In the U-19 World Cup final match against England, Team India emerged victorious by 100 runs at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe. While chasing a target of 412 runs, England was bowled out for 311 runs in 40.2 overs. Opening the innings for England, Ben Dawkins scored 66 runs in 56 balls, with the help of seven boundaries and two maximums. Fellow opening batsman Joseph Moores registered 17 runs in 16 balls, including four boundaries. Ben Mayes departed after scoring 45 runs in his 28-ball knock, which also included seven boundaries and two maximums. Skipper Thomas Rew played a knock of 31 runs off 18 deliveries, which was laced with four boundaries and a maximum. Caleb Falconer delivered a blistering century. He garnered 115 runs off 67 deliveries, including nine boundaries and seven maximums. Ralphie Albert and Farhan Ahmed registered zero and one runs, respectively to their names. Sebastian Morgan also departed on a duck, and Manny Lumsden was dismissed on three runs. Facing 41 balls, James Minto managed to score 28 runs, including a boundary. Alex Green stayed unbeaten without facing any balls. Team India's RS Ambrish returned with the figures of three wickets for 56 runs in nine overs. Deepensh Devendran and Kanishk Chouhan bagged two wickets each. Khilan Patel and skipper Ayush Mhatre also claimed one wicket each. Earlier, having opted to bat first, opening batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi played a blistering knock of 175 runs off just 80 deliveries. His knock also included 15 boundaries and the same number of maximums. Fellow opening batsman Aaron George also scored nine runs in 11 balls, including two boundaries. Skipper Ayush Mhatre smashed 53 runs after facing 51 balls. His knock was laced with seven boundaries and two maximums. Vedant Trivedi accumulated 32 runs in 36 balls, with the help of three boundaries. Vihaan Mahotra garnered 30 runs in his knock of 36 balls. He also smashed two boundaries. Wicketkeeper-batsman Abhigyan Kundu managed to register 40 runs off 31 balls, including six boundaries and a maximum. Later, RS Ambrish also registered 18 runs off 24 balls, with the help of two boundaries. Kanishk Chouhan also gave the finishing touches to India's innings. Facing 20 balls, he scored an unbeaten 37 runs, with three boundaries and a maximum. With this, the U-19 Team India posted a total of 411 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 50 overs. England's James Minto returned with the figures of three wickets for 63 runs in eight overs. Alex Green also bagged two wickets by conceding 49 runs in five overs. Sebastian Morgan and Manny Lumsden also chipped in with two and one wickets, respectively.
06 February,2026 08:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Australia received another blow as their star pacer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the tournament. The pacer is running out of time to recover from the hamstring injury. Earlier, veteran pacer Pat Cummins was ruled out of the entire tournament due to a persistent back injury and was replaced in the 15-man squad by Ben Dwarshuis. Earlier, Cricket Australia stated that the pacer would make his return in the middle of the tournament and would play across the venues in India and Sri Lanka. "We were hopeful Josh would be back to match fitness by the Super 8 stage but the latest indications he is still some time away and accelerating his program will carry too much risk," said selector Tony Dodemaide. He also stated that Australia is not in a hurry to name a replacement player for Hazlewood. The decision could be taken later, depending on the need of the situation. "We will not be naming a replacement player immediately. We feel we are well covered for the initial games so will make any later decisions based on priority need at the time," he said. Nathan Ellis and Tim David are on track to be available for the group stage, while Adam Zampa will be available for the first match in Colombo next week. The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to kick off from February 7, and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Australia is placed in Group B of the tournament along with teams Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe. The Aussies will begin their campaign by playing a clash against Ireland on February 11 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. The "Super 8" stage of the marquee event will begin from February 21. Semi-final 1 and semi-final 2 of the tournament are scheduled on March 4 and 5, respectively. The title clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played on March 8, with the venue yet to be confirmed. Australia's updated squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh (C), Adam Zampa, Travis Head, Ben Dwarshuis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Matt Renshaw, Josh Inglis (WK), Xavier Bartlett, Cameron Green, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cooper Connolly. (With PTI Inputs)
06 February,2026 08:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Team India's pacer Harshit Rana has been ruled out after sustaining an injury. Star pacer Mohammed Siraj is likely to come in as his replacement, sources told news agency ANI. Rana sustained an injury during the T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up match against South Africa. Additionally, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said during the press conference that the pacer is not looking good, and physios are having a look at his injury. "Harshit was not looking good after the warm-up game. The physios are assessing it," he said. With doubts lingering over Washington Sundar's participation in the marquee event, Rana’s exit adds to the worries of the Indian management. The T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to kick off from Saturday, February 7, will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Team India is placed in Group A of the tournament along with Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States of America (USA). The "Men in Blue" will begin their campaign on the opening day against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. They will then lock horns against Namibia on February 12 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The high-voltage clash between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. The Suryakumar Yadav-led men's team will conclude their group stage matches by playing against the Netherlands on February 18 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The "Super 8" stage of the marquee event will begin from February 21. Semi-final 1 and semi-final 2 of the tournament are scheduled on March 4 and 5, respectively. The title clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played on March 8, with the venue yet to be confirmed. India's squad for T20 World Cup 2026 (prior to Harshit Rana's injury) Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (WK), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh. (With ANI Inputs)
06 February,2026 08:18 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTiigers of Kolkata produced a composed, all-round performance under knockout pressure to defeat Ahmedabad in Qualifier 2 and seal their place in the ISPL Final. Asked to bowl first at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium, the Tiigers delivered across departments -bowling, fielding and batting—showcasing the belief and balance that has defined their campaign. With the majority of the crowd firmly behind Ahmedabad, the Tiigers were pushed into a hostile, high-decibel atmosphere. Unfazed by the noise or the pressure, the side responded with calm execution and collective belief, seizing control of the contest early. The bowling unit set the tone by restricting Ahmedabad to 72/9 in 10 overs, with Man of the Match Vivek Shelar once again delivering when it mattered most. Chosen by the batting side for the high-stakes 50:50 over and tasked with defending 10 runs, Shelar held his nerve, conceding just two runs and claiming three crucial wickets to decisively swing the momentum in the Tiigers’ favour. For Vivek Shelar, the performance marked another defining chapter in a journey built on discipline and self-belief. From playing tennis-ball cricket on village grounds in Khaleen, Bhiwandi, to representing Maharashtra at the state level in leather-ball cricket, Shelar’s rise has been steady rather than sudden. His adaptability across formats, forged through years of competing in contrasting conditions, has become one of his greatest strengths. After battling an injury earlier in the season and facing questions around fitness, the fast bowler’s return at full intensity—and his ability to deliver in the most pressurised overs—underscored both his resilience and clarity of purpose. At 25, with ambitions firmly set on one day donning the India jersey, Shelar’s story is about patience, preparation and timing—making the most of the moment when it matters most. He was ably supported by a disciplined supporting cast. Arish Khan swung the tape ball expertly, giving away just six runs in his two overs, while Saroj Paramanik, the Gully to Glory Award winner, delivered a key ninth over, conceding only five runs and picking up a wicket. The young brigade continued to impress, with 17-year-old Ankit Yadav returning figures of two wickets for 14 runs, and Firdos Alam chipping in with two wickets for 15 runs. In the field, Mahesh Nangude pulled off three outstanding boundary-line catches, efforts that proved vital in keeping Ahmedabad to a modest total. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
06 February,2026 07:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of T20 World Cup 2026, Team India's Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the tournament, sources told news agency ANI. The pacer sustained an injury during the warm-up match against South Africa. Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav, during the pre-match press conference, said that Rana was "not looking good" after the warm-up game, and physios are having a look at his injury. "Harshit was not looking good after the warm-up game. The physios are assessing it," the Indian skipper had stated during the press conference. The pacer managed to bowl just one over during the match, during which he also conceded 16 runs. With doubts lingering over Washington Sundar's participation in the marquee event, Rana’s exit adds to the worries of the Indian management. The T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to kick off from Saturday, February 7, will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Team India is placed in Group A of the tournament along with Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States of America (USA). The "Men in Blue" will begin their campaign on the opening day against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. They will then lock horns against Namibia on February 12 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The high-voltage clash between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. The Suryakumar Yadav-led men's team will conclude their group stage matches by playing against the Netherlands on February 18 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The "Super 8" stage of the marquee event will begin from February 21. Semi-final 1 and semi-final 2 of the tournament are scheduled on March 4 and 5, respectively. The title clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played on March 8, with the venue yet to be confirmed. India's squad for T20 World Cup 2026 (prior to Harshit Rana's injury) Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (WK), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh. (With ANI Inputs)
06 February,2026 05:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said that the side will pick two spinners if required. He also heaped praise on Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, labelling their selection as a "good headache". "It is an added advantage that you have such good bowlers available. But at the same time, you also have to look at the combination, whom do you play against a certain opposition. If there is a need that we can play two spinners, (or) two wrist spinners, then we will definitely play (them). But yes, it is always good to have options like Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, two (of the) best spinners in the world and it is a very good headache," he said. The Indian skipper said it again is a "good headache" to be in a situation where the team has more left-handed batters than right-handed, with Ishan Kishan set to open the innings with Abhishek Sharma. "Are you enjoying watching the fours and sixes being hit or not? I think it is a good headache and I feel it is an over-rated conversation. At this stage, when you have played so much cricket against the left-arm spinners or off-spinners, whatever it is, you have played enough cricket and you (also) have practiced a lot," said Suryakumar. He also said that a batsman needs to do what he thinks could be helpful for the team. "On a given day, irrespective of a spinner is bowling or a fast bowler is bowling to two left-handers or two right-handers, your job is to do what you do the best for the team and that is what is happening," he added. T20 World Cup 2026: Group A teams The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to kick off from February 7, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Team India is placed in Group A of the tournament along with teams such as Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States of America (USA). The "Men in Blue" will begin their campaign on the same day by playing a clash against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. (With PTI Inputs)
06 February,2026 04:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed that his team will fly to Colombo for their ICC T20 World Cup match against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 15, despite the latter deciding to boycott the fixture. “Hamari toh flight booked hai Colombo ki, aur ham toh jaa rahe hain... aur baaki udhar dekh lenge [our flight is booked for Colombo and we are going. Rest we will see there]. The discussion within the team is also clear. First, we will play the match on [February] 7 [vs USA]. Then we will go to New Delhi [for the match against Namibia on February 12], and after that we will go to Colombo,” Suryakumar said during the captains’ press conference at the BCCI headquarters at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. Defending champions India are placed in Group A alongside USA, Pakistan, Namibia, and the Netherlands, and will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the Monank Patel-led USA at Wankhede on Saturday. Continuing to speak on the Indo-Pak match boycott row, Suryakumar added: “Our mindset is pretty clear. We have not said no [to playing Pakistan]. They have. The ICC has given the fixture. Our flight is booked and we are going there [to Colombo].” After Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland for refusing to play in India citing security concerns, the Pakistan team received instructions from their government to skip the match against India. “It was their [Pakistan] decision, it’s not in my control. I wish I could take their decisions, but it’s their call. We have been told that we have to play a game there [in Colombo] on [February] 15. We played them three times in the Asia Cup [recently], we played some good cricket and won [all the matches]. Similarly, if we get an opportunity in Colombo, we will definitely play,” Suryakumar added. Pak PM: Decision to boycott India game appropriate, we are with Bangladesh Calling Pakistan’s boycott of their T20 World Cup match against India an “appropriate decision”, the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that it was a “considered stance” to support Bangladesh. Shehbaz Sharif Pakistan’s cricket team has been told by the government to skip the February 15 game in Colombo after Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland for refusing to play its games in India on account of “security concerns”. “We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field,” Sharif stated after a government meeting here. “We have taken a very considered stance, and we should completely stand by Bangladesh, and I think this is a very appropriate decision. We are with Bangladesh,” he added. In response, Bangladesh sports advisor Asif Nazrul posted “Thank You, Pakistan” on his official Facebook page, while quoting Sharif’s statement.
06 February,2026 12:40 PM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureIn pursuit of a record-extending sixth title, the Indian U-19 team will bank on its swashbuckling batting line-up when it takes on a gritty England in what promises to be an evenly-matched summit clash of the ICC U-19 World Cup here on Friday. India’s successful chase of a massive total to humble Afghanistan in the semi-final where skipper Ayush Mhatre and opener Aaron George finally produced innings of substance, augurs well for the five-time champions. They now face another unbeaten team in England. India will be aware that England have reached this far after knocking out defending champions Australia and will be high on confidence. To pull off the win, India will need a collective performance befitting the quality in their line-up, studded with batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose firestorm approach has left opposition teams struggling for answers. The return to form of Mhatre has given India plenty to cheer about. Additionally, India’s pace attack of Deepesh Devendran, Henil Patel and RS Ambrish has stood up well so far, but the challenge could be sterner against an England side that thrives on pace bowling and will lean heavily on their prolific run-getter Ben Mayes, who is the second-highest run-scorer this tournament (399 runs). India’s road to the final >> vs USA: Won by 6 wickets>> vs Bangladesh: Won by 18 runs (DLS method)>> vs NZ: Won by 7 wickets (DLS method)>> vs Zimbabwe: Won by 204 runs>> vs Pakistan: Won by 58 runs>> vs Afghanistan: Won by seven wickets
06 February,2026 10:17 AM IST | Harare | PTISri Ma Vidyalaya (Thane) secured a hard-fought six-wicket win over St Joseph’s Convent High School (Bandra) to book their spot in the semi-finals of the girls U-16 Mumbai School Sports Association Manormaben Apte cricket tournament at Jolly Gymkhana (Vidyavihar) on Thursday. After electing to bat first, St Joseph’s found runs difficult to come by against a disciplined Sri Ma bowling unit and finished on 51-4 in their quota of 10 overs. Tanvita Yuvraja top scored with 25 off 21 balls. Kavya Bhagwat (1-22) and Vallari Deshmukh (1-24) were the pick of the bowlers for the Thane outfit. In reply, Sri Ma chased down the target for the loss of four wickets in 7.1 overs thanks to Deshmukh (22 off 34). IlIyana Lopez (2-22) and Rutuja Wande (2-28) were the standout bowlers for St Joseph’s.
06 February,2026 10:14 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamSuryakumar Yadav’s Men in Blue are favourites for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which begins in India and Sri Lanka on Saturday. And if the hosts manage to live up to expectations, Mumbai’s attacking batter will be the third Indian leader, after 2007 T20 World Cup-winning captain MS Dhoni and reigning champion skipper Rohit Sharma, to win the T20 showpiece. Though India are the team in form, Suryakumar believes his side will need to bring their A game in every match of the tournament. “The way we have been playing, it looks like that [India are favourites to win the title], but on any given day, when you play a game, you have to bring your A game. You have to play good cricket. There are 19 other good teams in the competition too, and I’m sure every game will be fun,” Suryakumar said during the captains’ press conference at the BCCI headquarters at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. When told about Ricky Ponting’s team being known to play with an Australian mentality, and asked what his team’s mentality will be, Suryakumar replied: “Indian mentality. The kind of cricket we’ve been playing across the last year, we will try to play the same way. And if we play well, the result will also be on our side.” Besides India, two-time champions England are also among the favourites to clinch the coveted trophy, but skipper Harry Brook insists his team will take things one game at a time. “We have said from the start that we just want to take it game by game, stay in the moment as much as possible and see where we land in a couple of weeks. We are confident. We want to try and go all the way, obviously. We just have to stick to our guns and play the way we play. Stick to the process and hopefully, we will be there or thereabout,” Brook said.
06 February,2026 10:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureMumbai vs Karnataka in a Ranji Trophy match. It doesn’t get any better than this. And, if it’s in the knock-out stage, the stakes are even higher. Karnataka, who once stopped Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy title-winning streak at 15 in the 1970s, are determined to win their ninth title. It has been 11 seasons since Karnataka last won (in Mumbai when they defeated Tamil Nadu in the 2014-15 final). Karnataka haven’t made it to the final since. New skipper Padikkal Having made it to the quarter-final this season on the back of their newly-appointed captain Devdutt Padikkal’s breezy 120 not out against Punjab in their last league match when they were faced with a must-win situation, and boasting of a strong batting line-up, Karnataka will pose a major challenge to the home side that enjoys playing at the MCA-BKC ground. Mumbai have had outright wins more often than not here. Shardul Thakur Mumbai’s captain Shardul Thakur, back in the Ranji squad after missing the last two league matches due to a calf injury, is confident of his players rising up to the challenge posed by Karnataka’s line-up that boasts of Test batters KL Rahul, Karun Nair, and former Test opener Mayank Agarwal. “Two domestic giants playing each other will provide a good, competitive game. We want to challenge ourselves. We want to play good cricket, whichever team comes. Karnataka are a balanced team. They have won a lot of tournaments in the past few years. Their players are fairly experienced and know how to go about in the knockout games. So are our boys too. It’s going to be a tough game,” Thakur said on Thursday. Mumbai has been hit by injuries to key players this season. Only Siddhesh Lad, who is the fifth highest run-getter in this season (737 runs at 92.12), Sarfaraz Khan, Musheer Khan, gloveman Akash Anand and pacer Tushar Deshpande, have featured in all the seven games. Mumbai’s think-tank is hoping Sarfaraz is fit to play on Friday as he is down with ‘viral fever’. He has been unwell and hospitalised. A team official has said his test reports are negative and he is being monitored closely by doctors. Thakur added: “On Wednesday and Thursday, a few of the team members visited the hospital to see him. We’re hoping he will play.” Mumbai hold the edge Mumbai will believe they have the edge in familiar conditions, but they are also aware of the threat posed by Karnataka’s batters, besides their bowlers which include Test quick Prasidh Krishna, who enjoys the bounce of the BKC ground, and leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal, who has taken 37 wickets this season.
06 February,2026 10:02 AM IST | Mumbai | G KrishnanADVERTISEMENT
