After five successive wins in conditions that weaponised their bowlers and masked their limitations with the bat,Gujarat Titans [GT] found their kryptonite at Eden Gardens. In near-perfect batting conditions, Kilkata Knight Riders [KKR] ran away to 247 for 2, the highest total anyone has ever scored against GT.

Finn Allen set the tone, hitting 10 sixes in 35 balls on his way to an awe-inspiring 93, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Cameron Green carried the baton with impressive unbeaten half-centuries. GT had their chances to minimise the punishment they took, but they put down four mostly straightforward catches, including two off Allen.

Everything needed to go right for GT to be able to get to 248; the highest target they had previously chased down was 204. But after a frenetic start in which they rushed to 42 for no loss in three overs, they simply couldn’t keep up with the required rate.

B Sai Sudarshan, who provided much of that early impetus, retired hurt after taking a blow to the elbow, and returned to bat in the 17th over. In between Shubman Gill and Joss Buttler scored half-centuries and put on a 128-run stand for the third wicket. But by the time Sai Sudharsan returned, the match was done and dusted, with GT needing an absurd 71 off 22 balls.

A Canadian who sailed on the cruise ship MV Hondius which was hit by a hantavirus outbreak in April has tested positive for the disease, officials in the province of British Columbia say.

The individual, one of four people isolating on Vancouver Island after leaving the ship, had developed mild symptoms.

The province’s senior health officer said the four had not had any contact with the public since arriving in Canada.

The case brings the total number of infections to 11, all among cruise passengers. Three people who travelled on the ship have died, with two confirmed to have had the virus.

British Columbia health officer Bonnie Henry said the person’s test came back as a presumptive positive on Friday, meaning that it still remains to be confirmed by a national microbiology lab.

“Clearly, this is not what we hoped for, but it is what we planned for,” she said, quoted by national broadcaster CBC.

“I want to emphasise that hantavirus is a very different virus than the other respiratory viruses that we’ve been dealing with – like Covid, like influenza, like measles – and it remains one that we do not consider to have pandemic potential,” Dr Henry added.

Of the six Canadians who were on the Dutch ship, two are self-isolating at their home in Ontario.

Two more couples are isolating on Vancouver Island, one from British Columbia and the other from Yukon. The person who tested positive is from Yukon.

None of the other five have tested positive so far.

[BBC]

Taiwan has insisted it is a sovereign, independent nation, after US President Donald Trump cautioned it against formally declaring independence from China.

Trump’s remarks came after a two-day summit in Beijing, after which he said he had “made no commitment either way” about the self-governing island – which China claims as part of its territory and has not ruled out taking by force.

After talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump also said he would soon decide whether to approve an $11bn package of weapons to be sold to Taiwan.

The US administration is bound by law to provide Taiwan with a means of self-defence, but has frequently had to square this alliance with maintaining a diplomatic relationship with China.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has previously stated that Taiwan does not need to declare formal independence because it already sees itself as a sovereign nation.

On Saturday, presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said it was “self-evident” that Taiwan was “a sovereign, independent democratic country”.

She added, however, that Taiwan was committed to maintaining the status quo with China – in which Taiwan neither declares independence from China nor unites with it.

Many Taiwanese consider themselves to be part of a separate nation, though most are in favour of maintaining their current status.

Washington’s established position is that it does not support Taiwanese independence, with continued ties with Beijing being contingent on its acceptance that there is only one Chinese government.

[BBC]