Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Karnataka continue winning run; maul Delhi by 8 wickets
Indore: A formidable Karnataka continued their winning streak in the Super League stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy after they trounced Delhi by 8 wickets in Group B match here Sunday.
Earlier, Karnataka had beaten domestic giants Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh in their previous two Super League stage matches of the national T20 tournament.
It was an all-round show from Karnataka where right-arm medium pacer Koushik V shone with the ball and later Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair remained unbeaten as Karnataka chased the 110-run target with utmost ease.
Karnataka bowlers justified their skipper's decision to invite Delhi to bat first at the Emerald Heights International School Ground.
Koushik (4-19) and leg-spinner K C Cariappa (3-15) wreaked havoc as Delhi was restricted to a meagre 109/9 in their 20 overs.
Apart from Nitish Rana (37 off 29 balls) and Lalit Yadav (33 off 40 balls), no other Delhi batsman showed spine as Koushik and Cariappa rattled their top and middle order.
For Karnataka, medium pacer R Vinay Kumar (1-13) also played his role to perfection.
Chasing 110, Karnataka lost in-form opener Rohan Kadam (0) in the second over after he was caught by rival skipper Ishant Sharma off pacer Navdeep Saini.
Wicket-keeper B R Sharath (26 off 15 balls) and ever dependable Agarwal (43 not out off 47 balls) added 32 for the second wicket, but then Sharath was run out by Subodh Bhati.
Then Karun Nair, who has a triple hundred in Tests, joined Agarwal as the duo took Karnataka home with 4.3 overs to spare and in the process took the Delhi bowlers to task.
All Delhi bowlers, including test specialist Ishant Sharma (0-7), had an off day in the field.
Brief Scores: At Emerald High School International Ground: Delhi 109/9 (Nitish Rana 37, Lalit Yadav 33; V Koushik 4-19, K C Cariappa 3-15) lost to Karnataka 112/2 (Mayank Agarwal 43 not out, Karun Nair 42 not out; Navdeep Saini 1-21) by 8 wickets.
Karnataka 4 points, Delhi 0 points.
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One-third of Karnataka’s coastal areas at risk of erosion: Report
Bengaluru: A recent study commissioned by the Karnataka government has revealed that 28% of the state's 328.55-km coastline is experiencing high levels of erosion. The report, submitted by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management to the Environment Department, shows that the length of eroding stretches has more than doubled, from 43.7 km in 1990 to 91.6 km in 2024.
Titled Shoreline Management Plan Along Karnataka Coast, the report highlights the impact of increased sediment barriers and upstream activities on coastal erosion. It also calls for the adoption of nature-based solutions to counter the effects of climate change and human activities.
District-wise findings
The coastline of Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada spans 328.55 km, with varying levels of erosion across the districts:
Uttara Kannada: Although 28% of its 193-km coastline is eroded, the district accounts for 39% of the state’s total erosion due to increased coastal development.
Udupi: Despite 43% of the coastline being protected by seawalls, 38% remains affected by erosion, contributing to 32% of Karnataka's overall erosion.
Dakshina Kannada: The district’s 37-km coastline faces “critical” erosion, with 39% of its stretches severely impacted, including areas such as Uchil and Batapady.
The report warns that coastal erosion threatens habitations, estuarine environments, mangroves, mudflats, and fish landing areas.
Recommendations
Identifying 44 critical erosion zones, the report suggests:
1. Beach nourishment through sand replenishment.
2. Rehabilitation of sand dunes and bioshields.
3. Mangrove afforestation to stabilise coastlines and support fisheries.
The findings will inform the Karnataka-Strengthening Coastal Resilience and the Economy (K-SHORE) project, which prioritises nature-based solutions over hard approaches like seawalls. R Gokul, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, stated that the Rs 840-crore project will focus on mangrove planting, beach nourishment, and tackling plastic pollution. These measures aim to protect the coastline and boost the blue economy.
The report will also guide the Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority in reviewing coastal development proposals.
