes amid growing criticism of Kramnik, who has accused several players of cheating online without providing solid evidence.Many top names in chess, including Viswanathan Anand and FIDE officials, have spoken out against this trend, echoing Gukesh’s call for unity and fairness in the game.Gukesh is heading into the Prague International Chess Festival looking to bounce back after mixed results at the World Cup and Tata Steel Masters. Seeded second, he will face tough competition from players like Vincent Keymer and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Despite not being at his best recently, Gukesh is currently India’s highest-ranked player.

Virat Kohli (left), Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan (on right) (Photos by PTI and AP)

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif has advised Tilak Varma to ignore outside criticism and focus on playing his natural game in the T20 World Cup 2026. Tilak has had a tough tournament so far, scoring 107 runs in five matches at a modest strike rate. In the match against South Africa, he tried to change his approach by playing aggressively, but it backfired when he got out attempting a big shot.

Kaif said Tilak should stick to being an anchor for the team, similar to Virat Kohli’s role, instead of trying to hit too many big shots. He pointed out that Tilak changed his style due to pressure over his strike rate, which affected his performance.“Tilak Varma has his own way of playing. He can afford to play with a slow strike rate. However, he got out while playing a big shot. There was pressure building on him for the strike rate. As a player, you do keep track of what is being said. But it is the job of the management to ask the player to stick to his role. He should play Virat Kohli’s role. He moved away from his gameplay by stepping out and going for a big shot. You’ll never be able to play if you listen to what others are saying,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.He also explained that India already has many aggressive batters, so Tilak’s job should be to stay till the end and guide the innings.“To become a chase master, you will have to first bat till the 20th over. Tilak Varma got out early, trying to hit. What is your role? Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Rinku Singh play attacking cricket. There should be at least one player who takes the game deep,” said Kaif.Tilak is expected to play in India’s crucial match against Zimbabwe in Chennai.

India’s semifinal hopes in the T20 World Cup 2026 now depend not just on winning, but on winning big. After cruising through the group stage unbeaten — including a statement victory over Pakistan — India suffered a major setback in the Super 8s. A crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa has left Suryakumar Yadav’s men under pressure in Group 1. With a net run rate of -3.800, India are well behind West Indies (+5.350) and South Africa (+3.800).For India, two wins alone may not guarantee qualification. Given their poor NRR, they need emphatic victories to stay in control of their fate.

INDIA QUALIFICATION SCENARIO

Following the heavy loss to South Africa, India face Zimbabwe in Chennai on February 26 before taking on West Indies in Kolkata on March 1.To remain in serious contention, India must first secure a commanding win over Zimbabwe. A victory by a margin of around 100 runs could play a crucial role in repairing their damaged net run rate.If India, South Africa and West Indies all finish on four points — a very realistic scenario — NRR will decide the semifinalists. With India currently lagging far behind, they must bridge the gap quickly.For instance, if India post 220 batting first, they would need to bowl Zimbabwe out for approximately 120 or less to make a significant improvement in NRR. A narrow win could leave them dependent on other results.

Scenario 1 – India win both matchesIf India beat both West Indies and Zimbabwe, they will finish on four points. And if South Africa win all their matches, both India and South Africa will qualify for the semins. If India win both matches and South Africa lose one of their games, three teams could end up tied on four points. In that case, qualification would be decided by Net Run Rate.If India win both their matches and South Africa lose both their games, then India and West Indies will qualify for the semi-final,Scenario 2 – India win one matchIf India pull off only one win, then they will be eliminated irrespective of what happens in other results of the group.Remaining Super 8 Fixtures – Group 1February 26: South Africa vs West Indies (Ahmedabad)February 26: India vs Zimbabwe (Chennai)March 1: South Africa vs Zimbabwe (Delhi)March 1: India vs West Indies (Kolkata)For the defending champions, the margin for error has vanished. The road to the semifinals now demands not just victories, but dominance.

West Indies’ players after their win against Zimbabwe. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former India captain Anil Kumble believes West Indies have shown they possess the qualities needed to win the T20 World Cup at the business end, while warning that India now face a difficult road to the semi-finals after their heavy defeat to South Africa.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!West Indies sent a strong message to the rest of the field with a dominant 107-run demolition of Zimbabwe, piling up a staggering 254/6 before bowling their opponents out for 147. The performance impressed Kumble, who said the Caribbean side demonstrated a clear understanding of how to succeed in knockout-style situations.

“The West Indies understand what it takes to win at this stage of the tournament. The left-arm spinners were outstanding. Gudakesh Motie bowled brilliantly. In this format, finger spinners often try to stay away from the batter’s hitting arc, but Motie and Hosein were different,” Kumble said on JioHotstar.He also singled out Shimron Hetmyer’s explosive 34-ball 85 as the turning point. “Shimron Hetmyer has long been a finisher and knows how to clear the boundaries. He has the power and the temperament. What stands out is that he doesn’t settle for quick cameos of 20 or 30. He converts them into substantial scores. Had he fallen for 30, perhaps the West Indies wouldn’t have reached 254,” Kumble explained.

Kumble added that Rovman Powell’s calculated assault made the total even more formidable. “Powell is again a proven power-hitter. He took his time initially, but once he settled, he was unstoppable.”Turning to India’s situation, Kumble admitted the margin and manner of their loss to South Africa had made things complicated. “Every game counts at this stage. India suffered a significant loss… The key question now is whether they can bounce back strongly.”He stressed that India must now win big. “India needs to win convincingly, much like the West Indies did… The primary focus should be on winning both matches.”

Women’s T20 World Cup (Pic Credit – X)

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council on Tuesday announced the full schedule for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, setting the stage for the biggest edition in the tournament’s history, with 12 teams competing for the coveted title from June 12 to July 5 in England.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Hosts England will launch the tournament against Sri Lanka on June 12, marking the beginning of a nearly month-long spectacle that will culminate in the final at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 5. India will open their campaign against Pakistan at Edgbaston on June 14.

This edition will feature the largest field ever assembled in the competition. Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands secured the final four spots through the qualifying tournament in Nepal, joining defending champions New Zealand, six-time winners Australia, 2016 champions West Indies, hosts England, ODI world champions India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.The group stage promises several high-profile clashes.

ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta described the schedule release as a significant moment for the global game.“The release of the schedule is an important milestone in the run-up to the global, premier sporting event,” Gupta said, emphasising the governing body’s continued investment in women’s cricket through expanded participation, improved pathways, enhanced production standards and increased commercial opportunities.He added that recent global events had helped elevate the women’s game and expressed confidence that the upcoming tournament would further strengthen its popularity and global reach.“The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in India served as a force multiplier for the sport – breaking records, capturing imaginations and inspiring communities – and our ambition is to carry the momentum into the event in June-July,” he added.

Full Schedule of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

Pakistan players (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has stirred debate at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 after urging Pakistan to make a bold selection call ahead of their must-win Super 8 clash against England in Pallekele on Tuesday. Taking to social media, Ashwin advised Pakistan to promote Fakhar Zaman to the middle order if they are serious about staying alive in the tournament.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“If Pakistan are serious about this World Cup campaign, they need to think about giving Fakhar Zaman a go in the middle order,” Ashwin wrote on X. He emphasised Fakhar’s ability to counter England’s spin threat, particularly leg-spinner Adil Rashid and left-arm spinner Liam Dawson.

“He can sweep and use his feet against Rashid and Dawson to inflict some serious damage through the middle overs. This was Nepal’s success formulae against Rashid and there are some key learning’s that the other teams can try to imbibe. Access the square boundaries to earn balls in the step hit zone,” Ashwin added.Ashwin pointed to Nepal’s success against Rashid, even sharing a wagon wheel graphic to illustrate how accessing square boundaries and using footwork disrupted England’s control in the middle overs.The suggestion comes as spin is expected to dominate at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, where slowing surfaces have already influenced results. England’s spinners, supported by pacer Jofra Archer, played a decisive role in their commanding win over Sri Lanka, while their batting has found unlikely heroes.Despite inconsistent performances from senior players like Jos Buttler, England have continued to win, with captain Harry Brook backing his experienced core to deliver soon. Opener Phil Salt has also rediscovered form at a crucial time.Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, face a far more precarious situation. Their opening Super 8 match against New Zealand was washed out, leaving them with little margin for error. While their spin attack offers variety, their batting has struggled for consistency beyond leading scorer Sahibzada Farhan.

Suryakumar Yadav (R) with Tilak Varma during a practice session. (Getty Images)

CHENNAI: Normally India don’t care much about the pitch when they are playing T20 cricket at home. But now, following the hammering against South Africa and the recent struggles of the Indian batters right through the T20 World Cup, the 22 yards have become a talking point.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!As the Indian team reached Chennai on Monday afternoon for the must-win game against Zimbabwe on Thursday, the management appeared to have done their homework about the pitch that is going to be on offer.

India’s big-hitters, who love the ball coming on to the bat, have had a rough time in the tournament and Zimbabwe have a lot of ‘pace-off ’ bowlers. The Chepauk pitch, luckily, may come as a bit of a relief for Suryakumar Yadav’s men. Traditionally, it is a slow pitch which would have helped the Zimbabwe bowlers like Sikander Raza and Blessing Muzarabani, but a few things appear to have changed this time around.The ground was dug up before the World Cup and one of the tracks was completely relaid. But the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association authorities ensured that no cricket was played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium (MAC) for more than five months, which kept the pitches fresh.

Hence, the ball is coming on to the bat way better on both the red and black soil pitches than it has been over the past few years. In the first match — a day-game between Afghanistan and New Zealand — Afghan coach Jonathan Trott decided to keep left-arm wrist spinner and Chennai Super Kings star Noor Ahmad out of the XI. The Afghans couldn’t defend 182 with New Zealand getting the runs in 17.5 overs, quite a stark departure from earlier day-games at the venue, where an asking rate of eight used to be par.Now let’s look at some of the other scores at the Chepauk in this World Cup. NZ chased down 175 in 15.2 overs against UAE while Canada’s Yuvraj Samra hit a fluent 65-ball 110 against the Black Caps. The ball didn’t turn or stop much and NZ chased down the target of 176 in 15.1 overs.While captain Mitchell Santner said it was a “pretty flat wicket in the end”, New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson said “the pitch was exceptional”. “I’ve played a bit in Chennai, it can turn… (pacers) Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy got quite a bit out of the pitch,” Ferguson said.In the two night-games that have been played so far here, the teams batting first have won quite easily, defending 196 and 200. The dew factor, which has often played a big role in games at the venue, hasn’t played havoc this time around. In such a situation, captain ‘SKY’ may well look to bat first.For Zimbabwe a 180-game (batting or fielding first) would be ideal. But the conditions at MAC suggest it should not be enough.

Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma (ICC Photo)

AHMEDABAD: Coming into the T20 World Cup, much of the hype around India’s title defence revolved around a top order that worked like a killing machine against bowling attacks. However, at the halfway stage of the tournament, the team management has replaced words like “confidence” and “clarity” with “predictable” and “doubtful”. The top order which boomed ominously a month ago has come a cropper so far in this World Cup campaign.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!A loss of this magnitude can do that — India were, after all, bundled out for 111 while chasing 188, losing by 76 runs against South Africa in their first Super 8 game.Everything that the team management and selectors boasted about while shaping the combination of Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma at the top of the order hasn’t worked according to plan — opposition teams have decoded their weaknesses a bit too easily.

“We’ve watched India’s other games and it was nice to just have both left-handers (at the top). You know, you’ve got Aiden’s (Markram) ball spinning away,” David Miller said of South Africa’s decision to open the bowling with off-spinner Markram. “It gives some sort of option where if it’s not turning, it can go straight through the gates. Or if it does hold it a little bit like it did, it gives hope that we can get a wicket in the first over,” he added.The result was that Ishan Kishan got out for a duck on Sunday. In fact, Ishan and Abhishek’s partnership has struggled to last even the first over. On match eve, captain Suryakumar Yadav had mocked questions on whether change at the top was an option. It seemed he was talking about Abhishek and Tilak in the same vein as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, stalwarts who have now exited the T20I scene.

It’s now an open secret that India prefer to load their team with lefthanded batters, making it easier to plan against them. “We’ve reached a point where we need to think if we need to do something different or stick with the same combination,” India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said after India’s collapse against South Africa.“It obviously helps tactically with having a right-hander at the top of the order. I’m sure that’ll be a talking point over the next few days, going into two very important games (ahead),” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said, while conceding that the form of Abhishek and Tilak is now a concern. It will be a bold call to bring back Sanju Samson after he was dropped from the XI following a forgettable series against New Zealand.Kotak said that the coaching staff was refraining from talking too much to Abhishek and Tilak. “There are already many things going on in their head. If we go with another 10 things, their minds will be cluttered. In the middle of a tournament, you don’t have time to work on any technical aspects of their batting,” Kotak said.The continued reference to the collapse against USA in their tournament opener, and subsequently deviating from the usual attacking batting style, suggests doubts have already crept in. It became more apparent when South Africa launched a counterattack from 20/3 while India’s batters repeatedly went into their shell after losing two early wickets.

Tilak and Surya have built small partnerships but they have scored at a strike rate barely above 100.“Tilak and Surya’s role is to link up with the guys at the back end. It hasn’t gone that way. We have been 0/1 or one down for a couple of runs in every match. Look, there’s a lot of inexperience in the team,” Doeschate said.It’s a delicate stage of the tournament. Samson has looked far from convincing even in the practice sessions. Doeschate insisted that they don’t want Abhishek to play a different game from what he has been doing over the last 18 months. Kotak claimed that going through a phase of low scores is nothing new for Abhishek.“If you look at Abhishek’s IPL career, he endures a string of low scores. He then bounces back,” Kotak said.It will be interesting to see if Abhishek and Tilak are given another shot to regain form against a relatively weaker opposition in Zimbabwe, or if the team management decides to ring in changes.

Shikhar Dhawan and Sophie Shine (Pic credit: Dhawan’s X post)

NEW DELHI: Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan has strongly dismissed fabricated quotes circulating on social media about his personal life following his recent marriage to Sophie Shine, urging people not to spread “false statements” and instead promote “love and positivity.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Dhawan, who tied the knot with Shine in a private ceremony on February 21, issued a firm clarification after several X accounts falsely attributed comments to him suggesting his ex-wife Aesha Mukherjee had doubted his chances of remarrying.Breaking his silence, Dhawan said he was disappointed by the misinformation and stressed that he harbours no bitterness from his past.“I have come across some posts on social media attributing a disappointing statement about my personal life. I have never carried baggage from the past, be it on the pitch or outside. I firmly believe in the power of positivity while respecting my past,” Dhawan wrote on social media.Calling this phase a fresh start, the 40-year-old expressed gratitude for the support he has received while warning against clickbait content.“This is a new chapter in my life, and I feel truly grateful for the love and blessings I have received from my fans, friends, family, well-wishers and the media. I strongly urge people not to trade on my name with clickbait, insensitive and false statements on social media. Let’s spread love and positivity. Thank you,” he added.Dhawan and Shine, an Irish product consultant working with Northern Trust Corporation, had been dating for over a year and announced their engagement in January. Their wedding pictures, in outfits designed by Manish Malhotra, drew congratulatory messages from celebrities including Ranveer Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal.Dhawan retired from international cricket in August 2024 after a distinguished career that included 167 ODIs and a Player of the Tournament performance in the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni’s leadership.