Siraj, Arshdeep take four-wicket hauls, NZ all out for 160
Napier (PTI): Seamers Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj fired in tandem and shared eight wickets between them as India bowled New Zealand out for 160 in the third and final T20I here on Tuesday.
Opting to bat first, New Zealand were going strong at 130 for two in the 16th over but the duo of Arshdeep (4/37) and Siraj (4/17) led a remarkable comeback to end the Kiwi innings with two balls to spare.
The hosts lost eight wickets for just 30 runs after Devon Conway (59 off 49 balls) and Glenn Phillips (54 off 33) had propped up their innings.
India got their first breakthrough when Arshdeep had Finn Allen trapped in front of the wicket with a full delivery that swung in from around middle.
Allen thought about a review before deciding to walk back as the ball was clearly going to hit the stumps.
Veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a tight third over before Conway decided to take on left-arm seamer Arshdeep, carting him through mid-wicket for a four before lofting the bowler over extra cover for a six.
He then chipped one over the pacer's head for a lovely boundary.
The fourth over yielded 19 runs and it seemed New Zealand were on their way. Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 14 runs in the next over as the Kiwis looked to end the powerplay, their weak area in recent times, on a strong note.
However, a bowling change put paid to all such hopes as Siraj dismissed Mark Chapman for a run-a-ball 12. Against a length ball on middle and leg,
Chapman got a leading edge while trying to flick and Arshdeep completed the catch without much fuss, ending a brief but brisk partnership.
After conceding 33 runs in two overs, the Indian bowlers fought back strongly to concede only 17 runs in the next four.
Conway broke the shackles with a boundary off Yuzvendra Chahal as New Zealand reached 74 for two at the halfway stage of their innings.
In a subdued start, the big-hitting Phillips found a couple of boundaries before hitting Chahal for a four and a huge six off successive balls to help his team go past 100 in the 13th over.
Phillips them launched himself into Bhuvenshwar, smashing a four and a monstrous six that landed on the roof at McLean Park.
As many as 31 runs came from over number 12 and 13, before Phillips smoked Harshal Patel over deep square leg for another maximum.
However, Phillips got a top-edge against Siraj and Buvneshwar took the catch in the deep in what was a massive breakthrough for the tourists.
Phillips' dismissal triggered a collapse as the the hosts lost their remaining wickets for very little.
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What happens to terms Keralite, Keralan: Tharoor's witty take on Keralam replacing Kerala
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had a witty take on Kerala's name change on Tuesday, asking what happens now to the terms "Keralite" and "Keralan" for the "denizens" of the new "Keralam".
In a lighter vein, Tharoor said 'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved the proposal for altering the name of Kerala to Keralam.
Ahead of the Cabinet decision announcement, Tharoor said, "All to the good, no doubt, but a small linguistic question for the Anglophones among us: what happens now to the terms 'Keralite' and 'Keralan' for the denizens of the new 'Keralam'?
"'Keralamite' sounds like a microbe and 'Keralamian' like a rare earth mineral ! @CMOKerala might want to launch a competition for new terms resulting from this electoral zeal," he said, sharing the media report on the name change.
The Legislative Assembly of Kerala passed a resolution on June 24, 2024 to alter the name of Kerala to Keralam'.
Thereafter, the government of Kerala requested the government of India to take necessary steps to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution by altering the name of Kerala to Keralam according to Article 3 of the Constitution.
The matter regarding the alteration of the name Kerala to Keralam was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India and with the approval of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the draft note for the Cabinet for changing Kerala to Keralam was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice for their comments.
The Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, and the Ministry of Law and Justice have concurred with the proposal for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam.
After approval of the Union Cabinet, the president of India will refer a Bill, namely the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India.
After receipt of the views of the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala, the government of India will take further action and the recommendation of the president will be obtained for the introduction of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 for the alteration of Kerala as Keralam in Parliament.
Meanwhile, on Monday night, Tharoor said he was truly pleased to see C Rajagopalachari honoured by a statue at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
"He was its first Indian occupant as the only Indian Governor-General of India, before we became a Republic and he yielded his seat to the new President. I have long admired his convictions and was a strong supporter of his Swatantra Party in my student days," Tharoor said.
"His set of values and principles -- liberal economics and support for free enterprise, combined with social justice; strong anchoring in Indian civilization and religious faith but without a shred of communal bigotry; and a staunch faith in the rights & freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, including keeping the government out of our kitchens, bedrooms and libraries -- remain mine to this day," the Congress MP said.
It is sad that there are so few left to follow him today, Tharoor added on X.
