I enjoy responsibility: Young pacer Khaleel Ahmed
Lucknow, Nov 7: Young pacer Khaleel Ahmed, who convinced his skipper to hand him the new ball in the second Twenty20 against the West Indies, says he thrives on responsibility and never lets pressure affect his performance.
Khaleel pegged the West Indies back with two early wickets and according to India's stand-in captain Rohit Sharma it was the 20-year-old who insisted on bowling with the new ball along with seasoned Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The bowler from Tonk, Rajasthan dismissed both the openers -- Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer -- to unsettle the West Indies chase.
"I had more responsibility today as I was bowling with the new ball. I enjoy the responsibility a lot. When I was young, I always dreamt of playing for India and now I have achieved that. If I feel pressure now I can't perform to my potential," Khaleel said at the post-match press conference after India's 71-run win.
"My only aim is to do well for India and for that I need to enjoy my game. I am confident of my abilities. If you enjoy your game, hunger to do well, will also increase."
Khaleel had grabbed the headlines during the Asia Cup, but his time of reckoning came in the ODI series against the West Indies where he finished as the third-highest wicket-taker with seven wickets in four matches.
The 20-year, who played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last edition of the Indian Premier League, was behind spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav in the list.
Khaleel credits his instant success to the experience he had gathered while sharing the dressing room with big international stars during the IPL.
"Playing in the IPL gives one a lot of experience when you come into the Indian team. You don't have to make too many changes to your game because you already have shared the dressing room with international players, he said.
"When you come into the Indian team, by then you had already learned professionalism and know how to correct your mistakes. The IPL is of big help."
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2001 Parliament attack anniversary: Vice Prez, PM Modi, MPs pay tributes to fallen heroes
New Delhi (PTI): Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday led Parliamentarians in paying floral tributes to those who died fending off terrorists who attacked the Parliament House in 2001.
On the 24th anniversary of the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Radhakrishnan, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chair, were among the first to offer tributes.
A brief function is held outside the now old Parliament building (Samvidhan Sadan) every December 13 to mark the day.
CISF personnel presented a salute or "samman guard" at the venue, after which a moment of silence was observed to mark the anniversary. Till 2023, the CRPF used to offer 'salami shastra' (present arms).
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a senior party leader, were also present at the event. Union ministers Kiren Rijiju, Jitendra Singh and Arjun Ram Meghwal also lined up to offer flower petals at the photographs of the personnel who went down foiling the attack.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is in Latur to attend the funeral of former speaker of the Lower House of Parliament and ex-Union minister Shivraj Patil.
The attack was carried out by five armed terrorists, but personnel from the now former Parliament Security Service, CRPF and Delhi Police foiled the attack, with no terrorist being able to enter the building.
Six Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security Service personnel, a gardener and a TV video journalist were killed in the attack. All five terrorists were gunned down in the forecourt of the then Parliament building.
