Rahul, Kuldeep architect India's 8-wkt win in first T20I
Manchester, July 4 : Riding on a flashy unbeaten century from Lokesh Rahul and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav's maiden T20 International fifer, India outclassed England by eight wickets in the opening match and go 1-0 up in the three-match rubber at the Old Trafford cricket stadium here on Tuesday.
Rahul struck a breezy 54-ball 101, laced with 10 fours and five sixes to anchor India's run chase that saw him forge a masterly 123-run second wicket stand with opener Rohit Sharma (32 off 30).
Chasing 160, India quickly overcame the early loss of opener Shikhar Dhawan (4) as the right-handed duo of Rahul and Rohit helped the visitors race to 50 in the first five overs.
Rahul continued his glorious run with the bat, dominating the partnership with Rohit, who uncharacteristically played the perfect second fiddle to the Karnataka youngster.
Rahul started the onslaught right from the word go before meting out some special treatment to off-spinner Moeen Ali, whom he welcomed with a superb reverse sweep that yielded a boundary and followed up with a massive six over long on.
The right-hander then picked the leg-spinner Adil Rashid for a boundary to third man to get to his half century off just 27 balls, before launching Liam Plunkett for two sixes and as many fours to milk 20 runs from the paceman .
With India comfortably placed at 103/1 midway through the innings, Rohit too stepped up the gas by launching Rashid for a towering six over mid wicket before falling to the same bowler.
Rohit's departure brought in skipper Virat Kohli (20 not out off 22 balls), who was seven shy of becoming the fourth batsman to notch 2000 T20I runs.
Kohli, not only got to the landmark but also ensured Rahul get to his deserving second T20I century with a single before the skipper finished off in style with a thunderous six off Ali to guide India home.
Earlier, England had themselves to blame for wasting a sound 50-run opening start from Jason Roy (30) and Jos Buttler (69) as Kuldeep (5/24) triggered a collapse that saw Alex Hales (8), Eoin Morgan (7), Jonny Bairstow (0) and Joe Root (0) departing in quick succession -- the latter three in a span of four deliveries.
Buttler, however continued tormenting the Indians with a 46-ball knock laced with eight fours and a couple of sixes before becoming Kuldeep's fifth victim, thanks to a brilliant catch by Kohli after Rahul dropped him one ball earlier.
Towards the end, lower order bat David Willey's unbeaten 29 off 15 balls helped England to some sort of respectability.
Brief Scores: England 159/8 (Jos Buttler 69, Jason Roy 30; Kuldeep Yadav 5/24) lose to India 163/2 (Lokesh Rahul 101 not out, Rohit Sharma 32, Virat Kohli 20 not out) by 8 wickets.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
