Bengaluru Test: Afghanistan in trouble after losing four quick wickets
Bengaluru, June 15: Afghanistan trumbled again on the second day of test match against India at Chinnaswamy stadium here on Friday.
Afghanistan were asked to follow on after they got all out for just 109 runs in their first innings. However, the team that is playing its first ever test match against India continued its poor performance with bat and lost four of its main batsmen for just 24 runs in their second innings.
Earlier, an excellent half century from all-rounder Hardik Pandya steered India to a commanding 474 even as Afghanistan managed to take the remaining four wickets on the second morning of the one-off Test here on Friday.
India managed to add 127 runs to their overnight total of 347/6, thanks to Pandya's (71) third Test half ton, and coupled with some cameos from the tailenders.
If statistics are to be taken into consideration, this is the third instance where a team has conceded more than 400 runs in their inaugural Test. Bangladesh (2000) and the West Indies (1928) are the other teams in the category.
Coming to the second morning of the ongoing Test, India lost overnight batsman Ravichandran Ashwin (18) on the eighth over of the day, after the off-spinner was caught behind off Yamin Ahmadzai.
Ashwin's dismissal brought in the dangerous Ravindra Jadeja (20), who was dropped first ball off an edge.
The southpaw did well to put that scare behind him and forged a valuable 67-run eighth wicket stand with Pandya, who took the attack to the opposition after a sluggish start.
Pandya picked wrist spinner Rashid Khan for some special treatment, whacking him to the boundary line thrice before sweeping Mohammed Nabi for a four to bring up his half century in 83 balls.
Jadeja also joined the party, smoking Nabi for a six over long-on before perishing to the same bowler when he attempted one over long-off, only for the ball to land in the hands of Rahmat Shah.
Pandya soon followed his partner to the pavilion after being cramped for room and failing to cut a short ball from Wafadar, which resulted in a simple catch for keeper Afsar Zazai.
The right-hander struck 10 fours in his 94-ball effort.
With the scoreboard reading 440/9, the hosts would have been more or less satisfied but number 11 Umesh Yadav (26 not out from 21 balls; 4x2, 6x2) had other plans.
Umesh entertained the Chinnaswamy crowd with some lusty blows, which included two massive sixes off Wafadar and more importantly, helped India cross the psychological mark of 450 runs.
Together with Ishant Sharma (8), Umesh added 34 runs for the 10th wicket before Rashid trapped Ishant, ending India's innings for 474.
For the visitors, pacer Yamin Ahmadzai was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets while fellow quick Wafadar and Rashid chipped in with two wickets each.
The other spinners Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Brief Scores: India 474 (Shikhar Dhawan 107, Murali Vijay 105, Hardik Pandya 71; Yamin Ahmadzai 3/51) vs Afghanistan.
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Chhattisgarh Vedanta power plant blast: Death toll rises to 20; sixteen workers undergoing treatment
Sakti (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): The death toll in a blast at the Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district has mounted to 20 with seven more workers succumbing to injuries, while 16 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, officials said on Wednesday.
The deceased include six labourers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, three each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, two from Bihar, and one from Madhya Pradesh.
The opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday afternoon in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta Ltd power plant located in Singhitarai village, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries.
According to officials, four workers died on the spot, while nine others succumbed to injuries soon after the incident.
Seven more workers have died in hospitals, raising the toll to 20, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno told PTI on Wednesday.
He said that a total of 36 workers were affected in the blast, and 20 of them died.
"Of the 16 injured workers, five are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raipur, while 11 others are in hospitals of Raigarh, the neighbouring district of Sakti," he added.
Topno added that every possible effort was being made to provide the best medical treatment to the injured.
The deceased were identified, and their family members are being contacted. Arrangements have been made to transport the mortal remains to their native villages via ambulance following the postmortem examination and to provide immediate financial assistance, he said.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Vedanta Power has also announced a Rs 35 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased worker, along with employment support.
The company will also provide Rs 15 lakh to each injured person, ensure salary continuation until recovery, and offer counselling support, a statement from the plant management said.
The chief minister has ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner of the Bilaspur division, assuring strict action against the guilty.
He directed officials to ensure free and proper medical treatment for all injured and emphasised that no negligence in their care would be tolerated.
The district administration has also ordered a separate magisterial probe, while the company has initiated its own internal investigation.
Collector Topno has appointed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct the magisterial inquiry.
The SDM has been asked to submit a report within 30 days covering key aspects, including the cause of the accident, whether it was due to technical or human error, and details of safety inspections carried out at the plant.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla on Wednesday alleged negligence on the plant management's part and accused the government of attempting to shield those responsible.
He also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for the injured.
The construction of a 1,200 MW coal-based thermal power project (two units of 600 MW each) in Singhitarai, originally owned by Athena Chhattisgarh Power Ltd, started in 2009, but remained stalled between 2016 and 2022.
Vedanta acquired the plant in 2022, after which a 600 MW unit was completed and commissioned in August last year, while the second unit is still under construction.
The deceased have been identified as Amrit Lal Patel, Thanda Ram Lahre, Udhab Singh Yadav, Rameshwar Mahilange, and Nadeem Ansari (all from Chhattisgarh); Susanta Jana, Sheikh Saifuddin, Manas Giri, Kailash Mahto, Shibnath Murmu, and Dipankar Singh (West Bengal), Tarun Kumar Ojha, Abdul Karim and Ashok Parhiya (Jharkhand), Raju Ram, Pappu Kumar and Brijesh Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Aakib Khan and Ritesh Kumar (Bihar), and Chitranjan Dhulai of Madhya Pradesh, officials said.
