Everyone should have faith in Shubman, he will win games at World T20: Abhishek
Dharamsala (PTI): Having played alongside Shubman Gill since the age of 12, Abhishek Sharma knows that it is just a matter of time before his currently off-colour best buddy starts winning T20I matches for India, including games in the upcoming T20 World Cup next year.
Gill's selection in the Indian T20I playing eleven has been questioned after a settled Sanju Samson was benched. The vice-captain in the format has managed only 291 runs in 15 innings at a strike-rate of 137.3.
He struck only four sixes in those games and on Sunday against South Africa in the third T20I here, Gill scored a painstaking run-a-ball 28, which didn't matter much since Abhishek (35 off 18 balls) had given the team a rousing start in a chase of a paltry target of 118.
"I'll tell you one thing straight away, that trust me, these two guys are going to win matches in World Cup (in February-March) and in this series as well," Abhishek replied when asked about Gill and skipper Suryakumar Yadav's poor run of form in the ongoing five-match series which India leads 2-1 right now.
When it came to Gill, his closest friend of more than a decade, Abhishek was predictably protective.
"Because I've been playing with them since so long, especially with Shubman, so I know which match he can win, which conditions, irrespective of the team, whoever it is," he said.
"So I have a lot of faith in him from the beginning, and I hope everyone will see him very soon and everyone will have faith in him," added the world's No.1 T20 batter.
Once Abhishek got out at a team score of 60, India needed more than 10 overs to score the remaining runs with both Gill and Surya not able to bat freely.
"There was a bit of help for the fast bowlers, and as I was batting, I knew that if I gave a good start here, the match could get over in the Powerplay, and that's what happened.
"...that was the plan for the rest of the batters, that they would just knock out or finish the match, so it was a very simple plan after that," Abhishek explained the rationale behind taking it easy after a blistering start.
Abhishek said he had to keep in mind that in cold December evenings in this part of the country, the pacers would get movement both in the air and off the surface.
"Conditions of course, I mean, as a batter you have to keep those things in mind that the ball is swinging a bit or it's seaming a bit, so I tried to play a few shots which is suitable for those wickets and pitches, so that's the plan always."
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Man held for killing 19-year-old college student in Himachal's Mandi
Shimla (PTI): One person has been arrested for allegedly killing a 19-year-old girl by slitting her throat in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district, police said on Monday.
According to police, the incident occurred on Monday morning near the Gopalpur area, when the girl, identified as Siya Guleria, was on her way to college.
At that time, two unidentified assailants, riding on a bike, intercepted her and brutally assaulted her with a sharp weapon and slit her throat.
While the girl succumbed to injuries on the spot, the accused fled.
Police reached the spot as soon as they received the information and recovered the body. In the meantime, locals found the 36-year-old suspect in nearby fields where he was hiding.
The villagers also recovered the weapon used in the murder and immediately informed the police.
The situation got tense as locals who caught the culprit demanded that the accused be hanged, while the police team took him into custody and assured strict action against him.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Mandi, Vinod Kumar, said that a case of Murder has been registered.
The accused, identified as Vikas, has been arrested. Further investigation is underway, the SP said.
Several injury marks were found on the girl's body, and the forensic teams have taken the samples. The body would be handed over to the family members after conducting a postmortem at Nerchowk Medical College, he added.
Expressing deep anguish and strong condemnation over the brutal murder, Governor Kavinder Gupta termed it as "heinous, inhuman and deeply disturbing".
He said that such acts of violence are unacceptable in a civilised society and must be dealt with utmost severity.
The Governor spoke with the Director General of Police (DGP) and took a detailed report of the incident. He directed the police authorities to ensure strict and swift action against the culprit and to bring the guilty to justice at the earliest.
He also emphasised the need for continued vigilance and collective efforts to ensure the safety and security of citizens, especially women, according to a statement issued here.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, who met the family members of the victim on Monday, said that there are allegations that the accused was involved in drugs, and this aspect should also be probed. He demanded strict and fast action in the case.
He said that the family members feel that the condition of the road near their house was not good, and had the road been good, the girl would not have had to walk.
