Kohli, Suryakumar named in "Most Valued Team" of 2022 T20 World Cup
Melbourne (PTI): Tournament's leading run-getter Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav were on Monday named in the "Most Valuable Team" of ICC 2022 T20 World Cup.
Indian superstar Kohli ended as the tournament's most prolific batter with 296 runs at a stunning average of 98.66.
Kohli kick-started his campaign with a pivotal 82 not out against arch rivals Pakistan to anchor his side to a heart-thumping final-ball four-wicket victory.
And further knocks of 64 not out against Bangladesh, 62 not out against the Netherlands and 50 against England in the semi-finals helped round off an individual competition to savour for one of the greatest white-ball batters of the modern era.
Fellow Indian Suryakumar finished as the tournament's third highest run-scorer with 239 runs overall.
Three half centuries -- 51 not out against the Netherlands in Sydney, 68 against South Africa in Perth and 61 not out off just 25 balls against Zimbabwe in Melbourne -- helped haul his side into the semi-finals as he scored at a staggering strike rate of 189.68 in his six innings.
Another Indian, Hardik Pandya was named as the 12th man of the side.
"Players from six different teams have been named in the Upstox Most Valuable Team of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022," the ICC said in a statement a day after England won their second world title in the shortest format.
Captain, wicketkeeper and opening batter Jos Buttler, fellow opener Alex Hales and seamer Sam Curran all made the cut for England.
New Zealand star Glenn Phillips and Zimbabwe ace Sikandar Raza occupy the No.5 and 6 positions in the playing eleven. Phillips' stunning century against Sri Lanka catapulted his team to a comfortable 65-run victory in Sydney.
Another innings of 62 against England helped him reach a total of 201 runs at an average of 40.20.
For Raza, 219 runs and 10 wickets, proved pivotal assets for Zimbabwe with both bat and ball.
He scored a polished 82 off his 48 balls in his country's opening game against Ireland in Hobart, before further batting contributions against Scotland, Netherland and India -- bolstered by a brilliant three for 25 as Zimbabwe stunned Pakistan in Perth -- rounded off a tournament to remember.
Completing the middle order is Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan, who grabbed an impressive 11 wickets at an average of just 15.00.
And he was similarly impressive with the bat, striking a solid 92 runs at an average of 24.50 to help fire his side to the final in Melbourne.
Sam Curran and Anrich Nortje line up at No.8 and 9, with the former being crowned Player of the Tournament after a series of spellbinding bowling displays.
The left-arm seamer claimed remarkable figures of 3 for 12 off his four overs in the final after getting his tournament underway with a similarly scintillating five for 10 against Afghanistan.
Another bowler who starred was pace ace Nortje, who functioned as a vital weapon in South Africa's armoury after finishing with a tournament-best average of just 8.54.
Nortje conceded just 94 runs while in the process of taking his 11 wickets as four scalps against both Bangladesh and Pakistan helped him become one of the competition's most fearsome bowlers.
Rounding off the side at No.10 and 11 are fellow pace bowlers Mark Wood and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who took nine and 11 wickets respectively for England and Pakistan.
Despite being ruled out of the semi-finals and final through injury, Wood's consistency throughout the Super 12s -- spearheaded by three wickets against Afghanistan and Ireland -- saw him finish the tournament with an average of just 12.00.
And for Afridi, who also suffered an unfortunate injury in Sunday's final, his figures of four for 22 against Bangladesh and three for 14 against South Africa helped him emulate his new-ball heroics in last year's tournament as Pakistan were narrowly denied in Melbourne.
Taking his place as 12th man is Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who starred with both bat and ball by racking up 128 runs and eight wickets.
The dangerous middle-order ace blasted 63 against England in the semi-finals after also took key wickets against Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe throughout the Super 12s.
The Team in batting order: Alex Hales, Jos Buttler, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Glenn Phillips, Sikandar Raza, Shadab Khan, Sam Curran, Anrich Nortje, Mark Wood, Shaheen Shah Afridi. 12th man Hardik Pandya.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
