South Africa thrash India by 76 runs in Super Eight match
Ahmedabad (PTI): David Miller rolled back the years with a stroke-filled fifty before South Africa executed clinically with the ball to choke India and secure a handsome 76-run win in their Group 1 Super Eights match of the T20 World Cup here on Sunday.
Opting to bat, South Africa rode on Miller (63 off 35 balls) and young Dewald Brevis' (45 off 29 balls) recovery act -- 97-run fourth-wicket stand from just 51 balls -- to post 187 for 7.
In reply, India never got going as the Aiden Markram-led side outsmarted them to bowl the co-hosts out for 111 in 18.5 overs with Marco Jansen taking 4/22.
Keshav Maharaj grabbed 3/24, while Corbin Bosch (2/12) also gave crucial breakthroughs.
Credit should also go to Lungi Ngidi who didn't take any wicket but bowled miserly and gave away just 15 runs from his full quota of four overs to stymie India's fightback.
Shivam Dube was India's top-scorer with a 37-ball 42.
In a bold move, part-time off-sipnner Aiden Markram (1/5; 1 over) opened with the new ball and gave the crucial breakthrough, removing in-form Ishan Kishan for a four-ball duck in the opening over.
India's star opener Abhishek Sharma ended his hat-trick of ducks to open his account in the T20 World Cup but fell for 15 as Marco Jansen struck twice in the powerplay to have India 26/3.
Miller rolled back the years with exhilarating strokes but Jasprit Bumrah's superb bowling restricted South Africa to 187/7.
Miller struck 63 off 35 balls and got fine support from young Dewald Brevis (45 off 29 balls) as the duo led a recovery act in a 97-run fourth-wicket stand that came off just 51 balls.
Bumrah (3/15 in 4 overs) and Arshdeep Singh (2/28 in 4 overs) had reduced the Proteas to 20/3 inside the first four overs after they opted to bat.
Brief Scores:
South Africa: 187 for 7 in 20 overs (David Miller 63, Dewald Brevis 45, Tristan Stubbs 44; Jasprit Bumrah 3/15, Arshdeep Singh 2/28).
India: 111 all out in 18.5 overs (Shivam Dube 42; Marco Jansen 4/22, Keshav Maharaj 3/24, Corbin Bosch 2/12).
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Stalin alleges Centre's 3-language formula 'covert' mechanism to impose Hindi
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, referring to the CBSE's recently unveiled curriculum framework, on Saturday alleged the "so-called three-language formula" is in reality a "covert" mechanism to expand Hindi into non-Hindi speaking regions.
Stalin, also the president of the ruling DMK, alleged the curriculum framework by the CBSE, aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, was not an innocent academic reform. It was a calculated and deeply concerning attempt at linguistic imposition that vindicates our long-standing apprehensions.
The chief minister alleged that under the guise of promoting "Indian languages", the BJP-led NDA government was aggressively advancing a centralising agenda that privileges Hindi while systematically marginalising India’s rich and diverse linguistic heritage.
"The so-called three-language formula is, in reality, a covert mechanism to expand Hindi into non-Hindi speaking regions," he alleged in a statement.
For students in southern states, this framework effectively translates into "compulsory Hindi learning." He alleged: "Yet, where is the reciprocity? Will students in Hindi-speaking states be mandated to learn Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam—or even languages like Bengali and Marathi? The complete absence of such clarity exposes the one-sided and discriminatory nature of this policy. The irony is stark and unacceptable."
The same Union government that has "failed" to make Tamil a mandatory language in Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan schools—and has consistently failed to appoint adequate Tamil teachers, now seeks to lecture states on promoting Indian languages. "This is not commitment, this is rank hypocrisy."
Stalin wondered if the Union government had any understanding of ground realities; of availability of teachers, training capacity, and infrastructure? He asked: "Where are the qualified teachers to implement this sweeping exercise. And crucially, where is the funding to support this enormous burden on the education system? Hence, this appears to be yet another ill-conceived policy announced without planning, resources, or accountability. This was not merely a question of language, it was a question of fairness, federalism, and equal opportunity."
By structurally privileging Hindi-speaking students, this policy risks creating entrenched advantages in higher education and employment, further widening regional disparities.
At a time when the world is moving forward at an unprecedented pace, our children must be prepared for the future. The priority should be to equip them with skills in emerging sectors like artificial intelligence, AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics), and to strengthen scientific temper and critical thinking. Instead, this regressive and rigid language burden threatens to derail their progress, the CM claimed.
The Union government appears determined to impose Hindi, brushing aside the legitimate, consistent, and democratic concerns raised by Tamil Nadu and several other states. This approach is a direct affront to the principles of cooperative federalism and an insult to the linguistic identity of millions of Indians. India’s strength lies in its diversity and not in "enforced uniformity."
Any attempt to disturb this delicate balance is not just misguided, it is dangerous. "Such policies strike at the very foundation of our pluralistic nation and will be firmly opposed."
Further, he asked: Does the Edapadi Palaniswami-led AIADMK and its NDA allies in Tamil Nadu subscribe to this imposition? Or will they, for once, stand up for the rights, identity, and future of our students?
