The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially removed Bangladesh from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to travel to India for scheduled matches, citing security concerns and rejecting the ICC’s refusal to shift their games abroad. Bangladesh was given a 24-hour ultimatum to confirm participation under the original schedule but failed to comply, leading the ICC to name Scotland as their replacement in Group C. The tournament begins February 7, 2026, with Scotland set to play teams including West Indies, England, Italy and Nepal. This marks a rare pre-event change due to administrative and geopolitical issues impacting international cricket participation. (PC: PTI)

The United States may consider rolling back 25% of the tariffs imposed on India after a decline in its purchases of Russian oil, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. He said the Trump administration imposed 50% tariffs in two phases, including a 25% levy linked to India’s oil trade with Russia. Speaking to US media, Bessent said India’s reduced imports of Russian crude have created conditions for easing part of the duties. He added that the tariffs remain in place for now. India has said its energy import decisions are guided by national interest and not external pressure. (PC: India Today)

ICC chairman Jay Shah may consider strict action if Bangladesh does not agree to play its scheduled T20 World Cup matches in India, ICC sources said. The Bangladesh Cricket Board had earlier asked the ICC to shift its matches to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. The ICC rejected the request after reviewing independent security assessments. Sources said the assessments found no specific threat to the Bangladesh team or venues in India. Overall risk was rated low to moderate and manageable. BCB president Aminul Islam said Bangladesh will not play its matches in India despite the ICC decision. Bangladesh are scheduled to begin their campaign in Kolkata on February 7. (PC: NDTV)

India beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the second T20I in Raipur to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 209, India reached the target in 15.2 overs, the quickest successful chase of a 200-plus total by a full-member team. They broke Pakistan’s earlier record set in 2025. Captain Suryakumar Yadav scored an unbeaten 82 off 37 balls, ending a long run without a fifty. Ishan Kishan struck 76 from 32 balls on his return to the side. Earlier, New Zealand posted 208 for six, led by Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell Santner. (PC: BCCI)

India's badminton campaign at Indonesia Masters ended in disappointment as PV Sindhu lost to top seed Chen Yu Fei 13-21, 17-21 in the quarterfinals. The match turned dramatic when Sindhu received a yellow card followed by a red card for protesting line calls and delaying play while trailing 12-17. Though the red card was overturned after referee intervention, Sindhu briefly rallied to 17-18 but couldn't complete the comeback. Chen dominated with powerful smashes targeting Sindhu's weak areas. Meanwhile, Lakshya Sen also crashed out, losing 18-20, 20-22 to lower-ranked Thai player Panitchapon Teeraratsakul despite strong defensive play, ending India's challenge at the tournament. (PC: X)

Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed Thursday it will not play T20 World Cup matches in India, risking expulsion from the tournament despite ICC's ultimatum. This follows the ICC's Wednesday rejection of Bangladesh's request to relocate matches from India to Sri Lanka, dismissing security concerns. Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul stated "we will not bow down" and cited the BCCI's withdrawal of Mustafizur Rahman from IPL due to extremist threats. Bangladesh is scheduled to play three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. The ICC will likely replace Bangladesh with Scotland. BCB Vice-President Animul Islam Bulbul said they'll continue trying to change ICC's decision, though such reversal appears unlikely as the February 7 tournament approaches. (PC: AP)

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar paid tribute to Saina Nehwal following her retirement announcement, praising her for carrying "Indian badminton to the world stage." Nehwal confirmed her retirement on Monday after being out of competitive action for two years due to severe knee degeneration that made training impossible. Tendulkar highlighted that her greatest achievement was "inspiring young athletes across the country to believe global success is possible." The shuttler revealed her knee couldn't sustain the eight-to-nine-hour training required for world-class competition, swelling after just one-to-two hours. Her career was significantly impacted by a 2016 Olympics knee injury, though she won 2017 World Championships bronze and 2018 Commonwealth Games gold.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has confirmed it will not play its T20 World Cup matches in India, despite the risk of being removed from the tournament. The stance follows the ICC’s rejection of Bangladesh’s request to shift matches to Sri Lanka. The ICC said security assessments found no credible threat to Bangladesh players in India. Bangladesh Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul said, “We will not bow down,” adding that player safety could not be compromised. Bangladesh is scheduled to play matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. Talks between the ICC and BCB have not led to a resolution. The ICC is now likely to replace Bangladesh with Scotland if the boycott continues. (PC: India Today)

Bangladesh captain Litton Das has said players are uncertain about taking part in the T20 World Cup 2026 amid a venue dispute. “We’re not even sure yet whether we’ll go to the World Cup at all,” Das said. He added that players do not know where they will play or who their opponents will be. “No player knows which country we are going to or whom we will play against,” he said. Das also said the Bangladesh Cricket Board did not consult players before deciding not to play matches in India. The BCB has asked the ICC to shift Bangladesh’s games to Sri Lanka. Talks between the ICC and BCB remain unresolved. (PC: Mint)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has praised India head coach Gautam Gambhir, calling his role the “hardest job after the Prime Minister.” The remark followed a meeting in Nagpur ahead of the first T20I against New Zealand. Tharoor shared a photo on X and said Gambhir faces constant public scrutiny but remains calm. He described Gambhir as an old friend and praised his leadership. Responding on X, Gambhir thanked Tharoor for the support and said debates around a coach’s authority would settle with time. The five-match T20I series is part of India’s build-up to the T20 World Cup 2026. (PC: X)