Jhulan appointed team mentor of Mumbai Indians women's team, Charlotte Edwards head coach
Mumbai (PTI): Recently retired India legend Jhulan Goswami has been entrusted with the dual role of team mentor and bowling coach by Mumbai Indians for the upcoming Women's Premier League (WPL) season.
Former England women's team captain and the second-highest run-getter in women's ODIs and Tests Charlotte Edwards has been appointed head coach of the franchise for the inaugural edition scheduled in March.
Former India all-rounder Devieka Palshikaar will be the batting coach, while Trupti Chandgadkar Bhattacharya will be the team manager.
Jhulan, a Padma Shri who retired last year after the series against England, has more than 350 international wickets in a career spanning more than two decades.
She is the highest wicket-taker in WODIs and also has the distinction of taking maximum wickets in history of Women's ODI World Cup. Jhulan rose to No. 1 in the ICC Women's ODI bowling rankings in January 2016 and post-retirement she is mentoring the Bengal women's team.
Edwards too had a cricketing career spanning two decades and she led the England side to an ODI and T20I World Cup title triumph. Post-retirement, the 43-year-old has been coaching teams in England and Australia and is an ICC 'Hall of Famer'.
Devieka, a former right-handed batter and leg-spinner, was the assistant coach of India between 2014 and 2016. She was also associated with the Bangladesh team as assistant coach, winning the 2018 Asian Cup with them.
Mumbai Indians, the most successful IPL side, recently bought the Mumbai franchise in the WPL for Rs 912.99 crore.
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Nearly 4,000 pilgrims set sail for Katchatheevu islet to participate in annual two-day festival
Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): Nearly 4,000 Indian pilgrims on Friday set sail for the uninhabited Katchatheevu islet to participate in the annual two-day festival, which will officially commence at 4 pm at the St Antony’s Church, officials said.
The festival marks a significant moment of shared cultural and religious heritage between India and Sri Lanka.
The first batch of devotees was flagged off from the Rameswaram fishing harbour at approximately 6 am by Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon.
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According to official records, a total of 3,996 registered pilgrims -- comprising 3,033 men, 726 women, and 150 children -- are crossing the Palk Strait in a fleet of 118 boats, which includes 92 mechanised trawlers and 26 country boats.
The festival will officially commence with a traditional flag-hoisting ceremony. This will be followed by the 'Way of the Cross' procession and a late-night chariot festival, where the statue of the patron saint will be carried around the shrine by Sri Lankan Navy personnel, sources said.
Strict security measures are in place, with the Indian Coast Guard and Customs department conducting a three-tier verification process at the Rameswaram jetty. All pilgrims were required to produce their Aadhaar cards and a mandatory Police No Objection Certificate (NOC).
Authorities have strictly prohibited the carriage of plastic items, alcohol, and excessive jewellery.
According to official sources, all vessels are equipped with adequate life jackets and are being escorted by Coast Guard hovercrafts up to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The festivities will reach their peak on Saturday morning with a Special High Mass conducted by the Bishops of Jaffna and Colombo in both Tamil and Sinhala. The event will conclude with the lowering of the flag, after which the Indian pilgrims will begin their return journey.
To facilitate the event, the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department has enforced a total fishing ban in the region until March 1, leaving over 1,000 local boats moored at the docks to ensure clear passage for the pilgrim fleet.
The islet was ceded to Sri Lanka by India by ways of two agreements in 1970s.
