Wasim Jaffer becomes first Indian to play 150 Ranji matches
Vijayawada, Dec 9: Veteran opener Wasim Jaffer on Monday became the first player in Indian cricket to feature in 150 Ranji matches.
The 41-year-old from Maharashtra, who has been an important part of the title-winning Vidarbha team in the last two years, achieved the rare distinction during their Group A opener against Andhra Pradesh here.
The former India opener is now just 853 runs away from completing 20,000 runs in first class cricket.
Jaffer is followed by Madhya Pradesh batsman Devendra Bundela (145 matches) and Amol Muzumdar (136 matches), who have played for Mumbai and Assam.
Overall, Jaffer has played 253 first-class games, scoring 19,147 runs at an average of 51.19. He has scored 57 hundreds and 88 fifties with 314 being his highest score.
The Mumbaikar has represented India in 31 Tests between 2000 and 2008, scoring 1944 runs which included five hundreds and 11 fifties.
He also has a double hundred to his name a highest score of 212 against West Indies in 2006 at St John's. He also played two ODIs for India.
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CRPF officer killed, 3 others injured in lightning strike in Jharkhand
Ranchi (PTI): A 46-year-old CRPF officer was killed while another was seriously injured after they were struck by lightning during an anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand, officials said on Friday.
The incident took place in Keriburu village of West Singhbhum district at around 5:30 pm on Thursday. The jungle area was receiving heavy rainfall, they said.
According to officials, M Prabo Singh, a second-in-command rank officer belonging to the 26th battalion, was killed in the lightning strike, while Assistant Commandant Subir Kumr Mandal, 49, was injured and has been admitted to the Tata Main hospital in Noamundi.
Two Jharkhand Police personnel were also injured in the incident.
All the personnel were present at a CRPF security outpost when lightning struck, as per officials.
Their evacuation took time as rainfalls hampered quick rescue operation, they said.
Singh hailed from the West Imphal district of Manipur while Mandal belongs to North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
The officers were leading the joint troops of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jharkhand Police in the jungle area for an anti-Naxal operation duty, they said.
