Kohli Lookalike Mobbed By Fans For Selfies In Ayodhya, Video Goes Viral

Indian cricket team star batter Virat Kohli opted out of the first two Tests in the upcoming five-match series against England citing 'personal reasons' on Monday. Kohli and wife Anushka Sharma were both invited for the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya but they ended up not attending. However, a lookalike of Kohli was mobbed by fans for selfies and the video of the entire incident has gone viral on social media. The video showed that fans were excited to catch a glimpse of the Virat Kohli lookalike and there was a huge crowd gathered around the individual who wanted to meet him and take selfies.

Meanwhile, Kohli has pulled out of the first two Tests against England due to personal reasons which "demand his presence and undivided attention", the BCCI said on Monday.

The BCCI urged the fans and media to refrain from speculating about the exact reason for his forced break before the five-match series begins in Hyderabad on January 25. The Board said it will name a replacement for the star batter soon.

Duplicate Virat Kohli at Ayodhya.

- People going crazy after seeing Duplicate Virat Kohli. [Piyush Rai]pic.twitter.com/eJeWkr5TBJ

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 22, 2024

"Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.

The BCCI also said that Kohli has discussed his decision with skipper Rohit Sharma and the team management.

"Virat has spoken to captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention," the release further stated.

Shah also said that BCCI completely backs its star player and has faith in the team and its ability to get results even without its best batter.

"The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batter and is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series," the secretary said.

He also urged everyone to respect Kohli's privacy.

"The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli's privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons.

"The focus should remain on supporting the Indian cricket team as they embark on the upcoming challenges in the Test series," Shah said.

(With PTI inputs)

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"If He Wants To Play World Cup...": Ex-India Star's Advice For KL Rahul

With the clean sweep against Afghanistan in the recently-concluded T20I series, Team India started their preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup on a positive note. The series marked the return of India skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli in the T20I format after a gap of 14 months. It is highly likely that both the players will feature in India's squad at the marquee event. However, there are doubts over the selection of wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul.

Team India has found potential batters in the form of Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and even wicketkeeper like Jitesh Sharma, who is known for his destructive batting. So, it will be quite a challenge for Rahul to find a place for himself in the squad.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra stated that to find a spot in the World Cup squad, Rahul needs to bat at No 4 in IPL 2024. Rahul, who is the captain of IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants, plays the role of an opener.

"You might see KL Rahul at No. 4. If he wants to play the World Cup, he probably needs to bat at No. 4. You might see one among Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni and Prerak Mankad playing at No. 3. They have plenty of options available to get the work done," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

"After No. 4, they have Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, and Ayush Badoni along with Krunal Pandya down the order. Suddenly you see a lot of depth in the batting. So they have prepared a very good team," Chopra further added.

After missing out on the T20Is against Afghanistan, Rahul will now be seen in action against England in the five-match Test series. The first Test match will start from January 25 in Hyderabad.

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Axar vs Kuldeep: India Great Picks 'Favourite' For Test Series vs England

Having got to play only eight Tests since making his debut against Australia in 2017 does make Kuldeep Yadav one of the unluckiest Indian cricketers in recent times. And if the Indian team management under Rahul Dravid follow the "rank turner" template for the upcoming England series starting January 25, Kuldeep can be seen warming the bench at least in the initial stage of the five-match series. India spin great Harbhajan Singh, who is known for his forthright opinions, feels that although in terms of skill and quality Kuldeep will be ahead of the Gujarat left-arm spinner, there is no better choice than Axar if pitches are diabolical in nature.

"Look, the way I look at it that when both R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are in playing eleven and you are looking at a third specialist spinner, it should be Kuldeep."

"Because Kuldeep as a wrist spinner will bring that variation. But I believe Axar's selection in Test matches is purely on his batting skills. At No 8 or 9, he can bat and that's what he brings to the table," Harbhajan, who is currently in Dubai, told PTI when asked about his preferred choice.

But the 'Turbanator' wanted to set the record straight.

"While Axar brings his superior batting to the table (compared to Kuldeep), I don't see a logic why you need a superior batter at No. 9 when his skill-sets are completely identical with that of Jadeja's."

"You are then taking the aspect of variation out of equation. So for me, ideally, Kuldeep should play," he reasoned.

Axar had taken 50 wickets in 12 Tests but it's only fair to mention that 27 out of those 50 wickets came in his first three Tests against England in 2021 and the next 23 wickets have come in nine games.

Against Australia at home, he got only three wickets in four Test matches including going wicketless in two of those games (Delhi and Indore).

The five Tests will be held in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamsala. Except for the last game on a track which is traditionally known to help pacers but of late has turned into a batting belter, all the other four venues will offer significant help for Ashwin and Jadeja.

Axar's biggest plus point on rank turners is not trying to turn the deliveries and just landing it on spot allowing the pitch to do the rest. On crumbling surfaces, he bowls those under-cutters, where the ball skids after landing on its skin rather than seam.

These type of deliveries stay low and batters from SENA countries are often confused whether to go on front-foot or back-foot.

But on better tracks, Axar has been found wanting as he doesn't have too many variations in his repertoire.

The plus point for Kuldeep is his ability to extract turn and bounce. Being able to turn the ball back into right-handers and also take it away (left-arm wrist spinner's googly) but there remains a possibility of being slightly slower through the air.

Recently after end of South Africa series, skipper Rohit Sharma reacting to variable bounce and pace on offer in Cape Town had made it clear that no one should complaint if ball turns from the very first session.

Harbhajan also explained the twin-fold reason why Axar will be first preference when the ball turns square.

"If you look at our batting performances on rank turners, you would know that we haven't also done very well. Our batting also could struggle if there is excessive turn and hence you then want a longer tail and that's where Axar comes into effect with his batting.

"Now coming to the bowling. On turners, you need a "target shooter". One who would just keep on bowling wicket to wicket, hitting more or less same length over after over.

"On turners, you won't need to turn or show variations to get wickets. When it comes to that discipline, Axar is fantastic at target hitting and hence he remains favourite," Harbhajan added.

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Watch: Indian-Origin NZ U-19 WC Player Copies Gill's Celebration Style

Shubman Gill has got an admirer in India-origin Snehith Reddy, a member of the New Zealand U-19 World Cup team, who copied the Indian opener's batting and celebration style. Snehith took off his helmet, raised his bat and bowed down to the crowd, similar to the trademark celebration of Gill, after reaching his century against Nepal in an U-19 World Cup match at Buffalo Park on Sunday. "We were talking before the game, the boys, on what the celebrations are gonna be. I decided the Shubman Gill bow is my celebration, it was special," Snehith said later.

"One of my favourite players, I love the way he makes contact with the ball, his timing is exceptional and I tried to copy that to my batting a little bit," he said in a video footage uploaded by the ICC.

A moment shared with family
? Enjoying the occasion
Shubman Gill's influence

New Zealand's Snehith Reddy reflects on his #U19WorldCup centurypic.twitter.com/szYB81B0yi

— ICC (@ICC) January 22, 2024

His parents were also present at the ground when Snehith achieved the feat.

"That was extremely special. I think, them (parents) coming over and seeing the first game on the world stage was extremely special. They enjoyed it and I loved it.

"They just told me to enjoy, it's a massive occasion and there'll be nerves but I had fun and that's the key," he said.

The 17-year-old Snehith, who was born in Vijayawada, smashed an unbeaten 147 off 125 balls to help New Zealand reach 302 for 8 in 50 overs after electing to bat.

New Zealand then restricted Nepal to 238 for 9 for a 64-run win.

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How Pak Fans Reacted To Sania-Shoaib Divorce, Cricketer's Third Wedding

The world of social media stood still for a bit as former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik decided to marry actor Sana Javed, sharing their wedding pictures on social media on Saturday. While the rumours of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik's divorce had been afloat for a few months, the two never released a statement on the matter. However, a day after Shoaib shared his wedding pictures of his third wedding, Sania's family confirmed her divorce from Shoaib, saying that they were legally separated for 'some months'. While several fans in India were shocked upon hearing the news, the reactions were pretty similar in Pakistan too.

Taking to his Instagram handle, the former Pakistan all-rounder shared several pictures of his nuptials with the divorced Pakistani actress.

Sana, too, took to her social media handles to share dazzling images from their 'Nikaah' ceremony.
The newlyweds shared the images from the wedding ceremony with the caption, "And We created you in pairs".

Here's how Pakistan fans reacted to the news on social media:

In a world full of Shoaib Malik ,be like Atif Aslam#ShoaibMalik#SanaJaved#SaniaMirza pic.twitter.com/qCjgT4IzaE

— khansa (@khansaykhan_) January 20, 2024

No fuss created, no blame game, no social media rants and no interviews or press conferences - Sania Mirza just released a statement and wished Shoaib Malik well for his future. She's an elite athlete and an elite woman too

You have my respect, @MirzaSania pic.twitter.com/w9tvDCRY5I

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) January 21, 2024

Everything between Shoaib Malik and Sana Javed started from Fahad Mustafa's Jeeto Pakistan Show!
Can't believe they did all this while they were married already! Sad#ShoaibMalik #UmairJaswal#SaniaMirza #SanaJaved
VC-Mr Hamxay (IG) pic.twitter.com/2WDJnNgZ8B

— Shahzaib (@ShahzaabAli2) January 20, 2024

#SaniaMirza
Always respectful pic.twitter.com/8NzzbqtzvF

— Goat Williamson Fan (@williamsonfan22) January 21, 2024

The only people who deserve all the sympathies in this whole scenario are Sania Mirza, Umair Jaswal, and Baby Izhaan Mirza.

Truly feel sorry for them irrespective of the gender bias.

Wish best of luck to both of them.
May ALLAH make things easy for them. Ameen pic.twitter.com/jzf3g9qDP1

— Rizwan Babar Army (@RizwanBabarArmy) January 20, 2024

Team Sania for ever.

— Hasan Saeed (@hasansaeed6) January 20, 2024

Can I just say Sania Mirza was always too good for him?

— Saman Tariq (@stariq88) January 20, 2024

Taking to her personal handle on Instagram, Anam, who is married to former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin's son Assaduddin, confirmed Sania's divorce from Shoaib, posting, "Sania has always kept her personal life away from the public eye. However, today the need has arisen for her to share that Shoaib and she have been divorced for a few months now. She wishes Shoaib well for his new journey ahead!"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anam Mirza (@anammirzaaa)

The statement comes a day after the former Pakistan all-rounder tied the knot with Pakistani actress Sana Javed.

Shoaib and Sania got married in 2010 and have been staying in Dubai ever since. They announced the birth of their son, Izhaan Mirza Malik, in 2018.

Sana became a household name in Pakistan with her exploits in the show-business space, Sana made her television debut in 2012 with 'Shehr-e-Zaat' and later on appeared in several other shows. She received recognition for her portrayal of the titular role in the romantic drama 'Khaani'.

The former batting all-rounder who contributed handsomely to many of Pakistan's memorable wins, Shoaib made his international debut in 1999 in ODIs.

Over the course of an illustrious cricketing career during which he also captained the national team across formats, Shoaib scored a whopping 7534 runs in 287 ODIs.In T20Is, he featured in 124 matches, aggregating 2435 runs at a strike rate of 125.64.

The 41-year-old also played 35 Test matches, scoring 1898 runs. He played his last international game for Pakistan against Bangladesh in 2021.

With ANI inputs

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Croma Republic Sale 2024: Discover Exclusive Deals on 7 Popular Items

Get ready for an unbeatable shopping experience at the Croma Republic Sale 2024! As technology enthusiasts and bargain hunters unite, we present to you a curated selection of seven must-have products that will enhance convenience, entertainment, and lifestyle. From cutting-edge smartphones and immersive audio systems to impressive appliances, each product promises value at exclusive sale prices. Dive into this article to discover the top deals, discounted prices, and exciting features of these products, giving you a sneak peek into what awaits you during this sale event.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is a smartphone with a 6.72-inch LCD display featuring a 120Hz refresh rate, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of internal storage. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G processor, it boasts a 108-megapixel triple rear camera setup and a 16-megapixel front camera. It comes with a 5000mAh battery and 67W fast charging. During the Croma Republic Sale 2024, grab this smartphone at just Rs. 21,999, down from the MRP of Rs. 26,999. Don't miss out on this fantastic offer!

Buy now at Rs. 21,999 (MRP: Rs. 26,999)

Boat Aavante Bar 1580 120W Bluetooth Soundbar

The Boat Aavante Bar 1580 120W Bluetooth Soundbar offers Bluetooth v5.0 connectivity, USB, Aux, and HDMI options. It features a powerful 120W power output and a 2.1 channel configuration, making it an ideal audio accessory. It comes with various entertainment modes. During the Croma Republic Sale 2024, grab this soundbar for just Rs. 8,499, down from the MRP of Rs. 16,990. Take advantage of this incredible deal!

Buy now at Rs. 21,999 (MRP: Rs. 26,999)

Samsung Crystal 4K Neo 43-inch 4K Ultra HD LED TV

The Samsung Crystal 4K Neo 43-inch 4K Ultra HD LED TV offers a LED Ultra HD 4K display with a 50Hz refresh rate and 3 HDMI ports, 1 USB port, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Powered by the Tizen operating system, it includes a 20W speaker system with Dolby Atmos support. During the Croma Republic Sale 2024, you can get this TV for just Rs. 28,990, down from the MRP of Rs. 47,900. Don't miss this great deal!

Buy now at Rs. 28,990 (MRP: Rs. 47,900)

Whirlpool 7.5kg 5-Star Fully Automatic Top Load Washing Machine

The Whirlpool 7.5 kg 5-Star Fully Automatic Top Load Washing Machine is perfect for households of 6-8 people. It comes with a 5-star rating for energy efficiency and offers 12 wash programs. During the Croma Republic Sale 2024, you can get this washing machine for just Rs. 16,750, down from the MRP of Rs. 21,200. Don't miss this great deal!

Buy now at Rs. 16,750 (MRP: Rs. 21,200)

Nothing Watch Pro Smartwatch

The Nothing Watch Pro Smartwatch features a 1.96-inch AMOLED display and offers built-in GPS, Bluetooth calling and smart notification alerts. It includes 110 sports modes, heart rate monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, sleep tracking, and stress monitoring. With a battery life of up to 13 days on a single charge, it's a durable IP68 water-resistant smartwatch. During the Croma Republic Sale 2024, you can purchase this smartwatch for just Rs. 3,499, down from the MRP of Rs. 5,999. Don't miss this great deal!

Buy now at Rs. 3,499 (MRP: Rs. 5,999)

Dell S Series 24-inch Height Adjustable Monitor

The Dell S Series 24-inch Height Adjustable Monitor features a Full HD LCD display with LED backlighting, an IPS panel, and a 75Hz refresh rate. It offers connectivity through 2 HDMI ports. During the Croma Republic Sale 2024, this monitor is available for just Rs. 9,899, down from the MRP of Rs. 24,789. Don't miss this fantastic deal!

Buy now at Rs. 9,899 (MRP: Rs. 24,789)

Apple iPad 10th Generation Wi-Fi

The Apple iPad 10th Generation Wi-Fi features a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina True Tone display, 64GB of storage, and is powered by the Apple A14 Bionic Chip. It offers up to 10 hours of battery life and comes with 12MP front and rear cameras. The device also includes landscape stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos support, and Dolby Vision compatibility. During the Croma Republic Sale 2024, you can purchase this iPad for just Rs. 36,990, down from the MRP of Rs. 39,900. Don't miss out on this fantastic deal!

Buy now at Rs. 28,990 (MRP: Rs. 47,900)

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"Things Were Done And Dusted...": Ex India Star's Huge Virat 'Fab 4' Take

The upcoming Test series between India and England will see two members of the 'Fab-4' of Test cricket square off against each other. India's Virat Kohli and England's Joe Root have been two of the most consistent batters in the format over the past decade. Australia's Steve Smith and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson are the other two members of the 'Fab-4' of Test cricket. After overcoming a lean patch with the bat, former India opener Aakash Chopra suggested that Kohli is back among his peers.

"Yours truly also said that he is no longer part of the Fab 4. He is now, by the way. It was about the runs at that time, in that period of two years, but he is back again. Steve Smith has fallen away. Kane Williamson is also going 50-50 but this guy is still there. He was there then also and has returned now," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Despite scoring runs, Kohli failed to score a century in over three years between 2019 and 2022.

Chopra added that Kohli has reignited his career, especially in Test cricket, after a three-year lean patch had raised doubts over his future.

"The way he has made a comeback has made his story even more beautiful. It seemed like things were done and dusted and you came and played a World Cup, and became the Player of the Tournament. You reinvented the wheel once again and reignited that passion," he added.

Kohli has been in sensational form of late. He was the top-scorer in the World Cup last year as India reached the final, only to go down against Australia.

In 11 matches, Kohli amassed 765 runs at an average of 95.62. He also broke Sachin Tendulkar's record of most ODI centuries with his knock in the semi-final against New Zealand.

He has also scored 8,848 runs in 113 Test matches for India at an average of 49.15, while scoring 30 fifties, 29 hundreds and seven double hundreds.

India's squad for first two Tests vs England

Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Avesh Khan

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"Play With His Ego...": Ex-Eng Star's 'Choker' Advice For Dismissing Kohli

Former England cricket team spinner Monty Panesar believes that England cricketers should sledge Virat Kohli and try to 'mentally pinch' him in the upcoming Test series in India starting January 25. India and England will play five Test matches and Kohli is expected to play a huge role in determining the result of the series. In a recent interaction, Panesar said that England bowlers need to play with Kohli's ego and sledge him on the lines of India being 'chokers' when it comes to international competitions.

"Play with his ego and get psychologically stuck into him. They should also say things to him like, you guys are chokers when it comes to the final. They should sledge him on those lines because Stokes has won the ODI and T20 WC and Kohli has not and that is going to mentally pinch him," Panesar told India.com.

When asked about which bowler will be most likely to dismiss Kohli during the series, Panesar picked veteran fast bowler James Anderson for his ability to produce the reverse-swing.

"I think it will be James Anderson and I think it will be the reverse-swing that would get Kohli," he added.

England Test squad: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Tom Hartley, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root and Mark Wood.

Indian Squad for the first two Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, and Avesh Khan.

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"Of Course, He Can": AFG Star On Rinku Taking Dhoni, Yuvraj's Legacy Ahead

Young batter Rinku Singh is emerging as one of the most reliable finishers for Team India. Rinku, who is just 15 matches old in T20I format, has played many marvelous innings and taken Team India across the line on numerous occasions. The biggest example of his talent was seen during the third T20I match against Afghanistan, where he played a crucial 69-runk knock off 39 balls. Recently, Afghanistan wicketkeeper and his Kolkata Knight Riders teammate Rahmanullah Gurbaz made a massive prediction about Rinku's future.

Gurbaz called Rinku a great finisher, who has the ability to carry forward the legacy of the Indian legends like MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh.

"Of course, he can. The way he is going right now is unbelievable. If you see his recent performances in the Indian team, against every side he performs really well. It shows that he is young and he proved that ' I am here for something and not just be in the team and go out'. He is hungry and always working hard, and that's a good thing about him," Gurbaz was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.

"No doubt he is a really good cricketer and a really good finisher. The most important thing in him, whenever he comes to bat he tries to watch the ball. Always a batter is looking to hit. He is a clever cricketer. He is the one who can adjust to the conditions really soon. He can be the next finisher for India and he will be a good cricketer for their team as well," he added.

Earlier, India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin also praised Rinku and called him a left-handed MS Dhoni.

"He is somebody I'd call a left-handed Dhoni. I can't compare him to Dhoni just yet because Dhoni is too big. But, I am talking about the composure that he brings. He has been consistently scoring buckets of runs for UP and broke his way into the Indian team," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

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"Always Talked To Virat, Dhoni About...": AFG Star's Massive Revelation

Afghanistan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz on Friday revealed that he has been taking batting tips from India's batting talisman Virat Kohli and World Cup-winning captain MS Dhoni on how to improve his performance. In the recently concluded three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, Gurbaz notched up 87 runs in 3 innings. In the last T20I, he smashed a half-century in 32 balls and stitched up a 93-run stand with Ibrahim Zadran giving his team a chance to fight back against India.

Speaking to ANI, Gurbaz said, "I always talked to Virat and MS Dhoni about how to improve my cricket. I have a lot of things in my mind and I have to work on it. I was talking to Virat (bhai) about my cricket journey and how should i grow, and reach the next level."

The final T20I saw double Super Over drama as Afghanistan managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat and level India's mammoth total of 212 and push the game to super over. It needed not one but two Super Overs to finally decide the winner of the match on Wednesday.

"It was a good learning for us. This kind of game can happen. We also enjoyed the game and learned a lot from it. Playing against players like Virat and Rohit Sharma gave us a lot of confidence and learning. I hope we get a lot of series against India in future," Gurbaz said.

"We put our all in the World Cup and it was a hard-fought competition. There are some places we need to improve. I hope next time we will not make these kind of mistakes," the Afghanistan opener added.

The 22-year-old Afghanistan batter is currently representing Dubai Capitals in the second edition of the International League T20 - ILT20, starting on Friday.

Gurbaz expressed excitement about playing in the ILT20 and said, " I am excited to play. Really excited about the competition, especially playing in good weather. "

During the time of the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, a video of Gurbaz went viral in which he was seen discreetly distributing money to the less fortunate on the streets of Ahmedabad during Diwali.

Talking about the video Gurbaz said that he wants people to spread humanity and help everyone in need.

"Everyone should help each other. I went outside for a walk at night and saw people sleeping on the road and I just felt so bad for them that I decided to help them with whatever I had. We need to help each other it does not matter where we are from. We need to respect humanity. India and Afghanistan people are like same and we support each other in every situation. I think we should support each other in this kind of situation too. I did not want to share this kind of thing on social media. Someone made this kind of video which is a good message for everyone that help each other," he added.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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"Bit Tricky: Groundsman Explains Making Of India vs Pakistan T20 WC Pitch

Ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Adelaide Oval head groundsman Damien Hough explained on Friday the making of the pitch in New York at Eisenhower Park that would be used for the India-Pakistan match in the extravagant ICC tournament. While speaking to Channel 7, Hough said that the job is a bit tricky. "It's a bit tricky, we basically built six of the 10 trays here in Adelaide. We made them modular. We're really proud of them. We've got a couple out of the back that will probably come out here [on Adelaide Oval] next year," Hough was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.

He confirmed that the pitch in New York's Eisenhower Park is currently in the "grow-in phase".

"We put them in a shipping container and send them really wherever we want around the world. But they've gone over to Florida. And I've just come back from a month of work over there putting the trays together, putting the soil in, compacting them and putting the grass on. So we're in the grow-in phase," he said.

"We've got a business, a company over there called LandTek that are helping us with the grow-in phase. Then there's a couple more strategic trips throughout the next six months to do some work on them and then transport them from Florida all the way up to New York where we'll put them in and prepare them," he added.

Hough accepted that he had never done did process before and "there's a lot of firsts."

"It's a lot of work that's gone into it so far. But the real work starts around the start of May. It'll take two days to transport them up which is quite incredible. Never done that before. So there's a lot of firsts. And then there's getting them in the ground," he said.

While concluding, he added that the high-voltage match between India-Pakistan will also be played there and "which will be amazing."

"Four go into that venue, that pop-up stadium, 34,000-seat stadium. Eight games in 10 days. One of them is Pakistan and India which will be amazing. And then there's six that go into the warm-up venue with so many teams rotating through and so much training," he concluded.

T20 World Cup fixtures that will be hosted in New York: Sri Lanka vs South Africa (June 3), India vs Ireland (June 5), Canada vs Ireland (June 7), Netherlands vs South Africa (June 8), India vs Pakistan (June 9), South Africa vs Bangladesh (June 10), Pakistan vs Canada (June 11), USA vs India (June 12).

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Tata Group Retains IPL Title Sponsorship For Next Five Years: Sources

The Tata Group has retained the title sponsorship rights of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the next five years, sources confirmed to NDTV. The new deal will see Tata continue as the title sponsor of the marquee T20 event until 2028. Tata cracked the deal after matching the figure presented by Aditya Birla by using its Right to Match (RTM) card. One of India's largest business conglomerates, the Tata Group had earlier replaced Chinese mobile manufacturer Vivo as the IPL title sponsor. It was a two-year deal from 2022 to 2023.

Vivo had a deal of Rs 2200 crore for title sponsorship rights of IPL from 2018-2022 but after the 2020 Galwan Valley military face-off between the Indian and Chinese Army soldiers, the brand took a break for a year with Dream11 replacing it in the IPL.

However, Vivo was back as IPL tittle sponsor in 2021 even as speculation raged that the company was looking to transfer the rights to a suitable bidder and the BCCI approved the move.

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Big Shock In Pak Cricket: PCB Chairman Quits, Says 'Not Possible To Work'

In big blow to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), its chairman Zaka Ashraf has stepped down from his role. Ashraf announced his decision to step down after chairing a managing committee meeting in Lahore on Friday. He has taken the PCB chief role from Najam Sethi in June last year. During the committee meeting chaired by Ashraf, he also thanked PCB members and Patron Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar for supporting him during his short tenure.

"At the end of the meeting, Mr Zaka Ashraf announced that he had decided to tender his resignation as chairman and member of the MC to the honourable Patron Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar. In his concluding remarks, Mr Zaka Ashraf, thanked the honourable Patron PCB for the confidence and trust reposed by him and extended his best wishes and prayers for the betterment of Pakistan and Pakistan cricket," PCB said in a statement quoting the former chief.

Meanwhile, a report carried by Geo News had the statement of Ashraf which indicated the reason the ex-chairman decided to quit.

"I was working for the betterment of cricket but it is not possible for us to work in this way," said Ashraf chief as quoted by the news organisation.

"Now it is up to Prime Minister [Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar], whomever he nominates [will take my place]," he added.

The news of Zaka Ashraf's resignation comes a day after Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttick quit their respective positions at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore.

Notably, Pakistan failed to accomplish any big crown since Zaka Ashraf's appointment last year. The team failed to reach for the Asia Cup final and was later knocked out from the league stages in the ODI World Cup in India.

Following the World Cup debacle, Babar Azam stepped down from the captaincy and was succeeded by Shan Masood (Test) and Shaheen Afridi (T20I).

Former captain Mohammad Hafeez was appointed as the Pakistan team director.

(With ANI Inputs)

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Australia vs West Indies 1st Test Day 3 Live Score Updates

Australia vs West Indies 1st Test Day 3 Live Updates: An inspired spell of bowling from Josh Hazlewood and a brilliant attacking century from Travis Head put Australia in complete control of the first Test against the West Indies in Adelaide on Thursday. After Head smashed 119 from 134 balls to take Australia to 283 and a first-innings lead of 95, Hazlewood took four wickets for just two runs at the start of the West Indies second innings to deal a hammer blow to the visitors. At stumps on the second day, the West Indies were 73-6, still 22 runs from making Australia bat again. (LIVE SCORECARD)

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Sri Lanka Rope In Bharat Arun In Advanced Coaching Role

Sri Lanka have roped in former India bowling coach Bharat Arun as part of the board's endeavour to impart advance training to coaches and other support staff in the country. Arun had played a big role in developing India's formidable pace attack along with former head coach Ravi Shastri. "Sri Lanka Cricket decided to obtain the services of some of the best-known talents in international cricket to provide advanced training for local coaches, trainers, and physiotherapists to enhance their skills and competencies by conducting periodic training programs in selected areas," the SLC stated after its executive committee meeting.

Apart from Arun, the SLC has also drafted in former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes, who is now a specialist fielding coach, and Alex Kountouri, a well-known physiotherapist who had earlier worked with the Lankan national team.

The Lankan board is hoping for its suspension to be lifted after International Cricket Council (CEO) Geoff Allardice recently met the country's president Ranil Wickremesinghe and sports minister Harin Fernando.

Recently, Sri Lanka defeated a visiting Zimbabwe side in both ODI and T20I series to begin the new season on a bright note.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"As Long As...": Dravid's Verdict On 'Controversial Run' During Super Over

Playing down the on-field controversy around a moment during the first super over of the pulsating third T20I against Afghanistan at the Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru on Wednesday, India head coach Rahul Dravid called it a "part of the game". India skipper Rohit Sharma was seen remonstrating with an on-field umpire after Afghan all-rounder Mohammed Nabi ran byes off a deflected throw during the first super over of the T20I on Wednesday. That moment was one of many that made the nail-biting contest one for the ages. The hosts, however, survived a mighty scare from the visitors to seal the contest in the second super over and ensure a series sweep. Nabi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz ran byes after Sanju Samson's throw struck the former and deflected off him to the outfield.

Giving his take on the incident, Dravid said, "It is fine. It is part of the game. Sometimes you get frustrated that it happens, but it's fair enough, all part of the game. It hit the non-striker and then it moved and I think that's fine and you can run for those."

Dravid went on to compare the incident with an instance that took place during the first T20I of the series when the hosts picked up a run in a similar situation.

"In the first T20, I think there was an incident where the ball hit the bat of one of our batsmen and we took a run as well. So I think there is nothing to read into it and I don't think nothing in the rules that stops you from actually taking those runs," Dravid said.

"Arguments can happen at the end of tight games. I think when you play for your country, there is so much passion and emotion and I think it is incredible that even in dead rubber games when it gets down to the wire, the competitiveness and passion come out. As long as it doesn't cross the line, and that's why we have match referees to look at these things," Dravid added.

Rohit was quite animated after Afghanistan decided to take a run after the ball struck the player. Even Virat Kohli pointed out that the ball had struck Nabi.

Dravid opined that such a display of emotions was normal and said, "Sometimes a little bit of that passion and emotion is really important. It shows how much the players care."

Coming to the match, Afghanistan managed to match India's 212 with a collective performance. The match went to super over which saw the first one ending on level terms forcing the game to move to the second one.

Rohit's impressive strikes and Ravi Bishnoi's composure with the ball helped India clinch the victory.

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IND vs AFG: What If 2nd Super Over Also Ended In A Tie? Rules Explained

The Indian cricket team had to go through two Super Overs before registering a hard-fought victory over Afghanistan in the third T20I encounter in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Skipper Rohit Sharma's record fifth ton guided them to 212/4 in 20 overs but Afghanistan also ended up scoring 212/6. The first Super Over also saw both teams scoring 16 runs. It was in the second Super Over where the match was decided as India score 11 runs and Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets for just one run to complete a series whitewash.

While the two Super Overs are a rare occurrence in international cricket, a lot of fans were left wondering what would have happened if the second Super Over also ended in a tie. Here's what the rules say -

What if the second Super Over ends in a tie?

The match will go to a third Super Over and the Super Overs will keep happening till a result is achieved. 

How is the batting order decided in Super Overs?

The team that batted second in the match will bat first in the Super Over. In case of more Super Overs, the teams will keep alternating when it comes to the batting order.

Can the teams use the same bowler in multiple Super Overs?

The same bowler cannot bowl in multiple Super Overs. Afghanistan wanted to use Azmatullah Omarzai in the second Super Over as well but were forced to use Fareed Ahmad instead. For India, Mukesh Kumar bowled the first Super Over while Ravi Bishnoi clinched the match in the second.

Can teams use the same batter in multiple Super Overs?

The team can use the same batter in multiple Super Overs if he was not dismissed in the first one.

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India Beat Pakistan To Sensational T20I Feat With Series Win Over AFG

The Indian cricket team made history by completing a 3-0 whitewash in the three-match series against Afghanistan after a hard-fought victory in the third encounter in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The match needed two Super Overs to finally end in India's favour with Rohit Sharma, Rinku Singh and Ravi Bishnoi emerging as the top performers. With this series win, India now have 9 whitewash series wins in T20I cricket - the most by any country in the shortest format of the sport. India were tied at 8 with Pakistan but the victory on Wednesday means that the Rohit Sharma-led side claimed the sensational T20I feat.

India beat Afghanistan in third T20 International after two thrilling super overs.

Chasing 212, Afghanistan too ended with the same score.

India equalled Afghanistan's score of 16 in the first super over to stretch the match, but the visitors could not chase down a target of 12 in the second super over as Rohit Sharma's side picked the required two wickets through Ravi Bishnoi.

Earlier, riding on skipper Rohit Sharma's unbeaten 69-ball 121 and Rinku Singh's 69 off 39 deliveries, India staged a remarkable recovery to post 212 for four after slipping to 22 for four in the fifth over.

In reply, Afghanistan also ended at 212 with Gulbadin Naib hammering a 23-ball 55 to lead his team's stunning comeback.

Fareed Ahmad Malik was the most successful bowler for Afghanistan, ending with excellent figures of 3/20, even as his colleagues were taken to the task by Rohit and Rinku.

With this thrilling victory, India won the series 3-0.

(With PTI inputs)

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Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 Live Updates: Samsung Galaxy S24 Series Launch Expected

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 is set to kick off at 11:30pm tonight and the South Korean tech firm is expected to take the wraps off its flagship phones for this year, the Samsung Galaxy S24 series. Three handsets are expected to arrive as part of the lineup, including the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Gadgets 360 is attending the launch event live and we'll bring you the latest updates as Samsung unveils its most powerful phones to date.

This year, Samsung is expected to equip its smartphones with AI-powered features. Meanwhile, recent reports have suggested that the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the top-of-the-line model, will be powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip in all markets. The South Korean company is also speculated to offer seven years of software support for its smartphones — the company would be offering the same software support window as Google's Pixel 8 series, if the rumours are true.

Stay tuned to Gadgets 360 to find out all the latest updates related to Samsung's next-generation Galaxy S24 series of smartphones during the company's launch event tonight.

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Mercedes-Benz Boasts of In-Car NFT Gallery as Part of MB.OS Revamp

Mercedes, the German luxury carmaker has decided to express its stance on the controversial Web3 sector, in a rather bold and artistic way. In a revamp to its operating system, Mercedes-Benz has decided to include a digital gallery, showing off non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Built on blockchains, NFTs are digital collectibles that hold underlaying values, which makes them a lucrative investment item for members of the Web3 community. NFTs could be inspired by artworks, cartoons, game characters, or even imaginary elements.

During its recent presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the German automaker showcased its next-generation Mercedez-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) that brings changes to its in-car entertainment provisions, Decrypt reported.

As part of these tweaks to its OS, the dashboard of Mercedes-Benz now features a new app called ‘MBUX Collectibles'. Through this app, users of these cars will be able to browse through NFTs linked to the brand. Last year, the car company had dropped its second NXT Icons NFT collection. The 18,860 digital that are collectibles part of this collection, for instance, will be shown as part of the car's NFT gallery.

1/ We are excited to announce our next core collection, Mercedes-Benz NXT Icons, which takes you on a journey through @MercedesBenz's design heritage and features icons from both the past and present. Find out more about this collection in this thread. ↓ pic.twitter.com/6EauPdTBEi

— Mercedes-Benz NXT (@MercedesBenzNXT) August 22, 2023

The first ever NFT collection from Mercedes-Benz debuted in April last year, and it was named ‘Maschine'. NFTs from this series will also be featured in the revamped dashboard. Hoping to connect with a younger generation of customers, the German luxury car brand has been trying to establish itself as a pro-Web3 brand for a while now.

Apart from NFTs, Mercedes-Benz had inked a sponsorship deal with the FTX crypto exchange in September 2021. The partnership automatically fell apart after the FTX exchange collapsed last year and ended up filing for bankruptcy. Not just NFTs and crypto exchanges – the company has also taken into conscience, the use of blockchain in its operations. In 2020, the company piloted a blockchain project to track the amount of CO2 emissions triggered by its cobalt supply chain.

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Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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"Next Target Is To...": Prakhar Chaturvedi After His Record-Breaking 404

Karnataka batter Prakhar Chaturvedi, who made history by becoming the first-ever batter to score over 400 runs in Cooch Behar Trophy final on Monday, expressed his aim to play for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy and hope to continue his form in future. He hit a splendid unbeaten 404 against Mumbai at the KSCA Navule Stadium in Shimoga, Karnataka. Team Karnataka U-19 reaches Bengaluru after winning Cooch Behar Trophy.

"I feel really proud, especially because it came in the finals. Karnataka have never won the Cooch Behar Trophy before and scoring more than 400 runs in the final against Mumbai, who have won this trophy quite a few times, this feels really great. I still can't believe it and can't express my joy in words," Prakhar told ANI.

He also broke India's former star batter Yuvraj Singh's long-standing 24-year-old record of 358, the previous highest individual score in the tournament final. Prakhar stated that beating Yuvraj Singh's record feels surreal to him, and accomplishing this milestone is beyond words for him.

"Feels great but hopefully, in the future, I will be able to play in the same way constantly for Karnataka. Whenever I represent Karnataka I will put in my 100 per cent effort and hopefully, the result will fall in place," Prakhar stated.

"Next target is to represent Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy and perform well over there. Hopefully, we will win the Ranji Trophy one day. I think this is the best team that Karnataka has ever gotten at the U19 level," he added.

Hoping to continue his blistering performance in future too, Prakhar said, "My parents were really happy.... not only parents even the coaches and friends everybody are really happy. And we are hoping that this continues in the future. I will give my best wherever I play."

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Australia vs West Indies, 1st Test Day 1 Live Score Updates

Australia vs West Indies, 1st Test: Live Updates: Australia will be squaring off against West Indies in the first Test of the two-match series on Wednesday in Adelaide. Pat Cummins confirmed the return of Cameron Green to the side that has been rearranged after David Warner retired from the longest format. Steve Smith will play the role of an opener in Test cricket for the Aussies. Meanwhile, West Indies have announced that they will bring in three debutants. (Live Scorecard)

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Watch: Virat Kohli's Reaction As Dube Tonks 3 Back-To-Back Sixes

With the T20 World Cup set to be held later this year in June, all-rounder Shivam Dube has boosted the hopes of his selection in India's squad for the marquee event. With all-rounder and vice-captain Hardik Pandya nursing an ankle injury since October last year, Dube's resurgence as a fast-bowling all-rounder has proved to be a blessing for India. In the ongoing T20I series, Dube has scored back-to-back half-centuries in the first two matches, also picking up two wickets in the process.

Dube has notched up unbeaten scores of 60 and 63, respectively, striking over 150 in both matches.

During the second T20I on Sunday, Dube entertained the crowd and his teammates by smashing three sixes on the trot in the 10th over of India's chase. Virat Kohli was also impressed by the show put on by Dube.

Up, Up and Away!

Three consecutive monstrous SIXES from Shivam Dube #INDvAFG @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/3y40S3ctUW

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 14, 2024

On way to his an unbeaten 63 off 32 balls in the second T20I here on Sunday, Dube smashed four towering sixes and five fours, as India chased down a target of 173 with as many as 26 balls to spare.

On how hard it is to think only about the present and not about the forthcoming T20 World Cup, Dube said, "In the past I have thought a lot about the future. But I have realised that I got to focus on the present. I have to focus on how to improve my skills, so that's more important to me. I just try to keep myself grounded and try to focus on what I have to do." In stark contrast to his penchant to toy with the spinners, 30-year-old Dube has often looked vulnerable against the short deliveries bowled at good pace. He admitted that the standard of fast bowlers in the IPL is much better than in domestic cricket.

On the amount of work that has gone into improving his game against short balls, Dube said, "I have worked a lot on it. When I was playing domestic cricket, I was able to dominate all the bowlers, but when it came to IPL and Indian cricket it was not easy as bowlers were bowling over 140km/hr." "I worked a lot with side arms, but it is more about the mindset which I worked." Dube had a poor start for India's white-ball team against Bangladesh more than four years ago.

Asked about the methods he has employed that's resulted in a significant improvement, he said, "This credit goes to Chennai Super Kings and Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) because I always had this game in me." "They have brought out the best in me. They have always encouraged me and said that they believe in me. Stephen Fleming and Mike Hussey have shown faith in me." Speaking about his mindset as a finisher, the Mumbai all-rounder said, "As a middle-order batsman, my role is to take on spinners and improve the strike rate. But when it is like getting 20-25 runs, I focus on that." "What I have seen Mahi bhai do for a long time, I am working in that direction. I have to keep myself calm and composed and just focus on one ball at a time.

(With PTI Inputs)

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"Nearly Vomited": Ex-Australia Captain On Smith's Elevation As Test Opener

Former Australia captain Kim Hughes has hit out at the team management for elevating star batter Steve Smith to the opener's role following David Warner's Test retirement. Warner played his last Test earlier this month against Pakistan in Sydney as Australia swept the series 3-0. While Western Australia's Cameron Bancroft made a strong case for himself to replace Warner, the Australian team management announced that Smith will be opening the innings with Usman Khawaja, starting with a two-match series against West Indies later this week.

On Smith's elevation as opener, Hughes revealed that he almost "vomited" upon hearing the latest development. The former Aussie skipper took shots at the selection committee for ignoring Bancroft, who is in the form of his life," Hughes told WA Sports Talk, as quoted by Sports ABC.

"I nearly vomited. I've got no doubts in my mind that if Cameron Bancroft played for New South Wales, he'd be in the Test side. He is in his prime."

Earlier, despite calling Smith a superstar, Hughes feels the batter has struggled in recent times, and should stick to his normal batting order -- No. 4.

"Touch this, do this, do that [imitates Smith]... never want to leave when I am given out. He's like a petulant kid. Smith is struggling at the moment. He's been an absolute superstar, but as an opener, he is no more opener than me opening the bowling. He needs to stay at No.4, get his mojo back if you like, without all the fluff," he had told 10 News First.

Hughes also highlighted the importance of rewarding players performing in Sheffield Shield -- Australia's premiere four-day red-ball tournament.

"I think the other, and a very important thing is, you must reward those that are performing well, and our Sheffield Shield competition - yes it is not as strong as it used to be when he had our Test players playing in it - it is still the competition from which you can have a look and see who is playing well. I just think get Bancroft in there, it also sends a message to the Shield players that if you perform, you'll get picked. You may as well go and play marbles - it would be just shattering," he added.

Bancroft was the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield last season with 512 runs in six matches, averaging more than 56.

He and Smith were penalised alongside Warner in 2018 for player their part in a ball-tampering scandal.

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Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2024: Top Deals on Gaming Laptops

The Amazon Great Republic Day sale is now live, offering deep discounts on a wide range of products. The sale began January 13 for all Amazon customers and will go on till January 18. The Amazon sale brings lucrative deals on smartphones, tablets, ACs, laptops, PC accessories, refrigerators, Amazon devices and more. Additionally, the e-commerce website is also providing bank offers on top of the discounted sale prices. The sale brings some interesting offers for gamers as well, with discounts on gaming consoles, games, gaming accessories and gaming laptops. We've already covered the best deals on gaming laptops under Rs. 1 lakh. Here, we'll look at the best overall deals on gaming laptops.

It's worth noting that interested shoppers can also avail additional bank offers and discounts over the sale prices. SBI card holders are being offered an instant discount of 10 percent up to Rs. 3,000 on EMI or credit transactions. Amazon Pay ICICI credit card users, too, can get welcome points and a cashback of up to five percent. Select products in the sale are also eligible for exchange offers and no-cost EMI payment options.

The Amazon Great Republic Day sale is offering deals on gaming laptops from top brands like HP, Asus, MSI, Dell, Acer and more. The HP Omen 16 gamming laptop with AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor and 8GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU can be picked up for Rs. 1,08,990, down from its retail price if Rs. 1,50,286. The ASUS ROG Strix G17, on the other hand, is available for a discounted price of Rs. 79,990 after a 30 percent price cut.

Here are our picks for the best deals on gaming laptops in the ongoing Amazon sale:

Product	MRP	Deal Price
HP Omen 16	Rs. 1,50,286	Rs. 1,08,990
Asus ROG Strix G17	Rs. 1,13,990	Rs. 79,990
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14	Rs. 2,09,990	Rs. 1,39,990
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16	Rs. 1,48,999	Rs. 1,14,990
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro	Rs. 2,02,890	Rs. 1,04,990
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3	Rs. 77,990	Rs. 47,990
Acer Aspire 5	Rs. 84,999	Rs. 52,990

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From the launch of the Infinix GT 10 Pro to Amazon's latest mega-sale, we discuss the most noteworthy technology news events of the week on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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"What Mental Fatigue Can You Have?": Ex-Pak Star Questions Ishan Kishan

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has questioned India youngster Ishan Kishan's decision to take a break from the sport, citing mental fatigue. Kishan had pulled himself out of the India squad for the Test series against South Africa in December 2023. The wicketkeeper-batter was then ignored for the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan. Speaking on the issue, India head coach Rahul Dravid said that the player did not make himself available for selection, and will now have to play domestic cricket to get back into the side.

Kishan also did not find a place in India's squad for the first two Tests against England, with KS Bharat and youngster Dhruv Jurel part of the squad as the wicketkeepers.

Akmal slammed Kishan for taking a break so early in his career, and highlighted how veterans like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah also face the same amount of mental fatigue.

"There has been talk about Ishan Kishan being released from the Test squad in South Africa to deal with mental fatigue. At this early stage of your career, what mental fatigue can you have? In this team, there are the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, who also deal with fatigue. They play the IPL, international matches, including Test matches. Have never heard of players taking a break due to this reason," Akmal said on his YouTube channel.

Akmal further stated that Kishan's decision to take rest is "beyond his understanding', adding that young players shouldn't make such demands so early in their careers.

"You are saving yourself for two months of IPL. Playing in the Indian team is a big thing and this excuse is beyond my understanding. I think the selection committee has done a good job by keeping Ishan Kishan away from this team. Let him rest for now and then playing domestic cricket. This should be a message to players that they cannot ask for rest whenever they want due to mental fatigue. This is national duty, you cannot ask for rest just like that," he added.

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Man Hugs Virat Kohli During Match, Detained For Security Breach

After a hiatus of more than 14 months, Team India's talisman batter Virat Kohli was back in T20I colours on Sunday, playing a handy knock to help his team beat Afghanistan in the second T20I in Indore. The crowd inside the Holkar Stadium gave a special ovation to Kohli everytime he touched the ball or collected a boundary. While no one has ever doubted Kohli's intent and desire while batting, the former India captain came out to bat with a different mindset as India blew away Afghanistan in a rather chilly evening in Indore.

Striking at 181.25, Kohli raced his way to 29 off just 15 balls before a mistimed shot ended his innings prematurely. He cracked five fours during his stay in the middle before being caught at mid-off.

While fans were chanting his name throughout the game, a fan seized his opportunity to meet Kohli as he ran inside the outfield while Kohli was fielding near the boundary.

The fan hugged Kohli and the star batter made his day by embracing him too. Pictures of the same moment has gone viral on social media. The incident happened in the 18th over.

A Fan Hug Virat Kohli

The GOAT THE KING KOHLI #ViratKohli | #INDvsAFG | #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/Ag0pqsnBZv

— Muhammad Ibrar (@iMIbrarr) January 14, 2024

Everything is temporary but King Kohli Hug is Permanent#PAKvsNZ #INDvsAFG pic.twitter.com/75PWeWefHb

— Ahtasham Riaz (@AhtashamRiaz_) January 14, 2024

However, the fan was detained for breaching security arrangements.

After detaining him, cops took the young man to Tukoganj police station.

A police official said that the youth had a ticket for the match and entered the Holkar Stadium from Narendra Hirwani Gate.

He said that the young man seemed to be a big Kohli fan and entered the ground by climbing the fence of the spectators' gallery with the desire to meet the player.

The officer said that the youth was being interrogated.

Further steps will be taken in the case on the basis of interrogation, the official said.

(With PTI Inputs)

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'Selectors Didn't Take Me Seriously': Smith On His Idea To Replace Warner

Star Australia batter Steve Smith opined that his team did not take him seriously when he told them that he wanted to move to the top of the batting order after David Warner's retirement. Smith said today that looking at himself as an opener for the first time in a 13-year Test career first came to his mind while playing against England during last year's Ashes series when Warner first gave signs of his potential retirement from the longest format of the game.

However, it wasn't until the team landed in Perth for the start of the NRMA Insurance Series against Pakistan last month that the 34-year-old proposed his concept to the national selection committee, which included men's team coach Andrew McDonald.

"I'd been pushing it for a few weeks, even before Perth and I might have even floated it in England randomly and said I'm happy to play up top," cricket.com.au. quoted Smith as saying.

His comments came today prior to his first Test training session before the West Indies Test series.

"In Perth I said 'after Davey's done I'm actually keen to get up there' and I don't think they (selectors) took me seriously until I got to Sydney (for the pink Test against Pakistan) and said 'you know I'm actually being genuine here'," the right-hand batter added.

"I'd be keen to get up top and face the new ball and they were like 'we'll take that under advisement and see how it all looks'. They were obviously very keen to get Cameron (Green) in the side as well and play our best six batters, and for me it didn't sit right to have him come in and bat up top. I've played for a long time and I'm an experienced player, and I think it's something I should have done," the Sydney-born cricketer concluded.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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"There has To Be...": Kallis' No Nonsense Take Virat, Rohit's T20I Return

Legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis on Friday expressed his take on star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to the Indian T20I side more than a year ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in June, saying that there has to be a balance between youth and experience. Virat and Rohit have finally made their return to T20Is during the ongoing three-match series against Afghanistan. It marks their first appearance in a short format following a crushing ten-wicket loss to England in the semifinals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

While Rohit played the first game in which he was run out for a duck, Virat will return to play the remaining two matches after missing the first one in Mohali due to personal reasons.

"I think there has to be a balance between the two. It depends on how you want to go in the tournament and what your game plans are. Experience has a big role for sure," Kallis said while speaking to ANI.

On the recently-concluded India-South Africa multi-format series, which saw Men in Blue win the T20I and ODI series and draw the Test leg of it, Kallis said, "It was a great series, a tough one. Two great sides and they gave their best."

However, he expressed his disappointment with the pitch used for the second Test in Cape Town, which ended in just two days with 642 balls being bowled, making it the shortest Test ever.

"It is sad that it went that way. You want two quality sides to playing on a good surface. A little disappointing but both sides had to play on that surface and India outplayed SA on a tough surface," said Kallis.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday gave an "unsatisfactory" rating to the Newlands pitch in Cape Town following a low-scoring second Test between India and South Africa.

On the SA20 serving as a platform for players to earn a spot in the national T20I side for the World Cup, Kallis said, "It (T20 WC) is a big tournament for a lot of guys. They are putting their hands up and getting their spots on the SA side, as well as learning from other international players."

Kallis expressed that it was great that some matches of the T20 World Cup are being played in the USA to promote the game.

"It is good that the game is growing and every time we go to new countries. Hopefully, America catches up with the game," he said.

On his association with Pretoria Capitals during the SA20 season two as an assistant coach, the great all-rounder said, "It has been good fun so far. We had a good camp leading up to the first game. Unfortunately, today did not go well (loss to Paarl Royals), but that's how things are. But we have had good fun and I think that's what the tournament is all about, is having fun and hopefully having a good tournament."

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Hardik-Rohit Ego Clash Over MI Captaincy? Yuvi Says "If They've Issue..."

Hardik Pandya is set to captain five-time Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians in the upcoming season. He has replaced Rohit Sharma in the role. It is worth noting that Rohit-led Mumbai to the title on five occasions in the past and in IPL 2024, he will be playing under the leadership of Hardik. On any potential ego clash between the two players, former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh said: "When players play together these things happen. If they have an issue they should definitely sit and talk about it."

"Rohit has always been very instrumental in getting the best out of Hardik whenever he has played for Mumbai Indians, especially in terms of his bowling to manage his workload.

"Hardik has always been always good with the bat at death. Batting at 4 for Gujarat, he batted like a batter."

Pandya has been missing in action since suffering an ankle injury during the Cricket World Cup 2023. He was ruled out of the world event after he got injured during the match against Bangladesh and although he has shown great recovery, he was rested for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.

Ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, Pandya completed a sensational move to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans and he was appointed the captain of the franchise for the upcoming season. The all-rounder replaced India skipper Rohit who had led Mumbai Indians in IPL for the past 10 seasons.

In 31 matches for Gujarat Titans from 2022 to 2023, Pandya scored 833 runs at an average of 37.86 and a strike rate of over 133, with six half-centuries and a best score of 87 not out. He also had 11 wickets for the team, with the best figures of 3 for 17.

Pandya also played 92 matches for MI from 2015-2021, scoring 1,476 runs at an average of 27.33 at a strike rate of over 153, with four half-centuries and best score of 91. He also took 42 wickets for the team, with the best bowling figures of 3 for 20.

Pandya has won five IPL trophies - four with MI (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020) and one with GT (2022).

(With ANI inputs)

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Ranji: Prabhudessai's Unbeaten Century Puts Goa In Command vs Chandigarh

Goa opener Suyash Prabhudessai remained unbeaten on 124 as the hosts were in command with 267/3 on the opening day their Ranji Group C match in Porvorim on Friday. Opting to bat, the Goans were off to a decent start, with Prabhudessai and Ishaan Gadekar (45) putting on a 79-run opening stand before the latter was knocked over by pacer Arpit Pannu. Prabhudessai then joined forces with Krishnamurthy Siddharth (77) and built a strong 149-run partnership for the second wicket, strengthening the Goa innings.

The stand was eventually disturbed by Raj Bawa.

In another Group C fixture in Ahmedabad, Gujarat folded for 264 against Karnataka with Vasuki Koushik's returning with 4/49.

Put in, Gujarat were off to a shaky start and were reeling at 45 for four before Kshitij Patel (95) and Umang Kumar (72) tailored a healthy 157-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Eventually, Vijaykumar Vyshak got rid of Kshitij at 202, quickly followed by Umang six runs later before they were bundled out at 264.

In Chandigarh, Railways finished day one on 118 for three against Punjab, thanks to Pratham Singh's unbeaten 50.

Play could only be started after lunch due to bad light.

For Punjab, Baltej Singh, Siddarth Kaul and Abhinav Sharma grabbed a wicket each, while Sanvir Singh put up a tidy show.

Bad light rendered no opening day's proceedings in Tripura home match against Tamil Nadu at Agartala.

Brief Scores In Porvorim: Goa 267/3; 90 overs (Suyash Prabhudessai 124 batting, Krishnamurthy Siddharth 77; Raj Bawa 1/36) versus Chandigarh.

In Ahmedabad: Gujarat 264; 88 overs (Kshitij Patel 95, Umang Kumar 72; Vasuki Koushik 4/49) versus Karnataka.

In Chandigarh: Railways 118/3; 34 overs (Pratham Singh 50 batting; Baltej Singh 1/26) versus Punjab.

In Agartala: Tripura versus Tamil Nadu - No play.

Group D

Veteran left-arm spinner Sagar Udeshi sizzled with a seven-wicket haul as Puducherry dismissed Baroda for 218 and then reached 54 for 3 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Group D match in       Vadodara on Friday. Opting to bat, Baroda made a solid start with openers Jyotsnil Singh (51) and Kinit Patel (44) forging a 93-run partnership but Udeshi (7/82) then spun his web around the opposition batters to leave them gasping for breath in one of the best spells of his career.

The 37-year-old from Maharashtra completely derailed Baroda's innings as he dismissed both the openers in the 29th and 31st overs, before getting rid of Abhimanyu Singh (5) and trapping skipper Vishnu Solanki (18) as the hosts lost half their side in 55th over.

Mitesh Patel (0), Atit Sheth (1) and Ninad Rathva (31) were next in line as wickets fell like nine pins with Udeshi dismantling their opposition.

Mahesh Pithiya then hit a counter-attacking 37-ball 30 with five fours to take Baroda past the 200-mark.

In reply, Puducherry lost both their openers in quick succession with Bhargav Bhatt (2/24) claiming both the wickets.

Paras Dogra (11) too was cleaned up by Ninad rathva (1/4).

At the draw of stumps, Paras Ratnaparkhe (13 not out) and Udeshi (0 not out) were at the crease with Puducherry trailing by 164 runs.

Tare slams 100, Uttarakhand 229/9 vs HP 

At Dharamsala, Aditya Tare compiled a well-deserving 100 to steer Uttarakhand to 229 for nine against Himachal Pradesh on the opening day.

Sent in to bat, Tare hit 14 boundaries and a six during his 145-ball innings but rest of the Uttarakhand batters cut a sorry figure with just Kunal Chandela (26), Swapnil Singh (19) and Akash Madhwal (16) reaching doubles figures.

Vaibhav Arora (3/34) and Abhishek Kumar (3/44) took three wickets each, while Rishi Dhawan (2/35) picked up two and Arpit Guleria (1/21) accounted for one wicket for Himachal.

In Indore, Subhranshu Senapati (87 not out) and Rajesh Dhuper (51) smashed half-centuries as Odisha reached 208 for six in 85.3 overs against Madhya Pradesh at stumps on day one.

Put in, Odisha found themselves in a spot of bother after being reduced to 38 for four in 21.1 overs.

But Senapati and Dhuper resurrected the innings with an 118-run fifth wicket stand.

At stumps, Suryakant Pradhan was giving company to Senapati.

Brief Scores: Baroda 1st innings: 218 allout in 69.5 overs (Jyotsnil Singh 51; Sagar Udeshi 7/82) vs Puducherry 1st innings 54/3 in 18 overs (Jay Pande 20; Bhargav Bhat 2/24).

Uttarakhand 229/9 in 76 overs (Aditya Tare 100; Vaibhav Arora 3/34) against Himachal Pradesh.

Odisha 208/6 in 85.3 overs (Subhranshu Senapati 87 not out; venkatesh Iyer 2/25) against Madhya Pradesh.

Delhi 0-0 in 1 overs against Jammu and Kashmir as bad light suspends play.

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All-Round Dube Helps India Freeze Out Afghanistan In Chilly T20I Opener

All-rounder Shivam Dube defied bitterly cold weather to hit an unbeaten half-century and take one wicket as India eased to a comfortable win over Afghanistan in the first Twenty20 international on Thursday. Dube, a left-handed batsman, made 60 off 40 balls for his second T20 fifty as India chased down their victory target of 159 with 15 balls and six wickets to spare at Mohali. India lead the three-match series 1-0 as they prepare for the T20 World Cup in June. India's bowlers led by spinner Axar Patel restricted Afghanistan to 158-5 despite an attacking 42 by Mohammad Nabi on a chilly winter evening.

Temperatures plummeted to just nine degrees (48 Fahrenheit) in the northern city where summer heat can soar to a scorching 40-plus degrees.

Some players were seen using hand warmers to keep out the bone-jarring chill.

"It was extremely cold to be honest," returning skipper Rohit Sharma, who was run out for a duck after a mix up with Shubman Gill, said after the win.

He added: "There were a lot of positives, especially with the ball. Wasn't the easiest of conditions but our spinners bowled particularly well."

Axar and fast bowler Mukesh Kumar took two wickets each while Dube returned figures of 1-9 from his two overs of medium-pace bowling.

But it was his batting that made the difference as he steered the chase with key partnerships including a 45-run stand with Jitesh Sharma, who made 31, and an unbeaten 42 with Rinku Singh, 16 not out.

The 30-year-old Dube won the game with a six and four and was named man of the match.

Rohit returned to lead India after over a year's absence in the T20 format and elected to field first.

Afghanistan skipper Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz put on 50 for the opening wicket before the Indian bowlers hit back with Axar returning figures of 2-23.

Axar, a left-arm spinner, had Gurbaz stumped for 23 and Zadran fell to Dube, who had earlier dropped the skipper on one, on 25.

Rahmat Shah had a forgettable debut after he was bowled by Axar for three but Nabi came in to steady the innings and then launch an attack with Omarzai.

Kumar cut short Omarzai's innings on 29. Nabi smashed three sixes and two fours in his 27-ball knock before falling to Kumar.

"We were quite lazy with the fielding today," Zadran said. "We will try to improve batting as well. Bowling we have no issue. Will focus on what we did wrong today."

India's Virat Kohli missed the game due to "personal reasons" while Afghanistan spin king Rashid Khan remains out of the series as he recovers from a back surgery.

The second match is in Indore on Sunday.

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