Punjab crush Rajasthan's hopes with a 6 wicket win
Indore, May 6: Done and dusted in style! Tremendous batting effort by KL Rahul. So far in this season he provided brisk starts to his team and today showed his other side of the game as he anchored this chase and steered Punjab closer to the playoff berth. Rajasthan will be deeply disappointed at the moment as once again they failed to cross the line. Their season is just refusing to take off.
It wasn't an usual performance by Punjab in their innings. In fact, it was a subdued one. Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal departed in quick succession and the hosts ended up with their lowest Powerplay score of the season. Rajasthan had the upper hand at that stage of the match but the combination of Rahul and Nair raised a fifty stand to keep the chase on track.
Just when it seemed that the pair of Rahul and Nair will run away with the show, Anureet Singh struck to send the latter back to the pavilion. The promotion of Axar Patel didn't go as per the plan for Punjab but the presence of KL Rahul in the middle meant that they were always hopeful. Eventually, Marcus Stoinis and Rahul together overhauled the target with 8 balls to spare.
Credit should be given to Rajasthan for trying hard but they didn't have enough runs in the bank. Still, their bowlers fared exceedingly well to create immense pressure but towards the end they gave it away. Till the second strategic break, the visitors were in with a chance but Stoinis and Rahul changed gears after that to earn an easy win.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman is adjudged the Man of the Match for his fantastic bowling spell. His figures of 4-0-27-3 put Rajasthan in deep trouble.
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Congress has no future: BJP on Chidambaram's remark on INDIA alliance
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Friday took a swipe at the Congress over its leader P Chidambaram's remark on the opposition INDIA alliance, saying even Rahul Gandhi's "close aide" know that the party has no future.
Chidambaram had on Thursday voiced concerns over the INDIA bloc, saying he was not sure if the opposition alliance was still intact.
Latching on to Chidambaram's remarks, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said in a post on X, "Congress Leader P Chidambaram predicts: 'Opposition will not be intact in future, BJP is a formidable organisation'."
"Even Rahul Gandhi's close aides know Congress has no future," he added.
Speaking at the launch of Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav's book "Contesting Democratic Deficit", Chidambaram said, "The future (of INDIA bloc) is not so bright, as Mritunjay Singh Yadav said. He seems to feel that the alliance is still intact, but I am not sure".
"It is only Salman (Khurshid) who can answer because he was part of the negotiating team for the INDIA bloc. If the alliance is totally intact, I will be very happy. But it shows at the seams that it is frayed," the Rajya Sabha MP said.
He also hoped that the alliance can "still be put together, there's still time".
The former Union finance minister warned that the INDIA bloc was fighting against a "formidable machinery", which must be fought on all fronts.
The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) of opposition parties came together ahead of the last Lok Sabha elections to counter the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre.
