India’s players and support staff celebrate with the trophy after winning the T20 World Cup final match against New Zealand, in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP)
TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad: Since that emotional night on November 19, 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, India have won the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy but the feeling of incompleteness persisted due to the heartbreak in the 50-over World Cup final. In the build-up to the 2026 title clash at the same venue, the unforgettable past was remembered. Even though Suryakumar Yadav hadn’t lost a single series since taking charge in 2024, the hype of the World Cup was approached with caution. In the final, the team carrying the burden of a billion hopes in 2026 and the billion heartbreaks of 2023, delivered. And delivered with aplomb!A dominant India completely outplayed New Zealand to seal an emphatic win and become the only T20I side in history to lift back-to-back World Cup titles, and also became the first side win the trophy at home. The much-anticipated title clash turned out to be a no-contest with Suryakumar Yadav and Co. clinically owning the night, occasion and match to add another ICC trophy to their cabinet. This was coach Gautam Gambhir’s second title in as many outings in command, completing a thoroughly entertaining, and dominating, two-year cycle leading up to the big night in Ahmedabad.Chasing a mammoth 256 runs, New Zealand never really got going. Maybe it was the noise. Maybe it was the Indian bowling but bar Tim Seifert (52) and skipper Mitchell Santner (43), none of the other batters worked for the BlackCaps. Santner had wished to replicate Pat Cummins & Co. from three years ago, but in the end it was an insipid showing.For India, Jasprit Bumrah took 4/15 and stood on the cusp of taking a hat-trick at one stage. Axar Patel took three; Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakaravarthy and Abhishek Sharma plucked one each. Only Arshdeep Singh, who would take headlines for his needless go at Daryl Mitchell, went wicketless.Sometimes one shot brings a player back into form but for India, Lockie Ferguson’s over in the powerplay opened the floodgates and set the tone for the remainder of the innings. Edges flew in unintended directions but achieved the desired result. The New Zealand speedster tried to overcompensate by erring in length and was dealt with disdain. Control was not his strongest suit in the fourth over, which went for 24 runs and also brought up the first 50-run opening stand in a T20 World Cup final since the 2009 edition.India openers Sanju Samson (89 off 46 balls) and Abhishek Sharma (52 off 21 balls) put on 98 runs in just 43 balls after New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to field at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The opening stand set the tone for India as they posted 255 for 5.Abhishek Sharma was not in complete control but rode his luck to either make enough connection or find the right placement. There were a couple of chances for the fielders but “just enough” remained for the powerplay. Just one over of off-spin in the powerplay proved a tactical blunder from the Black Caps as both Sanju Samson and Abhishek feasted on some very ordinary bowling to post 92/0, the highest powerplay score in the tournament’s history. Although the two had different control percentages, they easily found and cleared the boundaries, giving the side an ominous start.The first two overs, when the fielding restrictions were on, were the only time India seemed happy to block a few deliveries as absolute carnage unfolded the moment Jacob Duffy was introduced into the attack. After 12/0 at the end of the second over, the openers added 80 runs in the next four overs. Abhishek kept batting in the same gear, the way he had longed for in the games preceding the title clash, and reached the fastest half-century of the tournament off only 18 balls. The warm hug from coach Gautam Gambhir during the drinks interval showed how the dressing room had always stood behind him and celebrated what was a superb knock under pressure.While Abhishek departed shortly after scoring his half-century, Samson continued business as usual, looking in pristine form and completing his third consecutive half-century in the tournament. The shot selection, clean connections and effortless ability to time the ball sweetly made the New Zealand bowlers duck for cover. Both Samson and the next batter, Ishan Kishan (54 off 25 balls), did not let the momentum slip as together they added 105 runs off just 48 balls to put the Kiwis on the mat.Right from the moment he walked out to bat, Ishan looked a man possessed and instantly found his spots, just as he has been doing for the last couple of months. There was muscle, there was grace and there were plenty of runs as India produced yet another daunting display with the bat. It was something expected from this dangerous unit before the start of the tournament and something that finally happened when it mattered the most, in the Super 8s, the semi-final and now the final.Samson’s 46-ball 89 and Kishan’s 25-ball 54 were exactly the contributions India needed from their top order on this batting paradise, which was aided by listless bowling. James Neesham briefly applied the brakes with a tight third over but Shivam Dube (26 not out off 8 balls) was ready to play another impactful hand to push the total beyond 250 and well beyond the Kiwis’ reach.The 256-run chase required the Kiwis not just to fly but to soar. They had the firepower in the ranks but a big match, a well-rounded Indian bowling attack and over 85,000 fans behind the defending champions meant it was going to be anything but a repeat of the domination seen in the Eden Gardens semi-final. The powerplay holds the key in these mammoth chases and India aced the first six overs to break the opposition’s back before they could gain momentum in the run chase.It could have been much worse had Shivam Dube not interrupted Arshdeep Singh’s celebration by dropping a sitter off his bowling but the combined brilliance of the left-armer, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel reduced the opponents to just 52/3.Brief Scores:India: 255 for 5 in 20 overs. (Sanju Samson 89, Ishan Kishan 54, Abhishek Sharma 52; James Neesham 3/46).New Zealand: 159 all out in 19 overs. (Tim Seifert 52, J Bumrah 4/15, Axar Patel 3/23).
The closure of the US Embassy in Jordan has heightened the frustrations of Jordanian football fans hoping to see their team make their World Cup debut in three months’ time.
While the US-Israeli and Iranian attacks that caused its shuttering on Friday dominate headlines and thoughts, fans looking forward to an escape are left in the dark. The US embassy site simply says that “all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments are canceled until further notice”.
Having spoken to a number of Jordanian fans, DW understands that many had already had visa applications rejected for the tournament, in which their national team is to play all three group matches in the US. Many more still wait, some having shelled out thousands for tickets. They all want answers from the US or the tournament organizers, FIFA.
Gianni Infantino’s organization did not respond to a DW request for comment, and former Jordan international, Mohammad Khair, said many fans felt frustrated by the lack of clarity.
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Bigger tournament, greater frustrations
“When FIFA decided to add more teams to this World Cup, they should have also made sure it is easy for everyone to go and force the host country to smooth out the visa process,” he told DW.
FIFA’s consistent line on visa issues has been to defer to US immigration and state that such things are outside its remit. The organization also points to the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) available to ticket holders.
“America welcomes the World. We have always said that this will be the greatest and most inclusive FIFA World Cup in history – and the FIFA PASS service is a very concrete example of that,” said Infantino on its launch in November.
Jordan qualified for their first World Cup in June last yearImage: Ameen Ahmed/NurPhoto/IMAGO
But with FIFA having opened a surprise extra 48-hour ticket window at the end of February — despite previously saying it had sold all available tickets — and further batches expected to come to market ahead of the June 11 tournament opener, Jordan fans without tickets must either buy a ticket and hope for the best or miss out. Those with tickets but no visa may have to take a financial hit on resale.
“We were waiting for this dream to come true. I pursued every possible way to go and support our team, but the visa procedure is really tough,” Jordan fan Mahmoud Obaidat told DW.
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“Plus, there is this random draw (lottery), so you might plan and pay, and then you won’t get any tickets,” he added, referring to fans booking their travel on the off chance they could get lucky. “I applied for a visa three months ago and got rejected.”
Not having obtained a ticket yet, either, Obaidait’s chances of supporting his team in the US appear negligible.
Jordan fans ask for US help
Obaidat at least has the certainty of rejection, unlike many of his compatriots who were waiting on a judgment even before the closure of the embassy. Those fans, like Ghazi Al Samouee, can only appeal to the US and FIFA to hear their plea.
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“The dream of seeing our national team in the World Cup is here, but with heavy hearts, we ask for help from the US Embassy to look closely at the Jordanian fans’ applications. We applied, but we didn’t hear any answer until now. Our applications are stuck there.”
Al Samouee is the leader of the Ultras (hardcore supporters) of Jordanian club Al Ramtha SC and is on the list of fans eligible to apply through the country’s football association. Such fans are usually able to travel to tournaments with minimal fuss and access cheaper tickets.
Contacted by DW, the Jordanian FA declined comment on the matter.
No travel ban but reason for rejection
While Jordan is not under the kind of blanket US travel ban that will prevent fans from Senegal, Ivory Coast, Haiti and Iran (if the team do not boycott) from traveling, it was on the list of 75 countries from which the US has stopped processing immigrant visas earlier this year. The Trump administration said that immigrants from Jordan had “a high rate of collecting public assistance at the expense of the US taxpayer.”
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While this ban does not directly affect World Cup travel visas, it may reflect the US administration’s attitude towards foreigners. A number of fans DW spoke to in Amman were reluctant to voice their fears about such matters publicly. But one said the message from the US embassy was that they “could not be sure that those who go to the United States will return to Jordan after the World Cup is over.”
With travel bans and visa issues, as well as the high price of tickets preventing supporters from making their way to the US to follow their teams, the stands for many matches could be filled with fans from various diaspora populations already in the country. Jordan’s games in California and Texas now appear likely to be among them.
“We, as Jordanians, are hoping to get support from Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinians who live in the USA to cheer for our team, as the Jordanian diaspora is not very large there,” said former player Khair.
While US citizens with links to nearby countries may help FIFA fill their seats and their coffers, it will be tough to stomach for those Jordanians forced to watch their country’s World Cup debut from afar.
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Dana Sumlaji and Sami Jarwan contributed to this report.
Tyson Fury has doubled down on his desire to enter a trilogy showdown with Oleksandr Usyk, but equally admits that he would be fighting an uphill battle.
The 37-year-old will return to action against Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11, headlining a Ring Magazine event at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium live on Netflix.
This represents his first outing since losing to Usyk in December 2024, when the masterful Ukrainian defended his undisputed crown with a unanimous decision victory.
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Earlier that year, the pair had engaged in a far more dramatic encounter, with Fury losing a split decision after suffering a ninth-round knockdown.
But while many feel that Usyk deserved to emerge triumphant on both occasions, ‘The Gypsy King’ seemingly remains convinced that he was ‘robbed’ of two monumental victories.
This, it seems, is partly why he announced his retirement at the beginning of last year, referencing his two defeats to Usyk by saying “Dick Turpin wore a mask”.
Fury cannot help but view a potential trilogy clash with a degree of scepticism, believing his opponent will get the decision regardless unless he knocks him out.
“I want a third fight but, the thing is: I know if he stands up at the end of it, I’m not going to get a decision.
“For me, it’s like you may as well give him the fight. Before we even box, give him the W [win] and just give me the money, because that’s what’s going to happen anyway – if I don’t knock him out.
“If I could’ve knocked him out, I would’ve done already. He’s a tough man and, every time he gets hurt, he can sort of nip and run away with his speed and agility.
“So yeah, I’m not going to get a decision; it’s not going to be a fair result.”
First, the 39-year-old must defend his WBC world heavyweight title against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23, before targeting the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, which takes place for Wardley’s WBO world title on May 9.
After that, Usyk has insisted that he would be eager to face Fury once again, having potentially reclaimed his undisputed crown.
Aberdeen have made an approach to Scottish Premiership rivals St Mirren for manager Stephen Robinson.
The Pittodrie club have announced they have “been officially given permission to enter formal talks” with the 51-year-old Northern Irishman about their managerial vacancy.
Peter Leven has been in caretaker charge since Aberdeen sacked Jimmy Thelin in early January.
But they suffered a bruising 3-0 defeat by second-tier Dunfermline Athletic in Saturday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final and have won just once in eight outings.
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Robinson, meanwhile, led St Mirren to their second cup semi-final of the season on Sunday as the Paisley side defeated Partick Thistle having already gone on to lift the League Cup in November.
He led the Buddies to top-six finishes in his previous three seasons, although they currently sit 10th, one place and five points below Aberdeen, just three ahead of Kilmarnock in the relegation play-off spot.
Old Park Star (15/8) got favourite backers off to a winning start in the Grade 1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.
The winner, a 78th at the Festival for trainer Nicky Henderson and his Seven Barrows team, was ridden by Nico de Boinville.
The well-touted Irish-trained representatives disappointed in the opening race, where British-handled winners filled the first four places.
Sober Glory (9/2) was runner-up, one and a half lengths behind the winner.
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The third-placed Mydaddypaddy, ridden by Dan Skelton, was third, a nose behind the runner-up. He may have been the unlucky runner in the race as he found himself sandwiched between the winner and runner-up inside the closing stages.
El Cairos best of the Irish
Best of the Irish was the Gordon Elliott-trained El Cairos (15/2) who came home in fifth place for Jack Kennedy.
Too Bossy For Us, the mount of Paul Townend following the earlier withdrawal of Leader D’Allier, was next best of the Irish-trained runner, with Talk The Talk next to cross the line in seventh.
The first Irish-trained winner of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival came courtesy of Kargese (7/1) in the Grade 1 Arkle Trophy Novice Chase.
Ridden by Danny Mullins, the Kenny Alexander-owned mare, brought up a 1-2 to Closutton handler Willie Mullins, as she beat her stable companion, Kopek Des Bordes (11/8).
Billed as a clash between the Cork-owned pair of Lulamba (11/10 favourite), owned by Joe Donnelly, and last year’s SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle victor, Kopek Des Bordes, Kargese, second in the Irish Arkle, was seen as next best in the market.
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Jumping is the name of the game and both Lulamba, in the hands of Nico de Boinville, and Kopek Des Bordes, with Paul Townend in the saddle, both made mistakes which ultimately provided crucial.
The latter’s final error of three over the two-mile Grade 1 contest came at the final fence, when he looked as though he might defeat the mare.
Without enough time to regain momentum, Danny Mullins drove clear aboard Kargese as she ran out a two and a half length winner.
The Charles McCarthy-owned Kopek Des Bordes had two and a half lengths in hand on Lulamba at the line.
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen was overcome with emotion on Tuesday night after fans of the Turkish club displayed a touching banner in his honour before their Champions League clash with Liverpool F.C.
Moments before kick-off at Rams Park, supporters of Galatasaray S.K. raised a huge tifo showing a portrait of Osimhen and his late mother. The banner also carried a message that read: “We are family and family is everything.”
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The Nigerian striker looked visibly emotional as he lined up with his teammates ahead of the match. Osimhen was seen wiping away tears while being comforted by teammates, including midfielder Lucas Torreira.
The moment quickly spread across social media as fans praised the Galatasaray supporters for the powerful tribute to the 27-year-old forward.
Osimhen has often spoken about the difficult moments he faced while growing up in Nigeria, especially the loss of his mother at a young age. The striker has said that football became his escape from hardship and helped him support his family.
The emotional scene at Rams Park showed the strong bond between the player and the Galatasaray fans, who continue to celebrate his impact at the club.
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Many supporters inside the stadium applauded the striker as he prepared to lead the line for the Turkish champions in the crucial Champions League encounter.
DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage is an elusive item required to complete the Journey to Heaven quests. This item is a random drop from the DIO Raid battle and Legendary Chests, contributing to its elusiveness. Since it is a crucial item for getting the Made in Heaven Stand, endgame players will be looking to add this Diary to their collection.
Here’s how you can get DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage.
Getting DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage
Clear the DIO Raid for a chance to get DIO’s Diary (Image via Roblox)
As mentioned earlier, there are two ways of getting DIO’s Diary: the DIO Raid battle and Legendary Chests. While it is the more challenging option, the DIO Raid battle is one of the required quests for completing the Journey to Heaven quests. So, since you will be defeating the Raid boss numerous times for the SSS Rank, you will most likely get the Diary in the process. This is an efficient way to get the Diary without having to grind for it separately.
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If that fails, you will also get a large number of Legendary Chests in the process. Open them for a random chance to get DIO’s Diary. Note that since DIO’s Diary is a Mythical item, the odds of getting it through Chest openings are extremely low. So, we only recommend relying on Chests as a last resort.
DIO’s Diary serves a single purpose: to evolve C-Moon into Made in Heaven. The item is used in the final step of the evolution process: the Journey to Heaven 4 quest. After completing all preceding Journey to Heaven missions, take the Diary to Pucci inside the cathedral near Bus Stop 18. Give the Diary to Pucci to initiate the transformation of your C-Moon Stand into Made in Heaven.
Note that you can only use the Diary if you have C-Moon as your active Stand. If you wish to acquire Made in Heaven, the strongest Stand in the game, refrain from using Stand Arrows and Lucky Arrows while C-Moon is active.
Norwegian club Molde FK has released an official statement regarding former Nigeria U-20 midfielder Daniel Daga after his recent sentencing.
The club addressed the situation while explaining its position and the steps it has taken as the legal process continues.
In a statement, Molde described the situation as difficult for everyone involved and stressed that the club has a duty to handle the matter responsibly.
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“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved.
Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner, while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties,” the club said.
The Norwegian side also confirmed that the Nigerian midfielder will not take part in matchday activities for now.
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“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”
Molde had earlier announced in December that Daga would be withdrawn from both training sessions and matches while the legal proceedings were ongoing.
The club says it will continue to monitor the situation as the case develops.
The recent court ruling involving Nigerian midfielder Daniel Daga has sparked serious discussion in the football community. However, despite the six-month prison sentence handed down by a Norwegian court, I remain confident that justice will prevail when the case goes to appeal.
Daga, a Nigeria U-20 international and player for Molde FK, was sentenced to six months in prison by the Nordmøre og Romsdal District Court after being convicted of committing a sexual act against a person who did not consent.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the 19-year-old midfielder was ordered to pay NOK 10,000 in legal costs, which is about ₦1.45 million.
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However, the case is far from over. Daga’s legal team has already filed an appeal, meaning the verdict is not final under Norwegian law.
His lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, made it clear that the player strongly disagrees with the ruling and continues to maintain his innocence.
“He is terribly sorry that the verdict was the way it was. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad said.
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“He will appeal the verdict. The verdict is not final. He will be treated like everyone else until he is sentenced.”
From what has been presented so far, Daga admitted that he had a sexual encounter with the lady involved, but he insists that it was consensual. According to his position, the claim that it was not consensual is simply not true.
Sadly, football has seen situations before where accusations have damaged the reputation and careers of players before the full truth emerged. There have been cases where footballers were accused of similar offences but were later cleared after long legal battles.
This is why I strongly believe that the appeal process will give the court another opportunity to carefully examine the facts of the case. Justice requires patience, and appeals exist precisely for situations like this.
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Another very important point is the position of his club, Molde. Unlike many clubs that quickly distance themselves from players facing legal problems, Molde have chosen to stand by Daga while respecting the seriousness of the case.
The club said in a statement:
“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved. Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner, while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties.”
Molde also confirmed that the midfielder will not be involved in matchday activities while the legal process continues.
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“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”
This support from the club is significant. It shows that Molde still believe in their player and are prepared to allow the legal process run its course.
It is also important to clarify that because the case has been appealed, the legal process is still ongoing and the verdict is not final. The appeal will determine the final outcome.
For me, the key issue is simple: justice must be based on facts and truth. I remain convinced that when the appeal process is completed, Daniel Daga will clear his name and return to football stronger.
While the IBF and WBA are yet to comment on the status of Usyk’s belts, the WBC has confirmed that it will sanction his contest with Verhoeven.
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But the Ukrainian, of course, is widely expected to score a convincing victory over Verhoeven, whose only professional boxing contest came against 0-6 heavyweight Janos Finfera – who he stopped in the second round – in 2014.
Usyk, meanwhile, is coming off a fifth-round stoppage win over Daniel Dubois in July, dominating their rematch to become a three-time, two-division undisputed champion.
After his match with Verhoeven, Usyk has told Inside the Ring that he will target an undisputed clash with the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois – which takes place on May 9 – before exploring a potential trilogy showdown with Tyson Fury.
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When asked if he would face heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma, though, Usyk simply insisted that the 21-year-old is on a completely different path.
“No, I’m not going to fight with Itauma because he’s a young guy. I don’t want to break this guy.”
Itauma is gearing up to face durable customer Jermaine Franklin on March 28, with many expecting the American to take him into the later rounds.
There is little doubt amongst fans, analysts and fighters that Itauma is on the way to championship fights, but it appears he will not have the chance to face the top dog from the older generation.
