India beat New Zealand to qualify for Women''s World Cup semifinals
Navi Mumbai (PTI): India qualified for the semifinals of the Women's World Cup after scintillating hundreds by Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal set up a commanding 53-run win over New Zealand via DLS Method here on Thursday.
Asked to bat first, India posted an imposing 340 for three after the contest was reduced to 49 overs per side following a rain interruption just before the first innings was coming to an end.
After another interruption, the target was revised to 325 in 44 overs as per the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, and New Zealand were stopped at 271 for eight in the allotted overs.
Brooke Halliday top-scored for New Zealand with 81 off 84 balls, while Isabella Gaze made a 51-ball 65.
Earlier, Jemimah Rodrigues blazed away to an unbeaten 55-ball 76 after the duo of Mandhana and Pratika added 212 runs at a brisk rate to lay a solid foundation for their team, which came into this game following three defeats on the trot, and was under pressure.
Mandhana slammed 109 in 95 balls, while Pratika scored 122 in 134 deliveries. This is India's highest total in World Cups.
The win over the White Ferns lifted India to six points from three victories as the tournament co-hosts joined defending champions Australia, England and South Africa in the last four.
Brief scores:
India: 340/3 in 49 overs (Smriti Mandhana 109, Pratika Rawal 122, Jemimah Rodrigues 76).
New Zealand: 271/8 in 44 overs (Brooke Halliday 81, Isabella Gaze 65 not out; Renuka Singh Thakur 2/25).
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
