Moeen Ali Claims He Was Called "Osama" By Australian Player During Ashes 2015
Sep 15 : Moeen Ali has hit out at Australian teams and their "rude" approach to the sport. The England all-rounder recalled a shocking incident during the 2015 Ashes when an unnamed Australian cricketer called him "Osama". According to the all-rounder, the incident occurred during the first Test in Cardiff. In his autobiography, which is being serialised by The Times, the 31-year-old said that following the racial slur, he was "distracted" for much of the Test and had "never been so angry on a cricket field".
"It was a great first Ashes Test in terms of my personal performance, however there was one incident which had distracted me," Moeen Ali said as reported by www.dailymail.co.uk.
"An Australian player had turned to me on the field and said, "Take that, Osama." I have never been so angry on a cricket field. I told a couple of the guys what the player had said to me and I think Trevor Bayliss must have raised it with Darren Lehmann, the Australians' coach. Lehmann asked the player, "Did you call Moeen Osama?" He denied it, saying, "No, I said, "Take that, you part-timer"."
"I must say I was amused when I heard that for there is a world of difference between the words "Osama" and "part-timer". Although I couldn't have mistaken "part-timer" for "Osama", obviously I had to take the player's word for it, though for the rest of the match I was angry," added the England all-rounder.
"But our eventual triumph and the Cardiff crowd's reaction to me comforted me that the Australian player represented nobody."
The off-spinner and left-handed batsman first came up against the infamously aggressive Australians in 2015 before his struggles with both bat and ball played a key role in England's 4-0 Ashes defeat 'Down Under' in 2017/18, which led to him being dropped.
"Everyone you speak to...they are the only team I've played against my whole life that I've actually disliked," said Moeen Ali.
Moeen Ali, who starred in England's recent 4-1 Test series win over India after being recalled to the side, said he had no sympathy for the banned Australian trio of former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, all sent into international isolation for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March.
courtesy : ndtv.com
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Allu Arjun didn't leave theatre despite being told about woman's death: Hyderabad police
Hyderabad, Dec 22: Top Telugu actor Allu Arjun did not leave the theatre during the screening of 'Pushpa-2' on December 4 despite being told to do so in view of a stampede in which a woman died, police officials claimed on on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference on the annual round-up of 2024, city police commissioner C V Anand showed a video, made by police, on the situation that prevailed when the stampede occurred.
The video was made by collating footage, including from news channels and cell phone clips. It suggests the actor remained in the theatre till the midnight.
Anand did not make any comment on the video, but said the media can draw its own conclusions.
A police official talked about the sequence of events on the fateful night of December 4.
He said that he and other police officials informed a manager of Allu Arjun about the death of the woman and told him that the situation was out of control. He indicated that they were not allowed to meet the actor.
Allu Arjun's staff members told them that they would convey the matter to the actor but did not do so, he said.
The official said he later managed to reach the actor, told him about the woman's death and asked him to leave the theatre so that the fans don't harm each other while trying to catch a glimpse of him.
The official also told the actor that security arrangements would be made for his exit.
However, the actor said he would go only after watching the film, the police official said.
Later, accompanied by a senior officer, the official went inside and brought the actor out, he said.
Amid allegations that bouncers hired by Allu Arjun pushed crowds as well as policemen when the stampede occurred at the cinema hall, the police commissioner warned that stringent action as per law would be taken if THE bouncers indeed misbehaved with the police on duty.
The VIPs would be made responsible for the behaviour of the bouncers hired by them, he said.
Asked if the police would appeal against the interim bail granted to Allu Arjun, the commissioner refused to give a direct response, just saying it is part of the investigation.
What course of action is taken would be known in the days to come, he said.
He also declined to comment when asked if the family of the deceased told him about Allu Arjun's team or film production team allegedly threatening them not to speak on the issue.
Meanwhile, state Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy found fault with Allu Arjun responding on Saturday to the debate in the Legislative Assembly.
The minister, who observed that the actor should have respect for the government and the chief minister, demanded an apology from Allu Arjun to the government and the CM.
"This government is never vindictive. As Cinematography Minister, we allowed benefit shows and hiking ticket prices to promote the film industry," he said.
However, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar found fault with CM Revanth Reddy for his comments on Allu Arjun in the Assembly on Saturday.
The comments of the CM sounded like character assassination of Allu Arjun and hurting the Telugu film industry, he alleged in a statement.
Later in the day, Sanjay Kumar visited a boy who is undergoing treatment in a hospital after being injured in the stampede.
"Consoled his father over the heartbreaking loss of his wife, Revathi. I pray to god that Sritej recovers at the earliest. Assured support to the family in this difficult time," Kumar said on X.
Earlier in the day, state DGP Jitender told reporters in Karimnagar district that film personalities and all others should understand that safety and security of citizens is utmost important, and also conduct themselves accordingly.
