Spinners shine as India clinch ODI series against SA
New Delhi, Oct 11: India gave a good account of their enormous depth as a young and inexperienced side stunned a strong South Africa unit by seven wickets in third ODI here on Tuesday to secure a memorable series win.
The spin trio of Washington Sundar (2/15), Shahbaz Ahmed (2/32) and Kuldeep Yadav (4/18) picked the right lengths on a slow Kotla pitch to bundle out South Africa for 99, the Proteas lowest ODI total against India.
The home team batters, led by Shubman Gill (49), chased a paltry 100-run target in 19.1 overs.
The series loss further jeopardised South Africa's chances of a direct qualification for the ODI World Cup next year.
Pacer Mohammad Siraj (2/17) too continued his good run to make a strong case for his inclusion in T20 World Cup squad.
While Washington and Shahbaz got wickets up front, left-arm spinner Kuldeep, who missed out on a hat-trick, cleaned up the tail.
The quality of the Indian white-ball squad was on full display in the series as the second-string team came from behind to clinch the three-match series 2-1.
Chasing a small total, opener Gill attacked the South African bowlers from the very first ball while skipper Shikha Dhawan played second fiddle.
The Indians, who looked in a hurry to finish the match, lost a bit of momentum after the wickets of Dhawan, whose woeful run in the series continued as he was run out for eight, and Ishan Kishan (10).
However, Shreyas Iyer (28 not out) continued his stellar run as he whacked three boundaries and two sixes including a match-winning maximum to steer India to victory after Gill was trapped leg before with three runs needed.
Earlier put in to bat, South African batters failed to impress, falling like ninepins.
Quinton de Kock (6) was the first to perish as he half-heartedly cut the ball to top-edge it to Avesh Khan at backward point, giving Washington his first wicket.
India then seemingly got their second wicket when Reeza Hendricks (3) was trapped leg before but the South African took the review to turn the umpire's decision in the seventh over.
Janneman Malan (15) smacked Siraj for three of boundaries in his consecutive overs before the pacer got rid of the opener as he tried to play the pull shot.
South African batters continued to struggle and looked off colour as Siraj claimed his second when he got Hendricks (3) next.
Aiden Makram (9), whose stay in the middle lasted 19 balls, became Shahbaz Ahmed's first victim as he nicked it through to the keeper Sanju Samson.
The visitors dallied to 50 in 17.1 overs but India were all over the visitors.
Skipper David Miller (7) and joined Heinrich Klaasen in the middle but he too couldn't make a mark as he was bowled, the ball slid in from round the wicket to clip the outside of off stump.
Brought into the attack in the 20th over, Kuldeep too joined the party as Andile Phehlukwayo failed to read his googly.
Klaasen and new-man Marco Jansen stitched a 22-run stand that included a four and a six to take South Africa closer to the 100-run mark.
First, Jansen charged down the pitch for a six over long on, a few balls later Klassen hit a boundary but he was dismissed by Shahbaz.
Kuldeep then burst with a three-wicket haul clearing up the lower order as South Africa were bowled out in 27.1 overs.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
