KL Rahul hits 74 but PBKS restrict LSG to 159/8
Lucknow, Apr 15: Captain KL Rahul smashed his first fifty of this IPL season but Punjab Kings roared back with timely wickets to restrict his side Lucknow Super Kings to a modest 159 for eight here on Saturday.
On a two-paced wicket, Rahul displayed great composure and skills en route his 56-ball 74 as he added 53 and 48 runs with Kyle Mayers (29) and Krunal Pandya (18) for the first and third wickets respectively.
The 30-year-old from Bangalore also became the fastest batter to reach to 4000 runs in the IPL, achieving the feat in his 105th innings, surpassing West Indies' Chris Gayle (112 innings).
However, LSG couldn't finish things with a flourish as they lost four wickets for 48 runs in the last five overs.
Invited to bat, Rahul and Mayers provided LSG a flying start with the burly left-handed West Indian being the aggressor initially.
While Rahul dealt in boundaries, scoring three fours, Mayers dealt in maximums.
Mayers blasted Mathew Short over deep backward square leg and followed it up with a backward punch for another six over covers off Sam Curran.
South African pacer Kagiso Rabada was then deposited into the stands with ease as LSG raced away to 40 for no loss in the powerplay.
With the pitch offering a bit of grip and turn, Sam Curran, who led PBKS in place of an injured Shikhar Dhawan, brought in the spinners.
Left-arm tweaker Harpreet Brar soon removed the dangerous-looking Mayers, who was holed out to deep backward square leg in the eighth over, while Sikandar Raza trapped Deepak Hooda (2) as LSG slipped to 62 for 2.
Rahul then combined with Pandya to take LSG past the 100-mark before Rabada returned to dismiss the latter in the 15th over.
Two balls later, star of last match Nicholas Pooran too fell while looking for a big hit with Shahrukh Khan taking the catch.
Marcus Stoinis, however, got going from the start, slamming Rahul Chahar for back-to-back sixes, while Rahul then cut Rabada for a maximum over deep point as LSG reached 138 for 4 in 17 overs.
However, the hosts didn't get the final push as Curran earned the wicket of Stoinis after winning a video referral following a faint nick off the batter's gloves.
Arshdeep Singh then struck with his knuckle ball, removing Rahul, who was holed out at long-on, while Shahrukh Khan once again picked up a well-judged catch to get rid of Yudhvir Singh.
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Mallikarjun Kharge expresses disagreement with L&T Chairman's 90-hour work week suggestion
New Delhi (PTI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed disagreement with Larsen & Toubro Chairman S N Subrahmanyan's suggestion of a 90-hour work week and recalled that former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and BR Ambedkar had advocated that workers should not be made to work for more than eight hours in a day.
Addressing party leaders after the inauguration of the Congress' new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road here, Kharge lauded the work done by L&T Construction in constructing the new party headquarters.
"I would like to thank L&T construction...some dues are also left from our side," Kharge said to peals of laughter.
"I would like to thank L&T construction, architects, labourers involved in the construction. While I thank the company, but the company's CEO has made a remark of working 90 hours in a week. I don't agree with that," the Congress chief said.
A labourer works for eight hours and gets tired and that is why Nehru and Ambedkar had stated while making factory act that workers should not be made to do more than eight hours of work.
"After that someone said nine hours, but he (L&T chief) is now talking of 12 hours, 14 hours, he should leave that (view), but I thank the company because they have done a very good job. I would also like to thank the labourers for their hard work," Kharge said.
The Congress president also thanked Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for overseeing the work of construction and completion at the party's new headquarters.
Subrahmanyan had sparked an online outrage with his comments advocating a 90-hour work week and suggesting that employees should even give up Sundays.
"How long can you stare at your wife," he is heard saying in a purported video address to employees where he urged them to spend less time at home and more in the office.
His remarks reignited the work-life balance debate, first triggered by Infosys Co-Founder Narayana Murthy's suggestion of a 70-hour work week.
"I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy because I work on Sundays," Subrahmanyan is heard saying in an undated video circulating on social media.
"What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working," he further said.
