KOLKATA: India on Sunday won the toss and opted to bowl first against West Indies in the high-stakes ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights match here at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.

Squads

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Rinku Singh.

West Indies: Shai Hope (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Quentin Sampson, Jayden Seales and Romario Shepherd.

MLS and the Saudi Pro League are both “possible options” for Liverpool‘s Mohamed Salah this summer, while Manchester United are eyeing Nottingham Forest defender Murillo. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

– A summer departure for Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is appearing “increasingly likely,” according to BBC Sport. The Egypt international signed a new two-year deal last year, but in December hinted that he could leave Liverpool midseason and suggested the club has “thrown him under the bus” as he was repeatedly dropped from the starting XI. Salah remained at Liverpool once the January transfer deadline had passed, and he has started every game since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations. Despite that, an exit could be on the cards this summer, with the BBC reporting that the Saudi Pro League and MLS are “possible options” for the 33-year-old. Salah has scored two goals in nine club appearances in 2026.

– Manchester United are showing keen interest in Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, according to TEAMtalk. The Red Devils have reportedly scouted the Brazilian “extensively,” making him an option for the summer. A transfer fee upwards of £60m has been quoted following some impressive performances for Forest. He is the third player from the City Ground that United have been linked with, in addition to England midfielders Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White.

– Real Madrid are set to join Liverpool in the battle to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck, Mundo Deportivo reports. Los Blancos reportedly have the Germany centre-back down as a top target for the summer, when he enters his final year under contract with Dortmund. Liverpool have been linked with Schlotterbeck, with Ibrahima Konaté approaching the final few months of his contract at Anfield, while Virgil van Dijk‘s deal is due to expire at the end of next season. The Reds have already agreed a deal to sign Jérémy Jacquet from Stade Rennais to help strengthen the defensive department in the summer, but it’s unclear whether Schlotterbeck will join him at this stage.

– Atlético Madrid, Juventus and Newcastle United are all showing interest in signing Darwin Núñez this summer, according to Football Insider. The former Liverpool striker has been left out of Al Hilal‘s Saudi Pro League squad after they registered the signing of Karim Benzema, leading to talk of a possible exit. Atlético are reportedly the most likely to seal a deal out of the clubs named, with Núñez required to take a pay cut if he is to leave Al Hilal.

– AC Milan have added Chelsea loanee Nicolas Jackson to the top of their transfer wish list of strikers for the summer, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. The Senegal international is unlikely to remain at Bayern Munich, where he has received just 641 minutes of football so far in his loan spell this season, and will be available on another loan deal with a permanent option included. Milan have made him a target, while they have also shown interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy.

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OTHER RUMORS

– Liverpool view Real Madrid star Rodrygo as an option to replace Mohamed Salah in the summer, with the Brazil international facing an uncertain future. Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are among those also linked (Ekrem Konur)

– Manchester City believe that they are leading the race to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest this summer, ahead of their city rivals Manchester United (TEAMtalk)

– Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in Eintracht Frankfurt defender Nathaniel Brown. (Ekrem Konur)

– Manchester United are concerned about losing Harry Maguire as a free agent in the summer, when his contract expires, at the same time as losing another experienced player in Casemiro. (Daily Mail)

– Juventus are eyeing a possible reunion with Randal Kolo Muani if Tottenham Hotspur do not make his loan move from Paris Saint-Germain permanent. (Tuttosport)

– Sunderland and West Ham United are keen on AC Milan and Mexico striker Santiago Giménez as his future appears uncertain at the Italian club. (AS)

– Manchester City are interested in Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso, having previously missed out on landing the defender. (Football Insider)

– A Newcastle scout was in attendance to watch Parma vs. Cagliari in Serie A, keeping tabs on 20-year-old defender Marco Palestra, who is on loan at Cagliari from Atalanta. (Nicolo Schira)

– Jesse Lingard‘s move to Corinthians edges closer to completion, with he two parties agreeing on a one-year deal with an option of another year, subject to a medical (Fabrizio Romano)

KANDY: Pakistan’s shortcomings were laid bare during their lacklustre T20 World Cup campaign which ended Saturday when the team failed to reach the semi-finals.

From the captain Salman Agha, who was criticised for not being a T20 player, to slow batting rates and the use of all-rounders not up to the job, Pakistan were shown to be behind the times in the rapid-fire format.

Former wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal believes there is a huge gulf in standard between Pakistan and the top sides such as India, West Indies, South Africa and England.

“Other teams have evolved to the demands of Twenty20 cricket, but neither our team nor our players meet those standards,” Akmal told AFP.

“It is like other teams are playing on the moon and we are on earth. We only beat smaller teams but lose to top teams.”

Pakistan had high hopes for the T20 World Cup after sweeping Australia 3-0 in a pre-tournament series.

They boasted a quintet of spinners that should have been suited to the turning pitches in Sri Lanka where they played all their matches.

But they received a rude awakening in their first match against the Netherlands when only they squeezed home by three wickets in the final over thanks to Faheem Ashraf’s 11-ball 29.

‘Failed to handle pressure’

Like most of his predecessors at World Cups, Agha blundered in the pressure-cooker match against India, which only went ahead after the Pakistan government U-turned on a boycott just days before the encounter.

Agha won the toss and asked India to bat. The decision backfired badly as Pakistan conceded 175 and were hammered by 61 runs.

Agha inexplicably held back his mystery spinner and chief weapon Usman Tariq to the 11th over, by which time opener Ishan Kishan had scored his match-shaping 77 and India were well on their way to a winning total.

“How on earth did you bowl at a venue which was suited to batting first,” questioned former Pakistan player Basit Ali.

“After India scored 175 our batters failed to handle the pressure of a chase.”

Agha also held back Tariq’s second over against England, after he took a wicket in his first, allowing captain Harry Brook to build a sparkling match-winning century.

“It was weak captaincy from Agha,” said Akmal, who also took aim at the head coach Mike Hesson and the selectors.

“We were also not helped by head coach Mike Hesson, who has an obsession for bit-and-pieces all-rounders who were neither complete bowlers, nor good batters.”

Pakistan’s insistence in sticking with the out-of-sorts Babar Azam did nothing to help their shaky batting.

The star batsman’s slow scoring at number four interrupted the side’s rhythm.

He was dropped for the final match against Sri Lanka on Saturday where Pakistan finally posted a total in excess of 200, but it proved too little too late as New Zealand progressed on net run rate.

“We are all fans of Azam but he disappointed us by not adapting to the demands of T20 cricket,” said one Pakistan fan, Saud Baloch, who resigned from his job in the United Arab Emirates to go to the World Cup.

“The whole Pakistan fandom is not only disappointed but angry.

“But we know nothing will change and we will continue to mourn such defeats in future.”