India beat Australia by 6 runs in 5th T20I, clinch series 4-1
Bengaluru, Dec 3: Shreyas Iyer (53) scored his eighth half-century and Mukesh Kumar took three wickets as India defeated Australia by six runs to win the fifth and final T20I by and take the series 4-1.
With Australia needing 10 runs to win off last six deliveries, Arshdeep Singh (2/38) produced a terrific final over including the key wicket of the dangerous Matthew Wade (22 off 15 balls, 4x4s) to help India end victorious.
Chasing 161 to win, Australia managed 154/8 in 20 overs with Kumar returning 4-0-32-3 and leg spinner Ravi Bishnoi producing a fine 4-0-29-2.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel also produced an all-round show, taking 1/14 from his four overs after making a vital 31 with the bat.
For Australia, Ben McDermott hit 54 off 36 balls and Travis Head made 28 in just 15 balls.
Brief scores:
India 160/8 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 53, Jitesh Sharma 24, Axar Patel 31; Jason Behrendorff 2/38, Ben Dwarshuis 2/30)
Australia 154/8 in 20 overs (Ben McDermott 54; Mukesh Kumar 3/32, Ravi Bishnoi 2/29) by 6 runs.
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Karnataka procured 16 lakh expired RT-PCR kits during Covid wave: D’Cunha commission
Bengaluru: Justice John Michael D’Cunha’s committee has uncovered significant irregularities in the procurement of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic, revealing that more than 16 lakh RT-PCR test kits purchased by Karnataka in 2022 under the BJP-led government were either expired or close to their expiry dates.
After irregularities in PPE kit purchases, ventilators have also come under the scanner, with the report highlighting discrepancies amounting to Rs 173.26 crore in purchases made by the Medical Education Department.
The commission has also found that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd. (KSMSCL) that cancelled a supply order for one lakh Rapid Antigen (RAT) kits placed with a Singapore-based company in March 2020 — for delay in supplying — has not recovered the Rs 6.99 crore paid to the company towards the order, as reported by The Hindu on Thursday.
According to the 279-page report on procurements made by the KSMSCL that is compiled in part IV of the report, a payment of Rs 148.84 crore was made by KSMSCL to various suppliers and firms towards procurement of RT-PCR kits from 2020 to 2022.
The Commission’s report, as cited by the publication, stated that there were records indicating procurement of RT-PCR kits, RNA extraction kits and Viral transport media (VTM) of a total value of Rs 106.25 crore during the pandemic in Karnataka. However, according to the report, this procurement was made without administrative approval.
“Since the KSMSCL has failed to discharge its obligation and responsibility, the loss caused to the State exchequer to this extent is required to be replenished by the erring officers and/or officials of the KSMSCL as well as the officers and/or officials of the consignee designated laboratories who received the consignment,” the report said, pegging the losses due to expired kits supplied by companies at Rs 3.11 crore.
In response to the report’s findings, state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the saffron party for profiting from the pandemic. He promised accountability for the irregularities involving PPE kits and ventilators, stating that those responsible would face punishment.
