Luke Littler begins his World Darts Championship defense against Darius Labanauskas on Thursday 11 December, live at Sky Sports.

As usual, the defending champion will play on the opening night with the exciting clash between 2023 world champion Michael Smith and Lisa Ashton also on the billing for what is set to be a huge Thursday of action.

Lithuania’s Labanauskas will be the first to try to derail Littler’s defense – something no player has accomplished on opening night since 2009, when champion John Part fell to Bill Davis.

Beau Greaves gets his campaign underway on Friday 19th December against Daryl Gurney in the evening session from 5pm. 7pm, while last year’s finalist Michael van Gerwen kicks off on December 18 alongside the mouth-watering clash between Fallon Sherrock and Dave Chisnall.

2024 World Champion Luke Humphries begins his quest to regain the crown against Ted Evetts in the evening session on Saturday 13 December, with Gary Anderson playing in the afternoon session.

Gerwyn Price starts his campaign on Tuesday 16 December with Peter Wright facing Noa-Lynn van Leuven on Monday 15 December and Stephen Bunting aiming for glory from Sunday 14 December.

A prize pool of £5m. offered at Alexandra Palace, with £1m going to the winner – the biggest pay day in darts history.

The expanded 2026 tournament sees everyone join the competition from the first round as 128 players battle it out to make it to the top of the darting world.

Full schedule at Alexandra Palace from 11 December – 3 January

Thursday 11 December (1900 GMT)

Round 1 x 4
Kim Huybrechts against Arno Merk
Michael Smith v Lisa Ashton
Luke Littler vs. Darius Labanauskas
Madars Razma against Jamai van den Herik

Friday, December 12

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Niels Zonneveld against Haupai Puha
Ian White v Mervyn King
Ryan Searle vs. Chris Landman
Rob Cross vs. Cor Dekker

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Ross Smith vs Andreas Harrysson
Ricky Evans vs Man Lok Leung
Gian van Veen vs. Cristo Reyes
Damon Heta vs. Steve Lennon

Saturday 13 December

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Mario Vandenbogaerde v David Davies
Andrew Gilding vs. Cam Crabtree
Luke Woodhouse vs Boris Krcmar
Gary Anderson vs Adam Hunt

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Jeffrey de Graaf v Paul Lim
Wessel Nijman against Karel Sedlacek
Luke Humphries v Ted Evetts
Gabriel Clemens vs. Alex Spellman

Sunday, December 14

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Ritchie Edhouse v Jonny Tata
Dom Taylor v. Oskar Lukasiak
Richard Veenstra vs. Nitin Kumar
Joe Cullen vs. Bradley Brooks

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Lukas Wenig vs. Wesley Plaisier
Dimitri Van den Bergh v Darren Beveridge
Stephen Bunting vs. Sebastian Bialecki
James Hurrell v. Stowe Buntz

Monday, December 15

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Brendan Dolan vs. Tavis Dudeney
Cameron Menzies v Charlie Manby
Mensur Suljovic v David Cameron
Peter Wright v Noa-Lynn van Leuven

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Martin Lukeman vs. Max Hopp
Dirk van Duijvenbode against Andy Baetens
Jonny Clayton v Adam Lipscombe
Connor Scutt v Simon Whitlock

Tuesday 16 December

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Alan Soutar vs Teemu Harju
Nick Kenny vs Justin Hood
Scott Williams vs. Paolo Nebrida
Chris Dobey vs. Xiaochen Zong

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Ricardo Pietreczko vs. Jose de Sousa
Danny Noppert v Jurjen van der Velde
Gerwyn Price v Adam Gawlas
Niko Springer vs. Joe Comito

Wednesday 17 December (1900 GMT)

Round 1 x 4
Matt Campbell vs. Adam Sevada
Raymond van Barneveld against Stefan Bellmont
James Wade vs. Ryusei Azemoto
Martin Schindler vs. Stephen Burton

Thursday 18 December

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Callan Rydz vs Patrik Kovacs
Thibault Tricole vs. Motomu Sakai
Ryan Joyce v Owen Bates
Mike De Decker v David Munyua

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Jermaine Wattimena vs Dominik Gruellich
Dave Chisnall vs. Fallon Sherrock
Michael van Gerwen vs Mitsuhiko Tatsunami
Krzysztof Ratajski vs Alexis Toylo

Friday, December 19

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
Kevin Doets v Matthew Dennant
Ryan Meikle vs. Jesus Salad
Mickey Mansell vs. Leonard Gates
Josh Rock v Gemma Hayter

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round 1 x 4
William O’Connor v Krzysztof Kciuk
Daryl Gurney v Beau Greaves
Nathan Aspinall v Lawrence Ilagan
Keane Barry v Tim Pusey

Saturday 20 December

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round two x4

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round two x4

Sunday, December 21

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round two x4

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round two x4

Monday, December 22

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round two x4

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round two x4

Tuesday 23 December

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round two x4

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round two x4

Saturday 27 December

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Third round x3

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Third round x3

Sunday, December 28

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Third round x3

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Third round x3

Monday, December 29

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Third round x3

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round three x1, round four x2

Tuesday, December 30

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Round four x3

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Round four x3

Thursday 1 January

Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Quarterfinals x2

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Quarterfinals x2

Friday 2 January (1930 GMT)

Semifinals

Saturday 3 January (2000 GMT)

Final

World Darts Championship format

A format change ahead of this year’s competition means that all players enter the tournament in the first round, while seeded players previously received a bye to the next round.

The World Championship uses the sets format, with each set being the first to three legs. The deciding set must be won by at least two legs, so if it is 2-2 in the final set, a player must win 4-2 or 5-3. If it’s 5-5, a sudden-death play will take place without a roll for the bull, so the change of who throws first simply continues.

What is the prize money?

Well, you must have heard by now that there is an almighty prize pool on offer for the World Darts Championship this time around, with the winner taking home 1 million. £ take home.

The runners-up take home £400,000, with the semi-finalists earning £200,000 and the quarter-finalists £100,000.

If you go out in round four then it’s a £60,000 payday, with round three giving you £35,000, round two £25,000 and round one £15,000.

That’s a total of £5 million.

Prize fund

Winner: £1,000,000

Runner-Up: £400,000

Semi-finalists: £200,000

Quarter Finalists: £100,000

Round four losers: £60,000

Round three losers: £35,000

Round two losers: £25,000

Round One losers: £15,000

Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match exclusively live from 11 December to 3 January on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel (Sky channel 407 from 10 December). Stream darts and more top sports with NU.

On November 20, Texas became the first US state to buy Bitcoin for its strategic reserve, acquiring $5 million at about $87,000 per BTC, according to Lee Bratcher, president of the Texas Blockchain Council.

The purchase was made through BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) as the government finalizes plans for self-sufficiency.

The move signals growing state-level interest in Bitcoin as a reserve asset. Texas had previously explored strategic Bitcoin legislation last year and wanted to create a Bitcoin reserve without using taxpayer funds.

In June of this year, the Texas governor signed the legislation into law, creating a state strategic Bitcoin reserve.

Institutional investors are increasingly following suit. Harvard University’s endowment recently tripled its IBIT holdings to $442.8 million, making it the university’s largest publicly disclosed investment.

Emory University and Abu Dhabi’s Al Warda investments have also significantly increased exposure to the Bitcoin ETF.

Bitcoin’s price is currently trading near $87,500, about 30% below its all-time high. Lee Bratcher was the first to reveal this news.

“Texas will ultimately take care of bitcoin,” Bratcher said, “but while that RFP process is taking place, this initial allocation was made with BlackRock’s IBIT ETF.

Bratcher is the president and founder of the Texas Blockchain Council, a trade association with over 100 member companies and hundreds of individuals promoting Texas as a hub for Bitcoin and blockchain innovation.

He actively championed the state’s Bitcoin reserve legislation and worked on the ground to guide it through the state senate.

Texas isn’t the only state interested in buying bitcoin

In legislation examined last year, Texas State Representative Giovanni Capriglione filed a bill to create a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve for the state.

The legislation proposed that the state buy and hold bitcoin as a strategic asset, store it in cold storage for at least five years, allow residents to make donations and enable state agencies to accept and convert cryptocurrencies to bitcoin.

It also mandated transparency through annual audits and reports. Modeled after a federal proposal by President Donald Trump and Senator Lummis, the bill reflected the growing global interest in bitcoin.

Earlier this month, New Hampshire became the first government in the world to approve a $100 million Bitcoin-backed municipal bond. The state’s Business Finance Authority (BFA) approved the conduit bond, allowing private companies to borrow against oversecured Bitcoin held in custody, with the repayment risk resting solely on the collateral.

Borrowers must post about 160% of the bond’s value in Bitcoin, and automated liquidation protects bondholders if values ​​fall. Fees and any BTC appreciation will fund the state’s Bitcoin Economic Development Fund.

This move follows New Hampshire and Arizona’s earlier creation of a strategic bitcoin reserve.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur says he can understand Lewis Hamilton’s recent downcast comments after the Las Vegas Grand Prix and that it was more important to him what his drivers said outside the heat of the moment.

Hamilton’s disappointing first season at Ferrari hit another low in Sin City and again saw the seven-time world champion express dismay at his form in his media interviews.

Hamilton finished last in wet qualifying – the first time in his 19-season career he had backed the grid down to pace alone – and then finished 10th on the road in the race (which was eighth when the McLaren drivers were disqualified) behind Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg.

speaks to Sky Sports F1 afterwards, a forlorn-sounding Hamilton said “I feel terrible” and described 2025 as his “worst season” in F1.

He added that “no matter how hard I try, it just keeps getting worse”.

Hamilton told the written media that, given his current form, Ferrari were “done” in their bid to finish second in the Constructors’ Championship over the last two races, while also telling BBC Radio that he was even “not looking forward” to “next season”.

When Hamilton’s latest public criticism was leveled at Vasseur in the Frenchman’s media session later, the Ferrari team principal said: “I can understand the reaction from Lewis right after the race.

“But we just have to calm down, discuss and be focused on the next two [races] because the next two, we’ll be back.

“Also remember Lewis was there in FP1, FP2 and the pace was good.

“We have to build up the weekend like this and I think it’s not the best way to start from P20.”

“I prefer drivers to be very open at the end of the race”

Known for wearing his heart on his sleeve throughout his illustrious career, Las Vegas was not the first time this season that Hamilton had admonished his own performances and the troubled nature of his maiden campaign at Ferrari.

After qualifying for July’s Hungarian Grand Prix, he described himself as “useless” and suggested Ferrari would “probably change drivers” after finishing 12th on the grid while team-mate Charles Leclerc took pole.

Then, after a difficult weekend a fortnight ago in Sao Paulo that saw him pick up early race-ending injuries for a collision with Franco Colapinto, Hamilton said he was living a “nightmare” because of his lack of results.

The latter comment was followed a day later by Ferrari chairman John Elkann, who said the team’s drivers needed to “focus more on driving and talk less” amid their slide to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.

Vasseur said he could understand why drivers were most frustrated in the immediate aftermath of a race and that he would still rather have them talk about it than try to gloss over difficulties.

“The TV pen five minutes into the race when you’ve had a tough race is very tough on them. You can understand very well the adrenaline, the emotions,” he said.

“I don’t know if normal is the right word, but I prefer drivers to be very open at the end of the race, when you didn’t do the perfect job, when the car wasn’t good, to say ‘I’m frustrated’, than someone going into the TV pen and saying ‘I know guys, the team is perfect, the car is good’ blah, blah, blah. In this case, you would be upset.

“You can’t blame them under these circumstances and I think it’s quite normal as a human being sometimes on the radio or right after the session to be a bit, not sad, but to be a bit emotional.

“Now, the most important thing [thing] is not what they say in the TV pen, it is what they do Monday morning with the team. They’re trying to do better, they’re trying to push the team to do better, and that’s more the drivers’ job than [what they say in] the TV pen.”

Vasseur still sees Hamilton positive despite struggles

The Ferrari team principal also insisted that Hamilton’s pace at recent events had been better than some of his results had suggested.

“It’s true that on the mathematical side, the last few weekends were very difficult with Brazil’s DNF, Mexico’s penalty,” Vasseur said.

“But overall I think Mexico, Austin, were probably the best weekends in Lewis as far as sheer performance.

“But now it’s also true for the team, we haven’t put everything together the last two or three weekends.

“That’s why, on the mathematical side and on the championship, we took a huge step down. But performance-wise, I think this is where we’re not in such bad shape.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Qatar GP programme

Thursday 27 November
15:00: Drivers’ press conference
18.00: Paddock Uncut

Friday, November 28
11.05: F2 Exercise
13:00: Qatar GP Practice (session starts at 13:30)*
15.30: The team managers’ press conference
16.05: F2 qualification*
16.50: Qatar GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 17.30)*

Saturday 29 November
13:00: Qatar GP Sprint Build-up*
14:00: QATAR GP SPRINT*
3.30pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook*
16.15: F2 Sprint
17.15: Qatar GP qualifying build-up
18:00: QATAR GP QUALIFYING
20:00: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday, November 30
11.55: F2 Feature
14.30: Grand Prix Sunday: Qatar GP build-up
16:00: QATAR GRAND PRIX
18:00: Checkered flag: Qatar GP reaction
19.00: Ted’s notebook

*also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1’s season-ending triple header continues with the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint weekend live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime

With Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday fast approaching, you can rely on our latest AI shopping features to make your holiday shopping less hassle and more fun. Here are four ways to use our newest features while you’re shopping for gifts this busy weekend:

1. Track prices so you never miss a deal

Don’t spend your holiday weekend scouring online stores waiting for a price drop. When looking at products on Google, just tap “track price” on an item you’re interested in, enter the details of what you want (like color and size), and we’ll send you a notification when the price falls within your budget from any store. And with eligible sellers in the US, you can then use our new agent checkout feature to have Google complete the purchase securely for you on the seller’s site using Google Pay.

If you don’t want to wait for a price drop, you can use Price Insights to check the offers you see. Just click on a product on Google to see prices from around the web, as well as whether a given price is high, low or typical based on prices over the past three months.

2. Ask the AI ​​to shop for the most difficult person on your list

We all have those people who are impossible to act for. Instead of guessing, take advantage of our latest shopping updates in AI mode in Search and the Gemini app and try to describe their mood, interests or needs. So for your mom who lives in Colorado, you can ask AI Mode to “find me skin care products for dry Colorado winters.” You’ll get intelligently organized answers that include product descriptions, comprehensive images and all the shopping details you need – such as reviews, promotions and stock data – to find just the thing. And with more than 50 billion constantly updated listings in Google’s Shopping Graph, you can trust that you’re seeing the best gift options out there.

3. Use agent AI to find items locally – without the hassle

Two-thirds of U.S. holiday shoppers say they will confirm online that an item is in stock before purchasing it — but what about small businesses that don’t list their inventory online? Instead of spending all afternoon calling around, just search for the item you’re looking for “near me” on Search (starting with certain categories like toys, health & beauty, and electronics) and look for “Let Google Call.” With the help of Gemini, we’ll ask you a few questions about the product you’re looking for, call nearby stores that may have the item, then send you a text or email with the details – saving you time while still shopping small.

4. Try on holiday outfit ideas almost before you buy

Finding the perfect holiday look can mean endless hours spent in dressing rooms. Skip all that and use virtual try-on to explore your festive fits instead. You can see how clothes from billions of product listings look at you by simply taking a picture of yourself. Virtual try-on is available for a wide range of clothing types on Google from holiday dresses to cozy sweaters – and even shoes. Do you need a second opinion? Just tap to share options with friends or family.

Bitcoin price is down more than 30% from its October high and continues to leak lower, falling another 1% overnight to trade near $87,000 this morning. It’s the latest episode in a nearly two-month-long draw that has caught traders by surprise.

And although sales have slowed, sentiment across markets remains fragile.

The move reflects a global risk-off tone. S&P 500 futures were slightly red after a strong rally yesterday. Asia traded mixed. Europe opened flat to lower. Bitcoin price followed suit, behaving more like a high-beta tech asset than a macro hedge — a correlation that has only strengthened in recent weeks.

The slide brings the Bitcoin price back close to levels where bulls say the next battle will be fought. Analysts consistently highlight the $80,000-$83,000 region as the line to hold. That range already saved Bitcoin twice this month, including last week’s violent flush to $80,915. But each test weakens the floor.

Whale activity sends mixed signals

New on-chain data adds another wrinkle. Wallets with at least 100 BTC – often seen as mid-tier whales – are rising again after hitting a two-year low earlier this month. Santiment says these wallets have increased by 0.47% since November 11, equivalent to 91 new whale units.

It’s a subtle but notable shift. These holders tend to scale in during deep corrections. Their return suggests early bargain hunting.

But the broader whale picture is less comforting. Wallets with more than 1,000 BTC continue to shrink. The biggest whales – those with over 10,000 BTC – trimmed around 1.5% of their holdings in October.

Citi believes the market now lacks the cushion of spot inflows normally required to stabilize prices. In their opinion, about $1 billion in weekly inflows is needed to lift the bitcoin price by 4%. That requirement is simply not there right now.

Bitcoin Price: Brief Rebounds, Bigger Questions

Bitcoin price fell back to $86,000 over the weekend after last week’s crash, but the rally felt shaky. Any rally has been capped by selling pressure near the mid-$80,000s. Earlier today, during the Asian open, the Bitcoin price briefly touched above $89,000 before falling to $87,000.

This hesitancy reflects the broader macro setup. Fed Governor Christopher Waller backed a rate cut in December, citing softer labor market data. But he made it clear that the central bank remains completely data dependent. The markets heard “maybe”, not “yes”.

Rate cut optimism had been a key driver of Bitcoin price’s breakout above $100K earlier this year. Now traders are struggling with uncertainty.

Meanwhile, institutional flows remain negative. Funds continue to trim exposure toward year-end, and US regulatory drift isn’t helping. The Senate’s demise of digital asset legislation has dampened confidence, just as ETFs helped push new capital into the market.

Technicians are looking at $80,000 – and then $70,000

Technical analysts from Bitcoin Magazine say Bitcoin’s structure is damaged but not destroyed. The break of the multi-week extension points to a possible retest of $70,000, even if the market only manages a temporary rally.

So far, the path is simple: hold above $84,000 and bulls have a real chance to regain $91,400 and $94,000. Lose $84,000 and the market is likely to slide towards $75,000, with a break below that opening the high volume support zone of $72,000-$69,000.

Veteran analysts note that 30% moves are routine for Bitcoin. Anthony Pompliano reminded CNBC viewers yesterday that the asset has endured 21 such declines in the past decade. Seven were deeper than 50%. Bitcoin’s long-term holders tend to treat these episodes as background noise – painful but familiar.

For now, traders are watching the charts, the whales, the Fed and their own nerves. Bitcoin price sits at $86,819 – bruised but not broken – awaiting its next catalyst.

England begin their 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup campaign against Nepal in Mumbai on Sunday, February 8 with the fixtures announced for the 10th edition of the tournament to be held in India and Sri Lanka.

England, champions in 2010 and 2022 and beaten in the semi-finals by India at the previous edition in the Caribbean and USA in 2024, have also been placed with debutants Italy, two-time West Indies winners and Bangladesh in Group C.

They will play the West Indies in Mumbai (February 11) before games against Bangladesh (February 14) and Italy (February 16) in Kolkata.

The 20-team tournament, which runs from February 7 to March 8, will mark Harry Brooks’ first as England captain at a global event, with the batsman taking over from Jos Buttler following the disastrous 50-over Champions Trophy campaign earlier this year on the subcontinent, where the team lost all three of their group matches.

India grouped with Pakistan; sides to play each other in Colombo

Defending champions India – who defeated South Africa in the 2024 final to claim their second title – are in the same group as 2009 winners Pakistan when the sides meet in Colombo on 15 February.

Pakistan and India currently only play each other in global events and Asia Cups due to political tensions, with all games taking place on neutral territory.

India and Pakistan are joined in Group A by the USA, Namibia and the Netherlands, with Pakistan playing the Netherlands in the tournament opener in Colombo on Saturday, February 7 (5.30am UK).

Group B includes 2021 winners Australia, co-hosts and 2014 winners Sri Lanka, Ireland, Oman and Zimbabwe, while Group D features 2024 runners-up South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates.

There will be three matches a day in the first round – at 5.30am, 9.30am and 1.30pm UK time – before that phase ends on Friday, February 20, when Australia take on Oman, with the Super 8s beginning the following day.

How does the T20 World Cup work?

The teams meet the others in their pool once each in the group stage, with the top two progressing to the Super 8 stage.

The Super 8s then feature two pools of four, with the top two after another round robin advancing to the semi-finals.

The first semi-final (March 4) will be played in Colombo if Pakistan reach the knockouts or Kolkata if not, with the second (March 5) in Mumbai.

The final (March 8) will then be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, unless Pakistan qualify, in which case the showpiece game will take place in Colombo.

2026 Men’s T20 World Cup – Full Match

All times Great Britain and Ireland

Group phase

Saturday, February 7

• Pakistan vs Netherlands (Colombo, 5.30am) – Group A
• West Indies vs Bangladesh (Kolkata, 9.30 am) – Group C
• India vs USA (Mumbai, 1.30pm) – Group A

Sunday, February 8

• New Zealand vs Afghanistan (Chennai, 5.30am) – Group D
• England vs Nepal (Mumbai, 9.30am) – Group C
• Sri Lanka vs Ireland (Colombo, 1.30pm) – Group B

Monday, February 9

• Bangladesh vs Italy (Kolkata, 5.30 am) – Group C
• Zimbabwe vs Oman (Colombo, 9.30am) – Group B
• South Africa vs Canada (Ahmedabad, 1.30pm) – Group D

Tuesday, February 10

• Netherlands vs Namibia (Delhi, 05:30) – Group A
• New Zealand vs UAE (Chennai, 9.30am) – Group D
• Pakistan vs USA (Colombo, 1.30pm) – Group A

Wednesday 11 February

• South Africa vs Afghanistan (Ahmedabad, 5.30am) – Group D
• Australia vs Ireland (Colombo, 9.30am) – Group B
• England v West Indies (Mumbai, 1.30pm) – Group C

Thursday, February 12

• Sri Lanka vs Oman (Kandy, 5.30am) – Group B
• Nepal vs Italy (Mumbai, 9.30 am) – Group C
• India vs Namibia (Delhi, 1.30pm) – Group A

Friday, February 13

• Australia vs Zimbabwe (Colombo, 5.30am) – Group B
• Canada vs UAE (Delhi, 9.30am) – Group D
• USA vs Netherlands (Chennai, 1.30pm) – Group A

Saturday, February 14

• Ireland vs Oman (Colombo, 5.30am) – Group B
• England vs Bangladesh (Kolkata, 9.30am) – Group C
• New Zealand vs South Africa (Ahmedabad, 1.30pm) – Group D

Sunday, February 15

• West Indies vs Nepal (Mumbai, 05:30) – Group C
• USA vs Namibia (Chennai, 9.30am) – Group A
• India vs Pakistan (Colombo, 1.30pm) – Group A

Monday, February 16

• Afghanistan vs United Arab Emirates (Delhi, 5.30 am) – Group D
• England vs Italy (Kolkata, 9.30am) – Group C
• Australia vs Sri Lanka (Kandy, 1.30pm) – Group B

Tuesday 17 February

• New Zealand vs Canada (Chennai, 5.30am) – Group D
• Ireland vs Zimbabwe (Kandy, 9.30am) – Group B
• Bangladesh vs Nepal (Mumbai, 1.30pm) – Group C

Wednesday 18 February

• South Africa vs UAE (Delhi, 5.30am) – Group D
• Pakistan vs Namibia (Colombo, 9.30am) – Group A
• India vs Netherlands (Ahmedabad, 1.30pm) – Group A

Thursday 19 February

• West Indies vs Italy (Kolkata, 5.30 am) – Group C
• Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe (Colombo, 1.30pm) – Group B
• Afghanistan vs Canada (Chennai, 1.30pm) – Group D

Friday, February 20

• Australia vs Oman (Kandy, 1.30pm) – Group B

Super 8s

Saturday 21 February

• Y2 vs Y3 (Colombo, 1.30pm)

Sunday, February 22

• Y1 v Y4 (Kandy, 9.30am)
• X1 vs X4 (Ahmedabad, 1.30pm)

Monday, February 23

• X2 vs X3 (Mumbai, 1.30pm)

Tuesday, February 24

Wednesday 25 February

• Y2 vs Y4 (Colombo, 1.30pm)

Thursday, February 26

• X3 vs X4 (Ahmedabad, 9.30am)
• X1 vs X2 (Chennai, 1.30pm)

Friday, February 27

• Y1 v Y2 (Colombo, 1.30pm)

Saturday 28 February

Sunday, March 1

• X2 vs X4 (Delhi, 9.30am)
• X1 vs X3 (Kolkata, 1.30pm)

Knockout rounds

Wednesday 4 March

• Semi-Final 1 (Kolkata or Colombo, 1.30pm)

Thursday 5 March

• Semi-Final 2 (Mumbai, 1.30pm)

Sunday, March 8

• Final (Ahmedabad or Colombo, 1.30pm)

How teams qualified for the T20 World Cup

• India (qualified as hosts)
• Sri Lanka (qualified as hosts)
• England (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
• Afghanistan (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
• Australia (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
• Bangladesh (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
• South Africa (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
• USA (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
• West Indies (qualified on performance in last T20 World Cup)
• Ireland (qualified via T20I rankings)
• New Zealand (qualified via T20I rankings)
• Pakistan (qualified via T20I rankings)
• Italy* (came through European qualification)
• The Netherlands (came through European qualification)
• Canada (came through the Americas Qualifier)
• Namibia (came through the Africa qualifier)
• Zimbabwe (came through the Africa qualifier)
• Nepal (came through the Asia-Pacific Regional Final)
• Oman (came through the Asia-Pacific Regional Final)
• United Arab Emirates (came through the Asia-Pacific Regional Final)

*Italy are the only debutants in this edition of the T20 World Cup

The trial in the US Department of Justice case regarding our ad technology business concludes today. Testimony showed that the DOJ’s proposal to break up Google Ad Manager is unworkable and would create significant uncertainty and disruption for advertisers and publishers. In contrast, our proposal responded directly to the Court’s decision without making it more difficult and expensive for small businesses to reach consumers and grow.

Here’s a look at some testimonials and comments from a number of independent companies:

Tailored behavior changes are useful and address court outcomes.

Even witnesses called by the DOJ acknowledged that Google’s proposal would address the court’s concerns:

• James Avery, CEO of rival ad server Kevel, testified that a direct, non-preferential connection to Google’s exchange would “solve [the] concerns in this matter.”
• DOJ Chief Economist Professor Robin Lee conceded that divestment would not be necessary if behavioral remedies were well designed and enforced.

The DOJ’s proposal won’t work.

The DoJ’s proposal to force a divestment of Google Ad Manager would require a massive technical undertaking that a number of experts testified simply wouldn’t work.

• Google expert Professor Jason Nieh called a proposed breach a “very complicated software engineering undertaking with… no guarantee of success.”
• Ad Manager’s director of engineering, Glenn Bernston, added that “It makes no sense. You can build it, but it won’t work.”

The DOJ’s proposal will cause uncertainty and disruption for publishers and advertisers, which will disproportionately affect American businesses.

Litigation and independent party testimony confirmed that the DOJ’s proposal would significantly harm small businesses that use our ad technology tools to reach customers and monetize their content.

• Jeff Taxdahl, founder of small business owner Thread Logic, highlighted the problems with divestment: “If Google’s ad technology tools are broken, it’s not clear what’s going to take its place. A fragmented system would lack Google’s reach and efficiency, so we’d have to spend far more time managing multiple ad and analytics platforms. Our ads would be cheaper for one-two more expensive. America’s businesses.”
• wikiHow’s chief executive, Elizabeth Douglas, told the Court: “I’m here today because I’m concerned about my business… we require the revenue we get from our advertising to innovate and run our business, and it scares me to think that that’s potentially going to change.” She also shared that “there’s just no SSP that I trust as much as Google, especially with the consistency of Google paying us every month and supporting us with our issues.”
• Pinterest CEO Bill Ready explained why breaking Google won’t fix the ad market: “a new owner with different incentives — especially a dominant one on the buy side or an AI platform that optimizes for unknown goals — could recreate the same dynamic in a new form. And it could take years to hold that successor accountable.”

We’ve said from the beginning that the DOJ’s case ignores enormous competition and dynamics in the ad tech market. Ravi Goel, CEO of PubMatic, echoed this during the lawsuit, saying that ad technology is “evolving at a very fast pace … a relentless pace of change.” We will continue to advocate for a resolution that addresses the Court’s concerns without stifling the growth of American businesses that choose to use our tools to grow.

TD Cowen analysts say Strategy’s stock could face continued pressure from an impending MSCI review.

The firm expects PBTCs like Strategy to be removed from all MSCI indices in February. A formal decision is expected around mid-January.

Cowen called the potential removal “capricious,” but stressed that investors should prepare for sustained selling pressure. The analysts note that Strategy is not a fund, trust or holding company. Instead, it is a public operating company. Its $500 million software business generates all of its revenue.

Meanwhile, its Bitcoin treasury operations are innovative and active, offering unique Bitcoin-backed securities.

“Removing the strategy from broad indexes simply because of its Bitcoin focus feels arbitrary,” the analysts wrote. Cowen questioned whether MSCI’s reasoning reflects a bias against crypto rather than any strict classification criteria. MSCI has cited concerns that PBTCs may resemble mutual funds, which are not eligible for index inclusion.

Cowen counters that the structure of the strategy is clearly different.

Strategy and MSCI exclusion

The stakes are high. JPMorgan recently warned that delisting Strategy from MSCI could trigger $2.8 billion in passive outflows. If other indices follow suit, the total could reach $8.8 billion. The strategy’s market capitalization is currently close to $59 billion, with about $9 billion in passive index tracking vehicles.

Any forced sale could exacerbate an already depressed share price, JPMorgan argued.

The strategy’s shares have fallen more than Bitcoin in recent months. The company’s mNAV — the ratio of market capitalization to Bitcoin holdings — has fallen to just above 1.1, the lowest since the pandemic. Investors have seen the stock fall over 60% since last November. Its preferred stock and bond issues have also sold off sharply.

Despite the volatility, Cowen has recently maintained a bullish long-term outlook. The bank estimated that the company could hold 815,000 BTC by 2027. At that level, the intrinsic Bitcoin value per stock supports a price target of $585, which implies about 170% upside from current levels.

Cowen attributes the recent weakness to market volatility and index-related fears, rather than a failure of Strategy’s core accumulation model.

Michael Saylor, the strategy’s chairman, dismissed concerns about the index. In a recent statement, he emphasized that the company is a fully operational business with active software and Bitcoin-backed credit programs. Saylor has repeatedly highlighted its innovative financial products, including structured Bitcoin credit instruments such as $STRK and $STRC, which offer returns above traditional credit markets.

Saylor envisions accumulating $1 trillion in Bitcoin and growing the company by 20-30% annually, leveraging long-term appreciation to create a massive store of digital security.

From this base, Saylor plans to issue Bitcoin-backed credit at interest rates significantly higher than traditional fiat systems, potentially 2-4% above corporate or government debt, offering safer, leveraged alternatives.

Saylor believes that other large traditional finance companies can follow the strategy model with their income.

Cowen also points to potential tailwinds. A possible inclusion in the S&P 500 could expand institutional ownership and stabilize flows into the stock. Additional regulatory clarity around Bitcoin may further bolster investor confidence.

The strategy’s rise underscores Bitcoin’s growing role in global finance. Its inclusion in indices such as the Nasdaq 100 and MSCI benchmarks has historically channeled crypto exposure into mainstream portfolios.

If MSCI excludes the company, Cowen argues, the market may see short-term disruptions, but long-term adoption trends remain intact.

Bitcoin itself has struggled over the past month, falling from an October high above $126,000 to around $88,000 recently. Even in the midst of this selloff, the strategy continues to execute large Bitcoin purchases, which now have more than 3% of the total supply.

Bitcoin bulls need to hold the price above $84,000 after last week’s close. If it declines, weak support is near $75,000, with stronger buying likely in the $72,000-$69,000 zone. A deeper decline targets the “$58k band” area around the 0.618 Fibonacci level at $57,700.

MSTR is up over 4% today and is trading at $177.47.