Lasith Malinga announces retirement from all forms of cricket
Colombo, Sep 14: Sri Lanka pace veteran Lasith Malinga, who terrorised the world's best batsmen with his toe-crushing yorkers delivered from a low and sling-arm action, on Tuesday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
The 38-year-old, who was captain of Sri Lanka's 2014 T20 World Cup winning team, posted a message on his social media account announcing his decision.
"Hanging up my T20 shoes and retiring from all forms of cricket! Thankful to all those who supported me in my journey, and looking forward to sharing my experience with young cricketers in the years to come," Malinga tweeted.
Malinga had retired from Test and ODI cricket in January this year but was yet to call it quits from T20 internationals.
Last year, he had expressed his desire to lead Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup, which was originally scheduled to be held in Australia in October-November 2020 but will be held next month after a COVID-forced postponement.
"I am looking forward to help youngsters and guide them in the coming years," he said as he thanked his national team and all the franchises that he has played for, including IPL team Mumbai Indians.
"I want to give 100 per cent rest to my T20 shoes. While my shoes will rest, my love for the game will never ask for rest," a smiling Malinga added in the video.
Malinga, who has played a staggering 122 IPL matches, has 170 wickets to his credit, the highest in the cash-rich league, with the best bowling figures of 5/13.
He picked up 107 wickets in 84 T20 Internationals, 338 scalps in 226 ODIs and 101 wickets in 30 Tests.
Hanging up my #T20 shoes and #retiring from all forms of cricket! Thankful to all those who supported me in my journey, and looking forward to sharing my experience with young cricketers in the years to come.https://t.co/JgGWhETRwm #LasithMalinga #Ninety9
— Lasith Malinga (@ninety9sl) September 14, 2021
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UP minister calls for renaming Agra's Shahjahan Garden after Ahilyabai Holkar
Lucknow, Apr 6 (PTI): Uttar Pradesh minister Baby Rani Maurya has urged Shahjahan Garden in Agra be renamed after the Malwa Kingdom queen Ahilyabai Holkar.
The Women Welfare Minister made the urge in a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
"Yes, I wrote to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji on the issue and my proposal to name the Shahjahan Garden after progressive queen Ahilyabai Holkar who did a lot for women's empowerment. It would soon be a reality as our governments have always promoted women's empowerment," Maurya told PTI.
Shahjahan Garden is a Mughal-era green space between the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort in the Agra district.
Maurya said she "strongly identified" with Ahilyabai Holkar and has at her heart the issue of women's empowerment.
"So I feel that the renaming of this garden that draws people from across the globe would inspire the masses, women in particular … there is nothing wrong in such renaming," the Agra Dehat MLA said.
Maurya said instructions have been issued to look into the Shahjahan Garden renaming.
Over the years, UP has seen a litany of similar demands, involving invariably a Mughal-era nomenclature for replacement.
On March 29, posters demanding renaming Muzaffarnagar to 'Laxminagar' came up in the western UP district.
Calls have been made to rename Aligarh as Harigarh, Mainpuri as Mayanpuri, Sambhal as Prithviraj Nagar or Kalki Nagar, Sultanpur as Kushbhavanpur, and Ghazipur to Gadhipuri.
The opposition parties have decried these moves as tactics to divert people's attention from pressing issues.
The UP government has already renamed Allahabad as Prayagraj, and Faizabad as Ayodhya.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Sharvendra Bikaram Singh said it has become a "fashion" among BJP leaders to make such demands.
"Its leaders make such demands because the BJP has failed. The government should instead focus on the real development issues that can benefit the common man," Singh said.
