Pat Cummins makes history with T20 World Cup hat-trick against Bangladesh
Antigua: Pat Cummins created history in the T20 World Cup by claiming a hat-trick during Australia’s Super Eight clash against Bangladesh in Antigua. Cummins took the wickets of Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, and Towhid Hridoy in consecutive deliveries over two overs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua. His impressive performance helped Australia restrict Bangladesh to 140-8.
Cummins, who was restored to the starting line-up, finished with figures of 3-29 off four overs. He became only the second Australian, and the seventh bowler overall, to achieve a hat-trick in T20 World Cup history. Spinner Adam Zampa also shone, taking 2-24.
In addition to Cummins' milestone, Mitchell Starc became the most prolific bowler in white-ball cricket history, securing his 95th World Cup wicket by trapping Tanzid Hasan in the opening over. Starc surpassed Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, setting a strong tone for Australia’s bowlers after captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to bowl.
Australia’s disciplined bowling attack kept Bangladesh on the back foot. Josh Hazlewood opened his spell with a maiden over, while Starc's tight bowling allowed only eight runs in the first three overs. Although Najmul Hossain Shanto and Litton Das briefly boosted the run rate, the introduction of Zampa and Cummins' lethal spell halted Bangladesh's momentum.
Zampa dismissed Das in the ninth over, leaving Bangladesh at 58-2. Glenn Maxwell then removed Rishad Hossain in the 10th over, and Shanto's dismissal for 41 in the 13th over further slowed the Bangladesh innings. Cummins' hat-trick in the later stages dismantled the lower order, setting Australia a target of 141 to win.
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Dalit outfits call state-wide hartal over dental student’s death
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Various Dalit organisations on Monday announced a state-wide hartal seeking justice in the death of Kannur Dental College student Nithin Raj.
The hartal will be observed on Tuesday from 6 am to 6 pm.
As many as 52 Dalit organisations, including Justice for Nithin Raj Action Council, have announced the strike.
Organisations requesting cooperation for the strike said that no vehicles will be forcibly stopped and that all essential services are exempted.
Raj, a first-year BDS student at a private dental college in Anjarakkandy in Kannur district, was found critically injured after falling from a building on April 10 and later succumbed to his injuries.
Police have registered a case against two faculty members on charges of abetment of suicide and under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following allegations by the student’s family that he was subjected to caste- and complexion-based harassment.
Kerala Pinnokka Samudaya Munnani (KPSM), one of the organisations supporting the hartal, alleged in a statement that police had shown apathy in the investigation and were attempting to protect the accused in the case.
KPSM state president K V Padmanabhan and general secretary S Anwar alleged that the probe into Raj’s death was being deliberately misdirected and delayed.
While the family has firmly alleged that caste discrimination and mental harassment by faculty members led to the student’s death, police were attempting to divert the investigation towards loan app borrowings, they claimed.
The organisation alleged that this was a planned move to shield the real accused.
KPSM further alleged that by deliberately delaying the arrest of the accused teachers, police enabled them to secure anticipatory bail.
They said there was no confidence in the present police investigation and demanded that the case be handed over to an independent agency at the earliest.
