South Africa captain Aiden Markram smashed a magnificent unbeaten 82 to guide his side to a commanding nine-wicket victory over West Indies and maintain their perfect start to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The skipper struck seven fours and four sixes in Ahmedabad as the Proteas chased down a target of 177 with 23 balls to spare.
This comprehensive result moves the 2024 finalists two points clear at the top of Group 1 in the Super 8s phase.
Victory has firmly placed South Africa with one foot in the semi-finals following their fifth consecutive win of the tournament.
Dominant batting display
Markram brought up his half-century off just 27 deliveries in a masterclass of controlled aggression.
The 31-year-old shared a blistering 95-run opening stand with Quinton de Kock before the wicketkeeper was removed by Roston Chase.
De Kock’s dismissal for a rapid 47 in the eighth over did little to stem the flow of runs for the unbeaten side.
Ryan Rickelton joined the fray at number three, chipping in with a quickfire 45 not out off 28 balls to keep the pressure on the bowlers.
The chase was eventually sealed when Markram struck his 11th boundary to cap a flawless performance.
Windies recovery in vain
West Indies had earlier threatened to post a massive total after taking 17 runs off Keshav Maharaj’s opening over.
However, the two-time champions suffered a dramatic collapse as they lost four wickets in the space of 11 balls.
Pacemen Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi claimed two wickets apiece as the Caribbean outfit slumped from 29-0 to 43-4 inside the powerplay.
The situation deteriorated further as they were reduced to 83-7, seemingly out of the contest before the halfway mark.
Late fireworks offer hope
A spirited rescue act was mounted by Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder, who combined effectively for the eighth wicket.
The pair added 89 runs off 57 deliveries to drag their side beyond the 170-run mark.
Shepherd accelerated from 21 to finish unbeaten on 52, while Holder contributed 49 before a run-out on the penultimate ball of the innings.
Despite the duo adding 58 runs in the final five overs, their recovery was ultimately overshadowed by South Africa’s clinical chase.
The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup generated an economic impact of nearly £300m according to new reports released following the record-breaking tournament in England.
Financial boost and record crowds
World Rugby has confirmed the event contributed a total of £294.7m to the UK economy.
The tournament concluded with the Red Roses lifting the trophy in front of a historic crowd at Allianz Stadium.
A world-record attendance of 81,885 watched the final, marking the first time the Twickenham venue had sold out for a women’s fixture.
Alongside ticket sales, the competition delivered a massive 330% increase in sponsorship revenue compared to previous editions.
Partners also benefited from media value estimated at £201m throughout the expanded 16-team spectacle.
Building a legacy
Governing body officials insist these financial results must serve as a launchpad rather than a final destination for the sport.
Two separate impact reports have been published to analyse how the showcase has reshaped the landscape of the women’s game globally.
Sally Horrox, World Rugby’s chief of women’s rugby, is currently leading discussions in London to ensure this success continues.
Horrox emphasised the need to use this momentum ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2029 World Cup in Australia.
“We can remember the euphoria of the sold-out Allianz Stadium with more than 81,000 fans, England crowned as champions,” Horrox said.
“It wasn’t just a moment in time, it has given us and continues to give us the opportunity, for us and our unions, to convert that interest into real lifelong engagement.”
New audiences and participation
Ticket sales reached over 444,000 across the tournament, demonstrating a significant appetite for elite female rugby.
Crucially, data indicates that more than 44% of those attendees were watching the sport live for the first time.
The global governing body is now focused on converting this casual interest into active participation.
Fifty-three member unions have pledged to increase playing numbers significantly over the next four-year cycle.
World Rugby has set an ambitious target of rising from 2.2 million to 3.4 million female players worldwide by 2029.
Saracens are assessing their position regarding the 2019 salary cap scandal following allegations of an undisclosed conflict of interest involving the disciplinary process auditors.
The north London club were relegated to the Championship and fined £5.36m after a disciplinary panel found they had breached spending limits across three seasons.
New reports allege that an accounting firm advising Premiership Rugby (PRL) on the case was simultaneously acting as the auditor for Sale Sharks.
The alleged conflict
According to reports in The Telegraph, Saffery Champness provided "impartial expert advice" regarding Saracens’ financial breaches.
It is alleged this occurred while the firm was working for Sale, a rival Premiership side that stood to benefit financially from sanctions against Saracens.
Sale Sharks reportedly received more than £350,000 as their share of the fine paid by the disgraced champions.
The advice provided by the firm specifically related to the valuation of Maro Itoje’s image rights and the contract of former winger Chris Ashton.
There is currently no suggestion of deliberate wrongdoing by Saffery Champness.
Saracens respond
The StoneX Stadium outfit issued a statement confirming they are looking into the matter closely.
"The allegation has been made that Saffery Champness had a conflict of interest in this matter due to providing ‘independent’ expert advice to PRL on seven out of the nine charges.
"[This occurred] at the same time as being a service provider to other parties, who benefited financially from the outcome of the panel’s determinations."
The club claims these potential conflicts were disclosed neither to the independent panel nor to Saracens themselves during the proceedings.
"The club will consider its position once those affected by this allegation have had an opportunity to respond."
A dominant era ended
Before the scandal broke following the 2019 Rugby World Cup, the club had established themselves as the dominant force in English rugby.
They had secured the Premiership title in four of the previous five seasons before their enforced relegation.
When approached for comment regarding the latest allegations, a Premiership Rugby spokesperson remained tight-lipped.
"PREM Rugby is unable to comment on matters of a confidential nature."
New Zealand have eliminated co-hosts Sri Lanka from the T20 World Cup with a commanding 61-run victory that significantly boosts their own chances of reaching the semi-finals.
Black Caps stifle home side
The tourists successfully defended a total of 168-7 by restricting the Sri Lankans to a struggling 107-8 in reply.
It was a disciplined bowling performance from the Black Caps that silenced the home crowd and effectively dismantled the run chase before it could gain momentum.
Defeat ensures the co-hosts exit the tournament at the Super 8s stage after suffering losses in their opening two fixtures of the round.
Semi-final permutations
The result leaves the Kiwis in a strong position to progress, though they face a crucial final group match against England this Friday.
Qualification is not yet mathematically guaranteed, as Pakistan could still overhaul them on net run rate should they secure a heavy win over the now-eliminated Sri Lankans in their final game.
England have already booked their place in the knockout stages following impressive victories against both Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
England scrum-half Alex Mitchell has been ruled out of the remainder of the Six Nations campaign after suffering a hamstring injury during the defeat by Ireland.
The Northampton Saints number nine was forced off in the 24th minute of Saturday’s 42-21 loss at Allianz Stadium.
It serves as a significant blow to head coach Steve Borthwick, who has started Mitchell in the national side’s last 10 championship fixtures.
Replacements and squad updates
Leicester Tigers’ Jack van Poortvliet, who replaced Mitchell off the bench at the weekend, is likely to feature heavily moving forward.
Bath captain Ben Spencer remains in the wider squad, while Sale Sharks’ Raffi Quirke has been called up to provide additional cover.
Mitchell’s absence increases the likelihood of a completely new half-back pairing for the match against Italy on 7 March.
George Ford is currently under pressure from rival Fin Smith following an underwhelming display against the Irish.
Lawrence and Furbank assessments
Elsewhere in the squad, centre Ollie Lawrence will miss a two-day training camp this week due to a knee issue.
However, the medical team remains hopeful the powerful midfielder will recover in time for the trip to Rome.
Full-back George Furbank will return to Northampton to play in Saturday’s Premiership Rugby Cup match against Saracens to gain match fitness.
Should he come through that fixture unscathed, the back is in line for a return to the matchday squad following a difficult run of injuries.
Seeking stability in Rome
England entered the tournament with high expectations after 11 successive victories but have seen their title hopes ended by losses to Scotland and Ireland.
Borthwick’s men now head to the Italian capital attempting to regain stability rather than competing for silverware.
While England have won all 32 previous meetings between the sides, the Azzurri have enjoyed an impressive campaign, including a victory over Scotland.
Beau Greaves has become the first female player to hit a nine-dart finish on the PDC Pro Tour during her match against Mensur Suljovic in Leicester.
The 22-year-old achieved the historic feat at Players Championship 6 on Wednesday afternoon.
She found perfection in the second leg of her contest against the Austrian veteran.
A perfect finish
Greaves started the leg with back-to-back maximums to set up a potential 141 finish.
‘Beau n Arrow’ kept her composure to nail Treble 20, Treble 19 and Double 12.
It marks a significant milestone in the sport as the Doncaster thrower etches her name into the PDC record books.
Strong form in Leicester
Prior to her clash with the former major winner, Greaves had already displayed impressive form at the Mattioli Arena.
She secured a narrow 6-5 victory over Dutchman Chris Landman in the first round.
Greaves continues to assert herself as a dominant force in the sport, breaking new ground on the professional circuit.
Katie Taylor has confirmed she will bring the curtain down on her decorated career after a farewell fight in Dublin this summer.
The undisputed lightweight champion is set to hang up her gloves after one final appearance on home soil later this year.
A legendary career
The Irish sporting icon has enjoyed a trailblazing tenure in the ring, becoming a two-weight undisputed world champion.
She is widely regarded as one of the greatest female boxers of all time, having also secured Olympic gold at London 2012.
The decision marks the end of an era for Irish sport as the Bray fighter prepares to step away from professional competition.
Homecoming farewell
Details regarding the specific opponent or venue for the summer bout have not yet been announced.
However, the event in the Irish capital promises to be an emotional occasion for the 37-year-old.
Taylor most recently fought in Dublin in November, avenging her only professional defeat against Chantelle Cameron.
Zimbabwe have secured their place in the second stage of the 2026 T20 World Cup, marking a triumphant return to cricket’s elite level after decades of political and financial turmoil.
For those of a certain generation, the idea of the Chevrons succeeding on the global stage is entirely plausible.
Reaching the latter stages of a major tournament once seemed an expected achievement for the African nation.
The late 1990s witnessed a golden era featuring Test series victories against giants like India and Pakistan.
At the 1999 World Cup, a side featuring the likes of Andy Flower and Heath Streak finished an admirable fifth in the Super Six stage.
However, the future that once looked so bright was quickly obscured by a long period in the wilderness.
From golden era to collapse
The trajectory of Zimbabwean cricket shifted dramatically following the 2003 World Cup hosted in South Africa.
Flower and Henry Olonga famously wore black armbands to protest the ‘death of democracy’ under former leader Robert Mugabe.
Both men were subsequently forced to flee the country.
A year later, 14 senior players resigned in protest at political interference and selection quotas.
By 2006, mounting off-field struggles and heavy defeats led the board to voluntarily suspend its own Test status.
The national governing body accumulated debts reportedly as high as $27m (£20m), leaving the sport on the brink of total collapse.
Former all-rounder Sean Williams reflected on the organization’s darkest days in an interview with the BBC in 2023.
“There were more office members employed than players. It was a nightmare.”
Sean Williams, Former Zimbabwe all-rounder
“People knew how much money Zimbabwe Cricket was getting paid but nothing was happening,” Williams added.
“It looked like it was dying at that time – if not dead.”
The road to recovery
The nadir arguably came in 2019 when the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended the board, barring them from global qualifiers.
However, the road back began under the stewardship of chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani.
Finances were tackled aggressively to leave the administration almost debt-free, albeit operating on a shoestring budget.
Staff made huge sacrifices to right a ship that had seemingly hit rock bottom.
Former captain Tatenda Taibu believes the current success at this tournament proves hope was never truly lost.
“Even when things seem to be going southward, there is a certain statement that’s often said in Zimbabwe: ‘I will make a plan’.”
Tatenda Taibu, Former Zimbabwe captain
Taibu insists the resilience of the nation has been key to their sporting revival.
“There have been a lot of ups and downs from the 2000s, but anyone who knows Zimbabweans, you know Zimbabwe will bounce back.”