India record highest-ever team total in Women's Test cricket
Chennai (PTI): India on Saturday recorded the highest team total in women’s Test cricket on day two of the one-off Test against South Africa, surpassing the previous best of 575/9 set by Australia.
Australia had posted the total in Perth this February but India achieved the new record when Richa Ghosh hammered a four in the opening ball of the 109th over bowled by Annerie Dercksen.
Much of the credit for the feat goes to Indian openers -- Shafali Verma (205) and Smriti Mandhana (149) -- who shared an iconic stand of 292 -- the highest opening partnership in women's cricket.
It has also been well aided by Jemimah Rodrigues (55) along with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa, who are currently unbeaten past their respective half-centuries.
On Day 1, India had finished on 525 for four, having posted the highest-ever single-day total in a Test match, breaking the previous record held by Sri Lankan men's team -- 509 for nine -- against Bangladesh in Colombo in 2002.
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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.
