Mumbai: UP Warriorz spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Deepti Sharma gave away very little while striking at regular intervals to bowl out Royal Challengers Bangalore for 138 in the Women’s Premier League here on Friday.
This was after Ellyse Perry top-scored for RCB with a blazing 39-ball 52.
Seasoned English left-arm spinner Ecclestone finished with incredible figures of 4/13 in her full quota of four overs, while Deepti ended with 3/26.
Sophie Devine started the RCB innings by hitting Grace Harris for a four and a six off the match’s second and third deliveries, collecting 13 runs in the opening over at the Brabourne Stadium.
The maximum was a super shot as Devine, seeing the ball in the slot, positioned herself perfectly and smoked it over the deep mid wicket boundary.
Sharing the new ball with Grace, left-arm seamer Anjali Sarvani ran into an in-form Devine as the versatile New Zealander scored two fours off the India bowler.
With RCB going very well at 29 for no loss after three overs, UP Warriorz skipper Alyssa Healy effected a bowling change and brought on Rajeshwari Gayakwad into the attack, and it paid dividends straightaway as the bowler sent back RCB captain Smriti Mandhana (4) with her first ball.
It was a length delivery outside off stump, and Mandhana failed to time it and ended up giving an easy catch to Sarvani at extra cover, continuing her below-par outing in the inaugural WPL.
Given the situation, it was an excellent first over from Rajeshwari as she conceded just one run while taking the big wicket of Mandhana.
Australian star Ellyse Perry wasted little time in finding her groove, scoring two boundaries off Sarvani to maintain RCB’s fine run rate. Then there was a four — which came off a mishit — and a six straight down the ground against Rajeshwari’s bowling after beautifully getting to the pitch of the ball.
Despite losing Mandhana, RCB racked up 54 runs in the six powerplay overs.
Ecclestone bowled an economical seventh over before Perry struck two successive fours off experienced off-spinning all-rounder Deepti Sharma.
Ecclestone was rewarded for her fine bowling as she bowled Devine, who struck five fours and a six in her 24-ball 36.
Perry continued with her attacking ways before Deepti took her out, much to the UP team’s relief. RCB lost the plot after that, as the duo of Deepti and Ecclestone kept taking wickets regularly.
PM to visit K’taka Sunday, will inaugurate, lay foundation of projects worth around Rs 16,000 cr
Prime Minister Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Karnataka on Sunday during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of projects worth around Rs 16,000 crore, his office said Friday.
At around 12 noon Sunday, Prime Minister Modi will dedicate and lay the foundation stones of key road projects in Mandya. Thereafter, at around 3:15 PM, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of various development initiatives in Hubbali-Dharwad, a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office said.
This will be Modi’s sixth visit to poll-bound Karnataka this year. Assembly elections in the state are due in April-May.
The rapid pace of development of infrastructure projects has been a testament to the vision of the prime minister to ensure world-class connectivity across the country, the statement said.
Moving ahead in this endeavour, Prime Minister Modi will dedicate the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation, it said.
The project involves six-laning of the Bengaluru-Nidaghatta-Mysuru section of NH-275. The 118-km-long project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8,480 crore.
It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around three hours to about 75 minutes, the statement said.
It will act as a catalyst for socio-economic development in the region, it said.
Earlier in the day, Modi tagged a tweet by Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari who said the construction of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, which encompasses a portion of NH-275, entails the development of four rail overbridges, nine significant bridges, 40 minor bridges, and 89 underpasses and overpasses.
“An important connectivity project which will contribute to Karnataka’s growth trajectory,” Modi said of the project.
Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stone of Mysuru-Khushalnagar four-lane highway.
The 92-km-long road project will be developed at a cost of around Rs 4,130 crore, the statement said.
The project will play a key role in boosting connectivity of Kushalnagar with Bengaluru and will help halve the travel time from about 5 to only 2.5 hours, it said.
In Hubbali-Dharwad, the prime minister will dedicate IIT Dharwad to the nation.
The foundation stone of the institute was laid by Prime Minister Modi in February 2019.
Developed at a cost of over Rs 850 crore, the institute currently offers four-year B.Tech. programmes, inter-disciplinary five-year BS-MS programmes, M.Tech. and Ph.D. programmes.
Prime Minister Modi will also dedicate to the nation the longest railway platform in the world at Sri Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi Station.
The record has been recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records recently. The 1,507-metre-long platform has been built at a cost of about Rs 20 crore.
The prime minister will also dedicate to the nation the electrification of Hosapete-Hubballi-Tinaighat section of the railway network and the upgradation of Hosapete station for boosting connectivity in the region.
Developed at a cost of over Rs 530 crore, the electrification project establishes seamless train operation on electric traction.
The redeveloped Hosapete station will provide convenient and modern facilities to travellers. It has been designed to resemble the Hampi monuments, the statement said.
Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of various projects of Hubballi-Dharwad smart city. The total estimated cost of these projects is about Rs 520 crore, it said.
These efforts will enhance the quality of life by creating hygienic, safe and functional public spaces and transform the town into a futuristic urban centre, it said.
Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Jayadeva Hospital and Research Centre.
The hospital will be developed at a cost of about Rs 250 crore and will provide tertiary cardiac care to the people of the region.
In order to further augment water supply in the region, Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Dharwad Multi Village Water Supply Scheme, which will be developed at a cost of over Rs 1,040 crore.
He will also lay the foundation stone of Tupparihalla Flood Damage Control Project, which will be developed at a cost of about Rs 150 crore.
The project aims to mitigate damage caused by floods and involves construction of retaining walls and embankments, the statement said.
Gujarat Assembly passes resolution against BBC for documentary on 2002 riots
Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Assembly on Friday passed a resolution requesting the Centre to take strict action against BBC for tarnishing the image and popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with its documentary on the 2002 riots in the state.
The controversial two-part series by the British Broadcasting Corporation titled ‘India: The Modi Question’ misrepresents the events of 2002 in a malicious and low-level attempt to tarnish India’s image globally, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Vipul Patel said in the House while moving the resolution.
The documentary claims to have probed certain aspects of the riots, which took place after the Godhra train burning incident, when Modi was Gujarat chief minister.
The documentary was banned in India soon after its release.
Patel’s resolution was supported by BJP MLAs Manisha Vakil, Amit Thaker, Dhavalsinh Zala and minister Harsh Sanghavi.
It was passed by voice vote in the absence of Congress MLAs who were expelled from the House earlier in the day.
After passing the resolution unanimously, Speaker Shanker Chaudhary said the attempt by BBC is “reprehensible” and is “condemned vehemently,” adding the House passed the resolution to send its message to the Centre.
“India is a democratic country and freedom of expression is at the core of its Constitution, but that does not mean a news media can act by abusing such freedom,” said Patel while moving the private-member resolution in the second sitting of the House.
“If someone behaves or acts like this (BBC), then it cannot be taken lightly. BBC is losing its credibility and seems to be working with some hidden agenda against India and the Indian government. Hence, this House requests the Central government to take strict action against the mind-boggling findings shown in the BBC documentary,” Patel said in the Assembly.
Through the documentary, there is a deliberate attempt to “tarnish the image and popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi” with an agenda to affect the country’s intention to find top place globally, Patel said.
He claimed opposition parties in other countries support the government during such times, but this is not the case in India, which allowed international organisations like the BBC to get the strength to carry out activities against the country.
The Nanavati-Shah Commission concluded after thorough investigation the burning of coaches S6 and 7 of Sabarmati Express at Godhra on February 27, 2002 was a premeditated conspiracy, and that the state-wide riots that followed were spontaneous, Patel said.
The Nanavati-Shah Commission found no evidence the state government, religious organization, or political party played any role in the riots, and attempts to make the then chief minister (Modi) and officials responsible have also failed in the courts, Patel asserted.
Supporting the resolution, BJP MLA Vakil said the intention of the documentary was to tarnish India’s global image, adding Modi’s life has been a journey of courage and compassion.
As the chief minister and prime minister, he has become the most popular world leader, she said.
On the 2002 riots, she said certain NGOs and activists conspired to defame the Gujarat government and wanted to damage Modi’s reputation, adding there was a larger political conspiracy of destabilising the state government by hook or crook.
Vakil referred to the Supreme Court verdict on the Zakia Jafri case giving clean chit to Modi and claimed the BBC documentary was “mere international propaganda which is totally biased and showcases the colonial mindset”.
Supporting the resolution, Thaker said Modi is not a question but a solution for various issues plaguing the world today, such as climate change and COVID-19 pandemic, etc.
The BBC is in the habit of making controversial documentaries on subjects in India, Thaker alleged.
He also questioned the timing of the documentary by connecting it with the conclusion of Congress ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ led by Rahul Gandhi.
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the documentary was not just against Modi but against 135 crore citizens of the country.
“The resolution brought by Vipul Patel for strict action is historic. ..Is it Modi’s fault to realise the dream of making Gujarat a riot-free state? Many forces worked to ensure Gujarat does not get a stable government,” Sangahvi said in his speech in the House.
He said “so-called intellectuals” started hurling one allegation after another on Modi after he took over as the prime minister.
“As 2024 (Lok Sabha polls) approaches, they (opponents) have no other issue against Modi. They used BBC to make a documentary,” Sanghavi said.
He also criticised social activist Teesta Setalvad and said “truths regarding her have not been shown in any documentary”.
Sanghavi also quoted “important people” who have commented and criticised the BBC documentary such as the Indian foreign ministry spokesperson, British parliamentarian Bob Blackman, and former BBC head Mark Tully.
The Gujarat minister compared the BBC documentary to the “toolkit” conspiring against India, adding certain sections of the media suffered from “Modi phobia”.
BJP to focus on 160 Lok Sabha seats it lost in 2019
NEW DELHI: In the run-up to general elections next year, the BJP is understood to have made a well-thought plan to hold public meetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 160 Lok Sabha constituencies where the party narrowly lost in the last elections.
The party has identified 160 Lok Sabha seats across the country where BJP candidates lost after giving a tight fight in 2019 elections. A senior party functionary, preferring anonymity, said BJP will not only try to hold the public rallies of the Prime Minister in the identified weak Lok Sabha seats, but also take out special campaigns to enhance the winning prospects of BJP candidates riding on the PM’s massive popularity.
As the target of winning 400 seats has been set, the BJP will hold PM’s rally clubbing two or three constituencies. There will be a hitech arrangement to telecast the rally on bigger screens at different places.
The party has formed a three-member team of senior leaders– Sunil Bansal, Tarun Chugh and Vinod Tawade– to oversee the work related to the 160 constituencies.
The BJP think-tank is learnt to have divided the 160 weak seats into different groups, including four constituencies in one cluster. Sources also said that BJP national president JP Nadda and other senior leaders including the party’s principal strategist Amit Shah will also be holding rallies in constituencies, in addition to the proposed PM rallies.
Meanwhile, sources said that most of the seats out of a total of 160 LS seats are from southern states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana where the party will start campaigns as part of the mission south.
As part of chalked out strategy to win at least 90-110 out of 160 identified LS seats in 2024, the BJP is learnt to have decided to rope in the senior union ministers. The ministers will be visiting these constituencies and holding rallies.
Rajasthan: Man blackmails woman judge with her morphed pics, demands Rs 20 lakh
JAIPUR: A man allegedly blackmailed a woman judge with her morphed photographs and demanded Rs 20 lakh in return for not making them public, police said.
The man has been identified and efforts are being made to nab him, they said.
The judge’s photographs were downloaded from her social media account, edited and sent to her chambers in the court as well as her house by the accused, they said.
A case in this regard was registered on February 28.
No arrest has been made so far, police said.
In the FIR, the judge complained that on February 7, her stenographer brought a parcel delivered by a man who claimed that it was from her children’s school.
When the stenographer asked his name, he left.
The parcel contained some sweets, morphed obscene photographs of the judge and a letter in which, the blackmailer threatened to make the photographs public if she did not pay Rs 20 lakh, the FIR said.
“Be ready with Rs 20 lakh, otherwise will spoil you and your family. Time and place will be informed soon,” the letter read.
Another parcel containing similar items was sent to the judge’s residence 20 days later.
That’s when she lodged an FIR, police said.
A man, who appeared to be in his 20s, was seen delivering the parcel to her chambers in the CCTV camera footage taken from the court, police said.
CM Bommai dismisses opposition’s demand for his resignation
CHITRADURGA: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday dismissed the Congress demand for his resignation following the recovery of Rs 8.23 crore cash from BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa’s son Prashanth Kumar M V, saying that the opposition party is left with no other job.
Hitting out at former chief minister Siddaramaiah, he said there were 59 corruption cases, which could not be investigated because he had weakened the Lokayukta institution by bifurcating it and creating an anti-corruption bureau.
Speaking to reporters here, he said his government has given independence to the Lokayukta which made the impartial probe possible.
“The opposition has no other job other than seeking my resignation. I would like to ask Siddaramaiah whether he had resigned as chief minister when Rs two lakh was found from a minister’s house,” Bommai said.
He also said that Siddaramaiah would have been arrested had there been a strong Lokayukta in the state.
“Siddaramaiah had weakened the Lokayukta institutions to cover up such cases. Today the impartial probe is taking place due to a strong Lokayukta,” Bommai said.
The Congress which shut 59 cases cannot wash off its sin by making these allegations, the Chief Minister said adding that the Congress resorted to demonstration and was seeking my resignation to cover up its corruption cases.
Stating that his government has waged a fight against corruption he said no one would be spared irrespective of party affiliation.
“It’s our battle against corruption irrespective of party affiliations. If there is anyone who has morality then it is us. We are very clear. Our policies are very clear. Whoever indulges in such an act, we have given independence to the Lokayukta to probe it impartially. The law is doing its duty and the guilty will be punished,” Bommai said.
More than Rs eight crore unaccounted cash has been seized in subsequent raids at various locations by Lokayukta two days ago.
Prashanth, a Karnataka administrative services officer, is the son of Madal Virupakshappa, the MLA representing the Channagiri constituency in the Davangere district of the state.
Lokayukta sources said apart from cash, documents for huge investments in land, gold and silver were also found in the MLA’s house.
The MLA Virupakshappa, who resigned as the Karnataka Soaps and Detergent Limited chairman, the office where his son was caught red-handed receiving cash, termed the trap a conspiracy against him.
Karnataka Assembly polls: KPCC to send list of candidates to top brass
BENGALURU: KPCC will send its list of candidates for 200 constituencies to its central leadership soon for final decision. KPCC president DK Shivakumar, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, Campaign Committee chairman MB Patil, and other senior leaders were present during the State Congress Screening Committee meeting in Bengaluru on Tuesday and Wednesday. They examined the applications received from ticket aspirants.
Party sources said that candidates for 120 seats are almost final, and in around 75 seats, there are two to three candidates. In a few segments, the decision will be taken later as leaders from BJP and JDS are likely to join the party, sources said. The candidates in such constituencies are likely to be decided after March 27 when elections are likely to be announced, sources said.
Earlier, Shivakumar said candidates in 75 per cent of the seats have been finalised, and the list will be sent to central leaders after finalising candidates in all segments. He exuded confidence that Congress will come to power, and BJP will not even cross 65 seats. Responding to question if Minister V Somanna will join Congress, Shivakumar called it a speculation.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s wife claims actor’s manager behaved inappropriately with their daughter
MUMBAI: Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s wife Aaliya on Wednesday said the actor was “an irresponsible father” and alleged that he had sent away their minor daughter alone with his “male manager” who hugged her “multiple times in an inappropriate manner”.
In an eight-page letter shared on her unverified Instagram account, Aaliya claimed Siddiqui had sent their 12-year-old daughter to another country with his male manager without her “knowledge and consent”.
“The fact is that as an irresponsible father, you sent my minor daughter to another country with your male manager and made them stay in (one hotel unit) without my knowledge and consent.
“Your male manager, during this period, hugged my minor daughter multiple times in an inappropriate manner and all of this was done despite her expressed objections. You cannot deny that those acts were done by your manager when neither me nor you were around,” she wrote in the letter.
Aaliya, who also shares a seven-year-old son with Siddiqui, further accused the actor of threatening her after she expressed her displeasure over the undated incident.
“You still claimed to trust him blindly and when, as a biological mother, I objected to what happened, you threw your weight around and threatened to take over us today,” she added.
Aaliya’s counter-allegations come days after in response to her previous claims and described them as “manipulated” and “one-sided”.
His wife had earlier accused the actor of abandoning their children.
Siddiqui had alleged that his wife was the one who had abandoned their children in Dubai four months ago and had now called them back on the pretext of “demanding money”. He further claimed that his children had already missed out on their schooling for 45 days.
Aaliya, in her new post, asked the actor to “prove your case with evidence in court” and also went on to call him a “dangerous” father.
Later, she posted a 4.30-minute-long audio clip on Instagram, which she claimed to be a conversation between her and Siddiqui. “This is Nawaz reality (sic)”, she captioned the purported audio, in which the couple appears to be allegedly arguing over the actor sending their daughter with his aide.
As per the sound clip, Siddiqui asked her to file a complaint with police and court.
IND vs AUS 4th test: Shami, Ashwin strike back as Australia reach 75/2 at lunch
AHMEDABAD: Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami squared things for India in the second hour as Australia lost the initiative after an impressive start to go into lunch at 75 for two on the opening day of the fourth Test here on Thursday.
The dogged Usman Khawaja (27 batting, 94 balls) was being given company by skipper Steve Smith (2 batting, 17 balls) after Travis Head (32) and Marnus Labuschagne (3) were dismissed in quick succession by Ashwin (1/18 in 10 overs) and Shami (1/14 in 8 overs) respectively.
There is nothing in the track and Australia, if they apply themselves well, could post their best total of the series.
Head, in fact, must be feeling horrible as he undid all his good work in the first hour by playing an indiscreet shot.
He tried to chip Ashwin over mid-on without reaching to the pitch of the delivery.
Ashwin had just altered the length slightly and deceived Head, who offered the easiest of catches to one of the world’s best fielders, Ravindra Jadeja.
Head got a reprieve while batting on seven when wicketkeeper KS Bharath dropped a regulation catch off Umesh Yadav’s bowling.
Umesh, who has always been blamed for his inconsistency, was once again erratic as he gave a lot of boundary balls.
Out of the seven boundaries that Head got, half a dozen came from Umesh’s overs.
Bharath would like to forget the session in a hurry as he was troubled by inconsistent bounce on both sides of the wicket.
He found it difficult to gather a lot of balls which kept low from one end, and conceded eight byes, apart from dropping a dolly.
The end from which Shami bowled, a lot of deliveries kept low and one such ball brought about the downfall of Labuschagne.
It was an off-cutter and Labuschagne wanted to play the square cut but dragged it back onto the stumps, much to his dismay.
Teams: India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Srikar Bharat, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav.
Australia: Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (captain), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon.
14 women, children drowned in shipwreck off Yemen
CAIRO: At least 14 women and children died in a shipwreck off Yemen’s Red Sea coast earlier this week, authorities said Wednesday.
The boat, with over two dozen of people on board, capsized off the province of Hodeida, according to a statement by the Fisheries Authority in Hodeida, run by the country’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The tragedy happened late on Monday, the statement said. Eleven women and three children drowned while 11 people, including a child, survived. The group was heading to a relative’s wedding party on Kamaran Island when their boat capsized because of high winds and waves.
Authorities dispatched coast guard vessels to search for the bodies in a channel between Kamaran and the province’s district of Luhiya, the statement added.
It was the latest maritime tragedy off Yemen’s shores. Most previous shipwrecks in the region involved African migrants fleeing wars and poverty in their home countries. The migrants risk perilous voyages from Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia to Yemen and on to richer Gulf Arab countries in search of work.
Yemen descended into civil war in 2014 when the rebel Houthis descended from their northern stronghold and seized the capital, Sanaa, along with much of the country’s north. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to try and restore the internationally recognized government to power.
The conflict has spawned one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises and pushed impoverished Yemen to the brink of famine.
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