Parag Desai, a top executive at Wagh Bakri Tea Group, died at 49 as he tripped over and sustained severe head injuries while fending off stray dogs. Earlier reports said it was a dog attack, but the hospital that treated Desai clarified that he had "no dog bite marks on his body" when he was brought to the hospital.

Parag Desai, a top executive at Wagh Bakri Tea Group, died at 49 as he tripped over and sustained severe head injuries while fending off stray dogs. Earlier reports said it was a dog attack, but the hospital that treated Desai clarified that he had "no dog bite marks on his body" when he was brought to the hospital. The 49-year-old businessman was admitted to Ahmedabad's Shalby Hospital at around 6 pm IST, according to the press release issued by the hospital. "He was unconscious and not responding," the hospital stated. Dr Nishita Shukla, group COO at Shalby Hospital, stated, "The patient was admitted to the ICU and was advised to be kept under observation and treatment for 72 hours. The patient was discharged on the request of his relatives." Later, Desai's family members transferred him to Zydus Hospital for a surgical procedure, the Ahmedabad Mirror reported. However, Parag Desai had a brain haemorrhage during the treatment and died on Sunday. ALSO READ | India to become fourth largest global travel spender by 2030, driven by post-pandemic growth Shaktisinh Gohil, chief of Gujarat Congress and Rajya Sabha member, condoled his demise in a social media post. He wrote, "Very sad news coming in. Parag Desai, Director and owner of Wagh Bakri Tea, passed away. He had a brain haemorrhage following a fall. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to the entire Wagh Bakri family across India." Hundreds of people, including employees of Wagh Bakri, family members of Parag Desai, and trade and industry leaders, gathered at the Thaltej Crematorium in Ahmedabad to bid farewell to Desai. Before the final rites, a funeral service was held at his home in the Ambli area of western Ahmedabad. ALSO READ | Indian police officer suspended over tricolour row during PAK vs AFG World Cup match Who was Parag Desai? Parag Desai was the son of Rasesh Desaim, the managing director of the Wagh Bakri Team Group. He is survived by his wife, Vidisha, and daughter, Parisha. Desai had over 30 years of entrepreneurship experience. He headed the international business, sales and marketing for the Wagh Bakri Tea Group. Reports say he actively participated in leading industry platforms, like the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). According to the Wagh Bakri Tea Group website, Parag Desai pursued his Master's in Business Administration from Long Island University in the United States. The website describes him as "an expert tea taster and evaluator." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

India: Wagh Bakri director Parag Desai dies at 49

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a complaint to the International Cricket Council (ICC) over alleged "inappropriate crowd behaviour" during the Men in Green's clash versus India in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The match was held on Oct 14 (Saturday) in the west Indian city of Ahmedabad, where Rohit Sharma-led India thrashed Babar Azam's Pakistan by seven wickets. After PCB's complaint, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan recalled a shocking story of being hit by a nail in India-Pakistan clash during his playing days.&nbsp;

Speaking on Star Sports, amid the ongoing India-Bangladesh tie in Pune on Thursday (Oct 19), Irfan recalled the shocking story which took place during his active days when India toured Pakistan (during 2004 and 2006).&nbsp;

<h2>'The match was halted for 10 minutes, but we did not pay any heed to it'</h2>

"We were playing a game in Peshawar, when a fan threw a nail at me, which struck me under my eye. I could have gotten seriously injured. The match was halted for 10 minutes, but we did not pay any heed to it as we were playing good cricket,” Pathan said on commentary.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/it-could-be-india-vs-new-zealand-in-cwc-23-final-former-indian-opener-makes-bold-claim-648795">It could be India vs New Zealand in CWC '23 final: Former Indian opener makes BOLD claim</a>

After this, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra took to his official account on X, formerly Twitter, to react to Irfan's revelations. He wrote, "Didn’t know that fans in Peshawar threw a nail at Irfan, which hit him under the eye. Remember the game getting stopped for a bit bcoz of fan trouble but it’s only today I got to know the exact reason. Well done."

To this, Irfan was quick to respond and replied saying, "I Would have taken to my grave brother cos I think fans are the utmost important to this game and things do happen. But the narrative is set differently now days with some ppl trying to spread unnecessary negativity for their own benefit. So i spoke. Love you brother."

Irfan shared the incident following PCB's formal complaint, raising issue on the treatment given to Pakistani cricketers during the India clash. "The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged another formal protest with the ICC over delays in visas for Pakistani journalists and the absence of a visa policy for Pakistan fans for the ongoing World Cup 2023. The PCB has also filed a complaint regarding inappropriate conduct targeted at the Pakistan squad during the India vs Pakistan match held on 14 October 2023," PCB posted on X.

At present, Pakistan occupy the fourth spot in the points table with two wins and a heavy defeat versus India. The hosts, with three back-to-back wins, are at the second spot with unbeaten New Zealand on top.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a complaint to the International Cricket Council (ICC) over alleged "inappropriate crowd behaviour" during the Men in Green's clash versus India in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lodged a complaint to the International Cricket Council (ICC) over alleged "inappropriate crowd behaviour" during the Men in Green's clash versus India in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The match was held on Oct 14 (Saturday) in the west Indian city of Ahmedabad, where Rohit Sharma-led India thrashed Babar Azam's Pakistan by seven wickets. After PCB's complaint, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan recalled a shocking story of being hit by a nail in India-Pakistan clash during his playing days. Speaking on Star Sports, amid the ongoing India-Bangladesh tie in Pune on Thursday (Oct 19), Irfan recalled the shocking story which took place during his active days when India toured Pakistan (during 2004 and 2006). 'The match was halted for 10 minutes, but we did not pay any heed to it' "We were playing a game in Peshawar, when a fan threw a nail at me, which struck me under my eye. I could have gotten seriously injured. The match was halted for 10 minutes, but we did not pay any heed to it as we were playing good cricket,” Pathan said on commentary. Also read: It could be India vs New Zealand in CWC '23 final: Former Indian opener makes BOLD claim After this, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra took to his official account on X, formerly Twitter, to react to Irfan's revelations. He wrote, "Didn’t know that fans in Peshawar threw a nail at Irfan, which hit him under the eye. Remember the game getting stopped for a bit bcoz of fan trouble but it’s only today I got to know the exact reason. Well done." To this, Irfan was quick to respond and replied saying, "I Would have taken to my grave brother cos I think fans are the utmost important to this game and things do happen. But the narrative is set differently now days with some ppl trying to spread unnecessary negativity for their own benefit. So i spoke. Love you brother." Irfan shared the incident following PCB's formal complaint, raising issue on the treatment given to Pakistani cricketers during the India clash. "The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged another formal protest with the ICC over delays in visas for Pakistani journalists and the absence of a visa policy for Pakistan fans for the ongoing World Cup 2023. The PCB has also filed a complaint regarding inappropriate conduct targeted at the Pakistan squad during the India vs Pakistan match held on 14 October 2023," PCB posted on X. At present, Pakistan occupy the fourth spot in the points table with two wins and a heavy defeat versus India. The hosts, with three back-to-back wins, are at the second spot with unbeaten New Zealand on top. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

SHOCKING! As PCB complains about Indian crowd in CWC '23, Irfan Pathan recalls how Pak fan threw nail at him

Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi failed to bring his A-game against India in the marquee World Cup clash in Ahmedabad the other night. The left-arm seamer has troubled top-order batters, including Rohit, with his steamy in-swingers before but couldn’t deliver on the big day. Former India legend Ravi Shastri tore into his performance, bashing him up-side-and-down.

Afridi was wayward with his line and length, let alone troubling the batters with his stock deliveries. From Shubman Gill to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, everyone hammered him.&nbsp;

With Pakistan already defending a below-par total of 192 on a batting paradise at the Narendra Modi Stadium, their bowlers needed to deliver from ball one, which was not the case. Instead, the Indian batters had put their backs against the wall with superb knocks.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-count-my-slower-ball-as-a-spinners-slower-ball-bumrah-on-winning-man-of-the-match-award-against-pakistan-646887">I count my slower ball as a spinner’s slower ball: Bumrah on winning Man of the Match award against Pakistan</a>

In the absence of Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali got an extended run in the XI, proving a tad expensive despite picking Kohli’s wicket.&nbsp;

While speaking with the host broadcaster Star Sports after India’s seven-wicket win, Shastri bashed Shaheen for a failed show when his team needed him the most, saying he is no Wasim Akram and there’s nothing too special about him.

"When Naseem Shah is not playing, and this is the quality of spin... Shaheen Shah Afridi is no Wasim Akram. He is a good bowler with the new ball and can pick wickets, but there is nothing special about him. He is only a decent bowler. He's no big deal. You have to accept the truth," Shastri told Star Sports.

<h2>‘Shaheen should’ve taken a leaf out of Bumrah’s book’</h2>

Jasprit Bumrah was the protagonist of India’s bowling in Ahmedabad, picking two for 19 in seven overs, including a maiden, earning himself a Player of the Match award. Though others also chipped in with timely wickets, Bumrah’s slower delivery to dismiss Rizwan on 49 was the talking point of the game.

Noting that Afridi bowled his usual lengths and didn’t think of taking a leaf out of Bumrah’s book on how to dismiss well-settled batters on this pitch, Shastri’s old mate and legend Sunil Gavaskar slammed him, saying,&nbsp;

“Clearly Pakistan did not learn anything because it was only towards the end when Shaheen bowled that cutter that got Rohit out. We would have thought that they would bowl the cutter even with the new ball. It is not written anywhere that the new ball has to be bowled at a certain pace. You can change it, but nothing of those sorts was seen from the Pakistan bowlers," mentioned Gavaskar.

Meanwhile, with three wins in as many games, India is sitting at the top of the points table with a better NRR ahead of New Zealand.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi failed to bring his A-game against India in the marquee World Cup clash in Ahmedabad the other night. The left-arm seamer has troubled top-order batters, including Rohit, with his steamy in-swingers before but couldn’t deliver on the big day.

Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi failed to bring his A-game against India in the marquee World Cup clash in Ahmedabad the other night. The left-arm seamer has troubled top-order batters, including Rohit, with his steamy in-swingers before but couldn’t deliver on the big day. Former India legend Ravi Shastri tore into his performance, bashing him up-side-and-down. Afridi was wayward with his line and length, let alone troubling the batters with his stock deliveries. From Shubman Gill to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, everyone hammered him. With Pakistan already defending a below-par total of 192 on a batting paradise at the Narendra Modi Stadium, their bowlers needed to deliver from ball one, which was not the case. Instead, the Indian batters had put their backs against the wall with superb knocks. ALSO READ: I count my slower ball as a spinner’s slower ball: Bumrah on winning Man of the Match award against Pakistan In the absence of Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali got an extended run in the XI, proving a tad expensive despite picking Kohli’s wicket. While speaking with the host broadcaster Star Sports after India’s seven-wicket win, Shastri bashed Shaheen for a failed show when his team needed him the most, saying he is no Wasim Akram and there’s nothing too special about him. "When Naseem Shah is not playing, and this is the quality of spin... Shaheen Shah Afridi is no Wasim Akram. He is a good bowler with the new ball and can pick wickets, but there is nothing special about him. He is only a decent bowler. He's no big deal. You have to accept the truth," Shastri told Star Sports. ‘Shaheen should’ve taken a leaf out of Bumrah’s book’ Jasprit Bumrah was the protagonist of India’s bowling in Ahmedabad, picking two for 19 in seven overs, including a maiden, earning himself a Player of the Match award. Though others also chipped in with timely wickets, Bumrah’s slower delivery to dismiss Rizwan on 49 was the talking point of the game. Noting that Afridi bowled his usual lengths and didn’t think of taking a leaf out of Bumrah’s book on how to dismiss well-settled batters on this pitch, Shastri’s old mate and legend Sunil Gavaskar slammed him, saying, “Clearly Pakistan did not learn anything because it was only towards the end when Shaheen bowled that cutter that got Rohit out. We would have thought that they would bowl the cutter even with the new ball. It is not written anywhere that the new ball has to be bowled at a certain pace. You can change it, but nothing of those sorts was seen from the Pakistan bowlers," mentioned Gavaskar. Meanwhile, with three wins in as many games, India is sitting at the top of the points table with a better NRR ahead of New Zealand. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

World Cup: He is good but nothing special about him: Ravi Shastri slams Shaheen Afridi following India bashing

For those who know and those who don’t, India leads Pakistan 7-0 in the Cricket World Cup history, with the eighth match scheduled to get underway at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday (Oct 14). While history favours India heading into this marquee clash, Pakistan Captain and star batter Babar Azam feels the streaks are meant to be broken, and his team could create history by winning this match, upsetting over 100,000 fans inside the stadium.

Speaking to the media on the eve of the most-talked-about cricket match in this World Cup between India and Pakistan, Babar said whatever happened in the past cannot be changed, but his team can change what’s ahead of them.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-winning-in-india-is-tough-but-we-aim-to-knock-hosts-off-their-perch-england-seamer-sends-warning-646379">World Cup: Winning in India is tough but we aim to knock hosts ‘off their perch’: England seamer sends warning</a>

Admitting to not worrying too much about this high-pressure game, Babar said his team would give their best on the field, leaving it to their efforts and God to yield them the desired result.

"I believe there is no point focusing on whatever has happened in the past. I believe we need to focus on what is ahead of us," Babar told media personnel ahead of the India-Pakistan match.&nbsp;

"All these streaks are made to be broken. God willing, we will try to give our best tomorrow. Anything can happen on the day. I fully believe my team has done well in the first three matches, and will continue doing so in the coming matches," he added.

<h2>‘Playing in front of large crowd is an opportunity and not pressure’</h2>

Having spoken earlier about playing under pressure in front of over 100,000 people at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad, Babar said he and his team look at this as an opportunity.&nbsp;

Claiming to have felt crowd pressure of this magnitude before (a reference to playing at the MCG in Australia), the ranked number one ODI batter expects the spectators to support his team as well during this match.

"This is not pressure," Babar said.&nbsp;

"We have played in front of large crowds before. MCG and all the big stadiums. Yes, this is also a big stadium. And yes, Ahmedabad will be mostly blue. If Pakistan fans had been allowed, they would have loved to support us. But when we entered Hyderabad, we saw a lot of supporters of the Pakistan team. I expect the same, and we are looking forward to the match."

The match will begin at 2 pm IST.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, a star-studded ceremony before the start of the game will also take place at the stadium, with several musicians and top names from the Bollywood industry gracing the occasion with their presence.

The match will be broadcast on Star Sports network on TV and Hotstar online.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

For those who know and those who don’t, India leads Pakistan 7-0 in the Cricket World Cup history, with the eighth match scheduled to get underway at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday (Oct 14).

For those who know and those who don’t, India leads Pakistan 7-0 in the Cricket World Cup history, with the eighth match scheduled to get underway at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday (Oct 14). While history favours India heading into this marquee clash, Pakistan Captain and star batter Babar Azam feels the streaks are meant to be broken, and his team could create history by winning this match, upsetting over 100,000 fans inside the stadium. Speaking to the media on the eve of the most-talked-about cricket match in this World Cup between India and Pakistan, Babar said whatever happened in the past cannot be changed, but his team can change what’s ahead of them. ALSO READ: World Cup: Winning in India is tough but we aim to knock hosts ‘off their perch’: England seamer sends warning Admitting to not worrying too much about this high-pressure game, Babar said his team would give their best on the field, leaving it to their efforts and God to yield them the desired result. "I believe there is no point focusing on whatever has happened in the past. I believe we need to focus on what is ahead of us," Babar told media personnel ahead of the India-Pakistan match. "All these streaks are made to be broken. God willing, we will try to give our best tomorrow. Anything can happen on the day. I fully believe my team has done well in the first three matches, and will continue doing so in the coming matches," he added. ‘Playing in front of large crowd is an opportunity and not pressure’ Having spoken earlier about playing under pressure in front of over 100,000 people at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad, Babar said he and his team look at this as an opportunity. Claiming to have felt crowd pressure of this magnitude before (a reference to playing at the MCG in Australia), the ranked number one ODI batter expects the spectators to support his team as well during this match. "This is not pressure," Babar said. "We have played in front of large crowds before. MCG and all the big stadiums. Yes, this is also a big stadium. And yes, Ahmedabad will be mostly blue. If Pakistan fans had been allowed, they would have loved to support us. But when we entered Hyderabad, we saw a lot of supporters of the Pakistan team. I expect the same, and we are looking forward to the match." The match will begin at 2 pm IST. Meanwhile, a star-studded ceremony before the start of the game will also take place at the stadium, with several musicians and top names from the Bollywood industry gracing the occasion with their presence. The match will be broadcast on Star Sports network on TV and Hotstar online. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

All streaks are meant to be broken: Babar Azam shrugs off past records ahead of India-Pakistan World Cup tie

Shubman Gill missed India's opening two games in CWC 2023 edition due to dengue. He was admitted in a Chennai hospital, after India's opening game in the city where they beat Australia, and got discharged later. After missing India's Afghanistan face-off in Delhi, Gill flew to Ahmedabad and even trained for some time on Thursday (Oct 12). Thus, ardent Indian cricket fans are eager to know if he will feature in India's big-ticket clash versus Pakistan on Saturday (Oct 14) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad.&nbsp;&nbsp;

MSK Prasad, India's former keeper-batter and BCCI chief selector, is confident that Gill will play the match versus Pakistan in Ahmedabad, which is the youngster's happy hunting ground.&nbsp;Talking to Hindustan Times, Prasad said that Gill would definitely, pointing out that practising in the nets has clearly displayed that the 24-year-old has recovered well and before one expected.&nbsp;

<h2>'He just had a fever. He has recovered'</h2>

Prasad said,&nbsp;<iframe allow="attribution-reporting" aria-label="Advertisement" data-google-container-id="6" data-load-complete="true" frameborder="0" height="1" id="google_ads_iframe_/1007232/IT_Teads_1x1_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/1007232/IT_Teads_1x1_0" role="region" scrolling="no" tabindex="0" title="3rd party ad content" width="1"></iframe>"I think we can put an end to all kinds of speculations. Shubman Gill will definitely play this game (vs Pakistan). He's too good a player to miss out. He had just a fever. He has recovered. It was not threatening at all that we would even think about replacements. It's all rumours that are coming out (about the seriousness of the illness) in whatever form that you are hearing."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/odi-world-cup-2023-theyre-hoping-rather-than-says-matthew-hayden-after-australias-loss-vs-south-africa-646157">ODI World Cup 2023: 'They're hoping rather than..,' says Matthew Hayden after Australia's loss vs South Africa</a>

He added, "What we heard was that as a matter of precaution, he couldn't play the second game otherwise he was fine. He stayed back for one more day in Chennai as a precaution. He recovered well, and was discharged. See if someone is playing for 1 hour, that means he has recovered. This is an all-important game against Pakistan. If he is fit, which I'm sure he is, then he should be in India's playing XI."

Gill has been in exceptional touch in 2023. Across formats, he has scored as many as seven centuries with five of them coming in the 50-over format. He scored a sublime 121 versus Bangladesh during India's victorious run in the Asia Cup&nbsp;and ended as the leading run-getter (302 runs) as well. Moreover, he followed it up with&nbsp;the Player-of-the-Series award (including a fine 104) in India's 2-1 home ODI series win over Australia in late September.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Shubman Gill missed India's opening two games in CWC 2023 edition due to dengue. He was admitted in a Chennai hospital, after India's opening game in the city where they beat Australia, and got discharged later.

Shubman Gill missed India's opening two games in CWC 2023 edition due to dengue. He was admitted in a Chennai hospital, after India's opening game in the city where they beat Australia, and got discharged later. After missing India's Afghanistan face-off in Delhi, Gill flew to Ahmedabad and even trained for some time on Thursday (Oct 12). Thus, ardent Indian cricket fans are eager to know if he will feature in India's big-ticket clash versus Pakistan on Saturday (Oct 14) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. MSK Prasad, India's former keeper-batter and BCCI chief selector, is confident that Gill will play the match versus Pakistan in Ahmedabad, which is the youngster's happy hunting ground. Talking to Hindustan Times, Prasad said that Gill would definitely, pointing out that practising in the nets has clearly displayed that the 24-year-old has recovered well and before one expected. 'He just had a fever. He has recovered' Prasad said, "I think we can put an end to all kinds of speculations. Shubman Gill will definitely play this game (vs Pakistan). He's too good a player to miss out. He had just a fever. He has recovered. It was not threatening at all that we would even think about replacements. It's all rumours that are coming out (about the seriousness of the illness) in whatever form that you are hearing." Also read: ODI World Cup 2023: 'They're hoping rather than..,' says Matthew Hayden after Australia's loss vs South Africa He added, "What we heard was that as a matter of precaution, he couldn't play the second game otherwise he was fine. He stayed back for one more day in Chennai as a precaution. He recovered well, and was discharged. See if someone is playing for 1 hour, that means he has recovered. This is an all-important game against Pakistan. If he is fit, which I'm sure he is, then he should be in India's playing XI." Gill has been in exceptional touch in 2023. Across formats, he has scored as many as seven centuries with five of them coming in the 50-over format. He scored a sublime 121 versus Bangladesh during India's victorious run in the Asia Cup and ended as the leading run-getter (302 runs) as well. Moreover, he followed it up with the Player-of-the-Series award (including a fine 104) in India's 2-1 home ODI series win over Australia in late September. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ODI World Cup: 'Gill will definitely play' - Prasad confident of opener's return for Pakistan clash

In welcome news for Team India fans, Shubman Gill has hit the nets in Ahmedabad ahead of the much-awaited India-Pakistan showdown at the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition on Saturday (Oct 14). Gill reached the city on Wednesday (Oct 11) and&nbsp;trained in an exclusive batting session in Motera&nbsp; on Thursday. The 24-year-old also took part in&nbsp;fielding drills after returning to the ground for the first time since recovering from dengue.

As per reports, Gill&nbsp;batted for nearly an&nbsp;hour before noon, as physio Kamlesh and throwdown specialist Nuwan's looked on, against&nbsp;few local net bowlers.

The star batter was admitted to a Chennai hospital after his platelet&nbsp;count dipped post missing India's CWC 2023 opener, versus Australia in the city's iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium. He was discharged soon after treatment and flew for Ahmedabad on Wednesday -- when Rohit Sharma-led India beat Afghanistan in New Delhi.&nbsp;

It remains to be seen if Gill will make an entry back into the India playing XI as his condition is still being monitored. However, his recovery and return to the field has surely boosted the Indian cricket fans.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cwc-23-wont-get-a-better-bowler-than-jasprit-bumrah-irfan-pathan-in-awe-of-india-pacer-645903">CWC '23: 'Won't get a better bowler than Jasprit Bumrah' - Irfan Pathan in awe of India pacer</a>

Gill has been in tremendous form in the recent past. While he has got runs across formats, his best has come in the ODI format.&nbsp;The right-hander has struck as many as five centuries in the shorter format.

He was the leading run-getter in the Asia Cup 2023 edition -- won by India. Moreover, Gill ended as the Player-of-the-Series in the Men in Blue's 2-1 home ODI series triumph versus Australia in late September.&nbsp;

Missing India's first two games, Gill will be desperate for a comeback. The Indian team management will, however, look to give him ample time before he is drafted into the XI. At present, the home side sit at the second spot in the ODI World Cup points table after two wins on the trot.&nbsp;

India lock horns with Pakistan in match 12 of the 50-over showpiece event and will aim to keep their unbeaten run intact. India lead Pakistan 7-0 in ODI World Cup history.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

In welcome news for Team India fans, Shubman Gill has hit the nets in Ahmedabad ahead of the much-awaited India-Pakistan showdown at the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition on Saturday (Oct 14).

In welcome news for Team India fans, Shubman Gill has hit the nets in Ahmedabad ahead of the much-awaited India-Pakistan showdown at the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition on Saturday (Oct 14). Gill reached the city on Wednesday (Oct 11) and trained in an exclusive batting session in Motera on Thursday. The 24-year-old also took part in fielding drills after returning to the ground for the first time since recovering from dengue. As per reports, Gill batted for nearly an hour before noon, as physio Kamlesh and throwdown specialist Nuwan's looked on, against few local net bowlers. The star batter was admitted to a Chennai hospital after his platelet count dipped post missing India's CWC 2023 opener, versus Australia in the city's iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium. He was discharged soon after treatment and flew for Ahmedabad on Wednesday -- when Rohit Sharma-led India beat Afghanistan in New Delhi. It remains to be seen if Gill will make an entry back into the India playing XI as his condition is still being monitored. However, his recovery and return to the field has surely boosted the Indian cricket fans. Also read: CWC '23: 'Won't get a better bowler than Jasprit Bumrah' - Irfan Pathan in awe of India pacer Gill has been in tremendous form in the recent past. While he has got runs across formats, his best has come in the ODI format. The right-hander has struck as many as five centuries in the shorter format. He was the leading run-getter in the Asia Cup 2023 edition -- won by India. Moreover, Gill ended as the Player-of-the-Series in the Men in Blue's 2-1 home ODI series triumph versus Australia in late September. Missing India's first two games, Gill will be desperate for a comeback. The Indian team management will, however, look to give him ample time before he is drafted into the XI. At present, the home side sit at the second spot in the ODI World Cup points table after two wins on the trot. India lock horns with Pakistan in match 12 of the 50-over showpiece event and will aim to keep their unbeaten run intact. India lead Pakistan 7-0 in ODI World Cup history. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ODI World Cup: Shubhman Gill hits nets in Ahmedabad after recovery from dengue ahead of India-Pak match

With each passing day, we inch closer to the most-awaited day of this World Cup – October 14, when India and Pakistan will face off at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. Following their first two matches, both teams landed in the west Indian city. Indian and Pakistan cricket teams received a warm welcome upon their arrival, videos of which are floating on social media.

Pakistan Cricket first uploaded the whole video of the team landing in Ahmedabad for their clash against India. BCCI, the Indian body, also shared a small video of the hosts landing and receiving a warm welcome.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-delhi-game-hero-rohit-sharma-opens-up-on-breaking-chris-gayles-most-sixes-record-645894">World Cup: Delhi-game hero Rohit Sharma opens up on breaking Chris Gayle’s most sixes record</a>

In the video shared by Pakistan Cricket, players cheer among themselves while boarding the flight from Hyderabad to Ahmedabad. Besides, a surprise in-flight cake-cutting ceremony also took place, celebrating Pakistan’s record-breaking chase against Sri Lanka in their previous match.&nbsp;

Upon landing, the Pakistan Team was escorted towards their hotel, where the staff welcomed them with open arms, throwing flower petals. It was a similar kind of welcome they received in Hyderabad.

WATCH VIDEO -

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Touchdown Ahmedabad 🛬 
 
📹 Capturing the journey, featuring a surprise in-flight celebration 🤩<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC23</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DattKePakistani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DattKePakistani</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeHaveWeWill?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeHaveWeWill</a> <a href="https://t.co/qxe0mO9p8X">pic.twitter.com/qxe0mO9p8X</a>
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1712133134702301484?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The Indian Team’s arrival in Ahmedabad was no less royal as the hotel staff adorned players with scarves and applauded them on their way to their rooms.

WATCH VIDEO –

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We are here in Ahmedabad! 👋<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC23</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvPAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvPAK</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MeninBlue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MeninBlue</a> <a href="https://t.co/dVuOaynYRN">pic.twitter.com/dVuOaynYRN</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1712441092074074422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2>Pakistan confident to break unwanted CWC record</h2>

India leads Pakistan 7-0 in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, with an eye to go one better in Ahmedabad this time. The Men in Green, formerly the number-one side in ODIs, are coming off a famous win over Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, having chased 345.

Their win marked the most successful run-chase by any team in tournament history. By that, Pakistan will enter the high-octane clash with confidence on their back.&nbsp;

Although the absence of Naseem Shah in the bowling attack will hurt them against the top-notch Indian batting line-up, Hasan Ali’s late rise to the top could keep them in the game.&nbsp;

Batting-wise, Captain Babar Azam is yet to click, and what better occasion than doing it against the arch-rivals in a World Cup?

<h3>India still the favourite to win</h3>

The Men in Blue will be favourites against Pakistan. Given what they achieved and more importantly how they did so, discounting a star-studded Indian Team would be a mistake.

Rohit’s record-breaking hundred against Afghanistan will bolster the side’s top order in the absence of Shubman Gill, who continues to recover from the dengue fever. 
 
With Bumrah, Siraj and Kuldeep on song, India’s bowling line-up will be lethal.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

With each passing day, we inch closer to the most-awaited day of this World Cup – October 14, when India and Pakistan will face off at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad.

With each passing day, we inch closer to the most-awaited day of this World Cup – October 14, when India and Pakistan will face off at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. Following their first two matches, both teams landed in the west Indian city. Indian and Pakistan cricket teams received a warm welcome upon their arrival, videos of which are floating on social media. Pakistan Cricket first uploaded the whole video of the team landing in Ahmedabad for their clash against India. BCCI, the Indian body, also shared a small video of the hosts landing and receiving a warm welcome. ALSO READ: World Cup: Delhi-game hero Rohit Sharma opens up on breaking Chris Gayle’s most sixes record In the video shared by Pakistan Cricket, players cheer among themselves while boarding the flight from Hyderabad to Ahmedabad. Besides, a surprise in-flight cake-cutting ceremony also took place, celebrating Pakistan’s record-breaking chase against Sri Lanka in their previous match. Upon landing, the Pakistan Team was escorted towards their hotel, where the staff welcomed them with open arms, throwing flower petals. It was a similar kind of welcome they received in Hyderabad. WATCH VIDEO - Touchdown Ahmedabad 🛬 📹 Capturing the journey, featuring a surprise in-flight celebration 🤩#CWC23 | #DattKePakistani | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/qxe0mO9p8X — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 11, 2023 × The Indian Team’s arrival in Ahmedabad was no less royal as the hotel staff adorned players with scarves and applauded them on their way to their rooms. WATCH VIDEO – We are here in Ahmedabad! 👋#CWC23 | #TeamIndia | #INDvPAK | #MeninBlue pic.twitter.com/dVuOaynYRN — BCCI (@BCCI) October 12, 2023 × Pakistan confident to break unwanted CWC record India leads Pakistan 7-0 in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, with an eye to go one better in Ahmedabad this time. The Men in Green, formerly the number-one side in ODIs, are coming off a famous win over Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, having chased 345. Their win marked the most successful run-chase by any team in tournament history. By that, Pakistan will enter the high-octane clash with confidence on their back. Although the absence of Naseem Shah in the bowling attack will hurt them against the top-notch Indian batting line-up, Hasan Ali’s late rise to the top could keep them in the game. Batting-wise, Captain Babar Azam is yet to click, and what better occasion than doing it against the arch-rivals in a World Cup? India still the favourite to win The Men in Blue will be favourites against Pakistan. Given what they achieved and more importantly how they did so, discounting a star-studded Indian Team would be a mistake. Rohit’s record-breaking hundred against Afghanistan will bolster the side’s top order in the absence of Shubman Gill, who continues to recover from the dengue fever. With Bumrah, Siraj and Kuldeep on song, India’s bowling line-up will be lethal. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

World Cup 2023: India, Pakistan teams land in Ahmedabad ahead of marquee clash, receive warm welcome – WATCH

Ahead of the CWC 2023 opener, where defending champions England meet New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 5), Jos Buttler has confirmed that Ben Stokes isn't fully fit. On Wednesday (October 4), the&nbsp;English captain revealed that the star batter has&nbsp;a slight niggle with his hip and is working hard to recover in time.&nbsp;

Talking to the reporters in the pre-match presser, on Wednesday, Buttler told, "He's got a slight niggle with his hip. Fingers crossed that it'll be good news for us. He's working hard with the physios and we'll know more when the guys arrive for training today. We'll make the right call: if he's not fit to play, he's not fit to play."

Thus, Buttler has made it clear that Stokes will be included in the playing XI only if deemed fit by the medical team. England won't be looking to take any risk with the Test captain's fitness at the start of the marquee event in India. The 32-year-old Stokes recently came out of his ODI retirement to feature in the World Cup and, hence, his progress will be closely monitored by the&nbsp;team management.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, New Zealand will be without regular captain Kane Williamson, and pacer Tim Southee, for the opener. In Williamson's absence, Tom Latham will lead the two-time runners-up.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sehwag-gambhir-yuvraj-missed-out-rohit-on-his-captaincy-stint-grateful-to-lead-india-in-cwc-23-642574">'Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj missed out': Rohit on his captaincy stint, 'grateful' to lead India in CWC '23</a>

If Stokes misses out, it will be a huge blow to England.&nbsp;The star cricketer has been in top form in the shorter format since his return. In the home series versus New Zealand, last month, the left-hander scored a majestic 182 --&nbsp;highest individual&nbsp;score for England&nbsp;in ODIs. In addition, he&nbsp;was&nbsp;adjudged the Player-of-the-Match when both sides last met in the 50-over World Cup, i.e. during the 2019 edition's final.&nbsp;

Stokes averages a healthy&nbsp;55.08 versus the Black Caps, with a hundred and four half-centuries.&nbsp;

England final squad for CWC 2023:

Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Ahead of the CWC 2023 opener, where defending champions England meet New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 5), Jos Buttler has confirmed that Ben Stokes isn't fully fit.

Ahead of the CWC 2023 opener, where defending champions England meet New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 5), Jos Buttler has confirmed that Ben Stokes isn't fully fit. On Wednesday (October 4), the English captain revealed that the star batter has a slight niggle with his hip and is working hard to recover in time. Talking to the reporters in the pre-match presser, on Wednesday, Buttler told, "He's got a slight niggle with his hip. Fingers crossed that it'll be good news for us. He's working hard with the physios and we'll know more when the guys arrive for training today. We'll make the right call: if he's not fit to play, he's not fit to play." Thus, Buttler has made it clear that Stokes will be included in the playing XI only if deemed fit by the medical team. England won't be looking to take any risk with the Test captain's fitness at the start of the marquee event in India. The 32-year-old Stokes recently came out of his ODI retirement to feature in the World Cup and, hence, his progress will be closely monitored by the team management. Meanwhile, New Zealand will be without regular captain Kane Williamson, and pacer Tim Southee, for the opener. In Williamson's absence, Tom Latham will lead the two-time runners-up. Also read: 'Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj missed out': Rohit on his captaincy stint, 'grateful' to lead India in CWC '23 If Stokes misses out, it will be a huge blow to England. The star cricketer has been in top form in the shorter format since his return. In the home series versus New Zealand, last month, the left-hander scored a majestic 182 -- highest individual score for England in ODIs. In addition, he was adjudged the Player-of-the-Match when both sides last met in the 50-over World Cup, i.e. during the 2019 edition's final. Stokes averages a healthy 55.08 versus the Black Caps, with a hundred and four half-centuries. England final squad for CWC 2023: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

CWC 2023: Jos Buttler confirms Ben Stokes 'not fully fit' for England vs New Zealand curtain raiser

In Pics | PM Modi visits Aquatic Gallery in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, calls it celebration of marine marvels

People gathered on the streets of the Surat district in the west Indian state of Gujarat in search of diamonds following the rumours about an unidentified person who accidentally dropped a packet of diamonds.

People gathered on the streets of the Surat district in the west Indian state of Gujarat in search of diamonds following the rumours about an unidentified person who accidentally dropped a packet of diamonds. Surat, dubbed the 'Diamond City of India,' is the world's largest market for diamond polishing, cutting, and crafting. A video of the incident, showing people searching rigorously for diamonds in the Varaccha area of Surat, has gone viral on social media platforms. According to a report in the Ahmedabad Mirror, the rumour about the merchant accidentally dropping diamonds worth millions of rupees on the road spread like wildfire in the city. The incident occurred on September 24. Reports say that people also collected dust from the market road in search of the diamonds. The video also shows a person cleaning the area with a broom, hoping to find a diamond in the collected dust. Several pictures and videos of the people scouring for something missing went viral. ALSO READ | Watch: PM Modi addresses rally in Bhopal, calls I.N.D.I.A. 'Ghamandia alliance' Interestingly, some people managed to find a few diamonds. However, they turned out to be American diamonds, synthesised replacements for diamonds. #સુરત વરાછા મિનિબજાર રાજહંસ ટાવર પાસે હીરા ઢોળાયાની વાત થતા હીરા શોધવા લોકોની ભીડ થઈ. પ્રાથમિક સૂત્રો દ્વારા જાણવા મળેલ છે કે આ હીરા CVD અથવા અમેરિકન ડાયમંડ છે..#Diamond #Surat #Gujarat pic.twitter.com/WdQwbBSarl — 𝑲𝒂𝒍𝒑𝒆𝒔𝒉 𝑩 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊 🇮🇳🚩 (@KalpeshPraj80) September 24, 2023 × Arvind Panseria, searching the street for diamonds, said a man found a diamond. But it was an American diamond used in imitation jewellery or saree work. "It seems somebody played a prank," he added. The Varaccha area in Surat, where the incident occurred, is also a hub for diamond trade. Alpesh Gabani, a police officer from the Varachha police station, told BOOM Live that someone dropped a bag of American diamonds on the street. But rumours began to circulate that they were real diamonds. Gabani also clarified that the incident was unrelated to the diamond market turmoil. ALSO READ | Mathura, Bharatpur pass Jamtara, Nuh as infamous cybercrime hubs of India, says study According to experts, the Russia-Ukraine war triggered the recession in the Surat diamond industry last year. Data from the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council's (GJEPC) showed that the overall gross exports of gems & jewellery for the April-June quarter stood at ₹60,222.10 crore as compared to ₹77,499.44 crore in the corresponding period in 2022, marking a 28.08 per cent decline. One of the reasons behind the plunge in exports is the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid, which occurred in March 2023 and caused the closure of four units of Sagar Diamonds. The diamond hub in Surat employs around 800,000 people. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Watch | People search for lost diamonds in the streets of India's Surat

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is just around the corner, and Ahmedabad – the venue for the CWC opener and the final, is set to host the opening ceremony on October 4, one day before the start of the marquee event. While no confirmation on the exact location for the opening ceremony was disclosed, the latest reports suggest the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium could host it.

The members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the executive board of the global cricket governing body, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will be present in Ahmedabad to grace the occasion.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/asia-cup-ab-de-villiers-says-dropping-leg-spinner-yuzvendra-chahal-player-from-india-squad-disappointing-629604">Asia Cup 2023: AB de Villiers says dropping leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal from India squad 'DISAPPOINTING'</a>

The reports also suggest the inauguration ceremony will be a glittery affair, with the captains from all 10&nbsp;participating teams hogging all the limelight. The BCCI is said to organise a formal briefing session for the skippers during the event, referred to as ‘Captain’s Day’.

All the captains will arrive in Ahmedabad on the morning of October 4 to participate in the brief yet dazzling opening ceremony to get things going for the Cricket World Cup 2023.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, on the eve of the inauguration ceremony, six of the 10 teams are scheduled to play their last warm-up games. While hosts India will take on the Netherlands, five-time winners Australia will face Pakistan, and Sri Lanka will face emerging Asian giants Afghanistan.&nbsp;

The main action, however, begins on October 5, when defending champions England will take on last-time finalist New Zealand in Ahmedabad in the opener.&nbsp;

<h2>All eyes on India as host favourite to win CWC</h2>

The 50-over World Cup has returned to this part of the world after a gap of 12 years. The last time India hosted this multi-team event, Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side lifted the trophy by beating Sri Lanka in the final by six wickets.&nbsp;

More than a decade later, Rohit Sharma’s team has a chance to repeat the heroics and clinch the world title.&nbsp;

India will begin its World Cup campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8 and will face Afghanistan on October 11 in the capital city of New Delhi. Next comes the marquee clash against Pakistan on October 14 in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;

The Indian Team will then face the remaining six matches on scheduled dates, with its last league match coming against the Netherlands on November 12 in Bengaluru.&nbsp;

With all first-team players ready and raring to go for the World Cup 2023, India will fancy its chances of ending the trophy drought. 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is just around the corner, and Ahmedabad – the venue for the CWC opener and the final, is set to host the opening ceremony on October 4, one day before the start of the marquee event.

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is just around the corner, and Ahmedabad – the venue for the CWC opener and the final, is set to host the opening ceremony on October 4, one day before the start of the marquee event. While no confirmation on the exact location for the opening ceremony was disclosed, the latest reports suggest the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium could host it. The members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the executive board of the global cricket governing body, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will be present in Ahmedabad to grace the occasion. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2023: AB de Villiers says dropping leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal from India squad 'DISAPPOINTING' The reports also suggest the inauguration ceremony will be a glittery affair, with the captains from all 10 participating teams hogging all the limelight. The BCCI is said to organise a formal briefing session for the skippers during the event, referred to as ‘Captain’s Day’. All the captains will arrive in Ahmedabad on the morning of October 4 to participate in the brief yet dazzling opening ceremony to get things going for the Cricket World Cup 2023. Meanwhile, on the eve of the inauguration ceremony, six of the 10 teams are scheduled to play their last warm-up games. While hosts India will take on the Netherlands, five-time winners Australia will face Pakistan, and Sri Lanka will face emerging Asian giants Afghanistan. The main action, however, begins on October 5, when defending champions England will take on last-time finalist New Zealand in Ahmedabad in the opener. All eyes on India as host favourite to win CWC The 50-over World Cup has returned to this part of the world after a gap of 12 years. The last time India hosted this multi-team event, Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side lifted the trophy by beating Sri Lanka in the final by six wickets. More than a decade later, Rohit Sharma’s team has a chance to repeat the heroics and clinch the world title. India will begin its World Cup campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8 and will face Afghanistan on October 11 in the capital city of New Delhi. Next comes the marquee clash against Pakistan on October 14 in Ahmedabad. The Indian Team will then face the remaining six matches on scheduled dates, with its last league match coming against the Netherlands on November 12 in Bengaluru. With all first-team players ready and raring to go for the World Cup 2023, India will fancy its chances of ending the trophy drought. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ahmedabad likely to host Cricket World Cup 2023 opening ceremony on October 4

With the 2023 50-over World Cup just months away, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce the much-awaited schedule in a grand launch following the IPL 2023.

With the 2023 50-over World Cup just months away, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce the much-awaited schedule in a grand launch following the IPL 2023. The latest reports have emerged that the high-octane India vs Pakistan clash will take place at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. In anticipation of a large number of fans travelling from all across the world for the India vs Pakistan match – first time on the Indian soil since 2016, Ahmedabad stays as the front-runner to play host ahead of several other iconic venues like the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and M Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru. With a sitting capacity of over 100,000, this stadium is also the largest in India. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: LSG captain KL Rahul ruled out of the season, remains doubtful for 2023 WTC final As per a report in the Indian Express, the board has zeroed in on 12 tentative venues for the World Cup – scheduled for October-November this year, with Nagpur, Bengaluru, Trivandrum, Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Rajkot, Indore, Bengaluru and Dharamsala short-listed, even for practice games. Among all these venues, only seven will host Indian team matches, with Ahmedabad being the one to host two – provided Rohit Sharma’s team reach the summit clash. Meanwhile, the report also suggests that Pakistan could play most of their league matches down south – Chennai or Bengaluru, purely for security reasons. Besides, Eden Gardens is also considered the other venue for the Pakistan games. Also, for Bangladesh, Kolkata and Guwahati are considered venues, as it would reduce the travel time of the touring fans. Further, considering the Oct-Nov window being the monsoon season in India, most matches would take place in southern India until the first week of November. BCCI-PCB tussle continues While talks of confirming the venues and schedule are in the final stages, earlier reports suggest that following a verbal argument between boards from neighbouring countries, there could be a scenario that Pakistan might consider against travelling to India for the mega event. It comes as a reciprocation call to BCCI’s decision not to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the scheduled 2023 Asia Cup. Top bosses from both boards sat together earlier during ICC meets but haven’t finalised. The BCCI said India will not travel to Pakistan and instead will play all of its matches at a neutral venue, with UAE being considered as one of the options. The 2023 Asia Cup is slated to take place somewhere around early September.

Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is likely to host India vs Pakistan 2023 World Cup clash - Reports

World Health Organisation is hosting its first-ever traditional medicine summit on the sidelines of the G20 Health Ministers meeting in the Indian city of Gandhinagar. The two-day summit seeks to mobilise political commitment.

WHO holds 1st traditional medicine summit, says 'traditional medicines used by millions' | Newspoint

The stage is set for the biggest clash of the winter between India and Pakistan during the ICC Men’s Cricket ODI World Cup on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Following the schedule announcement on Tuesday, fans from across the world got busy booking flights and hotels for the CWC 2023; however, the latest reports emerged state there is a surge in hotel prices for D-day, Sunday, October 15, in Ahmedabad, with a ten-fold increase in prices in comparison to July in most hotels.

While in some luxury hotels in Ahmedabad, where the usual tariff for one night is somewhere between INR 5000-8000, on October 15, the prices shot up from INR 40,000 to INR 1 Lac. For instance, the Pride Plaza hotel, which costs around INR 4000 for a room per night in July, is charging a whopping INR 75,000 for that one night.&nbsp;

As per a report in PTI, the Welcome Hotel by ITC Hotels – whose one-night fare is around INR 5699, will charge 72,000 for the same room on October 15.

Meanwhile, because of this there has been non-availability of rooms at all five-star hotels in the city, including the ITC Narmada, the Courtyard by Marriott, the Hyatt and the Taj Skyline Ahmedabad.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-likely-to-appoint-ajit-agarkar-as-new-chief-selector-womens-team-coach-announcement-to-follow-soon-609949">BCCI likely to appoint Ajit Agarkar as new chief selector, women's team coach announcement to follow soon</a>

Speaking on this over-the-roof hikes in hotel prices in Ahmedabad on October 15 for India vs Pakistan match, Hotels and Restaurants Association (HRA) – Gujarat spokesperson Abhijeet Deshmukh said,

“If the hoteliers think that the demand is very high for a particular period, they will try to make some revenue because they are assured that rooms will be full despite higher rates. Once the demand drops, the room rentals will also come down."

<h2>Budget hotels to see surge in prices later</h2>

He added since&nbsp;the schedule is out and fans from across the world are booking hotels for that particular day, there are chances of no occupancy in some hotels.

“Since their first choice would be luxury hotels and they plan in advance, they might have started booking rooms in city hotels, which might have resulted in no occupancy in some of the hotels," Deshmukh added.

He also added the surge in demand for the luxury hotels is mainly due to NRIs and upper middle-class people living in nearby cities or states who would be travelling for the match. Deshmukh noted budget hotels in the city are yet to see this rise in fares because the middle-class people, who would be deciding to stay there at the last moment.

Meanwhile, the home World Cup begins with the opener between England and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on October 5, while India will play its first match against the mighty Aussies in Chennai.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The stage is set for the biggest clash of the winter between India and Pakistan during the ICC Men’s Cricket ODI World Cup on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The stage is set for the biggest clash of the winter between India and Pakistan during the ICC Men’s Cricket ODI World Cup on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Following the schedule announcement on Tuesday, fans from across the world got busy booking flights and hotels for the CWC 2023; however, the latest reports emerged state there is a surge in hotel prices for D-day, Sunday, October 15, in Ahmedabad, with a ten-fold increase in prices in comparison to July in most hotels. While in some luxury hotels in Ahmedabad, where the usual tariff for one night is somewhere between INR 5000-8000, on October 15, the prices shot up from INR 40,000 to INR 1 Lac. For instance, the Pride Plaza hotel, which costs around INR 4000 for a room per night in July, is charging a whopping INR 75,000 for that one night. As per a report in PTI, the Welcome Hotel by ITC Hotels – whose one-night fare is around INR 5699, will charge 72,000 for the same room on October 15. Meanwhile, because of this there has been non-availability of rooms at all five-star hotels in the city, including the ITC Narmada, the Courtyard by Marriott, the Hyatt and the Taj Skyline Ahmedabad. ALSO READ: BCCI likely to appoint Ajit Agarkar as new chief selector, women's team coach announcement to follow soon Speaking on this over-the-roof hikes in hotel prices in Ahmedabad on October 15 for India vs Pakistan match, Hotels and Restaurants Association (HRA) – Gujarat spokesperson Abhijeet Deshmukh said, “If the hoteliers think that the demand is very high for a particular period, they will try to make some revenue because they are assured that rooms will be full despite higher rates. Once the demand drops, the room rentals will also come down." Budget hotels to see surge in prices later He added since the schedule is out and fans from across the world are booking hotels for that particular day, there are chances of no occupancy in some hotels. “Since their first choice would be luxury hotels and they plan in advance, they might have started booking rooms in city hotels, which might have resulted in no occupancy in some of the hotels," Deshmukh added. He also added the surge in demand for the luxury hotels is mainly due to NRIs and upper middle-class people living in nearby cities or states who would be travelling for the match. Deshmukh noted budget hotels in the city are yet to see this rise in fares because the middle-class people, who would be deciding to stay there at the last moment. Meanwhile, the home World Cup begins with the opener between England and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium on October 5, while India will play its first match against the mighty Aussies in Chennai. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India vs Pakistan, CWC'23: From INR 40,000 to 1 lakh/night, surge in hotel prices on match day in Ahmedabad

India will face Pakistan on October 15 in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad with England vs New Zealand game set to kick off the quadrennial tournament from October 5. India, the host country for the ODI WC, will start their campaign against Australia on October 8, as per the draft prepared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The developments were reported by ESPNCricinfo, which also said that the BCCI shared the draft with the ICC which then forwarded the schedule to rest of the countries to have a look before the final schedule is out. The confirmation about the World Cup schedule is expected as early as next week, the report further stated.

As per the report, India will play their matches across nine venues during the league phase and here's their itinerary:

<table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Opponent</td>
			<td>Venue</td>
			<td>Date</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Australia</td>
			<td>Chennai</td>
			<td>October 8</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Afghanistan</td>
			<td>Delhi</td>
			<td>October 11</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pakistan</td>
			<td>Ahmedabad</td>
			<td>October 15</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bangladesh</td>
			<td>Pune</td>
			<td>October 19</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>New Zealand</td>
			<td>Dharamsala</td>
			<td>October 22</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>England</td>
			<td>Lucknow</td>
			<td>October 29</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Qualifier Team</td>
			<td>Mumbai</td>
			<td>November 2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>South Africa</td>
			<td>Kolkata</td>
			<td>November 5</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Qualifier Team</td>
			<td>Bengaluru</td>
			<td>November 11</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

The draft, shared by the BCCI, has picked Ahmedabad as the venue for the final, to be played on November 19, but none for the semi-finals as of now which are expected to be played on November 15 and 16.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/reaching-two-finals-is-a-good-achievement-proud-of-this-team-says-rohit-sharma-after-india-lost-wtc-final-603168">'Reaching two finals is a good achievement, proud of this team', says Rohit Sharma after India lost WTC Final</a>

<h2>Unprecedented delay in announcing schedule</h2>

Notably, never in the history of the marquee tournament has there been such delay in announcing the schedule. The same for the last two editions was announced one year in advance. BCCI secretary Jay Shah, on May 27, had said that the schedule would be announced during the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. ICC CEO Geoff Allardice too, on the first day of WTC Final, had said that the schedule would be announced 'anytime soon,' while speaking on BBC's Test Match Special. Nonetheless, the schedule seems all but certainty now with draft being out.&nbsp;

<h2>Pakistan set to play at five venues</h2>

Apart from their clash against India, Pakistan will face two qualifier teams on October 6 and 12 in Hyderabad before facing Australia in Bengaluru on October 20. Pakistan, who had earlier threatened to boycott over Asia Cup hosting, will then be facing Afghanistan and South Africa in Chennai on October 23 and 27, respectively. The final three matches of Asia Cup hosts are set to be played in Kolkata on October 31, Bengaluru on November 5 and Kolkata again on November 12 against Bangladesh, New Zealand and England, respectively.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

India will face Pakistan on October 15 in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad with England vs New Zealand game set to kick off the quadrennial tournament from October 5.

India will face Pakistan on October 15 in the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad with England vs New Zealand game set to kick off the quadrennial tournament from October 5. India, the host country for the ODI WC, will start their campaign against Australia on October 8, as per the draft prepared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The developments were reported by ESPNCricinfo, which also said that the BCCI shared the draft with the ICC which then forwarded the schedule to rest of the countries to have a look before the final schedule is out. The confirmation about the World Cup schedule is expected as early as next week, the report further stated. As per the report, India will play their matches across nine venues during the league phase and here's their itinerary: Opponent Venue Date Australia Chennai October 8 Afghanistan Delhi October 11 Pakistan Ahmedabad October 15 Bangladesh Pune October 19 New Zealand Dharamsala October 22 England Lucknow October 29 Qualifier Team Mumbai November 2 South Africa Kolkata November 5 Qualifier Team Bengaluru November 11 The draft, shared by the BCCI, has picked Ahmedabad as the venue for the final, to be played on November 19, but none for the semi-finals as of now which are expected to be played on November 15 and 16. Also Read: 'Reaching two finals is a good achievement, proud of this team', says Rohit Sharma after India lost WTC Final Unprecedented delay in announcing schedule Notably, never in the history of the marquee tournament has there been such delay in announcing the schedule. The same for the last two editions was announced one year in advance. BCCI secretary Jay Shah, on May 27, had said that the schedule would be announced during the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. ICC CEO Geoff Allardice too, on the first day of WTC Final, had said that the schedule would be announced 'anytime soon,' while speaking on BBC's Test Match Special. Nonetheless, the schedule seems all but certainty now with draft being out. Pakistan set to play at five venues Apart from their clash against India, Pakistan will face two qualifier teams on October 6 and 12 in Hyderabad before facing Australia in Bengaluru on October 20. Pakistan, who had earlier threatened to boycott over Asia Cup hosting, will then be facing Afghanistan and South Africa in Chennai on October 23 and 27, respectively. The final three matches of Asia Cup hosts are set to be played in Kolkata on October 31, Bengaluru on November 5 and Kolkata again on November 12 against Bangladesh, New Zealand and England, respectively. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

ICC ODI WC: India vs Pakistan on October 15, Final in Ahmedabad as per draft schedule - Report

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition is keenly awaited. Every team is preparing hard for the marquee event which will be held in India entirely. As per a report, the 50-over marquee tournament is set to kick off in early October and will end by mid-November.&nbsp;

As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, the 2023 ODI WC will commence on&nbsp;October 05 whereas the finale will be held on November 19 at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. The same report also suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the host of the ten-team tournament, has finalised as many as a dozen venues for the showpiece event.

Apart from Ahmedabad, the shortlisted cities are&nbsp;Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Rajkot, and Mumbai. It is to be noted that the tournament will be held in the round-robin stage, just like the 2019 edition, and will&nbsp;consist of&nbsp;48 matches including three knockouts across a 46-day period.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/big-blow-to-team-india-shreyas-iyer-to-undergo-surgery-likely-to-skip-ipl-2023-wtc-final-and-odi-wc-574544">Big blow to Team India! Shreyas Iyer to undergo surgery, likely to skip IPL 2023, WTC final and ODI WC</a>

Why the delay from BCCI?

The BCCI has not specified venues for any games as of now, nor the two or three cities where the&nbsp;warm-up encounters will take place. It is learned that the delay in finalising the venues has been due to the threat posed by the monsoon season receding at different points across the nation.&nbsp;

The International Cricket Council (ICC) usually&nbsp;shares the World Cup schedules, at least, a year in the run-up to the event. However, much to the surprise of cricket fans worldwide, it hasn't been the case this time around. The wait has been prolonged as the Indian cricket board is&nbsp;yet to&nbsp;get the necessary clearance from the&nbsp;government.

The BCCI needs to get a tax exemption for hosting the mega&nbsp;tournament, and also acquire visa clearance for Team Pakistan. The Asian giants have not played a bilateral series in India since early 2013 and their last visit to their neighbouring country was during the 2016 T20 World Cup in India.

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition is keenly awaited. Every team is preparing hard for the marquee event which will be held in India entirely. As per a report, the 50-over marquee tournament is set to kick off in early October and will end by mid-November.

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 edition is keenly awaited. Every team is preparing hard for the marquee event which will be held in India entirely. As per a report, the 50-over marquee tournament is set to kick off in early October and will end by mid-November. As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, the 2023 ODI WC will commence on October 05 whereas the finale will be held on November 19 at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. The same report also suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the host of the ten-team tournament, has finalised as many as a dozen venues for the showpiece event. Apart from Ahmedabad, the shortlisted cities are Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Indore, Rajkot, and Mumbai. It is to be noted that the tournament will be held in the round-robin stage, just like the 2019 edition, and will consist of 48 matches including three knockouts across a 46-day period. Also Read: Big blow to Team India! Shreyas Iyer to undergo surgery, likely to skip IPL 2023, WTC final and ODI WC Why the delay from BCCI? The BCCI has not specified venues for any games as of now, nor the two or three cities where the warm-up encounters will take place. It is learned that the delay in finalising the venues has been due to the threat posed by the monsoon season receding at different points across the nation. The International Cricket Council (ICC) usually shares the World Cup schedules, at least, a year in the run-up to the event. However, much to the surprise of cricket fans worldwide, it hasn't been the case this time around. The wait has been prolonged as the Indian cricket board is yet to get the necessary clearance from the government. The BCCI needs to get a tax exemption for hosting the mega tournament, and also acquire visa clearance for Team Pakistan. The Asian giants have not played a bilateral series in India since early 2013 and their last visit to their neighbouring country was during the 2016 T20 World Cup in India.

ODI World Cup likely to kick off on October 5, final on November 19 in Ahmedabad: Report

Indian batsman Virat Kohli became only the fifth batter to score 4,000 Test runs at home for India, breaking yet another batting record during day three of the Ahmedabad Test against Australia. Kohli, who already holds numerous records, joined the list with other Indian greats namely Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.

Kohli achieved the feat in his 50th home Test with an average north of 58. The list of most Test runs at home for India is being led by former stalwart Sachin Tendulkar, who has 7,216 runs to his name in 94 Tests. Second on the list is India coach Rahul Dravid with 5,598 runs in 70 Test.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Milestone 🚨 - 𝟒𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 🫡🫡<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> <a href="https://t.co/W6lPx7savd">pic.twitter.com/W6lPx7savd</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1634504908027166722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Other two names on the list are Sunil Gavaskar at third position with 5,067 runs in 65 Tests and Virender Sehwag with 4,656 runs in 52 Tests. Former skipper Kohli achieved the feat during his unbeaten innings of 59 off 128 balls, his 29th Test fifty.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-4th-test-day-3-india-crawl-back-into-ahmedabad-test-with-shubman-gills-maiden-bgt-century-570918">IND vs AUS, 4th Test, day 3: India crawl back into Ahmedabad Test with Shubman Gill's maiden BGT century</a>

The fifty is also Kohli's first since January 2022 or 16 Test innings - the longest he has gone without a 50+ score in his career. Kohli, however, batted with free mind and assurance during his latest fifty and is looking set to make it a big one.

The day three of the fourth and last Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series ended with India at 289/3, trailing by 191 runs in the first innings in reply of Australia's total of 480.

Apart from Kohli, opening batsman Shubhman Gill also scored his second Test ton. Gill added 113 runs for the second wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara, who got out at 42. After Pujara's dismissal, Gill also added 58 runs for the third wicket with Kohli before being trapped LBW at the individual score of 128 - his best in Tests so far.

For Australia, spinners Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann took one wicket each.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Indian batsman Virat Kohli became only the fifth batter to score 4,000 Test runs at home for India, breaking yet another batting record during day three of the Ahmedabad Test against Australia.

Indian batsman Virat Kohli became only the fifth batter to score 4,000 Test runs at home for India, breaking yet another batting record during day three of the Ahmedabad Test against Australia. Kohli, who already holds numerous records, joined the list with other Indian greats namely Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar. Kohli achieved the feat in his 50th home Test with an average north of 58. The list of most Test runs at home for India is being led by former stalwart Sachin Tendulkar, who has 7,216 runs to his name in 94 Tests. Second on the list is India coach Rahul Dravid with 5,598 runs in 70 Test. Milestone 🚨 - 𝟒𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 🫡🫡#INDvAUS #TeamIndia | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/W6lPx7savd — BCCI (@BCCI) March 11, 2023 × Other two names on the list are Sunil Gavaskar at third position with 5,067 runs in 65 Tests and Virender Sehwag with 4,656 runs in 52 Tests. Former skipper Kohli achieved the feat during his unbeaten innings of 59 off 128 balls, his 29th Test fifty. Also Read: IND vs AUS, 4th Test, day 3: India crawl back into Ahmedabad Test with Shubman Gill's maiden BGT century The fifty is also Kohli's first since January 2022 or 16 Test innings - the longest he has gone without a 50+ score in his career. Kohli, however, batted with free mind and assurance during his latest fifty and is looking set to make it a big one. The day three of the fourth and last Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series ended with India at 289/3, trailing by 191 runs in the first innings in reply of Australia's total of 480. Apart from Kohli, opening batsman Shubhman Gill also scored his second Test ton. Gill added 113 runs for the second wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara, who got out at 42. After Pujara's dismissal, Gill also added 58 runs for the third wicket with Kohli before being trapped LBW at the individual score of 128 - his best in Tests so far. For Australia, spinners Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann took one wicket each. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India vs Australia, 4th Test: Virat Kohli joins elite list after scoring 4,000 runs in home Tests

Mohammed Shami removed Marnus Labuschagne's stumps with a brilliant delivery in the morning session of the opening day of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia in Ahmedabad. After Steve Smith-led Australia won the toss and opted to bat first, they were off to a good start courtesy of Travis Head-Usman Khawaja's 61-run opening stand before R Ashwin removed the former and Shami struck very soon to get rid of Labuschagne.&nbsp;

Talking about the delivery that removed Labuschagne, the ball nipped in from a back of a length and kept low. The Aussie star batter punched the ball through off-side but got a thick edge and the ball ricocheted to strike the stumps. Here's the video of Labuschagne's dismissal:

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-pm-modi-and-his-australian-counterpart-anthony-albanese-meet-ind-aus-players-before-4th-test-570105">WATCH: PM Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese meet Ind-Aus players before 4th Test</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
𝐓.𝐈.𝐌.𝐁.𝐄.𝐑 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/MdShami11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MdShami11</a> sends back Labuschagne to scalp the second wicket for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> 👌 
 
Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/8DPghkx0DE">https://t.co/8DPghkx0DE</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/mastercardindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mastercardindia</a> <a href="https://t.co/LT3ao2kFBk">pic.twitter.com/LT3ao2kFBk</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1633704852118441984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

In the first session -- which was also attended by Prime&nbsp;Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese -- India achieved two breakthroughs only. Australia started off on a confident note before Ashwin induced a poor stroke from Head's willow and Shami removed Labuschagne. At the lunch break, Australia was 75 for 2 and will aim to dominate proceedings in the second and third session in a bid to post a big total.

Rohit Sharma-led India have to win the fourth and final Test, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, to not only clinch the four-match series -- which they lead 2-1 currently -- but to also qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. Australia have already made it to the finale after their Indore Test victory.

Mohammed Shami removed Marnus Labuschagne's stumps with a brilliant delivery in the morning session of the opening day of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia in Ahmedabad.

Mohammed Shami removed Marnus Labuschagne's stumps with a brilliant delivery in the morning session of the opening day of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia in Ahmedabad. After Steve Smith-led Australia won the toss and opted to bat first, they were off to a good start courtesy of Travis Head-Usman Khawaja's 61-run opening stand before R Ashwin removed the former and Shami struck very soon to get rid of Labuschagne. Talking about the delivery that removed Labuschagne, the ball nipped in from a back of a length and kept low. The Aussie star batter punched the ball through off-side but got a thick edge and the ball ricocheted to strike the stumps. Here's the video of Labuschagne's dismissal: Also read: WATCH: PM Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese meet Ind-Aus players before 4th Test 𝐓.𝐈.𝐌.𝐁.𝐄.𝐑 🔥@MdShami11 sends back Labuschagne to scalp the second wicket for #TeamIndia 👌 Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/8DPghkx0DE#INDvAUS | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/LT3ao2kFBk — BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2023 × In the first session -- which was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese -- India achieved two breakthroughs only. Australia started off on a confident note before Ashwin induced a poor stroke from Head's willow and Shami removed Labuschagne. At the lunch break, Australia was 75 for 2 and will aim to dominate proceedings in the second and third session in a bid to post a big total. Rohit Sharma-led India have to win the fourth and final Test, at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, to not only clinch the four-match series -- which they lead 2-1 currently -- but to also qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. Australia have already made it to the finale after their Indore Test victory.

CLEANED UP! Md Shami rattles Marnus Labuschagne's stumps on Day 1 of Ahmedabad Test - Watch

Day 1 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia kicked off in the presence of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Thursday (March 09). Before the start of the series decider, both PM Modi and Albanese met the Indian and Australian players, respectively, amid a huge roar from the crowd.&nbsp;

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared the video of PM Modi-Anthony Albanese's interaction with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith, respectively. Here's the video of the two dignitaries meeting players from both camps, shared by BCCI's official Twitter handle. The caption read, "A special welcome &amp; special handshakes!

The Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modiji and the Honourable Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Anthony Albanese meet #TeamIndia &amp; Australia respectively."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modiji and The Honourable Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Anthony Albanese have arrived at the stadium! <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PMOIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlboMP</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/mastercardindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mastercardindia</a> <a href="https://t.co/5bijT2ENJ5">pic.twitter.com/5bijT2ENJ5</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1633670614979612673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/unmissable-rohit-sharma-leads-the-charge-as-team-india-celebrate-holi-in-ahmedabad-watch-569894">UNMISSABLE! Rohit Sharma leads the charge as Team India celebrate Holi in Ahmedabad - Watch</a>

At the coin toss, Smith-led Australia opted to bat first. The stand-in skipper said, "We are going to have a bat, playing with the same team. Looks like a nice surface, does look like a good wicket. The guys performed well last week. We'll wait and see (whether he will lead Australia in India again)."

Meanwhile, Rohit told the broadcasters, "We would have batted first. We know what needs to be done. Siraj is rested and Shami is back. It's always nice to have some time off. We need to regroup as a team, you can reflect on so many things. Not the surface what we saw in the first three Tests, looks a good pitch, I hope it stays the same for all five days."

Playing XIs

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav

Australia: Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon

India lead the series 2-1 but need to win the final Test to not only clinch the series but also qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. Australia have already qualified following their Indore Test victory.

Day 1 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia kicked off in the presence of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Thursday (March 09).

Day 1 of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia kicked off in the presence of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on Thursday (March 09). Before the start of the series decider, both PM Modi and Albanese met the Indian and Australian players, respectively, amid a huge roar from the crowd. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared the video of PM Modi-Anthony Albanese's interaction with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith, respectively. Here's the video of the two dignitaries meeting players from both camps, shared by BCCI's official Twitter handle. The caption read, "A special welcome & special handshakes! The Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modiji and the Honourable Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Anthony Albanese meet #TeamIndia & Australia respectively." The Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modiji and The Honourable Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Anthony Albanese have arrived at the stadium! @narendramodi | @PMOIndia | @AlboMP | #TeamIndia | #INDvAUS | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/5bijT2ENJ5 — BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2023 × Also read: UNMISSABLE! Rohit Sharma leads the charge as Team India celebrate Holi in Ahmedabad - Watch At the coin toss, Smith-led Australia opted to bat first. The stand-in skipper said, "We are going to have a bat, playing with the same team. Looks like a nice surface, does look like a good wicket. The guys performed well last week. We'll wait and see (whether he will lead Australia in India again)." Meanwhile, Rohit told the broadcasters, "We would have batted first. We know what needs to be done. Siraj is rested and Shami is back. It's always nice to have some time off. We need to regroup as a team, you can reflect on so many things. Not the surface what we saw in the first three Tests, looks a good pitch, I hope it stays the same for all five days." Playing XIs India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav Australia: Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon India lead the series 2-1 but need to win the final Test to not only clinch the series but also qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. Australia have already qualified following their Indore Test victory.

WATCH: PM Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese meet Ind-Aus players before 4th Test

India and Australia locked horns on Day 1 of the fourth and final Test, in Ahmedabad, on Thursday (March 9). After Steve Smith-led Aussies opted to bat first, the visitors ended the day at 255&nbsp;for 4 with Usman Khawaja remaining unbeaten on 104*. The day belonged to Australia as they batted consciously and Indian bowlers were made to work hard for every wicket. Eventually, Md Shami ended the opening day with two scalps whereas R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja shared a wicket each.

Shami got both the wickets by cleaning up the stumps. Firstly, he got rid of Marnus Labuschagne before also claiming the scalp of Peter Handscomb. Talking about Handscomb's dismissal, Shami hit the deck on a good length and the ball straightened off the deck. The batter was caught on the back foot and completely got beaten to see his stumps get rattled. Here's the video of the dismissal:

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cleaned-up-md-shami-rattles-marnus-labuschagnes-stumps-on-day-1-of-ahmedabad-test-watch-570152">CLEANED UP! Md Shami rattles Marnus Labuschagne's stumps on Day 1 of Ahmedabad Test - Watch</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
As good as it gets! 🔥🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/MdShami11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MdShami11</a> uproots the off-stump to dismiss Handscomb for 17! 👏👏 
 
Australia 170/4. 
 
Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/8DPghkx0DE">https://t.co/8DPghkx0DE</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAUS</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/mastercardindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mastercardindia</a> <a href="https://t.co/2hXFYhvslW">pic.twitter.com/2hXFYhvslW</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1633767367795933184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

After Handscomb's fall, there was no further breakthrough for Team India. Rohit &amp; Co. struggled to break Khawaja-Cameron Green's fifth-wicket stand. The duo stitched 85 runs go take Australia's score to 255 for 4 at stumps on Day 1. After stumps, Khawaja told the broadcasters, "A lot of emotion in that. Has been a long journey, getting a hundred, as an Australian you always want to do that. It's very special. Head took the new ball down. He was smacking them. Was pretty good to watch that from the other end. It was such a nice wicket, I didn't want to give my wicket away. It was a mental battle more than anything else. You need to keep doing it for a long time. I had the helmet in my right hand, I told him (Green) just me a hug, instead of a high five (following his century). I have no superstitions, I stretched a bit in the morning and I was ready to go."

Rohit &amp; Co. will hope for quick wickets on Day 2, on Friday (March 10), to restrict the Aussies below 320. At present, it looks a herculean task for the hosts. India lead the series 2-1 and need a win to not only take the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 and enter the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.

India and Australia locked horns on Day 1 of the fourth and final Test, in Ahmedabad, on Thursday (March 9). After Steve Smith-led Aussies opted to bat first, the visitors ended the day at 255 for 4 with Usman Khawaja remaining unbeaten on 104*.

India and Australia locked horns on Day 1 of the fourth and final Test, in Ahmedabad, on Thursday (March 9). After Steve Smith-led Aussies opted to bat first, the visitors ended the day at 255 for 4 with Usman Khawaja remaining unbeaten on 104*. The day belonged to Australia as they batted consciously and Indian bowlers were made to work hard for every wicket. Eventually, Md Shami ended the opening day with two scalps whereas R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja shared a wicket each. Shami got both the wickets by cleaning up the stumps. Firstly, he got rid of Marnus Labuschagne before also claiming the scalp of Peter Handscomb. Talking about Handscomb's dismissal, Shami hit the deck on a good length and the ball straightened off the deck. The batter was caught on the back foot and completely got beaten to see his stumps get rattled. Here's the video of the dismissal: Also read: CLEANED UP! Md Shami rattles Marnus Labuschagne's stumps on Day 1 of Ahmedabad Test - Watch As good as it gets! 🔥🔥@MdShami11 uproots the off-stump to dismiss Handscomb for 17! 👏👏 Australia 170/4. Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/8DPghkx0DE#INDvAUS | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/2hXFYhvslW — BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2023 × After Handscomb's fall, there was no further breakthrough for Team India. Rohit & Co. struggled to break Khawaja-Cameron Green's fifth-wicket stand. The duo stitched 85 runs go take Australia's score to 255 for 4 at stumps on Day 1. After stumps, Khawaja told the broadcasters, "A lot of emotion in that. Has been a long journey, getting a hundred, as an Australian you always want to do that. It's very special. Head took the new ball down. He was smacking them. Was pretty good to watch that from the other end. It was such a nice wicket, I didn't want to give my wicket away. It was a mental battle more than anything else. You need to keep doing it for a long time. I had the helmet in my right hand, I told him (Green) just me a hug, instead of a high five (following his century). I have no superstitions, I stretched a bit in the morning and I was ready to go." Rohit & Co. will hope for quick wickets on Day 2, on Friday (March 10), to restrict the Aussies below 320. At present, it looks a herculean task for the hosts. India lead the series 2-1 and need a win to not only take the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1 and enter the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.

WATCH: Md Shami dismisses Peter Handscomb with a peach of a delivery on Day 1 of 4th Test

The Australian pm is on a 4-day India visit. The focus is on shared concerns about china, and deepening trade ties. Today, Albanese will watch a cricket match with Indian pm Narendra Modi. Albanese, in his maiden visit as prime minister to India & the first by an Australian premier in six years, will visit Indian naval ship Vikrant later today. The Australian prime minister is expected to discuss efforts towards a free-trade deal, following a recent interim agreement. India is Australia's sixth-largest trading partner, fourth-largest export market & second-largest export market for education. India and Australia , with japan and the united states, make up the quad. The grouping is seen as a bulwark against Chinese assertiveness in the Asia-pacific region. India & china have been locked in a border stand-off. Chinese jets have been intercepting the surveillance planes of Australia & other countries in the Indo-pacific.

Indian PM Modi & Australian counterpart visit the world's largest cricket stadium | Details

India coach Rahul Dravid, ahead of the fourth Test in Ahmedabad, said that the pitches are becoming challenging all over the world and not only in India. Dravid also defended the Indian batsmen, saying the benchmarks have to be realistic.

"If you look at the last three-four years, all over the world I think wickets have got a lot more challenging, not only here. So you have to be realistic about what the benchmarks are now, what the standards are," Dravid said.

"Just understanding that in these kinds of games, just one good performance can change the game. We saw that with Rohit's performance (Nagpur Century), we've seen that many times over here. It's just being realistic in our assessment of our batsmen, their averages and their numbers, and don't really look so much into it," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-4th-test-record-fans-set-to-attend-india-vs-australia-test-in-ahmedabad-569714">IND vs AUS 4th Test: Record fans set to attend India vs Australia Test in Ahmedabad</a>

The comments come on the back of the first three Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series ending inside three days. The pitch in the last Test in Indore, especially, received a 'poor' rating by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after it started offering turn within first hour of play, which India lost by nine-wickets after managing 107 and 163 in two innings.

There has been much talk about the pitches in the ongoing series even since the first match in Nagpur. Former and current players from Australia, however, have downplayed all the talks around the topic. Notably, Australia folded for 91 in their second innings in Nagpur and 113 in Delhi Test.

Much of it although had to do with the expensive shots played by the batsmen instead of turn on the pitch. The Indore pitch, meanwhile, has gotten the backlash from former players of both countries for not being Test friendly.&nbsp;

Currently, India lead the four-match series 2-1 and a win the Ahmedabad Test would book them a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final which is scheduled to be played in England in June.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

India coach Rahul Dravid, ahead of the fourth Test in Ahmedabad, said that the pitches are becoming challenging all over the world and not only in India.

India coach Rahul Dravid, ahead of the fourth Test in Ahmedabad, said that the pitches are becoming challenging all over the world and not only in India. Dravid also defended the Indian batsmen, saying the benchmarks have to be realistic. "If you look at the last three-four years, all over the world I think wickets have got a lot more challenging, not only here. So you have to be realistic about what the benchmarks are now, what the standards are," Dravid said. "Just understanding that in these kinds of games, just one good performance can change the game. We saw that with Rohit's performance (Nagpur Century), we've seen that many times over here. It's just being realistic in our assessment of our batsmen, their averages and their numbers, and don't really look so much into it," he added. Also Read: IND vs AUS 4th Test: Record fans set to attend India vs Australia Test in Ahmedabad The comments come on the back of the first three Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series ending inside three days. The pitch in the last Test in Indore, especially, received a 'poor' rating by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after it started offering turn within first hour of play, which India lost by nine-wickets after managing 107 and 163 in two innings. There has been much talk about the pitches in the ongoing series even since the first match in Nagpur. Former and current players from Australia, however, have downplayed all the talks around the topic. Notably, Australia folded for 91 in their second innings in Nagpur and 113 in Delhi Test. Much of it although had to do with the expensive shots played by the batsmen instead of turn on the pitch. The Indore pitch, meanwhile, has gotten the backlash from former players of both countries for not being Test friendly. Currently, India lead the four-match series 2-1 and a win the Ahmedabad Test would book them a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final which is scheduled to be played in England in June. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ind vs Aus: Rahul Dravid defends Indian batsmen, says pitches now challenging everywhere

Axar Patel has had an interesting run in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. So far, Axar has featured in all three Tests for Team India, versus Australia, on home soil. While he has only managed a solitary wicket in five innings, bowling 39 overs, he has led the charge with the bat -- coming with vital contributions down the order in the opening two games -- and is the second-highest run-getter of the 2022/23 BGT.

Axar is only behind skipper Rohit Sharma, who scored a majestic 120 in the series opener in Nagpur, with&nbsp;185 runs in four outings, at 92.50, including two fifties with a best of 84. He remained not-out in both innings in the Indore Test, where India's main batters fell flat versus the Aussie spinners. Nonetheless, there have been&nbsp;a few who have surprisingly called for his omission, to make way for Kuldeep Yadav in the fourth and final Test, in Ahmedabad.

Former Indian stumper and BCCI selector Saba Karim has backed Axar and feels his batting contributions have been one of the&nbsp;main reasons for India having an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bgt-202223-wont-appreciate-test-matches-finishing-in-25-days-opines-gautam-gambhir-569845">BGT 2022/23: Won't appreciate Test matches finishing in 2.5 days, opines Gautam Gambhir</a>

"India should continue playing Axar Patel," Karim said&nbsp;during a discussion on India News Sports. "India have a 2-1 lead in the series because Axar has batted really well. He hasn't had enough opportunities with the ball, as Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, the two prime spinners, have bowled most of the overs."

"He doesn't deserve to sit out. Since Ahmedabad is his home ground, he knows the dimensions of the ground and the conditions very well," added Karim.

Axar will be gearing up to play on his home ground as India host Australia in the series decider, on Thursday (March 09) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. On debut, the left-arm spinner had taken a memorable 11-fer at the same venue in a day-night Test versus England, in 2021. He will be eager to replicate the same feat and lead India to a series win, and take them to the WTC final.

India need a win in the series finale to emerge on top by a 3-1 margin and also confirm their place in the WTC final. Australia already qualified with their nine-wicket win in the third Test in Indore.

Axar Patel has had an interesting run in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. So far, Axar has featured in all three Tests for Team India, versus Australia, on home soil.

Axar Patel has had an interesting run in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. So far, Axar has featured in all three Tests for Team India, versus Australia, on home soil. While he has only managed a solitary wicket in five innings, bowling 39 overs, he has led the charge with the bat -- coming with vital contributions down the order in the opening two games -- and is the second-highest run-getter of the 2022/23 BGT. Axar is only behind skipper Rohit Sharma, who scored a majestic 120 in the series opener in Nagpur, with 185 runs in four outings, at 92.50, including two fifties with a best of 84. He remained not-out in both innings in the Indore Test, where India's main batters fell flat versus the Aussie spinners. Nonetheless, there have been a few who have surprisingly called for his omission, to make way for Kuldeep Yadav in the fourth and final Test, in Ahmedabad. Former Indian stumper and BCCI selector Saba Karim has backed Axar and feels his batting contributions have been one of the main reasons for India having an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match series. Also read: BGT 2022/23: Won't appreciate Test matches finishing in 2.5 days, opines Gautam Gambhir "India should continue playing Axar Patel," Karim said during a discussion on India News Sports. "India have a 2-1 lead in the series because Axar has batted really well. He hasn't had enough opportunities with the ball, as Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, the two prime spinners, have bowled most of the overs." "He doesn't deserve to sit out. Since Ahmedabad is his home ground, he knows the dimensions of the ground and the conditions very well," added Karim. Axar will be gearing up to play on his home ground as India host Australia in the series decider, on Thursday (March 09) at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. On debut, the left-arm spinner had taken a memorable 11-fer at the same venue in a day-night Test versus England, in 2021. He will be eager to replicate the same feat and lead India to a series win, and take them to the WTC final. India need a win in the series finale to emerge on top by a 3-1 margin and also confirm their place in the WTC final. Australia already qualified with their nine-wicket win in the third Test in Indore.

India have a 2-1 lead because of him: Ex-India stumper backs star player ahead of 4th Test

Australian Prime minister Anthony Albanese will be on a four-day visit to India from the 8th of march. The visit will focus on boosting overall bilateral engagement in a range of areas, including trade, investment and critical minerals. It will be his first visit to India after becoming the prime minister in may last year. The government of Australia is looking to diversify trade and foreign investment partners. Business leaders across transport, resources, finance, higher education, architecture and energy will accompany Albanese to India. Remember, India is Australia's sixth-largest trading partner. Australia is the largest supplier of iron ore to china - but is seeking to diversify its customers for critical minerals. Last month, the country blocked a Chinese investment in a rare earths miner on national interest grounds. Albanese will watch the fourth test match of the border-Gavaskar trophy with Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi in the city of Ahmedabad.

Indian & Australian Prime Ministers to watch test match in Ahmedabad | 'Fierce sporting rivalry'

Rohit Sharma-led India lost the Indore Test versus Australia as the visitors kept the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy alive with hosts leading 2-1, ahead of the final match in Ahmedabad. Rohit &amp; Co. received a setback but will be hungry for success in the series decider, which kicks off on March 09 (Thursday), to not only win the series 3-1 but also qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.

With Australia having already qualified for the WTC final, following their win in Indore, they will come hard versus the Indian team. Ahead of the Ahmedabad Test, former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting has urged the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team to consider making one big change in their batting line-up if they reach the WTC finale, to be held at The Oval, London on June 07-11.

With conditions being different in England, as compared to the sub-continent, Ponting feels India should go ahead with both out-of-form KL Rahul and Shubman Gill. "With someone like KL Rahul having gone out of this side and Shubman Gill having come in, both these guys have played a bit of Test match cricket, and you could potentially have both of those guys in the same team," Ponting told ICC.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nz-vs-sl-explained-how-sri-lanka-can-play-spoilsport-to-indias-wtc-final-chances-569483">NZ vs SL: EXPLAINED! How Sri Lanka can play spoilsport to India's WTC final chances</a>

"Maybe Shubman could start at the top and KL could potentially move down into the middle order, because he's played cricket in those (English) conditions before, albeit at the top of the order," he added.

Gill replaced Rahul in India's playing XI for the third and penultimate Test in Indore versus Australia. Rahul has been in woeful form in whites, managing only 192 runs in last 12 innings, but his replacement Gill also fell flat in both the innings of the Indore Test match. The young right-hander managed scores of 21 anf 5 as India lost by nine wickets in a low-scoring match.

It will be interesting to see if India go back to Rahul or persist with Gill for the final Test. It is highly unlikely that India will go ahead with both of them in the playing XI for the Ahmedabad Test.

Rohit Sharma-led India lost the Indore Test versus Australia as the visitors kept the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy alive with hosts leading 2-1, ahead of the final match in Ahmedabad.

Rohit Sharma-led India lost the Indore Test versus Australia as the visitors kept the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy alive with hosts leading 2-1, ahead of the final match in Ahmedabad. Rohit & Co. received a setback but will be hungry for success in the series decider, which kicks off on March 09 (Thursday), to not only win the series 3-1 but also qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final. With Australia having already qualified for the WTC final, following their win in Indore, they will come hard versus the Indian team. Ahead of the Ahmedabad Test, former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting has urged the Rohit-Rahul Dravid-led Indian team to consider making one big change in their batting line-up if they reach the WTC finale, to be held at The Oval, London on June 07-11. With conditions being different in England, as compared to the sub-continent, Ponting feels India should go ahead with both out-of-form KL Rahul and Shubman Gill. "With someone like KL Rahul having gone out of this side and Shubman Gill having come in, both these guys have played a bit of Test match cricket, and you could potentially have both of those guys in the same team," Ponting told ICC. Also read: NZ vs SL: EXPLAINED! How Sri Lanka can play spoilsport to India's WTC final chances "Maybe Shubman could start at the top and KL could potentially move down into the middle order, because he's played cricket in those (English) conditions before, albeit at the top of the order," he added. Gill replaced Rahul in India's playing XI for the third and penultimate Test in Indore versus Australia. Rahul has been in woeful form in whites, managing only 192 runs in last 12 innings, but his replacement Gill also fell flat in both the innings of the Indore Test match. The young right-hander managed scores of 21 anf 5 as India lost by nine wickets in a low-scoring match. It will be interesting to see if India go back to Rahul or persist with Gill for the final Test. It is highly unlikely that India will go ahead with both of them in the playing XI for the Ahmedabad Test.

Ricky Ponting urges Team India to make a big change in batting order if they enter WTC final

Steve Smith is set to lead Australia in the fourth and final Test versus India as well, with regular skipper Pat Cummins to remain in Australia with his ailing mother. The Aussie speedster's mother Maria is ill with breast cancer and is in palliative care, as reported by Cricket Australia. Thus, Cummins had skipped the third and penultimate Test, in Indore, as well -- which the visitors won by nine wickets to keep the series alive at 2-1 -- and will now also miss the series decider in Ahmedabad, starting on March 09.

Under Smith, Australia produced a clinical performance in the third Test at the Holkar Stadium, Indore. Opting to bat first, Rohit Sharma-led India folded for a paltry 109 -- thanks to&nbsp;Matthew Kuhnemann's 5 for 16 -- before Australia only managed 197 but took a vital 88-run lead. In reply, India once again fell flat in their second essay; being dismissed for 163 in 60.3 overs. Chasing 76, Smith &amp; Co. chased down the target with nine wickets in hand in the morning session of Day 3.&nbsp;

Thus, Australia -- who were without Cummins -- produced a clinical performance to keep the four-match series alive, at 2-1 in India's favour.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-are-ready-to-give-our-lives-for-babar-azam-pak-batter-comes-in-support-of-under-fire-national-captain-569163">'We are ready to give our lives for Babar Azam': Pak batter comes in support of under-fire national captain</a>

After leading Australia to an emphatic win, Smith said after the game, "My time is done. It's Pat's team now. I've obviously been able to stand in this week, obviously in tough circumstances with Patty going home. Our thoughts are still with him back home."

"But India is a part of the world I love captaining ... it's probably my favourite place in the world to captain. Every ball is an event and therefore can dictate what happens after, which is something that I really love and you've got to be ahead of the game. So I thought I did it well this week and it was good fun," he added.

The fourth and final Test begins at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on March 09. Smith-led Aussies will be desperate to end the series with a 2-2 stalemate. They have already qualified for the WTC final after the Indore Test win.

Steve Smith is set to lead Australia in the fourth and final Test versus India as well, with regular skipper Pat Cummins to remain in Australia with his ailing mother.

Steve Smith is set to lead Australia in the fourth and final Test versus India as well, with regular skipper Pat Cummins to remain in Australia with his ailing mother. The Aussie speedster's mother Maria is ill with breast cancer and is in palliative care, as reported by Cricket Australia. Thus, Cummins had skipped the third and penultimate Test, in Indore, as well -- which the visitors won by nine wickets to keep the series alive at 2-1 -- and will now also miss the series decider in Ahmedabad, starting on March 09. Under Smith, Australia produced a clinical performance in the third Test at the Holkar Stadium, Indore. Opting to bat first, Rohit Sharma-led India folded for a paltry 109 -- thanks to Matthew Kuhnemann's 5 for 16 -- before Australia only managed 197 but took a vital 88-run lead. In reply, India once again fell flat in their second essay; being dismissed for 163 in 60.3 overs. Chasing 76, Smith & Co. chased down the target with nine wickets in hand in the morning session of Day 3. Thus, Australia -- who were without Cummins -- produced a clinical performance to keep the four-match series alive, at 2-1 in India's favour. Also read: 'We are ready to give our lives for Babar Azam': Pak batter comes in support of under-fire national captain After leading Australia to an emphatic win, Smith said after the game, "My time is done. It's Pat's team now. I've obviously been able to stand in this week, obviously in tough circumstances with Patty going home. Our thoughts are still with him back home." "But India is a part of the world I love captaining ... it's probably my favourite place in the world to captain. Every ball is an event and therefore can dictate what happens after, which is something that I really love and you've got to be ahead of the game. So I thought I did it well this week and it was good fun," he added. The fourth and final Test begins at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad on March 09. Smith-led Aussies will be desperate to end the series with a 2-2 stalemate. They have already qualified for the WTC final after the Indore Test win.

India vs Australia, BGT 2022/23: Steve Smith set to lead in final Test in Pat Cummins' absence

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will embark on an India visit next month (March 8). He will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the capital city of New Delhi and hold important bilateral talks.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will embark on an India visit next month (March 8). He will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the capital city of New Delhi and hold important bilateral talks. During the visit, he will also travel to Ahmedabad and witness India vs Australia Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium. This will be Albanese's first visit to India in the current capacity after taking charge in May 2022. On Saturday, the Australian PM held a meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. "I am looking forward to being in India in just a few weeks' time for the bilateral visit. And I thank PM Modi for the invitation," said Albanese, confirming the visit. WATCH | Gravitas: The story of Anthony Albanese × "Our relationship goes from strength to strength...our economic relationship is important. I think we have complementary economies. I look forward to strengthening that as well, as well as on security issues," he added. During the visit to the country, EAM Jaishankar met both the Australian PM and the foreign minister. Warm and wide ranging discussions with FM @SenatorWong at Sydney Harbour today. Exchanged perspectives on the Indo-Pacific strategic picture, progress in the Quad, G20 developments and our respective neighbourhoods. pic.twitter.com/SiLFlkK7mK — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 18, 2023 × Ties between the two countries have been on an upswing. The bilateral relationship has undergone an evolution in recent years, developing along a positive track, into a strategic partnership. Read more: Australian parliament ratifies free trade agreement with India Bilateral mechanisms include high-level visits, annual meetings of prime ministers, foreign ministers’ framework dialogue, joint trade and commerce ministerial commission, India-Australia '2+2' foreign secretaries and defence secretaries dialogue. This year PM Modi is also expected to travel to Australia for the annual quad summit. Quad is a grouping of India, Australia, Japan and the US. According to Japanese media, India will be hosting the Quad foreign ministers meeting in the first week of March. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Australian PM Albanese to visit India next month, will travel to Ahmedabad

On Wednesday (February 01), Hardik Pandya-led India thumped New Zealand by a whopping 168&nbsp;runs in the third and final T20I at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad to clinch the series 2-1. After losing the series opener in Ranchi, the Men in Blue won a low-scoring thriller in Lucknow before wrapping up the series without dropping any sweat following Shubman Gill's record-breaking ton. Gill continued his rich vein of form versus the Kiwis -- having already scored a double hundred in the three ODIs -- to score his maiden ton in the format and take India to 234/4. During the NZ run-chase, early wickets and Suryakumar Yadav's stunning catches dented Mitchell Santner &amp; Co.&nbsp;as the fate of the contest was out in no time.

Winning the toss, India opted to bat first with Umran Malik coming in place of Yuvzendra Chahal. Gill's first fifty came off 35 balls and the next off mere 19 deliveries as he created havoc in front of a jam-packed stadium in Ahmedabad. Rahul Tripathi's 22-ball 44 set the tone for the Indian innings and allowed Gill to take some time before he launched onto the poor deliveries. He remained unbeaten on 126, off 63 balls, striking at a whopping 200 along with 12 fours and 7 sixes. He was immaculate against the pacers, with his timely pulls, drives, flicks, etc., as India reached a mammoth total in 20 overs.&nbsp;

Indians with T20I hundreds

Suresh Raina 
Rohit Sharma 
KL Rahul 
Deepak Hooda 
Suryakumar Yadav 
Virat Kohli 
Shubman Gill

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tendulkar-bcci-present-india-u19-womens-team-a-fat-cheque-for-t20-wc-win-before-ind-nz-3rd-t20i-557993">Tendulkar, BCCI present India U19 Women’s team a fat cheque for T20 WC win before IND-NZ 3rd T20I</a>

Gill also ended with the highest individual score by an Indian batter in the format (126*) surpassing Kohli's 122* during the 2022 Asia Cup. In addition, he is only the fifth Indian to log a hundred in all three formats of men's cricket.

Indians to score a hundred in all formats:

Suresh Raina 
Rohit Sharma 
KL Rahul 
Virat Kohli 
Shubman Gill

In reply, NZ's run-chase never got going. Hardik removed dangerman Finn Allen with an edge as SKY completed a good catch. Arshdeep Singh joined in and claimed two quick wickets with Hardik and Umran Malik adding to Kiwis' miseries. Surya accounted for another brilliant catch (ending with three overall) in the slip cordon as the match was well and truly over in a flash. The first six overs were set to give a clear indication of how the match will proceed but the visitors were 21 for 5 in less than five overs. Eventually, India finished the formalities with the Black Caps managing only a paltry 66 in 12.1 overs to win by a big margin;&nbsp;their biggest-ever win in the format. Overall,&nbsp;this is the biggest margin of win&nbsp;in a contest held between&nbsp;two full member nations.

With the series win, the Men in Blue maintain their No. 1 position in T20Is. India will now return to the 22-yard cricket strip for the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy, on home soil, starting on February 09.

On Wednesday (February 01), Hardik Pandya-led India thumped New Zealand by a whopping 168 runs in the third and final T20I at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad to clinch the series 2-1.

On Wednesday (February 01), Hardik Pandya-led India thumped New Zealand by a whopping 168 runs in the third and final T20I at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad to clinch the series 2-1. After losing the series opener in Ranchi, the Men in Blue won a low-scoring thriller in Lucknow before wrapping up the series without dropping any sweat following Shubman Gill's record-breaking ton. Gill continued his rich vein of form versus the Kiwis -- having already scored a double hundred in the three ODIs -- to score his maiden ton in the format and take India to 234/4. During the NZ run-chase, early wickets and Suryakumar Yadav's stunning catches dented Mitchell Santner & Co. as the fate of the contest was out in no time. Winning the toss, India opted to bat first with Umran Malik coming in place of Yuvzendra Chahal. Gill's first fifty came off 35 balls and the next off mere 19 deliveries as he created havoc in front of a jam-packed stadium in Ahmedabad. Rahul Tripathi's 22-ball 44 set the tone for the Indian innings and allowed Gill to take some time before he launched onto the poor deliveries. He remained unbeaten on 126, off 63 balls, striking at a whopping 200 along with 12 fours and 7 sixes. He was immaculate against the pacers, with his timely pulls, drives, flicks, etc., as India reached a mammoth total in 20 overs. Indians with T20I hundreds Suresh Raina Rohit Sharma KL Rahul Deepak Hooda Suryakumar Yadav Virat Kohli Shubman Gill Also read: Tendulkar, BCCI present India U19 Women’s team a fat cheque for T20 WC win before IND-NZ 3rd T20I Gill also ended with the highest individual score by an Indian batter in the format (126*) surpassing Kohli's 122* during the 2022 Asia Cup. In addition, he is only the fifth Indian to log a hundred in all three formats of men's cricket. Indians to score a hundred in all formats: Suresh Raina Rohit Sharma KL Rahul Virat Kohli Shubman Gill In reply, NZ's run-chase never got going. Hardik removed dangerman Finn Allen with an edge as SKY completed a good catch. Arshdeep Singh joined in and claimed two quick wickets with Hardik and Umran Malik adding to Kiwis' miseries. Surya accounted for another brilliant catch (ending with three overall) in the slip cordon as the match was well and truly over in a flash. The first six overs were set to give a clear indication of how the match will proceed but the visitors were 21 for 5 in less than five overs. Eventually, India finished the formalities with the Black Caps managing only a paltry 66 in 12.1 overs to win by a big margin; their biggest-ever win in the format. Overall, this is the biggest margin of win in a contest held between two full member nations. With the series win, the Men in Blue maintain their No. 1 position in T20Is. India will now return to the 22-yard cricket strip for the much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy, on home soil, starting on February 09.

Shubman Gill's record-breaking hundred takes India to 168-run win over NZ, clinch T20I series 2-1

Ahead of the commencement of the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand, at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, and BCCI presented the Shafali Verma-led Indian U19 Women's team a fat cheque of INR 5 crores (INR 50 million) for winning the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa.

On Wednesday evening (February 01), the BCCI took to its official Twitter handle and captioned the post, "𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! Bharat Ratna Shri&nbsp;@sachin_rt&nbsp; and Office Bearers of BCCI honour the achievements of the World Cup-winning India U19 team and present them with a cheque of INR 5 crore." Here's the viral video of Tendulkar and BCCI office-bearers honouring the achievements of Shafali &amp; Co.:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! 
 
Bharat Ratna Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sachin_rt</a> and Office Bearers of BCCI honour the achievements of the World Cup-winning India U19 team and present them with a cheque of INR 5 crore. 🇮🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JayShah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JayShah</a> <a href="https://t.co/u13tWMPhLQ">pic.twitter.com/u13tWMPhLQ</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1620786135147614208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-ripped-the-team-to-shreds-and-r-sridhar-narrates-unheard-tale-of-ms-dhoni-losing-his-cool-557941">'He ripped the team to shreds and....': R Sridhar narrates unheard tale of MS Dhoni losing his cool</a>

Tendulkar gave a motivational speech to the young girls following their achievements. He was quoted as saying during the felicitation ceremony, "By winning this World Cup, you have given a dream to young girls in India, to represent the country."

Tendulkar also opined that&nbsp;the inception of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), to kick off in March, is going to change the landscape of women’s cricket in the country. In this regard, he pointed out, "The beginning of the WPL is going to be the biggest thing. I believe in equality for men and women, and not just in sports. There should be equal opportunity. The entire nation will celebrate and cherish your victory."

Shafali-led India was unbeaten in the group stage before losing to Australia in their opening match of the Super 6. Post that, they enjoyed a three-match winning streak, defeating the likes of Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and England respectively, to win the title. For India,&nbsp;Batter Shweta Sehrawat (297&nbsp;runs: most in the tournament) and leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra (second-highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps) led the charge whereas skipper Shafali also contributed with 172 runs; third-most overall.

Ahead of the commencement of the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand, at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, and BCCI presented the Shafali Verma-led Indian U19 Women's team a fat cheque of INR 5 crores (INR 50 million) for winning the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa.

Ahead of the commencement of the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand, at the iconic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, and BCCI presented the Shafali Verma-led Indian U19 Women's team a fat cheque of INR 5 crores (INR 50 million) for winning the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa. On Wednesday evening (February 01), the BCCI took to its official Twitter handle and captioned the post, "𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! Bharat Ratna Shri @sachin_rt and Office Bearers of BCCI honour the achievements of the World Cup-winning India U19 team and present them with a cheque of INR 5 crore." Here's the viral video of Tendulkar and BCCI office-bearers honouring the achievements of Shafali & Co.: 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! Bharat Ratna Shri @sachin_rt and Office Bearers of BCCI honour the achievements of the World Cup-winning India U19 team and present them with a cheque of INR 5 crore. 🇮🇳 #TeamIndia @JayShah pic.twitter.com/u13tWMPhLQ — BCCI (@BCCI) February 1, 2023 × Also read: 'He ripped the team to shreds and....': R Sridhar narrates unheard tale of MS Dhoni losing his cool Tendulkar gave a motivational speech to the young girls following their achievements. He was quoted as saying during the felicitation ceremony, "By winning this World Cup, you have given a dream to young girls in India, to represent the country." Tendulkar also opined that the inception of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), to kick off in March, is going to change the landscape of women’s cricket in the country. In this regard, he pointed out, "The beginning of the WPL is going to be the biggest thing. I believe in equality for men and women, and not just in sports. There should be equal opportunity. The entire nation will celebrate and cherish your victory." Shafali-led India was unbeaten in the group stage before losing to Australia in their opening match of the Super 6. Post that, they enjoyed a three-match winning streak, defeating the likes of Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and England respectively, to win the title. For India, Batter Shweta Sehrawat (297 runs: most in the tournament) and leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra (second-highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps) led the charge whereas skipper Shafali also contributed with 172 runs; third-most overall.

Tendulkar, BCCI present India U19 Women’s team a fat cheque for T20 WC win before IND-NZ 3rd T20I

In Gujarat, the BJP has held power for the last 27 years. The counting for the 182-member Gujarat legislature starts today at 8am, so we'll find out if the arrival of AAP will make a difference this time.

In Gujarat, the BJP has held power for the last 27 years. The counting for the 182-member Gujarat legislature starts today at 8am, so we'll find out if the arrival of AAP will make a difference this time. Exit polls predict that AAP won't gain more than two digits in Gujarat, giving the BJP the victory. Gandhinagar North Assembly Election 2022 Result Live Updates: Ritaben of the BJP is in the lead. In the Gujarat assembly elections, Virendrasinh Vaghela is running for Congress, Ritaben Patel is running for the BJP, and Mukesh Bhai Patel is running for the AAP to represent Gandhinagar in the Vidhan Sabha. The Gandhinagar Vidhan Sabha seat is experiencing a difficult election since candidates from the BJP, Congress, and AAP are all in the race. Ritaben Patel, Virendrasinh Vaghela, and Mukesh Bhai Patel are running for the Gandhinagar Visdhan Sabha seat for the BJP, AAP, and Congress, respectively. CJ Chavda of the Congress won the Gandhinagar North assembly seat in 2017 by edging out Ashokkumar Ranchhodbhai Patel of the BJP by a slim margin of 5,736 votes. Constituency Leading Candidate Leading Party Status Gandhinagar North RITABEN KETANKUMAR PATEL BJP Result Declared Gandhinagar South ALPESH KHODAJI THAKOR BJP Result Awaited Surat Assembly Election 2022 Result Live Updates: Aslam Firozbhai Cyclewala of the Congress is fielding in Surat East. Kanti Balar of the BJP is fielding in Surat North with 4146 votes, while Mahendra Navadiya is from. Congress candidate Aslam Firozbhai Cyclewala is fielded from Surat East. Around 16 constituencies fall under Surat district with parties fighting to gain control of the diamond hub and its nearby areas. Union minister and Surat MP, Darshana Jardosh said, "BJP has always fulfilled its promises. People have voted for development in Gujarat." As per the trends, the ruling BJP has cemented its lead in the Gujarat Assembly polls. Congress appears to be a distant second. At 8 am, the voting began to determine who will form Gujarat's next government. The AAP wants to weaken the saffron party's dominance on the state while the BJP is aiming for its eighth straight term in power. Constituency Leading Candidate Leading Party Status Surat East ARVIND SHANTILAL RANA BJP Result Declared Surat North KANTIBHAI HIMMATBHAI BALAR BJP Result Declared Surat West PURNESH MODI BJP Result Declared Vadodara Assembly Election 2022 Result Live Updates: Akshay Patel, a current MLA for the BJP who had previously won the Karjan Assembly seat in Vadodara as a candidate for the Congress in 2017 and then moved to the BJP in 2020. Constituency Leading Candidate Leading Party Status Vadodara City MANISHA VAKIL BJP Result Declared Saurashtra Assembly Election 2022 Result Live Updates: 54 of the state's 182 assembly districts, including Morbi, Surendranagar, Kachchh, Rajkot, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Amreli, Bhavnagar, and Junagadh, are located in the Saurashtra area of Gujarat. It appears that despite the outrage over tragic Morbi incident, the saffron party still has a strong grip in the area. Constituency Leading Candidate Leading Party Status Morbi AMRUTIYA KANTILAL SHIVLAL BJP Result Declared Junagadh SANJAY SUKHABHAI KORADIA BJP Result Declared Jamnagar North RIVASINH HARDEVSINH SOLANKI BJP Result Awaited Jamnagar Rural PATEL RAGHAVJIBHAI BJP Result Declared Jamnagar South Akbari Divyeshbhai BJP Result Declared Amreli KAUSHIK KANTIBHAI VEKARIYA BJP Result Awaited Bhavnagar East SEJALBEN RAJIVKUMAR PANDYA BJP Result Declared Bhavnagar Rural PARSHOTTAMBHAI O. SOLANKI BJP Result Awaited Bhavnagar West JITENDRABHAI SAVAJIBHAI BJP Result Declared The polling for the Gujarat Assembly elections was held in two phases, on 1 December and 5 December. (This is a developing story, Live counting will be updated minute by minute)

Gujarat Election Results 2022 Live Counting: Who is winning in Saurashtra, Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad, Surat & more

Can India’s Ahmedabad be paired with Colombia’s Bogota? Tale of Two Cities discovers the parallels between two diverse cities with former Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez, and Indian Master Architect Dikshu Kukreja. Watch their riveting conversation on WION.

Tale of Two Cities: Bogota and Ahmedabad

ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, News on Ahmedabad, stories on Ahmedabad, articles on Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad stories at Wion, Ahmedabad news, Ahmedabad latest news