Steve Smith In T20 World Cup, England In Super 8 And Gambhir’s Thanks– February 16 Cricket Highlights

Steve Smith and Gautam Gambhir [Source: X]

Australia's Steve Smith has surprisingly been added to the T20 World Cup 2026 squad, replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood. Meanwhile, the England cricket team, after securing a solid win over Italy, has qualified for the Super 8 stage of the World Cup. In other news, Gautam Gambhir has thanked and responded to a tweet from Lalit Modi, who congratulated the Indian team on their win over Pakistan.

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 Monday, February 16.

Steve Smith Replaces Josh Hazlewood in Australia Squad

After being part of Australia's T20 World Cup 2026 squad as a travelling reserve on February 16, Steve Smith has now been officially included in the squad, replacing senior fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood was ruled out of the tournament earlier this month due to a calf injury.

While the Australian selection committee initially refused to name a replacement at that time, Steve Smith has now been called up to join the squad as the men in yellow risk losing their Super Eight spot in the tournament.

England Qualify for Super 8 With Will Jacks Heroics

England sealed their place in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 with a hard-fought 24-run win over Italy at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. After an early scare, England recovered through explosive knocks from Will Jacks and Jamie Overton to post a commanding 202/7. 

Italy responded bravely, led by Ben Manenti’s blistering 60 and a 92-run stand with Justin Mosca, but fell short at 178/7. England’s bowlers, particularly Overton and Sam Curran with three wickets each, held their nerve to secure qualification with six points in Group C.

Gautam Gambhir Thanks Lalit Modi On Social Media

In a controversial move, India head coach Gautam Gambhir, who is frequently active on his social media handle, was seen replying to former IPL chairman and India fugitive Lalit Modi.

Notably, Lalit Modi took to his official social media account to congratulate India on their dominant win against Pakistan and mentioned Gautam Gambhir in the post, praising him for his stewardship. 

In a surprising turn, Gambhir responded with a thank-you note to the former IPL founder. While the move was controversial, the post quickly went viral, garnering significant online attention.

J&K Skipper Breaks Ranji Trophy Record With 10,000+ Runs

Jammu and Kashmir captain Paras Dogra etched his name in Ranji Trophy history by becoming only the second batter after Wasim Jaffer to cross the 10,000-run mark in the tournament. 

The 41-year-old reached the milestone during the Ranji Trophy Elite 2025-26 semi-final, achieving the feat in his 147th appearance. Despite never representing India at the international level, Dogra’s remarkable longevity and consistency have cemented his legacy as one of the finest performers in India’s domestic circuit.

Afghanistan In Contention For Super 8 After UAE Win!

Afghanistan’s Super 8 hopes in the T20 World Cup 2026 remain alive after their crucial win over the UAE, but qualification is still virtually in their hands. With two points from three matches, they must defeat Canada in their final group game to reach four points.

However, New Zealand also sit on four points with a superior net run rate (+0.701), compared to Afghanistan’s -0.215. To qualify, Afghanistan need a big win over Canada and must hope New Zealand lose heavily in their final match.