Tim Seifert to replace Bethell for RCB in IPL play-offs
New Delhi, May 22 (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Thursday signed New Zealander Tim Seifert as a replacement for England batter Jacob Bethell, who will be unavailable for the IPL play-offs due to national commitments.
The replacement will be effective from May 24, the BCCI said in a statement.
Seifert, who has scored 1540 runs in 66 T20s for the Blackcaps, has played only three games in the IPL previously and last featured in the tournament in 2022. He will join RCB for Rs two crore.
"Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have signed Tim Seifert as Jacob Bethell is set to leave from TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for England on May 24, 2025 - following RCB’s league-stage game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 23, 2025 - to join the England team," the statement added.
Bethell's last game with RCB will be on Friday when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad. Their final league game will be against Lucknow Super Giants on May 27.
Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians are the other teams to have made the play-offs.
Jos Buttler, who is representing Gujarat Titans, too would be skipping the play-offs as they clash with England's home series against the West Indies.
When firepower meets form, we get an absolutely destructive combo. 🔥
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 22, 2025
Tim's ready to take off, and WE. CAN. NOT. WAIT! 🙌#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/OFQ2j1qb8R
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Heatwave scorches Odisha, Jharsuguda reels under 43.6 degrees C
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Heatwave conditions scorched Odisha on Tuesday, with the IMD forecasting that hot and humid conditions would continue in parts of the state.
The IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre said Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati districts were likely to experience hot and humid conditions on April 22.
It also predicted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds in parts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput, among others.
On Tuesday, 18 places across Odisha recorded maximum temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or above. The industrial town of Jharsuguda was the hottest in the state at 43.6 degrees Celsius.
Sambalpur and Titlagarh recorded 42.5 degrees Celsius each, followed by Hirakud at 42.4 degrees, Bolangir at 42.2 degrees and Angul at 42.1 degrees.
The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 37.9 degrees Celsius and 38.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, with relative humidity levels remaining above 70 per cent.
Meanwhile, the state government directed all district education officers to conduct a Summer Learning Programme for students till class 8 in government schools during the summer vacation.
Officials said students would be given practice assignments along with audio-visual learning content.
Subject-wise assignment sheets have been prepared, while related digital material will be shared through school parents' WhatsApp groups using a chatbot system, they said.
