Mitchell vows never to return to Pakistan; Curran was crying: PSL player recalls horrific experience
Dubai: Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain has shared harrowing details of the tense atmosphere among international cricketers during the abrupt suspension of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
Speaking after landing safely in Dubai, Hossain described the situation as chaotic and emotionally distressing for many players. “Alhamdulillah, we have reached Dubai after overcoming a crisis, and I am feeling well now,” he said.
According to Hossain, fear gripped the foreign contingent when news broke of airport closures and the uncertain political situation. He recounted that England fast bowler Tom Curran was extremely distressed. "He went to the airport, but heard that the airport was closed. Then he started crying like a little child, that it took two or three people to handle him," Cricbuzz quoted Hossain as saying.
New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, also among the players evacuated, was reportedly so shaken by the experience that he told Hossain he would never return to Pakistan under such conditions. "Foreign players like Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, and Tom Curran were so frightened. Landing in Dubai, Mitchell told me that he would never go to Pakistan again, especially in this kind of scenario. Overall, they all were horrified," he added.
Hossain also revealed that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi initially planned to continue the tournament in Karachi. However, growing safety concerns raised by players reportedly led to a change in plans, prompting the evacuation of all international players to the UAE.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
