India use short-ball tactics to dismiss Pakistan for 147
Dubai, Aug 28: Hardik Pandya showed his high value under extreme pressure as his well-directed short balls helped India limit Pakistan to 147 all out in their Asia Cup opener here on Sunday.
Rohit Sharma decided to chase after winning the toss and the bowlers, led by Hardik, set up the game nicely for India.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4/26) was at his skilful best and his four wicket haul included the prized scalp of Babar Azam (10). However, Hardik's envious figures of 3 for 25 in four overs, during the middle phase, triggered a Pakistani batting collapse.
Young seamer Arshdeep Singh also returned decent figures of 2 fo 33 in his first ever appearance in an Indo-Pak clash as all 10 wickets were snapped by speed merchants, a first for India in shortest version.
The first over of the game bowled by Bhuvneshwar was a rather eventful one as it included two DRS calls going in favour of Mohammad Rizwan (43 off 42) and a straight drive from Babar.
The umpire adjudged Rizwan leg before wicket off second delivery but ball tracking showed it was going over the stumps.
Four balls later the Indians thought Rizwan got a faint edge on way to the wicketkeeper but the 'ultra edge' showed a flat-line on review.
There was not much movement around for both Bhuvneshwar and Arshdeep Singh as they managed to keep things tight in their two over opening spell.
Babar straught drove Arshdeep in the second over, showing the sublime touch he has been in over the past 12 months.
Bhuvneshwar, however, surprised the Pakistan skipper with a bouncer in his second over and he went for the pull only to top edge to Arshdeep at short fine leg.
India went in with Avesh Khan as the third pace option and he struck in his opening over after Rizwan smashed him for a six and four towards the midwicket region.
His fifth ball of the over was faced by left-handed Fakhar Zaman who decided to walk after edging a short and wide ball to wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik who was picked ahead of Rishabh Pant for the big game.
With the crowd making a lot of noise, the Indians did not hear the edge but Zaman decided to walk, leaving Pakistan at 43 for two in six overs.
Rizwan then shared a 45-run stand for the third wicket with Iftikhar Ahmed (28 off 22) to give the innings some momentum.
However, Hardik changed the course of the game removing the well set Iftikhar and Rizwan with well directed short balls --- the former edged it to Karthik and latter, not sure of what he was doing, ended up giving a regulation catch to third man.
Soon after, Hardik removed Khushdil Shah with another short ball to leave Pakistan at 97 for five in the 15th over.
Number 11 Shahnawaz Dahani hammered two big sixes in the death overs to take Pakistan closer to 150.
India took five wickets in the last 30 balls but also ended up conceding 45 runs.
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Will scrap Agniveer scheme, amend GST, implement Sarna religious code for tribals: Rahul Gandhi
Gumla/Chaibasa (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the Agniveer scheme will be abolished if INDIA bloc is voted to power, alleging that it was initiated by PM Narendra Modi and not by the Army. He also promised to amend the GST and bring out a separate Sarna religious code for tribals. Rahul Gandhi was addressing an election rally in Ghumla on Tuesday.
"INDIA bloc will scrap the Agniveer scheme, a scheme brought by Modi and not by the Army. We do not want to differentiate between martyrs. Anyone sacrificing for the nation should be attributed martyr status, should be given pension," he said at an election rally in Jharkhand's Gumla. "The BJP government implemented wrong GST schemes with five tax slabs. We will amend it and make one tax slab which will be minimum. We will reduce the tax burden on the poor," he said.
The former Congress chief attacked the BJP-led Centre for "betraying" tribals and alleged that Modi insulted President Droupadi Murmu. "PM insulted President Murmu, a tribal, by not inviting her to the new Parliament building inauguration and Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya," he said. He also alleged that the saffron party is hell-bent to hand over PSUs, railways and land to industrialists.
"I am your 'sipahi' stationed in Delhi to protect your rights on Jal, Jungle, Jameen. Tribals have the first right on resources and governance, but the BJP government wants to wipe out your existence and rights in the name of 'vanvasi'. It is attacking the Constitution and reservation and they want to demolish these while INDIA bloc is committed to save the Constitution," he said.
Rahul Gandhi said, "BJP wants to trample your identity, culture, and history while it is only committed to Adani, Ambani," and alleged that "Narendra Modi government handed over 24 years of MGNREGA money to industrialists by waiving Rs 16 lakh-crore of 22 industrialists."
He accused the BJP of indulging in spreading hatred whereas INDIA bloc was committed to creating harmony. “They (BJP) spread hate… We will open a stall of love in the market of hate”, he stated. He appealed to people to vote for INDIA bloc candidates - Sukhdeo Bhagat from Lohardaga and Kalicharan Munda from Khunti.
Earlier, addressing a poll rally at Chaibasa, the Congress leader accused Modi of wanting to hand over the state's 'Jal, Jungle, Jameen' to industrialists. "The PM wants to hand over the 'Jal, Jungle, Jameen' of the tribals to 14-15 industrialists...Narendra Modi works for Adani, Ambani ...he made 22 billionaires in his 10-year tenure... We will provide Rs 1 lakh annually to poor women if voted to power," he added.
"The BJP wants to confine tribals to roles like domestic help. They never want you to become doctors, engineers and lawyers. They want to hand over jungles to industrialists... The country is being run by 90 IAS officers and out of them, there is only one tribal who has been sidelined in Delhi. The tribal population is around 8 percent in the country," he said.
Gandhi promised to make crores of people 'lakhpati' and provide one-year apprenticeships to unemployed diploma holders and graduates if voted to power. "If voted to power, we will give apprenticeship opportunities to unemployed graduates and diploma holders and pay Rs 8,000 per month," he added. Additionally, he pledged to provide Rs 8,500 per month to women.
Asserting that this Lok Sabha election is for saving the Constitution and the rights of tribals, poor and backward, he said INDIA bloc leaders were ready to sacrifice their lives to save the Constitution. He attacked the press for its alleged partisan role and claimed that the majority of the media houses are run by industrialists.
He also promised to scrap the contractual job system in PSUs and said reservation would be increased to above 50 percent. "The Congress government will assure MSP (minimum support price) for all products by farmers; MNREGA daily allowance will be raised from Rs 250 to Rs 400 and remuneration of ASHA and anganwadi workers will be doubled," he said.
Talking about jailed former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Gandhi said the BJP has put the tribal CM behind the bars but "Hemant Soren chootega (he will be released)" to which the crowd responded with slogans like "Jail ka tala tutega, Hemant Soren chootega (jail locks will be broken, Hemant Soren will be released).
Addressing the rally, Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren asked the gathering whether it was right to put her husband behind the bars before the election. She said that the INDIA bloc would give a befitting reply to Soren’s imprisonment with 'vote ki chot (strike with vote)' on May 13, the date Singhbhum Lok Sabha seat goes to poll.
Leaders including Gandhi appealed people to vote for INDIA bloc candidate Joba Manjhi of JMM, who is contesting against BJP's Geeta Kora.
