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Strong batting performance sees Pakistan post 282/7
Babar Azam’s 30th ODI fifty and a big-hitting cameo from Iftikhar Ahmed led Pakistan’s strong batting display and helped them to 282/7 against Afghanistan on a bone-dry surface in Chennai. As many as 38 overs were bowled by the spinners, which is the third-most bowled in a World Cup match.
Things looked on the upswing from the get-go for Pakistan when Abdullah Shafique swung a Naveen-ul-Haq delivery for a maximum in the fifth over. It was the first six hit by a Pakistan batter in the PowerPlay in 2023. Both openers, Imam-ul-Haque and Shafique, looked at ease against the new ball and made use of the best batting conditions on offer en route to a 56-run opening stand.
Azmatullah Omarzai delivered the much-needed breakthrough when he had Imam caught off a familiar short ball at midwicket, and that wicket helped Afghanistan gain some control back. Shafique though continued having a good World Cup and raised a fifty off 50 balls, his second in the tournament to go along with a hundred.
It was Noor Ahmad, in the side for Fazalhaq Farooqi, who broke the 54-run stand with wickets in back to back overs. The left-arm leggie first trapped Shafique lbw and then elicited a top-edge from Mohammad Rizwan, leaving Pakistan struggling on a tough surface to score.
Another 43-run stand between Babar and Saud Shakeel brought in some relief for Pakistan but Mohammad Nabi broke that stand, getting Shakeel caught at mid-on after a flurry of dots. That said, it was Noor’s dismissal of Babar in the 42nd over that really threatened to knock the wind out of Pakistan. Luckily for them, Iftikhar came to the party, hitting a six off Rashid Khan to get going before laying into the likes of Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah.
Iftikhar and Shadab Khan, back in the side for ill Mohammad Nawaz, together added 73 runs for the sixth wicket, a partnership that could hurt Afghanistan.
Noor, the youngest player to feature in this World Cup at 18, returned figures of 3 for 49 in his first World Cup match and helped Afghanistan with breakthroughs on a day their lead spinner Rashid Khan went wicketless.
Brief Scores:
Pakistan 282/7 in 50 overs (Babar Azam 74, Iftikhar Ahmed 40, Shadab Khan 40, Abdullah Shafique 58, Saud Shakeel 25; Naveen ul Haq 2-52, Noor Ahmad 3-49) vs Afghanistan
(Cricbuzz)
An estimated 550,000 people took part in demonstrations across France today to protest against teaching conditions in schools, rising fuel prices and the cost of living.
Marches were largely peaceful and took place in several major French cities, including Paris, where 110,000 people attended.
“We just want to study, we just want a future” one student taking part in the protest in the capital told BBC News, while another said they were ” just trying to make things change”.
But French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said some groups “at the margins of these protests” caused the situation to “degenerate”.
According to the French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, 1200 people were arrested. Officials also reported looting in cities such as Marseille, where masked 8ntruders also entered the city hall. In Lyon, the tourist office was set on fire and shops were damaged.
French President Emmanuel Macron said any vandals and looters would be “prosecuted and punished”, while Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of left-wing party La France Insoumise, said demonstrations had been calmly mobilised.
Meanwhile, firefighters are continuing to battle a blaze at Limoges City Hall after a reported break-in and arson inside the 19th-century building during protests there.
(BBC)
A large fire near a Canadian military base in Alberta has killed and injured some people, the defence minister said, without confirming the number of casualties.
The Canadian Armed Forces were working with local authorities to manage the fire and were looking into what caused it, David McGuinty said, describing the situation as “very, very active and delicate”.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said on X that a “serious incident creating a major fire” had occurred, adding his “thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected”.
Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, where the fire broke out, is one of the country’s busiest military training bases.
The blaze “spread rapidly due to high winds” and had torn through the fences of the base, the Municipal District of Wainwright said.
McGuinty told reporters he “cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory”.
It is unclear when the fire broke out, but the district first posted about the incident at about 17:30 local time.
Local authorities have urged residents to avoid the area and give all emergency vehicles right of way.
(BBC)
The Asian Youth Games gold medallist who has run sub four minutes previously returned a time of 3:55.97 seconds to become the first athlete in his age category at these championships to run the distance under four minutes.
Achintha who has a personal best of 3:53.05 from last year was representing Prince College Ratnapura today.
In another impressive 1,500 m feat Tharushi Abhisheka of Lyceum International School, Wattala established a new meet record in the Under-20 Girls’ 1,500m as she returned a time of 4:34.59 seconds to win.
By the end of the second day of the meet seven new meet records had been established.
D. V. C. de Soysa (of Galewela Central College) Under-16 Boys’ Discus Throw – 55.83m.
D. G. Lahiru Achintha (of Ratnapura Kumara Vidyalaya) Under-18 Boys’ 1,500m – 3:55.97 secs.
W. P. Nethula Induwara (Rahula College, Matara) Under-14 Boys’ 100m – 11.70 seconds
K. V. R. Gayesha (Ira Handa Kotuwa Wewa Maha Vidyalaya, Polonnaruwa) Under-16 Girls’ High Jump – 1.70m
H. M. D. S. Herath (Maris Stella College, Thimbirigaskatuwa) Under-20 Boys’ Long Jump – 7.65m
P. M. Amaya Semindi (Vijitha Central College, Dikwella) Under-14 Girls’ High Jump – 1.58m
Record 1,600 students take Russian Classical Ballet examination in Sri Lanka
Half a million people join protests in France, but some turn violent
Deadly fire breaks out at Canada military base
Showers or thundershowers will occur in most parts of the island after 1.00 p.m.
Buddhist hierarchy demands prison perks for monk convicts
Debate on NCM against Speaker postponed indefinitely
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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