Harmanpreet, Carey power Mumbai’s big chase against Gujarat
Navi Mumbai (PTI): Harmanpreet Kaur produced a batting masterclass with an unbeaten 71 to lead Mumbai Indians to a seven-wicket win over Gujarat Giants, their highest successful chase in the Women’s Premier League, here on Tuesday.
Put in, Gujarat Giants produced a late flourish through Georgia Wareham (43 not out) and Bharti Fulmali (36 not out) to post 192/5.
Chasing the stiff target, Harmanpreet brought up a 33-ball half-century, her 10th in the WPL, and also crossed 1,000 runs in the tournament to become the first Indian to reach the milestone in the league.
She finished with 71 not out off 43 balls, striking seven fours and two sixes as Mumbai completed the chase with four balls to spare to hand Gujarat their first defeat of the season.
Mumbai were wobbling at 37/2 after losing both openers inside the powerplay, but Harmanpreet found a fine ally in Amanjot Kaur, who played a sparkling knock of 40 off 26 balls with seven fours.
The pair added 72 runs off just 44 balls to turn the game decisively in Mumbai’s favour.
Amanjot was particularly severe on anything loose, using the paddle and the slog to find the fine-leg and mid-wicket boundaries, while Harmanpreet counter-attacked with authority, lofting Renuka Singh over mid-off and later launching Ashleigh Gardner over long-on to keep the asking rate in check.
After Amanjot’s dismissal, Harmanpreet was joined by Nicola Carey, who provided the perfect finishing touch with an unbeaten 37 off 22 balls, including six fours.
The duo put on an unbroken 84-run partnership from 43 deliveries to seal the result.
Harmanpreet was dropped twice during her innings and made Gujarat pay heavily, as Mumbai cruised to a memorable win to tighten their grip on a playoff spot.
Earlier, Wareham remained unbeaten on 43 off 33 balls, striking four fours and a six, while Fulmali made the most of a tactical promotion after Ayushi Soni became the first player in the WPL to be retired out.
Fulmali blasted 36 not out off just 15 deliveries with three sixes and as many fours.
Fulmali’s late assault, which included two sixes and a four off Amanjot Kaur in the final 23-run over, helped Gujarat collect 49 runs from the last three overs.
Gujarat were well placed after a reprieve to Beth Mooney in the opening over when Mumbai’s 17-year-old wicketkeeper Gunalan Kamalini dropped a straightforward chance.
Mooney made full use of it, smashing Hayley Matthews for successive fours in an 18-run second over. After Sophie Devine (8) edged Shabnim Ismail, Mooney and Kanika Ahuja took control in the powerplay.
Ahuja struck three fours and a six in her brisk 20 off nine balls, while Mooney raced to 32 off 24 as the pair added 42 in just 24 balls to lift Gujarat to 62 for one.
After Mooney was caught and bowled by Amelia Kerr in the seventh over for 33, Ahuja kept up the tempo alongside skipper Gardner, taking Gujarat to 96/2 in nine overs.
Mumbai, however, pulled things back when Nicola Carey trapped Gardner (20) and Matthews had Ahuja (35) caught at long-on, leaving Gujarat at 99/4.
Ayushi’s slow 11 off 14 further stalled the innings before the late onslaught from Fulmali and Wareham ensured a strong finish.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Virudhunagar firecracker unit blast: Toll climbs to 25, Rs 5.5 lakh ex gratia announced
Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): With most bodies charred beyond recognition, identification remains difficult, police said on Monday, as the toll in the massive explosion at a fireworks unit near Kattanarpatti here rose to 25.
The Virudhunagar district administration has announced Rs 5.5 lakh ex gratia to the kin of deceased.
The accident is one of the deadliest industrial disasters in the region in recent years.
"Bodies were so badly charred that we were able to identify mostly with jewellery that the victims were wearing," a police official told PTI.
He said that the families have not yet claimed the bodies due to the uncertainly in the identities.
The factory owner is absconding, he added.
The accident occurred at the Vanaja firecracker unit, owned by one Muthumanickam, which functions under the Vachakarapatti police station limits.
The unit is reportedly licensed by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), Nagpur.
Post-mortem reports have established that the 25 victims, include 22 women and three men, the police official added.
Eight workers, mostly women, are critically injured with 60 per cent burn injuries. Twelve others, including eight policemen, were injured in a second blast on Sunday evening while rescue operations were underway.
Rescue operations were severely hampered for hours, as unexploded materials continued to detonate.
A second blast at 7.20 pm, triggered as an earthmover was clearing debris, caused chaos and injured several responders, including a revenue official.
Meanwhile, sources said about 1,000 people, including the families of the victims and residents of nearby villages, are threatening a road roko, demanding the arrest of the owner of the factory.
Local eyewitnesses, including Ranganathan from the nearby Seervaikarampatti village, described hearing a massive blast that sent "thick black smoke" into the sky.
"Nothing was recognisable. We saw bodies being loaded four at a time into vehicles," he told PTI Videos.
Many of the deceased were from Seervaikarampatti village, with residents claiming that at least 20 victims belonged to their village.
Among those killed was 46-year-old Indrani, a veteran worker of 25 years.
"My mother was the sole breadwinner. My father is disabled and stays home. I have an MSc degree, but I’m working at a petrol bunk to help out, and we haven't even paid my brother's school fees yet," said Madhubala, Indrani’s daughter, while pleading for government employment assistance.
Virudhunagar Collector N O Sukhaputra confirmed that the unit was operating without permission on a rest day.
Preliminary findings suggest the blast originated in a chemical mixing shed, where nearly 40 workers were busy making crackers, a violation of safety norms that typically limit occupancy to four workers per shed.
"Had these workers followed primary safety norms, the casualties could have been minimal," a senior official stated.
Chief Minister M K Stalin has ordered a high-level probe and directed ministers to oversee relief efforts.
The tragedy follows a similar accident in Vembakottai just days earlier, which claimed four lives, intensifying calls for stricter enforcement of safety regulations in the district’s firecracker hub.
The explosion occurred at approximately 3.15 pm on Sunday. Although the fireworks industry is officially shut on Sundays, over 100 workers were reportedly engaged in production.
Later in the day, Sukhaputra said Rs 5.5 lakh ex gratia each has been finalised for the families of 25 persons killed in the explosion.
Speaking to PTI Videos, he said the ex gratia cheques are ready for immediate distribution to the legal heirs.
"Out of 25 deaths, we have finished conducting post-mortems on 22 bodies. Already we have cheques (that) are ready,” Sukhaputra said.
The announcement followed intense demands from grieving relatives for financial security and government employment.
