Hardik Pandya gives away his Man of the Series trophy to T Natarajan, says 'You deserve it bhai'
In a moment to remember for cricket fans and India pace sensation T Natarajan, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya handed over his Man of the Series trophy to the "deserving" 29-year-old.
Hardik Pandya after winning the Man of the Match award in the 2nd T20I had pointed out that Natarajan should have been recognised for his miserly spell of 2 for 20 in 4 overs. This time around Hardik Pandya took things in his control and made sure that his Man of the Series trophy goes into the 'right' hands.
Posting a social media picture with T Natarjan after India's 2-1 T20I series win Down Under, Hardik Pandya wrote a heart-warming message, which has now gone viral. The post has garnered over 7 thousand retweets and 52 thousand likes in just 1 hour.
"Natarajan, you were outstanding this series. To perform brilliantly in difficult conditions on your India debut speaks volumes of your talent and hard work. You deserve Man of the Series from my side bhai! Congratulations to #TeamIndia on the win Flag of IndiaTrophy."
Natarajan, you were outstanding this series. To perform brilliantly in difficult conditions on your India debut speaks volumes of your talent and hardwork ? You deserve Man of the Series from my side bhai! Congratulations to #TeamIndia on the win ??? pic.twitter.com/gguk4WIlQD
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) December 8, 2020
Natarajan story has been nothing short of a fairy-tale. In the last 2 months Tamil Nadu pacer T Natarajan has become a household name. T Natarajan, already a renowned pacer in domestic circuit, gained massive popularity because of his extremely profound art of bowling crisp yorkers for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2020.
An impressive run in the IPL saw him being picked as a net bowler for India's all-important tour of Australia. Luck favours the brave and that is what happened when another IPL sensation Varun Chakravarthy's injury came as a blessing in disguise for him. The left-arm pacer was first inducted in the T20I squad and later due to Navdeep Saini's back spasm, he was included in the ODI set up also.
Natarjan did not disappoint and grabbed the opportunity with both his hands to make his maiden international tour a memorable one. The Salem-born fast bowler showed that he is more than just a 'Yorker King' as he changed his bowling plans beautifully according to the conditions.
The SRH pacer finished with 6 wickets in the 3-match T20I series, the most by any bowler from both the sides. His economy rate for the 3 matches he played was just 6.91. In the one ODI match he played, Natarajan took 2 wickets.
Courtesy: www.indiatoday.in
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Microsoft announces $17.5 billion investment to support India’s AI-focused digital growth
New Delhi: In one of its biggest global commitments to date, Microsoft has announced a $17.5 billion investment to support India’s push toward an AI-driven digital economy. The pledge, the company’s largest in Asia, was made soon after CEO Satya Nadella met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
Nadella wrote on X that the investment would help build “the infrastructure, skills, and sovereign capabilities needed for India’s AI-first future,” thanking the Prime Minister for what he described as an inspiring discussion on India’s expanding AI opportunities.
PM Modi called the interaction “productive” and said India’s young population would play a central role in using artificial intelligence for innovation and broader global benefit. The meeting came amid a series of high-level engagements between the government and global technology leaders, along with the recent visits by executives from Intel and Cognizant.
Focusing on expanding cloud and AI infrastructure, strengthening digital skills, and supporting sovereign technology capabilities in India, Microsoft said the $17.5 billion commitment would be spread over four years from 2026 to 2029. The company described the announcement as part of its long-term vision to help the country advance as a “frontier AI nation.”
The pledge follows an earlier $3 billion announcement made in January 2025, bringing Microsoft’s total planned investment in India to more than $20 billion by the end of the decade.
Alongside infrastructure growth, Microsoft plans to double its training programmes, aiming to equip 20 million people with digital and AI-related skills by 2030. The company said these efforts would support the next phase of India’s digital transformation, moving from expanding connectivity to building technological capability.
The investment is also expected to support the integration of AI tools into national platforms such as e-Shram and the National Career Service, while potentially aiding more than 310 million informal sector workers through improved access to employment and digital services.
With data protection and sovereignty becoming central to technology policy, Microsoft will introduce Sovereign Public Cloud and Sovereign Private Cloud systems designed for Indian institutions. The company further said these platforms would help governments and businesses create secure and compliant environments for AI applications.
Welcoming the announcement, the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that this will help in strengthening innovation grounded in trust and sovereignty. He further said Microsoft’s expanded commitment reflects the country’s growing role as a dependable global technology partner.
India has been one of Microsoft’s most significant global bases since the company opened its first office in Hyderabad in 1990. Today, the country hosts Microsoft’s largest development centre outside its Redmond headquarters, contributing to products such as Azure, Office and Windows. Its new hyperscale data centre is expected to be operational by mid-2026, increasing its cloud presence across several major cities.
