Sri Lanka beat Ireland by 70 runs in T20 World Cup, qualify for Super 12s
Abu Dhabi, Oct 20: Sri Lanka registered a massive 70-run win over Ireland in a Group A match to qualify for the Super 12 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup here on Wednesday.
Sent in to bat, Wanindu Hasaranga (71) and Pathum Nissanka (61) hit scintillating half-centuries as Sri Lanka recovered from a top-order collapse to post a competitive 171 for 7.
The former champions then dished out a clinical bowling display, led by Maheesh Theekshana (3/17), to dismiss Ireland for 101 in 18.3 overs to claim their second successive win of the tournament and top the group with four points.
Ireland couldn't get any momentum during their chase and lost wickets in regular intervals to eventually fall way short of the target.
Andrew Balbirnie's men will now have to beat Namibia to make the Super 12s.
Earlier, left-arm medium-pacer Josh Little (4/23) returned with his best figures but the other bowlers couldn't sustain the pressure on Sri Lanka batters.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka: 171 for 7 in 20 overs (Wanindu Hasaranga 71, Pathum Nissanka 61, Josh Little 4/23, Mark Adair 2/35)
Ireland: 101 allout in 18.3 overs (Andrew Balbirnie 41; Maheesh Theekshana 3/17).
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
