Kohli's IPL spat echoes in ODI World Cup, fans chant 'Kohli Kohli' as Naveen-ul-Haq comes to bat
New Delhi: The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi witnessed a resounding chant of ‘Kohli Kohli’ from the crowd on Wednesday, as Naveen-ul-Haq stepped onto the pitch for batting during the 49th over of the India vs Afghanistan match in the ongoing ODI World Cup.
The infamous altercation that unfolded during an IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants in May 2023 has cast a long shadow over the cricketing world.
The IPL spat drama has now spilled over into the World Cup, with Indian cricket fans expressing their loyalty to Virat Kohli in a unique way. The chants of "Kohli! Kohli!" specifically targeted Naveen-ul-Haq, served as a reminder of the fiery clash that had captivated the nation's attention earlier.
During the IPL match, Kohli, captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore, had instructed his bowlers to target Naveen and the tail-enders of Lucknow Super Giants with bouncers. Naveen-ul-Haq, not taking kindly to this tactic, confronted Kohli on the field, leading to a heated exchange of words. The situation escalated further during post-match handshakes.
Gautam Gambhir, the mentor of the Lucknow-based franchise, played a pivotal role in escalating the altercation. His interference during Kohli's conversation with LSG batter Kyle Mayers led to a war of words between Kohli and Gambhir. This heated exchange between the two cricketers resulted in heavy fines imposed on both by the authorities for violating the IPL code of conduct.
Delhi crowd erupts with 'Kohli, Kohli' chants when Naveen Ul Haq was on strike. pic.twitter.com/GrkpAMSIgj
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BJP will form govt in Bengal with thumping majority: Nabin
Mirzapur (UP) (PTI): BJP president Nitin Nabin on Wednesday voiced confidence that his party will form the government in West Bengal with a "thumping majority".
Polling is underway for 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, covering key districts, including Kolkata, Howrah and North and South 24 Parganas.
The high-stakes contest is being seen as decisive for the ruling TMC's bid for a fourth consecutive term and the BJP's push to form its first government in the state. The first phase held on April 23 recorded a high voter turnout of over 93 per cent, reflecting intense electoral engagement.
Speaking to reporters in Mirzapur, Nabin said, "The BJP will form the government in Bengal. We are winning the elections with a massive majority."
Earlier in the day, the BJP chief visited the Vindhyavasini temple and offered prayers. The rituals were conducted by his priest Acharya Agastya Kumar Dwivedi.
On his first visit to the district after assuming office, Nabin was welcomed by party workers at several places. At the temple, he was received by city MLA Ratnakar Mishra and District Magistrate Pawan Kumar Gangwar, who felicitated him with a traditional 'angvastram'.
After offering prayers for about 10 minutes amid Vedic chants, Nabin held a meeting at a hotel with local MLAs, including Mishra, Majhwan MLA Suchismita Maurya and Madihan MLA Ramashankar Patel.
Patel said Nabin emphasised strengthening the organisation and asked public representatives to focus on serving people in their respective constituencies.
Several party leaders, including district president Lal Bahadur Saroj, district vice-president Gaurav Umar, municipal chairperson Shyam Sundar Kesari, women workers and senior officials, were present on the occasion.
Elaborate security arrangements were put in place by the district administration for the visit, with multiple officers of circle officer rank deployed, officials said.
