Modi 'tough as hell', says Trump; once again claims credit for ending Indo-Pak conflict
Tokyo/Seoul (PTI): On the one hand, he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “nicest looking guy”, a “killer” and “tough as hell”. But in the same breath, Donald Trump once again waded into India-Pakistan conflict by claiming he stopped their recent military hostilities.
A few hours earlier, the US president also claimed that “seven brand new” planes were shot down in the May 7-10 Operation Sindoor.
“Prime Minister Modi is the nicest looking guy … he looks like you'd like to have your father like… he's a killer… he's tough as hell,” Trump said while speaking at the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) CEO Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea.
He landed in South Korea Wednesday morning from Japan as part of three-nation tour of Asia.
While emphasising that he has a “great relationship” with Modi, Trump reiterated that he used trade to resolve the war between India and Pakistan.
“I called Prime Minister Modi. I said, we can't make a trade deal with you… (He said) No, no, we must make a trade… I said, No, we can't. You are starting a war with Pakistan. We're not going to do it,” Trump said.
He also praised Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, calling him “a great fighter” and “a great guy.”
“Then I called Pakistan. I said, we're not going to do trade with you because you're fighting with India and you know, two nuclear nations. And they said, no, no, no, you should let us fight. They both said that,” he added.
Trump claimed that the leaders of both India and Pakistan called him after two days and stopped fighting.
“After literally two days, they called up, they said, we understand, and they stopped fighting. How is that? Isn't that amazing? Now, you think Biden would have done that?” Trump said.
However, hours earlier in Tokyo, Trump had said that he managed to get the war stopped in 24 hours. The US president is known to make inconsistent comments.
In Tokyo, while speaking at a reception and dinner with business leaders on Tuesday, Trump said: “Seven planes were shot down, seven brand new, beautiful planes were shot down, and they were going at it ... two big nuclear powers.”
He added that he told Modi -- "a very nice man, a very good man, and the Field Marshal over in Pakistan, I said, 'Look, we're not going to do any trade if you're going to be fighting,'” Trump said.
Trump said that India and Pakistan argued that war has nothing to do with trade with the US.
“(They said) one thing has nothing to do with the other. I said this, it has a lot to do with the other …two nuclear powers…we get that nuclear dust all over the place. All of you are affected, right? And we said, No, we're not doing any deals if you're going to fight. And within about 24 hours, that was the end of that. It was amazing, actually,” the US President said.
Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim dozens of times that he “helped settle” the conflict between India and Pakistan.
India has consistently maintained that the understanding on cessation of hostilities with Pakistan was reached following direct talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two militaries.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
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Prasidh, Kuldeep limit South Africa to 270 after De Kock's hundred
Visakhapatnam (PTI): India fought back gallantly through Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav after Quinton de Kock struck his 23rd hundred, keeping South Africa to a manageable 270 in the third and series-deciding final ODI, here Saturday.
India won the toss after judging the spin of the coin incorrectly 20 times in a row. They had little hesitation in inserting the Proteas into bat, a clear indication of dew factor dominating the thought.
After Arshdeep Singh sent back Ryan Rickelton early, De Kock (106, 89b, 8x4, 6x4) struck his seventh century against India and put on 113 runs off 124 balls with skipper Temba Bavuma (48, 67b) as the visitors moved to a healthy position.
De Kock was severe on Prasidh (4/66), who erred on length continuously in his first spell (2-0-27-0). The left-hander biffed the pacer for 6, 6, 4 in his second over to milk 18 runs.
The 32-year-old quickly pounced on anything that was short, and pacers Prasidh and Harshit offered him plenty of feed on his pet areas.
Bavuma was more sedate, and made runs through those typical dabs and jabs, occasionally unfurling a drive of elan.
De Kock moved to fifty in 42 balls, and never let the tempo down reaching his hundred in 79 balls.
India found temporary relief when Ravindra Jadeja induced a false slash from Bavuma to get caught by Virat Kohli at point.
The tourists got another move on through a 54-run partnership between De Kock and Matthew Breetzkle for the third wicket, and at 168 for two in 28 overs they were in a good position to press on.
But Breetzke's punishment of part-time spinner Tilak Varma forced a rethink in the Indian camp, as skipper KL Rahul brought back Prasidh for a second spell.
What a masterstroke it turned out to be! The Karnataka man broke the back of South Africa’s top and middle order in an exceptional second spell (4-0-11-3).
Breetzke was the first man to go, trapped plumb in front with a straight one and four balls later Aiden Markram uppishly chipped a fuller delivery to Kohli at short covers.
Prasidh soon castled De Kock, whose ugly cross-batted swipe failed to connect a full length delivery from the pacer.
All of a sudden, SA found themselves at a shaky 199 for five, losing three wickets in the space of three overs.
Once Prasidh was done away with the top and middle-order, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep (4/41) took over and mopped up the tail as SA fell short of even a par total on this track.
