West Indies cricketer bats hours after mother's death; gets standing ovation from the crowd
Joseph's mother died just before the start of third day's play
Antigua: West Indies cricket team joined the audience who were giving great ovation on the third day of Antigua test against England, when young bowler Alzarri Joseph came into middle to bat after James Anderson struck two wickets with West Indies leading by 102 runs at 289-8.
He was being given the ovation as the young paceman had lost his mother just hours before coming in to bat here at Antigua.
The West Indies team and Joseph were informed about the demise of Joseph’s mother Sharon Joseph, after prolonged illness just before the start of day’s play, but the youngman did not leave the field and instead set an great example of ‘Incredible courage’. The West Indies team wore black armbands to as a mark of respect, and joined the applause to laud the effort of the youngster in taking to the field to bat.
West Indies team manager Rawl Levis stated “It is with great sadness that we have been informed that Sharon Joseph, the mother of our young fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, has passed away.
"We know that this will be a very sad and difficult time for Alzarri and his family”.
Joseph later also bowled in the inning and managed to pick two wickets by conceding 12 runs in 7 overs including that of England captain Joe Root, he also took a catch.
West Indies won the match by 10 wickets and Captain Jason Holder in the post-match presentation dedicated the win to Alzarri Joseph.
"Alzarri's mum passed away, so we rallied around each other, we wanted to do it for her," West Indies Captain Jason Holder said. "For Alzarri to be involved, credit to him and his family."
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Middle East crisis: Oil prices cross $83 per barrel as Strait of Hormuz disruption hits supply
New Delhi: Global crude oil prices rose sharply on Thursday, crossing $83 per barrel, following Iran’s move to shut down the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Oil prices have increased by more than 2 per cent due to concerns over supply disruptions in the region, which is a key route for global energy shipments.
A sustained rise in crude prices could significantly affect India’s import bill. Government estimates indicate that an increase of $1 per barrel in crude oil prices for a full year could raise India’s import bill by around Rs 16,000 crore.
However, government sources said India remains in a relatively comfortable position in the short term. The country currently has crude oil reserves sufficient for about 25 days, along with an additional 25 days’ supply of petroleum products, including shipments already in transit to Indian ports.
India imports nearly 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements from the Middle East, with much of the supply traditionally passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes.
Officials said India has strengthened its energy security in recent years by diversifying its sources of crude oil imports. Supplies have increasingly been sourced from countries such as Russia, African nations and the United States, reducing dependence on Gulf routes.
As a result, a portion of India’s oil imports now bypasses the Strait of Hormuz.
India spent about $137 billion on crude oil imports in the financial year ending March 31, 2025. In the current financial year, from April 2025 to January 2026, the country spent approximately $100.4 billion to import 206.3 million tonnes of crude oil.
