Underdogs to winners: Australia finally break T20 World Cup duck

News Network
November 15, 2021

 

It took Australia seven attempts but under Aaron Finch they finally laid their hands on a maiden Twenty20 World Cup title on Sunday with an eight-wicket triumph over New Zealand.

The 20-overs trophy drought for one-day cricket's most successful team was an aberration for Finch, who had oozed confidence that Australia would be "rectifying" the wrong.

Mitchell Marsh and David Warner combined for a 92-run stand to trump New Zealand captain Kane Williamson's side after his masterly knock had taken them to a competitive total.

Williamson capitalised on an early reprieve to fire his team to 172-4 which they failed to defend in the end.

It was a stunning turnaround for an Australia team which had lost five T20 series on the trot heading into the World Cup.

They came into their own only in the semi-finals when they stunned former champions Pakistan, the tournament's only unbeaten team until then.

Awaiting them in the final were reigning test champions New Zealand, easily the game's best cross-format side, who have made a habit of reaching the finals of global events.

Six years after beating New Zealand to win a fifth ODI World Cup, Australia lifted their first men's 20-overs world title.

Fireworks lit up the sky to celebrate the success of a team which had been written off after their wretched build-up.

Before that, Warner and Marsh had treated the crowd at the Dubai International Stadium with their batting pyrotechnics.

Warner's best

Warner's own performance reflected his team's extraordinary journey in the tournament.

His place in the side was debated after his Indian Premier League franchise dropped the left-hander from their squad.

Warner struggled in the warm-up matches but regained his mojo and strung together scores of 89 not out, 49 and 53 in their last three matches.

He walked away with the man-of-the-tournament and Finch was not surprised.

"You didn't expect that? I certainly did," the Australia captain told reporters.

"He's someone who when his back is against the wall, that's when you get the very, very best of David Warner."

Marsh was adjudged man-of-the match for his unbeaten 77 not out off 50 balls, which trumped Williamson's 85 off 48 balls.

Thirty four years after his father Geoff helped Australia win their maiden ODI World Cup, Marsh played a key role in helping his country win their first 20-overs world crown.

For New Zealand, who finished runners-up to England in the 2019 ODI World Cup, it was yet another white-ball heartbreak.

Graceful as ever, the 31-year-old Williamson was fulsome in his praise for Australia while proud of his team's display.

"If you look at the campaign as a whole, and the type of cricket that we have been able to play, I can say that we are very proud of our efforts throughout this period of time.

"You get to a final and anything can happen," he added. 

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
November 27,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 27: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s camp is reportedly on alert as the Congress leadership tussle in the state intensifies, particularly amid speculation over the potential promotion of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Siddaramaiah is said to be in a “wait-and-watch” mode after admitting to “confusion” earlier this week and urging the party to “put a full stop” to it.

Sources say his supporters are ready to act if senior leaders — including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi — give any indication of backing Shivakumar. If the party insists on a leadership change, Siddaramaiah’s camp has a list of alternatives, underscoring the deep rift between the two leaders. One possible candidate is Home Minister G. Parameshwara, a Siddaramaiah loyalist and influential Dalit leader.

The strategy was reportedly finalized at a meeting led by PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, another Siddaramaiah supporter, who stressed that Delhi leaders need to resolve the issue. Kharge and the Gandhis are expected to meet soon, after which Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar may be summoned to Delhi.

Shivakumar has largely stayed non-confrontational, publicly endorsing Siddaramaiah and downplaying speculation about his own ambitions. However, he has made pointed comments emphasizing the importance of honoring promises, directed at Siddaramaiah.

The feud traces back to the 2023 state election, when Siddaramaiah was chosen as Chief Minister while Shivakumar, who led the party’s campaign, was made Deputy CM and state party chief — a departure from the Congress’ usual “one post per person” rule.

There were also hints of a prior understanding that Siddaramaiah would step down midway through the term. As the halfway mark passed last week, Shivakumar-aligned lawmakers have ramped up pressure on the party for a leadership change, with Shivakumar himself hinting at stepping down as state party chief to pursue the top job.

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News Network
December 6,2025

pilot.jpg

New Delhi: IndiGo, India’s largest airline, faced major operational turbulence this week after failing to prepare for new pilot-fatigue regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The stricter rules—designed to improve flight safety—took effect in phases through 2024, with the latest implementation on November 1. IndiGo has acknowledged that inadequate roster planning led to widespread cancellations and delays.

Below are the key DGCA rules that affected IndiGo’s operations:

1. Longer Mandatory Weekly Rest

Weekly rest for pilots has been increased from 36 hours to 48 hours.

The government says the extended break is essential to curb cumulative fatigue. This rule remains in force despite the current crisis.

2. Cap on Night Landings

Pilots can now perform only two night landings per week—a steep reduction from the earlier limit of six.

Night hours, defined as midnight to early morning, are considered the least alert period for pilots.

Given the disruptions, this rule has been temporarily relaxed for IndiGo until February 10.

3. Reduced Maximum Night Flight Duty

Flight duty that stretches into the night is now capped at 10 hours.

This measure has also been kept on hold for IndiGo until February 10 to stabilize operations.

4. Weekly Rest Cannot Be Replaced With Personal Leave

Airlines can no longer count a pilot’s personal leave as part of the mandatory 48-hour rest.

Pilots say this closes a loophole that previously reduced actual rest time.

Currently, all airlines are exempt from this rule to normalise travel.

5. Mandatory Fatigue Monitoring

Airlines must submit quarterly fatigue reports along with corrective actions to DGCA.

This system aims to create a transparent fatigue-tracking framework across the industry.

The DGCA has stressed that these rules were crafted to strengthen flight safety and align India with global fatigue-management standards. The temporary relaxations are expected to remain until February 2025, giving IndiGo time to stabilise its schedules and restore normal air travel.

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