Last-ball thriller: LSG beat KKR by one run to qualify for IPL play-offs
Kolkata, May 20: Lucknow Super Giants defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by one run in their final league game to qualify for the IPL play-offs here on Saturday.
Nicholas Pooran smashed a 30-ball 58 to take Lucknow Super Giants to a competitive 176 for eight after being sent in to bat.
LSG lost wickets at regular intervals to reel at 73 for five in 10.1 overs before Pooran and Ayush Badoni shared 74 runs for the sixth wicket to lay the base for the total.
But then LSG witnessed another batting collapse to be restricted before Krishnappa Gowtham played a short little unbeaten 4-ball 11-run cameo to give LSG bowlers something to defend.
For KKR, Shardul Thakur (2/27), Sunil Narine (2/28) and Vaibhav Arora (2/30) scalped two wickets apiece.
Chasing, Rinku Singh remained unbeaten on 67 off 33 balls while Jason Roy made 28-ball 45 up the order but it was not enough as KKR could manage 175 for seven.
Ravi Bishnoi (2/23) and Yash Thakur (2/31) picked up two wickets each for LSG.
Brief Scores:
Lucknow Super Giants: 176 for 8 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 58; Shardul Thakur 2/27, Sunil Narine 2/28, Vaibhav Arora 2/30) vs KKR.
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
