Mumbai: The Director General of Shipping, in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy in Baghdad, has initiated the process to repatriate the body of 54-year-old Kandivli resident Deonandan Prasad Singh, an additional chief engineer (superintendent), who was aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MT Safesea Vishnu that was hit by an Iranian attack on Thursday.The body could be brought home once the airspace opens this week, sources told TOI on Saturday. The tanker was near Khor Al Zubair Port, in Basra, Iraq, when it was attacked in the wee hours of Thursday. Singh, who was among 17 Indians on board, suffered severe injuries during the attack and later died. Singh spoke with his family on Wednesday evening and assured them that everything was fine before the ship was attacked. He called his family again at around 2:36 am on Thursday and informed them that the ship was on fire. Afterwards, he did not respond to his family’s calls, a family member said. A source from Mumbai’s DG Shipping office told TOI: “Singh’s body, along with the rescued 16 Indian crews, will fly back once the airspace opens. The travel documents and the necessary local formalities are currently in process. At present, Iraq’s airspace remains closed. Further, subject to completion of all formalities and reopening of airspace, the repatriation of the seafarers as well as the mortal remains is expected to take place next week, if all arrangements proceed as planned.” Meanwhile, Iran’s official news agency IRNA said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) struck one of the two ships, a US-owned vessel, the Safesea Vishnu, because it had ignored warnings and failed to comply with orders. Indian authorities earlier said the Safesea Vishnu, which sailed under the Marshall Islands flag, was attacked by an unmanned speedboat. Meanwhile, Singh’s employer Bravo Shipping Management, did not respond to TOI‘s email related to an update on the incident. Originally from Bihar, Singh moved to Mumbai in 2019 and lived with his family at Raheja Eternity Society in Kandivli East. He is survived by his wife Kumkum Singh, daughter Komal Singh, a medical student at Nagpur medical college, and a son who is currently pursuing a management course in the United States.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that the United States had carried out strikes on Iran’s key oil export hub at Kharg Island. The US president said the operation targeted critical energy infrastructure linked to Iran’s oil trade.Trump said US forces had “obliterated” military facilities on the island, which sits in the Persian Gulf and handles the overwhelming majority of Iran’s crude shipments to the global market. While the strikes stopped short of targeting the oil infrastructure itself, the US president warned that the energy facilities could be hit next if Iran interferes with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.

Kharg Island has long been considered Iran’s economic lifeline, with analysts warning that any sustained attack on the territory could cripple the country’s oil exports and deal a devastating blow to its economy.

Following the announcement, Iranian officials issued a stark warning, saying that any further attacks could lead to the destruction of oil and energy infrastructure across the region. The threat came amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran after a series of military exchanges in recent days.

Iran’s oil lifeline

Kharg Island lies roughly 30 kilometres off the Iranian mainland in the Persian Gulf, near the port city of Bushehr. Despite its small size just around eight kilometres long the island plays an outsized role in Iran’s economy.Often described as Iran’s “oil lifeline”, Kharg handles around 90 percent of the country’s crude exports. Oil from major offshore fields such as Aboozar, Forouzan and Dorood is transported via subsea pipelines to the island, where it is stored and loaded onto massive tankers bound largely for Asian markets.Its geography makes it uniquely suited for this role. The waters surrounding the island are deep enough to accommodate supertankers, something that many Iranian ports along the shallow Gulf coastline cannot handle.Over the decades, Iran has turned Kharg into one of the world’s largest oil terminals. At peak capacity, the facilities there can load as much as seven million barrels per day, though current exports are closer to about 1.6 million barrels daily.Because so much of Iran’s export infrastructure is concentrated on this single island, analysts have long considered it a critical vulnerability. Any serious disruption could immediately choke off the majority of Iran’s oil revenues, which remain a central pillar of the country’s economy and a key source of funding for powerful institutions such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.Watch: $11 billion & counting; Trump bleeds American taxpayers with no Iran victory in sight

Why the island is strategically sensitive

The United States and Israel had previously avoided striking Kharg directly, largely because of the enormous economic and geopolitical consequences such a move could trigger.Energy analysts warn that targeting the island’s oil infrastructure would almost instantly halt most of Iran’s crude exports. That could provoke a major retaliation from Tehran, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s traded oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes.Iran has already demonstrated its ability to disrupt maritime traffic in the area. Missile and drone attacks in recent weeks have slowed shipping through the strait and raised fears of a wider energy crisis.Tehran has repeatedly warned that any attempt to damage its oil infrastructure would provoke an “eye for an eye” response, potentially including attacks on energy facilities in neighbouring Gulf states.That risk explains why the latest US strikes appear to have targeted only military installations on the island rather than its vast oil storage tanks and loading terminals. Trump himself acknowledged this calculation, saying he had deliberately chosen not to destroy the energy infrastructure.Watch: Iran bombs 5 US military aircraft; big confirmation from DC as IRGC hits KC-135 planes in Saudi

A strategic prize in a wider war

Beyond its economic importance, Kharg Island also holds significant military and historical value. The island has been heavily fortified over decades and is guarded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.Its strategic location has made it a coveted asset for centuries. European powers including the Portuguese and the Dutch once attempted to control it because of its position along historic trade routes in the Gulf.In modern times, the island has endured repeated conflict. During the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s, Iraqi forces repeatedly bombed Kharg in an attempt to cripple Iran’s oil exports. Although heavily damaged, the facilities were eventually rebuilt and expanded.Today the island remains a tightly controlled zone with limited civilian presence, dominated by oil terminals, pipelines and military installations.

Indian middle-order batter Tilak Varma was seen in a new role after Sanju Samson‘s reentry into the Indian XI. However, it proved to be a blessing in disguise for the MI cricketer, as he almost had his groove back, ending a silent World Cup run until then.

Tilak Varma, the Mumbai Indians and Indian team cricketer, has made his way up to here after immense struggles throughout his life. His immense success is now praised by people all over the nation, but the hard work and the sacrifices behind it remain the pillars behind the framework of his career.

Who is Salam Bayash? – The man who shaped Indian star Tilak Varma’s cricket career

Eleven years back, a young boy of an electrician named Namboori Nagaraju dreamed of playing cricket professionally in a small village in Andhra Pradesh. Forty kilometres—Barkas to Lingampally—this would have ended the career even before it started for that young lad had it not been for his coach.

Your daily dose of cricket!

The young lad with thousands of dreams back then is none other than World Cup winner Tilak Varma from India, and the coach proved to be the guardian angel in his life. Salam Bayesh had then sorted the transport, waived the fees, and his father didn’t have to drop him off or pick him up. He did much more than what a coach does for a young lad.

Bayash had seen something in the twelve-year-old boy from the beginning — not just talent but a quality harder to find. He shaped him through the early days as he drilled him for adapting to all playing conditions as well as positions.

I will play in all positions and show now- Tilak Varma

Tilak Varma had many ups and downs ahead of his World Cup debut for India. He was one of India’s best T20I batters, but an injury kept him out of the contest against New Zealand. It was then that his coach backed him again.

“Ups and downs are common,” he told Tilak. “Every cricketer tends to get injured, even the greatest. They are mentally strong and with you, too; this time shall pass.”

However, when the Indian batter was having a lean patch in the World Cup, it was his coach, Bayash, who reprimanded him for his poor shot selection. “You are not making runs because your shot selection is not right,” he said. “Focus on the errors you are making.”

The scoldings grew to encouragement when Tilak grew to be an international cricketer, but at times, students do need to face the original version of their teacher, and this was one of them. After the 16-ball 44* against Zimbabwe, Tilak’s first call was to his coach, as he said, “I will play in all positions and show now.”

Even before his first-ever World Cup final, Tilak sought his guru for some advice, and his simple advice saw Tilak contribute with the first and the last catch of the final, despite not having much of a chance to contribute with the bat.

“Whatever position you are given to bat, do that well. We are one step away from the dream. Even if you don’t get the batting, do your best fielding, beta,” he had said.

I could see his love and respect for me at the time- Salam Bayash

We often tend not to give our coaches and teachers what we owe them for the vital lessons in our lives. However, Tilak Varma did not forget what he owed to his childhood coach. When his coach was in the ICU with COVID, the young cricketer went to the hospital for all of the 15 days and stayed by his coach and his family during the tough times.

“I could see his love and respect for me at the time,” Bayash said. Nagaraju had wanted his son to study medicine. Tilak, twelve years old, had a different view. However, he claimed that if he studied medicine, he would be known across Hyderabad, and if he played sports, then he would be known worldwide. This inspired the father to let him do whatever it takes to become a cricketer.

Today, as an international great, he goes back to his coach at the Legala Academy and speaks with the youngsters there and advises them to learn to work hard from their coach.

ALSO READ: EX-KKR Star BLASTS at Axar Patel over Delhi Capitals’ inconsistent IPL performances

Gautam Gambhir, SuryaKumar Yadav offer prayers at Shree Siddhivinayak Temple

Members of the India national cricket team continued their celebrations of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup triumph by visiting the Shree Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai on Saturday, even as their previous temple visit had triggered a debate following remarks by former cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad.Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav along side ICC Chairman Jay shah had earlier visited the temple with the trophy in Ahmedabad after the victory and, offering prayers despite the controversy surrounding the earlier visit.Kirti Azad questions temple visitThe debate began after Kirti Azad criticised the team’s decision to take the trophy to a temple, arguing that the World Cup victory belonged to all Indians regardless of religion.“140 crore people were excited when Team India, which includes people from all religions, won. A sportsperson or sports does not belong to any religion or caste but only to the sport,” Azad said. “Why not a mosque? Why not a church? Why not a gurudwara? The trophy belongs to 1.4 billion Indians of every faith, not one religion’s victory lap,” he added. Harbhajan Singh criticises Azad’s remarksFormer India spinner Harbhajan Singh strongly criticised Azad’s comments, accusing him of unnecessarily politicising the issue.“It’s absurd that someone is politicising the players taking the trophy to a temple. Kirti himself is a former cricketer, so I didn’t expect him to say such a thing. Perhaps he’s prioritising politics more and has forgotten he’s a sportsman,” Harbhajan said. “I was expecting more because when such a big task is undertaken, the reward should be even greater. But congratulations to the team for showing everyone how powerful India is,” he added.Gambhir also defends team’s celebrationGautam Gambhir also defended the team’s actions, saying the controversy was unnecessary and risked overshadowing the players’ achievements.“It is not even worth answering this question. It’s a huge moment for the entire country and we should celebrate the World Cup winners,” Gambhir said in a conversation with ANI.“If you want to dilute the achievements of those 15 players and their efforts, then tomorrow anyone can give any statement and we start taking it seriously. That isn’t fair to the boys.”“The boys have gone through so much pressure. If you give such statements today, you are degrading your own players and your own team.”Players brush aside controversyMeanwhile, India batter Ishan Kishan dismissed questions about the controversy, urging the media to focus on the team’s historic achievement instead.“Winning the World Cup is such a great thing. You people should ask good questions. What can I say about what Kirti Azad said? Please ask good questions so that it’s enjoyable,” Kishan said.

Iranian foreign minister said on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all countries except its “enemies”- United States and Israel- following US airstrikes on its Kharg Island oil hub.“As a matter of fact, the Strait of Hormuz is open,” FM Abbas Araghchi said.“It is only closed to the tankers and ships belong[ing] to our enemies, to those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass,” he told MS NOW, as cited by New York Post. “And I can say that the Strait is not closed, but it is only closed to American, Israeli, you know, ships and tankers, and not to others.”Abbas Araghchi added that many ships “prefer” not to undertake the journey due to “security concerns,” but insisted, “this has nothing to do with us.”In a separate post on X, Araghchi criticised the US’ regional security role, saying the “touted U.S. security umbrella has proven to be full of holes and inviting rather than deterring trouble.” He added, “US is now begging others, even China, to help it make Hormuz safe. Iran calls on brotherly neighbors to expel foreign aggressors, especially as their only concern is Israel.”US President Donald Trump called on nations to send warships to keep the Strait open. In a post on Truth Social, he said, “The countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — A LOT! The U.S. will also coordinate with those Countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well.”He added, “Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” and expressed hope that China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain, and others would send ships to the area.Earlier, Trump also warned that “In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water,” and said the US is willing to escort ships through the Strait to protect them from Iranian attack.Despite the tensions, two Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas crossed the Strait, Reuters reported.

About a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through the narrow strait between Iran and Oman. Tehran’s ability to block the channel could give it significant leverage over the US and its allies.