India beat Sri Lanka by 43 runs in first T20 International
Pallekele (Sri Lanka), Jul 27: India beat Sri Lanka by 43 runs in the first T20 International here on Saturday.
Invited to bat, India posted an imposing 213 for seven and then bowled the hosts out for 170 in 19.2 overs.
Riyan Parag took three wickets for five runs while Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh got two apiece.
Pathum Nissanka top-scored for Sri Lanka with a 48-ball 79 while his opening partner Kusal Mendis contributed 45.
In the Indian innings, new skipper Suryakumar Yadav led from the front with a 26-ball 58 after openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (40 off 21 balls) and Shubman Gill (34 off 16 balls) had put on 74 runs in just six overs.
Rishabh Pant narrowly missed out on a half-century, making 49 in 33 balls.
Pacer Matheesha Pathirana was the most successful bowler for Sri Lanka, returning figures of 4/40 in four overs on a day when Sri Lanka dropped a few catches.
This was India's first match under new head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Brief scores:
India: 213/7 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 58, Rishabh Pant 49, Yashasvi Jaiswal 40, Shubman Gill 34; Matheesha Pathirana 4/40).
Sri Lanka: 170 all out in 19.2 overs (Pathum Nissanka 79, Kusal Mendis 45; Riyan Parag 3/5, Axar Patel 2/38, Arshdeep Singh 2/24).
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ISKCON urges Indian intervention following priest's arrest in Bangladesh
Dhaka: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has called on the Indian government to take immediate steps to secure the release of its priest, Chinmoy Krishna Das, detained by Bangladeshi authorities. The arrest occurred near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
Das, a prominent ISKCON leader and former divisional organising secretary for Chattogram, faces sedition charges stemming from an October 25 incident. According to a case filed on October 31, 19 individuals, including Das, allegedly placed a saffron flag over the Bangladeshi flag on the Independent Pillar (Shadhinata Smathamva) during a rally organised by the Hindu community under the banner Sanatan Jagaran Mancha.
ISKCON has strongly denied any involvement in terrorism, describing the allegations as "baseless and unacceptable." In a statement, ISKCON declared, "It is outrageous to make baseless allegations that ISKCON has anything to do with terrorism anywhere in the world. ISKCON urges the Government of India to engage with Bangladesh to secure the release of Sri Chinmoy Krishna Das."
Hindu communities in Bangladesh have staged protests demanding better legal protection and the establishment of a minority affairs ministry under the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Meanwhile, Bangladeshi police have arrested two other suspects, Rajesh Chowdhury and Hriday Das, in connection with the case. The remaining accused include Ajay Dutta, Leela Raj Das Brahmachari, Gopal Das Tipu, and several others. ISKCON spokesperson Radharamn Das expressed concerns over Das's safety, stating that he had been moved to an undisclosed location by the police.
