Faith, fire, folded hands and a flying kiss: Jemimah Rodrigues' incredible night
Navi Mumbai (PTI): The runs flowed, and so did the emotions. Jemimah Rogrigues didn't celebrate her hundred. There was no fist pump, no roar.
The smile and tears of joy came only after the winning hit, in a record-breaking chase that sent India storming into their second Women’s World Cup final.
Rodrigues stood still for a moment, her eyes glistening under the floodlights. This was more than just a match-winning hundred — it was a moment of deliverance.
The emotions, unknown anxiety had probably pent up inside her for the longest time and the devout Christian that she is, it was only faith in Jesus Christ that saw Jemimah play one of the greatest innings played in the history of a knock-out World Cup game.
"Towards the end, I was just quoting a scripture from the Bible - to just stand still and that God will fight for me," an emotionally drained out Jemimah said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Panned a lot for not living up to the lofty expectations from her, the Mumbai girl's 127 in a world record chase would be remembered till time immemorial.
"I have almost cried every day through this tour. Not doing well mentally, going through anxiety. I knew I had to show up, and God took care of everything. Initially, I was just playing and I keep talking to myself," a teary-eyed Jemimah was hardly able to express her emotions.
Coming from a family where faith holds supreme, it wasn't surprising that Jemimah turned to the Almighty to take her through.
"I just stood there and he fought for me. A lot inside me was left, but was trying to stay calm. I want to thank Jesus, could not do this on my own."
As she threw a flying kiss towards her family sitting in the VIP stands, she thanked his dad and coach Ivan, who has been her guiding force.
"I want to thank my mom, dad and coach and every single person who believed in me. It was really hard this last month, it feels like a dream and it still has not sunk in."
It was an innings which had taken a toll on her emotionally as much as it sapped her physically.
"Towards the end, I was trying to push myself but was not able to. Deepti spoke to me every ball and kept encouraging me. Richa came and lifted me up.
"When I cannot carry on, my teammates can encourage me. Cannot take credit for anything, I did not do anything (on my own). Each and every member of the crowd who chanted, cheered and believed, and for every run they were cheering, that pumped me up."
In fact, Jemimah didn't even celebrate her hundred and only let it rip once the match was over.
"Today was not about my fifty or my hundred, about making India win. Everything that happened so far, was a setup for this. Last year, I was dropped from this World Cup. I was in good form. But things kept happening back-to-back, and could not control anything," she added.
She also didn't know five minutes prior to walking out that she would be batting at No. 3 on the day which will probably change the course of her career forever.
"I was taking a shower and just told them to let me know. Five minutes before entering in, I was told I was batting at three. When Harry di came, it was all about one good partnership."
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
