Hardik Pandya Fires, Suryavanshi 50 And Nabi On Top- February 26 Cricket Highlights

Hardik Pandya and Vaibhav Suryavanshi [Source: @BCCI/x, AFP]

Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma fired Team India to a record T20 World Cup total against Zimbabwe. Vaibhav Suryavanshi bludgeoned a 14-ball half-century in a DY Patil T20 Cup game. In other news, Auqib Nabi leads Jammu and Kashmir’s commanding charge against Karnataka in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy final.

Capping an eventful day in the world of cricket, here we take a look at five of the biggest cricketing news that emerged out of Thursday, February 26.

Auqib Nabi wrecks Karnataka on Day 3 of Ranji Trophy final

Jammu and Kashmir folded up for 584 in 173.1 overs after resuming the innings at 527-6 early in the morning. Senior Karnataka seamer Prasidh Krishna picked up two of the four J&K wickets that fell in the day to claim a sensational five-fer in the high-scoring innings.

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In response, Auqib Nabi led Jammu and Kashmir’s charge with the ball by picking up three early wickets, including the prized scalps of legendary opener KL Rahul and run-machine Karun Nair. Mayank Agarwal stood tall for Karnataka with a sublime 130* by stumps on Day 3 as his team reached a precarious 220-5 in the final of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi clubs 14-ball 50 in DY Patil T20 Cup

Teenage prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi bludgeoned a 14-ball half-century against Indian Navy in the DY Patil T20 Cup 2026 in Navi Mumbai. Opening the innings for DY Patil Blue, the blistering left-hander hammered down 63 runs off just 19 balls with seven cracking boundaries and five huge sixes.

The attacking Rajasthan Royals opener unleashed his fiery knock on a trail of Under-19 World Cup success for India U19, and just weeks prior to the launch of the IPL 2026 season.

Aiden Markram wallops WI as SA inch closer to T20 World Cup semifinals

South Africa blanked hitherto unbeaten West Indies by nine wickets in just 16.1 overs to register their second successive win in the Super 8 stage of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Bowling first, a three-wicket haul from Lungi Ngidi and two wickets apiece from Kagiso Rabada and Corbin Bosch restricted West Indies to 176-8 in 20 overs.

In response, Aiden Markram compiled 82* off 46 balls, and Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton chipped in with swift 40s as the Proteas inched closer to qualifying for the semifinals of the showpiece event.

Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma set up record India total

Team India mounted a colossal 256-4 in 20 overs against Zimbabwe in match number 48 of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The innings marked India’s highest-ever in a T20 World Cup game, and the second biggest total ever recorded by any team in the history of the showpiece event.

Hard-hitting middle-order batters Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma set up India’s big total with their blistering 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket in just 31 balls. Pandya smeared an unbeaten 23-ball 50, while Varma blasted 44* off just 16 balls with three boundaries and four huge sixes.

Rashid Khan likely to be removed as Afghanistan captain, Zadran contender

Afghanistan all-rounder Rashid Khan will likely be removed from his T20I captaincy role, as per reports. As reported by Amu TV, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is planning to hand over team’s leadership to attacking top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran due to “personal issues”.

The reports emerged soon after Afghanistan failed to qualify for the Super 8 of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Despite giving South Africa a scare to remember, the Rashid Khan-led side finished third on the Group D points table with two wins and two defeats from four matches.

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