All posts tagged: india t20 world cup

Jasprit Bumrah joins Mumbai Indians squad ahead of IPL 2026 opener against Kolkata Knight Riders

Jasprit Bumrah joins Mumbai Indians squad ahead of IPL 2026 opener against Kolkata Knight Riders

Published by Webster

2 min readMar 28, 2026 08:05 AM IST Ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has linked up with the Mumbai Indians (MI) squad on the eve of their first Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. The Indian Express understands that the 32-year-old joined the MI squad on Friday evening and will have his first practice session on Saturday. Bumrah did not practice with the MI squad on Friday, as he was asked to report to the Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru, where his workload has been monitored. “He has joined the MI on Friday night, and he will be coming for practice on Saturday,” a source confirmed. Bumrah played a key role in India’s run to the T20 World Cup victory, and he was adjudged Player of the Final against New Zealand. He was in the COE for a few days after the medical team advised the board to send the ace pacer to work on his strength and conditioning. With India playing Afghanistan in …

Felt ‘very sad’ about having to drop Jitesh Sharma from 2026 T20 World Cup squad, went with Ishan Kishan on gut, says Suryakumar Yadav | Cricket News

Felt ‘very sad’ about having to drop Jitesh Sharma from 2026 T20 World Cup squad, went with Ishan Kishan on gut, says Suryakumar Yadav | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readMar 16, 2026 03:45 PM IST Ishan Kishan was a last-minute addition to the Indian team for the 2026 T20 World Cup and the move paid dividends, to put it lightly. Kishan was in red-hot form in domestic cricket and simply continued on that on his return to international cricket after a two-year absence in the T20I series against New Zealand, which had preceded the T20 World Cup. In the tournament itself, Kishan finished as India’s second highest run scorer behind Samson and was arguably the most reliable cog in the batting lineup throughout the tournament. Kishan scored 317 runs in nine innings at an astonishing strike rate of 193.29 with three half-centuries to show. India captain Suryakumar Yadav said that they had gone for Kishan on the basis of their gut feel as much as the numbers.  The flip side of it was that Jitesh Sharma, who had been performing consistently until then as India’s backup wicketkeeper, had to make way which Suryakumar admitted was unfair. “It was completely on gut, little …

‘India’s DNA is to play finals and win, Pakistan’s is to lose before knockouts’: Rashid Latif | Cricket News

‘India’s DNA is to play finals and win, Pakistan’s is to lose before knockouts’: Rashid Latif | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readMar 13, 2026 04:59 PM IST India’s 96-run win over New Zealand in the final of the 2026 T20 World Cup helped them take a third consecutive victory in ICC tournaments. It was their third men’s T20 World Cup title overall, making them the most succesfull team in the history of the tournament, and their eighth ICC title. They also became the first team to have succesfully defended the title. In contrast, arch rivals Pakistan have only won three ICC trophies so far with their last ICC trophy coming in the form of 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. Former Pakistan captain and coach Rashid Latif has shared how India’s DNA is to win trophies and Pakistan’s DNA is to lose trophies. “Even after losing the toss (In theT20 World Cup final), they (India) made 250 runs. Nobody will be able to catch them. They have not done this overnight; it is the result of their hard work over the last 10 years or so. See the last ICC events or the Asia Cup. India’s …

How being caught in off-spin trap led to India bringing back Sanju Samson: ‘We decided to go with two wicketkeepers’ | Cricket News

How being caught in off-spin trap led to India bringing back Sanju Samson: ‘We decided to go with two wicketkeepers’ | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readMar 12, 2026 03:13 PM IST Sanju Samson’s resurgence was at the heart of India’s 2026 T20 World Cup victory and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has now revealed that India turned back to the 31-year-old during the tournament to beat a tactic that opposition teams seemed to have employed to neutralise their top-order. Samson had been dropped from India’s first-choice eleven after a string of low scores, particularly in the series against New Zealand that preceded the T20 World Cup. He failed to make too big an impact in the two matches that he ended up playing in the first half of the tournament, before putting together a hat-trick of big scores in in India’s final Super Eight match against the West Indies, which was a virtual quarterfinal, their semifinal against England and the final against New Zealand. India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said that the team finally went back to Samson due to oppositions catching them out with off spinners early on. ALSO READ | Faith helps Sanju Samson move mountains, just …

‘You could literally pick three teams’: Gary Kirsten amazed by India’s depth after T20 World Cup triumph | Cricket News

‘You could literally pick three teams’: Gary Kirsten amazed by India’s depth after T20 World Cup triumph | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readMar 11, 2026 01:49 PM IST When Gary Kirsten looks at Indian cricket today, he notices not just the quality of the players but also the remarkable depth available to the team. Recently, Kirsten spoke about the growth of Indian cricket and mentioned that the system is now so strong that the country could “literally pick three teams” that could compete at the highest level. For decades, Indian cricket centred around a few iconic names. Their performances often determined the team’s success. The expectation was that a small group of star players would lead the side through critical moments. However, the former South African opener believed the landscape has changed dramatically. “There are just so many good Indian players around now. I mean, you could literally pick three teams,” he told Wisden. He felt this depth has lessened the reliance on a few individuals and created a stronger system where competition for spots is intense. “There’s just so much depth in the system in India now,” Kirsten added. Kirsten, who coached India from …

‘India deserved the title’: Shahid Afridi, other ex-PAK players laud IND for defending T20 World Cup title | Cricket News

‘India deserved the title’: Shahid Afridi, other ex-PAK players laud IND for defending T20 World Cup title | Cricket News

Published by Webster

4 min readMar 9, 2026 05:54 PM IST Former Pakistan player Shahid Afridi heaped praises on India for retaining the T20 World Cup title with a 96-run win against New Zealand on Sunday, especially lauding Sanju Samson and Jasprit Bumrah for their performances not only in the final but during the entire tournament. “The World Cup is over. I think India deserved the title. They have a great team combination. The players sitting on the bench were also as good as the playing XI. This is why I say that you bench needs to be strong. India’s bench was very strong, they could have picked anyone from there and slotted them into the playing XI. They played the whole tournament as champions,” Afridi posted in a video on his X account. “Sanju Samson was outstanding. He got the opportunity and he delivered with his sensible hitting and his ability to build the innings. Abhsihek Sharma also performed well tonight. Ishan Kishan also performed outstandingly, just like he had performed against Pakistan. Jasprit Bumrah was the …

Virat Kohli hails India’s ‘phenomenal’ T20 World Cup win: ‘No match for the explosive cricket played by us’ | Cricket News

Virat Kohli hails India’s ‘phenomenal’ T20 World Cup win: ‘No match for the explosive cricket played by us’ | Cricket News

Published by Webster

2 min readUpdated: Mar 9, 2026 11:25 AM IST Virat Kohli was all praise for the “explosive” brand of cricket that India played throughout the 2026 T20 World Cup which led to them winning the trophy. Suryakumar Yadav and Co. beat New Zealand by by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to win the title. It made India the first team to succesfully defend their T20 World Cup title, with Kohli playing a starring role in the team’s victory in the last tournament in 2024. This was also India’s third title and they overtook West Indies and England to become the most succesfull team in the men’s tournament thus far. “Champions… Phenomenal win for Team India in Ahmedabad. Absolutely no match for the explosive cricket played by us throughout the tournament. Brilliant character shown by the boys to keep fighting in tough situations and become world champions once again. Congratulations to all the players and all the members of the management for achieving this feat. Jai Hind,” said Kohli in a post …

Sanju Samson needed to be given a break after ‘tough series against New Zealand’, says Gambhir: ‘Always knew he will deliver’ | Cricket News

Sanju Samson needed to be given a break after ‘tough series against New Zealand’, says Gambhir: ‘Always knew he will deliver’ | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readMar 2, 2026 11:04 AM IST India head coach Gautam Gambhir said that the team always had faith in Sanju Samson even when the latter got stuck in a bit of a rut in the matches leading up to the T20 World Cup and during the tournament itself before his match-winning innings against the West Indies on Sunday. Samson struck an unbeaten 97 in 50 balls in the Super Eights, thus helping India pull off a record chase and seal a spot for themselves in the semifinals. “Obviously he had a tough series against New Zealand, so sometimes it’s important to give him a break as well, because you want to get the guy off that pressure situation as well. And we always knew that whenever we needed him in the World Cup game, he’ll come and deliver it for us,” Gambhir told reporters after the match. ALSO READ | ‘I kept doubting myself’: Sanju Samson reflects after his 97 off 50 balls leads India to T20 World Cup semifinal Samson had been …

ICC T20 World Cup: We watched our old videos before Zimbabwe game, says Tilak Varma as India put up record total | Cricket News

ICC T20 World Cup: We watched our old videos before Zimbabwe game, says Tilak Varma as India put up record total | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readFeb 27, 2026 09:07 AM IST Heading into the must-win match against Zimbabwe, where India’s batting line-up rediscovered its touch and posted an imposing 256/4, watching some of the old videos of the performances helped change the mindset of the team. Having played an enterprising brand of cricket in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, once the tournament began, India’s batting appeared like a unit holding back a gear. In their first five matches before Thursday, they repeatedly found themselves in bother with the top order in particular not coming to the party. It had led to questions being asked about their strike rate, which had seldom cropped up in recent times. However, on Thursday in Chennai, India’s batsmen played to their potential with each of the six batsmen who had an outing in the middle hitting at least one six. In all, they hit a record 17 maximums. While they undoubtedly enjoyed favourable batting conditions, the intent was as good as it has been. “Just before the game, we discussed that …

ICC T20 World Cup: Zimbabwe coach hopes Chepauk’s bigger boundaries will give them a chance against India | Cricket News

ICC T20 World Cup: Zimbabwe coach hopes Chepauk’s bigger boundaries will give them a chance against India | Cricket News

Published by Webster

3 min readFeb 26, 2026 04:38 PM IST The West Indies batsmen made merry on the smaller Wankhede Stadium as Shimron Hetmyer and his mates took the Zimbabwe bowlers to the cleaners, amassing 254 in 20 overs. The African side was coming from the more sluggish pitches and bigger fields in Sri Lanka, where scores were relatively lower. Fielding lapses didn’t help their cause, but the conditions at the batting paradise in Mumbai were not to their liking. Even though the muscular Caribbean batsmen didn’t middle all of their big hits, they often found the stands as 60m shots were often enough for maximums. The pitch at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium is also expected to be batting-friendly, but the Zimbabwe team management is hoping that the bigger playing surface may give them a chance. “Certainly, I think, you know, from a boundary size point of view, I think it was probably one of the biggest differences,” Zimbabwe head coach Justin Sammons was quoted as saying by The Herald newspaper. “I think a lot of those …