Wellington: Manish Pandey led India's recovery with an unbeaten 50 off 36 balls, taking the visitors to 165 for eight against New Zealand in the fourth T20 International here on Friday.

Put into bat, India were struggling at 88-6 at one stage before Pandey's lonesome rescue act took them to a respectable total. KL Rahul contributed 39 runs off 26 balls, inclusive of three sixes and two fours.

This was after New Zealand won a fourth consecutive toss and opted to field. Kane Williamson didn't take part in the match owing to a shoulder niggle. Tim Southee is the stand-in skipper with the Black Caps making two changes.

India also made three changes with Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja rested. Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar and Navdeep Saini came into the playing eleven respectively.

Samson (8) opened the innings with Rahul, but lasted only five balls before holing out. Virat Kohli (11) too was out cheaply, the ball looping up to extra cover and out caught off Hamish Bennett (2-41).

Ish Sodhi then got into the act and ran through India's batting order. First to go was Shreyas Iyer (1) and then Shivam Dube (12) was caught at mid-wicket.

India seemed intent on destroying this experimentation opportunity, while New Zealand fielded well and caught everything that came their way. The alarm bells came on when Rahul was caught off Sodhi at midwicket in the ninth over.

Sodhi finished with 3-26 while Santner dismissed Sundar for nought as the New Zealand spinners rounded up a good outing with 4-54 in eight overs.

Pandey came to India's rescue thereafter as he marshalled the innings along with Shardul Thakur (20 off 15 balls) and Navdeep Saini (11 not out).

He put on 43 runs with Thakur for the seventh wicket and then added another 22 with Saini. In doing so, Pandey brought up his half-century off 36 balls, inclusive of three fours, and helped put on a defendable score on the board.

India have an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series after consecutive victories in Auckland and Hamilton.

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(Press Release) - The Bima Sakhi Yojana – a project aimed at women empowerment - has been received with enthusiasm across India. The Yojana was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at Panipat, Hariyana on 9th December, 2024. Within a month of launch of the Yojana, LIC has received 52,511 registrations of which 27,695 were issued appointment letters.

Sri Puneet Kumar, LIC Zonal Manager, Hyderabad informed that in the South Central Zone, 12201 applications were registered of which 6284 were given appointment letters. Nearly 3000 agents have started earning commission upon sale of Life Insurance Policies besides the fixed stipend. Addressing the gathering at the stall in All India Industrial Exhibition, Sri Puneet Kumar explained that the Yojana is applicable to any woman whose age is between 18 and 70 years and has passed 10th Class. The selected Bima Sakhi is eligible for stipend of upto Rs 7000.00 per month for a period of three years and also eligible for regular commission on the Life Insurance policies secured by her. After the stipendiary period, Bima Sakhi can continue with LIC as a regular agent and continue to earn. He said that LIC of India is proud to be a partner in Viksit Bharat by including women as partners in the nation’s progress by providing them with opportunity as BIMA SAKHI to become self-reliant.

Sri R. Sateesh Babu, Sri Uthup Joseph, Smt Saraswathi Gopakumar, Sri GBV Ramaiah, Sri Promoda Kumar Sahoo and other senior officials from LIC were present in the event.

Dated at Hyderabad on 9th January, 2025.

For further information, please contact: Regional Manager (CC),

LIC of India, South Central Zonal Office, Hyderabad.

eMail: scz_cc@licindia.com.

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