Heather Knight leaves role as England women's cricket captain after 9 years following poor results
London, Mar 22 (AP): Heather Knight is stepping down as captain of the England women's cricket team after nine years as part of an overhaul following poor results.
“Captaining my country for the last nine years has been the biggest honor of my life and I will look back on my tenure with an enormous sense of pride,” Knight said in a statement put out by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Saturday. “I have loved the challenge of leading the team, but all good things come to an end and it's time for me to go back into the ranks and focus on being the best batter and teammate that I can be."
The decision comes a day after head coach Jon Lewis was removed.
The ECB confirmed that Knight will continue to be available for selection, adding that her successor will be appointed shortly.
The 34-year-old Knight has captained England 199 times since 2016 and led the side to a World Cup victory on home soil in 2017 and to two other ICC tournament finals.
She is England's second-most successful women's captain with 134 wins and guided the team to a record-breaking run of eight consecutive one-day international wins.
“Heather has been an outstanding leader as England Women's Captain," said Clare Connor, deputy chief executive of the ECB. “She has led the team by example as a role model off the pitch, and through the runs she has scored on it, often in the toughest conditions.”
Connor also credited her for playing a key part in the growth in popularity of women's and girls' cricket, calling her a powerful role model "to young professional female players and to recreational players alike.”
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VHP warns of statewide stir in Karnataka against move to ease cattle transport law
Udupi (Karnataka) (PTI): The VHP on Saturday demanded the immediate withdrawal of a proposed amendment to the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020, accusing the state government of weakening a law that has deterred illegal cattle transport.
The organisation's Go Raksha Wing, Karnataka South, has also announced district-level protests on December 8.
According to officials, the existing law mandates a bank guarantee for securing the release of vehicles seized for alleged illegal cattle transportation.
On December 4, the state Cabinet proposed an amendment enabling the release of such vehicles on an indemnity bond instead.
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Addressing reporters in Udupi, VHP leader and Prantha Goraksha Pramukh Sunil K R, said the government's move amounted to "sympathy for cattle lifters" and claimed that it was part of broader actions "targeting Hindus".
He argued that the law in its current form is stringent and has played a crucial role in reducing incidents of illegal cattle transport and theft.
Under the Act, vehicles involved in offences can be surrendered and, upon conviction, permanently seized by authorities. "Diluting these provisions will embolden offenders," Sunil said.
The VHP leader warned that easing the process of vehicle release would not only encourage violators but also result in rising cruelty against cattle.
Sunil further claimed that the strict enforcement of the 2020 law had brought down cases of cattle-related offences significantly. Rolling back these provisions, he said, could reverse those gains and would lead to an increase in illegal transport.
He reiterated that the government must reconsider its decision and preserve the integrity of the existing law.
