Sanju Samson celebrates his half century during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and West Indies, at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata, West Bengal. (PTI Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in Kolkata: Moments after hitting the winning boundary, Sanju Samson took off his helmet and dropped to his knees to thank the almighty. Relief washed over the face of the right-hander who fired India into the T20 World Cup semifinals with a breathtaking knock. Even before the crowd could capture the winning moments, “Vande Mataram” played at full volume as the Indian dugout rushed out to celebrate what was a top run-chase under pressure. “Lehra Do” was up next and the laser lights joined the act as the announcer egged the crowd on. The party was only getting started in Kolkata after India (199/5) beat West Indies (195/4) with four deliveries to spare. Until a week ago in Ahmedabad, Sanju Samson was nowhere close to the Playing XI as India were happy with the two left-handers Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma as their two openers. However, the consistent off-spin threat, which led to early wickets, forced the think-tank to rework its strategy and bring Samson, a right-hander, back to the top of the order. He had lost his spot to an in-form Kishan but the tactical call forced the left-hander down to No.3 and left-right was restored.

The move worked in the must-win game against Zimbabwe in Chennai earlier this week as it not only gave India a brisk start but also kept spin away. Although spin was introduced early in Kolkata and India lost two early wickets, Samson unlocked his maximum potential when the team had its back to the wall. Chasing a stiff target, the right-hander played an unforgettable knock to help India advance to the semi-final of the multi-nation tournament. He drove well, cut fiercely and exhibited big-match temperament in front of a capacity crowd at the Eden Gardens. Pace or spin, Samson took them down with aplomb and never lost shape in the process. He hit the ball where it was meant to be hit but his ice-cool nerves stood out during his 50-ball 97*, which included 12 boundaries and four sixes.The pitch had a lot of dew and the absence of demons made batting less difficult; however, the scoreboard pressure of the virtual quarter-final made it a daunting task. Wickets falling from the other end didn’t change Samson’s approach; he continued to operate at a healthy strike-rate and kept the asking rate in check. The partnership with Suryakumar Yadav put the chase on track after the early wickets, giving it the much needed push with the breezy 42-run stand, off only 26 balls, with Tilak Varma.

Sanju Samson plays a shot during the T20 World Cup Super 8 Group 1 match against West Indies at Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. (ANI)

When Hardik Pandya joined Samson, the equation was under control: 55 runs were needed off 32 balls. With batting to follow, India controlled the game from that point. Samson and Pandya put India in striking distance of the win, with Samson helping India cross the line with five wickets in hand.Earlier, after electing to field first, India’s fielding was a major disappointment, and the group let the bowlers down in excellent batting conditions. Three misfield boundaries, two dropped catches and one missed run-out opportunity cost India dearly as they were not able to peg the high-flying West Indies batting line-up back with regular breakthroughs. The situation wasn’t alarming by any means at the halfway mark, as the bowlers kept the score down to 82/1. The scoreboard could have been much worse had they taken the catch and capitalised on the run-out opportunity but it was nowhere near panic territory.Both Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy had three overs left, and Suryakumar Yadav’s smart bowling changes gave India a tactical edge going into the second half of the innings. The West Indies signalled intent as they took 17 runs off Chakaravarthy’s second over. Body language dropped ever so briefly because Eden Gardens was about to erupt in the 12th over, bowled by Bumrah.

Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Roston Chase during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and West Indies in Kolkata. (AP)

Two wickets, including that of the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer, got the crowd roaring and ‘Boom Boom Bumrah’ chants reverberated in the stands every time the bowler stood on top of his mark. He had the matchup advantage over the left-hander and dismissed him in just two deliveries, adding another wicket with a slower ball that completely deceived the well-set Roston Chase. From 102/1, the scoreboard became 103/3 in the space of a couple of deliveries and India did what assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate expected: fight fire with fire.When the hosts circled for the final drinks interval of the innings at the end of the 14th over, the scoreboard showed a controlled 119/3, but India still had to get a Hardik Pandya over out of the way. During the break, head coach Gautam Gambhir went straight to the all-rounder and discussed the angle he could explore against Sherfane Rutherford. Pandya executed the plan perfectly, dismissing the left-hander off the first delivery to put India in a commanding position.125/4 with just five to play wasn’t a bad position, especially with four overs from Bumrah and Arshdeep, and one from Chakarvarthy remaining. Heavy dew started to settle in but one would have backed them to do the job in those crunch situations. What unfolded, however, in the next five overs was a very calculated muscular assault from Rovman Powell and Jason Holder; together, they added 70 runs in the next 30 deliveries, taking down Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Chakarvarthy in the process.Bumrah conceded 26 runs in his last two overs, Chakarvarthy conceded 14, and Arshdeep leaked 30 from his remaining two overs. The 16th over, bowled by Arshdeep, swung momentum West Indies’ way as 24 runs came off it. The left-armer looked out of sorts, conceding two sixes, five wides and two more wides, causing shoulders to drop in the field. Bumrah gave it his all in the two remaining overs and his reaction after Varun let a ball go for a boundary summed up the overall performance in the field. Which was a big let down on their biggest evening of the tournament till date.However, a special Samson plastered all the cracks to book a semi-final date with England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 5.Brief Scores: West Indies 195/4 in 20 overs (Roston Chase 40, Jason Holder 37, Rovman Powell 34; Jasprit Bumrah 2-36)India: 199/5 in 19.2 overs (Sanju Samson 97; Jason Holder 2-38)

This spring, the Minnesota Vikings will have to be very careful with their money as they look to add new talent to the roster.

After the NFL set this year’s salary cap at $301.2 million, the Vikings are sitting at a touch over $45.5 million in the red, according to Over the Cap. That is the second-worst salary cap situation in the NFL this spring ahead of only the Dallas Cowboys, who are $56.1 million over the cap.

Related Story: The Vikings’ Cap Space Dips a Touch as First Domino Falls
Related Story: 4 Vikings Contracts That May Not Survive the Offseason

However, on Sunday, March 1, the Vikings are preparing to make their first moves to change their salary cap fortunes. They announced to roster moves that will occur on the first day of the league year that will save them nearly $20 million against the cap.

Minnesota Vikings to Release Aaron Jones, Javon Hargrave

According to the latest reports from national pundits, the Vikings have informed both Aaron Jones and Javon Hargrave that they will be released on the first day of the league year (March 11) if they are not traded beforehand.

“Sources: Vikings have informed running back Aaron Jones and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave that, barring a trade, they will be released at the start of the league year this month,” Adam Schefter of ESPN wrote in a post on X Sunday morning.

The Hargrave release in particular would have a pretty big impact on Minnesota’s cap space, slicing it by nearly 25% in one single swoop by saving the Vikings roughly $10.9 million. Meanwhile, the release of Jones will save the Vikings around $7.75 million.

In total, the two moves would give the Vikings about $18.65 million, trimming their salary cap deficit to right around $26.8 million. That would still give them, at least currently, the second-worst salary cap situation in the league, but it is a lost closer to bringing them above water heading into the new league year.

Additionally, if the Vikings are somehow able to find a trade suitor for either of them, that could bring their savings even higher. A Hargrave trade, maybe the more likely of the two given he can still help a defense provide a pass rushing presence at the defensive tackle position, could save just under $15 million against the cap.

Meanwhile, a Jones trade, less likely since he is a 31-year-old running back coming off an injury-riddled season for the second time in three years, could save the Vikings $9.75 million if a team talked themselves into taking on his contract.

If both trades somehow went through, the Vikings could save upwards of $24.7 million against the salary cap, bringing them to nearly 50% of the way to even.

Ultimately, the moves won’t bring Minnesota all the way back from the depths of salary cap hell, but the Vikings have begun their upward climb. We’ll see what other moves happen in the coming days.

Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey

In terms of player personnel movement and change, the Minnesota Vikings are still at the very start of the offseason, with free agency about a week away and the NFL draft six weeks after that. To get you thinking about the 2026 roster, here’s a list of burning questions at each spot.

The one thing Minnesota has to answer at every position before free agency and the draft.

Without a formal general manager — Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was canned four weeks ago — this offseason is quite mysterious.

Offseason Pressure Points Stretch from the Vikings from QB to CB

Oddsmakers expect Minnesota to win eight or nine games in 2026.

Quarterback

Question:

We know the Vikings will add a veteran quarterback behind J.J. McCarthy. Will that be a player like Kyler Murray or Mac Jones, who will project to be the QB1 the moment he’s acquired? Or will the Vikings find a quarterback like Kirk Cousins or Geno Smith to create a real training camp battle for the QB1 job?

Running Back

Question:

If Aaron Jones is released to save money on the salary cap, will the Vikings roll with Jordan Mason as the bellcow RB1, sign a free agent like Travis Etienne, or draft a rookie running back before the end of Round 4 for the first time since Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison?

Wide Receiver

Question:

Does Minnesota re-sign Jalen Nailor for the WR3 job? Promote Tai Felton, a 3rd-Rounder from last year’s draft? Or sign a different veteran WR3 from free agency like Christian Kirk?

Tight End

Question:

Are the rumors about cutting T.J. Hockenson real? The team asked him to take on the role of a blocking tight end in 2025, and will now release him because his receiving production dipped. How does that work? Is it fair?

Offensive Tackle

Question:

With Christian Darrisaw’s ACL recovery status up in the air, will the Vikings re-sign Justin Skule or sign a different contingency plan? Will Darrisaw simply recover this offseason and be good to go by September?

Guard

Question:

Will Fries — will he be worth the large contract in 2026, or is he eternally mediocre?

Center

Question:

If Ryan Kelly retires or gets cut, will the Vikings sign a center like Tyler Biadasz, Cade Mays, or Lloyd Cushenberry — or use the draft to find a replacement like Connor Lew or Jake Slaughter?

Our Janik Eckardt on the center position and Biadasz’s free agency: “The Vikings hoped quarterback J.J. McCarthy and center Ryan Kelly could achieve such a relationship, but McCarthy was limited to ten games, Kelly to eight. Three separate concussions have put Kelly’s playing future in jeopardy. From a salary perspective, the Vikings could save over $8 million by moving on. Adding the reliable Biadasz on a comparable salary is realistic.”

“In 2025, Biadasz ranked the 12th-best of 37 centers on PFF, grading well in both run and pass blocking. At 28, he should have some decent football left and the Vikings can talk to him as soon as they want, as he was released. There’s no reason to wait until the legal tampering window opens next month.”

Defensive Tackle

Question:

If Javon Hargrave is out via trade or release, will the Vikings use a 1st-Round pick on a defensive tackle for the first time since Sharrif Floyd in 2013? Caleb Banks? Peter Woods? Kayden McDonald? Lee Hunter?

Outside Linebacker

Question:

The Vikings have OLB all set with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner. Who’s the OLB4? Bo Richter? A veteran from free agency? Or a mid-to-late round rookie?

Inside Linebacker

Question:

After oddly releasing rookie Kobe King midseason and with Eric Wilson + Ivan Pace Jr. scheduled for free agency, the only playable linebacker on the roster is Blake Cashman. Will the Vikings re-sign Wilson, hoping to continue his monster 2025 campaign? Is Pace Jr. as good as gone? Will they sign a free agent like Leo Chenal?

PurplePTSD‘s Kyle Joudry noted on Chenal earlier this month, “The Vikings need some help at off-ball linebacker. Top option Blake Cashman is going to return, but he’s on the final year of his contract and soon to hit his 30th birthday. Chenal is coming out of an aggressive Chiefs defense and is still only 25. If he can gobble up tackles in run defense for medium pay, Chenal makes some sense.”

Cornerback

Question:

Last offseason, Minnesota skimped at cornerback after signing Isaiah Rodgers. It wound up with Jeff Okudah as the CB3. Will the Vikings actually prioritize CB this offseason or claim that Byron Murphy Jr. and Rodgers are good enough? The most frequent mock-drafted position for the Vikings in early March is cornerback. Can the franchise finally draft a corner with staying power?

Safety

Question:

Will Harrison Smith retire? Even if he doesn’t, is it time to draft his replacement, someone like Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman?

Special Teams

Question:

Ryan Wright had a remarkable bounceback year in 2025 after quiet seasons in 2023 and 2024. Will Minnesota re-sign him and a free-agent punter for a competition, or has Wright already done enough to win the job?

Bradford Bulls: Aekins; Wynne, Marsters, Blake, Ryan; Hooley, Milnes; Sutton, Ackers, Lewis, Chamberlain, Fulton, Mellor.

Replacements: Souter, Douglas, Doro, Peposhi.

Toulouse: Ashall-Bott; Laguerre, Jussaume, Rennie, Ulberg; Lacans, Rouge; Belmas, Hands, Dupree, Bretherton, Lima, Marion

Replacements: Cator, Butler, Roumanos, Wallace.

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner says he does not believe the penalty awarded to Manchester United for a foul by Maxence Lacroix, who was shown a red card, should have been awarded.

MATCH REPORT: Manchester United 2-1 Crystal Palace

Available to UK users only.

It was the desperate goalmouth scramble that could perhaps sum up a season. As Reo Hatate shot low to his left, and after Jack Butland made the penalty save, the Old Firm was hanging in the balance as an afternoon of fire and chaos flipped on its head. But, at the third attempt, Hatate forced a crucial equaliser over the line to salvage a point for Celtic and deny Rangers all three, while leaving one clear winner. With nine games to go, it is advantage Hearts once again.

A furious second-half comeback from two goals down kept Celtic’s challenge alive, but only just, on a day at Ibrox that neither club could afford to lose. It was a desperately tough blow for Rangers but, by the end, Danny Rohl’s side could have no complaints. Celtic had highlighted their shortcomings just as Rangers had fully illustrated Celtic’s after Youssef Chermiti’s astonishing double had the hosts in full control by the break.

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So it is Hearts who are now six points ahead of Rangers, with Celtic a further two behind but with a game in hand. This was a good result, too, for Motherwell, whose form is currently much better than both Old Firm clubs. They are two points behind Celtic, also with a game in hand, but with plenty of points to play for against those above them as the Premiership title race approaches the season-defining split.

For now, this was a further example of why Hearts are poised to become the first club outside of the Old Firm to lift the title since 1985 – when Sir Alex Ferguson, who was watching on at Ibrox, having been at Hearts on Saturday, won it with Aberdeen.

Rangers were sensational in the first half, offering a performance that suggested they were up for the fight. By full time, they looked lost, devoid of any confidence and letting the control of the game slip from their grasp. “It was outstanding – but it is about 95 minutes, not 45 or 50 minutes,” said Rohl, unable to hide his disappointment.

After half time, Celtic did to Rangers what Rangers had done to them from the start. Martin O’Neill replaced the ghost of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the equally ineffective Junior Adamu with Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti, pushing Daizen Maeda up front. From having their first shot on target in the 50th minute, O’Neill’s side were transformed, aggressive, playing on the front foot, bursting forward after winning the second balls. They swarmed around Rangers and forced desperate clearances. The tide had turned by the time Kieran Tierney arrived to head in at Benjamin Nygren’s header in the 56th minute, and it was one-way traffic from there.

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“We were so dominant,” O’Neill said. “You wonder where [the first half] came from, or why we couldn’t have strung a couple of passes together. We couldn’t have started any worse.” Celtic’s Luke McCowan had irritated Rangers in midweek by stating that “no one in that league touches us” when on top form, but Celtic could not get near their rivals to begin with.

That Rangers found a magnificent intensity from the kick-off will come as no consolation for Rohl now. Nor for Chermiti, who produced two more big-game goals with a ridiculous overhead kick and a stylish finish in the box to put Rangers in charge and towards an 11th consecutive victory at Ibrox. They suffocated Celtic from the off, with Mikey Moore and Nico Raskin providing the drive and energy in midfield to overwhelm and outnumber Celtic. “Everyone saw how Rangers played,” said Rohl. “I think this is our benchmark for the future, not just 50 minutes.”

Chermiti, however, also encapsulated their fragility. His overhead kick from Andreas Skov Olsen’s cross was sublime, as fine an Old Firm goal as has been scored, and called to mind Scott McTominay’s against Denmark. The striker’s second was instinctive and cleverly taken as the sound of “Chermiti scores again” rang around a bouncing Ibrox; it was his third and fourth goals against Celtic this season, to add to his hat-trick against Hearts two weeks ago. But the 21-year-old’s head dropped after losing the ball carelessly with his back to goal. Rohl remonstrated with his striker for his flick, as he sensed the momentum turning.

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O’Neill sensed it, too. “The players showed some character to come back, and I thought we dominated the whole second half, so much so that the crowd were perhaps turning on their own players.”

The Rangers supporters had seen this script before. Rangers would be above Hearts by now had they not dropped points in away games at Livingston and Hibernian in recent weeks, and thrown away another two-goal lead here. Their inconsistency has again cost them. Just as Celtic’s inability to take the initiative from the start has plagued their difficult campaign. It feels as if they are always chasing.

Despite their position at half-time, O’Neill saw enough of Celtic’s second-half display and chances, with Butland denying another Maeda header and an opportunity for McCowan after a flowing move, to believe they could yet haul Hearts in. When Maeda’s header hit Dujon Sterling’s hand from close range, and Hatate stood over the spot before equalising at the third attempt, there were still a few minutes left and Celtic found belief.

“We’re not out of it,” O’Neill insisted. “If the game had ended at half time, and [given] our performance in the first half, you’d have thought we’re a million miles off it. Now by the end of the game, in the manner in which we played, particularly here at Ibrox, there’s still plenty of heart and desire to try and win the title.” It was Hearts, though, who were left celebrating the late drama.

Welcome to March. We are officially two weeks away from Selection Sunday for the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and the race for the final No. 1 seed in the bracket is hemorrhaging contenders. What appeared to be a wide open race just over a week ago may now be down to UConn and hard-charging Florida.

The Huskies aren’t perfect — they had to rally late to beat bubbly Seton Hall at home on Saturday — but they do have an edge in resume metrics over the thinning chase pack. Purdue’s Thursday night home loss to Michigan State, Illinois’ Friday night home loss to Michigan and Iowa State’s Saturday home loss to Texas Tech dropped those teams well back in the race.

Virginia could have staged a late push for the fourth No. 1 seed had it won at Duke on Saturday, but the Cavaliers lost 77-51. It wasn’t long ago that Houston was firmly in the mix, but the Cougars dropped three straight before finally getting back in the win column against lowly Colorado on Saturday.

Then there is Florida. While most of the teams that have been in the mix for the fourth No. 1 seed are losing ground, the Gators have been doing the opposite. Florida clinched a share of the SEC title on Saturday with an 111-77 win over Arkansas, which marked its ninth straight victory. The reigning national champions have been destroying everything in their path while rising in all of the metrics used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

Before we dive in further, here’s a look at how the top seed lines look entering Sunday’s action.

Bracketology top seeds

Check out the full field of 68 at the CBS Sports Bracketology hub.

Florida’s room for upward mobility

What makes the race for the final No. 1 seed particularly interesting is the improvement of Florida’s resume. The Gators are already ahead of UConn in predictive metrics and have been for a while. But results-based metrics — what you’ve actually accomplished — are going to carry more weight than predictive metrics (such as KenPom) in the race for a No. 1 seed. 

Florida is up three spots on Sunday to No. 5 in Wins Above Bubble (WAB), which is a vital resume metric. That’s just one spot behind UConn, and the Gators have upward mobility. While Tuesday’s home game against Mississippi State is a nothing-burger, next Saturday’s regular season finale at Kentucky could bring a hefty WAB payout.

By contrast, all UConn has left before the Big East Tournament is next Saturday’s regular season finale at Marquette, which won’t bring much of a resume boost. Assuming UConn and Florida each escape the regular season unscathed, the draws they get in their respective conference tournaments could matter significantly. If Florida stacks a few more resume-enhancing wins in the SEC Tournament, it could narrow its WAB gap on UConn even further.

Does UConn hold a trump card?

With Selection Sunday still two weeks away, the debate is all hypothetical for now. But if the Huskies and Gators are next to each other in the seeding hierarchy on Selection Sunday, UConn holds a potential trump card. The Huskies topped Florida on Dec. 9 inside Madison Square Garden. That was before the Gators hit their stride, but it could be a data point the selection committee considers in a tight race.

There are limitations on the significance of head-to-head results in the seeding process, because upsets are a part of college basketball’s fabric, and leaning too hard into head-to-head could lead to seeding discrepancies. But in a scenario where two teams fighting for a spot on a certain seed line played on a neutral court, it could be something the committee considers.

I think I’m getting ready to turn off mobile notifications for Tiger Woods’ tweets.

I must have turned them on sometime after the car crash in 2021, when he almost lost his leg and his remaining golf career hung by a thread. Or it could have been later on in 2023, as I waited to see how he’d address the ludicrous PGA Tour-LIV “merger” that never happened.

Really, I just want to hear when Woods will try to play again. But any golf fan knows the two kinds of Woods tweets.

1. The statement announcing he’s going to have another surgery. Or 2. The promotional post, for his foundation or something else.

I got a notification this week that Woods posted, only for it to be a retweet of his apparel brand, Sun Day Red. Did you know “The Pioneer Willow applies a clean blucher construction to our highest performance technology, built from the ground up to serve the athlete first”? Riveting stuff.

He didn’t tweet the week of the Genesis Invitational, perhaps too busy with his responsibilities hosting the event. But he knows how to make a headline, to keep the hype building.

That week, at Woods’ press conference in the capacity as host, he didn’t rule out playing the Masters in two months, or playing the PGA Tour Champions now that he’s 50, or captaining the 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup team. But the more you think about it, the more you see these as empty headlines. Not ruling it out means no decision has been made one way or another.

OK. Let us know when you know, I guess!

If anyone needs a brief refresher, Woods last played at the 2024 Open Championship. He had his sixth back surgery that fall for a nerve impingement, ruptured an Achilles while ramping up his training in March and had back surgery No. 7 for a disc replacement this past October.

As recently as December, he told reporters he could only chip and putt at that point, but he’s graduated to hitting full shots now. “Yeah, I’m able to. Not well every day, but I can hit them,” Woods said this month at the Genesis.

That’s why I’m skeptical about this Masters return.

He needs to be hitting full shots well, every day, by Round 1 on April 9. If not, his record streak of 24 made cuts will be in danger. The rest of the golf world is getting younger, more fit; Woods’ last three Masters finishes — 47th, WD after making the cut on the number, 60th — are his three worst since he was 20 years old.

I’m intrigued by the idea that he could sign up for the Champions Tour just to get a couple of rounds in while being allowed to drive a cart. Honestly, he’d be near the top of the leaderboard if not lapping the field, and it would send a bunch of people scrambling to figure out just how you can watch the old guys’ circuit.

But as his body breaks down, the real struggle for Woods has been to walk the course for four rounds, and as he’s said in the past, Augusta National is no breeze in that department.

So the not-ruling-it-out declaration was a salesman’s tactic from someone who’s been around the block and who knows the golf media and fandom all too well. Someone give me a ring if he’s playing in April. Notifications — off.