Josh Hazlewood rejoins Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of IPL playoffs
Lucknow, May 25 (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru have got a massive boost ahead of the Indian Premier League playoffs with Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood rejoining the side two days before their final league match here on Tuesday.
Hazlewood had returned home during the one-week break due to the suspension of the IPL in the wake of India-Pakistan military conflict and was also dealing with a shoulder niggle from which the right-arm pacer has recovered.
“It's obviously great to be back. A couple of weeks at home, (I) made the most of the last (as I) went up to Brisbane and bowled quite a few overs,” Hazlewood said in a video posted by RCB on Sunday.
“Everything has been good. Hopefully to get the ball rolling again and, yeah, look forward to tomorrow and start the practice,” he added.
The 34-year-old was training in Brisbane as a part of Australia’s preparations for the World Test Championship final against South Africa next month and was being monitored by Cricket Australia’s medical team.
The RCB camp was closely monitoring Hazlewood’s progress. He has been RCB’s best bowler in this IPL with 18 wickets in 10 matches and is currently fourth-highest wicket-taker in the competition.
Already qualified for the play-offs, RCB face Lucknow Super Giants in their last IPL league match here on Tuesday.
RCB will depend on other results for a top-two finish after losing their last match against Sunrisers Hyderabad by 42 runs.
In fact, a win by a narrow margin for PBKS over Mumbai Indians on Monday would keep RCB ahead but in case of a defeat to LSG, the Rajat Patidar-led side would have to go through the Eliminator again.
“Good to be back! Hope to get the ball rolling again and start practice tomorrow”: Josh Hazlewood 🤩
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 25, 2025
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Heatwave scorches Odisha, Jharsuguda reels under 43.6 degrees C
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Heatwave conditions scorched Odisha on Tuesday, with the IMD forecasting that hot and humid conditions would continue in parts of the state.
The IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre said Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati districts were likely to experience hot and humid conditions on April 22.
It also predicted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds in parts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput, among others.
On Tuesday, 18 places across Odisha recorded maximum temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or above. The industrial town of Jharsuguda was the hottest in the state at 43.6 degrees Celsius.
Sambalpur and Titlagarh recorded 42.5 degrees Celsius each, followed by Hirakud at 42.4 degrees, Bolangir at 42.2 degrees and Angul at 42.1 degrees.
The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 37.9 degrees Celsius and 38.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, with relative humidity levels remaining above 70 per cent.
Meanwhile, the state government directed all district education officers to conduct a Summer Learning Programme for students till class 8 in government schools during the summer vacation.
Officials said students would be given practice assignments along with audio-visual learning content.
Subject-wise assignment sheets have been prepared, while related digital material will be shared through school parents' WhatsApp groups using a chatbot system, they said.
