Mohali, Sep 20: K L Rahul and Hardik Pandya's audacious strokeplay helped India post a daunting 208 for six in the first T20 International against Australia here on Tuesday.

With his strike rate under scanner, Rahul made a statement with a high-quality 55 off 35 balls before Hardik smashed an unbeaten 71 off just 30 balls, including five sixes.

Suryakumar Yadav also played some breathtaking strokes in his 46 off 25 balls.

Expecting dew, Australia opted to bowl and handed debut to Tim David. Jasprit Bumrah, who was picked for the series after recovering from a back injury, was surprisingly not selected for the series opener. Dinesh Karthik was picked ahead of Rishabh Pant.

Umesh Yadav got a game after more than three years while Deepak Chahar, who is in the scheme of things for the World Cup, sat on the sidelines.

After Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli fell cheaply, Rahul and Suryakumar shared a 68-run stand off 42 balls. It was raining sixes when they were in the middle.

Rahul's walk across the stumps to dispatch Josh Hazlewood over the cow corner made his intent clear before he whipped Cameron Green for a massive six over deep square leg.

Suryakumar's style of play is often awe-inspiring and the Mohali crowd got to see him at his lethal best.

Out of his four sixes, his swat over fine leg off a good length ball from Cummins stood out.

India were able to maintain their tempo in the middle overs as Suryakumar picked up leggie Adam Zampa for two successive sixes in the long on and deep midwicket.

Hardik then took over and pushed India past 200. He was quick to punish anything short from the pacers and his pick up shot off Cummins in the 18th over was the highlight of his entertaining knock.

He smashed three consecutive sixes off Green in the 20th over including a flat one in the mid wicket region. The last five overs yielded 67 runs.

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.



Bengaluru: Private hospitals must provide immediate life-saving treatment to victims of snake bites and dog bites without demanding any advance payment, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundurao said on Friday, stressing that the directive is mandatory and has already been issued as an official order.

The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the Snake Bites Prevention and Control and Rabies-Free Karnataka State Action Plan, organised by the Department of Health and Family Welfare under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, at Vikasa Soudha.

Stating that the government aims to reduce rabies deaths in the state to zero by 2030, Gundurao said the action plan focuses on strengthening rabies prevention mechanisms.Anti-rabies vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin have been supplied to all primary health centres, community health centres, taluk hospitals and district hospitals across the state, and maintaining adequate stock has been made mandatory.

He added that private hospitals also have vaccines available and must begin treatment immediately without insisting on advance payment.

"To ensure strict implementation, state-level and district-level joint committees have been constituted to monitor compliance," Gundurao added.

The Minister said the initiative is being implemented with the coordination of various government departments, with non-governmental organisations also extending support.

Gundurao also stated that, “in line with Central Government guidelines, the Karnataka government included all snakebite cases under the list of notifiable diseases in 2024. The guidelines have been prepared in collaboration with NGOs, civil society organisations and multiple departments, focusing on prevention, availability of medicines, training of healthcare personnel and public awareness. The primary objective is to eliminate disability and mortality caused by snake bites.”

Reiterating the government’s stand, the Health Minister said that while free treatment for snakebite victims is being provided in government facilities, private hospitals are also responsible to offer immediate treatment without demanding advance payment.