Vintage Sachin wows fans as India Masters clinch inaugural IML title
Raipur, Mar 16 (PTI): Sachin Tendulkar rolled back the years with a scintillating knock, while Ambati Rayudu slammed a stylish fifty as India Masters dished out an allround show to beat West Indies Masters by six wickets and win the inaugural International Masters League, here on Sunday.
The Indian bowlers, led by Vinay Kumar (3-0-26-3) and Shahbaz Nadeem (4-1-12-2), had earlier set the tone, restricting West Indies Masters to a modest 148/7 after Brian Lara opted to bat.
In response, Tendulkar treated fans to a glimpse of his golden days, unleashing his signature strokes in his brief but memorable stay of 25 runs from 18 balls (2x4, 1x6).
Ambati Rayudu (74 in 50 balls; 9x4, 3x6), on the other end, held on to anchor the chase before Yuvraj Singh (13 not out) and Stuart Binny (15 not out) sealed the chase in 17.1 overs.
Such a Nostalgia
Opening the innings, Tendulkar was at his elegant best, executing a picture-perfect late cut to Jerome Taylor for four before following it up with an audacious upper-cut six over third man.
His copybook drive, flick, and ramp shot transported fans back to his prime.
He raced to 23 off just 14 balls, thrilling the crowd with his effortless strokeplay.
However, his sparkling innings was cut short when he mistimed a pull off Tino Best, finding Chadwick Walton at fine-leg.
By then, he had put India Masters in complete control, forging a 67-run opening stand in just 7.5 overs.
Rayudu anchored the chase with a composed knock, ensuring there were no hiccups.
He too showcased his attacking prowess, smashing a flat six off Taylor, while Yuvraj Singh played a fluent hand to guide India Masters home comfortably.
Vinay, Nadeem lead bowling charge
In a Sachin vs Lara face off, the West Indies Masters looked set for a 180-plus total as Dwayne Smith (45 off 35 balls, 6x4, 2x6) took charge, while Lara played second fiddle opening the innings.
The duo were in top gear at 34 from 22 balls before Vinay Kumar halted Lara's innings.
But they reached 52/1 in the powerplay, with Smith tearing into Negi for 15 runs in an over.
However, the left-arm spinner Nadeem struck at the right time, castling Smith with a delivery that skidded on as he played for the turn.
Vinay Kumar was the standout performer, dismissing Lara (6) early and returning at the death to claim the prized wicket of their top-scorer Lendl Simmons (57 off 41 balls, 5x4, 1x6).
His precision and variation ensured West Indies Masters struggled in the final overs, managing just 35 runs while losing two wickets.
Negi (1/30 in 3 overs) and Stuart Binny (1/11 in 2 overs) also played supporting roles, restricting the opposition to a below-par total.
Despite Simmons’ fighting fifty and a 61-run stand with Denesh Ramdin (12 not out), West Indies Masters lacked the finishing touch, setting the stage for Sachin’s nostalgic masterclass and India Masters’ emphatic title triumph.
Brief Scores:
West Indies Masters 148/7; 20 overs (Lendl Simmons 57, Dwayne Smith 45; Vinay Kumar 3/26, Shahbaz Nadeem 2/12).
India Masters 149/4; 17.1 overs (Ambati Rayudu 74, Sachin Tendulkar 25).
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
