Former India all-rounder Syed Abid Ali passes away
New Delhi, Mar 12 (PTI): Former India all-rounder Syed Abid Ali, who was known for his versatility and sharp fielding skills, died on Wednesday after a prolonged illness. He was 83.
He was part of an illustrious group of Hyderabad cricketers that included MAK Pataudi, ML Jaisimha, and Abbas Ali Baig. He died in the United States.
The news of Abid Ali’s passing was shared by the North America Cricket League (NACL).
"It is with profound reverence and a heart full of admiration that I share with you the passing of uncle Syed Abid Ali a cricketing legend from India who made Tracy, California, his home, and whose remarkable legacy continues to inspire us to strive for excellence," NACL posted in its Facebook page.
"The North America Cricket League (NACL) and the growth of cricket in the Bay Area owe a debt of gratitude to his tireless efforts and contributions to the Northern California Cricket Association (NCCA), a testament to his enduring impact.
"Let us remember him in our prayers and celebrate his remarkable legacy, honouring his memory by continuing to pursue our passions with dedication and perseverance."
Ali made his Test debut in December 1967 against Australia in Adelaide, marking the occasion with a sensational 6/55 in the first innings -- his career-best bowling figures.
His batting prowess was on display later in the same series when he scored 78 and 81 in the Sydney Test, proving his all-round capabilities.
Between 1967 and 1974, he played 29 Tests for India, tallying 1,018 runs and taking 47 wickets.
He was ahead of his time and was known for his work ethic.
His was lightning-quick while running between the wickets and was one of the finest fielders of his time.
Ali also had a rare distinction -- he opened both the batting and bowling for India in several matches, including two against New Zealand in 1968, three at home in 1969, and two on the 1971 tour of the West Indies.
His ODI career was brief but historic.
He was part of the Ajit Wadekar-led Indian team that played its first-ever ODI in 1974 against England at Headingley, a 55-over-a-side match that India lost.
In the first game, he batted at No. 8, scoring 17, and opened the bowling, conceding 51 runs in nine overs.
In the second ODI at The Oval, that also India lost, Ali batted at No 10 and picked up his first wicket while returning figures of 1/21 from 11 overs.
Ali also played in the inaugural ODI World Cup in 1975, featuring in three matches.
His best performance in the format came against New Zealand, where he scored a 98-ball 70.
In his five ODI appearances, he accumulated 93 runs and took seven wickets.
At the domestic level, Ali played 212 first-class matches, scoring 8,732 runs, including a highest score of 173 not out, and picked up 397 wickets, with best figures of 6/23.
Heartfelt tributes poured in from the cricketing fraternity who remembered him as a dedicated mentor, a team player and a remarkable human being.
"Sad news Abid Ali is no more. He was great team man and good human being. Heartfelt condolences to the family. OM Shanti," posted World Cup winning India all-rounder Madan Lal.
Former chief National selector and wicketkeeper MSK Prasad remembered Ali's days as Andhra coach.
"It is very unfortunate that Abid Sir has passed away. He had been unwell for quite some time.
"One thing I can proudly say is that during his tenure as Andhra’s coach, he instilled in us the art of winning — transforming us from mere participants into true competitors," Prasad stated in his condolence message shared with PTI.
"Through his relentless efforts, both physically and mentally, he shaped our team into a dominant force in domestic cricket for a decade. He developed a winning culture and mentality that stayed with us.
"His contributions to Andhra cricket will always be remembered."
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.
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta accuses Mamata Banerjee of stalling SIR; TMC hits back
Kolkata (PTI): Alleging that her West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee had approached the Supreme Court to stall the SIR exercise to prevent the identification of infiltrators, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday claimed that the people of the state have made up their minds to dislodge the Trinamool Congress from power.
The TMC countered strongly, urging Gupta to "look into her own backyard" and accused her of making absurd allegations against the TMC government without checking facts.
Addressing participants at the 'Nari Sankalp Yatra' organised by the BJP's women's wing at Science City auditorium here, Gupta alleged that the "hands-off" and appeasement policies of the TMC government had allowed thousands of infiltrators to enter the state in recent years.
She claimed that this had put a strain on basic rights such as access to water, electricity, ration, education, livelihood and the right to vote for genuine citizens.
"She wants to perpetuate this and hence is trying to stall the SIR exercise, which aims at identifying and deporting infiltrators. Imagine a chief minister going to the apex court to argue against an exercise meant to ensure free and fair polls," Gupta said.
The BJP leader alleged that appeasement politics had reached an "alarming level" under the TMC regime.
Raising concerns over women's safety, she claimed that women in the state were not secure despite having a woman chief minister.
Referring to the rape-murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Hospital, Gupta alleged that the state government had failed to respond adequately to such crimes.
She also referred to the alleged rape of a woman medic in Durgapur and another law student on a Kolkata college campus, claiming that criminals had been emboldened to commit brutalities against women.
She alleged that in crimes against women, overall crime incidents and child marriages, West Bengal remained among the top -- "a slur on a state which once led intellectual and social movements and set examples for the rest of the country," she said.
Criticising the state government's welfare initiatives, she said schemes such as Kanyashree were built on "false claims" and asserted that women needed security rather than assurances.
Accusing the state government of blocking central schemes, Gupta alleged that funds worth "lakhs of crores of rupees" had not reached the poor due to non-implementation of programmes such as Ayushman Bharat, PM Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission by the state.
"You are only interested in renaming projects and taking credit," she said.
Gupta also alleged that the education sector in the state had been adversely affected, saying several state-run schools had closed due to a shortage of teachers and that the government was opposed to the National Education Policy.
Drawing a comparison with BJP-ruled Delhi, Gupta said, "People have already voted out 'Bhaia' (a reference to former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal). Now it is your turn to bid farewell to 'Didi'." Calling upon women to resist what she termed "strong-arm tactics", she urged them to assert their strength, invoking the imagery of Goddess Durga.
"Bengal has the right to live with dignity, and women have the right to live with dignity," she added.
Reacting to Gupta's allegations, West Bengal Women and Child Welfare minister Shashi Panja accused her of making "absurd allegations" against the Trinamool Congress government ahead of elections.
Panja alleged that during Gupta's tenure in Delhi, several incidents had raised serious concerns, including reports of missing young women and a blast near the Red Fort.
She also criticised the air pollution situation in the national capital, claiming that people were struggling to breathe.
The TMC leader said that despite being in power for a year, Gupta was making "tall claims" instead of addressing key issues in Delhi.
Panja further alleged that the Delhi CM visited West Bengal during elections to "peddle false allegations" against the state government.
Rebutting Gupta, the TMC said in a post on X said, "Madam why did you go off-script again? For your edification, here are the cold, hard facts: In total cases of crimes (IPC + SLL), Bengal ranks a respectable 15th, far safer than BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, which languish near the bottom."
"In overall crime rate, Bengal sits comfortably at 28th. Who's second? Your own Delhi. Double Engine Gujarat and Haryana grab 4th and 5th as top-tier crime havens," the TMC said.
"In child marriage, Assam again takes the shameful pole position. And yet you dare lecture Bengal? Stop embarrassing yourself, stop the hypocrisy, and maybe fix the rotting mess in your own backyard before pointing fingers at a state that's outperforming your disasters on every key metric," the TMC countered.
