T20WC: All-round show from Shakib Al Hasan takes Bangladesh to Super 12s
Al Amerat, Oct 21: All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan decimated minnows Papua New Guinea with a superb all-round performance as Bangladesh qualified for the Super 12s' of the T20 World Cup with a crushing 84-run victory on Thursday.
Bangladesh, with a net run rate of +1.733 and four points in the kitty, ensured a place among the elite teams after a shocking opening game defeat against Scotland.
The 'Tigers' first posted an imposing 181/7, as they rode on skipper Mahmudullah's blazing 50 off 28 balls and Shakib's aggressive 46 off 37 balls.
Shakib then showed why he is Bangladesh's greatest ever cricketer with a brilliant spell of 4/9 in his four-over spell as Papua New Guinea were all-out for 97 in 19.3 overs.
"Obviously, it was a setback, the first game (vs Scotland), but in the T20 format the team that is better on the day wins. But now the pressure is off and we can play expressively," Shakib, who was adjudged 'Player of the Match', said after the game.
"It's not an easy format to get back into form, but luckily I'm getting more chance to bat up the order. A little tired, I've been playing non-stop cricket for the last five-six months, it's been a long season for me. But hopefully I can pull this tournament off," he sounded confident.
Skipper Mahmudullah, who himself played a captain's knock was happy to see the intent of his players in the last two games which they won convincingly.
"I think it was much-needed. The way that we wanted to play, the intent was there from the batters. Having said that I think the wicket was better in comparison, so the batters did well to get 180," Mahmudullah said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Mahmudullah however feels that Powerplay batting is still a concern for Bangladesh.
"I think the two things we've been concerned about are the first six overs with bat and ball. If we get a good start, we can capitalise, so I think we need to improve on that.
"I've said it before - we're much more skilled hitters than big hitters. So we need to find the bowlers we can take on on that particular day and we need to figure that out and communicate with the others as experienced batters," the skipper said.
Chasing 182, Papua New Guinea was never on-course for a comfortable chase. They lost openers Lega Siaka (5) and skipper Assad Vala (6), cheaply, as they slipped to 13/2.
It was a procession for PNG batters, as Shakib, the wily-old fox, snared two wickets in the 5th over, as Bangladesh was eyeing a massive victory after reducing the opposition to 14/4.
While Shakib scalped another two, he was well complimented by young off-spinner Mahedi Hasan (1/20), as the inexperience of PNG batters came to the fore and they were reduced to 29/7. The lower order did resist the inevitable but by then Bangladesh had booked their Super 12s berth.
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Commercial LPG hike: Delhi restaurant owners warn of higher menu rates, job losses
New Delhi (PTI) A day after a 50 per cent rise in commercial LPG cylinder prices, Delhi's food business, with restaurant owners and street vendors have warned of higher menu rates, financial strain and potential job losses if the trend persists.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by a steep Rs 993 per 19 kg cylinder, marking the third consecutive monthly hike amid rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
For many in the restaurant industry, the spike has been both sudden and steep.
Manpreet Singh, honorary treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India, said that eateries are already grappling with supply challenges alongside rising costs.
"There is a huge difficulty in getting these cylinders, and black marketing is also increasing in many unregulated sectors," he said, noting that prices that were once around Rs 1,600, often dropping to nearly Rs 1,300 with discounts, have now surged to between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per cylinder.
He further added that a medium-sized restaurant typically uses between two and five cylinders daily, making the increase particularly burdensome as costs mount.
Singh further said that as costs mount, smaller establishments could struggle to stay afloat. Instead, the association has advised restaurants to shift towards piped natural gas connections through Indraprastha Gas Limited as a more sustainable alternative.
"If this problem continues, PNG is the only long-term solution," he said, adding that temporary measures like coal offer limited relief due to slower cooking times and that it can largely be used only for tandoors.
Echoing similar concerns, Kabir Suri, owner of Mamagoto in Khan Market, said the impact is already visible across the industry. "There has been almost a threefold increase in cylinder prices for restaurants," he said, adding that rising fuel and logistics costs are compounding the pressure.
"If this continues, it will become a significant financial burden, and food prices will inevitably go up. Adding to this burden, higher fuel costs are also affecting logistics and transportation, making a price rise unavoidable. The extent of the impact will vary between small eateries and large chains depending on their scale," he said.
Global oil prices have surged nearly 50 per cent following disruptions in energy supply chains due to the West Asia conflict, pushing up commercial fuel costs and transport expenses.
A West Delhi-based restaurateur said they are trying to manage rising costs while keeping their staff secure. "We are trying to ensure that our staff, from kitchen workers to waiters, are paid on time and do not face immediate hardship," the owner said.
"We are a small restaurant with seating for about 20 to 25 people at a time. But if this continues for long, we will have to take difficult calls. There is only so much we can absorb, and menu prices will have to go up. We hope this does not continue for a longer period," he said.
Another restaurant owner in North Delhi, who did not wish to be named, said operational adjustments alone may not be enough. "We are checking our costs very carefully and trying to cut wherever possible, but if fuel prices remain high, it will eventually affect how we run the business," the owner said.
"Coal helps in tandoor cooking, but it takes more time," the owner further added.
The strain is even more acute among street vendors, many of whom operate on thin margins. A vendor in Saket said he had recently expanded his business, moving from a mobile cart to a rented outlet.
"I have a family to feed and more responsibilities now. Earlier, I managed with a moving cart, but after renting the place, expenses increased," he said. "Whenever cylinders were unavailable, I had to buy them at higher rates in the black market. Now even regular supply is too expensive, and if this continues, we may have to shut down," he added.
In Laxmi Nagar, another vendor said they are struggling to keep the business running. "Sometimes we even used domestic cylinders from home when supply ran out because we had to keep the stall running," he said, adding that rising costs leave little choice but to increase prices or bear losses.
On April 1, the rates of commercial LPG cylinders were hiked by Rs 195.50 per cylinder, followed by a Rs 114.5 hike on March 1, taking the total increase over the past three months to Rs 1,303. With the latest revision, a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder now costs Rs 3,371.5 in Delhi, up from Rs 2,078.5 earlier.
The prices of domestic LPG cylinders used for household cooking have remained unchanged. They were last increased by Rs 60 per 14.2 kg cylinder on March 7 and currently cost Rs 913 in Delhi.
