England beat New Zealand by 4 wickets to keep Pakistan's hopes alive
Colombo (PTI): Already qualified for semifinals, England defeated New Zealand by four wickets to maintain a clean slate in the Super Eights stage and keep Pakistan's hopes alive in the T20 World Cup here on Friday.
England have registered three wins in as many matches in the Super Eights. New Zealand are placed second in Group 2 with three points.
Pakistan are placed third with one point and they need to win big against already-ousted Sri Lanka on Saturday to dislodge New Zealand from the second spot and qualify for the semifinals.
Earlier, England restricted New Zealand to 159 for seven after the Kiwis opted to bat.
New Zealand batters got starts but couldn't convert them into big scores.
Glenn Phillips (39), Tim Seifert (35), Finn Allen (29) and Mark Chapman (15) all got starts but failed to prolong their stay at the crease.
For England, Will Jacks (2/23), Adil Rashid (2/28) and Rehan Ahmed (2/28) were the main wicket takers, while Liam Dawson (1/32) chipped in with a wicket.
Chasing, England started shakily before some useful contributions from Tom Banton (33), Will Jacks (32 not out), skipper Harry Brook (26), Sam Curran (24) and Rehan Ahmed (19 not out) took them home in 19.3 overs.
For New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra (3/19) was the pick of the bowlers.
Brief Scores:
New Zealand: 159 for 7 in 20 overs (Glenn Phillips 39, Tim Seifert 35; Will Jacks 2/23)
England: 161 for 6 in 19.3 overs (Will Jacks 32 not out; Rachin Ravindra 3/19).
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Lenskart apologises after online backlash, releases new style guide welcoming religious symbols
New Delhi (PTI): Following massive online backlash over a purported internal grooming document, eyewear retailer Lenskart has issued a public apology and released a standardised 'In-Store Style Guide' that allows employees to wear religious and cultural symbols at work.
In a statement on X, the company said it is making its guidelines public and transparent to address the concerns of its customers and community.
The new policy "explicitly and unambiguously" welcomes all symbols of faith carried by team members, including the bindi, tilak, sindoor, kalawa, mangalsutra, kada, hijab, and turban.
"If any version of our workplace communication caused hurt or made any of our team members feel that their faith was unwelcome here, we are deeply sorry. That is not who Lenskart is, and it is not who we will ever be," the company said.
This comes following a controversy that erupted earlier this week when a document, alleged to be Lenskart's employee grooming policy, went viral on social media. Netizens pointed out that the policy restricted employees from wearing certain religious markers, particularly the bindi and tilak, sparking outrage and calls for a boycott.
Addressing the uproar a few days ago, Lenskart founder Peyush Bansal had stepped in to clarify that the viral document was an "outdated version" and did not reflect the company's current stance.
"I want to speak directly that this document does not reflect our present guidelines. Our policy has no restrictions on any form of religious expression, including bindi and tilak," Bansal had stated, apologising for the confusion and concern the situation had caused.
Building on Bansal's earlier clarification, Lenskart's latest statement emphasised the company's homegrown roots, noting that its 2,400-plus stores are run by people who bring their beliefs and traditions to work every day.
"Lenskart was built in Bharat, by Indians, for Indians... That is not something we will ever ask anyone to leave at the door," the statement read.
The retailer has now committed to ensuring that every future policy, training material, and communication carrying the Lenskart name will reflect inclusive values.
"We will do better. And we will keep earning your trust," the company said.
