10/03/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | MAR 10, 2026

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Gautam lauds ‘courage’ of the Men in Blue

INDIA thrashed New Zealand in the final of the T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad to retain their crown in style. Here’s some memorable storylines from the tourna ment: Double super-over drama South Africa and Afghanistan played out a tie followed by a first-ever double super over in a T20 World Cup to decide the winner of their gripping group con test. The drama unfolded after Afghanistan posted 187 all out in response to South Africa’s 187-6 in Ahmedabad. The teams were tied again after a breathless first super over before South Africa won off the final ball of a heart-thumping second sudden-death showdown. Afghanistan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz needed four sixes off four balls in the second super over to pull off a win but only managed three Former champions Australia suffered a shock loss to the tournament’s sur prise packages Zimbabwe in a group game after they were dismissed for 146 while chasing 170 for victory. Without injured fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Australia suffered another defeat to Sri Lanka to leave their campaign hanging by a thread. Zimbabwe’s rained-off match with Ireland showed Australia the door as the 2021 winners failed to make the second phase for only the second time in the event’s his tory. Off-pitch tensions There was an acrimonious and chaotic build-up to the tournament. Pakistan vowed to boycott their group game against arch-rivals India in support of Bangladesh, who refused to play in India and did not take part in the competition as a result. They were replaced at the 11th hour by Scotland. After frantic negotia tions with the International Cricket Council, the Pakistan government made a U-turn and the blockbuster match went ahead in Colombo. India beat Pakistan but it was tense on the field and there were no handshakes between the two captains and teams. Samson’s redemption India batsman Sanju Samson redeemed himself in a winner-takes-all contest against the West Indies as his unbeaten 97 helped the co-hosts chase down 196 and reach the semifinals. Samson was not in the original plans as opener but a loss of form for Abhishek Sharma and the need to break a left handed combination at the top got the wicketkeeper-batter back for the Super Eights. After a cameo against Zimbabwe, Samson made the stage his own at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens as India depended on his 50-ball knock laced with 12 fours and four sixes. Samson struck another match-winning knock of 89 in the semifi nal against England, then starred once more in yesterday’s final. AFP MEMORABLE MOMENTS before being caught out. Shock Australia exit

INDIA COACH Gautam Gambhir yes terday praised his team’s “bravery and courage” in racking up big totals to win a record third T20 World Cup title. Suryakumar Yadav’s India ham mered New Zealand by 96 runs in a one-sided final in Ahmedabad after they posted a massive 255-5 batting first. Opener Sanju Samson’s 89 laid the platform for India to score more than 250 for a second straight match, after their seven-run semifinal win over England, and for the third time in the tournament. “If you score 250-plus runs in the semifinal and final then it shows the kind of quality and the kind of bravery and courage we played the tourna ment,“ Gautam told reporters. “We did not want to fear losing, high-risk, high-reward is an important thing in this format,“ he said. “I would have been happy to get bowled out for 110-120 but our target

Surya is that milestones don’t matter, trophies do. Too long in Indian cricket we have spoken about milestones and I hope till the time I am there we don’t talk about milestones.” Samson, a wicketkeeper-batsman, stood out as the team’s star after he made a stunning comeback in the team midway to score three succes sive half-centuries. “Sanju to get three in a row and to do that after coming back it takes show much of character and courage where you know maybe your career is on line,“ said Gambhir. “Making a comeback like that and playing those kind of

Council) trophies or not those 30 peo ple matter to me the most.” India won the ODI Champions Trophy and the T20 Asia Cup last year under two-time World Cup winner Gautam, who credited captain Suryakumar, who sat alongside the coach in the press confer ence, for the T20 success. “Surya has made my life a lot easier in this format, I think

is 250. Captain also wanted to play this brand of cricket, so credit needs to go to the captain as well.” Gautam, who replaced Rahul Dravid as coach after the T20 World Cup triumph in 2024, was underfire coming into the tournament after home defeats in other for mats. India were beaten 2-0 by

South Africa in a Test series last year and New Zealand won an ODI series 2-1. “My accountability is not towards any social media talk, my accountability is

innings with such flamboy ance, you need to be a special talent and he deserves a lot more than he has got till now.” – AFP

he is a phe nomena l leader,“ said Gautam. “My sim

towards the 30 in my team,“ said Gautam on facing criticism. “Whether I have won two ICC (International C r i c k e t

ple philoso phy with

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322

India make history Co-host thump NZ in dominant T20 WC final triumph

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT KUALA LUMPUR IN THE STATE OF WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN KUALA LUMPUR (COMMERCIAL DIVISION) COMPANIES (WINDING UP) NO.: WA-28NCC-1286-12/2025 In the matter of section 465(1)(e) and (h) and section 466(1)(a) of the Companies Act, 2016; And In the matter of IBN Development Berhad (Registration No.:201801029846 (1291872-T)) And In the matter of Companies (Winding-Up) Rules 1972 Between

India’s Sanju Samson (left) and Kuldeep Yadav celebrate with the trophy after winning Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup yesterday. – AFPPIC

HWA SHEN SDN BHD (REGISTRATION NO.: 201301003900 (1033741-T))

Ű BY LAWRENCE OSTLERE

…PETITIONER

And IBN DEVELOPMENT BERHAD (REGISTRATION NO.: 201801029846 (1291872-T))

NEW ZEALAND skipper Mitchell Santner yesterday said the team should be “proud” of their efforts in the T20 World Cup despite a crushing defeat to India in the final. Santner’s side conceded 255 runs after it elected to field first in the title clash and were then bowled out for 159 in 19 overs. “To make it to a final is obviously a pretty good effort from the boys,” T HREE years after India fell to a painful ODI World Cup final defeat by Australia in front of 92,000 shell-shocked fans inside the Narendra Modi Stadium, they returned to Ahmedabad to right one of the gravest wrongs of Indian cricket. They did so emphatically, blasting 255 runs before bowling out New Zealand for 159 to win this T20 World Cup final by 96 runs. In doing so, India made some T20 history: the first men’s side to retain the trophy, the first country to win it three times, and the first to win it on home soil. They have only lost one white-ball match since that painful loss to Australia – against South Africa earlier in the tournament – and now India can add the T20 crown to their ICC Champions Trophy last year. Throw in the women’s ODI World Cup, won last October, and India’s white-ball domi nance is near total. It was not he perfect tournament. India dropped more catches than any other side. That defeat by South Africa set some alarm bells ringing.

before the Indian bowlers picked off New Zealand’s top order. Axar Patel took three key wickets, but Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bunch, finishing his four overs with figures of 4-15 and earning player of the match. “I was really clear, I knew what I wanted to do,” Jasprit said. “The wicket was a flat one, so I used all my experience of playing here. Man of the match in a World Cup final at a ground where I started my cricket – it couldn’t be more special than this.” More than anything, though, this was a team performance. Almost every player on the Indian side con tributed either a wicket, an important catch (three crackers, in the case of Kishan) or a telling knock with the bat. The only player who didn’t was the captain Suryakumar Yadav, who did the greatest deed of all: he lifted the trophy as ticker tape fell. New Zealand have now lost all four of the major men’s finals they have played, but this might sting the least, because whatever Santner had con cocted, India would have proved too strong. – The Independent

Santner told reporters. “And, you know, they should be very proud of their efforts throughout this tournament.” New Zealand came in as underdogs after a hot and cold tournament where they lost to England and South Africa and squeezed into the semifinal on net run-rate. They hammered South Africa in the semifinal but lost their second T20 World Cup final after they went down to But when it mattered most, in the semifinal against England and espe cially yesterday in the final, they deliv ered shows of excellence in all three disciplines of the game. The prolific opener Sanju Samson top-scored again, having hit 97 not out from 50 balls against the West Indies, 89 from 42 against England, and 89 again from 46 in the final. Samson finished with 321 total runs at an average of more than 80, and was rightly awarded player of the tournament. The 31-year-old’s ascent from almost nowhere to the top of the crick eting world has been the great individ ual story of this World Cup. “I think this started two years ago,” he said. “In 2024, I couldn’t get a game. I started working, and this is exactly what I wanted to achieve.” Samson’s opening partner Abhishek Sharma was majestic here too, after a difficult World Cup, as they racked up 92 runs together in the pow erplay, the highest tally in the tourna ment. In hindsight, perhaps the trophy was won after those six overs. Ishan Kishan scored a quick 50 too,

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Santner ‘proud’ of Black Caps despite loss

got up in the wee hours to watch their team losing another final. “It’s thanks to the fans back home for following us. They might have to go to work without a trophy, but we obviously get great support,” said Santner. “Obviously, there were a few blue shirts on, not many black shirts, but it’s always a great occasion and it’s always cool for us to play in front of so many people. “ – AFP

Australia in 2021. “I guess it’s not ideal, losing finals, but, you know, like I said the other day, you get to this situation, you’re coming up against teams that are also playing very good cricket,“ said Santner. New Zealand were up against 11 Indian players and over 86,000 home fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Santner thanked New Zealand fans back home, some of whom may have