Paarl Royals captain David Miller pulls a delivery during match 7 (SA20)

Paarl Royals captain David Miller spoiled the Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s New Year’s Eve celebrations with a captain’s knock that delivered his side their first win of SA20 Season 4 at St George’s Park on Tuesday.Chasing a modest target of 150, the Royals found themselves in serious trouble early as Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje tore through the top order. Jansen reached a milestone during the spell, becoming the first bowler to claim 50 wickets in SA20 history. Paarl slipped to 35 for four, with Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Asa Tribe, Rubin Hermann and Kyle Verreynne all dismissed cheaply.

With the chase threatening to unravel, Miller produced a masterclass in composure and controlled aggression. The left-hander anchored the innings with an unbeaten 71 off just 38 balls, timing his acceleration to perfection. He found a reliable partner in rising star Keagan Lion-Cachet, who played a crucial supporting role with a mature 45 off 40 deliveries.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The pair stitched together a match-turning 114-run partnership for the fifth wicket, steadily draining the pressure from the Sunrisers. Lion-Cachet fell late in the chase, but Miller ensured there were no further hiccups.Drama lingered until the final moments, with the St George’s Park crowd hoping for a Super Over. Those hopes were dashed when Lewis Gregory bowled a costly wide, sealing the Royals’ victory with two balls to spare.Earlier, Paarl’s bowlers had laid the platform, led by teenage sensation Nqobani Mokoena. In just his second SA20 appearance, the 19-year-old seamer delivered career-best figures of 4/34, including the prized wicket of Quinton de Kock during the Powerplay. Ottneil Baartman complemented him well, returning figures of 3/36 against his former side.

Jonny Bairstow (33) and Jordan Hermann (47) offered resistance for the Sunrisers, but regular wickets restricted them to 149 all out. Despite the loss, Sunrisers remain top of the table on 10 points, while the Royals climbed off the bottom with a timely win.Brief Scores Sunrisers Eastern Cape: 149 all out in 19.4 overs (Jordan Hermann 47; Nqobani Mokoena 4/34, Ottneil Baartman 3/36) Paarl Royals: 150 for 5 in 19.4 overs (David Miller 71 not out, Keagan Lion-Cachet 45; Anrich Nortje 2/21, Marco Jansen 2/25)

INDORE: A probe into the water contamination incident in Bhagirathpura, Indore, has exposed severe lapses in the city’s water supply system, with the death toll reaching seven on Wednesday and 162 patients undergoing treatment across 27 hospitals, both government and private.Indore draws its water from the Narmada river, sourced from Jalud in Khargone district, about 80 km away, through pipelines. key lapses:

Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav said a leakage was detected in the main water supply pipeline in Bhagirathpura, above which a toilet had been constructed, leading to possible contamination of drinking water.Dileep said, “We found that the illness was spread across the area, thus suspected that the contamination was near the main line, before it branched. The contamination point was identified near Bhagirathpura police check post, where a newly-constructed toilet was dumping waste in a pit instead of a proper septic tank. The pit was directly above the water supply line, which had a joint. We found that the joint was also loose. It was repaired.”The IMC is now flushing the water pipeline and has advised residents to avoid using the water until Friday. Around 60–70 water tankers have been deployed to supply drinking water in the area. Additionally, ASHA workers are conducting door-to-door surveys to monitor new cases.Confusion, however, persists over the exact number of fatalities. While city mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava stated that seven people had died, chief minister Mohan Yadav, speaking at a press conference after visiting patients in multiple hospitals, put the toll at four. “As of now, the number of deaths recorded is four. Patients have been admitted to different hospitals. Government has a system of collecting records. We have initiated a probe and the final figure would be clear once the report is filed,” the CM said. He added, “But why should even one person die? The episode has left us hurt and saddened.” Yadav visited Verma Hospital, Beema Hospital, DNS, MY Hospital, and Shalby Hospital during his tour.The health department has officially reported three deaths, but Mayor Bhargava said, “According to my information, seven persons have died after falling ill in Bhagirathpura area.” Verma Hospital officials confirmed that 162 patients are currently admitted across 27 hospitals.The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, hearing a public interest litigation filed by Indore High Court Bar Association president Ritesh Inani, directed the local municipal corporation and state government to ensure an immediate supply of clean drinking water. The court also mandated free treatment for residents suffering from vomiting and diarrhea and ordered both authorities to submit a detailed status report by January 2, including the number of affected residents, hospital admissions, and the medical care being provided.The incident highlights serious lapses in sanitation and water safety management, with both the civic body and state authorities facing scrutiny as families demand accountability for the preventable deaths caused by contaminated water.

Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers meet in a high-stakes New Year clash of BBL|15 in Hobart, with the in-form defending champions Hurricanes looking to consolidate a top-two spot against a Scorchers outfit still searching for consistency but carrying serious firepower. Expect a contest shaped by Hurricanes’ chasing template and Scorchers’ explosive middle order on a ground that usually rewards positive batting.​

Hurricanes sit in the top two with 4 wins from 5 and a healthy net run rate, riding a three-match winning streak, all achieved while chasing.​ Whereas, Scorchers have 2 wins from 4; they opened with a win, lost two on the bounce, then smashed 202 and beat Sydney Thunder by 71 runs to reassert themselves.​ These sides already met in Perth this season, where Hobart chased down 151 with 3 balls to spare, which gives the Hurricanes a psychological edge.

HH vs PS, BBL|15: Match details

• Date and Time: January 1 (Thursday); 1:45 pm IST / 8:15 am GMT / 7:15 pm Local
• Venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart

HH vs PS, Head-to-Head Record in BBL

Matches played: 22 | Perth Scorchers won: 13 | Hobart Hurricanes won: 09 | No result/Tied: 0

Bellerive Oval Pitch Report

Bellerive Oval in Hobart delivers a well-balanced pitch for Big Bash League matches, where seamers gain early help from movement and bounce with the new ball. The pitch provides true carry and shorter boundaries, becoming more batter-friendly later, supporting strike rates near 138 and first-innings totals typically from 147 to 166.​ As the match advances, the surface flattens out, benefiting aggressive batting. Fast bowlers claim most early wickets, while spinners gain traction with grip in the middle overs. Dew, if present, can turn it into a high-scoring affair.​ Chasing sides have dominated lately, winning 10 of the last 20 BBL games here. Totals of 150-190 have been defendable, with the ground favoring teams that post or chase competitively.​

Squads:

Hobart Hurricanes: Nathan Ellis (c), Tim David, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Beau Webster, Jake Weatherald, Chris Jordan, Rishad Hossain, Rehan Ahmed, Mac Wright, Iain Carlisle, Nikhil Chaudhary, Fergus O’Neill, Ollie Peake

Perth Scorchers: Mitchell Marsh, Finn Allen (wk), Cooper Connolly, Ashton Turner (c), Laurie Evans, Aaron Hardie, Ashton Agar, Joel Paris, Brody Couch, Mahli Beardman, Sam Fanning, Nick Hobson, Bryce Jackson, Corey Rocchiccioli

Also READ: Ashton Turner’s explosive knock leads Perth Scorchers to dominating win over Sydney Thunder in BBL|15

HH vs PS, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Perth Scorchers wins the toss and bowls first
• Hobart Hurricanes’ powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• Hobart Hurricanes’ total score: 170-180

Case 2:

• Hobart Hurricanes wins the toss and bowls first
• Perth Scorchers’ powerplay score: 55-65 (6 overs)
• Perth Scorchers’ total score: 180-190

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest

Also WATCH: Tanveer Sangha takes a sensational diving catch to dismiss Josh Inglis in BBL|15

Russian President Vladimir Putin (PTI photo)

The CIA has turned down Moscow’s claim that Ukraine tried to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s residence earlier this week. US officials said CIA director John Ratcliffe briefed President Donald Trump on the assessment on Wednesday.Russia had publicly accused Ukraine of trying to strike Putin’s home on Monday, and Trump told reporters that Putin mentioned it to him during a phone call. Trump said he was troubled by the claim and seemed to accept it at first, even though Ukraine strongly denied any involvement.

“I don’t like it. It’s not good,” Trump said, adding that he was “very angry” when he heard about the alleged attack.Russia used the accusation to warn that it might take a tougher position in peace talks, even though it has not provided clear evidence of the supposed drone strike. Moscow claimed the target was Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region, a rural area.But the US intelligence assessment matches Ukraine’s position. In a social media post, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Russia’s claim “a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war.”On Monday, even though Trump said he was upset about the reported attack, he admitted he had no confirmation and said it was “possible” it never happened.“It’s a delicate period of time,” he said. “This is not the right time. It’s one thing to be offensive because they’re offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house.”This episode came shortly after Trump hosted Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy at his private club Mar-a-Lago in Florida. While they appeared positive after the meeting, they made little progress on major issues such as security guarantees for Ukraine and Russia’s demand that Ukraine cede territory.Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Wednesday that he and other senior officials spoke with Rustem Umerov and several European national security officials about efforts to end the war.“We focused on how to move the discussions forward in a practical way on behalf of @POTUS’ peace process, including strengthening security guarantees and developing effective deconfliction mechanisms to help end the war and ensure it does not restart,” he wrote on social media.

The United States has granted a majority-Russian-owned Serbian oil company a temporary reprieve from sanctions targeting Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, a Serbian minister said on Wednesday. Washington’s sanctions on the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS), part of its crackdown on Russia’s energy sector, forced the shutdown in early December of Serbia’s sole oil refinery, which supplies around 80 percent of the Balkan country’s fuel needs. The measures have hit hard in Serbia, a key Kremlin ally and one of the few European countries not to have imposed sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war.“NIS has obtained a licence from US OFAC (the Office of Foreign Assets Control) allowing it to continue operations until January 23. This means that the Pancevo refinery will be able to resume operations after 36 days,” Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Instagram.The reprieve will allow the Pancevo refinery, located near the capital Belgrade, to resume its activities refining crude — a significant relief for Serbia, which has had to dip into its fossil fuel reserves to satisfy domestic demand. “We have achieved what seemed almost impossible. We will safeguard our energy security, as we have done so far,” Handanovic added.After nine months of successive postponements, Washington on October 9 imposed sanctions on NIS, demanding the complete exit of Russian shareholders and preventing the refinery from receiving supplies. But talks over its potential sale have dragged on, with analysts warning that the refinery’s closure could shrink Serbia’s economic growth and threaten thousands of jobs. NIS employs some 13,500 people, and contributed more than two billion euros ($2.5 billion) in tax revenue, or nearly 12 percent of the national budget, according to the firm’s annual report. ‘Phenomenal news’Shortly before Handanovic’s announcement, President Aleksandar Vucic said on social media that he believed he could soon announce some “phenomenal political news”. “We’ve worked hard, we’ve earned it,” Vucic added, without offering further details. NIS is 45-percent owned by Gazprom Neft, which has been targeted by US sanctions. Its parent company, Gazprom, transferred its 11.3-percent stake in NIS in September to another Russian firm, Intelligence.The Serbian state holds nearly 30 percent of NIS, with the rest owned by minority shareholders.According to the Serbian national broadcaster RTS, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was involved in discussions between Vucic and the US State Department earlier Wednesday, while the Hungarian firm MOL is in negotiations to buy the Russian portion of NIS’s shares. Meanwhile, Croatian pipeline operator Janaf, which had stopped supplying crude to the Pancevo refinery because of the sanctions, also announced it had been informed by OFAC about the reprieve.This decision “allows us to continue implementing our agreement (with NIS) on oil transportation” until January 23, the Croatian company stated.The two companies have a contract for crude transport valid until the end of 2026, for a total capacity of 10 million tonnes.