The first semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup will be played today in Kolkata between South Africa and New Zealand teams. The match will be broadcast live on Geo Super and digital app Miko. The South African team has entered the semifinal as an unbeaten team, having won all four of their matches in the first phase of the T20 World Cup, defeating New Zealand, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Canada. In the super eight stage, South Africa won against India, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe, securing their place in the semifinals.
On the other hand, the New Zealand team has a unique feature – an all-rounders’ lineup consisting of players like Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, McCullum, and Chapman. These players have impressed with their exceptional performances in the tournament.
In another sports news, Pakistan has won its third consecutive win in the Hockey World Cup Qualifier, defeating Austria. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the schedule and squads for the National T20 Cup.
The New Zealand team qualified for the semifinals by winning Group 2, while the South African team qualified from Group 1. Pakistan’s runners-up, Zaheer Ali, were the fastest, completing the marathon in 2 hours, 40 minutes, and 9 seconds.
Pakistan will play a two-match Test series against Bangladesh in May. The series is part of the World Test Championship 2027. The Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Salman Naseer, announced that the name of the team ‘Sialkot Stallions’ will be changed to ‘Multan Sultans’.
In other news, Indian cricket team’s practice was delayed by one hour due to the lunar eclipse. The team’s players were reportedly affected by the eclipse. The Pakistan team will tour Bangladesh in May for a two-match Test series.
In another development, Ronaldo’s private jet took off from Riyadh at 8 pm and landed in Madrid at 1 am. The Indian team’s weaknesses are clearly visible, according to Aamer. Pakistani player, Ali Dar, has opposed the inclusion of Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Usman Khan in the World Cup squad, while the selection committee, led by Misbah-ul-Haq, has remained silent on the issue.
In a separate incident, the wreckage of a missile that was shot down has landed in a Turkish town near the Mediterranean. However, there were no casualties. The Turkish Ministry of Defense reported that there was no damage.
Three US officials have spoken to the British news agency, stating that the US military targeted an Iranian warship near Sri Lanka. According to the New York Times, Iranian intelligence officials have expressed a willingness to negotiate with the US for the sake of peace.
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense and Navy sources have confirmed that the Iranian ship was hit by the US military. US President Donald Trump has said that he has no problem with Iran participating in the 2026 World Cup.
