Sports LIVE News: Windies spin web stuns England, Australia rip through Ireland, SA clinch last-ball win, catch today’s all World Cup T20 key updates

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Windies spin web stuns England

West Indies staged a strong comeback from an uneasy start to post 196/6, shifting the pressure firmly onto England in the chase. Sherfane Rutherford anchored the innings superbly, steadying the side after early setbacks before guiding the recovery with a composed knock.

It was an outstanding turnaround overall. The Windies found themselves under pressure early in both innings but responded brilliantly each time brilliantly, delivering a commanding and resilient performance.

England off to flying start despite Salt’s dismissal

England raced to 58/1 after five overs, staying comfortably ahead of the required rate against West Indies. Jacob Bethell found the boundary three times in an over off Akeal Hosein, who has already completed three overs of his spell. Phil Salt looked in complete control early on, quickly taking the attack to Hosein with a confident swing over the off-side for four after reading the arm ball. However, just as he seemed set to dominate, Romario Shepherd struck a crucial blow. Banging it in short, Shepherd forced Salt into an awkward, sliced attempt as he advanced down the pitch, resulting in a simple looping catch at mid-off. Jos Buttler remains at the crease as England continue their brisk start.

Rutherford steadies, then strikes- 196/6

Sherfane Rutherford delivered a composed yet impactful knock to power West Indies to 196/6 at the Wankhede Stadium. Walking in after a cluster of early wickets, he first stabilised the innings before shifting gears, finishing strongly and laying a solid platform heading into the final overs.

Archer, Curran rock Windies early

England struck twice in quick succession to put the West Indies on the back foot at 19/2 after three overs. Jofra Archer made an immediate impact, dismissing skipper Shai Hope in the very first over as he punched a delivery straight to a fielder on the offside. In the following over, Sam Curran removed Brandon King with his first ball, compounding Windies’ troubles. Earlier, England captain Harry Brook had won the toss and opted to bowl. Roston Chase was promoted up the order to provide stability, while Shimron Hetmyer counterattacked with a crisp offside stroke. Chase also found the boundary with a fluent cover drive to steady the innings.

Australia dominate as Ireland collapse

Australia delivered a commanding performance as Ireland’s innings unravelled quickly. Eight wickets have already fallen, and with Paul Stirling unlikely to return to bat after pulling up with a muscle injury on the very first ball, Ireland’s hopes have faded. Stirling, on whom much of the chase depended, struggled visibly and had to walk off. His exit was followed by the quick dismissals of Harry Tector, Ross Adair and Curtis Campher, pushing Ireland into serious trouble. The wickets continued to tumble, leaving Australia just one breakthrough away from wrapping up a comprehensive victory.

Australia rip through Ireland, 29/4 in powerplay

Australia delivered a ruthless spell in the power play, reducing Ireland to 29 for 4 in just five overs. Nathan Ellis led the charge, claiming his third wicket with a sharp delivery that rattled the stumps. The Aussies showed no signs of easing up, dismantling the Irish top order with pace and precision. Ireland now find themselves in deep trouble as Australia tighten their grip early in the contest.

Ravichandran Ashwin backs Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq after bowling action row resurfaces

During the World Cup, former cricketer Shreevats Goswami raised concerns about Tariq’s bowling action on social media. Now, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has responded, defending the Pakistani bowler and questioning certain existing rules. Resharing Shreevats’ post on his X handle, Ashwin countered the argument by drawing a comparison with modern batting innovations. He wrote, "Okay, let me make it as clear as possible. Firstly, the legalities of his action can only be tested at an ICC bowling action testing Centre.Secondly, there is a 15° rule under which a bowler needs to keep his elbow and straighten it and to judge if a bowler is bowling within that 15° mark by the onfield Umpire is impossible." To read the full story

Late surge lifts Australia to 182/6

After the dismissals of Marcus Stoinis and Matt Renshaw, Australia appeared in danger of finishing below a competitive total. However, Xavier Bartlett and Cooper Connolly stepped up in the death overs, playing attacking strokes to shift the momentum. Their late cameo ensured Australia crossed the 180-run mark, finishing on 182/6 at the end of 20 overs.

Australia to rebuild at 144/4 after early blows

Australia recovered well after a few quick setbacks, reaching 144 for 4 in 16 overs. Following Maxwell’s dismissal, Marcus Stoinis and Matt Renshaw put together a composed partnership to steady the innings and shift momentum back in Australia’s favour. Earlier, just after the powerplay, Josh Inglis was sent back thanks to a sharp effort from Paul Stirling, which added pressure on the batting side. Hopes were high that Glenn Maxwell would counterattack, but Harry Tector dismissed him, leaving Australia to regroup before the final push in the last four overs.

Australia 64/2 in a brisk start under Head’s captaincy

Australia won the toss and chose to bat first, with Travis Head leading the side in the absence of injured regular captain Mitchell Marsh. The innings began with positive intent, but momentum briefly shifted when Cameron Green departed just after launching a six. Dockrell pulled off a sharp catch to send him back, leaving Australia two wickets down. Despite the setback, the Aussies will be pleased with their aggressive start, reaching 64/2 at 6 overs

South Africa seal thriller on final ball to win by 4 runs

South Africa kept their composure in a nail-biting finish, sealing the contest on the very last ball. In a dramatic second Super Over showdown, SA held their nerve under immense pressure and ultimately clinched the match by 4 runs, edging Afghanistan in a breathtaking finale.

Maharaj holds nerve as South Africa edge Super Over thriller

Keshav Maharaj began the decisive Super Over with a dot ball to Mohammad Nabi, immediately tightening the pressure. The very next delivery saw Nabi caught at point, leaving Afghanistan needing 24 off four balls, a situation that seemed almost impossible. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, however, reignited hope with three consecutive sixes, bringing the equation down to six required off the final ball. This can force a third Super Over.

Miller’s blitz set target of 24 to win

South Africa launched a stunning counterattack in the Super Over against Afghanistan. Tristan Stubbs got things rolling with a towering six over cow corner before taking a single on the next ball. David Miller then stepped in and kept the momentum alive with a quick double, taking South Africa to 9 after three deliveries. The fourth ball disappeared for a massive six, and Miller followed it up with another maximum off a full toss, swinging the game decisively in South Africa’s favour as they raced past 21 off just five balls. He finished with a couple more runs off the final delivery, capping off a breathtaking Super Over assault.

Super Over drama continues as scores tied at 17

The tension remains sky-high in Ahmedabad after a gripping first Super Over saw both South Africa and Afghanistan post 17 runs each. The pressure carried into the next phase as Fazalhaq Farooqi struck early, dismissing Dewald Brevis. A clever slower bouncer forced a top edge, which was safely taken by the wicketkeeper, leaving South Africa at 17 for 1 and keeping the contest finely poised.

Afghanistan post 17 in Super Over

Afghanistan put up 17 runs in the Super Over with some aggressive stroke play. On the third ball, Ngidi bowled a low full toss, and Omarzai drove it to sweeper cover for a single. The fourth delivery was a slower off-cutter outside off, which Gurbaz calmly pushed to long-on for another single. Omarzai then stepped up again, smashing a boundary on the fifth ball to keep the pressure on South Africa. He finished the over with a single off the final delivery as Afghanistan closed on 17, setting a challenging target in the Super Over.

Omarzai explodes in Super Over

Azmatullah Omarzai wastes no time in the Super Over. Ngidi begins with a full toss and Omarzai drills it between backward point and short third for a boundary. The very next ball, he goes even bigger, launching it past Jansen at long off for a towering six, putting Afghanistan firmly on the front foot.

Match tied as Afghanistan force Super Over in dramatic finish

What a finish in this T20 World Cup clash! Chasing 188, Afghanistan fought till the very end to level the scores at 187. Kagiso Rabada bowled a tense over, starting with a full delivery down leg that went wide as Noor missed his shot. A dot ball followed, but Noor responded in style by smashing a six to keep hopes alive. With 5 needed off 4, the drama intensified, and the scores were tied, forcing a Super Over. However, amid the chaos, Fazalhaq Farooqi was run out for a duck, adding another twist to an already thrilling contest.

Australia vs Ireland, T20 World Cup 2026: Probable Playing XIs

Australia (probable XI) Mitchell Marsh (captain), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Cooper Connolly, Glenn Maxwell, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, and Adam Zampa/Matthew Kuhnemann. Ireland (probable XI) Paul Stirling (captain), Ross Adair, Lorcan Tucker (wicketkeeper), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, Ben Calitz, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Josh Little, and Matthew Humphreys.

Australia eye comeback against Ireland in Colombo clash

Australia are set to take on Ireland in Match 14 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on February 11 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Despite having a strong batting order and a balanced squad, Australia will be looking to bounce back from recent setbacks, including a 3-0 T20I series defeat to Pakistan. Under the leadership of Mitchell Marsh, the team remains one of the tournament favourites, with experienced players such as Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head and Adam Zampa adding depth and firepower. Ireland, meanwhile, head into the contest with growing confidence after steady progress in the T20 format. Although they suffered a 20-run loss to Sri Lanka in their last game, encouraging performances from Harry Tector, who scored 40, and George Dockrell, who picked up two wickets, showcased their fighting spirit. However, they face a tough challenge against a stronger and more experienced Australian side.

Linde strikes as Nabi departs, Afghanistan 139/6

South Africa tighten their grip on the contest as George Linde delivers a slower ball outside the leg stump, tempting Mohammad Nabi into a mistimed shot. Nabi lofts it high towards cover, where Aiden Markram completes a safe catch. Nabi falls for 5 off 6 balls, leaving Afghanistan struggling at 139/6 in 15.1 overs while chasing a stiff target of 188.

Who is Shubham Ranjane? Former Mumbai cricketer now starring for USA after hammering Afridi at T20 World Cup 2026

Shubham Ranjane grabbed headlines during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 with a fighting half-century against Pakistan, registering his maiden T20 International fifty. The knock highlighted his journey from Mumbai’s domestic circuit to representing the USA on the global stage. Ranjane began his professional career in Mumbai, making his Ranji Trophy debut in the 2016–17 season. During his time in domestic cricket, he shared the dressing room with players such as Ajinkya Rahane and Suryakumar Yadav, gaining valuable experience in a competitive setup. Read the full story.

South Africa tighten grip as Afghanistan struggle in 188-run chase

South Africa are firmly in command while defending 188 against Afghanistan, who have failed to build a steady partnership after a promising start. The Afghan openers began confidently, but the innings lost momentum following Ibrahim Zadran’s dismissal, with wickets falling at regular intervals. Earlier, half-centuries from Quinton de Kock (59 off 41) and Ryan Rickelton (61 off 28) powered South Africa to 187/6 in 20 overs in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. The duo stitched together a strong partnership before Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan triggered a turnaround in the 13th over, dismissing both batters in quick succession. Fazalhaq Farooqi had provided the early breakthrough by removing captain Aiden Markram for five in the third over. In a must-win encounter, Rashid had won the toss and elected to bowl. Afghanistan, semi-finalists in the previous edition, are now under immense pressure after a group-stage defeat to New Zealand. A loss here would leave their qualification hopes hanging by a thread, as wins against Canada and the UAE may not be enough. Historically, Afghanistan have struggled against South Africa, losing all three previous T20Is, including their last World Cup meeting where they were bowled out for 56 before South Africa cruised to victory with nine wickets in hand.

Abhishek Sharma hospitalised, likely to miss T20 World Cup match against Namibia

The left-handed batsman was admitted to a private hospital on Monday, February 10, and spent the night there. With India set to face Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday before travelling to Colombo for the high-voltage clash against Pakistan on Sunday, concerns have grown over his availability. Abhishek was missing from training on Monday and did not take the field during the second innings of India’s opening-day win over the USA on February 7. He had attended a team dinner at head coach Gautam Gambhir’s residence in Delhi on Sunday. Read the full story