Hardik's responsible 50 not out takes Gujarat Titans to 162/7 against SRH
Navi Mumbai, Apr 11: Captain Hardik Pandya's responsible 50 not out off 42 balls helped Gujarat Titans post a competitive 162 for 7 after a top-order failure in their IPL game against Sunrisers Hyderabad here on Monday.
Invited to bat, Hardik first forged a 40-run stand for the fourth wicket with David Miller (12) to rally the innings after the top three batters failed to convert their starts as Gujarat were in a spot of bother at 64/3 after eight overs.
Hardik then added 50 runs with Abhinav Mahonar, who justified his Rs 2.60 crore price tag with his quick fire 35 off 21 balls, to ensure that the Titans crossed the 150-run mark.
Manohar, who got three lives, hit five boundaries and one six in his short stay and particularly launched into T Natarajan (2/34) in the 18th over, where Gujarat amassed 13 runs.
However, it was an unusual Hardik knock, as he mixed caution with aggression to anchor the innings.
The all-rounder' announced his arrival with a straight-drive off Natarajan to fetch his first boundary and then was brutal on Umran Malik (1/39), whom he hammered two successive boundaries in the eight over, which fetched nine runs.
In the next over, he clobbered Aiden Markaram for his only maximum over cow-corner but Hardik was devoid of partners, as SRH kept striking at regular intervals.
The SRH attack largely kept Hardik at bay, as they did not allow him to free his arms in the last five overs and as a result it was Hardik' slowest fifty in the IPL.
Earlier, opener Matthew Wade earned his first boundary, courtesy a thick outside edge in the first over, where Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/37) conceded 17 runs, 12 of them extras.
But Gujarat lost Wade (19), Shubman Gill (7) and one-down batter Sai Sudarshan (11) cheaply.
Gill was undone by a stunning one-handed diving catch by Rahul Tripathi at cover, off Bhuvneshwar, in the third over.
Sudarshan, who was looking rusty, became Natarajan's first victim, after ballooning to Kane Williamson at mid-off.
Wade, who hammered three boundaries, was trapped in front of the wicket, after he missed a flick, off a fuller delivery by Malik in the eight over.
Then it was Hardik and Manohar show as Gujarat added 82 runs in the final 10 overs.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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