India set South Africa 299 to win Women''s World Cup
Navi Mumbai(PTI): India rode on Shafali Verma's blistering 87 and Deepti Sharma's composed half-century to post a challenging 298/6 against South Africa in the Women's World Cup final, here on Sunday.
Put in to bat after a two-hour delayed start due to a wet outfield, India were off to a flying start as Shafali and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (45) added 104 for the opening wicket at nearly seven runs per over.
Shafali, drafted in for the semifinal against Australia following Pratika Rawal’s injury, continued her dream run with her first ODI fifty in over three years -- her fifth overall -- before falling for 87 off 78 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
South Africa clawed back through Ayabonga Khaka (3/58 from nine overs) and Nonkululeko Mlaba (1/47), who triggered a middle-overs slide after India’s commanding start to deny the hosts a psychological 300-mark.
Khaka’s twin strikes removed Shafali and Jemimah Rodrigues (24), while Mlaba dismissed skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (20) just as a partnership with Deepti Sharma was blooming.
Deepti then anchored the innings with a steady 58 off as many balls, her 18th ODI half-century and third in this tournament, adding vital runs with Richa Ghosh (34 from 24 balls) before the latter was dismissed by Khaka in the penultimate over.
Brief Scores
India 298/7; 50 overs (Shafali Verma 87, Deepti Sharma 58, Smriti Mandhana 45, Richa Ghosh 34; Ayabonga Khaka 3/58) vs South Africa.
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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.
