Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan sizzle in India's 179/5 against SA
Visakhapatnam, Jun 14: Openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan produced scintillating fifties to set the platform before India lost the momentum to stop at 179 for five against South Africa in the must-win third T20I here on Tuesday.
Under the scanner for his patchy form of late, Gaiwad finally came good with a sizzling 57 off 35 balls, while Kishan smashed his second fifty of the five-match series. He made a 35-ball 54.
However, South Africa tightened the screws in the second half to keep India inside the 200-mark. The hosts managed just 20 runs while losing two wickets from over 13 to 17 before Hardik Pandya took them close to 180 with some lusty blows in the final stages.
It was Gaikwad, who turned aggressor after a watchful start and exploded in the fifth over, slamming five successive boundaries off Anrich Nortje.
If the first one was cut with aplomb, he danced down the track for the second four. The third boundary was a lucky one as the ball hit his grill while Gaikwad tried to move away from a nasty bouncer.
Gaikwad then punished Nortje for bowling a half volley and the fifth ball was sent across the third man.
The Maharashtra batter also deposited Dwaine Pretorius over deep backward square for his second six as India posted 57 for no loss in six overs, their best powerplay in the series.
Kishan, who was playing second fiddle, got into the act in the ninth over, smacking Shamsi's overpitched ball for a maximum before sweeping him for another four as 13 runs came from the over.
Gaikwad completed his fifty in 30 balls and then welcomed Keshav Maharaj with an inside out lift for a four, but the spinner had him caught off his own bowling with India on 97 for one at the halfway stage.
Kishan then gave a special treatment to Maharaj, picking up two fours and a six en route a 31-ball fifty, his second of the series.
New-man Shreyas Iyer looked in good touch as he blasted a six each off Nortje and Shamsi, but the spinner dismissed him with Nortje timing his jump to perfection for a nice catch.
Pretorius pegged India further back by getting rid off Kishan, who was caught by Hendricks.
It could have been five down but David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen dropped two sitters to give a life to Hardik Pandya (29) and Rishabh Pant (6).
Temba Bavuma finally caught one off Pretorius to remove Pant as South Africa slowed things down.
Dinesh Karthik (6) couldn't force the pace with Rabada removing him, but Pandya managed to find some quick runs.
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Strictest action promised after students forced to remove sacred thread at Bengaluru CET exam centre
Bengaluru (PTI): Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner Jagadeesha G on Monday said the government has decided to take the “strictest possible action” against those responsible for allegedly forcing some students to remove their ‘janivara’ (sacred thread) before entering the venue of the CET exam last week.
He said a committee of senior officials constituted to inquire into the incident reported that, prima facie, it appears the students were “intentionally” made to remove the ‘janivara’.
The city police have already booked three staff members of a private college in Bengaluru for allegedly forcing some students to remove their ‘janivara’ before entering the venue of the Common Entrance Test (CET-2026) last week.
Similar incidents last year in Shivamogga and Bidar had triggered controversy, following which the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) issued clear directions not to force students to remove any religious identification or symbol during exams.
“Despite KEA taking measures such as appointing dress code officials and providing training on dos and don’ts to prevent such incidents from recurring after last year’s cases, there has been a dereliction of duty this time,” Jagadeesha told reporters here.
“To take strict action against those responsible, an FIR has been registered, and arrests have been made. An inquiry has been conducted by senior officials, and those responsible have been suspended,” he added.
Stating that the inquiry report has been submitted at the district level, he said it will be forwarded to the government.
Based on the findings, it has also been decided that KEA will not conduct CET exams at the institution where the incident occurred, he added.
“The strictest possible action is being taken by the district administration and the government,” he added.
The deputy commissioner had constituted a committee headed by the additional deputy commissioner to investigate the incident and submit a report within two days.
“Exams have been held at several centres across the state, and nowhere else has this issue occurred. If students were forced to remove ‘janivara’ at this centre, it appears that it was intentional. We have taken it seriously,” he said, adding that strict action has been recommended to ensure such incidents do not recur.
Noting that senior officials were appointed for the inquiry, the DC said that after a thorough investigation and verification—which included statements from students, the school principal, exam observers, CCTV footage, and documents—it prima facie appears that students were intentionally made to remove the ‘janivara’.
“We are recommending strict action. The government has also ordered a detailed police investigation, and an FIR has been registered in connection with the incident,” he added.
