All schools closed for week due to extreme winter weather in Guwahati
Guwahati (PTI): With mercury dipping 6.4 degrees Celsius below normal in daytime in the state capital, all schools in Kamrup Metropolitan district of Assam have been closed for a week due to harsh winter, according to an official order.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light rain at isolated places over Assam with shallow to moderate fog till Thursday morning.
"In view of the ongoing extreme cold wave, the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district administration has directed all government & provincialised schools to remain closed from December 31, 2025 to January 6, 2026," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on Tuesday night.
Provincialised schools are private institutions taken over by the government.
The normal classes will resume from January 7, prioritising the safety and well-being of students, it added.
The Inspector of Schools (IS) of Kamrup Metropolitan district, which primarily comprises the capital city, issued an advisory asking the schools to close for one week, considering the health and safety of students.
"All heads of schools are hereby advised to inform students, parents and staff accordingly. Ensure that no academic or co-curricular activities are conducted during this period. Take necessary steps for the smooth resumption of classes after the reopening," it added.
The IS also advised the private schools to decide for themselves in the interest of students.
According to the MET Department, the state capital recorded a maximum temperature of 18.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, which was 6.4 degrees below the normal. The minimum temperature was, however, 4.3 degrees above normal at 15.1 degree Celsius.
It predicted cloudy skies with light rain or drizzle in the state capital, with maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be 19 degrees Celsius and 14 degrees Celsius, respectively.
"An upper air cyclonic circulation lies over Northeast Assam at 1.5 km above mean sea level. The upper air cyclonic circulation over north Bangladesh at 1.5 km above mean sea level has become less marked," the daily weather report on Northeast said on Tuesday.
In the last 2-3 days, the weather remained cloudy with many parts of the state, including Guwahati city, witnessing drizzles during the daytime.
People are seen warming up with woodfires on roadsides throughout the day, while demands for heavy woolens soared in the market.
Though the extreme winter has made life difficult, especially for the poor people, many have welcomed it, saying a perfect mood has been created for the new year celebrations.
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Experience comes when you play bigger teams in bilateral series: Rashid Khan
Chennai (PTI): Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan called for more bilateral series against stronger cricketing nations after his team signed off from the T20 World Cup on a high, defeating Canada in their final group match here on Thursday.
Afghanistan played some exhilarating cricket, going down to South Africa in a gripping second Super Over after the scores were tied, a humdinger that provided one of the early thrills of the World Cup.
However, the spin-bowling stalwart said Afghanistan could make significant strides if they get regular opportunities to compete against stronger cricketing nations.
"Couple of areas to improve, with the batting, the middle order got a bit stuck against the big teams, and then with the bowling the death overs. That comes when you play the bigger teams in bilateral series," said Rashid after his team defeat Canada by 82 runs, with him returning excellent figures of 2 for 19.
The stalwart said the side had arrived well prepared for the tournament and produced some breathtaking cricket, but admitted the narrow defeat to South Africa proved costly and remained a painful setback.
"We were well-prepared (for the tournament), we played some unbelievable cricket. The game against South Africa, that really hurt everyone. We had to win one of those (first two) games and see how the tournament unfolded. We'll take some positive things from this World Cup and look forward," he said.
With head coach Jonathan Trott set to part ways with the team, Rashid described the departure as an "emotional" moment for the side.
"I think we had some wonderful times with him. Where we are now, he played a main role. It's emotional to see him leave us, but that's how life is. We wish him all the best and somewhere down the line we see him again."
Ibrahim Zadran, who was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 95 off 56 balls, said it was satisfying to finally register a substantial score after two below-par outings.
"I enjoyed it, didn't play better cricket in first two innings, which I expect. Wanted to back my skills, really enjoyed it. Pressure was there, it's there all the time. I want to put myself in pressure situations and enjoy it," said Zadran.
"Wanted to play positive cricket, rotate strike and punish bad ball, create partnerships and this is what I have done."
