Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah led India to a 47-run defeat of Italy at the T20 World Cup on Thursday.

India started their Super 8s campaign in style in Barbados, with Suryakumar's 28-ball 53 propelling them to 181-8 from their 20 overs.

Virat Kohli added 24, with Hardik Pandya contributing a useful 30 too, though Fazalhaq Farooqi, the tournament's leading wicket-taker, finished with impressive figures of 3-33.

Yet Farooqi was outshone by Bumrah, who was the star of India's bowling attack.

Bumrah took 3-7 as he skittled through Afghanistan's top order, reducing them to 23-3 inside five overs.

Arshdeep Singh (3-36) rounded matters off, sending Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq and Noor Ahmad packing to bowl Afghanistan all out for 134.

The victory sent India to the top of Group One, ahead of Australia's clash with Bangladesh.

Data Debrief: More history for Kohli

Kohli might have taken a backseat in this win, but his haul of 24 saw him move onto 4,066 runs in T20Is.

That makes Kohli India's record run scorer in the format, with the 35-year-old having surpassed Rohit Sharma (4,050).

West Indies have sent a huge warning shot to all and sundry in the Super Eight of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, as they eased past Afghanistan by 104 runs in their final group stage encounter at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia, on Monday.

The win not only ensured that West Indies head into the next phase of the tournament unbeaten, but more importantly, reaffirmed that the Darren Sammy-coached team is a force to be reckoned with, in their hunt for a third T20 World Cup crown. Their two titles to date were won in 2012 and 2016.

Having already secured qualification in the Super Eight stage, West Indies were chasing form and momentum against Afghanistan in the Group C top-of-the-table clash. However, the co-hosts put to rest any lingering doubt surrounding their title claims with the eye-catching performance that had historians scrambling.

Nicholas Pooran with a 53-ball 98, including six fours and eight sixes, led the record-breaking charge, as he assumed the record for most sixes in T20I for the Caribbean side. His tally, which now stands at 128 sixes, swept past Chris Gayle’s 124.

Homeboy Johnson Charles struck 43 off 27 balls including eight boundaries.

Obed McCoy (3-14) and spinners Gudakesh Motie (2-28) and Akeal Hosein (2-21) then did the damage with the ball.

Pooran’s knock is the highest individual score for the tournament so far, while West Indies’ total was their highest batting score in T20 World Cup, and the biggest of the tournament so far.

In fact, the 332 runs scored across both innings, was also the highest match aggregate involving West Indies and Afghanistan in a T20I.

Scores: West Indies: 218-5 (20 overs); Afghanistan 114 all out (16.2 overs)

Johnson Charles 43 from 27 balls had eight boundaries

After being asked to bat by Afghanistan, West Indies lost Brandon King (seven) in the second over, but it did little to halt their momentum, as Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran both clicked into top gear, in the blink of an eye.

Charles struck three boundaries in the third over, which inspired Pooran to do something truly out of this world at the change of ends. The wicketkeeper/batsman produced a 36-run over off Azmatullah Omarzai –6, 5NB, 5WD, 0, 4LB, 4, 6, 6 –being the sequence.

It’s the fifth time in Men’s T20I history an over has gone for 36 runs, and the second time at a World Cup.

The punishment continued, as the pair pushed West Indies to 92 for 1 at the six-over mark. It’s the biggest Powerplay total in Men’s T20 World Cup history.

Charles smacked another boundary that took West Indies to 100 from 7.4 overs, before he was dismissed to end an 80-run stand that took just six overs.

Shai Hope’s 17-ball 25, which had two sixes, helped the run rate stay in double digits, as Pooran raised the bat in the 14th over – his 50 came off just 31 balls and it was his first half-century in a T20 World Cup.

The boundaries had dried up in the middle overs courtesy of Afghanistan’s spinners, who gradually pulled things back, before captain Rovman Powell, who contributed 26 off 15 balls, including two sixes and a four, started finding his range – a six to start the 16th over took the Windies past the 150 mark.

Pooran found his groove again in the 17th over, and later cracked 24 runs off the 18th bowled by Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan. The Trinidadian southpaw later fell via the run out route, two runs shy of what would have been a well-deserved century.

Set a mammoth target, Afghanistan tried to set sail towards it, but lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz (zero), who lobbed to Andre Russell off Hosein’s third ball of the first over.

Gulbadin Naib and Ibrahim Zadran briefly steadied the ship at 45-1 at the end of the Powerplay, before Motie removed the former for seven, and triggered a collapse.

Wickets fell at regular intervals, as Afghanistan slipped to 66-5 at the half-way mark and never really recovered. Zadran’s 38 off 28 balls, including five fours and a solitary six, was the highlight of the innings, with Omarzai’s 19-ball 23 and captain Khan’s 18, being the next best scores.

Afghanistan's strong start to the T20 World Cup continued on Friday as they dismantled New Zealand with an 84-run victory in Guyana.

It is now two wins in two for Afghanistan, who enjoyed another impressive opening stand as Rahmanullah Gurbaz plundered 80 off 56 balls, including five fours and five boundaries, with Ibrahim Zardan adding 44.

Azmatullah Omarzai's dismissal for 22 saw Afghanistan stumble, but with a respectable 159-6, it was always going to be hard for New Zealand to chase.

The 2021 runners-up could not find their footing, with only two of their players reaching double figures – Glenn Phillips top-scored with 18.

They stumbled to 75 all out in just 15.2 overs, suffering their first T20 international defeat to Afghanistan, and they drop to the bottom of Group C.

Elsewhere, Bangladesh survived a scare to make a winning start to their campaign, getting a two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Dallas.

Pathum Nissanka impressed with 47 off just 28 balls, but a flurry of late wickets saw Sri Lanka stumble to 124-9 after a strong start.

Bangladesh’s chase started poorly, with both openers being dismissed in the first two overs. However, after Towhid Hridoy's 40, and Liton Das' 36, Mahmudullah's 16 not out helped them over the line at the end of the 19th over.

Data Debrief: Dominant Afghanistan strike again

Afghanistan have opened an ICC Men's T20 World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins for just the second time, last doing so in 2016. They have now won their last four T20Is, their longest streak since 2022. 

Gurbaz hit 50 for the second game in a row, improving on his 76 runs in their win over Uganada with 80 in this win. 

Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard will lead MI Cape Town's hunt for glory in the second edition of South Africa's Premier Twenty20 League, SA20, while in his absence from the International League (ILT20), compatriot Nicholas Pooran will lead MI Emirates.

Pollard's appointment at MI Cape Town comes as Rashid Khan, who led the team last season, has been ruled out of the upcoming season, as he continues to recover from a back surgery. The ace leg spinner was named in the Afghanistan squad on January 6 for their three-match T20I series in India, but is unlikely to play, according to a statement from his cricket board (ACB). Khan also missed Afghanistan's most recent T20I series in the UAE and the Big Bash League (BBL).

As such, the powerfully built Pollard has not only been drafted to make his debut in the SA20 but will lead from the front given his experience as a five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) Champion, a two-time Champions League (CLT20) Champion, and a Major League (MLC) Champion, across the Mumbai Indians franchises.

The explosive middle-order batsman was also retained by MI Emirates for the upcoming ILT20 campaign, but with its dates clashing with the SA20's, Pooran has been given the reins of MI Emirates captaincy. It remains to be seen whether Pollard will join MI Emirates for the last leg of the ILT20 in the UAE.

Pollard was recently in action for New York Strikers in the Abu Dhabi T10 league, where his side lost the final to Deccan Gladiators.

Pooran, who also plays with Pollard at Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), recently declined his West Indies central contract to become a free agent.

The left-hand batsman, who is also a former West Indies white-ball captain, Pooran was unveiled as Durban's Super Giants' wildcard pick in September 2023, and is likely to play three matches in the SA20 before linking up with MI Emirates for the second season of the ILT20.

The one-month SA20 will run from January 10 to February 10, and the ILT20 from January 19 to February 17. The two leagues will also clash with New Zealand's Super Smash and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Glenn Maxwell hit a record-breaking double-century as Australia fought back to beat Afghanistan by three wickets in a remarkable contest in Mumbai and seal a place in the World Cup semi-finals.

The three-time champions, targeting 292 for victory, slumped to 91 for seven before turning things around thanks to Maxwell’s breathtaking unbeaten 201, which came off 128 balls and included 21 fours and 10 sixes.

It was with the last of those sixes that the 35-year-old all-rounder – who battled on despite appearing in some pain – wrapped up the win with 19 deliveries to go.

It was the highest-ever score by an Australian in a one-day international, as the team achieved the highest successful ODI run chase there had ever been at the Wankhede Stadium.

The ground had seen history made earlier with Afghanistan recording their maiden World Cup century, Ibrahim Zadran posting an unbeaten 12.

Their total of 291 for five also featured contributions of 35 not out from Rashid Khan and 30 from Rahmat Shah as Afghanistan sought to beat Australia for the first time at the fourth attempt in this format.

Australia’s reply started badly with Travis Head being dismissed for a duck by Naveen-ul-Haq with only four runs on the board.

And the wickets continued to go as Pat Cummins’ men stumbled to 49 for four after Azmatullah Omarzai took the scalps of David Warner and Josh Inglis in consecutive balls.

When Mitchell Starc was ousted – despite questions over whether the ball had hit his bat – via a superb catch from wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil to leave Australia at 91 for seven in the 19th over, Afghanistan looked to be closing in on a famous victory.

But Maxwell then took centre stage with a stunning display to push Australia to victory.

Having been dropped and survived an lbw appeal on review, he went on to register boundary after boundary, even though at times he looked to be in considerable discomfort and struggling to run.

Able to continue after receiving treatment on the field, he subsequently completed his double-century – and Australia’s win – in fitting fashion by crashing yet another maximum that took his partnership with Cummins (12) to 202.

Third-placed Australia advance into the last four, joining India and South Africa, ahead of finishing their group matches by playing Bangladesh in Pune on Saturday.

Afghanistan remain sixth, with one of them, New Zealand and Pakistan set to make the semi-finals – they face South Africa in Ahmedabad on Friday.

 St Kitts and Nevis Patriots secured their second victory of the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season with a comprehensive win over Jamaica Tallawahs by eight wickets (DLS) on Wednesday.

 St Kitts and Nevis Patriots won the toss and chose to field first with Brandon King and Kennar Lewis getting the Tallawahs off to a fast start, scoring 43 runs in the first 4 overs. The spin of Akila Dananjaya and Rashid Khan got the Patriots back into the game by taking wickets and restricting runs, before a late show from all-rounder Raymon Reifer took the Tallawahs to 139-5 after their 20 overs.

In a chase reduced to 15 overs by rain, Andre Fletcher led St Kitts and Nevis Patriots to a comfortable victory with an innings of 45, not out that was supported by big hitting from Evin Lewis and Darren Bravo. 

Jamaica Tallawahs got off to a sublime start in their innings, King and Lewis combining well before Khan struck to take the wicket of Lewis in the powerplay.  Leading run-scorer and captain for the Tallawahs, Rovman Powell, was then run out after a brilliant piece of fielding from youngster Dewald Brevis to put the Tallawahs in trouble. However, a late partnership between Reifer and Fabian Allen managed to add 39 runs to the tally as the Tallawahs ended on 139-5.

With rain reducing the target to 113 runs in 15 overs, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots raced to 49-0 after 5 overs, with Fletcher and Lewis proving destructive. Imad Wasim struck with the first ball of his spell, removing Lewis, however, Darren Bravo came in and formed a 55-run partnership with Fletcher to help take the Patriots to an eight-wicket win (DLS).

 Scores: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 113-2 (Fletcher 45*, DM Bravo 39; Allen 1-19, Wasim 1-19) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 139-5 (Reifer 40*, Lewis 24; Khan 1-8, Rutherford 2-11) by 8 wickets (DLS)

 Rashid Khan will be joining the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots squad for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The hugely experienced Afghan leg-spinner will be replacing Wanindu Hasaranga who is no longer available for this year’s tournament.

English top-order batter Adam Hose will also be coming to the Hero CPL, joining the Saint Lucia Kings. Hose, who has scored 2381 T20 runs at an average of 32.17, will replace Tim David who has been called up for international duty with Australia.