Hardik Pandya once again proved why he is considered one of the most elite athletes in world cricket with a moment of breathtaking brilliance in the field. During a high-stakes 4th T20I encounter against New Zealand in Vizag, his lightning-quick reflexes turned a routine single into a game-changing breakthrough for Team India. By executing a nearly impossible direct hit, he removed the dangerous Mitchell Santner just as the Kiwi captain was beginning to find his rhythm.

IND vs NZ, 4th T20I: Hardik Pandya produces a direct-hit stunner to dismiss Mitchell Santner

The dismissal of Santner at 16.1 was a masterclass in modern-day fielding, showcasing the explosive athleticism that Hardik brings to the Indian side. It began with a subtle back-of-a-length delivery from Jasprit Bumrah that cramped Santner for room, causing the batter to close his bat face slightly too early on 11 from 6 balls.

The resulting outside edge trickled away toward short third man, a position where batters often feel safe enough to steal a quick, opportunistic single to rotate the strike. Seeing a momentary lapse in concentration, Santner took off for the run, but he had drastically underestimated the speed of Pandya, who was prowling the inner circle. Hardik pounced on the ball with the grace of a predator, gathering it cleanly in one fluid motion before unleashing a searing, flat throw that behaved more like a guided missile.

The ball whistled through the air and crashed directly into the base of the stumps at the bowler’s end with devastating accuracy, catching the Kiwi captain short of his ground. Despite Santner’s desperate, full-length dive, the third umpire confirmed the ‘OUT’ signal, reducing New Zealand to 163/6 and halting their momentum. This act of brilliance was a reminder that Pandya remains India’s premier game-changer, capable of manufacturing a wicket out of thin air even without the ball in his hand.

Here’s the video:

Bullseye 🎯

Hardik Pandya with a superb direct hit 🔥

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Also READ: IND vs NZ: Fans slam Gautam Gambhir as Shreyas Iyer misses out again in India XI for 4th T20I in Visakhapatnam

New Zealand sets a massive target in Vizag T20I against India

The 4th T20I in Visakhapatnam saw New Zealand post a formidable 215/7 after India won the toss and elected to field first in humid conditions. Tim Seifert led the charge with a blistering 62 off 36 balls, recording the fastest T20I half-century by a New Zealander against India in just 25 deliveries. Devon Conway provided stellar support with 44 off 23 balls, as the pair shared a century opening stand in just 8.2 overs to stun the Indian attack.

India finally found a breakthrough when Kuldeep Yadav removed Conway, finishing his spell with vital middle-over figures of 2/39 from his 4 overs. Bumrah quickly followed up by dismissing Rachin Ravindra for 2, eventually ending his quota with 1/38 despite a late-inning assault. The Kiwis suffered a significant middle-order collapse, sliding from a dominant 100/0 to a shaky 152/5 as Ravi Bishnoi removed Mark Chapman (9). Arshdeep Singh proved crucial at the death, removing the dangerous Seifert and Zakary Foulkes (13) to finish with tidy figures of 2/35. Rinku Singh was a magnet in the field, incredibly claiming 4 catches throughout the innings to keep the pressure on the visitors’ lower order.

Daryl Mitchell proved to be the late-innings hero for the Black Caps, smashing an unbeaten 39 off just 18 balls to propel the score past 200. Mitchell’s cameo included a massive six and a four in the final over against Harshit Rana, who struggled under the pressure, conceding 14 runs in the 20th. India, leading the series 3-0, now requires a mammoth 216 runs at a required rate of 10.8 per over to maintain their perfect record. All eyes remain on Sanju Samson, who is desperate for a big score after managing only 16 runs across his previous 3 innings in this series.

Also READ: IND vs NZ: Here’s why Ishan Kishan is not playing today’s 4th T20I match in Visakhapatnam

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Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah (PTI image)

NEW DELHI: Proceedings in the Karnataka Assembly were disrupted on Wednesday after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Congress-led Siddaramaiah government of phone tapping.The house was in total ruckus following law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil remarks who suggested that the governor Thaawarchand Gehlot was acting on instructions received through calls from Delhi.

The controversy erupted during the debate on the motion of thanks to the governor’s address to the joint sitting of the state legislature. BJP legislators alleged that the Congress government had accessed details of phone calls received at the Raj Bhavan (Lok Bhavan), raising serious questions about surveillance and misuse of power.Last week, on January 22, governor Gehlot refused to read the full state-prepared address to the joint session of the legislature and concluded his speech in just three lines. The move drew sharp criticism from the Congress government. The governor had objected to certain references in the address that were critical of the Centre, including remarks on the alleged “repeal” of the UPA-era employment guarantee scheme, MGNREGA.Intervening in the debate on Wednesday, BJP MLA Suresh Kumar accused the state government of disrespecting the governor and making unwarranted allegations against a constitutional authority. He observed that there have been earlier instances where governors did not read their full addresses.Citing precedent, Kumar referred to January 2011, when the BJP was in power in the state. He said that then governor Hansraj Bhardwaj had tabled his address to the joint session to be treated as read after the then Leader of the Opposition, Siddaramaiah, urged him not to read it, alleging corruption by the BJP government at the time.Responding to this comparison, law minister H K Patil alleged that the present Governor had acted under instructions received over phone calls from Delhi.“Following calls from Delhi the Governor did not read the full speech, we will also have to speak about it now, as you spoke about the earlier incident (involving then Governor Bhardwaj),” Patil said.The remark triggered strong protests from the BJP benches. Suresh Kumar said that the law minister was making a grave allegation and questioned how the government knew about calls to the governor. “Is the government tapping the Raj Bhavan (Lok Bhavan) phones, to know about the Governor getting calls from Delhi?” he asked.As BJP MLAs rose in protest, the House descended into chaos. BJP MLA Sunil Kumar alleged that Patil’s statement amounted to an admission. “How can this be tolerated? This is the second time the Law Minister has said this in the House. Is phone tapping happening?” he said.IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge came to Patil’s defence, saying the law minister was only alleging that the Governor was acting like a “puppet in the hands of the central government.” However, the BJP maintained that the statements raised serious doubts about surveillance at the Raj Bhavan.Escalating the exchange, Kharge alleged that the governor was receiving calls from Keshava Krupa, the RSS’s Karnataka state headquarters. BJP members countered the claim by saying the Congress “gets calls from Italy,” further intensifying the verbal sparring.Sunil Kumar and other BJP MLAs reiterated their charge that the state government had stooped to tapping the Governor’s phone. “The Law Minister has repeatedly said that the Governor was getting calls from Delhi. How did they know? If they have records, let them place it in the House,” he said, alleging that both Patil and Kharge were involved in tapping phones at Lok Bhavan.Senior BJP leaders, including Suresh Kumar and Sunil Kumar, continued to accuse the Siddaramaiah government of surveillance and described it as a “phone tapping government.” Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka also backed the allegations.Replying to the charges, Patil questioned why there had been no clarification from either the Governor or the Centre after he first made the allegation last week. “What is the Home Ministry doing in Delhi? Should they not at least issue a press note saying that there is no communication between the Governor and Home Ministry?” he asked.The remarks led to further heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches, with Ashoka claiming that the statements by Patil and Kharge themselves proved that phones at the Lok Bhavan and the RSS office were being tapped. “Are our phones also being tapped? This is a phone-tapping government,” he said.As disorder continued in the House, Speaker U T Khader adjourned the Assembly for lunch.

Digvijay Singh, Ajit Pawar and Mallikarjun Kharge (Images/Agencies)

NEW DELHI: Opposition leaders on Wednesday demanded a thorough investigation into the plane crash that killed Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and four others. The calls are being ranged from a DGCA-led probe to a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry.Ajit Pawar (66) was among five people killed when a Learjet 46 aircraft crash-landed near Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday morning. The aircraft was operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said there were five people on board, including crew members.Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh expressed his condolences over the death of NCP leader. Raising concerns over the circumstances of the crash, he said that several questions needed to be answered, including visibility conditions, landing protocol and aircraft maintenance. “The question is, why did this accident happen? From the preliminary information I have received, a similar accident involving the same company occurred in Mumbai three years ago. This incident took place in low visibility. Normally, landing should not be attempted unless visibility is at least five kilometres,” he said. Singh added that the aircraft reportedly attempted to land twice before missing the airstrip. “The DGCA should conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. It must also be examined who was responsible for the aircraft’s maintenance and whether DGCA clearance had been granted,” Singh said. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also called for a probe, describing Pawar’s death as untimely and deeply shocking.“We will demand an investigation into this accident. It is a very sad incident. Ajit Pawar died a premature death. The passing away of a hard-working man has shocked us all. We are with his family in this hour,” Kharge said.Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, Kharge said Pawar had worked for the people and his death had hurt everyone. “This has hurt everyone, including his family members, and we share their grief and pray that they can bear this loss,” he said.Earlier, in a post on X, Kharge said Pawar’s death was “deeply shocking and profoundly distressing,” calling it an untimely loss of a leader with a long political career ahead. He said Pawar would be remembered as a seasoned politician who served Maharashtra in various constitutional roles.West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee demanded a Supreme Court-supervised inquiry and alleging that existing agencies could not be trusted.“We trust only the Supreme Court. All other agencies have been completely compromised,” Banerjee told reporters before leaving for Singur, asserting that only a court-monitored probe would bring out the truth.She also alleged a possible political conspiracy, claiming there were reports that Pawar was considering leaving the BJP days before the crash. “Two days ago, I came to know that someone from another party had given a statement that Pawar was willing to leave the BJP, and now this has happened today,” she said, while adding that Pawar was reportedly preparing to return to the NCP faction led by his uncle Sharad Pawar.“It is truly a great loss. My condolences to his family, the people of Maharashtra, and to Sharad Pawar,” Banerjee said.The Biju Janta Dal also joined other opposition parties in demanding a thorough investigation. BJD VP Debi Prasad Mishra said, “It is shocking news that Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and a regional party leader, died in a plane crash at Baramati. He was a vibrant leader with a strong reputation as a doer, held important portfolios in Maharashtra, and worked extensively for the people. He was also the cousin of the legendary leader Sharad Pawar. This is very unfortunate, and the matter should be thoroughly investigated.”

The India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will be credit positive for India, helping attract foreign investment, strengthen manufacturing and improve export competitiveness in labour-intensive sectors, Moody’s Ratings said on Wednesday.India and the EU announced the conclusion of negotiations for the long-pending FTA earlier this week, describing it as the “mother of all deals”. Under the agreement, about 93% of Indian shipments will enjoy duty-free access to the 27-nation bloc, while imports of luxury cars and wines from Europe are expected to become cheaper.The pact, concluded after negotiations spanning nearly two decades, creates a combined market of around two billion people across the world’s fourth-largest economy, India, and the EU, the second-largest economic bloc.In a commentary, Moody’s Ratings said India’s conclusion of trade talks with the EU reflects its continued efforts to selectively diversify trade relationships.“When in effect, the FTA will be credit positive, with lower tariffs and better market access supporting India’s ambition to develop its manufacturing sector, attract foreign investment, and strengthen the export competitiveness of its labour-intensive goods,” Moody’s said, PTI quoted.The free trade agreement is expected to be formally signed and implemented this year.Moody’s noted that lower tariffs on EU imports may also help ease input costs, although such imports currently account for a smaller share of India’s overall import bill.“European carmakers would gain easier access to the world’s third-largest car market, allowing them to introduce more premium models under a calibrated liberalisation framework—an opportunity for EU brands but adding competition for Indian manufacturers,” it said.The rating agency added that the broader benefits of the FTA would depend on progress in complementary areas such as improving business friendliness and streamlining regulations.Once implemented, almost all Indian goods — over 93% — will receive zero-duty access to the EU market, except for automobiles and steel. For the remaining over 6% of products, Indian exporters will benefit from tariff reductions and quota-based duty concessions, including for automobiles.Moody’s pointed out that the EU’s average tariffs on Indian goods are already relatively low at around 3.8% and will be reduced to about 0.1% under the agreement.However, duties are currently high in several sectors, including marine products (0–26%), chemicals (up to 12.8%), plastics and rubber (up to 6.5%), leather and footwear (up to 17%), textiles and apparel (up to 12%), gems and jewellery (up to 4%), railway components, aircraft parts, ships and boats (up to 7.7%), furniture and light consumer goods (up to 10.5%), toys (up to 4.7%) and sports goods (up to 4.7%).Duties on all these items will be eliminated by the EU under the pact.On the other hand, the EU will receive duty-free access for over 90% of its goods in India over a ten-year period. India will remove duties on about 30% of European goods on the first day of the agreement’s implementation.The main EU products that will get duty concessions include automobiles, wines, spirits, beer, olive oil, kiwis and pears, fruit juices, processed foods such as breads, pastries, biscuits, pasta and chocolates, pet food, sheep meat, sausages and other meat preparations.At present, these goods attract import duties ranging from 33% to 150%.Prices of imported cars from Europe are widely expected to come down, with India agreeing to gradually cut import duty to 10% from 110% for up to 2.5 lakh vehicles a year — more than six times the quota offered under the India-UK trade agreement.

Coco Gauff’s raw post-match frustration at the Australian Open has sparked a wider, unified pushback from players against what they describe as an increasing invasion of privacy during tournaments, with some of the sport’s biggest names speaking in one voice.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The issue came into sharp focus after third seed Gauff was caught on camera smashing her racquet deep inside Melbourne Park following her quarter-final defeat on Tuesday. The footage quickly went viral, prompting the American to speak out.“I tried to go somewhere where they wouldn’t broadcast it, but obviously they did,” Gauff said. “So maybe some conversations can be had because I feel like at this tournament the only private place we have is the locker room.”

A day later, she reinforced the point on social media, writing: “I’m a real person with real feelings. I care a lot & I’m trying my best. Thank you to those who understand that.”Gauff found strong backing across the locker room. Serena Williams came to her defence, posting on X: “Passion. Caring. Matters. Nothing wrong with hating to lose.”World No.2 Iga Swiatek, who was also eliminated at the quarter-final stage, said off-court cameras had gone too far, likening the experience to constant surveillance.

“The question is, are we tennis players, or are we animals in the zoo?” Swiatek said. “It would be nice to have some privacy… some space where you can do that without the whole world watching.”Swiatek pointed to her own recent experience, when footage of her being denied access to an area at Melbourne Park for not wearing accreditation spread rapidly online.“We’re meant to be watched on the court and in the press. That’s our job,” she said. “It’s not our job to be a meme.”Sixth seed Jessica Pegula echoed those concerns after reaching the semi-finals.“Coco wasn’t wrong when she said the only place that is private is the locker room, which is crazy,” Pegula said. “People were zooming in on players’ phones. That’s so unnecessary. It’s really an invasion of privacy.”Amanda Anisimova admitted she tries to ignore the scrutiny but agreed Gauff’s moment should never have been made public.“She didn’t have a say in that,” Anisimova said. “That’s the tough part.”

India’s public health authorities are closely monitoring the situation after two confirmed Nipah virus cases in West Bengal, confirmed by the Indian Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). While the cases remain limited, the news has drawn attention because Kerala had previously reported four Nipah infections in 2025, including in the Malappuram and Kozhikode districts, highlighting the regions’ vulnerability to sporadic outbreaks of this rare virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah can be highly lethal, with a fatality rate of up to 75%, underscoring why authorities take even isolated detections seriously.

Nipah virus in India

According to the Indian Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), only 2 confirmed Nipah virus cases have been reported in West Bengal since December 2025. A total of 196 contacts linked to these cases were traced, monitored and tested, all of whom were found asymptomatic.In an exclusive interview with ANI, Dr Narender Kumar Arora, President of AIIMS Bilaspur and Chairman of India’s COVID‑19 Working Group, spoke about the presence of Nipah virus in India. He noted that Kerala and West Bengal are endemic regions and that past cases have been carefully monitored.“Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease… highly infectious and fatal. Patients either develop symptoms of encephalitis or severe respiratory disease, and mortality is 40 to 75%, which is very high,” Dr Arora told ANI. He added that recent cases in West Bengal were first detected among healthcare workers, with further monitoring of potentially exposed individuals underway.He also emphasised that no vaccine is currently available. “Monoclonal antibodies are to be given as soon as someone is diagnosed… There is a very limited supply globally, and India is working to ensure sufficient availability,” he said. Dr Arora stressed that minimising contact with fruit bats and other potential carriers is key to preventing infection.

What is Nipah Virus?

The Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus, meaning it originally circulates in animals before jumping to humans. ^{Its natural hosts are fruit bats (also known as flying foxes). Humans can become infected by eating fruit contaminated by bat saliva or urine, drinking raw date palm sap, or through close contact with infected pigs or other humans.What makes Nipah particularly concerning is its aggressive nature. Unlike a typical flu, Nipah can cause a range of severe conditions:}

Because there is currently no specific vaccine or cure for Nipah, treatment is limited to “supportive care” (managing symptoms). ^{This is why the World Health Organization (WHO) lists it as a priority pathogen, its high mortality rate and lack of treatment make early detection and strict border control the most effective weapons we have}

Countries on alert

The confirmation of isolated cases in India has prompted heightened vigilance across parts of Asia, with several countries reviewing passenger screening procedures as a precautionary public health measure. In India, health checks at international departure points have been strengthened to identify symptomatic travellers before boarding.International health agencies have stressed that the situation is being closely monitored and remains contained, with surveillance and contact tracing helping prevent wider spread. Officials continue to emphasise vigilance rather than alarm.

Could the UAE get Nipah?

There have been no confirmed cases of Nipah virus in the UAE, and health authorities say the risk remains low. Nevertheless, the UAE’s healthcare system has activated standard monitoring protocols in coordination with major airports.The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is working with aviation authorities to ensure travellers arriving from regions reporting cases are screened for symptoms such as fever, respiratory distress or neurological signs.Experts note that Nipah does not spread easily, unlike respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, and typically requires prolonged close contact. Preventive screening is therefore a precaution, not a response to any detected spread.For the general public in the UAE, the impact is minimal beyond staying informed. Travellers returning from areas reporting Nipah cases are advised to monitor their health for up to 14 days and seek medical attention if symptoms such as fever, headache or breathing difficulties develop.Health authorities stress that following official advisories, practising good hygiene and reporting symptoms early remain the most effective safeguards. With early detection and transparent communication, officials say the risk of local transmission remains extremely low.