Radha, Richa set up India Women's 21–run win, 5-0 T20I series sweep over Bangladesh
Sylhet (Bangladesh), May 9: Radha Yadav (3/24) ran through Bangladesh’s top-order after Richa Ghosh’s quickfire unbeaten 28 off 17 balls, setting up India’s 21–run win in the fifth T20I and a 5-0 series sweep here on Thursday.
Chasing a huge 157-run target, Bangladesh began promisingly but collapsed against the left-arm spinner Yadav. Despite the rearguard act by Ritu Moni (37, 33b, 4x4) and Shorifa Khatun (28 not out, 21b, 3x4s), the hosts finished at 135 for six in 20 overs.
All-rounder Moni and Shorifa put on a resolute stand of 57 runs for the sixth wicket to lead the fightback and put India in pressure, but the visitors prevailed eventually.
The stand between Moni and Khatun was also Bangladesh's highest for the sixth wicket in WT20Is, breaking the 32 between Sanjida Islam and Nigar Sultana.
It was leg-spinner Asha Sobhana (2/25) who broke the resilient partnership, cleaning up Moni in the 17th over to shut the doors on the home side.
Bangladesh were left reeling at 52 for five halfway through but Moni and Shorifa reignited their hopes, cashing in on every opportunity to score boundaries and with deft rotation of strike.
Yadav made her first impression in the game with an athletic catch to get rid of an on-song Sobhana Mostary (13) off Titas Sadhu. Mostary had hit three fours off Pooja Vastrakar’s first over to set her side on track during the chase.
After getting Dilara Akter (4), caught at mid-off by Vastrakar for her first breakthrough off her first ball, Yadav cleaned up Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana (7) and pinned Rubya Haider (20) in the front of the stumps for two wickets in the ninth over to derail the hosts.
Earlier, Ghosh smacked a handy little innings with three fours and a six to take India to 156 for five, providing a much-needed impetus after the visitors stumbled with a flurry of wickets.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (30), Dayalan Hemalatha (37) and S Sajana (1) fell in quick succession which allowed Bangladesh to halt India’s progress as they were aiming for a big score.
Harmanpreet and Hemalatha put on 60 runs for the third wicket for a strong foundation.
India’s 156 for five was the highest total of the series from either team with Smriti Mandhana setting the tone early on, hitting four fours and one six to make a fluent 33 off 25 balls.
Yadav finished as the highest wicket-taker in the series with 10 dismissals in five games whereas Mandhana’s 116 runs in five outings were the most for any batter.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
