Tilak Varma scores maiden T20I fifty, takes India to 152/7 against WI
Providence (Guyana), Aug 6: Negotiating disciplined bowlers, Tilak Varma produced a well-calculated half-century, his first in T20Is, to take India to 152 for seven against West Indies in the second match here on Sunday.
The fearless Varma continued his good run in the shortest format as the 20-year-old scooped, swept and heaved the ball all around the ground to score 51 off 41 balls, becoming the youngest Indian to score a fifty in T20 Internationals.
Coming out to bat with India in a spot of bother at 18/2, Varma put up a crucial 42-run partnership with Ishan Kishan (27) before joining forces with skipper Hardik Pandya to stitch a 38-run stand.
Hardik (24) tried to inflate India's total by hitting two sixes but Alzarri Joseph (2/28) produced a cracking yorker to get rid of the Indian skipper.
Opting to bat, the script didn't go as per plan for the visitors as they lost wickets at regular intervals.
West Indies skipper Rovman Powell kept shuffling his bowlers, a move that paid dividends.
Kishan (27) played a few shots in his 23-ball stay including a six off Akeal Hosein (2/29) over deep square leg but couldn't convert his start into a meaningful innings as he was bowled by Romario Shepherd.
Shubman Gill's (7) stay in the middle was once again a brief one. With pressure building on him after successive dot balls, he showed his class by sending the ball for a maximum in the third over but perished in the very next ball off Joseph.
Suryakumar Yadav (1) didn't last long either as Kyle Mayers at square leg effected the Indian vice-captain's run-out with a brilliant direct hit.
Sanju Samson (7) moved way to early down the track in search of a big shot and was stumped by an attentive Nicholas Pooran.
Hosein, Joseph and Romario Shepherd (2/28) picked two wickets each.
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Class 10, 12 Gujarat board exams begin; 15.2 lakh students set to appear
Gandhinagar (PTI): The Class 10 and 12 board examinations for more than 15 lakh students, conducted by the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB), commenced across the state on Thursday, officials said.
At several centres, students appearing for the examination were welcomed in keeping with Indian cultural traditions. They were greeted with sweets, presented with roses, and given writing pads and pens.
"There are 1,701 examination centres across the state, where 15,27,724 students have begun their exams," an official release said.
To prevent any malpractice, special arrangements have been made by the administration. All examination centres are equipped with CCTV cameras, it added.
Officers from the District Coordination Committee have been appointed as observers. Adequate police personnel have also been deployed to maintain law and order, the release said.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel extended best wishes to students for achieving success in the exams.
"With the blessings of teachers and parents, along with hard work and self-confidence, we can overcome every stage of life with ease. The board examination is also an important milestone in life. It not only helps us move forward in our careers but also prepares us for the many tests life has to offer," he said in a post on X.
He appealed to the students to take their exams without stress, with complete confidence, and build a bright future by achieving success in every examination of life.
Gujarat Education Minister Dr Praduman Vaja visited Shri Swaminarayan Gurukul and encouraged students, extending wishes for their bright future.
He said the government has made comprehensive arrangements to ensure that students can take their exams in a free and fearless environment.
