‘When you have an idea, you need to defend it.’ In Manchester City’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday, manager Pep Guardiola chose to speak about Palestinians suffering in Gaza and ICE protests in the US.
Published On 4 Feb 2026
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The banquet was going on amidst the mourning, the restaurant was mistaken for a bunch of tourists, the family’s decision won the hearts of the people.
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One family’s generosity has become an example in Thailand. After his death, the family was organizing a feast amidst mourning. But thinking it was a buffet, two groups of tourists came there to eat. What the family did after this won everyone’s hearts.
A family in Thailand is in the news these days. This family made some tourists who had come to the banquet in their house sit and feed them with love. These tourists had come to visit Thailand. He mistook the banquet for a food court and entered inside to eat.
The family had organized a traditional feast after the death of their relative. This feast was in memory of the deceased, where family and relatives gathered. A group of foreigners also entered there. But the family members served him the food without interrupting. The reality came out when the tourists asked for the bill.
Samjha Regular Buffet
Buffet is organized at many places in Thailand. Foreigners go there and enjoy local food. These groups also considered the banquet to be a buffet of a normal restaurant and started eating. The family did not stop him even after seeing unknown people. On the first day the tourists ate a lot and left. The same groups came again the next day. This time the family welcomed him with a smile and served him food. The tourists later came to know that this feast was held after someone’s death. He was shocked and started apologizing to the family. But the family asked them to eat freely.
pictures went viral
Pictures and videos of this incident went viral on social media. People are calling this an example of humanity. The family was from a small town in Thailand, where local tradition involves holding a feast in memory of the deceased. The landlord or relatives said that the deceased had always said that “one should take everyone along in life.” The family adopted the same sentiment. The tourists later posted on social media, “We made a mistake, but the family who forgave us and fed us is the real hero.” This incident continued for three days. On the first day two groups, on the second day again the same people and on the third day some new tourists also joined. The family welcomed us with a smile every time. People are writing on social media – “So much generosity even in sorrow”, “This is real culture”, “Example of hospitality of Thailand”. This story teaches us how important it is to take care of the happiness of others even in times of sorrow. The family not only fed the tourists but also gave them a sense of belonging.
About the Author
Sandhya Kumari
I am working as a senior sub editor in News 18. The aim of the regional section is to introduce you to the events happening in the states which are being liked on social media. So that you don’t miss any viral content.
Gorton and Denton by-election tests Labour’s grip on heartland voters | Elections News
Internal rifts, growing support for smaller parties are challenging Labour’s dominance in Greater Manchester.
A by-election in northern England that should have been routine for the governing Labour Party is instead becoming a test of how fragmented British politics has become.
Voters in the Gorton and Denton constituency of Greater Manchester are set to cast ballots on February 26 after long-serving MP Andrew Gwynne resigned in January.
Eleven candidates are vying for the seat: Sir Oink A-Lot (Official Monster Raving Loony Party); Nick Buckley (Advance UK); Charlotte Cadden (Conservative Party); Dan Clarke (Libertarian Party); Matt Goodwin (Reform UK); Sebastian Moore (Social Democratic Party); Joseph O’Meachair (Rejoin EU Party); Jackie Pearcey (Liberal Democrats); Hannah Spencer (Green Party); Angeliki Stogia (Labour Party); and Hugo Wills (Communist League).
For years, Gorton and Denton was considered a Labour stronghold, but now the party faces a battle amid growing voter dissatisfaction and internal friction.
The lead-up to the vote has been dominated by a high-profile dispute over the selection of Labour’s new candidate after a bid by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to stand as the candidate was blocked, with the party’s leadership choosing Stogia, a local councillor, to defend the seat.
Still, Labour commands loyal support. “[They do a] very good job and we support them,” Khaled Osman, a local supporter, told Al Jazeera. “We appreciate everything they do: the support for refugees, for asylum, and for the people who work hard.”
Not everyone, however, in this diverse and relatively deprived constituency feels that way.
“The sooner Labour’s out of power, the better,” said resident Colin Hensey, pointing to the decline of local services. “Wherever you go, you’re trying to get a doctor’s appointment now. And yet, this is why everybody is going off to the A&E [accident and emergency] because they can’t get local appointments at the surgery. We never had this problem 20, 30 years ago.”
On Labour’s left flank, the Green Party is positioning itself as an alternative, arguing that the governing party has moved away from some the values it once championed.
The far-right Reform UK is also vying for a victory, presenting itself as the anti-system voice – tough on immigration and crime, and openly hostile to what it calls a broken political class.
“I think Labour’s let us down for years,” said Carl Morris, a Reform supporter. “I’ve worked in Denton for 28 years now, and the place is just full of rubbish. People are dumping stuff all over the show. Labour’s done nothing for this town.”
Reporting from Gorton and Denton, Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego said every single vote will count in the seemingly tight contest later this month.
“It is a struggle for who gets to channel the frustrations felt here and where it goes next,” she added.
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Pakistani Hindu refugees living in Majnu Ka Tila appeal to the government, ‘Now give them houses too’
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21 tola gold and 71 lakh cash… the groom got so much dowry in the wedding, you will lose your senses while counting, watch video
America can enforce strong immigration law without abandoning decency
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Our broken immigration system is a stain on both major political parties and leaders, who have instead burdened us with massive debt, the world’s most expensive healthcare and medicines, an uninspired, second-tier public education system and policies that actually incentivize illegal crossings of our borders.
Ronald Reagan would be appalled at both parties, and George Washington would say he warned us as we find ourselves at yet another disconcerting moment in American history.
Today’s crisis is one of our own making: a battle over immigration enforcement in Minnesota — a low-crime state estimated to be home to just 100,000 undocumented people, about half the national average per capita and nowhere close to the millions residing in sunny Texas and Florida. Needless to say, it’s not a stretch to believe Operation Metro Surge is a campaign of provocation and retribution rather than resolution. It’s also not a stretch to contend that common-sense Americans (myself included) believe the porous southern border enabled by former President Biden was as absurd and unreasonable as attempting to deport 14 million undocumented people as current President Donald Trump is endeavoring to accomplish at this very moment.
While we should all celebrate the removal of undocumented criminals from our streets, the misguided and mismanaged effort in Minneapolis will be remembered as one of the most horrifying abuses of American law and decency in my lifetime. It killed two American citizens in cold blood and trampled on the civil rights of countless others, including multiple off-duty police officers in the Twin Cities who were accosted by roving, masked, ID-less, armed ICE agents because they were brown, or black, or spoke with an accent. But the operation did accomplish something that had seemed impossible just a month ago: a progressive left unified with gun-rights advocates, libertarians, police chiefs, rule-of-law Republicans and even a Republican senator retiring at the end of his term and liberated to speak the truth.
While the America to which Ronald Reagan aspired seems like a distant dream, I believe the better angels of America’s massive majority recognize the horrifying consequences posed by incompetent leadership and moral breaks in our national fabric.
Some on the left view Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as an occupying force — an agency to be resisted at every turn. Others on the right see local pushback as undermining lawful immigration enforcement and local public safety.
But to the massive majority, this binary is a false choice.
JONATHAN TURLEY: DEMOCRAT POLITICIANS ARE RISKING LIVES WITH RECKLESS ANTI-ICE RHETORIC
The executive branch has constitutional authority to enforce immigration law, and that mandate doesn’t magically disappear because state or local officials object. That’s why some level of cooperation — even if reluctant — makes sense. It prevents chaotic clashes between different authorities, allows shared information and oversight, and ensures enforcement actions are transparent. Refusing to cooperate entirely only heightens tensions and leaves communities less protected and more polarized.
Yes, cooperation must be thoughtful, conditional and rooted in respect for civil liberties. It should not be blind support for every tactic an agency employs. But neither should it be principled obstruction that fuels distrust and diminishes accountability.
Democrats and Republicans alike should want cooperation where it reinforces constitutional order, protects public safety and ensures due process. That’s not capitulation — it’s common sense governance.
DAVID MARCUS: SPURNING TRUMP MEANS MAYOR JACOB FREY OWNS MINNEAPOLIS MESS
Let’s be clear: the fallout from this operation has been horrifying. People have died. Families have been torn apart. Young children have been detained. These are real harms that demand accountability and reform — not spin and not deflection.
At the same time, dismissing all enforcement as illegitimate invites lawlessness and undermines the very framework of the rule of law, due process and judicial review that protects civil liberties in our country. We don’t want an abdication of enforcement authority, rather a reimagined approach that respects constitutional due process and civil rights.
This is where local cooperation can actually be a force for reform. When state and city officials engage with federal agents, they can help ensure enforcement measures are proportionate, targeted and transparent — rather than arbitrary and alienating.
BIDEN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN MINNESOTA, SAYS IT GOES AGAINST AMERICAN VALUES
But we’ll keep finding ourselves in this destructive battle until we address the root causes once and for all. And there is more common ground on immigration policy than many recognize. I believe:
1. Most of us want a lawful, orderly immigration system that attracts and welcomes high potential contributors while offering reasonable refuge to the oppressed.
2. Most of us want the quick removal of undocumented, convicted criminals, and the application of due process, human dignity and judicial review before the deportation of others.
WHY TRUMP SENDING TOM HOMAN TO MINNESOTA IS A STROKE OF ABSOLUTE GENIUS
3. Most of us want honesty and accountability from federal, state, and local agencies charged with enforcing our laws and protesters who exercise their rights peacefully.
4. Most of us want to fix the broken system with majority support for: Changing our asylum laws, which currently require asylum seekers, legitimate or not, to physically set foot in the United States. That means our law essentially requires an illegal border crossing to legally apply for asylum. Why not require applications to be filed at one of our consulates or embassies around the world before crossing our border?
Devising a pathway to citizenship for those contributing to America, who confess to illegally crossing our borders, who pay a fine to the US Treasury, and who fulfill citizenship education.
SEN RUBEN GALLEGO: I WON’T FUND A ROGUE ICE THAT SHOOTS FIRST AND CALLS IT LAW ENFORCEMENT
Raising the physical bar for illegal immigration and lowering the administrative bar for legal immigration. We should be recruiting the world’s best and brightest while remaining a place of refuge for the oppressed.
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In the meantime, we must come to some resolution on the leadership and tactics of ICE and uncooperative sanctuary states and cities. Minnesota leaders have rightly voiced their concerns about the violence and societal disruptions tied to these enforcement actions. These voices matter and should be part of the national conversation on reform.
But full resistance — refusing any cooperation — risks turning legitimate grievance into fruitless confrontation. That’s why cities and states should engage with enforcement agencies strategically to make immigration enforcement more just instead of creating battlegrounds that magnify mistrust.
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Conflict always presents the possibility for collaboration. The current crisis shouldn’t be an end point, rather a turning point — one where Americans of all political stripes prioritize reforms and enforcement that’s lawful, humane, transparent and accountable.
It’s surely the agenda Ronald Reagan would have fought for, and one we’d be foolish not to embrace as a great nation of immigrants.
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any hope for bangladesh: Can Bangladesh return to the World Cup, how can ICC think?
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any hope for bangladesh: For Bangladesh, raising the issue of ‘cheating’ in front of ICC can create diplomatic pressure, but getting a chance to play again in the middle of the World Cup is outside the rule book.
New Delhi. Cricket is a game of uncertainties, where sometimes the ball rotates on the pitch and sometimes there are politics and equations outside the field. Recently, there is a strong discussion among Bangladeshi cricket fans whether Bangladesh can again demand its place in the T20 World Cup after any kind of sports related ‘fraud’ or technical dispute with Pakistan. Rules are stronger than emotions at the ICC table, but is there any ‘chor door’ or ‘promotion’ door open for Bangladesh in the corridors of cricket?
Defeat on the cricket field can be avenged only by victory in the next match. For Bangladesh, raising the issue of ‘cheating’ before the ICC may create diplomatic pressure, but getting a chance to play again in the middle of the World Cup is outside the rule book. Even if he raises his voice strongly on the ICC platform, the chances of anything happening now are slim to none.
Is it possible to demand a replay?
According to ICC rules, once the tournament schedule is decided and the match results are officially declared, it is almost impossible to change it. History is witness to the fact that ICC rarely takes a decision to re-organize a match. Now that Scotland have been invited, it is very difficult in practice to talk about a ‘replay’ at the World Cup.
2. ICC ‘Promotion’ and Bangladesh’s situation
The term ‘promotion’ is usually used for associate countries (such as Nepal or the US) who want to move up in the main rankings. Bangladesh is already a ‘full member’ nation. If Bangladesh proves to the ICC that they have been treated unfairly, then the ICC can give them a kind of ‘promotion’ or relief by giving them ‘direct qualification’ or ‘higher seeding’ for the next tournament.
3. Is there any legal or technical way?
If the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) feels that they have been ‘cheated’ on a large scale, then they can take the following steps: They can present evidence before the ICC Executive Committee. If a dispute occurs during a bilateral series, the ICC may order extra points as compensation or a restructuring of the series. In very serious cases the matter can go to the ‘Court of Arbitration for Sport’, although this is rarely seen in cricket. Although there is always hope for justice in cricket, but for Bangladesh at the moment all that can be said is that would anyone regret now when the bird has pecked at the field?
AWS will not protect users from media codec patent holders • The Register
Amazon is warning users of its media services that it will not protect them against patent infringement claims relating to media codec technology supported by those services.
In a February 2 notification sent to relevant customers, the cloud giant says it is updating its Service Terms to specify it does not have “defense or payment obligations for third-party patent claims against you related to use of these services for audio/video encoding, decoding, or transcoding.”
The services in question are AWS Elemental MediaLive, AWS Elemental MediaConvert, Amazon Interactive Video Service, Chime SDK, Amazon GameLift Streams, and Amazon Kinesis Video Services.
Explaining the reason for this decision, AWS says some patent holders of media codec technology are “increasingly refusing to license service providers like AWS,” or else do not offer reasonable terms that will protect customers.
Some patent holders are demanding license payments “that far exceed the value of their patented technology,” according to AWS, in amounts that are “not feasible for it to pay” without incurring price increases for all customers of the affected services.
It seems from the notification that AWS has undertaken licensing discussions with patent holders of some of these media codecs, but, unable to reach a satisfactory agreement, opted to continue supporting the relevant tech anyway, while passing off legal liability to users.
The update from AWS claims this approach is commonplace across cloud media service providers, stating it believes this is “the most appropriate course of action in the circumstances.”
One AWS customers who tipped off The Register about the update alleged: “This is AWS saying they are still going to use unlicensed software in their products, but just not pay the license, and if the owners of the unlicensed products come to get them, then they’ll just pass on your details and say sue them instead.”
The updated Service Terms are effective immediately. This change only applies to the listed media services, and AWS says it continues to offer uncapped intellectual property (IP) infringement protection to customers using other services.
But the update does not specify which codecs are affected, making it difficult for users to know if they are unwittingly exposing themselves to potential patent infringement claims.
AWS Elemental MediaLive alone supports a number of these, including AV1, H.264, H.265, MPEG-2, AAC, Dolby Digital, Dolby E, Dolby Digital Plus, MPEG Audio, and PCM, for example.
In the murky world of IP licensing, users can be led to believe their subscription for a product covers all the necessary licenses, only for some individual or company to pop up claiming to have a patent on some part of it and demanding back payments. Audio/video codecs are no exception, as the saga of Google’s VP8 demonstrates.
We asked Amazon to comment, and if it could confirm which codecs may be potentially problematic.
A company spokesperson told us: “If customers have any questions about what codecs are used by different AWS services, they can review our service documentation or contact AWS Support. We have also directed all customers with questions about the change to contact AWS Support for more information.” ®
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‘Health crime’: Aoun slams Israel over spraying chemicals in south Lebanon | Israel attacks Lebanon News
Lebanese president says latest ‘aggression’ represents an environmental crime and a violation of country’s sovereignty.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has accused Israel of committing an environmental crime after Israeli forces sprayed an unknown substance over southern Lebanese towns, which Beirut described as toxic.
Aoun condemned the Israeli move on Wednesday, saying he ordered government agencies to take all diplomatic and legal measures to “respond to this aggression”, which he said represents a “blatant violation” of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
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list of 3 itemsend of list“This is an environmental and health crime against Lebanese citizens and their land,” Aoun was quoted as saying by Lebanon’s National News Agency.
He added that the incident is a “continuation of repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon and its people”.
Since Hezbollah and Israel reached a ceasefire agreement in November 2024, Israel has been attacking Lebanon almost daily in breach of the deal.
“These dangerous practices that target agricultural lands and the livelihoods of citizens and threaten their health and environment require the international community and relevant United Nations organisations to assume their responsibilities to stop these attacks,” Aoun said.
UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, had said they were informed on Monday by the Israeli military that it would spray a “non-toxic chemical substance” from the air over areas near the border.
“The [Israeli military] said that peacekeepers should stay away and remain under cover, forcing them to cancel over a dozen activities,” UNIFIL said.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said on Tuesday that UNIFIL suspended its operations for nine hours due to the attack, and the force later worked with the Lebanese army to collect samples of the sprayed substance to be tested for toxicity.
The exact nature of the chemical remains unclear.
“Any activity that may put peacekeepers and civilians at risk is of serious concern,” Dujarric had said on Monday. “We reiterate our call on all parties to fully comply with their obligations under resolution 1701.”
UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, remains the basis of the ceasefire in south Lebanon.
Israel continues to occupy five points within Lebanese territory as it blocks the reconstruction of several border villages that it levelled to the ground, preventing tens of thousands of displaced people from returning to their homes.
The Lebanese government has been pushing to stem Israeli violations through diplomacy to no avail.
In January, Lebanon’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs submitted a complaint to the UN, documenting 2,036 Israeli breaches of the ceasefire in the final three months of 2025.
At the same time, last year, Beirut issued a decree to disarm Hezbollah, which the Iran-allied group has called a “grave” mistake.
The Lebanese party argues that its armed wing is necessary to stop Israel’s expansionism.
Still, Hezbollah, which has been weakened by the 2024 Israeli assault that killed the group’s top leaders, has not responded militarily to the repeated Israeli attacks.
While refusing to give up its weapons, Hezbollah has tacitly agreed to disarmament south of the Litani River by the Israeli border in accordance with UN Resolution 1701. Last month, the Lebanese government said it completed removing Hezbollah’s weapons in that area.
The second stage of Beirut’s disarmament plan will cover the region south of the Awali River, about 40km (25 miles) north of the Litani.
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I work hard, play by the rules — and the American dream is still out of reach
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The Trump administration is considering a plan to let Americans use their 401(k) retirement accounts for a down payment on a home, though the president is “not a huge fan” of the idea.
The move is the latest in the administration’s string of initiatives intended to combat what’s been termed “the affordability crisis.” From floating the idea of 50-year “eternal” mortgages, to demanding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds to push down interest rates, to capping credit card interest rates at 10%, there’s been no shortage of proposals.
The Trump administration rightly recognizes the financial pinch that many Americans are feeling – and have been feeling for years.
THE AMERICAN DREAM ISN’T DEAD, BUT EACH ONE OF US NEEDS TO HELP IT TO THRIVE
According to a December 2025 Gallup poll, nearly half of Americans (47%) describe current economic conditions as “poor,” the highest since September 2024. A staggering 68% believe economic conditions are deteriorating, and 11% say inflation is the most important problem facing the U.S., up from 6% in September.
Why would any American feel the need to steal from their future to afford the present, by taking out a 50-year mortgage, or draining their retirement account, just to purchase a home?
These numbers might come as a surprise, considering our nation’s decent economic conditions. Today, inflation sits at 2.7%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. This slightly elevated rate is a far cry from the 9.1% inflation rate the U.S. experienced during the summer of 2022.
Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate is 4.3% as of November 2025, barely up from 4.0% a year earlier. Most Americans today can easily find a job if they find themselves out of work.
Homes are now more expensive than at any time since World War II. The home price to median income ratio hit 7.07 in September 2025, surpassing the ratio of 6.81 which was hit during the peak of the Housing Bubble in 2006. (iStock)
Furthermore, real average hourly earnings increased 1.1% from December 2024 to December 2025, meaning most Americans have made progress in the fight against inflation over the past year.
I’M GEN Z AND MANY IN MY GENERATION LOST FAITH IN THE AMERICAN DREAM. PROVE THEM WRONG
So, why are so many Americans sour about the economy? Why is the Trump administration pulling out all the stops to address the affordability crisis? And why would any American feel the need to steal from their future to afford the present, by taking out a 50-year mortgage, or draining their retirement account, just to purchase a home?
For young Americans like me, it is “the best of times [and] the worst of times,” to quote Charles Dickens in “A Tale of Two Cities.”
While today’s economic indicators are generally above average, Americans are still reeling from the generational economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the government’s extraordinary response to it.
The inflation rate has fallen, yes, but that doesn’t mean prices have gotten any cheaper. It simply means already greatly inflated prices are now increasing more slowly.
What you could buy for $100 in January 2020 now costs $125.62. Unless our economy sees deflation (which generally only occurs during a recession), most goods and services will cost even more a year from now.
Furthermore, homes are now more expensive than at any time since World War II. The home price to median income ratio hit 7.07 in September 2025, surpassing the ratio of 6.81 which was hit during the peak of the Housing Bubble in 2006.
THE AMERICAN DREAM SLIPS FURTHER AWAY AS YOUNGER ADULTS RETREAT TO PARENTS’ HOMES
It’s no wonder the typical first-time homebuyer in the U.S. is now 40 years old – the oldest on record, as of November 2025. The median age of all U.S. homebuyers in 2025 was 59 years old, compared to 39 years old in 2010.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve, the government’s central bank, purchased $1.4 trillion in mortgage bonds, artificially depressing mortgage interest rates and leading to skyrocketing home prices.
From 2020 to 2022, the median home price increased a staggering 40% in just two years, from $317,100 to $442,600. If that weren’t enough, the Federal Reserve decided to add insult to injury.
The Fed raised interest rates from near zero in 2020 to over 5% in 2024. Mortgage rates correspondingly increased from 3.37% in 2020 to 6.75% today. So not only do houses now cost more, but the debt required to purchase a home is far more expensive than it was just a few years ago.
This reality teaches us a lesson: There isn’t any problem too large that the government can’t make much worse.
These economic realities have real consequences. Young people are likely to feel like they can’t afford to get married, start families or purchase homes, thereby putting off many life milestones previous generations took for granted.
An unaffordable economy is part of the reason the median age for first marriage in the United States is 30 for men and 28 for women, both record highs. Likewise, the U.S. fertility rate has fallen to historic lows.
Moreover, financial stress negatively impacts all American families – both young and old – since money fights are the second leading cause of divorce, behind infidelity.
While the Trump administration is admirably looking to relieve some of the symptoms many are feeling, as former President Ronald Reagan once said, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
Young Americans shouldn’t look to Washington, D.C. to solve their economic woes. Rather, they must do what Americans have always done. Take responsibility; work hard; and never ever give up.
Young adults must learn to live on less than they make, create and live on a budget, choose to sacrifice financially, pay off debt, pick up a second job if necessary, and save for the future.
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America may be experiencing an affordability crisis. But never give into the left’s victim mentality, nor ask the government to solve a problem it created.
The solution starts and ends with the person in the mirror.
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A simple guide to playing cricket | Cricket
The tenth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026.
Twenty teams will be competing in 55 matches for the chance to win cricket’s most prestigious T20 trophy.
But cricket is a game with a list of commonly used terms and phrases that might confuse those new to it.
In this illustrated guide, Al Jazeera breaks down cricket lingo and helps you understand the game beloved by nearly two billion people.
What is the aim of the game?
Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams consisting of 11 players each.
The game is divided into two parts, known as innings.
In the first innings, following a coin toss, the first team bats while the other team bowls and fields.
The batting team should try to score the highest number of runs in the allotted time, while the bowling team has to try to prevent them from scoring.
The bowling team has dedicated bowlers, while the remaining players, spread across the ground, try to prevent the batters from scoring runs as well as catch the ball to get the batters out.
In the second innings, the bowling team now gets a turn to bat and try to score more runs than their opposition.
The team with the highest number of runs at the end of the day wins the game.
What does T20 mean?
There are three different formats in cricket, each with its own duration and rules.
Each format has its own defined set of “overs”.
An “over” consists of six deliveries by the bowler.
In a T20 match, which usually lasts three to four hours, each team is given 20 overs (120 balls) to score the most number of runs. This format of the game is designed to be shorter and faster-paced, which provides more excitement for spectators.
A One Day International (ODI) match typically lasts about seven to eight hours. Each team is given a total of 300 deliveries, which are divided into 50 overs, to score the most number of runs.
A Test match is the longest and oldest format of the game, played over a maximum of five days. It is considered a test of endurance and skill. Each day has a minimum of 90 overs. Both teams have two innings each.
The cricket field and pitch
Cricket is played in a large, oval-shaped field, typically about 150 metres (164 yards) in diameter at its widest point and surrounded by a boundary rope.
In the centre of the field is the pitch, a rectangular area about 20 metres long (22 yards) and 3 metres (3.3 yards) wide, where most of the action takes place.
At each end of the pitch are three wooden sticks known as wickets or stumps, with two bails atop them.
The batter stands in front of these wickets inside a specified area known as the batting crease. It is from there that he or she will strike the incoming ball from the bowler.
During the match, the batting team will actually have two players on the field, one on either end of the pitch, to take turns in hitting the ball.
The bowling team, meanwhile, will have all 11 players scattered throughout the field to minimise the number of runs their opponents can score.
Some of the most common positions are shown below:
How are runs scored?
The aim for the batters is to score as many runs as possible by hitting the ball in the gaps between the fielders or over the boundary rope.
To score a run, the batter needs to hit the ball and then, together with their batting partner, run to the opposite side of the pitch before the fielder returns the ball; otherwise, they can be run out.
A single run is scored when both batters safely complete one run, a two-run when they complete two runs, and so on.
If a batter hits the ball along the ground and it reaches the boundary rope, then four runs are awarded.
To signal that four runs have been scored, the umpire moves his right hand from one side to the other, repeatedly waving it back and forth horizontally.
The maximum, six runs, is scored when the batter hits the ball directly over the boundary before it bounces. This shot is the most rewarding but also among the riskiest, due to the chances of getting bowled or caught.
To signal a six, the umpire will raise both hands above his head, which the fans will often imitate.
How does a player get ‘out’?
There are several ways to get a batter out, with each out referred to as “losing a wicket”.
Since cricket is played with pairs of batsmen, when 10 players from the batting team are dismissed, their innings concludes, and the sum of the runs they scored sets the target score for the bowling team.
The most common ways of getting a player out include:
Bowled: This happens if the batter misses the ball, and it goes on to hit the wicket.
Caught: A batter is caught out when they hit the ball and a fielder catches it before it touches the ground.
Run-Out: A run-out happens when the fielding team throws the ball at the wicket while the batter is trying to score a run and before they can reach the opposite side of the pitch.
LBW (Leg Before Wicket): This decision depends on various factors, but in a nutshell, a batter can be given out LBW if the ball hits their legs while they are standing in front of the wicket, thus preventing the wicket from being hit.
To signal an “out”, the umpire who is standing in the middle of the field will raise his index finger to signify that a batter has been dismissed.
This gesture is often referred to as the umpire having “raised the finger” or “given the finger”.
How do you read the score?
To follow the score in cricket, you need to look at three numbers.
The first is the number of runs a team has scored – the higher the number, the better.
The second indicates the number of “outs” or “wickets”. Once 10 players are out, their batting innings come to an end.
The third is the number of overs that have been bowled.
Combined, a score may look like this: 109-5 (10 overs)
This means that 109 runs have been scored, 5 players are out, and 10 overs have been completed.
Typically, teams make anywhere from 100 to 250 runs during a T20 match. A score of 100 is considered low to defend, while 250 runs is usually very strong.
The highest score in international T20 cricket was between Zimbabwe and The Gambia in 2024.
Zimbabwe batted first and scored a huge 344-4 in their 20 overs. In response, The Gambia only managed 54 runs before losing all 10 of their wickets.
Zimbabwe won by 290 runs.
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