Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya hammer half-centuries as India make 231/5 vs SA in 5th T20I
Ahmedabad (PTI): Skipper Suryakumar Yadav's poor run with the bat continued but India still managed a massive 231 for 5 thanks to Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya's blazing half-centuries and Sanju Samson's useful contribution at the top in the fifth and final T20 International here on Saturday.
Samson, who opened the batting in place of the injured vice-captain Shubman Gill, struck a 22-ball 37 and shared a 63-run stand with Abhishek Sharma (34 off 21 balls) as the hosts, leading the series 2-1, were off to a fine start.
Abhishek and later Samson's dismissals did not slow down the momentum as Varma (73 off 42 balls) continued to play his natural game even as Suryakumar (5) departed without making much of a contribution.
Varma and Hardik Pandya (63 off 25 balls) then shared a 115-run stand for the fourth wickets to carry the team past the 200-run mark, with the latter hammering five boundaries and as many sixes at a strike rate of over 250.
Earlier, India included pacer Jasprit Bumrah in place of Harshit Rana, while Washington Sundar came in for Kuldeep Yadav. Samson was included in place of Shubman Gill.
Brief scores.
India 231 for 5 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 34, Sanju Samson 37, Tilak Varma 73, Hardik Pandya 63; Corbin Bosch 2/44).
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Karnataka leads in AI: Minister Priyank Kharge at Impact Summit
Bengaluru (PTI): Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday highlighted the state’s leadership in AI and deep technology while engaging with global industry leaders and startups at a four-day summit held in New Delhi, officials said.
During the event, Priyank witnessed the signing of a strategic MoU between H Company and St John’s Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, to pilot advanced enterprise AI for hospital operations and workflow automation, strengthening responsible AI in healthcare, the minister’s office said in a statement here.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit, the minister said Karnataka is ahead of the curve in AI.
“We are already home to leading global AI players such as Harvey AI and Anthropic, and The Walt Disney Company is expanding its AI network in Bengaluru,” he added.
Noting Bengaluru’s position among the top global cities for AI talent, he added, “Under our DeepTech Decade, we are supporting startups with grants of up to Rs 1 crore. We are engaging with global leaders and innovators to ensure responsible AI use, build the right skill sets, create strong incubators, and establish Centres of Excellence that can foster startups and strengthen e-governance.”
The minister also attended a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), where discussions focused on strengthening technology collaboration, investment partnerships, and innovation-led growth between Karnataka and global enterprises.
He met Timo Harakka, Member of Parliament of Finland, to explore possibilities for collaboration between Karnataka and Finland in AI and deep-tech sectors, including joint research, innovation partnerships, and startup exchanges.
The Karnataka IT Minister also visited the Indian Army showcase at the summit, which featured advanced AI-driven defence and strategic technology applications, highlighting the role of AI in national security and modernisation efforts.
He toured the Karnataka Pavilion and the ArtPark Pavilion, interacting with founders and teams from Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem and reviewing emerging AI and deep-tech solutions, the statement added.
