Sports
Champions Trophy: Ibrahim Zadran’s record 177 powers Afghanistan to 325/7 vs England

Lahore, Feb 26: Ibrahim Zadran’s stunning 177 – the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history – propelled Afghanistan to a formidable 325/7 in 50 overs in their must-win Group B clash against England at the Gaddafi Stadium.
This is also the highest total for Afghanistan in ICC events. With the threat of elimination looming, England have a huge task ahead of them as the highest target ever chased against Afghanistan in an ODI is 314 by Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2022.
England made early inroads with Jofra Archer’s fiery new-ball spell, reducing Afghanistan to 37/3, but a crucial 103-run stand between Zadran and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi steadied the innings. Late cameos from Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi powered Afghanistan to a strong finish, as England’s attack struggled, conceding 113 runs in the final 10 overs.
After opting to bat first, Afghanistan’s top order showed resilience and endured early struggles but fought back to post a competitive total by the 40-over mark. England’s fast bowlers, particularly Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, set the tone early with fiery spells. Afghanistan’s openers made a watchful start, navigating through a testing powerplay where England applied relentless pressure.
Archer was the star of the opening overs, striking twice in quick succession. He first dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz (6), who inside-edged an inswinger onto his stumps, before trapping Sediqullah Atal (4) lbw in the same over. Rahmat Shah (4) soon followed, top-edging a pull shot to Adil Rashid, giving Archer his third wicket– enroute becoming the fastest England bowler to reach 50 in 30 matches surpassing James Anderson’s record of 31 matches.
At 37 for 3, Afghanistan were in deep trouble, but Ibrahim Zadran and Hashmatullah Shahidi spearheaded a recovery. The duo played cautiously at first, ensuring no further setbacks. Ibrahim reached his fifty off 65 balls, striking three fours and two sixes. Hashmatullah provided valuable support, and their partnership brought much-needed stability.
The turning point came in the 25th over when Afghanistan’s batters shifted gears. Jamie Overton’s reintroduction into the attack was met with aggression from Zadran, who dispatched him for a six and two fours in the space of an over. The 103-run partnership between Zadran and Hashmatullah was a crucial milestone, but England found a breakthrough soon after as Adil Rashid dismissed Hashmatullah for 40 with a well-disguised slider that rattled the stumps.
Mark Wood, who had earlier limped off with a knee issue, made a determined return in the 34th over. Though he looked slightly restricted in movement, his pace remained threatening, clocking over 140kph in a tidy comeback spell. Despite England’s efforts, Afghanistan continued their recovery, with Ibrahim bringing up his century off 106 balls—his sixth ODI hundred—anchoring the innings superbly.
Azmatullah Omarzai provided a crucial boost in the middle overs, striking a straight-driven six and accelerating the scoring rate. His partnership of 72 with Zadran helped Afghanistan cross 200 in the 37th over. However, his aggressive approach led to his downfall, as he miscued a slower ball from Overton to long-on, departing for 41.
Wood, already battling through visible discomfort, finally succumbed to knee injury after sending down his eighth over, leaving England even more depleted in their bowling resources. Moments later, Liam Livingstone, a crucial all-round option, hobbled off after tweaking his knee while fielding.
Ibrahim Zadran, in stellar form, continued his onslaught, collecting a trio of twos and reaching a magnificent 150, with plenty more to come. Ben Duckett’s tournament-best 165 against Australia was suddenly in danger of being eclipsed. Mohammad Nabi then launched Joe Root for back-to-back sixes over deep midwicket before a misfield from Duckett at point gifted Afghanistan four more runs. Root’s over ended with a commanding drive through the covers from Ibrahim Zadran, capping off a massive 23-run over.
Livingstone’s return to the field provided England with a much-needed boost, but Jos Buttler would not have expected him to bowl the final over of the innings. To his credit, Livingstone held his nerve, inducing a slog-sweep from Ibrahim Zadran that ended a breathtaking knock of 177 from 146 balls—Afghanistan’s highest individual ODI score. Mohammad Nabi followed soon after, holing out for a crucial 40 off 24 balls, as England wrapped up the innings with a semblance of control.
Brief scores: Afghanistan 325/7 in 50 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 177, Azmatullah Omarzai 41 ; Jofra Archer 3-64, Adil Rashid 1-60) against England
Crime
Two Held With ₹68 Lakh Cash Near India-Myanmar Border In Mizoram; Heroin Worth ₹78 Lakh Seized

Aizawl: Two persons were arrested with Rs 68 lakh in cash near the India-Myanmar border in east Mizoram’s Champhai district, officials said on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, the Assam Rifles intercepted a vehicle at Zote village on August 11, they said.
Upon thorough checking, Rs 60 lakh in cash was recovered from two persons in the vehicle.
The duo, identified as Joseph Lalthansanga and Vanlalruati, could not state any proper reason why they were carrying such a huge amount of cash. They were subsequently handed over to the police for legal action, officials said.
In another operation, the Assam Rifles recovered 94.6 gram of heroin, worth Rs 78 lakh, from the village on Wednesday.
The drugs were handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, officials said.
National
India’s AI Tech Spending Projected To Reach Rs. 92 Thousand Crore By 2028: Report

India’s AI technology spending is projected to grow at an annualised rate of 38 per cent from 2023 to reach $10.4 billion (approximately Rs. 92 thousand crore) in 2028, a report said on Thursday.
Around 40 per cent of organisations in India have already implemented agentic AI, and close to 50 per cent are planning to use the technology within the next 12 months, IDC InfoBrief and UiPath said in a joint report.
In 2025, AI investments are focused on building the foundational infrastructure required to power transformative, high-value use cases.
According to the report, the adoption is surging, fueled by a tech-savvy workforce, expanding digital infrastructure, and government-backed initiatives.
Organisations’ spending on enterprise automation, multilingual AI models, and agentic deployments is driving this momentum further.
The benefits are already visible, as 80 per cent of Indian companies say agentic AI boosts productivity, while 73 per cent say it improves decision-making, the report said.
According to the report, agentic AI is gaining strong traction across the manufacturing, retail and wholesale, healthcare, and life sciences industries, which heavily rely on data and repetitive decision-making cycles.
“Agentic automation is rapidly redefining business operations across India. While enterprises in this region are embracing the full potential of AI agents to streamline workflows and autonomously execute complex business processes, trust and security remain barriers to widespread implementation,” said DebDeep Sengupta, Area Vice President, South Asia, UiPath.
Our agentic automation platform directly addresses these challenges, breaking down barriers to enterprise AI adoption by enhancing security and compliance, improving accuracy and reliability for agentic outcomes, Sengupta added.
About 69 per cent of Indian organisations are using agentic AI to enhance productivity, 59 per cent to drive personalised customer engagement, while 57 per cent apply it to risk and fraud detection, highlighting how agentic AI is being applied across front and back-office functions, the report highlighted.
“Becoming an AI-fueled business is no longer an option in today’s unpredictable climate. For many organisations, it’s fast becoming a strategic necessity,” said Deepika Giri, Associate Vice President, IDC Asia/Pacific.
Across the region, organisations are embracing agentic AI and agentic automation at scale, Giri added.
Maharashtra
MUMBAI’S CRICKET MUSEUM SET TO OPEN SOON

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is pleased to announce the upcoming inauguration of the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum in the second half of August 2025. Located at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the museum is a tribute to Mumbai’s rich cricketing heritage and the legendary figures who have shaped its success.
At the museum’s entrance, visitors will be welcomed by life-size statues of Shri Sharad Pawar and cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar who remains one of Mumbai’s and India’s most iconic sporting figures. Gavaskar’s statue, in particular, stands as a symbol of excellence and dedication that will inspire aspiring young cricketers for generations to come.
The highlight of the museum is a priceless collection of rare and iconic memorabilia donated by Mumbai’s legendary cricketers. These historic items reflect the deep-rooted legacy of Mumbai cricket and its contribution to Indian and world cricket.
The museum also features a cutting-edge audio-visual experience centre, bringing to life the stories, milestones, and memorable moments of Mumbai’s cricketing journey.
“The MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum is our heartfelt tribute to the stalwarts of Mumbai cricket and a testament to the visionary leadership of Shri Sharad Pawar. This museum stands as a living chronicle of Mumbai cricket’s unparalleled legacy, dedicated to preserving its rich history and inspiring future generations.
The statue of Shri Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s greatest cricketing legends, will serve as a powerful symbol of excellence and determination. His monumental contributions to Indian and Mumbai cricket will continue to motivate young cricketers to dream big and aim high,” said MCA President Shri Ajinkya Naik.
“The MCA invites all cricket lovers and the public to visit and experience this one-of-a-kind tribute to Mumbai cricket” said Shri Abhay Hadap, Secretary MCA.
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