Ten years on from their improbable run to the World T20 final in Kolkata, England return to India with quiet expectation. While controversy swirls around their captain, Harry Brook, and what he did and did not get up to outside a nightclub on Halloween, the team that he oversees has found some stillness in the eye of the storm. With 10 wins in their last 11 completed T20Is, they are as ready as they can be for the challenge that lies ahead.

So too, for that matter, are their opening-night opponents. Eighteen months ago in St Vincent, Nepal came within a whisker of a stunning upset against the eventual World Cup finalists, South Africa. They return to the T20 World Cup stage with a battle-hardened unit, forewarned of the pressures but with proof of their worthiness, and with two successful seasons of the Nepal Premier League under their belts to rehearse those big-match moments.

Like England, they arrive on an impressive run of recent form, albeit six wins out of six against the likes of Kuwait, Japan and Qatar in September’s qualifying tournament isn’t exactly apples and pears. Nevertheless, they are here on merit, and very much on the rise, with a young, established captain in Rohit Paudel, and an attacking array of bowlers including the nippy Karan KC. A maiden international against England will be a proud moment in their development, but there’s no reason to believe they should be daunted.

England have endured enough Associate hiccups down the years to take nothing for granted. But their confidence for this campaign won’t simply be derived from their run of recent form. Their range of contributors has arguably been the most heartening aspect, with their spinners finding form and impact throughout the Sri Lanka series, including the back-up offerings of Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell, while their batting has shown depth, power and versatility ever since the summer, when – against South Africa at Old Trafford – they recorded the first 300-plus total in a Full Members’ T20I.

Brook would love to be able to parade England’s T20I form as proof of their progress since he took over as white-ball captain. Unfortunately, those issues of team culture will not go away in what he admits has been a ‘horrendous’ few weeks for him, which means this is perhaps not the ideal moment for his overdue return to India. Unusually for a modern-day superstar, Brook is a relative stranger in these parts. He missed England’s last tour on compassionate grounds, and is currently serving a two-year ban from the IPL for reneging on his deal with Delhi Capitals. His solitary season, for Sunrisers Hyderabad, consisted of 90 runs in ten innings … and a startling 55-ball hundred against KKR, after which he missed his chance to endear himself to the locals by hitting out instead at his critics. He’ll doubtless have similar urges in the coming weeks, if he gets half a chance. It promises to be eventful, one way or another.

Gateway College once again stamped their dominance on the schools basketball arena by emerging Champions at the International Schools Under-17 basketball tournament organised by Colombo International School. In a remarkable achievement, this victory marks the fifth consecutive time that Gateway College lads have clinched this prestigious trophy.

Gateway delivered a flawless campaign, displaying tactical maturity, defensive resilience and attacking flair from the group stages right through to the final.

In the group matches, Gateway set the tone early with emphatic victories: A dominant 65–27win against Gateway College, Kandy and a convincing 62–24 triumph over British School in Colombo (BSC).

Carrying this momentum into the knockout stages, Gateway continued their relentless form. In the quarter-finals, they outplayed Horizon College International with a solid 50–25victory, followed by an impressive 75–40 win against Elizabeth Moir School (EMS) in the semi-finals.

The high-intensity final, played at the Olympus Indoor Stadium, Malabe, saw Gateway College Colombo face hosts Colombo International School (CISC). Gateway won 79-64.

Dulain Theverapperuma, of Gateway was named Best Defensive Player while Navidu Waduwavala, was declared Most Valuable Player.

Afghanistan vs New Zealand in the early stages of a T20 World Cup. Sounds familiar? The memories of their clash in 2024 will be very pleasant or downright horrific depending on who you support. It proved a pivotal result with the teams going in vastly opposite directions after Afghanistan’s stunning 84-run hammering in Guyana.

It kick-started Afghanistan’s fairytale semi-final run, fuelling an outpouring of revelry in the streets back home. For New Zealand, it was effectively the beginning of the end as they flamed out in a rare early exit at a global tournament.

The teams have not played in any format since, creating even more anticipation for a rematch with big stakes. Group D is considered the ‘group of death’ with South Africa also in its ranks, amplifying the importance of this match for teams considered dark horses in the tournament.