Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said that the players will follow the instructions given to them by the government or the Cricket Board regarding the clash against arch-rivals, India. The high-octane clash between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Salman told the media before leaving with the team from Lahore to Colombo that the players had been informed about the decision by the team manager on Sunday immediately after the match against Australia. "We are players contracted to the Board and whatever decision our government and Board have taken all the players are on board with it," he said. Pakistan is placed in Group A of the tournament along with teams such as India, Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States of America (USA). The skipper then said that the side will aim to win the other group stage matches and seal their berth in the Super 8 stage of the tournament. "We have three other group matches so we will try to win all of them and qualify for next round," said Ali Agha. The "Green Shirts" are scheduled to play the tournament-opening clash against the Netherlands on February 7 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka. They will then lock horns against the USA on February 10 at the same venue. Their third clash is against the "Men in Blue". Pakistan will face Namibia in its last group stage match on February 18. Earlier, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had pushed Bangladesh out of the tournament after its refusal to play all their World Cup matches in India. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had asked ICC to move all of their matches outside India, following the release of its pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the squad of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Pakistan's squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Babar Azam, Sahibzada Farhan (WK), Salman Ali Agha (C), Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Khan (WK), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Khawaja Nafay (Wk), Usman Tariq. (With PTI Inputs)
02 February,2026 08:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, former cricketer Ricky Ponting feels that Australia has a chance of clinching the title like anybody else. He also feels that, considering the conditions and talent, Team India is the favourite in the marquee event. "If you look at the squad, I think they (Australia) have as good a chance as anybody," he said. "India probably start as the clear favourites, I think, in this event due to conditions, the talent and the group of players that they have put together. They will be hard to beat, but I really do think we will see Australia there come semi-final time," added the former cricketer. Further speaking, he also pointed out the concern and also spoke about the flexibility in the Australian squad. "A few guys are injured at the moment or coming back from injury. That is probably the biggest concern that they have got right now. The one thing they have got in that squad is really good flexibility with so many all-rounders," said Ponting. He also feels that the Australian think tank will pick Cooper Connolly to form a spin attack with Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa in the mega tournament. "ou look at (Marcus) Stoinis, (Glenn) Maxwell, Cameron Green, there is so many. Cooper Connolly. Young guy that has just won the MVP again in the BBL (Big Bash League) for the second year in row. If it looks like it will turn, I think Australia will go with Connolly to back up Maxwell and (Adam) Zampa. So, they have got three spin bowling options there," he said. The Aussies will begin their campaign by playing a clash against Ireland on February 11 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. They will then lock horns against Zimbabwe on February 13 at the same venue. Their third clash of the group stage will be against Sri Lanka on February 16 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Balagolla. The side will conclude its group stage matches by playing a clash against Oman on February 20 at the same venue. Australia's T20 World Cup 2026 squad Mitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Sean Abbott (travelling reserve). (With ANI Inputs)
02 February,2026 08:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAustralia's star pacer Josh Hazlewood will not travel with the national squad in the early part of the T20 World Cup 2026 in Sri Lanka. He will continue his rehabilitation after recovering from the injury, confirmed national selector Rony Dodemaide. Players such as Nathan Ellis, Tim David, and Glenn Maxwell have reached Colombo and will join the Australia squad for the global showpiece, he said. The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to kick off from February 7, with the tournament-opening clash scheduled to be played between Pakistan and the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka. "Nathan, Tim and Glenn have arrived in Colombo and we look forward to meeting up with them when we arrive from Pakistan. We felt with Josh it was more practical and beneficial for him to continue his rehabilitation at home in a familiar environment before travelling to Sri Lanka," he said. Further speaking, the selector also said that with Ellis completing his return to the team, the Australian think tank has included Sean Abbott in their squad as a backup pacer. "With Nathan also completing his return to play we decided to bring Sean with us as fast bowling cover should anything come up at short notice. Sean is an accomplished and versatile international player who has experienced numerous World Cup campaigns. It made sense for him to stay with the group following the Pakistan tour," said Dodemaide. Ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, Australia is placed in Group B along with teams such as 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. They will then lock horns against Zimbabwe on February 13 at the same venue. Their third clash of the group stage will be against Sri Lanka on February 16 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Balagolla. The side will conclude its group stage matches by playing a clash against Oman on February 20 at the same venue. The Super 8 stage of the marquee event will begin from February 21. The semi-final 1 and semi-final 2 are scheduled to be played on March 4 and 5, respectively. The title clash will be played on March 8, and the venue of the match is yet to be confirmed. (With PTI Inputs)
02 February,2026 07:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan has decided to boycott the high-profile match against arch-rivals, India. Speaking on the issue, former Team India cricketer Madan Lal said that the Pakistan government or the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is damaging their own cricket by extending their support to Bangladesh. He also added that teams such as New Zealand, England and others will get sponsorship. "I think the Pakistan government or PCB, they are all damaging their own cricket. It's not going to solve their problems. Someone has to be there to think right. They are not thinking right at the moment. They want to support Bangladesh. You keep on supporting Bangladesh. That's not our business. At the end of the day, Bangladesh is going to suffer, and Pakistan is going to suffer... The main thing is New Zealand, England, South Africa, Australia, they are the biggest countries for cricket, they're going to get the crowds, they're going to get all the sponsorship," he said. The controversy began after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released pacer Mustafizur Rahman from its squad for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, following the minorities atrocities in Bangladesh. The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to begin from February 7, with the first clash scheduled to be played between Pakistan and the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka. The "Men in Blue" will also begin their campaign on the same date by playing a match against the United States of America (USA) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The high-profile clash between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Earlier, the ICC had pushed Bangladesh out of the marquee tournament. The board then replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in Group C of the tournament. Scotland will lock horns against the West Indies in the tournament-opening match on February 7 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. T20 World Cup 2026: Group A teams India and Pakistan are placed in Group A of the tournament along with teams such as Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States of America (USA). (With ANI Inputs)
02 February,2026 06:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that the International Cricket Council (ICC) was right about warning Pakistan of a serious outcome for its selective pullout of the high-octane clash against arch-rivals Pakistan from the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Pakistan's decision, conveyed through an official government statement, is being seen as a political protest linked to Bangladesh's removal from the tournament after the world body declined its request to shift matches from India to Sri Lanka on security grounds. The ICC already warned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the boycott of the India clash could lead to serious punishments and also stated that the decision is not in the favour of the game in general. "The ICC has issued a big statement on this subject. It has highlighted element of sportsmanship. We completely agree with the ICC. BCCI will not make any comment until we speak to the ICC," Shukla told reporters. The controversy began after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had released Mustafizur Rahman from its squad ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, following the minorities atrocities in Bangladesh. The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to begin from February 7, with the first clash scheduled to be played between Pakistan and the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka. The "Men in Blue" will also begin their campaign on the same date by playing a match against the United States of America (USA) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The high-profile clash between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Earlier, the ICC had pushed Bangladesh out of the marquee tournament. The board then replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in Group C of the tournament. Scotland will lock horns against the West Indies in the tournament-opening match on February 7 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. T20 World Cup 2026: Group A teams India and Pakistan are placed in Group A of the tournament along with teams such as Namibia, the Netherlands, and the United States of America (USA). (With PTI Inputs)
02 February,2026 05:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentYoung Kanishk Chouhan showed his all-round prowess as India comfortably outclassed arch-rivals Pakistan by 58 runs in a Super Six encounter to qualify for the semifinal of the ICC U-19 World Cup here on Sunday. India will meet Afghanistan in the semifinal while England and Australia will play in the other last-four encounter. It was all-rounder Kanishk, whose quickfire 29-ball 35 and a 50-run stand for the eighth wicket with Khilan Patel (21 not out off 15 balls) took India U-19 to a decent 252 in 49.5 overs. Kanishk Chouhan However, for Pakistan to qualify for the semi-finals on account of better run-rate, they needed to reach 253 in 33.3 overs but their batters didn’t seem interested in making a match as they managed 167 for 4 in 33.3 overs before finally getting bowled out for 194 in 46.2 overs. In the bowling department, it was Kanishk, who basically stopped the Pakistan team on its tracks with figures of 1 for 30 in 10 overs which included an astounding 40 dot balls. With pitch assisting spinners, left-arm spinner Khilan Patel (3-35 in 9.2 overs) and skipper Ayush Mhatre (3-21 in 8 overs) also choked the run flow throughout the middle overs. Pakistan’s Asia Cup hero Sameer Minhas was dismissed by a Henil Patel off-cutter. “There was a good start but in the middle, the ball was spinning. The way KC [Kanishk’s nickname] batted brilliant. Vedant [Trivedi] was batting well in the nets, so I was confident in him. Boys were contributing. Pakistan batters batted well in the first 25 [overs], after that the spinners bowled really well. We are looking match by match. Just want to win the semi-finals,” skipper Mhatre said after the match. Earlier, Kanishk and Khilan added 50 runs in just 5.1 overs to provide a final flourish after Vedant’s patient 68 off 98 balls helped them lay a platform. Put into bat, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (30 off 22 balls) started in his typical attacking fashion but despite getting a reprieve off left-arm seamer Mohammad Sayyam’s (2-69) bowling, he was dismissed trying a second pull-shot in as many deliveries. SixNo. of consecutive semi-final appearances for India at the ICC U-19 World Cup Brief scoresIndia 252 all out in 49.5 overs (V Trivedi 68; A Subhan 3-33, M Sayyam 2-69) beat Pakistan 194 all out in 46.2 overs (U Khan 66; A Mhatre 3-21, K Patel 3-35) by 58 runs 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
02 February,2026 08:08 AM IST | Bulawayo | PTIDelhi’s Ranji Trophy campaign ended without a single win as their last Elite Group ‘D’ match against Mumbai finished in a draw at the MCA-BKC ground on Sunday. However, two Delhi batters emerged top run-getters after the league stage — Ayush Doseja (949 runs) and Sanat Sangwan (828). Doseja helped his team post 407-6 declared in the second essay, scoring an unbeaten 159 (11x4, 2x6), before both captains called off the game half-an hour before the tea break on the fourth and final day. Doseja was the stand-in skipper because regular captain Ayush Badoni was picked in the India ‘A’ squad for the T20 World Cup warm-up games on the eve of the Ranji match. “I rate this century as the biggest, because it came against Mumbai, it has always been my dream,” Doseja told reporters on Sunday. Doseja, who was unbeaten on 62 overnight, reached 99 with a lofted off-drive for six against off-spinner Himanshu Singh (3-86), which brought 300 on the board for the visitors. Doseja was dropped in the same over by Hardik Tamore before he took a quick single to bring up the fourth century of his maiden first-class season. After the game, Doseja approached Mumbai Test batter Sarfaraz Khan for his advice for batting on red-soil pitches. “Sarfaraz told me that if I keep my head down while batting on the red-soil pitch, it will be better,” said Doseja, who also picked batting great Virat Kohli’s brains earlier this season. “I have idolised him [Kohli] since childhood. So, when he played for Delhi [during the Vijay Hazare Trophy in December] I got some time to talk to him. He said, ‘If you’re going to the ground, you have to give your 200 per cent because you are representing Delhi and it’s not a small thing. If you want to play for India, you have to keep the same mindset. You shouldn’t play in survival mode. You have to dominate and play.’ I follow his fitness regime too,” said Doseja. Mumbai, who secured three points against Delhi, lead Group ‘D’ with 33 points and will face Karnataka in the quarters at the MCA-BKC ground, starting from February 6. Delhi returned home with no points from the fixture. 949No. of runs scored by Ayush Doseja in the Ranji Trophy league stage Brief scoresDelhi 221 & 407-6d (A Doseja 159*, V Kandpal 61, D Mehra 46; H Singh 3-86, O Tarmale 2-49) vs Mumbai 317 all out
02 February,2026 07:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayurePakistan on Sunday formally announced its decision to boycott its marquee ICC T20 World Cup group league match against India, even as the government cleared the national team’s participation for the rest of the tournament, starting February 7. Pakistan government’s decision is being perceived as a mark of protest after ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland not accepting the latter’s demand of shifting its matches from India to Sri Lanka due to security reasons. In a statement posted on its verified social media handle, the government of Pakistan said it has granted approval to the Pakistan cricket team to take part in the tournament but said the team “shall not take the field” for the Feb 15 fixture against India in Colombo. The decision brings an end to days of speculation over Pakistan’s participation in the tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. “The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan grants approval to the Pakistan Cricket Team to participate in the ICC World T20 2026, however, the Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India,” the government posted on social media. 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
02 February,2026 07:58 AM IST | Lahore | PTIWicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan said his focus remains firmly on carrying his good form into the upcoming T20 World Cup after scoring a blistering 42-ball century in India’s 46-run win over New Zealand to complete a 4-1 series win here on Saturday. “I felt the ball was doing a bit early on, but batting alongside Abhishek Sharma really helps. You see his intent, you understand the momentum the team needs, and then you just try to watch the ball and play accordingly. That approach worked well for me. I still feel I’m not there yet. Yes, I’ve done well and I’m getting these awards, but my focus is firmly on the World Cup. That’s where the extra effort is needed. What’s important is carrying this form forward and continuing to contribute there,” said Kishan. Meanwhile, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed Tilak Varma, who recently underwent a testicular surgery, will return for two warm-up games (Feb 2 and Feb 4) of the upcoming T20 World Cup, held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7. 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
02 February,2026 07:57 AM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | AgenciesIndia and Pakistan captains skipped the customary handshake at the toss during the Super 6 Group 2 match of the ongoing ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 on Sunday. India U-19 team captain Ayush Mhatre and Pakistan skipper Farhan Yousaf completed the toss formalities without the traditional handshake. Notably, no handshake during the toss for the India-Pakistan cricket matches has become a regular sight ever since India's T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, refused to shake hands with his Pakistan counterpart during the 2025 Asia Cup, amid escalating political tensions between India and Pakistan. The trend persisted as the India A team refused to shake hands with Pakistan Shaheens in the Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025 match, and now the same happened during the Under-19 World Cup clash between both teams. In the U-19 match, Pakistan Under-19 won the toss and opted to bowl first against India in a crucial Super 6 Group 2 match. With the clash serving as the last group-stage fixture, both India and Pakistan are vying for a spot in the semi-final, and the match is a must-win for both Asian teams. Australia and Afghanistan have qualified for the semifinal from Super Six Group 1, while England has qualified from Super Six Group 2. With England already through from Group 2, only one spot remains up for grabs. India sit second in the group with three wins from as many matches and a net run rate of +3.337, while Pakistan are third with two wins from three games and a net run rate of +1.484. A victory over India would level Pakistan on points with India at six, but they would need a big-margin win to surpass India's superior net run rate. For the Ayush Mhatre-led India, a win will suffice. Notably, India are unbeaten in the tournament. India vs Pakistan Under-19 match playing 11s: India U-19 playing 11: Aaron George, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre(c), Vihaan Malhotra, Abhigyan Kundu(w), Vedant Trivedi, RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Deepesh Devendran. Pakistan U-19 playing 11: Hamza Zahoor(w), Sameer Minhas, Usman Khan, Ahmed Hussain, Farhan Yousaf(c), Huzaifa Ahsan, Ali Hassan Baloch, Abdul Subhan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Sayyam, Ali Raza. 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.
01 February,2026 04:39 PM IST | Bulawayo [Zimbabwe] | ANIPakistan Under-19 won the toss and opted to bowl first against India Under-19 in the Super 6 Group 2 match of the ongoing ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026. With the clash serving as the last group-stage fixture, both India and Pakistan are vying to get a spot in the semi-final and the match stands as a must-win for both the Asian teams. Australia and Afghanistan have qualified for the semifinal from Super Six Group 1, while England has qualified from Super Six Group 2. With England already through from Group 2, only one spot remains up for grabs. India sit second in the group with three wins from as many matches and a net run rate of +3.337, while Pakistan are third with two wins from three games and a net run rate of +1.484. A victory over India would level Pakistan on points with India at six, but they would need a big-margin win to surpass India's superior net run rate. For the Ayush Mhatre-led India, a win will suffice. Notably, India are unbeaten in the tournament. India vs Pakistan Under-19 match playing 11s: India U19 playing 11: Aaron George, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ayush Mhatre(c), Vihaan Malhotra, Abhigyan Kundu(w), Vedant Trivedi, RS Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Deepesh Devendran. Pakistan U19 playing 11: Hamza Zahoor(w), Sameer Minhas, Usman Khan, Ahmed Hussain, Farhan Yousaf(c), Huzaifa Ahsan, Ali Hassan Baloch, Abdul Subhan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Sayyam, Ali Raza. At the toss, Indian captain Ayush Mhatre said the team is confident and ready to bat first, announcing that Deepesh Devendran replaces Udhav Mohan in the playing 11. "We were looking to bat first. Boys are doing really well. We are confident enough. The boys are playing really well. It's a sunny day. First three matches, it was raining, there was some difficulties. Last two matches, good weather and it's really helped us. One change. Udhav Mohan misses out, Deepesh comes in," Mhatre said at the toss. 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.
01 February,2026 02:49 PM IST | Bulawayo [Zimbabwe] | ANIADVERTISEMENT
