AHMEDABAD: India won a record third T20 World Cup title and became the first team to defend their crown with a 96-run thumping of New Zealand in a lop-sided final on Sunday. Suryakumar Yadav&#39;s India were also the first team to lift the trophy on home soil as over 86,000 fans celebrated at the Narendra Modi Stadium. England and the West Indies have won two titles each. India beat both those teams en route to the title, including a clutch victory over the West Indies in their final Super Eights match when defeat would have seen them eliminated. &quot;We never panicked. Kept our heads above the water. Teams that do that win the tournament, and I am very happy we did it,&quot; said India bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Sanju Samson&#39;s blistering 89 off 46 balls guided the co-hosts to 255-5, and Bumrah starred as New Zealand were bowled out for 159 in 19 overs. Part-time spinner Abhishek Sharma claimed the final wicket of Jacob Duffy, securing a dominant victory. &quot;I am very grateful for everyone who supported me,&quot; said Samson, who was out of the team earlier in the tournament before reeling off three consecutive scores of 89 or better when it mattered most. &quot;This itself is very big for me. I want to enjoy it right now, and then after a few days, I will figure out what more to do.&quot; Axar Patel struck two early blows, including the dangerous Finn Allen for nine, with his left-arm spin. Bumrah was again at his mesmerising best, delivering a succession of brilliant slower-ball yorkers to finish with figures of 4-15. Opener Tim Seifert hit 52 off 26 balls, but his departure in the ninth over off struggling spinner Varun Chakravarthy effectively ended the Black Caps&#39; slim hopes. Wickets kept tumbling, and Bumrah struck with successive deliveries to bring up a hat-trick ball which was just about negotiated by Lockie Ferguson. Skipper Mitchell Santner hit 43 but was never going to be able to prevent New Zealand from slipping to their second T20 World Cup final loss after they went down to Australia in 2021. India exorcised the ghosts of the past at the same venue from when they were shocked by Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Samson sparklesEarlier, the in-form Samson, who hit 97 not out and 89 in his previous two innings to keep India in the tournament, hit five fours and eight sixes to thrill the raucous home crowd, which included former World Cup winning captains Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. Samson&#39;s opening stand of 98 with Abhishek, who plundered 52 off 21 balls, laid the platform for India to go on and score more than 250 for a second straight match, after their seven-run semi-final win over England, and for the third time in the tournament. Abhishek and Samson waited two overs before they launched a batting blitz to flay New Zealand&#39;s attack to all parts of the ground during the powerplay. Rachin Ravindra finally broke the partnership, having Abhishek caught behind off a wide delivery. Samson was joined by Ishan Kishan, who hammered 54 off 25 balls with four fours and as many sixes. Samson reached his third successive fifty and changed gears to hit Ravindra for three straight sixes. Jimmy Neesham pulled things back for New Zealand with three wickets in one over to give them hope of keeping India to a gettable total. He removed Samson, Kishan and Suryakumar for a duck -- the last two on successive balls. But Shivam Dube finished with a flourish, blasting an unbeaten 26 off eight balls as he hit Neesham for three fours and two sixes in the 20th over, leaving New Zealand with far too much to do.

India's players celebrate after winning the 2026 ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup final match between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8, 2026. (Photo by Dibyangshu SARKAR / AFP)

Cricket

Sanju Samson's blistering 89 off 46 balls guided India to 255-5, and the co-hosts then bowled out New Zealand for 159 in front of over 86,000 fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

India beat New Zealand to win third T20 World Cup title

AHMEDABAD: India skipper Suryakumar Yadav said on Saturday there would be &quot;butterflies in the stomach&quot; when he walks out for the T20 World Cup final against <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/allens-record-ton-powers-new-zealand-into-t20-world-cup-final" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Zealand</a>, with expectations sky-high for the hosts. The blockbuster final in Ahmedabad on Sunday is expected to attract over 100,000 fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium and hundreds of millions more watching on TV. Defending champions India are targeting a record third title and looking to become the first team to win back-to-back trophies. No country has previously won the T20 World Cup on home soil. Suryakumar played a key part when Rohit Sharma&#39;s India lifted the World Cup in Barbados in 2024, taking over the captaincy later that year after Rohit retired from international T20s. &quot;Leading such a wonderful side into a final that (is also on) home soil, it&#39;s always a special feeling,&quot; Suryakumar told reporters at a packed news conference. &quot;Of course there are nerves, there will be butterflies in the stomach, but as I always say, &#39;if there is no pressure, there is no fun&#39;. All the boys and the support staff, and I am sure the whole of India is excited for tomorrow.&quot; Top-ranked India have been the team to beat in the tournament and lost just one game en route to the final, when South Africa ended their 12-match unbeaten streak in the Super Eights stage. India have since won three straight matches, holding off England in a tense semi-final as the bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, held their nerve to win by seven runs in a high-scoring thriller. Bumrah, who was India&#39;s hero in their win against South Africa in the 2024 final, bowled a near-perfect 18th over at the Wankhede Stadium to deny England and Jacob Bethell, who hit a valiant 105. &#39;Experience is important&#39; The 35-year-old Suryakumar said having players with experience of major international tournaments adds to their armoury. &quot;There&#39;s a lot of benefit because there are a lot of players in this team who have played a lot of ICC events right from our coach (two-time World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir),&quot; said Suryakumar. &quot;So their experience is also important. And there are a lot of players, like Bumrah, Hardik (Pandya), Axar (Patel), there are a lot of players who have played in ICC events, in pressure situations.&quot; Suryakumar said he learned a lot from Rohit, who was joined by Virat Kohli in retirement after the 2024 T20 World Cup. &quot;The way, where he left, I got to learn a lot of things from him when I was playing under him,&quot; said Suryakumar. &quot;I tried to implement the same things with a few thoughts of mine as well. And it&#39;s worked really well.&quot;

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav (R) looks at the pitch as he interacts with the chairman of the Indian cricket selection committee Ajit Agarkar during the training session on the eve of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup final match against New Zea

Defending champions India are targeting a record third title and looking to become the first team to win back-to-back trophies. No country has previously won the T20 World Cup on home soil.


'No pressure, no fun', says India's Suryakumar ahead of World Cup final

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday unveiled the shortlist for the Player of the Tournament award at the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026, with Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan among the leading contenders after a record-breaking campaign.&nbsp;Farhan scored 383 runs in seven matches at an average of 76.60, becoming the highest run-scorer in a single edition of the Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup. He also became the first player to score two centuries in one tournament, reaching three figures against Sri Lanka and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/tonup-farhan-helps-pakistan-seal-super-eight-spot-with-namibia-rout" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Namibia</a>.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 829px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2027937397942718663&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=3156f2cf9157da1499123d1f99571ec10799d96d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>The ICC named eight players on the shortlist, with finalists New Zealand and South Africa contributing two nominees each.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/ahmed-jacks-blast-england-to-thrilling-win-over-new-zealand" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">India&rsquo;s Sanju Samson</a> made the list after scoring 232 runs in four matches at an average of 77.33 and a strike rate of 201.73, including match-winning knocks of 97* against West Indies and 89 in the semifinal.&nbsp;England all-rounder Will Jacks was also nominated after scoring 226 runs and taking nine wickets in eight matches, earning four Player of the Match awards.&nbsp;South Africa&rsquo;s Lungi Ngidi claimed 12 wickets in seven matches, while captain Aiden Markram scored 286 runs with three half-centuries during their run to the final.&nbsp;New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra contributed 128 runs and 11 wickets, while teammate Tim Seifert scored 274 runs in eight matches, including three fifties.&nbsp;USA pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk also made the shortlist after taking 13 wickets in four matches with an economy rate of 6.80.&nbsp;The winner will be announced after the conclusion of the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026 final.

Farhan is among eight players on the shortlist, with finalists New Zealand and South Africa contributing two nominees each.


Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan shortlisted for ICC Player of the Tournament

KOLKATA: New Zealand&#39;s Finn Allen blasted the fastest century in T20 World Cup history in Kolkata on Wednesday as his side hammered South Africa by nine wickets to reach the final.&nbsp;Chasing 170 to win the first semi-final, Allen hit an unbeaten 100 off just 33 balls, to obliterate the previous mark of 47 balls by Chris Gayle, as New Zealand raced home with 7.1 overs to spare.&nbsp;Allen went on a rampage as he finished with two fours, two sixes and a four off successive balls to hit the winning runs and reach his hundred with a roar of delight at Eden Gardens.&nbsp;Tim Seifert hit 58 in a 117-run opening stand with Allen off just 9.1 overs to set up the victory romp.&nbsp;Seifert hit two sixes and seven fours while Allen bludgeoned eight sixes and 10 fours in a brutal display of controlled power hitting.&nbsp;New Zealand, who edged into the semi-finals on net run rate but are seeking a first World Cup title, will play either India or England in Sunday&#39;s final in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;Spinners Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie took two wickets each to restrict South Africa to 169-8 after New Zealand elected to field first.&nbsp;The 2024 runners-up South Africa, led by Aiden Markram, had been unbeaten in seven matches but slumped to 77-5 before Marco Jansen hit an unbeaten 55 to give the total some respect.&nbsp;Seifert reached his fifty off fast bowler Lungi Ngidi. Allen raised his half-century off 19 balls.&nbsp;Kagiso Rababa bowled Seifert in the 10th over but it wasS South Africa&#39;s only success.&nbsp;Spinners Rachin Ravindra and Cole McConchie earlier took two wickets each before Tristan Stubbs (29) and Jansen put on 73 for South Africa.&nbsp;Jansen hit two fours and five sixes in his 30-ball knock.&nbsp;McConchie struck first in the second over with his off-spin to send back Quinton De Kock for 10 and Ryan Rickelton next ball, but Dewald Brevis avoided the hat-trick.&nbsp;Left-arm spinner Ravindra had Markram caught in the deep by Daryl Mitchell for 18.&nbsp;David Miller fell for six to Ravindra five balls later, with Mitchell again taking the catch at long-on.&nbsp;South Africa had lost half their side in 10.2 overs when Jimmy Neesham cut short Brevis&#39;s knock on 34.&nbsp;Ferguson bowled Stubbs but Jansen hit him for six to reach his fifty.&nbsp;Pace bowler Matt Henry, who arrived back only on Tuesday night after going home for the birth of his child, took 2-34.

New Zealand's Finn Allen smashed a record 33-ball T20 World Cup century as New Zealand crushed South Africa team by nine wickets to reach the final, chasing 170 comfortably.

Allen's record ton powers New Zealand into T20 World Cup final

COLOMBO: Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks smashed 44 off 16 balls to take England to a thrilling four-wicket T20 World Cup win in Colombo that denied New Zealand a guaranteed place in the semi-finals but kept Pakistan&#39;s slender hopes alive.&nbsp;New Zealand would have joined England in the knockouts with a win in their final Super Eights match and they scored 159-6 after opting to bat.&nbsp;England lost wickets early and looked like they would be squeezed out at 117-6, needing 43 from the last three overs.&nbsp;But Ahmed and Jacks took 22 off the 18th over from Glenn Phillips to turn the match on its head.&nbsp;Ahmed blasted 19 off seven balls in his first T20 World Cup match alongside Jacks, who made an unbeaten 32 off 18, to see England to 161-6 with three balls to spare.&nbsp;England will move on to a semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday against either India or the West Indies, who clash on Sunday to decide the final semi-final berth.&nbsp;New Zealand now have to wait on the outcome of Saturday&#39;s clash between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Kandy to know if they have qualified for a semi-final in Kolkata against South Africa.&nbsp;Pakistan have an inferior run rate so need to win by 65 runs or inside 13 overs to overtake the Kiwis and deny them a place in the final four. If Pakistan qualify then the semi-final would be played in Colombo.&nbsp;England used five spinners to bowl 16 of the 20 overs on a turning track. The 2010 and 2022 champions had never bowled so many overs of spin before in a T20 international.&nbsp;Jacks returned the best figures with 2-23, while Adil Rashid picked up 2-28 and is now England&#39;s leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 11.&nbsp;Rashid was complemented by fellow wrist spinner Ahmed, who was called up in place of Jamie Overton, and took a wicket with his first ball before finishing with 2-28 from three overs.&nbsp;Glenn Phillips top scored with 39 off 28 including four fours and a six while opener Tim Seifert scored 35.&nbsp;Liam Dawson (1-32) and Jacob Bethell (0-13) were the other spinners employed by England.

England beat New Zealand by four wickets in Colombo after Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks powered a late chase of 160. England reached 161-6, keeping Pakistan’s semi-final hopes alive while New Zealand await Sri Lanka-Pakistan result.

Ahmed, Jacks blast England to thrilling win over New Zealand

CHENNAI: Defending champions India thrashed Zimbabwe by 72 runs in their Super Eights T20 World Cup match on Thursday, a result that guaranteed South Africa a place in the semi-finals.&nbsp;India posted a mammoth 256-4 and then restricted Zimbabwe to 184-6 in Chennai to make their clash with West Indies on Sunday a winner-takes-all decider for the last semi-final berth.&nbsp;South Africa hammered the West Indies by nine wickets earlier in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;At Chennai&#39;s M.A. Chidambaram stadium, opener Abhishek Sharma blasted 55 and Hardik Pandya an unbeaten 50 as India piled up the second highest total in the history of the tournament after being invited to bat first.&nbsp;Zimbabwe, who stunned Australia and Sri Lanka to reach the Super Eights, were never in the chase despite a brisk start as the asking rate kept rising.&nbsp;Opener Brian Bennett was not out 97, the highest individual score by a Zimbabwean in T20 World Cup history, as his side exited the semi-final reckoning with a game still to play.&nbsp;India&#39;s left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh took 3-24 from his four overs.&nbsp;Zimbabwe&#39;s bowlers conceded 510 runs in 40 overs in two Super Eights matches after West Indies posted 254-6 against the tournament&#39;s surprise packages on Monday.&nbsp;Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza won the toss and opted to field for the second match running, and again saw his bowlers hit to all parts.&nbsp;Left-handed Abhishek, who had struggled with three ducks in four innings in this tournament, hit four fours and four sixes to return to form.&nbsp;Pandya and left-handed Tilak Varma, who hit a 16-ball 44, put on an unbeaten stand of 84 at the end.&nbsp;But India ended just short of the T20 World Cup record 260-6 made by Sri Lanka against Kenya in 2007.&nbsp;Wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson returned to the team to break the left-handed opening combination of Abhishek and Ishan Kishan and handed India a flying start.&nbsp;Samson fell for 24 off Blessing Muzarabani but Abhishek kept up the charge, reaching his fifty off 26 balls in a 72-run stand with Kishan (38).&nbsp;Abhishek fell to Tinotenda Maposa, caught at long-on, but his knock laid the platform for a big total.&nbsp;Skipper Suryakumar Yadav hit 33 off 13 balls.&nbsp;Pandya finished with a flourish with two sixes off Brad Evans to get to 50 on the final ball of the innings.

India beat Zimbabwe by 72 runs in Chennai after posting 256-4, powered by Abhishek Sharma’s 55 and Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 50. Zimbabwe managed 184-6 despite Brian Bennett’s 97, confirming South Africa’s T20 World Cup semi-final berth.

India thrash Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup, S.Africa into semi-finals

AHMEDABAD: South Africa captain Aiden Markram led from the front with an unbeaten 82 as South Africa all but secured a T20 World Cup semi-final berth with a brutal nine-wicket thrashing of the West Indies in Ahmedabad on Thursday.&nbsp;After the West Indies fought back from deep trouble at 83-7 to post 176-8, Markram and Quinton de Kock put on 95 for the first wicket to set the platform for a thumping victory.&nbsp;South Africa raced to their target with 23 balls to spare, scoring 177-1. Ryan Rickleton was not out on 45 at the end.&nbsp;&quot;The wicket got really good again for batting, it was slightly tacky earlier when we bowled,&quot; said Markram.&nbsp;&quot;Steep bounce came from the tackiness. Fortunately, we ended up on the right side of the toss. The guys bowled really well up front to take wickets.&quot;&nbsp;South Africa are the only unbeaten side, having also dismantled the pre-tournament favourites India by 76 runs in the Super Eights.&nbsp;An India win against Zimbabwe in Chennai later Thursday will guarantee South Africa&#39;s progress to the last four.&nbsp;It will also make India&#39;s clash against the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday a winner-takes-all decider for the final semi-final berth.&nbsp;Markram reached fifty off 27 balls and hit four sixes and seven fours.&nbsp;De Kock scored 47 off 24 balls, with four sixes and Rickleton hit two sixes in his 28-ball knock in an utterly dominant display of batsmanship.&nbsp;Record standThe West Indies earlier needed a record eighth-wicket partnership by Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder to set a target of 177 after an early collapse.&nbsp;The pair came together with their team in deep trouble at 83-7 and put on 89, the highest eighth-wicket stand in the history of T20 internationals.&nbsp;Shepherd was unbeaten on 52 off 37 balls with four sixes. Holder was run out off the penultimate ball of the innings for 49 off 31 balls with three maximums.&nbsp;&quot;Very important to get a big score, and losing so many wickets in the powerplay cost us,&quot; said West Indies captain Shai Hope.&nbsp;&quot;We were 40-50 runs short. Must commend the guys in the bottom half for giving us a chance.&quot;&nbsp;Both teams came into the match with a perfect five wins in the T20 World Cup so far.&nbsp;South Africa have played four of their five matches in Ahmedabad and captain Aiden Markram had no hesitation in opting to bowl when he won the toss.&nbsp;The West Indies took 17 off the first over, bowled by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.&nbsp;Kagiso Rabada&#39;s introduction halted their charge as Hope (16) edged his second ball to keeper Quinton de Kock.&nbsp;Shimron Hetmyer was dropped at mid-on by Corbin Bosch off the next delivery, but lasted only two more when he miscued to midwicket where Maharaj snapped up the catch.&nbsp;Lungi Ngidi got in the act in his first over when Brandon King on 21 edged to De Kock and two balls later Roston Chase chopped on.&nbsp;From 29-0 after two overs, the West Indies had slumped to 43-4 after four.&nbsp;Ngidi took 3-30 from his four overs, Rabada 2-2 and Bosch 2-31.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram struck an unbeaten 82 to lead the South Africa to a commanding nine-wicket victory over West Indies , comfortably chasing 177 to book their place in the T20 World Cup semi-finals.

Markram leads South Africa to dominant win over West Indies

PALLEKELE: Pakistan on Monday warned England&#39;s inconsistent batting line-up to expect a trial by spin when the teams clash in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/south-africa-thrash-india-to-end-12match-t20-world-cup-win-streak" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">T20 World Cup</a>&nbsp;Super Eights. Pakistan batsman Sahibzada Farhan told reporters that England struggled to 146-9 against Sri Lanka&#39;s spinners on Sunday. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/tonup-farhan-helps-pakistan-seal-super-eight-spot-with-namibia-rout" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Farhan</a>&nbsp;said that England can expect more of the same from Pakistan&#39;s spinners when they meet on the same Pallekele ground in Kandy on Tuesday night. Pakistan need a win after their first match against New Zealand was washed out. A defeat would put England, who skittled Sri Lanka for 95 to win by 51 runs, through to the semi-finals with a game to spare. Pakistan would then need to beat Sri Lanka in their final Super Eights match and hope other results go their way to reach the last four. &quot;What we saw in the Sri Lanka-England game was that the ball was gripping and England struggled against spin,&quot; said the in-form opener Farhan on Monday. &quot;Sri Lanka have one or two spinners but we have five in all so we will give England a tough time on a pitch that looks good and will grip,&quot; said Farhan. Pakistan&#39;s spinners have taken 26 wickets in the four matches so far. Their seamers have dismissed only seven batsmen. History will be against Pakistan as they have never beaten England in three previous Twenty20 World Cup clashes. &quot;We are confident and our morale is high,&quot; said Farhan, who scored an unbeaten 100 against&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-opt-to-bat-first-against-namibia-in-do-or-die-match" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Namibia</a>&nbsp;in Pakistan&#39;s final group match. &quot;We are focused on this match to win and progress.&quot; Farhan, who tops the T20 World Cup run-scoring chart with 220, said he was ready for the threat of England&#39;s express pace bowler Jofra Archer. &quot;Facing Archer will not be difficult because I have faced similar bowlers in Pakistan,&quot; said Farhan. &quot;So if he has plans against me, I also have plans against him.&quot; Pakistan are likely to bring in spinner Abrar Ahmed in place of seaming all-rounder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-opt-to-bat-first-against-namibia-in-do-or-die-match" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Faheem Ashraf</a>. England may name an unchanged side for the fifth match in succession with Liam Dawson, Will Jacks, Adil Rashid and Jacob Bethell providing their spin options. Sri Lanka and New Zealand are the two other teams in Pakistan and England&#39;s Super Eights group. They face each other in Colombo on Wednesday. The top two teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

England's Joe Root plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy one-day international (ODI) cricket match between England and Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 26, 2025. (AFP)

Pakistan warned England to expect a spin-heavy challenge in Tuesday’s T20 World Cup Super Eights clash at Pallekele, with Sahibzada Farhan confident as Pakistan seeks a crucial win to advance.

Pakistan warn England's flaky batting to expect a trial by spin

COLOMBO: The Super Eight clash between Pakistan and New Zealand in the Twenty20 World Cup was washed out without a ball being bowled after heavy rain in Colombo on Saturday.&nbsp;Persistent drizzle right after the toss which Pakistan won and opted to bat at the Premadasa stadium did not relent with umpires finally calling the match off at 9:05pm local time (15:35 GMT).&nbsp;Not even a five-over match was possible by the 10:16 pm (1646 GMT) cut-off time, giving the two teams one point each.&nbsp;Pakistan, New Zealand, England and co-hosts Sri Lanka are in Group 2 of the Super Eights.&nbsp;Title-holders India, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies are in Group 1.&nbsp;The top two teams from each Group will qualify for the semi-finals.

The T20 World Cup Super Eight match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Colombo was abandoned due to heavy rain. Both teams shared one point, with semi-final spots reserved for the top two from each group.

Pakistan-New Zealand Super Eight World Cup clash rained off

ISLAMABAD: Sahibzada Farhan&#39;s unbeaten century powered Pakistan to 199 for three against Namibia on Wednesday, setting a towering target of 200 in a must-win T20 World Cup group match at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Farhan, opening the batting, defied a knee scare midway through his innings to finish on 100 not out off 58 balls &mdash; the first century for Pakistan in this World Cup.&nbsp; His knock, featuring 11 fours and four sixes, spanned all 20 overs and anchored an innings that threatened to stall before exploding in the final stages. Slow start, explosive finish Pakistan was measured through the powerplay, reaching 47 for one at the six-over mark &mdash; cautious but not catastrophic. Saim Ayub fell for 14, caught behind off Jack Brassell&#39;s wide, angled delivery. Captain Salman Agha provided the spark with a 38 off 23, but was also dismissed by Brassell. Khawaja Nafay, promoted ahead of Babar Azam, lasted just five balls before holing out to Erasmus. Pakistan reached the midpoint at 85 for one and needed to shift gears. They did. The finishing blitz Shadab Khan joined Farhan at the crease and the pair put on 81 for the fourth wicket. Shadab scored 36 not out off 22, clubbing consecutive sixes off Gerhard Erasmus in the penultimate over as Pakistan plundered 37 runs from the final three overs. Farhan reached his century off the second-last ball of the innings with a nudge to long off, before misreading the final delivery and falling just short of 200. Jack Brassell was Namibia&#39;s best with two for 48, while Erasmus claimed one for 25. High stakes&nbsp; Pakistan needs this victory &mdash; or a washout &mdash; to reach the Super Eight stage, having lost the previous match. A Namibian win would send the United States through instead, eliminating Pakistan from a second consecutive T20 World Cup at the group stage. Meanwhile, Namibia started off the second innings steadily. The African nation reached 16 without loss after 2.2 overs, with Louren Steenkamp and Jan Frylinck unbeaten at the interval.

Pakistan vs Namibia toss at T20 World Cup

The match is crucial for Pakistan’s hopes of advancing to the Super Eights stage. A win — or even a washout due to rain — will be enough to see Pakistan through to the next round. However, a defeat would result in their elimination from the tournament.

Articles tagged with "ICC Men's T20 World Cup"