Harris' 22-ball fifty powers RCB to crushing win over UP Warriorz
Navi Mumbai (PTI): Grace Harris produced a breathtaking display of power-hitting en route to a 40-ball 85 to script Royal Challengers Bengaluru's emphatic nine-wicket win over UP Warriorz in their Women's Premier League match here on Monday.
UP Warriorz had recovered admirably from a dramatic collapse to post 143/5, thanks to a superb rescue act by seasoned all-rounders Deandra Dottin and Deepti Sharma.
Harris then smashed the fastest fifty of the season, racing to the landmark in just 22 balls before finishing with a scintillating knock that was studded with 10 fours and five sixes.
The second successive victory lifted the former champions to the top of the standings.
Skipper Smriti Mandhana played the perfect foil with an elegant unbeaten 47 from 32 balls, including nine boundaries, as the pair put on a 137-run stand to make it a no contest.
RCB chased down the target in just 12.1 overs, significantly boosting their net run rate.
Chasing 144, Harris set the tone in a brutal powerplay assault that left UP Warriorz shell-shocked. She tore into Deandra Dottin with a stunning exhibition of clean hitting, plundering 32 runs from one over that effectively decided the contest.
The Australian started by clobbering a no-ball for four and followed it up with three towering sixes and two more boundaries in a sequence. Harris repeatedly cleared mid-wicket and mid-on with effortless power, bringing up her half-century in no time.
The onslaught continued against leg-spinner Asha Sobhana, whom Harris punished in a 17-run over as RCB raced to 100 in just 7.5 overs -- the second-fastest team hundred in WPL history.
Harris fetched a wide full ball and drilled it through the leg-side fence before dropping to one knee to launch a huge 86-metre six over deep midwicket, her fourth maximum of the innings.
At the other end, Mandhana played with trademark grace and assurance and sealed the chase with Richa Ghosh after Harris got out with just seven needed to win.
Sent in to bat, UPW were 36 for 1 in the powerplay before losing four wickets in the space of eight balls to slump to 50/5 in the ninth over.
From that precarious position, Dottin and Deepti stitched together an unbroken 93-run stand from 72 balls to give their side something to defend.
Deepti anchored the innings with an unbeaten 45 off 35 balls, hitting five fours and a six, while Dottin chipped in with a fluent 40 not out from 37 balls, including three fours and a six.
The duo shifted gears in the death overs, scoring 67 runs in the last six to prop up UPW.
Dottin took on off-spinner Shreyanka Patil with a boundary and a six in the 15th over, while Deepti launched into Nadine de Klerk for a straight six in the penultimate over.
The final over yielded 15 runs, with Deepti smashing two fours off Shreyanka and Dottin adding another boundary.
UP Warriorz had started cautiously, with Lauren Bell bowling a tight opening spell and removing Harleen Deol for 11 (14 balls) while keeping the run rate at under six an over.
Shreyanka was introduced in the final over of the powerplay and almost struck immediately when Meg Lanning edged to Arundhati Reddy, but replays showed the ball had brushed the turf.
Phoebe Litchfield then tried to seize the momentum, hitting back-to-back boundaries and later hitting Shreyanka for a big switch-hit six over deep cover.
But Shreyanka (2/50) had the last word in the same over, removing both Lanning (14) and Litchfield (20). Litchfield, who had raced to 20 off just nine balls, mistimed a drag-down and was caught by Mandhana at mid-on.
South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk (2/28) then struck twice in an over, dismissing Kiran Navgire (5) and Shweta Sehrawat (0), triggering the collapse before Dottin and Deepti staged the recovery.
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Rajnath Singh chairs IGoM meet, urges constant vigil over West Asia crisis
New Delhi (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday emphasised the need for round-the-clock monitoring of the West Asia conflict and called for a calibrated response to deal with any eventuality to ensure that national interests remain protected.
Singh made the comments while chairing a high-level meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) set-up to monitor the situation in West Asia.
The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Power Minister Manohar Lal, Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister J P Nadda, Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi and Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.
In view of the "uncertain situation", the defence minister underlined the importance of round-the-clock monitoring of the situation and the need to respond in a calibrated manner to deal with any eventuality, an official readout said.
He stressed on the need to leave no stone unturned to ensure that the people of the country face the minimum effect of the conflict, it said.
It was the second meeting of the IGoM after it was set up last month.
The IGoM was apprised of the measures being taken by the government in the wake of the ongoing West Asia conflict, Singh said on social media.
"We also deliberated upon the next steps to be taken by the government to mitigate any adverse impact arising due to the ongoing conflict," he said.
The defence ministry said in the readout said, "In the meeting, the seven empowered groups of secretaries briefed the IGoM on the steps being taken to tackle the situation."
"The IGoM was apprised about measures undertaken by the Ministry of Finance to address concerns arising due to global trade disruptions and provide relief and support to the industry, especially manufacturing, and bolster investor confidence," it said.
It listed measures including notification issued on Wednesday on full customs duty exemption on 40 critical petrochemical products till June 30.
The ministry also mentioned announcement of a special one-time relief measure for eligible units in SEZs to sell manufactured goods in Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) at concessional customs duty rates to be effective from April 1 to March 31.
It also noted another notification issued by the Department of Revenue clarifying that the provisions of GAAR (General Anti Avoidance Rules) will not be invoked in respect of investments made prior to April 1, 2017.
"These measures will reduce cost pressures on downstream sectors including textiles, packaging and pharmaceuticals, facilitate supply stability in the country and provide requisite clarity for investors contemplating investments in India," the readout said.
Defence Minister Singh appreciated the government's decision to impose a 25 per cent cap on the monthly increase in aviation turbine fuel prices for domestic operations, with effect from April 1.
This step will help protect the people from sudden increase in fares, he said.
The government has accorded highest priority to domestic LPG supply, with refinery production enhanced to fully meet consumption requirements, according to the readout.
"The IGoM was informed that there have been no reports of dry-out at LPG distributorships, and delivery of domestic LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders continues as per the normal schedule. The temporary supply concerns arose due to instances of hoarding and black marketing, which triggered panic buying in certain areas," it said.
The ministers were informed that strict enforcement action is being undertaken, with raids being carried out across multiple states and Union territories to curb hoarding and black marketing of LPG, the ministry said in the readout.
Action has also been taken against some LPG distributors who engaged in malpractices, it said.
"To support migrant labour and low-consumption households, the government is ensuring adequate availability of 5 kg free trade LPG cylinders, and since March 23, over 4.3 lakh such cylinders have been sold. Special focus is being given to states where demand is higher," it said.
The IGoM was apprised that industrial requirements dependent on commercial LPG are being met, with over 80 per cent of pre-crisis supply levels being maintained to ensure continuity of operations.
"Special meetings have been held with ministries and stakeholders of different industries to understand their demand and meet their needs. Oil PSUs are ensuring continued supply of Auto LPG across the country," the readout noted.
"However, some supply constraints are being faced by private operators due to their procurement challenges, which is why lines are being observed at PSU auto LPG pumps. Wherever the autos are dual feed and can use petrol, they are being encouraged to use petrol," it said.
