India defeated Netherlands by 17 runs in their final Group A match of the T20 World Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad and kept their perfect record intact. Batting first, India lost both openers early, with Abhishek Sharma dismissed for his third straight duck. Shivam Dube led the recovery with 66 off 31 balls. Suryakumar Yadav scored 34, while Hardik Pandya made 30 and Tilak Varma added 28 to push India to 193/6. Netherlands replied with 176/7 in 20 overs. Varun Chakravarthy took three wickets, including two in two balls. Dube picked up two wickets, and Jasprit Bumrah also bowled a tight spell. (PC: X)

Abhishek Sharma’s poor run in the T20 World Cup 2026 continued after he was dismissed for a duck against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. The left-hander fell in the first over to off-spinner Aryan Dutt during India’s final Group A match at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Abhishek has now scored zero in three matches in the tournament and is yet to open his account after facing eight balls. This was also his fifth T20I duck this year, equalling Sanju Samson’s record for most ducks by an Indian batter in a calendar year. He previously got out for ducks against USA and Pakistan. (PC: India Today)

Jammu and Kashmir reached their first-ever Ranji Trophy final after a six-wicket win over Bengal in the semifinal at Kalyani. Chasing a small target, the team lost early wickets before Abdul Samad and Vanshaj Sharma steadied the innings. Samad scored quick runs and attacked the main bowlers to ease pressure. Vanshaj sealed the win with a straight six. Samad also made 82 in the first innings and added a key partnership earlier in the match. Bowler Auqib Nabi took nine wickets across the game. “We deserved it,” he said after the win. Captain Paras Dogra said the team stayed positive despite losing the first-innings lead. (PC: X)

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said Sri Lanka president Anura Kumara Dissanayake played the key role in Pakistan reversing its decision to boycott the India match at the T20 World Cup. Pakistan had earlier planned to skip the game in support of Bangladesh. Naqvi said the U-turn came after talks between cricket boards and ICC officials. He said the Sri Lankan president personally called Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to request participation. “You were the actual hero because 2 billion people were entertained because of you,” Naqvi told him. Pakistan later played the match in Colombo but lost to India. Their next game became a must-win. (PC: India Today)

Pakistan hockey captain Ammad Shakeel Butt has admitted lying about the team's conditions during Australia's FIH Hockey Pro League tour after videos went viral in India. The Pakistan Hockey Federation's failure to clear hotel payments left players stranded near Sydney's Opera Street for 12–15 hours without food or accommodation. Eventually housed in a local facility, players washed dishes, cleaned toilets, and prepared their own meals even on matchdays. Butt revealed team management pressured him to release a false "everything is fine" video fearing India's reaction. Pakistan lost all four matches and returned to Lahore on Wednesday with no PHF official present. Butt directly blamed team management officials Sheikh Usman and Shehzaman for repeatedly lying. (PC: Ammad Butt Instagram)

In one of the biggest upsets of the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, former champions Australia have been eliminated from the tournament. Australia crashed out after a brutal combination of on-field defeat and rain intervention sealed their fate on Tuesday. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, marched into the Super Eight after their match against Ireland in Pallekele was abandoned due to persistent rain, earning them a crucial point that pushed them to second place in Group B with five points. It was Zimbabwe who had set the wheels in motion last week, stunning Australia by 23 runs, weirdly mirroring their famous upset in the tournament's inaugural edition 19 years ago. Sri Lanka, who crushed Australia by eight wickets on Monday, top the group and have already secured their Super Eight berth. (PC: X)

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi has credited Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the "actual hero" behind Pakistan's dramatic U-turn on boycotting the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match in Colombo. Naqvi revealed that a personal phone call from Dissanayake to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif proved decisive, with Sharif immediately instructing Naqvi: "There is no more issue... we have to play the match." Earlier, Bangladesh Cricket Board chief Aminul Islam Bulbul had also appealed to Pakistan to participate. Despite the diplomatic intervention, India emphatically won the high-voltage clash by 61 runs, with Ishan Kishan starring with a superb 77-run knock marking India's third consecutive tournament victory. (PC: NDTV)

Australia national cricket team are out of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup after the Ireland vs Zimbabwe group match in Pallekele was abandoned due to rain. The washout gave Zimbabwe national cricket team one point, which secured their place in the Super 8 stage with Sri Lanka from Group B. Australia had lost two of their first three matches and were depending on other results. The shared points made it impossible for them to qualify. Officials called off the game after long rain delays and pitch inspections. Australia’s final group match against Oman will not affect qualification. (PC: India Today)

Gautam Gambhir has reportedly received an offer from Rajasthan Royals to join the IPL franchise as CEO, mentor and partner. A report said the new owners are ready to give him a small equity stake of around 2–3%. Gambhir is currently the head coach of the Indian men’s team and his contract runs till the 2027 World Cup. Rules based on Lodha Committee reforms do not allow a national team coach to hold a role with an IPL franchise due to conflict of interest. Because of this rule, he is unlikely to accept the offer at present. (PC: X/BCCI)

Fourteen former international cricket captains, including Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, have written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asking for urgent medical care for jailed former PM and World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan. The letter cites reports about his falling health and vision problems in custody. The group asked for “immediate, adequate and ongoing medical attention” and humane jail conditions. They also sought regular family visits and fair legal access. Other signatories include Greg Chappell, Steve Waugh and Clive Lloyd. No former Pakistan captain has signed the joint appeal. (PC: X)