Sunil Chhetri stands third among active international goalscorers
New Delhi, June 2: Indian football team skipper Sunil Chhetri scored a stunner of a hat-trick at the Mumbai Football Arena on Friday evening against Chinese Taipei 5-0 in the opener of the four-nation Intercontinental Cup. Chhetri struck the 14th, 34th and 62nd minute to once again etch his name on record books.
With his third international hat-trick, Chhetri jumped to the third spot on the list of active international goalscorers.
Chhetri opened the scoresheet for the confident Indian side with a wonderful assist by Jeje. 20 minutes later, he repeated the feat, after a fine display of one-touch passing between Chhetri Jeje and Anirudh Thapa at the edge of the box.
17 minutes into the second half, Udanta Singh netted the third goal for India, before Chhetri completed his hat-trick with a stunning shot into the top corner of the net.
Chhetri now has 59 international goals from 98 matches since his debut for India in 2005. His hat-trick helped him equal David Villa's goal tally who has also played the same number of games for his country Spain. The Indian captain now stands third on the list of active international goalscorers, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo (81 goals from 149 matches) and Lionel Messi (64 from 124 matches).
Adding to it, as per goals-per-match ratio, Chhetri stands ahead of the two stalwarts with his mark of 0.60 as compared to Ronaldo's 0.54 and Messi's 0.52. Although, Brazil's Neymar (0.65) and Maldives' Ali Ashfaq (0.66) stand above the Indian.
"Good feeling to get the hat-trick but tonight was all about getting a win and the aim here is UAE 2019. Fortunate to play with great teammates, got some great passes today, was just in the right position to finish," said Chhetri during the post-match presentation. India will next play Kenya on June 4.
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Minister Parameshwara says remarks on properties linked to drug peddlers 'misunderstood'
Tumakuru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said his recent remarks on the demolition of properties linked to those involved in narcotics trade were "misunderstood and misinterpreted".
His clarification follows remarks made two days ago on the government's uncompromising crackdown on the drug menace, including action against properties linked to foreign nationals allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
"It is unfortunate. It is taken in the wrong sense. I didn't mean that tomorrow itself I am going to send bulldozers and demolish the houses. That was not my intention. It was wrongly taken," he told reporters here.
Responding to Congress MLC K Abdul Jabbar's question in the legislative council on the growing drug menace in Bengaluru, Davangere and coastal districts, the minister on Thursday detailed the extensive enforcement measures initiated since the Congress government assumed office.
Pointing to the involvement of some foreign nationals, the minister had said, "Many foreign students from African countries have come to Karnataka. They are into the drug business. We catch them and register cases against them, but they want the case to be registered because once the case is registered, we cannot deport them."
"We have gone to the extent of demolishing the rented building where they stay," he had said.
