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Top-seeded India clinch gold medal after washout

Rain played spoilsport in the men’s final at the Asian Games, meaning that only 18.2 overs were possible before the game was abandoned. India, by virtue of being the higher-seeded team, were awarded the gold medal in what proved to be an anti-climactic end to a competitive tournament.
Earlier in the afternoon, India had won the toss and had elected to field first.Arshdeep Singh set the tone early, like he did in the semi-final, using the conditions and getting the ball to move prodigiously, both in the air and off the surface. However, it was Shivam Dube who dealt the first blow, getting Zubaidi Akbari to mistime his slog to mid-on in the second over.
Arshdeep got his reward in the very next over, cramping Mohammad Shahzad for room and having him caught-behind. Shahzad was unhappy with the decision. His unhappiness was not entirely unwarranted, with replays later indicating that the ball flicked his right bicep rather than the bat or glove.
Afghanistan were dented further in the fourth over, with Noor Ali Zadran involved in a needless run-out. He pulled the ball to deep square leg but was a little sluggish with his running, eventually falling inches short of his ground at the striker’s end while trying to complete the second run.
Afsar Zazai and Shahiudullah stitched together a 37-run fourth-wicket partnership and looked set to increase the scoring rate in the middle overs. Zazai, though, could not read a beautifully-disguised Ravi Bishnoi googly in the 10th over. The ball pitched on a length just outside off and jagged back, breezing past the inside edge and crashing into the stumps. Shahbaz Ahmed castled Karim Janat an over later to leave Afghanistan tottering at 52-5 after 10.5 overs.
Afghanistan got their act together once captain Gulbadin Naib strode out. He injected composure into their innings and put together a 60-run partnership with Shahidullah, off just 45 balls. The pair rotated the strike and were proactive enough to pounce on any loose deliveries.
Shahidullah finished with a 43-ball 49, while Naib ended with 27 off 24 balls, helping Afghanistan to a total of 112-5 before rain arrived. Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers for India, giving away only 12 runs in his four overs and bagging a wicket. Arshdeep, Dube and Shahbaz scalped a wicket apiece.
Brief scores:
Afghanistan 112/5 in 18.2 overs (Shahidullah 49*, Gulbadin Naib 27*; Arshdeep Singh 1-17, Shivam Dube 1-04, Shahbaz Ahmed 1-28, Ravi Bishnoi 1-12) vs India No Result
(Cricinfo)
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IPL 2025: Shreyas, Prabhsimran and Chahal eliminate Chennai Super Kings

A four-wicket 19th over from Yuzvendra Chahal, including his second IPL hat-trick, turned a topsy-turvy game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, putting Punjab Kings (PBKS) on the road to a four-wicket win and sealing the end of Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) playoffs hopes.
Until that over, CSK were poised to breach 200 for only the second time in IPL 2025, and for the first time at home, with Sam Curran scoring 88 off 47 balls. The Chahal over, however, precipitated a collapse that saw them lose their last five wickets for six runs, in the space of seven balls.
It meant PBKS were chasing 191 rather than something in the region of 210, and half-centuries from Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer put them in full control.
There was to be one more twist, though. With three runs required off nine balls, Shreyas was bowled looking for the winning hit; PBKS then scored just two runs and lost another wicket off their next five legal balls, leaving the scores level with three balls left. They eventually got over the line, with an inside-edged four from Marco Jansen providing the match a most appropriate finish.
Chahal had only been used for two of the first 18 overs of the match, with PBKS reluctant to use him or the left-arm orthodox spinner Harpreet Brar against CSK’s left-hand batters. But with the famously spin-shy MS Dhoni new to the crease, Shreyas threw his legspinner the ball.
Dhoni hit a six off the first legal ball of the over, only to hole out next ball. A procession followed, with Chahal dismissing Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad off the last three balls of the over. Hooda sliced a wide-ish ball to backward point, Kamboj was bowled by a quicker skidder, and the hat-trick came up in classic Chahal fashion, with Noor taking on the slow legbreak outside off stump and miscuing to long-on.
Through all this, Shyam Dube, CSK’s best spin-hitter, was stuck at the non-striker’s end. He may even have wondered if he should have refused a second run off the first ball Hooda faced, and kept the strike against Chahal.
Dube picked up an inside-edged four off the first ball of the final over but holed out next ball, which meant CSK had been bowled out with four balls left unused.
Curran had only played three of CSK’s previous nine games this season, and he directed an angry bat-wave in what seemed the direction of his dugout when he brought up his fifty, off 30 balls, in the 15th over.
His innings at No. 3 was exactly what CSK had been missing all season. They made an indifferent start, slipping to 22 for 2 after 3.1 overs, and lost their third wicket in the sixth over, with Ravindra Jadeja edging Brar behind after hitting him for three fours.
That they didn’t lose impetus thereafter was almost entirely down to Curran. He took on the spinners, hitting a six and two fours in the eighth and ninth overs, and kept finding the odd boundary – with his placement on the pull shot standing out – even when PBKS slowed things down with the military-medium cutters of Azmatullah Omarzai and Survansh Shedge. With Dewald Brevis struggling for fluency with the ball not quite coming on, Curran dominated a fourth-wicket stand of 78.
The defining passage of Curran’s innings came after Brevis had been dismissed, when Iyer chose to give Shedge a third over rather than risk bowling Chahal or Brar against the two left-handers at the crease. Shedge had conceded just 14 off his first two overs, but Curran kept pouncing on his errors now, hitting him for two sixes and two fours in a 26-run over. It set CSK a great death-overs platform at 160 for 4 in 16 overs.
That Shedge had to bowl that over was also an effect of PBKS losing Glenn Maxwell – possibly for the rest of the season – to a broken finger. Maxwell has had a difficult IPL with the bat, but has contributed significantly with his offspin, which PBKS would have welcomed against CSK’s left-handers.
The reduced magnitude of PBKS’s target allowed Prabhsimran and Priyansh Arya breathing room in an opening stand of 44, with both batters able to hit regular boundaries without going after every ball. Iyer joined Prabhsimran at the crease after an accurate bouncer from Khaleel sent Arya back in the fifth over.
Prabhsimran dominated the second-wicket partnership, choosing his moments adroitly and picking off boundaries with powerful hits down the ground as well as scoops and paddles behind the wicket. But a quiet 12th over of cutters from Curran, off which PBKS only scored five runs, dialled up the pressure, with 84 now needed off 48 balls.
It led Prabhsimran to chance his arm against Noor in the 13th over, and produced a drop – by Pathirana at short third – and then a wicket when Prabhsimran picked out Brevis at deep midwicket.
Shreyas, though, chose this moment to take the baton from Prabhsimran, and he proceeded to change gears dramatically. From 28 off 23, he sped to 50 off 32, clearing the boundary twice along the way.
That was just a teaser, as he proceeded to hit 6, 6, 4 off three Pathirana balls in the 17th over. All three were off missed yorkers, but only once did he miss his length by anything other than a marginal amount. Iyer launched that slot ball for six down the ground.
The next one was fuller and nearly in the blockhole, but he got his front leg out of the way and manufactured just enough room for a wristy whip over wide long-on. Then Pathirana landed one in the blockhole, but marginally outside off, and Shreyas opened his bat face to squeeze it between backward point and short third.
With Shashank Singh also finding his six-hitting range at the other end, PBKS were coasting now. There was still room, however, for some nerves.
Brief scores:
Punjab Kings 194 for 6 in 19.4 overs (Priyansh Arya 23, Shreyas Iyer 72, Prabhsimran Singh 54, Shashnak Singh 23; Khaleel Ahmed 2-28, Ravindra Jadeja 1-32, Noor Amnad 1-39, Matheesaha Pathirana 2-45) beat Chennai Super Kings 190 in 19.2 overs (Shaik Rasheed 11, Sam Curran 88, Ravindra Jadeja 17, Dewald Brevis 32,MS Dhoni 11; Arshdeep Singh 2-25, Marco Jansen 2-30, Azmatullah Omarzai 1-39, Harpreet Brar 1-21, Yuzvendra Chahal 4-32) by four wickets
[Cricinfo]
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Heat index is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts.

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology At 3.30 p.m. 30 April 2025, valid for 01 May 2025
The general public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
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Mehidy’s heroics with bat and ball helps Bangladesh level series

Mehidy Hasan Miraz single-handedly routed Zimbabwe on the third day of the Chattogram Test. He made 104 to help Bangladesh post 444 before taking five wickets to bundle Zimbabwe out for 111 to hand his side an innings win.
Bangladesh broke their streak of six consecutive home Test defeats. They had lost to New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Africa, before losing to Zimbabwe in the first Test in Sylhet last week.
Apart from Mehidy’s five wickets, Taijul Islam took his match tally to eight wickets with three in Zimbabwe’s second innings.
In reply to Zimbabwe’s 227, Mehidy joined Shadman Islam to score a century to lift Bangladesh to a big total given they were seven down at stumps on the second day. Mehidy put together two sizable partnerships with Taijul and debutant Tanzim Hasan, who made 41. No. 11 Hasan Mahmud also supported Mehidy on his way to his second Test century.
The only highlight for the visitors in this match was debutant legspinner Vincent Masekesa becoming only the third Zimbabwe player to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut.
The visitors were trailing by 217 runs when they began their second innings shortly before tea. Brian Bennett was the first to go, caught at second slip by Shadman Islam off Taijul, who also removed Nick Welch for a duck. Welch, who made 54 in the first innings, was struck on his front pad. The umpire had initially given it not out, but the replays suggested it would have hit the stumps.
Nayeem Hasan then dismissed Sean Williams, who gave Shadman a simple catch at second slip for 7. Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto wasn’t as fortunate, as he dropped the sitter offered by his opposite number Craig Ervine on 16.
Mehidy then struck thrice in a short span. Ervine was showing lots of discipline until missing a charge against Mehidy, getting bowled for 25. He struck two fours in his 56-ball stay. Wessly Madhevere left a Mehidy delivery that spun back and struck him on the pads. The umpire gave it out, which was also upheld by the TV umpire on review. Madhevere fell for a duck, as did the wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga.
Mehidy got his fourth wicket when Wellington Masakadza holed out to mid-off for 10. Curran, who witnessed the full batting collapse from the other end, was Mehidy’s fifth wicket. He was caught behind for 46 off 103 balls.
As the light faded, Taijul removed Ngarava, caught at deep midwicket, for five. The innings ended when Mominul Haque’s direct hit caught Masekesa short of the crease, after play was extended by 20 minutes.
After a delayed start on the third day due to rain, overnight batter Taijul Islam was stumped for 20, becoming Masekesa’s fourth wicket. Taijul added an important 63 runs for the eighth wicket with Mehidy, who then added a further 96 runs for the ninth wicket with Tanzim Hasan. The pair lasted 26 overs, with Mahmud reaching 41 off 80 balls with the help of two fours and a six.
Mehidy reached his second Test century, hitting 11 fours and a six in his 161-ball stay that ended when Masekesa had him stumped in the 130th over. Mehidy played both the short ball and fuller deliveries with aplomb, though he got into odd positions against the bouncers. Blessing Muzarabani, Wellington Masakadza, Brian Bennett and Wessly Madhevere took a wicket apiece for Zimbabwe, apart from Masekesa’s five-for.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 444 in 129.2 overs (Shadman Islam 120, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 104; Vincent Masekesa 5-115) beat Zimbabwe 227 in 90.1 overs [Sen Williams 67, Nick Welch 54; Taijul Islam 6-60] and 111 in 46.2 overs (Ben Curran 46, Craig Ervine 25; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5-31, Taijul Islam 3-42) by an innings and 106 runs
[Cricinfo]
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