A shortened game will be like a sprint where the risk element will be high. Who will win when emotion meets execution remains to be seen. K R Nayar reports from Colombo.
O'Romeo scored Rs 33 crore while Tu Yaa Main scored Rs 2.75 crore last weekend.
Sri Lankan President thanks PM Sharif as India-Pakistan T20 WC clash to go ahead
Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha remained noncommittal on whether their teams will shake hands before or after their T20 World Cup clash.
After the national anthems, players from both sides lined up and high-fived each other before they moved into their designated half.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to resign, citing hypocrisy in Shah's call for 'clean politics' given his past arrest. Banerjee also criticised the Election Commission and defended his party's record.
Axar Patel acknowledges added pressure in India-Pakistan clashes but says the team blocks out rivalry talk. He also hails Ishan Kishan's match-winning 77 in the T20 World Cup win.
'Why did I give him out? Was he out and so on? But then in life, mistakes happen. I have accepted that it was a mistake, and life goes on.'
An India-Pakistan fixture in an ICC event generates revenue to the tune of a staggering 'USD 250 million (over Rs 2200 crore', as per some estimates and the absence of the cash-cow fixture from the upcoming T20 World Cup is certain to cause heavy losses to all stakeholders.
From tears in the stands to songs in the airport, the India-Pakistan rivalry delivered agony and ecstasy in equal measure.
The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.
Sri Lanka's Department of Meteorology issued a special bulletin on Friday morning, warning the public about possibility of rain in Colombo on Sunday.
President Droupadi Murmu will fly in the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) 'Prachand' at the Jaisalmer Air Force Station. She will also attend the IAF's mega firepower demonstration 'Vayu Shakti' at the Pokhran Field Firing Range.
Pakistan, after a defeat against India, face Namibia in a must-win match to qualify for the Super 8s. Their fragile batting and Shaheen Afridi's form are key concerns, while Namibia aims to play spoiler.
Former India cricketer Madan Lal said that the Pakistan Cricket Board are not doing the right thing at the moment and will suffer the consequences, after Pakistan decided to boycott its group-stage match against India in the ICC World T20 World Cup, scheduled for February 15.
The tension between India and Pakistan's cricket teams resurfaced once again - this time at the Women's World Cup 2025 in Colombo
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of T20 World Cup 2026 after Game 52.
Citing heavy losses all around, SLC urges PCB to reconsider boycott of Indo-Pak fixture
A lesson to be learned from this incident is participation in an event is the real exhibition of power, and winning matches elevates its credibility, observes K R Nayar.
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations had urged Pakistan to call off their India match boycott at the T20 World Cup.
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir critiques Abhishek Sharma's recent performances in the T20 World Cup, highlighting technical flaws and vulnerability to strategic bowling.
Pakistan all-rounder Hussain Talat has rejected suggestions that the team's morale has taken a hit due to the resounding six-wicket loss to India in an Asia Cup Super 4 match.
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir predicts India will not reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, despite their strong group stage performance.
Temba Bavuma discusses the no-handshake policy in India-Pakistan cricket, South Africa's T20 World Cup chances, and Indian batters' struggles against spin.
Ravi Shastri urges Abhishek Sharma to stay patient after back-to-back ducks in the T20 World Cup 2026, while hailing Ishan Kishan's match-winning knock vs Pakistan.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has said it not going to be easy for Pakistan to defeat India in their ICC T20 World Cup group match come February 15.
Pakistan's cricket team is focusing on winning their remaining group games in the T20 World Cup to qualify for the Super Eight stage, despite off-field controversies and a boycott of the India match.
US President Donald Trump repeated his claim at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan, a claim India has consistently denied.
In this rivalry, numbers fade and national pride takes centre stage.
To witness over 100,000 people sitting in stunned silence is not a sight one can forget easily.
Bangladesh's sports advisor, Asif Nazrul, claims the decision to refuse playing T20 World Cup matches in India was made by the Cricket Board and players to protect national dignity, despite earlier citing security concerns.
Ajmal said that if the ICC cannot take "unbiased and principled decisions in the overall interest of world cricket", it should shut down its operations.
Although fielding coach T Dilip said Patel looked "fine" after the match, the short turnaround between games poses a challenge for the all-rounder's recovery.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said the Indian team was always mentally prepared to face Pakistan in the T20 World Cup and the recent confirmation of their participation has only strengthened their focus on cricket.
Pakistan defeated Namibia by 102 runs to qualify for the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup, with Sahibzada Farhan scoring a century and the spinners delivering an excellent performance.
Harbhajan Singh urges India to play Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq carefully ahead of the T20 World Cup clash in Colombo, while Nayan Mongia backs Hardik Pandya to shine under pressure.
Unidentified miscreants smashed a window and threw "petrol or similar substance" inside before igniting the blaze
'In India, there is this first generation migrant, say from a small village in UP. He didn't go to the Gulf to buy a big house but make the life of his family better.' 'He may have paid 1 lakh rupees to an agent to go to the Gulf. Imagine what will happen to him and his family if he has to come back. He and his family will become poor again.' 'He went to the Gulf to come out of poverty, but this war will make his family trapped in poverty once again.'
Pakistan coach Mike Hesson says Babar Azam's demotion and Shaheen Afridi's omission after India defeat were tactical moves ahead of T20 World Cup Super 8.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) could face massive financial losses if the ICC's all-powerful governing board decides to penalise them for refusing to play the T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 in Colombo.
