Livingstone’s fireworks help Abu Dhabi Knight Riders sink Sharjah Warriorz by 39 runs
Sharjah (PTI): Liam Livingstone lit up the Sharjah Cricket Stadium with a rampant 82-run blitz off 38 deliveries as Abu Dhabi Knight Riders claimed a 39-run win over Sharjah Warriorz in their opening fixture of the World ILT20.
His explosive finish propelled the Knight Riders to 233/4, the second highest total in the League's history.
Livingstone found support from Sherfane Rutherford (45 off 27) through the middle overs, while Alex Hales (32 off 19) and Alishan Sharafu (34 off 23) provided a brisk start at the top of the innings.
Livingstone reserved his fiercest hitting for the final over, when he hammered five sixes, including four in a row, for a record of 33 runs against Dwayne Pretorius.
Adil Rashid was the lone bright spot for the Warriorz, returning figures of 2/31.
Chasing the formidable target, the Warriorz could not find the start they needed. They lost Johnson Charles (10 off 9 balls), Tom Abell (6 off 6) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (14 off 18) inside the first seven overs with only 56 runs on board.
Tim David (60 off 24) scripted the fightback. David hit Piyush Chawla for three consecutive sixes in the ninth over to keep the home side in the fray. While the wickets of Sikandar Raza (8 off 11) and Dinesh Karthik (5 off 4) tumbled around him, David surged to a rapid fifty in 21 balls, striking six sixes on his way there.
Ajay Kumar put an end to the onslaught, dismissing David in the 13th over to bring the score to 120/6.
With the required run-rate surging to almost 20 runs in the final five overs, the equation proved too steep.
Pretorius (39 off 20 balls) shepherded the tail with a gutsy knock, comprising four fours and two sixes, while Adil Rashid (25 off 11) played a consolatory cameo with three sixes to take down Andre Russell for 25 runs in the penultimate over.
However, the Warriorz finished considerably short at 194/9.
Earlier, Michael Pepper (15 off 9) set the tone for the Knight Riders’ innings with three boundaries in the first over before he was cleaned up by Pretorius in the third over.
Hales and Alishan Sharafu cracked multiple boundaries as Knight Riders finished the powerplay at 58/1.
The partnership was worth 51 runs when Adil Rashid broke through. Rashid first castled Hales in the eighth over and then removed Sharafu to leave the Knight Riders at 88/3 in ten overs.
Livingstone and Rutherford then seized control of the innings with a 95-run stand.
Fans can exclusively watch the live action on ‘Z’s linear TV channels, OTT platform Zee 5 in India, with Zee5 Hindi offering free-to-view streaming as the exclusive digital partner.
Cricket fans and sports enthusiasts across India can catch the live action on &Pictures SD, Zee Cinema HD, Zee Action, Zee Thirai – SD, Zee Cinemalu and OTT platform Zee 5.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Adequate LPG stock in Chhattisgarh, no need to panic, says CM Sai
Raipur (PTI): Amid reports of shortage of commercial LPG cylinder in several parts of the country due to the US-Israel-Iran conflict, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday assured people that they need not worry about the availability of cooking gas in the state.
He asserted that adequate stock of LPG as well as petrol and diesel was available in the state.
Sai said in a statement that authorities have been directed to regularly monitor stock at gas agencies and keep a close watch on the supply chain. Necessary instructions were issued to officials in all districts to ensure a smooth supply of LPG.
The chief minister instructed officials to take strict action if any complaint of black marketing or hoarding of LPG cylinders is received.
Sai urged state residents not to pay attention to rumours and to book cooking gas cylinders as per their actual requirement.
The government was fully alert to ensure the availability of essential commodities to citizens, he emphasised.
Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh Hotel and Restaurant Association has issued an advisory to hotels, restaurants, caterers and other food businesses across the state, urging them to maintain calm and avoid panic buying.
In the advisory, Taranjeet Singh Hora, president of the association, asked members to maintain coordination and immediately inform it about any major disruption in LPG supply.
He cautioned businesses against hoarding cylinders, saying such practices could worsen the situation for the entire hospitality sector.
The association advised hotels and restaurants to prioritise essential kitchen operations, core menu items and already committed banquet events.
Use electric cooking equipment wherever possible for emergency and staff kitchens such as induction cooktops, electric hot plates, electric rice cookers and kettles, the advisory stated.
