Why would you go and help Virat when he had a cramp?: Ex-Aussie bowler questions Kiwis
Mumbai (PTI): Cricket fraternity the world over might be cherishing Virat Kohli's record-setting 50th ODI century but former Australian pacer Simon O'Donnell has flayed New Zealand's gesture of helping the batting great when he was suffering from cramps during the World Cup semifinal here.
Kohli, 35, was seen struggling with cramps during his 113-ball 117, which powered India into the World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium here on Wednesday.
A few New Zealand players opted to assist the star India batter while he was struggling with cramps, and O'Donnell said he had a "problem" with that gesture.
Kohli's century and pacer Mohammed Shami's seven-wicket haul helped India maul the Blackcaps by 70 runs.
"I had a problem a couple of times last night. Virat Kohli gets cramp, they're (India) heading for 400 (runs) and (New Zealand) blokes go over and help him," O'Donnell, who played 87 ODIs for Australia primarily as a pace bowler, said on Sen Radio.
"Why would you go and help Virat Kohli when he had a cramp? When they're heading for 400. In a World Cup semifinal. Spirit of the game is playing within the laws. Virat Kohli is tearing your country apart and you want to go over and give him a hand."
On whether it made any difference to the outcome of the match in the end, O'Donnell indicated the Kiwi players shouldn't have gone anywhere near Kohli when he was cramping.
"Don't care. Under no circumstances should you have gone within 20 metres of Virat Kohli when he had a cramp.
"He (Virat) threw his bat away and one of the Kiwis went and picked it up. 'Go and pick your own bat up while you've got a sore hamstring and a cramp. Stop hitting us for sixes and fours'.
"That's not a big deal. That's not outside the spirit of the game. It's being competitive and saying, 'Ok, he's being physically challenged, why are we assisting him to stay physically ok to belt the crap out of us?'
India opener Shubman Gill had retired hurt due to cramps when on 79 and Kohli too was seen struggling during the later part of his 149-minute stay at the crease.
"I don't get it, I just don't get it. Stuff helping him out, he's made 50 One-Day hundreds, why help him make the 50th against you in a World Cup semifinal? Give me a spell."
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Bangladesh High Court refuses to ban ISKCON
Dhaka, Nov 28: Bangladesh High Court Thursday rejected a petition seeking a ban on ISKCON's activities in the country, days after a lawyer was killed in a clash between security personnel and supporters of a Hindu leader, previously linked to the religious group.
A lawyer had sought a ban on the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) after placing some newspaper reports related to the organisation on Wednesday.
"The two-member High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Debashish Roy Chowdhury on Thursday declined to ban the ISKCON activities in Bangladesh," a spokesman of the attorney general's office said.
He said the bench made the decision after the attorney general's office submitted a report on the action taken by the government regarding the death of assistant government prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif in the northeastern port city of Chattogram earlier this week.
Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachary, arrested earlier this week, was sent to jail by a Chattogram court on sedition charges, sparking a violent protest during which advocate Alif was killed. Chinmoy was earlier expelled from ISKCON.
"Right at this moment, the situation does not warrant the intervention of the (High) court as the State is carrying out its job (regarding the matter),” Justice Mahbub was quoted as saying by the spokesman.
The decision came a day after Attorney-General Mohammad Asaduzzaman urged the court not to take any decisions on the ISKCON issue as the government has started taking the required action.
Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque and Deputy Attorney General Asad Uddin informed the bench that three separate cases have been filed in connection with the murder of the lawyer and ISKCON's activities, and 33 accused have been arrested in these cases.
The bench then hoped that the government would remain cautious about protecting the law and order situation and the lives and properties of the people of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, ISKCON Bangladesh refuted allegations linking the organisation to the lawyer's killing, saying the claims were baseless and part of a malicious campaign.
"A series of false, fabricated, and malicious campaigns is being spearheaded targeting ISKCON Bangladesh, particularly in connection with recent events. These efforts are aimed at discrediting our organisation and creating societal unrest," general secretary of the organization Charu Chandra Das Brahmachari said.
Speaking at a press conference at the organisation’s head office, he said ISKCON Bangladesh was never involved in "communal or conflict-driven activities and will continue to promote unity and harmony".
"We have already clarified the matter multiple times through press conferences and official communications with the government and administrative authorities. Regrettably, certain groups continue to deliberately spread false propaganda against our organisation and make unreasonable demands, such as banning ISKCON," Das said.
He said that Chinmoy was previously expelled from the organisation along with two others for violating its rules and none of their activities were connected to ISKCON.
ISKCON Bangladesh President Satya Ranjan Baroi also spoke at the press conference, saying their organisation was dedicated to communal harmony, religious tolerance, and the welfare of humanity and “the allegations are an attempt to tarnish our religious and social reputation".
Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum on Thursday staged a protest in front of the Supreme Court Bar, protesting the lawyer's killing and demanding the ban on ISKCON.
The group is regarded as the lawyers’ wing of ex-premier Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, which led the mass upheaval to oust deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s regime on August 5, also demanded the ban on ISKCON.
Separately, a group of Supreme Court lawyers sent a legal notice to the Bangladesh government on Wednesday seeking the ban on ISKCON describing it as a “radical organisation.”
India on Tuesday noted with “deep concern” Chinmoy's arrest and denial of bail and urged Dhaka to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all other minority groups.
Earlier, the ISKCON had urged the Bangladesh authorities to promote "peaceful coexistence" for Hindus in the country as it "strongly" denounced the arrest of the Hindu leader.
Chinmoy, the spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday as he was about to fly to Chattogram to join a rally.
He was denied bail and sent to jail by the Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court in a sedition case on Tuesday.
