Mohali, Apr 1: Punjab Kings defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by seven runs on Duckworth Lewis method after heavy rain stopped the proceedings in their IPL season opener, here on Saturday.

Batting first, Punjab Kings scored 191/5 riding on a half-century from Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who smashed 50 off 32 balls and skipper Shikhar Dhawan, who contributed 40 from 29 deliveries.

In reply, KKR were 146 for 7 in 16 overs when heavens opened up.

The DLS par score for KKR after losing seven wickets in 16 overs was 153 and they were seven runs short.

The dismissal of dangerous Andre Russell (35 off 19 balls) in the 15th over by Sam Curran (1/38) and Arshdeep Singh removing Venkatesh Iyer (34 off 28 balls) in the very next over tilted the par score for Punjab Kings.

Brief Scores:

Punjab Kings 191/5; 20 overs (Bhanuka Rajapaksa 50, Shikhar Dhawan 40; Tim Southee 2/54) 

Kolkata Knight Riders 146/7; 16 overs (Andre Russell 35, Venkatesh Iyer 34; Arshdeep Singh 3/19)

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.



Kolkata: Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari has sparked controversy after stating that Bangladesh should be taught a “lesson like Israel has taught Gaza.”

Adhikari made the remark while speaking to reporters outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata on Friday, December 26. “These people must be taught a lesson, just like Israel taught Gaza. Our 100 crore Hindus and the government working in the interest of Hindus must teach them a lesson just as we taught Pakistan a lesson in Operation Sindoor,” he said.

The statement came amid protests being held outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission since December 22, following the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old garment factory worker in Bangladesh. Das was killed on December 18 in the Mymensingh district, where his body was allegedly hung from a tree and set on fire in public view.

Adhikari was part of a five-member delegation that met senior officials of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission on Friday. Speaking after the meeting, he claimed that the diplomats had “no answer to most of his questions” related to the killing and the situation of minorities in Bangladesh.

Reacting to his comments, the All India Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of promoting hate and intolerance. In a post on X, the party described Adhikari’s remarks as hate speech and alleged that they amounted to a call for violence, while also questioning the absence of legal action against him.

Adhikari’s statement has added to political tensions in West Bengal and raised concerns over inflammatory rhetoric linked to sensitive international and communal issues.