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Ireland seal Group B semi-final spot with resounding win over Vanuatu, Thailand’s comprehensive victory over USA keeps them in contention for Group A semi-final
A stellar, all-round performance by Ireland, saw them book their place in the Group B semi-final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, with an unequivocal win over Vanuatu under the Tolerance Oval lights. In the second match at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Thailand overwhelmed the United States of America (USA) to further improve their chances of making it to the Group A semi-finals.
Both Ireland and Thailand secured remarkable, nine-wicket victories, setting them apart in their respective groups. Ireland’s was their third, consecutive win in the tournament so far, placing them firmly in the lead of Group B.
In Group A, Thailand have bounced back superbly from their tournament-opening defeat against Sri Lanka with this second successive win, and now aim to beat Scotland in their final group fixture on Friday, a match that will decide who will join Sri Lanka in the semi-finals from Group A.
Vanuatu vs Ireland
Vanuatu were asked to bat first by Ireland and were in a reasonable position, at 58 for 1 in 11.2 overs, before losing the wicket of their top scorer for the night, Valenta Langiatu (27 off 31, four fours).
Langiatu’s wicket derailed their efforts with the bat as the middle and lower orders succumbed to Ireland’s disciplined bowling. Other than the 49-run, second-wicket stand between Langiatu and Nasimana Navaika (19), Vanuatu had little to show with the bat as wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals.
Amid the constant loss of wickets, the Vanuatu batters failed to make runs at a the rate they needed to. Twenty runs were added in the last six overs, with only a single boundary hit, a total of six wickets were lost in that period, going from 68/3 (14 overs), Vanuatu staggered to finish their innings at 88 for nine.
Eimear Richardson produced a brilliant bowling spell, her off-breaks earning her three wickets for eight runs in four overs, she was later named Player of the Match for her efforts. Captain, Laura Delany and Arlene Kelly took two wickets each.
In reply, the prolific Irish opening pair of Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter provided their side an 82-run stand, following their match-winning, 130-run partnership in the win against Zimbabwe over the weekend. Today, Lewis scored 45 from 36 balls with the help of eight fours.
Hunter remained unbeaten on a run-a-ball 34 which included two fours. The pair are now at the top of the tournament’s run-scorers list. Lewis has a tally of 141 runs from three innings at an average of 47 – the most runs in the tournament – while Hunter is in second place with 130 runs in three innings at 65 runs an innings.
Thailand vs USA
For the second, consecutive match, Thailand’s bowlers proved their captain’s decision to bowl first, right. USA’s batters remained on the back foot through out their innings. The start was disastrous, seeing opener, Disha Dhingra bowled for a first ball duck by Chanida Sutthiruang. None of the top, middle or lower order batters made an impression as Thailand bowlers made regular inroads.
USA had crashed to 36 for nine in 10.5 overs when Saanvi Immadi joined Isani Vaghela. The two absorbed the pressure in the initial stages of their partnership, with Immadi blocking her end with three off 25. She eventually fell to Suleeporn Laomi. Before her dismissal, Immadi helped Vaghela take the team past the 50-run mark. The 18-run, final-wicket stand was the best partnership of the innings. Vaghela top-scored for her side with 15 not out.
Left-arm spinner and Player of the Match, Thipatcha Putthawong, was the pick of the bowlers for Thailand with four wickets for 12 runs in four overs. Onnicha Kamchomphu and Chanida Sutthiruang took two wickets apiece.
In reply, Thailand lost opener Nattaya Boochatham to the first ball of the innings, Geetika Kodali going through her defences. Wicketkeeper-batter, Nannapat Koncharoenkai and captain Naruemol Chaiwai then batted with renewed focus and responsibility, ensuring that their team reached its target without any further damage.
Koncharoenkai hit five fours in her undefeated 26-ball 31. Chaiwai provided a steady hand, scoring 19 from 30 balls (two fours). Thailand chased down the target in 9.2 overs.
Scores in brief:
Match 15:
Ireland beat Vanuatu by nine wickets
Vanuatu 88 for 9 in 20 overs (Valenta Langiatu 27, Nasimana Navaika 19; Eimear Richardson 3-8, Laura Delany 2-10, Arlene Kelly 2-15)
Ireland 89 for 1 in 12.3 overs (Gaby Lewis 45, Amy Hunter 34 not out; Nasimana Navaika 1-12)
Player of the Match – Eimear Richardson
Match 16:
Thailand beat USA by nine wickets
USA 54 all out in17.5 overs (Isani Vaghela 15 not out, Pooja Ganesh 13; Thipatcha Putthawong 4-12, Onnicha Kamchomphu 2-4, Chanida Sutthiruang 2-15)
Thailand 56 for 1 in 9.2 overs (Nannapat Koncharoenkai 31 not out, Naruemol Chaiwai 19 not out; Geetika Kodali 1-13)
Player of the Match – Thipatcha Putthawong
(ICC)
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IPL 2025: Harshal, Kamindu lead Sunrisers Hyderabad to their first win against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai
A three-pronged performance from Kamindu Mendis and Harshal Patel’s use of the middle of the pitch led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to win their first-ever match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Chennai, a win SRH will hope revives a faltering campaign.
Dewald Brevis, on his CSK debut, and Ayush Mhatre, the youngest CSK player ever in only his second innings, threatened to inject some freshness into a stale CSK campaign, but the 154 they took CSK to was not enough to avoid their fourth loss at home in IPL 2025 even though they did give SRH a scare on the dry pitch.
In the kind of slugfest you expect of lowly-placed sides on a tricky surface, the batters overcame the conditions only in small pockets despite heavy dew for considerable duration of the game.
Brevis looked every bit the player that earned the nickname ‘Baby AB’, but his threatening innings was cut short on 42 off 25 balls by arguably the catch of this IPL by Kamindu, who had earlier wowed us again with his ambidextrous spin. CSK mounted a spirited defence, but Kamindu calmed SRH with his unbeaten 32 off 22 to see them home.
Despite a first-ball wicket for Mohammed Shami, the 17-year-old Mhatre continued to display his quality through good intent and efficient hitting through the off side. He hit six fours in the first four overs to take CSK to 37 for 1, but now SRH began to dig the ball in and started to make both him and Sam Curran hit into the leg side.
Harshal was the bowler to kickstart the plan. Mhatre nearly holed out to deep midwicket before Curran actually did so. In the next over, Mhatre drilled Pat Cummins straight into the lap of mid-off. At 50 for 3, CSK edged past only their fourth powerplay of 50 or more in nine games.
Brought in in place of Rachin Ravindra, Brevis immediately looked a notch above the other batters in the match. Even as the placeholder No. 4 Ravindra Jadeja struggled to get any fluency, Brevis took down Kamindu, who had bowled the first two overs for no boundaries and took the wicket of Jadeja. On a dry pitch with enough grip in it, Kamindu made no mistake but Brevis still hit three sixes in his one over, the 12th. He then cut a slower bouncer from Harshal for a six off extra cover.
This is when Brevis looked to hit a second six off Harshal. The ball was in the slot too. He got a good part of it but not quite the elevation. Kamindu, however, was too far in off the long-off fence, so it looked like he would be beaten but he flew to his left, went with two hands at this missile, and came up with the ball in his right hand.
After Brevis’ wicket, SRH turned the screws right in. Cummins bowled overs 16 and 18 for no boundary, hitting a Test-match hard length and beating the bat with some away movement. SRH kept chipping at the wickets, including M S Dhoni caressing Harshal to backward point. There was no finishing kick.
If Shami took a wicket first ball, Khaleel Ahmed took one second ball, reaching eight powerplay wickets this IPL, joint highest along with Mohammed Siraj. Anshul Kamboj, preferred to R Ashwin for this match, then bowled successfully to a difficult plan: a 6-3 off-side field with two mid-offs. He had Travis Head repeatedly playing across the line to straight balls, hitting the pad twice and then the top of off.
Ishan Kishan fought his way past 17 for the first time since the hundred in SRH’s first match, but it was an innings that hovered around a run a ball for a long time. Heinrich Klassen, promoted ahead of Nitish Kumar Reddy who would eventually bat at No. 7, felt obliged to take a risk and got out to Jadeja to make it 54 for 3 in 8.1 overs.
With enough in the pitch for them, the CSK spinners continued to stifle Kishan and Aniket Verma. Just when Kishan looked like he could break free, Curran took a special catch at deep midwicket to send him back for 44 off 34. Verma swung a lot, hit two sixes, but became Noor Ahmad’s second wicket for 19 off 19, leaving 49 required in 6.1 overs.
The two overseas bowlers of CSK, Matheesha Pathirana and Noor, were generous with extras but it was more Kamindu’s assured sweeping that sent signals of calm to the SRH camp. It was actually a credit to the CSK bowling that they took the game so deep because even the changed ball was now wet and flying across the outfield.
Kamindu and Reddy didn’t have to do anything fancy in their unbeaten 49-run stand in under five overs. They didn’t try to hit a single six. Extras helped but they also timed the ball well. They got to their first away win of this season with eight balls to spare.
Brief scores:
Sunrisers Hyderabad 155 for 5 in 18.4 over (Ishan Kishan 44, Kamindu Mendis 32*, Travis Head 19, Aniket Verma 19, Nitish Kumar Reddy 19*; Khaleel Ahmed 1-21, Anshul Kamboj 1-16, Noor Ahmad 2-42, Ravindra Jadeja 1-22) beat Chennai Super Kings 154 in 19.5 overs (Dewald Brevis 42, Ayush Mhatre 30, Ravindra Jadeja 21,Shivam Dube 12, Deepak Hooda 22; Mohammad Shami 1-28, Harshal Patel 4-28, Pat Cummins 2-21,Jaydev Unadkat 2-21, Kamindu Mendis 1-26) by five wickets
[Cricinfo]
Six police officers have been killed in Thailand after their plane crashed into the sea during a test flight for parachute training, police have said.
The small plane was seen crashing into the water at around 08:00 local time (01:00 GMT) on Friday in the Cha-am district, a coastal resort area some 130km (80 miles) southwest of Bangkok.
Royal Thai Police said in a statement on Facebook that five of the officers died at the scene, with a sixth later dying in hospital.
Authorities are examining the aircraft’s black box data recorder to determine the cause of the crash.
(BBC)
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No nation in the world has achieved development by neglecting its cultural values and traditions – President
President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that no nation in the world has achieved development by neglecting its cultural values and traditions. He emphasized that the current government is committed to rebuilding the country by reinstating the moral principles and ethical systems that have slowly diminished over the years.
The President made these remarks on Friday afternoon (25) while participating in the opening ceremony of newly built Bodhi Prakara with Golden Fence, at the historic Rangiri Dambulla Rajamaha Viharaya (Cave Rock Temple of Dambulla).
Upon arrival at the temple, President Disanayake formally opened the newly built Bodhi Prakara and offered the first floral tribute. He also unveiled the commemorative plaque marking the opening of the Bodhi Prakara.
Addressing the gathering at the ceremony, the President further stated that a just and virtuous society cannot be built through laws alone. Highlighting the significant role religious philosophy can play in shaping society, he noted that village temple monks, together with other religious leaders, bear a major responsibility in this effort.
The President also stated that the government has planned a wide-ranging transformation of the education sector to nurture a future generation enriched with wisdom and virtues an essential step for the economic, social and political transformation of the country.
In addition, President Disanayake said the government is taking structured and strategic steps to curb organized drug trafficking and protect future generations from the harmful effects of drugs.
The ceremony was attended by the Maha Sangha of both the Malwathu and Asgiriya Chapters, including the Chief Incumbent of the Rangiri Dambulla Rajamaha Viharaya, Dr. Godagama Mangala Nayaka Thera, and the Chief Custodian of the Sri Vishnu Devalaya at the Rangiri Dambuli Viharaya, Venerable Dadubaddiruppe Mahinda Thera along with Maha Sangha and Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana Gamagedara Dissanayake and other devotees.
(PMD)
Sri Lanka, India and South Africa kick off World Cup preparations with ODI tri-series
IPL 2025: Harshal, Kamindu lead Sunrisers Hyderabad to their first win against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai
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