PCB reworks schedule of tri-series against Zim, SL amid security concerns
awalpindi (PTI): The Pakistan Cricket Board has rescheduled the opening of a T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe from November 17 to November 18 besides making Rawalpindi the sole venue for the tournament owing to the visiting teams' security concerns in the wake of a suicide attack in Islamabad.
The second game of the seven-match rubber has also been postponed by a day to November 20.
Earlier, Lahore was scheduled to host five games of the event, including the final on November 29 but the three boards have agreed to hold the proceedings exclusively in Rawalpindi now.
"The decision to revise the schedule was made in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), following mutual discussions to accommodate operational and match requirements," the PCB said in a statement after night of hectic negotiations to ensure that the Lankan players do not leave an ongoing ODI series midway.
The Zimbabwe cricket team reached Islamabad early Thursday morning amid tight security for what is being described as an "important preparatory platform ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup", by the PCB.
The Sri Lankan cricket team will also continue with its bilateral tour of Pakistan and no player or official is planning to return home, according to its team manager, Mahinda Halangoda.
Eight players had expressed concerns about continuing the tour after the terror attack in Islamabad, which left 12 dead and several injured. But after SLC spoke to them and gave them assurances, they have decided to stay for the assignment.
Halangoda said that no player would be returning to Sri Lanka.
"I can confirm that," he asserted.
A reliable source aware of the developments said it had taken massive behind the scenes efforts to convince the players that they would be safe in Pakistan and should continue playing the series.
"The Sri Lanka board President Shammi Silva and the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Pakistan got involved and things are settled for now," he said.
PCB Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said he was grateful to the Sri Lankan team for the decision to continue the Pakistan tour.
The PCB later announced a slight change in the schedule of the remaining two one-day games. The PCB announced that the two matches will now be played on Friday and Sunday in Rawalpindi, instead of the originally planned dates of November 13 and 15.
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Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
