IPL Auction 2024: Sameer Rizvi's Rs 8.40 crore windfall brings smile on ailing father's face
Bengaluru, Dec 19: Sameer Rizvi and his uncle Tankeeb Akhtar were choked with emotions as Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals engaged in an intense bidding war for the 20-year-old Uttar Pradesh batter in the IPL auction on Tuesday.
The paddle final settled at a whopping Rs 8.40 crore with Rizvi going to the CSK's Anbu (Love) Den.' For IPL 2024.
The roseate moment came after massive struggles for the Rizvi household as his father Haseen has not been able to work owing to poor health. Now the physically fragile yet proud dad can afford to smile. After all, the son will be able to afford best medical treatment for his father.
"We were expecting Sameer to get picked by some team in the auction. But we never expected for this big money or CSK to bid for him," Akhtar told PTI from Meerut.
"Sameer has a lot of ambitions - buying a good house, proper treatment of his father and a lot of things like that."
"Sameer is quite thrilled that he can finally have a meeting with (MS) Dhoni bhai from close quarters and share space with him," a delighted Akhtar said.
Rizvi too shared his excitement about the chance to play for the Super Kings but admitted that he was nervous when his name came up in the auction.
"I noticed that 4-5 players before me went unsold. I was nervous at that time. But he (Dhoni) has always been my idol. I am very excited, yet nervous about the prospect of meeting him. I have never seen him in front of my eyes," Rizvi told the Jio Cinema.
So, what has prompted the CSK and other teams to go on a bidding war for this Uttar Pradesh lad.
Rizvi caught the eyes of IPL talent scouts for the first time during the UP T20 League while playing for Kanpur Super Stars.
He hammered 455 runs from nine matches including the fastest hundred in the tournament off 47 balls.
Rizvi carried that form into the state Under-23 tournament where he smashed 454 runs from seven matches.
But more than those runs, it was Rizvi's ability to clear the ropes by miles that fascinated the scouts. The young batter smoked 72 sixes across 16 matches in those tournaments.
"It is his natural game. He has been a big-hitter from a young age. He has interacted and played with seasoned players like Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh (in UP T20 League) and they have also told him to play his natural game. It helped him a lot," said Akhtar.
Rizvi was sceptical of getting an IPL contract once he missed trials with a few teams because of his state commitments.
"I told him don't worry and the opportunity will come to you. You keep performing on the field. SG (Sanspareils Greenlands, the cricket gear manufacturer) helped him a lot through sponsorship of equipments."
The uncle doesn't want his nephew to just make waves donning 'Canary Yellow' but realise his ultimate goal of wearing the 'India Blue'.
"Now, we are happy that our efforts have borne fruits, and finally it (IPL contract) has come his way. There are tears in the eyes of everyone at home. Hopefully, he will go and play for India one day," said Akhtar, who is also his childhood coach at the Gandhi Bagh Cricket Academy.
MEERUT ➡️ MADRAS! 🥳
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) December 19, 2023
Welcome home, Sameer! 🦁 pic.twitter.com/kwbPyglLPe
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Vijayendra slams Cong govt over alleged medicine shortage, irregularities in health dept
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday hit out at the Congress government over alleged medicine shortages, large-scale irregularities and disruption of services in the health department.
The situation had deteriorated to such an extent that doctors were forced to protest on the streets, he claimed.
Addressing a press conference here, he said the Siddaramaiah-led government lacked the will to resolve pressing public issues and accused it of indulging in "blame politics" instead of governance.
"Due to the irresponsibility of this Congress government, the health department itself is in the ICU. There is a severe shortage of medicines in government hospitals. The 108 ambulance services are facing severe problems. Doctors have been pushed to the streets to protest. The Congress government celebrates 1,000 days in power with achievement conventions, but it has failed to solve real problems," he said.
He criticised the state government for allegedly shutting down Jan Aushadhi centres located on government hospital premises, claiming that needy patients are suffering as they are not getting medicines.
"For the past two months, government doctors themselves have been advising poor patients to buy medicines from private pharmacies because medicines are unavailable in hospitals," he alleged.
Vijayendra further alleged that the state government has reportedly not cleared Rs 143 crore in dues to institutions providing CT scan and MRI services.
"As a result, needy patients in rural and urban areas are unable to access these services. Pregnant women are facing hardships. Doctors are forced to protest on the streets...This government claims to be one that delivers on its promises. But does it have even the slightest concern for how poor people are struggling in the healthcare sector," he alleged.
The BJP state president claimed that the Congress government under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and its deputy D K Shivakumar is not pro-poor; instead, it is a government that supports middlemen.
"Who is responsible for the medicine shortage in government hospitals and medical colleges? The state government and the concerned ministers are responsible. According to information available to me, under pressure from influential individuals, irregularities are taking place in medicine procurement. Instead of purchasing medicines through authorised central and state agencies, the government has moved to fragmented district- and taluk-level tenders," he claimed.
He further alleged that due to commission demands of 15-20 per cent, many companies and public enterprises are not participating in tenders, worsening the system.
Vijayendra claimed that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation's procurement system has been sidelined, leading to an artificial shortage of medicines.
He also alleged that a private individual from Mangaluru is controlling the state's medicine procurement system, supplying medicines to most government hospitals.
"This has led to market prices being inflated. Medicines costing Rs 100 are reportedly being purchased for Rs 300. I will provide more documents and evidence in the coming days," he claimed.
He also alleged that staff associated with the 108 ambulance services have not been paid salaries for the past eight to nine months.
"The government must take responsibility and reform the system instead of protecting middlemen," he added.
