Sports

New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS) The Ranji Trophy 2025/26 final between Karnataka and Jammu & Kashmir will be staged at the KSCA Cricket Stadium in Hubballi from February 24, said the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on Thursday.

Previously, a JKCA official told IANS that the final was likely to be held in Hubballi. "Taking into account both the ongoing stadium upgradation works in Bengaluru and the Association’s commitment to decentralising top-level cricket, KSCA, in consultation with the BCCI, has decided to host the Ranji Trophy Final at the KSCA Hubballi Stadium.

"Several spectator gates and access points are currently being dismantled and widened, along with other critical improvement works. In view of these ongoing developments, it would not have been feasible to ensure the high-quality match-viewing experience and spectator convenience that a marquee fixture such as the Ranji Trophy Final deserves.

"Further, the newly elected KSCA Managing Committee, which assumed office in December 2025 under the leadership of former India cricketer and KSCA President Mr. Venkatesh Prasad, had, as part of its stated vision and manifesto commitments, resolved to take major domestic and national-level matches to prominent mofussil centres across Karnataka. This initiative is aimed at promoting cricket across the State, nurturing regional fan engagement, and strengthening the sporting ecosystem beyond Bengaluru,” said the KSCA in its statement.

Karnataka advanced to the title clash after 11 years, after drawing their semifinal against Uttarakhand but progressing on a first-innings lead grabbed in Lucknow. Jammu & Kashmir, meanwhile, scripted history by reaching their first-ever final with a stunning six-wicket win over Bengal in Kalyani.

Apart from Hubbali and the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where no cricket has been held after the June 4 stampede during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025-winning celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and Alur Cricket Ground were also in consideration for hosting the title clash. But it had its limitations in terms of broadcasting and seating areas for the spectators.

Karnataka will be featuring in the summit clash for the 15th time. The eight-time champions last appeared in the Ranji Trophy in 2015, when they defeated Tamil Nadu. Karnataka have dominated head-to-head meetings with Jammu & Kashmir -- winning all four encounters, including their most recent clash in Chennai in 2022. Hubbali was previously the host for Karnataka’s league fixture against Chandigarh earlier this season - a match they won by 185 runs.

--IANS

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Colombo, Feb 19 (IANS) Zimbabwe finished unbeaten in Group B of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a clinical six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday.

Chasing 179, Zimbabwe laid a strong foundation through an opening stand of 68 between Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani. Marumani struck 34 off 26 balls, while Bennett anchored the innings with maturity after an early reprieve. Zimbabwe reached 78/1 at the halfway mark, keeping the required rate under control.

Ryan Burl added momentum with a brisk 23 before skipper Sikandar Raza turned the match decisively in Zimbabwe’s favour. Raza smashed 45 off 26 balls, including four sixes, forming a crucial partnership with Bennett and shifting the pressure onto Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe collected 46 runs between the 15th and 17th overs to take control of the chase.

Although Sri Lanka struck twice late, Bennett held firm, finishing unbeaten on 59 off 47 balls and sealing the win with a boundary in the final over. Earlier, Sri Lanka posted 178/7, with Pathum Nissanka scoring 62. Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling ensured the target remained achievable as they completed their second-highest successful T20I chase and topped Group B unbeaten.

Here’s a look at all the key stats from the Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka match

4 – Sri Lankan bowlers have taken the fewest wickets, four, in the powerplay of this T20 World Cup, averaging 51.5, which is the lowest among the Super 8 teams.

1395 – Zimbabwe's opening pair, T Marumani and Brian Bennett, holds the record for the most successful opening partnership in T20Is with 1395 runs among them.

11 – Brian Bennett has scored 11 half-centuries in T20Is, including two consecutive fifties. Prior to this, he scored an unbeaten 64 against Australia in Colombo. In the current T20 WC, he was not dismissed.

19 – It is the number of half-centuries scored by Sri Lankan opener Pathun Nissanka (62) in T20Is. It was his 6th in 22 T20 WC matches.

179 – In this match, Zimbabwe successfully chased 179 runs against Sri Lanka, marking their second-largest successful chase in T20Is. Previously, in 2023, they successfully chased 199 runs versus Namibia at Windhoek.

4 – Sri Lanka is now the fourth full-member team to have been defeated by Zimbabwe in the T20 WCs. Australia, Pakistan, and Ireland are the other three. Australia suffered 2 defeats at the hands of Zimbabwe in the T20 WCs, first in Cape Town in 2007 and second in Colombo in 2026.

--IANS

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Canberra, Feb 19 (IANS) India head coach Amol Muzumdar hailed skipper Harmanpreet Kaur as “a special player” after she became the most-capped cricketer in women’s international cricket, though her milestone game was marked by a 19-run defeat to Australia in the second T20I at Manuka Oval in Canberra on Thursday.

Harmanpreet played her 356th international match and surpassed New Zealand’s Suzie Bates (355). Her tally of international games now includes 189 T20Is, 161 ODIs, and six Tests. She top-scored with 36, though it went in vain as India ended up at 144/9 in a chase of 163/5.

“I think Harman has been a special player for India, and I would just want to wish her and congratulate her for the massive achievement of being the highest-capped player in the history of the game. So I think it was a good effort from her. Just in the end, a little bit short of what we expected, but things happen in T20 cricket,” Muzumdar said in the post-match press conference.

Though India fell short despite a promising start, Muzumdar chose to look at the positives. “Just taking some positives out of the game -- came back really strongly in bowling. I think restricting Australia after that good start to 163 was a good effort. We got a good start as well with the bat. So, taking a lot of positives out of this game and looking forward to the Adelaide game,” he said.

He also welcomed the return of Pratika Rawal to the ODI squad after an ankle injury sustained in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup clash against Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai kept her out of action.

“We are really glad that she's come out of the rehab. She spent the last couple of months in Bangalore, in the Centre of Excellence, and is really looking forward to Pratika being back in the squad. We've missed her in the World Cup in the last two games. But she's a quality player, and it's a great inclusion in this squad.”

Looking ahead at how Pratika and Shafali Verma will feature in the same playing eleven, Muzumdar said, “It's a good headache to have. So we'll cross the bridge when we get there. I think first, let's focus on Adelaide, the third T20I. It's a good headache to have, and hopefully, we'll fit in the correct combination in playing eleven by the time we come to ODIs.”

On the atmosphere while playing the games so far in Australia, Muzumdar said, “I mean, we're enjoying it. It's been lovely so far. Two games in Sydney. I think the turnout was fantastic. Even here in Canberra, the turnout has been really amazing. So I think it just reflects the quality of cricket and what these two teams bring to the table.

“It's just a travel day tomorrow, and all we'll have to do is just get together, maybe after the travel, and nothing much. We've come here with certain things in our mind, and I think quick turnaround is modern-day cricket. You've got to adjust to those things and just hope that we'll turn out really well day after tomorrow,” he concluded.

--IANS

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Ludhiana, Feb 19 (IANS) At the historic Kila Raipur Rural Olympics, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday announced the sports budget would be enhanced in the forthcoming state Budget, underlining a determined push to channelise the energy of the youth into constructive avenues.

​Stating that bullock cart races, halted during the tenure of previous governments, have now resumed after the law was amended, the Chief Minister said that when children sweat it out on the field and bring home medals, there will be no need for any anti-drug campaign. ​

Calling the revival of the Kila Raipur Games a reflection of Punjab’s rural pride and cultural strength, the Chief Minister highlighted the New Sports Policy -- 2023 as a step towards restoring the state’s sporting glory, with stadiums to be built in every village. ​

He also announced that the eight-acre pond in Kila Raipur, near here, will be beautified and a modern library constructed, and said that the government is plugging leakages left by previous regimes, saving public money and spending it directly on the people. ​

Addressing a gathering during the Kila Raipur Sports Rural Olympics, CM Mann said, “Sports are the most lethal weapon against the drug menace and the state government will enhance the budget for Sports in the ensuing budget for the state.” ​

He said the government is already promoting sports in a big way and added, “While the previous governments had neglected this important sector aimed at youth development, our government has duly focused on it.” ​

He said sports are being promoted to channelise the unbounded energy of youth in a positive direction.​

Highlighting structural reforms, the Chief Minister noted that the Sports Policy was launched to restore the state’s sporting glory, and that the sports budget will now be further enhanced. ​

He added that the government has successfully organised three seasons of Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan, in which three generations of a family have participated. ​

“Due to efforts of the state government, Punjab today leads the country in sports, and the captains of key Indian teams are from Punjab,” the Chief Minister added.

--IANS

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Colombo, Feb 19 (IANS) Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka admitted his side fell short in key moments despite posting a competitive total, conceding that execution with the ball and decision-making in crucial phases ultimately cost them in their Group B clash in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday.

Reflecting on Sri Lanka’s batting effort, Shanaka expressed satisfaction with the foundation laid by the top order but acknowledged there was room for improvement.

“We had a pretty good start, and to be honest, I think the score we put on was good enough to defend. There were a few patches (of the match) where we could have done slightly better, but overall, I’ll take that score today. I’m really happy with the way Pathum (Nissanka) and Pawan (Ratnayake) played. I think it was a good total on this pitch,” Shanaka said after the match.

Sri Lanka had looked in control after posting a strong total, with their openers providing momentum and setting up what appeared to be a defendable score on a surface that offered assistance to bowlers. However, Zimbabwe’s composed chase denied the hosts, as they failed to make early inroads with the ball.

Shanaka pointed to the lack of early breakthroughs and the challenges faced by an evolving bowling attack, while taking responsibility for tactical calls that did not yield the desired outcome.

“The plan was simple, as usual (with the ball). Take wickets upfront. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get that started with the ball. It’s a bit tough with newcomers coming in; they need some time to settle as well. But no excuses. We could have done slightly better. Some of my decisions were a bit of a gamble, too. It was one of those days where we could have done better with the ball, but again, no excuses,” he stated.

Despite the loss, Shanaka emphasised the importance of maintaining standards and representing the country with pride, even with qualification scenarios already in play. He said, “Qualification is always good to have, but every game we play, we want to do well for the country. Yes, we rested Chameera today, but as I said, no excuses. We did reasonably well in all three departments, but I still think we could have done better."

The Sri Lankan skipper also stressed the need for improved confidence and sharper intent on the field as the tournament progresses, stating, "I feel we need to be more confident on the field. That’s something we lacked today. Hopefully, we come back with a better attitude the next time we step onto the field."

--IANS

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Kolkata, Feb 19 (IANS) The West Indies continued their unbeaten run in the T20 World Cup 2026 with a comprehensive 42-run victory over Italy in their final group stage match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.

After being put in to bat, the West Indies posted a competitive 165/6 in 20 overs, courtesy of a superb 75 from skipper Shai Hope. The opener anchored the innings with a fluent knock off 46 balls, striking four sixes and six boundaries.

Hope stitched a crucial 64-run partnership with Roston Chase to stabilise the innings after early setbacks. Late contributions from Sherfane Rutherford and Matthew Forde ensured a strong finish for the two-time champions.

In reply, Italy faltered early in the chase and never quite recovered. They lost three wickets inside the Power-play, putting themselves under immediate pressure. Though Ben Manenti and Grant Stewart attempted to revive the innings with a brisk stand, West Indies bowlers kept striking at regular intervals.

Fast bowler Shamar Joseph led the charge with an impressive four-wicket haul, while Matthew Forde chipped in with three crucial wickets. Gudakesh Motie also played his part with two scalps as Italy were bowled out for 123 in 18 overs.

All the stats from the West Indies win:

1st - Shamar Joseph of the West Indies became the first player to claim 4 wickets and hold 4 catches in a T20I match.

5 - Shamar Joseph becomes the 5th non-wicketkeeper fielder to hold 4 catches in a T20WC match. Darren Sammy (WI), Aiden Markram (SA), Glen Maxwell (Aus), and George Munsey (SCO) are the others.

11 - The number of half-centuries Shai Hope (75) scored in T20Is in 64 matches. It was his 3rd in 7 T20 WC matches.

4/30 - The bowling figures of Shamar Joseph v Italy are his best in 19 T20I matches. His previous best was 3/30 v Pakistan in Lauderhill in 2025.

--IANS

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Kolkata, Feb 19 (IANS) Manu Gandas made a move with a six-under 64 in round three to join Shaurya Bhattacharya, who shot a 73, at the top of the leaderboard at the INR 1.5 crore Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) Players Championship 2026 being played at the Tollygunge Club in Kolkata.

Former DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion Manu Gandas (66-69-64), who was overnight tied seventh and nine shots off the lead, put together an eagle, five birdies, and a bogey on Thursday that moved his total to 11-under 199.

Shaurya Bhattacharya (64-62-73), the halfway leader by four shots, was not at his best on day three as his two birdies and five bogeys saw him slip into the joint lead at 11-under 199. Om Prakash Chouhan (64), Akshay Sharma (64), and Sanjeev Kumar (67) were all tied third at 10-under 200.

Manu Gandas, who is well-versed with the Tollygunge Club course, having won at the venue in the past, was slow off the blocks with his first birdie coming on the Par-3 eighth courtesy a terrific tee shot. Gandas was then on a roll as he followed that up with another birdie on the ninth and a 17-foot eagle conversion on the 10th.

Manu’s bogey on the 12th didn’t trouble him much as he rallied with three birdies thereafter, which included a chip-in on the 14th and an 18-foot conversion on the 15th.

Manu said, “My striking off the tees stood out today, and so did my approach shots. I created a lot of opportunities for myself. I would say that I have not been in the groove so far this season, but I’m slowly getting there. I also like playing at Tollygunge, and I have some good memories of my victory here back in 2024. That is something I will draw inspiration from in the final round.”

Shaurya Bhattacharya, the leader in the first two rounds, had an off day on Thursday as he missed a number of chip-putts.

Shaurya said, “The club selection and the decision-making by me were not correct today. The consistency wasn’t there. I will now look to restart and try to replicate what I did in the first two rounds.”

The Kolkata duo of Mohammad Sanju and Divyanshu Bajaj were both placed tied 36 th at one-under 209.

--IANS

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Colombo, Feb 19 (IANS) Sikandar Raza emphasised belief, preparation, and fearlessness after leading Zimbabwe to another statement win over Sri Lanka in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, saying their unbeaten run reflects the team’s growing confidence and resilience, and that everyone would like to see ‘underdogs’ reaching the top.

The Zimbabwe captain, who was named Player of the Match following his decisive all-round effort at the R. Premadasa Stadium, revealed he trusted his rhythm even after a cautious start in the chase.

“When I walked out there, I thought the openers laid the foundation. And I think when Ryan Burl went out there as well, we tried to change the momentum. Unfortunately, he got out too. After the first eight balls, I said to myself, I’ve only got four or five runs, but I can see the ball, I’m middling the ball. So from then on, I backed myself that if I find a ball, I can middle it and hopefully it flies for the distance. And that’s all it was,” he said during the post-match presentation.

The Zimbabwe skipper explained that once he found momentum, he focused on calculated aggression to keep the chase under control, saying, “Once I connected one, then it was a matter of just keeping going. In my head, I was calculating, trying not to over-attack. We needed one over of 20 (runs), which we got. After that, it was about going at nines, followed by eights, followed by sixes. Ideally, I wanted to finish the game, but we’ll take it.”

He also reserved special praise for his batting partner Brian Bennett, highlighting the youngster’s composure and maturity under pressure.

“I kept saying to Benny (Brian Bennett) that if you find a ball, hit it for a boundary. Otherwise, it’s really important that you bat through. I felt like I’d let you down at the start, but I’m starting to find my rhythm, so just please hang in there. If you stay at one end, we can win the game from the other end. Credit to Benny, he keeps doing that role really well, and I think he’s going to get better and better with every game. I can’t wait to see this boy grow,” he stated.

Raza reflected on Zimbabwe’s unbeaten campaign with pride but admitted his mindset is always focused on what lies ahead.

“I’m pretty excited about how Zimbabwe has gone about its business. Every time we’ve played a game, we’ve won, and we’re unbeaten so far. For me, it’s always the next game that comes into my head. As much as I want to enjoy the victory and all that, my mind keeps drifting forward, and sometimes I struggle to bring myself back. But I think it’s a nice position to be in as a captain. I’ll try to enjoy tonight at least, but let’s see how it goes. It’s a nice position to be in as a captain. I’ll try to enjoy tonight at least, but let’s see how it goes,” Raza added.

Despite the success, Raza stressed that Zimbabwe remain focused on improvement and sustaining their momentum.

“It can always get better. We can win the first game of the Super Eight -- it always can get better. We keep our sights forward. But if I bring myself to the present, the effort the boys have shown over the last two weeks, I don’t think anybody gave us a chance to be where we are. So win people’s hearts and earn their respect, it’s a wonderful position to be in,” he noted.

He also made it clear that Zimbabwe’s mindset remains unchanged regardless of match situations, including the toss, saying, “When we lost the toss, all I said to my boys was: If we are truly playing good cricket, why should the toss play such a huge part in our mindset? If we’re playing good cricket, it is what it is.”

Raza credited Zimbabwe’s tactical clarity and preparation for their ability to adapt during tense moments, as he said, “I’m really happy. I think that’s because, firstly, we’ve trained for every situation. When you’re chasing, everything is on the board anyway. And we’ve got the right personnel to send in at the right time. We actually changed our batting order about four times during the chase.”

With Zimbabwe now firmly establishing themselves as one of the tournament’s surprise packages, Raza reiterated the belief driving their campaign. “But just to get there unbeaten is something we can hold our heads high about. And if we can win two out of those three games, then you never know. As I keep saying - everybody loves an underdog story,” he concluded.

--IANS

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Colombo, Feb 19 (IANS) Brian Bennett anchored the chase with a composed unbeaten half-century while Sikandar Raza delivered a crucial late blow as Zimbabwe pulled off a thrilling six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their Group B clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Thursday.

Chasing a competitive target of 179, Zimbabwe rode on a strong opening partnership between Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani to lay the foundation. The duo added 68 runs for the first wicket, with Marumani playing aggressively to score 34 off 26 balls, striking five fours and a six. Bennett, meanwhile, settled in after an early reprieve and steadily built momentum.

Zimbabwe reached 78/1 at the halfway stage and continued to keep the required rate in check. Ryan Burl provided further impetus with a quickfire 23 off 12 balls, including a towering six, before Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka struck to briefly halt the progress.

However, the match turned decisively in Zimbabwe’s favour during a blistering partnership between Bennett and Raza. With the chase finely poised, Raza launched a fierce counterattack, smashing four sixes and two boundaries in his 45 off just 26 balls. His assault, particularly against the spinners, swung the momentum and reduced the pressure on the visitors.

Bennett brought up his half-century off 41 balls and continued to anchor the innings with maturity, rotating strike effectively while capitalising on loose deliveries. Zimbabwe collected 46 runs between the 15th and 17th overs, effectively taking the game away from Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka attempted a late comeback when Dushan Hemantha dismissed Raza and Tashinga Musekiwa in quick succession, but Munyonga kept his composure under pressure. He struck a crucial six in the penultimate over before Bennett sealed the victory in style with a boundary through extra cover, finishing unbeaten on 59 off 47 balls.

Earlier, Sri Lanka had posted 178/7 in their 20 overs, but Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling effort ensured the total remained within reach.

The victory marked Zimbabwe’s second-highest successful chase in T20 internationals and ensured they finished unbeaten in Group B, topping a table that included Sri Lanka, Australia, and Ireland. Sri Lanka, despite moments of control, were undone by Zimbabwe’s clinical batting in the death overs.

Brief scores:

Sri Lanka 178/7 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 62, Pavan Rathnayake 44; Graeme Cremer 2-27, Blessing Muzarabani 2-38) lost to Zimbabwe 179/6 in 19.3 overs (Brian Bennett 59*, Sikandar Raza 45; Dushan Hemantha 2-36) by six wickets.

--IANS

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Chennai, Feb 19 (IANS) Canada won the toss and elected to bowl first against Afghanistan in their final Group D clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday. The match also marks veteran batter Navneet Dhaliwal’s final game in international cricket.

Pacer Kaleem Sana is back in the Canadian playing eleven, in place of Shivam Sharma. “The wicket didn't change much in the last game, and also because of the dew factor. We have to fight stronger with the ball and not concede too many loose balls,” said Canada skipper Dilpreet Bajwa.

He also revealed that apart from Dhaliwal, Ravinderpal Singh, who is not in the playing eleven, is also retiring from international cricket after Thursday’s clash. “Final game for them. It's a very sad moment for Cricket Canada. Both of them are legends. One is our run machine, and one is our energy machine, so we are gonna miss them, and hopefully it is a good opportunity for upcoming youngsters in Canada,” added Bajwa.

Afghanistan too have one change, with Abdullah Amadzai coming in for left-arm wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad. “Not the kind of end we wanted in this competition, and I feel we have those skills, but just that game against South Africa put us down. We need to make the nation proud and want to finish off well,” said captain Rashid Khan.

Playing XIs

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (captain), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ziaur Rahman, and Abdullah Ahmadzai

Canada: Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa (captain), Navneet Dhaliwal, Harsh Thaker, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (wk), Saad Bin Zafar, Dilon Heyliger, Jaskarandeep Singh, Kaleem Sana, and Ansh Patel

--IANS

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