India bulldoze New Zealand in final, defend T20 World Cup title
Ahmedabad (PTI): India produced a batting spectacle of rare ferocity to overwhelm New Zealand by 96 runs in the summit clash and defend the T20 World Cup title after posting a record total here on Sunday.
Powered by a blazing 89 from Sanju Samson and explosive half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma (52) and Ishan Kishan (54), India's top order went on a six-hitting spree to leave the New Zealand bowlers shell-shocked in the title clash, posting a massive 255 for five.
The total was the highest ever posted in a T20 World Cup final, capping a dominant display by the defending champions on the biggest stage of the tournament. India also became the first team to win the tournament.
The scoreboard pressure got to the Black Caps who desperately went after the Indian bowlers and ended up losing three quick wickets initially.
Their biggest hope Finn Allen (9) and the dangerous Glenn Phillips (5) perished early and with that New Zealand's chances of putting up a decent fight went up in smoke.
Axar Patel (3/27) and Jasprit Bumrah (4/15) had bulldozed the Kiwi innings and with the departure of Tim Seifert (52 off 26), the contest was reduced to a formality.
Invited to bat, Samson and Abhishek went on the offensive, tearing into the Kiwi attack with audacious strokeplay.
The duo hammered boundaries at will and raised a breathtaking 98-run opening stand in just 7.1 overs, setting the tone for a massive total.
Batting with sheer authority and least respect for the Kiwi bowlers, India crossed the 200-run mark in 15 overs.
However, New Zealand succeeded in putting the brake on the run flow by dismissing Samson, Kishan and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (0) in a space of six balls. Pacer James Neesham took all three wickets in the 16th over to somehow stop the game from slipping away.
Hardik Pandya (18) did not last long but Shivam Dube (26 not out) provided a flourishing finish, creaming off 24 runs in the final over from Neesham.
India managed 52 in last five overs, thanks to Dube's fiery knock.
Brief Scores:
India: 255 for 5 in 20 overs. (Sanju Samson 89, Ishan Kishan 54, Abhishek Sharma 52; James Neesham 3/46).
New Zealand: 159 all out in 19 overs. (Tim Seifert 52, J Bumrah 4/15, Axar Patel 3/23).
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Siddaramaiah seeks Centre's urgent intervention over commercial LPG cylinder shortage
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday sought the Centre's urgent intervention to ensure supply of adequate commercial LPG cyclinders to hotels and restaurants in Bengaluru.
He said hotels, restaurants and catering establishments in the city would be forced to suspend operations if supplies are not restored, affecting a large number of students and working professionals who depend on them for regular meals.
In his letter to Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, he also requested him to issue appropriate directions to the oil marketing companies to address the current supply constraints that would help ease the situation.
Referring to the March 9 order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas prioritising LPG supply for domestic consumers, Siddaramaiah said while the intention behind the order to ensure uninterrupted LPG supply to households across the country is well understood and appreciated, its implementation appears to have led to an unintended shortage of commercial LPG in Bengaluru.
ALSO READ: Govt rejigs gas allocation to ensure uninterrupted cooking gas, CNG supply
He cited that several hotels and restaurant associations in the city have reported that they are unable to procure commercial LPG cylinders, and many establishments are expressing concern that they may have to temporarily shut operations if supplies are not restored soon.
Bengaluru has a large ecosystem of small restaurants, mess facilities, and catering units that serve lakhs of people every day.
According to him, as per the discussions held with the oil marketing companies, the state's commercial LPG demand has traditionally been supported by supplies from the three OMCs-IOCL (around 500-550 MT per day), HPCL (around 300 MT per day) and BPCL (around 230 MT per day) and the sudden disruption of this supply is now severely affecting hotels, catering establishments and other commercial users in Bengaluru.
Any disruption to their functioning will have a direct impact on daily life in the city, he said.
"This issue also affects a large number of students and working professionals who live away from their homes and depend on hotels and mess facilities for regular meals. In addition, Choultries (wedding halls), hostels, and event venues that rely on commercial LPG for food preparation are also facing uncertainty, particularly with scheduled social and community events," the chief minister said in the letter.
Given the scale of dependence on commercial LPG in a metropolitan city like Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah sought the union minister's intervention to ensure that adequate commercial LPG supply is made available to hotels, restaurants, choultries, community halls and any other pure commercial establishments.
"Appropriate directions to the oil marketing companies to address the current supply constraints would help ease the situation. A timely resolution will help ensure that businesses continue to operate smoothly while also avoiding inconvenience to thousands of people who rely on these services on a daily basis," he added.
