Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, former England cricketer Nasser Hussain highlighted the importance of Mitchell Marsh as the captain of Australia. Speaking about him, the former cricketer said that the entire cricketing world likes Marsh, and his form at the top order has been superb. "You need a good captain. Mitchell Marsh is a good captain just by his personality. He is someone you warm up to. I think the whole cricketing world likes Mitchell Marsh. And when you like your captain, you want to play for him. I would want to play for Mitchell Marsh. He seems a very genuine person. If he says, 'Come on, lads, let's do this,' you would want to do it," he said. "He leads by example. His form at the top of the order has been superb. In T20 cricket, you need a good captain, and he is that. You need a guy who provides explosive starts to your innings, Marsh provides that," added Hussain. Further speaking, the former England cricketer labelled Tim David as a "good finisher". He also feels that a team need a spinner like Adam Zampa, especially in the Indian conditions. "You need a good finisher, and Tim David is there for that role. He has been brilliant at finishing innings over the last year. And you need a very fine spinner to get quick breakthroughs, especially in India, which is Adam Zampa. So with new players coming through, Australia still has that core spine of highly skilled players. Leadership has given Mitchell Marsh a new dimension. He is revelling in it, especially with his batting," said the 57-year-old former cricketer. 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 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. T20 World Cup 2026: Australia's squad Josh Hazlewood, 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 Conolly. (With ANI Inputs)
05 February,2026 08:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha said that the fate of the high-voltage clash against arch-rivals, India, is not in their hands. He also said that the Pakistani team will follow their government's decision. "Yeah, the India game, it's not in our control. It's a government decision, and we respect that. Whatever they are going to say, we do that," he said. The high-octane T20 World Cup 2026 clash between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Further speaking, the Pakistani skipper said that they will also play against three other teams. He also pointed out that in the previous edition, the "Green Shirts" suffered a defeat against the United States of America (USA), but said the new Pakistani team is ready to face them. "We're also playing three other games, and we are very excited about that. Yeah, we lost to the USA in the last World Cup, but that's history now. It's a new World Cup, a new team, and a new combination. And we are very excited for that," said Agha. While uncertainty remains over whether the match will take place against India, the Pakistan captain stressed that the team is fully focused on the rest of the World Cup group stage matches. "There are three other games. They can come and watch that game, and I'm sure they will be excited as well. Don't worry". The T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to kick off from February 7. 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). The "Green Shirts" will play their first match against the Netherlands on February 7 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka. On the other hand, the Suryakumar Yadav-led men will face the USA in their first match on the same date at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs PAK: Full squads India: Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Harshit Rana. Pakistan: 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 ANI Inputs)
05 February,2026 07:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the WPL 2026 final against Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to bowl at the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium in Kotambi. After winning the toss, RCB skipper Mandhana said that she would like to bowl first, considering that it's good to know what target a team is going to chase. She also said that the atmosphere in the team has been brilliant and stated that the players had good sessions in the previous two to three days. The skipper then stated that there has been no change in terms of preparations and is focused on keeping things simple. She concluded by saying the excitement levels among the players are very high and will be looking to bring their 'A-game' tonight. On the other hand, Delhi Capitals' captain Jemimah Rodrigues said that at times it is better to lose the toss. She also said that had they won the toss, the side would have opted to bowl first as well. Rodrigues then said that keeping things simple and sticking to their plans throughout the tournament has worked for the Capitals. She signed off by saying that playing on the same pitch is going to be an advantage, considering that the players on her team know what to expect and how the wicket is likely to play. Both teams will enter the title clash of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 with the unchanged playing XI. It will be interesting to see if RCB manage to win its second title, or DC scripts history by clinching its first trophy. Additionally, Bengaluru skipper Mandhana is just 53 runs shy of receiving the "Orange Cap" in the marquee event. So far, Mumbai Indians' captain Harmanpreet Kaur is enjoying the top spot on the leading run-scorers list with 342 runs in eight matches. Mandhana is placed third with 290 runs in eight games, followed by MI's Nat Sciver-Brunt with 321 runs in seven appearances. WPL 2026 final, RCB vs DC: Confirmed Playing XI Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Grace Harris, Smriti Mandhana (C), Georgia Voll, Richa Ghosh (WK), Radha Yadav, Pooja Vastrakar, Nadine De Klerk, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Sayali Satghare, Lauren Bell. Delhi Capitals: Lizelle Lee (WK), Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Jemimah Rodrigues (C), Marizanne Kapp, Chinelle Henry, Niki Prasad, Sneh Rana, Minnu Mani, Sree Charani, Nandni Sharma.
05 February,2026 07:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTeam India defeated South Africa by 30 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up match at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. During the match, Tilak Varma was one of the top performers for the "Men in Blue". Facing just 19 deliveries, he smashed 45 runs, which was laced with three boundaries and three maximums. Recently, he suffered a testicular injury and underwent successful surgery, and was recovering at BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE). On his return, the left-handed batsman said he didn't expect the crowd to cheer his name, and also said that it is his biggest dream to feature in the global showpiece. "I did not expect to be back on the field this early. Really thankful for CoE and BCCI. I always said that my biggest dream is to play the World Cup. The way I entered the rope, everyone was shouting my name. I did not expect that, so it felt really nice and gave me a boost as I was going in," he said. The 23-year-old cricketer also said that, looking at the approach of Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma, he also decided to display aggressive batting. He also expressed confidence by saying that the Indian team is ready for the much-anticipated tournament. "The way Ishan and Abhishek were batting, I decided to play aggressively. I did not expect a full crowd. It's just a warm-up game, but the craze is amazing and really thanks to everyone. The vibe was terrific today, and Tilak and Indian team is ready for the World Cup," said Varma. The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to begin from February 7, and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Ahead of the tournament, Team India is placed in Group A along with teams such as Namibia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and the United States of America (USA). The "Men in Blue" will begin their campaign by playing a clash against the USA on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. T20 World Cup 2026: India's squad Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Harshit Rana. (With ANI Inputs)
05 February,2026 05:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said that his team will travel to Colombo for the high-voltage clash against arch-rivals, Pakistan, even though the opponent team has boycotted the match. The "Men in Blue" are set to lock horns with the arch-rival on February 15, but Pakistan's cricket team has been told by its government to skip the match after the International Cricket Council (ICC) removed Bangladesh after its refusal to play in India. The ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland. "I feel their decision is not in my control. I wish I could take their decisions call but it is their call. We had played in the Asia Cup as well and we played them three times," he said. The Indian skipper then stated that Team India's flight is booked for the clash against Pakistan. "Our mindset is pretty clear. We have not said no (to playing against Pakistan). They have. ICC has given the fixture. Our flight is booked and we are going there (to Colombo). The team discussion is that we are playing first on February 7, then we will go there," said Suryakumar. "We played some good cricket against them. We have been told that the game is on 15th, the game is at a neutral venue and if we get an opportunity we will play. It's a difficult call for them (Pakistani players) as well," he added. The T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to kick off from February 7. 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). The "Green Shirts" will play their first match against the Netherlands on February 7 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka. On the other hand, the Suryakumar Yadav-led men will face the USA in their first match on the same date at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs PAK: Full squads India: Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Harshit Rana. Pakistan: 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)
05 February,2026 05:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIndia delivered a dominant batting display to overpower South Africa by 30 runs in a high-scoring ICC Men's T20 World Cup warm-up fixture at the DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday. Despite a spirited chase featuring several aggressive cameos, South Africa were unable to keep pace with the required run rate after an early setback. While the Proteas showed depth and intent with the bat, India's bowlers restricted them to 210/7, sealing a confidence-boosting win ahead of the T20 World Cup opener against the USA on February 7. Batting first, India posted a mammoth score of 240/6 in 20 overs. Opener Ishan Kishan slammed 53 off 20 deliveries, including two fours and seven towering sixes. Kishan stitched a blistering 80-run stand for the opening wicket with World No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma, who made 24 off 18 balls, with three fours and one six. Tilak Varma, who played the first T20 World Cup fixture against the USA, hammered 45 off just 19 deliveries, with three fours and as many sixes. Captain Suryakumar Yadav chipped in with 30 off 16 deliveries, with two fours and two sixes. All-rounders Axar Patel (35* off 23 balls), with four boundaries, and Hardik Pandya smashed a 10-ball 30 with two fours and three maximums, helped India post a daunting target of 241 runs. For South Africa, Corbin Bosch (1/31), Anrich Nortje (1/57), Kwena Maphaka (1/19) and Marco Jansen (1/18) scalped one-wicket each. Chasing a mammoth target, South Africa were off to a poor start after they lost their opener, George Linde, for a four-ball duck. Captain Aiden Markram retired after making 38 off 19 balls, with two fours and four sixes. Wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton smashed a 21-ball 44, with four boundaries and three sixes. The duo stitched a 65-run stand for the second wicket. Star batter Dewald Brevis departed after scoring two runs, whereas David Miller scored 13 runs. Jason Smith made 35 off 23 balls, with four boundaries and one six. Tristan Stubbs played a blistering, unbeaten knock of 45 off 21 balls, with one four and four towering sixes. Marco Jansen hammered 10-ball 30, with two fours and three sixes as South Africa reached 210/7 in 20 overs, falling short by 30 runs in the high-scoring contest. For India, Arshdeep Singh (1/29), Shivam Dube (1/57), Varun Chakaravarthy (1/12), Axar Patel (1/2) and Abhishek Sharma (2/32) were among the wicket takers. 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.
05 February,2026 05:19 PM IST | Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] | ANIRoyal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Smriti Mandhana will have the opportunity to lead her side to parity with Mumbai Indians in terms of success in the Women’s Premier League, while Delhi Capitals will look to break their final jinx when the tournament’s two most entertaining sides take on each other in the summit clash here on Thursday. Former champions RCB have enjoyed a dream run this season, repeatedly showing the ability to step up and bounce back when the chips are down. That resilience helped them create history by beginning their campaign with five consecutive wins, becoming the first WPL team to do so. Adding to that, one or two players from within the group have consistently taken their game to the next level when required, a pattern that has emerged with monotonous regularity this season. If Australian stalwart Grace Harris’ blazing 75 against UP Warriorz in the previous match — after a topsy-turvy season — set the tone for an emphatic eight-wicket win, then little-known Gautami Naik’s 73 against Gujarat Giants proved pivotal in a commanding 61-run victory for the 2024 champions, who will be aiming for a second title to draw level with Mumbai Indians. Although RCB batters — including Mandhana, Harris, Georgia Voll and Richa Ghosh — have lacked consistency this season, isolated but timely contributions have proved decisive. Pace bowlers Nadine de Klerk and Sayali Satghare have delivered when it has mattered most. 6No of wins for RCB in eight matches so far, including a five-match streak at the start 4No of WPL final appearances for Delhi Capitals without a win 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
05 February,2026 01:35 PM IST | Vadodara | PTIBollywood star Sanya Malhotra lit up the evening with a sparkling dance routine ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) Eliminator between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants in Vadodara on Tuesday, and later said that it was one of her finest live displays. “After my performances, I’m known to be really critical, but this was the first time I’ve felt so good. The crowd was amazing, and it feels incredible to be performing at a stadium this amazing,” she said via a video posted by the WPL’s Instagram account on Wednesday. Interestingly, Malhotra, 33, revealed that her training (fitness) regimen over the last year has been inspired by athletes. “I’ve trained like an athlete for a year, and it completely changed my mind towards fitness and discipline. They [athletes] are honestly superheroes,” she added. The Dangal star will next be seen on screen in Anurag Kashyap’s Bandar — a film that explores the complicated aftermath of the #MeToo movement.
05 February,2026 01:34 PM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesSri Ma Vidyalaya (Thane) cruised to a 10-wicket win over Adarsha Vidyalaya High School and Junior College (Bhandup) in the second round of the Mumbai School Sports Association’s (MSSA) Manoramben Apte U-16 girls knockout cricket tournament at Jolly Gymkhana (Vidyavihar) on Wednesday. After opting to bat first, Adarsha Vidyalaya struggled against a disciplined bowling unit and staggered to a score of 36-5 in their 10-over quota. Jivika Chalke (14) and Aditi Mohite (10) were the only batters to enter double figures, against the Sri Ma Vidyalaya bowling attack led by Kavya Bhagwat (3-10). The Thane outfit chased down the target comfortably, ending the match at 39-0 (2.3 overs), thanks to Vallari Deshmukh’s unbeaten 12-ball 22.
05 February,2026 11:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamFormer Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has criticised Pakistan’s decision to boycott its group-stage fixture against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, saying the spirit of cricket is diminished when politics influences sporting participation. Speaking to IANS, Modi said, “Cricket was created to be decided on the field, not in boardrooms or through boycotts. When politics enters sport, the game loses — but fans always remember who stood for competition.” Pakistan’s withdrawal from the marquee clash, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, follows directives issued at the governmental level. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is understood to be consulting stakeholders to evaluate the implications. Modi further cautioned that the fallout could extend beyond a single fixture. “Broadcast rights of bilateral matches and future of ICC revenues will further come under a lens as broadcasters will be cautious bidding high amounts as this could snowball into future participation of teams. Only gainer in this scenario will be IPL,” he said. 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
05 February,2026 11:05 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSBatting legend Sachin Tendulkar visited the Mumbai dressing room on Wednesday and addressed a few queries from the players and coaches ahead of the 42-time champions’ Ranji Trophy quarter-final against eight-time winners Karnataka, starting at the MCA-BKC ground on Friday. Skipper Shardul grateful Test pacer and Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur reckoned that the guidance from Tendulkar was very helpful. “We were lucky to be graced by Sachin sir’s presence in the dressing room today [Wednesday]. Rather than just a pep talk, it was more of a Q&A session. All the players and coaches asked him a variety of questions about approach, preparation, winning mindset, handling pressure, etc. Sachin sir’s guidance has always been vital for the Mumbai team and all the boys are happy to receive words of wisdom from the very best,” Thakur said. Batting great Sachin Tendulkar uses two bats, resembling a pitch, to demonstrate how bowlers should shuffle lines and lengths During the hour-long interaction with Tendulkar, it is learnt that Test opener Yashasvi Jaiswal sought advice on how to tackle left-arm spinners. “Jaiswal also told Sachin that whenever he was batting against left-arm spinners, mostly fielders were placed in the deep, to which Sachin responded, saying: ‘If fielders are fielding in the deep, you have to work hard to score runs. Keeping patience is important. You can score runs, but you have to play more balls, play a long innings and spend more time,” a MCA source told mid-day on Wednesday. Taking 20 wickets in the game is very crucial to win a Ranji match and when Thakur requested Tendulkar to guide his bowlers on how to bowl across different sessions, Tendulkar used two bats to resemble a pitch and demonstrated the perfect line and length bowlers should aim for. “Sachin placed two bats on the ground, resembling a pitch and pointed out to the line and length that bowlers should bowl. He said: ‘You can bowl on the stumps in the morning session [shown by placing the bat in the middle].’ He then placed another bat vertically to show the side of the pitch and said: ‘You can bowl away in the second session or when the ball is not swinging’. Everyone listed with rapt attention,” added the source. ‘I would prep one day before’ When Test batter Sarfaraz Khan revealed that he starts thinking about a match four-five days before it, Sachin felt it’s a good thing, but warned that overthinking is not good. Sachin said that he used to prepare for a match one day in advance. He would iron his match clothes a day before the game and packed his bag and that got him into match zone and preparation,” the source concluded.
05 February,2026 10:57 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureADVERTISEMENT
