Sports

Ahmedabad, Feb 11 (IANS) Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field first against South Africa in a Group D clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Wednesday here at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Afghanistan aim to secure their first win of the tournament and improve their fortunes against the previous edition’s runners-up, after losing their opener to New Zealand by five wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Led by Rashid Khan, the team, despite coming off a loss, should not be underestimated. They defeated New Zealand in the last T20 World Cup, and their win over cricketing giants Australia helped propel them to the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, South Africa started their campaign with a 56-run victory over Canada. They are arguably the best cricketing nation yet to win a Men's T20 World Cup, along with, interestingly, their Group D rivals, New Zealand.

Winning the toss, Afghan captain Rashid said, “Fresh wicket and we're looking forward to chase. Against the big teams in the WC, it's a must-win game for us, need to put in the effort, don't worry about the result, but just put your energy on the field. It's a home ground, I have played for GT over the years in the IPL.

"I think this pitch will get better as the game goes on, that's the reason we're chasing. A couple of areas where we can improve - batting in the powerplay and we missed our lengths in the previous game. One change, Ziaur Rahmjan misses out, Noor Ahmad is in.”

Meanwhile, South African skipper Aiden Markram said, “We would have bowled first as well, quite a bit of moisture, but not a bad thing to bat. Put the runs on the board and apply the pressure. We had a good game against Canada and had a nice workaround. One change for us - we have one change, we're playing the extra spinner in George Linde, he replaces Corbin Bosch.”

Playing XIs:

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad

South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Amidst the mist in early morning hours before heat takes over the skies for the rest of the day, the thrill factor in New Delhi will go up a notch when defending champions India take on Namibia in a Group A clash of 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday evening.

The Suryakumar Yadav-led side had an almighty escape against the USA to kick off their title defence on a winning note, thanks to the skipper dishing out a rescue act masterclass at his home ground.

With lessons learnt from that near banana peel situation, India would seek a more authoritative performance against Namibia before their attention shifts to the marquee clash against Pakistan in Colombo on Sunday.

As the sun made way for night time to take centrestage, Jasprit Bumrah was back at what he does best - running in, rhythm restored, and menace intact. After ten days away from the bowling crease due to illness, Bumrah bowled at full tilt during Tuesday's training session. His return could mean that Mohammed Siraj, who had an impressive showing by picking three wickets against the USA after being called as a last-minute replacement for Harshit Rana, will be forced to make way for him.

But Bumrah's return is just one piece of a puzzle that the Indian team think-tank is still assembling.

Abhishek Sharma, the swashbuckling opener whose audacious strokeplay can change games in mere minutes, is in hospital with a stomach bug. His first-ball golden duck against the USA was followed by absence from the fielding innings due to viral fever and an upset stomach.

Should Abhishek be deemed unavailable for Thursday’s clash, the spotlight will turn to Sanju Samson, the elegant keeper-batsman whose fortunes have oscillated like a pendulum. Losing his opening spot to an in-form Ishan Kishan after a lean patch against New Zealand, Samson now finds himself on the verge of getting back his opening slot.

But the pressure to perform will be high on Samson – he averages just 16.8 in T20Is since 2025 and has been out 10 times in the first six overs. In Tuesday’s practice session, he was tentative initially before getting the timing right.

Despite hosting just one game so far, New Delhi has already established itself as venue offering the highest turn so far in this tournament, the onus will be high on Samson to be the perfect partner with Kishan to maximise power-play returns.

For Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, this is the ground where they've plied their trade for Delhi Capitals in countless IPL battles. They know every crack, rough patch, and inch of the small ground so well that it will come to advantage for keeping Namibia’s batters on a tight leash.

Though Axar was surprisingly sent in at number eight in Mumbai, if trouble strikes again in New Delhi, expect Axar to arrive much earlier and target short boundaries easily.

With Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, along with all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube in fine fettle, Indian bowling line-up looks formidable on paper.

Yet for all India's firepower and home advantage, Namibia arrives into the clash after a seven-wicket loss to Netherlands on Tuesday. Though India had the better of them in their 2021 meeting by nine wickets, Namibia will be keen to put their concerns aside and put up a better showing in front of a sell-out crowd in the stadium.

Captain Gerhard Erasmus, Namibia's leading run-scorer in T20Is, would be keen to play a longer innings after his cameo was cut short by Bas de Leede.

Jan Frylinck is capable of giving Namibia the explosive start they need, while Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, who top-scored with 42 on Tuesday, will be needed to play longer if the Indian bowlers run through the batting order.

Left-arm pacer Ruben Trumpelmann, with his height and ability to extract movement, holds the new ball responsibilities alongside JJ Smit, though his struggles against left-handers could prove costly against an Indian top order majorly filled with southpaws.

But with a desire to prove they've evolved hugely since 2021, expect Namibia to give a tough fight to a mighty Indian outfit, who will hope their stars shine brightest when it matters the most on Thursday before Sunday's high-stakes clash against Pakistan takes centrestage.

When: Thursday, February 12, 7:00 PM IST

Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi

Where to watch: Star Sports Network for live TV broadcast and JioHotstar for live streaming

Squads

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, and Rinku Singh

Namibia: Gerhard Erasmus (c), Zane Green (wk), Bernard Scholtz, Ruben Trumpelmann, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, Louren Steenkamp, Malan Kruger, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Jack Brassell, Ben Shikongo, JC Balt, Dylan Leicher, William Myburgh, and Max Heingo.

--IANS

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London, Feb 11 (IANS) Tomas Soucek's 50th goal for West Ham was not enough to secure a vital home win as a 96th-minute strike from Benjamin Sesko earned Manchester United a 1-1 draw.

West Ham limited United's attacking threat for much of the match and was seconds from a victory that would have pulled the London club level with Nottingham Forest. But Bryan Mbeumo whipped a late ball into the area and Sesko squeezed his effort through a narrow gap and into the net. The draw ended United's four-game winning run, reports Xinhua.

Chelsea was held to a 2-2 draw at home by Leeds United despite racing into a two-goal lead. Joao Pedro opened the scoring and Cole Palmer doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after a handball in the Leeds area.

Leeds fought back when Lukas Nmecha converted a penalty following a foul on Jayden Bogle. Noah Okafor then tapped in the equalizer during a chaotic move that saw Chelsea appeal unsuccessfully for handball against Bogle as he chased a through ball. Chelsea pushed for a late winner, but Palmer missed a clear chance, firing over from close range.

Jacob Ramsey's 68th-minute strike gave Newcastle United a 2-1 win away to Tottenham. Malick Thiaw had put Newcastle ahead in first-half stoppage time before Tottenham responded after the break, with Archie Gray scoring from close range following a corner. Ramsey's goal proved decisive and leaves Tottenham mired in the relegation battle.

The win lift Newcastle into the top half and within three points of Liverpool in sixth, while Spurs drop one place to 16th, with Leeds United overtaking them.

Bournemouth came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 away. Everton led through Iliman Ndiaye's penalty after a foul on Jarrad Branthwaite, but headers from Rayan and Amine Adli in the 61st and 64th minutes turned the match. Everton's task became harder when Jake O'Brien was sent off five minutes later for denying a clear scoring chance.

On Wednesday, Manchester City hosts Fulham, Aston Villa welcomes Brighton, and Liverpool travels to Sunderland.

--IANS

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Berlin, Feb 11 (IANS) SC Freiburg booked its place in the German Cup semifinals after edging Hertha BSC 6-5 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time on Tuesday.

Both teams began with intent. Yuito Suzuki fired narrowly over inside three minutes, while Marten Winkler headed just wide at the other end soon after. Hertha almost took the lead when Fabian Reese forced the ball over the line, but the effort was ruled out after a VAR review.

Freiburg gradually settled and created the clearer openings before the break. Derry Scherhant twice tested Tjark Ernst, who reacted sharply on each occasion, and Florian Muller was required to keep out a header from Linus Gechter late in the first half.

After the interval, the tempo dropped and clear opportunities became scarce. An effort from substitute Vincenzo Grifo caused brief concern but drifted off target, and neither side found a breakthrough in regular time.

In extra time, Muller denied Michael Cuisance with an outstanding save before Freiburg struck in the 96th minute. Suzuki anticipated a short back pass from Gechter, rounded Ernst and slotted into the empty net.

Hertha responded eight minutes later as Suzuki misplaced a pass under pressure. The move then developed through Reese, and the forward drilled a powerful shot into the left corner to level the scores.

Into the shootout, Cuisance saw his attempt saved by Muller, while Johan Manzambi missed for Freiburg. With the score at 4-4, Suzuki converted again before Muller stopped Pascal Klemens to seal the win.

Freiburg joins Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart in the semifinals, with the draw set for February 22. The remaining quarterfinal between Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig will be played on Wednesday.

"We all took our penalties really well. It was an exhausting game for both sides. We went in front and then conceded a late equalizer, which made it tough again. In the shootout we stayed calm and that's what carried us through. I'm proud that as a goalkeeper I was able to do my part and help the team reach the semifinals," Freiburg goalkeeper Muller said.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) India’s left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma is in doubt for Thursday’s clash against Namibia in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup after being admitted to a private hospital in New Delhi due to stomach infection.

Sharma, 25, missed the training session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday evening and remains under medical observation, with assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirming in a press conference that he’s down with a stomach bug.

“Abhishek Sharma has been admitted to a private hospital in New Delhi since Monday due to his stomach infection issues. The Indian team management will decide on his availability for the clash against Namibia on Thursday based on what the doctor's report says.

“Some further tests have happened too, so they are awaiting what it would tell about his total recovery timeline and subsequent availability for the game against Namibia,” said a source tracking the development to IANS.

Sharma played in India’s opening Group A game against USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai with high fever, where he bagged a duck. Later, a stomach bug led to him not fielding in the second innings, as Suryakumar Yadav-led India won by 29 runs.

The Indian team management will be reluctant to rush him back, considering the defending champions have a marquee clash against Pakistan in Colombo on February 15 and then take on Netherlands in Ahmedabad on February 18, before the Super Eight stage begins.

Sharma’s absence could open the door for Sanju Samson to partner with in-form Ishan Kishan at the top of the batting order. Wicketkeeper-batter Samson struggled as an opener in the recent 4-1 home series win over New Zealand.

In Tuesday’s practice session, Samson did spend considerable time batting alongside Kishan. India will have another practice session at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday evening before taking the field for the clash against Namibia on Thursday.

--IANS

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Rourkela (Odisha), Feb 11 (IANS) Former World and Olympic champions Belgium produced a thrilling second-half comeback to defeat Argentina 5–3 in the FIH Pro League men’s hockey match at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium on Tuesday.

Argentina started the match on a strong note and took an early lead through Tomas Domene, who converted a penalty corner in the 2nd minute. Nicolas della Torre doubled the advantage in the 9th minute with another penalty corner. Argentina added their third goal in the 24th minute, once again from a penalty corner, to go 3–1 ahead and dominate the first half.

Belgium, however, responded with determination and resilience. Star forward Tom Boon led the comeback with a brilliant hat-trick, including a spectacular overhead strike just before the end of the first quarter, which lifted his team’s morale and changed the momentum of the game.

In the second half, Belgium intensified their attacking play and displayed clinical finishing. Two successful penalty strokes further strengthened their lead and sealed the victory for the Red Lions.

Despite several acrobatic saves by Argentina goalkeeper Tomas Santiago, the South American side could not stop Belgium’s relentless pressure in the latter stages of the match.

The Belgian players wore black armbands as a mark of respect for teammate Thibeau Stockbroekx’s father, who recently passed away, adding emotional significance to their impressive performance.

With this victory, Belgium strengthened their position in the Pro League standings. At the same time, Argentina will look to bounce back quickly in their upcoming matches, including their next encounter against hosts India.

--IANS

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Colombo, Feb 11 (IANS) Pakistan captain Salman Agha appeared relaxed and satisfied after leading his team to a 32-run victory over the United States in their Group A match at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Tuesday. He called the performance clinical but also highlighted the potential for further improvement.

Asked about his demeanour after the victory, Agha brushed it off with trademark humour before turning his attention to the team’s all-round effort, particularly the improvement in the middle overs with the bat.

“I always smile. When have you seen me not smile? (laughs). Clinical win. Last game, we didn't bat well in the middle overs, but today we did. Once we scored 190, we knew we could defend that,” Agha said during the post-match presentation.

Agha said he would have opted to bat first regardless of the toss, backing Pakistan’s bowling resources to defend even modest totals while underlining the team’s distinctive approach to the game. “I would've batted first after winning the toss. With the kind of bowling we have, we know we can win even with 160-170. We are Pakistan, we do things differently from the world,” he said.

Despite his preference, the skipper stressed that Pakistan were equally comfortable chasing, pointing to the adaptability within the batting unit as he said, “We're comfortable with chasing as well. Our batting order is flexible. First three will probably go in the same order, but we're flexible after that.”

Explaining the depth and versatility in the lineup, Agha said Pakistan’s options allowed them to respond to different match situations without compromising intent. He was pleased with the overall performance and reiterated that the side was far from complacent, highlighting areas that could still be sharpened as the tournament progresses.

“We have finishers who can go early if we don't get too many wickets at first. But if you get early wickets, we still have a batter who can go and obviously take the game to the deep and then allow the finishers to come and finish the game as well. Always room for improvement. We like to bowl well in Power-play. In patches, we were good, but we can be more clinical,” Agha concluded.

--IANS

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Pune, Feb 10 (IANS) Tvesa Malik fired the only bogey-free round of the first day of the third leg of the Women's Pro Golf Tour 2026 at Oxford Golf Resort to take the sole lead. Trying to get back the form and rhythm that made her one of the best players in India, Tvesa had one birdie on each side of the course. A total of 44 players teed up for the Rs.17 lakh event.

Lying second was Anvitha Narender (71), who, after three birdies and two bogeys in the first eight holes, parred the last 10 holes.

Two amateurs, Priya Kumari and Lavanya Gupta, carded even par 72 each to be tied third. Lavanya may well have been in a shared lead but for the two closing bogeys on the 17th and the 18th.

Tvesa, who is hoping to get some starts on the Ladies European Tour (LET) later in the season, birdied the Par-5 fourth and the Par-3 14th. She also missed a few other birdie chances as the putts did not fall.

Anvitha opened birdie-birdie for a great start, but gave away back-to-back bogeys on the sixth and the seventh before picking her last birdie of the day on the Par-3 eighth. She parred the rest of the holes.

Three players, Riya Jadon, Shagun Narain, and Ananya Garg, were tied for fifth place with 1-over 73 each.

As many as five players led by Amandeep Drall, besides Durga Nittur, Karishma Govind, amateur Aradhana Manikandan, and Khushi Khanijau carded 74 each to be tied eighth. Ridhima Dilawari was Tied-13th alongside Prakruthi, Rhea Purvi, Shweta Mansingh, and Nayanika Sanga. They shot 75 each.

Saanvi Somu heads a strong list of new professionals for the calendar year 2026. The 10 new pros joining this year qualified through the qualifier, and four came from the IGU Ladies OOM and WAGR. The WGAI now has a record 62 registered pro players, and it includes 14 new pros joining this year.

--IANS

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Colombo, Feb 10 (IANS) USA captain Monank Patel felt his side lost control of things, with both bat and ball, during the middle overs after suffering a 32-run defeat against Pakistan in their Group A match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Tuesday.

Assessing the bowling effort while defending 190, Monank said the USA started reasonably well but failed to sustain pressure through the middle phase, even though the pacers recovered towards the end.

“We bowled decently in the Power-play but didn't bowl well in the middle overs. Came back in the last four overs, where the pacers bowled well. We were still in the game with 190,” Monank said during the post-match presentation.

Monank felt a similar pattern unfolded during the chase, with the USA unable to maintain intent once the field spread, allowing Pakistan’s spinners to dictate terms. He said, “Played well in the Power-play, but couldn't show intent in the middle overs. While batting, we didn't show intent. Their spinners were not giving enough pace, and it was hard to hit the boundary options. We panicked a bit, and that cost us the game.”

Despite the loss, the USA skipper emphasised the progress his side has made over the past year and said the group's confidence remained high heading into the contest.

“We've been playing really good cricket for the last 12-15 months. Coming here for the second game, we were confident enough. Just small mistakes in the game,” he said.

Looking ahead to the remainder of the tournament, Monank stressed the importance of finishing strongly while adapting quickly to changing conditions and venues.

“Want to make sure we finish this World Cup strong with two wins. It's not easy playing at different venues. Now we'll go to Chennai. We'll have one session there. Will work hard to come back stronger,” the USA skipper concluded.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) Kshitij Naveed Kaul drove his way to the top in round one of the INR 1.5 crore Players Championship 2026 being played at the Qutab Golf Course in New Delhi. Kshitij posted a flawless eight-under 62 at the Par-70 course, one of his favourite venues, where he had also set the course record with a 10-under 60 last year.

Honey Baisoya’s 63 placed him second, while the quartet consisting of American Jhared Hack, winner of the season-opener last week, Kushal Singh, Dhruv Sheoran, and Akshay Sharma, were a further shot behind in tied third place. Former PGTI Order of Merit champion Veer Ahlawat began the week with a 65 to be tied seventh.

The 25-year-old Kshitij Naveed Kaul, a winner of five PGTI events, including one last season, drove the ball to perfection on Tuesday as he landed four of his drives close to the green. His round also featured a couple of immaculate bunker shots. Kshitij, who had a fourth-place finish last week in Naya Raipur, collected three birdies on the back nine and added five more on the front nine, including four on the trot.

Kshitij, who hails from the Delhi Golf Club, said, “My driving and bunker shots were top-notch today. I came close to finding the green with my drives on a few occasions. My approach shots were also quite accurate. I really enjoy playing on this golf course. I had a great outing here last year as well. In this course, making chip-putts from close range is not easy, so hitting good wedge shots from a longer range is that much more important. That’s what I managed to do well today.”

Honey Baisoya, who was in contention at the season-opener last week, having led the field after round three, continued the good work at Qutab Golf Course with an error-free effort of seven-under 63. Honey picked up four birdies on the back nine and three on the front nine.

Jhared Hack and Kushal Singh produced magic with their wedges as the former landed it within five feet on four occasions while the latter started the day with three consecutive birdies, all tap-ins from two feet.

--IANS

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