Champions Trophy: Atal, Omarzai guide Afghanistan to competitive 273 all out against Australia
Lahore, Feb 28 (PTI): Sediqullah Atal hit 85 off 95 balls, while Azmatullah Omarzai (67 off 63) played a fine cameo in the middle-order to steer Afghanistan to a competitive 273 all out against Australia in a crucial Group B Champions Trophy match here on Friday.
Electing to bat, Afghanistan lost opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz early before last-match centurion Ibrahim Zadran (22) and Atal steadied the ship with a 69-run stand for the second wicket.
Omarzai then held the fort in the middle overs with a gutsy half-century to give Afghanistan bowlers a score to defend.
For Australia, Ben Dwarshuis (3/47) picked up three wickets, including two in the last over, while Spencer Johnson (2/49) and leg-spinner Adam Zampa (2/48) took two wickets apiece.
It's a must-win match for both the teams to qualify for the semifinal.
After their five-wicket win over England, Australia were forced to split points with South Africa as their last contest was washed out, while Afghanistan knocked England out of the tournament with a stunning eight-run victory in their last game.
South Africa are currently atop the table in Group B with three points from two games, followed by Australia on same points but with an inferior net run-rate. Afghanistan are still in semifinal contention at third place with two points from two matches.
England, who are out of semifinal reckoning, will play their last group match against South Africa in Karachi on Saturday.
Brief Scores:
Afghanistan: 273 all out in 50 overs (Sediqullah Atal 85, Azmatullah Omarzai 67; Ben Dwarshuis 3/47, Spencer Johnson 2/49, Adam Zampa 2/48).
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
