KKR post imposing 272/7 against Delhi Capitals
Visakhapatnam, Apr 3: Sunil Narine produced a six-hitting exhibition en route to a blistering 85 while young Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored a fifty on his IPL batting debut as Kolkata Knight Riders posted an imposing 272 for seven against Delhi Capitals here on Wednesday.
Continuing his explosive run, Narine punished all Delhi bowlers alike, sending the ball over the boundary rope seven times. He also hit seven fours in his 39-ball stay.
The Capitals were guilty of dropping him on 53 and Narine made his opponents suffer as he notched his highest-ever score in T20 cricket.
Raghuvanshi (54 off 27 balls), who didn't get to bat in his first IPL match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, also fired on all cylinders, complementing Narine as the pair shared an explosive 104-run stand off 48 balls.
Andre Russell (41 off 19 balls) and Rinku Singh (26 off 8 balls) provided the final flourish to KKR.
It was a forgettable performance by the Delhi bowlers as they conceded the highest total in the team's history. KKR hit as many as 18 sixes and 28 fours.
Narine his his first of many boundaries when he creamed a short ball by Khaleel Ahmed to deep point.
The West Indian took a special liking for veteran pacer Ishant Sharma, collecting 26 runs from the fourth over that included three sixes and two fours, giving a glimpse of what was to come.
At the other end Phil Salt hit a few before he was dropped by David Warner, but the Englishman couldn't make use of the reprieve, getting out in the very next ball to bring Raghuvanshi to the middle.
The 18-year-old hit his very first ball of the IPL for a boundary and that was followed by another four.
KKR continued to hit boundaries aplenty, amassing 88 runs in the powerplay as DC bowlers struggled to find ways to stop them.
DC seemed to make inroads by dismissing Narine and Raghuvanshi in consecutive overs but Russell had other plans.
The DC bowlers were guilty of feeding the all-rounder with full tosses which he dispatched to the boundary with ease.
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Need Karnataka-type law in Maharashtra to stop diversion of social justice dept funds: Athawale
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, May 15 (PTI): Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday said diversion of funds from the social justice department should not happen and asserted Maharashtra must have a law like that in Karnataka to prohibit such actions.
Earlier this month, Maharashtra Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat had expressed displeasure and accused the Ajit Pawar-led Finance Department of high-handedness in what he termed as illegal diversion of funds from his department without his knowledge.
He had acknowledged that the state was facing financial constraints due to the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana under which eligible women were entitled to monthly aid of Rs 1,500.
Shirsat had said the state government should shut the Social Justice Department instead of periodic diversion of allocated funds.
Shirsat cited a law to state that of the Rs 2.5 lakh crore budget, the social justice department should get a share of 11.8 per cent or around Rs 29,500 crore. However, his department received only Rs 22,658 crore, Shirsat added.
Queried on Shirsat alleging diversion of funds from his department, Athawale said, "This kind of fund diversion should not happen. The Karnataka government has such a rule that the funds allocated for the poor should not be diverted. A similar law should be framed in Maharashtra."
The southern state had passed the Karnataka Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub Plan (Planning, Allocation and Utilisation and Financial Resources) Act, 2013 for effective implementation of the budget for SCs and STs. The law makes such allocated funds non-divertible.
When asked about speculation of a merger of the NCP factions led by Sharad Pawar and his estranged nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Athawale said he will welcome it if this were to happen.
"Ajit Pawar has joined the NDA, but Sharad Pawar is opposed to it. If Sharad Pawar can align with Shiv Sena (UBT), why can't he consider BJP," Athawale questioned.
When asked about the possibility of a reunion between estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, Athawale said, "I don't think they will come together as they have differences. If they come together, Congress will not accept Raj Thackeray in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)."
He also appealed to Dalit leaders to come together on a single platform for the welfare of the community.
"If that happens, I will not care for my ministerial post," said the Union minister, who is president of Republic Party of India (Athawale).
