India beat Sri Lanka via Super Over in 3rd T20I; bag series 3-0
Pallekele (Sri Lanka), Jul 30: India defeated Sri Lanka via the Super Over in the inconsequential third and final T20I at Pallekele here on Tuesday to sweep the series 3-0.
Kusal Perera (46, 34b) and Kusal Mendis (43, 41b) guided Lanka's chase of 138 before their innings fell apart in the familiar fashion at the business end. SL ended up at 137/8 after stipulated 20 overs, taking the match to Super Over.
For India, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Rinku Singh and skipper Suryakumar Yadav took two wickets apiece. India needed just three runs to win in Super Over.
Earlier, SL bowlers produced a tidy effort to restrict India to a modest 137/9.
Spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana led the hosts' bowling, sharing five wickets between them, as only Shubman Gill showed some spunk with a 39 in the company of Riyan Parag (26).
Brief scores:
India: 137/9 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 39, Riyan Parag 26, Washington Sundar 25; Wanindu Hasaranga 2/29, Maheesh Theekshana 3/28).
Sri Lanka: 137/ 8 in 20 overs (Kusal Perera 46, Kusal Mendis 43; Washington Sundar 2/23, Rinku Singh 2/3, Suryakumar Yadav 2/5).
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
