️ The T20 World Cup semifinal is underway in Mumbai, with hosts and defending champions India scoring heavily in the early stages of the match. India's captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed satisfaction with batting first, as he had hoped for this outcome. Abhishek Sharma and wicket-keeper Sanju Samson opened the innings, but Sharma was dismissed for 9 runs in the second over after attempting a big shot. Samson, however, has maintained a strong pace, scoring 31 runs off his first 15 deliveries, including six boundaries, providing crucial momentum for the team.
️ In Nepal, polls for the general election, which followed widespread youth protests, closed at 5 p.m. local time, with the counting process set to commence shortly. Election commission spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai stated that early trends might emerge on Friday, but final results could take up to a week. As of 3 p.m., with two hours of voting remaining, approximately half of the country's 19 million eligible voters had cast their ballots. In the last election in 2022, voter turnout was 61%. The 275 members of parliament will be elected through a mixed electoral system, somewhat similar to Germany's, with 165 seats decided by first-past-the-post races and 110 allocated via proportional representation.
️ The Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi has issued an advisory for the Indian community in the region, urging them to "avoid unnecessary travel" and "remain vigilant" amid reports of Iranian strikes. Hundreds of thousands of Indians living and working in the UAE are scrambling to return to India following Iran's attacks. An Indian passport holder named Valsa (last name withheld) told DW that she was stranded while visiting family when the conflict erupted and has been on hold with commercial airlines for hours trying to secure a flight back. She described retreating to her apartment's storeroom, the only windowless room, during the initial two days of attacks and still hearing jets fly by frequently, calling the situation "surreal."
️ The reigning T20 World Cup champions and co-hosts, India, will face England today at 7 p.m. IST (13:30 GMT) at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium. This marks the third consecutive T20 World Cup where England has met India in the semifinals, with the winner of each previous match going on to lift the trophy. The game will be played in humid conditions, with temperatures in the mid-30s Celsius and an expected crowd of around 35,000 roaring fans. Hundreds of millions of viewers across the cricket-obsessed nation are anticipated to tune in via TV and streaming platforms. English cricketer Harry Brook acknowledged that India are the favorites to win on home soil but warned that England's "perfect performance" is imminent, highlighting the high stakes of this encounter.
Source: www.dw.com