NEW DELHI: Talking in Parliament on Monday about the “unprecedented challenges” being faced by India because of the West Asia conflict, PM Modi underlined the country’s opposition to attacks on citizens and energy and transport infrastructure, and said strikes on commercial ships and obstacles to international trade are unacceptable.Modi said that as far as diplomacy was concerned, India’s role was clear. “We have expressed our deep concern about this conflict from the very beginning. I have also spoken to all the representatives of the West Asian nations. I have urged everyone to reduce tensions and end this struggle,” he said, noting that the conflict has now persisted for over three weeks, with deeply adverse consequences for the global economy and human lives. The PM said India continued to strive for the safe passage of Indian ships through diplomacy, adding that Iran had already allowed several Indian carriers to cross the Strait of Hormuz.On the challenges confronting India, he said that the war has created “unprecedented economic, national security, and humanitarian pressures”. He said India has “extensive trade relations with the warring and war-affected countries, that the conflict zone straddles critical trade routes, and that a large share of India’s crude oil and gas needs is met by this very region.” tnnPM: In touch with partners to ensure maritime safetyIndia has always raised its voice for the benefit of humanity and for peace, the PM said, reiterating that dialogue and diplomacy are the solution to the problems in West Asia. “In this war, no one’s life should be in danger, for the benefit of humanity. Therefore, India’s effort is to encourage all parties to reach a peaceful solution as soon as possible,” he said in his first statement on the crisis in Parliament.The movement of ships through the strait had become difficult after the war began, Modi said. He also recalled his conversations with leaders of GCC and other West Asian countries.“The attempt is to continue to receive oil and gas from wherever possible. The Indian govt is constantly keeping an eye on the shipping routes in the Gulf. Our attempt is to ensure the security of all essential goods such as oil, gas and fertilisers. We are in constant contact with our international partners to ensure the safety of our maritime corridors. Because of such efforts, many of our ships have come to India in the past few days,” Modi said.Drawing attention to the nearly one crore Indians who live and work in the Gulf countries, as well as the significant number of Indian crew members aboard commercial ships in those waters, Modi said, “India’s concerns are naturally greater, and therefore, it is essential that a united and unanimous voice goes out to the world from India’s Parliament on this crisis.”Foreign minister S Jaishankar had earlier said that India would focus on talks with Iran to facilitate the movement of its ships. This was in the middle of US President Donald Trump’s efforts to stitch together a coalition for deployment of warships in the strait, an idea that gained little currency with even the US’ allies.

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NASHIK: A 25-year-old man was allegedly beaten up in his uncle’s home, disrobed, tied to a pole and paraded naked in public by a group of 15 people, including his in-laws, in Bhuswal of Jalgaon district on Friday a few hours after he married a girl with whom he had an affair against their wish.Inspector Rahul Wagh of Bhusawal Bazarpeth police station said they rushed to the spot soon after getting information about the incident and arrested five people. They were identified as Komal Patil, one of the in-laws of the victim, Heramb Chaudhary, Sanjay Badhe, Vijay Patil and Dnyaneshwar Bhoi. Wagh said the main suspects, the newly married woman’s maternal uncle, aunt and their son, fled.Inspector Wagh said the arrested suspects were produced before a court on Saturday. All of them were remanded in five-day police custody.An FIR was lodged based on the victim’s complaints for offences punishable under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 115(2) [voluntarily causing hurt], 118(2) [voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means] and 138 (abduction) among other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.The victim told the police that he and his wife belonged to the same community. They stayed in adjacent villages and had an affair for 18 months.The two left their homes on March 18 and married at Panchavati in Nashik. Later, they informed the Bhusawal police about their marriage. The police, in turn, informed the woman’s relatives about it, but nobody went to the police station then.The couple then went to the house of the victim’s uncle in Bhusawal. The group of 15 people, including the victim’s in-laws, stormed into the house after some time and first assaulted the newly-wed couple, the police said. According to the FIR, the victim was assaulted between 11.30am and 12noon.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) face several challenges ahead of the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. While the franchise management assembled a strong squad during the recent auction, certain expensive acquisitions and aging fast bowlers could threaten the overall team balance.

The Sunrisers will begin their campaign against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Bengaluru on Saturday, March 28. Following this opener, Ishan Kishan and his team will face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on April 2 before hosting Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 5.

3 Players Who Could Be SRH’s Biggest Burden in IPL 2026

Liam Livingstone

Sunrisers Hyderabad made a bold late move by signing Liam Livingstone for ₹13 crore after his release from Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The franchise targeted him to add balance with his all-round ability.

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However, Livingstone enters the season under pressure after a disappointing IPL 2025 campaign. He struggled to make any consistent impact for RCB, scoring just 112 runs in eight innings at a poor average of 16.00 and a strike rate of 133.33.

Notably, he has also fallen out of favor with England, having last played in March last year. His dual role makes him a risky pick, and failure to deliver could turn this expensive signing into a major concern.

Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins remains a major concern for Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of IPL 2026 due to his ongoing injury issues. The Australian skipper has been dealing with fitness setbacks, raising doubts over his availability for the full season.

SRH have heavily relied on Cummins as their pace spearhead and leader. However, his uncertain fitness could disrupt team balance, especially with the franchise already managing multiple bowling combinations. Ishan Kishan is set to lead the team in the absence of Cummins.

Cummins’ absence or limited participation would be a significant blow given his impact with both ball and leadership. If he fails to regain full fitness in time, SRH could struggle to maintain consistency in crucial phases of the tournament.

Nitish Kumar Reddy

Nitish Kumar Reddy is also a concern for Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of IPL 2026 due to his recent dip in form. The young all-rounder has struggled to deliver consistent performances with both bat and ball in recent outings.

In IPL 2025, Reddy managed limited returns, scoring under 200 runs across the season while failing to make a significant impact with the ball. He also featured in T20Is recently but could not convert starts into impactful performances. Reddy last played a T20I match for India in January 2025.

SRH have backed him as a key Indian all-round option. However, his inconsistency could affect team balance in crucial phases. If his form does not improve quickly, it may create selection headaches for the management.

Also read: “Treated like the King” – 1983 WC winner alleges RR management over Riyan Parag’s captaincy appointment

NEW DELHI: Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers, carrying around 92,600 tonne of cooking gas, crossed the war-hit Strait of Hormuz on Monday evening. The ships – Jag Vasant and Pine Gas – are likely to reach ports between Thursday and Saturday, the shipping ministry said.With this, four Indian-flagged vessels have sailed through the conflict-hit choke point since the US-Israel-Iran war began on Feb 28. Last week, LPG tankers Shivalik and Nanda Devi docked at Mundra and Kandla ports in Gujarat. Officials said the govt’s focus is to ensure safe passage of 20 remaining Indian-flagged ships and Indian crews west of the Strait.Earlier, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary in the shipping ministry, said the two ships had started moving but did not disclose the destination. Ship tracking data showed both tankers sailed between Iran’s Larak and Qeshm islands, possibly to signal identity to Iranian authorities before crossing.Sinha said one LNG ship is chartered by Petronet Ltd, while seven LPG carriers have been hired by BPCL & HPCL. Crude tankers have been chartered by IOC, Reliance Industries and BGN International.Besides the four Indian ships, LPG tanker Pyxis Pioneer from the US docked at an Indian port on Sunday. Arrival of Jag Vasant and Pine Gas will take total imported LNG to over 2.9 lakh tonnes.Responding to concerns, Sinha said Indian crew onboard vessels were not facing food or water shortages.Overall, close to 500 tanker vessels remain confined within the Persian Gulf. Reports claimed Iran was selectively allowing ships to cross, though the Iranian embassy in India dismissed claims of payments as “unfounded”.India imports about 88% of crude oil, 50% of natural gas and 60% of LPG, much of it routed through the Strait.

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Kamindu Mendis and Nitish Kumar Reddy run between the wickets during an IPL 2025 T20 cricket match between CSK and SRH, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai. (PTI File Photo)

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy could play an important role in the batting line-up of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).Hyderabad begin their campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28. While focus remains on players like Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen and Liam Livingstone, Pathan said Reddy could provide balance after a dip in form last season.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan said about NKR, “If he performs his role well, I think he can act as the glue in this unit, which is otherwise very ultra-aggressive. It will be interesting to see how Hyderabad counters this challenge.”He also pointed to the change in Reddy’s numbers from 2024 to 2025. “We saw that his numbers dropped compared to the previous year. In 2024, he scored more than 300 runs and had a good strike rate. But what happened last year? His runs almost halved to around 180, and his strike rate dropped to about 119. It is not like he was batting too low either. In about 7 out of 11 innings, he got opportunities around number four. So, he was unable to capitalize on those chances,” he added, as cited by the news agency ANI.Reddy had won the ‘Emerging Player of the Season’ award in 2024 after scoring 303 runs in 11 innings with two fifties at a strike rate of 143 and taking three wickets. In 2025, he managed 182 runs in 13 matches at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of around 119, with a highest score of 32, along with two wickets.Pathan also spoke about the absence of Pat Cummins, who is set to miss the early part of the season due to injury. He said the team will feel the absence of his leadership.“His absence will definitely impact how the game is managed. When a young player comes under pressure, they tend to look towards a senior player for guidance. Not having him regularly in the dressing room at the start will also be difficult for Hyderabad. So, from that perspective, his absence will certainly be felt,” he said.“Pat Cummins not being there at the start is a big factor. His bowling and his captaincy have always been exceptional, and his leadership is often talked about. Last year, he matched Harshal Patel with 16 wickets. Even before that, he had taken 18 wickets in a season. His batting is also very important. When he comes in around number eight, he can hit big shots, and the aggression that has been instilled in Hyderabad has largely come from Captain Cummins,” he added.Pathan further said that Ishan Kishan will have a key role as captain in Cummins’ absence. He referred to Kishan’s recent performances, including his run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) where he scored 517 runs in 10 matches with two centuries and two fifties, which led to his return to the national side and contributions in a T20 World Cup-winning campaign.“This time, due to the absence of Pat Cummins, you’ll get to see Ishan Kishan as the captain. Ishan Kishan’s graph is on an upward trajectory. While playing for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he led the team as captain and lifted the trophy. Now, the responsibility will be on him,” he said.“We also saw in the World Cup that he delivered outstanding batting performances. When a player has that kind of confidence, giving him the captaincy makes sense. There were also discussions that Abhishek Sharma could be made captain. He has been appointed as vice-captain by Hyderabad, but it is better to go with Ishan Kishan,” he added.