I came to India for the first time, at the right time, says David Beckham amid Kohli mania
Mumbai, Nov 15: In many ways, David Beckham in his pomp was to football what Virat Kohli is to cricket.
The former English football superstar, quite like Indian cricket's megastar, had a penchant for rising to the occasions, and their extraordinary skills in their chosen sports complement their larger than life personalities perfectly.
Beckham was in attendance at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday as Kohli scored a record 50th ODI hundred in the World Cup semifinal against New Zealand.
Having watched Kohli's artistry with the bat in his first visit to India, Beckham said he was glad to witness "a piece of history".
"It's just a real pleasure to actually be in this stadium and witness a piece of history. You know obviously I've spent some time today with Sachin (Tendulkar) and I know what he achieved in this stadium and I know what he achieved for his country and the sport.
"But then to see Virat do it today. It is truly incredible. You can see the atmosphere at the stadium. I've come to India for the first time, at the right time," Beckham told the official broadcaster, aptly summing up the mood.
The Manchester United and Real Madrid legend added, "I've been here for Diwali, and now I'm here for my first game in the World Cup and it's very special."
Beckham is in India as UNICEF's goodwill ambassador -- a role which he took up in 2005.
Before the game got underway, Beckham spoke with the Indian cricketers and played the football back to Kohli after receiving it from the batting mainstay while he was having a chat with Tendulkar on the ground.
"It's first game at the World Cup and what a time to be here. I've been to some of the best stadiums in the world, and coming in here today, from the start, you knew it was something special."
Kohli, who scored 117 off 113 deliveries, helped India post 397/4 in their 50 overs after opting to bat first.
We all know how well the King can strike. Oh! He can also assist and Becks approved. 🤌
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) November 15, 2023
📹: David Beckham#PlayBold #INDvNZ #CWC23 #TeamIndia #ViratKohli #DavidBeckham pic.twitter.com/pn2CKlJiot
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Leopard spotted near Kadri Manjunath Temple in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: A leopard was spotted in Doctors’ Colony near the Kadri Manjunath Temple area in Mangaluru in the early hours of Monday, February 23, creating anxiety among residents of the locality.
According to local residents, the animal was spotted in the CCTV footage of two cameras installed in the locality around 1 am near the entrance gate of Doctors’ Colony. The footage shows the leopard walking calmly in front of the gate before moving out of view.
The sighting has come as a surprise as the area is largely urbanised, with apartment complexes and villa-type houses dominating the surroundings. Except for a small patch of forested land above the Kadri temple area, there is little greenery nearby. Residents say the concrete landscape offers limited scope for wild animals to find food.
This is not the first time wild animals have been spotted in the locality. Two years ago, a wild gaur had entered the same area and was later guided back into the forest through Shaktinagar. Just last week, a smaller leopard was sighted in Shaktinagar and was also captured on CCTV cameras. Now, a bigger leopard has been recorded near Kadri.
So far, no one has reported a direct sighting of the animal, and no formal complaint has been lodged with the Forest Department.
Forest Department officials said leopard movement is common during the months of January and February, as the animals often enter human settlements in search of food. In areas near forests, they usually prey on poultry and stray dogs.
Officials added that leopards are capable of travelling 15 to 20 kilometres in a single night and generally do not remain in one place if they are unable to find food. While sightings are more common in forest-fringe areas such as Bajpe and Neermarga, repeated appearances within core city limits this time have caused concern among residents.
