Playoff dream still alive, we can definitely turn things around: Rishabh Pant
Dharamsala (PTI): Disappointed but not deflated, Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant is still dreaming of sneaking into the IPL play-offs as he believes his struggling side can turn things around in the remaining three games.
Another poor batting effort by the top order led LSG's 37-run defeat at the hands of Punjab Kings on Sunday.
LSG have 10 points from 11 games and are currently placed seventh in the league table. With a net run-rate of -0.47, merely winning three games might not be enough for Pant and his men to make it to the play-offs.
"The dream is still alive. If we can win the next three matches, we can definitely turn around and do amazing things," Pant said at the post match presentation ceremony.
He did concede that 236 was too much to chase and fielding was also below par.
"Definitely too many runs. When you drop crucial catches at the wrong time, it can hurt you badly. We thought it would do more, but we did not pick the length right at the start. But that is part and parcel of the game," he said.
While Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran have failed in the past few games, the skipper defended them.
"It makes sense when your top order is batting well. Every match, you cannot hope for them to come off. It is part of the game, we have to take it deep sometimes. We had too many runs to catch up on and that hurt us badly."
Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer was expectedly "elated".
"Everyone stepped up at the right time, contribution was immense from everyone," Iyer said after the match, especially praising Prabhsimran Singh for his 48-ball 91.
"The way he performed, it was exceptional and so pleasing to the eye," he said.
Iyer believes that luck favours the brave and that is precisely what has happened with PBKS this season as they climbed to the second spot in the 10-team league table.
"I was not thinking about stats or what is a good score to defend. We have been lucky, but the luck has been because of the hard work. Each and every individual knows their roles precisely and the way they executed, it was top-notch."
Iyer, however, wasn't fully happy with his team's fielding effort.
"The only thing we need to correct is the awareness (in the field) and the way we move - that is the only box we have to tick off.
"Just back yourselves and your instincts - that has been working for us, not think too much about stats."
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
