Shikha, Radha lift DC to 131-9 against MI in WPL final
Mumbai, Mar 26: Shikha Pandey and Radha Yadav shared a 52-run partnership for the 10th wicket to lift Delhi Capitals to a competitive 131 for nine against Mumbai Indians in the finals of the Women's Premier League here on Sunday.
Delhi Capitals were off to a rocky start, collapsing from 74 for 3 in the 11th over to 79 for 9 after 16, thanks to devastating show from overseas bowlers Hayley Matthews (4-2-5-3), Isabelle Wong (4-0-42-3) and Amelia Kerr (4-0-18-2).
However, the 52-run stand between Shikha (27 not out from 17 balls) and Radha Yadav (27 not out from 12 balls) took them across the 100-mark and gave them a fighting chance.
Shikha hit three fours and one six in her knock, Radha smashed two boundaries and as many maximums.
Earlier, Matthews, Wong and Kerr had shared a total eight wickets between them to put Mumbai in a strong position.
While the Caribbean all-rounder Matthews took her wickets tally to 16 highest in the tournament alongside UP Warriorz' Sophie Ecclestone Wong and Kerr also finished at 15 wickets each.
Saika Ishaque failed to get any breakthrough and ended up with an impressive 15 wickets too.
In front of a partisan crowd that filled up the Brabourne Stadium to the brim, the final was off to a dramatic start with MI claiming the first three wickets off full-tosses from Wong.
The first two decisions were ruled against the batters by the third umpire.
Shafali Verma (11 off 4 balls, 1x4s, 1x6s) began with a six over long-on and a four on the next ball in the second over from Wong, sliced over backward point to beat the third man.
However, the Delhi dasher was caught at point by Kerr off a full toss from the English bowler which was waist high.
Wong dealt another blow to the Delhi Capitals, again off a surprise full toss with Alice Capsey (0) failing to control her shot. The catch was completed by a stunning diving effort from Amanjot Kaur at extra cover, and left Delhi reeling at 12 for 2 in 1.5 overs.
Jemimah Rodrigues (9 off 8 balls, 2x4s) began with a superb cover drive off the first delivery she faced off Wong and brought out another drive against Sciver-Brunt in the third over. But before that, Lanning smacked two fours on the first two balls to shrug off some pressure.
But Delhi sunk further when a low full toss swinging away from the off stump from Wong, who changed the bowling ends, had Jemimah playing it straight to Hayley Matthews at point.
DC, who were 38 for 3 at the end of the powerplay, were steadied by Lanning and Kapp. At the halfway mark the Capitals were relatively safe at 68 for 3, but the worst was yet to come.
From 74 for 3 in the 11th over, Delhi Capitals collapsed to 77 for 7 after 14 overs with some poor batting and communication in the middle.
Kapp (18 off 21 balls, 2x4s), who hit her first four on the 17th ball she faced, was removed by Kerr in the 11th over with Yastika Bhatia grabbing the catch.
The South African all-rounder added 38 runs for the fourth wicket in 37 balls.
Mumbai Indians, however, made the biggest breakthrough in the 12th over when Delhi's captain and mainstay Lanning was run-out for 35.
Lanning's hesitation to run after Jess Jonassen (2) hurdled a delivery off towards Amanjot at cover cost her dearly, with Bhatia breaking the stumps.
Kerr claimed her second wicket by getting rid of Arundhati Reddy (0), and after Matthews spilled a return catch off Jonassen's bat in the 14th over, she grabbed a similar chance.
Matthews returned to cap off her best spell in the WPL, getting Minnu Mani (2) stumped to take her 15th wicket in the competition, and added one more when she got one to sneak between Taniya Bhatia's (0) bat and pads for her third wicket in the game to leave DC tottering at 79/9.
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India & Israel elevate ties to special strategic partnership, vow to soon conclude free trade deal
Jerusalem (PTI): India and Israel on Thursday elevated their "time-tested" relationship to a special strategic partnership and agreed to soon firm up a "mutually beneficial" free trade deal even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly backed the Gaza peace initiative, asserting that humanity must never become a victim of conflict.
Following talks between Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, the two sides inked a plethora of agreements to expand cooperation in areas of trade, agriculture, energy, cyberspace and digital payment.
India and Israel also vowed to expand their already close defence partnership by working towards joint development and joint production of military hardware under the framework of the transfer of technologies.
In his media statement, Modi said India's security interest is linked to peace and stability in the Middle East, adding that New Delhi fully supports the Gaza Peace Initiative.
"India's stance is clear: humanity must never become a victim of conflict. A path to peace has been created through the Gaza Peace Plan. India has fully supported these efforts," he said.
"In the future as well, we will continue dialogue and cooperation with all countries," he said.
PM Modi landed in Israel on Wednesday on a two-day visit. It is his second visit to Israel in nine years.
In his remarks, the prime minister said India and Israel have a united view that there is no place for terrorism in the world and both sides stand shoulder-to-shoulder in countering terrorism and its supporters.
"Our relationship is founded on the strong bedrock of deep trust, shared democratic values, and human sensitivities. Our bond has stood the test of every trial of time," he said.
"Today, we have taken the historic decision to elevate our time-tested partnership to the status of a 'Special Strategic Partnership'," he said.
The prime minister also announced the establishment of an India-Israel critical and emerging technologies partnership to impart a new momentum for cooperation in areas of artificial intelligence, quantum, and critical minerals. "I am pleased that an agreement has been reached for the use of UPI in Israel," he said.
The prime minister, referring to the threat of terrorism, said India and Israel will continue to confront the menace unitedly.
"India and Israel are completely clear that there is no place for terrorism in the world. In any form, in any expression, terrorism cannot be accepted," he said.
"We have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in opposing terrorism and its supporters, and we will continue to do so," he added.
India and Israel also discussed the implementation of the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and cooperation under the framework of I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA).
