Disciplined England restrict India to 256/8 in series decider
Leeds, July 17: Leg-spinner Adil Rashid's triple strikes in the middle overs helped England restrict India for a below par 256/8 in the series-deciding third and final One-day International (ODI) at the Headingley cricket ground here on Tuesday.
Put in to bat, India rode on captain Virat Kohli's run-a-ball 71, combined with his predecessor Mahendra Singh Dhoni's laborious 66-ball 42 and a valuable 44 from opener Shikhar Dhawan even as Rashid applied the brakes to return figures of 3/49 off his 10 overs.
India were in trouble early on, losing in-form opener Rohit Sharma for a sluggish 18-ball 2, before Dhawan and Kohli forged a 71-run second wicket stand to inject life back into the innings.
With the right-left duo of Kohli and Dhawan going all guns blazing, all-rounder Ben Stokes brought the hosts back into the game with the run-out of Dhawan, who by then had faced 49 balls and struck seven fours.
The southpaw's dismissal brought in stumper Dinesh Karthik for his first game on the tour. Karthik started off well with a boundary before picking two more on his way to a quickfire 22-ball 21 but an inside edge off a tossed up delivery from Rashid ended his stay and also the 41-run third wicket stand.
Despite losing his partners at the other end, Kohli kept his cool to raise his 48th ODI half century with a boundary off pacer Liam Plunkett and thereafter began switching gears even as Suresh Raina (1) joined him in the middle.
However, Rashid and his fellow spinner Moeen Ali managed to keep the run flow in check, which prompted both the Indian batsmen to take risks and in the process the leggie bamboozled the India skipper with a ripper which broke through his defences before Raina too departed off the same over, thanks to a brilliant catch by Joe Root at leg slip.
With India in deep trouble, Dhoni once again came to the rescue with a hard working innings, and together with all-rounder Hardik Pandya (21 off 21 balls), raised a 36-run stand for the sixth wicket before adding another 27 runs with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (21 off 35) to stretch the total to some sort of respectability.
Towards the end, pacer Shardul Thakur produced a brilliant cameo of 13-ball unbeaten 22, that saw him launch Stokes for two sixes in the penultimate over as India's total crossed the 250-run mark.
For England, besides Rashid's three wickets, pacer David Willey also returned figures of 3/40 while fellow quick Mark Wood took one wicket.
Brief Scores: India (Virat Kohli 71, Shikhar Dhawan 44, M.S.Dhoni 42; David Willey 3/40, Adil Rashid 3/49) vs England.
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KPTCL sets target to complete Kadandale 400 kV power substation project by July 15
Mangaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): The KPTCL has set a target to complete the strategically important Kadandale 400 kV power substation project by July 15, aiming to ensure uninterrupted and quality power supply to the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, officials said on Wednesday.
The target has been fixed by the KPTCL (Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited) following the directions of State Energy Minister K J George, they said.
The project, located at Kadandale village in Moodbidri taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, had remained stalled for nearly three years due to land-related litigation affecting the 400 kV transmission line works, officials said.
However, the hurdles were successfully resolved through the sustained efforts of Energy Minister George and Energy Department Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, they said.
Following the minister's directions, KPTCL Managing Director Ram Prasath Manohar visited the project site on Wednesday to review the progress of the works, according to an official statement.
"Mangaluru is one of Karnataka's key industrial hubs and requires a reliable and uninterrupted power supply. As directed by the Hon'ble Minister, we are working towards completing the project before the onset of the monsoon and commencing transmission operations at the earliest," Manohar said.
According to officials, the Kadandale 400 kV substation is expected to significantly strengthen the power infrastructure of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, which are major industrial and commercial regions of the state.
Manohar said the project would provide a long-term solution to recurring monsoon-related voltage fluctuations and low-voltage issues in the coastal belt.
"The new substation will improve grid stability and ensure quality power supply to the region. In the event of a technical fault in any one station, load can be quickly diverted through this substation, enabling faster restoration of electricity supply," he explained.
To expedite completion of the project, KPTCL has planned to obtain line clearance on the existing 400 kV UPCL-Hebbanahalli transmission corridor between May 6 and May 24, 2026, the statement said.
During this period, alternative arrangements have been made to manage transmission loads and maintain supply based on demand conditions, it said.
However, officials stated that short-duration load shedding may become unavoidable under technically exigent situations.
"This project is crucial for the long-term energy security of Mangaluru and the coastal region. We request consumers and the public to extend their cooperation during this temporary operational phase," the KPTCL MD stated.
Minister George said that ensuring uninterrupted power supply for the benefit of the public and the industrial growth of the coastal region is one of the government's top priorities.
"Due to certain legal hurdles, the 400 kV transmission line work was delayed. The department has taken special initiative to resolve these obstacles. The Kadandale substation will ensure high-quality power supply for Mangaluru and Udupi regions," he said.
"The department continuously monitored the land-related disputes affecting the project and ensured timely resolution through coordinated intervention. KPTCL has been instructed to complete the works within the stipulated timeline and dedicate the project to public service at the earliest," Gupta stated.
