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New Zealand knocked co-hosts Sri Lanka out of the T20 World Cup on Wednesday with a 61-run win in Colombo that boosted their semi-final hopes.Sri Lanka needed an emphatic win to stay alive but instead exited with a whimper, limping to 107-8 chasing New Zealand’s 168-7.A win for New Zealand against England on Friday at the same R. Premadasa stadium would see them top the Super Eights group and qualify for the semi-finals along with Harry Brook’s side.A defeat would open the door for Pakistan, who would probably need a big win against Sri Lanka in Kandy on Saturday to sneak through on net run rate.Sri Lanka were never in the chase as Matt Henry dismissed their leading batsman Pathum Nissanka with the first ball of the innings. Henry also removed Chairth Asalanka with the first ball of his second over to leave Sri Lanka in trouble at 6-2. Sri Lanka crawled to 20-2 at the end of the six-over power play, the lowest in the competition and Sri Lanka’s second lowest ever in T20 internationals.Part-time spinner Rachin Ravindra found turn to put the game beyond Sri Lanka with a career-best 4-27.Ravindra had a charging Kusal Mendis stumped and then removed Pavan Rathnayake in similar fashion in the same over as the sellout crowd was stunned into silence.”It is very embarrassing to disappoint the home crowd,” said Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka. “We started really well, but to be honest, the Santner-McConchie and that partnership, it was a good one, which took the game away from us.” New Zealand earlier recovered from a mini-collapse to reach 168-7. “I think it was obviously a nice score there with the amount of spin on the ball. They squeezed us a lot,” said New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. Sri Lanka were right in the game as New Zealand slumped from 84-3 to 84-6 in the space of six deliveries.But an 84-run stand off just 47 deliveries for the seventh wicket between Cole McConchie and Santner enabled them to set a tricky target on a turning pitch.Skipper Santner top scored with 47 off 26 balls with two fours and four sixes. McConchie, recalled to the side, posted an unbeaten 31 off 23 ballsNew Zealand were struggling to read Maheesh Theekshana as the spinner claimed 3-9 in his first three overs.New Zealand blasted 70 off the last four overs, including 21 off the final one from Theekshana.  Pace bowler Dushmantha Chameera finished with 3-38.

New Zealand recovered after a mini-collapse to post 168-7 against Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup Super Eight clash in Colombo on Wednesday.Co-hosts Sri Lanka, who need to win to keep their semi-final hopes alive, had New Zealand reeling at 84-6 in the 13th over.But but an 84-run stand off 47 deliveries for the seventh wicket between Cole McConchie and Mitchell Santner pulled New Zealand back into the game.Skipper Santner top scored with 47 off 26 balls with two fours and four sixes. McConchie, recalled to the side, posted an unbeaten 31 off 23 ballsNew Zealand were struggling to read Maheesh Theekshana as he cleverly mixed up his off-breaks and carrom balls, claiming 3-9 in his first three overs.From 84-3, New Zealand lost three wickets for no run in the space of six deliveries.New Zealand blasted 70 off the last four overs The last four overs, including 21 off the final one from Theekshana.  Pace bowler Dushmantha Chameera finished with 3-38.

Defending champions India are looking to bolster their faltering opening combination ahead of a dare-not-lose T20 World Cup clash against Zimbabwe to keep hopes of making the semi-finals alive.Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson is an option at the top of the order, in India’s second Super Eights clash in Chennai on Thursday.Opener Abhishek Sharma’s batting slump — including three consecutive ducks — has dented India’s campaign.The team suffered a 76-run defeat to South Africa in their Super Eights opener.India now face a straightforward equation — win their remaining two matches to keep qualification for the semi-finals largely in their own hands, or risk depending on other results.Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak acknowledged that team combinations are under discussion for the high-stakes match.”There can be changes, yes,” Kotak told reporters. “And obviously, it goes without saying that we discuss, because there are two leftie openers, number three is left-handed.”- ‘Expect to win’ -While Kotak downplayed the imbalance, he admitted early setbacks had forced the team to reassess.”I personally don’t think that there is any problem there but because we lost a wicket in the first over in three games, obviously, any team would think,” he said.India’s top and middle order is dominated by left-handers, offering opponents a clear tactical approach.Teams including Pakistan, the Netherlands and South Africa have targeted the vulnerability by opening the bowling with off-spin, dismissing one of the two openers in the first over with an off-spinner.In the loss to South Africa, Abhishek’s opening partner Ishan Kishan fell for a fourth-ball duck after skipper Aiden Markram opened the bowling with off-spin.Samson, a right-hander who played in the tournament with Abhishek unwell, could break the left-handed grip on the top of the order.”People ask about Sanju as right-hander up front,” said Kotak. “Or you think of playing three spinners,” he added.Zimbabwe, led by Sikandar Raza, have emerged as one of the surprise packages of the tournament, having stunned Australia and co-hosts Sri Lanka to reach the Super Eights.The West Indies top the Super Eights Group 1 after defeating Zimbabwe, with South Africa second. Both India and Zimbabwe head into Thursday’s clash in urgent need of a victory.”For us, every match is a must-win from here,” said Kotak. “If you want to go and win the World Cup, you expect to beat all the sides you play.”Indian middle-order batter Rinku Singh has left the team to attend to his ailing father, and missed training ahead of the key match. But Kotak said Rinku will rejoin the team Wednesday evening.

Sri Lankan investigators arrested a former intelligence chief on Wednesday, the most high-profile official netted in the long-running investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.Police said retired Major General Suresh Sallay was taken into custody at dawn in a suburb of the capital, Colombo. “He was arrested for conspiracy and aiding and abetting the Easter Sunday attacks,” an investigating officer told AFP.”He has been in touch with people involved in the attacks, even recently.”The coordinated bombings targeted three upmarket hotels in the capital, two Roman Catholic churches and an evangelical Protestant church outside Colombo. The attacks killed 279 people, including 45 foreigners, and were blamed on a homegrown jihadist group.Police, in a statement, said that Sallay was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and would be detained for at least three days for questioning.His arrest was welcomed by the Catholic church, and criticised by his still powerful supporters.”What we need is the truth behind the Easter attacks,” church spokesman Father Cyril Gamini Fernando told AFP. “We want to see justice for all the victims.”The church has accused successive governments of failing to identify the masterminds.The April 21, 2019 attacks were the worst to target civilians in the country, where at least 100,000 people were killed in nearly four decades of civil war.Sallay, who was promoted to State Intelligence Service (SIS) chief in 2019 after Gotabaya Rajapaksa became president, is accused of involvement in organising the suicide bombings, a charge he denies.His long-expected arrest came ahead of the seventh anniversary of the bombings.British broadcaster Channel 4 reported in 2023 that Sallay was linked to the Islamist bombers and had met them prior to the attack.A whistleblower told the network that Sallay had permitted the attack to proceed with the intention of influencing that year’s presidential election in favour of Rajapaksa.Two days after the bombings, Rajapaksa declared his candidacy and went on to win the November vote in a landslide after promising to stamp out Islamist extremism.Rajapaksa’s then-justice minister Ali Sabry defended Sallay, saying he had contributed to the dismantling of the Tamil Tiger guerrilla network in 2009.”Undermining officers who once safeguarded the country may offer temporary political advantage, but it weakens morale within the armed forces,” Sabry posted on social media.- Funding fanatics -A former member of the jihadist group told reporters in 2019 that they were originally funded by a military intelligence unit to propagate a fundamentalist ideology in Sri Lanka’s multi-ethnic eastern province.Sallay was employed in the intelligence unit that funded the jihadists, and the government at the time admitted the military was behind the radical group.Critics said the jihadist were funded as a means to create an enemy — and so justify their far larger backing of a radical Buddhist group.Sallay was promoted to head the SIS, Sri Lanka’s main intelligence agency, following Rajapaksa’s victory, but was dismissed after Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the presidency in 2024, promising prosecutions of those behind the attacks.While local jihadists were held responsible, Sallay was also accused of orchestrating the attack.Two days after the bombings, ISIS claimed responsibility, but investigators said they had no evidence to establish a foreign link.Other investigations faulted the authorities for failing to act on warnings from an Indian intelligence agency.More than 500 people were wounded in the bombings, which also crippled the island nation’s lucrative tourism industry.US authorities in 2021 charged three Sri Lankans for supporting the Easter attacks, in which five Americans were killed.The three are among 25 suspects indicted in Sri Lanka’s High Court.The Supreme Court fined then-president Maithripala Sirisena and four senior officials more than $1.03 million in a civil case for their failure to prevent the attacks.

Nepal’s interim government has said preparations are on track for parliamentary elections next week, the first since a deadly 2025 uprising, urging voters to exercise their right “without fear”.The Himalayan republic of 30 million people holds elections on March 5, less than six months after youth-led anti-corruption protests toppled the previous government.The unrest killed at least 77 people and left parliament in flames.”The government will leave no stone unturned to conduct the election in a clean, fair, fearless, and peaceful manner,” Sushila Karki, the interim prime minister, said late Tuesday.”I urge all citizens to exercise their voting rights with confidence and without any fear.”The September 2025 violence was the worst since a decade-long civil war ended in a 2006 peace deal that abolished the monarchy and brought Maoist insurgents into government.Protests were triggered by a brief social media ban, but were fuelled by anger at economic stagnation and an ageing elite seen as out of touch.Nearly 19 million people have registered to vote, including 800,000 taking part for the first time.They will elect members to the 275-seat House of Representatives, the lower house, with 165 via a direct vote and 110 through proportional representation.Election Commission official Suman Ghimire told AFP the body was in its “final stage of election preparation”.Ghimire said support from other nations included neighbouring China and India.China, as well as Japan, had sent “economic assistance”, Ghimire said, without giving a figure, while Indian aid included 86 pickup vans “to transport election materials”.More than 60 trucks — as well as helicopters for remote snowbound mountain regions — have been used to transport election materials, he said.More than 3,400 candidates are competing in the direct vote, 30 percent aged under 40.”An election atmosphere is taking shape,” said Kritika Mishra, 23, a prospective voter in Nepal’s southern Sarlahi district. “Candidates are actively campaigning.”

Overseas Nepali workers bankroll their families and buttress the economy, making them a key constituency in elections next week — but they cannot vote themselves.The Himalayan republic votes on March 5 in the first parliamentary elections since deadly youth-led protests toppled the government in September, fuelled by anger at a woeful economy and lack of opportunities.Unable to find jobs at home, some 2.5 million Nepalis — 7.5 percent of the population — work abroad to support their families, according to government figures.Political parties court migrants for the powerful influence they wield over voters back home.”As they are the main breadwinner of their families, they have a lot of influence,” said Ganesh Gurung, chief of Nepal’s Policy Research Institute.”Migrant workers are very active on social media,” he added, noting that online commentary has long shown “a lot of frustration” with successive governments.Nearly 90 percent of overseas workers have a “strong interest” in voting, according to a survey published in a report by Nepali migrant rights groups after last year’s uprising.”Indirect participation — such as recommending family voting choices or supporting campaigns online — is common,” read the report by migrant rights groups Shramik Sanjal and the Law and Policy Forum for Social Justice (LAPSOJ). The money they send back, from the Gulf and Saudi Arabia, or India and Malaysia, is equivalent to more than a third of GDP, according to the World Bank.”I have never exercised my voting rights because I was abroad when I turned 18,” Pradip Bagale, 43, a hotel worker in Qatar with two sons in Nepal, told AFP.”After the Gen Z movement, I thought the government would finally allow us to vote… but it did nothing.”- Stalled efforts -But legal efforts to challenge a 2017 election have made little progress. There is no system for them to cast ballots at embassies, by mail or electronically.The interim government — which took over after the September uprising — said it backed overseas voting, but reforms did not come in time.”The procedure couldn’t be changed without a legal basis and proper training,” said Prakash Nyaupanem, an Election Commission spokesman, adding that polls were “organised in a very short time”.In 2018, the Supreme Court ordered the government to “take measures”, but there has been no “significant development” since then, said human rights lawyer Barun Ghimire.Lawmakers drafted a new act in 2023, but budget constraints and security concerns about electronic voting meant “it never materialised”, a former member of the Electoral Commission said on condition of anonymity.In 2022 elections, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) made it a key issue — and shocked traditional parties by becoming the fourth-largest force in parliament.The same year, Balendra Shah, 35, drew on the support of migrants to be elected Kathmandu’s mayor.Shah is the RSP’s prime ministerial candidate next week.”He was elected mayor because of the pressure from Nepali nationals living abroad,” said Nilambar Badal, from the National Network for Safe Migration. “They influenced people in Kathmandu to vote for him.”- ‘Inevitable’ change -Shah told AFP that migrants “should get voting rights”, saying he would tackle the issue “if we reach government”.Other countries allow citizens based overseas to vote.”If both the government and the Election Commission had the willingness, they could have extended the election timeline and included Nepalis living abroad,” said Neil Kantha Uprety, a former chief election commissioner. Lawyer Ghimire said he believed such a change was “inevitable”, adding that the mere fact the issue was being debated made him “optimistic”.Once expatriates were included, their voice would aid democracy, he said.”Imagine a million people voting for a single political party,” he said. “That changes the entire political landscape. They could hold those elected accountable.”

Shaheen Shah Afridi hailed Harry Brook’s century as a “world-class knock” after it took England into the T20 World Cup semi-finals and floored Pakistan to leave their hopes of making the last four out of their own hands. Brook reached his maiden T20 international hundred off 50 balls, with four sixes and 10 fours, as England went past their 165-run target with five balls to spare to win by two wickets.Afridi jolted the England top order with a burst of three wickets before Brook played the ultimate captain’s innings to steer his side home.”In my opinion this will be the best innings of his life,” Afridi told reporters “It wasn’t an easy pitch to bat on but he took the game away from us.”Promoted to number three after a morning conversation with England coach Brendon McCullum, Brook walked in after Afridi dismissed Phil Salt off the first ball of the innings.Afridi then removed Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell to leave England wobbling at 35-3 in the power play.Brook stood firm, adding 45 for the fifth wicket with Sam Curran and 52 with Will Jacks for the sixth.His century was the second fastest in T20 World Cup history, and the first ever by a team’s captain.Only West Indies great Chris Gayle, against England in the 2016 T20 World Cup, reached three figures quicker. He took just 47 balls. Afridi was clobbered for a six and a four as Brook raced through the “nervous nineties” in two balls, going from 90 to 100 before raising his bat.The tall paceman bowled Brook with a yorker next ball, but did not celebrate wildly — instead he immediately went to congratulate the England captain in a superb show of cricket sportmanship.”Brook played proper cricketing shots and he desreved a handshake, so I went to him and shook his hand in appreciation,” said Afridi.Pakistan have only one point from two Super Eight matches so now must win their final game and rely on other results going their way to have any hope of reaching the semi-finals.”We know our fate is not in our hands,” he admitted, “But we need to beat Sri Lanka in our last match on Saturday and then hope other results go our way. “It’s not ideal, but it like this.” 

Captain Harry Brook scored his first T20 international century to take England into the World Cup semi-finals with a nervy two-wicket win against Pakistan in the Super Eights in Kandy.Brook, promoted to number three for the first time in a T20 international, scored exactly 100 off 51 deliveries as England chased down their target of 165 with five balls to spare, despite a late wobble.After England restricted Pakistan to 164-9, Brook came in second ball of the innings with the score 0-1 after Phil Salt’s golden duck, caught behind off Shaheen Shah Afridi.Wickets tumbled in the power play but Brook stood firm. He lifted his side from a precarious 35-3 to 155-6 when he was dismissed, having scored the second fastest century in T20 World Cup history and the first by a team captain.Brook hit four sixes and 10 fours, surpassing his previous best T20 international score of 81 not out against Pakistan in Karachi four years ago.He went to the landmark in style, powering Afridi for a six and four to complete his century off 50 balls before being bowled by the left-arm quick next ball.Brook explained that the decision for him to move up the order from five had been prompted by coach Brendon “Baz” McCullum.”Baz said that this morning, what do you think about going number three? Pakistan’s your team. I was just like, let’s do it,” said Brook.”We wanted to try and maximise the power play a little bit more and everybody knows that I like to try and take the game on and I was going to do that from ball one.”Thankfully it came off and I managed to get us a decent start.”Afridi, returning to the side, took 4-30 also removing Jos Buttler for two and Jacob Bethell for eight in the power play.Brook added 45 for the fifth wicket with Sam Curran (16) and even a burst of two wickets from Usman Tariq did not perturb the England skipper who batted with guts and resolve.Will Jacks helped his skipper towards victory with a brilliant stand of 52, scoring 28 off 23 balls.Spinner Mohammad Nawaz dismissed Jacks and Jamie Overton in the penultimate over to induce some late nerves, but Jofra Archer hit the first ball of the final over for the winning four.- ‘Outstanding’ batting -The defeat leaves Pakistan needing to beat Sri Lanka on Saturday and hope other results go their way to reach the last four after their first match in the Super Eights against New Zealand was washed out.”The way Harry Brook batted was outstanding. He completely took the game away from us,” said Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha.”We just have to wait and see how the other results go. We’ll be hoping they go our way, and then we know we’ll have to win against Sri Lanka.”New Zealand face Sri Lanka on Wednesday in Colombo.Spinner Liam Dawson took 3-24 earlier and was ably supported by Overton (2-26) and Archer (2-32) to restrict Pakistan to 164-9.Opener Sahibzada Farhan continued his good form with a 45-ball 63, with two sixes and seven fours, his third half-century of the tournament.Archer dismissed Saim Ayub for seven in the third over while Dawson picked up Salman Agha for five in the next.Farhan and Babar Azam added 46 for the third wicket.Farhan completed his fifty off 37 balls before Overton trapped him lbw.

Spinner Liam Dawson took three wickets as England restricted Pakistan to 164-9 in their Super Eights clash in Kandy on Tuesday after Sahibzada Farhan made 63.Dawson grabbed 3-24 and was ably supported by Jamie Overton (2-26) and Jofra Archer (2-32) after Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat on a flat pitch.Opener Farhan continued his good form with a 45-ball 63, with two sixes and sevens fours, his third half-century of the tournament.Pakistan failed to lift the tempo as England, who will qualify for the semi-final with a win, kept the pressure on with regular wickets.Archer dismissed Saim Ayub for seven in the third over while Dawson picked up Salman Agha for five in the next.Farhan and Babar Azam added 46 for the third wicket before Overton bowled Azam for a snail-paced 24-ball 25 in the 11th over.Farhan completed his fifty off 37 balls before Overton trapped him lbw.Fakhar Zaman chipped in with a 16-ball 25 with two sixes while Shadab Khan remained unbeaten on 23.England beat Sri Lanka in their first Super Eights clash while Pakistan’s match against New Zealand was washed out.

Co-hosts Sri Lanka can win both their remaining Super Eight matches to rescue their faltering T20 World Cup campaign, starting with New Zealand, said spinner Dunith Wellalage on Tuesday.They must beat New Zealand in the Super Eights clash in Colombo on Wednesday or they will be out before their final match against Pakistan.Sri Lanka were left on the brink after being blasted out for 95 against England to lose by 51 runs a day after New Zealand and Pakistan took a point each from a washout.”We have got to now win both these games,” left-arm spinner Wellalage told reporters.”We know how important a home World Cup is. The fans have turned up in numbers and we have always believed that we can make it to the semi-finals. “The last two games haven’t gone to our plan but we are looking forward to the must-win clash tomorrow.” The 23-year-old Wellalage has stood up for Sri Lanka in the absence of senior bowlers Matheesha Pathirana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Eshan Malinga because of injury.Wellalage bowled in the power play against England and finished with three wickets including captain Harry Brook.”It was a challenge bowling during the power plays and the key was for me to deny the batsmen boundaries,” he said.”I had to be clever with my lengths and when I did that the batters had to take a few chances. I relished the new challenge.”Sri Lanka have struggled in global tournaments since winning the T20 World Cup in 2014.They hosted New Zealand in late 2024 winning Test and ODI series and drawing a T20 series 1-1.a”We have played New Zealand a lot in recent years and we know that we can beat them in these conditions. “We are still in with a chance to make it to the semis and winning tomorrow will be important.”