Australia Announced Their Squad For The ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Australia has announced its 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be commanded by Mitchell Marsh. Three new players will play for Australia for the first time in the T20 World Cup, which includes spinner Matthew Kuhnman, all-rounder Cooper Connelly and fast bowler Xavier Bartlett. Apart from this, strong all-rounders like Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green have also been included in the team, who can sometimes turn the tables with their game.

Pat Cummins returns to Australia’s T20 squad

Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins has returned to Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. Along with him, experienced bowlers like Josh Hazlewood have also been included, while Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa will work to make the team’s bowling more lethal on Indian pitches. In such a situation, it can be said that Australia has announced a strong team for the T20 World Cup.

When is Australia’s match in T20 World Cup?

Australia is in Group-B in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Apart from Australia, teams from Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Oman and Ireland are also present in this group. The Australian team’s first match in the tournament will be played against Ireland on 11 February at the R Premadasa Cricket Stadium. Australia is the strongest team in its group, but it may face tough competition from Sri Lanka and Ireland. Australia’s second match will be with Sri Lanka on 16 February. The team will play its last league match against Oman on 20 February. Before that, it also has to face Zimbabwe on 13 February. Let us tell you that this time a total of 20 teams are participating in the T20 World Cup, which has been divided into four groups. Two teams from each group will reach the Super-8 and then the knockout competition will begin.

Australian team for T20 World Cup 2026: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connelly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Matthew Kunhman, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa.

The year 2026 has started in New Zealand. New Zealand welcomed the New Year with a grand fireworks display from ‘Sky Tower’, the tallest building in Auckland. As the first major city to welcome the New Year, Auckland’s approximately 1.7 million residents watched as 3,500 fireworks were fired from the 240-metre (787 ft) high Sky Tower. However, the celebrations were somewhat subdued due to rain in Auckland. Many small local events in the North Island were canceled due to warnings of rain and possible storm.

First place in the world to celebrate 2026

According to NDTV report, Kiritimati island, part of the Pacific country Kiribati, is the first place in the world where the New Year began. Located in the UTC+14 time zone, this island is also known as Christmas Island.

Auckland kicks off 2026 celebrations with a fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower. pic.twitter.com/9UcQ0DDrUH

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 31, 2025

At the same time, New Year events were kept limited in Indonesia also. The reason for this was the floods and landslides that occurred in Sumatra last month, in which more than 1,100 people lost their lives. In the capital Jakarta, simple events focused on prayers for the victims were held, while the mayor of Makassar appealed to citizens to stay away from parties and show condolences. Whereas in Bali, fireworks shows were canceled and traditional cultural programs were organized in their place.

New Year started on a sad note in Sydney

At the same time, across the Tasman Sea in Sydney, the year 2026 started in a serious and mournful atmosphere. The impact of the mass shooting incident that took place during the Hanukkah festival on December 14, 2025 at Bondi Beach in Australia’s largest city Sydney, in which a total of 15 people died and 40 were injured, was still visible. However, despite this horrific incident, thousands of people gathered on the downtown waterfront to watch the fireworks over the Sydney Harbor Bridge. During this period, strict security arrangements were also made.

According to an Associated Press report, for the first time, policemen were deployed with rapid-fire rifles at a New Year event. A minute’s silence was observed an hour before midnight to pay tribute to the victims. Additionally, images of menorahs were projected onto the bridge pillars and attendees were urged to light their mobile phone torches in solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community.

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Sir Don Bradman, who scored runs at an average of 99 in Test cricket, is considered to be the greatest batsman of this game. Bradman’s specialty was that he used to score runs against every team. Today once again he is in the news, and that is because 1947-48 His cap worn in the Test series against India will be auctioned.

Sir Don Bradman’s baggy green cap will be auctioned

Sir Don Bradman’s full name is Sir Donald Bradman. The baggy green cap he wore during India’s 1947-48 tour of Australia will be auctioned next month. Bradman had gifted a cap to Indian all-rounder Sriranga Vasudev Sohoni during that series. That was the first international cricket tour of India as an independent nation.

Most of the surviving Baggy Green caps from Bradman’s era are housed in various museums, but this cap has never been displayed publicly or put up for sale.

According to the Australian Associated Press (AAP), this cap has been continuously owned by the same family for more than 75 years. “This is a genuine piece of cricket history, personally gifted by Sir Donald Bradman,” said Lee Hames of Lloyds Auctions.

Sir Bradman had scored runs at an average of more than 178 in the test series against India.

Test cricketers of Bradman’s era wore different caps for each series. This cap will be publicly auctioned. Bradman is considered the greatest batsman in the history of the game. In the 1947–48 series against India, he scored 715 runs in six innings at an average of 178.75. During this period he had scored three centuries and one double century. Australia won this series 4-0.

Brett Lee, one of Australia’s dreaded fast bowlers, has shaken the whole world with his statement. Fast bowlers will like this statement very much. Lee told that at the age of just 9 he 160 The target was to achieve a speed of 1 km per hour. He also said that until he achieved his target, he did not feel happy even in taking wickets.

49-year-old Brett Lee, who was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, said that he had dedicated his life to making this dream come true. For this he credited his mother Helen, who was a sprinter and thus had the necessary genetic qualities to become a speed merchant.

According to cricket.com AU, Brett Lee said, ,That (160 kmph) means more to me than any wicket. Certainly the team is paramount. Winning the World Cup (2003), winning 16 consecutive Tests. This is the highest achievement. This is what the game is played for. But as far as personal achievements are concerned, taking wickets was not that important for me, because I had set a target of achieving and surpassing the speed of 160 kmph at a very young age. When you dream of achieving something. You dedicate your life to achieving it, and then when that dream comes true, it is very special.,

Lee ended his two-decade-long career with 718 international wickets across all formats. He is counted among the best fast bowlers in the world, because he instilled fear in the top batsmen around the world. Lee said that his physical structure and athletic ability made him naturally skilled to become a fast bowler.

He said, ,For me the run up was most important. After that keep the front foot firmly planted. This is something that you get by birth. I had this quality naturally and hence it benefited me. After this comes the front arm. The sudden lowering of the left arm, which was responsible for my movement. As fast as my left arm came down, my right arm also followed with equal speed.,

He once said that since the age of 9, he wanted to bowl fast. Lee achieved a speed of more than 160 kmph twice in his career. The first time was in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, where he dismissed Sri Lanka’s Marvan Atapattu in the semi-finals with a ball traveling at 160.1 kmph.

Lee said, ,There was a bit of pressure on us at that time (defending 212 runs) and I had to give my best performance. It was important for me to bowl as fast as possible at a good length. When I saw on the scoreboard that my speed had crossed 160 kmph, it was a very special moment.,

After this, he made the record of bowling his fastest ball at a speed of 160.8 km per hour during the fifth ODI against New Zealand in Napier on March 5, 2005. He said, “You can call it irony that I felt most fit when I bowled my fastest ball (160.8 kmph) against the Kiwis in Napier, but that was a time when I was out of the Test team for 18 months.”

The fourth Test of the Ashes 2025-26 between Australia and England is starting in Melbourne from Friday. England has lost the series after losing the first 3 tests of the series played in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. England will enter the next 2 Tests with the intention of saving their honour, which does not seem easy. Let us know what is England’s record so far in Melbourne.

England’s record so far at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is not very bad, but victory has not been easy for them even at this venue. A total of 57 Tests have been played between Australia and England in Melbourne. Australia has won 29 Test matches, while England has won 20 Test matches. 8 tests are being drawn. If we look at the statistics, England have hardly won on this ground.

England will try to get their first win of the tour in the Test match starting from Friday.

The pitch in Melbourne Test is favorable for fast bowlers. Captain Steve Smith has said that he is thinking of giving place to only 4 fast bowlers in the playing eleven. Smith has said that Nathan Lyon is not a part of this test due to injury, but even if he was fit, it would have been difficult for him to make a place in the team. Australia will announce the playing eleven at the time of the toss.

England’s baseball style has proved to be a complete flop in this series. After the defeat in the Adelaide Test and the series loss, England captain Ben Stokes had said that the intention with which he had come on the tour could not be fulfilled. He will try to improve his performance and win in the remaining test matches. England have included Jacob Bethel and Gus Atkinson in the team for the Melbourne Test. England has not won the Ashes series since 2015.

England’s playing eleven of Melbourne test

Jack Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethel, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacques, Gus Atkinson, Braydon Carse, Josh Tongue.

Australia team for Melbourne test

Travis Head, Jack Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (captain), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Michael Neser, Brendan Doggett, Jhye Richardson.

The horrific mass shooting that took place on December 14 at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia shocked the entire country. This is considered to be one of the most horrific incidents in Australia in nearly 30 years, in which 15 people lost their lives. The attack occurred during the Jewish community’s Hanukkah festival, when people were celebrating on the beach. After this painful incident, the family of Australian cricket team player Usman Khawaja also became a victim of hatred and racist comments.

Usman Khwaja’s family received hatred

Usman Khawaja, who comes from the Muslim community and is currently playing the Ashes series, has not publicly reacted to these comments. However, his wife Rachel Khawaja has shared screenshots of some very objectionable messages on social media, in which their innocent daughters were also targeted.

Rachel wrote, “I have collected a small sample of some of the messages we have received over the past week. I wish I could say that this is all new, but the truth is that we have had to face this kind of hate before. After this incident, these comments have increased even more.”

In these messages, his daughters were called with hateful terms like “future school attackers”. Some people even asked the family to “go back” to Pakistan. These comments have once again exposed the Islamophobia and racism present in the society.

Rachel Khawaja appealed to people to remain united, saying, “Today more than ever, it is important that we all stand together. Be it anti-Semitism, Islamophobia or racism. We must not accept any kind of hatred.”

Usman Khawaja and cricket world’s reaction on the attack

Earlier, Usman Khawaja had strongly condemned the Bondi Beach attack. He had written on social media that this incident is heart breaking and people have lost their lives unnecessarily. He expressed condolences to the victims’ families and the Bondi community. Khawaja also shared a statement from the Jewish Council of Australia, which called the attack horrific and shocking.

Cricket Australia (CA) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also issued a joint statement expressing grief over this tragedy. Both boards expressed solidarity with the victims, their families and the Jewish community.

Australian team captain Pat Cummins also expressed deep sorrow over this incident and appealed to the people to donate blood. He said that it is very important to support each other in this difficult time.

Now new revelations are coming to light in the terrorist attack in Australia. Shocking allegations have come to light in the documents filed in the court here. It has been claimed that the gunmen who carried out the terrorist attack had thrown several home made bombs that looked like tennis balls at the crowd during a celebration of the Jewish community. After this the firing incident was carried out.

24 year old Navid Akram, arrested in this case, has been charged with 59 charges. 15 people were killed and dozens were injured in the shooting during Hanukkah celebrations. At the same time, Naveed’s father Sajid Akram was shot dead by the police on the spot. Naveed was also in coma for the last one week, he was taken into custody after regaining consciousness.

Navid Akram has been charged with several counts including carrying out terrorist activity, 15 murders, 40 cases of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder, possession of explosives. Naveed will be presented before the court in April.

Shocking revelations in police fact sheet
In the fact sheet released by the police, father Sajid and son Naveed have been accused of carrying out a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State. This incident was a well thought out conspiracy.

According to Australian news, in documents filed in the court, investigators have admitted that the two had three pipe bombs and a fourth device, which was made from tennis balls. These are active improvised explosive devices. Police allege that the bombs were made using sealed aluminum pipes. These were filled with black powder and steel ball bearings. However, no explosion of any kind has occurred in these devices. This could cause serious harm.

Before the attack, terrorists had conducted a recce of the incident site.
According to the fact sheet, explosives were thrown into the crowd during the firing itself. The police have made the pictures of these devices public. Police say the two men went to Bondi in a silver Hyundai Elantra from an Airbnb in Campsie. Before leaving from here, they had loaded two single barrel shotguns, a Beretta rifle, Islamic State flags and homemade explosives.

They had also placed IS flags inside the windscreen of the vehicle. After this went towards the footbridge in front of the beach. After this, they opened fire on the crowd, in which 14 people died instantly on the spot, while the 15th victim died in the hospital itself. Apart from this, both of them had done recce of the attack site. In the CCTV footage of December 12, Naveed and Sajid are seen in the area of ​​the attack.

Two police officers were injured in the incident
Police say that two police officers were injured during retaliatory action in this attack. These include probationary constable Jack Hibbert (22) and constable Scott Dion (24). In these, Jack lost his eyesight and Scott had to undergo emergency surgery.

Many secrets revealed from terrorist’s mobile
In this case, many suspicious videos have also been found from Navid Akram’s mobile. This involves months of preparations. Both the sons were undergoing weapons training in a village in New South Wales. Its videos have also been found from mobile. A photograph with the flag of Islamic State was also found in his mobile.

A video has been recovered from the mobile phone, in which both the father and son are seen sitting in front of IS Sunday. Four guns are also seen placed behind them. The police have admitted that both of them worked with the aim of furthering the extremist ideas associated with the Islamic State.

Australian PM Anthony Albanese has apologized to the Jewish community regarding the Bondi Beach attack. He said he felt deep responsibility for the incident and promised that his government would never allow terrorists to divide Australian society. On December 14, two father-son duo opened fire on the Jewish community celebrating Hanukkah on Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring many.

According to IANS report, Albanese has also responded to the allegations of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu. He said that there is no link to this incident with recognition of Palestine. Netanyahu said in a statement on December 15 that the Australian government did nothing to stop anti-Semitism and rewarded terrorism by recognizing Palestine, which led to the attack.

Australia recognized Palestine as a state in September, as part of an international effort to achieve a two-state solution, a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages by Hamas. Netanyahu said that Australia’s policies are weakness instead of weakness and appeasement instead of appeasement. On Monday (December 22, 2025), Albanese responded to these allegations, while talking to journalists on the Bondi Beach attack, saying that he did not agree with any such thing. There is no link to this attack with recognition of Palestine.

Albanese said, ‘This attack had the imprint of ISIS. We know that ISIS is an ideology, a distorted form of Islam that fundamentally has nothing to do with the recognition of any nation, it wants a caliphate. He said he was now able to provide a more comprehensive response after the court released more details on Monday morning.

PM Albanese further said, ‘This is an extremist ideology that wants a caliphate as its goal. Now there is evidence… some of which, of course, is not public yet, and I don’t want to interfere with those investigations, but it is very clear that this is anti-Semitism. It is clear that this is an extremist position of a distorted form of Islam, close to ISIS. These people are not even shy about their inspiration. According to Albanese, people will have to keep an eye on those facts.

On 16 December, Albanese announced that the government would criminalize hate speech and incitement to violence, ban Nazi salutes, increase funding to protect Jewish sites and tighten gun laws.

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US President Donald Trump started Hanukkah celebrations at the White House by expressing condolences over the horrific terrorist attack in Sydney, Australia. On this occasion, Trump termed the anti-Semitic terrorist attack on Sydney’s Bondi Beach as ‘horrible and anti-Semitic terrorism’ and appealed to all the countries of the world to unite against radical Islamic terrorism.

Send ‘love and prayers’ to Australia
Addressing Hanukkah celebrations, Trump said, ‘I want to take a moment to send love and prayers to the people of Australia, and especially to all those who have been affected by this horrific and anti-Semitic terrorist attack.’ He said that America joins in mourning those killed in this tragic incident and prays for the speedy recovery of the injured. So far 15 people have died in this terrorist attack, while more than 25 people are said to be injured. Trump said that some people are seriously injured and their treatment is ongoing.

Used the term ‘radical Islamic terrorism’
Trump openly used the term ‘radical Islamic terrorism’ in a religious program of the Jewish community. He said, ‘I will always stand with the Jewish people. All countries will have to unite against evil forces like radical Islamic terrorism. According to political analysts, by using this word, Trump tried to convey the message that this attack is not just on a country or community, but an attack on global peace and humanity.

Attack said to be linked to IS
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that there are strong indications that this attack was linked to Islamic State (IS). He said that IS flags have been recovered from the vehicle seized during the investigation, on the basis of which this assessment has been made.

Father and son were accused of attack
According to Australian officials, the accused in this attack were a father and son. 50 year old father Sajid Akram was killed by the police in an encounter. His 24-year-old son, whom the media has described as Navid Akram, is admitted in the hospital. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lannon said that the accused son came out of coma on Tuesday. The police is preparing to interrogate him on Wednesday and frame charges.

Gun laws will become more strict in Australia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and leaders of several state governments have announced further tightening of the country’s already strict gun laws. These reforms are considered to be the biggest since the changes made after the Port Arthur massacre of 1996. It is noteworthy that after those reforms, incidents of mass shootings became very rare in Australia.

An important new revelation has come to light during the investigation of the Bondi terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community in Australia. The Philippines government has claimed that the father and son accused of this attack had traveled to the Philippines on Indian passports a few weeks before the attack. After this revelation, the concern of Australian investigating agencies has increased further.

According to the report of Sydney Morning Herald, 24-year-old Navid Akram, accused of the attack, and his 50-year-old father Sajid Akram had recently gone to the Philippines. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is now trying to find out whether this trip was for general tourism or the motive behind it was to contact some suspicious network. The investigating agencies are also investigating where both of them stayed in the Philippines, who they met and what were their activities there.

ISIS related flag

What makes this matter more serious is the fact that after the Bondi Beach attack, a flag belonging to Islamic State (ISIS) and some explosive material was recovered from the car of the accused. For this reason, the focus of the investigation is now on whether the attack is related to terrorist organizations like Islamic State East Asia (ISEA).

Direct connection with terrorist organization not confirmed

Although Australian authorities have not yet confirmed direct links to any terrorist organization, official documents acknowledge that some Australian citizens have had previous contacts with radical groups operating in South-East Asia. The Philippines has long been considered a sensitive area for extremist activities, where terrorist groups like Abu Sayyaf and ISIS-inspired organizations have been active.

Number of people of Filipino origin

The visit of Navid and Sajid Akram to Philippines is being seen as a very important link in the matter related to the terrorist attack. The investigating agencies are now conducting a thorough forensic investigation of their digital activities, bank transactions, mobile data and international contacts. Besides, cooperation is also being taken from international intelligence agencies in this entire matter. It is noteworthy that about 86 thousand people of Filipino origin live in Sydney, who are one of the largest migrant communities there. In such a situation, this investigation is being considered very important for the security of not only Australia but the entire region.

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