Romario Shepherd earlier claimed first hat-trick of 2026 T20 World Cup
Video of Nepal fan cleaning stands went viral on social media
Wednesday's triple-header somehow had all nine teams as ICC Full Members
On ICC T20 World Cup 2026's fifth day (Wednesday, February 11), South Africa and Afghanistan played out the tournament's first-ever Double Super Over in which the Proteas thrillingly edged past the Afghans in Ahmedabad.
Later, Australia brushed off the absence of regular skipper Mitchell Marsh to drub Ireland by 67 runs in Colombo, and West Indies spinners Gudakesh Motie, Roston Chase engineered England's batting collapse and a 30-run win at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium.
In addition to the assortment of stats, scores and on-field delights, there was enough news, views and chatter off the field too. Here are some of the interesting updates and nuggets you might have missed from the T20 World Cup:
Full Members Only
Not a single Associate team took the field in any of Wednesday's three matches. This was not the case on any of the prior four days. In the group stage of a 20-team ICC tournament, a triple-header with all nine teams being Full Members is quite a coincidence, demonstrated by the fact that this would not be repeated on any of the coming days.
Some still confuse Ireland as an Associate team, but it most certainly is not one. It has been more than eight years since the side acquired Full Membership and Test status. The historic decision was taken at the ICC Conference at the Oval in London on June 22, 2017. Afghanistan also received the status on the same day, and since then the list has remained 12-strong.
In Case You Missed It
Romario Shepherd claimed the first hat-trick of the 2026 T20 World Cup, achieving the feat during West Indies' opening fixture against Scotland at the Eden Gardens. It was the 10th hat-trick in the history of the tournament, and Shepherd became the ninth player to take one.
Windies won that game by 35 runs, and followed it up with a comprehensive victory against England on Wednesday. This was the first win for West Indies against the English side in five games, with the previous one coming in 2024 at Gros Islet.
Action And Reaction
With his unique stop and pause side-arm action, Pakistan off-spinner Usman Tariq has polarized the cricket world, but Indian spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin has come out strongly in support of the 30-year-old. The Men In Green have employed Tariq as a secret weapon and with India playing Pakistan on Sunday in Colombo, the spinner could make the headlines big time. But for Ashwin, so often the contrarian, the action is perfectly legal.
"Okay, let me make it as clear as possible. Firstly, the legalities of his action can only be tested at an ICC bowling action testing Centre," Ashwin said on his 'X' handle. He added: "Secondly, there is a 15 degree rule under which a bowler needs to keep his elbow and straighten it and to judge if a bowler is bowling within that 15 degree mark by the on-field Umpire is impossible.
"The only solution to that is having a real time in competition testing tool. The above is a grey area and to accuse someone for utilising the grey area is wrong. Finally, if the pause at the crease is legal or not, and that’s where I believe that it is entirely legal because that is his regular action."
Cleaned 'Em Up
While Nepal narrowly lost their opening game against England in a last-ball thriller, a fan of the team won hearts by cleaning up the stands of Wankhede Stadium after the game concluded.
The spectator picked up the fan boards, flexes and banners everyone brought to cheer the fans and carried them alongside to drop them in the dustbin. His video of cleaning the stadium went viral on social media eventually. The act drew parallels to Japan's fastidious fans, who are repeatedly seen scouring stadium tiers to collect discarded waste during FIFA World Cup and other international matches.
