Surya shows the way as India score 213 for 7 against Sri Lanka in first T20I
Pallekele (Sri Lanka), Jul 27: Skipper Suryakumar Yadav was swift and brutal in equal measure on his first day in office as the Indian top-order plundered Sri Lankan bowling to post a commanding 213 for 7 in the opening T20I if the three-match series here on Saturday.
In his first match as permanent skipper of India's T20 team, Surya made a firm statement with a sparkling 58 off 26 balls, maintaining his aggressive approach that made him world's premier batter.
While Surya was at his dominant best while hitting eight fours and two sixes en route his 20th half-century, the foundation for a big score was laid by young stars Yashasvi Jaiswal (41 off 20 balls) and Shubman Gill (34 off 15 balls) in a 74-run opening stand in the powerplay.
Rishabh Pant (49 off 33 balls) struggled initially but did well to end just one short of half-century with some audacious shots both in-front and behind the square.
If Jaiswal's approach was a bit on muscular side, Gill showed his artistry bleeding the Lankans with thousand cuts.
The refreshing part was Gill's approach in the very first game under new coach where he didn't exactly employ the safety first approach.
Jaiswal whipped the very first delivery of the match by Dilshan Madushanka while Gill followed the suit with back-to-back cuts to start in earnest with a 13-run over.
With a flurry of boundaries coming in first two overs, Charith Asalanka was forced to bring in Maheesh Theekshana in the third over and Jaiswal welcomed him with a six over long-off and then a whip behind square for a boundary with fifty coming in just four overs.
If Gill waited for Asitha Fernando's delivery taking that split second to back cut it for boundary behind point and then roll his wrists to put a slow short ball towards backward square leg, Jaiswal just thumped the same bowler wide of long on for a maximum.
While Gill (34 off 15 balls) was out playing one shot too many off the final ball in the powerplay but by then India had scored 74, their highest total in first six overs this season.
Jaiswal failed to read Wanindu Hasaranga's well disguised googly as the southpaw played for the conventional leg-break bringing in skipper Surya and Pant together.
Surya played his customary inside the line shot over fine leg for six and four. He was lucky to survive as he was also dropped once trying to repeat the shot and also got a four in the process.
The team century came in 8.4 overs as the Indian skipper didn't let the momentum drop even as Pant was struggling to middle the ball.
Once Surya was adjudged leg before to a Matheesha Pathirana yorker, the final few overs saw Pant finally breaking shackles as a helicopter shot off Asitha landed into the stands and was followed by a boundary.
The Sri Lankan pacers were erratic in their lengths on a slowish track but Hasaranga (1/28 in 4 overs) was fantastic as visiting batters couldn't really get going against him while Matheesha Pathirana despite getting some stick landed perfect yorkers to end up with 4 for 40.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
