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Supreme Court orders to file contempt charges against Controller General of Immigration and Emigration
A three-member judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Kumuduni Wickramasinghe and Achala Wengappuli has ordered today [13], that contempt of court charges be filed against the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration for failing to obey the court’s interim order to suspend the implementation of the electronic visa system.
After a difficult preparation amid a deepening injury crisis, Australia desperately just wanted to get their tournament started and the off-field distractions did not show during a clinical thrashing of Ireland.
It had started to feel that perhaps Australia’s campaign was cursed before it even began, but they issued a reminder of their depth with spearhead Nathan Ellis stepping up in his return from injury while there were encouraging contributions through a measured batting line-up.
With skipper Mitchell Marsh’s status unclear due to a testicular injury, it’s not exactly smooth sailing just yet for Australia, but they can build momentum and take a significant step forward to the Super Eight stage with another victory in Colombo.
Australia will be heavily favoured but wary against a buoyant Zimbabwe, who enjoyed a successful return to World Cup action by crushing Oman in their opener. Brian Benett underlined his status as a prodigious talent with 48 off 36 balls then, and he will back his aggressive approach in the powerplay against an inexperienced Australia bowling attack.
Zimbabwe do not boast the type of menacing spin options to expose Australia on slower surfaces, but their bustling pace attack will enter confident after rolling Oman over cheaply. This will be a major step up for them, but Zimbabwe should feel excited about playing Australia with contests between these two Full-Member nations rare.
Australia and Zimbabwe have not played one another in any format since an ODI series in northern Queensland in mid-2022. Zimbabwe have been traditionally shunned by Australia although sentiment is starting to shift with the countries set to square off in a three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe later this year. There is also talk of their long Test drought – stretching back to 2003 – finally ending at some point in the next FTP.
To perhaps the surprise of some, Zimbabwe do have the bragging rights at the T20 World Cup, having beaten Australia by five wickets at the first edition in 2007 in their only tournament face-off. It was a historic performance for Zimbabwe against a star-studded Australia side captained by Ricky Ponting and featuring the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Brett Lee.
It must be said that Australia back in those days had relatively scant regard for T20I cricket. Times have certainly changed, with both teams knowing the stakes of this match and the importance of building early tournament momentum.
In 12 innings since the start of the Ashes, Cameron Green has scored at least 17 runs on ten occasions but, bafflingly, his highest score is only 45. Once again, Green started well against Ireland with two sixes in his first ten balls to race to 21 before hitting straight to midwicket. It was a similar theme in Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup, where Green was Australia’s standout batter in a wretched series defeat but he just could not kick on. Green, however, is hitting the ball sweetly and looking the goods at No. 3, where his muscular batting is well suited to the powerplay. A belated big score might not be far off.
If Zimbabwe are going to cause a boil over, then their tall pace attack will have to do some damage. Australia’s batters will fancy their chances of counter-attacking, but Blessing Muzarabani looms as a handful given he took three wickets in the powerplay against Oman in his return from injury. He is a versatile bowler, able to menace with full and short deliveries, but he will need to hit the right lengths against Australia’s aggressive top-order.
There remains some unknowns over Australia’s line-up. Marsh is expected to be unavailable and while Steven Smith’s call up has generated plenty of attention, he hasn’t yet been officially added to the squad.
Big-hitter Tim David is getting closer to a return after a hamstring injury suffered in the BBL on Boxing Day. If David is fit, then the spotlight will turn to who he replaces. Matt Renshaw appears to have done enough after a well-compiled 37 off 33 balls against Ireland.
Spin-bowling allrounder Cooper Connolly could be in the selection gun after limited time at the crease batting at No. 7 and he finished with none for 26 from three overs with the ball. If they want to keep Connolly’s bowling versatility then quick Xavier Bartlett could be under pressure after none for 22 from two overs against Ireland. Left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis is also in the mix.
Australia (probable): Travis Head (capt), Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Matt Renshaw, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Cooper Connolly/Tim David, Xavier Bartlett/Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa
Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Brendan Taylor, who made an unforgettable 60 not out in the 2007 World Cup match between the teams, is a doubtful starter after retiring hurt against Oman. The exact nature of his injury is unknown, but Taylor is most likely to miss this match and is set to be replaced by reserve keeper Clive Madande, who made ducks against Oman and Netherlands in the warm-up games. Zimbabwe could be tempted to include legspinner Graeme Cremer given the favourable conditions.
Zimbabwe (probable): Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Dion Mayers, Brendan Taylor/Clive Madande (wk), Sikandar Raza (capt), Ryan Burl, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
[Cricinfo]
Two Mexican ships bearing humanitarian aid have docked in the harbour of Cuba’s capital Havana, as the United States continues its efforts to cut the island off from outside fuel supplies.
On Thursday, pedestrians on Havana’s seawall watched as the ships, one of which was the Papaloapan, unloaded white pallets on shore.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the delivery in her morning news conference, promising that more help was on the way.
“We are sending different forms of help, different forms of support,” Sheinbaum said. “Today, the ships arrive. When they return, we are going to send more support of a different type.”
She also described her country’s role as “opening the doors for dialogue to develop” between Cuba and the US, but she insisted that maintaining Cuba’s sovereignty would be paramount among her priorities.
Since January, the administration of US President Donald Trump has sought to cut off the oil supplies that power Cuba’s energy grid and other critical infrastructure.
The campaign is part of a long-running series of sanctions imposed by the US on the Caribbean island nation, stretching back to the Cold War.
But the latest effort, under Trump, has experts at the United Nations warning of an imminent humanitarian “collapse” in Cuba, as oil supplies dwindle.
The oil embargo began on January 3, when Trump authorised a US military operation to attack Venezuela and abduct its then-leader, President Nicolas Maduro, and his wife Cilia Flores.
[Aljazeera]
Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) says it has won a majority in Thursday’s landmark election and will form the next government.
The Jamuna TV broadcaster, citing provisional results, says the BNP and its allies won 211 of the 299 constituency seats, while the rival Jamaat-e-Islami alliance won 70 seats.
Official results have not yet been delivered by the Bangladesh Election Commission.
Shafiqur Rahman, head of Jamaat-e-Islami, has said his party will respect the results of the election, whatever they may be, and that it will not engage in obstructive “politics of opposition” should it lose.
The Bangladesh Parliament comprises 350 lawmakers, 300 of whom are elected directly from single-member constituencies, while an additional 50 seats are reserved for women. Elections were held for 299 seats due to the death of one candidate.
A referendum was also held on political reforms, including prime ministerial term limits, stronger checks on executive power and other safeguards preventing parliamentary power consolidation.
Tarique Rahman is 60 years old and the son of a political dynasty. Both of his parents were former prime ministers, and his mother, Khaleda Zia, was the first female prime minister and the political nemesis of the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Rahman returned to Bangladesh after 17 years in political exile in London, only in December, just days before his mother died. Since then he’s become a pretty ubiquitous figure here, lots of campaigning, lots of big rallies, making lots of big promises about restoring law and order, rebuilding infrastructure and healthcare.
He’s made big promises, notably on corruption, especially for a party tainted with corruption itself in the past. Rahman is promising a top down, no tolerance approach to corruption, and a new era, he says, of clean politics in Bangladesh.
The BMP says in a statement that it will not hold any rallies or meetings to celebrate its victory, but will instead hold prayers at noon at mosques nationwide.
It asked supporters to pray for “forgiveness and good wishes” for the late former Prime Minister and BNP leader Khaleda Zia who passed away in December.
Members of the media, election observers look at documents of preliminary election results at the Election Commission office in Dhaka on February 13, 2026 [Aljazeera]
[Aljazeera]
Buoyant Zimbabwe plot massive upset against depleted Australia
Mexican ships arrive in Cuba with humanitarian cargo amid US oil blockade
Tarique Rahman’s BNP claims majority in Bangladesh election
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