Abhishek Sharma’s poor run in the T20 World Cup 2026 continued after he was dismissed for a duck against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. The left-hander fell in the first over to off-spinner Aryan Dutt during India’s final Group A match at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Abhishek has now scored zero in three matches in the tournament and is yet to open his account after facing eight balls. This was also his fifth T20I duck this year, equalling Sanju Samson’s record for most ducks by an Indian batter in a calendar year. He previously got out for ducks against USA and Pakistan. (PC: India Today)

Actor Alia Bhatt will present an award at the 79th BAFTA Awards in London. The British Academy confirmed her name in the presenter lineup. The ceremony will take place on February 22 at the Royal Festival Hall. The awards recognise excellence in international cinema. Bhatt shared the update on Instagram by reposting BAFTA’s post. She wrote, “100 points if you can spot me.” She will appear alongside presenters such as Cillian Murphy, Kate Hudson, Bryan Cranston and Alicia Vikander. Filmmaker Lakshmipriya Devi will also attend, with her film Boong nominated in the children’s and family film category. (PC: NDTV)

A six-month-old macaque named Punch is drawing attention after videos showed him hugging a soft toy for comfort at a zoo in Japan. Keepers said his mother rejected him soon after birth. Staff then stepped in and raised him by hand. They provided blankets and soft toys to calm him. Punch quickly bonded with a plush orangutan and now carries it around his enclosure. He is often seen holding it close and sleeping with it. Keeper Kosuke Shikano said, “The stuffed animal’s fur made it easy to grab and likely provided a sense of security.” Punch is now slowly meeting other macaques again. (PC: X)

The United States has moved more than 50 fighter jets, including F-35, F-22 and F-16 aircraft, to West Asia as tensions with Iran continue. Reports said the deployment took place over the past 24 hours. The military buildup comes even as Washington and Tehran reported progress in recent nuclear talks in Geneva. US officials said the two sides “made progress” but added that “a lot of details” are still pending. Iran’s foreign minister called the talks “constructive.” The US has also sent carrier groups and surveillance aircraft to the region. Iran said it will briefly close part of the Strait of Hormuz for military drills. (PC: NDTV)

A 22-year-old Sikh nurse was assaulted at a gym in Australia in what police are treating as a suspected racist attack. According to reports, the victim faced verbal abuse before being physically beaten. Witnesses said the attacker shouted “Indian dog, go back” during the incident. The nurse suffered a broken nose and other injuries and is receiving medical care. A complaint has been filed and an investigation is under way. Community groups have raised concern over rising racial abuse cases. The incident comes months after anti-immigration protests were reported in parts of Australia. Authorities have not released details of the suspect so far. (PC: India Today)

Jammu and Kashmir reached their first-ever Ranji Trophy final after a six-wicket win over Bengal in the semifinal at Kalyani. Chasing a small target, the team lost early wickets before Abdul Samad and Vanshaj Sharma steadied the innings. Samad scored quick runs and attacked the main bowlers to ease pressure. Vanshaj sealed the win with a straight six. Samad also made 82 in the first innings and added a key partnership earlier in the match. Bowler Auqib Nabi took nine wickets across the game. “We deserved it,” he said after the win. Captain Paras Dogra said the team stayed positive despite losing the first-innings lead. (PC: X)

Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said India is a global model for making AI accessible to more people. He spoke at a press conference in New Delhi before the India AI Impact Summit. Pichai said India’s digital systems and language diversity create a strong base for AI growth. He said the country is set for an “extraordinary trajectory” in AI. Google announced new India-focused steps. These include subsea cable links, AI tools for 10,000 schools, and support for 2 crore public servants. A new AI certificate course will be offered in English and Hindi. “AI must work across languages and local contexts,” he said.

Galgotias University was asked to vacate its stall at the India AI Impact Summit after a dispute over a robotic dog display. A viral video showed staff saying the robot was built by the university’s Centre of Excellence. Social media users identified the machine as a Chinese-made Unitree Go2 sold online. The robot was presented at the expo under the name “Orion.” The university later said it only purchased the robot for training and never claimed to have built it. “It is a classroom in motion,” the university said in a statement on X. A community note said earlier on-camera claims showed otherwise. 

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said Sri Lanka president Anura Kumara Dissanayake played the key role in Pakistan reversing its decision to boycott the India match at the T20 World Cup. Pakistan had earlier planned to skip the game in support of Bangladesh. Naqvi said the U-turn came after talks between cricket boards and ICC officials. He said the Sri Lankan president personally called Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to request participation. “You were the actual hero because 2 billion people were entertained because of you,” Naqvi told him. Pakistan later played the match in Colombo but lost to India. Their next game became a must-win. (PC: India Today)

Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States on ending the war concluded in Geneva without a deal after two days of meetings. Negotiators met late Tuesday and again on Wednesday, but reported no breakthrough. Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said the talks were “difficult” but “businesslike” and added that another meeting would happen soon. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the discussions “not easy” due to major gaps between both sides. Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said the talks were “substantive and intensive” but gave no details. Key disputes remain over territory, a ceasefire plan, and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. A future prisoner swap is being discussed. (PC: BBC)