It will take couple of days for win to sink in: RCB's Nadine de Klerk
Navi Mumbai (PTI): RCB all-rounder Nadine de Klerk said on Friday that it would take a few days for the thrilling three-wicket victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians in the Women's Premier League opener to sink in, adding that backing her strengths helped her play a match-winning role in the humdinger.
The South African stalwart returned impressive figures of 4/26 to restrict Mumbai Indians to 154 for six and then showed great resolve with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 63 off 44 balls under pressure to earn the player-of-the-match award for the last-ball victory.
"It is probably going to take a couple of days. If it is your day, you have to ensure you cash in. Glad to get the win," said de Klerk, when asked if the feeling had sunk in.
De Klerk said she just struck to the basics while bowling and it helped her reap rich dividends.
"Just about coming in and backing your skills, and executing. Just sticking to my strengths... sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it does not. On these grounds, on these batting wickets, you just need to cash in."
While batting, she said she wanted the maximum strike for maximum impact.
"Towards the back end, I was thinking of taking a bulk of the strike. Couple of important partnerships. Arundhati (Reddy, 20 runs) batted beautifully. A couple of boundaries (by Prema Rawat - 8 not out) were also very important."
RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana said her team was known to come back from the brink.
"It was a thriller. RCB are known for thrillers, and brilliant from Nadine (to win us this game). Everyone was very positive, even when things were not going well. Nadine did all the work for us in the batting and bowling department," said Mandhana.
MI skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said her bowlers were lacking on the day.
"We just did not bowl one good ball. This happens. We gave her (de Klerk) chances and sometimes, batters come with strong mindset. We missed those chances.
"In WPL, we always get matches like that. We need to think what better we can do in the next match," she added.
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Woman shot dead in Delhi; police suspect link to 2023 murder of her husband
New Delhi (PTI): A 44-year-old woman was shot dead at point-blank range in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh on Saturday, with police suspecting the killing to be a fallout of the 2023 murder of her husband, an official said.
The deceased was identified as Rachna Yadav, a resident of Shalimar Bagh and the resident welfare association (RWA) president of her locality. According to police, she was shot in the head and died on the spot.
Police said Rachna was originally from Bhalswa village in north-west Delhi. Investigators suspect that the murder is linked to the killing of her husband, Vijendra Yadav, who was shot dead in 2023. The case concerning that murder is currently under trial.
"In the 2023 case, Vijendra Yadav was allegedly murdered due to previous enmity. Bharat Yadav and five others were named as accused. While five of the accused were arrested and are facing trial, the main accused, Bharat Yadav, is still absconding and has been declared a proclaimed offender," a senior police officer said.
Police said Rachna was the main witness in her husband's murder case, and her testimony was considered vital for the prosecution. Investigators believe her killing may have been aimed at weakening the case and intimidating other witnesses.
CCTV footage has surfaced in the Rachna Yadav murder case, clearly capturing the accused who allegedly shot her. Police said the assailant's accomplice was already waiting nearby on a sports bike bearing a Delhi registration number, facilitating a swift escape, according to an official.
Police said a PCR call was received at around 10.59 am at Shalimar Bagh police station, reporting that a woman had been shot.
Local police teams rushed to the spot and found Rachna lying on the road in a pool of blood. An empty cartridge was recovered from the scene, officials said.
According to the investigation, when Rachna was returning after meeting a neighbour, two assailants intercepted her. One of them allegedly stopped her and asked her name. When she identified herself, the attacker pulled out a firearm and shot her in the head before fleeing the spot along with his accomplice, police said.
Preliminary inquiry suggested that the woman was targeted, and the assailants appeared to have prior knowledge about her identity and movements.
"Crime Team and FSL teams were immediately called, and the scene of the crime was thoroughly examined. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being scanned to identify the assailants," Additional Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said.
Prima facie, it appears that the present case is linked to the earlier murder, he said. "We are re-examining all aspects of the 2023 case and the role of the proclaimed offender (Bharat)," Singh said, adding that multiple teams have been formed to trace the shooters and those who may have masterminded the crime.
Speaking to reporters, Kanika Yadav, the deceased's elder daughter, alleged that the murder was planned by Bharat.
"Some of the accused in my father's murder case are lodged in Tihar Jail. Despite that, they are planning such crimes. Bharat Yadav planned and executed my mother's murder," she alleged.
Kanika claimed her mother was killed because she was standing firm as a witness in her father's murder case.
"They were afraid that they would be convicted on the basis of her statement. That is why my mother was killed. My father was murdered in 2023, and the case is still pending before the court," she said.
Police said Rachna is survived by two daughters, one of whom is married, while the younger daughter lived with her. Security has been stepped up in the area, and further investigation is underway, police added.
