Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin on the last day campaigning for the first phase of the Lok Sabha election to be held on April 19, 2024
| Photo Credit: R. Ravindran

Campaigning ends for 102 seats in first phase of Lok Sabha polls

Political parties held their last rallies in 102 Lok Sabha constituencies on April 17 as campaigning came to an end for the first phase of the general election. Voting will be held in these seats, scattered across 21 States and Union Territories, on April 19. While the BJP based its campaign on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Opposition INDIA bloc targeted the ruling party by raising issues such as unemployment, farmers’ distress, and price rise. 

Election Commission halts proposed visit of West Bengal Governor to Cooch Behar

Acting tough, the Election Commission of India (EC) on Wednesday advised a halt to the proposed tour of West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to Cooch Behar on April 18-19 saying it would violate the Model Code of Conduct.

Worker from Bihar shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag

Militants shot dead a non-local in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday evening, just two days ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha election in J&K. Security forces busted a hideout and arrested two suspects in the Union Territory.

Chhattisgarh encounter | Tactical adjustments, unusual routes yielded results: police

Not following usual routes, improved coordination between forces, and additional backup helped security personnel minimise risk and inflict more damage in the April 16 anti-Maoist operation in which 29 alleged Maoists were killed in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh.

Wrestler Sakshi Malik listed among 100 most influential people by Time magazine

Olympic medallist Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik has been listed among the 100 most influential people of 2024 by Time magazine. Sakshi, India’s only female Olympic medallist in wrestling, has been honoured for her relentless fight against alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers by former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Ghulam Nabi Azad backs out of race from Anantnag-Rajouri seat

The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Wednesday decided against contesting from south Kashmir’s Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat. However, no reasons were cited for the decision. DPAP provincial president Mohammad Amin Bhat said his party had decided to field Advocate Mohammad Saleem Parray for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.

Israel-Hamas talks on Gaza truce ‘stalling’: mediator Qatar

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas to secure a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages have stalled, Qatar’s Prime Minister said on Wednesday. “We are going through a sensitive stage with some stalling, and we are trying as much as possible to address this stalling,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told a news conference with Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.

What caused the storm that led to Dubai floods?

Following the floods in Dubai, questions were raised whether cloud seeding, a process that the UAE frequently conducts, could have caused the heavy rains. But the UAE’s meteorology agency said there were no such operations before the storm. The huge rainfall was instead likely due to a normal weather system that was exacerbated by climate change, experts say.

IPL-17, GT vs DC | Delhi Capitals bundle out GT for 89 as bowlers come to party, finally

Delhi Capitals bundled out Gujarat Titans for 89 in their Indian Premier League match here on Wednesday, the bowlers finally having a say after being blasted all over the park in the last few matches. Mukesh Kumar was the most successful bowler for DC with figures of 3/14, while there were two wickets apiece for Ishant Sharma (2/8) and Tristan Stubbs (2/11).

Champions League | Real Madrid eliminate holders Manchester City in penalty shootout

Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger scored the decisive penalty to lift his team to a 4-3 shootout victory over holders Manchester City after their Champions League quarterfinal tie finished 4-4 on aggregate.

Gujrat Titans will be striving for much needed consistency when they meet Delhi Capitals in an Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on April 17.
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals will look to stabilise their undulating fortunes when they meet at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Wednesday.

Both sides snapped out of successive defeats with a victory in their previous encounter, but neither outfit has won back-to-back matches this season.

GT’s three-wicket triumph over the high-flying Rajasthan Royals was made possible by a stunning assault by its lower middle-order, comprising Rahul Tewatia, M. Shahrukh Khan and Rashid Khan, that helped chase down 196.

But it is the top- and middle-order combinations that have proved a headache. Injuries to David Miller (three games out), Wriddhiman Saha (two) and Azmatullah Omarzai (two) opened opportunities for Kane Williamson, Matthew Wade, B.R. Sharath, and Abhinav Manohar. No one hasso far lapped it up.

DC’s six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants, that lifted the side out of last position, was fashioned by wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and debutant Aussie batter Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Kuldeep, after missing three games because of a groin injury, made a sensational return (4-0-20-3) while Fraser-McGurk, in for the injured Mitchell Marsh, smashed a 35-ball 55 in a 168-run pursuit.

VersusLSG, DC also unleashed an all-Indian bowling attack and the former’s total (167) was the lowest in the four contestsDC has bowled first. Rishabh Pant’s consistent and brisk run-making, even as he juggles the twin burdens of captaincy and wicket-keeping, also augurs well.

DC will however be sweating over the fitness of David Warner. He was hit on the left hand against LSG, and though head coach Ricky Ponting said the scans were satisfactory, his availability will be known only on match-day.

The Teams (From):

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Matthew Wade, Kane Williamson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Abhinav Manohar, Rashid Khan, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Spencer Johnson, Kartik Tyagi, Joshua Little, Darshan Nalkande, Noor Ahmad, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohit Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Sushant Mishra, Sandeep Warrier, Sharath BR, Manav Suthar.

Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (c), David Warner, Abishek Porel, Ricky Bhui, Yash Dhull, Shai Hope, Prithvi Shaw, Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kushagra, Swastik Chikara, Ishant Sharma, Jhye Richardson, Rasikh Dar Salam, Vicky Ostwal, Anrich Nortje, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Khaleel Ahmed, Sumit Kumar, Axar Patel, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Match starts 7.30pm IST.

A view of the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Kolkata Knight Riders’ home IPL game against Rajasthan Royals was on Tuesday advanced by a day to April 16, while Gujarat Titans-Delhi Capitals fixture in Ahmedabad was also rescheduled by the BCCI which did not give any reason for the move.

The PTI on April 1 reported that the KKR-RR tie in the 2024 Indian Premier League was set to get rescheduled due to Ram Navami, but the Board did not specify any reason for the rescheduling of matches on these two dates.

“The fixture between Kolkata Knight Riders & Rajasthan Royals, which was earlier scheduled to take place on April 17, 2024 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata will now be played a day prior on April 16, 2024.

“The Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad was earlier scheduled to host the match between Gujarat Titans & Delhi Capitals on April 16, 2024. The fixture will now be played on April 17, 2024,” the BCCI said in a statement.

It was learnt that Kolkata Police expressed its inability to provide adequate security cover for what will be KKR’s third home game of the 17th IPL season, just three days after they host the Lucknow Super Giants.

West Bengal is also set to vote on April 19 in the first phase of the seven-phase general elections. The voting in Kolkata will take place on June 1.

The CAB had suggested that the match be advanced either by a day (16 April) or pushed back by 24 hours to 18 April.

KKR is currently in Visakhapatnam for a game against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday.