Kohli moves up to No 4 in ODI rankings; Axar, Shami also make gains
Dubai, Mar 5 (PTI): India batting superstar Virat Kohli on Wednesday moved up a spot to reach fourth place in the ICC ODI rankings for batters after his match-winning 84 against Australia in Champions Trophy semifinal.
Kohli’s rise, however, coincided with skipper Rohit Sharma dropping down two positions to fifth as South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen also moved up one spot to take the third.
India vice-captain and opener Shubman Gill continues to hold the top spot followed by Pakistan’s Babar Azam at second.
Among other Indians, spin bowling all-rounder Axar Patel and pacer Mohammed Shami also moved up in the rankings for all-rounders and bowlers respectively.
Patel moved up to 13th spot with career-high 194 rating points in the latest release as per the ICC among all-rounders, which saw Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai replacing compatriot Mohammad Nabi in the process.
Omarzai now has a total of 296 rating points and moved up two positions to claimed the No 1 ranking.
With eight wickets so far in the Champions Trophy, Shami, meanwhile, moved up three positions to reach 11th with 609 rating points.
New Zealand’s Matt Henry (649) claimed the third spot after moving up three positions among bowlers behind Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana at the top spot and South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj at second.
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Mamata alleges BJP disrupted her Bhabanipur rally, Suvendu claims 'she's nervous'
Kolkata (PTI): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cut short her speech at a rally in her Bhabanipur constituency, alleging that the BJP was deliberately playing loud music from a nearby public meeting.
A peeved Banerjee said despite having the required permission of the Election Commission, her rally in Chakraberia was disrupted by the BJP, "who want to capture Bengal by intimidation and threat".
"It is not possible for me to go ahead with this meeting. If they can do such a thing in my constituency, imagine how undemocratic the BJP is. If they behave like this, I have to take legal action," she said.
"This is an insult, humiliation. BJP is stepping on our toes to instigate trouble. Not possible to address the gathering in this situation. I am leaving the stage. Please vote for me in your protest," she added.
Banerjee was then seen calling someone over and venting her grievances.
Before leaving the stage, she said, "I will hold a rally tomorrow at the same spot."
TMC supporters then rushed towards the BJP rally, which was later addressed by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, but security personnel intervened and prevented the situation from escalating.
TMC workers later staged a demonstration outside the local police station and filed a complaint, alleging that the BJP violated the model code of conduct.
A senior TMC leader said another complaint will also be lodged with the Election Commission.
Asked about Banerjee's allegations, Adhikari told reporters after the rally he held nearby, "Her reaction shows she is nervous about the imminent loss."
"There was no violence, no obstruction in her meeting and her behaviour shows her nervousness. On May 4, people of Bhabanipur will celebrate the victory of the BJP," he claimed, alleging that the TMC also tried to disrupt his meeting by playing loud music.
South Kolkata's Bhabanipur, one of the battleground seats in the West Bengal elections, will vote in the second phase on April 29.
