India open T20 WC campaign with eight-wicket win over Ireland
New York, Jun 5: India beat Ireland by eight wickets in their opening Group A match of the T20 World Cup here on Wednesday.
Captain Rohit Sharma top-scored with a 37-ball 52 before he retired hurt while wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant chipped in with 36 not out off 26 balls as India chased down the target of 97 with 46 balls to spare.
Earlier, India’s pace quartet, led by Hardik Pandya, produced a dominant effort on a spicy pitch to bowl out Ireland for 96.
Pandya (3/27) led India’s effort with the ball and he received able support from Arshdeep Singh (2/35) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/6) after skipper Rohit elected to bowl first in their tournament opener.
Brief Scores:
Ireland: 96 all out in 16 overs (Hardik Pandya 3/27, Arshdeep Singh 2/35, Jasprit Bumrah 2/6).
India: 97 for 2 in 12.2 overs (Rohit Sharma 52 retired hurt, Rishabh Pant 36 not out).
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Protests over rising prices spread across Iran as students join demonstrations
Tehran: Protests triggered by Iran’s worsening economic conditions spread to universities and commercial centres on Tuesday. Students joined shopkeepers and traders in demonstrations against soaring prices and the sharp fall of the national currency, according to semi-official media reports.
The unrest comes as the Iranian rial hit a record low, sliding to around 1.4 million against the US dollar on the open market, according to a Reuters. The currency has lost nearly half its value this year, while inflation reached 42.5 per cent in December, official data showed.
Semi-official Fars News Agency reported that hundreds of students staged protests at four universities in Tehran. Footage verified by Reuters showed groups of demonstrators marching through streets in the capital, chanting slogans, while state television broadcast images of gatherings in central areas of the city.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said late on Monday that he had instructed the interior minister to engage with protesters and listen to what he described as their legitimate demands. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said authorities would set up a dialogue mechanism that could include talks with protest leaders.
“We officially recognise the protests. We hear the voices of the people and understand that these demonstrations stem from pressure on livelihoods,” Mohajerani said in remarks carried by state media.
On social media platforms, several Iranians expressed support for the protests, warning that public anger over rising prices, corruption and economic inequality could spread further across the country.
Iran’s economy has been under strain for years following the reimposition of US sanctions in 2018 after Washington withdrew from the international nuclear agreement. United Nations sanctions were reinstated in September, and Reuters reported in October that senior officials had held multiple meetings to discuss ways to prevent economic collapse and manage public discontent.
President Pezeshkian, speaking at a meeting with trade unions and market representatives on Tuesday, said the government would make efforts to address economic grievances and ease concerns faced by workers and traders, according to state media.
On Monday, Iran’s central bank chief resigned, with local media linking the move to pressure on the currency market following recent economic liberalisation policies.
