Sports Bulletin on February 26: From BCCI's Plan To Train Indian Stars For Tests Amid IPL To MLS Fining Lionel Messi For Misconduct

Add as a preferred source on Google

In today's sports bulletin (February 26), cricket, football dominate the headlines. BCCI's special plan to train Indian stars during IPL to Lionel Messi getting fined to misconduct on, there's plenty of action.

Meanwhile, Wasim Akram has mocked Pakistan cricketers and FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid played out a thrilling 4-4 draw in the Copa del Rey.

Here's a look at the ten unmissable stories of the day.

1) India Players to train for Tests amid IPL, BCCI envisions special Plan: Report

Amid India's recent Test cricket challenges, the BCCI has devised a plan to ensure players remain involved with red-ball cricket during IPL 2025, which runs from March 22 to May 25. This initiative comes ahead of a five-match Test series in England, beginning on June 20 at Headingley.

2) MLS Fines Lionel Messi For 'Hands On' With New York City FC's Coach

Major League Soccer (MLS) has fined Lionel Messi an undisclosed amount after the Inter Miami captain was seen grabbing the neck of a New York City support staff member. The incident took place following a 2-2 draw at Chase Stadium on Saturday.

3) T20 World Cup-winning Manager backs India to win Champions Trophy Convincingly

Lalchand Rajput, India's manager during their 2007 T20 World Cup triumph, praised the current team's ruthless approach, emphasizing their intent to dominate every game without giving opponents a chance to recover. Speaking to PTI, he expressed confidence that India should convincingly win the Champions Trophy if they continue playing this way.

4) Itne Kele Bandar Bhi Nahi Khaate: Wasim Akram Mocks

Pakistan CricketerLegendary fast bowler Wasim Akram has strongly criticized the Pakistan cricket team following their heavy defeat to India in a Champions Trophy Group A match last Sunday. He has called for major reforms and significant changes to rejuvenate Pakistan's white-ball cricket.

Akram also took a swipe at the players' dietary habits after noticing a stack of bananas being consumed during the drinks break against India, which he compared it to a monkey.

5) Emma Raducanu Granted Additional Security at Indian Wells After Stalker Scare in Dubai

Emma Raducanu has been provided with additional security at the Indian Wells tournament following a distressing incident at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

The 22-year-old was approached by a man in Dubai who left her a note, took her photograph, and displayed unsettling behavior, according to the Dubai government's media office on Thursday. During her second-round match against Karolina Muchova on Tuesday night, Raducanu spotted the same individual in the stands. Visibly shaken, she was seen in tears and took cover behind the umpire's chair.

6) Barcelona-Atletico Madrid Play Out Thrilling 4-4 draw in Copa del Rey

Barcelona and Atlético Madrid delivered a Copa del Rey semi-final for the ages, battling to a thrilling 4-4 draw in the first leg at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium on Tuesday. The match saw a frantic start with Barça conceding twice within the opening five minutes, only to mount a stunning comeback with four unanswered goals. However, Atlético responded late with two quick strikes, ensuring the tie remains wide open ahead of the decisive second leg in Madrid in five weeks.

7) Over 100 Pakistan Police Officers Dismissed for Refusing ICC Champions Trophy Security Duties: Report

In a first-of-its-kind action, Pakistan's Punjab Police has dismissed over 100 officers for refusing to carry out security duties during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The dismissed personnel belonged to different units within the police force. A Punjab Police official stated that these officers were removed after repeatedly being absent from duty, while some openly declined to perform their assigned responsibilities for the tournament.

8) Aussies Pacer Jason Behrendorff Retires From State Cricket

Left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff has decided to retire from state cricket after a 16-year career with Western Australia. However, he will continue competing in T20 franchise leagues and remain available for national selection, where he has achieved notable success.

9) Pitch Invader Arrested and Banned from Cricket Grounds After Security Breach at Champions Trophy

In a serious security lapse, a spectator evaded security at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and ran onto the field to hug New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra during a Champions Trophy 2025 match against Bangladesh earlier this week. The intruder, reportedly carrying a photo of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan leader Saad Rizvi, was later arrested and brought before the court.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faced criticism over the incident, especially as the country is hosting a major international cricket tournament for the first time in 29 years.

10) Sneh Rana Issues Apology After Social Media Blunder During WPL 2025 Match

Indian all-rounder Sneh Rana apologized on Tuesday, acknowledging a social media error by her manager during the Women's Premier League match between RCB and UP Warriorz. Rana, who replaced Shreyanka Patil in RCB's squad, made her debut on Monday. After dismissing Deepti Sharma, RCB's official X account shared a video, which was later quote-tweeted from Rana's account, sparking confusion. Clarifying the situation, Rana tweeted, "Apologies. Last evening's posts during the match were wrongly posted by my manager."