Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

RANCHI: Studies have shown that couples often tend to resemble each other in a long-standing relationship. And 102 innings together, spanning over 15 years scoring 5619 runs with 20 century stands and 17 half-century partnerships, is indeed long enough.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!So, when an animated Rohit Sharma applauded Virat Kohli’s record-extending 52nd ODI ton here on Sunday with a few choice expletives which would be a delight for lip-readers, it looked like some of his longtime partner’s characteristics had rubbed off on him after all these years. Characteristically, the Mumbai man is famous for his cool and relaxed attitude on and off the field, while King Kohli is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve. On Sunday, it was as if Rohit was completing Kohli’s sentences.

If you paused to regard the emotion Rohit laid bare in those few seconds, it becomes evident that the Hitman is making a statement for both the veterans of the format. That Ro-Ko is clearly here to stay on their own despite all the murmurs of their ODI retirement plans. While Kohli notched up his 83rd international ton at JSCA International Stadium, Rohit scored a 51-ball 57 with five boundaries and three maximums.In the process, the former India captain went atop the list of batters with most number sixes in ODIs — 352. The duo is now third on the list of highest overall partnership runs by a pair in ODIs, behind only Sourav Ganguly-Sachin Tendulkar (8227 runs) and Mahela Jayawardene-Kumar Sangakkara (5992). Ro-Ko surpassed another Sri Lankan pair of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sangakkara on Sunday. With the 50-over World Cup in South Africa in two year’s time, the two of the all-time greats once again showed why they are still invaluable in the ODI set-up along with other seniors in the side.

While stand-in skipper KL Rahul scored a 56-ball 60 at No. 6, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja proved his worth down the order with 32 off 20 balls. However, the players looking to break into the XI or trying to cement their place failed to utilise the opportunities coming their way due to the unavailability of regulars like Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer in the lineup.Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (18) flattered to deceive after a brisk start; Ruturaj (8) failed at No. 4 while allrounder Washington Sundar, who came at No. 5 ahead of Rahul, returned after scoring only 13. Though the Maharashtra opener had to bat in the middle order leaving his regular slot, it was Gaikwad’s fourth consecutive sub-10 score in ODIs.

The onus was on the senior pros to give their bowling unit a big total to defend. Rohit has publicly talked about his desire to play the 2027 World Cup after the final heartbreak at home in 2023. Shedding 10 kilos ahead of the Australia tour in Oct and looking fitter than ever, Rohit’s intention is quite clear.Kohli, with 49 runs of his 135 coming by running between the wickets on Sunday – and 42 of those being singles – is as fit as ever and conducted a fine class on how to build an ODI innings. Despite all the noise and chatter swirling around, the ODI batting greats of India are still carrying responsibility with aplomb.

LUCKNOW: The Government Railway Police (GRP) in Etawah has booked train ticket examiner (TTE) Santosh Kumar for culpable homicide not amounting to murder after Arti Yadav, 30, wife of an Indian Navy chief petty officer, was found dead along the tracks between Samhon and Bharthana stations on November 26.According to the FIR, Arti had mistakenly boarded the wrong train from Kanpur Central while traveling to New Delhi for a medical consultation at the Army Hospital (Research and Referral). She was scheduled to take the Barauni–New Delhi Clone Special (02563) on Tuesday night, but the train was delayed by over 10 hours. In confusion, she boarded the Patna–Anand Vihar Terminal Special Fare Special (04089) on Wednesday morning.Her father, Anil Kumar, alleged in the FIR that Arti boarded coach S-11 and was confronted by TTE Santosh Kumar over her reserved ticket. Witnesses in the coach, including Raj Vaibhav from Ghaziabad, claimed the TTE threw her luggage out and pushed her off the train. Arti’s body was later found nearly 4 km from her belongingsSpeaking to TOI, Ajay Yadav, Arti’s husband, said, “Just three days before her death, Arti had returned to her parents’ home in Kanpur from Mumbai, where I’m posted. She planned to visit the Army hospital in Delhi for consultation. My father, Bhagwan Singh, was the first to receive the call about her death.” Married in February 2020, the couple was childless. At the time of the incident, Ajay was in Chennai for naval training.However, GRP officials have not arrested the TTE yet. Circle Officer Etawah GRP, Udai Pratap Singh, said, “Prima facie, it appears the victim jumped off the train, but we are probing the matter and recording statements of co-passengers.”Anil Kumar dismissed the CO’s claim, calling it an attempt to shield the accused TTE. “Why didn’t the TTE stop the train or seek medical help? What’s the purpose of the alarm chain in the train coaches? Even after reaching Etawah Junction, which is 30 km from Samhon station, the train continued its journey. My daughter was murdered, and authorities are trying to protect their image,” he alleged.Meanwhile, North Central Railway’s chief public relations officer, Shashikant Tripathi, confirmed, “The TTE Santosh Kumar is still on active duty. An FIR has been lodged, and GRP is investigating.”The accused TTE, Santosh Kumar, is posted at Prayagraj NCR’s headquarters.

The Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 2025 season heats up as Hobart Hurricanes Women (HH-W) prepare to take on Melbourne Stars Women (MS-W) in Match 32 at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Monday, December 1. This fixture features the current table-toppers squaring off against the second-placed contenders, making it a crucial battle in the race for playoff qualification.

The Hurricanes enter the contest with strong momentum, having secured six wins from their first eight matches. They have particularly excelled on home soil, claiming four victories in five outings in Hobart. Their recent performances have highlighted a powerful batting lineup where Lizelle Lee and Danielle Wyatt-Hodge continue to dominate opposition attacks and consistently rank among the top run-getters of the competition. Skipper Nicola Carey adds further value with her reliable all-round skills, while Heather Graham’s wicket-taking brilliance has made her one of the most dangerous bowlers this season.

On the other side, Melbourne Stars remain firm challengers, winning five of their first seven games. They come into this match riding a confident four-match winning streak, showcasing excellent form at a crucial stage of the tournament. Meg Lanning has led their charge with the bat, amassing 301 runs in just five innings to sit comfortably as the leading run-scorer of WBBL|11. Their squad also benefits greatly from the presence of Annabel Sutherland, whose leadership and all-round ability bring balance, while Marizanne Kapp continues to provide match-winning performances with bat and ball.

HH-W vs MS-W, WBBL|11: Match details

• Date and Time: December 1; 01:40 pm IST/ 08:10 am GMT/ 07:10 pm Local
• Venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart

HH-W vs MS-W, Head-to-Head Record in WBBL

Matches played: 22 | Hobart Hurricanes won: 13 | Melbourne Stars won: 08 | No result: 01

Bellerive Oval Pitch Report

The Bellerive Oval pitch typically offers a solid batting track, beginning with some help for seamers thanks to the new ball before settling into a more batter-friendly surface as the match unfolds. Pacers can extract early movement, though spinners generally play a smaller role, with the wicket eventually slowing into a balanced, predictable strip that gradually tilts in favour of the batters.

Squads

Melbourne Stars Women: Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Amy Jones (wk), Annabel Sutherland (c), Marizanne Kapp, Kim Garth, Sasha Moloney, Georgia Prestwidge, Maisy Gibson, Sophie Day, Ella Hayward, Sophie Reid

Hobart Hurricanes Women: Lizelle Lee (wk), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Nicola Carey, Elyse Villani (c), Heather Graham, Rachel Trenaman, Hayley Silver-holmes, Molly Strano, Lauren Smith, Linsey Smith, Ruth Johnston, Callie Wilson, Kathryn Bryce

Also READ: WBBL|11 – Adelaide Strikers edge past Brisbane Heat in final-over Thriller; Ellyse Perry helps Sydney Sixers dominate Thunder in the derby clash

HH-W vs MS-W, WBBL|11: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Hobart Hurricanes Women wins the toss and bowls first
• Melbourne Stars Women’s powerplay score: 40-50
• Melbourne Stars Women’s total score: 160-170

Case 2:

• Melbourne Stars Women wins the toss and bowls first
• Hobart Hurricanes Women’s powerplay score: 30-50
• Hobart Hurricanes Women’s total score: 150-160

Match result: Hobart Hurricanes Women to win the game.

Also READ: Lauren Bell reacts after becoming the most expensive buy for RCB in WPL 2026 Auction

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

MUMBAI: The political journey of S Ward, which covers Bhandup, Kanjurmarg and Vikhroli, reflects a dramatic left-toright swing over the past four decades. Once a bastion of Communist influence in the late 1970s, the constituency gradually moved towards the Congress in the 1980s before decisively tilting to the right with the rise of Shiv Sena in the post-1990 era. Today, shaped by its predominantly Marathispeaking electorate and Sena’s deep grassroots network, the ward stands as a saffron stronghold. Yet this ideological consolidation has brought little relief on the ground. The identity-driven, Marathi-majority base may have ensured stable electoral gains for Sena, but chronic civic and environmental distress continues to define daily life: uneven and perpetually dug-up roads, decade-long delays in infrastructure such as the Bhandup ROB, worsening air pollution amid rapid construction, untreated garbage and mangrove loss near the Kanjur dumping ground, and routine monsoon flooding caused by choked drains. Water scarcity, inadequate health facilities, and stalled redevelopment underscore the widening governance gap. As a result, the ward’s political transformation has delivered predictability at the polls but not improvements in lived experience -fuelling rising frustration and asurge in activism.

In the 2017 municipal polls, the undivided Sena won eight of the ward’s 14 seats. In the 2024 general election, Sanjay Dina Patil of Sena (UBT) was elected MP, while sitting MLA Sunil Raut — brother of Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut — completed a hat-trick by winning the Vikhroli assembly seat. The Bhandup assembly seat was retained by Sena’s Ashok Patil, a loyalist of deputy CM Eknath Shinde.Even as political parties vie for influence, residents and activists say the ward is grappling with deepening civic and environmental issues. Snehal Basrur, a member of KanjurBhandup Clean ALM, flagged concerns over indiscriminate tree-cutting along LBS Marg, where at least 60 roadside trees were removed for Metro construction. Officials have promised compensatory plantation elsewhere, but Basrur argued that roadside greening is essential on the heavy-traffic artery and that existing trees were not handled with care. She has repeatedly sought improvements in air quality over the past three years, citing dust from continuous construction, rising respiratory ailments and AQI levels touching 250. She demanded action against those responsible for dust and pollution. A civic activist described many pavements as “the worst”, pointing to broken surfaces, protruding manhole covers and uneven stretches that put pedestrians at risk. Local resident and ALM core member Shirish Daudkhane said, “We have petitioned BMC for an urgent review and acceleration of the Bhandup ROB project, pending for a decade. It is essential that infrastructure projects account for projected traffic growth up to 2035-2050. Unfortunately, the present design does not reflect this.” He said that over a lakh PAPs were proposed to be resettled on the Bhandup-Kanjurmarg (East) saltpan lands, which wouldadd to east-west traffic.Environmentalist D Stalin raised alarms about rapid encroachment on saltpan land. “The dumping ground at Kanjurmarg (East) is not treated properly, and garbage is left to rot in the open. This gives rise to odour, which is a major issue and affects the health of those living in the neighbourhood and even at far-off places like Bhandup and Vikhroli (Kannamwar Nagar) who suffer from the stench. Garbage is also dumped on mangroves,which are being destroyed,” he said.Daudkhane said, “Traffic congestion is a regular issue. The road is not of uniform width in this constituency, and roads are dug at many places. LBS Marg is a bad stretch with uneven roads and causes traffic jams daily. A few societies have planned not to pay taxes for a year and get the roads repaired on their own.” Another local activist said stormwater drains and original drain lines lack adequate slopes, leadingto flooding in Bhandup village every monsoon due to choked drains. According to legislator Ashok Patil, Sena had promised in its last assembly manifesto to address concerns such as water scarcity — particularly in the hilly parts of Bhandup — inadequate health facilities and the need for urgent SRA redevelopment for slum pockets. Locals say MP Sanjay Patil has assured voters that if Sena (UBT) comes to power in the BMC, it will protect their interests.

AI-generated image (ChatGPT)

Nepal has awarded a contract to a Chinese state-owned security printing firm to produce new banknotes across multiple denominations, a central bank official confirmed on Sunday.Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has selected China Bank Note Printing and Minting Corporation to design, print and supply notes of NRs 50, NRs 500 and NRs 1,000, spokesperson Guru Prasad Paudel told PTI. Under the newly awarded contract, the company must deliver the notes within nine months.Paudel said the NRB provides the technical specifications, after which the Chinese firm prepares a design that must be approved by the central bank before printing begins.Earlier this month, the same Chinese company also received a Letter of Intent to design and print 430 million pieces of the NRs 1,000 denomination.The upcoming NRs 1,000 note will feature seven rhododendrons, Nepal’s national flower, representing the country’s seven provinces. It will also carry the signature of the current governor, Prof Dr Biswo Nath Poudel, appearing for the first time in this banknote series.China Bank Note Printing and Minting Corporation was selected on the basis of the lowest evaluated bid and has previously printed Nepalese notes of Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 100 and Rs 500.Meanwhile, on Thursday, Nepal’s central bank issued new Rs 100 notes carrying a revised national map that includes the Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura regions — territories that India maintains belong to it. Nepal claims these areas, lying east of the Mahakali river, fall within its borders according to the 1816 Sugauli Treaty.These disputed territories were incorporated into Nepal’s political map in May 2020 by the K P Sharma Oli government, a move later endorsed by Parliament. India had sharply criticised the updated map at the time, calling it a unilateral and unacceptable “artificial enlargement” of territorial claims.NRB officials noted that Nepal’s Rs 1 and Rs 2 coins have already been minted with the revised map for the past two years.