Underdogs to winners: Australia finally break T20 World Cup duck

News Network
November 15, 2021

 

It took Australia seven attempts but under Aaron Finch they finally laid their hands on a maiden Twenty20 World Cup title on Sunday with an eight-wicket triumph over New Zealand.

The 20-overs trophy drought for one-day cricket's most successful team was an aberration for Finch, who had oozed confidence that Australia would be "rectifying" the wrong.

Mitchell Marsh and David Warner combined for a 92-run stand to trump New Zealand captain Kane Williamson's side after his masterly knock had taken them to a competitive total.

Williamson capitalised on an early reprieve to fire his team to 172-4 which they failed to defend in the end.

It was a stunning turnaround for an Australia team which had lost five T20 series on the trot heading into the World Cup.

They came into their own only in the semi-finals when they stunned former champions Pakistan, the tournament's only unbeaten team until then.

Awaiting them in the final were reigning test champions New Zealand, easily the game's best cross-format side, who have made a habit of reaching the finals of global events.

Six years after beating New Zealand to win a fifth ODI World Cup, Australia lifted their first men's 20-overs world title.

Fireworks lit up the sky to celebrate the success of a team which had been written off after their wretched build-up.

Before that, Warner and Marsh had treated the crowd at the Dubai International Stadium with their batting pyrotechnics.

Warner's best

Warner's own performance reflected his team's extraordinary journey in the tournament.

His place in the side was debated after his Indian Premier League franchise dropped the left-hander from their squad.

Warner struggled in the warm-up matches but regained his mojo and strung together scores of 89 not out, 49 and 53 in their last three matches.

He walked away with the man-of-the-tournament and Finch was not surprised.

"You didn't expect that? I certainly did," the Australia captain told reporters.

"He's someone who when his back is against the wall, that's when you get the very, very best of David Warner."

Marsh was adjudged man-of-the match for his unbeaten 77 not out off 50 balls, which trumped Williamson's 85 off 48 balls.

Thirty four years after his father Geoff helped Australia win their maiden ODI World Cup, Marsh played a key role in helping his country win their first 20-overs world crown.

For New Zealand, who finished runners-up to England in the 2019 ODI World Cup, it was yet another white-ball heartbreak.

Graceful as ever, the 31-year-old Williamson was fulsome in his praise for Australia while proud of his team's display.

"If you look at the campaign as a whole, and the type of cricket that we have been able to play, I can say that we are very proud of our efforts throughout this period of time.

"You get to a final and anything can happen," he added. 

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News Network
November 11,2024

Mangaluru: Six youths including teenagers have been arrested by the Bantwal Rural Police in connection with a brutal assault on 21-year-old Aboobakar (name changed to hide identity), an incident that was widely shared on social media after footage revealed the victim tied to a pole and violently beaten.

The arrested individuals, all from Kanchinadkapadavu, Sajipanadu village in Ullal Taluk, have been identified as Mohammad Sapwan (25), Mohammad Rizwan (25), Irfan (27), Anis Ahmad (19), Nasir (27), and Shakeer (18). According to police reports, the assault took place on November 7 in Kanchinadkapadavu.

The sequence of events began when Aboobakar was reportedly called to a residence in Kanchinadkapadavu by a female relative. Upon his arrival, he was confronted by the accused, who questioned his presence, tied him to a pole with ropes, and attacked him while he was shirtless. 

Aboobakar managed to file a police complaint the following day, detailing the assault. As his injuries worsened, he was admitted to a private hospital in Mangaluru.

While in the hospital, Aboobakar alleged that his attackers intended to kill him during the assault. This statement led to additional charges of attempted murder being filed. 

Police officials stated that the suspects were subsequently apprehended, charged with group assault and attempted murder, and placed in judicial custody. The investigation is ongoing, and further details are awaited.

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News Network
November 14,2024

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday backed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over his claim that the BJP had offered Rs 50 crore each to 50 Congress MLAs in an attempt to "topple" the state government.

Addressing reporters here, Shivakumar, also the Congress state president, said, “The BJP indeed lured 50 Congress MLAs with Rs 50 crore each.”

He defended Siddaramaiah’s statement and said the Congress MLAs were briefed about the BJP’s alleged 'Operation Lotus', a term used to describe the BJP's attempts to destabilise ruling governments through horse-trading.

“Some of our MLAs informed the Chief Minister about this matter, and he, in turn, shared it with the media,” Shivakumar said.

At an event in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah reiterated the claim that "none of the Congress MLAs had accepted the offer".

He also accused the BJP of filing false cases against him in a bid to "remove him and overthrow his government".

The BJP has yet to respond to the allegations.

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News Network
November 15,2024

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Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has killed or captured 69 terrorists linked to the Israeli spy agency Mossad during a major counterterrorism drill in the country's southeast, its spokesman says.  

General Ahmad Shafaei, the spokesman for the “Martyrs of Security” drill, said Friday that a total of 23 terrorists have been killed and another 46 arrested in various clean-up operations ever since the IRGC Ground Force launched it in the Sistan and Baluchestan province on November 1.

Seven terrorists have also turned themselves in during the period.

“The undeniable fact about terrorists is that they rely on arrogant powers, particularly the intelligence service of the wicked and vicious Zionist regime," Shafaei said.

“Unfortunately, weapons and munitions at terrorists’ disposal are among the most sophisticated ones in the world. This accounts for their heavy dependence.” 

The official stated that several members of the disbanded terror teams were non-Iranian nationals, who had been hired by foreign intelligence agencies to carry out acts of sabotage and terror inside Iran.

In a most recent operation, six terrorists were arrested and four others were eliminated, three of whom were non-Iranians, he added. 

On October 26, ten members of Iran's law enforcement forces were killed in a terrorist attack in the Gohar Kuh district of Taftan in the Sistan and Baluchestan province.

The so-called Jaish al-Adl terrorist group claimed responsibility for the assault, which was one of the deadliest in the province in recent months.

The group has carried out numerous terrorist attacks in Iran, primarily in Sistan and Baluchestan.

Its tactics include the abduction of border guards as well as targeting civilians and police stations within the province to incite chaos and disorder.

In January, Iran launched a military operation during which the headquarters of the Pakistan-based terrorist group was targeted in missile strikes, destroying its infrastructure.

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