India-Australia series opener called off due to rain
Canberra(PTI): India skipper Suryakumar Yadav was back in his element with some spectacular hits but inclement weather proved to be a complete dampener as the first T20 International against Australia was called off after a steady spell of shower here on Wednesday.
With his deputy Shubman Gill (37 not out off 20 balls) also in good nick, Suryakumar showed controlled aggression before unleashing a flurry of attractive strokes en route his unbeaten 39 off 24 balls. The duo added 62 runs off 35 balls for the second wicket and both looked good for big scores which was not to be in the end.
Suryakumar, who has had a strike-rate of less than 110 and managed only 100 runs in 2025, showed why he was once world's No. 1 ranked T20 batter as he picked up a Josh Hazlewood delivery and deposited it over square leg fence.
That was the shot of confidence that Suryakumar needed in his armoury. It only helped that Manuka Oval strip had good bounce and carry, two essential co-factors in the Indian skipper's game.
He farmed the strike for some time till he reached 20 before breaking the shackles off Nathan Ellis' over, the 10th of the innings, as he uppishly square-cut, followed by an off-drive and then a huge pull over mid-wicket for a six before the heavens opened up.
At the other end, Gill blended caution and aggression with some lusty blows, including a slog-swept six over cow corner off left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann which effectively opened the floodgates.
There were two breaks across the 9.4 overs that India had to endure and after the first break, next 4.4 overs turned out to be very productive for the visitors with 54 runs coming during that phase. The rain also meant that the ball was getting wet and Australian bowlers found it difficult to grip.
Earlier, Abhishek Sharma (19 off 14 balls), who started the onslaught with three fours off Xavier Bartlett, couldn't gauge Ellis' back-of-the-hand slower delivery which was pouched by the mid-off fielder after the southpaw failed to get the required elevation.
This was after Gill had smashed Ellis for a couple of boundaries to get going.
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1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.
The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.
The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.
As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.
The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.
