NEW DELHI: Cricket fans across India were praying, fasting and holding fire rituals for their team to end a global title drought in the T20 World Cup final Saturday.
Rohit Sharma’s India face South Africa in a blockbuster climax in Barbados with both teams unbeaten in the ninth edition of the tournament.
India last tasted success in a world-level tournament in the 2013 Champions Trophy and have since faltered in the knockout stages of ICC events, despite being ranked number one in both T20s and one-day internationals, and number two in Tests.
Rohit and team came agonizingly close to winning the ODI World Cup at home last year, but lost to Australia in the final at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
News channels repeatedly showed images Saturday of fans holding Hindu fire rituals to urge the gods to take the team to victory over South Africa, who will be playing their first-ever World Cup men’s final.
Some featured pictures bedecked with flower garlands of captain Rohit, who has hit three half-centuries in the tournament, holding the World Cup trophy.
India knocked out defending champions England in the semifinal in Guyana and a triumph would be a fitting finale for outgoing coach Rahul Dravid.
“With a quiet prayer on my lips, I hope the team wins it for Rahul Dravid,” Saad Majeed, an ardent fan wearing an Indian jersey, said.
“Rohit is in top form and I am sure a final flourish from him would drive the team home to a memorable win, which will help us forget the previous heartaches.”
Sumit Dagar, another fan, said in Delhi: “I will be fasting since morning and will eat only when India will win against South Africa today. There is no chance they will lose.”
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly told reporters on Friday: “I am very happy for Rohit Sharma.
“Life comes a full circle. Six months ago he was not even the captain of Mumbai Indians and the same man is now leading India to a World Cup final, unbeaten,” he said, referencing an Indian Premier League team.
Star batsman Virat Kohli partnered Rohit at the top of the order but has failed to fire, scoring just 75 runs in seven matches.
But Ganguly, a former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, backed the struggling star to come good in the final.
“He is a once in a lifetime player,” said Ganguly. “He is human, he will have three or four bad games, but I have got my fingers crossed for him in the final.”
The tournament could be the last World Cup for both openers, with Kohli aged 35, Rohit two years older, and the next edition of T20’s showpiece only in 2026.
Rohit was part of India’s T20 World Cup triumph in the inaugural edition in 2007, while Kohli won the ODI prize under M.S. Dhoni in 2011.
That was India’s last World Cup triumph, when Dhoni lifted the trophy at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium and the country erupted in joy.
Two years later, Dhoni’s team beat hosts England in the 50-over Champions Trophy final but fans have now been waiting for 13 years for another major title.
India lost in the semifinals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup, before last year’s ODI final defeat again left fans heartbroken.
Cricket fans pray for India’s elusive T20 World Cup trophy
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Cricket fans pray for India’s elusive T20 World Cup trophy
- India last tasted success in a world-level tournament in the 2013 Champions Trophy and have since faltered in the knockout stages of ICC events
- Rohit Rohit and team came agonizingly close to winning the ODI World Cup at home last year, but lost to Australia in the final
Why 2026 could be Saudi Arabia’s most important sporting year yet
RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia accelerates toward hosting some of the world’s biggest sporting events, the focus has shifted from spectacle to systems.
Under Vision 2030, building long-term capability in event-hosting has become as important as attracting the events themselves. And 2026 may be the year where that strategy is comprehensively tested more than ever.
The calendar alone hints at its significance. A mix of returning global fixtures and first-time arrivals will have Saudi Arabia host a near-continuous run of major events across multiple sports, creating an opportunity to refine and scale its hosting model.
The year begins with the Dakar Rally, which returns to Saudi Arabia for a seventh edition. More than 900 drivers will traverse over 7,000 km of desert terrain in one of the most logistically demanding events in world sport.
Shortly after, attention shifts to Al-Inma Stadium, with the Spanish Super Cup bringing Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid to Jeddah.
A new arrival will make its way to Saudi Arabia just a day prior: the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, a key tournament on the road to AFC Asian Cup 2027.
Sixteen nations will compete, offering a rehearsal not just for players, but also organizers and infrastructure ahead of the Kingdom’s first continental flagship event.
January 2026 also marks a milestone beyond the confines of traditional sport. The WWE Royal Rumble — part of the WWE’s “Big Four” Premium Live Events — will be staged outside of North America for the first time.
Riyadh is set to be the stage for the larger-than-life professional wrestling characters that have wowed Saudi fans on many an occasion in recent years.
The remainder of 2026 continues in similar fashion. Events confirmed include the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Formula E, AFC U-17 Asian Cup, eSports World Cup, WTA Finals, Gulf Cup and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
These events form a calendar that includes elite competition, youth development, mass participation and digital sport.
What makes 2026 particularly important — despite the presence of much larger events in the following years, such as the AFC Asian Cup, the Asian Games and the FIFA World Cup — is not the scale of individual events, but the volume and variety.
These events will allow Saudi Arabia to deepen its operational expertise and test its ability to deliver consistently across a range of disciplines. This approach aligns with the Kingdom’s broader national objectives.
According to the Vision 2030 website, adult participation in physical activity for at least 150 minutes a week reached 59.1 percent in 2025, breaking past the 2027 target.
Also, children’s participation has risen to 19 percent, speeding past the 2029 goal by four years. Major events, in this context, are not endpoints, but catalysts for the rapid growth on show.
That is why tournaments such as the AFC U-23 Asian Cup and AFC U-17 Asian Cup sit alongside the global spectacles on the 2026 calendar.
More than just a way of bringing as many events as possible to the Kingdom, they represent pathways for athletes, fans, volunteers and organizers to engage with sport at every level, while contributing to Saudi Arabia’s growing identity as a capable and credible host.
By the time the Kingdom turns its full attention to the AFC Asian Cup 2027 — just over 12 months from now — much of the groundwork will have already been laid.
In that sense, it is clear to see that 2026 will not just be about headlines, but also building the Kingdom’s readiness for the sheer variety of events to come.
