Pakistan have sealed their place in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup after a comfortable win over Namibia, becoming the final team to qualify. However, the victory did little to silence the growing debate around former captain Babar Azam, whose lean run with the bat has once again come under scrutiny.Babar has managed just 66 runs in three matches and has struggled to make an impact. During the Namibia game, controversy surfaced when he did not come out to bat despite being padded up for a long period. It also appeared that skipper Salman Ali Agha was not entirely pleased with the call.

Former Pakistan batter and selector Mohammad Yousuf has now openly criticised Babar, revealing that he had earlier recommended resting the batter during his tenure as selector.“I’ve been saying this for 2-3 years that Babar’s technique has gone for a toss. I’ve been hearing that he is out-of-form, but he is not. A player can only be out-of-form for two to three series and he has not scored runs for the past two-three years. The moment I suggested resting Babar, everyone suddenly turned against me. I had to resign because of this. He was eventually dropped a couple of series later,” Yousuf said on the ‘How Does It Work?’ podcast.He further questioned the emphasis placed on mentality over skill. “The churan of mindset is being sold very wrongly. Until you don’t have the skill, the mind can’t do anything. If you don’t have the skill, what will the mind do?” he added.Yousuf also compared Babar to legends of a previous era, placing them on a different pedestal. “Inzy Bhai and Saeed Bhai’s level can’t be matched. They can’t be matched. They were very big players. Zaheer Abbas…. These four players were of different categories and levels. Babar is nothing in front of them.”Despite the noise, Pakistan now shift focus to the Super 8 stage, where they have been placed in Group 2 alongside England cricket team, New Zealand cricket team and Sri Lanka cricket team.

Pakistan Super 8 Fixtures

Pakistan will begin their Super 8 campaign against New Zealand on 21 February in Colombo, followed by crucial clashes against England and Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

Team Akwa Ibom has departed Uyo for the 2026 Niger Delta Games in Edo State with a firm determination to surpass its previous performance at the regional sporting fiesta.

The contingent, which includes 270 athletes, left Uyo en route to Edo State on Thursday, February 19, 2026, from the NYSC Orientation Camp in Nsit Atai, where the athletes had been in closed camping in preparation for the Games.

The Honourable Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, who represented the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, at the send-off ceremony, charged the athletes and their coaches to remain disciplined and project the state positively throughout the competition.

He stressed the need for the athletes to have a proper understanding of the rules guiding their respective events, noting that discipline and strict compliance would enhance their medal prospects.

“We finished sixth at the maiden edition of the Games, and that was not satisfactory,” the Commissioner said. “Hosting the last edition came with distractions that affected our performance. This time, we must demonstrate the true spirit of Team Akwa Ibom.”

Bassey conveyed the goodwill of the Governor to the team and assured them of the government’s full support despite the Governor’s inability to attend the ceremony in person.

“Go there, give your best, and you will receive a warm welcome on your return,” he added.

While acknowledging that not every athlete may secure a podium finish, the Commissioner urged them to remain focused and give their maximum effort.

Accompanying the team are members of the State Liaison Committee, sports administrators, the media team, the team’s chaperone, camp commandants, and Directors from the Ministry of Sports.

Team Akwa Ibom is optimistic about improving on its sixth-place finish at the last edition and competing strongly for a higher ranking at the 2026 Niger Delta Games.

The PGA Tour’s 2026 Genesis Invitational continues on Friday, February 20, with the second round at Riviera Country Club. You can find full Genesis Invitational tee times for Friday’s second round at the bottom of this post.

Featured tee time for Round 2

This year, Rickie Fowler is trying to re-enter the elite ranks of the PGA Tour after years of struggles on the course. And so far, the six-time Tour winner is looking good.

Fowler has made three starts in 2026, and he’s finished in the top 20 in each of them. Now he’s hoping to take the next step and get into contention at this week’s Genesis Invitational.

He has two top-20 finishes in his career at the Genesis and finished T35 the last time it was held at Riviera in 2024.

Fowler will tee off for Round 2 at 10:27 a.m. ET on Friday alongside Tom Kim and Max Greyserman.

You can watch Friday’s second round of the 2026 Genesis Invitational from 4-8 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage beginning at 10:15 a.m. ET on Friday, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.

Check out the complete Round 2 tee times and groupings for the Genesis Invitational below.

Hoping to wager on the Genesis Invitational? Sign up for Fanatics Sportsbook with code “SUBPAR” to receive a special welcome offer.

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2026 Genesis Invitational tee times for Friday: Round 2 (ET)

Tee No. 1

10:15 a.m. – Aldrich Potgieter, Ryan Fox, Sam Stevens
10:27 a.m. – Tom Kim, Rickie Fowler, Max Greyserman
10:39 a.m. – Lucas Glover, Tony Finau, Max McGreevy
10:51 a.m. – Garrick Higgo, Aaron Rai, Matt Fitzpatrick
11:03 a.m. – Jason Day, Alex Noren, Ryo Hisatsune
11:15 a.m. – Andrew Novak, Brian Harman, Nick Taylor
11:27 a.m. – Russell Henley, Harris English, Corey Conners
11:39 a.m. – Sepp Straka, Harry Hall, Patrick Cantlay
11:56 a.m. – Chris Gotterup, Justin Rose, Robert MacIntyre
12:08 p.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Si Woo Kim
12:20 p.m. – Min Woo Lee, Jordan Spieth, Daniel Berger
12:32 p.m. – Brian Campbell, Wyndham Clark, Marco Penge
12:44 p.m. – Sami Valimaki, J.T. Poston, Rico Hoey
12:56 p.m. – Kurt Kitayama, Nico Echavarria, Jake Knapp
1:08 p.m. – Matt McCarty, Jhonattan Vegas, Taylor Pendrith
1:20 p.m. – Tom Hoge, Bud Cauley, Matti Schmid
1:37 p.m. – Sahith Theegala, Michael Kim, Pierceson Coody
1:49 p.m. – Ben Griffin, Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns
2:01 p.m. – Maverick McNealy, Akshay Bhatia, Jacob Bridgeman
2:13 p.m. – Cameron Young, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry
2:25 p.m. – J.J. Spaun, Ludvig Åberg, Hideki Matsuyama
2:37 p.m. – Collin Morikawa, Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy
2:49 p.m. – Ryan Gerard, Adam Scott, Patrick Rodgers
3:01 p.m. – Kevin Yu, Max Homa, Denny McCarthy

Lucknow: On a day when the result was a mere formality and Karnataka’s place in the Ranji Trophy final was already assured, the umpires briefly kept the semifinal against Uttarakhand alive — much to the bemusement of players and broadcasters alike. The only moment of intrigue at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Thursday came at tea, when captains Kunal Chandela and Karun Nair — standing in for an injured Devdutt Padikkal — shook hands, signalling what everyone believed was the end of proceedings. Presentation signage was rolled out, players drifted towards the ceremony area, and one even headed to the dressing room to pack for the airport.

However, a few minutes later, play was ordered to resume after tea. With Uttarakhand six wickets down, umpires pointed to the rulebook, noting that an outright result for Karnataka was still technically possible. A visibly disgruntled Karnataka side returned to the field, but with the match long decided, Abhay Negi (57 n.o.) and Saurabh Rawat (53 n.o.) treated the final session as batting practice, while the opposition wound down the clock. The match was finally called off less than an hour after tea, with Uttarakhand at 260/6. Karnataka will now host first-time finalists Jammu and Kashmir at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium — the first time the northern Karnataka region will stage a Ranji Trophy final. “We are playing the final after a long time. We’ve been working very hard for the last few years but couldn’t quite make it,” said Karnataka head coach Yere Goud. “Playing at home makes it even more special.” Goud was quick to underline the challenge posed by Jammu and Kashmir. “They have done extremely well, beating MP and Bengal. A lot of credit should go to them. They are a very dangerous side. We need to play good cricket and focus on our processes — we’ll have to play well to beat them.” Karnataka sweat over Padikkal Karnataka skipper Devdutt Padikkal did not take the field on the final day after suffering a cut while fielding on Wednesday, which required five stitches on his right hand. However, Goud played down concerns over his availability for the final starting Tuesday. “When I saw the cut, I was pretty sure he’ll make it. He probably needs two to three days’ rest and should be fine for the game,” Goud said. Shreyas’ landmark The match also marked a personal milestone for leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal, who became the latest Karnataka bowler to reach 300 first-class wickets, which came in his 97th appearance in the format. The 32-year-old is the side’s leading wicket-taker this season with 46 scalps. “It’s a special feeling to reach the milestone in a semifinal, and it gives me a lot of confidence going into the final,” said Shreyas. Earlier, Karnataka, resuming at 299/6, were bowled out for 323, with KL Rahul left unbeaten on 86 after running out of partners. Karnataka’s focus now shifts to Hubballi and a chance to add a ninth Ranji Trophy title to their storied history. SCOREBOARD Karnataka (I innings): 736 Uttarakhand (II innings): 233 Karnataka (II innings, o/n 299/6): KL Rahul (not out) 86, Vyshak Vijaykumar st S Rawat b Mishra 0, Shikhar Shetty b Mishra 7, Prasidh Krishna (run out) 7, Devdutt Padikkal (absent hurt). Extras (B-8; NB-4; LB-2; W-1) 15. Total (all out; 74.3 overs) 323 Fall of wickets: 7-299, 8-311, 9-323 Bowling: Abhay Negi 19-9-63-2, Janmejay Joshi 9-0-54-0, Mayank Mishra 18-3-69-4, Avneesh Sudha 12-1-50-1, J Suchith 12-0-59-1, Aditya Rawat 3.3-0-15-0, Lakshya Raichandani 1-0-3-0. Uttarakhand (II innings): Bhupen Lalwani c Kruthik b Prasidh 15, Prasanth Chopra c Kruthik b Vyshak 0, Avneesh Sudha c Rahul b Shreyas 66, Lakshya Raichandani c Kruthik b Prasidh 10, J Suchith c Aneesh (sub) b Shreyas 19, Saurabh Rawat (not out) 53, Kunal Chandela st Kruthik b Shreyas 20, Abhay Negi (not out) 57. Extras (B-12; LB-2; W-6) 20. Total (6 wkts; 62 overs) 260. Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-48, 3-72, 4-107, 5-128, 6-156. Bowling: Vidyadhar Patil 4-0-13-0, Prasidh Krishna 6-1-17-2, Vyshak Vijaykumar 4-0-22-1, Shikhar Shetty 24-1-97-0, Shreyas Gopal 19-1-83-3; Karun Nair 2-0-9-0; Mayank Agarwal 2-0-5-0.

Being able to shape the ball both directions is a huge asset. It allows you to access pin locations that were previously unaccessible, and lets you shape the ball off the tee to avoid hazards. You can also get yourself out of trouble with ease, shaping the ball around trees and back into the fairway.

The trouble for most recreational golfers is that they can only work the ball one way. They have a go-to shot shape and not much else.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with having a shot shape you’re comfortable with and sticking to it. But if you really want to start becoming a shot-maker, you’ll need to know how to shape the ball both ways.

Luckily, doing so is a lot easier than you likely thought. GOLF Top 100 Teacher Mike Malizia explained how in a past shoot with GOLF Magazine, which you can read about below.

How to hit draws and fades

The good news about shaping the ball is that it can be easily achieved through slight adjustments in your setup. And once you learn how to make those adjustments, you’ll be able to hit both draws and fades.

Here’s how it works.

Draws

The first thing you want to do to hit a draw is move the ball position slightly back in your stance. Next, you want to slightly tilt your hips and shoulders away from the target.

“The key is, when I get back to impact, I wanna make sure that my shoulders feel closed and I want to feel this right side ‘shrinking,’” Malizia says. “This helps promote a more in-to-out path.”

With that in-to-out path and a slightly closed clubface, you’ll be able to curve the ball right to left with ease.

Fades

For a fade, you’ll want to move the ball more forward in your stance. You’ll also want to limit the amount you tilt your hips and shoulders away from the target at address, giving you a more level setup position.

“At impact, you will see less right-side bend and you’ll see more of the chest opened up,” Malizia says. “This will help you swing a little more out-to-in.”

By making these key setup adjustments, it becomes much easier to swing in a way that promotes a certain ball flight. So, next time you want to shape the ball a certain way, remember that it all starts with the setup.

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A 10-game schedule kick starts the post-all-star break slate. Among the notable NBA odds include Pistons vs. Knicks (-4.5), Hawks vs. 76ers (-1.5), Celtics (-5.5) vs. Warriors and Nuggets (-4.5) vs. Clippers. The largest NBA spread of the day has Cleveland as 15.5-point favorites over Brooklyn, as the Cavs covered in four of their last five games heading into the NBA All-Star break.

What are the NBA best bets for Thursday, and which combination of picks should you target in a Thursday NBA parlay? Before locking in any NBA picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.

New users can target the DraftKings promo code, which offers $200 in bonus bets if your $5 bet wins:

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model exited the NBA All-Star break on a sizzling 38-17 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.  

Now, the model has scoured the latest NBA odds and locked in three confident NBA best bets. If you successfully parlay its picks, you’d be looking at a payout of over +450. You can only see the model’s NBA picks at SportsLine.

New users can also check out the latest FanDuel promo code and get $100 in bonus bets instantly at FanDuel if your $5 bet wins:

Top NBA picks for Thursday, Feb. 19

After simulating every game 10,000 times, the model is backing the Los Angeles Clippers (+4.5) to cover the spread against the Denver Nuggets at 10:30 p.m. ET. The Nuggets look for the season sweep over the Clippers, after posting a 130-116 win in Los Angeles on Nov. 12 and a 122-109 victory at Denver on Jan. 30. The Nuggets will be without Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Peyton Watson (hamstring) and failed to cover in three of their last four heading into the All-Star break. Meanwhile, Los Angeles has won three of the last four meetings at home against Denver.

Veteran forward Kawhi Leonard powers the Clippers’ offense. In 41 games, all starts, he is averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.1 steals in 32.8 minutes. He registered a double-double with 27 points and 12 rebounds in a 105-102 win over the Houston Rockets on Feb. 11 and is coming off an epic All-Star Game performance with 31 of the 48 points for USA Stripes against Team World.

The model is projecting four Nuggets players to score 10.7 points or more, led by Nikola Jokic’s 27.5 points. The Clippers, meanwhile, are projected to be led by Leonard’s 30.5 points as five Los Angeles players score 10.2 points or more. The model is backing Los Angeles to cover nearly 70% of the time. See which other NBA parlay picks to make here.

How to make NBA predictions for Thursday, Feb. 19

The model also has locked in two more picks, including backing a team to win in nearly 80% of model simulations. You can only see the model’s NBA parlay at SportsLine.

What are the model’s top NBA parlay picks for Thursday, and which best bets should you target for a chance at a payout of over +450? Visit SportsLine now to see NBA best bets from a model that’s returned more than $10,000 on top-rated picks, and find out.