India beat SA by six wickets, sweep women's ODI series 3-0
Bengaluru, Jun 23: India put up yet another dominating performance to defeat South Africa by six wickets and sweep the three-match Women's ODI series 3-0 here on Sunday.
Smriti Mandhana narrowly missed a century and got out for an 83-ball 90, having set up the 216-run chase with her superlative show at the top. She hit 11 boundaries.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur made a 48-ball 42 before Richa Ghosh sealed the chase with a six off Tumi Sekhukhune in the 41st over. India won with 56 balls to spare.
Earlier, skipper Laura Wolvaardt made 61 before South Africa suffered a batting meltdown to finish with an underwhelming 215/8.
Arundhati Reddy and Deepti Sharma took two wickets each for India.
Brief Scores
South Africa 215/8; 50 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 61, Tazmin Brits 38; Arundhati Reddy 2/36, Deepti Sharma 2/27).
India 220/4; 40.4 overs (Smriti Mandhana 90, Harmanpreet Kaur 42) by six wickets.
πππΌπ. πΌ. πππ! π π
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) June 23, 2024
A dominating show from the @ImHarmanpreet-led #TeamIndia as they beat South Africa by 6β£ wickets in the third & final ODI to complete an ODI series cleansweep! πͺ πͺ
Scorecard βΆοΈ https://t.co/Y7KFKaW91Y#INDvSA | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/1aQYPqaQJ4
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UAE announces complete withdrawal of forces from Yemen amid rift with Saudi Arabia
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday declared that it would withdraw its remaining forces from Yemen, bringing an end to what it described as its “counterterrorism” mission, amid escalating tensions with Saudi Arabia over developments in the country’s south.
The announcement followed a demand by Yemen’s internationally recognised government, led by the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, that Emirati forces leave Yemeni territory within 24 hours. Riyadh publicly supported the call, deepening a rare public rift within the Saudi Arabia-led coalition that has been fighting Houthi rebels since 2015.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said it had conducted a “comprehensive assessment” of its role in Yemen and decided to terminate the mission due to recent developments and their implications for the safety and effectiveness of its personnel. It said the withdrawal would be carried out in a manner ensuring the security of its forces.
Al Jazeera reported that the decision came hours after Saudi-led coalition aircraft struck the southern port city of Mukalla, targeting what Riyadh claimed was a weapons shipment linked to the UAE and intended for the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC). Saudi Arabia said it viewed recent STC advances in the Hadramout and Mahara provinces as a threat to its national security, accusing Abu Dhabi of exerting pressure on the group to carry out military operations.
The STC, which had earlier fought alongside the internationally recognised government against the Houthis, launched a major offensive this month, seizing control of large areas of southern Yemen, including provinces bordering Saudi Arabia. The advances ended years of relative stalemate and triggered sharp warnings from Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia said any threat to its security was a “red line” and that it would take all necessary measures to counter such risks. Its concerns were echoed by Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who accused the UAE of directing and supporting the STC’s actions. Following the Mukalla strike, al-Alimi announced the dissolution of a defence pact with the UAE and ordered Emirati forces to leave within a day.
The UAE rejected the accusation, saying it was surprised by the Saudi air strike and maintaining that the shipment targeted in Mukalla did not contain weapons and was meant for Emirati forces, not the STC. It reiterated its commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and said it was seeking a solution to prevent further escalation.
The Mukalla strike, which caused damage but no casualties, exposed widening fractures within the coalition formed nearly a decade ago to counter the Houthis. Emirati troops first deployed in Yemen in 2015, but the UAE had already drawn down most of its forces in 2019, retaining only a limited presence in government-held areas.
Saying both Saudi Arabia and the UAE reflected a commitment to regional stability and the principles of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Qatar welcomed their statements. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also held calls with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to discuss regional developments.
The STC spokesperson, Anwar al-Tamimi, said there was “no thinking about withdrawal” from areas it had seized, warning that any move against its forces would be met with a response. Meanwhile, Yemeni authorities imposed temporary air, sea and ground restrictions following the escalation, as uncertainty continued to surround the future balance of power in southern Yemen.
