DUBAI, Oct 19: The nail-biting win over defending champions Mumbai Indians was certainly a morale-lifter but the inconsistent Kings XI Punjab have another tough battle at hand when they take on table leaders Delhi Capitals in an IPL match here on Tuesday.
Having lost two tight games they should have won at the start of the season, KXIP managed to get on the right side of the results in the last couple of games, although it was too close for comfort by their own admission.
Needing seven off the last two overs with nine wickets in hand, they should have wrapped the game against RCB much before the last ball and even in the IPL’s first double Super Over against Mumbai Indians on Sunday night, the K L Rahul-led side could have closed it out in regulation time.
Death bowing and the form of star player Glenn Maxwell in a shaky middle-order remain a concern for a team that needs to win its remaining five games to make the play-offs.
The fact that KXIP have struggled this season despite having tournament’s top two run-getters in openers Rahul (525) and Mayank Agarwal (393) best sums up their erratic run.
On a positive note, the successful return of Chris Gayle has reduced the burden on the shoulders of the star openers, especially allowing Rahul to play more freely.
Nicholas Pooran has shown his lethalness time and again but is yet to play a match-winning knock and the pressure is increasing on Maxwell the batsman, who is proving to be more useful as a spinner operating in the powerplay.
However, the team is likely to stick to him in the game against Delhi Capitals.
Delhi are clearly the team to beat in the tournament and have gained in confidence with a close win against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday night.
While Prithvi Shaw needs to be back among the runs after a couple of ducks, his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan elevating his game bodes well for the team that has won seven out of the nine matches it has played.
Axar Patel has shown his utility not just with the ball but also with the bat. His three sixes off Ravindra Jadeja helped Delhi get over the line in the final over finish against CSK.
With an envious bowling line-up, Delhi have shown they can defend even below-par totals. Playing in the absence of an injured Rishabh Pant, time is running out for Ajinkya Rahane to make an impact.
The match went into a Super Over last time the two teams met and more than Delhi, KXIP will be hoping that it doesn’t come to that again.
Squads:
Kings XI Punjab: Lokesh Rahul, Harpreet Brar, Ishan Porel, Mandeep Singh, James Neesham, Tajinder Singh, Chris Jordan, Karun Nair, Deepak Hooda, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sarfaraz Khan, Sheldon Cottrell, Mayank Agarwal, Mohammed Shami, Darshan Nalkande, Nicholas Pooran, Chris Gayle, Murugan Ashwin, Jagadeesha Suchith, Krishnappa Gowtham, Hardus Viljoen, Simran SinghBench
Delhi Capitals: SquadPlayingShreyas Iyer (c), Kagiso Rabada, Marcus Stoinis, Sandeep Lamichhane, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Shimron Hetmyer, Alex Carey, Mohit Sharma, Prithvi Shaw, Lalit Yadav, Avesh Khan, Axar Patel, Tushar Deshpande, Rishabh Pant, Harshal Patel, Keemo Paul, Amit Mishra, Anrich Nortje, Daniel Sams.
Match starts at 7.30pm. (PTI)
After two morale-boosting wins, KXIP run into mighty Delhi Capitals
I got to know from you, it’s just a number: Dhoni on playing 200th IPL game
ABU DHABI, Oct 19: Chennai Super Kings’ match against Rajasthan Royals here on Monday marked the 200th appearance of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in IPL but, as is his wont, the skipper played down the milestone and said he was oblivious to it.
“You spoke about it and that’s how I got to know,” CSK skipper Dhoni told presenter Danny Morrison at the toss.
The two-time World Cup winning captain added, “It feels good but at the same time it’s just a number. I feel fortunate to play for such a long time without many injuries.”
In a match that is important for both the teams, CSK won the toss and opted to bat at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Dhoni has been the captain of CSK since the inception of IPL in 2008. When the franchise was suspended for two years, the veteran represented Rising Pune Supergiant.
Earlier this month, he overtook Suresh Raina (194 games) to become the player with most appearances.
In 199 games, the former India captain amassed 4,568 runs, which includes 23 fifties, with a highest score of 84 not out. His strike-rate reads 137.67.
With 215 maximums, Dhoni also ranks third in the list of big-hitters in the tournament after Chris Gayle (333 sixes) and AB de Villiers (231 sixes).
However, this season, he could only manage 136 runs in nine outings so far. (PTI)
Was a bit angry and upset heading into the Super Over: Chris Gayle
DUBAI, Oct 19: The big-hitting Chris Gayle revealed that he felt “angry and upset” going in to the Super Over after Kings XI Punjab were in a comfortable position to win the IPL match against Mumbai Indians in regulation period.
After defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore off the last ball, KXIP once again found themselves taking the run chase too deep against Mumbai, leading the game to two Super Overs on Sunday.
Chasing 11 runs in the second Super Over, the “Universe Boss” cracked a six off the first ball before opener Mayank Agarwal smashed successive fours to give KXIP their second consecutive win.
“No, I wasn’t nervous. I was a bit more angry and upset that we got ourselves in this position. But it’s a game of cricket and these things do happen,” Gayle told Agarwal and Mohammad Shami during a post-match show for IPLT20.Com.
“Even when we were going out to bat (in the second Super Over) you asked me ‘who is going to face the first ball’. I was like ‘Mayank you really asked that question? It has to be the boss who faces the first ball’,” Gayle added.
For Punjab, Shami bowled a brilliant first Super Over, defending five runs which was followed by Chris Jordan conceding 11 runs in the second.
“Shami is the man of the match for me. To defend six runs against Rohit (Sharma) and (Quinton) de Kock, that’s fantastic. That’s a great job.”
“I have faced you in the nets and I know that you can nail those yorkers, and nail them well. Today he came and delivered and brought it home for us,” Gayle added.
Shami, who nailed his yorkers in the Super Over to allow MI to only equal KXIP’s score, said with the margin of error being so less he just focussed on what he knew he could do best.
“It was very difficult. When you get 15-17 runs to defend in the Super Over, it’s a different matter altogether. You believe at the back of your mind that you can do it.
“But when the margin of error is so less, you focus on what you can do best. I believe a lot in myself. When I was going back on the top of my mark every ball, I was saying to myself, ‘This last ball was great. The next ball will be great too’. I repeated that six times,” Shami added.
In their first match of the tournament against Delhi Capitals, KXIP had failed to score the required single run of the last three balls and the game headed to a Super Over which they they lost. Batting in the second Super Over against MI, Agarwal said he came with the intent of hitting boundaries.
“The game against Delhi Capitals came to my mind. However, Gayle told me ‘Mayank, just watch the ball and the rest will be fine’.”
“And that was all that I had in my mind that I have to watch the ball and hit it. I didn’t think about taking ones and twos. I was determined to hit a boundary and luckily it did happen,” Agarwal added. (PTI)
World T20: ICC is taking up our India visa issue with BCCI and we have set January deadline, says PCB CEO
NEW DELHI, Oct 19:The Pakistan Cricket Board wants the ICC to assure visas for its players and officials when India hosts the T20 World Cup in October next year, by January 2021, CEO Wasim Khan has said.
The PCB CEO also confirmed that there is “no chance” of an Indo-Pak bilateral series in “foreseeable future” and neither will it be a part of fresh the Futures Tours Programme (FTP) that starts in 2023.
India would be hosting the global T20 event in October and giventhe tense diplomatic ties between the two neighbours, the PCB has sought assurances that the visa process of their players and support staff would be dealt with by the ICC.
“This is an ICC matter. We have discussed our concerns. There is a ‘Host Agreement’ that states very clearly that host nation (India in this case) will have to provide visas and accommodation for teams that are due to participate in T20 World Cup and Pakistan is one of them,” Khan told PTI in an exclusive interaction.
“We have sought assurances from the ICC that our players will receive visas and ICC is now taking this up with the BCCI because that directive and confirmation will clearly need to come from their government,” Khan said.
He then clarified that it’s only fair that there is a time-frame for such a deadline.
“We have asked for a deadline till December-January, which we believe is the right thing. We expect a response from the ICC on whether our players and officials will receive visas to participate in the tournament.
“If it (visas) isn’t (there), then like any nation would expect, we would also expect ICC to take that up directly with India and the Indian government through the BCCI to resolve this matter.”
Pakistan athletes’ participation in global events held in India has always been contentious subject. Last year, Pakistani shooters could not get visas for a World Cup in Delhi, which kicked up quite a storm.
Unlike his predecessors in the Pakistan Cricket Board, Khan seemed practical when he clearly said that India and Pakistan aren’t going to play any bilateral series in near future in the current climate.
“I think we have to be realistic about India and Pakistan bilateral series… BCCI needs to get permission before they can play Pakistan in any bilateral series, home, away or even on neutral venues,” he said.
“I think on both sides, there is plenty of cricket to be played against other countries, but sadly for fans and players in both countries, it does not look like that India and Pakistan will be playing bilateral series in foreseeable future.
“So there is no current planning that we can factor into the next FTP (2023-31) unless circumstances and viewpoint changes of the Indian government,” the PCB CEO added.
Khan didn’t wish to comment on the impasse surrounding the ICC chairmanship but made it clear that contrary to popular notion, there is no animosity between BCCI and PCB at the global forum.
It was widely speculated that the PCB was opposed to any candidate backed by the BCCI.
“I am not aware that there is any dispute around voting with regards to the BCCI and PCB. It’s the domain of BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and PCB chairman Ehsan Mani. I have no knowledge or information on that,” said the former Derbyshire and Warwickshire batsman.
“We obviously communicate at ICC meetings and on various platforms and forums as we need to. But there has been very little dialogue between both the countries (boards).
“I know in the past there has been a cordial relationship between the BCCI and the PCB. Certainly, there is no visible animosity from both sides when we are on ICC platforms as we have discussions,” Khan added.
The PCB CEO confirmed that they have sent a formal invitation to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for a short Pakistan tour in January but are yet to hear from them.
“There are a lot of factors that ECB needs to look at considering their FTP, rescheduling of series that are postponed. They will, in due course, respond with their thoughts but as of yet there is no confirmation at all that ECB will be touring in January,” he said. (PTI)
GDC Darhal elects Dr Ather Aziz Raina as Staff Secretary
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Oct 19: Dr Ather Aziz Raina, Head Department of Mathematics was unanimously elected as Staff Secretary by the teaching faculty of Government Degree College Darhal here today.
Principal of the College Prof Sumanesh Jasrotia said that the Staff Secretary always plays a crucial role in creating a congenial atmosphere in the institution and is a great facilitator for better academic growth of the institution.
The role of a Staff Secretary is multifarious. On the one hand he plays a pivotal role in smooth running of the institution and on the other hand a continuous support to the faculty members.
The name of Dr Raina was proposed by senior faculty member and Head Department of Arabic Dr Ahsan Ul Rehman Rizvi and all the staff members were unanimous in the proposal for the name of Dr Raina as the Staff Secretary of GDC Darhal.
NCW seeks explanation from Kamal Nath for his remarks against MP minister
NEW DELHI, Oct 19:
The National Commission for Women today sought an explanation from Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath for his “item” jibe against state minister Imarti Devi.
The NCW has also forwarded the matter to the Election Commission for necessary action.
“The Commission strongly condemns this irresponsible and disparaging statement made by the leader. The words used in the video are highly defamatory and shows disrespect towards the dignity of a woman,” the NCW said in a statement.
“At a time when we want more women to enter politics, such disrespectful remarks against a woman leader, that too from a person holding such a responsible position is very unfortunate,” it noted.
Addressing a poll meeting on Sunday in Gwalior’s Dabra town, where the BJP has fielded Imarti Devi, Nath said the Congress candidate was a “simple person” unlike the opponent who was an “item”.
Imarti Devi and 21 other MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia had resigned from the Congress and the state assembly and joined the BJP in March, in the process bringing down the Nath government.
Bypolls for 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly seats will be held on November 3 and the counting of votes will be done on November 10. (PTI)
Rs 15 crore spent, Renal Transplant Centre still non-functional in SSH Jammu
*End stage kidney disease patients continue to suffer
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 19: The end stage kidney disease patients continued to suffer due to the non-serious attitude of the authorities of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Jammu as even after spending crores, the Renal Transplant Centre in Super Speciality Hospital (SSH) Jammu is still non-functional.
Official sources said that in the year 2016, PDP-BJP Government in the erstwhile J&K State had announced to establish a Kidney Transplant Centre in SSH Jammu and sanctioned Rs 50 crore for the same so that the patients from Jammu and adjoining districts do not have to go outside for availing this facility.
Accordingly, sources said, an amount of Rs 15 crore was sanctioned last year after the proactive and visionary intervention and efforts of Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo to start the facility by raising basic infrastructure and purchasing important high end machinery and equipment in 1st phase, and the amount was transferred to Principal GMC Jammu under Languishing Project.
“As per the DPR of the project, in second phase additional infrastructure which include dedicated blood bank, high tech state of art Microbiology and Biochemistry labs, in-house Radiological and Imaging as well as HLA typing facilities etc has to be raised for which remaining funds to the tune of Rs 35 crore will be released by the Government,” they added.
They said though all the funds to the tune of Rs 15 crore released in 1st phase have been spent and the basic infrastructure, equipment and machinery are in place but the Renal Transplant Centre is yet to be made functional by the GMC administration.
Sources said the Government of J&K and Department of Health and Medical Education being serious and committed in starting the Renal Transplant Centre, made very important regulatory steps last year and made Central Transplant of Human Act extended in the Union Territory of J&K but due to non-seriousness of the GMCH authorities, the people are still deprived of the facility.
“For end stage or stage 5 Kidney disease, there are two treatment options available i.e. dialysis or kidney transplantation and kidney transplantation is always recommended because quality of life and survival (life expectancy) are often better in it than in people who are treated with dialysis on long term basis but authorities of GMC Jammu have failed to start the Kidney Transplant Centre despite spending crores on it,” they regretted.
They further said that many candidates for kidney transplantation from Jammu province are suffering as they have to move outside J&K for availing the services where they are usually put on a transplant waiting list and have to depend on dialysis until a kidney is available. This cost the poor patients very dearer, they added.
Sources further informed that ex-Principal GMC Jammu Dr Sunanda Raina before her superannuation got SOTTO services extended and established at SSH Jammu and also got the Centre registered with National Organ Transplant Programme of India, which is an apex centre for all India activities of coordination and networking for procurement and distribution of organs and tissues and registry of Organs and Tissues Donation and Transplantation in country.
“Further, necessary staff including Joint Director of Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO)/State Organ and Transplant organization (SOTTO) who is drawing salary of Rs 87000 per month and Transplant Coordinator (drawing salary of Rs 30000 per month) have been appointed under National Organ Transplant Programme for establishment of SOTTO but they have no work to perform in light of totally non-functional Renal Transplant Centre at Jammu,” sources rued.
They further informed that a dedicated ambulance and its driver have been also appointed under the scheme by the Government, which shows its commitment to establish Renal Transplant at SSH Jammu but due to slackness of GMCH authorities, even a single patient has not been registered or operated for Renal Transplant in SSH Jammu.
“Even GMC authorities failed to coordinate and organize trainings for various cadre of workers, create dedicated website, establish brain dead certification committee as well as dedicated counselling centre for the kidney patients which are requisite to start the Centre. They also failed to extend Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme to the poor people seeking kidney transplantation,” sources regretted.
Six-year-old accused of ‘sexual assault’ in UP’s Aligarh
ALIGARH (UP), Oct 19:
Police here are looking into a case in which a six-year-old boy allegedly sexually assaulted a girl of the same age.
The incident took place in the Kurwasi police station area last Monday.
Police said according to the five-and-a-half-year-old girl’s family, she had gone to their neighbour’s house to retrieve her ball when the boy dragged her into a room and sexually assaulted her.
The family said the girl did not tell them about the incident as she was terrified, according to police.
On Sunday, she was taken ill and told her mother about it, police said, adding that the girl complained of pain in her private parts.
SP (City) Abhishek Kumar told reporters that a case has been registered and the girl was rushed to a hospital for a medical examination.
He said a medical board is presently studying her report and further action will be taken after receiving it.
The SP said the medical board will also examine the boy to establish his age since his family has not been able to provide any document in this regard.
According to Aligarh psychologist Dr Poonam Batra, it will be very premature to describe the incident as a rape because reported age of the boy “belies such a claim”.
Kuwarsi Inspector Chotey Lal said the boy is currently with his parents and further action will be taken after necessary investigations. (PTI)
Cong, NC, PDP speaking language of China, Pak over UT status to Ladakh: Reddy
‘Leh, Kargil to be developed as smart cities’
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 19: Lashing out at Opposition parties including Congress, National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Union Minister of State for Home, G K Reddy today accused them of speaking language of China and Pakistan on grant of UT status to Ladakh region and Articles 370 and 35 -A which were annulled by the Narendra Modi Government last year.
The Union Minister during his two days tour to Ladakh to campaign for the BJP candidates contesting the elections to Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh was talking to reporters on the second day of his tour in Leh today.
He expressed his serious concern and dismay that all opposition parties including Congress, NC and PDP are speaking the language of China and Pakistan and their tone and tune on the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 -A is one and that is totally unfortunate.
He said the Congress which is opposing the grant of UT status to Ladakh has no right to seek vote from the people of Leh in the ensuing LAHDC, Leh elections and appealed the people to reject the party lock, stock and barrel in the ensuing elections as it (Congress) has taken a stand against the 70 year -long struggle of people of the Ladakh region and their dream which was fulfilled by none else than Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
Terming the annulling of Articles 370 and 35 A as well as grant of UT status to Ladakh as the internal matter of India, he said China and Pakistan have no locus standi in it, and took serious exception to recent statement of Chinese Foreign Minister, who had termed the grant of UT status to Ladakh as wrong.
Lambasting both China and Pakistan, Reddy asked who are Chinese Foreign Minister and Pakistan Premier, Imran Khan to interfere in India’s internal matters. Modi Government took the decision of UT for Ladakh for the development of this hilly region which faced constant neglect during last 70 years through the hands of successive Congress and NC Governments both at Centre and in the erstwhile State of J&K”, he added.
It is unfortunate that National Conference president, Dr Farooq Abdullah who is also MP and has been the Chief Minister of J&K several times has stated that his party will launch struggle and seek Chinese support in restoring 370 and 35-A in J&K. Even the former Home Minister and senior Congress leader, P Chidambaram has also talked of restoring 370 in J&K. In view of such irresponsible statements made by the Congress leaders the party has no right to seek votes from the people of Leh, he added.
Reddy asked “Was it right for Abdullah to make such a statement at a time when there was tension on borders with China”, ? He also questioned that how Abdullah and his party can restore Article 370 as the needles of clock can’t move backward.
The Union Minister, however, said that Indian forces are bravely guarding the borders in terrains and snow bound peaks and assured that India will not compromise on a single inch of territory. “We, should trust our valiant forces, he said while allaying fears of the people in this regard”.
Unfolding various developmental projects for the Ladakh region, he said both Leh and Kargil townships will be developed as smart cities. Earlier there was only a plan to develop two Capital Cities of J&K, Jammu and Srinagar as smart cities but after the grant of UT status to Ladakh region Modi Government decided to develop Leh and Kargil as Smart cities also, he added.
Maintaining that he, being in- charge of UT of Ladakh will make the announcement regarding development of two smart cities in coming budget session of the Parliament. He said the work on Zojila tunnel connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir Valley has started and it will be a game changer for this region to boost its trade and tourism. He said earlier the completion period of Rs 4510 crore tunnel was six to seven years but the Government has issued instructions of completing it in only four years, he added.
He said Zojila at Tunnel which will be on the height of 11578 feet will be all weather tunnel and there will be no road blockade to the region for six months of Winter after its construction.
He also said that Modi Government’s main thrust is air connectivity in the region to boost the tourism. Besides, the Government is also concentrating on exploiting the solar energy in the region as Ladakh has a lot of potential for the same. The Modi Government has framed a strategy to generate 7500 mws of solar energy in the region so that the people get 24 hours uninterrupted power supply, he added.
It is commitment of this Government that every section of society and every area should get power supply and the greatest challenge in this regard is the transmitting lines and Government is also working on that. In coming days the work on laying of transmitting lines will also be started, he added.
The Union Minister said for telecommunication connectivity, 54 towers have been constructed and if needed more will be raised . Ladakh has a lot of potential for tourism and it will be given boost, he added.
He said soon after the elections to LAHDC, Leh are over every thing will be discussed with the UT authorities and development projects will be taken in hand on the war footing basis. He announced that 5000 youth will be given jobs in UT Government besides, self employment generation will also be given thrust. An action plan will be framed in consultation with PM after elections in this regard, he added.
Allaying fears of the people, he said that Ladakh Constitutional Act will also be framed to safeguard ethnicity, culture, land, language, jobs etc of the people of the UT soon after the elections in consultation with local leaders and public representatives of the region.
He said whatever will be in the interest of the people of Ladakh, will be done by the Modi Government.
Corona cases cross 7.5 mn
NEW DELHI, Oct 19:
The number of new Coronavirus infections reported daily in India dropped below 60,000 for the second time this month, while the number of fresh fatalities registered across the country dipped below 600 almost after three months, the Union Health Ministry data stated today.
The total cases mounted to 75,50,273 with 55,722 infections being reported in a day. On October 13, India had last registered daily cases below 60,000.
The death toll climbed to 1,14,610 with 579 fatalities being registered in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The active cases of Coronavirus infection remained below 8 lakh for the third consecutive day.
There are 7,72,055 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprises 10.23 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated.
The number of recoveries have surged to 66,63,608 and the national recovery rate has improved to 88.26 per cent. The case fatality rate due COVID-19 stands at 1.52 per cent.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23 and 40 lakh on September 5. It went past 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28 and crossed 70 lakh on October 11.
According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 9,50,83,976 samples have been tested up to October 18 with 8,59,786 samples being tested on Sunday. (PTI)