Sarfaraz Khan's Father Gifted Mahindra Thar by Anand Mahindra After Son's Test Debut
Rajkot: Sarfaraz Khan's Test debut for India in the third Test against England at Rajkot was not only a dream come true for the cricketer but also a moment of pride for his father, Naushad, who has been his biggest inspiration. To mark this significant milestone in Sarfaraz's career, industrialist Anand Mahindra decided to gift Sarfaraz's father a Mahindra Thar.
The heartwarming gesture came after a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), showcasing Sarfaraz's journey to his Test debut, touched Anand Mahindra. Witnessing the sacrifices made by Naushad to support Sarfaraz's cricketing aspirations, Anand Mahindra felt compelled to acknowledge this dedication with a thoughtful gift.
Sarfaraz made his Test debut in a memorable fashion, scoring the fastest fifty on debut for India. His innings was cut short by a run-out following a mix-up with Ravindra Jadeja, but his attacking approach and stylish stroke play left a lasting impression.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar praised Sarfaraz for his exceptional batting display, particularly against spin bowling. He highlighted Sarfaraz's judgement of length and his ability to manoeuvre good deliveries, qualities that set him apart as a promising talent.
Sarfaraz has been a prolific performer in domestic cricket, especially in the Ranji Trophy, where he has consistently delivered impressive performances. His surge to the international level has been eagerly awaited by fans, who have closely followed his progress in first-class cricket.
In his 45 first-class matches, Sarfaraz has amassed 3,912 runs at an average of 69.85, including 14 centuries and 11 fifties. His highest score of 301* underscores his ability to convert stars into big scores, making him a valuable asset for the Indian cricket team.
His recent success in the unofficial Test series against England Lions, where he scored 96 in a tour match followed by 4, 55, and 161 in two unofficial Tests, further solidifies his credentials as a batsman to watch out for in the future.
The gift of the Mahindra Thar by Anand Mahindra is a testament to Sarfaraz's hard work and dedication, as well as a recognition of his potential to excel at the highest level of cricket.
“Himmat nahin chodna, bas!”
Hard work. Courage. Patience.
What better qualities than those for a father to inspire in a child?
For being an inspirational parent, it would be my privilege & honour if Naushad Khan would accept the gift of a Thar.
“Himmat nahin chodna, bas!”
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 16, 2024
Hard work. Courage. Patience.
What better qualities than those for a father to inspire in a child?
For being an inspirational parent, it would be my privilege & honour if Naushad Khan would accept the gift of a Thar. pic.twitter.com/fnWkoJD6Dp
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Israeli strikes on Gaza overnight leaves more than 50 Palestinians dead
Deir al-Balah (Gaza Strip), Apr 3 (AP): Overnight strikes by Israel killed at least 55 people across the Gaza Strip, hospital officials said Thursday, a day after senior government officials said Israel would seize large areas of Gaza and establish a new security corridor across the Palestinian territory.
Israel has vowed to escalate the nearly 18-month war with Hamas until the fighter group returns dozens of remaining hostages, disarms and leaves the territory. Israel has imposed a month-long halt on all imports of food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle.
Officials in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the strip, said the bodies of 14 people had been taken to Nasser Hospital – nine of them from the same family. The dead included five children and four women. The bodies of another 19 people, including five children aged between 1 and 7 years and a pregnant woman, were taken to the European hospital near Khan Younis, hospital officials said. In Gaza City, 21 bodies were taken to Ahli hospital, including those of seven children.
The attacks came as the Israeli military said an independent body would investigate a March 23 operation in which its forces opened fire on ambulances in Gaza. It said it investigates allegations of wrongdoing by its forces and holds them accountable. Rights groups say such investigations are often lacking and that soldiers are rarely punished. The military said the probe would be led by an expert fact-finding body “responsible for examining exceptional incidents” during the war.
Separately, the military ordered the residents of several areas -- Shujaiya, Jadida, Turkomen and eastern Zeytoun -- to evacuate on Thursday, adding that the army “will work with extreme force in your area”. It said people should move to shelters west of Gaza City.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel was establishing a new security corridor across the Gaza Strip to pressure Hamas, suggesting it would cut off the southern city of Rafah, which Israel has ordered evacuated, from the rest of the Palestinian territory.
Netanyahu referred to the new axis as the Morag corridor, using the name of a Jewish settlement that once stood between Rafah and Khan Younis, suggesting it would run between the two southern cities. He said it would be “a second Philadelphi corridor” referring to the Gaza side of the border with Egypt further south, which has been under Israeli control since last May.
Israel has reasserted control over the Netzarim corridor, also named for a former settlement, that cuts off the northern third of Gaza, including Gaza City, from the rest of the narrow coastal strip. Both of the existing corridors run from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea.
“We are cutting up the strip, and we are increasing the pressure step by step, so that they will give us our hostages,” Netanyahu said.
The Western-backed Palestinian Authority, led by rivals of Hamas, expressed its “complete rejection” of the planned corridor. Its statement also called for Hamas to give up power in Gaza, where the fighter group has faced rare protests recently.
Netanyahu's announcement came after the defense minister, Israel Katz, said Israel would seize large areas of Gaza and add them to its so-called security zones, apparently referring to an existing buffer zone along Gaza's entire perimeter. He called on Gaza residents to “expel Hamas and return all the hostages,” saying “this is the only way to end the war”.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli pullout. The group has rejected demands that it lay down its arms or leave the territory.
The Israeli military said an independent body would investigate a March 23 operation which the United Nations said resulted in the deaths of 15 paramedics, including eight from the Palestinian Red Crescent. The military initially said the ambulances were operating suspiciously and that nine members of the group were killed.
“We take this case very seriously,” said Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman. “We care a lot about our relationship with different organisations. Obviously, the Red Crescent is one of the organisations we work with.”
Netanyahu visits Hungary
Netanyahu arrived in Hungary early Thursday on his second foreign trip since the world's top war crimes court issued an arrest warrant against him in November over Israel's war in Gaza.
Based in The Hague, Netherlands, the the International Criminal Court has said there was reason to believe Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel's campaign against Hamas — charges that Israeli officials deny.
ICC member countries, such as Hungary, are required to arrest suspects facing a warrant if they set foot on their soil, but the court has no way to enforce that and relies on states to comply. As Netanyahu arrived in Budapest, Hungary said it will begin the procedure of withdrawing from the ICC.
Plans for Gaza
On Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel plans to maintain overall security control of Gaza after the war and implement US President Donald Trump's proposal to resettle much of its population elsewhere through what the Israeli leader referred to as “voluntary emigration”.
Palestinians have rejected the plan, viewing it as expulsion from their homeland after Israel's offensive left much of it uninhabitable, and human rights experts say implementing the plan would likely violate international law.
The war began when Hamas-led group attacked southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire agreements and other deals. Israel rescued eight living hostages and has recovered dozens of bodies.
Israel's offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't say whether those killed are civilians or combatants. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 members of Hamas group, without providing evidence.
The war has left vast areas of Gaza in ruins and at its height displaced around 90% of the population.
Israeli strikes on Syria
Separately, Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southwestern Syria, Syrian state media reported Thursday.
SANA said the nine were civilians, without giving details. Britain-based war monitor The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said they were local gunmen from the Daraa province, frustrated with Israeli military encroachment and attacks in recent months.
Israel has seized parts of southwestern Syria and created a buffer-zone there, which it says is to secure Israel's safety from armed groups. But critics say the military operation has created tensions in Syria and prevents any long-term stability and reconstruction for the war-torn country.
Israel also struck five cities in Syria late Wednesday, including over a dozen strikes near a strategic airbase in the city of Hama.
