Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha retires from all forms of cricket
Bhopal, Feb 15: Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha on Monday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, bringing down curtains on a two-decade long illustrious domestic career.
The 37-year-old from Madhya Pradesh, who holds the record for the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in the Ranji Trophy, has featured in one Test, one ODI and two T20 Internationals.
"I would like to announce my retirement," Ojha, who struggled to hold back tears, said in a virtual press conference.
"It is time for me to move on. It was a long journey, I am grateful I had this opportunity and I could fulfil my dream of playing for country and state," he said.
Ojha made his international debut in 2010 in his only ODI against Sri Lanka, followed by his first T20I match in Zimbabwe a week later. His lone Test came in 2015 against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
Although Ojha's international career never took off, the Ujjain-born player has played 146 first-class games notching up 9,753 runs with 22 hundreds at an average of 41.67 in a career spanning two decades.
The right-hand batsman has been excellent in the domestic circuit both with the gloves and bat. In the 143 List A and 182 T20s games, Ojha amassed 4,278 and 2,972 runs respectively.
He last appeared in a Ranji Trophy match for MP against Uttar Pradesh in January last year. He had captained MP in that Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match in Indore.
In the Indian Premier League, Ojha played for Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils.
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Nightclub fire: Goa court remands Luthra brothers in police custody for five days
Panaji (PTI): A court in North Goa on Wednesday remanded Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, in police custody for five days.
The brothers, brought to Goa from Delhi after being deported from Thailand in connection with the December 6 blaze that killed 25, were produced in the court after undergoing health check-ups twice at the District Hospital in North Goa.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Mapusa Puja Sardesai remanded the two brothers in police custody for five days.
Advocate Vishnu Joshi, representing Bhavana Joshi who lost four family members in the tragedy, said that the accused were asking for “special consideration” claiming poor health.
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“We said they should not be given any extra relaxation,” he said, adding that the court has taken cognisance of the fact that this is about the death of “25 people in the form of mass genocide”.
“But since they kept pressing for medical check-up, the court ordered reexamination of their health. It is clear in the medical examination that they don’t require any consideration. The accused sought special considerations in the lock-up like a good mattress, which the court refused,” said Joshi.
A team of the Goa Police, along with the Luthra brothers, arrived at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at 10.45 am.
The duo was initially taken to a Primary Health Centre at Siolim for medical examination. They were then taken to the District Hospital at Mapusa.
After their health assessment, the two were brought to the court.
The court directed that the accused be sent for fresh medical examination. Accordingly, the two were again taken to the District Hospital.
Later, they were produced before Judge Sardesai, who ordered the five-day police custody of the accused.
After the fire tragedy at Arpora village, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the Luthra brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The brothers were arrested in Delhi on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. A court there allowed the Goa Police their two-day transit remand.
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The duo had fled to Phuket in Thailand early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.
