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Cricket West Indies (CWI) have announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026, set to be played in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Joshua Dorne will captain the side that also includes Jewel Andrew, who has already played three ODIs and five T20Is for the senior West Indies side.

Dorne was picked on the back of an excellent batting display during the Youth ODI series at home against Sri Lanka and England.

West Indies are added in Group D alongside South Africa, Afghanistan, and Tanzania.

Following the announcement, CWI’s High Performance Manager Dwain Gill shared his views on the squad and shared key aspects of the players.

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“In assembling this group, we have aligned their development with the style of play we expect at the senior level, ensured exposure to high-quality match opportunities, and placed a strong focus on leadership, tactical awareness and individual support within their territories,” Dwain Gill, CWI’s High Performance Manager, said.

“The result is a balanced and competitive squad, well-positioned to perform at the Under-19 World Cup and contribute meaningfully to the long-term future of West Indies cricket,” he added.

“The result is a balanced and competitive squad, well positioned to perform at the Under-19 World Cup and contribute meaningfully to the long-term future of West Indies cricket.”

For the unversed, the junior-level 16th edition of the event will be held from 15 January to 6 February 2026. The tournament will continue with its familiar format: 16 teams, four groups, 41 matches, and a Super Six stage leading into semi-finals and a final.

The sides will begin arriving on 8 January for warm-ups scheduled from 9–14 January.

READ: India-South Africa fourth T20I abandoned due to fog

LUCKNOW:  The fourth T20I between India and South Africa has been called off due to excessive fog here on Wednesday.

The play was called off due to excessive fog, with conditions not conducive to play.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city remained in the 400s, a level considered hazardous. Due to this, umpires remained concerned about visibility and six inspections took place before play was finally called off.

With this, India will head into the final fixture already 2-1 up in the series, whereas South Africa will be hoping to draw level.

The final and fifth T20I will be played in Ahmedabad on 19 December, which will also conclude South Africa’s all-format tour of India.

For the unversed, India won the T20I series opener by 101 runs, followed by a dominant comeback win for South Africa in the second match.

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In the second T20I, the Proteas showcased their batting prowess and posted 213-4 in their 20 overs.

In reply, India were bowled out for 162-4 in 19.1 overs, thanks to a clinical bowling effort.

The Men in Blue bounced back with a seven-wicket victory after skittling South Africa for 117 in 20 overs.

The home side reached the target in 15.5 overs, losing only three wickets in the process, courtesy of Abhishek Sharma’s 35 from 18, which was laced with three sixes and three fours.

Earlier, India clinched the ODI series 2-1 while South Africa started the tour with a 2-0 sweep in the Test series.

EREAD: Snicko Operator admits mistake in Carey’s controversial not out

MADRID: World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday announced the end of his long-standing association with coach Juan Carlos Ferror.

The 22-year-old Alcaraz, who has worked with Juan since childhood, announced the split via a social media post ahead of the 2026 season.

Under his coaching, Alcaraz remained highly successful, becoming a major champion after winning six Grand Slam titles.

Carlos thanked his coach for helping him succeed at the highest level and expressed gratitude for supporting him throughout.

“Thank you for turning childhood dreams into reality. We began this journey when I was barely a child, and throughout all this time, you’ve been with me on this incredible adventure, both on and off the court. I have enjoyed every step of it with you,” Alcaraz wrote in his Instagram post.

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“We have reached the top, and I feel that if our paths in tennis were to diverge, it had to be from that very place, the one we always worked towards and aspired to reach,” he said

He also expressed best wishes for Juan Carlos Ferror’s future endeavours in changing times.

“Now, times of change are approaching for both of us, new adventures and new projects. But I’m certain we will both face them in the right way, giving our best, as we’ve always done. Always moving forward. I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart in everything that comes next,” he wished.

However, no reason was given for the end of a long relation.

Notably, the news comes after a month of Alcaraz’s celebration with Ferrroro and his team at the ATP finals.

READ: FIFA announces major increase in 2026 World Cup prize money

The winners of the 2026 World Cup will receive $50 million in prize money as part of a record financial contribution for the tournament from FIFA, world football’s governing body, announced on Wednesday.

The total World Cup prize fund of $655 million (558.5 million euros) represents an increase of almost 50 percent from the $440 million distributed to teams taking part in the last tournament in Qatar in 2022.

However, next year’s World Cup — to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19 — will be the first to feature 48 teams, a 50 percent increase from the 32 teams last time.

The Argentine Football Association received $42 million in prize money after Lionel Messi inspired them to glory three years ago, when they won on penalties in the final against France.

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France received $30 million for their run to the final. This time, the beaten finalists will pocket $33 million, with the third-place finishers collecting $29 million and the other defeated semi-finalists getting $27 million.

Teams eliminated in the group phase will receive $9 million, while all 48 participating nations will get an additional $1.5 million to cover “preparation costs.”

Earlier, World Cup organisers also unveiled a new cut-price ticket category after a backlash by fans over pricing for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Football’s global governing body FIFA said in a statement that it had created a limited number of “Supporter Entry Tier” fixed at $60 for all 104 matches, including the final.

It said the plan was “designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament”.

FIFA said that the $60 (51 euro) tickets would be reserved for fans of qualified teams and would make up 10 percent of each national federation’s allotment.

For the unversed, the draw for tickets of all prices in the first round of sales will take place on Tuesday, January 13.

READ: Snicko Operator admits mistake in Carey’s controversial not out

ADELAIDE: Controversy erupted as Australia wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey wrongfully survived a caught behind England review on the opening day of the third Ashes Test here on Wednesday.

Carey hit 106 off 143 balls on his home ground, which kept Australia afloat at stumps as the scorecard read 326-8.

His knock hauled Australia out of trouble after losing two quick wickets in the first over after lunch. However, he could have been out way too early from his landmark.

The left-handed batter survived a caught behind review when he was batting on 72, and the scoreboard read 245-6.

During the second ball of the 62nd over, England appealed for a caught behind and reviewed it straight away, which was eventually turned down by umpire Ahsan Raza.

There was an evident noise as the ball went past Carey’s outside edge, whereas a large spike was also seen on Snicko technology.

However, TV umpire Chris Gaffaney swiftly ruled the not-out decision should be upheld because the Snicko spike showed up before the ball had reached the bat.

Later on, the operator of the Snicko technology, BBG Sports, admitted the mistake that led to Carey’s wrongful survival of an England review.

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Carey, who went on to make 106 having been on 72 at the time of the review, admitted during a press conference after the close that he thought he had edged the delivery.

Later on Wednesday, BBG Sports, the company that owns Snicko, accepted culpability for the mistake.

Notably, the sound used for the review was taken from the stump microphone at the bowlers’ end rather than the striker’s end, which caused a discrepancy between the pictures and the sound wave shown to TV umpire Chris Gaffaney.

“Given that Alex Carey admitted he had hit the ball in question, the only conclusion that can be drawn from this, is that the Snicko operator at the time must have selected the incorrect stump mic for audio processing,” BBG Sports said.

“In light of this, BBG Sports takes full responsibility for the error,” it added.

For the unversed, the decision review system (DRS) technology, which is mandatory in ICC World Test Championship matches, is provided by the host TV broadcaster for the home team.

READ: BBL 15: Adelaide Strikers outplay Babar Azam’s Sydney Sixers

Italy have confirmed a major selection call ahead of their maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup appearance, with former Australia opener Joe Burns left out of the squad for the 2026 tournament.

The Italian Cricket Federation (Federazione Cricket Italia) has announced that Derbyshire stalwart Wayne Madsen will lead the side at the global event, scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.

Burns, who moved to Italy in 2024 and went on to captain the national side in three of the eight T20 internationals he played, will not be part of Italy’s first-ever World Cup campaign.

The decision comes despite Burns playing a key role in Italy’s qualification journey through the European pathway.

In an official statement released late on Tuesday, the country’s cricket federation clarified that the omission followed unsuccessful discussions between the board and the player.

“The Federation can confirm that Joe Burns will not be selected as part of Italy’s squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” the statement read.

“Although preliminary exchanges of availability took place in recent weeks, a full agreement was never reached and, consequently, a formal contract was not signed.”

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The board added that internal technical and organisational assessments led to Madsen’s appointment as captain, stressing the importance of stability and continuity ahead of what it termed a “historic event” for Italian cricket.

“At the same time, internal technical and organizational evaluations led to the selection of Wayne Madsen as captain,” the statement said.

Madsen, who was appointed captain in late November, will lead Italy in their bilateral series against Ireland in January and at the T20 World Cup itself.

Notably, Italy are yet to formally submit their final squad list for the tournament, which will mark their first appearance at any ICC global event at the senior level.

Joe Burns, who played 23 Tests and six ODIs for Australia between 2014 and 2020, became eligible for Italy through his mother’s heritage and relocated there in 2024 as a tribute to his late brother.

He featured prominently in Italy’s T20 World Cup qualifying campaign, captaining the side at the Europe Region Final and helping secure qualification for the 2026 edition.

READ: Alex Carey pays tribute to late father after home Ashes century

SYDNEY: Luke Wood’s all-round show propelled Adelaide Strikers to a three-wicket victory over Sydney Sixers in the fourth fixture of the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 here at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

Adelaide Strikers chased down a stiff 160 on the second ball of the final over, losing seven wickets in the process.

Liam Scott remained the top-scorer with 51 from 32, striking three sixers and three fours. Jamie Overton remained the other notable contributor with 30 off 20, while Luke Wood stayed till the end to ensure that his side crossed the finishing line.

Wood remained unbeaten on 18 from 14 with the help of a boundary.

Openers Chris Lynn and Matthew Short were off the blocks quickly, adding 27 in 2.3 overs before the former was caught after scoring five.

Soon after, skipper Short fell with 15 to his name from 11, which left Strikers 34-2 in 3.4 overs.

With the required run rate relatively easy to achieve, Jason Sangha and Liam Scott took their time at the crease to stitch a brief 22-run partnership.

Sangha departed after scoring 12 from 15, while Scott continued on and held the Strikers’ innings together with vital contributions.

He was involved in brief stands with Alex Ross and Jamie Overton, which took the score over the 100-run mark.

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Eventually, Adelaide Strikers reached the target, thanks to Overton and Wood’s calculated knocks in the last five overs.

With 37 required from 30 balls, Overton did the bulk of the scoring until his dismissal in the final over, which brought the equation to five from six balls.

However, Hasan Ali sneaked three on the first ball, which was followed by a double run from Wood, sealing the victory for the Strikers in their opening game.

For Sydney Sixers, Jack Edwards picked up two wickets in his quota of four overs.

Earlier, put into bat first, Sydney Sixers were limited to 159-9 at the end of their 20 overs.

Josh Philippe top-scored with 46 from 28, striking eight fours and a six, which helped the home side reach a respectable total.

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Despite losing Babar Azam early in the second over for nine, Sixers were cruising till the 11th over with 94 on the board.

But it was Lloyd Pope’s double-wicket 12th over that sparked a mini collapse and derailed the Sixers innings.

Jack Edwards was the other notable batter who hit 32 from 21 with the help of three fours and a six.

For Adelaide Strikers, Luke Wood scalped three wickets while Jamie Overton and Lloyd Pope picked up two wickets.

READ: Alex Carey pays tribute to late father after home Ashes century

ADELAIDE: An emotional Alex Carey called his 106 on home soil in front of family and friends in the third Ashes Test a “special moment” on Wednesday, with the century coming just months after his father died.

The 34-year-old, who produced a wicketkeeping masterclass during the second Test at Brisbane, showed his prowess with the bat to steer Australia to 326-8 at stumps on day one against England.

It was his third Test century, his first in an Ashes series, and an innings to savour with his friends and family watching.

Carey punched the air and looked to the heavens when he reached the milestone as his wife, Eloise, sobbed in the stands.

It was the first time Carey had reached three figures since his father Gordon died after a battle with leukaemia in September, and he called it a “special moment”.

“Probably won’t go into too much depth thinking through the reasons why, I’ll probably get emotional, but yeah, it was great,” he said.

“Dad played the biggest role probably in my cricket, coached me all the way through as dads want to do,” he added.

“Sort of let me go once I got into my older teenage years, but would always shoot a message and (say) put the reverse sweep away and keep hard on me.”

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Carey’s 106 off 143 balls hauled Australia out of trouble after losing two quick wickets in the first over after lunch, then Usman Khawaja departed for a gritty 82.

He shared in partnerships with Josh Inglis, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to get the hosts back on track as they target an unassailable 3-0 series lead.

“Really, a little bit of a sticky situation there straight after lunch,” he said. “So to form a partnership with Uzzie (Khawaja), and I guess keep us in the mix, was special.

“Would love to have scored more runs and been there a bit longer. But to be able to take the helmet off and look up to the heavens, it was a really nice moment.”

Khawaja was parachuted in at the last moment when Steve Smith pulled out with illness just before the toss.

He came in at four after being overlooked as opener in favour of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald, with many fearing it spelt the end of his career.

But Alex Carey said Usman Khawaja still had plenty to give the team.

“I still think he’s got so much to give to this group,” he said. “We saw him again today, and he played really well.”

READ: Samina Baig makes history as first Pakistani to ski to South Pole

Pakistani mountaineer Samina Baig has once again etched her name in the annals of global exploration, becoming the first Pakistani to ski to the South Pole.

Covering 111 kilometres across the extreme terrain of Antarctica, Baig completed the “Last Degree” journey on December 14, 2025, planting the Pakistani flag at the southernmost point of the Earth.

The expedition, organised by Elite Exped, departed from Pakistan on December 2 and reached Union Glacier on December 6.

After days of gruelling skiing through harsh Antarctic conditions, Baig’s achievement marked a major milestone in her pursuit of the prestigious Explorer Grand Slam, a challenge that requires adventurers to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents and reach both the North and South Poles.

Samina Baig, who hails from the remote village of Shimshal, has a remarkable history of trailblazing accomplishments.

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She became the first Pakistani woman to summit Mount Everest in 2013, and by July 2014, she had completed the Seven Summits, which include Everest, Kilimanjaro, McKinley, Mont Blanc, Elbrus, Aconcagua, Vinson, and Puncak Jaya.

She is also the first Pakistani woman to climb K2, the world’s second-highest and one of the most technically challenging mountains.

In a heartfelt post on her Facebook page, Baig reflected on her journey to the South Pole.

“This ski journey has never been accomplished by any Pakistani in the past. It has been one of the most challenging and meaningful experiences of my life,” she posted.

“From standing on the summit of Mount Everest in 2013 to completing the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each continent, from climbing K2 and Nanga Parbat to now reaching the South Pole, this journey has taken me across the highest mountains and the most remote places on Earth.

“Every step along the way has taught me patience, resilience, and the power of belief.”

She credited her success to the support of her family, the Pakistani community that funded the expedition, fellow mountaineer Nirmal Purja, and the Elite Expeditions team.

“Without their trust, encouragement, and kindness, this journey would not have been possible,” she wrote.

Highlighting the importance of inspiring others, particularly women, Baig said: “Carrying the flag of Pakistan and my Ismaili flag across mountains, continents, and polar ice has been the greatest honour of my life. I hope my journey encourages others to pursue their dreams, no matter how challenging they may seem.”

READ: PSL 11 set to be played under new format: reports

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 will be played under a new format, with the expanded eight-team tournament set to unfold in two phases, according to reports.

Scheduled from March 26 to May 3, 2026, PSL 11 will comprise 44 matches across a 39-day window.

According to the details, the redesigned structure moves away from the traditional league system to accommodate the expanded field without significantly extending the tournament’s duration.

Under the new format, the opening phase will be played on a single-league basis, with each of the eight teams facing every other side once. This stage will ensure uniform competition before the league progresses to its next phase.

The second phase will adopt a Super Four-style structure, splitting the eight teams into two groups of four.

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Each team will play three matches in this round, resulting in 12 fixtures and shaping the final standings ahead of the knockout stage.

The top two teams from the Super Four phase will advance to the playoffs. As in previous editions, four playoff matches, including the final, will be held to determine the PSL 11 champions.

Despite the revised format and increase in the number of teams, each side will still be guaranteed a minimum of 10 matches, maintaining parity with earlier seasons of the league.

Matches will be staged in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan, while Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad is set to make its PSL debut as a host venue.

READ: Alex Carey slams ton as Australia seize upper hand on day one