Punjab Kings' newest addition, Vishal Nishad, is all set to make his mark in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, according to a release. While speaking during the pre-season camp in Udaipur, Nishad said that Team India stalwart Virat Kohli inspired him to take up the sport. "My idol is Virat Kohli. I am inspired by his attitude and his drive; he's my favourite," he said. When asked how he would celebrate his wicket if he manages to dismiss him during the cash-rich league, replying to it, the 20-year-old cricketer said that he would touch Kohli's feet. "If I take his wicket, I'll touch his feet because he's my idol," he replied. The youngster then recollected the time when he used to help his father with work and also mentioned the sacrifices made by his family. "There were tough times. I used to go with my father and help him [with work]. I even thought I'd quit cricket. My mother told me to leave it and learn something else because becoming a cricketer is so difficult. But I didn't give up. I told her, 'Mom, I will definitely do it.' Once they saw my resolve, my family stood behind me," he recalled. Nishad also shared how he managed to get picked by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) after playing a local T20 tournament in Uttar Pradesh. "Initially, I played tennis-ball cricket. A friend watched me throw and suggested to try the leather ball because he liked my action. After that, I decided to practice seriously. That's how it all started," he said. "My coach didn't charge me fees for three years. Eventually, I played in a local T20 tournament in Uttar Pradesh and performed well. After two years of playing in the tournament, I landed up here (with Punjab Kings)," the cricketer added. Explaining his choice to become a bowler, Nishad noted how his background in tennis-ball cricket played a pivotal role: "As I was practising with the tennis ball initially, I got used to making it spin. I adapted my tennis-ball skills to the leather ball, which played a major role in my becoming a bowler". (With ANI Inputs)
03 February,2026 01:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Australian men's cricket team has suffered a massive blow as star pacer Pat Cummins was ruled out of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 due to injury. They announced their 15-member squad for the global showpiece, with Mitchell Marsh as captain. Cummins has not yet fully recovered from the back injury and will miss out on the tournament, according to the ICC. The Aussies have also not included Matthew Short in the squad. However, Ben Dwarshuis and Matthew Renshaw have made it to the team. Speaking on Dwarshuis, Australian selector Tony Dodemaide said that his ability to swing the ball with a good pace will be well-suited to the conditions. "With Pat needing more time to recover from his back injury Ben is a ready replacement who offers a left-arm pace option as well as dynamic fielding and late-order hitting. We believe his ability to swing the ball at good pace along with clever variations will be well suited to the conditions we expect and overall structure of the squad," he said. "Matt (Renshaw) has impressed in all formats of late, including in multiple roles in white ball formats for Australia, the Queensland Bulls and the Brisbane Heat. With the top order settled and spin heavy conditions expected in the pool stages in Sri Lanka, we also feel Matt provides extra middle order support, with Tim David completing his return to play program in the early phase of the tournament," added the selector. Australia has been placed in Group B of the T20 World Cup 2026 along with Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe. The global showpiece is scheduled to kick off from February 7 and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Australia will begin their campaign against Ireland on February 11 at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Australia's squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa. (With ANI Inputs)
03 February,2026 01:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead 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)
03 February,2026 08:35 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHouston-based fast bowler Rhea Nadkarni, 15, has made several trips to Mumbai to spend time with her grandfather Uday Ajgaonkar at his Dadar home in the past. Rhea, a Class IX student and tall cricketer (five-foot-nine) has also enjoyed several practice games at various maidans across the city during those visits. Her current visit though has ended up being extra-special for her and the family. Pacer Rhea clocked an impressive 104.61 kmph to finish third in the U-19 all-India final round of the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) Speed Queen contest selection trials at Islam Gymkhana on Monday. Palak Singh from Nagpur (106 kmph) finished first, while Lucknow-based Anshika Yadav (105 kmph) stood second. Interestingly, Rhea had qualified for this final round by topping the initial selection round at the Air India ground in Kalina on January 26, clocking a similar 104.61 kmph. Rhea Nadkarni during WPL Speed Queen final trials at Islam Gymkhana on Monday “I’m grateful to win third place because all the girls were bowling very fast. Third position is good enough for me,” Rhea told mid-day on Monday. Competing with 40 pacers shortlisted for the final round, Rhea bowled one over initially, and later bowled a second over after making it to the top three positions. “It has been a great experience. I was a bit nervous at first, but then I picked up my game,” added Rhea who is aspiring to play for USA’s women’s team which will make her eligible for the WPL. Meanwhile, Rhea’s father Sushil, who represented India U-19 and Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy before shifting base to USA in 1999, was pleased with his daughter’s performance. “Looking at the quality of the other two girls, they were definitely quicker, I’m satisfied with Rhea’s effort. She gave her best,” said Nadkarni Sr.
03 February,2026 08:32 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureFormer India captain Kapil Dev has expressed his disappointment over Pakistan’s boycott of the India clash at the T20 World Cup, saying he feels sorry for the players affected by political decisions. Pakistan, on Sunday, said it will not play the much-awaited Group A clash in Colombo on February 15. “I’m a little surprised that Pakistan pulled out at the last moment,” Kapil told mid-day, adding that the cricketers should not be made to suffer. “I feel sorry for the Pakistan players. They have not committed any mistake here.” Kapil Dev. Pic/PTI Recalling his own experiences in Pakistan, Kapil said the current situation felt familiar — similar to the period around his debut there in 1978. The two teams had last played a Test series in February 1961 before resuming their rivalry in 1978. “I made my [Test] debut in 1978 at Faisalabad. At that time, Pakistan welcomed us after a long gap. And now, around 47 years later, the turmoil has started again. So, this is nothing new for India-Pakistan cricketing relations,” the 1983 ODI World Cup-winning skipper said. Kapil, who has claimed 434 wickets in 131 Tests and 253 wickets in 225 ODIs, said politics has always been the main reason behind such disruptions. “Hota hai, hote rahenge [it happens and will happen], politics is thy name,” he remarked, admitting that the fans will be the biggest losers: “Cricket lovers will miss an Indo-Pak match, and we can’t do much about it.” The all-rounder also felt that the situation has been blown up unnecessarily: “Initially, the problem was small, but gradually it became big. Nobody wants to give up their ego. Dialogues were there, but no solution was found. It’s very, unfortunate.” 100India’s winning percentage in their last five T20I encounters against Pakistan OneNo. of matches Pakistan have won against India out of eight in the T20 World Cup; India have emerged victorious seven times
03 February,2026 08:32 AM IST | Mumbai | Debasish DattaMumbai have received a timely boost ahead of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Karnataka with fit-again India pacer Shardul Thakur and Test opener Yashasvi Jaiswal returning to the squad. Thakur will lead Mumbai in the crucial February 6-9 fixture at the MCA-BKC ground. Thakur has recovered from the calf injury he suffered during the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Jaipur last month and began bowling in the Mumbai nets on the eve of their last league match against Delhi recently. He has played five Ranji matches this season, claiming 10 wickets. Meanwhile, Jaiswal has scored 67 and 156 in his lone Ranji appearance this season against Rajasthan in Jaipur last November. Off-spin bowling all-rounder Tanush Kotian, who missed the last two Ranji league matches due to a hand injury, has also returned to the 16-member squad. “With the return of Shardul, Yashasvi and Tanush, the Mumbai team will become stronger as they are very experienced cricketers,” Mumbai Cricket Association secretary Dr Unmesh Khanvilkar told mid-day on Monday. Karnataka, who have won the premier domestic tournament eight times, comprises Test players such as captain Devdutt Padikkal, KL Rahul and Prasidh Krishna.
03 February,2026 08:31 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureRunners-up in the first three editions, perennial bridesmaid Delhi Capitals will seek to make their fourth straight finals when they take on an ambitious Gujarat Giants side in the WPL eliminator here on Tuesday. One of the most consistent sides in the league’s brief history, the Capitals once again navigated the league phase successfully to finish among the top three, making them the only team to qualify for the Playoffs in all four seasons so far. Gujarat Giants, on the other hand, head into the eliminator with momentum firmly on their side after recovering impressively from a three-match losing streak. 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
03 February,2026 08:29 AM IST | Vadodara | PTIAhead 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 correspondentADVERTISEMENT
