WI beat PNG by 5 wickets in T20 World Cup
Georgetown (Guyana), Jun 2: West Indies beat Papua New Guinea by five wickets in their T20 World Cup opening match here on Sunday.
The West Indies chased down the target of 137 with six balls to spare with Roston Chase remaining not out on 42 off 27 balls while Brandon King made 34.
For PNG, Assad Vala was the most successful bowler with two wickets for 28 runs.
Sent in to bat, Papua New Guinea made 136 for 8.
Sese Bau top-scored for PNG with 50 off 43 balls while wicketkeeper Kiplin Doriga remained not out on 27
For the West Indies, Andre Russell (2/19) and Alzarri Joseph (2/34) took two wickets apiece.
Brief Scores:
Papua New Guinea: 136 for 8 in 20 overs (Sese Bau 50; Andre Russell 2/19, Alzarri Joseph Alzarri Joseph 2/34).
West Indies: 137 for 5 in 19 overs (Roston Chase 42 not out; Assad Vala 2/28).
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Protests over rising prices spread across Iran as students join demonstrations
Tehran: Protests triggered by Iran’s worsening economic conditions spread to universities and commercial centres on Tuesday. Students joined shopkeepers and traders in demonstrations against soaring prices and the sharp fall of the national currency, according to semi-official media reports.
The unrest comes as the Iranian rial hit a record low, sliding to around 1.4 million against the US dollar on the open market, according to a Reuters. The currency has lost nearly half its value this year, while inflation reached 42.5 per cent in December, official data showed.
Semi-official Fars News Agency reported that hundreds of students staged protests at four universities in Tehran. Footage verified by Reuters showed groups of demonstrators marching through streets in the capital, chanting slogans, while state television broadcast images of gatherings in central areas of the city.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said late on Monday that he had instructed the interior minister to engage with protesters and listen to what he described as their legitimate demands. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said authorities would set up a dialogue mechanism that could include talks with protest leaders.
“We officially recognise the protests. We hear the voices of the people and understand that these demonstrations stem from pressure on livelihoods,” Mohajerani said in remarks carried by state media.
On social media platforms, several Iranians expressed support for the protests, warning that public anger over rising prices, corruption and economic inequality could spread further across the country.
Iran’s economy has been under strain for years following the reimposition of US sanctions in 2018 after Washington withdrew from the international nuclear agreement. United Nations sanctions were reinstated in September, and Reuters reported in October that senior officials had held multiple meetings to discuss ways to prevent economic collapse and manage public discontent.
President Pezeshkian, speaking at a meeting with trade unions and market representatives on Tuesday, said the government would make efforts to address economic grievances and ease concerns faced by workers and traders, according to state media.
On Monday, Iran’s central bank chief resigned, with local media linking the move to pressure on the currency market following recent economic liberalisation policies.
