Month: January 2023

Wazir Hasanganj Road in Uttar Pradesh

Three Die In Lucknow Building Complex, Several Trapped

By LokMarg

Three people died after a residential building collapsed on Wazir Hasanganj Road in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said on Tuesday.

The police are present at the spot and rescue operations are underway.

“Building collapsed suddenly. 3 dead bodies have been found and sent to the hospital. NDRF, fire brigade personnel are present at the spot, rescue operation is underway,” Pathak who reached the spot said.

According to an official statement, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the accident and instructed to send SDRF and NDRF teams on the spot.

The Chief Minister directed the officials of the district administration to take the injured to the hospital immediately for their proper treatment.

“Also wished for the speedy recovery of the injured. Along with this, along with the District Magistrate and senior police officers, SDRF, and NDRF teams have been instructed to go on the spot and get relief work done. Along with this, many hospitals were instructed to remain alert,” the statement said.

Further details into the matter are awaited. (ANI)

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Elections for the Delhi Mayor were on Tuesday postponed after the House was adjourned sine die following a ruckus between Aam Aadmi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party councillors

Delhi Mayoral Elections Postponed Again After Melee, Drama

By LokMarg

Elections for the Delhi Mayor were on Tuesday postponed after the House was adjourned sine die following a ruckus between Aam Aadmi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party councillors.

The house was adjourned after Presiding officer Satya Sharma said the proceedings cannot be conducted amid sloganeering from both AAP and BJP councillors.

“We were sitting in the House to vote since 11 am and when finally the time came, a ruckus began in the House. This is wrong, democratic principles must be followed, ” Union Minister Meenakashi Lekhi said.

Proceedings of the House began today nearly three weeks after the process to elect the new mayor was aborted on January 6 following acrimonious scenes between the AAP and the BJP.

Visuals from the House earlier today showed heavy deployment of security personnel, including in the well of the House.

The oath-taking ceremony began at the Civic Centre here with Presiding officer Satya Sharma of the BJP administering oath first to aldermen, the members nominated by the Lt Governor before administering oath to the elected councillors.

All 250 councilors and 10 nominated members completed the oath-taking process before a break was announced.

After the break, there was a commotion between AAP and BJP councillors.

Earlier visuals showed heavy presence of marshals inside the House. Sharing a video, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said: “Today BJP has brought force with sticks to take possession of Municipal Corporation. Have you seen this in any House?”(ANI)

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Rahul after vacating bungalow

Surgical Strike Row: Rahul Says ‘Don’t Agree With Digvijaya’

By LokMarg

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday distanced himself from senior party leader Digvijaya Singh’s remarks over the authenticity of surgical strikes in the aftermath of the 2019 Pulwama attack and said the army doesn’t need to provide any proof as he combated the fallout of Singh’s remarks calling them “outlying” or views held by the fringe.

This comes after Digvijaya Singh said there is no proof of the 2019 surgical strike against Pakistan, while the Centre claims to have carried out the attack. Disagreeing with Singh’s remarks, Rahul Gandhi said that those were Singh’s personal views.

The Wayanad MP, who is currently in Jammu for the Bharat Jodo Yatra, said that Digvijaya’s views are outlying.

“We don’t appreciate Digvijaya Singh’s personal views. His views are outlying views. We are absolutely clear that the Armed Forces do their job exceptionally well and they do not need to provide proof of that,” said Rahul Gandhi during a press conference.

He also spoke about his meeting with a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits, who have complained that they have been used for political gains.

“I met a delegation of Kashmiri Pandits yesterday. They have expressed that they feel they are being disrespected and used for political gains. They requested me to raise their issues in parliament,” said the Congress MP.

When asked about the banned BBC documentary, he said that the truth always comes out and no amount of banning can suppress the truth from coming out.

“The truth always comes out. No amount of banning the press and using institutions like ED and CBI against people can suppress the truth from coming out,” said Gandhi.

Earlier during the yatra an agitated Jairam Ramesh lashed out at the media on Tuesday, saying all that needed to be said about Digviajaya’s comment have already been done. The questions should now be directed at the Prime Minister.

A day after Singh stirred up the hornet’s nest and the Congress distanced itself from the leader, party MP in charge of Communication, Ramesh told the media while walking for the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir that all queries related to the surgical strike uproar have been answered by his party and the media needs to aim its questions at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Digvijaya Singh trying to put an end to the row also said: “I have got the greatest regard for the Defence forces” as the leaders marched on along with other padayatris.

“Congress party has said whatever it wanted to. I tweeted yesterday regarding the same. I do not want to say anything other than this,” he said.

Taking to Twitter, Ramesh claimed that even the UPA government had carried out surgical strikes.

“The views expressed by senior leader Digvijaya Singh are his own and do not reflect the position of Congress. Surgical strikes were carried out before 2014 by the UPA government. Congress has supported and will continue to support all military actions that are in the national interest,” Ramesh tweeted.

“They (Centre) talk about surgical strikes and that they have killed so many of them but there is no proof,” said Digvijaya Singh in his address in Jammu on Monday. (ANI)

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Makers of the upcoming comedy film 'Fukrey 3' unveiled the official release date and the first look posters of the film on Tuesday.

‘Fukrey 3’ Poster Out; Find Out The Release Date

By LokMarg

Makers of the upcoming comedy film ‘Fukrey 3’ unveiled the official release date and the first look posters of the film on Tuesday.

Taking to Instagram, producer Farhan Akhtar shared the poster which he captioned, “Iss baar hoga chamatkaar, straight from Jamnapaar! #Fukrey3 arriving in cinemas on 7th September, 2023.”

Helmed by Mrighdeep Singh Lamba ‘Fukrey 3’ stars Pulkit Samrat, Varun Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Richa Chadha and Manjot Singh in the lead roles. The film is all set to hit the theatres on September 7, 2023.

Soon after the makers unveiled the first look poster of the film, fans flooded the comment section with red hearts, fire emoticons and shared their excitement. Nupur Sanon commented, “CANNOT WAIT!!.”

A fan commented, “Wow maza aega.”

“Can’t wait to see choocha Bhai and pandit ji,” another fan wrote.

Many fans expressed their disappointment on Ali Fazal not being the part of ‘Fukrey 3’.

“Zafar bhai nhi hai kya is bar,” a fan wrote.

Another use wrote, “This time movie will not up to the mark as ali zafar is not a part of film.”

The first part was released in 2013 and the sequel ‘Fukrey Returns’ came out in 2017.

Meanwhile, Varun Sharma was recently seen in the comedy film ‘Cirkus’ alongside Ranveer Singh, Jacqueline Fernandez and Pooja Hegde.

Helmed by Rohit Shetty, the film failed to impress the audience at the box office. (ANI)

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The pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan is struggling to replenish its supplies amid a shortage of essential life-saving drugs and other surgical instruments

Pakistan Faces Shortage Of Medicines, Surgical Equipment

By LokMarg

The pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan is struggling to replenish its supplies amid a shortage of essential life-saving drugs and other surgical instruments as the country is facing an economic crisis, The Express Tribune reported.

The economic crisis faced by Pakistan is caused by a number of factors, including the refusal of commercial banks to issue new Letters of Credit (LCs) on account of a shortage of US dollars that have impacted drug companies, as per The Express Tribune report.

Pharmaceutical companies have been facing difficulty to maintain stocks of essential life-saving drugs. As experts have warned of the economy “sinking into near-paralysis”, top pharmaceutical firms are facing difficulty to get raw materials to manufacture drugs while being forced to reduce production as patients suffer in hospitals, The News International reported citing sources.

The crisis comes as Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves touched an eight-year low of USD 4.3 billion and talk with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) hang in balance.

Due to the ongoing economic crisis, Pakistan is unable to buy basic imports, including medicine and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), several vaccines, and biological products for the treatment of cancer and other diseases, as per the news report.

As per the news report, the operation theatres are left with less than a two-week stock of anesthetics which is important for highly sensitive surgeries. Pharmaceutical companies are left with raw materials that will last for only four to five weeks, The Express Tribune reported.

Stakeholders of medical companies have called on Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to address their concerns and call on the state bank as well as commercial banks to resolve their issues.

Medical companies have warned that the crisis could create further severity as the raw materials needed for creating medicines have been held up at the Karachi port due to a shortage of dollars. Shipping containers with essential food items are stuck at the port in Karachi for weeks.

Meanwhile, interest expenses in Pakistan have increased to Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 2.57 trillion in the first half of this fiscal year, amounting to 65 percent of the annual debt servicing budget, and is forcing the Pakistan government to reduce its other expenses, except those on defense, The Express Tribune reported. The development comes amid the government’s reluctance to opt for debt restructuring.

With a net income of PKR 2.5 trillion, Pakistan’s total spending on debt servicing and defense reached over PKR 3.2 trillion more than the government’s net income, which indicates that Pakistan will remain debt trapped as the tax collection has increased, however, the expenses have not been reduced, as per the news report.

In comparison to a massive expenditure of PKR 3.2 trillion on debt servicing and defense, only PKR 147 billion was spent on development, the report said, adding that the expenditure on development is 49 percent less in comparison to the previous fiscal year. (ANI)

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Indo-Pak Dialogue A Matter Between Two Countries: US | Lokmarg

Indo-Pak Dialogue A Matter Between Two Countries: US

By LokMarg

The talks between India and Pakistan are a matter for those two nations, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price has said.

His remarks came at a press briefing on Monday in response to a question regarding Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s call for talks with India and New Delhi’s response to the offer.

Ned Price said, “We have long called for regional stability in South Asia. That’s certainly what we want to see. We want to see it advanced.”

“When it comes to our partnership, our partnerships with India and Pakistan, these are relationships that stand on their own. We do not see these relationships as zero-sum. They stand on their own,” he added.

“We have long called for regional stability in South Asia, but the pace, the scope, the character of any dialogue between India and Pakistan is a matter for those two countries, India and Pakistan,” he said.

Last week, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for “serious and sincere talks” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve outstanding issues. In an interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV, Sharif said that Pakistan has learned its lesson after three wars with India and stressed that now it wants peace with its neighbor.

“My message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Modi is that let’s sit down on the table and have serious and sincere talks to resolve our burning points like Kashmir. It is up to us to live peacefully and make progress or quarrel with each other and waste time and resources,” Shehbaz Sharif said.

“We have had three wars with India, and they have only brought more misery, poverty, and unemployment to the people. We have learned our lesson, and we want to live in peace with India, provided we are able to resolve our genuine problems,” he added.

Reacting to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s desire of holding talks with PM Modi, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We have already said that we have always wanted normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. But there should be a conducive atmosphere that does not have terror, hostility or violence. That remains our position.” (ANI)

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Jio 5G In Madhya Pradesh Ujjain

Reliance Jio Launches 5G Services In 50 More Cities

By LokMarg

Reliance Jio on Tuesday announced the largest launch of its True 5G services across 50 cities in the country. With this, Jio users across 184 cities can now access the fifth-generation mobile services.

According to the company’s statement, these 50 cities are in states including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

Jio users in these cities will be invited to the Jio Welcome Offer to experience unlimited data at up to 1 Gbps speeds at no additional cost, starting on Tuesday, the statement said.

Jio spokesperson said, “We are thrilled to launch Jio True 5G services in 50 additional cities across 17 states and Union Territories, taking the total count to 184 cities. This is by far one of the largest rollouts of 5G services, not just in India, but anywhere in the world.”

“We have stepped up the speed and intensity of True 5G roll-out across the nation because we want every Jio user to enjoy the transformational benefits of Jio True 5G technology in the new year 2023. The entire nation will be able to enjoy and benefit from Jio True 5G services by December 2023,” the spokesperson said.

The cities of Chittoor, Kadapa, Narasaraopet, Ongole, Rajamahendravaram, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh; Nagaon in Assam; Bilaspur, Korba and Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh; Panaji in Goa; Ambala, Bahadurgarh, Hisar, Karnal, Panipat, Rohtak, Sirsa and Sonipat in Haryana, have access to Jio 5G services now, according to the statement. It also added that Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij inaugurated Jio True 5G in Haryana circle on Tuesday.

Jio 5G services are now also live in Dhanbad in Jharkhand; Bagalkote, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Mandya and Tumakuru in Karnataka; Alappuzha in Kerala; Kolhapur, Nanded-Waghala, Sangli in Maharashtra; Balasore, Baripada, Bhadrak, Jharsuguda, Puri and Sambalpur in Odisha, the statement said.

The cities in Puducherry; Amritsar, Bikaner, Kota in Rajasthan; Dharmapuri, Erode and Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu; Nalgonda in Telangana, and Jhansi, Aligarh, Moradabad, Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, and Asansol and Durgapur in West Bengal now have access to Jio 5G services. According to the statement, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will inaugurate Jio True 5G in Kota.

The spokesperson also said, “We are grateful to the State Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal for their continuous support in our quest to digitise every region.” (ANI)

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Joshimath Cracks

‘Joshimath Paid The Price For Our Environmental Sins’

By LokMarg

Anoop Nautiyal, a social worker from Uttarakhand, says successive state govts chose to pay heed to the hydroelectric lobby but not ecologists and scientists

The tragedy of Joshimath took decades to be scripted. Since 1975, experts and environmentalists have been raising alarm over the fragile ecology but they remained neglected. These warnings are in the public domain, so successive state governments cannot wash their hands of the responsibilities.

This is the price of our own collective ‘sins’. Citizens, local contractors, and municipal authorities are as much to blame as the government. The present situation is one of fire-fighting after the flames have engulfed. We have lost a hill town forever. There is no option left than to shift the entire population to another settlement as was done in Tehri when the entire villages in the dam belt were shifted to New Tehri town.

An old saying goes: There is no greater disaster than greed. This adage fits well into the Joshimath subsidence. And it won’t stop at Joshimath. Many other towns will have the same fate in near future. Those in line with a Joshimath-like fate include Karnaprayag and Gopeshwar in Chamoli district, Ghansali in Tehri, Munshiyari and Dharchula in Pithoragarh, Bhatwari in Uttarkashi; Pauri, and Nainital in Kumaon region.

Hydroelectric projects have contributed the most in increasing the current episode. The present calamity must force us to deliberate and brainstorm on how to save other towns. The state system, by its natural responsibility, which becomes more prominent in a hilly state like Uttarakhand, has not been able to develop a solution. From the great earthquake of Garhwal in the year 1803 to the disaster of 2013 and the current disaster of February 2021 and Joshimath… this process continues to be ‘man-made’ than ‘natural’.

ALSO READ: ‘Not Just Joshimath, Entire State Sitting On A Powder Keg’

Scientific and social organizations have been continuously giving suggestions and warnings. Environment Ministry committees, CAG, High Court, and Supreme Court have intervened several times. The media has been highlighting the irregularities time and again, but the governments have always looked at it casually. A large part of society and scientists concerns remained neglected.

For example, in 1982, considering the scientific arguments of the ‘Chipko Movement’, it was decided to stop the construction of the ‘Vishnu Prayag Project’ or shortly before the construction of three hydroelectric projects in the upper reaches of Bhagirathi was stopped. But the hydropower lobby has been influencing the politics of the country. As a result, these projects never paid enough attention to the environment.

It’s high time that we woke up as a race and as a society – or in the near future, we will be left with no such place to admire and adore.

As Told To Rajat Rai

Indian Judiciary Rijiju

White Rulers Still Masters For Some Indians: Rijiju On BBC Docu

By LokMarg

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday made a scathing attack apparently on a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi which has sparked controversy since its release, and said some people have still not gotten over their “colonial intoxication” and for them “whites” are still their “rulers”.

“For some people, the white rulers are still the masters whose decision on India is final and not the decision of the Supreme Court of India or the will of the people of India,” Rijiju tweeted in Hindi tagging his earlier tweet on the minority in the country, who he claimed were moving forward with positivity.

Two days back, Rijiju also said: “Some people in India still haven’t gotten over the colonial intoxication. They consider BBC above the Supreme Court of India and lower the country’s dignity and image to any extent to please their moral masters.”

Rijiju, while reacting to an opinion piece shared by a national daily, said: “Minorities, or for that matter, every community in India is moving ahead positively. India’s image cannot be disgraced by malicious campaigns launched inside or outside India. PM @narendramodi Ji’s voice is the voice of 1.4 billion Indians.”

Last week, India denounced the controversial BBC documentary series on Prime Minister Modi, describing it as a ‘propaganda piece’ designed to push a discredited narrative.

“We think this is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias, lack of objectivity, and frankly continuing colonial mindset are blatantly visible,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during a weekly media briefing on January 19.

The MEA spokesperson added that the documentary is a reflection of individuals who are peddling this narrative again.

Meanwhile, in a strong response to the BBC documentary on Saturday, more than 300 eminent Indians, including retired judges, bureaucrats, and armed forces veterans signed a statement slamming the British national broadcaster for showing “unrelenting prejudice” towards India and its leader.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price responding to a media query on Monday said: “I’m not familiar with the documentary you’re referring to, however, I am very familiar with the shared values that enact the United States and India as two thriving and vibrant democracies.” (ANI)

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Shreyas, Siraj Find Berth In ICC's ODI Team For 2022

Shreyas, Siraj Find Berth In ICC’s ODI Team For 2022

By LokMarg

Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Siraj became the only Indians to feature in the ODI team of the year for 2022, announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday.

The ICC Team of the Year recognises 11 outstanding individuals who have impressed one and all – be it with the bat, the ball or their all-around exploits in a calendar year.

  1. Babar Azam (c) – Pakistan Pakistan captain Babar Azam once again showed his prowess in the 50-over format, displaying once again why he has ruled the roost at the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings since July 2021. In the nine matches Babar played this year, the 28-year-old registered eight scores of more than fifty, three of which he converted into hundreds. He finished the year with 679 runs at a stunning average of 84.87. It was a memorable year for Babar as captain of the Pakistan ODI team, winning three series out of three. Pakistan were unstoppable in the ODI format, losing just one match (against Australia) out of nine. His leadership skills means that he leads the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year for 2022.
  2. Travis Head – Australia With former skipper Aaron Finch calling it quits from the 50-over format, Australia have already found his long-term successor at the top of the order. Usually an attacking middle-order batter, Head brilliantly reinvented himself as an opener in ODIs, becoming one of Australia’s most consistent batters in the format. It was a year to remember for Head – who became one of the first names on the Australian team sheet – notching up 550 runs from nine games at 68.75. His runs came at a strike-rate of 112.24 and included two centuries and three fifties.
  3. Shai Hope – West Indies Hope had a brilliant year in 2022, being at his consistent best for the West Indies in the 50-over format. Hope did not get off to the greatest of starts in 2022 but in typical fashion started to grind out runs in the latter half. He finished the year with 709 runs, which include three hundreds and two fifties, at an average of 35.45.
  4. Shreyas Iyer – India Shreyas Iyer emerged from 2022 as one of India’s most consistent batters in the 50-over format while also become the anchor of their middle-order. Mostly slotting in at No.4, Iyer played 17 games during the calendar year and scored 724 runs at an average of 55.69. His scored his runs at a brisk pace of 91.52, which included one century and six fifties. With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 fast approaching, Iyer has moved ahead of the competition to become a regular fixture in the India ODI setup.
  5. Tom Latham (wk) – New Zealand Often regarded as a solid batter, Tom Latham added a new dimension to his game in 2022, often playing the role of a finisher from the No.5 position. Latham scored 558 runs from 15 matches at an average of 55.80 and a sizzling strike-rate of 101.27. He notched up two fifties and two centuries in the year becoming a vital cog of the New Zealand middle-order. Latham was also solid behind the stumps, affecting 16 dismissals.
  6. Sikandar Raza – Zimbabwe 2022 witnessed the resurgence of Zimbabwe on the international scene and a lot of it was down to one man – Sikandar Raza. Raza aggregated 645 runs at an average of 49.61 and strike rate of 87.16, making two fifties to complement three centuries. With ball in hand, Raza was ever-reliable, scalping eight wickets while giving away just more than five an over.
  7. Mehidy Hasan Miraz – Bangladesh Mehidy Hasan Miraz emerged as one of the most consistent all-rounders in ODI cricket in 2022, with some brilliant displays. With his bowling as effective as ever, Miraz developed his batting further, often bailing Bangladesh out of some tough situations. He picked up 24 wickets in 15 games at an average of 28.20 with a best performance of 4/29. He also scored 330 runs at a stunning average of 66, with one century and one fifty.
  8. Alzarri Joseph – West Indies Joseph developed from a highly-rated prospect to a reliable performance with the ball for the West Indies in the year 2022. Not lacking in pace but sometimes in accuracy, Joseph worked on his shortcomings and became a fearsome prospect for the batters to face. Joseph played 17 matches and scalped 27 wickets at an average of 25.70 and a strike-rate of 33.4. He was also miserly with an economy rate of 4.61, with best figures of 3/36.
  9. Mohammed Siraj – India Mohammed Siraj’s skillset in white-ball cricket, especially the 50-over format developed in leaps and bounds in 2022. With Jasprit Bumrah often missing due to injury, Siraj emerged as the most potent weapon of the India pace unit. Delivering with both the new and old ball, Siraj played 15 matches and picked up 24 wickets. His wickets came at an economy of 4.62 and an average of 23.50, with best figures of 3/29. Siraj has moved ahead of the pack and has a good chance of being a part of the India pace battery come the Cricket World Cup in home conditions scheduled for later this year.
  10. Trent Boult – New Zealand The left-arm pacer has been a beacon of consistency for almost a decade and the year 2022 was no different. Batters again struggled to counter his swing with the new ball, while finding it troubling to face him due to his skills in the middle and death overs. Boult played only six games in 2022 but made a massive impact in them. He scalped 18 wickets at a stunning average of 12.38 and a miserly economy of 3.98, with best figures of 4/38. Another year, another sensational set of displays from the consistent New Zealand seamer.
  11. Adam Zampa – Australia Adam Zampa continued to show why he has been such a vital cog in the Australian white-ball setup, finishing the year as the highest wicket-taker for his country in ODI cricket. The leggie enjoyed his joint-most prolific year in ODI cricket, matching his tally of 30 wickets from his debut year in 2016. His feat was even more impressive this year considering nine of the 12 matches he played were at home, where conditions aren’t favourable for spinners. (ANI)

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