India, Australia players wear black armbands in tribute to Austin during World Cup semifinal
Navi Mumbai (PTI): India and Australia players on Thursday wore black armbands during their Women’s World Cup semifinal as a tribute to teen cricketer Ben Austin, who passed away after being hit by a ball during training.
The 17-year-old Austin was hit in the neck while batting at the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club in suburban Melbourne on Tuesday.
He was wearing a helmet which had no neck guard while training for his club, and was hit by the ball which was thrown by a side-arm.
Austin was batting against fast bowlers in the nets ahead of a T20 match when he suffered the fatal blow in front of his teammates.
After the incident, Austin was put on ventilator but he succumbed to his injury, which revoked the memories of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes' tragic death in 2014.
Ferntree Gully confirmed Austin's death on Thursday.
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Pak, Afghan forces trade fire along Chaman border: Report
Islamabad (PTI): A heavy exchange of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces was reported from the key Chaman border, according to a media report on Saturday.
Injuries were reported from the district hospital, but no fatalities occurred, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Officials from both sides accused each other of instigating the flare-up late on Friday night across the border in the Balochistan province.
While Pakistani officials said that Afghan forces had fired mortar shells on the Badani area, Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid claimed it was Pakistan that launched an attack on Spin Boldak, alleging that their forces were responding.
Pakistan's official sources told Dawn that Pakistani forces retaliated against the Afghan aggression and returned fire.
There were also reports of fighting on the Chaman-Kandahar highway, but these could not be immediately verified.
A senior official in Quetta confirmed on condition of anonymity that the exchange of fire started around 10 pm and continued until late at night.
The medical superintendent of Chaman district hospital said that three injured, including a woman, were brought to the medical facility.
There was neither any official word from the Inter-Services Public Relations -- Pakistan Army's media wing -- nor from the Foreign Office.
The Chaman border crossing, also known as Friendship Gate, connects Balochistan province to Afghanistan’s Kandahar.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated amidst regular allegations by Pakistan regarding the failure of the Afghan regime to deny safe havens to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan terrorists.
The two countries had agreed on a ceasefire following tensions last month, but the Foreign Office said last month that technically there was no truce as it was contingent on the Afghan Taliban stopping terrorist attacks in Pakistan, which they had failed to do.
