The Indian team set a historic record by winning the 2026 T20 World Cup title, becoming the first team in the world to win this tournament back-to-back. The trophy was won by Rohit Sharma in 2024, and by Suryakumar Yadav in 2026. Sanju Samson was the main hero of this victory.
Before the 2026 T20 World Cup, the team played a five-match series against New Zealand, in which vice-captain Sanju Samson had an unsuccessful performance. Despite this, he was included in the team for the World Cup. Although he was not given a chance in the first matches, when he returned to the game, he attracted everyone's attention with an impressive performance.
After Sanju did not make the starting XI at the beginning of the tournament, former Indian captain Rohit Sharma encouraged him, assuring him that his time would surely come. However, Samson admitted in an interview with JioStar that he initially did not believe Rohit Sharma's words. He noted that while Rohit might have spoken from experience or from the heart, at that moment he did not see what Rohit saw, and his disappointment was evident on his face.
Samson felt regret about not being in the team after the series against New Zealand. He reported that he needed at least a week to recover from the serious shock. During the first four or five days of the World Cup, he experienced significant mental difficulties. Nevertheless, this failure gave him an opportunity to think about himself, asking questions about why he started playing cricket and what his goal was.
In the virtual quarter-final of the T20 World Cup against West India, Sanju Samson demonstrated a decisive game for the team. Usually aggressive after the powerplay, he managed to understand the flow of the match that day. Seeing batsmen constantly falling on the other side, he adjusted his tactics. Samson emphasized that cricket is the greatest teacher, and in that match, he realized that the game itself suggests what needs to be done when he was trying to hit powerful shots, while wickets were falling on the other side.
After an incredible innings of 97 runs without getting out in 50 balls, Samson's celebration photos went viral. Commenting on this, he explained that he is a very religious person. He noted that some of his shots surprised even himself. In Samson's opinion, this celebration was not a display of pride in the victory, but an expression of gratitude, as he was merely a means that could help the team.
Naftali Makengo, a student at Curro Delft, has been selected to participate in the Cape Town All Stars tour to Argentina, but she urgently needs to raise the required funds.
When 15-year-old Naftali Makengo of Curro Delft was chosen for the Cape Town All Stars tour to Argentina in 2027, it marked the culmination of many years of hard work and perseverance on the field. Now a Grade 9 student who plays for the Delft Girls Rugby team and also serves as a junior rugby referee, the student is struggling to raise the money needed to fulfill her dream of representing South Africa on the international stage.
Makengo stated that the opportunity to join the tour will change her life. She shared that when she learned about her selection, she was very shocked and grateful, as all her efforts—attending training sessions, taking taxis, walking home, training on an empty stomach, even during Ramadan fasting—have finally paid off.
She emphasized that this is hugely important because she represents not only herself but also her community, Haiyelitsha, Delft, her school, and her country. Makengo expressed hope that her story will show other residents of Haiyelitsha and Cape Flats that background should not limit goals. She also admitted that she was afraid to go for runs due to the sound of gunshots, but she continues to strive for persistence.
Makengo first picked up a rugby ball at the age of 12 after her older sister encouraged her to take up the sport during one of the most difficult periods of her life. At that time, her mother was often in the hospital. Rugby became a way for her to focus her energy and clear her mind.
Since then, having taken every opportunity the sport offered, including qualifying as a junior rugby referee, Makengo noted that sports have transformed her life. Through refereeing, she received a full scholarship and was able to attend HSBC events and watch games for free from the field. She met players from different countries and met Zoe Naude at refereeing courses, who agreed to be her mentor.
It was at the Girl Power Rugby Academy, which also sponsors her, that Makengo was selected for the Cape Town All Stars squad. Despite her achievements, financial constraints remain one of the biggest obstacles. Makengo shared that even attending school or training is not always easy, and her mother makes many sacrifices for her physical and emotional health, as well as financially, because she believes in her.
To participate in the tour, Makengo needs to raise 32,300 Rand, excluding airfare. She aims to raise 8,000 Rand by the end of the month to secure her spot on the team. Donations can be made through her fundraising page or by emailing makengonaphtali@gmail.com.
All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick believes that Rassie Erasmus's greatest achievement is creating an unprecedented depth of squad within the Springboks. He compared the current two-time World Rugby Champions from South Africa with the iconic New Zealand team of 2015.
Fitzpatrick noted that while winning two consecutive World Cups is highly significant, Erasmus's true accomplishment lies in fostering an extremely competitive atmosphere within the team. The All Blacks legend emphasized that players at the highest level discuss this competition.
Under Erasmus, the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup titles in 2019 and 2023. Ahead of the next major tournament, South Africa is again considered one of the main favorites to retain the Webb Ellis Cup. However, they face their main rivals—the All Blacks, who achieved similar success in 2011 and 2015.
Fitzpatrick explained Erasmus's success by citing the 2015 team, which defeated Australia in the final. He stated that one could field another 15 players in the same positions in that team and still remain clear favorites. Such a level of squad depth, according to Fitzpatrick, was astonishingly realized by Rassie.
Comparing the current Springboks squad to the 2015 All Blacks team is a huge compliment, as the New Zealand team is considered one of the greatest in rugby history. Meanwhile, the All Blacks are undergoing a period of transformation following the appointment of Dave Rennie as head coach.
Fitzpatrick noted that Dave Rennie's primary task is to recreate that same fierce competition. He added that it is important to have several players constantly competing against each other for highly contested positions, regardless of the weekly match result.
The dominance of powerful Southern Hemisphere teams remains a defining characteristic of the sport. Since England's victory in 2003, New Zealand and South Africa have won all the World Cups against each other. Even despite Ireland's impressive rise as a global power in recent years, the Irish have yet to advance past the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The first automobile race in the world took place on July 22, 1894. Seventeen out of 21 registered participants took part, covering a distance of 126 kilometers (78.3 miles) from Paris to Rouen. This competition, also known as the Paris-Rouen Test, not only paved the way for races like Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500 but also marked the beginning of the automotive era by demonstrating the reliability of automobiles.
The idea of holding such a contest was proposed by Pierre Gifford, editor of 'Le Petit Journal', in December 1893 under the pseudonym Jean Sans Terre. He suggested the competition for 'wireless carriages' (Whiteurs Sans Chevaux), emphasizing not speed, but that the cars should be 'safe, easy to drive, and economical to operate.'
More than 100 applications were received before the deadline in April 1894, showcasing various modes of movement, including steam and gas engines, as well as gravity and pendulums. However, only 23 vehicles were ready for the final tests scheduled for July 19 and 20, 1894, and 19 of them successfully completed their route. Two more vehicles were recognized on July 21, bringing the total number of official participants to 21.
The competition started at Port Malot in Paris at 8 am to a large crowd of spectators. The vehicles ran either on steam or internal combustion engines. While one car had a steering wheel, the others were controlled by a tiller. Considering stops, including a lunch break in Montese, the average speed of the cars was 11.6 miles per hour.
Count Albert De Dion, co-founder of the French automobile manufacturer De Dion-Bouton, maintained a constant advantage throughout the race using his 20 horsepower steam tractor, which towed an open carriage, even after making a wrong turn in a potato field in Igouville. Nevertheless, despite finishing first at 17:40 in Champ-de-Mars in Rouen in 6 hours and 48 minutes, all judges concluded that De Dion's tractor and trailer combination did not meet the competition's requirements.
As a result, the main prize of 5000 francs (equivalent to approximately $40,000 by today's standards) was divided equally between the French manufacturers Panhard & Levassor and Les Fils de Peugeot Frères, as they most closely adhered to the ideals of the competition. The Paris-Rouen Test itself became a true victory for the automotive industry, laying the foundation for the acceptance of the automobile as a reliable means of transport and awakening the public's imagination. Approximately a year later, in June 1895, the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race took place, where participants covered a distance of 732 miles.
